Projects
Paya Lebar Crash Avoidance Project
Overview of Project
The main objective of this project is to reduce the likelihood of aircraft-ground obstacle collisions during forward or reverse towing operations by mounting a pair of wingtip proximity sensors on each side of the wingtip, which assist in alerting the user about any incoming objects through the use of visual and audio indicators.
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Murai Camp Cable Repair Project
Overview of Project
The main objective of this project is to repair the 15m cable that was sent in by the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) personnel from Murai Camp as one of the wires had disconnected from the MIL-DTL-38999 series III straight plug 37 pin connector (D38999/26WD/35PN).
Servicing of the Remote Monitoring Unit at Bukit Gombak Camp
Overview of Project
The remote monitoring unit (RMU) is a remote alarm warning system that utilizes GSM technology to alert and inform users whenever an alarm or sensor is triggered through SMS notifications. It can receive both digital and analogue inputs, which are the 2 main inputs the remote monitoring unit can accept. Furthermore, each SMS notification can be customized based on the needs of the user.
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My role in this project is to assist Ace to service the RMU at the Bukit Gombak Camp (MINDEF HQ) pump house. I'm also in charge of conducting a routine check of the RMU in the server room at Gombak Camp BLK 307.
Reflections
Reflection on learning points and adaptability in the workplace
Challenges
There were moments throughout my internship where I questioned my own abilities because I felt I was not meeting my supervisor’s expectation. Furthermore, whenever I make any mistakes, I will feel very demoralized.
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For example, during my first week, I was unable to verify the logic of the sensor board because the output voltages of the 74HC138 3-to-8-line decoder/demultiplexer did not match the truth table, despite the fact that the input voltages were correct. After much guidance by my company supervisor, Mr. Chu, I realized that the test jig lacked a pull-down resistor, which meant that even if the input voltages to the input pins were correct, they were essentially "floating”, and I quickly modified the test jig to include a pull-down resistor and we were able to solve the problem.
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Furthermore, I accidently damaged the D38999/26WG/35PN - 79 pin connector when inserting the crimped wire into the connector with the insertion tool because I was not careful enough. After I apologized to my company's supervisor, he told me it was alright to make mistakes as long as I did not repeat the same mistakes again.
Evaluating and reflecting on the overall internship learning experience
This internship has been eventful for me as I had the opportunity to work on the Paya Lebar Crash Avoidance Project, as well as other projects such as the Murai Camp Cable Repair Project as well as the servicing of the Remote Monitoring Unit at Bukit Gombak Camp – MINDEF HQ. Additionally, there are several other projects that were not included in this report, such as the repair of the speed warning devices and the SMRT LED traffic signal lights.
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By partaking in these projects, I have acquired various skills and knowledge that I hope to apply in the future. For instance, I have learned how to use a variety of applications, such as the RMU PCLink, the DS2788K evaluation software package, the MCUXpresso Integrated Development Environment (IDE), and UartAssist.
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In addition, this internship has prepared me for the working world and taught me how to manage the pressure that comes with the job. Due to manpower constraints, each team member at Flexlink Engineers Pte Ltd is expected to wear multiple hats and even though it was challenging at first, I felt that it has helped in my personal growth as I am now able to handle the workload that I am given. Furthermore, because I had multiple job roles in Flexlink Engineers Pte Ltd, it had the opportunity to explore my other interests, such as programming when I was developing the software for the Wingtip Proximity Sensor with Soon Ki and Lowell.
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In addition, this internship has ignited my desire to work in the aerospace sector in the future because I was able to finish the cable repair on my own. Even though there were many challenges along the way, I realized how much I enjoyed the work I was doing, which gave me the motivation to persevere all the way to the end.
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I am also grateful to my company supervisor, Mr. Chu, as well as my fellow colleagues for their guidance over the course of my internship. Furthermore, I am also glad that I was able to form new friendships and connections at my workplace. In addition, I am certain that I have improved as an individual in terms of my technical and interpersonal capabilities, as I am now able to interact more effectively with my colleagues.
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Even though there were times I felt like I was falling short of my company supervisor's standards, I reminded myself that I should not give up and that I should persevere because if I gave up, I would not be able to learn anything. Instead, I should be learning from my mistakes so that I am able to fulfil my supervisor’s expectations in the future.
Furthermore, throughout this internship, I have made multiple mistakes that have been quite costly, and there have been a few occasions where I felt demoralized because I thought I was not contributing to the company and that I was a liability to the company. However, I believe that making mistakes is an important part of the learning process, and that it is okay to make mistakes as long as we do not repeat the same mistakes in the future. I also believe that no one is perfect, as such, we should not set unrealistic expectations for ourselves because it can be very stressful for us to meet these expectations and it can negatively affect our work performance.
Reflection on career and professional learning plans
Because my company generally serves the aerospace industry and focuses on research and development initiatives to provide solutions for its clients. My internship at Flexlink Engineers Pte Ltd has been very eventful for me as the projects I worked on during my internship are closely related to my area of specialization in aerospace engineering—more specifically, the avionics side of aerospace engineering, where I work on the electrical side of the aircraft has been extremely beneficial to me.
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For instance, I have worked with a diverse range of components throughout the course of my internship, including integrated circuits, diodes, capacitors, and resistors, as well as utilizing a variety of tools, such as the DC power supply and the soldering iron. Additionally, I had the opportunity to work on aircraft wire harnesses while I was working on the Murai Camp Cable Repair Project, which is relatively similar to the work I did for the Aircraft Cockpit Wire Harness Design and Fabrication (CWHDF) project in Integrated Real-World Project 4 (65IRP4A).
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My RIASEC profile indicates that I have R / C I (Realistic / Conventional, Investigative) as my skills interests and R C E as my skills confidence (Realistic, Conventional, Enterprising). My RIASEC profile suggests that I enjoy doing hands-on work. As a result, my internship was a perfect fit for me because it allowed me to participate in a wide variety of projects and perform practical work such as assembling and testing the Wingtip Proximity Sensor, developing the cable schematic for the Murai Camp Cable Repair Project, and going to Gomak Camp to repair the Remote Monitoring Unit.
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Throughout this internship, I have been involved in a variety of projects, but the Murai Camp Cable Repair Project stands out to me the most because I have been working on it since the beginning of my internship and have enjoyed every step of it , from developing the cable schematic to finding the components needed for the repair to assembling the cable, the knowledge and experience I have gained throughout my internship has helped me to deepen my knowledge and passion I have towards the avionics side of aerospace engineering. As a result, I would want to continue pursuing a Bachelor of Engineering in Aerospace Engineering at Nanyang Technological University to advance my education as I want to work as an aircraft maintenance engineer in the future.
Company Overview
The company was founded on 3 Apr 1993, and it opened its first office at 321A Changi Road, 419796. The business normally caters towards the government sectors such as the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), and it helps them to repair, research and develop products that will benefit them. Furthermore, they also take part in contract maintenance for public transport organizations such as SMRT where the employees help to service the equipment that are used in MRT stations.
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Flexlink Engineers Pte Ltd is a company that specializes in repairing equipment for military organizations such as the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF). Furthermore, they also help to preform maintenance for public transport organizations such as SMRT. In addition, they also specialize in research and development projects to develop products for their clients.