The Singapore Engineer October 2017

THE MAGAZINE OF THE INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS, SINGAPORE

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

www.ies.org.sg

October 2017 | MCI (P) 003/03/2017

COVER STORY: JOINT EFFORTS AIM TO ACHIEVE SMART MANUFACTURING IN THE AEROSPACE SECTOR

PLUS

MARINE & OFFSHORE ENGINEERING: Investigation on hydrodynamic performance of heave plates under semi-submersible floating wind turbines CHEMICAL & PROCESS ENGINEERING: Achievements recognised at Singapore Chemical Engineering Awards BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING: ITE team develops superior method to remove kidney stones

CONTENTS FEATURES

COVER STORY

20 Joint efforts aim to achieve smart manufacturing in the aerospace sector The objective is to create next generation capabilities.

AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

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24 Siemens and Association of Aerospace Industries (Singapore) sign Memorandum of Cooperation The move gives an impetus to the digitalisation of the aerospace industry.

MARINE & OFFSHORE ENGINEERING:

26 Investigation on hydrodynamic performance of heave plates under semi-submersible floating wind turbines The use of relevant software aided the research.

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34 Digitalisation offers multiple benefits The result is reduced costs in the operation of ships.

ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

36 OMRON opens Automation Center in Singapore The facility will enable the company to explore the application of disruptive technologies.

President Er. Edwin Khew Chief Editor T Bhaskaran t_b_n8@yahoo.com Chief Executive Alvin Charm alvin.charm@iesnet.org.sg

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Assistant Publications Manager Fenda Ngo fenda.ngo@iesnet.org.sg

Editorial Panel Er. Chong Kee Sen Dr Chandra Segaran Dr Ang Keng Been Mr Kenneth Cheong Mr Gary Ong

Publications Executive Queek Jiayu jiayu@iesnet.org.sg

Media Representative MultiNine Corporation Pte Ltd sales@multi9.com.sg

Publications Manager Desmond Teo desmond@iesnet.org.sg

Design & layout by 2EZ Asia Pte Ltd Cover designed by Irin Kuah Cover images by Rolls-Royce Singapore Published by The Institution of Engineers, Singapore 70 Bukit Tinggi Road, Singapore 289758 Tel: 6469 5000 I Fax: 6467 1108 Printed in Singapore

www.ies.org.sg

BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING

38 Singapore Medtech Consortium launched The initiative leverages members’ technology capabilities and adjacencies in production processes.

40 ITE team develops superior method to remove kidney stones The device is expected to reach the market by the end of 2018.

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CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

42 Achievements recognised at Singapore Chemical Engineering Awards The work done by academia and industry was celebrated.

FUTURE MANUFACTURING

44 Energy efficiency gains achieved in automotive production plant Existing equipment can be upgraded for improved performance.

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REGULAR SECTIONS 04 16 45 48

INDUSTRY NEWS EVENTS IES UPDATE VIEWPOINT

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The Singapore Engineer is published monthly by The Institution of Engineers, Singapore (IES). The publication is distributed free-of-charge to IES members and affiliates. Views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor or IES. All rights reserved.

No part of this magazine shall be reproduced, mechanically or electronically, without the prior consent of IES. Whilst every care is taken to ensure accuracy of the content at press time, IES will not be liable for any discrepancies. Unsolicited contributions are welcome but their inclusion in the magazine is at the discretion of the Editor.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

SMART LED LIGHTING CAN HELP REDUCE URBAN CO2 EMISSIONS

BY OVER 60 PER CENT: PHILIPS

cient LEDs that are connected to a cloudbased smart lighting management system.

Performance data sent through existing cellular networks to help city officials remotely monitor and manage lighting infrastructure. For instance, in the evening when traffic is low, the lighting office can dim illumination levels by 50 per cent to achieve additional energy savings.

In Malacca, it is stated that the new lighting system potentially offers the Malaysian state government savings of up to 80 per cent. It will also improve operational efficiencies, with less reliance on manpower for manual inspection of faulty streetlights.

A new report, jointly produced by Philips Lighting and the World Council on City Data (WCCD), has revealed that cities can make energy savings and carbon dioxide (CO2) emission reductions of almost two-thirds through the introduction of smart LED street lighting.

The key findings from the report, titled The Citywide Benefits of Smart & Connected Public Lighting, were shared with the United Nations (UN) during the Local 2030: Hub for Sustainability Solutions special event held at the UN headquarters in New York.

It was highlighted that Los Angeles made energy savings of 63 per cent in 2016 by implementing smart, connected LED street lighting systems, generating cost savings of USD 9 million and reducing its annual greenhouse gas emissions associated with public lighting by 47,000 metric tons, equivalent to that from almost 10,000 passenger vehicles driven for one year.

The report noted that better quality lighting could also reduce crime rates, with Los Angeles observing a 10.5 per cent drop in crime rates for offences such as vehicle theft, burglary and vandalism in the first two years of its LED conversion program.

Other benefits cited by the report include improvements in traffic safety for road users, city attractiveness and economic strength. It postulates that by producing these benefits over and above emission reductions, smart LED lighting will also make a major contribution towards meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals, a globally-agreed set of targets for moving to a sustainable future by 2030.

Similar implementation projects in South-East Asia have also produced favourable results. In Jakarta, nearly 90,000 streetlights have been replaced with energy-effi-

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Calling for all cities to adopt 100 per cent LED street lighting by 2025, Mr Harry Verhaar, Head of Global Public and Government Affairs for Philips Lighting, said, “COP21 sent a clear signal of political support to tackle the effects of climate change, and a switch to energy-efficient LED street lights in cities … with connected system management can deliver savings of up to 80 per cent, which would make a significant dent in our climate change targets.”

Lighting currently accounts for 15 per cent of global electricity consumption. A universal switch to LEDs would cause this figure to fall to just 8 per cent.

The report also presented a measurement framework for monitoring and evaluating city-level impacts of smart and connected lighting investments, arguing that the adoption of standardised city data such as that used in Los Angeles will help to inform infrastructure investment and decision-making and build the investment case for smart technology projects.

For its part, the WCCD has been mapping its ISO 37120 standard to the 17 themes of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, in order to support cities in taking a leadership position to address these goals.

“The ISO 37120 standard that the WCCD is implementing with cities globally defines a comprehensive set of 100 standardised indicators that enables any city, of any size, to assess their performance and measure progress over time in a way that can be accurately benchmarked and compared with other cities,” explained Dr Patricia McCarney, President & CEO of WCCD. She concluded that such globally-standardised, high-calibre data would be useful for city leaders in evaluating the benefits of smart infrastructure solutions for the financial, economic, social and environmental spheres.

INDUSTRY NEWS

HP AND DELOITTE JOIN FORCES TO ACCELERATE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF GLOBAL MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY HP Inc, together with Deloitte Consulting, have announced an alliance to help accelerate the digital transformation of the global manufacturing industry, which is estimated to be worth USD 12 trillion.

The two companies will collaborate on the implementation of HP’s 3D printing systems in large-scale manufacturing environments, helping enterprises accelerate product design and production, creating more flexible manufacturing and supply chains, and enhancing efficiency across the manufacturing lifecycle.

Together with Deloitte’s global client reach and deep manufacturing relationships, extensive digital operations experience, and proven success in supply chain transformation, it is anticipated that the partnership “will be able to increase innovation, accelerate time-to-market, reduce costs and waste, and help large enterprises compete more effectively”.

“The Fourth Industrial Revolution is upon us. No sector of the global economy is undergoing more radical transformation than the manufacturing market,” said Mr Dion Weisler, President and CEO, HP Inc. “Companies investing in digital reinvention are poised to outpace their peers. Building on our disruptive 3D print-

ing technology, together with Deloitte, we are focused on helping customers transform and win in this new era.”

This alliance, which will begin in the US, is part of HP and Deloitte’s ongoing collaboration designed to accelerate digital transformation for the enterprise. It will combine Deloitte’s extensive business transformation capabilities with HP’s managed print, device-as-a-service (DaaS), commercial mobility, and cyber-security offerings.

SINGAPORE AIRLINES FINALISES

USD 13.8 BILLION ORDER FOR BOEING AIRCRAFT Singapore Airlines (SIA) has formally signed a firm order with Boeing for 20 777-9s and 19 787-10s, for additional growth and fleet modernisation through the next decade.

“These new aircraft will also provide the SIA Group with new growth opportunities, allowing us to expand our network and offer even more travel options for our customers”, he added.

The signing took place today (23 October, US time) at the White House in Washington DC, USA, at a ceremony witnessed by US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong. It represents the finalisation of an agreement that was announced in February 2017 as a letter of intent.

The 777-9s are intended primarily for long-haul routes and are due for delivery from the 2021/2022 financial year. The 787-10s are to be operated on medium-range routes and are due for delivery from the 2020/2021 financial year.

Signing the agreement for SIA was CEO Goh Choon Phong, with Chairman Peter Seah. Signing for Boeing was Kevin McAllister, President and CEO, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, with Dinesh Keskar, Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific & India Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

The purchase agreement comprises 39 firm orders, as well as six options for each aircraft type - which if exercised will enlarge the deal to as many as 51 aircraft. The firm orders are valued at USD 13.8 billion, based on Boeing’s published list prices.

“SIA has been a Boeing customer for many decades and we are pleased to have finalised this major order for widebody aircraft, which will enable us to continue operating a modern and fuel-efficient fleet”, said SIA CEO Goh Choon Phong.

SIA is due to take delivery of the world’s first 787-10 in the first half of 2018, from a 2013 order with Boeing for 30 aircraft.

“Boeing and Singapore Airlines have been strong partners since the airline’s first operations 70 years ago and we are thrilled to finalise their purchase of 20 777Xs and 19 additional 787-10 Dreamliners”, said Kevin McAllister, President and CEO, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

“Singapore Airlines’ order is a testament to the market-leading capabilities of Boeing’s widebody airplanes and we look forward to delivering the very first 787-10 to them next year”, he added.

SIA has more than 50 current-generation Boeing 777 aircraft in service. Subsidiaries SilkAir, Scoot and SIA Cargo also operate Boeing aircraft, with 737 MAX 8 and 737-800, 787-8/9 and 747400 Freighter types in service, respectively.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

MICRON REVEALS CRITICAL TECHNOLOGIES FOR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES

An Authenta-enabled memory system is capable of being secure-booted; providing a unique level of protection for the lowest layers of device software in automotive ECUs.

US-based memory solutions provider Micron Technology announced in September a slew of measures it was taking to help catalyse industry innovation in autonomous vehicle technology.

Firstly, it has commenced shipping LPDDR (low-power DDR) 4x, running at 4,266 megatransfers per second (MT/s) – the highest speed grade permitted by the LPDDR4 specification – to key chipset partners. This technology can enable overall system bandwidths of up to 100GB/s and provides a foundation for the next-generation of autonomous vehicle design.

“Autonomous vehicles require safe, secure and highly-responsive solutions, relying on split second decisions powered by enormous amounts of data. To quickly analyse the data necessary for future autonomous vehicles, higher bandwidth memory and storage solutions are required,” the company said in a statement.

It is also committed to deliver high-bandwidth GDDR6 memory solutions for the automotive market. Graphics memory (GDDR) is a high-performing memory commonly found today in gaming, graphics and virtual reality applications.

Micron plans to leverage its strength to provide the highest bandwidth solutions designed to meet stringent auto qualifications. The company is actively engaged with leading automotive partners and customers to enable GDDR technologies that will meet the needs of level 4 – full autonomy – and beyond.

Mr Jeff Bader, Vice President of Micron’s Embedded Business Unit, Micron, said: “High-performance memories such as Micron’s GDDR will help accelerate the overall system capabilities of connected vehicles by providing the raw performance that will initially be needed to achieve full autonomy.

“With the addition of GDDR to our portfolio, Micron is extending our leadership position and continuing to fuel innovation in the automotive industry.”

Lastly, Micron will also make development kits for its Authenta security solutions available to automotive and Internet of Things (IoT) customers by the end of 2017.

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The software and hardware development kits will enable customers to evaluate how to integrate Authenta-enabled flash in their security architecture, implement capabilities like secure boot, cloud-based attestation, authentication and provisioning.

This will allow them to increase the defense-in-depth of their solutions, without adding additional hardware components.

(From left to right) Mr Jeff Bader, VP, Embedded Business Unit, Micron Technology; Mr Tim Wong, Director, Technical Program Management for Autonomous Vehicles, NVIDIA; Mr Sanjay Vishin, Director, Automotive Platforms, Qualcomm; Mr Doug Seven, Head, Azure IoT Mobility, Microsoft; Mr Steve Pawlowski, VP, Advanced Computing Solutions, Micron and Mr Steve Brown, also known as “The Bald Futurist” and panel moderator for the discussion. Photo: Screengrab from Micron Technology’s Youtube channel.

Media panel with industry leaders Alongside the announcement, Micron hosted a press panel with key industry partners, where they discussed the technologies and solutions that will become increasingly critical enablers for the next wave of intelligent vehicles in the automotive sector.

Two key points arose from the discussion: the need to constantly provide safe, personalised driving experiences, and the ever-increasing need to ensure the security of the connected systems within the vehicle, especially with the advent of autonomous vehicles that can make decisions on their own and affect passenger safety.

The replay can be viewed at https://www.youtube. com/user/MicronTechnology

INDUSTRY NEWS

LAND PREVIOUSLY EARMARKED FOR UNDERGROUND ROAD SYSTEM FREED UP FOR DEVELOPMENT In a joint statement by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), land previously safeguarded for the Singapore Underground Road System (SURS) has been de-safeguarded and made available for development. “Enhancements to our public transport network and changes in land use policies have removed the need for SURS,� said both agencies.

The full opening of the Downtown Line this year, together with the Thomson-East Coast line (2024), and Circle Line Stage 6 (circa 2025) will improve connectivity for commuters travelling from the north-western and eastern regions of the island to the CBD and Marina Bay areas.

By 2030, it is estimated that more than 90 per cent of developments in the CBD will be within a five-minute walk to an MRT station.

Both LTA and URA have also noted that more commercial centres have been developed outside of the city by the Gov-

ernment, bringing employment and amenities closer to homes. This reduces the need to travel in and out of the city centre.

SURS was conceptualised in the late 1980s as a 15 km long underground arterial ring road system around the fringe of the city, to cater to potential The planned SURS alignment. Image: LTA traffic growth into and out of the city centre. Land along the SURS alignment was safeguarded in 1993.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

SATS GEARS UP FOR THE FUTURE AIRPORT WITH

AUGMENTED REALITY TECHNOLOGY

A SATS staff member demonstrating the use of the AR smart glasses. Photo: SATS/EON Reality

SATS, Changi Airport’s largest ground handler, has introduced augmented reality (AR) smart glasses in its ramp handling operations.

The ergonomically-designed smart glass will provide SATS’ ramp handling staff with critical information, such as loading instructions, in real-time, instead of relying on paper instructions and voice-only communications.

Using the wearable AR technology, operators will be able to scan visual markers found on baggage and cargo containers that provide details such as weight, unit number, loading sequence and the allocated position within the aircraft.

This hands-free process improves safety, and increases the accuracy and efficiency of baggage and cargo loading.

The smart glass comprises a monocular display and onboard processor with video recording features and wireless connectivity capabilities. Video streaming enhances the visibility of ramp handling operations across the airport by providing the ramp smart control centre a real-time view of on-ground processes.

With the see-what-I-see feature, flight controllers within the control centre can better supervise and provide instructions to operators on how to handle cargo with special handling requirements. In addition, they would also have enhanced oversight of the loading process, which will enable greater flexibility in manpower management.

According to SATS, using the smart glasses potentially shortens cargo loading time by up to 25 per cent. This would create competitive advantages for airline customers who could reduce waiting times for passengers and 08

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER October 2017

shorten transit times for airfreight shippers.

The project was developed in partnership with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, which co-funded the development cost.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan, Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport, who graced the launch of the smart glass, said, “This innovation will directly benefit our airport workers, raising their productivity and making their workplace safer. This is the way to tap on technology to keep our airport and airlines ahead of their competition.”

To ensure successful implementation of this disruptive new technology, SATS will be introducing the smart glass in phases with full implementation expected by the middle of next year.

Currently, almost 600 staff are undergoing training to use the system. The company is also investing in next-generation training aids, such as using virtual reality technology to simulate accurate on-ground scenarios within a safe and controlled environment.

“With passenger demand forecast to double by 2035 to 7.2 billion air travellers, we are preparing to handle more passengers, aircraft and airfreight. SATS is embracing technology to handle these volume increases in an innovative, sustainable way. By introducing augmented reality to our ground handling operations, we are improving services for airlines, passengers and airfreight shippers,” said Mr Alex Hungate, President and Chief Executive Officer, SATS

INDUSTRY NEWS

BOEING ROLLS OUT SINGAPORE AIRLINES’ FIRST 787-10 DREAMLINER Boeing rolled out the first 787-10 Dreamliner built for Singapore Airlines (SIA) at its Final Assembly facility in North Charleston, South Carolina, on 3 October 2017.

The airplane will now undergo the painting of the airline’s livery and begin its system checks, fueling, and engine runs. SIA is due to take delivery of its first 787-10 in the first half of 2018 and will be operate the jet on the airline’s medium-haul routes.

experience and long range with 25 percent better fuel per seat and emissions than the airplanes it will replace.

Since entering service in 2011, the 787 family has flown more than 190 million people on more than 560 unique routes around the world, saving an estimated 18 billion pounds of fuel.

As the launch customer of the 78710, SIA currently has 30 airplanes on firm order. The airline also signed a letter of intent in February 2017 to purchase 19 additional airframes.

“Boeing is excited to have finished final assembly of the first 787-10 Dreamliner for Singapore Airlines,” said Mr Dinesh Keskar, senior vice president, Asia Pacific & India Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

“With its unprecedented efficiency, greater capacity and the Dreamliner’s known preferred passenger experience, the 787-10 will be an important part of the airline’s future fleet.”

As an 18-foot (5.5-m) stretch of the 787-9, the 787-10 will deliver the 787 family’s preferred passenger

SIA’s first Dreamliner is seen here leaving Boeing’s assembly plant in South Carolina. Photo: Josh Drake for Boeing

ACES ELECTS 2017/2018 COUNCIL The Association of Consulting Engineers Singapore (ACES) has announced the election of its Executive Committee and Council Members for the 2017/2018 session. The elected members took office on 12 July 2017. For more information, visit http://www.aces.org.sg.

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Executive Committee

Council Members

President: Er. Chua Tong Seng Vice President: Er. Teo Yann Honorary Secretary: Er. Koh Lian Suan, Adeline Honorary Treasurer: Er. Wong Pui Fun, Joanne Immediate Past President: Er. Ling Shiang Yun Past President: Er. Koh Boon Liang

Er. Yeow Mei Ling; Er. Neo Tee Boon, Alfred; Er. Yong Fen Leong; Er. Mak Swee Chiang; Er. Sivakumaran Murugesu; Er. Lee Tuck Cheong; Er. Liu Wang Lai, Kenneth; Er. Choong Choon Guan; Er. Chuck Kho Chza Main (Appointed) and Er. Ng Han Siong (Appointed)

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INDUSTRY NEWS

BOEING TO DESIGN AND BUILD SEVEN MEDIUM EARTH ORBIT SATELLITES FOR SES Boeing will design and build seven super-powered medium earth orbit (MEO) satellites for SES, delivering efficient high-performance data communications services to users around the world.

The O3b mPOWER satellites will include Boeing’s most-advanced digital payload technology and will be built using electronics from the flight-proven 702 satellite platform customised to support the unique MEO environment.

“With this new technology and design, Boeing is able to build satellites faster and more cost-effectively while still providing the high performance our customers have come to expect from Boeing digital satellites”, said Mr Paul Rusnock, Chairman and CEO, Boeing Satellite Systems International Inc. “This latest digital payload design has an unprecedented level

of technology integration, built-in test capability and is modular and scalable for all orbits”, he added.

“The SES O3b mPOWER system opens a new era of connectivity, fundamentally transforming the role and capabilities of satellites”, said Mr Karim Michel Sabbagh, President and CEO at SES. “O3b mPOWER is a unique system with exponentially more power, performance and flexibility, which sets the technology at the highest level, offering a visionary roadmap for next generation technology”, he added.

The satellites are designed to be launched up to four at a time, in a stacked configuration, depending on the selected launch vehicle.

Starting in the 1990s, Boeing has built 12 satellites for SES. The latest, SES-15, was launched earlier this year.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

HIROTEC INCREASES PRODUCTIVITY WITH HPE EDGELINE AND PTC’S THINGWORX PLATFORM For over 60 years, top vehicle producers, such as Mazda and General Motors, have relied upon HIROTEC for its proven, high-quality automotive components and production solutions. HIROTEC owns 27 facilities in nine countries around the world. The company designs and builds approximately 8 million closures and 1.8 million exhaust systems yearly, making it one of the largest private production companies in the global automotive market. HIROTEC also provides production tooling and stamping dies to automotive OEMs for their production needs.

HIROTEC recently selected HPE Edgeline IoT systems and PTC’s ThingWorx Platform to enable data collection and analysis, and provide insights into factory machinery control. The solution was optimised for factory production facilities and capable of production systems monitoring and real-time data collection and analysis on the edge.

The system integration in Japan was implemented by Nippon Systemware Co Ltd. The solution, which features HPE Edgeline servers from Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), will help HIROTEC address issues that impact its efficiency and throughput. By predicting and preventing failures in critical systems at its facilities, HIROTEC will achieve a better understanding of performance at its production facilities, and will be able to make improvements, based on real-time data analytics at the edge.

HIROTEC makes doors and exhaust systems for the global automotive market.

Instead of sending IoT data on the edge to the data centre or cloud for processing and analysis, the solution facilitates sophisticated data processing and real-time analytics on the edge, providing a remote visualisation of automated exhaust system inspection lines. Data sources for this platform include inspection robots, force sensors, laser measurement devices, and cameras.

HIROTEC selected the ThingWorx Platform from PTC to remotely monitor its factory operations, in order to improve operational efficiency and factory quality. The advantages of ThingWorx include its rapid application enablement and connectivity as well as its capabilities in the areas of machine learning, augmented reality and integration with leading cloud offerings.

ThingWorx is expected to enable the following: • Reduction of downtime caused by unplanned events, by sending breaking news alerts of the errors to the proper parties and predicting the amount of time until a system fails.

• Improvement of the quality of products, by providing a full digital report of the products made.

• Reduction of delays in decision-making, by enabling team members with real-time detailed data and creating 12

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HPE Edgeline servers will help HIROTEC address issues that impact its efficiency and throughput.

dynamic visualisations of the status of production systems.

• Identification of trouble spots within the facility, by observing real-time data on the factory floor, with augmented reality providing a bird’s eye view.

Since the implementation of the solution, HIROTEC has improved its factory monitoring processes and production efficiency.

HIROTEC intends to set up a model production line this year and then utilise this model to implement the system globally.

INDUSTRY NEWS

NI TREND WATCH 2018

EXPLORES THE TRENDS DRIVING THE FUTURE National Instruments (NI) recently announced the release of NI Trend Watch 2018. The report covers the following topics: • Machine Learning Puts Data to Work - Intelligent systems create and rely on data, but the ever-increasing quantity of data exacerbates the Big Analog Data challenge. NI Trend Watch 2018 examines how machine learning addresses the problem head-on, so engineers can focus on finding and solving the next grand challenge.

• 5G to Disrupt Test Processes - 5G innovation does not stop at design. Test and measurement solutions will be key in the commercialisation cycle, but 5G requires a different approach to testing, than previous wireless technologies. The report discusses what it is going to take to make 5G a reality.

• Three Mandates of the IIoT - The proliferation of smart and connected ‘things’ in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) provides tremendous opportunities for increased performance and

lower costs, but managing these distributed systems is often an overlooked challenge. NI Trend Watch 2018 explores the three necessities for successfully managing ‘things’.

• Effects of Electrification - The vehicle electrification trend goes deeper than a global shift from internal combustion and hybrid vehicles to fully electric powertrains. The report considers implications beyond the increasingly complex vehicle itself, including new demands on supporting infrastructure.

• Breaking Moore’s Law - The constant pace of innovation has tracked remarkably close to Moore’s Law for decades, despite a few minor revisions and much talk of its death. But now, the more than 50-year-old observation is facing health challenges again. NI Trend Watch 2018 explains what that means for the future of the semiconductor market.

The complete report can be reviewed at www.ni.com/trend-watch.

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EVENTS

ERTC 2017 TO BE HELD FROM 13 TO 15 NOVEMBER

European Refining Technology Conference 2017 (ERTC 2017), will be held from 13 to 15 November 2017, in Athens, Greece. Co-located with Global Petrochemicals Summit 2017, ERTC 2017 is hosted, by Hellenic Petroleum and supported by Motor Oil (Hellas), together with 35 other key industry sponsors.

The full three-day conference will feature 49 speakers from across the European refining and petrochemicals sector, including Grigoris Stergioulis, CEO, Hellenic Petroleum; Wolfram Krenn, Refinery, Director Petrobrazi, OMV; Lars Rosenløv Senior Vice President, Downstream Operations, Statoil; and Teemu Lindberg, Director Refining, UPM. Alongside the refiners and petrochemical producers, world leading solution providers including Axens, Grace, BASF, Albemarle, KBC and Honeywell UOP will demonstrate their products and explain how refiners can get real value from their technologies, through a series of case studies and interactive formats.

An additional topic that will be presented for the first time at a conference, is the use of drones in the refining industry. Giovanni Brambilla, Business Development Manager of Alpha Robotix srl, will provide real-life examples and case studies that showcase the ‘good, the bad and the ugly’ side of drones.

ERTC 2017 will provide networking opportunities.

Broader topics such as Industry 4.0, CAPEX reduction, optimisation, clean energy and sustainability will also be addressed. Visitors to the event will also have the opportunity to obtain a clear understanding of IMO Regulations at the panel discussion with Francisco Vázquez, Refining Executive Director of Repsol and John Cooper, General Director of Concawe.

For more information about ERTC 2017, and to register, please visit ertc.wraconferences.com or https://goo.gl/ PUhkU8 to download the brochure.

LEADING TECHNOLOGY EVENT STACK ADDS NEW FOCUS AREAS Organised by CloserStill Media, Cloud Expo Asia, Cloud & Cyber Security Expo and Data Centre World, Singapore 2017, the fifth edition of the event stack, was held alongside launch shows Big Data World 2017 and Smart IoT Singapore 2017, on 11 and 12 October 2017, at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.

Attended by over 14,000 delegates, the event stack featured a line-up of over 350 international suppliers and shareholders, as well as 300 influential industry experts speaking on the latest trends and challenges in the evolving IT landscape.

In addition to the cloud, cybersecurity and data centre scenes, the conference programme featured a range of discussions around the emerging Internet of Things and Big Data markets and included presentations delivered by some of the region’s most innovative organisations such as Go-Jek, DBS Bank and GoGoVan. “We have been delighted by the extraordinary response to the fifth anniversary edition! With a host of ground-breaking educa-

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tional content, networking opportunities and invaluable support from the vendor community, it has been a hugely exciting few days”, said Mr Andy Kiwanuka, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, CloserStill Media.

“New for 2017, we introduced Big Data World which delivered an astonishing audience of high-level CDOs, data analysts and data scientists. The success of the new attraction is testament to the innovation and incredible developments taking place in the APAC region. It is clear that Singapore is certainly leading the charge in cloud-based adoption and maturity”, he added.

The event stack was opened by IMDA Chief Digital Evangelist, Mr Khoong Hock Yun and IT advocate, Mr Charles Mok. The concurrent exhibition featured leading brands such as Datto, Fujitsu, Google Cloud, Telstra, Legrand and Cloudera.

The event stack will return again next year to the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. It will be held on 10 and 11 October 2018.

EVENTS

GERMAN INDUSTRIAL COMPANIES TO SHARE EXPERTISE ON INDUSTRY 4.0 The Singapore Intelligent Manufacturing Conference will be held at the Ramada Hotel, Zhongshan Park, on 10 November 2017.

itate the optimisation of value chains and the identification of new business models.

The event will see German companies HARTING, ifm, igus and KUKA, sharing their expertise on taking Industry 4.0 from a vision to reality, in Southeast Asia. Those attending will get a real, practical insight on how to adopt Industry 4.0 thinking, with the minimum of fuss and investment.

Mr Stephen Fluhrer of HARTING will explore the remarkable new possibilities for older machinery, in his presentation ‘Old Machines and Equipment to Shine in New Splendour’.

Subject matter experts from the four companies will cover a diverse range of topics, including how digital technology helps in retrofitting old machines and equipment; what a smart factory looks like; the applications of smart plastics; and best practices in integrating a system from design to production.

Dr Marcel Müller of KUKA will speak about how the fourth industrial revolution enables manufacturers to gather profound knowledge about their systems and how that can help to facil-

In his presentation, on behalf of igus, Mr Luther Tan will focus on the various applications of smart plastics technology and how this makes it possible to eliminate downtime by automated condition monitoring.

As well as practical sessions, the conference will also look towards the future with such presentations as that by ifm’s Peter Wienzek who will be looking at ‘Smart Factories of the Future’.

Attendance at the Singapore Intelligent Manufacturing Conference is free-of-charge. To register, please email iclay@technical-group.com

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EVENTS

TECHINNOVATION 2017 SEES RECORD ATTENDANCE

Held at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, on 19 and 20 September 2017, TechInnovation 2017, the sixth edition of the event, attracted over 3,900 participants from more than 40 countries, a 44% increase from last year’s turnout. The annual two-day technology marketplace is Singapore’s premier technology brokerage event, bringing together technology providers and seekers under one roof, to explore business collaboration opportunities through open innovation.

This year’s exhibition floor saw over 160 exhibitors, from 30 countries, showcasing more than 400 enabling and ready-to-market technologies in four key technology themes - Services and Digital Economy, Advanced Manufacturing & Engineering, Health & Personal Care, and Urban Solutions & Sustainability.

Mr S Iswaran, Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) was the Guest-of-Honour at the opening of TechInnovation 2017.

Organised by Intellectual Property Intermediary (IPI), Singapore, and held in association with the Singapore Week of Innovation and TeCHnology (SWITCH), TechInnovation 2017 also brought together 60 thought leaders, industry experts and leading researchers, to share insights on emerging trends, present technology opportunities available for commercialisation and invite the innovation community to co-create solutions to address innovation challenges.

consortium of five complementary manufacturing SMEs, will provide end-to-end manufacturing solutions in the areas of in-vitro diagnostics, active and non-active medical devices, wearables and life science tool consumables.

Commercialisation of PAKAD

“IPI’s greatest achievement with TechInnovation is seeing both technology providers and technology seekers mutually benefit from the event. We want this platform to continue fostering technology partnerships for all parties and to encourage open innovation practices. The success of this year’s edition is evident from the strong turnout of delegates and exhibitors seeking collaboration opportunities with SMEs. A total of 1,300 business meetings were initiated over the course of two days, between local and international participants”, said Prof Lam Khin Yong, Executive Director, IPI.

The licensing agreement concluded between medtech startup Invivo Medical Pte Ltd, the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), National University Hospital (NUH) and National University of Singapore (NUS), seeks to achieve the commercialisation of the Percutaneous Access to Kidney Assist Device (PAKAD). The innovation makes kidney stone removal surgery simpler, shorter and safer. The technology partnership originated from TechInnovation 2015 and the agreement was signed on 29 August 2017.

MULTIPLE COLLABORATIONS

IP HatchDay is an open innovation competition for startups or entrepreneurs, to leverage Intellectual Property (IP) and technologies to develop scalable business ideas.

Winners of the competition will receive funding, incubation, mentorship and support from the organiser and IP bank, Piece Future, and its partners.

Several announcements were made at TechInnovation 2017.

Formation of the Singapore Medtech Consortium The Singapore Medtech Consortium (SMC) was formed, led by precision engineering small and medium-sized enterprise (SME), Racer Technology, and supported by SPRING Singapore, International Enterprise (IE) Singapore and Singapore Precision Engineering and Technology Association (SPETA). The first-of-its-kind industry-led 16

Guest-of-Honour, Mr S Iswaran, Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry), delivering the opening address, at TechInnovation 2017.

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER October 2017

Launch of inaugural IP HatchDay

ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES SHOWCASED Headlined on the exhibition floor, this year, were two new pavilions showcasing their respective technologies and applications. The Food Pavilion had 10 companies

EVENTS

IP HATCHDAY LAUNCHED AT TECHINNOVATION 2017 The inaugural IP HatchDay, an open innovation competition, was held at TechInnovation 2017.

Organised by Piece Future Pte Ltd and supported by IPI, the competition aims to leverage on Intellectual Property (IP) and technologies to develop scalable business ideas.

Winners of IP HatchDay will receive a starter kit for success, consisting of mentoring, business networks, exposure to institutional partners, funding and incubation opportunities. Prizes also include the added element of granted IPs and technologies, which are offered by three renowned institutions - Panasonic, Temasek Polytechnic and IP Bridge.

Business meetings at the IPI booth, at TechInnovation 2017

showcasing their emerging technologies to create innovative products and solutions, to meet the food industry’s evolving needs. The European Pavilion consisted of 15 organisations from countries such as Estonia, Finland, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands.

The pavilion allowed local enterprises to connect with European partners to discover new innovation opportunities.

TECHINNOVATION TechInnovation brings together international technology providers and enterprises to explore technology commercialisation and initiate business collaboration through open innovation. It is a leading conference and exhibition in Singapore that focuses on the matching of industry’s needs to enabling technologies in info-communications & electronics, manufacturing, materials & chemicals, health & personal care, medtech, energy and environment, from global sources.

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More than 200 individuals registered for the IP HatchDay launch, including individuals and representatives from Small and Medium Enterprises, multinational corporations, legal firms and industry organisations. Attendees experienced, first-hand, how IP and technologies can be commercialised, by getting a glimpse of the 10 innovative business concepts and supporting IP and technology portfolios on offer at IP HatchDay. The IP-driven open innovation competition aims to introduce a fresh proposition to complement the government’s 10-year IP Hub Masterplan to develop Singapore into a global IP hub.

“Innovation is limitless and intellectual properties are incredible source of ideas”, said Mr Jason Loh, CEO and Founder, Piece Future Pte Ltd. “Intellectual properties may be like diamonds in the rough, sometimes, but Piece Future knows exactly how to make their value shine through”, he added.

IPI

First round submissions for IP HatchDay close on 5 November 2017. More information can be obtained from www.iphatchday.com.

Intellectual Property Intermediary (IPI) was established by the Singapore Ministry of Trade & Industry, in April 2011, to catalyse and enable enterprises to grow their businesses through the use of technology and innovation. IPI promotes open innovation, and works with enterprises to source for technologies available both locally and from abroad. In addition, it facilitates partnerships to bring new and innovative products and services to the market. Connected to a global network of technology partners including the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), IPI is well-positioned to assist Singapore enterprises to discover new business and innovation opportunities and expand their reach through its innovation partners.

Mr Jason Loh, CEO and Founder, Piece Future Pte Ltd, speaks at the launch of of IP HatchDay.

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER October 2017

COVER STORY

JOINT EFFORTS AIM TO ACHIEVE SMART MANUFACTURING IN THE AEROSPACE SECTOR The next generation capabilities will be created through advanced processes, automation and digital technologies.

The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), British power systems technology company Rolls-Royce, and Singapore Aero Engine Services Private Limited (SAESL), will invest up to SGD 60 million to set up a Joint Lab to develop Smart Manufacturing technologies.

The joint lab is a five-year collaboration programme initiated by the three organisations, that will develop next-generation aerospace manufacturing, as well as Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) capabilities, enabled by advanced processes, automation and digital technologies.

The A*STAR research institutes supporting this joint lab with relevant capabilities are the Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre (ARTC), Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC), Institute for Infocomm Research (I²R), Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), as well as the National Metrology Centre (NMC).

This is the first joint investment that A*STAR, Rolls-Royce, and SAESL have made in the area of advanced manufacturing technologies.

At the signing of the Smart Manufacturing Joint Lab Agreement are, seated, from left, Dr Bicky Bhangu, Regional Director, SEA & Pacific, Rolls-Royce; Dr Hamid Mughal, Manufacturing Director, Rolls-Royce; Prof Tan Sze Wee, Executive Director, Science and Engineering Research Council, A*STAR; and Mr Bill Wozniak, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Aero Engine Services Pte Ltd. Witnessing the signing are, standing, from left, Mr Lim Chuan Poh, Chairman, A*STAR, and Mr Ian Davis, Chairman, Rolls-Royce.

The programme comprises five main themes, covering the following: • Smart Assembly Systems - Application of intelligent automation across processes such as module assembly, alignment, functional testing and inspection.

• Integrated Remanufacturing Technologies - Advanced repair and remanufacturing methods including automation, laser metal deposition, adaptive technology, and smart inspection technology.

• Advanced Fan Blade Manufacturing - Automation of the fan blade value chain to enable higher productivity and improved right-first-time performance.

• Future Manufacturing Processes - Development of advanced processes such as Additive Layer Manufacturing, robotics and surface conditioning.

• Knowledge-based Manufacturing - Use of digital (Industry 4.0) methods to improve quality, cost and delivery performance at process, factory and enterprise levels.

This programme will leverage ARTC’s Model Factory, as well as A*STAR’s other relevant capabilities to test-bed 20

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER October 2017

new technology applications for the aerospace industry.

The developed technologies will eventually be used, on-site, at Rolls-Royce and SAESL’s facilities for improved productivity, costs savings and business competitiveness.

The joint lab is a significant milestone in Singapore’s push for the future of manufacturing. It will develop cutting-edge manufacturing technologies, such as additive manufacturing (3D industrial printing) of complex aero-engine components, as well as advanced robotic and automatic solutions. This could subsequently carry significant spin-off benefits to other relevant local industry sectors, such as precision engineering.

One of the joint lab’s goals is for the local manufacturing industry, especially SMEs, to adopt the latest technologies, and be part of the high-value global manufacturing supply chain to generate positive economic outcomes in Singapore. These new business opportunities could then form a robust high-value aerospace-related business ecosystem for local enterprises.

“The A*STAR-Rolls-Royce-SAESL Smart Manufacturing Joint Lab demonstrates A*STAR’s commitment to working with enterprises to sustain the competitiveness of the local manufacturing sector, a key pillar of Singapore’s economy. Our Future of Manufacturing strategy involves

COVER STORY

bringing together ideas, resources, people and companies along the innovation value-chain from MNCs to SMEs on a synergistic platform to co-create and co-develop, to benefit Singapore’s future economy”, said Mr Lim Chuan Poh, Chairman, A*STAR. “This agreement is further evidence of our special relationship with Singapore that began over 50 years ago.

This continues to flourish as we make ground-breaking technological advances, together. Singapore, as demonstrated by its Future of Manufacturing initiative, is continually transforming, able and inventive. That is why Singapore is a compelling partner to work with”, said Mr Ian Davis, Chairman, Rolls-Royce.

Manufacturing is a key pillar of Singapore’s economy, contributing to 20% of the country’s GDP, and employing 14% of the total workforce in 2016.

As an important aviation hub in Asia, Singapore continues to attract one of the largest and most diverse concentrations of aerospace companies. The total output from the local aerospace industry is worth over SGD 8 billion, 85% of which comes from MRO activities and the rest from manufacturing. Today, Singapore is the most comprehensive aerospace MRO hub in Asia, accounting for 10% of global MRO output, according to Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB).

A Collaborative Approach PROBLEM STATEMENT

FACTORY PRODUCTION AND IMPLEMENTATION

TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

Recommendations for hardware, software and system integration

Conceptualisation Research and development

Knowledge transfer

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER Identify system integrator Pre-production demonstration

The joint lab is a five-year collaboration programme between A*STAR, Rolls-Royce and SAESL. It will develop next-generation aerospace manufacturing, as well as Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) capabilities, enabled by advanced processes, automation and digital technologies.

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER October 2017

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COVER STORY

Smart Assembly Systems Application of intelligent automation across processes such as module assembly, alignment, functional testing and inspection

Future Manufacturing Processes Development of advanced processes such as additive layer manufacturing (ALM), robotics and surface conditioning

Hardware: Access to sensors and devices Self-sustaining, cost-efficient, space-efficient, robust

Advanced Fan Blade Manufacturing Software: Data analytics Leveraging sensor data to deliver value to our business and customers

Automation of the value chain to enable higher productivity

Knowledge-Based Manufacturing Use of digital methods to improve quality, cost and delivery performance at process, factory and enterprise levels

Integrated Remanufacturing Technologies Advanced repair and remanufacturing methods including automation, laser metal deposition, adaptive technology, and smart inspection technology

The collaboration programme comprises five main themes - Smart Assembly Systems, Integrated Remanufacturing Technologies, Advanced Fan Blade Manufacturing, Future Manufacturing Processes, and Knowledge-based Manufacturing.

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THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER October 2017

COVER STORY

A*STAR The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is Singapore’s lead public sector agency that spearheads economics-oriented research to advance scientific discovery and develop innovative technology.

Through open innovation, A*STAR collaborates with partners in both the public and private sectors to benefit society. As a science and technology organisation, A*STAR bridges the gap between academia and industry.

A*STAR’s research creates economic growth and jobs for Singapore, and enhances lives by contributing to societal benefits such as improving outcomes in healthcare, urban living, and sustainability. The agency oversees 18 biomedical sciences and physical sciences and engineering research entities primarily located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis.

Rolls-Royce Holdings plc Rolls-Royce is said to be the largest civil aero-engine manufacturer in the world and has a strong presence in Singapore, including two manufacturing facilities - a fan blade manufacturing facility (FBSG), and the Seletar Assembly and Test Unit (SATU) for engines. Since the opening of its Seletar facilities in 2011, Rolls-Royce has invested more than SGD 1.5 billion in its Singapore operations.

Rolls-Royce’s vision is to be a market-leader in high performance power systems, delivering outstanding customer relationships and solutions, by leveraging on its engineering expertise, global reach and deep industry knowledge. The company operates across five businesses - Civil Aerospace, Defence Aerospace, Marine, Nuclear and Power Systems.

Singapore Aero Engine Services Pte Ltd SAESL is a joint venture between SIA Engineering Company Ltd (SIAEC) and Rolls-Royce plc. The company is a leading maintenance, repair and operations powerhouse in Asia, with capabilities to perform engine overhauls for the entire family of Rolls-Royce Trent aero engines.

SAESL started operations in 2001 and has since overhauled more than 2,500 Trent aero engines for 21 customers. The company provides a wide range of services including engine overhaul, component repair and engine test.

SAESL’s facility has the capacity to overhaul 320 engines per year and employs a workforce of 1,100 highly skilled people with technical expertise and knowledge of Trent engines.

A*STAR’s Future of Manufacturing Strategy To prepare Singapore’s manufacturing industry for the future economy, initiatives by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) on the Future of Manufacturing (FoM) strategy were outlined at the Committee of Supply Debate 2017 in March.

The goal is to sustain Singapore’s competitiveness in manufacturing and technology innovation, so that it is a location of choice for test-bedding cutting-edge technologies.

The FOM Strategy is a three-pronged one: • Tech Access provides local enterprises, especially SMEs, with access to A*STAR’s advanced manufacturing equipment and facilities. These range from inspection tools to advanced equipment such as robotised 3D-scanners and laser powder beds for additive manufacturing. In the first phase launched on 8 September 2017, a total of 19 types of equipment have been made available to companies.

The aim is to help SMEs build capabilities in advanced manufacturing, through the use of the latest machine tools, new processes, prototyping and testing. The companies can then go on to acquire relevant equipment to capture new business opportunities.

A*STAR will also provide SMEs with user training and technical advice through activities such as small-scale feasibility studies and prototyping projects.

• Tech Depot offers SMEs a suite of easy-to-use technologies that can help them to improve productivity.

This is a new addition to the SME Portal that went live on 20 April 2017. It will showcase ready-to-go (RTG) packaged solutions such as inventory-tracking, and business process automation systems.

• Model Factories will be established at two locations - one at A*STAR’s Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre (ARTC), and another at A*STAR’s Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech).

The Model Factory @ ARTC will be a Factory of the Future platform for companies investing in advanced manufacturing processes with a focus on coupling smart and virtual (ie Digital Twin) capabilities. Target end-users include larger enterprises and MNCs in heavy engineering, such as the aerospace sector. The features of Model Factory@ARTC include a virtual production line for companies to model their product design and development before commencing work on a physical prototype.

The Model Factory @ SIMTech will encompass a digital Learning Factory platform particularly for companies at the beginning of their FoM journey. A key feature of Model Factory@SIMTech is the live pilot-scale production line which will demonstrate how advanced manufacturing technologies operate in a real-life environment.

All images by Rolls-Royce Singapore.

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER October 2017

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AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

SIEMENS AND ASSOCIATION OF AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES (SINGAPORE)

SIGN MEMORANDUM OF COOPERATION The move gives an impetus to the digitalisation of the aerospace industry.

Siemens, a global technology leader in the areas of electrification, automation and digitalisation, and the Association of Aerospace Industries (Singapore), or AAIS, a not-for-profit, member-based organisation that promotes Singapore as a leading aerospace hub, have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) to promote innovation and drive digital transformation of the aerospace industry in Singapore.

Under the MOC, Siemens and AAIS will jointly organise a range of activities that would educate AAIS members on the topic of digitalisation, encourage the implementation of new technologies and equip them with the knowledge to do so. Through seminars, authored articles, site visits and workshops, Siemens will offer its technical expertise to participants and provide real-life demonstrations via its products and services.

adoption of digitalisation by the aerospace industry in Singapore. Companies are at different stages of understanding and reaping the benefits of digitalisation, and this initiative will help bring us all to the next level. The digital transformation journey is not easy, but will strongly position us to deliver better value to customers and raise Singapore’s competitiveness”, said Mr Ferrie.

This collaboration strengthens Siemens commitment to Southeast Asia. The company recently launched its first fully integrated Digitalization Hub here in Singapore. Separately, last year, Siemens also launched the ZerOne.Design Digital Factory Manufacturing Design engagement model, a consultancy service for the controls and automation industry.

The MOC was signed by Mr Raimund Klein, Executive Vice President for Siemens ASEAN, Digital Factory and Process Industries and Drives, and Mr Allan Ferrie, Vice President, Association of Aerospace Industries (Singapore).

“Digitalisation is a major trend and innovation driver.

It empowers companies to enhance their production processes, creating completely new business and growth opportunities that would enable them to remain competitive”, said Mr Klein.

“We at Siemens are committed to supporting companies on their digitalisation roadmap at every step of the way.

We are very excited to embark on this partnership journey with AAIS, and we look forward to working closely with the organisation to raise the standards of Singapore’s aerospace industry”, he added.

“We are very pleased to partner Siemens in this Digital Transformation Initiative. Our aim is to facilitate the

Holding the signed Memorandum of Cooperation are, from left, Ms Lim Hee Joo, Honorary Secretary, Association of Aerospace Industries (Singapore); Mr Allan Ferrie, Vice President, Association of Aerospace Industries (Singapore); Mr Raimund Klein, Executive Vice President for Siemens ASEAN, Digital Factory and Process Industries and Drives; and Mr Bisheng Liu, Vice President of Digital Factory Customer Services ASEAN, Siemens Pte Ltd.

Many members of the Association of Aerospace Industries (Singapore) were present at the event.

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THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER October 2017

MARINE & OFFSHORE ENGINEERING

INVESTIGATION ON HYDRODYNAMIC PERFORMANCE OF HEAVE PLATES UNDER SEMI-SUBMERSIBLE FLOATING WIND TURBINES

by Dr Arun Dev, Associate Professor, Marine Technology, Newcastle University in Singapore This article presents the effects of heave plate diameter and thickness on hydrodynamic coefficients and responses. In order to reduce heaving responses in offshore structures, heave plates are commonly used and a model which will display the effects of heave plates without the interference of other supporting braces and structures was used in this research with structural properties neglected. MOSES, a potential flow theory software, from Bentley Systems, was used to estimate the added mass and damping coefficients as well as the hydrodynamic response in the time domain.

Dr Arun Dev

However, as viscous effects are neglected, the cases were simulated in Autodesk CFD, where viscous forces can be considered as a factor, and compared against published results. From this study, it was found that the Keulegan-Carpenter (KC) number has to be taken into account when deciding the thickness of plates and wave amplitude was one of the key deciding factors for determining the heave plate diameter. It was expected that the data would contribute to determining the basic dimensions for circular heave plates under semi-submersible offshore floating wind turbines.

INTRODUCTION Wind is a clean, free and inexhaustible source of energy. In recent years, there has been increasing efforts to harness wind energy. Developments are moving towards deeper waters, which offers more advantages like lower noise levels and fewer size limitations.

Based on current design and installation techniques for offshore drilling platforms, there are three main floating wind turbine base platform designs. Other than spar and tension leg platforms, the other popular option is the semi-submersible type wind turbine. Designs of existing semi-submersible floating wind platforms consist of three cylindrical columns arranged in a triangular format and connected by bracings, with an apex of the triangle usually facing the direction of incoming waves. Details in the design are extremely important, as extreme platform motions will affect operations and if they exceed certain limits, it may result in downtime for the wind turbine, resulting in a reduction in energy yield.

Resonance occurs when the natural frequency of the platform coincides with the frequency of incident waves.

This can be avoided, by either increasing the damping of the system, through inducing viscous effects from flow 26

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER October 2017

separation and vortex shedding, or increasing the natural heave period beyond the dominant wave energy range, by adding heave plates to the bottom of the columns to increase added mass.

In order to find out the hydrodynamic responses of heave plates, previous experimental and numerical studies simulated the plates within oscillatory flow or force-oscillated under still water conditions. Results are usually presented using two non-dimensional parameters, the KC number and the Reynolds number.

Re With Um as the velocity amplitude of flow, D as the diameter of column or heave plates, T as the period of oscillation and Ď… as the kinematic viscosity of fluid.

Together they can be combined to form another non-dimensional frequency parameter:

MARINE & OFFSHORE ENGINEERING

Heave plates were first investigated for use on tension leg platforms and spar platforms. Early papers such as Thiagarajan and Troesch (1994) and Magee et al (2000) investigated the addition of heave plates for tension leg platforms and showed that even in small currents, it is able to increase the damping significantly.

Li et al (2013) experimented with square heave plates with three plate thickness ratios on square plates, through forced oscillation and obtained added mass and drag coefficients over a range of frequencies. Subbulakshimi et al (2015) investigated the hydrodynamic response of spar with heave plates, numerically, using WAMIT software, and found a range of diameter ratios for significant heave reduction. Sudhakar and Nallayarasu (2011), as well as Subbulakshmi and Sundaravadivelu (2016), conducted experiments on scaled down spars with heave plates attached, and the results agreed with Subbulakshimi et al (2015), over the range of diameters for optimum heave response. Tao and Cai (2003) investigated diameter ratios as well as thickness to diameter ratios numerically. The results presented the influence of geometry ratios and KC numbers on hydrodynamic coefficients, heave response and Response Amplitude Operators (RAOs).

Robertson et al (2014) performed a collaborative investigation to simulate a common floating offshore semi-submersible wind turbine, to look at the differences in results and responses, under different codes.

However, in the model used for the design, the heave plate diameter and thickness, of 24 m and 6 m, respectively, seem to be larger than that needed, according to previous research.

To investigate the effect of heave plates on hydrodynamic coefficients, eg added mass and damping coefficients, in addition to hydrodynamic heave responses, the potential flow solver, MOSES, was used and a Computational Fluid

Dynamics (CFD) software, Autodesk CFD, was also used, in order to take into account viscous drag flow around the model, and to compare the heave response results with those from MOSES. Therefore, the aim of this work was to investigate the hydrodynamic performance of heave plates with different diameter and thickness ratios for semi-submersible floating wind turbines and see if the data can be optimised for further development and research.

MODEL SPECIFICATION The model considered for this study was based on the prototype design from NREL’s DeepCWind, as seen in Robertson et al (2014) and shown on the left of Figure 1.

Similarly, the deck of the platform is elevated 10 m above the Still Water Level (SWL), with the draught of the platform set at 20 m. The platform used for this research, as shown on the right of Figure 1, consists of three main columns, three sets of heave plates below the columns as well as braces above the waterline to connect the columns above the waterline, to obtain accurate results for the plates and body, without the interference of other cross bracings seen on the original DeepCwind. In this research, a total of four cases, up to a diameter ratio of 1.6, were considered. In addition, three different plate thickness ratios were also investigated, with dimensions as shown in Table 1. The density of the steel used in this study was set at 7850 kg/m3 for the calculation and definition of weight and radius of gyration,within MOSES and Autodesk CFD. In this research, bending was neglected in the platform and internal stresses were not considered. For a realistic system, columns would need to be thicker and more bracing and stiffeners would have to be added to the model, however for just analysis, they were omitted from this research along with the wind turbine structure.

Figure 1: (a) DeepCwind floating wind turbine design and (b) Floating wind platform design used for this study.

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER October 2017

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MARINE & OFFSHORE ENGINEERING

Case

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Column Diameter, Dc (m)

12

12

12

12

12

12

12

Draught (m)

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

Column Length (m)

20

19.67

19.34

18.68

19.67

19.67

19.67

Heave Plate Diameter, Dp (m)

-

13.2

13.2

13.2

14.4

16.8

19.2

Diameter Ratio (Dp / Dc )

-

1.1

1.1

1.1

1.2

1.4

1.6

Heave Plate Thickness, tp (m)

-

0.33

0.66

1.32

0.33

0.33

0.33

Aspect Ratio (tp / Dp )

-

0.025

0.05

0.01

0.025

0.025

0.025

Table 1: Details of floating wind platform designs

MOSES MOSES is a potential flow engineering tool used to predict loads on offshore structures in different sea environments. MOSES has three types of solution models, based on strip theory and diffraction theory, which take into account radiation damping but not viscous damping, and on the Morison equation which takes into account viscous drag but not radiation damping. In this study, the efforts were directed at solving for forces and responses using diffraction theory. The model would be able to capture excitation from waves and radiation, however, it would not be able to capture viscous forces. In obtaining diffraction solutions, the panelling method is one of the most common methods for modelling potential loads.

In order to maximise the accuracy of the solution, the panels of the model were refined as necessary, with the recommended amount of panels around 1000. Thus, in this study, a maximum distance of 8 m was defined with the solver automatically refining the panels, as needed.

A total of three sea states, as seen in Table 2, was used for testing the hydrodynamic response of the models in this section, with slightly differing wave periods and heights.

Time domain analysis had to be conducted, in order to determine the hydrodynamic heaving response of the platform and thus mooring lines needed to be defined.

A soft mooring line, with negligible influence on the platform, was used, in order to get the full damping of motion from the heave plates without interference from pre-tensioning of mooring lines.

Sea State

Wave Period (s)

Wave Height (m)

1

6.5

1.4

2

8.1

2.44

3

9.7

3.66

Table 2: Sea states used in the MOSES modelling

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THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER October 2017

RESULTS Added mass and damping coefficients Based on Sarpkaya (2010), an estimation of added mass coefficients and natural period of the cases is shown in Table 3. Figures 2 and 3 show the added mass and damping coefficients, computed using MOSES. Higher added mass coefficients are reflected for Cases 2 to 7 with heave plates, which are expected. However, for Case 1, the added mass coefficients from MOSES are larger than estimated, even though there are no heave plates attached. As the added mass coefficients are computed

by MOSES, based on DNV-RP-C205, the values expected should not differ much from the estimated values. For the different thicknesses investigated, they were also expected to have similar and higher added mass coefficients, according to what Li et al (2013) reported, where thickness has little influence on added mass of the plates other than at higher KC numbers. On the other hand, the thicknesses used for this study were larger compared to the plates Li et al (2013) experimented with. Therefore, a slightly larger difference in added mass is seen.

As seen in both added mass and damping coefficients, around a period of 13, the values may show a bit of fluctuation due to the encountering frequency being near the natural frequency of the cases. For some cases, it seems the fluctuation in values occurs at points that are different from those expected, which could be attributed to an error in the panelling of the model during solving.

Added Mass Coefficient, Ca

Natural Period, Tn, z

Case 1

0.127

9.525

Case 2

0.211

9.889

Case 3

0.210

9.903

Case 4

0.209

9.931

Case 5

0.310

10.307

Case 6

0.563

11.303

Case 7

0.893

12.500

Table 3: Calculated values of added mass coefficients and natural periods

MARINE & OFFSHORE ENGINEERING

from the trend, Case 4 should no longer have the worst response as the range of thicknesses with lower damping is now affecting smaller aspect ratios, and the expected aspect ratio that will result in lowest damping should be around 0.05. As shown in Figure 4, Case 3 did show signs of higher heave responses with Case 2 still the best and Case 4 having slightly better responses.

Figure 2: Added mass coefficient

The results from the three different thicknesses showed the same trend, with the thinnest plate at 0.33 m showing the least amount of heave over the period of 1000s, which agrees with Tao and Cai (2003), where they reported that a minimum thickness should be chosen in order to maximise damping. However, all three cases did not seem to have the exact same results as the published results and this could be due to viscous effects not being a factor in MOSES.

Diameter Ratios At a low KC number, responses from different diameter ratios are not expected to show large variation, as compared to those for higher KC numbers. Nonetheless, from the results of Tao and Cai (2003), a damping ratio of 1.6 was expected, to reduce the heave response by half, as shown in Figures 7 and 8.

Figure 3: Linear damping coefficient

From Figure 3, a higher diameter ratio gives a higher damping ratio, as shown by Cases 6 and 7. Tao and Cai (2003) similarly reported that larger diameter and thinner plates generally gave higher damping. Case 2 also showed higher damping coefficients compared to Cases 3 and 4.

Aspect Ratios According to the results of Tao and Cai (2003), there is lower damping expected for a range of aspect ratios, from 0.1 to 0.16, due to the forces of viscosity and convection cancelling out each other for a KC of 1.0, and damping will begin to increase once the aspect ratio is reduced. Even though MOSES is unable to account for viscous damping as water is assumed to be inviscid, the hydrodynamic response results for Sea State 3 in Figure 6 agreed with the studies where Case 4 showed the worst heave response of the three and Case 2 showed the best.

On the other hand, at a higher KC number, near 1.0, a diameter ratio of 1.6 should significantly show better heave response when compared to that for smaller diameter ratios. Despite that, Case 7 actually showed the worst heave responses in Sea State 3, with Case 2 showing the best. Probably, owing to the fact that viscous damping was not a factor in this solver, the results of Figure 9 did not accurately portray the results from Tao and Cai (2003). This shows that heave plates, subjected to different wave conditions and KC numbers, would show different responses.

The results reflected the computed data through the use of potential flow theory software which matched the studies to a certain extent. However, as the software is unable to take into account all hydrodynamic forces on the model and damping resulting from viscous effects, it is important to simulate the cases within Autodesk CFD, when viscous damping becomes another factor, as radiation damping accounts for a very small percentage of damping.

For Sea State 2, where the KC number is about 0.75, Tao and Thiagarajan (2003) obtained results similar to those of Tao and Cai (2003) and showed that the range of aspect ratios that results in lower damping corresponds to a KC of 1.0. Figure 5 also showed similar inclinations as Figure 6 where Cases 3 and 4 have the worst performing heave plates and Case 2 has the thickness with the best heave response.

As for Sea State 1, which corresponds to a KC number of 0.345, previous studies showed results only at lower or higher KC numbers. However, looking at the results of Tao and Cai (2003) and Tao and Thiagarajan (2003),

Figure 4: Heave response of plates in Sea State 1

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AUTODESK CFD For this study, Autodesk CFD was used for easier modelling of geometries and to account for the viscous drag.

SETTING UP SIMULATION DOMAIN

Figure 5: Heave response of plates in Sea State 2

The 1:80 prototype is scaled down from the dimensions used in MOSES, as Autodesk CFD is not able to mesh the model and domain for accurate results within a reasonable amount of time. In Figure 10, air and water domains are modelled with the prototype a distance away from the inlet and outlet, with the scaled down depth of the water domain equivalent to a water depth of 200 m.

Since the prototype and domains are scaled down, the sea states used for simulations also have to be scaled down accordingly and are shown in Table 4.

Figure 6: Heave response of plates in Sea State 3

Figure 10: Computational domain used for Autodesk CFD

Figure 7: Heave response of plates in Sea State 1

Sea State

Wave Period (s)

Wave Height (m)

1

0.7267

0.0175

2

0.9056

0.0305

3

1.0845

0.04575

Table 4: Scaled down sea states for simulation

An inlet velocity is pre-defined and boundary conditions with pressure equal to zero are defined at the outlets and where there would be atmospheric pressure. Sides with no boundary conditions applied were assumed to feature no-slip conditions. To prevent backflow of water unable to exit the domain, an outlet velocity is defined at the air outlet and for this study, a velocity of 0.0005 m/s was used to prevent too much water from exiting the domain.

Figure 8: Heave response of plates in Sea State 2

As Autodesk CFD does not allow the mixing of liquids, the air domain is also defined with water as the medium.

As an initial condition, the height of fluid is defined for the water domain, at the beginning of the simulation.

To understand the hydrodynamic heave response for the different cases, the model is constrained, so that it moves only vertically, that is, in the Z-direction.

RESULTS Aspect Ratios Figure 9: Heave response of plates in Sea State 3 30

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In Sea State 2, Case 3 showed the smallest heave response in comparison to Cases 2 and 4 which showed

MARINE & OFFSHORE ENGINEERING

larger heave responses, with sudden increases and decreases in heaving. As the KC number for this sea state is quite close to the KC number of 0.075 investigated

by Tao and Thiagarajan (2003), a similar trend in the results was shown. As the thickness ratio reduces, the damping ratio starts to increase and within a range of thickness ratios, between 0.024 and 0.036, significantly lower damping ratios were seen, probably due to the forces of viscosity and convection cancelling each other, resulting in the decrease in damping. As the thickness ratio starts to get even smaller, the damping ratio increases sharply again. Therefore, Case 2, with a thickness ratio of 0.025, is expected to perform the worst and Case 3 is expected to perform the best, before the drop in damping is expected. From Figure 12, it can be seen that the results are exactly as Tao and Thiagarajan (2003)

reported. However, for Sea State 1 in Figure 11, given the KC number is close to that of Sea State 2, a higher heave response was seen in Case 3 which was supposed to give the best heave response.

In Sea State 3, as the KC number increases, the range of thickness ratios, where damping is affected by the forces of viscosity and convection cancelling each other, gets wider and affects larger thickness ratios. From the results of Tao and Thiagarajan (2003) and Tao and Cai (2003), looking at the trend in both results, Case 3 should be around the range where the lowest damping is expected. From Figure 13, Case 3 did match the results predicted, with Cases 2 and 4 having a slightly larger heave response.

Diameter Ratios In Sea State 1, which is shown in Figure 14, all cases showed rather similar heave responses. A few cases showed fluctuations, with sudden increases and decreases every few seconds. In comparison with the results of Tao and Cai (2003), even at a low KC number, a response should be expected from a higher diameter ratio and Case 7 was expected to have the best heave response. Yet, Case 7 showed the largest fluctuations in heave response, occurring every few seconds, while the other three showed similar heave responses with smaller fluctuations.

Figure 11: Heave response of plates in Sea State 1

Similarly, in Sea State 2, the best heave response was again expected from Case 7, and from Figure 15, the results reflected this exactly. The results for Case 5 were also comparable, while those for Case 2 were the worst.

In Sea State 3, at a higher KC number, there should be a large difference in damping for the different cases, as shown by Tao and Cai (2003). Even though Case 7 did show the best heave response out of the four cases, towards the end of the graph, responses of all four graphs did not vary significantly.

Figure 12: Heave response of plates in Sea State 2

Figure 13: Heave response of plates in Sea State 3

Tao and Cai (2003) reported that using a heave plate diameter extension, around four times the heaving amplitude, would roughly give the best heave response for the particular condition. From the results of the three sea states, it can be seen that the plate diameter performance for a particular sea state is comparable to that expected for large plate diameters.

Figure 14: Heave response of plates in Sea State 1 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER October 2017

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Figure 15: Heave response of plates in Sea State 2

From the results on diameter ratios, from MOSES, both Sea States 1 and 2 showed results, in accordance with those of Tao and Cai (2003), indicating that a larger diameter should show a smaller heave response, by around half, for a diameter ratio of 1.2.

Sea State 2 surprisingly showed that Case 7 performed the worst when it should have been one of the better-performing diameters. However, based on the fact that Tao and Cai (2003) also reported that a plate diameter should be chosen, that is four times the wave amplitude, all three sea states did not show the results, with MOSES. On the other hand, the results from Autodesk CFD, which has viscous forces as a factor, reflected the findings quite accurately, with Sea State 1 showing smaller plates performing better and Sea State 3 showing larger plate diameters performing better.

Potential flow theory portrayed accurately that higher diameters do provide better responses, however, only Autodesk CFD reflected the results of Tao and Cai (2003), where for a heave plate, with a diameter extension of four times the heaving amplitude, the hydrodynamic response is comparable to better responses of larger heave plate diameters.

Figure 16: Heave response of plates in sea state 3

DISCUSSION The results from MOSES and Autodesk CFD cannot be directly compared, due to the fact that the Autodesk CFD results were obtained from a scaled down simulation.

For the results of aspect ratios in MOSES, as there were no exactly similar results that could be used for comparison, for Sea State 1, by looking at the trend, the results were comparable to what was expected for that KC number, from the results of Tao and Cai (2003) and Tao and Thiagarajan (2003). Sea States 2 and 3 showed similar results to those reported by Tao and Cai (2003) and Tao and Thiagarajan (2003).

In Autodesk CFD, the KC numbers used were much smaller, due to the scaled down sea conditions. Sea States 1 and 2 had the lowest KC numbers which were compared to the results of Tao and Thiagarajan (2003). Sea State 2 shows the exact same result as predicted, however, Sea State 1 showed Case 2 having a worse response than Case 3 which was expected to have the worst response.

Since Sea State 3 was also at a KC number not previously investigated by the two authors, similar to the results from MOSES, by looking at the trends for other KC numbers, they matched the prediction quite accurately.

At a low KC number, the results using MOSES and from Autodesk CFD agree with the results of Tao and Thiagarajan (2003) and Tao and Cai (2003), with regard to the aspect ratio. However, since only one higher KC number is covered in this study, further investigation has to be done to validate the results of previous research.

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Since MOSES is a potential flow theory solver, the hydrodynamic response will not be as accurate, since the viscous effects are not taken into account. However, the added mass did not seem to have an effect, as expected, which could have been a result of panelling errors. The response of the models may have been affected, as a result.

As Autodesk CFD is not used for evaluating the response of offshore structures in water, it is unable to produce results of hydrodynamic coefficients and RAOs. As it is unable to take into account how buoyant the structure is in water, and it is not possible to specify the centre of gravity and buoyancy in the software, the results may not be accurately presented. One of the main factors that influenced the results of this research was the water level in the domain. As Autodesk CFD is unable to apply absorbing boundary conditions, as investigated by Luppes et al (2010), there may be a backflow due to the water being unable to leave the domain and flooding the air domain, as shown by the image at the bottom of Figure 17, unless physically applying an outlet flow. For this study, a velocity of 0.0005 m/sec was used at the air outlet to remove any water stuck around the outlet.

However, the velocity used is just a simple way to get the water out, which may have an unimaginable impact on the entire simulation. The velocity used was seen to give a reasonable response for Case 7, as seen in Figure 18.

One of the results of the outlet velocity is the reduction of water in the domain, as seen in Figure 19. This would have resulted in a certain degree of inaccuracy in the results, as the water level would not be constant throughout the entire simulation.

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• The effect of scale factors on the results from AutodeskCFD has to be further investigated.

• Depending on the KC number, the range of thicknesses, where lower damping is experienced, has to be avoided, to minimise heave responses.

• Even with a range of optimum diameter ratios, from 1.2 to 1.6, heave plate diameters for different platforms should be designed, based on the common operating conditions nearby. Using a heave plate with four times the wave amplitude is generally found to minimise damping, that could only have been achieved at larger diameters.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The author is extremely grateful to his ex-student, Ms Valerie Boo Shi Hui, for undertaking this research work in her final year project at Newcastle University Singapore (2016-2017).

Figure 17: Water domain level with boundary conditions applied (Top).

Velocity = 0.0005 m/sec (Bottom). Pressure = 0 Pa.

REFERENCES Li J, Liu S, Zhao M and Teng B (2013): ‘Experimental investigation of the hydrodynamic characteristics of heave plates using forced oscillation’, Ocean Engineering, 66, pp 82-91.

Luppes R, Veldman A E and Wellens P R (2010): ‘Absorbing boundary conditions for wave simulations around offshore structures’, Fifth European Conference on Computational Fluid Dynamics (ECCOMAS CFD 2010), Lisbon.

Magee A, Sablok A, Maher J, Halkyard J, Finn L and Datta I (2000): ‘Heave plate effectiveness in the performance of truss Spars’, Proceedings of the ETCE/OMAE2000 Joint Conference, New Orleans, pp 1-11.

Figure 18: Results based on an outlet velocity applied on air outlet

Robertson A, Jonkman J, Vorpahl F, Popko W, Qvist J, Frøyd L, Chen X, Azcona J, Uzunoglu E, Soares C G and Luan C (June 2014): ‘Offshore code comparison collaboration continuation within IEA Wind Task 30: Phase II results regarding a floating semisubmersible wind system’, ASME 2014, 33rd International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering.

Sarpkaya T (2010): ‘Wave forces on offshore structures’, Cambridge University Press.

Sudhakar S and Nallayarasu S (2011): ‘Influence of heave plate on hydrodynamic response of Spar’, ASME 2011, 30th International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering, pp 437-447.

Figure 19: Reduction of water domain due to large outlet velocity applied

CONCLUSION A series of heave plates, with varying diameters and thicknesses, were investigated numerically and presented with their hydrodynamic coefficients and responses.

Based on MOSES and Autodesk CFD, the following conclusions were formed.

• Autodesk CFD could be a potential software to simulate offshore structures, if the extraction of the centre of gravity,buoyancy as well as hydrodynamic data and coefficients are possible.

• Investigations have to be conducted in Autodesk CFD, on larger KC numbers for various plate thickness ratios.

Tao L and Thiagarajan K (2003): ‘Low KC flow regimes of oscillating sharp edges, II Hydrodynamic forces’, Applied Ocean Research, 25(2), pp 53-62.

Thiagarajan K P and Troesch A W (1998): ‘Effects of appendages and small currents on the hydrodynamic heave damping of TLP columns’, Journal of Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering, 120 (1), pp 37-42.

Subbulakshmi A and Sundaravadivelu R (2016): Heave damping of Spar platform for offshore wind turbine with heave plate’, Ocean Engineering, 121, pp 24-36.

Subbulakshmi A, Jose J, Sundaravadivelu R and Selvam R P (2015): ‘Effect of Viscous Damping on Hydrodynamic Response of Spar with Heave Plate’, Aquatic Procedia, 4, pp 508-515.

Tao L and Cai S (2004): ‘Heave motion suppression of a Spar with a heave plate’, Ocean Engineering, 31 (5), pp 669-692.

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MARINE & OFFSHORE ENGINEERING

DIGITALISATION OFFERS

MULTIPLE BENEFITS ABB’s digital portfolio for the maritime industry facilitates seamless exchange of data as well as integration of sensors, automation, and ship software and cloud solutions.

Fleet Intelligence ABB has added ‘Fleet Intelligence’ to its ABB Ability Collaborative Operations software, providing marine customers with a single and complete overview of their ship system maintenance needs.

ABB Ability Fleet Intelligence addresses a common shortcoming in ship efficiency, where data from manufacturer manuals provide the basis for the planned maintenance system, which means that equipment is maintained to standards set by vendors rather than being based on the needs of customers. Delivering greater efficiency and more precise inspection scheduling, as well as better spare parts availability, asset protection and prolonged equipment service life, Fleet Intelligence minimises the requirement for service engineer visits, resulting in lower costs. It combines cutting-edge IT for marine equipment maintenance planning, including advanced analytics of data in the cloud, with ABB’s domain knowledge and technical services support from remote operational centres.

According to ABB, many of the marine maintenance solutions that have emerged are unable to exchange data seamlessly. The company says that, typically, the condition monitoring systems are not based on specific failure modes and services are delivered by multiple providers.

Data-driven services use different delivery methods, while stand-alone web applications and reports make it difficult for operators to get a full overview of their actual maintenance needs and plan for them.

Building upon ABB’s Asset Health Center (AHC) software, which is already used within several industries, the Fleet Intelligence module harnesses the integration at the heart of shipboard ABB Ability systems, such as Integrated Automation and Remote Diagnostics. Furthermore, the system is also able to collect data from third party applications.

When developing this solution, ABB looked at how the airline industry digitalised its maintenance strategy. Assessing maintenance activities, using a Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) approach, and creating a Failure-Mode, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA), allowed ABB to focus on optimising maintenance by identifying and reducing the risk to the assets onboard a ship.

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Fleet Intelligence provides a complete overview of the ship system maintenance needs.

Fleet Intelligence software incorporates equipment condition monitoring, including analysis and visualisation of defined performance parameters. In addition, condition monitoring can be supported by remote diagnostics services, including preventive maintenance recommendations or even predictive edge analytics. In this way, customers who already make use of ABB’s remote diagnostics offering, are now able to fully close the loop when it comes to smart vessel maintenance, lifecycle management and protection of their assets.

The ABB Ability AHC is software specifically designed to create a collaborative environment for the vessel and the onshore support organisation, whilst also enabling machine learning. ABB believes that the marine industry’s OEMs, service providers, classification societies and vessel owners will ultimately combine data from multiple cloud solutions through standard or application-specific APIs, defined as inter-cloud communication.

ABB Ability Collaborative Operation Centers ABB has opened a new ABB Ability Collaborative Operations Center in Florida, USA. The centre will remotely monitor ships around the globe and will work in conjunction with similar facilities in Europe and Asia.

The centres (formerly known as Integrated Operations Centers) monitor data sent by vessels, allowing the company to work with customers in the event of equipment failure or on routine maintenance.

MARINE & OFFSHORE ENGINEERING

ABB is also opening a Collaborative Operations Center in Genoa, Italy, which will have an emphasis on automation systems as well as its regular duties to customers.

Operations Center turn red and engineers immediately start to resolve the issue.

The company is already remotely monitoring more than 700 ships and aims to raise that number to 3 000, by 2020. The two new centres are now part of a roster of Collaborative Operation Centers, that includes Singapore, Billingstad (Norway), Helsinki (Finland), Västerås (Sweden), San Diego (USA) and Dalfsen (Netherlands) - all of which are dedicated to shipping.

Remote Diagnostic Services

As the centres are located in different time zones, they are able to support customers in the marine and ports industry, round-the clock. Experts will be available during their daytime working hours, at a Collaborative Operations Center, to immediately respond to the needs of ship owners and operators. ABB also provides real-time support for operating vessels, with the company’s software combining weather forecasts with vessel and load data, to assist captains in plotting the ideal course.

The Collaborative Operations Centers collate data that can then be shared on a common platform with customers, to troubleshoot problems. When a critical alarm is triggered onboard a vessel, the lights in the Collaborative

ABB has deepened its analytical and predictive approach to vessel maintenance with the latest upgrade of its Remote Diagnostic Services (RDS).

The company is aiding the development of shore-side operations of shipping companies by giving the opportunity to replicate ABB’s Collaborative Operations Center in their own Operational Centres. The latest version of the RDS software allows shipping companies to deploy their own analytics, or those from a third party, where applicable, with greater ease. ABB has further developed its dedicated hardware for the monitoring of large and small rotating machinery with tight integration to the RDS software. The graphical user interface has also been improved to increase user experience and to give identical views of the detailed data both onboard and onshore.

To further leverage the data received from vessels, the ABB Digital Service team has been strengthened with more data scientists and architects to promote the search for insight into the health of the monitored assets. The ABB software used as part of the RDS combines the capabilities of a dedicated onboard software with a full analytic engine onshore. Due to this modularity and capability, the software can now run the same analytics onboard a ship as well as onshore.

For shipping companies with limited bandwidth availability or a high number of data points, ABB is deploying leading edge analytics to seamlessly customise the solution and optimise the data transfer.

A Collaborative Operations Center can remotely monitor ships around the globe.

An internal study found that by taking a proactive approach to the monitoring of equipment through the use of RDS and its software, customers were able to save up to 50% on maintenance costs. There has also been up to a 70% reduction in visits by ABB engineers to vessels, bringing a significant decrease in the cost for customers.

ABB has deepened its analytical and predictive approach to vessel maintenance with the latest upgrade of its RDS software, which allows shipping companies to run the same analytics onboard a ship as well as onshore.

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ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

OMRON OPENS

AUTOMATION CENTER IN SINGAPORE

The facility will enable the company to explore the application of disruptive technologies.

OMRON Asia Pacific, a global leader in automation technology, recently announced the launch of its Automation Center (ATC) in Singapore. The innovation showroom cum research and development (R&D) facility is part of a SGD 13.5 million investment in robotics capabilities in Singapore over the next two years. This is OMRON’s ninth and latest such centre globally.

Prof Quek Tong Boon, Chief Executive, National Robotics Programme, and Mr Takehito Maeda, Managing Director of Industrial Automation Business, OMRON Asia Pacific, officiated the centre’s opening.

The OMRON ATC in Singapore offers a glimpse into the future of manufacturing, which is set to be connected, intelligent, and highly data-driven. This is the first OMRON ATC worldwide that is dedicated to exploring the use of advanced artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and robotics technologies for manufacturing applications.

At the start of the ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the launch of the OMRON ATC, a mobile robot delivered pairs of scissors to OMRON’s top executives and the Guest-of-Honour.

Also unique to this ATC is a working model of OMRON’s Smart and Future Factory and the Future CEO Cockpit, which showcase how a new level of manufacturing intelligence and operational visibility can be attained leveraging disruptive technologies.

Speaking after the ATC opening, Mr Maeda said, “OMRON has always believed in delivering value through technological innovation, keeping the customer at the heart of everything we do. With the ATC, we aim to demonstrate the potential of Smart Manufacturing and bring the future of manufacturing to our customers, today”.

“We have worked tirelessly alongside Singapore industries for decades now, having equipped factory floors here through the generations. It is no different now, as we continue to support our customers as they move on to embrace digital transformation. We are no doubt proud to be able to play a role in helping them build smarter factories in line with Singapore’s Smart Nation vision”, he added.

The OMRON ATC in Singapore will provide a realistic platform for the team to work with customers across industries, including automotive, electronics and healthcare, to test new ideas and allow them to experience, first hand, the benefits of industrial automation. This ultimately helps companies to find new ways of doing things to overcome business challenges and better meet the needs of their customers.

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Performing the ribbon-cutting are, from left, Mr Takehito Maeda, Managing Director, Industrial Automation Business, OMRON Asia Pacific; Guest-of-Honour, Prof Quek Tong Boon, Chief Executive, National Robotics Programme; and Mr Yutaka Iitaka, President, OMRON Asia Pacific.

Prof Quek witnessing a product demonstration

BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING

SINGAPORE MEDTECH CONSORTIUM LAUNCHED The initiative seeks to tap on members’ technology capabilities and exploit adjacencies in production processes.

Home-grown precision engineering firm, Racer Technology, and complementary manufacturing SMEs, Cutter Technologies, Grantech, Haxalyst and Cragar Industries inked an MOU to form the industry-led Singapore Medtech Consortium to provide end-to-end manufacturing solutions in medical devices and wearables. Supported by SPRING Singapore, International Enterprise Singapore (IE Singapore) and Singapore Precision Engineering and Technology Association (SPETA), the partnership was witnessed by Mr S Iswaran, Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) at TechInnovation 2017.

In the picture are, from left to right, Mr Steven Koh, Executive Director, SPETA; Mr Royston Lim, Director, Cragar Industries Pte Ltd; Mr Rocky Lau, CEO, Cutter Technologies Pte Ltd; Mr S Iswaran, Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry); Mr Willy Koh, CEO, Racer Technology Pte Ltd; Mr Nam Yet Lam, CEO, Grantech Pte Ltd; and Mr Lai Sep Riang, Managing Director, Haxalyst Pte Ltd.

The Singapore Medtech Consortium (SMC) is an industry-led medtech manufacturing consortium, formed by five local SMEs in the Precision Engineering industry, with complementary manufacturing capabilities. SMC is made up of the anchor company, Racer Technology, together with Cragar Industries, Cutter Technologies, Grantech and Haxalyst.

The consortium will provide end-to-end manufacturing solutions in various medtech areas, namely wearables, active and non-active medical devices, in-vitro diagnostics and life science tool consumables. Operating as a consortium, the companies will seek overseas projects with MNCs as well as aim to move up the manufacturing value chain and become core suppliers to medtech MNCs. The capabilities and experiences gained in the process may also provide opportunities for these SMEs to become original design manufacturers.

SMC’s unique value proposition is the ability to offer high mix, low volume manufacturing at competitive prices, due to its lower overheads. The consortium model can help simplify these companies’ supply chain sourcing process, by offering a complete suite of solutions such as prototyping, product design and development, machining and full-turnkey assembly.

In addition, SMC is able to assist in early-stage product development and provide marketing and distribution 38

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channels for the finished product, through its associates. There are three main groups of associates, namely a consultancy (Cambridge Consultants), an IoT solutions provider (Ascent Solutions) and distributors (Healwave, Research Instruments, Scanmed, Transmedic and United BMEC).

Cambridge Consultants specialises in the design and development of medtech products, providing support to companies from product ideation to clinical trials and to the start of prototyping. Ascent Solutions is able to provide IoT solutions for the wearable electronics market.

The involvement of the five medtech distributors in SMC ensures that there are readily available marketing and distribution channels into the ASEAN market for their customers, after mass production.

The five core members in SMC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 19 September 2017 at TechInnovation 2017, to commence their two-year collaboration. The inclusion of the associates will enable a complete suite of services to be delivered to customers of the consortium.

SPRING Singapore, International Enterprise Singapore (IE Singapore) and Singapore Precision Engineering and Technology Association (SPETA) will be supporting the consortium’s business development efforts, by channelling business deals to the consortium.

BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING

ITE TEAM DEVELOPS SUPERIOR METHOD TO REMOVE KIDNEY STONES Partnership between ITE, NUH, NUS and Invivo Medical seeks to bring innovation to market.

A team comprising staff from ITE has successfully created a solution to simplify percutaneous-nephrolithotomy (PCNL) which is a complicated process of removing large or complex kidney stones.

PCNL is usually carried out by senior surgeons. Traditionally, PCNL surgeons refer to x-ray imaging of the patient’s kidney to locate the stone(s), before inserting a long and hollow needle through the skin to reach the stone(s).

Through the needle passage, an endoscope is then inserted and through it, a surgical instrument is manipulated to fragment and remove the stone(s). This is complex, as the surgeon has to use free-hand techniques to locate the stone(s) in a three-dimensional environment, while referring to a two-dimensional image. At times, several attempts may be required, which lengthens the patient’s exposure to x-ray radiation and the recovery period.

Complex procedure made simpler and safer The development of the Percutaneous-Access-to-Kidney-Assist Device (PAKAD) has been made possible through ITE’s collaboration with the National University Hospital (NUH), the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Invivo Medical Pte Ltd. The PAKAD incorporates precision engineering mechanisms to systematically adjust, guide and stabilise the needle into alignment with the targeted stone(s).

Through successful trials on animals at NUH, the PAKAD has proven that it can simplify and shorten the PCNL process, hence reducing x-ray exposure, risks of complication, and recovery periods. With the PAKAD, junior surgeons can also perform the needle insertion procedure.

Multiple parties make innovation possible The ITE team’s research efforts were strengthened through the domain expertise of NUH and NUS. Through Invivo Medical, the device will be commercialised, and a licensing agreement was signed among ITE, NUH, NUS and Invivo Medical. The team received financial support for the applied research, through the MOE Innovation Fund, the NRF Proof-of-Concept grant, and the MOE Translational R&D and Innovation Fund.

Work on the PAKAD started in 2011. After it was developed and a patent application was filed, the PAKAD was first showcased at a major event at TechInnovation 2013, as part of the Singapore start-up ecosystem. At the event, PAKAD was matched with an investor, Invivo Medical, who is now bringing the device to market. The PAKAD is expected to reach the market by the end of 2018 and sales of the device could reach SGD 25 million over the next five years.

“This is an excellent example of industry-institution partner40

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The PAKAD incorporates precision engineering mechanisms to systematically adjust, guide and stabilise the needle into alignment with the targeted stone(s).

ship to develop innovative and integrated solutions to improve productivity and processes. We are grateful to NUH, NUS and Invivo Medical, to enable ITE to create and patent the Percutaneous Access to Kidney Assist Device (PAKAD) for safe kidney surgery”, said Ms Low Khah Gek, CEO, ITE. “The new technology allows for better precision during surgery and enhances patient safety and outcome. It expands on NUH’s track record of partnerships for clinical innovation and development that help raise the standard of clinical care. We look forward to more of these collaborations to bring about greater tangible benefits for our patients”, said Prof Kesavan Esuvaranathan, Head and Senior Consultant, Department of Urology, National University Hospital.

“NUS is delighted to have been part of this multi-party collaboration. Researchers from the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine provided medical expertise, which ITE used to enhance the PAKAD. Realising the strong potential for this technology to improve clinical procedures and healthcare for kidney stone patients, the NUS Industry Liaison Office took the lead in the commercialisation process, including managing negotiations for this multi-party licensing agreement. Our endeavour to bring innovative technologies closer to market is made possible with great partners who have similar goals”, said Mr Sean Flanigan, Director, NUS Industry Liaison Office.

“The new medical-device is the world’s first operational Percutaneous Access to Kidney Assist Device (PAKAD). It is the result of a successful collaboration by three institutions and the industry, and made possible by a match-up at TechInnovation 2013. Beyond this, we plan to do continual product development to apply the invention to more minimally-invasive surgical and biopsy procedures”, said Dr Joseph Chai, Managing Director / Director, Invivo Medical Pte Ltd.

CHEMICAL & PROCESS ENGINEERING

ACHIEVEMENTS RECOGNISED AT

SINGAPORE CHEMICAL ENGINEERING AWARDS Now in its eighth year, the IChemE Singapore Awards celebrate outstanding work done by members of the country’s Chemical Engineering community.

Winners of the IChemE Singapore Awards 2017

At an Awards Ceremony held at Shangri-La Hotel recently, winners received the IChemE Singapore Awards 2017.

IChemE Director of South East Asia, Mr Mike Cloke, was the Master of Ceremonies.

Chair of IChemE Singapore Board, Mr Joe Eades, congratulated the winners.

“Your achievements are great examples of why chemical and process engineering matters in Singapore”, he said.

“We have been hosting the IChemE Awards in Singapore since 2010. I am delighted that we continuously celebrate the success of both industry and academia in this great nation. I look forward to recognising the talent and creativity of our engineers for many more years to come”, Mr Eades added.

Winners of the national IChemE Singapore Awards 2017 will automatically be shortlisted for the IChemE Global Awards which will be held on 2 November 2017, in Birmingham, UK.

WINNERS OF THE ICHEME SINGAPORE AWARDS 2017 BIOTECHNOLOGY AWARD (SPONSORED BY PM GROUP) Winner: ‘Scaled-up bioremediation of oil contaminated soil’ by Singapore Polytechnic and RMIT University 42

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Summary of winning entry The project focused on the large-scale application of bioremediation technology using an engineering platform with a small physical and carbon footprint. Under field conditions, the modified grease pit was used to treat 2,500 tons of contaminated soil to meet USEPA and SAEPA guidelines. The results showed that this was a feasible alternative to incineration and thermal desorption for the disposal of oily sludge and oil contaminated soil in Singapore, which ultimately eliminates the need for the current final disposal step of landfilling at Pulau Semakau. The treated soil was successfully recycled for landscaping on site.

Highly Commended: ‘Microbes converting polymerized sugars to chemicals’ by National University of Singapore

ENERGY AWARD (SPONSORED BY EXXONMOBIL) Winner: ‘Innovative tri-hybrid solar-hydrogen production’ by Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore Summary of winning entry This team has discovered a very cost-effective way of producing hydrogen that involves a combination of electrolysis, photocatalysis and photovoltaics. This novel approach significantly enhances hydrogen production rate, compared to other conventional methods, while using

CHEMICAL & PROCESS ENGINEERING

less energy. The method employs rain water and sunlight to produce hydrogen with ease. This new generation of high performing photocatalyts harnesses sunlight and solar heat to produce hydrogen, resulting in the world’s first tri-hybrid hydrogen production system. The system is capable of producing 100 to 120 litres/hr of hydrogen with purity of 99.8%.

Highly Commended: ‘Second Stage Flash Project’ by Shell Chemicals Seraya Pte Ltd

PROCESS SAFETY AWARD (SPONSORED BY SHELL) Winner: ‘Implementing the WSH (MHI) Regulations’ by Ministry of Manpower Summary of winning entry The Workplace Safety and Health (Major Hazard Installations) Regulations aim to prevent major accidents through the implementation of the Safety Case regime, to protect lives, the environment, and the reputation of Singapore’s leading chemical engineering and manufacturing hub. The effective implementation of the WSH (MHI) Regulations was made possible by the contributions and close collaborations among stakeholders, including MHIs, trade associations and government agencies, working towards the common aim of preventing major accidents in the MHI industry.

Highly Commended: ‘Mitigating peroxides explosion in SMPO plants’ by Shell Chemicals Seraya Pte Ltd

SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY AWARD (SPONSORED BY GSK) Winner: ‘Design of Sustainable Pharmaceutical Supply Chain’ by Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences Summary of winning entry The issue of supply chain (SC) sustainability has become an important business factor for today’s pharmaceutical companies. This project develops a novel framework for design of a more sustainable SC that can be performed at the early stages of drug development. The framework has been developed by integrating different methodologies - analytic hierarchy process for identifying the most suitable supplier and manufacturer sites, SC network superstructure mapping, and SC optimisation - to evaluate both the economic and environmental impacts of different SC configurations. The application and benefits of the proposed framework have been demonstrated using several industrially motivated case studies.

Highly Commended: ‘Scaled-up bioremediation of oil contaminated soil’ by Singapore Polytechnic and RMIT University

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT AWARD Winner: ‘Croda Site Leadership Behavioural Safety Programme’ by Croda Singapore Pte Ltd

Summary of winning entry Croda’s Site Leadership Behavioural Safety programme aims at fostering a culture of ownership towards caring for its people, communities and environment where everyone is empowered in keeping the manufacturing sites safe and sustainable. The training improves the leadership competence of all first-line supervisors in managing safety behaviour consistently. This progressive learning approach is adopted to allow self-reflection at various stages, to ease the process of implementation and acceptance from Croda’s people.

Highly Commended: ‘Industrial steam training in Myanmar’ by Spirax Sarco

YOUNG CHEMICAL ENGINEER IN INDUSTRY OF THE YEAR AWARD Winner: Hu Yu, Shell Eastern Petroleum (Pte) Ltd The winner and the achievement Hu Yu is a MOE Scholar who graduated from NTU with First Class Honours in Chemical Engineering. Hu Yu’s professional achievements include finding an innovative way to upgrade vaccum tower overhead slop oil to diesel product directly - an initiative which resulted in a reduction in operating costs of USD 250,000 per year. She has also demonstrated her technical mastery through understanding of product specifications, and optimised product quality with a strong commercial mindset, for example, minimising of quality giveaways that saves USD 200,000 per year.

Highly Commended: Leonard Teo, Abbott Manufacturing Singapore

YOUNG CHEMICAL ENGINEER IN RESEARCH OF THE YEAR AWARD Winner: Ong Wee Jun, Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) The winner and the achievement Dr Ong Wee Jun received his BEng and PhD degrees in Chemical Engineering from Monash University in 2012 and 2016, respectively. In 2016, he joined the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) under the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) as Research Scientist. His research interests include development of carbonaceous and two dimensional-based nanohybrids (eg graphene and graphitic carbon nitride) for artificial photosynthesis and environmental remediation.

The main breakthrough of his research is the fabrication of visible-light-responsive photocatalysts for efficient utilisation of solar spectrum for CO2 reduction and H2O splitting into energy-rich fuels to mimic the natural photosynthesis in plants.

Highly Commended: Wang Chenghong, National University of Singapore

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER October 2017

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FUTURE MANUFACTURING

ENERGY EFFICIENCY GAINS ACHIEVED IN AUTOMOTIVE PRODUCTION PLANT At the BWM Group’s engine plant in Steyr, Austria, in a reference project validated by the Technical University of Vienna, Ecoclean Monschau has significantly raised the energy efficiency of a flexible EcoCFlex Classic robot cell that had been in service for several years. The system’s electric power and water consumption were each cut by around 30%. These energy efficiency measures are now expected to be implemented in another 95 systems of the same type installed at various sites throughout Europe and Asia.

The BMW Group has been using EcoCFlex Classic robot cells made by Ecoclean Monschau for around 12 years, in several of their factories, to debur and clean engine parts such as cylinder heads for diverse car models.

At the Steyr engine plant, 30 first-generation units of this flexible cleaning machine are in use. Now, as before, their cleaning performance is beyond reproach.

However, in terms of energy efficiency - a parameter closely monitored by the BMW Group - the systems are no longer up to today’s standards.

Their water consumption, in particular, has proved to be too high. BMW Steyr therefore contacted the equipment manufacturer, enquiring if and how the machines could be optimised in terms of energy performance.

Energy efficiency measures yielded an approximately 30% reduction in the electric power and water consumption of an EcoCFlex Classic robot cell that had been in service for several years. Image by Ecoclean.

Analysis reveals options for savings Ecoclean has developed a method of analysis, especially for this type of task. In their investigation, the equipment maker’s service staff focused on factors such as the water consumption, cleaning agent input, electricity demand of power drawing equipment, and the consumption of compressed air. Flow measurements revealed that large quantities of vapour were extracted from the cleaning cell, causing the machine’s elevated water consumption.

Furthermore, the analysis identified major electricity-saving potential in the operation of the feed pumps.

Large benefits from small measures One measure taken to reduce the water consumption involved changes on the air control dampers. Moreover, 44

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER October 2017

the flow velocities inside the system were adapted via a modified fan control regime, resulting in substantially less vapour getting discharged. In the case of the booster pump, a variable-frequency drive unit now provides demand-based control and hence, energy savings.

Thanks to these relatively minor improvement measures the system’s overall electric power consumption was cut by around 30%. Savings of the same magnitude were achieved in the area of water consumption, which in turn means a reduced need for cleaning chemicals.

Independently validated reference project The measures were initially carried out on a system installed in the engine plant in Steyr, Austria. For an objective evaluation of results, the Technical University of Vienna validated the reference project with extensive pre- and post-optimisation measurements.

IES UPDATE

EDUCATING MEMBERS ON THE INS AND OUTS OF PROPERTY LOANS Another edition of the bi-monthly IES Members’ Night took place on 15 August 2017, at the training rooms located at our Bukit Tinggi premises. Titled “Choosing the Best Property Loans and the Best Way to Protect Them”, it was delivered by an expert from IPP Financial Advisers (IPP), who also kindly sponsored dinner for the evening, which began before the talk at 6.30pm.

Many members agreed that having a dinner session before the talk was a good opportunity to know other members and to connect with fellow engineers.

IES Honorary Secretary, Er. Joseph Goh, kicked off the event with his opening address. He shared that IES Membership team had been working hard to improve services members, who can expect to enjoy more value-added benefits such as more workshops, networking sessions and merchant benefits in time to come.

Er. Goh delivering his welcome address.

Thereafter, guest speaker Yeo Wee Khin, Senior Advisory Group Partner of IPP, shared his insights on the unique merits and disadvantages of home loans taken from banks versus that from the HDB. With 31-years of financial industry experience, Mr Yeo is an industry veteran. He delved into the types of different bank home loans, including fixed and variable-rate loans, and covered interest rates such as SIBOR-dependent rates and fixed deposit home rates.

He demonstrated how small differences in housing loan interest rates may appear insignificant, but can translate into thousands of dollars of savings in the long-term.

Mr Yeo explaining to members about the nuances of mortgage insurance

For example, a HDB loan can be ideal for risk-adverse Singaporeans who prefer to pay less down-payment. But for more savvy borrowers, the right bank loan can offer substantial cost savings.

He also covered mortgage insurance, which is vital for protecting homes and the loans taken out for them.

Whether level or reducing, it enables one to keep their dream home and maintain his or her family’s lifestyle in the event of death, disability or disease.

Looking at mortgage insurance plans from different companies, Mr Yeo highlighted the importance of comparison, as premiums can differ significantly with the same mortgage cover.

With such a well-received talk, it is certain that we will be inviting him for future Members’ Nights. As always, we would like to thank all members for your support and hope to see you at future events!

Membership Manager, Ms. Agnes Ong presented the token of appreciation to Mr. Yeo Wee Khin

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IES UPDATE

BUILDING CROSS-BORDER

FRIENDSHIPS WITH HEART AND SOLE On 20 August 2017, The Institution of Engineers Malaysia (IEM) held their annual run at the Perdana Botanical Gardens in Kuala Kumpur. IES, at the invitation of the IEM Young Engineers Section (YES), sponsored three members to participate in the event.

Registering themselves for the 5 km women’s open category run were Er. Emily Tan [Founding Chair of the Women in Science, Engineering and Research (WiSER) Committee], Ms Jasmine Foo (WiSER Chairperson for 2017/2018) and Ms Esther Neo (WiSER member).

More than 1,000 participants turned up at 7 am at the Perdana Botanicial Gardens for the warm up. The 10 km men’s and women’s run was flagged off at 7.30 am, followed by the 5 km runners at 7.45 am.

The route, which took runners around the various parts of the gardens, was a pleasant one. Perdana Botanical Gardens, which occupies an area of about 91 hectares, is Kuala Lumpur’s first large scale recreational park and is situated within the hilly heritage park of the Malaysian capital.

She received her trophy from IEM President Ir. Tan Yean Chin. The first place went to an international runner from Japan.

The run was a good chance to meet and network with fellow like-minded engineers from the region in a casual setting. It was, at the same time, opportune to further cement the longstanding relationship and goodwill between the two neighbouring engineering institutions.

Apart from Er. Tan, Ms Foo and Ms Neo, there were others who hailed from all over Malaysia including Penang, Pahang and Miri. Just the night before, IEM-YES hosted a welcome dinner for all runners at the Coliseum Café & Grill Room in KL. IES’ participation was acknowledged during the welcome speech made by the organising chairperson for the run, who also welcomed IES’ participation in similar future events.

All three participants would like to thank IES for the opportunity to represent Singaporean engineers in the IEM Run 2017.

It consists of several themed gardens, including a Hibiscus Garden that showcases different species of Malaysia’s national flower.

Ms Neo, an active participant in the IES Women’s Netball team for the past two years, did IES proud by coming in second in the Women’s 5km Open (Veteran) Category.

Ms Neo receiving her trophy from Ir. Tan

(Left to right) Ms Neo, Er. Tan and Ms Foo with their finishers’ medals.

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With fellow runners and engineers at the IEM-YES welcome dinner.

VIEWPOINT

DIGITALISING HUMAN CAPITAL CORNERSTONE OF SMART NATION Michael Haberzettl, Head of Human Resources, ASEAN, Siemens

Singapore’s top priority for its Smart Nation initiative has always been around jobs - job creation and better quality jobs. While urban infrastructure is critical for a digitalised nation, a truly Smart Nation cannot be built without first digitalising our talent.

Smart Nation talent gaps However, we are seeing a shortage of digital specialists especially in areas like cybersecurity, data analysis, software development, user interface/user experience and network engineering. According to industry players, schools here have not been releasing enough IT graduates and sometimes they are equipped with skills that are no longer relevant.

Beyond skills itself, a digitalised mindset is also critical. It comprises the ability to foresee and transform before the need to change arises; the power to stay with ambiguity and change course as you explore and experiment; and identifying opportunities for collaboration.

Digitalising our talent There are two ways companies can think about digital transformation - convert their current business model from offline to online, or recondition their whole business model based on technology.

The first approach is achievable in a shorter period and will likely reap immediate results. However, looking at the rapid, disruptive nature of technology, this approach only plugs a prevailing gap which will not be sustainable in the long-term. The second approach of infusing technology into the inner workings of a business enables operational agility and adaptability, allowing for more continued business growth.

To stay relevant, businesses need to approach digital transformation not as keeping up with today’s needs but as anticipating the needs of the future. A large part of this is dependent on equipping today’s and tomorrow’s workforce with the right digital and problem-solving skills.

Companies must adopt a more holistic approach to digitalising talent. That includes structuring the company’s business model based on technology with more cross-divisional work to share and reapply digital knowledge, and hiring the right talent. Companies must elevate the digital skills of their workforce by investing in either on-the-job training or dedicated training. Employees too, should identify industry demands and their skills development needs.

Lifelong learning is crucial but educational institutes need to also ensure that they are in tune with industry demands through cross-functional learning. There must also be closer collaboration between tertiary institutes and companies.

Most importantly, companies need to align their digitalisation agenda with that of the Government, in order to synergise with Government funding and schemes.

Digitalisation is a way of life. It is the opportunity to deliver more value to society and, in turn, create more profitable and successful companies.

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