The Singapore Engineer November 2017

THE MAGAZINE OF THE INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS, SINGAPORE

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

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

COVER STORY: TEST-BEDDING AND DEVELOPMENT OF REMANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES

PLUS

PRECISION ENGINEERING: Mee ng supreme cleanliness standards reliably in volume manufacturing ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING: Look, ma, no hands on the wheel SYSTEMS ENGINEERING: Delivery of Downtown Line (DTL) Project using Systems Engineering approach

www.ies.org.sg

CONTENTS FEATURES

COVER STORY 22 Test-bedding and development of remanufacturing technologies By adop ng a collabora ve approach, Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre seeks to harness disrup ve technologies whilst contribu ng to cost reduc on and sustainability.

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PRECISION ENGINEERING 28 Mee ng supreme cleanliness standards reliably in volume manufacturing The challenge is to meet the stringent limits that have been imposed on par culate and film-type contaminants to ensure the cleanliness of products.

30 New mul -chip Fan-Out Wafer Level Packaging development line to benefit the semiconductor industry It will have an impact in several sectors.

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

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Publica ons Manager Desmond Teo desmond@iesnet.org.sg Assistant Publica ons 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

Publica ons Execu ve Queek Jiayu jiayu@iesnet.org.sg

Media Representa ve Mul Nine Corpora on Pte Ltd sales@mul 9.com.sg

Design & layout by 2EZ Asia Pte Ltd Cover designed by Irin Kuah Cover images by A*STAR Published by The Ins tu on of Engineers, Singapore 70 Bukit Tinggi Road, Singapore 289758 Tel: 6469 5000 I Fax: 6467 1108 Printed in Singapore

www.ies.org.sg

ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING 32 Look, ma, no hands on the wheel Autonomous vehicles, or AVs, are no longer the answer to a ques on. They are the star ng premise.

SYSTEMS ENGINEERING 36 Delivery of Downtown Line (DTL) Project using Systems Engineering approach This ar cle aims to showcase the applica on of Systems Engineering in tackling and solving complex problems.

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42 Dassault Systèmes signs agreement to acquire No Magic The move is expected to facilitate ‘new connected experiences’.

REGULAR SECTIONS 04 16 44 48

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INDUSTRY NEWS EVENTS IES UPDATE VIEWPOINT

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The Singapore Engineer is published monthly by The Ins tu on of Engineers, Singapore (IES). The publica on is distributed free-of-charge to IES members and affiliates. Views expressed in this publica on 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 me, IES will not be liable for any discrepancies. Unsolicited contribu ons are welcome but their inclusion in the magazine is at the discre on of the Editor.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

PURPOSE BUILT EXOSKELETON TECH UNDERGOES STROKE REHABILITATION CLINICAL STUDIES Israeli robo cs firm ReWalk Robo cs announced on 16 October 2017 the comple on of all internal processes to ini ate clinical studies and the ini al produc on of its “so suit” exoskeleton design for stroke pa ents.

Called “Restore,” the new system is targeted to facilitate stroke rehabilita on and is the first product in the company’s expansion into new technologies that will serve mobility-challenged pa ent communi es.

This lightweight design of the Restore system was specifically configured for stroke survivors who face mobility issues. The system is designed to provide real- me, adjustable walking assistance for pa ents in a compact, light, modular so exosuit structure.

It u lises some of the key features from structural exoskeletons without the size, structure and expense of current designs.

pa ents in rehab, and in the future for community use, is meaningful. Research into applica ons, such as mul ple sclerosis and Parkinson’s Disease is the next horizon,” said ReWalk CEO Larry Jasinski.

An cipated delivery of a commercial Restore so suit is The ReWalk Restore will assist stroke targeted for 2018. survivors in regaining mobility. Photo: ReWalk plans to ReWalk/Wyss Ins tute commercialise use of the system in Europe and the United States a er receiving regulatory clearance to market the device.

According to ReWalk, the Restore transmits power to key joints of the legs with cable technologies, powered with so ware and mechanics that are similar to the technologies used in the firm’s exoskeleton system for individuals with spinal cord injury. The cables are connected to fabric-based designs that a ach to the legs and foot, thus lending the name “so suit.”

“Clearance applica ons will be submi ed as clinical and laboratory tes ng are completed in the coming months,” said ReWalk in a press statement.

“The poten al of these so suit designs to expand the u lisa on of robo c technologies, ini ally with stroke

For more informa on on the Restore system, visit: www.rewalk.com.

DREAM CHASER SPACECRAFT HAS SUCCESSFUL FREE FLIGHT TEST With its latest successful free flight test on 13 November 2017, American aerospace firm Sierra Nevada Corporaon (SNC)’s Dream Chaser spacecra is one step closer to orbital opera ons.

For the test, a full-scale Dream Chaser test vehicle was released from a helicopter and flew a pre-planned flight path ending with an autonomous landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California.

The first orbital vehicle is scheduled to go to the Interna onal Space Sta on as soon as 2020 for at least six missions as part of NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services 2 contract (CRS2).

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The missions will supply astronauts with much needed supplies and technical support elements and enable the gentle return of scien fic experiments.

The test verified and validated the performance of the Dream Chaser spacecra in the final approach and landing phase of flight, modelling a successful return from the space sta on. Most cri cally, by flying the same flight path that would be used returning from orbit, this free-flight proves the highly important landing a ributes needed to bring back science and experiments from the space sta on.

INDUSTRY NEWS

SNC and NASA will evaluate informa on from the test, including the Dream Chaser aerodynamic and integrated system performance from 12,400 feet al tude through main landing gear touchdown, nose landing gear touchdown and final rollout to wheel-stop on the runway.

The Edwards Air Force Base runway is very similar to the Kennedy Space Center Shu le Landing Facility runway that Dream Chaser will land on for CRS2 flights.

“This spacecra is the future and has the ability to change the way humans interact with space, and I couldn’t be happier with SNC’s dedicated team and the results of the test,” said SNC CEO Fa h Ozmen.

SNC’s Dream Chaser. Photo: NASA

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INDUSTRY NEWS

HDB COLLABORATES WITH LOCAL UNIVERSITIES

TO RAISE CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTIVITY The Housing & Development Board (HDB) has inked a new research and development agreement with Nanyang Technological University (NTU) to boost construc on produc vity and safety.

Signed at the Interna onal Housing Forum in September this year, the three-year, SGD 4.7 million investment will leverage big data, data analy cs and smart technology to transform tradi onal construc on work processes.

The main goal of the HDB-NTU collabora on will be the development of a Smart Integrated Construc on System (SICS), aimed at facilita ng data-sharing and synergising construc on processes across industry partners through a central digital pla orm.

The planned key features of SICS are: (a) HDB Integrated Building Informa on System (IBIS) – Using three-dimensional modelling of HDB projects as a common pla orm, industry partners in the en re construc on supply chain can log in real- me informaon and project progress updates from their dispersed loca ons. This will streamline informa on and speed up data-sharing amongst the different partners, including architects, contractors, pre-casters and construc on material suppliers, enabling them to be er keep track of budgets and melines. (b) Smart Tracking System – This will virtually manage the logis cs of construc on inventory as they move from

The Smart Integrated Construc on System enables real- me data sharing among industry partners for greater produc vity and efficiency. Image: HDB 06

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INDUSTRY NEWS

various suppliers to the construc on site. Smart sensors with geo-tagging capabili es will be a ached to building components to help contractors manage the flow of construc on materials into the work site, and swi ly iden fy and correct lapses such as wrong deliveries. Disrup ons to construc on work can then be minimised. (c) Smart Crane System – Through smart sensors embedded in the precast components and a network of sensors placed around the construc on site, the automated Smart Crane System will be able to calculate and determine the quickest and safest hois ng path to mi gate poten al collisions and swaying, thereby reducing construc on me and improving safety.

At the same event, a Memorandum of Understanding was also signed with the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). Under this agreement, HDB and SUTD will embark on a study called the “New Urban Kampung research programme”. They will u lise cutng-edge modelling tools to analyse shi s in socio-demographic factors, and create new housing solu ons in tandem with residents’ evolving needs and aspira ons, building stronger communi es in the process.

HDB’s Chief Execu ve Officer, Dr Cheong Koon Hean said, “The fast-changing urban landscape brings along with it increasingly complex housing issues and needs. To meet these challenges, HDB wants to advance the “science” behind how we plan, design and build our HDB towns and estates.

‘‘

With behavioural science studies and data analysis, we can better understand our residents’ needs and changing lifestyles and their likely responses to our plans and initiatives.

Smart construction solutions will also enable us to build more productively and achieve better quality.

’’

- Dr Cheong Koon Hean, HDB CEO

Using smart sensors, the Smart Crane will be able to determine the quickest and safest hois ng path of building components on site (Image: NTU & Wi eveen+Bos) THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2017

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INDUSTRY NEWS

NUS RESEARCHERS DEVELOP 4 IN 1 SMART UTILITIES PLANT

CUSTOM MADE FOR TROPICAL CLIMATE approach can reduce Singapore’s carbon emission by 2 to 4 per cent at business-as-usual levels,” he said.

The smart plant uses natural gas to power micro turbines to produce electricity. Waste heat generated from exhaust gases in the process is recovered and channelled back to power chillers to produce chilled water, which is required to cool and dry air for air-condi oning.

In addi on, the plant also incorporates a dual-dehumidifica on system to increase the efficiency of air-condi oning provision.

It was designed a er extensive research.

Using novel super adsorbent materials and membranes, this system is able to remove up to 50 to 60 per cent of moisture from air – op mal for human comfort – to enable cooling to take place faster.

By maximising the recovery of waste energy that is generated, the research team’s smart u li es plant could cut energy usage by 25 to 30 per cent while being more space efficient. (Le to right) Dr Bui Duc Thuan, Dr Md Raisul Islam, Associate Professor Ernest Chua, Dr M Kum Ja. Photo: NUS

A research breakthrough achieved by a team led by Associate Professor Ernest Chua from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at NUS could pave the way for a more environmentally friendly and cost-effec ve way of producing key essen als for daily living – electricity, water, air-condi oning and heat.

Using a single, integrated system, the smart quad-genera on plant produces all four key u li es simultaneously.

Energy efficiency is op mised by maximising the waste energy recovery.

Specially designed for use in tropical countries, the plant offers greater energy and cost savings, is more space efficient, and reduces carbon dioxide emission by more than 30 per cent while in opera on.

According to Assoc Prof Chua, genera ng the four u lies require a significant amount of energy and doing so independently results in extensive energy wastage.

“With our smart plant, these processes are carefully integrated such that waste energy can be harvested for useful output. Overall, this novel approach could cut energy usage by 25 to 30 per cent … Furthermore, this 08

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It can cool air with water that is chilled to just 13 to 18 degrees Celsius, instead of the usual lower temperature of 4 to 7 degrees Celsius. This contributes significantly to the plant’s overall efficiency as an increase in the temperature of chilled water by 1 degree Celsius translates into energy savings of about 3.5 to 4 per cent.

The team also incorporated smart features into the plant, such as real- me tracking of power consump on and remote control of valves and pumps. This will facilitate users’ evalua on of energy efficiency and op misa on of the different processes.

“The quad-genera on plant is designed to be a distributed power en ty. It is par cularly suitable for serving clusters of buildings as well as underground ci es, where key resources can be shared to reap economies of scale.

As power grids could be vulnerable to na onal security threats, our smart plant could also serve as a resilient distributed energy resource to con nue to provide these essen al u li es and minimise disrup ons to daily life,” added the professor.

This project is supported by the Na onal Research Founda on’s Compe ve Research Programme.

INDUSTRY NEWS

MHE DEMAG DEVELOPS UNIQUE MONORAIL TO CLEAN MALAYSIA’S LARGEST EXHIBITION CENTRE Building design is becoming more sophis cated as architects and engineers con nuously push the boundaries of space and form. These, however, present challenges in building maintenance and cleaning, which requires deep a en on to aesthe cs, func onality, safety and sustainability.

When faced with the challenges of designing a building maintenance system (also known as gondolas) for the Malaysia Interna onal Trade and Exhibi on Centre (MITEC), consultants turned to MHE-Demag, one of the top gondola designers in the region.

For internal cleaning and maintenance, MHE-Demag fulfilled the needs with its Assess Work Pla orm (AWP) and ver cal li . AWP can provide access to the en re exhibi on halls without addi onal need for steel structures, which also helps reduce costs.

To find out more, visit h p://www.jjsea.com and h p://www.mhe-demag.com/

The 45-year-old company has provided gondola solu ons to some of the region’s most iconic landmarks, such as Malaysia’s Petronas Twin Tower, Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands and the Okada Manila in the Philippines.

Inspired by the rubber seed, a symbol of Malaysia’s historical trade, MITEC is Malaysia’s largest exhibi on halls and one of the most iconic buildings in the region.

It is wrapped in a stunning aluminium cladding and glass façade system, which presents unique challenges and the shape and configura on is also the first and most crucial considera on factor in the process of designing a building maintenance system.

MITEC’s design was inspired by the rubber seed. Photo: MHE-Demag

Mr Karl Tilkorn, Regional Managing Director, MHEDemag, said, “For the height of MITEC, an Assess Work Pla orm (also known as a boom li ) is sufficient for the workers to perform cleaning, maintenance and repair work on the glass façade.

“However, this solu on is not workable due to the landscape and the installa on of canopy next to the glass façade. The design engineer developed a solu on of a 322 m three-dimensional MHE-Rostek monorail track complete with a Chameleon 1 cradle.”

To conform with the building’s aesthe cs, the trolley and monorail track of the building maintenance system is kept “invisible”, with the system installed above an “openable” ceiling which allows the system to lower down during opera on and stored when work is completed.

The system is also designed to contribute to the sustainability of the building, ensuring that it is suitable for longterm use and op mal results.

“Building maintenance is the long-term project.

Besides cleaning and maintenance, MHE-Demag has also included a Glass Replacement Unit (or known as GRU hoist) with 300 kg lifting capacity that can be used when there is a need to replace broken glasses”, added Mr Tilkorn.

Safety is paramount in all MHE-Demag does, and great care was taken to choose the right equipment that exposes workers to li le risks as possible when working at height.

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The Assess Work Pla orm (AWP) provides access to the en re exhibi on halls without addi onal steel structures. Photo: MHE-Demag

INDUSTRY NEWS

ADVANCING SINGAPORE’S EXCELLENCE

IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Four individuals have been awarded this year’s President’s Science and Technology Awards (PSTA), which are the highest honours conferred on research scien sts and engineers in Singapore, for work that has produced significant scien fic, technological or economic benefits for the country.

The PSTA comprises the President’s Science and Technology Medal (PSTM), President’s Science Award (PSA) and President’s Technology Award (PTA). The winners received their awards from President Halimah Yacob during a ceremony at the Istana on 13 November 2017.

A dis nguished panel of representa ves from industry, academia and research, chose two eminent individuals as this year’s PSTM winners. They are Prof Edward Warren Holmes and Prof Sir David Philip Lane.

This year’s winners of the President’s Science and Technology Awards and the Young Scien st Awards. From le , Prof Ng Wun Jern, Prof Gan Wee Teck, Prof Edward Warren Holmes, Prof Sir David Philip Lane, Dr Li Jingmei, Dr Jus n Song and Dr Gao Weibo. The winners were honoured for their research work, at a ceremony held at the Istana on 13 November 2017. Image by A*STAR.

Prof Holmes is from the Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Na onal University of Singapore (NUS). He is also a Senior Fellow, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and Advisor, Na onal Research Founda on (NRF).

Prof Lane is Chief Scien st, A*STAR. This year’s PSA was awarded to Prof Gan Wee Teck, Dis nguished Professor, Department of Mathema cs, Faculty of Science, NUS.

This year’s PTA was awarded to Prof Ng Wun Jern, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore).

In addi on, three outstanding young individuals received the Young Scien st Awards (YSA) for their achievements in research and innova on. They are Dr Li Jingmei, Senior Research Scien st, Genome Ins tute of Singapore, A*STAR; Dr Gao Weibo, Assistant Professor, School of Physical and Mathema cal Sciences, NTU Singapore; and Dr Jus n C W Song, Scien st, Ins tute of High Performance Compu ng, A*STAR. They received their awards from Mr Heng Swee Keat, Minister for Finance, at the Istana.

Enhancing human health through transla onal and clinical research The PSTM was presented to Prof Edward Warren Holmes for his pioneering work in developing the human capital, programmes and infrastructure that galvanise Translaonal and Clinical Research (TCR) in Singapore’s Health and Biomedical Sciences (HBMS) ecosystem.

Prof Holmes is a firm believer in being able to translate research findings from basic science to enhance human 12

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health and well-being. His leadership roles in A*STAR, the Na onal Medical Research Council (NMRC) and NUS, have been instrumental in enabling Singapore’s healthcare ins tu ons to par cipate fully in the na onal Biomedical Sciences Ini a ve and building up their transla onal and research capabili es to interna onally compe ve levels.

Through his leadership as Co-Chair of the Strategic Steering Commi ee which developed the funding schemes for the HBMS domain of the Research Innova on Enterprise 2020 (RIE2020) funding cycle, and other steering commi ees, Prof Holmes helped to lay the blueprint for the crea on of a research ecosystem which supported transla onal scien fic research, and advised and helped formulate Singapore’s health and economic strategies.

He encouraged the development of a pipeline of clinician scien sts in Singapore and helped to develop award schemes, such as the Singapore Transla onal Research (STaR) Inves gator Award, the Clinician Scien st Award (CSA), and the Transi on Award (TA), that have underpinned the training, recruitment and support of clinician scien sts across Singapore’s public research ins tu ons.

Besides playing a major role in designing and implemen ng the NMRC TCR Flagship Programmes which bring together basic and clinical inves gators across the biomedical ecosystem to address important health problems facing Singaporeans, he also helped develop the two academic medical centres in Singapore and has served on the Board of Directors of both the Na onal University Health System (NUHS) and the SingHealth System.

The joint lab is a five-year collabora on programme between A*STAR, Rolls-Royce and SAESL. It will develop next-genera on aerospace manufacturing, as well as Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) capabili es, enabled by advanced processes, automa on and digital technologies.

INDUSTRY NEWS

For his service to Singapore, Prof Holmes was conferred the award of Honorary Ci zenship in 2011, the highest form of na onal recogni on for foreigners, to acknowledge their contribu ons of extensive and valuable services to Singapore and its people.

Developing Biomedical Sciences to take on diseases like cancer The PSTM was presented to Prof Sir David Philip Lane for his important role in the strategic development of Singapore’s Biomedical Sciences and dis nguished contribu ons to cancer therapeu cs and research.

Over the last 15 years, Prof Lane has played a leadership role in the development of Singapore’s R&D culture and infrastructure through various roles he held in A*STAR. He helped a ract some of the world’s top scien fic and research talent to Singapore and anchored many prominent industry partners in the country.

Currently serving as Chief Scien st, A*STAR, Prof Lane advises and engages in scien fic development across the agency’s Biomedical Research Council (BMRC) and the Scien fic Engineering Research Council (SERC) at the strategic level. He helped establish A*STAR’s cross-disciplinary R&D ini a ves to further strengthen collabora ons and explore new areas of mul disciplinary research. Since 2015, A*STAR has been ranked one of the top 10, among the ‘World’s Most Innovave Research Ins tu ons’, by Thomson Reuters.

Prof Lane previously held leadership roles at A*STAR’s Ins tute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Experimental Therapeu cs Centre (ETC), and BMRC. In 2012, Prof Lane helped establish Chugai Pharmabody Research (CPR) in Singapore and served as founding Chairman of the CPR Board.

A wholly owned subsidiary of Chugai Pharmaceu cals, CPR puts Singapore at the centre of the fight against diseases such as cancer and severe autoimmune diseases.

Another favourable outcome of Prof Gan’s work is how it has put Singapore on the world map in the Mathema cs community. NUS has seen an increase in the number and diversity of their graduate students, working especially in number theory and representa on theory.

Sustainability through Environmental Engineering The PTA was presented to Prof Ng Wun Jern, for his outstanding research and development of a space-efficient, transient-state cyclic bio-system, and realisa on of the conguous value chain, from research to its full-scale industrial deployment for wastewater management and resource recovery.

Prof Ng’s work in the development of transient-state cyclic Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) technology facilitated the design and construc on of compact, efficient wastewater treatment plants, significantly reducing the size of reactor systems by more than half. His research provided the scienfic understanding of the transient-state condi on, while his transla onal engineering resulted in three genera ons of technologies which have been deployed at full-scale internaonally and domes cally.

Prof Lane’s accomplishments in cancer therapeu cs and research have had far-reaching impact, locally and interna onally. He played a significant role in the landmark discovery of the p53 cancer gene in 1979, and nearly three decades of subsequent research that has brought p53 all the way from basic discovery through to the clinic. The p53 gene, also called the ‘Guardian of the genome’, is considered to be the most significant of all genes altered in cancer cells, because muta ons in p53 are known to cause more than half of all human cancers. Professor Lane’s discovery has led to the iden fica on of several promising targets for developing new cancer drugs, using p53 as a model system, one of which is the u lisa on of an bodies and pep des to interrogate cancer targets.

The research, engineering, and subsequent industry applicaons have helped to establish Singapore as a key player in the world of cyclic bioreactors and Environmental Engineering. His technologies have since been tailored for sustainable energy genera on through biogas produc on and resource reclamaon of chemicals beneficial to crop yields in agriculture.

Pu ng Singapore on the world map of Mathema cs

A bright future for research and innova on in Singapore

The PSA was conferred upon Prof Gan Wee Teck, for his illustrious contribu ons to the field of Mathema cs and his outstanding work on the Langlands programme and the Gan-Gross-Prasad conjecture.

Mathema cs forms the founda on for numerous branches of science and many technologies today would not have taken form if not for advances in Mathema cs.

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Prof Gan’s work on the Langlands programme and the GanGross-Prasad conjecture deeply impacts two founda onal fields of Mathema cs, helping to link the two mathema cal fields of number theory and representa on theory. Number theory is a field of Mathema cs that deals with the properes of numbers, their pa erns and their rela onship with each other, while representa on theory deals with the study of symmetries in algebraic structures. Professor Gan’s contribu ons towards linking the two fields mean that mathemacians could poten ally use elements from number theory to solve problems related to representa on theory, and vice versa. His achievement has been lauded as ground-breaking and a step forward in the field of Mathema cs.

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Lux Research ranked Professor Ng among the top 25 Environmental Engineering thought leaders in 2013, and the Nanyang Environment & Water Research Ins tute (NEWRI) which he founded and led ll July 2017 was recently ranked among the top 10 notable water research organisa ons globally. NEWRI is a pla orm where research, educa on, engineering, and deployment can be performed as an integrated value chain.

The Young Scien st Awards (YSA) were conferred on Dr Li Jingmei, for her research on mammographic density and its impact on women’s health; on Dr Gao Weibo, for his dis nguished research on quantum informa on and quantum photonics; and on Dr Jus n C W Song, for his research unveiling novel electronic proper es of quantum materials.

EVENTS

CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION ADDRESS

THE FUTURE OF MANUFACTURING The Singapore Innova on & Produc vity Conference 2017 and Manufacturing Solu ons Expo 2017 were held from 25 to 27 October 2017 at the Singapore EXPO Conven on and Exhibi on Centre.

The Guest-of-Honour at the Official Opening of the event was Mrs Josephine Teo, Minister, Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Home Affairs.

Singapore Innova on & Produc vity Conference 2017 The Singapore Innova on & Produc vity Conference 2017, presented by Singapore Innova on & Produc vity Ins tute (SIPI) was held on 25 October. The conference covered three topics - Developing the New Mindset & Perspec ve, Industrial IoT & Industrial Revolu on 4.0, and Digital Transforma on: Plans & Solu ons. Thought leaders from government agencies, the private sector and academia shared their perspec ves on the topics, with the aim of encouraging companies to take ac on and make posi ve changes toward digitalisa on and advanced manufacturing. Many of the solu ons were showcased at the adjacent Manufacturing Solu ons Expo 2017 (MSE Expo 2017).

Guest-of-Honour, Mrs Josephine Teo, delivering the Opening Address.

MSE 2017 Into its fourth edi on, MSE 2017 showcased emerging trends, cost-effec ve technologies, the latest digital soluons and innova ve products in manufacturing.

Jointly organised by Singapore Manufacturing Federa on (SMF) and Sphere Exhibits Pte Ltd, MSE 2017 featured the displays of 96 exhibitors represen ng more than 120 interna onal and regional brands, under five key exhibit profiles - Digital Factory, Industrial Automa on, Surface Engineering, Sustainable Environment, and Supply Chain solu ons. A series of interac ve ac vi es provided opportuni es for buyers and sellers to exchange ideas, network and explore business opportuni es.

Manufacturing Alliance among key trade associa ons The Singapore Manufacturing Federa on (SMF), Singapore Infocomm Technology Federa on (SiTF), Singapore Precision Engineering & Technology Associa on (SPETA) and Singapore Industrial Automa on Associa on (SIAA), inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) during the Opening Ceremony, which was witnessed by the Guest-of-Honour, Mrs Josephine Teo. As the call to transform the manufacturing industry towards digitalisa on becomes more compelling, this four-way collabora on

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The audience at the Official Opening.

signifies the coming together of several trade associaons to coordinate and help companies in their transforma on journey.

“The MOU marks the start of the Manufacturing Alliance, a collabora on to jointly develop and roll out ini a ves to enhance the capabili es of the manufacturing industry, with a vision to transform it towards higher levels of digitalisa on and produc vity”, said Mr Douglas Foo, President, SMF.

Co-located conferences Complemen ng the above ini a ves were three co-located conferences.

The Standards Development Organisa on at SMF (SMFSDO), together with Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and SPRING Singapore, held the Future of Manufacturing Standards Seminar on 27 October.

The seminar brought together subject ma er experts

EVENTS

Representa ves of the Singapore Industrial Automa on Associa on (SIAA ), Singapore Manufacturing Federa on (SMF), Singapore Infocomm Technology Federa on (SiTF) and Singapore Precision Engineering & Technology Associa on (SPETA), inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) during the Opening Ceremony, which was witnessed by the Guest-of-Honour, Mrs Josephine Teo.

and business leaders to share knowledge and discuss how Smart Manufacturing, enabled by standards, can transform Singapore’s manufacturing sector.

Organised by the Singapore Surface Engineering Associaon (SSEA) and Sphere Exhibits Pte Ltd, Surface Engineering for Research and Industrial Applica ons 2017 (SERIA 2017) was held on 26 and 27 October. The technical symposium cum industry workshop addressed key topics such as Advances in Pla ng Technology; Plant & Equipment; and Applica ons, Environment and Management.

A conference held on 27 October addressed the theme ‘Mone se the IoT Revolu on through Disrup ve Digitalised Ecosystem’.

A driverless forkli was one of the exhibits at MSE 2017.

DEBURRINGEXPO FOCUSES ON MANUFACTURING PROCESSES The second DeburringEXPO was held from 10 to 12 October 2017, at Karlsruhe, Germany. The trade fair for deburring technology and precision surface finishing a racted about 2000 visitors from 38 countries.

With an exhibi on spectrum that was consistently aligned to deburring, rounding and the produc on of precision surface finishes, DeburringEXPO covered a range of processes which are becoming more and more important in manufacturing. On the one hand, this was made apparent by the number of par cipa ng exhibitors which rose this year to 151 (108 at the ini al event, in 2015), and on the other hand, by the visitors’ strong focus on the offerings presented by the exhibi ng companies. Visitor numbers were at the same level as for the premiere event, that is, roughly 2000. About 23% of the visitors came from outside of Germany. In addi on to Germany, the best represented countries were Switzerland, France, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands and Belgium. The visitors represented mainly sectors such as Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing, Automo ve and Vehicle Producon, Medical Technology, Tool and Die Making, Precision

Engineering, and Op cs.

One of the trade fair’s highlights was the expert forum which was held in two languages for the first me and was a ended by more than 1,000 par cipants.

The next DeburringEXPO will take place at the Karlsruhe Exhibi on Centre, from 8 to 10 October 2019.

A visitor tes ng a deburring machine

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SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL ROBO EXPO POISED TO SUPPORT ASIA’S ROBOTICS INDUSTRY “SIRE 2017 is a clear example of the results that can be achieved when all stakeholders share a single purpose and vision, and the level of support from the whole Robo cs Ecosystem - manufacturers, start-ups, innovators, regulators, government, research and academia - has been nothing short of incredible”, said Mr Leck Chet Lam, Managing Director, Experia Events.

“From strategic business alliances and MoUs, to helping businesses effec vely leverage Robo cs and Automa on Technologies, SIRE will play a key role as a founda on for robo cs to flourish in Asia”, he added.

Guest-of-Honour, Dr Koh Poh Koon views one of the exhibits at SIRE 2017.

Singapore Interna onal Robo Expo 2017 (SIRE 2017) was held from 2 to 3 November 2017 at Sands Expo and Conven on Centre, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.

Organised by Experia Events and co-organised by the Singapore Industrial Automa on Associa on (SIAA), the event enabled stakeholders in the government, private, research and academic spheres to share insights and forge partnerships to customise and co-create Robo cs Solu ons that address cri cal business challenges.

Dr Koh Poh Koon, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry & Ministry of Na onal Development, was the Guest-of-Honour at the opening of SIRE 2017.

In a speech made on the occasion, he said that we are at the cusp of the next phase of the industrial revolu on, where tradi onal business models are being disrupted by technological advances in areas such as the Internet of Things, Ar ficial Intelligence, Data Analy cs, and Robo cs.

An important milestone was achieved at SIRE 2017, with the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreements between SIAA and its counterparts from around Southeast Asia. The MoUs were signed by SIAA with the Malaysia Robo cs and Automa on Society (MYRAS), Vietnam Automa on Services Associa on (VASSA), and the Ins tute of Field Robo cs (FIBO) of Thailand. This will enable the organisa ons to leverage shared networks and exper se, and offer more poten al opportuni es for Singapore companies to collaborate with firms from Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand. The MoUs represent the first step in the establishment of a Southeast Asian or ASEAN Robo cs Ecosystem.

“A wide spectrum of players from across Southeast Asia and other regions came together at SIRE 2017 to take that significant first step towards crea ng a flourishing Robo cs Ecosystem”, said Mr Oliver Tian, President, SIAA. “It is an ecosystem built on a common vision and reinforced by the dynamic dialogues, connec ons, projects and partnerships established at the show, and driven by the wave of excitement and momentum generated by our par cipants”, he added.

Dr Koh said that the Government will con nue to invest in Robo cs Technology and encourage its adop on. He pointed out that at Budget 2016, the Government set aside SGD 450 million under the Na onal Robo cs Programme (NRP) to catalyse public sector led demand and promote the development and adop on of Robo cs in Singapore. This is on top of the SGD 400 million Automa on Support Package (ASP) which provides support grants for the introduc on and scaling up of Robo cs and Automa on projects.

SIRE is emerging as one of the leading pla orms anchoring Asia’s rapidly developing Robo cs industry. A er a successful debut in 2016, the trade event dedicated to the promo on of Robo cs and Automa on Technologies, hosted close to 70 exhibitors, this year, represen ng a 100% jump over 2016, and a racted more than 2,500 trade visitors, marking an increase of 25% from the 2016 edi on.

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At SIRE 2017, MoUs were signed by SIAA, with Malaysia Robo cs and Automa on Society (MYRAS), Vietnam Automa on Services Associa on (VASSA), and Ins tute of Field Robo cs (FIBO) of Thailand.

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ST Kine cs showcased the driverless, 15-seater Navya Arma minibus, currently undergoing trials on Sentosa Island.

The significant presence of the Netherlands, led by Holland Robo cs, is a shining example of the wave of excitement and momentum present at SIRE 2017.

Mr Willem Endhoven, Managing Director of Holland Robotics, which represents all Dutch companies and knowledge ins tutes that are ac ve within the field of Robo cs, summed up the posi ve experiences of the Dutch delega on.

“We are very pleased with our par cipa on, as we generated a lot of leads for projects and collabora ons with companies as well as research ins tutes and universi es”, he said.

SIRE 2017 was also a rewarding experience for local firms, with ST Kine cs and StarHub signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore the use of TUG robots.

The two companies will develop and deploy Robo cs Solu ons that help automate material movement in business environments for greater efficiencies and produc vity, with its first project focusing on the transforma on of laundry and housekeeping opera ons for the hospitality industry in Singapore.

“SIRE is a good pla orm for Robo cs companies like ST Kine cs to come together to exchange innova ve ideas, discuss the latest market trends, and to showcase new technologies which will spur growth in the Robo cs Ecosystem”, commented Mr Foo Khee Loon, General Manager Kine cs Advanced Robo cs, ST Kine cs.

“With robo cs on the cusp of rapid growth, these interac ons will eventually translate into solu ons that will

Conference a endees at SIRE 2017

help Asian businesses improve produc vity and generate growth”, he added.

The central theme of innova on and transforma on formed the key focus at the newly introduced Startup Marketplace. Startups from around the region were able to connect with investors, regulators and experts to assist with expanding their business into other Asian markets.

“We generated more leads at SIRE than at any other trade event we have par cipated in, before”, said Ms Maria Brouwers, Co-Founder of Australian automa on firm Lantori.

“It is probably because the Singapore environment is very open to new technology and it has the benefit of a large number of system integrators based here”, she added.

All images by Experia Events

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SINGAPORE TO HOST

‘INDUSTRIAL TRANSFORMATION ASIA PACIFIC’ IN OCTOBER 2018 Deutsche Messe AG, Germany, and SingEx Exhibi ons Pte Ltd, Singapore, have signed a contract of partnership to stage Industrial Transforma on ASIA PACIFIC, a HANNOVER MESSE event, from 16 to 18 October 2018 at the Singapore EXPO Conven on and Exhibi on Centre.

Said to be the first event of its kind in Asia Pacific, the new tradeshow will expand its focus beyond the local landscape with state-of-the-art solu ons and an internaonal line-up in the conference component.

Industrial Transforma on ASIA PACIFIC is expected to welcome more than 150 exhibi ng companies and 5,000 visitors as well as 25 speakers and 500 par cipants at the conference.

The event will focus on topics ranging from Advanced Manufacturing, Smart Factory and Intelligent Supply Chain Management to R&D, Technology Transfer and Workforce Development.

The event will address the needs of industry sectors such as Electronics, Marine & Offshore, Aerospace, Automove, Biomedical Sciences, Precision Engineering, Chemicals, Oil & Gas and Consumer Goods Manufacturing.

“HANNOVER MESSE is the global hotspot for Industry 4.0. We are pleased to launch in Singapore a HANNOVER MESSE event that is tailored to the needs of the fast-growing Asia Pacific market”, said Mr Marc Siemering, Senior Vice President, Deutsche Messe AG. “Industrial Transforma on ASIA PACIFIC presents not only cu ng-edge Industry 4.0 products, technologies and services, but also provides numerous opportuni es for knowledge and technology transfer. Visitors from all over the region will find, at one me and place, all the tools and informa on they need to be compe ve in today’s rapidly changing industrial landscape”, he added.

“Advanced Manufacturing is iden fied as a key driver of future economic growth for major economies, including Singapore”, said Mr Aloysius Arlando, CEO, SingEx Holdings.

“Industrial Transforma on ASIA PACIFIC supports the effort by showcasing how Advanced Manufacturing is transforming produc on and logis cs through an experien al ConfEx format. In addi on to the tradeshow and conference, par cipants will benefit from a curated selec on of workshops, open-session learning, networking events, and thema c zones that present innova ve solu ons, new knowledge and best prac ces in fields such as Design, Engineering, Opera ons, Produc on, and Smart Supply Chains”, he added.

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From le , Mr Aloysius Arlando, CEO, SingEx Holdings and Mr Marc Siemering, Senior Vice President, Deutsche Messe AG, a er signing the contract of partnership.

In November this year, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Deutsche Messe to hold Industrial Transforma on ASIA PACIFIC in Singapore for the next three years. In line with the vision of the Commi ee of the Future Economy (CFE), to develop Singapore into a globally-compe ve manufacturing hub, the event has garnered support from Singapore government agencies including the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), Interna onal Enterprise Singapore (IE Singapore), SPRING Singapore, STB and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR).

“We are pleased to partner with Deutsche Messe and SingEx to launch this new industrial event in Singapore.

It will bring together leading manufacturers and technology providers to co-innovate and showcase the latest advanced manufacturing solu ons”, said Mr Lim Kok Kiang, Assistant Managing Director, EDB. “Deutsche Messe’s decision to introduce the HANNOVER MESSE brand in Singapore is testament to our reputaon as a hub for high-value manufacturing with deep engineering and innova on capabili es. We look forward to the event and the role that it will play in increasing the vibrancy of the industrial ecosystem in Singapore and the region”, he added.

Besides support from five Singapore government agencies, this partnership has brought a sense of excitement

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and enthusiasm to the industry ecosystem and is welcomed by associa ons and the private sector.

“The mission of the Singapore Manufacturing Federa on is always to strengthen Singapore as a manufacturing hub, and to champion local manufacturers in the pursuit of manufacturing excellence in an increasingly digital world. With this exci ng new pla orm, I strongly believe the key stakeholders will benefit through increasing business opportuni es, building capabili es as well as transforming businesses with new business models and technology”, said Mr Douglas Foo, President, Singapore Manufacturing Federa on”.

HANNOVER MESSE HANNOVER MESSE is the leading tradeshow for industrial technology and digital transforma on in industry. The next show, from 23 to 27 April 2018, in Hannover, Germany, will feature five main exhibit sectors - Integrated Automa on,

Mo on & Drives (IAMD); Digital Factory; Energy; Industrial Supply; and Research & Technology. CEMAT, the trade fair for Intralogis cs and Supply Chain Management, is co-located with HANNOVER MESSE.

Deutsche Messe AG This year marks the 70th anniversary of Deutsche Messe AG which was founded in 1947 with the staging of Germany’s first-ever Export Fair.

The SingEx Group The SingEx Group comprises four closely linked companies that collec vely provide a comprehensive range of integrated solu ons for venue management and consultancy, exhibi on and conference organising services and interna onal exhibi on related ventures. The companies under the group are subsidiaries of SingEx Holdings and are wholly owned by Temasek Holdings.

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TEST BEDDING AND DEVELOPMENT OF REMANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES By adopting a collaborative approach, Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre seeks to harness disruptive technologies whilst contributing to cost reduction and sustainability.

The Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre (ARTC) is located at CleanTech Park.

Officially launched in 2015, the Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre (ARTC) is a public-private collabora on between Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and industry partners across the supply chain.

Opera ng on a consor um pla orm, it is modelled a er the UK’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centres (AxRC) consor um concept. It is Asia’s first centre dedicated to test-bedding and development of remanufacturing technologies and complemented by technical support from research ins tutes and academia.

ARTC seeks to bridge technological gaps in the adop on of advanced remanufacturing processes, and focuses on six technology themes - Advanced Remanufacturing, Data-Driven Surface Enhancement, Advanced Robo c Applica ons, Intelligent Product Verifica on, Addi ve Manufacturing Industrialisa on, and Smart Manufacturing.

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An overview of ARTC’s interior

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To-date, ARTC has over 50 member companies, with IHI, Nestle, Rolls-Royce, Siemens, SKF and Voestalpine High Performance Metals, as Anchor Members, and DMG Mori, EOS, McKinsey & Company , Na onal Instruments and Singapore Aero Engine Services Private Limited (SAESL), as Tier-1 members.

BENEFITS OF REMANUFACTURING Remanufacturing became a reality sometime in the 1940s. It is a process by which a used machine part or product that has reached the end of its life is restored to its original condition, with the possibility of incorporating even better performance characteristics.

This results in large cost savings for manufacturers. At the same time, the remanufactured components and end-products contribute to sustainability, by reducing the depletion of raw materials and the consumption of energy.

REMANUFACTURING IN SINGAPORE A large part of the local remanufacturing activities is directed towards serving the aerospace maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) sector.

There are many aerospace companies in Singapore, engaged in a range of activities. This makes the country an important Aviation hub in Asia. The total output from Singapore’s aerospace industry exceeds SGD 8 billion, 90% of which comes from MRO activities and the rest from manufacturing.

The oil & gas, industrial equipment and automotive industries also have significant and expanding remanufacturing operations in Singapore.

ARTC was set up to be er support the growth of these high-value ac vi es. ARTC’s unique model enables it to deliver ‘near to market’ technology needed by the industry and leverages on the wide range of capabili es within both public research ins tu ons and the industry.

DRIVING THE FUTURE OF MANUFACTURING In February 2013, A*STAR, EDB and SPRING Singapore launched the Future of Manufacturing (FoM) Initiative for key industry partners, research institutes, and universities, to test-bed new technologies and develop capabilities and applications that Singapore-based companies can utilise.

A*STAR has an important role to play, in bringing ideas, people, and companies together across the entire innovation value chain, from Multinational Corporations (MNCs) to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), so that Singapore’s future economy can reap the full benefits of the Fourth Industrial Revolution or Industry 4.0.

In order to produce its FoM Roadmap, A*STAR engaged key stakeholders, such as Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs), the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), sister economic agencies, and Institutes

of Higher Learning. The roadmap was then validated through discussions with nearly 60 companies from the eight Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME) industry clusters.

Model Factories One of the key recommendations in A*STAR’s Roadmap is the Model Factories Initiative.

Model Factories enable public-private partnerships to be formed, that will help local companies improve their operations by allowing them to gain first-hand experience in the latest manufacturing technologies, and also collaborate with stakeholders to test-bed and jointly develop innovative solutions for their operations.

ARTC is also well positioned to take advantage of the FoM Initiative in Singapore, against the backdrop of Industry 4.0.

To be launched next year, ARTC’s Model Factory is a public-private partnership platform that will facilitate co-development of Future of Manufacturing (FoM) technologies, based on real applications in Advanced Manufacturing and Remanufacturing, and with a focus on coupling Smart and Virtual (Digital Twin) capabilities. Its target end-users include SMEs, larger enterprises and MNCs in Heavy Engineering, such as those in the Aerospace Industry Cluster. Three manufacturing lines (Advanced Discrete Manufacturing Line, Additive Manufacturing Line, and Continuous Line) and a virtual showcase will be implemented in the Model Factory platform.

To encourage industry players to test-bed advanced technology, ARTC’s Model Factory aims to establish a workshop, demonstrating model manufacturing lines, through collaboration with end-users and technology providers, on the basis of real applications in Manufacturing and Remanufacturing.

A*STAR’s Tech Access Ini a ve Public-private partnership pla orms, such as A*STAR’s Tech Access Ini a ve, are key enablers to help companies develop and adopt FoM technologies.

Tech Access supports local manufacturing enterprises, especially SMEs, to build FoM capabili es, by providing them with access to the agency’s installed base of research equipment and facili es.

Under Tech Access, ARTC, together with A*STAR’s SIMTech and Industrial Addi ve Manufacturing Facility (IAMF), will make available 19 different types of equipment.

Big companies lead the way In January 2017, Rolls-Royce signed a Memorandum of Understanding with A*STAR to set up joint technology centres for developing FoM capabili es in areas such as advanced technologies for manufacturing, assembly and MRO. THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2017

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The objec ve is also to encourage local enterprises to par cipate in a synergis c value chain on the Industry 4.0 pla orm. In this way, the experience from big manufacturers can be u lised to help smaller companies.

In April this year, McKinsey launched its Singapore Digital Capability Center, in partnership with ARTC, to help companies adapt to and benefit from the powerful technological changes disrup ng industries.

The USD 15 million facility will serve, in par cular, important sectors in the region such as Discrete Manufacturing, Semiconductors, Oil & Gas, Electric Power, and Mining.

McKinsey’s Singapore Digital Capability Center will leverage ARTC’s facili es as well as the R&D capabili es across A*STAR, ranging from Manufacturing, Data Analy cs, Virtual Process Modelling, and Digital Solu ons for Complex Manufacturing Processes.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES Whilst serving the needs of the rapidly transforming manufacturing industries, the technologies and innova ons being developed in ARTC will also generate job opportuni es in remanufacturing, for candidates who have acquired the relevant specialised skills.

There will be a demand for, in par cular, Robo c So ware Engineers, Addi ve Manufacturing Scien sts and Automated Inspec on Engineers.

These are jobs that involve the design and development of new techniques, processes and technologies.

ARTC leverages the exper se of the more than 50 member companies as well as the technical support of A*STAR and NTU.

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A*STAR The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) drives mission-oriented research that advances scien fic discovery and technological innova on.

The agency plays a key role in nurturing and developing talent and leaders for its research ins tutes, the wider research community, and industry.

A*STAR’s research creates economic growth and jobs for Singapore. As a Science and Technology Organisa on, the agency bridges the gap between academia and industry, in terms of research and development. In these endeavours, A*STAR seeks to integrate the relevant capabili es of its research ins tutes and collaborate with the wider research community as well as other public sector agencies, to achieve meaningful outcomes.

Together with the other public sector en develops industry sectors by:

es, A*STAR

• Integra ng its capabili es to create impact with MNCs and Globally Compe ve Companies.

• Partnering local enterprises to increase produc vity and growth.

• Nurturing R&D-driven start-ups by seeding for surprises and shaping for success. In addi on, A*STAR’s research also contributes to societal benefits such as improving outcomes in healthcare, urban living, and sustainability.

All images by A*STAR

MILESTONE EVENTS FOR ARTC • 28 January 2015 - Official launch of ARTC. • 22 February 2016 - ARTC signs MoU with Workforce Singapore (formerly known as Singapore Workforce Development Agency) on ‘Future Skills for Advanced Manufacturing’. The Advanced Manufacturing Series, is a collabora on between Workforce Singapore and its strategic partners - Centre for Op cal and Laser Engineering (COLE), under Nanyang Technological University (NTU); Ins tute of High Performance Compu ng (IHPC), under A*STAR; Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP); and Singapore Centre for 3D Prin ng (SC3DP), under NTU. • 11 April 2017 - Launch of McKinsey Digital Capability Center (DCC) in partnership with ARTC to harness Industry 4.0, and support companies at every stage of their digital transforma on journey. The DCC will draw upon ARTC’s facili es and R&D capabili es across A*STAR, ranging from Manufacturing Data Analytics, Process Modelling as well as Virtual and Digital Solu ons, to Complex Manufacturing Processes.

• 25 May 2017 - Launch of ROS- Industrial Asia Pacific Consor um by ARTC and NTU. The consor um is an open innova on pla orm for industry to tap on Robot Opera ng Systems. The consor um will act as a regional hub to close the gap between ROS research and applica on, by linking companies with technology providers and system integrators in the area. * 23 June 2017 - ARTC welcomes Microso Singapore as its 48th consor um member. They will collaborate under ARTC’s Model Factory programme, to develop capabili es in cloud-based communica on and processes, such as Big Data Analy cs and Connec vity, which are cri cal for the success of Smart Manufacturing.

• 17 July 2017 – ARTC welcomes Voestalpine High Performance Metals, a leading manufacturer of speciality steel, as its anchor member. Voestalpine is looking at digitalising its en re organisa on through undertaking a number of collabora ve R&D projects with ARTC’s ecosystem of industrial companies.

• 18 September 2017 – A*STAR, Rolls-Royce and SAESL launch a SGD 60 million Smart Manufacturing Joint Lab to develop Future of Manufacturing Technologies. The partnership will leverage ARTC’s Model Factory and A*STAR’s other relevant capabili es to test-bed new technology applica ons for the aerospace industry. The developed technologies will eventually be used on-site at Rolls-Royce and SAESL’s facili es for improved produc vity, cost savings and business compe veness.

• 2 November 2017 - ARTC signs MoU with Fujitsu to jointly develop Smart Manufacturing solu ons for future factories, to allow businesses of all sizes to tap the poten al of Smart Manufacturing solu ons. Areas of collabora on are from integrated design environments for product development and Ar ficial Intelligence (AI) to Robo cs, with the focus on digitalising the manufacturing process for businesses of all sizes, and improving Cybersecurity and Workplace Safety.

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FUJITSU SIGNS MOU WITH ARTC Fujitsu and ARTC announced a strategic partnership to accelerate the pace of digital transforma on for the ‘Factory of the Future’.

The collabora on seeks to allow businesses of all sizes to tap the poten al of Smart Manufacturing solu ons.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between Fujitsu and ARTC was held at the Fujitsu World Tour - Asia Conference Singapore event, on 2 November 2017.

The three-year partnership will leverage the exper se of Fujitsu, and ARTC’s research and development exper se and facili es to develop strategic capabili es that address key chalAt the signing ceremony are, from le , Mr Akihiko Miyazawa, President and CEO of Fujitsu lenges faced by the manufacturing sector, and Advanced Technologies (FATEC); Mr Toshio Hirose, Corporate Execu ve Officer and Senior Vice prepare for a future ecosystem of intelligent President, Head of Asia Region, Fujitsu Limited; Prof Tan Sze Wee, Execu ve Director, Science & manufacturing. Through the partnership, FuEngineering Research Council (SERC), A*STAR; and Dr David Low, Chief Execu ve Officer, ARTC. jitsu and ARTC will jointly iden fy and develop solu ons to comprehensively realise the digital to minimise risks to opera ons and data loss in the mantransforma on of a wide range of enterprises involved in ufacturing process. the manufacturing supply chain, including SMEs, offering poten al produc vity and efficiency gains, minimisa on Head Mounted Display and Industrial of security risks and enhancement of Workplace Safety.

Augmented Reality

Industrial IoT To help the manufacturing sector achieve produc vity and efficiency gains, Fujitsu and ARTC will work together to overcome a key challenge of Industrial IoT (IIoT) - open interoperability and development of common architecture. They will look into the design of standard reference architecture, where the design of all elements - sensors, network, data systems, security and applicaons - is well integrated.

Integrated design environment Fujitsu and ARTC seek to help the manufacturing sector, including MNCs and SMEs, digitally transform their opera ons through Fujitsu’s integrated design environment for product development. Fujitsu will work with experts in ARTC and partners to explore how it can achieve closer integra on of value chains in the product development stage.

Wearables for Manufacturing Fujitsu and ARTC will explore the use of wearable technology to track workers’ vital signs, ac vi es, and loca on, to enhance safety at the workplace.

Cybersecurity in Smart Factories Under this collabora on, Fujitsu and ARTC will address Cybersecurity requirements of Smart Factories, to iden fy and recommend best prac ces and solu ons. They will jointly iden fy suitable security solu ons and processes 26

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Fujitsu and ARTC will explore the use of Head Mounted Displays and Augmented Reality applica ons aimed at raising produc vity levels through enhanced informa on sharing. This will help to promote remote assistance for workers in hard-to-access areas and large factories.

Ar ficial Intelligence in Manufacturing Ar ficial Intelligence, such as Deep Learning, Machine Learning and Gene c Algorithms, could poten ally help improve efficiencies in Manufacturing and reduce costs.

Fujitsu and ARTC will explore the use of such techniques through prototypes and proof of concepts, with the aim of developing them into applica ons for real-world deployments.

Human and Robo cs Harmonisa on To enable humans and robots to co-work in future factories, new tools in robo cs programming and simula on are required to establish harmonised work between human and robots. Fujitsu and ARTC will explore the use of such harmonisa on tools through building test beds for Manufacturing.

Machine Learning Solu ons Machine Learning is being used to analyse data and solve challenges in Anomaly Detec on and Predic ve Maintenance. Fujitsu and ARTC will explore the use of Machine Learning Solu ons and promote its use in various manufacturing scenarios.

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MEETING SUPREME CLEANLINESS STANDARDS RELIABLY IN VOLUME MANUFACTURING

by Doris Schulz Part cleanliness specifica ons, limi ng par culates to the single-digit micrometre range and below, while also imposing ultra-exac ng thresholds for film-type contaminants, are rou nely imposed in diverse industries today. Achieving such figures with full process reliability in volume manufacturing requires perfectly adapted cleaning solu ons. single-digit micrometre range and below. On top of this requirement, key cleanliness limits regarding outgassing of organic and inorganic contaminants lie in the atomic percent range. Specific thresholds are defined in accordance with the given product material.

Development of complete cleaning processes

Cleaning diverse parts and components to highly exac ng standards of cleanliness calls for perfectly adapted equipment and process design.

In industrial segments, such as semiconductors, measuring instruments, precision devices, micro technology and op cal systems, demands on the performance and reliability of parts and components have risen steeply. The trend towards miniaturisa on and func onal integra on gives rise to ever more complex geometries.

On the other hand, new developments in, for example, wafer steppers and scanners for extreme ultraviolet radia on (EUR) radiography result in geometrically complex high-precision mechanical components that are becoming substan ally larger and heavier.

“With such parts, which may consist of diverse materials, such as stainless steel, copper and aluminium alloys, hard metals, Zerodur, ceramics and plas cs, we are now covering diameters in the 0.5 mm to 1,500 mm range.

Weights vary between under 1 g and 500 kg”, reports Volker Lehmann, Head of the Precision Applica ons Business Unit, Ecoclean. The SBS Ecoclean Group (formerly Dürr Ecoclean) develops, manufactures and distributes machines and systems, and provides services, for industrial parts cleaning and surface processing.

However, a feature shared by all these parts is that they must be processed to significantly more exac ng standards of surface cleanliness. This applies to par cle-type surface contaminants and film-type residues, stains and discoloura ons, and also to the biological and ionic contaminants encountered in some industries. Thus, where the maximum acceptable par cle size used to be between <5 μm and 150 μm, not too long ago, today’s standards call for cleanliness figures in the 28

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The basis for fulfilling such high demands reliably and cost-efficiently in a volume produc on context will typically be a mul -chamber ultrasonic cleaning system using eight to 12 wet stages and one or more cleaning chemicals tailored to suit the materials and contaminants involved. Such ultra-fine cleaning technology consists of, as a standard feature, mul -frequency ultrasonic devices with flexible control of the US frequency and intensity to meet the cleaning needs of diverse workpieces.

“As part of our process development, process parameters such as temperatures, ultrasound frequencies and treatment mes are adapted to the product and contamina on type. Addi onal process engineering aspects, for example, with a view to ensuring a good fluid exchange even in blind holes, capillaries and undercut areas, are likewise defined at this stage”, Volker Lehmann explains.

If parts are shaped with an eye on surface cleaning needs, it will be easier for the cleaning process to sa sfy the specified requirements. A good quality surface finish (ie polished or ground) is another necessary condi on. On drilled holes, burrs and sharp edges are undesirable. Likewise, blind holes and very narrow capillary passages should be avoided.

A further important aspect in process development is drying. Depending on the part’s complexity and heat absorp on capacity, either mere vacuum drying is employed or a combined process, for example, with upstream infrared drying.

The cleaning trials needed for process development are carried out by the equipment manufacturer in their own technical centres, using defined reference parts.

Part carriers suppor ng the cleaning process One issue to be addressed in process development is the design of part-specific product carriers, such as rotary, l ng or sta onary types. What ma ers is that these car-

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ture developed by UCM ensures that the cleaning or rinsing fluid enters each tank from below, then rises up and runs over the edge on all sides. This causes a permanent flow inside the tank which, on the one hand, provides an intense treatment of each part. On the other hand, due to the large volume, the very small par cles and other residue removed from the product are discharged from the tank straight away, so any re-contamina on of parts during unloading and transfer opera ons is prevented.

“In addi on, we strive for flow-op mised design of all equipment components so that foreign ma er cannot accumulate anywhere in the system”, Volker Lehmann says.

Part carriers must neither obstruct the fluid flow to the product being cleaned, nor cause any carryover of cleaning media.

Accordingly, the chambers and tanks possess no corners for contaminants to se le in. On equipment for ultra-clean applica ons, parts of the pipework are made of polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF). This high-performance plas c material is noted for its abrasion strength and chemical resistance but also provides very smooth surfaces to which foreign ma er will not adhere. PVDF pipes are welded by the BCF process to obtain bead and crevice-free joints. They are installed without any 90° elbows and are laid to a gradient. This ensures that the piping will always drain fully and no stagnant water can collect anywhere.

Special demands are also placed on the design of the automa c handling and transfer systems. Here the predominant objec ve is to avoid abrasion, ie to ensure that no foreign ma er can enter the tanks. This can be achieved either with handling devices placed below the bath surface or via appropriately protected process equipment in combina on with cleanroom grade components such as linear mo on units.

Controlling the air flow regime within the system is another major item.

Automa c transfer systems are of an abrasion-free design to avoid bath contamina on.

riers must not mask the product to be cleaned, and that any carryover of contaminated fluid is prevented.

“In order to generate a laminar flow, flow boxes are integrated into the roof of the system. However, it is o en forgo en that the air will also hit the bath surface, disrup ng the laminar flow. An op mum laminar flow can only be achieved with the aid of a suitable extrac on feature, for example, through a perforated floor”, Volker Lehmann explains.

“In order to achieve an op mum result in minimum me, even with different parts, the turning or l ng mechanism should allow for speed control and posi on adjustment. Op mum posi oning of the part, taking into account its geometry, in conjunc on with suitably designed mechanical func ons of the bath system will greatly facilitate the fluid exchange, for example, in blind holes”, Volker Lehmann adds.

An indispensable property of part carriers for ultra-clean parts is that they cause no damage or deposit par cles on the product and ensure ‘abrasion-free’ movements.

Designing equipment for high cleanliness Apart from process engineering and part carriers, the design of the cleaning system itself has a key impact on how well and how reliably the exac ng cleanliness standards will be achieved. Thus, the four-sided overflow fea-

An op mum laminar flow can only be achieved with the aid of a suitable extrac on feature, for example, through a perforated floor.

All images by Ecoclean GmbH

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NEW MULTI CHIP FAN OUT WAFER LEVEL PACKAGING DEVELOPMENT LINE TO BENEFIT THE SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY It will have an impact in several sectors.

A*STAR’s Ins tute of Microelectronics (IME) has established a development line to accelerate the development of Fan-Out Wafer Level Packaging (FOWLP) capabili es for next-genera on Internet of Things (IoT) technologies.

The FOWLP development line, which is built upon exis ng infrastructure at IME’s facili es at Singapore Science Park II, and its new facili es at Fusionopolis Two, will allow IME and its partners to develop technologies that serve a wide range of markets such as Consumer Electronics, Healthcare, and Automo ve Engineering.

The IoT is set to become the next growth driver for the semiconductor industry, as demand for internet-connected devices con nues to soar. FOWLP is an emerging breakthrough chip packaging technology pla orm aimed at mee ng the technology requirements of next-genera on electronic devices that require ultra-low power consump on rates, smaller package profiles and higher performance - all made at a lower cost.

IME’s FOWLP development line is equipped with fully automated tools that can perform the ‘mould-first’ and ‘Re-Distribu on Layer (RDL)-first’ method in mul -chip fabrica on. The RDL-first method is expected to achieve a higher reliability rate compared to the conven onal mould-first method tradi onally used by the semiconductor industry.

IME and its partners will jointly develop tools and processes for next-genera on FOWLP technologies such as high speed Copper (Cu) pillar pla ng, Physical Vapour Deposi on (PVD) process to control the wafer warpage, mouldable underfilling for Chip-to-Wafer, as well as over moulding on wafer

with ver cal Cu pillar/Cu wire interconnec ons using wafer level compression moulding, plasma descum of small vias and warpage adjustment etc.

To unlock the poten al of FOWLP and accelerate the development and adop on of these innova ve process technologies by the industry, IME has also formed a consor um comprising leading OSAT (Out-Sourced Assembly and Test),

Through mould interposer with embedded fine interconnec ons for 2.5D applica ons

Ultra thin Fan-Out Package-on-Package for mobile applica on

RDL-First FOWLP wafer with bonded mul -chips on RDL before moulding 30

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mm-wave antenna in Fan-Out Wafer Level Package for 5G and IoT applica ons

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Materials, Equipment, EDA (Electronic Design Automa on) and Fabless partners.

The FOWLP Development Line Consor um will allow members across the value chain to co-share resources on an open innova on pla orm, and draw upon IMEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s por olio of advanced packaging capabili es to address the complexi es in system scaling and heterogeneous system integra on. The FOWLP development line will be a test-bedding pla orm through which consor um members could gain new insights on requirements of FOWLP by tes ng and developing new processes, paving the way for high-volume manufacturing.

The FOWLP development line u lises tools already in use in major OSATs, and will allow processes, materials and integra on flows developed at IME to be smoothly transferred.

Through this development line, fabless companies could also make quicker decisions on package structure, integra on flows, processes, materials and equipment for their new products, so that materials and equipment suppliers could expedite the development of their products and increase their adop on.

Members of the FOWLP Development Line Consor um Applied Materials Inc Asahi Kasei Corpora on Dipsol Chemicals Co Ltd ERS Electronic GmbH Fujifilm JSR Corpora on Kingyoup Optronics

Kulicke & SoďŹ&#x20AC;a Nordson Corpora on Open-Silicon Orbotech Ltd STATS ChipPAC Pte Ltd Toho Kasei Co Ltd TOWA Corpora on

(Applied Materials Inc, ERS Electronic GmbH, Nordson Corpora on, Orbotech Ltd and TOWA Corpora on are also FOWLP Development Line Joint Lab Partners)

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LOOK, MA,

NO HANDS ON THE WHEEL

by Queek Jiayu Autonomous vehicles, or AVs, are no longer the answer to a ques on. They are the star ng premise.

Where are we at in terms of its development and use? What are some of the possible challenges and their possible solu ons? The Singapore Engineer finds out.

Digitalisation – Whether we like it or not, this trend is here to stay. Its effects are increasingly reaching into every corner of our lives, and every so often, we hear, or see related buzzwords that float across our device-of-choice for consuming the news: “Internet of Things (IoT)”, “smart cities”, “Industry 4.0”, “autonomous vehicles”, “artificial intelligence”, and so on.

At the recently-concluded Mobile World Congress Americas, more than 21,000 visitors from 110 countries and territories descended upon San Francisco to discuss the latest developments in this Connec vity will facilitate digitalisa on and is a key enabler for the vehicles of the future. field, as well as showcase their wares.

Photo: Gustavo Fernandez for GSM Associa on.

The three-day conference, held from 12 to 14 September 2017, was the inaugural North American leg of the world’s largest Autonomous vehicles: A primer exhibi on and conference for the mobile industry.

So what are AVs and what can they do?

Not surprisingly, the talk of the town revolved around Simply put, an AV is a vehicle that is capable of gatherthe same few buzzwords listed above, and how uping data about its environment and making naviga onal coming fifth-generation (5G) mobile networks will be decisions without any human input. able to catalyse their development. This also extended into discussions on the vehicles of the future, both The Society of Automo ve Engineers (SAE), in 2014, connected and autonomous, as a computing platform created a classifica on system which defined the levels of the next decade. of autonomy for vehicles:

CONVENTIONAL DRIVING

AUTOMATED DRIVING

ASSISTED DRIVING

EYES ON

EYES OFF

HANDS ON

LEVEL

HANDS OFF

HANDS OFF (TEMPORARY)

0

1

DRIVER ONLY

DRIVER ASSISTANCE

Lane Departure Warning

Cruise Control

Automatic Transmission

Lane Keep Assist System

2

3

ADVANCED DRIVER ASSISTANCE

4

5

HIGHLY AUTOMATED

FULLY AUTOMATED

Park Assist Systems Autonomous Emergency Braking Systems Basic Platooning

Remote Control Parking Motorway Assist Mid-Range Platooning

Full Motorway Pilot Advanced platooning

Driverless Cars

The five levels of vehicle autonomy as defined by SAE and the technologies defining each level. Image: Pathway to Driverless Cars Report, UK Department for Transport, 2016.

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Level 1: Assisted driving – The vehicle can take control of either steering or braking under certain driving modes. Vehicles with adap ve cruise control and parking assistance systems can be considered as having Level 1 autonomy.

Level 2: Par al automa on – The vehicle is able to take control of both steering and braking, but only under certain condi ons such as driving on expressways. The driver retains ul mate control over the vehicle. The Autopilot system in Tesla’s vehicles is an example of Level 2 autonomy.

Level 3: Condi onal automa on – Similar to Level 2, the vehicle is able to assume responsibility for driving under certain traffic and environmental condi ons. It can respond to spontaneous road events and change lanes.

The driver need not monitor the situa on as much as the previous levels, but has to retake control when the system requests as such.

Vehicle manufacturers such as Ford, Volvo and Toyota are aiming to skip Level 3 and go straight to Level 4 as they believe that there are safety and liability issues with the human takeover of vehicle control at this level. The value proposi on for such an intermediate mode is also ques onable.

It’s not only about the vehicle, but what it is connected to To enable AVs to perform their tasks, they need to be able to sense their environments. This is currently achieved through the use of detec on systems such as cameras, radar, and acous c-loca on sensors that funcon akin to sonar. However, they only allow the vehicle to know what is within its line-of-sight, leaving it unprepared for the ac ons of other vehicles that it cannot see.

In a bid to combat this problem, the United States Naonal Highway Traffic Safety Administra on is planning to mandate vehicle-to-vehicle communica on capabili es as early as 2020. In theory, this would allow vehicles to communicate with each other through what is essen ally Wi-Fi, expanding the situa onal awareness of the AV. For example, it would be know if another vehicle further in front of it has applied emergency brakes due to foul road condi ons, or be no fied of heavy vehicles approaching the corner.

Level 4: High automa on – The vehicle is able to drive itself full- me with li le need for human interven on, but once again, only within certain environments and condi ons. Google’s Waymo self-driving cars have logged more than 1 million miles (4.8 million km) between October 2016 and May 2017 alone.

As we move towards greater interconnec vity, literally turning everything into sensing, compu ng pla orms, it would not be completely unimaginable to think of AVs communica ng with infrastructure such as traffic lights to op mise travel efficiency or streetlights to determine the availability of roadside parking, payment and even real- me toll charges. Known as vehicle-to-infrastructure communica ons, this is also currently a major field of study being undertaken by academia and industry throughout the world.

One of the Waymo self-driving reference vehicles, Firefly 1. Photo: Waymo LLC

Level 5: Full automa on – The Holy Grail of AV aspiraons, level 5 autonomy is where the steering wheel is op onal as the vehicle is expected to perform just as well as a human driver in every driving condi on, including extreme weather and road condi ons.

Apart from Tesla and Google, AV concepts and technologies are undergoing intensive tes ng and development at major manufacturers such as Toyota, Hyundai, Ford, BMW and GM. A variety of melines have been announced, ranging from full level 4 capability by next year, to level 5 capabili es being achievable by the middle of the next decade.

What else? Wearable technology (in the form of fitness trackers, for example) is already in the market today. Integra ng these two is almost a foregone conclusion – in fact, Ford’s research centre in Detroit is already working on integra ng health informa on and in-vehicle technologies. The autonomous vehicle of tomorrow might be able to go one step further, monitoring your health on the go and making recommenda ons on how to alleviate ailments or even take ac on to address immediate medical concerns.

Furthermore, not only will AVs be able to sense the environment around them, they will also be able to make use of data from monitoring their internals. Telemetry supplied from cri cal systems such as the vehicle ba ery, engine, fuel tanks and so on will be able to indicate the health of THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2017

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the vehicle, allowing it to make and schedule predic ve maintenance ac ons for the operator, thereby extending its opera onal life. This, together with loca on-based tracking and fleet management systems, will no doubt be of great importance to logis cs companies, among others.

Collec ve effort necessary to overcome challenges What this means is that it isn’t just solely about the AV itself, but also all the relevant technologies and the ecosystem it will become a part of. Ar ficial intelligence systems will be necessary to make sense of the large volumes of data that will be collected from, and flowing within, the environment.

US memory solu ons provider Micron Technology, in conjunc on with industry analysts, es mate that data storage requirements for such vehicles could reach 1 terabyte (1,000 gigabytes) by 2020. Memory system bandwidths of 300 gigabytes per second (GB/s) and beyond would be required to power fully autonomous driving.

Thus, a major challenge would be to provide adequate memory and processors on board AVs to handle such a tremendous volume of data.

Micron, for example, has commenced shipping automo ve-grade low-power double data rate (LPDDR) memories to customers. These are of the highest speed grade (for the LPDDR4x specifica on), running at 4,266 megatransfers per second, and can enable system bandwidths of up to 100 GB/s, providing a founda on for the next-genera on of AV design.

Graphics memory (GDDR), a high-performing memory commonly found today in gaming, graphics and virtual reality applica ons, is also being tapped on to provide the highest bandwidth solu ons that will meet the needs of Level 4 autonomy and beyond. Companies such as graphics specialist NVIDIA have already begun making inroads into this field, supported by suppliers such as Micron.

The current limita ons of machine vision also remain obstacles to overcome. While LIDAR (light detec on and

ranging) will not be affected by condi ons such as sun glare or darkness, it can s ll be confused by inclement weather, namely, heavy rain and snow.

Also, while current semi-autonomous vehicles have clearly demonstrated capabili es such as adherence to road markings and op mising routes based on best available data, there exists a capability gap in terms of reac ng to dynamic situa ons such as temporarily-realigned roads, faulty traffic signals, and, more importantly, recogni on of signals from traffic authori es or law enforcement officers.

It is likely that the AI systems that are at the heart (or, for our purposes, the brain) of AVs will be adapted in order to close this gap, through the use of deep learning and data analy cs to improve their ability to recognise dynamic road situa ons and apply any necessary measures.

Un l the imaging resolu on of machine vision systems can be improved significantly, it might be be er for AVs to enter some form of “safe-driving” mode, with reduced speeds and greater frequencies of inspec ng the surroundings, for example, un l inclement weather passes.

Road traffic authori es and automakers may also have to collaborate on developing specific training procedures to facilitate human-AV interac ons.

One of the biggest challenges, however, is cybersecurity.

The AV, being a connected vehicle that receives, sends, and processes informa on, is a target-rich environment for tech-savvy criminals given the many points of entry that can be used to gain access. Take GPS, which is the cornerstone of vehicle naviga on systems – in August this year, it was reported that the naviga on systems of 20 ships in the Black Sea were affected by a rogue spoofing a ack that placed them kilometres inland of their actual posi ons.

In 2015, security researchers Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek took control of a Jeep Cherokee through its entertainment system in a controlled demonstra on for Wired magazine.

And what about disgruntled employees who might be out to sabotage AVs by inser ng malware or malicious code into the vehicles right from the produc on line?

For a start, several layers of defence need to be erected to protect its different parts from within and without. For example, Micron’s Authenta security solu on, when deployed within the memory systems of an AV’s electronic control units, is able to protect connected devices at the hardware level through a secure boot process.

Vehicles should be able to receive security patches overthe-air as well. Cloud service security providers would do good to be able to detect and defeat threats before they even reach the AV. At the supply-chain level, stringent risk management measures will have to be in place as part of the overall cybersecurity effort. Manufacturers will also have to be cognizant about who their suppliers are, sourcing parts only from trusted vendors who adhere to strict security processes, who have the lowest risks of compromised components.

A Micron 120GB solid-state drive used in vehicles. With increasing requirements for data storage space and processing power in nextgenera on AVs, the need for capable solu ons in the near future will become even more per nent.

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This will be a constant tug-of-war between the good guys and the miscreants, and a perennial concern that will take the efforts of all stakeholders to provide feasible solu ons.

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How the Authenta secure memory solu on works. Image: Micron

Singapore: Public transport and logistics AV applications In Singapore, test-bedding of AVs have begun as early as 2010, with a collabora on between NUS and the Massachuse s Ins tute of Technology which culminated into an AV powered by electricity that was approved for tes ng at one-north in September 2015. These ini a ves are all part of Singapore’s Smart Na on ini a ve and efforts towards building a car-lite society by 2020.

Many other programmes have also been given the green light in the past three years,, such as tech start-up nuTonomy’s driverless taxi trials in one-north, ST Engineering’s passenger AV (known as the Auto Rider) trials at Gardens

By The Bay, and a couple of electric, self-driving shu le trials that are ongoing between NTU and CleanTech Park.

The trial routes approved by LTA for AV tes ng was also expanded by another 55 km in June this year to include NUS, Singapore Science Parks 1 and 2, and parts of Dover and Buona Vista.

Furthermore, LTA will work with ST Kine cs to develop and trial autonomous buses in a three-and-a-half year project, between now and 2020.

Apart from the various public transport-centric R&D programmes, the AV landscape in Singapore is also currently focused on logis cs applica ons to improve produc vity and alleviate problems brought about by a dwindling pool of transport drivers.

The Ministry of Transport, PSA Corpora on and automakers Scania and Toyota have already begun truck platooning trials from January this year. The first phase will be carried out by the automakers in their respec ve facili es, a er which one of them will be selected for road trials along a 10 km test route on West Coast Highway.

A Belgian-Dutch partnership has also begun tes ng autonomous trucks on Jurong Island. They are currently being guided by transponders buried in roads, with plans to move on to satellite guidance and Level 5 autonomy in the long run.

Moving forward With Level 5-enabled AVs slated to enter the global market by the next decade, similarly equipped, crewless aircra , ships and even spacecra might not be too far away. For Singapore, with the recent announcement of zero growth

nuTonomy is one of the many companies that are trialling autonomous vehicles in Singapore. Photo: nuTonomy.

for cars and motorcycles from February 2018, the impetus for greener, safer, more efficient and on-demand public transport systems to fulfil the needs of Singaporeans around the clock has grown even more. The projected capabili es of AVs should be well able to support this need in the car-lite future that the Government has envisioned.

According to the Smart Na on and Digital Government Office, “LTA is also evalua ng several exci ng proposals from local and interna onal companies to develop and test mobility-on-demand concepts and self-driving buses … for shared, on-demand, point-to-point mobility.” Should the trials go well, they will help to cement the integral role AVs will play in the Singapore transport system.

What has been put forth here, however, is only the p of the iceberg. There are myriad other issues to consider and challenges to overcome as development of AVs con nue.

However, it is certain that this technology is here to stay and that the world is truly an engineer’s oyster should he or she be well-equipped with the inter-disciplinary knowledge and skills that are central to the development effort.

We sure are living in interes ng, disrup ve mes.

Disclosure: The author was sponsored by Micron Technology to a end its Global Editors Day 2017 industry event, as well Mobile World Congress Americas.

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DELIVERY OF DOWNTOWN LINE DTL PROJECT USING SYSTEMS ENGINEERING APPROACH

by Khin Hnin Lwin, Jason CS Ong, Yap Kwee Seng and Salmiah Othman, Land Transport Authority This is the 3rd Systems Engineering ar cle curated by the Systems Engineering Technical Commi ee.

This ar cle aims to showcase the applica on of Systems Engineering in tackling and solving complex problems. Refer to the earlier ar cles (‘What is Systems Engineering?’ in the March 2017 Issue of ‘The Singapore Engineer’ and ‘The Singapore Water Story’ in the July 2017 Issue), for more insights on Systems Engineering.

Legend Exis ng Rail Lines Land Transport Masterplan 2008 Rail Lines Land Transport Masterplan 2013 Rail Lines Figure 1: Land Transport Master Plan (LTMP) 2013. Source: (LTA Website).

IMPORTANCE OF LAND TRANSPORTATION The well-being of society in a country is highly dependent on the development of the social, poli cal and economic condi ons. And enabling economic growth is the crea on of extensive land transport infrastructure.

If the land transport network is effec ve and efficient, it provides economic and social opportuni es, resul ng in posi ve mul plier effects, such as be er accessibility to markets, employment and addi onal investments.

SINGAPORE’S MASS RAPID TRANSPORT SYSTEM One of the major modes of public land transport in Singapore is the Mass Rapid Transport (MRT) system. Travelling me has reduced over the years, as Singapore con nues to build a wide-coverage, efficient MRT network.

In Land Transport Master Plan (LTMP) 2013, as shown in Figure 1, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has indicated its commitment to expanding the MRT network to about 360 km, by 2030. The Downtown Line (DTL) is one of the MRT lines planned in LTMP to increase the MRT network.

It connects newly developed towns in the north west and the densely populated east end of Singapore to the new downtown in the centre of the city. The DTL project was announced by LTA in mid-2005. The line is an underground, driverless, medium-capacity MRT System that is 42 km long 36

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and has 34 sta ons. DTL runs from Bukit Panjang Sta on (DT01) to Expo Sta on (DT35). The line was opened in stages - Stage 1 in December 2013, Stage 2 in December 2015, and Stage 3 in October 2017. The Downtown Line 3 extension (DTL3e) was announced on 15 August 2014, where two sta ons, Xilin Sta on and Sungei Bedok Sta on, will be added to the DTL and will be opera onal in 2024.

COMPLEXITY OF MRT SYSTEM AND NEED FOR SYSTEMS ENGINEERING The MRT System in Singapore is an inherently complex System of Systems. This ar cle examines the delivery of the DTL MRT System, from a large-scale Systems Engineering perspec ve. The tradi onal engineering project management approach is no longer adequate in managing such a complex project. Thus, applica on of systems thinking and a Systems Engineering approach is necessary to be er manage the emergent behaviours and op mise the delivery of the DTL MRT System as a whole.

The DTL project comprised separate Electrical and Mechanical (E&M) Systems contracts. LTA undertook the role of systems integrator to ensure the overall systems integra on. The various Civil and major E&M Systems and Subsystems that make up a typical driverless MRT System in Singapore are shown in Figure 2.

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Figure 2: Systems involved in a driverless MRT line.

Figure 3: Typical Systems Engineering ‘V’ Cycle for MRT line.

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DTL SYSTEMS ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT ORGANISATION The DTL Overall Systems Engineering Management Organisa on was set up to ensure that the respec ve domain experts are involved throughout the DTL System lifecycle, from concept through development, producon (comprising verifica on and valida on), opera on and maintenance, and to system upgrade. The objec ve is to orchestrate the inclusion of the DTL project lifecycle within the en re land transport landscape, so as to meet LTA’s mission to provide commuters with a highly efficient, safe, comfortable and convenient transport system, within the project budget.

The Systems Engineering ‘V’ Cycle Model, as shown in Figure 3, is tailored to manage the integrated system development, from the incep on of the DTL Project ll its eventual decommissioning. The Systems Engineering ‘V’ Cycle for DTL can be broadly divided into five phases - Concept, Development, Produc on, U lisa on (Operaon and Maintenance), and Support (Upgrade).

Concept of DTL High level concepts of opera on are developed and captured in the Opera on Concept document which is an operator-oriented document that describes quan ta ve and qualita ve system characteris cs of the proposed DTL System from the operator’s viewpoint. Tender documents for individual system contracts also define the requirements for design, interface management, requirements management, configura on management, performance, manufacture, tes ng and commissioning of the systems to be built and put into opera on.

Development of DTL systems This phase begins with the award of the contracts.

During the development stage, the Opera on Concept

document is translated into Opera ng Modes and Principles Document (OMPD), as part of the Systems Engineering approach to manage system complexity, providing a systema c process to develop a balanced and integrated system solu on. OMPD encompasses the details of the requirements for the overall opera on of the DTL; the overall technical descrip on of the systems, including func ons of major systems and integrated system performance; and the systems opera on concept under normal, degraded and emergency opera on condi ons. The contractors for Rolling Stock, Signalling, Integrated Supervisory and Control, and Communica on Systems, as well as the designers for Tunnel Ven la on, Fire Protec on System, and Power System, were involved in the development of the OMPD. The OMPD also guides the contractors on their system design by providing an integrated high-level design solu on that is coherent with the overall integrated system architecture and opera on of the DTL.

Produc on, Verifica on and Valida on of DTL Systems With the design finalised at the end of the development phase, the contractors proceeded to procure, manufacture and assemble their systems. A er the produc on, the systems underwent integra on, verifica on and valida on, to determine whether the requirements for a system or component were complete and correct. The progressive integra on, verifica on and valida on of the various systems were performed from bo om-up, in a logical sequence, from Factory Acceptance Test to Trial Running, as shown in Figure 4.

From the Systems Engineering perspec ve, all integra on and verifica on test ac vi es are traceable to the design requirements, through categories of tests recorded in the DTL test programme. The test programme also ensures all Off-site Integrated Tes ng (OSIT) and Onsite Tes ng ac vi es are complete, correctly sequenced, and

Figure 4: Sequence of Integra on, Verifica on and Valida on procedures for the DTL Project.

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Upon the successful comple on of the Integrated System Acceptance Test for each stage of DTL, a cer ficate of Transfer of Care, Custody and Control (TCCC), along with the relevant documents, were prepared for handover to the Operator, SBS Transit (SBST), for revenue service opera on.

U lisa on (Opera on and Maintenance)

Figure 5: OSIT Tes ng Facility in Changchun, China.

traceable to design and test requirements specified in the tender document.

OSIT tes ng was conducted at the DTL train manufacturing facility in Changchun, China from September 2011 to January 2013. OSIT was implemented as a risk mi ga on measure for early iden fica on and rec fica on of systems-interface-related issues. The tes ng set up included an Opera ons Control Centre (OCC), one physical sta on and two virtual sta ons, with two new trains running on a 3 km test track.

As part of on-site tes ng in Singapore, comprehensive Integrated Tes ng and Commissioning (ITC) was carried out to verify the func ons and interfaces involving mul ple systems, a er the respec ve systems had completed their individual system tes ng and commissioning ac vies (STC). The ITC tests included pairwise point-to-point interface tests between systems and were followed by comprehensive func onal and safety tests amongst the various interfacing systems.

A er the comple on of STC and ITC, Train Test Running (TTR) was conducted to ensure the proper integra on of the various systems with trains and to verify system func on, behaviour and performance under normal, degraded and emergency scenarios. The TTR tests were conducted progressively, star ng with a single train at low speeds and then moving on to a higher speed for revenue service, before repea ng the low speed and revenue service speed tests with two trains. As the test progressed, the number of trains were increased gradually. As part of the TTR, the following tests were also performed: • Timetable-based Test Running • Normal, Degraded and Emergency Opera onal Tests • Performance Test • Carousel Running Test • Integrated System Acceptance Test The Integrated System Acceptance Test was conducted over seven days, at the end of the Test Running, based on a set of acceptance criteria derived from the DTL Opera on Performance Standard.

Before commencement of revenue service, the Operator produced and updated its opera on plan and maintenance plan, with the maintenance requirement provided by the contractors, and making reference to the OMPD. The opera on plan includes opera on overview, service level, organisa on and personnel, rules and procedures, safety, maintenance, emergency procedures, drills and con nuous improvement. The maintenance plan contains overview descrip on as well as preven ve maintenance, correc ve maintenance and maintenance informa on.

Support (Upgrade) This phase covers the system upgrade. Altera ons and Addi ons (A&A) works or replacement of the exis ng system due to obsolescence, capacity expansion, high cost of maintenance, advent of new technology etc, are to be carried out when the need arises.

Throughout the concept, development and produc on phase, the LTA project management team ensured that the DTL System of Systems, including the interfaces, is properly designed and the configura on change control is well managed. Once the DTL has been handed over to SBST, the operator ensures that configura on of the DTL systems con nues to be well documented for opera on and maintenance, and for future upgrade.

CHALLENGES IN MIGRATION OF OCC AND OPENING OF SECOND STAGE As the DTL started revenue service in stages, it posed an addi onal challenge, where addi onal tests (ie migra on tests) were required to be conducted, to ensure proper integra on of adjacent stages with the exis ng revenue service sectors. These tests could be conducted only during engineering hours, a er end of revenue service for the day, and had to be properly coordinated to ensure that the next day’s revenue service was unaffected.

When the DTL Stage 1 (DTL1) commenced revenue service in 2013, it was operated from a temporary Opera ons Control Centre (TEMP OCC) at Circle Line’s Kim Chuan Depot. Two years later, in 2015, when the permanent OCC at Gali Batu Depot (GOCC) was completed, the team had to plan for the migra on of the DTL1 control to the new OCC and its integra on with the adjacent DTL Stage 2 (DTL2) that was under test. Prior to the actual migra on of the systems, migra on test ac vi es were conducted three nights a week for six months during engineering hours, with a tes ng slot of three hours each night, during which, control of the DTL1 was switched over to the GOCC for cross-boundary tests involving THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2017

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GOCC

TEMP OCC

Figure 6: Migra on of DTL’s live OCC from TEMP OCC to GOCC (Source: LTA).

both the DTL1 and DTL2 stages. These tests involved the signalling, communica ons, integrated supervisory and control, and emergency trac on tripping systems. A er the ini al remote control and monitoring tests and safety func on tests, train carousel running tests were conducted on the DTL1 and DTL2, between Bukit Panjang Sta on and Chinatown Sta on, to weed out any poten al issues, before DTL2 opened.

These migra on tests culminated in a final exercise, where the control of DTL1 was permanently switched to the GOCC. It was the first me that the LTA had migrated the OCC of a revenue service line. The team had only three hours to complete the configura on of all system network switches, configura on updates and func onal checks, to ensure system correctness. The switchover involved more than 200 staff from LTA, its contractors and the Operator. The successful migra on of the OCC was possible due to the close coopera on amongst all 40

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the staff involved. Prior to the migra on, mul ple discussions were held to list all required works and to iden fy works that could be done beforehand. The remaining works that could be done only on the actual night were sequenced in detail to op mise the work schedule and avoid me wastage due to technical conflicts.

DEALING WITH THE MIGRATION CHALLENGE FOR DTL STAGE 3 For DTL Stage 3 (DTL3), the main challenge faced was the scale of tests to be performed during integra on tes ng, for its integra on with the exis ng DTL1 and DTL2.

Whereas DTL1 and DTL2 have a combined length of 21 km and 18 sta ons, DTL3 alone measures 21 km, with 16 sta ons and 1 depot. Thus, the DTL3, together with DTL1 and DTL2, has doubled the full loop run me and number of trains required to provide the same level of

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service performance. The three-hour tes ng slot during engineering hours was no longer sufficient to run trains for a full loop between Bukit Panjang Sta on and Expo Sta on. More me was also required for preparatory works before each test, as more trains and sta ons were involved now.

To ensure sufficient me to test the en re DTL as an integrated line, LTA decided to start the revenue service of DTL1 and DTL2, later at 7.30 am, instead of the usual 5.50 am, on Sundays. This was conducted for a period of three-and-a-half months, from mid-May 2017 to end-August 2017. Temporary shu le buses running parallel to DTL1 and DTL2 were introduced to mi gate the impact on the affected commuters. The addi onal me allowed the engineers to conduct intensive performance checks on the DTL, verifying system performance and behaviour, under load condi ons. The extended tests enabled the team to discover issues that arose from the integra on of DTL3 with the exis ng DTL1 and DTL2, at an early stage, and these issues were resolved before the start of the DTL3 revenue service.

The team conducted post-mortem assessments a er each test session, to iden fy choke-points and made

improvements to streamline test opera ons and coordina on among the different par es sta oned at different loca ons. Table-top exercises were conducted every week to rehearse the test sequences and ensure that all par es deployed at the OCC, depot and sta ons, were familiar with the test plan. These processes helped to eliminate coordina on issues and increase test effec veness.

CONCLUSION Adop ng a well-defined and effec ve Systems Engineering approach to enable the successful delivery of DTL has proven to be valuable and indispensable. Cost-effec ve use of scarce resources and systems thinking have contributed to the success in delivering the DTL Project on me, within budget and which meets performance requirements.

Adherence to a proven and efficient Systems Engineering process, from project incep on ll project comple on, requires strict control in several interdisciplinary areas during the development and produc on phase. As described in this ar cle, managing a complex system delivery requires con nuous improvements to be made to the system in order to further enhance the system.

Figure 7: Stages in the opening of the DTL, shown on the MRT Line Map (Source: LTA).

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2017

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SYSTEMS ENGINEERING

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES SIGNS AGREEMENT

TO ACQUIRE NO MAGIC The move is expected to facilitate ‘new connected experiences’.

Dassault Systèmes reently announced the signing of a defini ve agreement to acquire its partner No Magic Incorporated, a global solu ons company focused on Model-Based Systems Engineering and Architecture Modelling for So ware, and System of Systems. No Magic is headquartered in Allen, Texas, USA, and has offices in Lithuania and Thailand.

The acquisi on of No Magic strengthens Dassault Systèmes’ industry solu on experiences based on the 3DEXPERIENCE pla orm by generalising Systems Engineering for developing the ‘Internet of Experiences’ - the smart and autonomous experiences that are digitally connecting products, nature and life in the physical world.

Enterprise customers, small companies and professionals in aerospace and defence (NASA/JPL, Boeing and Lockheed Mar n), transporta on and mobility (Ford, Renault, Honda, BMW and Nissan), and other industries (Sony, Panasonic, John Deere, GE Healthcare, Pfizer, J P Morgan and PayPal) rely on No Magic’s solu ons including its core product, MagicDraw, part of the Cameo Suite, for business process, architecture, so ware and system modelling with teamwork support. They gain dynamic visual insight, mi gate enterprise risk, lower costs and eliminate opera onal pain points caused by complex business and IT systems having mul ple technologies and standards.

development”, said Mr Gary Duncanson, President and CEO, No Magic.

“Our combined exper se with the CATIA brand leadership will open new doors for System of Systems Modelling across industries and countries, enable autonomous systems ini a ves with So ware Architecture Modelling, and generate new opportuni es combining Business Process and Systems Modelling with Enterprise Architecture.

Dassault Systèmes and No Magic both share a common vision and a ‘customer first’ a tude, offering solu ons that simplify the complexity of today’s connected world”, he added.

“The acquisi on of No Magic will posi on Dassault Systèmes as the undisputed leading provider of solu ons for all systems embedding so ware and establish an environment where building, tes ng and releasing so ware can happen rapidly, frequently and more reliably”, said Mr Philippe Laufer, CEO, CATIA, Dassault Systèmes.

“No Magic’s highly-skilled teams and industry-leading resources will accelerate the implementa on of our vision for this unified and integrated approach”, he added.

While providing con nuity for No Magic’s customers, Dassault Systèmes will integrate No Magic’s solu ons into its 3DEXPERIENCE pla orm, complemen ng and reinforcing CATIA applica ons. This will provide a ‘single source of truth’, allowing any user within a company to implement con nuous 3D digital processes and to address all lifecycle aspects of an experience, from Requirements, System of Systems Architecture Models, Systems and Sub-systems Architecture, to Func onal, Conceptual, Logical and Physical 3D Modelling Simula ons.

The 3DEXPERIENCE pla orm na vely supports openness by providing the largest range of open standards and languages for Systems Engineering, such as STEP, Modelica, FMI, ReqIF or OSLC. The acquisi on will enrich it with the adop on of industry standard models and languages such as UML-SysML, DoDAF, MODAF, UPDM, or UAF. In addi on, the acquisi on will provide small companies and professional users with access to more dynamic development tools to enhance their Business Process Modelling.

“We are delighted to become part of Dassault Systèmes and its game-changing approach to product design and 42

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2017

While providing con nuity for No Magic’s customers, Dassault Systèmes will integrate No Magic’s solu ons into its 3DEXPERIENCE pla orm, complemen ng and reinforcing CATIA applica ons.

IES UPDATE

51 YEARS OF CHAMPIONING ENGINEERING AND MANY MORE TO COME has spent 22 years in the public service developing the airport, military airbases and other establishments. He has also spent another 24 years in the private sector leading 10 public listed companies in worldwide real estate investment and development.

Er. Liew has also been an ac ve contributor to the nurturing of engineering talent, through roles such as the Provost’s Chair Professor (Prac ce) in the NUS Faculty of Engineering.

Mr Wong shares a light moment with Er. Khew.

IES celebrated outstanding engineering achievements underpinning Singapore’s growth over the past year, as well the past five decades, at its 51st anniversary dinner on 24 October 2017.

Mr Lawrence Wong, Minister for Na onal Development and Second Minister for Finance, graced the event at the Resorts World Sentosa Conven on Centre as guest-ofhonour, in the company of more than 700 IES members, engineers and industry guests.

“I am honoured to receive this pres gious award from IES. It signifies the successful career an engineer can achieve and sustain when he or she is truly commi ed to the engineering profession. I am one of those lucky ones who chose engineering as my training and commi ed myself to the profession,” said Er. Liew.

Commen ng on the award presenta on, Er. Khew said, “(Er. Liew’s) wide-ranging achievements illustrate that engineers, equipped with crea ve problem-solving skills, can enjoy successful careers in both engineering and business fields.”

The mood was upbeat, with a slew of happenings that commemorated engineering achievements taking place that evening. Firstly, the 50 Years of Engineering in Singapore book (see other story on pg 45) was launched by Mr Wong, IES President Er. Edwin Khew and Immediate Past President Er. Chong Kee Sen, who also chaired the book’s editorial commi ee.

“We hope that through this book, our younger generaon can be er appreciate the fascina ng journeys of our pioneer engineers and be inspired to blaze new trails of excellence to shape Singapore’s future,” said Er. Khew.

The IES Life me Engineering Achievement Award was then presented to Er. Liew Mun Leong, chairman of Changi Airport Group and Surbana Jurong. Er. Liew was the fi h winner of the Award, the top accolade accorded to engineers in Singapore.

Er. Chong (second from le ) discusses elements of the newly-launched book with some guests as IES CE Alvin Charm (fourth from le ) looks on.

This is in recogni on of his dis nc ve engineering leadership and his life me accomplishments that have made profound impact on the engineering industry and community, and his contribu ons that have brought internaonal honours to Singapore.

A civil engineer by training, Er. Liew has devoted his career to the na onal and infrastructural developm ent of Singapore. Beginning as an airport engineer par cipa ng in Changi Airport’s construc on in 1975, Er. Liew

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(Le to right) Er. Khew, Mr Wong and Er. Chong officially launching the ’50 Years of Engineering in Singapore’ book.

IES UPDATE

transform aerospace, medtech, electronics and other sectors that are pivotal to Singapore’s manufacturing sector growth, to ensure that high-tech manufacturing con nues to contribute to 20% of Singapore’s GDP.

The MoU was signed by IES CE Alvin Charm and SPETA Execu ve Director Steven Koh (second from right), witnessed by Er. Khew and SPETA Chairman Low Meng Wah (first from right).

Not forge ng to have some fun, the dinner, which was themed the “Black & Diamond Engineering Ball”, saw guests arrive decked out in classy black and shimmery-white combina ons. Several male and female guests, judged by the Secretariat to have impeccable fashion sense, were invited on stage towards the end of the dinner to duke it out in a “Ba le of the Poses”, where they had to match the harrowing ‘demands’ of the emcee before two were ul mately crowned the Best-Dressed Male and Female.

It was definitely an engaging night full of hustle and bustle. Here’s to the many more years ahead!

50 Years of Engineering in Singapore – What it is and where to get it The 185-page book is a pulsa ng chronicle of extraordinary engineering feats and innova ons across mul ple disciplines that defined the na on’s economic, infrastructural and societal transforma on over five decades.

The emcee pu ng the best-dressed contenders through their paces.

Two other eminent engineers, Er. Ho Siong Hin and Professor Chou Siaw Kiang, were conferred with the IES Honorary Fellow tle that evening. Recognising individuals who have made outstanding contribu ons to the engineering profession and to Singapore, the IES Honorary Fellowship counts Mr Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister and Coordina ng Minister for Na onal Security; Ms Ho Ching, Execu ve Director & CEO of Temasek Holdings, and other prominent engineers amongst its ranks.

Edited by Professor Cham Tao Soon, the compendium is a joint effort by IES and World Scienfic Publishing. It covers various domains such as land transporta on, water, energy, manufacturing, buildings & infrastructure, aerospace, infocomm technology, offshore & marine and health & safety; and concludes with an outlook on the future challenges for engineers.

The book is available for purchase at all major bookstores and online at h p://www.worldsc en fic.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/9366 at SGD 24 (so cover) and SGD 58 (hard cover).

Other awards presented at the dinner were the IES/IEEE Joint Medal of Excellence Award 2017 and the 2017 IESYayasan MENDAKI Scholarships.

The IES/IEEE medal went to Professor Low Teck Seng, CEO of the Na onal Research Founda on, for making contribu ons in engineering with far-reaching impacts on society, while the scholarships were awarded to Ms Syasya Aqilah Bte Nahar (Temasek Polytechnic) and Muhammad Hudzaifah Bin Sulaiman (NUS) for achieving excellent academic results and to support them in furthering their engineering studies or pursuing an engineering career.

IES also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Singapore Precision Engineering and Technology Associa on (SPETA) to drive greater innova on, transforma on and produc vity in the precision engineering sector.

The MoU will focus on deepening engineering and technical skillsets in the precision engineering sector to THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2017

45

IES UPDATE

1

2

3

1. Er. Liew (centre) receives his Life me Engineering Achievement Award from Er. Khew and Mr Wong.

4

2. Er. Ho (right) receiving his IES Honorary Fellow cer ficate from Er. Khew.

5

3. Prof Chou (right) poses for a photograph with Er. Khew during his Honorary Fellow conferment.

4. The IES/IEEE Joint Medal of Excellence was presented to Prof Low (centre)

by Er. Khew and Prof Lawrence Wong, who represented IEEE. 5. Er. Ho takes a group photo with the IES-Yayasan MENDAKI 2017 scholarship recipients, Ms Syasya Aqilah and Mr Muhammad Hudzaifah

ICYMI: RECENT IES TECHNICAL COMMITTEE EVENTS 19 August 2017 – Biomedical Engineering Seminar: MedTech – From Mind to Market The Biomedical Engineering Technical Commi ee (TC), together with the Biomedical Engineering Society (Singapore), organised the seminar for some 60 par cipants from the healthcare and pharmaceu cal sectors. Issues related to the development of medical technology in Singapore were discussed.

6 September 2017 – Engineering Talk: New Results on Energy Transmission Grids: Efficiency by Architecture The Electrical, Electronics and Computer Engineering TC held this talk in

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THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2017

collabora on with the SIT-IES Student Chapter. It saw engineering professionals and students from IHLs gather to share their knowledge and experience with each other.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Utschick from Technische Universität München Germany was the Guest Speaker.

29 September 2017 – Seminar: Challenges in the Process Industry – Key Elements of Safety Case & Energy Efficiency Improvements.

The Chemical and Process Engineering TC joined hands with the American Ins tute of Chemical Engineers to organise this full-day seminar at the Employment and Employability Ins tute. It was a ended by a host of par cipants from both government and industry who had roles in areas of energy efficiency, regulatory, and process safety.

VIEWPOINT

TRANSFORMING ENGINEERING EDUCATION THE FUTURE DEMANDS OF SINGAPORE’S DEVELOPMENT Professor Chong Tow Chong, Provost, Singapore University of Technology and Design

The Digital Transforma on has ushered the world into the 4th Industrial Revolu on where ar ficial intelligence, robo cs, big data, and the Internet of Things are enabling everyone and everything to be networked, sharing and processing informa on as a “huge brain” in an end-to-end digital ecosystem. Such unprecedented autonomy and mass automa on have led to a new era of development that will see intelligent machines subs tute human labour and jobs being replaced at a faster pace than being created. Professionals, managers, execu ves and technicians (PMETs) are par cularly vulnerable to being made redundant by these technological disrup ons.

In Singapore, one key strategy has been launch the SkillsFuture ini a ve by working closely with employers, the trade unions, and ins tutes of higher educa on to build up a curated list of training programmes in priority and emerging skills iden fied in the industry transforma on maps. Singapore has also embarked on a journey of becoming a smart na on by riding on the wave of the digital transforma on to open up new opportuni es and high-skilled jobs.

To support the demands of these new developments, the universi es have revamped their engineering curricula to include emerging skills and competencies such as Ar ficial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Data Analy cs, Cybersecurity, Robo cs, and 3D Prin ng.

There is now great emphasis on entrepreneurship and industry internship to expose students to real-world problems. The universi es have also began offering the SkillsFuture Series and expanding their role in con nuing educa on training. However, more could be done to fundamentally transform the universi es to be er equip engineering graduates with a strong technical founda on, and future-ready skills to adapt to new forms of work that may not be in existence today: 1. Breaking down silos and bringing together cross-disciplinary learning, global exposure and human-centric engineering educa on.

2. Greater emphasis on skills and a tudes to develop a range of crea ve thinking, problem solving, social and emo onal skills and foster a growth mindset of con nuous learning and entrepreneurship.

3. Move away from a “one size fits all” approach, allowing flexibility and choice for students to choose a pathway that suits their talents and interests.

4. Pedagogy innova on that combines ac ve and interac ve learning through digital technology that is scalable to large and diverse student cohorts including adult learners.

5. Co-crea ng programmes with industry by integra ng educa on and research through curriculum development, internship and lifelong learning.

The Digital Transforma on has presented an exci ng me to achieve engineering feats which can create a posi ve and las ng impact for the future of mankind. There is no be er me for universi es to reinvent themselves to inspire more passionate, young men and women to take up the challenge of being an engineer.

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THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2017