RRJ 6

Reference

Odendaal, N. (2006, May 06). Control Valves Industry Needs More Skills Training. Engineering News. Retrieved May 06, 2011 from http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/industry-needs-skills-upgrades-2011-05-06

Summary

            In this article, the author talked about how the control valve industry needs more training. According to the author, Caryn Darley, high level engineering and technical employment agency Enshrine Placements consultant, said South Africa companies were looking for workers who had experience and technical skills in the control valve industry. He mentioned that the valve industries required the workers to have industrial control and instrumentation skills. Also, he said the skills were needed in sales to provide solutions for challenges in the industry. According to the author, the valves industries were more electronically oriented, so the concentration was on electrical knowledge. Also, he said this career required people to have a degree with specialization in the instrumentation engineering field. According to the author, Philip Tempel, Enshrine Placements client, said that the result was that a number of young students who did not have enough experience with the field of control were challenging for them to get the experience needed for field measurements and final control elements (valves). The author mentioned that the valves industries have intelligent devices and digital communication capability, and systems were built with digital processors, so the students had to be skilled to understand the processes. According to the author, Tempel said that the ability to use the machinery did not mean that the operator fully understood how it operated. The author said technicians in the control valves industries needed solid exposure to turn the knowledge into practice, and this was besides electrical, instrumentation and computer knowledge. Also, he said they needed the ability to open a valve and repair it, the ability to know how the machine operates and the ability to know the valves size for the flow and the pressure were expected to tolerate. Moreover, they have to know about control elements, control valves, actuators and variable-speed drives that did not work any longer. The author mentioned that students are trained in the field by being placed with companies to facilitate learning and gain practical experience. However, some companies decreased the training for employment because of limited resources. According to the author, Tempel noticed that some leaders in the industry felt some universities and tertiary institutions were not providing industry with enough technical people with the requisite skills, so industry leaders should make a strategy for providing useful training to decrease the skills gap, and they must encourage the study of engineering majors such as the electrical, instrumentation and mechanical.

Reaction

            I enjoyed reading this article, because it talks about some problems that the students found after graduating from their colleges and universities. Many students graduated from their schools with a good degree such as a bachelor’s degree in electrical, mechanical, or instrumentation engineering, but they do not have enough knowledge or experience about what they are going to deal with in the industry or in any field. I know many students who graduated with me from my college, but they do not have any idea about what they are going to do in real life, not in academic life. They do not know that any small mistake in petrochemical industries or oil industries will cost their life, and this is a mistake because they do not know how to deal with dangerous machines. In Saudi Arabia, many oil companies provide training courses to let the new workers or the students gain experience about what they are going to do and what they are going to deal with, but that sometimes does not work if the students do not care, because some students feel neglected when they got a job. They become careless because they think that they are on the safe side. Therefore, the companies must encourage them to make them more responsible. One time, my cousin told me a story about one person who worked with him in the petrochemical industry. That person wanted to fix something that was made of glass. That thing was a gauge. The person wanted to fix the gauge and he did not know how to fix it, so he used a hammer to fix the gauge. Unfortunately, he broke the gauge. So, when I think about that person, I say, “What he was thinking about? How did he want to fix that gauge with a hammer?” Therefore, I think the universities and the companies must take care of those students because those students will be the future of our countries.

RRJ 5

Reference

Gomez, K. (2011, April 18). 3D Imaging Technology Increases Efficiency of Flotation Processes in Mining. PACE. Retrieved April 27, 2011 from http://www.pacetoday.com.au/news/3d-imaging-technology-increases-efficiency-of-flot

Summary

             In this article, the author talks about 3D imaging increasing efficiency of flotation processes in mining. According to the author, there is a possibility of using measurement devices based on resistance tomography to create 3D images from inside pipelines and tanks. The technology comes out with a new device to control flotation processes. He mentioned that the purpose of flotation is to blow bubbles of air, and the mineral particles keep the bubbles. According to the author, Jukka Hakola, Numcore’s vice president of sales and marketing, said that problems show up if the froth cannot carry the load of mineral particles or the process. The author said based on tomography, the Numcore system produces a conductivity curve for monitoring the froth bed. The result can be viewed multidimensionally using color. He mentioned that the Numcore measurement devices monitor the size and quantity of air bubbles and the solid content of the froth bed. As he said, the changing of the solid content and bubble size in the froth bed can cause the froth to become collapsed, and the problem can be solved. According to the author, the system shows the operator with factual data on what is happening in the flotation cells, and this will facilitate the operator to look inside the process. According to the author, Hakola said that Numcore has developed measurement technology to better serve. Also, he said that their sensors are used in two plants which have been able to figure out which parameters need to be controlled, and how they can prove the benefits for the customer. According to the author, Seppo Lahteenmaki, Processing Mill Manager, said that the system has improved and functioned reliably. Then the author moved to another related topic which is the help from mathematical modeling, and he said that Numcore measurement devices are realized either as a flow through sensor or probe-type sensor for installation inside large pipelines or tanks. Also he said that it is possible to measure conductivity differences between the stages by supplying a weak alternating current (AC) to the electrodes of the sensor. According to the author, Hakola said that their CoreApus flow-through sensor can analyze material flows inside small pipelines, but because processing tanks are large, they have to develop the probe-type sensor CoreHydra to analyze larger areas of the tank. Also he said that both sensors can measure interface between liquids and solids, but CoreAbus can imagine rapidly flowing liquids. Then the author mentioned that the difference between this system and the previous one is that you can analyze why and how something is happening in the process, and how you can prevent an event if necessary. Then the author talked about some general information about Numcore Company.

Reaction

            I enjoyed reading this article because it is interesting and very close to my major. There are some points that I want to talk about. First, I learned from this article that sometimes it is wonderful to read some articles about your major, especially the things that you did not study and get from your college or university, such as new instruments, devices, and machines, then you find them when you work in any company. In that time, you will find that you have a background about what you are going to deal with. Second, the article was talking about a new system that provided 3D imaging technology to increase efficiency of flotation processes. As the author said, the difference between this system and the previous one is that you can analyze why and how something is happening in the process, and how you can prevent an event if necessary. I think Numcore made a great system. It is a wonderful step for the future because this system will make it easier for the operator to figure out what is happening in the pipelines and tanks during the processes, and it gives them accurate information about what is happening. Also, the system provides 3D images from inside the pipelines and tanks, so the operators do not have to go and check from the field because they can see what is happening from the computers. Finally, this system is a great deal; however, in these days, there are many new technologies that the companies have came out with, so the customers get confused which one is the best for them. I think many factories are working in good condition, and make a lot of money, so they do not need these new systems because if they buy these systems, they will find new systems after a while. Then what they are going to do? Of course they want to exchange the systems that they bought with the new one, so they will lose a lot of money. I believe that it does not matter to buy new systems if my factory works in a good condition. Also, if I want to buy something, I have to be sure that will help me and I will not exchange it as soon as there is something new that shows up.

RRJ 4

Reference

Kuiper, D. (2010, April 14). Two-Tier Strategy to Support Instrumentation Needs of Local Aerospace Industry. PACE. Retrieved April 24, 2011 from http://www.pacetoday.com.au/news/two-tier-strategy-to-support-instrumentation-needs

Summary

            In this article, the author talked about a two-tier strategy to support instrumentation needs of local aerospace industry. According to the author, the Institute of Instrumentation, Control, and Automation (IICA) made a joint group with Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) to fix concerns by manufacturers about non-compliance with some of international standards in instrumentation and calibration areas in the aerospace industry. He mentioned that this non-compliance was extensive between the people who were an interest in this field such as external contractors and sub-contractors. Therefore, the IICA and its RMIT collaborators made a two-tier strategy to help those contractors and sub-contractors to become compliant with their requirements. According to the author, the first strategy that they made was to make training courses designed to address the areas that contractors and sub-contractors were not understood such as lack of understanding of international standards, or the airlines’ equivalent to parallel codes that are used by the large aircraft manufacturers. Also, he mentioned that the RMIT and industry experts will supervise these courses. The second-tier strategy was initiation of a registration system. As the author said, this system will maintain a list of those companies and individuals who complete the courses. According to the author, this two-tier strategy was geared to fix the gap in this area of aerospace maintenance. Also, he said that auditors can access the system and assist in facilitating their scheduled audits by seeing which companies are deemed to be compliant.

Reaction

            I enjoyed reading this article because it is interesting; however, it tends to the business more than my major, but it talks about the institute of Instrumentation, Control, and Automation, and the making of two strategies to support instrumentation needs. I think the tow strategies are a great way to reduce the misunderstanding of some international standards, and to reduce the problems between external contractors and sub-contractors in the same field. The thing that I like in this article is the first strategy which is training courses. I think this strategy is common these days, especially in the biggest companies and some general administration. When they want to make new things or to fix anything, they make training courses to help their faculties and to improve their administration. In Saudi Arabia, especially the company that my father is working in, when they want to make a new project, they send some of their employees to many countries to take training courses. Six months ago, they sent my father to the USA, Dubai, and Egypt to take some courses about the new project that they want to make in the company. I think this way is not just to learn from those courses. It helps the employees to learn other cultures and other work ethics.

 

RRJ 1

Reference

Schroeder, A. (2010, March, 12).Wastewater treatment works boasts advanced

instrumentation technology. Engineering News. Retrieved March 29, 2011, from

http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/cape-towns-most-up---to-date-control-and-instrumentation-installation-2010-03-12


 

Summary

In the article, the author talks about the advanced instrumentation technology that they will use with the wastewater treatment works (WWTW) in the City of Cape Town. The city contracted with the SSI Company to develop its WWT in northern suburbs of Cape Town. Also, he mentioned that the system will make a big jump for the city. Therefore, the company will use some techniques to improve their project. They will use many systems to filter and clean the water from infection. Moreover, they will make the software for these systems and test it to be sure it is in good condition. Therefore, the company chose the latest version of technology that is available in the market. In the end, the author says that the whole project will finish in August, 2010.

Reaction

I enjoyed with this article because my major was instrumentation technology and I will continue with the electronic systems. These two majors are related to each other. This article talked about the advanced instrumentation technology which is used in WWTW, and which is the same thing that I dealt with before, but in SAMREF refinery. The author mentioned in his article some of the systems such as programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) that they will use them to control their project. That is a good step for the future, because I worked with these systems and I knew that these systems are the best for controlling any process. They show you all the processes of the units and how they work. Also, they find the problems that happen during the processes and you can fix them very easily. They show you who made the mistakes in the process. For example, when the operation department made a mistake during the processes, they may say we didn’t make any mistake and the department that made the mistake is the maintenance department, so the company got confused and couldn’t find who made the mistake. This usually happened in the old systems, but with the PLCs the company can find who made the mistake. In terms of instruments, the company used a lot of advanced instruments in their project, which are making the operation of the wastewater treatment more flexible. Therefore, I agree with what they did for this case. Finally, the most important thing of this article is the wastewater treatment, which is the biggest problem that faces many countries. The people use a lot of water when they take a shower, wash their car, etc, and after all of these, the water becomes wastewater, and they don’t know the importance of the water. They don’t have any idea about how much it costs when the government desalinates the sea water. Therefore, we have to decrease the uses of water to preserve it. These sentences are my reaction and all of them are based on my knowledge and experience.