THE MAGAZINE OF THE INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS, SINGAPORE

THE www.ies.org.sg

SINGAPORE
ENGINEER
March 2017 | MCI (P) 003/03/2017

COVER STORY:
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
MOVES TOWARDS
PRODUCTION OF WORKING
COMPONENTS

FEATURES:
• Precision Engineering • Mechanical Engineering • Systems Engineering
CONTENTS www.ies.org.sg

FEATURES

COVER STORY:
18 Addi ve Manufacturing moves towards produc on
of working components
The products include prototypes and equipment
parts that are no longer being produced

PRECISION ENGINEERING:
19
20 Obtaining burr-free surfaces reliably and efficiently
Technologies for reliable and cost-effec ve processing
are presented.

24 Quality Assurance: random-sample measurements

do not suffice
In future, it will be possible to record 100% of all
important measured values.

27 PTC announces Creo 4.0 for smarter design

The so ware’s new capabili es are expected to enable
designers create ‘products of the future’.
20
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING:
28 Introduc on to pipeline flow-induced vibra on
Computer-based simula on of the phenomenon can
lead to less conserva ve and be er designs.

21

President Chief Editor Media Representa ve Editorial Panel

Er. Edwin Khew T Bhaskaran Mul nine Corpora on Pte Ltd Mr Joseph William Eades
t_b_n8@yahoo.com sales@mul 9.com.sg Dr Chandra Segaran
Vice Presidents
Dr Ang Keng Been
Er. Chan Ewe Jin Publica ons Manager Published by
Mr Kenneth Cheong
Mr Mervyn Sirisena Desmond Teo The Ins tu on of Engineers, Singapore
Mr Gary Ong
Er. Ng Say Cheong desmond@iesnet.org.sg 70 Bukit Tinggi Road
Er. Ong See Ho Singapore 289758 Design & layout by
Publica ons Execu ve
Er. Seow Kang Seng Tel: 6469 5000 I Fax: 6467 1108 2EZ Asia Pte Ltd
Queek Jiayu
Dr Yeoh Lean Weng Printed in Singapore
jiayu@iesnet.org.sg Cover designed by Irin Kuah
Honorary Secretary Cover image by Cognizant
Dr Boh Jaw Woei

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March 2017
CONTENTS
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING:
32 Learning to play nice: Mechanical Engineers
and the mul -genera onal manufacturing
workforce
The different strengths and limita ons of
the various age-groups can be leveraged to
advantage.

SYSTEMS ENGINEERING: 26
34 What is Systems Engineering?
The ar cle sets the scene for more discourses
on the subject.

36 Design Innova on for a smarter Singapore:

a case study on smart energy innova on
The results show that it is possible to
reduce the energy consump on of the air-
condi oning in a residen al building.

30
REGULAR SECTIONS
04 FROM THE EDITOR
05 INDUSTRY NEWS
14 EVENTS
44 IES UPDATE
48 VIEWPOINT
32

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.

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER 03

March 2017
From the Editor

A NEW LOOK
AND DIRECTION FOR
‘THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER’
The 2017 editorial programme for ‘The Singapore
Engineer’ responds to the rapid and o en disrup ve
developments taking place, in all sectors of engineering, … (for) the magazine
and their corresponding effects on Singapore.
In publishing ‘The Singapore Engineer’, therefore, we will
strengthen
(to)
be giving equal importance to the various categories of
its role as an important
engineering, so that the magazine strengthens its role source of information for
as an important source of informa on for engineers, on engineers, on the emerging
the emerging technological challenges and solu ons that
are becoming more cri cal than ever in an ever changing
engineering landscape.
technological
We will bring you more exci ng, in-depth and analy cal challenges and
ar cles of current and future trends, more sta s cal solutions that are becoming
infographics, more local and regional industry news,
opinion ar cles for industry honchos, etc. more critical than ever
For the past 10 years of publica on as a monthly
in an ever changing
magazine, The Singapore Engineer has gone through a engineering landscape”
few changes. This latest round of revamp was made to
give ‘The Singapore Engineer’ a more contemporary look
and feel, with a new design and layout. This is reflected in
the March 2017 Issue.
Guiding the implementa on of these changes has been
the invaluable feedback obtained from the Reader
Experience Survey, conducted between September and
October 2016 with IES members. Along the way, we will
gather regular feedback from our members to fine-tune
and improve the contents.
Hopefully, in consequence, ‘The Singapore Engineer’
will become even more relevant to engineers and the
engineering profession, in the years ahead, and a true
“mouthpiece for the engineers of Singapore”.

T. Bhaskaran
Chief Editor

04 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

March 2017
 INDUSTRY NEWS

BRODERSON LAUNCHES

NEW ROUGH
TERRAIN CRANES
North American mobile crane manufacturer, Broderson
Manufacturing, introduced two new cab down rough terrain cranes
at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The 18-tonne rt400, featuring a 68 foot main boom and the
23-tonne rt500, featuring a 76 foot main boom, have produc on
delivery dates of March 2017 and June 2017 respec vely.
The cranes feature compact footprints for use in ght spaces, state-
of-the-art rated capacity limiter systems, air-condi oned cabins
and precision controls for increased performance efficiency.
For more informa on, visit: www.BMCcranes.com

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March 2017
INDUSTRY NEWS

DYSON OPENS R&D CENTRE HERE,

AIMS TO RECRUIT THE
‘BRIGHTEST MINDS’
In February 2017, Bri sh technology firm Dyson opened Trade and Industry (Industry) Minister S. Iswaran, who
the Singapore Technology Centre, its latest research and a ended the opening ceremony, was pleased to learn
development facility located at the Science Park. that the Singapore team was closely involved in the
development of Dyson’s game-changing technologies and
The SGD 587 million R&D centre houses its most advanced
products such as the Digital Motor and the bladeless fan.
labs working on ar ficial intelligence, robo cs, so ware
and vision systems, among others. “The success of this partnership is testament to the
strong alignment between Dyson’s ambi on to be a global
Concentrated in its Global Technology Centre of
technology leader, and Singapore’s vision of developing
Excellence, the firm aims to develop Internet-of-Things-
an innova on-led economy,” he said.
capable products for the smart homes market.
Dyson will also leverage on analy cs to be er manage its
global supply chain.
Currently, it employs 1,100 people in Singapore, split
between the Technology Centre and its advanced digital
motors manufacturing facility at West Park.
There are plans to expand and deepen its presence here,
including growing the Singapore-based engineering team
by 50 per cent.
The firm is seeking highly skilled engineers across a broad
range of engineering disciplines including connec vity,
motors, sensors, electronics, robo cs, naviga on,
so ware and purifica on.
At the centre’s official opening, founder and chief engineer The acous c lab at the Singapore Technology Centre.
Sir James Dyson said that his firm was “on a hunt for the
brightest minds”, and expressed his apprecia on for the
understanding Singapore placed on the contribu ons of
engineers.
“It is no coincidence, that to realise our technology
ambi ons, we are deepening our commitment to
Singapore… Working together, we hope to make
more breakthroughs. New technology will Sir Dyson explaining the
catapult us forward,” he added. technology behind the Dyson
360 Eye robot vacuum to
Dyson sells more than 13 million machines in Mr Iswaran. Photo: Dyson
75 countries globally, using four billion
components from more than 500
suppliers. With manufacturing
volumes doubling over the past
four years, the firm expects the
trend to con nue for the next
four.

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March 2017
 INDUSTRY NEWS

BCA WORKING WITH INDUSTRY TO

BUILD UP MANPOWER IN LIFT
AND ESCALATOR SECTOR
To build manpower capabili es in the li and escalator A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was also signed
sector, a Sectoral Tripar te Commi ee (STC) will be set up between BCA, NTUC, the Employment and Employability
to look into measures to a ract, develop and retain locals Ins tute (e2i), Singapore Li & Escalator Contractors
in the sector. & Manufacturers Associa on, and ten li and escalator
firms.
The STC, comprising representa ves from the
Government, industry associa ons, firms, as well as trade The par es to the MOU will discuss ini a ves on
unions, will develop a training framework which sets manpower, skills, remunera on, and career development
minimum qualifica ons for new entrants and con nual in the sector. They will also support manpower
training requirements for exis ng workers. development programmes such as the BCA-Industry
Scholarship and Sponsorship programmes, the Earn and
It will also explore career progression pathways by
Learn Programme, and the Place and Train programmes,
mapping out wages and skills at different levels as well
among others.
as look into ways to improve the image of the li and
escalator sector and its professions to a ract and retain
locals.
“We need a strong core of skilled workers at all levels to
ensure our li s and escalators are regularly and properly
maintained to meet the ghtened li and escalator safety
requirements. Manpower is also needed to cope with the
increase in li s and escalators with more buildings in the
pipeline,” said Dr John Keung, CEO of the Building and
Construc on Authority (BCA).

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March 2017
INDUSTRY NEWS

SINGAPORE AND ISRAELI UNIVERSITIES

INK PARTNERSHIP TO
COMBAT CYBER THREATS
Nanyang Technological University and Israel’s NTU’s strong hardware-based research exper se and
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) are BGU’s so ware-based core competences to combat this
collabora ng to find innova ve ways to counter intractable problem.”
cyber threats.
Mr George Loh, Director (Programmes) of NRF and
The aim of this joint research project, called the Co-Chair of the Na onal Cybersecurity R&D Programme
Bio-Inspired Agile Cyber Security Assurance Framework Commi ee, noted that Singapore has established a
(BICSAF), is to develop innovative technologies for holis c na onal cybersecurity strategy that supported
tackling Advanced Persistent Threats. the na onal goal of becoming a Smart Na on, while also
enhancing Singapore’s standing as a trusted digital hub.
These are stealthy and con nuous computer hacking
processes that can be used to target specific en es, “The collabora on between NTU and BGU will explore
such as private organisa ons and state agencies. Their novel ideas to develop cyber-immune technologies to
long periods of covertness make it difficult to detect such fight external adversaries that launch cyber-a acks on
threats with current technology. our cri cal systems, much like how our biological immune
system works,” he added.
NTU Chief of Staff and Vice-President (Research) Prof Lam
Khin Yong and BGU Vice-President and Dean (Research The university’s Department of So ware and Informa on
& Development) Prof Dan Blumberg signed the joint Systems Engineering is the largest in Israel, with significant
research agreement at the CyberTech Conference in Tel resources in cyber security research. At the na onal level,
Aviv, Israel, in February this year. Israeli Prime Minister BGU has also set up the Cyber Security Research Centre
Benjamin Netanyahu was the event’s guest-of-honour. with the Israel Na onal Cyber Bureau to iden fy risks
while protec ng cri cal na onal infrastructure.
The project will have three
million Singapore dollars in
joint funding from NTU, BGU
and Singapore’s Na onal
Research Founda on
(NRF). The collabora on is
supported by NRF through
its Na onal Cybersecurity
R&D Programme.
Led by the Cyber Security
Research Centre at NTU,
faculty and researchers from
both universi es will be
involved.
Said Prof Lam, “Through
this partnership, NTU and
BGU will be able to develop
innova ve methods for
comba ng one of the most
complicated problems in
BGU Vice-President and Dean (Research and Development) Prof Dan Blumberg (le ) and NTU Singapore Chief
cyber security – Advanced of Staff and Vice-President (Research) Prof Lam Khin Yong (right) complete the formali es to the agreement
Persistent Threats. This that will see both universi es collaborate to find innova ve ways to tackle advanced cyber threats.
project will leverage on Photo: Gilad Kavalerchik.

08 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

March 2017
 INDUSTRY NEWS

NEXPERIA EMERGES AS DYNAMIC

NEW FORCE IN DISCRETES,

LOGIC AND MOSFETS
Nexperia, the former Standard Products division of NXP, today announced the formal comple on of its launch as a separate
en ty. Headquartered in Nijmegen, Netherlands and backed by a consor um of financial investors consis ng of Beijing
Jianguang Asset Management Co. Ltd and Wise Road Capital Ltd, Nexperia is a stand-alone, world-class leader in Discretes,
Logic and Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors (MOSFETs), retaining all the exper se, manufacturing
resources and key personnel of the former NXP division, while bringing a new focus and powerful commitment to these
product areas.
To find out more, visit: h p://www.nexperia.com/about/press-releases/Nexperia-emerges-as-dynamic-new-force-in-
Discretes--Logic-and-MOSFETs.html

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March 2017
INDUSTRY NEWS

SINGAPORE’S FIRST AUTOMATED

GUIDED VEHICLE PARKING SYSTEM
TO BE DEPLOYED AT ROBINSON TOWERS
MHE-Demag, the material handling arm of diversified
industrial group Jebsen & Jessen (SEA), has been
earmarked to deploy Singapore’s first Automa c Guided
Vehicle (AGV)-based parking system at Robinson Towers,
located on Robinson Road.
The system is controlled and managed by a computerised
system and provides 90 parking lots for all types of cars
weighing up to a maximum of 2,600 kg. Each parking lot
can accommodate a vehicle up to 5.3 m long, 2.3 m wide
and 2.0 m tall.
The AGV, which is the key component of the automa c
parking system, carries, manoeuvres and parks vehicles
in randomly-determined parking lots. It is a mobile robot
that navigates via markers on the ground, and can be
supplemented by op cal sensors, magnets, and lasers.
With this system, the conven onal car ramp is replaced
with a car li for mul -storey parking and the parking of
cars at each storey will be handled by its designated AGV.
Compared to mechanised parking systems, MHE-Demag’s
solu on eliminates the need for steel suppor ng structures
and parking pallets, which means that fire-proofing is also not
required.
Instead, the cars are placed on AGV pla orms and transported
to their rela ve parking bays. The reduced space required
between each vehicle increases u lisa on and hence allows
more vehicles to be parked within a given space.
No addi onal building provision is needed for the system and it
can be adapted into exis ng parking systems in buildings easily.
According to report in The Straits Times, the me taken to
retrieve a vehicle using AGV is approximately a fi h of that
taken by mechanised parking systems.
The en re parking installa on in Robinson Towers is scheduled
for comple on by the end of 2018. Once complete, vehicles
owners would only need to drive into the parking bay and the
AGV will take over, instead of driving around to look for vacant
lots. Retrieval will be facilitated through a mobile app.

HAT TYPE STEEL SHEET PILES ADOPTED FOR

INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN
SINGAPORE AND AUSTRALIA
Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corpora on (NSSMC) has
delivered about 1,000 tons of HAT-type steel sheet piles to
Avenue Engineering Pte Ltd for the construc on of earth-
retaining walls for a PUB Outlet Drain project in Singapore.
Concurrently, NSSMC has also delivered some 2,000
tons of the same product to McConnell Dowell for
construc ng earth-retaining walls for a road tunnel
project commissioned by the South Australian
Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure.
HAT-type steel sheet piles are predominantly used for
marine and river works. They have been adopted for urban
civil works as they can be installed quickly and are more
stable than the conven onal U- and Z-type sheet piles,
have greater interlock integrity and come in a variety of
sizes to suit various construc on needs.
For more informa on, visit h p://www.nssmc.com/en/ Installa on of HAT-type sheet steel piles in a residen al area of
news/20170124_100.html Singapore. Photo: Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corpora on.

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 INDUSTRY NEWS

(From le ) Mr Teo Eng Cheong,

Surbana Jurong’s Chief
Execu ve Officer Interna onal
(Singapore, Southeast Asia,
North Asia) and U Tha Htay,
MCEA’s President, at the MOU
signing ceremony, held at
Sule Shangri-la Hotel, Yangon,
Myanmar.

SURBANA JURONG SIGNS MOU

ON HOUSING SOLUTIONS FOR MYANMAR

Surbana Interna onal Consultants (Myanmar) has
signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with
the Myanmar Construc on Entrepreneurs Associa on
(MCEA), as a result of which Surbana Jurong will become
the associa on’s lead technical consultant for low cost
and affordable housing projects in Myanmar.
The MOU was signed by Mr Teo Eng Cheong, Chief
Execu ve Officer Interna onal (Singapore, Southeast
Asia, North Asia), Surbana Jurong Private Limited and U
Tha Htay, President, MCEA.
The signing of the MOU comes at an important me as
MCEA works with the Myanmar government to meet
demand for housing amidst increasing home ownership
in the country. The government’s Five-Year Plan aims to
deliver 1,000,000 residen al units by 2030.
Surbana Jurong will assist MCEA in the development
of a low cost and affordable housing prototype design
that focuses on 3Cs - Community, Connec vity and
Constructability.
“Surbana Jurong has built ci es and shaped lives for more
than 50 years. We have par cipated in the evolu on of
affordable housing in different countries. Our experience
allows us to offer engineering and design solu ons specific
to Myanmar’s changing needs,” said Mr Teo.
Adding on, Mr Tha Htay said, “The signing of the MOU
between MCEA and Surbana Jurong represents an
exci ng chapter in the development of low cost and
affordable housing in Myanmar. With our local knowledge
and Surbana Jurong’s interna onal experience, we hope
to realise our vision of helping more people own their
homes in Myanmar.”
Future homeowners in Myanmar can look forward to
living spaces designed to cul vate strong community
bonds and preserve the natural environment. A range
of community-focused spaces such as courtyards and
lobbies will be integrated into the estates to encourage
interac on. Landscaped pathways that link residents to
ameni es will also be key features of the estates.
Surbana Jurong will assist MCEA by employing technology
that minimises construc on me and cost without
compromising on design, safety and func onality.
The MOU with MCEA enhances Surbana Jurong’s
presence in Myanmar, since its entry into the market four
years ago. Surbana Jurong has provided its exper se in
master-planning, architecture and engineering to various
residen al and industrial projects including the 220-acre
Ayeyarwun-Yadanar affordable housing project in Dagon
Seikkan Township.

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March 2017
INDUSTRY NEWS

LTA TO TAP ON TECHNOLOGY

TO ENHANCE TUNNEL INSPECTIONS
Unmanned Aircra Systems (UAS) and Unmanned Vehicles
(UV), be er known as drones, have been touted as the
‘next big thing’ across many industries with their ability to
work autonomously and relessly.
Seeking to explore this opportunity, the Land Transport
Authority (LTA) issued a Request for Informa on (RFI) on 1
March 2017 to evaluate the feasibility and effec veness of
using such technology for MRT and road tunnel inspec ons.
RFI par cipants have been invited to design and
develop suitable trials using UAS, UV and other relevant
technologies to conduct automated inspec ons in MRT
and road tunnels.
The trials will also have to incorporate 360-degree video
mapping, include so ware to automa cally detect defects
from collected footage, and provide their loca ons.
Currently, regular manual inspec ons are carried out to
detect anomalies such as cracks or water leakage. Road
tunnel inspec ons also cover rainwater storage tanks and
voided slab spaces where u lity lines are located.
However, such checks are labour-intensive as they require
workers to physically comb the tunnels.
The inspec on of rail tunnels is even more challenging as
workers can only do so within limited hours at night, a er
passenger service ceases.
LTA hopes that drone technology will not only improve the
accuracy of inspec ons, but also free up engineers’ me,
enabling them to focus on analysing the data captured to
recommend any necessary remedial measures.
The new trials will help to further current research
developments and validate UAS and UV technologies under
demanding opera onal condi ons. If found effec ve,
LTA aims to fully deploy these technologies for tunnel
inspec ons in the next five years.

CHINA TO LAUNCH
FIRST CARGO SPACECRAFT AS EARLY AS
MID APRIL
More progress has been made towards China’s first space the Tiangong-1 and 2 modules used by China to master
logis c mission, set for li off in April. The Tianzhou-1 the tools and techniques needed in the opera on of a
mission will mark a cri cal step in valida ng the China long-term outpost in space.
Na onal Space Administraion (CNSA)’s capability to
The cargo vessel is ten meters long and has a launch mass
resupply its future orbi ng outpost to keep it opera onal.
of approximately 13,500 kg.
Tianzhou-1 will launch from the Wenchang Satellite
Launch Centre atop a Long March-7 rocket, marking the
second mission of China’s future workhorse rocket that
debuted last year and will eventually support both cargo
and crew launches to the Chinese space sta on.
The shakedown flight for the indigenously-designed
cargo spacecra will consist of a five-month mission,
three of which will be spent in free flight and two docked
to the Tiangong-2 miniature space sta on to test and
demonstrate its endurance.
Refuelling and docking procedures will be conducted and
refined during this period.
The Tianzhou cargo spacecra is based on the design of 3D render of Tianzhou-1 (le ) in Earth orbit. Image: CASC

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 INDUSTRY NEWS

NUS ENGINEERS DEVELOP LOW COST,

FLEXIBLE TERAHERTZ RADIATION SOURCE
FOR FAST AND NON INVASIVE SCREENING
Novel invention presents promising applications in spectroscopy, safety surveillance, cancer
diagnosis, imaging and communication

A major breakthrough in terahertz (THz) technology

research at NUS could make portable sensors for
explosives, wearable chemical agent detectors, and non-
invasive imaging techniques for tumour detec on a reality
in the near future.
Led by Associate Professor Yang Hyunsoo and Dr
Wu Yang from the NUS Department of Electrical and
Computer Engineering and the NUS Nanoscience
and Nanotechnology Ins tute, the research team has
successfully developed high performance and low-power
driven THz emi ers.
The inven on was achieved in collabora on with
researchers from the A*STAR’s Ins tute of Materials
Research and Engineering, as well as Tongji University in
China.
Assoc Prof Yang Hyunsoo (right) and Dr Wu Yang from the NUS Faculty of
These emi ers can be mass-produced at low cost,
Engineering and NUS Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Ins tute. Their
addressing a cri cal challenge for industrial applica on novel inven on is a major technological breakthrough and addresses a
of THz technology. Used for the genera on of THz waves, cri cal challenge for industrial applica on of THz technology. Photo: NUS
they can also func on on flexible surfaces without
compromising performance.
“Our inven on is a big step forward in THz technology and of chemicals, drugs and explosives, coa ng analysis and
we believe that this will greatly accelerate its applica on quality control of integrated circuit chips.
in various fields. For instance … (it) can contribute
However, current THz sources are large, mul -component
towards miniaturisa on of bulky THz systems to be used
systems that are heavy and expensive. Such systems are
in the detec on of dangerous chemicals and explosives,”
also hard to transport, operate, and maintain.
explained Assoc Prof Yang.
He also men oned that the lower cost of the emi ers
could benefit the healthcare industry in the form of
Low-cost, flexible and low-power
affordable, improved diagnos c devices. Fabrica ng it on driven THz emi ers
flexible surfaces also enables it to be incorporated into Using metallic thin film heterostructures that are
wearables. 12-nanometre in thickness, the NUS-developed emi ers
produce broadband THz waves with a higher power
Making waves in terahertz output than a standard 500-micrometre thick rigid
electro-op cal crystal emi er.
THz waves have a racted a lot of a en on in the past
two decades as they have promising applica ons in a In addi on, they can be powered by a low-power laser,
wide range of areas from medicine and surveillance to lowering the opera ng cost substan ally.
compu ng and communica on. The research team tested their device on flexible surfaces
Being non-ionising as well as non-destruc ve, THz waves and found that its performance was not compromised
despite being subjected to a large bending curvature.
can pass through non-conduc ng materials such as
They have filed a patent for the inven on and hope to
clothes, paper, wood and brick, making them ideal for work with industry partners to further explore various
applica ons in areas such as cancer diagnosis, detec on applica ons of this new technology.

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER 13

March 2017
EVENTS
MTA2017 TO SPOTLIGHT
NEW TECHNOLOGIES WITH
SPECIALISED ZONES
Visitors checking out a high-speed compara ve gauging system for
inspec on of high-volume manufactured parts at MTA 2015.
MTA2017 – Asia’s premier manufacturing technology
industry event returning from 4 to 7 April at the Singapore
Expo, will kick off a host of new features - The Op cs &
Photonics Innova on Hub, The Semiconductor Innova on
Centre, and a 3D Prin ng Seminar at the 3D Prin ng @
MTA feature area.
The new feature areas will highlight advanced technologies
for high-value manufacturing. In each specialised zone,
trade a endees will be exposed to the latest cu ng-edge
products and services in the field of op cs and photonics,
advanced semiconductor manufacturing and addi ve
manufacturing technologies and solu ons. A centrepiece
at MTA, the Capabili es Hub gathers local parts and
component manufacturers and service providers to
highlight their manufacturing competencies in the high-
value sectors of Aerospace, Complex Equipment, Medical
Technology and Oil & Gas. Organised in partnership with
the Singapore Ins tute of Manufacturing Technology
(SIMTech), this area will see local and overseas players
converge to network, exchange knowledge, discuss
poten al collabora ons and forge partnerships.
Held alongside MTA2017, MetrologyAsia2017 is
dedicated to showcasing cu ng-edge metrology and
inspec on equipment and spotligh ng companies
specialising in high-end test and measurement
apparatuses and systems. A endees will learn about the
latest in metrology solu ons from the top technology
providers around the world.
14 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
March 2017
“As manufacturing con nues to evolve and value crea on
has become an integral component of the change process,
many tradi onal manufacturing businesses in the Asian
region need to become agile and embrace change. The
new features, along with the recurring Capabili es Hub,
are designed to serve industry players who are looking to
leverage on technology and innova on to maintain their
market leadership and stay ahead of the change curve,”
says Mr. William Lim, Project Director of Machinery Events
at Singapore Exhibi on Services, organiser of MTA2017.
Lim adds, “More importantly, the newfound knowledge
and skillsets will ensure that companies and their
workforce will be well-posi oned for growth opportuni es
in the new manufacturing era.”
With knowledge sharing being a vital element, the conferences
at MTA2017 are specially formulated to enhance industry
professionals’ insights in new manufacturing concepts. The
Smart Manufacturing Asia conference will have industry
thought leaders and experts delving into per nent topics
and offering prac cal ps in digital manufacturing, Industry
4.0, robo cs and industrial automa on.
The Precision Engineering Centre of Innova on (PE COI)
Annual Conference and the Interna onal Conference on
Op cal and Photonic Engineering (icOPEN), both having
seen highly successful edi ons, will return to debate on latest
trends and issues facing the precision engineering industry.
MTA2017 AT A GLANCE:
Show: MTA2017 – Manufacturing
Technology Asia (held alongside
MetrologyAsia2017)
Incorpora ng: iAutoma on2017, MetalAsia2017,
Outsource&SubCon2017, ToolTec2017
Date: 4 – 7 April 2017 (Tuesday - Friday)
Venue: Singapore Expo
Opening Hours: 10.30am to 6pm daily
Admission: Business and trade professionals
Website: www.mta-asia.com
Visitor www.mta-asia.com/to-visit/visitor-pre-
registra on: registra on/
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER 15
March 2017
EVENTS
TREND TOWARDS DIGITALISATION
AND AUTOMATION IN THE
SHEET METALWORKING INDUSTRY
One of the main themes at EuroBLECH 2016, the 24th
Interna onal Sheet Metal Working Technology Exhibi on,
held in Hannover, Germany, from 25 to 29 October 2016,
was the overall trend for digitalisa on and automa on of
produc on processes. The innova ve spirit in the industry
sector led to a 2% increase in net exhibi on space and
visitor numbers compared to the previous event.
EuroBLECH 2016, which was organised by Mack Brooks
Exhibi ons Ltd, UK, a racted a total of 60,636 visitors from
102 countries. A total of 1,505 exhibitors from 41 countries
showcased their products and services on a net exhibi on
space of 87,800 m2.
The exhibi on survey results confirm both the exhibi on’s
renowned standing within the interna onal sheet metal
working industry and its posi on as a leading industry event.
Furthermore, the survey shows some important industry
trends on markets and the economic situa on of the
industry sectors.
Exhibitors assessed the economic situa on of the sheet
metal working industry as much more favourable than
two years ago. In the exhibitor survey, almost 70% of the
German exhibitors and some 40% of the exhibitors from
outside Germany, rated the current economic situa on as
posi ve; - an increase by 6% and 5% respec vely, compared
to the previous event.
A Flexible Manufacturing System exhibited at EuroBLECH 2016.
16 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
March 2017
According to the exhibitor survey, the main reasons for
exhibi ng were to a ract new customers and approach
new markets. Major target markets for manufacturers and
providers of sheet metal working machines and solu ons
were the EU-countries, in par cular Germany, followed by
other European countries, Asia and the Americas. When
asked about key future markets, exhibitors referred to
Germany, the USA, China, Russia and Poland.
Interna onal business ac vi es are, therefore, a major
focus for the sheet metal working industry. With its high
degree in interna onal a endance, EuroBLECH 2016
reflected the importance of global business contacts: Fi y-
four percent of exhibitors and 39% of visitors were from
outside Germany - an all- me record.
Visitor numbers from EU countries, other than Germany,
increased by 11%, while that for Asia, increased by 46%.
Visitor numbers from the Americas, in contrast, decreased
by a quarter. There were some shi s with regard to the top
visitor countries: Italy regained its 3rd place in the list of
top visitor countries, a er Germany and the Netherlands.
While Turkey and the USA had slightly dropped behind,
Romania is listed within the top 15 visitor countries, for the
first me, and India is also back again in this ranking.
EuroBLECH 2018, the next event in the series, will, be held
from 23 to 26 October 2018, in Hannover, Germany.
Developments in automa on were highlighted at the exhibi on.
COVER STORY

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING MOVES

TOWARDS PRODUCTION
OF WORKING COMPONENTS
Industries are poised to reap the benefits of this exci ng development.

Many industries are already experiencing the strong Typical prototype produc on can take many weeks or even
impact of Addi ve Manufacturing or 3D Prin ng. The months. This not only slows down the me-to-market but also
ini al applica on of this technology was in the produc on tends to increase the number of changes made in each cycle.
of small- and large-scale display models of buildings and
Addi ve Manufacturing can produce prototypes in two to
structures, as well as equipment, systems and plants, with
three days, at a frac on of the tradi onal cost, allowing
a high level of detail and accuracy.
mul ple revisions before produc on, and significantly
According to 3D Ma ers, a Singapore-based Addi ve shortening the me-to-market.
Manufacturing company, the technology has progressed
A company had an urgent need to produce prototypes for its
beyond display shelves, to small components that integrate
new point-of-sale system, in order to check the size and fit of
into working systems and solve opera onal needs.
the pieces, before re-commi ng to a full produc on run. But
The company believes that, in the next few years, Addi ve there was insufficient me for the tradi onal prototyping.
Manufacturing will have an important role in the produc on
Accordingly, the company approached 3D Ma ers who
of medium- to large-sized metal components, measuring
obtained the relevant files from the client, and, a er
even up to a few metres, for ‘heavy duty’ industrial
checking for printability and making some minor edits,
sectors such as precision manufacturing, oil & gas, marine,
proceeded to prin ng.
construc on and transporta on.
The pieces were produced, ready for collec on, with
The prin ng of precious metals for jewellery is also
the required paper work, in just four days, from the
expected to leapfrog, given the clear possibili es in
commencement of work. The client was able to successfully
customisa on. Market reports have indicated that 3D
check the fit and put the produc on run back on target.
prin ng will grow rapidly over the next decade, in the areas
of directly fabricated jewellery, me-piece components
and accessories made from precious metal powder.
As innova on in materials con nues, the medical and avia on
industries are expected to rapidly adopt the use of metal
prin ng for day-to-day applica ons, par cularly when the
regula ons in these sectors adapt to new technologies.
According to 3D Ma ers, the evolu on that Addi ve
Manufacturing has begun to undergo, from being a product
development tool to poten ally becoming a full-blown The prototypes were
produc on tool, is an extremely clear indica on of its future. produced in just four days.
Beyond the tradi onal plas cs and polymers, the area that
will lead 3D prin ng, in the 21st century, will be metal Addi ve
Manufacturing processes such as powder bed fusion, metal
binder je ng, and directed energy deposi on.

Prototyping applica on
Prototyping is a cri cal step in the design of new or
updated parts. It is used to check everything, from look and
feel, to fit and func onal performance of the parts, before
commi ng to produc on.

18 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

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 COVER STORY

Prin ng spare parts for older equipment 3D Ma ers

Obtaining spare parts for older equipment can be difficult, Founded in Singapore in 2012, 3D Ma ers is an Addi ve
as the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) may have Manufacturer, providing end-to-end solu ons across
stopped producing the item, or they may have gone out of Southeast Asia. Apart from helping clients with scale-accurate
business altogether. models and fast prototyping, the company also enhances the
design and manufacturing capabili es of clients, by shortening
But, o en, these spare parts are cri cal to maintaining
lead mes for obtaining spares and obsolete parts, as well as
equipment up- me.
speeding up the introduc on of new products into the market.
With its in-house capabili es, 3D Ma ers can ‘reverse
Key industries supported by 3D Ma ers include
engineer’, to create a CAD model and print a new part in
manufacturing and precision engineering, building and
a range of metals, including stainless steel 316L, stainless
construc on, marine and offshore, electronics and
steel PH1, tanium, aluminum and Inconel, to suit the
infocomm, as well as adver sing and design.
par cular applica on.
A sister company, 3D Metalforge, which will soon be unveiling its
A client of 3D Ma ers had a contract to maintain vehicles.
new facility, is dedicated to metal prin ng and will provide industry-
However, a key part in the vehicles was failing and the
standard, cost-effec ve Addi ve Manufacturing solu ons.
original manufacturer no longer produced it. The solu on
was to use a replacement part. The design team at 3D
Ma ers developed the 3D model, and working together
with the client, selected the
appropriate stainless steel alloy.
A number of the parts were
printed and delivered to the
client. These parts were
installed in the
vehicles, which
are currently
The part, which was no longer opera onal.
produced by the manufacturer,
could, once again, be created,
using 3D prin ng, and installed With an extensive range of materials to choose from, Addi ve
in the vehicles. Manufacturing can extend the fron ers in aesthe cs, through contour
cra ing and curvilinear designs, tessella ons and other means.

Gears produced by 3D prin ng.

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER 19

March 2017
PRECISION ENGINEERING

OBTAINING BURR FREE SURFACES

RELIABLY AND EFFICIENTLY
by Doris Schulz, Journalist, SCHULZ.PRESSE.TEXT, Korntal, Germany
For today’s manufacturers of precision components, there is no ge ng around deburring, rounding
and polishing. These produc on steps are o en seen as a some mes costly, yet necessary evil. Use of
the right technology permits reliable processing at reduced costs.

It is prac cally impossible to fully avoid the occurrence

of burrs when using any of the tradi onal metalworking
processes. Due to the fact that these manufacturing
or processing remnants represent a risk from both a
func onal and an ergonomic standpoint, they have to be
removed. As was the case in days of old, this is frequently
done manually, today. Quite apart from the fact that
the necessary process reliability and reproducibility are
not assured, this manual work results in high costs and
o en leads to me-consuming rework - at the expense of
economic efficiency and the company’s compe ve edge.
And thus, it is no wonder that deburring, rounding and
polishing are o en seen as a costly, yet necessary evil.

Process reliability and costs

In the case of surf finishing, by means of which the workpiece is guided
More and more demanding requirements for process reliability
by a robot through a rota ng bowl filled with grinding medium, certain
in produc on and product quality, as well as cost pressure in areas can be processed selec vely, or different radii can be achieved by
global compe on, necessitate more economic efficiency for variously posi oning the robot arm. Image by Rösler.
the manufacturing steps of deburring, rounding and polishing.
At the same me, uniform high quality must be assured in
a reproducible manner. Various processes have established A new dimension in barrel finishing
themselves towards this end, for example, automated brush Various developments such as drag finishing and surf or
deburring, deburring stream finishing make it possible to achieve reliable and
with special tooling economic lot processing by means of barrel finishing,
which is integrated into for parts which are sensi ve to damage. These could
the machining centres, previously be deburred, ground, polished or smoothed
barrel finishing and only by means of a costly, non-reproducible manual
high-pressure water procedure or, at great expense, with the help of a machine.
jets. Many of these
processes have been In the case of drag finishing, the parts are clamped to
further developed in workpiece carriers which are then dragged through a
recent years, and new barrel with abrasive par cles or a polishing medium.
technologies have also Uniform flow of the abrasive par cles or polishing medium
been introduced into around all sides of the workpieces results in effec ve
the market. but nevertheless gentle processing. Even in the case of
workpieces with complex geometries, ideal, reproducible
processing results, represen ng ‘hand-made’ quality’,
can be achieved within a rela vely short period of me.
In this system for high-pressure water jet deburring,
CNC posi oned nozzles which generate water jets, with
Surf or stream finishing goes one step further. A robot
pressures of up to 50 MPa, remove chips and burrs immerses the workpiece at a precisely defined posi on
from cross-holes, threaded holes and deep holes, as into the rota ng bowl which is filled with the grinding
well as from inside the workpiece. Image by Zippel. medium, and accurately guides it. This makes it possible

20 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

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 PRECISION ENGINEERING

to selec vely process certain areas, or different radii are only very slightly heated up. No material is removed
can be achieved by variously posi oning the robot arm. from the surface. Overall cycle me is usually less than
High grinding pressure is generated by rota ng the bowl two minutes.
while the component is surfing in the grinding medium.
TEM makes it possible to achieve ‘sharp-edged / burr-
This results in intensive, reliable processing with short
free’ deburring quality. Depending on the material, slight
cycle mes and a surface finish which complies with the
rounding of the edges is also possible. Use of this process
specified requirement.
is limited by the size of the part as well as when targeted
edge rounding is needed during deburring.
Reliably and quickly removing burrs
TEM systems with rectangular deburring chambers are a
Not every burr on a geometrically complex workpiece is
new development. They are used, for example, to deburr
easy to reach. Thermal Energy Machining (TEM) makes
die-cast zinc and aluminium parts as bulk goods. Parts
it possible to remove burrs reliably, efficiently and with
handling is significantly simplified and accelerated as a
consistently high quality, where mechanical processing
would be either uneconomical or not possible at all. TEM
is suitable for components made of nearly all metallic
materials and thermoplas cs, from which internal as well
as external burrs need to be removed - even from very
‘difficult to access’ places.
For the deburring process, the parts are posi oned
inside a bell-shaped chamber which is herme cally
sealed. A precisely defined mixture of gases (eg oxygen
and methane) is fed to the chamber by means of a gas
metering system. It flows through the en re component,
or the complete batch. The igni on and burning of the gas
mixture results in temperatures ranging from 2500° C to
3300° C. The burrs reach igni on temperature and react
with the excess oxygen. This causes complete combus on
of all burrs within approximately 20 milliseconds (ms) and
their roots are also sealed as a result. Due to the fact that New TEM systems with rectangular deburring chambers simplify parts
the process lasts just a few milliseconds, the workpieces handling and allow for new applica ons. Image by ATL.

Thermal Energy Machining fully removes all burrs within just a few milliseconds (le ). The roots of the burrs are sealed, as well (right). Image by ATL.

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER 21

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PRECISION ENGINEERING

result, because the loaded container can be transferred

directly to a parts cleaning system a er TEM deburring.
Another possible applica on for systems with rectangular
chambers is the deburring of aluminium cylinder heads. DeburringEXPO
Deburring with addi onal benefit Organised by fairXperts GmbH & Co KG,
Contactless Electro-Chemical Machining (ECM) has DeburringEXPO 2015, the 1st Trade Fair for
its strengths. The process is based on the principle of Deburring Technology and Precision Surface
electrolysis. The tool, which serves as the cathode, is Finishing, was held from 13 to 15 October 2015,
connected to a source of direct current. The anode is the at the Karlsruhe Exhibition Centre, Germany.
workpiece itself. An exchange of electrons takes place DeburringEXPO 2017, the 2nd event in the
between the tool and the workpiece, in an aqueous series, will be held from 10 to 12 October 2017,
electrolyte solu on, which processes the workpiece in a also at the Karlsruhe Exhibition Centre.
targeted fashion. On the one hand, this makes it possible
to reliably deburr ‘difficult to access’ areas such as edges, The exhibition portfolio includes equipment,
undercuts, internal bore intersec ons and pockets at systems and tools for belt grinding, brushing,
precisely defined loca ons on the workpiece. Cas ng, abrasive flow machining, vibratory grinding,
press moulding and forging flash can also be removed. On blasting with solid and liquid media, abrasive
the other hand, ECM also makes it possible to produce, water-jet blasting, magnetic-abrasive deburring,
for example, highly precise contours, ducts, slots and ultrasonic deburring, chemical bath deburring,
hollows in a reproducible manner, without any thermal Electro-Chemical Machining (ECM), Electron-
or mechanical stressing. Thus, the ECM process fulfils the Beam Machining (EBM), Thermal Energy
more and more frequently specified requirement for burr- Machining (TEM), mechanical deburring, buffing,
free processing - a high quality surface finish. polish honing, electrolytic polishing, plasma
polishing, laser polishing, immersion and brush
This is also one of the characteris cs of abrasive flow polishing; measuring, test and analysis systems;
machining, by means of which average roughness (Ra) and technical literature. Further information is
values off less than 0.01 micrometre can be achieved. available at www.deburring-expo.de.
The process is used for economically efficient deburring,
edge rounding and polishing of internal and external
surfaces of components from the automo ve and
avia on industries, turbine manufacturing, medical
and fluid engineering, food processing, mould and
toolmaking, general machinery manufacturing and other
industry sectors. Processing is accomplished by means
of abrasive par cles, the type, size and concentra on of
which are matched to the respec ve tasks, and which are
embedded in a polymeric mass of defined viscosity. This
grinding medium is made to flow through or over the area
of the component to be deburred in alterna ng direc ons
at a defined pressure level, by means of hydraulically
powered pistons.
Deburring, cleaning, rounding and hardening of the
surface, are facilitated, in a single step, by the so-called
PINFLOW process. The workpieces to be processed
are clamped in a part-specific fixture in the PINFLOW
machine. The fixture, which is located in the machine’s
process chamber, is laid out as a container and filled with
a processing medium (small steel balls). Vibrators then
cause the fixture to oscillate horizontally, thus resul ng in
rela ve mo on between the workpiece and the deburring
medium. The resultant kine c energy of the steel balls
is transferred to the workpiece in order to process its
The DeburringEXPO por olio includes solu ons for the
external and internal surfaces, and the deburring effect is automa on of deburring processes. Image by Kadia.
also apparent in ‘difficult to access’ places.

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THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER 23
March 2017
PRECISION ENGINEERING

QUALITY ASSURANCE:
RANDOM SAMPLE MEASUREMENTS
OFTEN DO NOT SUFFICE
The German-language scien fic periodical, Bild der Wissenscha , has
described Prof Gisela Lanza as the ‘120-per-cent woman’ because, for four
years, she worked simultaneously as the first incumbent of the Shared
Professorship of ‘Global Produc on Engineering and Quality’ at the Karlsruhe
Ins tute of Technology (KIT) and at the automaker, Daimler, in Germany.
In an interview with Nikolaus Fecht, specialist journalist from Gelsenkirchen,
Germany, Prof Lanza assesses the new, important role of metrology in Quality
Assurance, as a consequence of the increasing impact of Industry 4.0 and the
Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).
Prof Gisela Lanza. Image by KIT.

Q: How is Industry 4.0 influencing Quality Assurance
and metrology?
A: Thanks to the increasingly important influence of sensor
technology, we will definitely be able to collect very much
more measured data, and thus improve our detec on of
causal connec ons. I would even venture the hypothesis
that in future, we will be recording 100% of all important
measured values. Hundred-per-cent tes ng means that
quality data (meaning all cri cal parameters) will no longer
be acquired by random sampling, but with 100% coverage.
This signifies a radical change in Quality Control, because
now we can get a whole lot closer to the tolerance limits.
Q: In your opinion, what will the Quality Control of
the future look like?
A: I am predic ng intelligent, adap ve Quality Control
strategies. One example here might be a revival of pairing
strategies which produc on people o en hate, because
of the complicated mathema cal approach and the
logis cal outlay involved. Here, components with different
quality features are used in pairs, so as to jointly provide
the func ons of an assembly with very high tolerance
requirements. One example here is the injectors used in
engines, which have to work with an opera ng pressure
that, in future, may reach 3,000 bar. Rigorous deployment
of inline metrology will enable even more intelligent,
component-specific pairings to be used in conjunc on
with dynamic modifica on of produc on parameters,
which opens up mul farious new op ons.
Q: So will data be increasingly acquired inside the
produc on line?
A: Yes. There is an ongoing trend towards more inline
metrology or even towards process-integrated
measuring instruments, permi ng minimised control
loops. Measurements are no longer taken in a separate
measuring room, but directly in the produc on process.
This is increasing the demand for metrology, applied in
modularised mode, in plants and produc on lines, while
standard measuring instruments are less sought a er.
Metrology is turning into a project business, in which the
customised applica on is the crucial compe ve factor.
Q: Talking of sensor integra on, can a machine tool
be converted into a measuring machine?
A: This goal has been around for some me, and it
con nues to be a very exci ng task. But there are s ll
numerous challenges involved, such as high costs and
interference factors from the produc on process, like
temperature or dirt. What is more, typical metal-cu ng
parts o en require a very high degree of measuring
accuracy. Users also want an independent metrological
framework which ideally enables measurements to
be taken in parallel to machining - this is known as
concurrent measurement. Measuring with the machine
tool, however, is nowadays already standard procedure
for high-precision products. One example here is the
produc on of diesel injectors at Bosch.
Q: When the machine tool and the produc on
process are able to acquire more data with the aid
of sensor technology, what does that mean for
signal processing in regard to real- me capability?
A: In terms of technology, individual sensors are being
replaced by distributed sensor networks, because a
networked infrastructure is an essen al pre-condi on
for using the poten als of inline measurements with
maximised efficiency. Users want intelligent, interlinked
evalua on of the data concerned. Experts here speak of
a fusion of data from several different sensors, which lead
to a combined metrological result. In order to explain the
complex causal connec ons of a process, data mining
algorithms such as neuronal networks are well suited.
So the main considera on is that the meaningful data
correla ons need to be filtered out.

24 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

March 2017

Q: What role will quality data generated in the
factory of tomorrow then play? Can the big-data
volume thus created be meaningfully managed
and mastered?
A: At present, that is s ll not easy to assess. The
basic pre-condi on here is a harmonised so ware
architecture. Once this has been established as a
basis with harmonised data structures and interfaces,
I am expec ng it to be design-enhanced by a gradual
increase in complexity - from data acquisi on all the
way through to adap ve, self-learning control loops.
Q: How can the different worlds - meaning shop floor
(the machine tool industry), networking (the
web) plus hardware and so ware (metrology) -
be frui ully reconciled?
A: Because the classical automa on pyramid, from the
process itself, all the way up to the corporate level, is
disappearing, cross-level informa on interchange is
essen al. In this context, the Manufacturing Execu on
System (MES), opera ng close to the process, is gaining
steadily in perceived importance. Unfortunately, you
see, it would appear impossible, in the next few years,
to directly u lise and evaluate the data from sensors,
without an MES. What is more, we need harmonised
interface standards like OPC/UA, a standard that is
currently gaining wide acceptance for automa on
technology.
Q: But the alleged necessity for real- me control
now appears to be hampering progress, a bit.
So, does everything really have to be run in real-
me?
A: No. Then, there will just be three non-conforming
parts. From number four, once again, specifica on-
compliant parts will be manufactured.
Q: Can you cite an example of best prac ce?
A: I see the Bosch Group as a leading key user, embracing
full-coverage, harmonised use of its own MES and IoT
so ware, which it also sells as a key vendor, so as to
link up process, measured and other data.
Q: You are also familiar with global produc on
strategies. Are there interna onal differences in
terms of Quality Assurance?
A: In what are called the ‘emerging markets’, meaning the
present-day, low-cost na ons, tes ng is s ll o en being
performed in the tradi onal manner, at the end of the
process chain. But the sheer speed of change here is
breath-taking. In China, par cularly, there is enormous
recep veness for Industry 4.0. The predominant
a tude there is “If I am inves ng, then I am going to
spend my money on the very latest technology”.
PRECISION ENGINEERING
Q: Talking of China, as the Director of the Global
Advanced Manufacturing Ins tute (GAMI) in
Suzhou, you have also had a good look at the
Quality Assurance opera ons there. What
differen ates the strategies of the Chinese
produc on facili es from those of Europe’s
industrial sector?
A: In Europe, the dominant category is the older brownfield
plants which equip their exis ng lines with sensor
technology. In China, there is a major trend towards
new greenfield plants which fit their new lines with
large amounts of immanent sensor technology. I am
observing in China, a readiness to make very substan al
investments in Industry 4.0. They are spending a whole
lot of money on hardware - o en in conjunc on with
automa on. However, I see this as problema c, because
Industry 4.0 and the requisite system competence are not
things you can buy. A er all, what use is even the best of
measuring machines to me, if I do not understand the
system involved? It is auspicious for China, though, that
the significantly younger workforces there are much more
recep ve to IT applica ons. But o en, there is s ll a lack of
basic comprehension of how control loops actually work.
High-precision
measurements: the
workpiece scanning
system is calibrated
under program control,
before the machine
operator uses it to
measure his workpiece
with maximised
accuracy. Image by
Heidenhain.
Encapsulated length measuring instruments facilitate posi on
measurement in the machine tool, independent of thermal and
other influences from the ball screw drive. Image by Heidenhain.
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER 25
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PRECISION ENGINEERING
INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION
TO FEATURE DEVELOPMENTS
IN METROLOGY
The trend towards the adop on of Industry 4.0 will mean
the increasing integra on of metrology with the machines
involved in produc on. To enable a machine tool to also
make ultra-accurate measurements, it has to meet various
technical pre-condi ons. These include both precise posi on
measurements and an accurate scanning system, plus a control
system that is able to process and evaluate the relevant data.
Some of the interes ng design enhancements and new products
from the fields of control systems and metrology, will be among
the exhibits at EMO Hannover 2017, the interna onal trade fair
for the metalworking industry, which will be held from 18 to 23
September 2017, in Hannover, Germany.
EMO HANNOVER 2017
EMO Hannover 2017 will showcase the en re range of
metalworking technologies, which is at the heart of every
industrial produc on process.
In addressing the theme ‘Connec ng systems for intelligent
produc on’, the exhibi on will focus on networking and
digitalisa on.
EMO Hannover 2017 will display the latest machines, efficient
technical solu ons, product-support services, sustainable
solu ons for the produc on process, and more.
The subjects covered by the exhibi on include metal-cu ng
and forming machine tools, produc on systems, high-
precision tools, automated material flow systems, computer
technology, industrial electronics and accessories.
EMO Hannover 2013 a racted more than 2,130 exhibitors and around 143,000 trade visitors, from more than 100 different countries.
26 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
March 2017
The event is expected to a ract trade visitors from all major
sectors of industry, such as machinery and plant manufacture,
automo ve engineering and component supply, aerospace,
precision mechanics and op cs, shipbuilding, medical
technology, tool and die manufacture, steel and lightweight
construc on.
According to VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’
Associa on), the organisers of the event, as at mid-March
2017, around 2,000 exhibitors from 42 different countries
have confirmed their par cipa on. That means that this
year, the event is well on its way to topping the record figures
achieved by EMO Hannover in 2013.
In 2013, the fair a racted more than 2,130 exhibitors
and around 143,000 trade visitors, from more than 100
different countries.
The major exhibitors at EMO Hanover 2017 include DMG
Mori, Mazak, Fanuc, FFG, Grob, Doosan, Okuma, Makino
and Siemens.
Numerous suppor ng events will also be held, designed to
address and progress important technical and commercial
issues in the world of metalworking, to complement the range
of exhibits and provide visitors with a comprehensive picture
of the trends and issues in metalworking.
EMO is a registered trademark of the European Associa on of
the Machine Tool Industries (CECIMO).

PTC ANNOUNCES CREO 4.0
FOR SMARTER DESIGN
PTC recently announced the release of the latest version
of its Creo CAD so ware.
Creo 4.0 introduces new capabili es for the Internet of
Things (IoT), Addi ve Manufacturing, Augmented Reality
and Model-Based Defini on (MBD). The so ware enables
smarter design and greater produc vity, with a vast array
of core modelling enhancements and new func onality
that allow designers to create ‘products of the future’.
Key enhacements in Creo 4.0 include the following:
Smart Connected Product Design
With Creo 4.0, product developers can take advantage
of IoT to be er understand how products are used and
behave, to improve design decisions. The solu on provides
the ability to pull real-world informa on back into the
design process. It also enables a ‘design for connec vity’
strategy, where developers produc vely design products
with custom data streams, by integra ng sensors into the
design process.
Creo 4.0 enables designers to successfully implement
Model-Based Defini on.
PRECISION ENGINEERING
Addi ve Manufacturing
Creo 4.0 removes barriers to efficient design of produc on
parts built with Addi ve Manufacturing techniques. It
delivers ‘design for Addi ve Manufacturing’, enabling
designers to design, op mise, validate and run a print-
check, in a single environment. With the ability to create
parametrically controlled la ce structures, the sofware
enables designers to op mise models, to meet mul ple
design objec ves or constraints.
Augmented Reality
Creo 4.0 allows for more engaging informa ve visual
experiences of designs, by bringing the digital product
line into the physical world. With the so ware, designers
can seamlessly reuse CAD data, to easily create engaging
and informa ve visual Augmented Reality experiences of
a design, with a realisi c sense of size, scale and context.
Model-Based Defini on
Creo 4.0 enables designers to successfully implement
MBD and increase efficiency in product development,
by reducing dependency on 2D drawings. The so ware
enables designers to reduce the errors that result from
incorrect, incomplete or misinterpreted informa on, by
guiding and educa ng them in the proper applica on
of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerance informa on
(GD&T). Creo 4.0 also ensures that the GD&T is captured
in the 3D CAD model, in a fully seman c way; that the
model is compliant with ASME and ISO standards; and
that it constrains model geometry to enable efficient
and error-free downstream use in manufacturing and
inspec on.
Creo 4.0 has the ability to create parametrically controlled
la ce structures.
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER 27
March 2017
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
INTRODUCTION TO
PIPELINE FLOW INDUCED VIBRATION
by Dr Ma Straw, Norton Straw Consultants and Alex Read, Siemens PLM So ware
Pipeline and piping vibra on can cause a range of issues, from reduced process efficiency and
unplanned shutdowns to decreased equipment life or even loss of containment. It is an issue for
engineers designing systems in many industries and has been of specific concern in subsea oil and gas,
in recent years.
This ar cle focuses on the phenomenon termed flow-induced vibra on (FIV), where the internal flow
of process fluids within a pipeline or piping system causes some form of vibra on of the pipe.
FIV is a complex mechanism and one in which engineering
design has tradi onally relied on empirical methods
for its avoidance. Empirical design methods are o en,
necessarily, conserva ve. High levels of conserva sm
can result in engineers iden fying vibra on risks that
constrain designs or limit opera ons.
Here, we aim to present how computer-based simula on of
flow and structural behaviour can offer engineers greater
understanding in cases where empirical approaches have
iden fied poten al vibra on issues. The most cri cal aims
of pipeline and piping system design are to minimise the
risk of pipe vibra on and to improve safety, reliability and
efficiency of process and produc on opera ons. Through
engineering simula on, we may be able to meet these
aims while reducing conserva sm and cost.
Causes of FIV
FIV of pipelines and piping can be caused by a number of
mechanisms including:
• Pumps and compressors which could produce pressure
pulsa ons, exci ng a response in nearby piping
• Fluctua ng flow past obstruc ons or objects in the flow
(for example, thermowells or other intrusions in the
flow) and piping dead legs
• Mul phase flow - for cases with flowing mul ple phases
(for example, gas and liquid), specific mul phase flow
regimes and flow frequencies through piping may drive
vibra on (for example, slug flows where packets of
liquid impact the walls of the pipe at bends, elbows and
obstruc ons)
• Rapid changes in flow condi ons or fluid proper es,
caused by opening valves, cavita on or other large
pressure varia ons, leading to changes in state, for
example, flashing of liquids into vapour.
Iden fying FIV risk
The seminal guidance document used in the field of FIV
is published by the UK-based Energy Ins tute (EI). This
provides a very clear method to determine the likelihood
28 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
March 2017
of FIV, when designing new plant, assessing or modifying
exis ng pipework or assessing an iden fied problem in an
opera ng system.
But what happens in the event that an unacceptable
vibra on risk is iden fied? Using the EI approach, the
engineer has three op ons:
• Redesign or re-support the pipe sec on
• Perform detailed analysis
• Carry out vibra on monitoring during opera on
While re-design may be possible for new facili es, the
number of op ons available for design modifica ons in
exis ng facili es is o en severely limited. Where designs
cannot be changed, the op ons are limited to detailed
analysis or monitoring vibra on during opera on.
If the monitoring approach is taken, it could be costly to
install and, if vibra on is subsequently observed, it could
result in opera ng restric ons with significant economic
impacts on a process or produc on rates.
The op on of performing detailed analysis could be
the preferrable choice, offering engineers greater
understanding of the vibra on risk or the actual response
of the system to the required opera ng condi ons.
The challenge here is “what is detailed analysis?” While
there is very li le in terms of industry best prac ces
currently available, there are analysis and simula on
approaches that engineers can turn to, in order to further
assess the risk of vibra on.
Vibra on assessment using EI guidelines
Figure 1 shows a piping system that was ini ally
inves gated using the EI guidelines.
The system is based on piping at an exis ng process
facility being reviewed, to accommodate an upgrade in
the process, with the aim of increasing process flow rates.
Table 1 summarises the findings of the empirical assessment
for three opera ng cases assessed. For a number of vibra on
mechanisms, the pipe work is iden fied as having vibra on

risk and requires more detailed inves ga on. Flow-induced
pulsa on, vortex-induced vibra on (VIV) from flow past
intrusive elements (the thermowells), and small bore
connec ons, were all iden fied as limi ng at least two of
the three opera ng cases assessed. Using mul -phase flow
maps, the flow regime was es mated to be dominated by
annular flow (where a liquid film forms and flows along the
pipe walls), and so slug flow was not iden fied as a poten al
vibra on mechanism.
The failure to meet the requirements of the EI guidelines
means that we need to re-design the system, perform
detailed analysis or install monitoring equipment. In this
case, we will look into detailed analysis and assess how
an engineer could gain further informa on to make an
informed decision on how to proceed.
Full system flow and structural analysis
With modern compu ng capabili es, it is now more
prac cal than ever to simulate flow and structural
responses of larger systems, even using desktop
worksta ons. In this case, we will demonstrate how the
flow field within the piping can be simulated and used, to
predict the subsequent structural response of the system.
The two modelling approaches used for the piping system
(shown in Figure 1) were:
Figure 1: Pipe sec on layout
Mechanism Case 1
Flow induced turbulence
Flow induced pulsation
Slug flow
VIV from intrusive elements
small bore connections
Further action required: redesign, further detailed analysis and/or vibration monitoring
Further action: only visual inspection for good, as analysed construction
Table 1: Results from EI guidelines assessment of three opera ng condi ons for pipe sec on considered
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
• Computa onal Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to simulate the
flow. This was performed using the STAR-CCM+ so ware
(by Siemens PLM So ware)
• Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to assess the structural
response. This used wave6 FEA so ware (by wave six),
a frequency domain vibro-acous c so ware package
designed specifically to assess noise and vibra on.
In the situa on where flow-induced pipe deflec ons
are large, it may be necessary to perform a two-way
coupled fluid-structure simula on, where the flow-driven
deflec ons of the pipe feed back to impact the flow
through the pipe. In the case presented, this was not
necessary and a one-way coupling approach was adopted.
The flow results were used to predict structural response,
but this was not fed back to the flow simula on, since it
would have had negligible effect.
CFD simula on of the mul -phase flow through the piping
confirmed the flow regime was dominated by annular
flow for all three opera ng cases, with some liquid carried
in a dispersed manner (as large droplets).
Figure 2 shows results from the CFD analysis, illustra ng
contours of liquid speed on interfaces that exist between
the gas and liquid phases present in the flow. It is
clear that there is a gas-liquid interface near the pipe
wall, confirming the dominant annular flow regime. In
addi on, large droplets of liquid are carried along in the
gas, through the main bore of the pipe, shown in red. The
CFD simula on demonstrated that no slug flow occurred
through the system, which corroborated the empirical
assessment made in the EI guidelines approach.
CFD simula on suggested that some flow-induced
pulsa on was occurring, both in the thermowell housing
as well as in the main ver cal dead leg. This was indicated
by the fluctua ng pressures recorded in the relevant areas.
Detailed analysis of the flow around the thermowells (not
presented here) showed no signs of adverse response or
loading through the onset of vortex-induced vibra on,
which is contrary to the findings of the EI method.
Case 2 Case 3
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER 29
March 2017
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Figure 3 shows the frequency content of the flow-induced
pressures on the pipe wall. Two dominant spectral peaks can
be observed, as generated by the flow, at 4 Hz and 32 Hz.
These two spectral peaks were inves gated further and it
was iden fied that:
• the 4 Hz peak was the characteris c frequency of the
large liquid droplets passing through the pipe
• the 32 Hz peak was related to the liquid film interac on
with the first thermowell housing (dead leg)
The frequency content of the flow-induced forcing on
the pipe can be compared to the natural frequencies of
the pipe system, which were calculated using wave6. The
natural frequencies of the system are shown in Figure 4
and are generally higher than much of the spectral content
in the flow-induced pressure signal captured on the pipe
walls from the flow simula ons. This indicates that the
forcing func on induced by the flow on the pipe system is
unlikely to excite these natural structural modes.
To complete the inves ga on, a one-way coupled analysis
was undertaken. Here the forcing func ons predicted from
the CFD analysis were applied to the wave6 FEA model, to
assess the response. A vibro-acous c model was solved to
yield the forced response of the system, taking into account
Figure 2: Contours of liquid speed on gas-liquid interfaces
Figure 3:
Surface-
average RMS
pressure on
internal pipe
wall
30 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
March 2017
both the forcing func on obtained from the CFD model and
the impedance of the structure and fluid.
Figure 5 shows the pointwise maximum Von Mises stress
for one of the opera ng cases. It can be seen that the
peaks correspond to the structure’s modal frequencies
(shown in Figure 4) and that there are no ‘line-up’ effects,
where a forcing frequency (from the fluid) and a modal
frequency coincide, to produce excessive vibra on.
While results presented are for a single opera ng
condi on, the same process (involving CFD and FEA)
was undertaken across the opera ng range, and no
significant changes in system response was observed. This
insensi vity to flow condi ons suggests that the overall
levels and peak values in the structural response are
being sustained by wall turbulence rather than by specific
mechanisms exci ng structural modes. No significant
vibra on risks were iden fied by the analysis.
Figure 4: Natural mode shapes and frequencies of the pipe work
Figure 5:
Pointwise
maximum
Von Mises
stress
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER 31
March 2017
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
LEARNING TO PLAY NICE:
MECHANICAL ENGINEERS AND
THE MULTI GENERATIONAL
MANUFACTURING WORKFORCE
by Gary McCormick
I graduated with a Mechanical Engineering degree, in 1981, just
as slide rules were making the transi on to affordable, powerful
engineering calculators. That is right - slide rules and calculators.
And I made my drawings on actual drawing boards. Desktop
computers and computerised design and dra ing were s ll,
at least, a decade in the future. Obviously, the manufacturing
workforce has changed much in my 34 years at a West Coast
division of a major US defence contractor.
Today, I work with 3D-CAD-savvy Mechanical Engineers who
may have never used a 2D-CAD system, let alone created a
drawing on a drawing board - with pencil and paper. They also
bring an en rely different a tude to the job.
A case in point: A 20-something engineer took on design
modifica ons for a hardware item that is my ul mate design
responsibility. He did good work brainstorming design op ons
and running tests in the lab (the interes ng stuff). But just
as the design changes were being finalised, and the rela ve
drudgework of documenta on was beginning, the engineer
took a year off to travel the world. Where did that leave me?
Upda ng the drawings and revising the field-maintenance
documents - not to men on ques oning the commitment of
millennial engineers.
Today’s manufacturing workforce comprises genera ons
from post-war baby boomers (born 1946 - 1964) to fresh-
faced millennials (born 1982 - 2000s). These workers grew
up during the most rapid rate of technological advancement
in human history. Although cultural and technological
differences between genera ons affect every workplace,
in Mechanical Engineering-related industries, technological
disparity lies at the very heart of the work experience. It is
like speaking radically different dialects of the same language.
At one me, slide rules were used to make calcula ons.
32 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
March 2017
Genera onal strengths and weaknesses
Given that Mechanical Engineers are mee ng in the office and
on the shop floor, with different sets of tools and experiences,
how can all genera ons capitalise on each other’s strengths
and shore up each other’s weaknesses, to bring out the best
that they have to offer?
Admi edly, that sen ment does smack a li le of the 1960s-era
hippies who were part of my genera on. O en reviled as the
‘Me Genera on’, baby boomers (especially early boomers) are
close to the altruis c virtues of the World War II period.
Boomers grew up against the backdrop of the Cold War
and the go-for-broke enthusiasm of the US space program,
when the power of engineering came to the forefront of the
American experience. So, they some mes take a proprietary
a tude - a feeling of ownership, born of being the genera on
that created much of the technology that modern society
depends upon.
I am guilty of it: Social-media technologies are really ‘remaking
the world’? It is just programming. My genera on designed
the hardware technology that gives that social-media
programming a pla orm.
Gen X engineers, on the other hand, grew up in a society
marked by the cynicism of the Vietnam War, the hopefulness
of the Cold War’s end, and the watchfulness of the post-9/11
terrorist threat. They were the first latchkey kids, many having
two working parents, so they learned independence from a
young age, and had less respect for authority.
Millennials are in a class all their own. They have largely never
known life without the Internet. Coming of age in a connected
world, millennial engineers bring a new set of expecta ons to
Model created, today, using
a 3D CAD (Computer-Aided
Design) systems.

the workplace. Doubt and uncertainty cloud their horizons,
marked by growing concerns over the environment, worldwide
financial situa ons, and more - yet they o en embrace an
op mis c outlook and feel that America’s best years lie ahead.
What and how can we learn from one another?
Some challenges facing the modern engineering workforce
stem from issues of age and experience vs youth and
enthusiasm. Understanding each other’s point of view is key
to workplace coopera on.
Remember that 20-something engineer I noted earlier? Had
management been more in tune with his skills and preferences,
the company might have retained a talented team member.
Instead, management insisted on using the same task-assignment
paradigms that had always worked in the past and lost both an
engineer and his experience with our systems.
It is equally important to ensure that knowledge is not lost as
the boomers age out of the workforce. My employer faced an
experience gap when the development of a major weapons
system went flat for 10 years, leading to a long hiatus in
engineering hiring.
With the announcement of that system’s next update, the
organisa on began interviewing the engineers involved in
the design development of the outgoing system, many who
were nearing re rement age. The result was a collec on of
white papers that captured the sort of experien al ‘tribal
knowledge’ that would guide the engineers designing the
updated system. The value of that type of material, of course,
lies in its dissemina on to the up-and-coming engineers who
may or may not be recep ve to reading it.
To reinforce experience-based informa on transfer, lead
engineer/subordinate engineer rela onships are immensely
valuable. I received this kind of informal leadership-by-example
training - a kind of osmo c learning experience impossible to
duplicate in a formal training environment, and, in turn, gained
respect for the shop personnel who fabricate, assemble, and
test the equipment I design. Studies show that this type of
hands-on, experien al learning alongside more experienced
engineers appeals to millennials, too.
Leveraging genera onal differences
To fully exploit the disparate quali es of mul -genera onal
engineers, the ‘lone genius’ and the design team have to work
together. Whereas older engineers look to engineering lone
geniuses such as George Wes nghouse, Thomas Edison, and
Henry Ford, gen X and millennial engineers bring a mindset
that values design teams. Most have taken college classes that
feature group working environments and collabora ve design
development.
Design teams may conjure the spectre of design-by-commi ee
mediocrity, especially for older engineers, but when properly
implemented, this approach marries the guiding quali es of
experienced team members with the fresh ideas of younger
engineers. The lack of this approach, however, can cause
frustra on for new engineers during their first few years on the
job, leading some to look for careers outside of engineering.
Learning to recognise the valuable quali es of the mul -
genera onal workforce is important to fully u lising the
brilliant minds drawn to Mechanical Engineering. Because at
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
the core of it all, Mechanical Engineers - boomers, gen Xers,
and millennials, alike - just want to make stuff. So why not
figure out a way to make stuff together?
(Gary McCormick is a Mechanical Engineer in Silicon Valley
who has more than 34 years of experience in Mechanical
Engineering design, produc on, and tes ng. He has been
pursuing a side career as a freelance writer, since 2011.
This ar cle is adapted from an ar cle that originally appeared
on Autodesk’s Redshi , a site dedicated to inspiring designers,
engineers, builders, and makers).
Autodesk introduces
por olio for the
‘future of manufacturing’
Autodesk unveiled its por olio of solu ons for addi ve
and subtrac ve manufacturing, at the Interna onal
Manufacturing Technology Show 2016 (IMTS 2016),
held in Chicago, USA.
Within the por olio offerings are cloud-connected
capabili es designed to help users experience the
benefits of a more cohesive manufacturing workflow
and invest more me in product development.
AUTODESK’S MANUFACTURING PORTFOLIO
Autodesk HSMWorks: a fully integrated CAM solu on
for SOLIDWORKS, allowing users to get up to speed
and become produc ve within minutes, using familiar
tools and workflows.
Autodesk Inventor HSM: Helps CNC programmers,
designers and engineers rapidly produce machined
parts, designed in virtually any CAD system.
Autodesk 2017 CAM Products: With offerings for a
mul tude of advanced manufacturing applica ons,
these new products combine the heritage of industry
leadership in CAM so ware from Delcam with
Autodesk’s 3D design and manufacturing prowess.
Solu ons include FeatureCAM for automa ng
CNC programming; PartMaker for precision part
manufacturing with Swiss-type lathes; PowerMill
for programming the most complex moulds, dies
and other components; PowerShape for preparing
complex models for manufacture; and PowerInspect
for inspec on in every environment.
Autodesk Ne abb: All the so ware needed to reduce
costs, increase efficiency and improve part performance
in addi ve manufacturing and 3D prin ng.
Fusion 360: The centre-piece of Autodesk’s cloud-based
product innova on pla orm, Fusion 360 combines
CAD, CAM and CAE in a single package. It allows
users to take their designs all the way to produc on,
with included 3D prin ng capabili es as well as HSM-
powered toolpath technology for 2- through 5-axis
milling machines, turning centres and waterjets.
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER 33
March 2017
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
WHAT IS
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING?
by Chua Boon Heng, Principal Engineer and Teo Siow Hiang, CEng(S’pore) (Systems), Assistant
Director, Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA), and Peter L Jackson, Professor and Head
of Engineering Systems and Design Pillar, Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD)
This introductory ar cle, contributed on behalf of the IES Systems Engineering Technical Commi ee,
will serve as a prelude to future ar cles that will showcase notable developments in Singapore which
have applied SE.
In land-scarce Singapore, Systems Engineering (SE) has been
effec ve in harnessing the limited resources and manpower
to meet our social, economic and defence needs. Since the
1960s, we have applied a systems approach in public housing,
water management, traffic management, educa on and
air defence. Thanks to many visionary SE prac oners, it is
not difficult for us to see the successful and cost-effec ve
realisa on of many cri cal systems/infrastructures such
as the Container Ports, Changi Airport, the MRT system,
Water & Power Supply and Distribu on Systems, as well as
Defence and Security Capabili es. Collec vely, it has enabled
Singaporeans to enjoy a world-class living standard.
In this age of complexity, the benefits of SE include not being
caught out by omissions and invalid assump ons, managing
ever-changing real-world concerns, and producing efficient,
economic and robust solu ons that address real needs.
The SE approach ensures that project costs and schedules
are managed and controlled more effec vely, by having
greater control and awareness of the project requirements,
interfaces, issues, and the consequences of any change.
What’s that you say? A system?
Before defining SE, let us define a ‘system’. Mul ple parts do
not necessarily form a system. For instance, a bowl of raisins
consists of many singular raisin parts. If you remove some
of them, it is s ll a bowl of raisins. You can remove and/or
add parts to a heap without much change. Contrast this
bowl of raisins to a true system represented by, for example,
a car. Removing one of the wheels of the car would result
in considerable degrada on of its func on. In other words,
removing a part would result in significant changes.
Another view of a system is that its whole is greater than
the sum of its parts. That is, the many interac ons and
rela onships among parts in a system give rise to quali es or
proper es that are not present in the parts by themselves.
These quali es or proper es are some mes referred to as
‘emergent’. An example of this would be what audiences
experience when an orchestra plays. We use adjec ves to
describe a symphony, that are different from those we use to
describe the tonal notes of each instrument.
Summing it up, a system is a construct of different elements
that together produce results not obtainable by the elements
alone. The value added by the system as a whole is beyond
34 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
March 2017
the value that is contributed independently by its parts. This
is primarily created by the rela onship of the parts, in other
words, by how they interconnect and interact. Without
mutual interac on, different elements brought together
would not qualify as a system.
Defining Systems Engineering
So then, what is SE? The Interna onal Council on Systems
Engineering (INCOSE) sums it up, as follows: “Systems
Engineering is an interdisciplinary approach and means to
enable the realisa on of successful systems”.
SE is an engineering discipline with the responsibility of
crea ng and execu ng an interdisciplinary prac ce and
process to ensure that the customer’s and stakeholders’
needs are sa sfied in a high quality, trustworthy, cost-
efficient and schedule-compliant manner, throughout a
system’s life cycle. SE is focused on the system as a whole,
and never on its parts, in isola on. Externally, it looks
at the system’s interac ons with other systems and the
environment. Internally, it examines the interac ons of the
various abstrac ons (sub-systems, components) that make
up the system. It is concerned not only with the engineering
design of the system, but also with external factors which
can significantly constrain design (Figure 1). This allows
prac oners to gain a systems perspec ve (systems thinking)
and enables decision-makers to understand the strategic
benefits and weigh the macro-level trade-offs, without
which the proposed solu on may not make engineering or
economic sense.
SYSTEMS STAKEHOLDERS
Figure 1: Systems
Engineering:
Addressing interac ons
INTEGRATED between poli cal,
ACROSS social, economic
and environmental
factors, and mul ple
stakeholders.
TIME ECOSYSTEM

A case in point, the 12-km long Kallang-Paya Lebar
Expressway (KPE) was, at its incep on, the longest
underground expressway in Southeast Asia, with some
daun ng challenges and in mida ng construc on costs, for
a rela vely short road. Based on engineering considera ons
alone, the decision to build underground would have been
hard to jus fy. However, when the effort and costs involved
were balanced against the projected posi ve payoffs from
freeing surface land for alterna ve uses, me saved by
road-users as well as higher produc vity for businesses and
manufacturers, then the KPE’s long-term viability became
quite obvious. Adop ng a systems approach enabled the
planners and engineers to manage compe ng demands and
uncertain es, and eventually deliver a balanced solu on.
The Systems Engineering process
SE is a strategy to solve problems. It is about communica on,
structure, process, and performance. The basic methodology
is as follows:
• Understand a problem before a emp ng to solve it
• Examine alterna ve poten al solu ons that sa sfy the
given constraints
• Verify that the selected solu on is correct
• Deliver the solu on within constraints and sustain it
through its life cycle.
The Vee life cycle model is one such SE model. Figure 2 shows
the rela onship between SE ac vi es or ‘processes’.
Figure 2: Vee life cycle model (source: h p://incoseonline.org.uk)
One key ques on that is asked in SE is “Are we solving the
right problem?” In order to correctly state the problem,
the Systems Engineer must first be able to understand
the problem space. This can be complex, but it is essen al
to understand the needs (true underlying needs, not just
the perceived needs) of customers and stakeholders, and
translate them into ac onable requirements. With the
requirements established, alterna ve designs are created
and evaluated, based on performance, schedule, cost, and
risk figure of merit. Selec ng a design would be simple, if it
is the best of all the figures of merit, but that is o en not
the case.
Mul -criteria decision-aiding techniques are used to reveal
the preferred design. Similarly, models (eg analy c equa ons,
computer simula ons or func onal flow diagrams) can be
developed for alterna ve designs to establish the preferred
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
design. Further, the model for the preferred design can be
expanded and used to help manage the system throughout
its en re life cycle. The designs are then specified and
manufacturing of the system building blocks begins. The
process of verifica on starts when the manufactured blocks
are compared to their specifica ons to ascertain if they can
be accepted. When the building blocks are ready, integra on
at the system level takes place. Integra on means bringing
parts together so that they work as a whole. The interfaces
between these parts must be designed and managed. When
the system is finally put together, valida on takes place to
demonstrate that the needs that were defined are met
by the system. A er valida on, the system is ready to be
operated and sustained ll its eventual decommission.
What makes a Systems Engineer?
Everyone prac ces some form of SE in their career, but SE
is a career in itself for a few. Prac oners typically have
prior training in established fields of Engineering, and later
in their career, apply systems thinking and SE perspec ves
to design, develop and sustain complex systems through
their life cycles. Over the years, organisa ons prac sing SE
have built competency models to help define and manage
competencies of their Systems Engineers. An example of a
competency model from the MITRE Corpora on is presented
in Figure 3.
In Singapore, one of the routes to being recognised as a
proficient SE prac oner is via a professional accredita on
framework administered by IES - The Chartered Engineer
Scheme. Professional cer fica on benefits both
employers and engineers. To find out how you can be
cer fied as a Chartered Engineer in Systems Engineering,
please visit h p://charteredengineers.sg/
Figure 3: MITRE Corpora on’s Systems Engineering competency model
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER 35
March 2017
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
DESIGN INNOVATION FOR A SMARTER SINGAPORE:
A CASE STUDY ON SMART
ENERGY INNOVATION
by Wayes Tushar, Subarna Basnet, Chau Yuen, Yunjian Xu and Kris n Wood,
Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), Singapore
Ci es as we know them today are drama cally changing. Our living environments are altering the
way we live, and this presents a unique opportunity for us to remake and reinvent our ci es to make
them more sustainable, innova ve, agile, and ready for the years to come.
INTRODUCTION
While sustainability has become a global issue, and is
a rac ng significant a en on by world leaders in recent
years, Singapore began prac sing sustainable development
before the Brundtlad Commission coined the phrase
‘sustainable development’ in 1987 [Soon, 2010].
The Brundtland Commission (or the World Commission
on Environment and Development) was convened by the
United Na ons in 1983 amidst growing concerns about
environmental deteriora on and the impact of this on
economic and social development. It defined the term
‘sustainable development’ as that which ‘meets the needs
of the present without compromising the ability of future
genera ons to meet their own needs’, in its 1987 Report.
Now, although the challenges have become vastly
different than those in 1987, the priority remains the
same - catering for economic growth and good quality
life, maintaining a clean and green environment, and
making the best use of Singapore’s resources [Urban
Redevelopment Authority, 2012].
To address these priori es, innova ve and sustainable
solu ons are necessary in every aspect of city life including
sustainable water solu ons, sustainable and smarter energy
solu ons, intelligent transporta on systems, crea ng
green and blue spaces, intelligent and improved drainage,
improved air quality, elderly care, climate mapping, and
community stewardship [Urban Redevelopment Authority,
2012], [Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources,
2015]. However, due to increasing complexity arising from
the rich interplay between different structures (such as
water, air, energy, waste, public spaces and commu ng;
different technological systems; and socio-economic factors
to address these challenges), urban ci es like Singapore can
be thought of as a highly complex system, which cannot be
described just by a simple summa on or aggrega on of its
different parts.
36 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
March 2017
As such, Singapore, with its futuris c and high-tech Smart
Na on vision, has focused on Systems Engineering to
undergo a tremendous transforma on over the past five
decades, from a largely rural town with squa er colonies
to a cosmopolitan city. Today, despite being one of the
most densely-built urban environments, Singaporeans
live and work in modern buildings that have quality
design and high safety standards, travel across the island
via highly interconnected and well-planned train, bus,
and taxi services, enjoy uninterrupted electricity, gas, and
water supply, and experience greenery throughout the
country. Such a world class environment system, however,
did not happen by chance - it is the result of the collec ve
and con nuous efforts and innova ons of the Developer,
Designer, Architect, Builder, Engineer and Policy Maker, in
the area of Systems Engineering.
Nonetheless, as the economy is becoming more and more
ideas-driven and diversified, Design Innova on (DI) has
become a cri cal enabler for transforma onal change to
solve problems, balance between the various priori es
and interests, realise poten als, and create new value,
user-centric experiences, crea ve communi es, and new
markets [Design Singapore, 2016], [Design Singapore,
2016-2]. Leaders in the public and private sectors are
recognising that DI is more than aesthe cs and themes,
and good design represents good strategy. Companies,
communi es, and economies are using Design Thinking
and DI to raise produc vity, unlock new opportuni es for
growth, and improve the quality of everyday life [Brown,
2009], [Brown, 2008], [Camburn et al, 2016], [Camburn
et al, 2017], [O o et al, 2001] and [Ulrich et al, 2000].
Singapore, as one of the world leaders in DI, is also
significantly exploring the possibility of DI contribu ng
towards making the world a be er and more sustainable
place. For instance, Singapore has appreciated the 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development, as shown in Figure 1,
which was launched during the Sustainable Development
Summit in September 2015, and is exploring how DI can
 SYSTEMS ENGINEERING

Figure 1: Seventeen sustainable development goals that are to be achieved over the next 13 years. The figure is taken from the link
h p://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/

help achieve these goals with its limited land and no

natural resources [Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2016].

SYSTEMS ENGINEERING AND DESIGN

INNOVATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY
The SUTD-MIT Interna onal Design Centre (IDC, idc.sutd.
edu.sg), an innova on hub in SUTD, was born out of
Singapore’s commitment to DI. IDC’s mission is to drive
design research and innova on, in collabora on with a
wide spectrum of private and public enterprises. IDC is
guided by three core objec ves - advancing design theory
and methodology, using design to address key societal
challenges, and integra ng design theory and methods
with prac ce, and thus be a leading organisa on in the
world in Design Science Research and Prac ce. Figure 2: Sample Design Innova on framework

Within the IDC, design research, prac ce, and pedagogy

are guided by a mul -disciplinary DI framework. As a
process model, it integrates principles and methods from
Design Thinking, Engineering Design, Systems Engineering
and Business Processes. The DI model advocated by the
IDC consists of four ac on spaces - Discover, Define,
Develop, and Deliver - the 4Ds, as shown in Figure 2 and
Figure 3. For conceptual convenience, these ac on spaces
may be thought of as four phases, as a product, service,
system, and/or so ware moves from the first phase,
Discover, towards the last phase, Deliver, as the design
matures. However, the overall process is highly itera ve,
with making, tes ng and learning, and repea ng,
integrated throughout.
In the first phase, Discover, designers develop empathy
with users and other stakeholders iden fying and
understanding their aspira ons, needs and concerns. In Figure 3: Design Innova on process
the second phase, Define, the needs and concerns are

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER 37

March 2017
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
reframed, and analogous situa ons are benchmarked to
develop a more complete understanding of the problem
being solved and the design opportunity. In the third phase,
Develop, design strategies and concepts are co-created
and screened with respect to feasibility, desirability, and
viability. In the final phase, Deliver, selected concepts are
prototyped at different fidelity levels and tested with the
users, for func onality, usability and risks, to learn and
inform subsequent rounds of itera on. Deliver is also the
phase where product-service systems are engineered,
robustness is infused, produc on and implementa on
are developed, and sustainability is assured. The DI
framework u lises divergent and convergent thinking
throughout all four Ds.
The DI framework makes the DI process pivot around the
users and stakeholders, making them central, and thus
increasing the chance of a design being adopted, pushing
the innova on boundaries, and being able to fulfil the needs
of the users and stakeholders to the greatest degree. DI
facilitates the discovery of insights, latent needs, preference
and behaviours of users not known before, across perhaps
a full design ecosystem. At the heart of this user-centred
approach are a number of key principles, such as Crea vity
Throughout; Empathy for All; Expressive Collabora on;
Embracing Open Resources; Adap ve Pathways; Curiosity
for Context; Celebra ng both Quan ta ve and Qualita ve;
Make Test Learn Repeat; Free Space for Blue Skies; Pride
in Art, Art in Cra , Cra in Pride; Decompose, Transform,
Integrate; Also Can; and Blend Big and Small [Camburn et
al, 2017], [Fu et al, 2016].
The DI framework, with integrated principles, is general and
is thus useful for design of products (hardware or so ware),
services, and systems, such as energy, healthcare, water,
and transporta on. As such, design opportuni es in areas of
energy management such as smart energy and sustainable
water usage (reduc on of water consump on) are prime
candidates for applica on of the DI framework, as users are
main drivers of energy usage. There are many ques ons and
issues related to these design opportuni es. For example,
how might we reduce energy consump on in residen al
cooling while maintaining, or even improving, thermal
comfort of residents?
INNOVATION IN SMART ENERGY
MANAGEMENT
In this sec on, we briefly discuss some innova ve
approaches that SUTD and the IDC have explored for
smartly managing the energy usage of both private
and shared spaces of buildings and spaces in Singapore
[Hassan et al, 2013], [Liu et al, 2014], [Tushar et al, 2015],
[Hassan et al, 2015], [Huang et al, 2015], [Tushar et al,
2016], [Tushar et al, 2016-1], [Viswanath et al, 2016],
[Withanage et al, 2016]. As an example, we focus on
the innova ons in developing techniques and policies to
manage air-condi oners’ (ACs) energy consump on and
cost in buildings. This example is selected, due to the
fact that AC systems are one of the major consumers of
electricity and have significant impact on overall electricity
usage in homes and shared spaces. For example, in the
38 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
March 2017
United States of America, 70% of total annual electricity
consump on is meant for buildings [Wu et al, 2016],
whereas in Singapore it is 48% [Energy Market Authority,
2015]. Forty percent of the energy consump on by
buildings is due to ACs [Wu et al, 2016]. Hence, intelligent
management of ACs can significantly benefit the energy
sector of Singapore.
INNOVATIONS IN AC MANAGEMENT FOR
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
For energy innova ons in private spaces, we should first focus
on managing the ACs of residen al apartment buildings,
with an objec ve to save electricity consump on by the ACs’
compressors but without affec ng the thermal comfort of
the building occupants. In this context, we primarily ran this
study at a residen al testbed in Singapore to demonstrate
energy and related cost savings by controlling the set point
temperature of the par cipants’ compressors.
Testbed set up
To demonstrate the innova ons in AC management, we
set up the testbed at 20 apartment units of a residen al
building at SUTD. Each unit was either a one-bedroom,
a two-bedroom or a three-bedroom apartment. In each
unit, the ACs within the bedrooms were connected to
one compressor, whereas the AC of the living room was
connected to a second one. Overall, there were 68 ACs
within the testbed, which we connected to a total of
36 compressors. An overview of the testbed set up in a
three-bedroom apartment unit is shown in Figure 4.
All the ACs in the testbed were supplied and installed
by Panasonic. They were specially customised for
the experiment. As such, we were able to control the
thermostat within each AC for both on/off and set point
temperature control from a remote central control server.
For this par cular experiment, however, we controlled
the temperature set point of only par cipant ACs, to
manage the power consump on of the respec ve
compressors. The power measuring unit inside each
Figure 4: Demonstra on of the set
up of the testbed in a three-bedroom
apartment unit at SUTD

compressor measured the consump on of electricity by
the respec ve compressor and transmi ed the data to
the central server. The data on room temperature, AC’s
temperature set point, and electricity consump on were
monitored and sent to the server every 30 seconds. Each
apartment within the testbed was also equipped with a
smart meter to measure the total electricity consump on
of the overall unit. The data from the smart meter, which
was sampled at a rate of 100 per second, was also stored
and monitored in real- me from the control server.
Management technique
To manage the power consump on of ACs within each
apartment unit, we adopted a data-driven approach to
capture the diverse preferences, room type, and energy
usage behaviour of different types of users. The algorithm
was centralised and executed from a remote server to
change the temperature set point of the ACs within the
par cipants’ apartments. During the experiment, we
determined the steady-state par cipant compressors and
controlled the temperature set point of the ACs which
were connected to those compressors only. No control was
performed on compressors that were not in steady-state,
as it could be detrimental for the power consump on, ie
increase the power consump on even more, according to
our observa on. The defini on of steady-state can be found
in [Li et al, 2017].
We divided the en re experiment dura on into mul ple
me slots where we alternately controlled and released
control of the ACs’ set point. The dura on of each me slot
was varied across the range from 20 minutes to 30 minutes.
The choice of this range of dura on was considered, based
on our observa on that it took around 20 minutes to 30
minutes for the room temperature to reach another new
value if there was a change in the set point of the user’s
AC. Nonetheless, the dura on can be different for different
cases, according to weather condi on, room type, users’
sensi vity, and me of the experiment. During the control
period, essen ally, we increased the user-defined set point
to a higher temperature from the remote server. At the
end of each control period, we released the control and
set the AC’s set point back to the user’s original set point.
The algorithm to set and reset the temperature set point
was executed every 30 seconds. However, we ceased the
control of the set point, even during the control period, if
the communica on was lost or/and the power consump on
of the compressor was beyond a predefined range.
Demonstra on of reduc on in energy consump on
During the experiment, we were able to control the
temperature set point of the ACs only in the apartment
units of selected par cipants who agreed to par cipate,
and hence gave the research team the access to control
their ACs remotely. In par cular, we controlled the
temperature set point of 14 ACs that were connected to
eight compressors in the testbed, for the en re dura on
of the experiment. However, even with controlling the
power consump on of eight compressors, significant
poten al for saving electricity consump on was observed.
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
In Figure 5, we show how much energy can be saved
by adop ng our designed approach, compared to the
case without control. To observe this phenomenon, we
chose two days, which were typically iden cal to one
another in terms of the thermal comfort experienced
by the respec ve occupants of the apartment. In both
days, the occupants set the same temperature set point
of the AC, and therefore it is reasonable to assume that
the occupants experienced the same level of thermal
comfort due to the room temperature, on both days. We
conducted the experiment on 21 Dec 2015 and 26 Dec
2015, with the temperature set point being manipulated
only on 21 Dec 2015.
Figure 5: Comparison of power consump on by an AC
system with and without the designed AC management
Now, according to this figure, the power consump on
by the compressor on the day without control was much
higher than the day with control. For example, consider
the me dura on from 16.00 to 6.00. According to the
figure, the average power consump on per hour by the
compressor was 1.78 kW and 1.2 kW on days without
and with control, respec vely Therefore, the total power
consump on for the considered 14 hours were 25.03 kW
and 16.8 kW, respec vely, for the days without and with
temperature set point control. Thus, for the considered
dura on of this par cular experiment, the proposed
scheme showed a total power savings of around 8 kW
with the proposed management mechanism, which is
clearly a considerable benefit in terms of energy savings
(and related costs). Now, considering the fact that the
main source of electricity in Singapore is natural gas, such
savings in electricity consump on can also translate into
an average reduc on in CO2 produc on of about 4.4 kg
for the considered 14 hours. Natural gas has a carbon
footprint of 0.55 kg/kWh (Source: h ps://www.eia.gov/
tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=74&t=11)
However, such savings are con ngent on the rate of
interrup on that we can possibly perform on the AC. In
this context, we ran experiments to understand what
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER 39
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SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
percentage of total load, which is consumed by the
compressors, can successfully be saved by following the
proposed technique. The results are shown in Figure 6.
Figure 6: Illustra on of the successful rate of interrup on of the
par cipants’ AC system in order to save electricity consump on
In Figure 6, we show how the interrup on of different
percentages of total load consumed by the consumers can
contribute to the total savings (or, interrup ble load). In
the figure, each triangle and dot represents the amount
of load that can be interrupted, in the day and at night,
respec vely, without affec ng users’ comfort level, from
the total load (total consumed load refers to the total load
consumed by the compressors without any control), as we
iden fied during the experiment. According to the figure:
1) The best that we can achieve, according to this
par cular experiment, is around 80% interrup on of
the total load consumed by the households.
2) As the amount of power that is consumed by the users
increases, it is possible to offer more interrup ble load
to the market for the same percentage of interrup on.
3) For the same amount of consumable load, the more
the percentage of interrup on we can make, the more
load we can put into the market for demand response.
4) Finally, based on the experiment, the interrup on was
mostly around 50% of total load consumed by the
par cipant compressors.
INNOVATION IN AC MANAGEMENT
IN SHARED SPACES
AC systems in shared spaces, where most occupants perform
mee ngs and other ac vi es, have a significant impact on the
overall energy usage of commercial buildings. However, the
diversity of users’ preferences on the temperature set-point
makes it difficult to fix a par cular temperature set-point
for the AC, based on user preferences. As a consequence,
development of policies to fix the temperature set point
of shared space ACs, considering occupants’ preferences,
40 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
March 2017
is s ll in its infancy. In this context, SUTD has implemented
an AC management mechanism for shared spaces, and
implemented a policy, by considering a mee ng room within
SUTD as a case study. In this sec on, we first provide an
overview of a policy that we implemented to manage the
temperature se ng of the AC within the selected mee ng
room in SUTD.
In the designed policy, on the one hand, each user of the
mee ng room can provide his/her preference regarding
the temperature set-point, and is compensated for the
discomfort experienced, if the set-point is not fixed
according to the given preference. On the other hand,
users who enjoy the thermal comfort compensate the
other users of the room. Thus, the policy enables the
users to be aware and accountable for the payment for
the energy consump on of the office space they are
sharing, and at the same me, ensures that the users
are sa sfied either via thermal comfort or through the
provision of virtual monetary incen ves (such as virtual
company money [Kalochris anakis et al, 2013]). We also
show that the developed policy is also beneficial for
building managers in terms of reducing the cost of energy.
Backend of policy
We developed a generalised version of the standard
Arrow-d’Aspremont-Gerard-Varet (AGV) mechanism
[Wang et al, 2017] that we use in this policy, to capture
the diverse requirements of the individuals within the
mee ng room. The benefit to an occupant is defined as the
difference between the thermal comfort (or, discomfort)
that the occupant feels from the temperature set-point
in the room and the payment that he/she needs to make
(or receive) to keep that temperature. The mechanism
provides a solu on that can find the trade-off between
users’ thermal comfort and energy cost. It is shown that
each individual in the mee ng room received a fair net-
benefit, either through thermal comfort or through
payment for the discomfort. The mechanism and its
related proper es have been detailed [Wang et al, 2017].
[Wang et al, 2017] also shows that the mechanism has
a variety of desirable proper es including incen ve
compa bility, efficiency, fairness, and a balanced budget.
Thus, the designed policy ensures that all users will disclose
their true preferences while submi ng their choices for
the temperature set point in the room, as a result of the
incen ve compa bility property. Furthermore, since the
mechanism is efficient, it ensures that the total benefit
to all the occupants of the room will be maximum and
that no occupant would feel inferior in terms of receiving
the benefits according to the policy. Now, given this
background, the main policies to fix the temperature set
point in a mee ng room can be summarised as follows.
Summary of policy
According to this policy:
• Each occupant in the shared space is allowed to submit
his/her preference of the AC’s temperature set point to
the building management system (eg via his/her smart
phone and using an interface like that shown in Figure 7).

• However, the building management system would
modify the temperature set point of the AC at par cular
me intervals, to trade-off between occupants’ thermal
preferences and the energy cost.
• A er each modifica on of the temperature set point,
the building management system will debit or credit the
virtual account of each occupant with the company’s
e-currency, based on his/her submi ed preference and
the actual set point of the AC.
• If any occupant forgets or decides not to submit
any preference on the AC’s set point, the building
management would submit a preference on his/her
behalf, based on the historical profiles stored within
the system. It must be noted that the payment of
e-currency to or from the occupants’ virtual accounts
will be conducted only for the devia on from a
reference set point for the AC.
• The building management will pay for the energy
consumed by the AC system for the reference
temperature, which would be chosen by the building
management based on the regula on of that territory.
The details of the policy can be found in [Tushar et al, 2017].
Figure 7: Example of a web interface that can poten ally be
used for taking users’ preferences on the temperature set-point
Conduc ng an experiment to verify
To show the effec veness of the proposed policy, we
recruited 30 par cipants and divided them into six
groups to par cipate in an experiment at SUTD. All the
par cipants were over 21 years old and capable of
repor ng their preferences on the temperature set point
to the building management system and received the net
benefits. For each group of par cipants, we conducted
the experiment by following the steps, as listed below.
• We divided the en re experiment into two phases,
where each phase of the experiment was conducted
for 150 minutes.
• In the first phase of the experiment, each par cipant
was asked to report his/her preference of AC set point
in every 30 minute period, whereas the set point of the
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
AC was changed from 22° C to 26° C, with an increment
of 1° C. During this period of me, each par cipant
was allowed to perform his/her normal ac vi es.
This phase was conducted to iden fy the normal
preference pa erns of the par cipants at different
room temperatures.
• In the second phase, we again considered the collec on
of preferences from the par cipants. However, this
me, we applied the designed policy, and made
payments to/from the par cipants’ virtual accounts,
based on the policy.
To es mate the energy consump on by the AC system
in the mee ng room, every half an hour, we used a
building simula on program, EnergyPlus. Essen ally,
we collected the real- me weather data from an onsite
weather sta on, every 30 minutes during the experiment
and then ran the EnergyPlus (h p://apps1.eere.energy.
gov/buildings/energyplus/) module to calculate the
half-hour load for each of the possible outcomes at
the current temperature. The load was converted to
electricity consump on through a constant coefficient
of performance (COP). In Figure 8, we show a graphical
representa on of the model used for es ma ng electricity
consump on during the experiment.
Demonstra on of effec veness of policy
We then demonstrated how the proposed policy is
beneficial for both the building manager and the shared
space occupants, in terms of reducing electricity cost and
obtaining net benefit, respec vely. The results are based
on the data obtained from the conducted experiment.
To this end, Table 1 shows the building manager the
cost of electricity consumed by all six groups, during the
experiment periods.
According to this table, by adopting the proposed
policy, the cost to the building manager is always lower,
compared to the scheme with a fixed set point, for all six
experiment sessions. This is due to the fact that during
implementation of the policy, the temperature was
usually set at a value higher than the (conservatively
low) fixed set point. As a consequence, energy saving
is achieved when the AC works in the cooling mode.
In the table, the demonstrated energy costs are
estimated using the EnergyPlus module. Interestingly,
the energy consumption for the fixed set point also
varies across different groups. In fact, the experiments
with different groups were run at different times. As a
result, the electricity consumption was largely affected
by different weather conditions, and hence showed
different costs for different experiment sessions.
In Figure 9, we show the net benefit, ie the aggregated
thermal comfort, in terms of dollars, obtained by each
group of par cipants during the experiment. As can be
seen from the figure, the net benefits to the par cipants
are higher under the proposed policy, compared to the
fixed temperature set point scheme. The interpreta on of
the reason behind this difference is very straigh orward.
In a fixed temperature set point, no monetary benefit is
provided to the occupants who were uncomfortable with
the temperature.
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER 41
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SYSTEMS ENGINEERING

Figure 8: Illustra on of the EnergyPlus module that was used to es mate the outcomes at the current temperature

However, in the proposed policy, we quan fied the

thermal comfort by monetary incen ves and design
incen ve schemes that would increase the net benefit
to the par cipants, if their preference is not selected as
the AC’s temperature set point. As a consequence, the
net benefit to the par cipants is always higher when the
proposed policy is implemented.

DISCUSSION
DI is a cri cal framework for individuals, teams,
organisa ons and communi es to advance and embed
the love of our ci es and urban environments. In this
ar cle, we have provided an overview of how DI helps
Singapore grow into a smart, crea ve, and cosmopolitan
city, focusing on resident and user experiences. In this Table 1: Demonstra on of the cost to the building manager during
discussion, emphasis is given to the energy sector, by the experiments, on establishment of the proposed policy. The cost is
demonstra ng some key design innova ons made by compared with the case when the temperature of the mee ng room
SUTD and the SUTD-MIT Interna onal Design Centre was set at a fixed value.
(IDC) in managing the AC loads of the residen al sector in
Singapore, which is one of the biggest energy consumers.
It is shown that it is possible to manage the AC loads Participated group in the experiment
intelligently in both private and shared spaces of a building, 1.4

GROUP 4
to reduce the energy consump on, wastage, cost, and 1.2
Increment: 0.8

subsequently improve the environmental sustainability. GROUP 1 GROUP 3

Aggregate thermal comfort ($)

Increment: 0.6 Increment: 1.0

While the discussion in this ar cle is limited to energy 1

GROUP 5
GROUP 2
management, similar techniques and approaches are also 0.8
Increment: 0.8 Increment: 1.0

equally applicable, and, with suitable adapta on, can be GROUP 6

Increment: 0.6
applied to manage waste, water and related systems and 0.6
0.8
1.0

systemic problems and opportuni es. 0.4 0.8

1.0
0.8 0.6

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
0.2

0.2 0.2
The case studies demonstrated in this ar cle were 0

conducted as elements of a smart energy innova on -0.2

-0.2

project which was supported by the Singapore

grants NRF2012EWT-EIRP002-045 and NRF2015ENC- Proposed policy Fixed point policy (0.0 for Groups 2, 3 and 6)

GBICRD001-028, and in part by the SUTD-MIT Interna onal

Design Centre (IDC, idc.sutd.edu.sg). Any findings, Figure 9: Demonstra on of the aggregated thermal comfort (in
conclusions, or opinions expressed in this document are terms of dollars) experienced by each group under the proposed
policy and in the case when the AC’s temperature set point was
those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the
at a fixed value
views of the sponsors.

42 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

March 2017

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of scheduling flexibility on demand profile flatness and user
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SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
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THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER 43
March 2017
IES UPDATE

IES HOSTS
DELEGATION FROM IRAN
Er. Chong and Mr Singh also briefed the
Iranians on how Singapore confronted
its size and resource limita ons in
the course of its transforma on, and
gave an overview of the strategic
master plans for long-term sustainable
development in the areas of
transporta on, technology, land-use,
water, energy and housing.
The group also discussed Singapore’s
progress towards its Smart Na on goals.
Kick-star ng the mutual exchange of
knowledge from the Iranian delega on
was Mr Ali Chavoshian, Director of
the Regional Centre on Urban Water
Management under the auspices of
UNESCO.
In his presenta on on engineering and
infrastructure development in Tehran,
he shared that engineering in Tehran
is in fact an in-demand career choice,
with females making up almost 60 per
cent of the total number of students
Immediate Past President Er. Chong Kee Sen, (standing, fi h from le ), Vice President, pursuing engineering courses.
Infrastructure Cluster Er. Chan Ewe Jin (standing, eighth from le ) and Advisor to LTA Academy
Mohinder Singh (standing, tenth from le ) pose for a photo with the Tehran Municipality
The delega on also introduced some
delega on and other mee ng par cipants. of Tehran’s engineering feats, which
include iconic structures such as the
Milad Tower and the Nature Bridge. At
The deepening friendship between Singapore and Iran 435 m, Milad Tower is the 6th tallest tower in the world.
has created many opportuni es for both countries to
work together and learn from each other. In the spirit of The head of the tower, a 25,000-ton, 12-storey structure,
collabora on, IES hosted a delega on from the Tehran is the biggest and tallest mul -storey structure amongst
Municipality for a mee ng and sharing session on 13 all communica on towers in the world.
February 2017.
The Nature Bridge, on the other hand, is the largest
The 13-strong delega on met IES Immediate Past pedestrian overpass in Tehran, spanning 270 metres over
President Er. Chong Kee Sen, Advisor to LTA Academy a large highway and connec ng two public parks. The
Mohinder Singh, and other representa ves at the IES bridge took 4 years to construct.
Green Building @ Bukit Tinggi.
In a nod towards progressiveness in the Iranian engineering
Hailing mostly from the municipal office, as well as the community, the award-winning bridge was designed by a
Tehran Engineering and Technical Organisa on (TETCO; 26-year-old female engineer, Ms Leila Araghian.
an advisory body that provides technical and engineering
consultancy services to the various agencies that The mee ng, which enabled both Singapore and Tehran
administer Tehran City), the delega on heard from Er. to come together to exchange their experiences in
Chong on various aspects of Singapore’s infrastructure infrastructure development, ended on a posi ve note. Both
development as the country journeyed from Third World IES and the Tehran Municipality representa ves expressed
to First. their interest for future collabora on and coopera on.

44 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

March 2017
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER 45
March 2017
IES UPDATE
CONGRATULATIONS!
The three winners collected their prizes at IES on 1 March 2017.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
IES SPRING FESTIVAL 2017
IES ushered in the Year of the Rooster on the evening of
10 February 2017, holding a sumptuous 9-course dinner
at the Auditorium to mark the occasion.
In the loud, boisterous style typical of Lunar New Year
celebra ons, two lions from the Nam Sang Lion Dance
Troupe pranced through the Secretariat office at the
Green Building, chasing away evil spirits and ushering in
good luck for the year.
They then performed the “plucking the green” ceremony
at the Auditorium, blessing all members with good fortune
in the months ahead.
In his opening address, IES President Er. Edwin Khew took
the opportunity to give all guests present an overview of
the Ins tu on’s plans and ini a ves for 2017.
46 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
March 2017
In 2015, as part of the IES-SG50 celebra ons to commemorate
both the na on’s Golden Jubilee and IES’ 50th birthday, the
Engineering Feats @ IES-SG50 compe on was launched.
The aim of the compe on was to seek out and recognise
the top 50 engineering achievements across the various
fields of engineering deemed to have made the greatest
economic, infrastructural or societal impact to Singapore
since its founding in 1965.
A er much delibera on, 113 projects from various agencies,
organisa ons and companies were put up for public vo ng
in March 2016, with the final 50 projects receiving their
accolades from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the IES
Golden Jubilee Gala Dinner on 1 July 2016.
A lucky draw was also held for three cash prizes.
Congratula ons to Mr Rosli bin Ramli, Mr Li Caihong and
Ms Si Jumariah bte Jee Sahak, the three lucky winners who
were chosen from more than 65,000 voters to walk away
with SGD 500 in cold, hard cash!
Stay tuned to this space as we bring you more updates
regarding the Engineering Feats in the upcoming months!
These include focusing on engineer training and workplace
safety, collabora ng even closer with government agencies
to iden fy industry trends and improve produc vity, and
con nued work on professional recogni on for engineers.
Guests were also entertained with mini-games like
kam- kam, where they could win small cash prizes or
a chance at the TOTO Hongbao Draw. There was also a
pipa performance by Ms Ong Shi Qing, a member of the
Nanyang Fine Arts Young Talent Group, as well as a flute
performance by Community Service Commi ee member
Liu Soon Leong.
Dispensing with tradi on, a Bingo game was played
for the lucky draw prizes, rounding out the evening’s
ac vi es.
 IES UPDATE

4
8

1 It’s the Year of the Rooster, so

o we
5 need a mascot for that as well!ll!
2 Cute lion photo game strong.
3 Er. Edwin Khew receiving the auspicious scroll from the lions
4 … and making the opening address right a er.
5 The single most common phrase heard at lou heis:
Huat ah! (Prosperity!)
6 Guests beginning to dig in and enjoy the meal.
7 Pipa performer Ms Ong and her family, together with Er. Khew
and wife, a er receiving a token of apprecia on for her beau ful
performance.
8 Mr Liu in deep concentra on during his performance, never
6 missing a note.

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER 47

March 2017
VIEWPOINT

STAYING AHEAD
THROUGH ENGINEERING
INNOVATION AND
ENTREPRENEURIALISM
Mr Omar Shahzad, Group CEO,
Meinhardt Group Interna onal Limited

The current global economic outlook is indeed sluggish. The World Bank expects global growth to hover at 2.7% in 2017, nearly unchanged
from 2016 – a year widely regarded as a “post-crisis low”, with “anaemic” levels of investment and weaker global trade.
Economic prospects in Asia are weighed down by a slowdown in China, property cooling measures in many parts of the region, rising US
interest rates and currency and uncertainty in US geo-economic policies stemming from a newly elected President.
Whilst the long-term fundamentals for engineering industry are favourable underpinned by rapid urbanisa on, popula on growth,
climate change among other factors which have fuelled unprecedented requirements for infrastructure and smart ci es, the reality of
the prevailing slower growth environment and global compe on makes it impera ve for engineering firms to differen ate themselves
and become nimbler and adapt to a more cut-throat market environment.
At Meinhardt, we pride ourselves with a culture of engineering innova on and entrepreneurialism. This has served us well to adapt to
the economic slowdown and structural changes within our industry.
Over the years, we have focused on delivering more innova ve and cu ng edge design solu ons that have op mised construc on cost
and me for our clients. This has helped us beat our compe on by offering value rather than ght fees. Examples include the various
projects along the Marina Bay skyline where our design solu ons had a significant savings of over S$50 million.
Since our founding 60 years ago, we have aggressively focused on interna onal expansion. Today, Meinhardt has 45 offices globally set
up primarily on the back of organic growth. Whilst geographical diversifica on mi gates cyclical risks in any one or more markets at a
me, it takes me and investment before an opera on can be successful in a new country. Pa ence, quick learning abili es and se ng
up the right team combina on is the key.
We have also made a conscious effort to embrace technology. For example, Meinhardt switched to Building Informa on Modelling
(BIM) produc on five years ago in all our key offices, just ahead of Building and Construc on Authority (BCA) direc ve for all design
submissions to be submi ed in 3-D. Grants from BCA were helpful in defraying the huge investment cost.
Given the s ff compe on from within the industry and rela vely high cost base of Singapore opera ons, it is vital to focus on increasing
produc vity and minimising re-work by enhancing QA/QC procedures. We have implemented many policies in this regard including
more vigorous training for our young engineering graduates, inves ng in an internal knowledge sharing pla orm and mandatory internal
design reviews at cri cal design junctures for all key projects.
Going forward, it is clear that investment in infrastructure will drive the construc on spend in Singapore and across many countries
globally. Although, private sector par cipa on in infrastructure spending will con nue to increase albeit from a low base, the Government
is likely to be the main contributor to develop greenfield projects interna onally. It is vital for engineering companies here to augment
their experience, capacity and business and delivery strategy to take be er advantage of the US$8 trillion investment in infrastructure
an cipated across Asia over the next decade.

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX
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Back Cover
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World Engineers Summit 2017 –––––– Inside Front Cover

48 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

March 2017