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SECTIONS 10 WATTS UP Updates on the Philippine Rise, saltwater battery technology and solar energy breakthroughs 20 SMART TRAVEL Discovering the deep on a SCUBA gear and with enough curiosity 22 SPECTRUM Investigating the scope and potential of 3D printing technology abroad and in the Philippines 28 WOMAN IN POWER How a young lady from Mindanao is shaking the startup world 36 WATTS IN STORE Unmasking the layers of the Internet of Things (IoT) and learning high-tech risks 38 ON THE GRID The latest events and happenings in and around the industry 46 EE Club Scene What you need to know about the world of movers and shakers in the industry 47 EE Club Calendar Plot your schedule based on upcoming electrical enthusiast and related events 48 PEMCOR Corner The latest news about the PEMCOR Group of Companies
55 IIEE-CSCAA Spotlight Getting to know Engr. Eugene Araullo of the Meralco Power Academy 58 IIEE-CSCAA PULSE2 News and updates about the official publication of the IIEE-CSCAA 62 LIFE SCHEMATIC Anything hip and trendy under the sun that an electrical enthusiast needs to know 63 SPECS CURRENTS The latest issue of the official publication of SPECS 76 WATTS NEXT Provocative issues in and around the industry curated for EE Club readers
F E AT U R E S 30 Locally Ex-Straw-Ordinary To Go Zero-Waste What does it take for the Philippines to go zero-waste when it comes to plastic straw usage? Sip PH has the answer. 32 Revisiting The Renewables The goal of the Department of Energy (DOE) is to fulfil energy sufficiency of 22,000-MW thirteen years from now. Get updated with various renewable energy projects that are currently in the pipeline for the Philippines.
ON THE COVER: ENGR. ERNESTO CABRAL As President of Vantage Energy Services and Management, Inc., Engr. Cabral is in control of a subsidiary that is engaged in contracting and managing power supply in the wholesale market and retailing electricity to qualified contestable customers in the competitive retail electricity market nationwide. Photography by Aubrey Gacer
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A Year Older But Better
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ach year, we get older. After each birthday celebration, we’re supposed to be wiser. Some of us gain new stuff, new ideas, and new friends while some incur the complete opposite. It’s always a good opportunity to assess where we stand. As we approach mid-2017, I stand to become one year older. I hope to be wiser. I expect to have an improved version of myself much like every issue of EE Club Magazine that we release. In this seventh issue, we revisit the many types of renewable energy (RE) projects in the Philippines from geothermal to biomass. We’re also rendering the spotlight on Philippine Rise and how crucial it is as a potential source for our country’s energy supply. Abroad, solar power-oriented endeavors are changing other countries’ landscape and we’re featuring such updates in the Watts Up section. Also in this issue is a report on saltwater battery and its significance in today’s energy demand.
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Since this issue is all about making the planet a better place to live in, we also tossed in a couple of stories about startups that have a heart for positive change – an advocacy by a newly-grad about steel drinking straws and another one about an innovative learning for kids that’s being helmed by a female entrepreneur. The rest of the magazine is hopefully what you expect it to be – useful updates for the electrical enthusiast from an infographic about electrical engineers to what’s new about the Society of Philippine Electrotechnical Constructors and Suppliers Inc. (SPECS).
Bernard H. Morillo
EE Club Magazine Publisher
Q: What type of renewable energy excites you the most if developed more in the Philippines? Some of the EE Club Magazine staff members give their opinions:
Karl Acepcion Editor-In-Chief
“The potential of biomass energy benefitting a lot of far-flung communities in the country is quite promising. We have a lot of grasslands that are not being utilized. More than providing alternative jobs, plants that are involved in harnessing biomass energy can find a lot of suitable locations here.”
Mary Grazellen Jose Sales and Marketing Manager
“There is an effort to combine the benefits of solar and hydroelectric power in one. The hybrid solution is really exciting to see if developed more in our country where we always have a year of sun and rain.”
BERNARD H. MORILLO
Kathleen Asuncion Contributing Writer
“It would be interesting to see the development of solar energy here. It would be a huge help to everyone since electricity bills can be reduced. Aside from being sustainable, solar energy is also available to everybody. In a country where there are still remote areas that cannot be reached by electricity, having solar panels at home can easily solve the problem of electricity being unavailable. Solar energy is also a clean source of energy which makes it better than other forms of RE since we are currently dealing with a lot of environmental problems.”
Ruby Batallones Contributing Writer
Being a tropical country, I’d like to see more use of solar energy in the country. The upfront cash out for solar panels, related equipment, and installation can be steep. However, the long term effects outweigh the cost. The use of solar energy does not only translate to savings from electricity bills (after ROI), it also brings environmental benefits. We’ll all get to save up and help the environment!
KATHLEEN A. ASUNCION RUBY ANN BATALLONES, GARY WENDELL MENDOZA
Publisher
EDSEL L. AFRICA
AUBREY GACER
KARL C. ACEPCION
Contributing Photographer
Editor-in-Chief
MARK JOSEPH A. CABALANG Art Director
MARY GRAZELLEN C. JOSE
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“Solar power. Our national flag has three stars and a sun with the latter featuring eight rays. It symbolizes the eight provinces that fought against the Spaniards which I believe are the same rays from the sun that will help us fight climate change. We can lessen our carbon footprint by using such renewable energy. And being a tropical country, we have this advantage.”
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EE CLUB – The Magazine for the Electrical Enthusiast is a quarterly publication of BHM Publishing House, Inc. Reproduction in any manner or form in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved. © 2016 by BHM Publishing House, Inc. eeclubmagazine@gmail.com
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Saving The Planet From Ourselves
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e often hear the clamor to save the planet but no one’s really defining as to what we need to save it from.
A lot of individuals worldwide are always excited about conjuring the future with ambitious projects that they hope will propel mankind to his greatest potential. After all, there’s always room for improvement. And this has been the unspoken motivation in every movement that waves the green advocacy flag. The movement can be a collective in Europe or a progressive city in Asia. It can be anywhere and from a cause that’s as novice as a startup. There is still a sense of relevance in what is perceived as genuine. Who can argue with a relevant intention to make this place a better world to live in anyway? No one can. Risk an attempt and you’re likely to be assigned a social media label, a post-industrial stigma that even the non-celebrities can afford to have these days.
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I have nothing against development for as long as it is sustainable. Those who are pushing for a better version of ourselves and our habitat can very well agree with me. It takes so much more effort to devolve than to evolve, so there’s no point in fighting the movement to go forward with new concepts, ideals and inventions. The issue to raise is evident. We can only save the planet if we know ourselves enough not to destroy it in the process. Every step we take matters, including the crazy leaps that we intend to make to compensate for the few setbacks committed by those who came before us.
Edsel L. Africa
EE Club Magazine President
Are You Ready For Saltwater Battery Technology?
Batteries are used to power our electrical devices such as smartphones, radios, flashlights and portable speakers, among others. It has shaped the way we create and operate things as much as electricity itself. The use of the technology has spread from modern cities to remote islands.
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t was around 18th century when Alessandro Volta made the voltaic pile also known as the first battery. After that, different batteries materialized around the world. At present, we have disposable batteries (alkaline) and rechargeable ones like lithium ion intended for handy electronics resembling laptops and tablets. Rechargeable batteries also include lead acid types which are used for large prerequisites such as cars and data centers.
With the abundance of saltwater in our oceans, who would’ve thought that it can be a source to revolutionize the battery industry?
Recently, saltwater battery technology took the limelight after Dr. Jay Whitacre, a US-based material scientist and founder of saltwater battery company, Aquion Energy, came up with an idea of developing the technology into a sustainable, safe and affordable product where it would yield better results against existing types of batteries in the market.
R E P O R T BY GA RY W E N D E L M E N D OZ A
Aqueous Hybrid Ion (AHI™) chemistry Whitacre developed Aquion Energy
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(saltwater) batteries following his patented Aqueous Hybrid Ion (AHI™) chemistry. It’s aqueous because it contains water-based Sodium Sulfate Electrolyte which is why it’s referred to as saltwater battery. Hybrid reactions (hybrid electrode configuration) take place inside the battery while multiple ions from sodium, lithium and hydrogen act as a primary charge transporter which stores energy in it. What’s Inside? Aquion Energy batteries have stainless steel for their current collector considering that they have multiple suppliers and are considered low cost at the same time. The batteries have electrodes made up of active material, carbon black, graphite, and polymeric binder which are stacked inside the anode and cathode. For their cathode, the experts at Aquion make use of Manganese Oxide because it can handle sodium well in an aqueous
environment. Then, they have Carbon Titanium Phosphate Composite for their anodes since it’s a proprietary material specific to their batteries. This material is also tolerant to Partial State of Charge (PSOC) cycling which means that even if the battery is continuously fully recharged or not, it won’t affect its battery life. Moreover, their synthetic cotton functions as separator inside and saltwater, being non-flammable, non-toxic and greater conductivity than other solvent alternatives, is utilized to become its electrolyte. How It Works The cathode and anode are plunged into the water-based Sodium Sulfate electrolyte containing positively charged ions from sodium, lithium, and hydrogen.
High ambient temperature in the Philippines won’t pose as a problem to these batteries because they are tolerant to heat and they don’t need temperature control systems.
The separator permits ions to flow between the cathode and anode but prevents the mixing of electrolytes within it. In this battery, they are also oversized to prevent internal shorting. During discharge cycle, negative electron from the anode moves to the load and then to the cathode. Meanwhile, positively charged ions from electrolytes move through the electrodes to balance the charge.
For the charge cycle, the electron flow reverses and, instead of loading, a DC power is connected. Safe and Sustainable LightUp Innovative Products, Inc. President Simon John Corocoto, pioneer user and distributor of Aquion Energy Batteries in the Philippines, is confident that their batteries are safe because the materials used are leadfree, non-toxic, non-flammable and nonexplosive. According to him, they are also sustainable because the materials are earthabundant. He even claims that they can be used at home as backup power battery bank. “It produces no toxic fumes (lead acid batteries), and I don’t have to worry about explosion and risk of fire (lithium batteries),” says Corocoto.
their showroom in LightUp Innovative Products, Inc. in Tatalon, Quezon City. Aquion Energy Battery As A Prime Choice Corocoto believes that, in the near future, Aquion Energy Battery will be the primary battery choice for energy storage in the Philippines. It will help replace toxic and dangerous batteries used in data centers and Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems in the country. He also sees this opportunity to become a reliable telecom power supplier for off-grid and weak-grid sites in remote provinces and as a primary battery for grid-scale and baseload solar shifting energy storage projects.
High ambient temperature in the Philippines won’t pose as a problem to these batteries because they are tolerant to heat and they don’t need temperature control systems. Total system cost is impressively lower than leadacid or lithium-ion battery. It’s also recognized by UL Standards, an American company which certifies safe compliant and installation compliant products around the United States and Canada. The battery passed UL 1973 or Standard for Batteries for Use in Light Electric Rail (LER) Applications and Stationary Applications. Furthermore, the Aquion Energy battery is also the first and only one in the world to be Cradle to Cradle Certified™. Cradle to Cradle is an independent certification organization which ensures consumers that no toxic components were used and sustainability plays an important role in the process of making batteries. Aquion Energy In The Philippines Corocoto and his team introduced Aquion Energy AHI™ batteries in the Philippines last December during the ASEAN Energy Storage + Solar Conference in Bellevue Hotel, Alabang, Muntinlupa City. After that stint, they attended the Aquion Energy Global Partner Training which took place in Aquion Energy headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. For now, you can now inquire and see the demo unit of the Aquion Energy batteries at
ELITE INVESTORS American billionaire Bill Gates is one of the early investors of Aquion Energy. Others include venture capitalists (Kleiner Perkins, Foundation Capital, ATV), strategic investors (Total Energy and Shell Energy), and individual Iinvestors (Tao Investment).
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Photo courtesy of www.wattwaybycolas.com
The Road To Solar-Powered Pavements
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ith road pavements facing the sky unoccupied by vehicles 90% of the time, the idea of converting a standard road into a route of solar panels is just reasonable. The inventive installation can be used as a thoroughfare given the right materials, photovoltaic techniques, and revolutionary construction. Netherlands already led the way by building a solar-powered bicycle path in 2014. The venture resulted in generating energy enough to power a home for a year.
The Solar Sinter: Nature Shaping Nature
Solar power and 3D technologies are both essential to what Markus Kayser does for a living. The 3D furniture and product designer finally achieved a hybrid solution via the Solar Sinter, a solar-powered machine that combines natural energy and material with high-tech production technology. It uses the power of the sun to drive it and directly harnesses its rays through a glass ball lens to cut 3D objects from a variety of powdered plastics, resins and metals using a cam-guided system. Photo courtesy of www.markuskayser.com
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In a Normandy village in France, the world’s first solar panel road was unveiled last December, 2016. Called Wattway, the 1-kilometer route in the small village of Tourouvre-au-Perche was constructed by Colas and is covered with 2,800 sq.m. of electricity-generating panels. The Philippines, known to be a tropical country, has a surfeit of sunshine during summertime and can be a potential location for such a construction, don’t you think so?
Philippine Rise: Misconceptions and Truths
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ff Aurora and Isabela, the enigmatic Philippine Rise sits 35 meters underwater at its shallowest point. It’s enigmatic to a lot of Filipinos but not to renewable energy (RE) enthusiasts who know what it holds. Unknown to many, the 13 million hectare undersea region is a rich source of mineral and gas deposits that can possibly help the Philippines achieve energy sufficiency sans the Malampaya gas field.
There’s a lot more to know about Philippine Rise but let’s first weed out the following misconceptions from the truth so that you can do your own research soon: Misconception #1: Also known as Benham Plateau, the undersea region is half the size of mainland Luzon. Truth: It’s wider than Luzon and the provinces of Leyte and Samar combined. Misconception #2: It was earlier named after a type of fish called benham. Truth: It was called as such because it was named after Andrew Benham, an American geologist who discovered it. Misconception #3: It has always been part of the territory of the Philippines. Truth: It was only in April, 2009 when the country lodged a full territorial waters claim with the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. By April, 2012, the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) recognized and officially approved the claim. As a result, the Philippine territory increased from 30 million hectares to 43 million hectares.
PHILIPPINE RISE
Misconception #4: There’s no assurance of oil deposits in the area. Truth: As a result of various mapping activities, solidified methane was found to be present in the region which means that it has massive oil deposits.
POTENTIAL FINDS DOWN THERE • Natural gas • Manganese, copper and gold deposits • Sunken treasure • Biodiversity of marine life
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ENGR. ERNESTO CABRAL:
There is nothing pompous about Engr. Ernesto Cabral. He may be at the helm of an affiliate company of the Philippines’ largest distributor of electrical power – Meralco -- but he always manages to look calm, collected, and well-groomed. Certainly not flamboyant at all. He’s simply a man clad in something remarkable that’s suited for a mission – one that he attributes to being a Christian. BY K A R L AC E P C I O N
PHOTOGRAPHY BY AUBREY GACER
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s President of Vantage Energy Services and Management, Inc., he is in control of a subsidiary that is engaged in contracting and managing power supply in the wholesale market and retailing electricity to qualified contestable customers in the competitive retail electricity market nationwide. The Cainta-resident is sharp and lean at 60. Without any vice to his reputation, his morning diet consists of cereals, milk, yogurt, fruit and prayer. His peers and associates know him to be piety. “My office is always open,” he ascertains. “I hear everybody’s voice. I’m open to advices. Wala kasing masamang tinapay sa akin.”
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A graduate of Manuel L. Quezon University, this Electrical Engineer is not just content doing his work mandate. Aside from being a decision-maker for a new company, he’s into personal advocacies that bolster his sense of fulfilment. He’s on a personal mission that encompasses everything that he does from being a board of trustee of an employees and retirees association to being involved in committees of the Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers of the Philippines (IIEE). EE Club Magazine recently got to know more about Engr. Cabral in a one-on-one interview:
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Customers who want to get supply no longer have to get it from the distribution company but rather from the suppliers.
EE Club: Please tell us about Vantage Energy. Engr. Cabral: Vantage Energy is a licensed retail electricity supplier (RES). RES is a new entity created by the Electrical Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA). The law made a clear separation of the retail supply from the distribution. The law made a clear separation of the segment of the power industry which consists of generation, transmission, distribution and supply making the generation and supply competitive. Customers who want to get supply no longer have to get it from the distribution company but rather from the suppliers. EE Club: How is the industry scene at the moment? What about competition? Engr. Cabral: There are about 29 legitimate electricity suppliers based on the list of members of the Retail Electricity Suppliers Association (RESA). Some are local, those that are put up by the distribution utility company themselves to cater to their customer within their respective franchise area. The licensed suppliers can sell anywhere. Vantage is the first RES affiliate of Meralco created to cater to the market outside of its franchise. We applied for a license late last year and it was granted last January 10 this year. EE Club: How has it been for the company in the first six months? Engr. Cabral: We are doing quite well. We are able to acquire a number of customers in our portfolio.The competitive retail market started in June, 2013 and as the market matures and supply increases, prices go down and the competition becomes tougher. EE Club: How are you addressing it at the moment? Engr. Cabral: We look and always find customers to match our products to provide the best value for both of us. If faced with competition head on, we try very hard to outdo them. But if we really cannot, we honestly tell the customer and walk away. EE Club: Have you already ascertained your strengths and weaknesses at this early stage of your operations? Engr. Cabral: Our strength is our people -- their long experience in the electric power industry especially those in key positions. In addition, we belong to the oldest but reliable and biggest distribution utility and pioneer in the electric power industry, Meralco.
Weaknesses? We need to go back and review even our initial strengths. EE Club: Let’s look back at your formative years, especially in college. How was studying Electrical Engineering for you as someone who’s known to have worked also at the same time? Engr. Cabral: It was difficult but I had to finish Electrical Engineering even if it took me seven long years to finally graduate. I had to work since my first year in college to be able to finance my education. I recall taking full load only to get sick and stopped for a while. Since then, I only enrolled for loads that I could manage. EE Club: What sort of sidelines did you have? Engr. Cabral: It’s not a sideline but a fulltime 8-5 work with a construction company. Through my sister’s friend, I got a job. The company even created a new position for me as Engineering Aide which was like a utility man for Engineers but doing minor engineering tasks. Not the utility tasks of preparing coffee but computing loads, tabulating load schedule, drafting and doing bill of materials and estimating work. I did it from 1975 to 1982. Before I graduated, I was promoted to draftsman. EE Club: How did it empower you as a student? Engr. Cabral: It was financially rewarding. I was able to provide for myself, give some to my mother and even have savings. It was encouraging, knowing the nature of the construction industry even before finishing school. So it encouraged me more to finish my engineering degrees. I eventually graduated and took up the board exam in 1982. EE Club: What’s the most interesting lesson that you’ve learned as a student, something that you can consider life-altering or defining for your current status? Engr. Cabral: You have to finish your studies to reach greater heights. Other people who were able to work and earn early in life stopped studying because it was their ultimate goal – to earn. They found no point to study further. For me, it’s different. I really have to study and finish my course. It’s the foundation of a fruitful career later in life. EE Club: What’s a typical day for you now
that you are the president of a big company? Engr. Cabral: I still wake up early, I say a short prayer and thank God, do some stretching and strengthening exercise. Then look at my work schedules for the day. EE Club: We noticed that you don’t have house help? Engr. Cabral: Since we don’t have one, we are doing things on our own. I regularly have to prepare a smoothie breakfast for my wife before I even take care of mine which consists of cereals, milk, yogurt and fruits and hot Milo. I have a lot of things to do these days. In fact other say I’m busier now than before. I’m also engaged with Meralco employees’ retirement association as board of trustee. I’m in charge of their logistics, office administration and membership committee. I’m also a member of Couples for Christ and presently a Cluster Couple Coordinator for the Youth for Christ, one of its ministries. I’m also involved in the Safety Committee of the IIEE. And I have a lot of aspirations for the Energy Efficiency Committee. There are also rules and regulations on the electric power industry that I believe IIEE should get involved, provide comments, position and be able to send a representative to the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) during hearings so that the institute voice can be heard. EE Club: Do you think there isn’t enough voice? Engr. Cabral: Right now, I don’t see anyone representing the IIEE regarding this advocacy. When it comes to distribution code, Meralco is there. When it comes to transmission code, TransCo is there. When it comes to the crafting of rules and regulations of retail competition and open access, or even the electric power industry in general, IIEE should be present. This will take a lot of studying first the industry for us to be able to know how it works, including knowing all the stakeholders. EE Club: How do you define success doing what you do? What do you consider as the secret to your success? Engr. Cabral: Success is relative. For me, achieving each milestone you set in your life is in itself a success. There is a criteria though, God first, then family. I cannot forget a verse
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or saying that I always read everyday on a wall on my way to work going to Makati back then. It says, “No other success can compensate failure in the home”. It may sound a campaign ad but, really, it’s sipag at tiyaga. And there is another one I really believe: Daig ng maagap ang masipag. This is, of course, on top making yourself competent. EE Club: In your opinion, how essential has electrical engineers become to the Philippines compared to how they were considered 40 to 50 years ago? Engr. Cabral: Electrical engineers are very essential to the Philippines and so with the other disciplines. We are still considered a developing country and there is much room for progress where engineers can take part. When we were studying, we just knew that we were going to be engineers. That was it then. Today, with my exposure in Meralco, encountering a lot of customers, shifting from being a Sales Engineer and moving up to Meralco Transformation Project to being a Branch Engineer, I discovered that there are a lot of aspects that an Electrical Engineer had to know and can engage in.
own businesses and they can’t rest. Some even neglect their families. I’ve also seen that with my mother who only owned a sari-sari store and she could not have a day-off even during the Sundays and Between holidays. That is why I did not engage in having my own business because I can’t sacrifice family time. I am not saying that you should not engage in business. But make sure to balance family and work life. I’ve also seen successful businessmen who are also family men. Maybe it’s just not my cup of tea going into business. EE Club: What did you aspire yourself to be as when you were a kid? Engr. Cabral: When I was in grade school and high school, I only wanted to be a family
EE Club: How real is that to you? Engr. Cabral: I’m so aware of that reality because I have close friends who have their
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EE Club: So what did you advise the retirees to do? Engr. Cabral: I gave them options for them to assess themselves. Ultimately, they had to achieve those things. I also started to evangelize. To focus not only on material wealth but also storing wealth in heaven. They might want to involve themselves in Christian charismatic groups in the church if they were not yet part of any to support them in their spiritual journey. Serve God in all avenues of their lives. EE Club: What will your close friends remember you the most for? Engr. Cabral: There’s a Johari Window where there are four quadrants. The last quadrant is what you and others don’t know, but only God knows. I don’t really know how others see me for that matter. But I’m hearing some are saying a lot about me. Fortunately all of them are positive -- that I am a good boss. That I am open, friendly, joyful and religious. Some even call me priest, father or bishop.
I remember a period in Meralco when they tried to distinguish the technical expert from the management expert. There are engineers who just wanted to be engineers but there are those who wanted to advance and pursue the managerial path. I took the managerial path. I was sent to Asian Institute of Management (AIM) twice to study Management Leadership Program and Executive Master in Business Management. EE Club: A lot of engineers move up to being CEOs of their own companies. Have you considered putting up your own? Engr. Cabral: No. I already had this mindset early on. I actually had bosses that advised me that whenever I’m working for a company, I should treat it as my own and exert all my efforts towards it. The beauty of it is that when I stop, somebody else can take care of the tasks I left behind. I can go on vacation, of course with permission. When you’re engaged in your own business, you can’t do that because you have to dedicate yourself to it one hundred percent of the time.You should always be there. Many times leaving the family on the side
EE Club: What’s the most meaningful advice that you can give to a person? Engr. Cabral: A month ago, I was asked to speak to 30 persons who were about to retire. I used the Abraham Maslow Hierarchy of Needs wherein every person goes through stages of satisfying their needs. First, the physical needs. And there’s the need which is to serve others or to give back. And the ultimate need of the spirit.
driver. We used to live in Dimasalang and all I saw were jeepney and taxi drivers in main thoroughfares. I even cleaned vehicles and sold cigarettes for a living. I eagerly wanted to augment our financial status. At one point, I also wanted to be a priest.
EE Club: Is that how you see yourself? Engr. Cabral: That’s how I probably behave. I like to think that’s how people see me. At the office, I greet everyone, even gardeners, janitors, guards and maintenance people. I deliberately do that to engage them. I also do them favors without waiting for anything in return. I believe in what the bible says about doing a banquet. That one has to invite people who can’t invite you back. The less fortunate.
EE Club: What is it with engineers and priesthood? We know a lot of engineers who fervently wanted to be priests when they were young! Engr. Cabral: Because they can talk very well! My two brothers were into church service and I saw my mother as prayerful, so I reached a point when I was young that I wanted to be a priest.
EE Club: If you were not here today in the engineering industry, what could you be doing instead? Engr. Cabral: Maybe an architect today if I didn’t become an engineer because I used to design house facades and I sidelined in scale modelling of houses. I’m also into charcoal pencil sketching. I have this artistic side that my eldest child probably got from me.
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Eat. Sleep. Dive. BY R U BY B ATA L LO N E S
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en of ancient times were as curious as we are now of what lies under the sea. One known early instance of diving dates back to 500BC when a Greek soldier jumped off a ship to escape his captors. The soldier was able to survive by using a hollow reed to breathe through while remaining submerged under water. From then on, men continued to develop ways to stay longer underwater for military, research, and recreational purposes.
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Why You Should Try Diving The fact that we are living in a country that’s home to spectacular dive sites such as the Tubbataha Reefs in Palawan, Malapascua in Cebu, Apo Island in Negros Oriental, and Anilao in Batangas is the top reason why you should consider diving.
Diving is classified in different forms: breath-hold diving, diving in a vessel, surface-supplied diving, and diving with an equipment for compressed air which is also known as SCUBA diving. SCUBA stands for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. SCUBA is the best for recreational diving as it allows for longer dive times and wider area reach as compared to the three other forms. Several men contributed to the progress of diving but the invention of the modern SCUBA gear is attributed to Jacques Cousteau. He designed the first safe open circuit SCUBA along with Émile Gagnan, a French engineer. Open circuit SCUBA diving refers to venting all the exhaled air into the water. Recreational diving uses the open circuit type. On the other hand, closed circuit requires the use of a rebreather which recycles exhaled air by removing the carbon dioxide and adding oxygen. Because air is not released into the water, diving closed circuit produces no bubbles. While silent diving and longer dive times make closed circuit diving appealing to recreational divers, using a rebreather is more complex compared to an open circuit equipment. The use of rebreathers is only recommended for experienced and trained divers. If you visit popular dive sites in the Philippines, you will find numerous dive centers providing would-be divers with the training and the guidance that they need to try out this new hobby. Diving is also becoming a source of tourism boost as divers
from neighboring Asian countries visit the country for cheaper diving explorations. But is going underwater considered safe?
and the instructors that they wish to train with. Choose reputable instructors and ensure that you get proper safety training.
SCUBA Diving and Safety. We interviewed Penn De Los Santos, a professional diver and SCUBA instructor, to shed light on some of the most common questions asked about SCUBA diving.
Underwater Photography Once you master the safety measures during your training, you can then explore other fun areas of diving aside from seeing marine life. Experienced scuba divers give all landdwellers a taste of the life underwater through photographs. Underwater photography is a hobby that has also become popular with divers. You may see big, expensive cameras used by professional divers, but it’s best to start with a simple underwater camera for beginners.
Technological advancements over the years have made SCUBA diving safer for both beginners and certified divers. Penn believes that the invention of the dive computer has made the hobby a lot safer than it was before. The dive computer is a wrist-mounted device that indicates a diver’s NDL or no decompression limit, effectively limiting the risk of getting decompression sickness. As a diver goes deeper, the higher pressure causes the body to absorb more nitrogen. Once the diver goes back up to the surface, the pressure drops back and the nitrogen is released as the diver breathes. If the diver rises up too quickly without allowing for the nitrogen to decompress, nitrogen bubbles may form in the body leading to decompression sickness. As with all other hobbies, Penn’s advice for beginners is to focus first on learning the basic safety measures of SCUBA diving. This requires that beginners diligently scrutinize and check the credentials of the dive centers
Based on Penn’s experience, the most suitable underwater camera for a beginner is the Olympus Tough TG-4. This is a waterproof camera (up to 15 meters) that can be used for both regular snapshots and for macro photography. Once equipped with a housing specifically designed for the camera, a diver will be able to bring it to deeper depths of up to 40 meters. Penn is a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor since 2009. He is originally from Manila but the job has taken him to relocate to Mabini, Batangas. When not teaching scuba, he conducts underwater photography workshops.
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3D PRINTING: Print The Future Medical, fashion, automotive and aeronautics. These industries are different in many ways. However, they have something in common. All use 3D Printing. BY K AT H L E E N A S U N C I O N
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D printing, or additive manufacturing, is the process of making three dimensional objects from a digital file. In this process, an object is produced by adding successive layers of material until an object is created. A 3D printed object is born by making a virtual design of the object. The virtual design can be a CAD (Computer Aided Design) file or an STL (Stereolithography) file format. These files can be created using a 3D modelling software or with a 3D scanner which can make a 3D digital copy of an object.
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Popular Software 3D modeling software comes in many forms. Industrial grade software can cost thousands a year per license, while free open source software, like Blender, is also available. Blender has video tutorials for beginners. Other software like Tinkercad also has a free version that works in browsers, plus it offers beginner lessons and has a built-in option to get your object printed via various 3D printing services. PLA (Poly Lactic Acid) and ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene Styrene) can be used. PLA is a biodegradable plastic that is made from sugarcane or cornstarch. While ABS is an oil-based plastic that is tougher than PLA and can be used for cars or electrical equipment. 3D Printing Is Everywhere With the sudden popularization of 3D printing technology, various industries have been keen on using this kind of technology. In the medical industry, bioprinting is being done wherein organs and body parts are being made by using inkjet printing techniques. Layers of living cells are deposited onto a gel medium and slowly built up to form three dimensional structures. Doctors are able to make prosthetics and body parts such as ears, noses, and even certain organs. 3D Printing is indeed rapidly evolving in the medical industry as medical experts are finding new
ways to utilize 3D printing in their field. One of the earliest adopters of the technology is the automotive industry. For decades, automotive experts have been relegating 3D printing to low volume prototyping applications. Nowadays, it can be used to make simple concept models for fit and finish checks and design verification as well as to produce functional parts that are used in test vehicles, engines, and platforms. 3D printing is also making waves even in the fashion industry. Computer companies such as ShareCloth have been developing software to produce 3D printed garments. The app has been developed by the company to provide “an easy fix� for 3D garment design and encourage more fashion designers to use the technology. Using the company’s existing software, the ShareCloth Editor, designers can tailor a clothing pattern to match the shape and size of a pre-prepared digital body (which can be changed to the desired specifications). The software can also designate the seam of a garment and preview how the fabric will fall when worn. With the 3D printing upgrade, these features will be applied to the parameters of 3D printable materials. A lot of designers have also been using 3D printing to create clothes as well as shoes.
Doctors are able to make prosthetics and body parts such as ears, noses, and even certain organs.
EE Club
Issue 07
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MAIN FEATURES
Replaceable Extruder
THE MOST ADVANCED DESKTOP 3D PRINTER. PLUG & PLAY EASIER THAN EVER. HYVISION SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY. NEW GENERATION CUBICON SINGLE PLUS
Use of 4.3” Touch LCD Display
Printing through Wi-Fi printing ready or USB connection
Auto Leveling Plus function (Patended technology)
Triple Air filters
Multiple Filaments (ABS, PLA, Flexible Filament)
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In the aeronautics industry, 3D printing techniques have been used to create engines such as jet turbines and rocket engines. NASA has recently emphasized the creation of a completely 3D-printed rocket engine. GE Aviation has also created its first 3D-printed jet engine part to fly a lasersintered housing for a compressor inlet temperature sensor. The toy manufacturing industry is also another industry which utilizes the technology. Companies such as Hasbro and Spanish company Imaginarium both use 3D printing to manufacture toys. Imaginarium even takes toy manufacturing a step further by allowing buyers to customize their toys.
The company’s account executive, Mr. Jonar Arimado, recently indulged EE Club all the latest news about their company. According to Arimado, for AEC, they provide solutions needed for the all stages of construction; from early design conceptualization, creation of models to adding time element and cost estimation to facilities management. They work alongside Autodesk, a global leader in providing a broad collection of design and engineering tools such as AutoCAD, Revit, Civil 3D and a lot more. They also work with their sister company, ProjectPro, in providing solutions for Project Management and Scheduling, Cost Estimation and Facilities Management.
3D Printing in the Philippines 3D Printing has also made its way into our own country. Certain companies have been utilizing it to provide various services to individuals and companies alike. One of these companies is CIM Technologies.
When it comes to 3D Printing, CIM Technologies provides the machine and services. The company uses Cubicon which is an entry level type of printer. For 3D Printing services, CIM Technologies has its services division called Alteon 3D that caters to the various prototype demands and needs of the AEC and Manufacturing markets.
Established in 1989, CIM Technologies is one of the country's pioneers in providing cutting-edge design and engineering solutions from hardware and software to technical support to the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) and Manufacturing industries.
CIM Technologies has clients in various fields such as architectural, engineering, construction, manufacturing companies and various institutions. It can also provide 3D