The Singapore Engineer February 2018

THE MAGAZINE OF THE INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS, SINGAPORE

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

February 2018 | MCI (P) 009/03/2018

COVER STORY: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE COMPLETES FIRST FLIGHT DEMONSTRATION

PLUS

AEROSPACE ENGINEERING: CAAS to strengthen collaboration with aviation community DIGITALISATION: Intelligent transport systems keep the traffic flowing smoothly PRECISION ENGINEERING: Ultrafine parts cleaning system with robotised loading

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CONTENTS FEATURES

COVER STORY 24 Unmanned aerial vehicle completes first flight demonstration The important innovation is expected to help improve urban logistics.

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AEROSPACE ENGINEERING 26 CAAS to strengthen collaboration with aviation community The aim is to enhance safety and service standards as well as facilitate sustainable growth.

28 ST Engineering showcases diverse and smart solutions at Singapore Airshow 2018 Wide-ranging capabilities in aviation are presented.

DIGITALISATION 30 Intelligent Transport Systems keep the traffic flowing smoothly The various methods adopted by Singapore are outlined.

34 Prototype robot solves problems without programming Its functioning provides a glimpse of automated production in the future.

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 Dr Victor Sim

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 Airbus Published by The Institution of Engineers, Singapore 70 Bukit Tinggi Road, Singapore 289758 Tel: 6469 5000 I Fax: 6467 1108 Printed in Singapore

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DIGITALISATION 36 Breaking Moore’s Law The viability of the prediction is again being threatened.

38 Digital Twinning: The Future of Manufacturing?

Advantages include increased efficiency and productivity, as well as a reduction in time and costs.

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40 Hewlett Packard Enterprise opens its first Global IoT Innovation Lab in Asia Pacific The facility provides a venue to demonstrate practical IoT use cases for various industries.

42 Unleashing the potential of the supply chain in 2018 Organisations will have to look at predictive and collaborative models.

PRECISION ENGINEERING

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43 Ultrafine parts cleaning system with robotised loading A comprehensive solution has been adopted by a leading manufacturer of metal-cutting tools.

REGULAR SECTIONS 04 16 46 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

PUNGGOL DIGITAL DISTRICT TO UTILISE CUTTING-EDGE TECH

TO INTEGRATE WORK, LIFE, EDUCATION AND PLAY On 21 January 2018, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), JTC, Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) jointly unveiled the masterplan for the Punggol Digital District (PDD).

PDD, situated in Punggol North, is part of Singapore’s strategy to sustain long-term economic growth through the creation of new development areas island-wide, and bringing amenities and jobs closer to residents.

It is envisioned to be vibrant and inclusive, underpinned by cutting-edge technology as well as innovations that will make everyday living more convenient and sustainable.

PDD will also house SIT’s new campus. Co-located with JTC’s business park buildings, it will facilitate the cross-fertilisation of knowledge and collaboration opportunities amongst academia and industry.

JTC will have the flexibility to curate the tenant mix to achieve a more complete and integrated system to meet the demands of the digital economy.

For example, innovative enterprises affiliated with SIT’s strengths in applied programmes such as cybersecurity, electrical power engineering and assistive technology can tap on SIT’s research capabilities and student pool.

SIT is also seeking to empower the Punggol community with a MakerSpace, where residents can tinker

with ideas and apply their knowledge to solve issues around them.

Furthermore, a suite of innovative district-level infrastructure and technologies will optimise land use, energy and resources to enhance liveability and reduce the carbon footprint.

These include systems that will enable optimal facilities management, automated systems for waste collection (Pneumatic Waste Conveyancing System) and centralised goods delivery (Urban Logistics), e-payment technologies and amenities such as hawker centres with automated tray return systems.

Where possible, these infrastructure will be sited underground.

The District will also see the deployment of IoT and sensor technologies (e.g. air quality and human traffic sensors) to enhance community living, supporting the work of the Government Technology Agency on the Smart Nation Sensor Platform.

Lastly, the district is planned to have a comprehensive infrastructure network to support greener mobility options. The community can look forward to commuting by foot, cycling, PMDs, and even autonomous vehicles, in addition to public transport.

OTIS BOOSTS SERVICE WITH CONNECTED DIGITAL ECOSYSTEM Elevator and escalator manufacturer Otis has launched mobility tools and service apps as part of its global digitalisation strategy.

Announced on 26 January 2018, the new digital ecosystem the company has planned will be implemented in phases across multiple markets in Southeast Asia in 2018 and 2019 as part of its service transformation program.

More than 31,000 employees globally will benefit from this initiative when completed, including over 160 service employees at Otis’ Singapore Service Department.

With the introduction of the service mobile applications, field employees will be able to leverage the digital tools and to save time and channel it to other customer priorities. These apps include technology that: • Assesses the ride quality – noise and vibration levels – of

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an elevator using a mobile phone and then generates information that mechanics can use to make repairs.

• Gives field employees instant access to diagnostic information, as well as a library of codes aimed at promoting self-directed upgrading among employees.

• Allows mechanics to request for spare parts via the app, saving on travel time from customer sites to office.

“The service technology we’re developing challenges the industry status-quo,” said Mr Tony Black, President, Otis Service. “It’s about combining the vast service expertise of our teams with digital innovation to address a potential maintenance issue before it becomes one. It’s about a shared knowledge of equipment health so that our teams arrive on a job site with the tools and information they need, and our customers are informed and have peace of mind every step of the way.”

INDUSTRY NEWS

NUS AND DSO SET UP SATELLITE RESEARCH CENTRE The National University of Singapore (NUS), together with DSO National Laboratories (DSO), jointly launched the Satellite Technology and Research Centre (STAR) on 25 January 2018.

The new centre, which aims to develop cutting-edge capabilities in distributed satellite systems, with a focus on flying multiple small satellites in formation or constellation, was inaugurated by Professor Ho Teck Hua, NUS Senior Deputy President and Provost.

It will also train undergraduates and graduate students to meet the manpower needs of Singapore’s fledgling space industry.

Supported by the Economic Development Board, STAR is helmed by Prof Low Kay Soon, who is from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the NUS Faculty of Engineering. He is also a veteran of Singapore’s satellite programmes.

The centre will pioneer experimental satellite platforms, with a focus on the development of small satellites, and will deepen the local base of expertise in space and satellite technologies.

STAR will pursue its mission through three structured programmes – Education, research and satellite missions.

In the education programme, NUS engineering undergraduates will have the opportunity to undertake satellite and space related projects offered by STAR, giving them exposure to real-life project applications and valuable work experience in the space industry.

STAR researchers, who are conducting cutting-edge research in areas such as collaborative sensing, subsystem and component development, and advanced propulsion systems control, will also support relevant academic modules, as well as supervise student projects.

Such capabilities will greatly enhance Singapore’s position as an aerospace and maritime hub. STAR will also work with industry players, both established companies and new start-ups, by providing our expertise and stateof-the-art satellite platform or subsystems.”

He also felt that it was crucial for Singapore to develop a vibrant space innovation ecosystem, combining homegrown talents, a thriving space industry, and a conducive research environment, in order to address technology challenges in this field and gain a strong foothold in this knowledge-intensive sector.

Commenting on the launch, Prof Chua Kee Chaing, Dean of the NUS Faculty of Engineering, said: “The setting up of STAR will further sharpen these strengths and help to nurture a new generation of well-trained engineers and engineer-leaders who are ready to contribute to the space and aerospace industries.”

Adding on, DSO’s Chief Executive Officer Cheong Chee Hoo said that satellite engineering was the “pinnacle of engineering” and expressed his organisation’s excitement to be able to contribute to STAR and nurture future generations of satellite engineers.

Located within the Singapore Wind Tunnel Facility on the NUS Kent Ridge campus, STAR’s 1,400 sq m facility currently houses 50 research staff and students. It comprises a state-of-the-art clean room facility for satellite testing and assembly works, electrostatic discharge controlled laboratories for research and student projects, as well as environmental testing facilities such as a thermal chamber and a vacuum chamber.

In contrast to the traditional approach of building large satellites (weighing between a few hundred to a few thousand kilogrammes), STAR will, through the satellite mission programme, build multiple small satellites, each weighing less than one tenth of conventional satellites, and fly them together.

A fleet of small, 20-kg satellites is slated to be developed and deployed in space by 2022 for applications such as maritime and aviation security.

These satellites can also be equipped with other instrument for remote sensing to monitor environmental change and detect forest fires.

Said Prof Low: “STAR aspires to be a leading centre for advanced distributed satellite systems.

Professor Low Kay Soon (2nd from right) together with his students from NUS Engineering. On display is a model of the small satellite that is being developed for applications such as maritime and aviation security. Photo: NUS THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER February 2018

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INDUSTRY NEWS

NEA APPOINTS CONSULTANCY TEAM TOR INTEGRATED

WASTE MANAGEMENT FACILITY DEVELOPMENT The National Environment Agency (NEA) has appointed a multi-disciplinary consultancy team, led by Black & Veatch and AECOM (BV-AECOM), for the development of its Integrated Waste Management Facility (IWMF).

In the next two years, NEA will work with the consultancy team to draw up the detailed engineering plans and design specifications of the IWMF. Tenders will also be called at a later date to appoint engineering, procurement and construction contractors to carry out the detailed design and building works, which will be supervised by the BV-AECOM team right through to commission. According to NEA, construction is expected to begin in 2019.

The IWMF is an important part of NEA’s long term plan to meet Singapore’s solid waste management needs. It will be equipped with state-of-the-art solid waste treatment technologies to recover resources from waste and recyclables collected under the national Recycling Programme.

Source-segregated food waste will be co-digested with dewatered sludge from PUB’s Tuas Water Reclamation Plant (TWRP) to improve biogas production. Waste that cannot be recovered for recycling will be incinerated in a waste-to-energy facility for electricity production. The IWMF will be co-located with PUB’s TWRP to reap the benefits of a water-energy-waste nexus.

The IWMF will be built in two phases, and designed with an initial incineration capacity of 2,900 tonnes per day when the first phase is completed in 2024. The energy from the incineration process will be recovered to generate electricity to operate the IWMF and TWRP and excess electricity, estimated to be sufficient to power 150,000 four-room HDB apartments, will be supplied to the grid.

NEA has plans to double the incineration capacity at the IWMF to 5,800 tonnes per day by 2027, when the second phase is slated for completion.

USING TECHNOLOGY TO DETECT HIDDEN THREATS A research group at the University of Delaware is developing technology to detect improvised explosive devices from a distance.

Dr Chandra Kambhamettu, professor of computer and information sciences and director of the Video/Image Modeling and Synthesis (VIMS) Lab, has received a five-year, USD 1 million grant from the United States Army Research Office for this project, which entails creating an augmented reality system that will use traditional cameras, thermal infrared sensing and ground penetrating radar to find and classify potentially dangerous objects from up to 30 meters away.

This work is in collaboration with a team of research scientists from the Army Research Lab.

Even if one sensor modality fails to detect an IED, another may reveal it.

This research may also have applications that extend far beyond the military. For example, a device that spots hidden objects could help elderly or blind people walk more safely by alerting them to hurdles in their path.

Testing of the new technology is currently being done on vehicles at a military training facility. Dr Kambhamettu and his team will gather data from the cameras, apply deep learning to it, and develop algorithms to make target detection more effective. They will also visualise scenarios in a virtual reality environment.

The multi-camera system could be deployed on autonomous vehicles, drones, or robots sent to scout the surroundings before troops move in. Complementing each other, regular cameras would collect visible light, while infrared cameras detect heat and are unaffected by light, making them ideal for night time use, foggy conditions, and dust storms. The system’s radar uses radio waves to probe the surrounding environment.

“With infrared, you can see and understand more than you would with just visible light,” said Prof Kambhamettu. “Then, with radar, you can see objects that differ from their surroundings, buried up to 3-5 inches.”

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(Left to right) Graduate student Mr Wayne Treible, Prof Kambhamettu, and post-doctoral fellow Dr Philip Saponaro showcase the virtual reality technology they are refining. Photo: University of Delaware/ Evan Krape

INDUSTRY NEWS

ABB AND KAWASAKI COLLABORATE ON ROBOT AUTOMATION ABB and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, two global industrial automation and robot suppliers, announced late last year that they had joined forces to share knowledge and promote the benefits of collaborative robots, particularly those with dual arm designs.

The world’s first partnership to focus on collaborative robots, both robot makers will continue independently manufacturing and marketing their own offerings while working together on joint technical and awareness opportunities. This includes educating public-sector stakeholders about the benefits of collaborative automation and creating common industry approaches to safety, programming and communications.

Collaborative automation allows people and robots to each contribute their unique strengths – people offer process knowledge, insight and improvisation for change, while robots offer tireless endurance for repetitive tasks. This is important

as production has shifted from large lots with little variation to low-volume, high-mix operations.

“Collaborative robots can greatly contribute to society and help the world cope with labour shortages and an aging workforce,” said Mr Yasuhiko Hashimoto, Managing Executive Officer and General Manager, Kawasaki Robot Division. “I’m very pleased that ABB and Kawasaki are joining forces to lead the drive for ABB’s YuMi dual arm robot, the world’s first more user-friendly, truly collaborative machine, enables people advanced collabo- and robots to safely share common tasks such rative automation.” as assembling small electronics. Photo: ABB

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INDUSTRY NEWS

MICRON AND INTEL TO CEASE

NAND MEMORY JOINT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME Micron and Intel today announced in January an update to their NAND memory joint development partnership programme, which has helped both companies develop and deliver industry-leading NAND technologies to market for more than a decade.

The companies have agreed to complete development of their third generation of 3D NAND technology, which will be delivered toward the end of this year and extending into early 2019. Beyond that technology node, both companies will develop 3D NAND independently in order to better optimise the technology and products for their individual business needs.

Micron and Intel expect no change in the cadence of their respective 3D NAND technology development of future nodes. The two companies are currently ramping products based on their second generation of 3D NAND (64 layer) technology.

Both companies will also continue to jointly develop and manufacture 3D XPoint at the Intel-Micron Flash Technologies (IMFT) joint venture fab in Lehi, Utah, which is now entirely focused on 3D XPoint memory production.

“Micron’s partnership with Intel has been a long-standing collaboration, and we look forward to continuing to work with Intel on other projects as we each forge our own paths in future NAND development,” said Dr Scott DeBoer, Executive Vice President of Technology Development, Micron.

“Intel and Micron have had a long-term successful partnership that has benefited both companies, and we’ve reached a point in the NAND development partnership where it is the right time for the companies to pursue the markets we’re focused on,” said Mr Rob Crooke, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Non-Volatile Memory Solutions Group, Intel Corporation.

SIT TO OFFER SINGAPORE’S FIRST

AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS ENGINEERING DEGREE The Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) is launching a new degree programme, the Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Aircraft Systems Engineering. The first intake of 48 students for the three-year programme will commence classes in September 2018.

Developed in collaboration with SIA Engineering Company (SIAEC), this is the first such degree to be offered by an autonomous university in Singapore. Built on an interdisciplinary curriculum that intersects engineering and science, and utilising a practical hands-on approach, the programme aims to develop graduates for careers as licensed aircraft engineers, project engineers, and technical service/repair development engineers.

This is in line with the university’s mission to groom industry-ready students while providing well-equipped talent for the aerospace and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) industries.

Students will be trained by both SIT faculty, as well as instructors who are Licensed Aircraft Engineers from SIAEC’s Training Academy. Students will also undergo an eight-month Integrated Work Study Programme (IWSP), a signature programme of SIT-conferred degrees, at SIAEC in their third year. The IWSP will

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see students actively apply theoretical knowledge to solve problems and gain first-hand industry experience in aircraft maintenance.

In addition to the SIT-conferred degree upon graduation, students will also be awarded a Certificate of Recognition (CoR) by SIAEC, a Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) SAR147 approved Maintenance Training Organisation. This CoR certifies that Image: SIT the holder has successfully completed a SAR-147 Approved Basic Course, which is one of the requirements for the award of an Aircraft Maintenance Licence (AML).

“The air transport industry in Singapore and the Asia-Pacific is undergoing rapid expansion and transformation, and there is demand for skilled engineers and technicians to support this fast-growing sector. As a university of applied learning, we want to produce the ‘best-in-class specialists’ who will be catalysts for transformation,” said Professor Loh Han Tong, Deputy President (Academic) & Provost, SIT. For the 2018/2019 academic year, SIT will offer 43 degree programmes, of which 12 are from SIT, 12 are joint degree programmes and 19 are conducted in partnership with seven reputable overseas universities.

INDUSTRY NEWS

NTU AND VOLVO

TO JOINTLY DEVELOP AUTONOMOUS ELECTRIC BUSES

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and Volvo Buses announced recently that they will begin testing autonomous electric passenger buses in Singapore, in 2019.

Volvo Buses is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of electrified buses and has sold more than 3,800 hybrid buses, electric hybrid buses and all-electric buses.

For the Swedish company, this will be its first autonomous application in public transportation anywhere in the world and it has chosen NTU Singapore as its partner in this endeavour. Volvo has already demonstrated its autonomous technology in mining, quarrying and refuse collection operations.

The 12 m Volvo 7900 Electric bus is already in service around the world, providing quiet and emission-free operation, and requiring 80% less energy than an equivalent sized diesel bus.

facilitate the certification of the technologies for deployment on public roads.

The NTU-Volvo programme will be supported by SMRT and ABB. Singapore’s public transport operator, SMRT, will play a critical role in determining the roadworthiness of autonomous vehicles and assist in operational trials, while ABB will provide the charging systems based on the OppCharge interface.

“We have a vision to transform NTU into a smart campus that embraces technology to improve everyday life and ensures the sustainability of resources. This partnership with Volvo on electric autonomous buses is part of the roadmap of the Smart Campus initiative. We hope that the solutions created out of this programme will contribute significantly to Singapore’s ambition of adopting autonomous vehicle technologies and enhancing public transportation”, said Prof Subra Suresh, President, NTU Singapore.

Two 40-seater buses will be deployed in the Singapore tests. They will be equipped with autonomous driving technologies, including GPS and LIDAR laser technology systems for charting, positioning and detecting obstacles around the vehicle, and an integrated navigation system that includes automated steering, gear changing, and speed throttling technologies.

The NTU Singapore and Volvo partnership is also part of the collaboration between NTU and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) under the university’s living lab platform announced in October 2016. The living lab platform assesses technology maturity and road-worthiness, to

NTU Singapore and Volvo Buses will begin rigorous testing of autonomous electric passenger buses in Singapore, in 2019, with the aim of being able to deploy them as part of the public bus network.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

“We are seeing fast-growing interest in both autonomous and electric vehicles in cities all over the world.

Together with NTU, one of the world’s leading universities of technology, we now have the possibility of testing various solutions under realistic conditions in a major city that has high ambitions for its public transport,” said Håkan Agnevall, President Volvo Buses.

“We consider Singapore and NTU as excellent partners for Volvo, offering an enabling environment and complete ecosystem of research, development and implementation of new solutions. The technology developed in Singapore can contribute to future autonomous applications by Volvo Buses”, he added.

“Our electric buses already make it possible for cities to improve their air quality and reduce noise levels. With our system approach to electromobility, we, in addition, open up new ways for urban planning. When developing autonomous solutions for public transport, we can really leverage the Volvo Group expertise in this rapidly developing technology field”, Mr Agnevall continued.

“The Land Transport Authority fully supports innovation and cutting-edge technology that will ultimately benefit commuters. The agreement to develop and trial electric autonomous buses is a significant milestone in our journey to make this a reality in Singapore’s public bus network”, said Mr Lam Wee Shann, Chief Innovation and Technology Officer, LTA. “NTU fosters a culture of research excellence, centred on translational research, accelerating ideas nurtured at the lab into practical and industry-relevant innovations for society. Our partnership with Volvo, a world leader in public transportation, which explored hybrid and electromobility solutions as early as 2010, will set a new milestone in this era of disruption, automation and

artificial intelligence”, added Prof Lam Khin Yong, Vice President for Research, NTU Singapore.

Rigorous testing One of the autonomous electric buses will be tested on campus at the Centre of Excellence for Testing and Research of Autonomous vehicles at NTU (CETRAN). The autonomous vehicle test circuit, which is modelled after real road conditions in Singapore, provides a safe and controlled environment for testing the vehicles.

The test circuit replicates different elements of Singapore’s roads, with common traffic schemes, road infrastructure, and traffic rules. The circuit features a rain simulator and flood zone to test autonomous vehicles’ navigation abilities under tropical weather conditions. It also helps improve overall safety and efficiency by allowing researchers to assess the vehicles’ interaction with pedestrians.

The second bus will undergo tests at a local bus depot managed by SMRT. It will test the vehicle’s capabilities to autonomously navigate into vehicle washing bays and park safely at charging areas.

“Our goal is to stay future-ready with the latest urban mobility solutions, to provide safe, efficient and comfortable journeys in Singapore’s unique operational setting.

This MOU paves the way for SMRT, working with our partners, to host operational trials for autonomous buses, and test out the command & control system required for operating such smart vehicles. Our engineers will be part of the joint effort to lead the proof-of-concept in Sweden, before moving the trials to Singapore. We will leverage on our extensive experience operating and maintaining buses to support the eventual deployment of autonomous vehicles safely on our roads in the future”, said Mr Desmond Kuek, President and Group Chief Executive Officer, SMRT Corporation.

ABB to energise Singapore’s autonomous electric bus project ABB will provide its HVC 300P heavy vehicle chargers for two autonomous electric buses to be delivered by the beginning of 2019.

The HVC 300P fast charging system delivers 300 kW DC power and will recharge a battery in three to six minutes. It is based on OppCharge, an open interface for DC electric bus charging, which is now being used in Singapore and Asia Pacific. Using a pantograph mounted on the infrastructure for end-point charging, it allows buses to be charged at the end of the line, without impacting on the normal operation of the route.

The system will charge the all-electric, 12 m Volvo 7900 Electric buses, and Volvo and NTU Singapore will build the autonomous driving solution on Volvo’s platform.

“ABB has long been at the forefront of developing greener solutions. With this project, we reaffirm our intent to develop the electric vehicle industry in the Asia Pacific region. Our high-quality electric charging systems, combined with our cloud-based connected platform ABB Ability, are paving the way for vehicles to become cleaner, more efficient and cost-effective than ever before”, said Tarak Mehta, President, Electrification Products Division, ABB. ABB is due to deliver the first of two HVC 300P fast chargers towards the end of 2018, when the cooperative venture between Volvo Buses and NTU Singapore gets underway.

So far, ABB has sold more than 6,000 cloud connected DC fast-chargers around the world for passenger cars and commercial vehicles. ABB has now also teamed up with Formula E, the world’s first fully electric international FIA motorsport series as part of its continuous drive to promote sustainable mobility.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

KEYSIGHT PARTNERS SUTD TO ADVANCE

RESEARCH IN ELECTRONICS MEASUREMENT Keysight Technologies Inc and the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for research collaboration and opened a new Measurement Technologies Laboratory.

The collaboration with Keysight is part of SUTD’s strategy in partnering industry to drive research and innovations that contribute to Singapore’s Smart Nation initiatives.

Keysight donated SGD 8 million worth of cutting-edge equipment to the lab, coupled with another SGD 2 million in research grants to accelerate research and development (R&D) in the domains of Advanced Manufacturing, Data Analytics and IoT Security.

Mr S Iswaran, Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry), the Guest-of-Honour, witnessed the signing of the MOU by Mr Gooi Soon Chai, President, Electronic Industrial Solutions Group, Keysight Technologies Singapore and Malaysia and Senior Vice-President, Keysight Technologies Inc, and Prof Thomas Magnanti, President, SUTD, at a ceremony held in SUTD. Mr Iswaran also officially opened the new Measurement Technologies Laboratory which is equipped with Keysight’s latest solutions and technologies.

Keysight Technologies is a leading technology company that helps its engineering, enterprise and service provider customers optimise networks and bring electronic products to market faster and at a lower cost.

“Today’s convergence of technology domains and the explosion of electronic content everywhere is driving the entire industrial eco-system into a whole new dimension.

Organisations are facing tremendous pressure to keep up with the accelerating pace and complexity of today’s advancements. Keysight, as the world’s leader in electronics measurement, is collaborating with SUTD, with its multi-disciplinary research talents, to reimagine innovation, in order to help organisations today face these challenges and deliver their products and services, faster, better and safer”, said Mr Gooi.

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Mr S Iswaran, Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry), the Guest-of-Honour witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between, from left, Mr Gooi Soon Chai, President, Electronic Industrial Solutions Group, Keysight Technologies Singapore and Malaysia, and Senior Vice-President, Keysight Technologies Inc, and Prof Thomas Magnanti, President, SUTD, at a ceremony held in SUTD.

Keysight donated SGD 8 million worth of cutting-edge equipment to the lab, coupled with another SGD 2 million in research grants to accelerate research and development.

INDUSTRY NEWS

“We are very pleased to collaborate with Keysight, not only in research but also to set up this new Measurement Technologies Lab. Such an industry-academia collaboration is mutually beneficial as through research, new innovations in measurement and testing will arise.

Meanwhile, the lab gives our students, faculty and researchers access to state-of-the-art testing and measurement technology, which will enhance their industry-relevant knowledge and skills, and enable them to become technically grounded innovators who can help create a better world through technology and design”, said Prof Magnanti.

At the lab, researchers will leverage Keysight’s latest equipment and software solutions, and tap on the company’s global technology and industry expertise, as they work on three major R&D projects for Smart Factories of tomorrow (facilitated by Industry 4.0). These projects, incorporating the latest developments in Security, Big Data Analytics and Internet of Things (IoT), will achieve the following:

These projects are expected to translate into better quality products, smarter utilisation of resources, improved efficiency, productivity and security.

Singapore is a key strategic operational site for Keysight. Apart from being the company’s global centre for high-value business services and its regional centre for sales, marketing and customer support, Keysight Singapore is also one of the company’s centre for innovation of Advanced Manufacturing, Data Analytics and IoT Security. This collaborative research with SUTD is part of Keysight’s continuing focus on innovation and is aligned with its research priorities.

• Address the diminishing test access of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and advance the development of fault detection and fault isolation.

• Harvest Big Data from manufacturing operations, develop advanced predictive and machine learning algorithms, and advance anomaly detection and identification.

• Strengthen the cyber-physical security of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) devices and systems against malicious threat.

Keysight’s In-circuit Tester was one of the products presented during the VIP tour of the newly opened Measurement Technologies Lab at SUTD.

VIPs being briefed on how Keysight plans to strengthen the cyber-security of Industrial IoT devices and systems during the tour of the new Measurement Technologies Lab at SUTD. THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER February 2018

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INDUSTRY NEWS

EMERSON NAMED ‘INDUSTRIAL IOT COMPANY OF THE YEAR’ Emerson, a global automation technology and software company, has been named the ‘Industrial IoT Company of the Year’, by IoT Breakthrough. The award recognises Emerson’s extensive innovation and leadership in driving Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and strategies for customers in manufacturing industries, including oil & gas, food & beverage, chemical, life sciences and others.

Today’s industrial business challenges include fast-changing market dynamics, technical complexity and the pressure to do more with less. To help overcome challenges, Emerson has harnessed the power of Industrial IoT for customers through its Plantweb digital ecosystem to enable broader process automation and deeper data insights that can improve operations.

“As technology continues to evolve, customers are increasingly turning to us for help in navigating the

Industrial Internet of Things”, said Mike Train, Executive President of Emerson Automation Solutions.

“Industrial IoT holds a lot of promise for manufacturers, but many struggle to identify the right strategies for adoption within their operations. Our job is to act as a trusted partner, helping customers develop the right business case, then implement scalable solutions that deliver measurable returns”, he added.

The IoT Breakthrough Awards, which received more than 3,000 nominations in 2017, recognise innovators, leaders and visionaries from around the globe, in a range of IoT categories, including Industrial, Smart City technology, Connected Home and others.

PARTNERSHIP FORMED TO TEST AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS ST Kinetics and National Instruments Singapore Pte Ltd (NI) recently announced that they will be collaborating as technology partners to build and develop Singapore’s capabilities for the testing of systems used by autonomous vehicles (AVs) and robotic solutions.

Centre that was officially opened in November 2017. The rain simulator tests the manoeuvrability and response of the AVs under various rain conditions, from light rain (about 20 mm/hour) to heavy thunderstorms (up to 70 mm/hour).

The testing framework will cover both functional and safety systems that determine the behaviour and response of the AVs, for example braking distance, obstacle avoidance, as well as the measurement of the AV’s performance under various road and weather conditions.

“It is imperative that the AV testing capabilities keep pace with the overall AV development. A rigorous testing system will ensure reliability, performance and more importantly, safety, when the AVs are deployed on the roads. This is in line with the objective of the Singapore Autonomous Vehicles Consortium to develop AV standards and to accelerate the adoption of AV technologies in Singapore”, said Mr Tan Peng Kuan, Executive Vice President of Singapore Business, ST Kinetics.

ST Kinetics will integrate NI’s hardware and software, such as sensors and LIDAR technology, to establish a testing system that would form the basis of testing requirements and standards for the deployment of AVs in Singapore.

Singapore Test Services, a subsidiary of ST Kinetics, will serve as an independent testing body for the testing of AVs in Singapore. Among the first AVs to be tested would be the autonomous buses for the Land Transport Authority, that are currently under development, as well as the Mobility-on-Demand shuttles for intra-island travel on Sentosa.

The test system can also be extended to other autonomous platforms such as forklifts and autonomous mobile robots.

When developing the set of test requirements for AVs, ST Kinetics concentrates on simulating realistic operating scenarios, such as under adverse weather conditions. It recently unveiled Singapore’s first rain simulator, one of the test stations at the CETRAN Autonomous Vehicle Test

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“As Singapore works towards realising its Smart Nation vision, the country is also challenged with land and manpower scarcity. Self-driving technology or AVs would therefore be highly critical and valuable in transforming the transport system and bringing about greater connectivity as well as accessibility”, said Mr Matej Krajnc, Managing Director, ASEAN & ANZ, NI. “Recent announcements by the Ministry of Transport and the Land Transport Authority reflect that the country is moving very quickly in its adoption of smart mobility, and the NI team in Singapore is excited to be able to play a part in this advancement - ensuring the safety and reliability of vehicles through our test systems”, he added.

INDUSTRY NEWS

CRESTRON INTRODUCES

ADVANCED HAND-HELD REMOTES Crestron, a global leader in custom home automation and control technology, recently announced the introduction of the HR-310 Handheld Remote and TSR-310 Handheld Touch Screen Remote. They combine all the best elements of the previous generation of Crestron remotes with further improvements.

“Our previous generation of HR and TSR hand-held remotes was ergonomically designed and ultra-reliable, but we felt we could do even better”, said Doug Jacobson, Director, Residential Technology, Crestron.

“The HR-310 and TSR-310 are Crestron hand-held remotes reimagined”, he added.

The ergonomically designed remotes are installed in a smooth, easy-to-grip housing and enable comfortable, one-handed use, whilst their ruggedness contributes to durability.

Features of the HR-301 include backlit tactile buttons, long battery life utilising standard AAA batteries, nine custom engravable buttons to display the most frequently used functions, as well as the reliable Crestron infiNET EX wireless gateway.

Features of the TSR-310 include a built-in 3 inch touch screen display, high resolution, a rechargeable battery that lasts three to four days between charges, high processing power, WiFi connectivity for high-bandwidth communications, voice control and an elegant, discreet charging station.

The TSR-310 Handheld Touch Screen Remote

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HANNOVER MESSE 2018 TO FOCUS ON ‘INTEGRATED INDUSTRY’ HANNOVER MESSE 2018, the leading trade fair for industrial technology, will be staged from 23 to 27 April 2018 in Hannover, Germany. With its core focus on ‘Integrated Industry’, the event will showcase the digitalisation of production (Industry 4.0) and energy systems (Integrated Energy).

HANNOVER MESSE 2018 will feature six parallel shows, addressing Industrial Automation, Motion & Drives, Digital Factory, Energy, Industrial Supply and Research & Technology. Mexico will star as the Partner Country of HANNOVER MESSE 2018.

TAKING INDUSTRY 4.0 TO THE NEXT LEVEL The digital integration of industry, energy and logistics is gathering pace, with traditional boundaries between industries breaking down, productivity rising and new business models being created.

HANNOVER MESSE 2018 and CeMAT 2018 (the trade fair for intralogistics and supply chain management) will reflect this trend and take Industry 4.0 to the next level.

Together, they will open a window on a future in which digititalised production, integrated energy systems and intelligent logistics solutions will radically change the way we live, work and do business.

In every smart factory scenario of the future, the main roles will be played by two main factors - people and machinery. In order for them to achieve top performance, however, the power of digital integration will need to be leveraged to the fullest.

“The integration of automation technology, IT platforms and machine learning will take Industry 4.0 to the next level”, said Dr. Jochen Köckler, Chairman of the Managing Board, Deutsche Messe, organisers of HANNOVER MESSE and CeMAT. “With ‘Integrated Industry - Connect & Collaborate’ as its lead theme, HANNOVER MESSE 2018 will enable visitors from all around the world to experience the completely

new forms of business, work and collaboration that are being made possible by our increasingly connected, digitally networked industrial landscape. They will witness, first-hand, the benefits of integrated industry, enhanced productivity, future-proof jobs and exciting new business models”, he added.

FROM MACHINE LEARNING TO IT PLATFORMS AND INTEGRATED INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS The industrial landscape is changing fast. Factory technology is becoming ever more efficient, industrial IT platforms are readily available on the market, and more and more industrial subcontractors are digitally integrated into their customers’ value chains. And now, with machine learning, machines and robots are increasingly able to make autonomous decisions.

“HANNOVER MESSE is the place to experience the rapid rise of Industry 4.0 and its benefits first-hand”, remarked Dr Köckler.

“The world’s leading manufacturers of automation technology, big-name robotics providers and global IT and software corporations will all be there, making the show an absolute global hotspot for Industry 4.0”, he added.

INTEGRATION OF PRODUCTION AND LOGISTICS Digitalisation is already a critical success factor in logistics, where one of the main challenges lies in managing complex processes and making them more efficient. This is certainly true of the interface between logistics and online retail. The future of the sector depends on innovative logistics processes that can handle increasingly complex supply chains. The required logistics environment starts with automated warehouses, where all processes are managed by software and where robots work roundthe-clock, moving autonomously through the halls and delivering goods to the right place, at the right time and in the right quantities.

Software and IT solutions for digital transformation HANNOVER MESSE’s Digital Factory show is where professionals from the manufacturing industries can find software and IT solutions that enable their companies to become fully integrated and collaborate at the digital level. In Halls 6, 7 and 8, Software and IT providers will showcase the full range of solutions, from Artificial Intelligence (AI) to industrial IT platforms, for users from all industries. Apart from AI, key themes at this year’s show include Machine Learning, Virtual Reality/Digital Twin and Industrial Security.

Visitors to the show can expect a wide variety of software solutions, including highly specialised applications for virtual product development, production planning and control, and predictive analysis. The ways of achieving an optimal flow of huge volumes of data in digital factories, will also be covered.

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EVENTS

Similar things are happening in manufacturing, where production and logistics processes are becoming ever more closely integrated through intelligent technologies as part of the ongoing quest to boost efficiency and flexibility and hence lower costs. At CeMAT 2018, visitors will be able to experience the convergence of production and logistics.

ENERGY FOR PRODUCTION AND POWER GRIDS FOR ELECTRIC MOBILITY Digitalisation is also transforming the energy industry.

Innovative technologies are making power systems more flexible, intelligently interconnecting different sectors and ushering in new market participants. These key developments will be profiled in depth in the Energy Show at HANNOVER MESSE 2018. The show will profile various energy efficiency solutions that will enable industrial companies to achieve enormous savings and make a major contribution to climate protection. It will also present the technologies and steps needed to successfully transition the world to sustainable energy systems.

Whilst there is a lot of talk on changes in the area of mobility, the fact is that power grids are not yet ready for the widespread use of electric cars. The problem, according to the energy sector, is that electric mobility will result in much higher load peaks than are currently the norm. Moreover, eMobility will not be able to deliver on its eco-friendly and sustainability promise unless the power it uses comes from renewable sources. Energy companies and municipal utilities around the world are embracing the electric mobility megatrend and its challenges, and are starting to build the necessary infrastructure. Initiatives include providing comprehensive charging station coverage, upgrading power distribution networks and building electrical ‘super highways’. All of which comes down to digital integration - the challenge of intelligently interconnecting renewable energy sources, energy storage facilities and electric vehicles so that they all work together as a coordinated, seamlessly integrated system.

The solutions needed to create power grids that can make electric mobility feasible will be on show at HANNOVER MESSE 2018.

HANNOVER MESSE 2017, the previous edition of the event, highlighted the potential of intelligent robots, adaptive machines as well as integrated energy systems and mobility.

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INNOVATIONS IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PRESENTED AT

EMTECH ASIA 2018 EmTech Asia 2018, the fifth edition of event, which was co-organised by MIT Technology Review and Koelnmesse Pte Ltd, concluded on a high note after two days of discussions on the latest breakthroughs in science and technology.

Held from 30 to 31 January 2018, at Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, EmTech Asia 2018 attracted over 700 attendees from 21 countries. This year’s line-up of speakers included some of the brightest minds in the areas of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Quantum Computing, Robotics, Automation, Future Cities, Space and Aerospace Innovation, Augmented and Virtual Reality, and Bioengineering.

“Singapore is fully committed to develop a conducive ecosystem for innovators to work together through events like EmTech Asia, to foster the exchange of ideas. We also develop initiatives for experimentation such as regulatory sandboxes, to provide innovators with a great space to work on next generation challenges. To IMDA, we value collaboration and experimentation as vital enablers in developing Singapore’s digital economy”, said Zee Kin Yeong, Assistant Chief Executive, Infocomm Media Development (IMDA), Host Partner of EmTech Asia 2018.

Steve Leonard, Founding CEO, SGInnovate, Disruptive Innovation Partner of EmTech Asia 2018, said, “In the five years since it was first held in Singapore, EmTech Asia has been a showcase for amazing scientific research in a variety of fields. We know Singapore has world-class research underway, but we want to see more of that research become productised and commercialised. At SGInnovate, we spend a lot of our time helping scientists and founders on their journey to translate their research into products and startups that bring positive impact to the world. EmTech Asia is a great teammate in this value chain, and we look forward to working closer together in the future”.

EmTech Asia 2018 also featured a session on ‘Maximising Human Potential in the Age of AI’, presented by Vivienne Ming, Cofounder and Managing Partner, Socos. Ming discussed the effect of systemic bias and advancements in AI on human capital, along with ideas about bias and human potential in education and the workplace. Other sessions included ‘Innovating Towards an All-Electric Future’ by Donald Sadoway, John F. Elliott Professor of Materials Chemistry, MIT, who discussed the challenges and benefits of innovations in batteries.

“The quality of the speakers at EmTech Asia 2018 is amazing. Every speaker brings a different perspective and hearing multiple speakers in every single topic allows you to get a very balanced view, which I believe is more important than any one particular speaker”, said Alvin Wang Graylin, China President of Vive, HTC and EmTech Asia 2018 speaker.

Various sessions on space and aerospace innovation were featured as well, including a session on ‘Small Sats to LEO, on the Cheap’, by Adam Gilmour, CEO, Gilmour Space Technologies, who discussed the business of the small satellite industry and how his company is developing lowcost, small launch vehicles, specifically for the fast-growing market. Other sessions included a presentation on aerospace systems by Olivier de Weck, Senior VP for Technology Planning and Roadmapping, Airbus. His presentation on ‘Modeling and Shaping Technological Progress in Complex Aerospace Systems’, covered the theories behind technological progress and how new efforts by Airbus help shape the ‘Future of Flight’.

MIT Technology Review’s 10 Innovators Under 35 in Asia-Pacific also took to the stage to share their ground-breaking research and inventions. EmTech Asia will return in January 2019.

The key theme for this year was ‘Where Technology, Business and Innovation Collide’, and featured speakers such as Bill Dally, Chief Scientist, NVIDIA; Serguei Beloussov, Chairman and CEO, Acronis; Paul Smith, Global Field Operations Manager, Hyperloop One; Shana Diez, Director of Build Reliability, SpaceX; Tomaso Poggio, Eugene McDermott Professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT; Tong Zhang, Executive Director, Tencent AI Lab; and Jun Rekimoto, Deputy Director, Sony Computer Science Laboratories.

This year’s conference featured a session on Quantum Computing with Joseph Fitzsimons, Assistant Professor, Singapore University of Technology and Design. His presentation delved into the development of quantum computers and their uses, along with the challenges and opportunities facing the development of quantum software. Hans Tung, Managing Partner, GGV Capital, Silicon Valley, spoke about the lessons that global entrepreneurs can learn, from both the US and the fast-growing tech scene in China.

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Held from 30 to 31 January 2018, at Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, EmTech Asia 2018 attracted over 700 attendees from 21 countries.

All images by EmTech Asia.

EVENTS

FOCUS ON NEW OPPORTUNITIES AND STRATEGIC COLLABORATIONS

AT SINGAPORE AIRSHOW 2018

Singapore Airshow 2018 was declared open by Guest-of-Honour, Mr Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, at the Singapore Airshow 2018 Opening Ceremony, held at Marina Bay Sands Grand Ballroom on 5 February 2018. Image

by Experia Events.

“The biennial Singapore Airshow plays a vital role in supporting the aviation ecosystem in Singapore and Asia Pacific, which so many skilled jobs depend on. It is the place for current and potential customers and suppliers to meet, network, do business and evaluate new opportunities together. It is also a great showcase for new technologies and an important event for encouraging the next generation of aviation talent to seek employment in aviation. By focusing on next generation technologies, encouraging start-ups to exhibit for the first time and promoting the capabilities and offerings around Southeast Asia and beyond, the show provides a time-efficient way to develop new business”, said Richard Brown, Principal, ICF International.

Deeper technologies and innovations Strategic partnerships established at the airshow have facilitated discussions and showcases around the digital data revolution that is taking place across the entire value-chain of the aviation industry.

Skywise Predictive Maintenance Services Examples include Airbus’ Skywise open aviation data platform which facilitates the use of full aircraft data and advanced predictive analytics, and Rolls-Royce’s IntelligentEngine, an all-encompassing digital strategy which represents a paradigm shift in the way it designs, produces and supports propulsion systems.

From left, Dr Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Defence and Mr Khaw Boon Wan, Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport, at the ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the exhibition segment of Singapore Airshow 2018. Image by Experia Events.

Singapore Airshow 2018 was held from 6 to 11 February 2018 at Changi Exhibition Centre. Organised and managed by Experia Events, the event has established itself as a strategic platform for regulators, airlines, manufacturers, entrepreneurs and other key stakeholders to chart the industry’s growth trajectory.

The trade segment of Singapore Airshow 2018 concluded on an optimistic note, with strong commendations for the wide range of extensive opportunities it created to connect stakeholders, as well as the disruptive technologies and unique interaction platforms it presented, to drive change and shape the future.

Singapore Airshow 2018 saw an over 10% increase in trade visitors, as well as 287 VIP delegations. Over 70% of exhibitors have committed to returning to Singapore Airshow 2020, the next edition of the event.

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“We have been very satisfied with this year’s Singapore Airshow and in particular with the high-level visitor profiles, with customers and partners from across the region and beyond, and with every part of our business”, said Sean Lee, Head of Communications, Asia-Pacific, Airbus.

Global participation Marking its commitment to the aviation industry in the region, more than 100 companies were featured at the US pavilion, making it the largest US presence ever at the Singapore Airshow. More than 60 of these participating companies, comprising contractors, integrators, equipment manufacturers, small to medium enterprises and maintenance specialists were new to the airshow.

“The Singapore Airshow had a buzz right from the start.

It has always been good, but 2018 is the best it has been in 10 years. Singapore Airshow 2018 has been a tremendous success for the participating companies at the US pavilion, centred on high quality of strategic dialogues and potential partnerships focused on new technologies and innovations”, said Tom Kallman, President and CEO, Kallman Worldwide Inc, US Representative and Organiser of the USA Partnership Pavilion.

EVENTS

The 2018 edition also saw the participation of new global exhibitors such as the Turkish Aerospace Industries.

“Our debut at the Singapore Airshow has been a fulfilling one, with many opportunities for us to introduce Turkish Aerospace Industries’ services and products while also establishing strong collaborations within the industry”, said Fahrettin Ozturk, Vice President, Strategy and Technology Management, Turkish Aerospace Industries.

“For our participation at the next airshow, we will bring a more extensive showcase, including our training jet and helicopter”, he added.

Shaping the future The inaugural What’s Next @ Singapore Airshow saw in-depth exchanges between start-ups and potential investors. New technologies and innovations across a wide range of participation from start-ups in IoT, mobility and even advanced healthcare were showcased and pitched at this showcase. What’s Next @ Singapore Airshow offered budding entrepreneurs the opportunity to interact with industry heavyweights, share ideations and establish new business development leads.

“Engagement with startups should be a continuous process throughout the year for potential partners and investors to understand the nature of the technology these start-ups are providing and their business models, before they can bring the technology to market and explore win-win collaborations. The What’s Next @ Singapore Airshow start-up showcase is such an avenue to do so”, said Harris Chan, Chief Digital Officer, ST Engineering, one of the judges at the What’s Next @ Singapore Airshow pitching sessions.

Said Mr Siril Saji George, Pre-Sales Manager, Graymatics, who runs a start-up focused on developing a scalable cloud platform to allow for automatic real-time indexing, analysis and classification of content, and was part of the What’s Next @ Singapore Airshow start-up showcase pitching sessions, “Being amidst these industry giants was very educational as we got to check out new technologies in the pipeline and explore opportunities for collaboration with them in various areas beyond just aviation”.

Summary Singapore Airshow has always been focused on bringing the latest trends and creating avenues for the aviation and aerospace industry to connect, drive change and shape its future. It is a platform that has witnessed longterm partnerships and strategic collaborations involving both industry heavyweights and emerging start-ups to pave the way for transforming the future of the aviation industry.

“We are encouraged by the continuous support of our stakeholders, exhibitors and visitors for the Singapore Airshow as the strategic platform for key industry players and emerging start-ups to come together and pave the way to transform the future of the aviation industry”, said Leck Chet Lam, Managing Director, Experia Events.

“As we look towards the 2020 edition, we recognise the importance of staying relevant, in order to ensure enriching experiences and valuable connections for all attendees”, he added.

Singapore Airshow 2020 will be held from 11 to 16 February 2020 at Changi Exhibition Centre.

Visitors to the Airbus stand at Singapore Airshow 2018 explore models of the company’s aircraft and helicopters. Image by Airbus.

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SINGAPORE AIRSHOW 2018 TAKES IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES AND AEROBATIC FEATS TO NEW HEIGHTS Singapore Airshow 2018 attracted nearly 80,000 visitors during the public days, on 10 and 11 February. Changi Exhibition Centre (CEC) hosted visitors of different ages, from across the world, who viewed the spectacular aerial displays as well as the latest commercial and military aircraft.

Symphony in the sky Visitors to the airshow watched exhilarating flying displays, including the aerobatics performed by the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s (RSAF) integrated aerial display team, flying an F-15SG with a special livery to commemorate RSAF’s 50th anniversary, along with two F-16Cs fighter jets. They performed 15 exciting manoeuvres, showcasing the high degree of precision and coordination required required of the three aircraft. Their stunning routine included six new integrated manoeuvres that were performed for the first time in public, such as the 3-Ship Dedication Pass and the Golden Salute.

Flying displays were also performed by the Indonesian Air Force Jupiter Aerobatic Team’s KT-1B, the US Air Force’s F-16 and B-52 Stratofortress, the Sukhoi Su30MKM from the Royal Malaysian Air Force, and the Royal Thai Air Force’s JAS-39 C/D Gripen.

Static displays Over at the Static Aircraft Display Area, visitors were given opportunities to get up-close and personal with the wide range of commercial and military aircraft including an RSAF F-15SG, specially liveried to commemorate the RSAF’s 50th anniversary.

Other key highlights of the static aircraft display included the presence of the F-35B Lightning II, the world’s first supersonic short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) stealth aircraft, at an airshow in Asia for the first time. Among other military aircraft that made their debut at an airshow in Asia, was the Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning aircraft, the Royal Thai Air Force’s Gripen jet and the US Air Force RQ-4B Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system.

There was also a range of business and commercial aircraft that was exhibited for the first time at an airshow in Asia. Among them was the Gulfstream G500 and G600 aircraft, Textron Aviation Cessna Citation Longitude, and Embraer’s fourth prototype of a next-generation narrow-body jet - the E-190 E2 prototype. The HondaJet also made its debut at Singapore Airshow 2018.

RSAF’s F-15SG and F-16C performed exhilarating aerobatic manoeuvres at Singapore Airshow 2018. Image by Experia Events.

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COVER STORY

UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE COMPLETES FIRST FLIGHT DEMONSTRATION The important innovation is expected to help improve urban logistics.

Skyways, Airbus’ unmanned aerial vehicle designed for autonomous parcel deliveries, made its first flight demonstration at the National University of Singapore, validating its automatic loading and unloading capabilities.

Airbus Helicopters’ Skyways unmanned air vehicle has successfully completed its first flight demonstration at the National University of Singapore (NUS). The drone took off from its dedicated maintenance centre and landed on the roof of a specially designed parcel station where a parcel was automatically loaded via a robotic arm. Once successfully loaded with the parcel, the Skyways drone took off again and returned to land, demonstrating its automatic unloading capability.

This inaugural flight demonstration follows the launch of the experimental project, together with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), in February 2016, to develop an urban unmanned air system to address the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of the air delivery business in cities such as Singapore.

The collaboration was subsequently extended in April 2017, with Singapore Post (SingPost) becoming the local logistics partner to the project.

Airbus Helicopters is the overall Skyways system architect and provider, contributing its capabilities in drone platforms as well as its concept of future parcel delivery.

This concept involves systems and structures that allow drones to land, dock with secure structures, discharge or take on payloads, and then fly off to other destinations.

“Today’s flight demonstration paves the way positively to our local trial service launch in the coming months.

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It is the result of a very strong partnership among the stakeholders involved, especially the close guidance and confidence from the CAAS”, said Alain Flourens, Executive Vice President of Engineering and Chief Technical Officer, Airbus Helicopters.

“Safe and reliable urban air delivery is a reality not too distant into the future, and Airbus is certainly excited to be a forerunner in this endeavor”, he added.

Airbus Helicopters is at an advanced stage of the Skyways project. The research and development phase is progressing well, with equipment and facilities installed at the NUS campus. Various tests are already underway, and the unmanned air system will be demonstrated in the university, when the trial service commences this year. Campus students and staff will be able to make use of Skyways to have small parcels between 2 kg and 4 kg delivered to designated parcel stations within the campus.

“The Skyways project is an important innovation for the aviation industry. CAAS has been working closely with Airbus on the project, with an emphasis on co-developing systems and rules to ensure that such aircraft can operate in an urban environment safely and optimally.

For Singapore, this project will help to develop innovative rules to support the development of the unmanned aircraft industry in Singapore. We are pleased with the

COVER STORY

good progress that Skyways is making and look forward to deepening our partnership with Airbus”, said Mr Kevin Shum, Director-General, CAAS. “The urban logistics challenge is complex and an ecosystem of parcel lockers and autonomous vehicles will be a key piece to solving this puzzle”, said Alex Tan, Group Chief Information Officer, SingPost.

“The trial service that is taking off later this year will be an important step forward for SingPost in our efforts to develop solutions for the future logistics needs of Singapore and other cities of the world”, he added.

“Project Skyways aligns with NUS’ vision of serving as a living lab to pilot innovative techLeo Jeoh (design office head at Airbus Helicopters Southeast Asia, seen at centre), and his nologies and solutions. The NUS community is team pose around the Skyways unmanned aerial vehicle which made its first flight from very excited to be the first in Singapore to exthe National University of Singapore. perience this novel concept of parcel delivery by drones - an endeavour that could redefine An experimental project aimed at developing a safe and urban logistics”, said Prof Ho Teck Hua, Senior Deputy economically viable aerial unmanned parcel delivery President and Provost, NUS. system for use in dense urban environments, Skyways is “Students from the NUS Faculty of Engineering also have one of a number of innovative Urban Air Mobility projthe opportunity to gain valuable experience as interns ects currently being researched at Airbus. These also with Airbus for this project. We look forward to working include the Racer high-speed helicopter demonstrator, closely with Airbus, CAAS and SingPost to carry out the as well as the Vahana and CityAirbus autonomous flying campus-wide trial”, he added. vehicle concepts.

Vahana successfully completes first fullscale test flight Vahana, the all-electric, self-piloted, VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) aircraft from A³ by Airbus, recently announced the successful completion of its first full-scale flight test, reaching a height of 5 m (16 ft) before descending safely. The test was completed at Vahana is an all-electric, self-piloted, VTOL aircraft.

8:52 am Pacific Standard Time on 31 January 2018 at the Pendleton UAS Range in Pendleton, Oregon. Its first flight, with a duration of 53 seconds, was fully self-piloted and the vehicle completed a second flight the following day.

Vahana is a project developed at A³, the Silicon Valley outpost of Airbus. A³ enables access to unique talent and ideas, new partnership opportunities, and execution at speed. Vahana aims to democratise personal flight and answer the growing need for urban mobility by leveraging the latest technologies in electric propulsion, energy storage and machine vision.

Following these successful hover flights, the Vahana team will turn to additional testing, including transitions and forward flight.

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AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

CAAS TO STRENGTHEN COLLABORATION WITH AVIATION COMMUNITY The aim is to enhance safety and service standards as well as facilitate sustainable growth.

Through several signing ceremonies, held during Singapore Airshow 2018 week, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) underlined its intention to continue working with the aviation community, to explore emerging technologies and new innovations.

been the most frequent cause of accidents, in recent years, according to IATA’s analysis.

Achieving the cutting-edge approach to flight safety risk management as envisioned in the SPARC initiative will require a mindset change. Broad consultation and collaboration for knowledge-sharing will identify the most effective applications of the safety information produced. In the coming months, the SPARC project team will be working closely with the industry and its stakeholders to develop safety prediction models to ensure that the output generated meets the industry’s current and future needs.

CAAS and NTU Singapore extend partnership in air traffic management research

From left, Mr Alexandre de Juniac, Director General and CEO, IATA, and Mr Kevin Shum, Director-General, CAAS, sign a Memorandum of Collaboration to establish a Global Safety Predictive Analytics Research Center (SPARC) in Singapore.

IATA and CAAS to launch SPARC in Singapore The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) have announced the signing of a Memorandum of Collaboration (MoC) to establish a Global Safety Predictive Analytics Research Center (SPARC) in Singapore.

The MoC was signed by Mr Alexandre de Juniac, Director General and CEO, IATA, and Mr Kevin Shum, Director-General, CAAS. SPARC will utilise predictive analytics to identify potential aviation safety hazards and assess related risks, by leveraging the research capabilities in Singapore and operational flight data and safety information that are available under IATA’s Global Aviation Data Management (GADM) initiative. GADM is a data management platform that integrates de-identified operational data received from multiple sources, including direct user reports, and digital flight data.

End-users across the aviation community can then work collaboratively at the system level to address and implement appropriate safety measures to mitigate the risks, or even eliminate safety hazards.

The first area of focus for SPARC will be runway safety, relating to, for example, runway excursions which have 26

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CAAS and NTU have signed an agreement to extend collaboration in the Air Traffic Management Research Institute (ATMRI). At the signing ceremony are, seated, from left, Prof Louis Phee, Dean, College of Engineering, NTU Singapore; Prof Lam Khin Yong, Vice-President (Research), NTU Singapore; Mr Soh Poh Theen, Deputy Director-General (Air Navigation Services), CAAS; and Mr Ho Wei Sean, Head (Centre of Excellence for ATM Programme Office), CAAS. Witnessing the signing ceremony are, standing, from left, Prof Subra Suresh, President, NTU Singapore; and Mr Kevin Shum, Director-General, CAAS.

CAAS and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have extended their collaboration in the Air Traffic Management Research Institute (ATMRI) for another five years. The two parties have committed an initial SGD 43 million in joint funds, and will invest up to another SGD 18 million, subject to programme needs, to develop solutions to improve airspace and airport capacity, as well as to enhance the safety and efficiency of flight operations.

The collaboration extension agreement was signed by Mr Soh Poh Theen, Deputy Director-General (Air Navigation Services), CAAS, and Prof Lam Khin Yong, Vice-President (Research), NTU Singapore, on the sidelines of Singapore Airshow 2018.

AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

Over the next five years, up to 2023, NTU Singapore’s ATMRI will engage in five areas of research to develop the next generation of air traffic management solutions.

They are Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Science; Urban Aerial Transport Traffic Management and Systems; Regional Air Traffic Management Modernisation; Exploratory Studies of Emerging Technologies; and Talent Development, with a focus on innovation.

CAAS and ST Aerospace collaborate to test Beyond Visual Line Of Sight drone operations in Singapore

Mr Lim Serh Ghee, President, ST Aerospace (left) and Mr Kevin Shum, Director-General, CAAS, during the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the collaboration that will facilitate the development of Beyond Visual Line Of Sight Unmanned Aircraft System operations in Singapore’s urban environment.

CAAS and ST Aerospace have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will facilitate the development of Beyond Visual Line Of Sight (BVLOS) Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) operations in Singapore’s urban environment. The MOU was signed by Mr Kevin Shum, Director-General, CAAS, and Mr Lim Serh Ghee, President, ST Aerospace, on the sidelines of Singapore Airshow 2018.

Under the MOU, CAAS and ST Aerospace will collaborate on the study and development of new concepts, procedures and technologies, that will enable BVLOS UAS operations in Singapore’s urban environment, including within or near an aerodrome. ST Aerospace will provide a suite of technical services for system integration and prototyping in the identified areas of interest. The collaboration will also assist CAAS in its development of the safety regulatory oversight framework for BVLOS UAS operations in Singapore.

For a start, CAAS and ST Aerospace have identified potential UAS applications spanning the following sectors: • Maritime: Port crane inspection and defect detection using autonomous end-to-end UAS solutions, to enhance safety and efficiency of port operations.

• Aviation: Automation of aircraft inspection and defect detection using UAS, to improve fault tracking and reduce costs and aircraft turnaround time.

• Construction: Inspection of high-rise building façades, to enhance work safety and efficiency.

• Security and Public Safety: Autonomous scheduled perimeter surveillance and tracking of suspicious targets to improve situation awareness and shorten response time.

CAAS and Thales collaborate to develop next generation air traffic management technologies

From left, Mr Alex Cresswell, Executive Vice President for Land and Air Systems, Thales, and Mr Kevin Shum, Director-General, CAAS, sign a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate on developing new concepts of operations for air traffic management (ATM), as well as the next generation of ATM technologies.

CAAS and Thales have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to cooperate in developing new concepts of operations for air traffic management (ATM), as well as the next generation of ATM technologies. The MOU was signed by Mr Kevin Shum, Director-General, CAAS, and Mr Alex Cresswell, Thales Executive Vice President (EVP) for Land and Air Systems, on the sidelines of Singapore Airshow 2018.

The MOU will facilitate cooperation in analysing the impact digital trends have on the aviation ecosystem, applying artificial intelligence in ATM, and co-developing an ATM system architecture that is future-ready and flexible to allow new advanced technologies to be easily incorporated into operations. Mixed use of airspace for manned aircraft and drones will also be explored. These activities will support the development of the next generation of ATM operations that will be nimble, scalable and adaptable.

All images by Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER February 2018

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AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

ST ENGINEERING SHOWCASES DIVERSE AND SMART SOLUTIONS

AT SINGAPORE AIRSHOW 2018 The company presents wide-ranging capabilities in aviation.

ST Engineering’s pavilion at Singapore Airshow 2018 featured displays under three clusters - Aviation, Defence and Smart City.

The Aviation cluster, within the company’s pavilion, consisted of four sub-clusters - Defence; Commercial; Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO); and Drone City.

cockpit training environment to experience both procedural and scenarios training.

Users wore special goggles that allowed them to experience the virtual cockpit, and simulated scenarios such as terrain avoidance. Through the gloves that were worn and a mouse, users could send inputs to the virtual control panels, such as pulling the yoke to avoid obstacles in the terrain.

DEFENCE The Defence sub-cluster included the Aviation Defence and the C130 Centre of Excellence exhibits.

Aviation Defence ST Engineering offers a full suite of services related to military aircraft types, from MRO and modification to modernisation. The aircraft types include fighter aircraft, transport and trainer aircraft and rotary aircraft.

C130 Centre of Excellence ST Enginering offers a comprehensive suite of capabilities for C130 upgrading and modernisation, which leverages its engineering capabilities to provide tailored solutions that can effectively meet customers’ specific needs. Two exhibits, a C130 cockpit interactive demonstrator and a Virtual Reality (VR) Trainer were presented at Singapore Airshow 2018.

C130 Cockpit Interactive Demonstrator The modernised cockpit addresses communication, navigation, surveillance and air traffic management mandates and resolves obsolescence issues in the ageing avionics of legacy C130 aircraft. The instrument panel design provides good ergonomics for aircraft operators.

The cockpit interactive demonstrator showcased four different configurations - a pre-modified cockpit layout; a basic suite layout that adds surveillance systems features to the pre-modified layout; a mid-range (or medium) modernised suite layout without the engine instrument display found in a fully modernised suite; and a fully modernised suite layout. The interactive screens in the cockpit exhibit provided a realistic view and feel of a modernised cockpit as well as some of its advantages.

C130 VR Trainer Training is an essential part of any avionics upgrade programme as it enables the flight crews to familiarise themselves with the new systems and its configurations, so that they can operate them with ease. A VR trainer provides the advantage of creating an effective classroom training environment for a multi-crew situation, where users can train together even from remote locations.

The VR trainer that was showcased simulated a part task trainer where visitors or users were immersed in a virtual 28

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The C-130 VR Trainer simulates a part task trainer where users from various remote locations can be immersed in a virtual cockpit training environment to experience both procedural and scenarios training.

COMMERCIAL Key highlights in the Commercial sub-cluster included freighter conversion solutions and aircraft interiors solutions.

Freighter conversions The freighter conversion sub-cluster featured the Airbus Freighter family which covers the full spectrum of widebody and narrow-body freighter aircraft. It highlighted ST Engineering’s design and conversion expertise which could be experienced through a 3D Virtual Reality environment and video presentations.

A330 Passenger-to-Freighter (P2F) conversion programme The A330 P2F conversion programme was launched in February 2013, in collaboration with Airbus.

The programme comes in two variants, relating to A330300 and to A330-200, both of which are equipped with a powered cargo loading system from Ancra and a 9G barrier net. The A330-300 P2F can accommodate up to twenty-six 96” by 125” ULDs or pallets, while the A330200 P2F can accommodate up to twenty-two 96” by 125” ULDs or pallets. Both offer the option to carry 16 ft or 20 ft pallets. The courier area is equipped with two high comfort attendant seats and two cabin attendant seats, with an option for another two seats.

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A320/A321 Passenger-to-Freighter (P2F) conversion programme In June 2015, ST Engineering launched the A320/A321 P2F conversion programme, thereby enlarging its conversion portfolio. The A320/A321 P2F will play a key role in the single aisle freighter segment and will complement the medium-size A330F and A330P2F, creating a family of Airbus freighters benefiting from common key features.

With fly-by-wire technology, the A320 P2F and A321 P2F are advanced modern freighters and offer freighter operators greater value and efficiency.

The key differentiator of the A320 P2F and A321 P2F from other narrow-body freighters is that these aircraft are the only single aisle freighters that can accommodate containers or pallets on both the main and lower decks.

This offers the operator the advantages of more usable volume, increased payload capability, better interlining capability, faster turnaround times and greater flexibility in loading the aircraft.

Unmanned freighter For the first time, ST Engineering presented an unmanned freighter solution that is still being studied, which aims to address an increasing demand for air freight and a shortage of aircrew. As the industry takes a progressive approach towards unmanned freighter aircraft, the initial study will address the reduction of the current two-man cockpit into a single-pilot cockpit. While an additional ground (remote) pilot is required, it can potentially be supporting up to 12 single-pilot aircraft simultaneously and a flexible shift rotation will result in further savings.

At its pavilion, ST Engineering demonstrated the remote setup which consisted of two 32” TVs configured to display the Ground Control System (GCS) for a Single-Pilot Cockpit freighter and a simulated cockpit display of an A320/A321 freighter. The GCS display demonstrated how it can support/control a fleet of single-pilot freighters performing functions such as auto take-off, auto altitude change, auto weather avoidance and remote intervention and control of the aircraft.

further. The use of Augmented Reality (AR) glasses that can be used to support engineers and mechanics when removing the axle nuts of an aircraft wheel, was demonstrated.

DRONE CITY DroNet is a drone-agnostic operating platform that is capable of integrating highly autonomous and multi-function networks of Unmanned Aerial Systems. Optimised for operating in the urban environment, DroNet is scalable and readily customised with the use of drones capable of swappable payloads. It can be employed by users such as the police force and large-scale facilities management to carry out facility/perimeter security, building/site inspections and deliveries.

A DroNet system comprises a drone that is selected based on its capability to execute the required mission, a Central Operation Centre that can control multiple drones, and a fully autonomous and weather-proof housing station called DroPort that allows drones to be launched from and land on autonomously. Drones can be housed in these automated launch stations, and be controlled remotely from a command centre operated by a lean crew.

Various drone networks can be integrated to create a Drone City to enhance urban living, security and convenience. Such a city-wide implementation can address increasingly pressing concerns of city life, such as environmental management and public safety.

According to ST Engineering, the advantages of its Drone City Solutions include: • On-demand fast deployment of UAVs anytime, anywhere, and under all weather conditions, to cover a large area • Fully autonomous operation with automated battery and payload swaps • Low manpower requirement • Low overall cost of deployment and ownership

AIRCRAFT INTERIORS The Aircraft Interiors sub-cluster is a strategic focus areas of growth for the company. The exhibit comprised two sections. One section featured a mockup of a VIP aircraft cabin interior, while the other featured economy-class aircraft seats.

MRO CAPABILITIES The MRO Capabilities sub-cluster featured the aerospace sector’s three core capabilities - in airframe, engine and component MRO. ST Engineering’s extensive range of services and global locations were presented across four interactive displays and a central video screen.

The company also showed how smart technologies are used at its hangars to enhance MRO capabilities even

The DroNet system is a drone-agnostic operating platform that can be employed by the police force and large-scale facilities management to carry out facility/perimeter security, building/site inspections and deliveries.

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DIGITALISATION

INTELLIGENT TRANSPORT SYSTEMS KEEP THE TRAFFIC FLOWING SMOOTHLY

by Sing Mong Kee, Director, Keespires Consultancy Singapore has implemented several Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) to ensure smooth flowing traffic on its roads. With land being scarce, the road network cannot be expanded continuously to accommodate more vehicles. Congestion is therefore expected to be common on its roads. One of the strategies adopted in Singapore is to harness technology to manage traffic more efficiently and mitigate congestion.

Congestion can happen for different reasons. We have rush hour congestion where daily commutes between home and work clog popular roads with sudden surges in traffic as commuters all leave at the same time and use the same routes. We have congestion related to traffic incidents which block parts of the roadway, causing a reduction in road capacity and less traffic is able to pass through. Congestion can also occur at road intersections where traffic is not properly regulated.

This article outlines the various ITS implemented in Singapore to keep its traffic flowing smoothly.

They are the Green Link Determining (GLIDE) System, the Incident Management System, the Electronic Road Pricing System and the Traffic Information Dissemination System.

Green Link Determining (GLIDE) System Motorists often fume at signallised intersections, when they have to stop and start frequently to get to their destinations. The situation gets worse when traffic queues build up and vehicles have to wait for several cycles of green signals before they cross the intersection. If all intersections on the roads can be grade-separated, just like an expressway, motorists will enjoy a smooth drive-through without stopping. However, this option is costly and it takes up more land. Alternatively, we can coordinate the traffic signals at intersections along a major corridor and provide a ‘green wave’ all the way for motorists to cross the intersections without stopping. We can do it manually or, more efficiently, with an intelligent system.

Singapore adopted the adaptive traffic signal control system called the Green Link Determining (GLIDE) System to minimise the problems encountered at signallised intersections. Inductive loop sensors are embedded at the approaches of intersections to detect vehicle presence and collect traffic data in each lane. The data representing the changing traffic demand allows the system to adapt and optimise the timing of traffic signals in the network. It minimises delays and the number of stops by vehicles at intersections. It coordinates traffic along adjacent road intersections along major corridors to provide a ‘green wave’. It equalises delays during saturated traffic flows. The system also detects faults automatically. Some 30

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cities use, besides loop detectors, intelligent cameras with video analytics capability as sensors.

It is interesting to note that Singapore has some grade-separated intersections along major arterial roads, demonstrating a limit to what GLIDE can achieve when all approaches at the intersections are saturated.

Only when we witness the chaotic situation that emerges when traffic lights are down, will we understand how important they are. On 21 November 2016, The Straits Times reported the chaotic traffic situation at Yio Chu Kang Road / Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5 Junction, because the traffic signals were not working.

Incident Management System Traffic incidents are common irritants to motorists especially along busy roads. A traffic incident includes a collision between vehicles, a vehicle knocking down a pedestrian, a vehicle breakdown, a vehicle on fire etc. It causes obstruction to traffic flow. The longer the obstruction remains, the longer it takes for traffic flow to recover and become normal, as congestion continues to build up. In order to mitigate the situation, it is crucial that the incident be detected as early as possible and the obstruction be removed by recovery crews, quickly. If it is a life-threatening incident, they also have to provide quick medical assistance to the injured victims.

Singapore has EMAS (Expressway Monitoring and Advisory

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System) to monitor traffic along expressways and 10 major arterial corridors (over a distance of 142 km). It operates with the help of intelligent cameras using video analytics, deployed at regular intervals, to measure traffic speed and volume and detect stationary vehicles. Any anomaly detected by these cameras will automatically create alarms on the operators’ workstations at the operations centre. With the surveillance cameras, the operators can verify the incident and understand the nature of the incident. Depending on the nature of the incident, the recovery crew is immediately despatched to the incident scene. In case of injury or fire, ambulances or fire engines are also despatched immediately. Motorists are alerted to the traffic incident with information displayed on the electronic signboards.

Incident Management System.

Peak hour traffic congestion It is normal to see traffic congestion during morning and evening rush hours, as motorists are all travelling at the same time, overloading the limited road space. Singapore first introduced the Area Licensing Scheme (ALS), a road pricing scheme, in 1975, to better manage the peak hour congestion in the Central Business District (CBD) area.

Overhead gantries were set up at the entrances of the Restricted Zones (RZ) and auxiliary police officers stood at these gantries to carry out visual checks and record any violations as the vehicles passed under the gantries.

If no valid licence was displayed on the car windscreens or on the handle bars for motorcycles, during the hours of operation, these officers were quick to record the violating vehicle’s registration number. Motorists had to buy, in advance, the paper licence at post offices, petrol stations, area licence sales booths or convenience stores, on a monthly or daily basis. If one had bought the monthly licence, it would save him the hassle of standing in a queue each time he has to enter the RZ. However, the manual ALS relied very much on the more than 100 diligent police officers with perfect eye vision to check the paper licences that varied in shape depending

on the class of vehicles, and their colours for different months. Furthermore, they had to differentiate between daily permits and inter-peak licences. The scheme was limited to zonal charging. Any finer level of charging, such as for a zone within the RZ, would have made further definition and checking of licences much more complicated. Moreover, daily users would find queuing for the purchase and display of the paper licences, before entering, a great hassle. Harnessing technology became a necessity.

With many years of rigorous testing of technology, the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) System emerged in 1998 to replace the manual ALS. With ERP, the payment of road pricing is executed via the in-vehicle unit (IU) inserted with a stored value card. The overhead gantries are equipped with sensors and cameras. As a vehicle approaches the gantry, the sensors detect the vehicle presence and communicate with the IU to validate the stored value smart card. If it detects no stored value card, inadequate stored value, no IU or IU not for the class of vehicle, the vehicle is considered to be in violation of the ERP System. The cameras on the gantry capture the licence plate of the violating vehicle.

The ERP System removes the need for monthly/daily licences. Motorists are charged, based on a pay-as-you-use principle. Motorists no longer need to buy paper licences to drive through high traffic areas in the CBD. ERP rates vary for different roads and time periods, depending on local traffic conditions. The ERP System encourages motorists to change their mode of transport, travel route or time of travel. It is fully automated with its central computer system ensuring gantries are always working properly. It is highly reliable.

The system has now been extended to include the Electronic Parking System, enabling motorists to park without the need to collect parking coupons and make payment at machines, before exiting. The parking charges are collected from the stored value card in the IU. The latest IU can accommodate EZ link contactless cards which are used on all public transport.

The ERP System will be replaced by the Next Generation ERP System in 2020. The current gantries, which mark the charging points, will be replaced by virtual gantries leveraging on satellite positioning to detect vehicle presence to collect the road charges. This will eliminate the need for lead time and the high cost of installing gantries. The virtual gantries can be set up quickly with a few clicks of the mouse at the backend system. The on-board unit (OBU) will be much more sophisticated than the current IU. Besides executing the payment of road charges, it can interact with drivers to provide traffic alerts, localised information, navigation, emergency response etc. It can connect with neighbouring vehicles to provide the backbone for the Internet of vehicles.

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DIGITALISATION

Traffic Information Dissemination System

Integrated Traffic Management (i-transport)

No one wants to be stuck in a jam. Once they are in a jam, it is not uncommon for them to wish they knew about it beforehand, so that they could have taken an alternative route. Hence motorists welcome accurate traffic information so that they can plan their travelling routes and get to their destinations on time. With the various ITS, traffic data can be collected and processed for useful Information for dissemination to motorists.

The traffic information disseminated in Singapore is fully automated with little human intervention. Traffic sensors such as intelligent cameras, loop detectors, radars and even taxis provide regular updates of traffic conditions via different media. We have traffic information on electronic signboards along expressways and major arterial corridors. We access information via mobile phones installed with the Mytransport.sg app. Radio stations provide motorists with regular traffic updates. Motorists also provide traffic feedback to radio stations. Information varies from traffic conditions, travel times, major traffic incidents, major roadworks or closures, to available parking lots at major complexes. The information is accurate and reliable and motorists do take it seriously in planning their routes. The information helps prevent any build-up of congestion as motorists will attempt to avoid any congested roads if they have alternative routes to get to their destinations.

Each of the above-mentioned ITS has been designed to address a specific area of the traffic problem. However, when there is serious traffic congestion, they can work hand-in-hand to quickly alleviate the situation and restore the traffic conditions to normal. Assume there is a major accident on a busy expressway during rush hour. In a ‘do nothing’ situation, we can expect the traffic congestion to worsen rapidly. EMAS has to work hard to quickly remove the obstruction. The ERP System, though not designed to charge dynamically in response to a traffic situation, can increase its charges to divert traffic entering the expressway. GLIDE provides more green time along the parallel corridor of the expressway which the diverted traffic would use. It is for this reason that i-transport has been implemented to provide an integrated and unified platform to centrally manage all the ITS. The operators at the operations control centre, that runs 24/7, manage the traffic in an integrated manner.

Interactive map. Image by Land Transport Authority.

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Conclusion Singapore has implemented several ITS to manage traffic and mitigate congestion. When we enjoy a smooth drive through our road network, we should be mindful of the ITS that are working quietly and efficiently behind the scenes to keep the traffic flowing smoothly.

DIGITALISATION

PROTOTYPE ROBOT SOLVES PROBLEMS

WITHOUT PROGRAMMING

by Sandra Zistl, Siemens With the help of Artificial Intelligence, researchers at Siemens have developed a two-armed robot that can manufacture products without having to be programmed. Providing a glimpse of the future of automated production, the robot’s arms autonomously divide tasks and work together as one.

Using Artificial Intelligence, Siemens researchers developed a two-armed robot that can manufacture products without having to be programmed.

The robot’s arms autonomously divide tasks and work together as one.

A click is heard, as one hand snaps a grey part into place on a rail. The hand withdraws and grasps another component, this time passing it to a second hand to achieve the best possible positioning, as the two extremities coordinate their movement to assemble part of a control cabinet. The collaborative activity of the hands of the two-armed robot was recently demonstrated at Siemens Corporate Technology, the company’s global research unit in Munich, Germany. The robotic system is nothing less than a crucial element in the future of manufacturing - a future in which entire factories will control themselves.

Making batch size 1 economical To some extent, this is already possible in mass production, as demonstrated, for example, by Siemens’ showcase plant in Amberg, Germany. The factory produces Simatic programmable logic controls - with 75% automation and 99.99885% quality. However, these parts are manufactured in large batches. Each year, 12 million Simatic controls are shipped to over 60,000 customers around the world. As a result, the future has already become a reality here for high production volumes. The ability to perform tasks autonomously - rather than automatically - is exactly what is needed for manufacturers of smaller batches and those who produce many different product variants in response to growing demand for cus34

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tomised products. Conventional automation has not yet been profitable at this level which is sometimes referred to as ‘batch size 1’.

A team from Siemens Corporate Technology, headed by Kai Wurm and Georg von Wichert, who research autonomous systems, managed to solve this problem.

“Our two-armed smart prototype illustrates that economical batch size 1 production is possible”, says Wurm.

“In the future, robots will no longer have to be expensively programmed in a time-consuming manner with pages of code that provide them with a fixed procedure for assembling parts. We will only have to specify the task and the system will then automatically translate these specifications into a program”, he added.

Transitioning to semantic information “We simply tell the robot to attach a specific component to the mounting rail. And that is exactly what it does”, says Wurm.

On a small scale, this task describes what batch size 1 is all about. It involves manufacturing or assembling a product in a wide variety of variants that contain different components.

The robot gets the information on how to manufacture a product from an associated software model. Although

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this CAD/CAM (Computer Aided Design / Computer Aided Manufacturing) model is incomprehensible for conventional robots, the new prototype can understand such models. In a sense, it is as if the robot can understand different languages, thus eliminating the need to program its movements and processes.

The prototype successively divides tasks, such as the general command ‘assemble’, from the software construction plan into doable units, such as ‘pick’ and ‘hand over’, until it finally moves an arm or opens its grippers.

The robot itself also decides which task each arm should perform. To make this possible, the developers have enabled the prototype to raise information from the product development software to a semantic level.

“Product parts and process information are semantically converted into ontologies and knowledge graphs.

This makes implicit information explicit. Until now, the things that people simply know from experience when they are told to snap component X onto rail Y, have had to be taught to robots in the form of code. However, our prototype analyses the problem by itself and finds a corresponding solution”, says Wurm.

In the case of Siemens’ prototype demonstrator, one can witness this process, in a vastly simplified form, on a monitor to the right of the robot arms. The monitor displays two rows of coloured tiles, each of which bears words such as ‘assemble’ (left-hand column) and ‘pick’ (right-hand column). These tiles gradually move upward in a manner similar to scrolling down a long webpage.

The tiles depict each assembly step. On the monitor to the left, the demonstrator shows the information that the robot arms receive at the beginning of a production process. This information consists of a 3D depiction of

the surrounding area and the objects it contains. Above the demonstrator are two more screens that show what the robot arms are currently seeing through their integrated cameras.

Towards self-correcting systems Siemens Corporate Technologies’ prototype system can also correct faults without having to be told beforehand that this is an option. If a part slips, for example, one of its arms will find the part as long as it is within its camera’s field of vision. The arm will then pick up the component and adjust all of its subsequent movements so that it can still install it correctly. And if the component needs to be snapped into place on the other side of an assembly, the arm will hand the component to its counterpart. These groundbreaking developments are part of the Company Core Technology (CCT) Future of Automation program. CCTs enable Siemens to focus on crucial fields of innovation such as Digital Twins, Artificial Intelligence, and Additive Manufacturing.

Naturally, assembling control cabinets is just the beginning. Siemens developers envision self-organising production facilities that respond to autonomously changing production requirements by continuously optimising their operations, and which are populated by robots that assist one another. Such facilities would be a revolutionary step, incorporating, essentially, systems that feed themselves with design data, correct faults, and calculate all movements and actions on their own.

“There are many other researchers who are trying to solve this problem. But there is nothing comparable to what we have developed on the market yet”, says Wurm.

Siemens developers envision self-organising production facilities that respond to autonomously changing production requirements.

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DIGITALISATION

BREAKING MOORE’S LAW

by Keith Odom, Fellow, National Instruments Much has been published recently on the death of Moore’s Law. Though the more than 50-year-old observation is facing health challenges again, do not start digging the grave for the semiconductor and electronics market.

Gordon Moore, cofounder of Intel, famously observed that the number of transistors on a semiconductor doubled, initially, every 12 months and then approximately every 24 months. Despite a few minor revisions, semiconductor processing has tracked remarkably closely to that observation for decades. This ‘free’ scaling allowed similar architectural designs to be reimplemented, which provided the lower costs, lower power, and higher speeds expected from the growing curve. Does the disappearance of this free scaling signal the end of advancements in computing? Though this threat is serious enough to inspire DARPA to increase funding for researching a post-Moore’s Law world, scientists and engineers have a history of overcoming the scaling hurdles, and some innovative alternatives to pure semiconductor scaling paint a bright and interesting future.

“The end of Moore’s Law could be an inflection point”, said Dr Peter Lee, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Research, in the March 2016 edition of The Economist Technology Quarterly.

“It is full of challenges - but it is also a chance to strike out in different directions, and to really shake things up”, he said.

History of breaking the law

cessors with higher bandwidth from networks, cameras, and data collection. Applications of high-speed signal processing to wireless and wired standards have created a growth in I/O bandwidth that has exceeded simple transistor frequency scaling.

Using the third dimension Previous predictions of the end of Moore’s Law have been met with breakthroughs in chip design. The current techniques to better leverage the third dimension by stacking chips and transistors will continue to increase density, but they may create new design and test problems. For example, the spiralling cost of smaller transistors has required new chips to combine more system functions to justify the higher price. This advanced ‘system on a chip’ approach is demonstrated by the evolution of the FPGA from a simple array of logic gates into a high-performance I/O and processing system that combines processors, DSPs, memory, and data interfaces into a single chip. Many of the emerging options to scale chip density rely on using a third dimension in both how transistors are built and how 3D-IC technology can be used to combine existing chips into a single package.

Though these systems on a chip are more complex to design and test, they were created to lower the end-sys-

Moore’s Law specifically relates to the number of transistors on a semiconductor device, but it is often confused with the other benefits of semiconductor scaling such as higher speed and lower power. These expected benefits of scaling held true for decades but are no longer easy or expected. Processor cooling stalled the exponential rise of processor frequency technology, but this apparent ‘wall’ spurred innovations that made the multicore processor commonplace.

Though core frequency growth has been limited, PC system performance has continued to scale with the addition of multiple cores and special vector processing units that speed up graphics, games, and video playback.

These additions created new challenges in developing software models to best use these new processing blocks. Along with generating processing architecture changes, high-speed transistors have been applied outside the CPU to the I/O subsystems that feed the pro36

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Moore’s Law specifically relates to the number of transistors on a semiconductor device, but it is often confused with the other benefits of semiconductor scaling such as higher speed and lower power.

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tem design cost with their high level of integration. Even with this benefit, chip stacking involves new complexities that present new challenges. As more systems rely on 3D scaling, the debug and test challenges will become more obvious, and more silicon area will be used to provide integrated debugging and test features.

New computing architectures History has shown that previous scaling problems have encouraged novel architectural improvements that better leverage silicon technology. The latest challenges created the purpose-built computing era for which multiple, unique computing architecture types are combined and applied to problems. This trend grew popular with graphics processors that complement general-purpose CPUs, but that technique is rapidly expanding with custom-built computing acceleration using FPGAs, vector processors, and even application-specific computing blocks.

These speed-up techniques, like those used for machine learning, will become the next standard blocks added to the system on a chip of tomorrow. The key to leveraging these mixed-processing architectures is software tools and frameworks that help users design with a high-level description for deployment to a variety of processing engines, for acceleration. The initial struggle to exploit parallelism in the multicore chips will repeat as heterogeneous computing becomes the option for scaling. And though the viability of the venerable Moore’s Law is being threatened again, market needs such as machine learning and autonomous driving will require continued scaling in processing capability and I/O bandwidth, which presents a fresh opportunity to drive new architectural innovations.

Though these systems on a chip are more complex to design and test, they were created to lower the end-system design cost with their high level of integration.

The key to leveraging these mixed-processing architectures is software tools and frameworks that help users design with a high-level description for deployment to a variety of processing engines, for acceleration.

Test Smarter with the latest enhancements to LabVIEW NXG National Instruments (NI) recently announced a new release of LabVIEW NXG, which is the next generation of LabVIEW engineering system design software to help engineers to quickly set up instruments, customise tests to device specifications and easily view results from any web browser on any device.

This new version of LabVIEW NXG introduces key functionality and reinvents long-standing benefits, particularly for engineers developing, deploying and managing automated test and measurement systems. This release introduces the WebVI, a VI type feature for building web-based user interfaces (UIs), that can be deployed to any web browser - PC, tablet or phone - with no plug-ins or installers. Additionally, to reduce hardware configuration time, the new SystemDesigner feature automatically discovers connected hardware, displays installed drivers and directly links to available NI and third-party instrument drivers if they are not yet installed.

Furthermore, this latest release expands hardware support to thousands of box instruments and NI’s high-performance PXI modular instrumentation. Now, LabVIEW NXG also delivers programming capabilities such as object-oriented programming and integration with the industry-leading TestStand test management software.

NI designed several features in LabVIEW NXG, such as the WebVI, for use with existing LabVIEW applications without the need for extensive software refactoring. Engineers can reuse test code, including code written with LabVIEW NXG or LabVIEW, through a new package manager interface built on industry-standard package formats.

As NI builds on its more than 30-year investment in software, this latest update to the next generation of LabVIEW continues a series of fast-paced releases aimed to expand engineering capabilities from design to test.

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DIGITAL TWINNING: THE FUTURE OF MANUFACTURING?

by Terri Hiskey, Vice President Product Marketing, Manufacturing at Epicor Software Today, the most innovative manufacturing businesses are often the ones taking advantage of the new wave of industry-transforming technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, robotics, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). These trends, commonly referred to as Industry 4.0, will define the next phase of the digitalisation of the manufacturing sector, and in this, a term called ‘digital twinning’ is gaining in popularity.

The concept of digital twinning has gained momentum in recent years, as more manufacturers invest in smart machines that are transforming the industrial landscape.

Defined as the mapping of a physical asset to a digital platform, digital twinning is enabling manufacturers to gather data from sensors on their machines to find out how they are performing, in real-time.

Earlier in the year, Gartner named digital twinning as number five in its top 10 strategic technology trends for 2017. It predicts that within three to five years, billions of things will be represented by digital twins and a recent Research and Markets report suggests that up to 85% of all IoT platforms will contain some form of digital twinning capability, by 2022. Furthermore, this survey found that 75% of executives across a broad spectrum of industry verticals plan to incorporate them within their operations, by 2020.

Why should manufacturers be taking digital twinning seriously? It is because when we start connecting IoT endpoints, devices and physical assets to data sensing and gathering systems, the data extracted can be turned into valuable insights and ultimately optimise and automate processes. Consequently, the potential for digital twinning to positively impact business outcomes is almost endless.

Bridging the physical-digital divide Digital twins are possible for all kinds of physical products - from microchips to luxury cars. In fact, one industry that has trail blazed the use of the technology is Formula 1. Here, crucial, race-winning insight can be gained from a digital twin running exactly the same race as the physical car, and taking into account factors such as road conditions, weather, and temperature.

For manufacturers, digital twins are used to boost efficiency and productivity, by enabling them to monitor the construction of plants, manage assets and test their final products.

Take predictive maintenance, for example. This is where sensors continuously collect machine condition data which can be used to calculate component wear rates, production loads and life spans. With digital twinning, 38

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the machine operator is able to determine the optimal time for maintenance, avoiding the cost, both of major repairs and premature or unnecessary maintenance.

The potential savings from the use of digital twins are enormous, especially when it comes to prototyping. With Terri Hiskey conventional product development, physical prototypes tend not to be built until very late in the process. A digital prototype of a device can be used to run simulations in Virtual Reality and it can be modified at any time during the entirety of the production process, at minimal cost. This means that manufacturers are then able to not only reduce development time and costs, but also predict failure scenarios and potential downtime an insight that is a significant step forward in increasing efficiencies in product development.

Gaining real insight By creating a virtual representation of each physical device, manufacturers suddenly have a wealth of data on production processes and performance, at their fingertips. But what can they do with all this information?

Software platforms are available that collect data directly from equipment and operators on the shop floor, in real-time. This information, presented with the help of touch-screen technology, arms operators and managers with a 360° picture of the what, why and when of downtimes, cycle times, quality, and scrap generation.

By capturing information from on-the-fly production schedule changes, daily operations meetings and management dashboards and reports, manufacturing execution systems (MES) give everyone in the plant, and throughout the business, an opportunity to take action to improve manufacturing performance. These systems can also be linked with enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions to connect the entire business to the actual manufacturing process.

Digital twinning in action We are seeing innovative new ways in which the information derived from digital twinning is utilised in different businesses around the world, and ‘immersive

DIGITALISATION

analytics’ has become a popular term to describe the Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and other new display technologies to support the application of analytical reasoning to sensor data.

Donning wearable technology, such as smart glasses, manufacturing engineers can enter a new world of data visualisation relating to a specific product or task. For example, a maintenance team arriving at a building can gain access to an Augmented Reality view of hidden systems (for instance equipment behind a wall) as well as information on their status. With the touch of a button, the worker is linked to real-time information about the objects, such as specs and usage data, ownership, maintenance history and performance.

Though AR use is growing, it is still in the early phases of awareness and adoption. But for early adopters, AR has helped drive operational efficiency, by reducing production downtime, identifying problems quickly and keeping processes moving.

With so many benefits for manufacturers, it is clear that the digital twin is here to stay. In a world where new products need to reach the market in ever-faster cycles and on demand, companies cannot afford to miss out on the power of digitalisation to improve efficiency, quality and productivity. The resulting savings in time and budget will not only streamline business in the short term, it will also enable manufacturers to redirect that time and money towards preparing for growth.

Digital twinning technology offers manufacturers a chance to anticipate and prepare for machinery downtimes. Those who realise the value in investing in digital twinning now will be able to work smarter and harder in the future. However, those who are unwilling to commit to investment are at risk of falling behind more-efficiency-driven competitors.

By bridging the gap between the physical and digital worlds, the future of manufacturing is already here.

SIMIT V9.1 - SIMULATION FOR FASTER COMMISSIONING AND OPERATOR TRAINING Siemens has upgraded its Simit simulation platform for virtual commissioning and operator training with a new release. Version 9.1 enables Simit to also be used for virtual commissioning and operator training in modular plants, speeding up actual commissioning by as much as 60% and reducing unwanted standstill periods to a minimum, particularly during plant conversion and migration processes. Simit can also be used to implement a realistic operator training system. Version 9.1 comes with an array of innovations designed to improve operating convenience, support simulation modelling and contribute towards improved efficiency, openness and flexibility.

Simit enables real-time simulation and emulation for the comprehensive evaluation of automation solutions.

Testing and optimisation can be carried out either using a real or a virtual automation system, the so-called virtual controller. Connection to Comos enables an end-to-end data flow between engineering and simulation, and provides the basis for creating a plant’s digital twin.

For improved convenience, in Version 9.1, the Simit Unit Administration has been integrated into the Simit user interface. A mouse click is all it takes to change quickly and easily between software- and hardware-in-the-loop at any time. Configuration of PLCSIM Advanced coupling has also been simplified. The data required for interface configuration is imported from the engineering data of existing Simatic projects. Using PLCSIM Advanced, virtual controllers can be generated to simulate Simatic S7-1500 and ET 200SP controllers and used to perform extensive function simulation.

Simit offers various automatic modelling functions for simple, rapid simulation modelling. Simulation models and components can be automatically generated, for instance, with the aid of template-based imported data.

As a result of automatic modelling, practically fault-free

simulations can quickly be generated. At the same time, the models and components are automatically parameterised, substantially reducing the outlay of time and costs.

A new feature of Simit 9.1 is the ability to perform bulk engineering using spreadsheet calculation. Depending on the selected hierarchy level, it is possible to export the data to Excel. The Simit import wizard enables automatic simulation modelling, based on the respective templates.

The new Chem Basic Library is another new addition to Simit. It enables a rapid entry into project engineering using Simit, by making available component types to the user, in particular, for the simulation of pipeline networks in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry.

Simit Simulation Platform supports different communication interfaces and standards for extended data exchange between simulation and automation environments. Simit can use these to interact with other software applications or programs such as simulation software, or to exchange data with hardware controllers from different manufacturers. Version 9.1 of Simit now also supports the open communication standard OPC UA Client.

Siemens has upgraded its Simit simulation platform for virtual commissioning and operator training with a new release. Version 9.1 enables Simit to also be used for virtual commissioning and operator training in modular plants.

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DIGITALISATION

HEWLETT PACKARD ENTERPRISE OPENS ITS FIRST GLOBAL

IOT INNOVATION LAB IN ASIA PACIFIC The facility provides a venue to demonstrate practical IoT use cases for various industries.

KEY IOT SOLUTIONS SHOWCASED Smart Street Lighting The Smart Street Lighting APAC partner solution has been developed with local start-up gridComm, as part of the HPE InnovateNext program.

Dr Tom Bradicich, Vice President and General Manager of IoT and Converged Edge Systems, HPE, delivering his address at the opening of the Global IoT Innovation Lab - APAC in Singapore.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) recently opened the Global IoT Innovation Lab - APAC, located at its APAC (Asia Pacific) headquarters in Singapore. The lab, which is one of four such facilities across the globe, is HPE’s first in the region.

The smart lighting system from gridComm incorporates lighting controls that produce intelligent responses, resulting in, for example, the brightening of lights when sensors detect foot traffic. The solution can help improve public safety and decrease total cost of operations for public infrastructure operators. The solution integrates the HPE IoT Gateway and HPE Edgeline Converged Edge systems, as well as the HPE Universal IoT platform and HPE Data Analytics capabilities for smart and scalable IoT device management.

Digital workplaces, intelligent spaces and the Internet of Things (IoT) are rapidly increasing the amount of data that has to be processed. All of that data generation and the resultant action are increasingly taking place at the edge - the Intelligent Edge.

HPE’s Global IoT Innovation Lab offers immersive Edge Experience Zones to demonstrate practical IoT use cases for industries such as oil & gas, manufacturing, engineering, healthcare, retail, smart cities and more. The lab also provides a ‘proof of concept’ environment to test the newest IoT technologies that best analyse data and develop solutions where data is generated at the edge.

As the first and only one in this region, the Global IoT Innovation Lab - APAC houses technology solutions co-developed with local start-ups from the InnovateNext program, such as gridComm’s smart street lighting solution and XJERA Labs’ Artificial Intelligence-based Image and Video Analytics solution.

“Intelligent processes and data analysis are being done today in places that are not bound to the confines of data centres or within clouds”, said Dr Tom Bradicich, Vice President and General Manager of IoT and Converged Edge Systems, HPE. “For companies to reach the full potential of the Internet of Things and edge computing, software-defined solutions that integrate both IT and OT are essential. At HPE’s Global IoT Innovation Lab - APAC, we will look to prototype, benchmark and test edge deployments confidently with our partner ecosystem, so as to enable smarter industries across the region”, he added.

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Smart street lighting dashboard

AI-based Image and Video Analytics Artificial Intelligence-based Image and Video Analytics is an APAC partner solution developed with NVIDIA and local start-up XJERA LABS, also as part of the HPE InnovateNext program.

An essential part of any Smart City initiative across the globe, surveillance cameras will be at traffic intersections, transit stations and other public areas capturing content that help make our cities safer and smarter.

Processing video near the camera eliminates the need to transfer large amounts of video data into the data centre or cloud, thus reducing bandwidth costs, accelerating reaction time and lowering the risk of corruption or espionage.

HPE Edgeline Converged Edge systems and NVIDIA Tesla P4 IVA enable rapid time-to-insight for video surveillance at the edge with AI capabilities. These hardware components are coupled with XJERA LABS’ ANN-enabled video

DIGITALISATION

analytics for a highly intelligent, performing and cost-effective edge video analytics platform. The inclusion of HPE Aruba wireless connectivity makes this system scalable from dozens of cameras to thousands, and HPE’s industry-leading IoT security software, such as ClearPass and Niara, keep potential rogue edge devices and threats at bay.

Fan Turbine Condition Monitoring Fan Turbine Condition Monitoring is a partner solution developed with National Instruments.

Most of today’s power is generated through turbines and rotating equipment. The ability to gain insight into rotating equipment can lower operational and maintenance costs associated with equipment failures.

HPE Edgeline Converged Edge systems enables data acquisition, analysis, visualisation and access within the same unified platform to provide real-time vibration monitoring.

The condition monitoring solution is supplemented by a real-time Augmented Reality (AR) application for faster insight to accelerate service support in predictive maintenance.

Attribute Snapshot

Fan turbine and condition monitoring chassis

Bus Interchange Crowd

Fan turbine condition monitoring AR App

Hewlett Packard Enterprise HPE is a leading technology company with a comprehensive portfolio, spanning the cloud to data centre and workplace applications. The company’s technologies and services help customers around the world make IT more efficient, more productive and more secure.

Vehicle Line Crossing AI Image and Video Analytics has a number of applications.

In Singapore, engineers have designed and built some of HPE’s best-selling servers worldwide, including the HPE ProLiant m510 as well as HPE ProLiant m710 and m710p server cartridges.

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DIGITALISATION

UNLEASHING THE POTENTIAL

OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN IN 2018

by Ashish Pujari, General Manager and Vice President, IoT and Digital Supply Chain, SAP Asia Pacific & Japan The supply chain is increasingly becoming complex, fuelled by e-commerce and the growing connectivity of consumers. Organisations face growing challenges externally and internally - competing with agile startups that run faster and leaner, while having to deal with the complexity of their supply chain. This, coupled with growing customer expectations for shorter time-to-deliver and personalised products, means a strong supply chain management system alone can no longer keep up with these demands.

To go further, in 2018, organisations must look at predictive and collaborative models to gain greater visibility and control, and eliminate inefficiencies within their supply chains.

The mainstream implementation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices is already transforming industries and companies. Unlike traditional passive sensors, IoT-enabled supply chains use smart sensors to gather data which can be analysed in real-time. As IoT continues to proliferate in 2018 [1], the potential of the supply chain can be fully unleashed with emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and blockchain.

Undeniably, supply chains are facing constant challenges due to rising costs and the shortage of skilled manpower.

They are often bogged down by labour-intensive and ‘keep the lights on’ activities. These processes can be simplified by powerful AI which is capable of learning and delivering actionable insights from the supply chain.

AI is the gateway technology to a predictive environment that enables intelligent supply planning, prediction of disruptions and automation of processes. This is important in any digital supply chain strategy, not just in the reduction of costs associated with operation, but also in solving the complexities of large supply chains. Driven by dynamic machine learning, businesses will also realise better knowledge-worker productivity and greatly reduce the risk of oversights in their supply chains.

As connectivity continues to increase in 2018, the need for a more collaborative environment will impact businesses that involve many global partners along their supply chains. This move to a globalised network will also expose the supply chains to external risks beyond the organisation’s control. From enabling supply planning to validating the credentials of recipients, blockchain is fast becoming the definitive technology to help supply chain partners enter the next generation of collaboration.

Blockchain, a technology popularised by cryptocurrencies, enables every step of the supply chain to be 42

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Ashish Pujari

documented and accounted for in a distributed ledger.

It facilitates the real-time dissemination of information and tackles the challenges of efficiency, transparency and security in complex supply chains. This streamlines processes and builds deeper trust among partners within the supply chain.

In the next few years, the supply chain will progressively become an integrated network characterised by speed, efficiency and autonomy [2]. Organisations that apply AI and blockchain will find themselves able to innovate faster and achieve greater business outcomes.

References [1] https://www.ericsson.com/en/mobility-report/reports/november-2017/internet-of-things-outlook [2] http://www.digitalistmag.com/digital-supply-networks/2017/07/26/intelligent-supply-chain-use-case-for-artificial-intelligence-05242000

Present and emerging cybersecurity threats The Trend Micro 2018 Security Predictions report highlights seven predictions on threats that are expected to make inroads this year: • Ransomware will continue to trend, along with digital extortion campaigns. Digital extortion will be more prevalent and cybercriminals will increasingly be attracted to the business model where bitcoins are being used as a secure method to collect ransom.

• Many companies will not pay attention to the General Data Protection Regulation until the first high-profile lawsuit is filed. With the GDPR expected to be rolled out in May 2018, there might be a possibility of lawsuits from the authorities and citizens, as a majority of C-level executives have been surveyed to shun responsibility for complying with GDPR. • Cybercriminals will explore new ways to abuse IoT devices for their own gain.

• Global losses from business email compromise scams will exceed USD 9 billion, in 2018.

• Cyberpropaganda campaigns will be refined using triedand-tested techniques from past spam campaigns. Fake news and cyberpropaganda will continue as final screening is still dependent on end-users themselves.

• Machine learning and blockchain technologies will be leveraged by cybercriminals to expand their evasion techniques.

• Enterprise applications and platforms will be at risk of manipulation and vulnerabilities.

PRECISION ENGINEERING

ULTRAFINE PARTS CLEANING SYSTEM WITH ROBOTISED LOADING

by Doris Schulz A comprehensive solution has been adopted by a leading manufacturer of metal-cutting tools.

High quality and productivity are key success factors, not just in machining but also in the production of cutting tools. Accordingly, exacting demands on cleaning quality, capacity and process reliability had to be met when Sandvik Coromant invested in new equipment for its in-process and final cleaning of drill bits, milling cutters and indexable inserts. The company chose several solvent-based cleaning machines made by Ecoclean (formerly Dürr Ecoclean) plus one highly automated ultrafine cleaning system from UCM AG, an SBS Ecoclean Group company.

Sandvik Coromant, part of the Sandvik Machining Solutions division within the global Sandvik group, is a world market leader for tools and metal-cutting solutions. The Swedish company is a major innovation driver for the metalworking industry, thanks to its substantial investment in research and development. Together with its customers from the automotive, aviation and energy industries, Sandvik Coromant seeks to define new benchmarks for quality and productivity.

Decision based on technology and design features Several criteria were considered when the company decided to replace existing cleaning equipment in its manufacturing lines and to invest in cleaning technology for an all-new product range.

Environmental protection, health management and labour safety were also considered important. Accordingly, Sandvik Coromant selected three Type 71 C solvent cleaning systems from Ecoclean and one ultrasound-based ultrafine cleaning system sourced from UCM AG. Anna Landström, Project Manager Machine Investments at Sandvik Coromant, explains, “The companies are well known partners throughout Sandvik Machining Solutions.

What convinced us, on the one hand, was the technology and the design features of their machines. On the other hand, the systems provide many detailed solutions, ensuring high

cleaning precision and longevity. An additional criterion was the outcome of the cleaning tests performed in Ecoclean’s and UCM’s technology centres. The tests at UCM were very comprehensive as they involved various cleaning detergent suppliers and many process combinations”.

Quick and reliable removal of oil residue One of the solvent-based cleaning machines is used for cleaning cemented carbide and cermet indexable inserts, ranging from 5 mm to 50 mm in size, following a grinding operation with oil.

“For downstream processes such as blasting, the oil residue must be removed 100%”. Additional objectives were to cut cycle times and to provide optimised drying of the product”, explains Magnus Utberg, from the Production Engineering Grinding and Cleaning Department.

For quick and reliable degreasing, the hydrocarbon-based cleaning system comprises two flood tanks with separate filter circuits, and an extra 10 cm has been added to the length of its work chamber. The resulting load dimensions of 770 mm x 480 mm x 300 mm (L x W x H) allows two trays filled with indexable inserts

For quick and reliable degreasing of the cemented carbide and cermet indexable inserts, ranging from 5 mm to 50 mm in size, the hydrocarbon-based cleaning system comprises two flood tanks with separate filter circuits, and an extra 10 cm has been added to the length of its work chamber.

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PRECISION ENGINEERING

to be placed in the basket, side by side, and stacked. This contributes to increased throughput rates. In the work chamber, the load undergoes two immersion cleaning operations with fluid from tanks 1 and 2, each with ultrasound support. This is followed by vapour degreasing. In order to accelerate this latter step, the vapour is directed into the work chamber straight from the distillation system. Subsequent vacuum drying ensures that all parts leave the system fully dry.

The high cleaning quality is aided by effective solvent treatment. To this end, the standard main distillation system is assisted by bypass distillation for continuous oil discharge. The filtration circuit for tank 1 comprises magnetic and bag filters that retain both fine grinding particles and coarser matter. The cartridge filters integrated into the No 2 circuit remove even very fine particles from the fluid. Also, the system’s waste heat is used to heat or cool the production shop.

Ultrasound fine cleaning Further cleaning steps are carried out after grinding with emulsion and/or after sandblasting, and before PVD- or CVD-coating of the indexable inserts.

“From the last cleaning step, the part surface must emerge ready for coating, which means absolutely free of dirt residue, traces of corrosion, or water stains”, explains David Eidenqvist, T&B Grinding Manager, whose department operates the UCM-designed ultrasound fine cleaning system. It comprises a total of 11 treatment stages, an automatic cleaning agent dosing system, and an oil separator.

The indexable inserts are subjected to three successive ultrasound cleaning steps, each followed by rinsing with municipal water. Then, two rinsing steps with de-mineralised water in a cascaded arrangement are carried out. The first demin-water rinsing cycle is carried out with ultrasound as well. This ensures that any surfactant or salt residue still present on the part surface will be reliably rinsed off. The four-sided overflow feature developed by UCM and the option of tilting the trays in the rack are additional technical features that contribute to high product cleanliness.

After the last rinsing cycle, a blow-off station removes most of the surface moisture before the parts reach the downstream, dual-stage, continuous, hot air drying unit.

Robotised feeding Exacting demands were also imposed at the level of automatic handling.

“The system was expected to support unattended operation”, David Eidenqvist points out. To this end, it was equipped with a handling robot.

The ultrasound fine cleaning system is used to further clean the indexable inserts, after grinding with emulsion and/or after sandblasting, and before they are subjected to PVD- or CVD- coating.

For cleaning, the indexable inserts are placed in coded trays which are then stacked. Each stack is covered with a lid and advanced by an automatic cart to the cleaning line. Here, an operator scans the bar code from the accompanying paperwork. This prompts the system to select the appropriate cleaning programme.

The stack is then transferred from the cart to the system’s loading conveyor which can accommodate five tray stacks at a time. The robot is equipped with a height sensor to determine the number of trays of a stack. It first removes the lid and deposits it in a lid collector. The topmost tray, which is often not fully loaded, is then temporarily stored in a waiting position until all other trays have been placed in the system’s conveying racks.

The loaded racks travel along the back of the system to the first treatment station where they complete the automatically selected cleaning process and move towards the loading/unloading station. Upon completion of the drying step, the robot picks the trays and re-stacks them. The trays pass an indexing station with a forked photoelectric sensor informing the robot how to place the tray on the stack so that all trays will be identically aligned.

In order to guarantee that the surfaces of the indexable inserts are ready for coating after the last cleaning process, the ultrasound fine cleaning system comprises 11 treatment stages.

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“Apart from enhancing our cleaning results, the system reduces the input of chemicals and manpower, thus improving cost efficiency and providing better working conditions for our employees”, David Eidenqvist remarks.

PRECISION ENGINEERING

Different cleaning programmes are stored in the controller of the solvent cleaning machine. Process parameters are visualised.

Exacting demands are also imposed at the level of automatic handling. To this end, it is equipped with a handling robot.

With the new ultrasound fine cleaning system, the company achieves not only better cleaning results but also a reduction in the chemicals and manpower required, thus improving cost efficiency and providing better working conditions for the employees.

Images by Sandvik Coromant THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER February 2018

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IES UPDATE

THANKS FOR ALL THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT YOU’VE COMMITTED TO IES! At IES, our vision is two pronged: To be the Heart and Voice of engineers, and the the national body for the profession. Many of our successful initiatives would not have materialised without the combined effort of all our volunteers, who have sacrificed their free time to give back to the community where their passions lie.

The IES Appreciation & Awards Night is a yearly affair to acknowledge and give thanks to our volunteers, both veterans and newbies, as well as the “Friends of IES”, who are external partners which we have worked closely with and are proud to acknowledge the bond that we share.

This year’s edition was held on 18 January 2018 at Downtown East. With much interaction and friendly banter going on between everyone all evening, it felt more like a gathering of friends rather than a formal awards presentation ceremony.

“That’s an easy song. I’ll take the mic.”

The NTU and Singapore Polytechnic Student Chapters, who were present to receive awards for the best student chapters in their respective categories, also added a dash of youth to the gathered guests.

IES President Er. Edwin Khew opened the evening’s proceedings with a brief report on our achievements in local and international collaborations, raising the status of engineering, and membership growth. He also expressed his gratitude to all volunteers for their service and hoped that it would inspire others to step forward and do more.

Well, using music-recognition apps to beat the game technically isn’t against the rules…

The award and certificate presentations was interspersed with dinner service. This was followed by table games, which testing the memory, hearing and musical knowledge of all with IES’ version of Don’t Forget the Music, guessing lyrics and identifying tunes old and new. Who said we couldn’t be serious and have fun at the same time?

IES Awards and Appreciation Night 2016/17 came to an end soon after. Everyone left Downtown East that night, raring to do their best for yet another year. Congratulations to all award winners and thank you for your service!

A gathering of old friends.

“You hit the dartboard with TWO darts! Well done!”

Our Student Chapter leaders and the (NTU) Advisor, letting their hair down that night.

For more photos, like us on Facebook and Instagram! You can search for us using the keyword ‘engineerssg’.

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IES UPDATE

IES Outstanding Volunteer Awards 2016/17 Mr Au Yeong Hoh Wai

Community Service Committee

Mr Kang Choon Seng

Qualification and Membership Committee

Er. Koh Chwee

WES-CUE 2017

Er. Kwan Kin Heng

NED

Dr Lai Weng Hong

Electrical, Electronics & Computer Engineering Technical Committee

Er. Lum Chong Chuen

Mechanical & Electrical Engineering Technical Committee

Er. Michael Sien

IES-IStructE Joint Committee

Er. Tan Chuan Ping, Jeffrey

Civil &Structural Engineering Technical Committee

Mr Tan Kay Chen

Health & Safety Engineering Technical Committee

Er. Totong Kaya

Community Service Committee

Er. Wijjaya Wong

IES-IStructE Joint Committee

Friends of IES Awards 2016/17 Ms Audrey Tan

NED

Ms Kamaria A. Ghani

NED

Mr Jason Low

Electrical, Electronics & Computer Engineering Technical Committee

Best Student Chapter Award Nanyang Technological University Student Chapter Singapore Polytechnic Student Chapter Special Recognition Awards IES Golden Jubilee Gala Dinner and Publication Committees IES-SG50 Golden Jubilee Scholarship Fund Raising IESA Academic Panel and Management Board National Engineers Day 2016 Committee Outstanding Committee Awards Health & Safety Engineering Technical Committee Environmental & Water Engineering Technical Committee Civil & Structural Engineering Technical Committee

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VIEWPOINT

TOP THREE TECH TRENDS THAT WILL TRANSFORM SINGAPORE THIS YEAR Never before in human history has technology been so thoroughly entrenched in our daily lives.

Every conscious moment we have is now spent in the company of smart devices – checking schedules, reading the news, browsing social media, and so on.

Amongst the many emerging technologies vying for attention, I believe the following three trends, the impact of which we are only beginning to grasp, will have transformational effects on Singapore’s landscape.

Firstly, Artificial Intelligence (AI). For this field, 2017 was a watershed year, where technologies that help machines see, read, hear, find and speak at near human-like levels were showcased at many conferences and events.

Mr Richard Koh Chief Technology Officer, Microsoft Singapore

Cognitive work will increasingly be AI-powered or assisted. Therefore, it will be possible for us to use AI services, infrastructure, and tools such as machine learning and data science virtual machines on a daily basis to improve work performance. This will have the potential to bring about unprecedented creativity and productivity shifts unimaginable just a few years ago.

It is paramount that we focus on people first and technology second, designing for experiences that unlock the human potential.

Through this, AI can extend our capabilities, amplify human ingenuity, help us achieve more and celebrate diversity.

Next, the Internet of Things (IoT). Powered by intelligent cloud and edge platforms, it is no longer just a futuristic trend, but the first step toward becoming a truly digital business. One can simply begin with the most important process, building, or production line, using the power of connected devices and systems to deliver better performance visibility, get insights on predictive maintenance and reduce downtime.

In addition, breakthroughs in advanced analytics and machine learning can enhance decision-making, facilitate more effective innovations and enable firms to identify new business models and revenue streams through the use of previously untapped data.

With mixed reality, a new dimension to our daily lives is born: The use of human gaze, gesture and voice in human-centric, natural interactive computing.

For example, we can now Skype in our colleagues from other parts of the globe. They can easily overlay sketches and holograms on physical objects in our view, powered by the Microsoft HoloLens and mixed reality headsets from our partners. This enables us to visualise and work with digital content as part of the real world.

It is evident that the empowering potential of mixed reality to transform how we communicate, create, collaborate and explore is truly unlimited.

Inside the tech industry, it is easy to look at all these trends and see incredible opportunities. While there are also dark clouds looming on the horizon, such as unemployment brought about by automation, lack of public safety and personal privacy, or rampant disinformation, we must not be lulled into inaction here in Singapore.

Make no mistake, many other countries are already leveraging these technologies to upskill their workforce, make their cities smart and create local enterprises that are global businesses from Day One. We must venture into these transformational technologies with open minds, learning and iterating them into every facet of our lives, from businesses, to government, to healthcare and more, so that every citizen and resident will be able to benefit and be well-served by intelligent technology.

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