May 8, 2006
Back to school
Semester won’t start will another two months or so, but I’ve already started on somewhat informal education. It’s not part of the compulsory subjects but rather skill based topics which in this case, I’m sitting for electro pneumatic training. What is electro pneumatic? It’s a combination of electronics and pneumatic control which is widely used in automation. Currently I’m taking that course at SMC near Shah Alam.
Getting there wasn’t difficult thanks to their easy to understand map and being a daredevil on wheels like me, it took me 15 minutes to weave through rush hour traffic from home to that place. For this session, the class was rather small, with a total of 10 students where all of them already have working experience with pneumatic and automation. That makes me the rookie there.
For 600 bucks, SMC really know how to treat their customers and I do mean treat literally. There’s breakfast at 10.30, then lunch at 1.00 and then tea break at 3.30. Breakfast, which is the most important meal of the day was noodles (meehun goreng) with sambal eggs. Nothing fancy and the quality was at acceptable to my stringent standards. Lunch was much better. Plain rice which was served with chicken curry or fish sambal since it’s buffet style, I could have taken both but I’m not glutton. And there’s fried potato and kang-kong belacan with oranges for fruit to make it a balanced meal. Afternoon tea was surprisingly simple with just tea, no snacks. Not that I mind, but some people do find it difficult sitting through 30 minutes just sipping tea. With so much break I wonder just how productive SMC really is. Not only did we, students took break, some staff also joined in as well and by looking at their uniform, they are blue color staff, the very production engine for the company.
The topics for today was very basic namely touching on electric, Ohm’s law, logic, and basic parts of the pneumatic control valve which in this case, we used directional valve. The study area is well done, with ample of space to move around and table for two when companies send more than one personnel for training. Work bench is at the side of the class and I can say that I liked it allot. Everything was plug and play with push switches, relays, directional control valve, pistons, sensors and the works. And most of the teaching are done by practical and lots of hands on experience. I’m still having a tough time getting stuff automated though. Maybe it’s time to install impossible machine 2025 to brush up my logical part of the brain. Until I graduate from this four day course, here’s some picture of the class room.
some models and samples of pneumatic equipment
One of many model robotic arm. Wonder if i get to play with one of these
The class room. Roomy, comfy and well air conditioned.
The awesome work bench that i was talking about. If i’m rich enough i might get one.
