LAM SAI KIT

   Traffic violation is the most common issues that happens around the world. The traffic offenses typically include such offenses as speeding, running red light, drunk driving and others. Red light running (RLR) has been identified as a serious traffic problem that can lead to many traffic problems. For example, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, RLR was responsible for 697 fatalities and 127,000 injuries in 2013 in the United States alone. Traffic violation has threated public safety. In Malaysia, the number of road accidents in 2006 was 341,232 and this resulted in 6,287 road fatalities. This numbers are quite high for a population of 26,640,000 giving an index of 23.5 road fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants.

     In general, there a lot of factors associated with traffic violations and accident such as human factors, vehicle factors, road factors or environmental factors. The human factors may include the driver attitude when driving. For the road factors it may depends on the road condition and the traffic volume on the road associated with type of traffic light. The environmental factors may include the weather condition. There are a lot of factors that still can lead to the traffic violation like cycle of traffic light, length of red light and others. Hence,the factors that associated with traffic violation will be study and analysed.

Solar photovoltaic (PV) module emulator is designed to replicate the real characteristics of the solar panel as the real panel is difficult to be tested in practical with the limitation of installation cost and unpredictable environmental condition. A simple PV emulator is designed using DC-DC buck converter with an Arduino Uno microcontroller in a closed loop system. The mathematical model of the solar panel with the help of PI controller is programmed into the microcontroller board. The algorithm of mathematical model tracks the point on the V-I characteristics of PV under varying loads condition by generating the corresponding current reference. This current reference will compare with the load current and send the error to the PI controller. The output of the PI controller will act as the input of the pulse width modulation (PWM) for converter. The duty cycle will keep increase until the load current is same as the current reference in the feedback system. With the help of digital controller power converters were employed and I-V characteristics were easily obtained by controlling switching state of the converter. This proposed system is tested with real time variation of load, irradiance and temperature. The proposed design has been simulated numerically using MATLAB/SIMULINK platform and is experimentally verified by a DC-DC buck converter of 5W rating with the help of Arduino Uno as a core controller. Both simulation and hardware results are presented and compared to show the reliability of the system under dynamic loading and environmental conditions.

17 April 2018

A talk of BEM code of professional conduct had been conducted at L50, UTM. A speaker of Ir Juraimi Masood from Pelabuhan Tanjung Pelepas Sdn Bhd (PTP) had been invited to conduct the talk. All students from FKE and taken SKEE 4012 this course are invited to attend. Ir Juraimi is one of the MMC Corporation Berhad (MMC) leading member. MMC is a leading company that focus on the leading utilities and infrastructure group with diversified businesses under three divisions namely ports & logistics, energy & utilites and engineering & construction. Ir Juraimi had a wide experiences in the power fields and now he is the project integration general manger in PTP.

Ir Juraimi begin the talk by introducing his background and career path. In early stage, he was a resident engineer in heavy engineering. Heavy Engineering is a firm that involves in the design and building of large machines and equipments such as production of electricity generating plant. He used to deal with the project plan, cost and also negotiate with the colleague, client and contractor in order to expand his social networking in his early stage.

Besides that, he also share about his working environment and condition in his company and point out every engineer have to meet the expectation of the stakeholders. He also list out the 8 critical skill sets.

• having in-depth technical competence in specific engineering discipline
• ability to function efficiency
• ability to acquire and apply knowledge
• ability to communicate effectively with colleagues and community at large
• ability to undertaken problem identification, formulation and education
• having social awareness on sustainable development
• ability to utilise a systematic approach to design and evaluate operational performance
• ability to design and conduct experiments

These are the eight skill sets that expected to satisfy industry requirement. Generally, engineer could only 3 to 4 marks out of 10 and it is huge issue. Every engineer had to improve themselves in order to meet the requirement. Moreover, he also point out engineer must manage to take over the development of the master plan such as determine end user requirement, engaging consultants, communities, contractor,supplier and authorities. Hence, Ir Juraimi keep motivated us to be more hardworking as to be a qualified engineer.

Next, Ir Juraimi commence the talk by talking about the engineering ethic. There is a standard and guideline from National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). As stated in the code of ethics IEEE, engineers had to accept the responsibility in making decision consistent with the safety, health and welfare at the public and to disclose promptly factors that might endanger the public or the environment. Engineers should also avoid real or perceived conflict of interest whenever possible and to disclose them to affect parties when they do exist. Moreover, Engineers should also perform service only in areas of their competence and issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner. Engineer must be honest and realistic in stating claims or estimates based on available data and act for each employer or client as faithful agents.

The talk end up with the motivation speech. Engineer should always ready to face new challenge and overcome it. Engineering ethics is also the ethics that must be followed by every engineer.

Currently, I am in my final year at University of Technology Malaysia (UTM), majoring in Power Electronic Engineering.