Introduction
I finished my industrial training with the Royal Malaysia Navy in Lumut, Perak. The period was 12 weeks, starting on July 25th and ending on October 14th, 2022. I was appointed to be in Charlie Group with another student to carry out a project titled "Effect of Wave on Structure and Stability of Navy Ship" while also joining and completing the given job in our assigned department. I was exposed to the real working environment of RMN and gained some hands-on experience with the given authority from the employees. Each group will attend three different departments every four weeks. Throughout the 12 weeks, I was able to acquire knowledge about the company's organization at each department, as well as how they execute their daily tasks. Some of the engineering jobs that I was frequently involved in included surveying the ship during refitting and assisting technicians in repairing the ship's main engine. The industrial training has helped me a lot to be more perseverant, strengthen my self-esteem, enhance my knowledge, polish my leadership abilities, and expand my network.
Company Profile
The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN, Malay: Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia; TLDM) is the Malaysian Armed Forces' maritime arm. The RMN is the primary agency in charge of the country's maritime surveillance and defense operations. The RMN's operational area is 603,210 square kilometres, which includes the country's coastal territories and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ). RMN is also in charge of controlling the country's main Sea Lines of Communication (SLOC), such as the Malacca and Singapore Straits, as well as monitoring national interests in areas with overlapping claims. Figure 1 below shows the official logo of RMN.
RMN has three main engineering departments which are Cawangan Penguasa Kejuruteraan Armada (CPKA), Unit Pengawasan Senggara Barat (UPSB), and Depot Selenggara Armada Barat (DSAB) (DSAB). Each department is dedicated various tasks and outcomes. The job scope at CPKA is largely related to engineering documentation, navy ships data handling, and conducting research studies for navy ships. While at UPSB, the job scope is more centered on surveying and site visits to inspect ships undergoing major maintenance such as refitting and up slipping. In contrast, the job scope in DSAB is mainly concerned with minor repairs of the operational ship, such as repairing the main engine and propeller, changing wore materials, and so on.
Gained Experience
UPSB (Unit Pengawasan Senggara Barat)
Duration: 25th July 2022 – 19th August 2022
During my first week at UPSB, I had the opportunity to go on a site visit to UniKL MIMET to observe the combat boat of CB90 Hex at their yard undergoing Caterpillar main engine and radar maintenance. Aside from that, I got to accompany the executive officer of UPSB on a sea trial with a CB90 Hex around Sungai Manjung, Perak. There were some issues with the boat, so I met with a Caterpillar expert from Ipoh, Perak, and watched them repair the boat's main engine. The boat has a minor problem plotting the radar, which has already been resolved by the technicians on board. Figure 6 displays one of the Caterpillar engine experts mending the main engine of CB90 Hex 201 at the yard of UniKL MIMET, Manjung.
The CB90 Hex sea trial, led and instructed by UPSB's executive officer and followed by the boat's other crews, aims to test the performance of the main engine system and radar transmitting. Figure below shows a picture of myself during sea trial with CB90 Hex 201 around Sungai Manjung.
Not only that, but I also had the advantage to accompany the staff on a site visit to KD Mahawangsa at the DSAB jetty. The ship's design was antiquated, but it was built in 1982. It is a support ship with a speed of 16.5 knots and a length of 100 meters. KD Mahawangsa has a displacement of 4300 dwt and can accommodate 136 crew members. Picture below displays a few of the ship crews and the staff from UPSB together along with us during the day of site visit to KD Mahawangsa.
In the second week, my groupmate and I had the opportunity to visit the current condition ship of KD Kasturi at the Boustead Naval Shipyard's (BNS) yard led by RMN Lt Dya Shafiq which is in the process of ship refitting in the second week. The image below depicts the condition of the KD Kasturi ship, which is currently being refitted at the BNS yard.
Aside from that, I worked with the entire UPSB staff to prepare for the audit program for the department. I attended important meetings and helped them create a slide for the audit day program. Figure 10 shows a picture of my groupmate and I with a few staff of UPSB for the marching training 1 day before the audit day event.
CPKA (Cawangan Penguasa Kejuruteraan Armada)
Duration: 22nd July 2022 – 15th September 2022
Differently in CPKA, my groupmate and I had the opportunity to visit each flotilla, which were Flotilla Serang (FS), Flotilla Bantuan (FB), and Flotilla Ronda (FR). During the first week, I assisted one officer from CPKA's Maritime Research and Development which work for the Condition Based Maintenance and Analysis (CBMA) by using Rhino software to adjust the system dimension and relocate a pipe for an acoustic enclosure for a generator system on a Kedah-Class Patrol Vessel. Figure below displays a picture of myself while doing the adjustment of the dimension and position of pipe for an acoustic enclosure.
We also had to explore the Flotilla Serang (FS) and meet with the staff to learn about the flotilla's history. We also had the opportunity to read the ship maintenance system management guide, 'Buku Rujukan Laut (BRL) 4211.' It is the main reference for all RMN engineers and staff who are engaged in ship repair and maintenance. RMN has three levels of maintenance management based on BRL 4211. Organizations at each level of Maintenance Management are responsible for ensuring that the Ship Maintenance System is implemented systematically and effectively.
Not only that, we also have been exposed with the list of inspection and results and findings of Safety Assessment Readiness Check (SARC) code 1 and 2 of CB90 Hex 102 . For the second week of CPKA, we did study on the Expanded Ship Breakdown Structure (ESWBS) code, which only covered three field codes, which are the propulsion, electrical, and navigation systems of navy ships. The ESWBS code is a branch-new numbering method that includes the standard numerical field of breakdown structures based on design drawings, configurations, and paperwork pertaining to ship and boat in RMN.
We also had a look at KD Perantau's planned maintenance schedule (PMS) file in the FB unit. The Degaussing system, fire detection system, galley equipment, integrated communication system, integrated navigation system, power generation and distribution system, hydrography system, and heating, ventilation, and conditioning system are all part of the PMS. During the same week, all UTM industrial training students had the opportunity to meet with the Director of CPKA, Laksamana Ir. Franklin J. Joseph had a sharing session in a meeting room at CPKA. He gave us a lot of guidance and advice on the path we should take after graduation.
DSAB (Depot Selenggara Armada Barat)
Duration: 19th September 2022 – 14th October 2022
My groupmate and I frequently joined the Pasukan Bantuan MTU (PBMTU) team from the mechanical workshop at DSAB. The mechanical workshop is split into two parts PBMTU, which repairs and maintains engine MTU for navy ships, and the mechanical team, which repairs and maintains other mechanical parts. In the first week, I witnessed the staff work together inside the engine room of KD Laksamana Tun Abdul Jamil to repair the main engine number 4. The ship has four main engines in total, and we are tasked with ensuring that engine number four runs smoothly before their next journey to Langkawi. I assisted the team in manually pumping diesel fuel into the engine system.
Aside from that, I had the opportunity to participate in a sea trial with ‘Bot Tunda 1’ at Grade One Marine Shipyard (GOMS), Manjung, led by RMN Lt Azrin as the DSAB's Outside Maintenance Officer. I had the opportunity to inspect the boat's engine room before it sailed. During the sea trial, there was one issue: the tugboat was not traveling straight ahead. 19 During astern, the tugboat tends to drift to the starboard side. Engineers were still working on the problem, which was thought to be related to the newly changed port side propeller. Figure below illustrates the day joining a sea trial with Bot Tunda 1 with other crew members.
I also saw the PBMTU team and MTU experts replace the cooling piston. The cooling piston was clogged, causing the engine to run poorly. The figure below shows the MTU experts with the team of PBMTU together working on replacing the cooling piston into the engine number 4 of KD Laksamana Tun Abdul Jamil.
During my second week at DSAB, I had the opportunity to watch the process of KD Mahawangsa's up slipping at BNS, which was led by RMN Lt Azrin. As I witnessed the process of ship up slipping in front of me, I learned something new. The process involved lifting the platform from underwater to where the synchronised lift would lift it up. Prior to that, there were two BNS divers who dove into the water to position the ship on the rail.
In addition, I associated the PBMTU team to the control and monitoring system (CMS) and the engine room of KD Gagah Samudera. I helped them open the gasket cover of the engine of the KD Gagah Samudera. The images below depict me in the engine room of KD Gagah Samudera with the PMBTU team and the main engine condition with the opened engine cover gasket of KD Gagah Samudera.
I also had the opportunity to conduct an experiment test on the pressure of the ship's fuel injectors using the fuel injector tester equipment. It is vital to examine the fuel injector pressure as it will contribute to the operation of our engine, whether it is or not. My groupmate and I also learned about the mechanical design of a ship's fuel injector, as well as the differences between 2-stroke and 4-stroke engine mechanisms. We also explained it during the next day's sharing session with the PBMTU team.
Not only that, but the following week I had the chance to see CB90 Hex 1022 and meet with the combat boat's electrical staff to obtain additional data and information for my project presentation. Luckily, my groupmate and I were also able to visit the RMN Fast Interceptor Craft (FIC) at the DSAB jetty. We investigated the differences in design concepts between FIC and CB90 and viewed the FIC Acceptance Test Protocol (ATP). One of the ATP was an inclining test.
My groupmate and I both reported to the hull workshop the same week. Hull workshop differed from mechanical workshop in that it focused more on wood-related work. I learned about the design process of making a wooden cage and planned the design for a wooden self-souvenir. I also joined the hull team in designing a plywood closet. Using a staple gun and a cordless tool, I assisted the team in joining the plywood material.
The last week at DSAB, the work was focused on designing a wood buoy souvenir with Mr. Jamsari, the civilian worker who works in the hull workshop. We spent four days designing the wooden buoy. The first step was to select the material and thickness of the wood. The wood block was then cut to 9.5 inches in length and then rounded. After obtaining a perfectly round shape block with a hollow inside, the surface must be smoothened with sandpaper. After achieving a smooth surface, the block was coated with shellac of the desired colour and layered with epoxy for a better finish. Figures below show Mr Jamsari did the cutting block for the wood buoy while the other one is the result of the product.
At the same time, I witnessed the process of fibre wrap reinforcing a navy ship's floor as their assigned task performed by the staff in hull workshop. According to what I have learned in lecture class, the purpose of the fibre coating is to provide a weak fibre-matrix interface that prevents matrix cracking from penetrating the fibres, giving the composite damage tolerance. (Interfacial Coatings, 1998) Fibre coatings also protect fibres from degradation caused by the environment during composite fabrication and use. It can also precent the material from water that passes through it, according to the staff there. Figure below displays the process of wrapping the fibre onto the material.