Matlab Workshop

Matlab is considered as a "high-performance language for technical computing", that has a wide range of uses such as math and computation, Modeling, simulation and prototyping, visualization, exploration and analysis of data (read here for more). In industries, this system is chosen for high-productivity research, development and analysis, and has become the standard instructional tool for advanced courses in universities for engineering, mathematics, and science.

On the 17th November 2018, SSIET organized a MATLAB Workshop featuring a lecturer from Swinburne Sarawak, Dr. Tay Fei Siang. There was a total of 11 participants including SSIET members that attended this workshop. The event provided a basic introduction to the MATLAB software, as well as ways to use the tool to solve real-world mathematical problems.

In the workshop, Dr. Tay gave a welcoming speech to the participants, and introduced the MATLAB software to them. He explained the different purposes of Matlab and the uses of this software for current applications. After that, Dr. Tay taught the main content of the workshop regarding several topics of MATLAB. These include the concept and use of variables, learning to develop and run mathematical algorithms, an introduction of arrays and matrices. These lectures were followed by some exercise materials to test the participants' understanding.

After a brief refreshment break, the session continued with the explanations on flowcharts, function files, and script files. The ways to plot a 2D graph through Matlab was also taught and practiced in the workshop. The session concluded with a Q&A session with Dr. Tay, and the event's organizing chairperson then presented a token of appreciation to Dr. Tay for sharing his knowledge to the participants.

Event report by:

Esther Tan

Edited by:

Edwin Thou

ViTrox Technologies Interview and Talk

Organizing Chairperson: Jonathan Ho Siew Kit

Vice Organizing Chairperson: Kok Zhen Hui, Alex Liew Jia Cheng, Jasman Chai Yi Hao

Date & Time: 18 April 2018, 10.30 am – 5.30 pm

Venue: B209, Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus

Participants:

12 SSIET On Campus Members

5 Swinburne Sarawak Student

On 18th April 2018, SSIET organized two conjoining events in collaboration with Penang image detection company, ViTrox Technologies. The interview session is to help students to secure an industrial placement for the company as well as new recruits after graduating. The talk, which is held during the afternoon, will talk more on the company’s mission and vision, encouraging participants to be exposed to more challenging situations in order to grow.

The activities that occurred in this event are as follow:

10.30am

Arrival of ViTrox Technologies’ representatives, Elaine, Gary, and two others. Committees and representatives proceed to B3 room to set up for interview.

11.00am

Commencement of interview split into two groups of two. The interview was selected by the representatives beforehand through online submission to Google Drive. This is due to time constraint that not all interview can be done in a day and there is an excess of recruits already in Penang.

A total of 7 interviewees out of 17 were chosen and 4 were selected to be part of the industrial training program.

12.30pm

Lunch break and networking session between ViTrox Technologies and SSIET On Campus.

2.00pm

Arrival to B209 to set up for the talk.

2.15pm

Elaine from the Human Resource department of ViTrox, gave an introduction to the participants about the mission and vision of the company. It is an ever-growing family that has just moved to the new location which they referred to as a “campus”. The expansion of the company signifies unity and determination for success. The criteria for entering ViTrox is not about excellence in Academics, but rather the willingness to adapt and learn.

Gary, who was the next speaker, highlighted about the market growth of the company in Malaysia as well as overseas. Some of their products have made their way into many manufacturing lines and eliminating the need of extra labour. Machine vision developed by ViTrox is a very reliable equipment that has many advantages over a human such as being able to detect small errors in a short duration and the absence of tiredness. ViTrox also sent two representatives from different departments on how the company has nurtured them to becoming more successful engineers as well as developing soft skills.

Gary presenting about the growth of the company

Lastly, ViTrox also emphasized that those who have yet to go to industrial placement to send in their resume at the box near the entrance so that they will stand a chance to be chosen for the next batch of recruits.

4.30pm

Refreshments, photo taking session and networking session.

Group photo of participants and ViTrox Technologies’ representatives

5.00pm

End of program.

Prepared by,

JONATHAN HO SIEW KIT

President,

<Swinburne Sarawak IET On Campus>

Date: 22 April 2018

Solidworks Workshop (Fourbar Linkage Application)

Organizing Chairperson: Wong Yeng Chien

Date & Time: 14 April 2018, 8:30am – 12:30pm

Venue: A310, Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus

Participants:

8 SSIET On Campus Members

16 Swinburne Sarawak student

Swinburne Sarawak IET On Campus (SSIET) had successfully organized Solidworks Workshop (Fourbar Linkage Application) on 18 March 2018. This workshop successfully exposed SSIET members and Swinburne students to basic concept of CAD modelling and fundamentals functions of Solidworks such as motion analysis. Also, kinematics of four bar linkage mechanism is explained and to be applied directly using Solidworks.

Following shows the activities conducted during event.

8.20 am

Committees had arrived and set up the venue, A310.

8.30 am

Participants entered the venue and registered for the attendance. Welcoming speech was given by Wong Yeng Chien (OC), followed by briefing session where event flow was clarified to participants.

8.45 am

Workshop commenced. Concept of fourbar linkage and its application is explained by main instructor, Wong Yeng Chien. Participants were exposed to the difference between part file and assembly file of Solidworks. Then, fundamental sketching and geometry modelling technique of CAE were introduced. For example line, circle, arc, mirror, copy, smart dimension and extrusion feature are explained together with the function tab. Also, the convenient feature of Solidworks was explained compared to other CE software.

Figure 1: Welcoming speech by Wong Yeng Chien (OC)

Then, another three similar bar but with different link length were generated using sketch of the first drawing. Once completed, OC explained the interface of Assembly file and its importance. Participants were coached to insert four part components into assembly. Difference between the fix and float was explained. Then, the mating feature and its panel was introduced for example concentric and coincident. Consequently, the remaining three bar were connected to the grounded bar, by concentric and coincident mating, one by one.

Lastly, Solidworks Motion Analysis was introduced to participants. Concept of timeline and addition of rotary motor were introduced as well. Participants were guided to create rotation of bar by selecting the centre of rotation, direction of rotation and motor speed. As the result, each participants could have a animation of the whole mechanism by giving one turning input. After that, motion plot feature was introduced, particularly the trace path of the point during the motion. Then, tutorial session of this workshop had ended.

Figure 2: Tutorial session

10.30 am

Short break and networking session.

11.00 am

Resume of the workshop by announcing topic of the mini-competition, which was to create the car wiper mechanism with Solidworks. Participants were asked to form group of two or three and to adopt the skills acquired during workshop. Also, main instructor, Wong Yeng Chien introduced the Grashof equation to remind participants of the limits to design the length of two separate four-bar mechanism; first wiper driven by motor, while second wiper is driven by the first wiper in parallel motion. During this session, participants showed teamwork skill to discuss and design the linkage before constructing them in Solidworks as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Designing process for car wiper competition

After an hour, participants were asked to submit their work through google form to be assessed. Marking rubrics include the amount of completion, the overall performance of mechanism, creativity, and demonstration of Solidworks skills. After evaluation by OC and the helpers, the Starbucks gift card and souvenir from SSIET were won by group 5. All participants were asked to give the feedbacks regarding the workshop.

12.15 pm

Prizes giving ceremony and group photo session.

Figure 4: Winner of the competition (Group 5)

Figure 5: Group photo taken end of the workshop

12.30 pm

Dismiss of workshop, packup and leave.

Prepared by,

Wong Yeng Chien

Organizing Chairperson,

Asst. Multimedia and Design Officer

<Swinburne Sarawak IET On Campus>

Date: 15 APRIL 2018