Posts

Critical Reflection

  Module learning A goal that I had set at the beginning of the module was the focus on being a more confident person when interacting with strangers.  Due to the nature of the lessons, I was provided countless opportunities for interactions with strangers. One such instance was when the table seating plan was changed. Initially, I was taken aback by the need for a new interaction. Not given any choice, I had to engage with the people around me at the time, in which I attempted to strike up a conversation. Though it was awkward at times, it provided me opportunities to practice speaking out my thoughts and form a connection with the other party. From these interactions, I learnt that communication not only gets easier with practice (instead of keeping to myself), and also people like to talk about themselves, and thus by asking the right questions in order to genuinely want to know the person better, it will in turn make the conversation flow better and more naturally.  T...

Project Contributions

 My contributions to the project are as follows: Research: - The use of gAI (ChatGPT) to look for technological alternatives in the "cooling wearables" market, that can be combined and implemented     1. [Prompt: W hat are some current wearable cooling technologies available] --> Response summary:                a. Peltier Cooling (Thermoelectric Cooling)               b. Phase Change Materials (PCMs)               c. Evaporative Cooling               d. Fan-Based Cooling               e. Active Cooling Vests               f. Smart Fabrics               g. Ionic Breeze or Microclimate Cooling               h. Personal Air Conditioners (Mini ACs)...

Reader Response Final

 The article “A Review of Stereolithography: Processes and Systems”, written by Huang et al. (2020), provides a comprehensive review of the generations of stereolithography (SLA), its representative system configurations and derivative technologies. Stereolithography, one of the three most widely used approaches to additive manufacturing, utilises ultraviolet (UV) light to cure liquid resin layers (aka Vat Photopolymerisation), thereby forming highly detailed and precise 3D objects.  Though being the earliest form of 3D printing, stereolithography has solidified itself a strong position in the additive manufacturing (AM) market, due to the combination of its accuracy and isotropic properties. According to Huang et al. (2020), the method has evolved through four significant phases, each having increasing advantages over both its previous iterations and its competitors. They consist of scanning, projection, continuous and volumetric. In that order, the speed of each iteration in...

Assignment 1: Draft 1

Stereolithography has solidified itself a strong position in the additive manufacturing (AM) market due to the combination of its accuracy, isotropic properties and geometrical complexity. The article “A Review of Stereolithography: Processes and Systems”, written by Huang et al. (2020), provides a comprehensive review of the generations of stereolithography (SLA), its representative system configurations and derivative technologies. Stereolithography, one of the three most widely used approaches to additive manufacturing, utilises ultraviolet light to cure liquid resin layers (aka Vat Photopolymerisation or Photo-Solidification), thereby forming 3D objects with high precision and details. This method has evolved through four significant phases, with each having increasing advantages over its previous iterations and competitors, that thereby helps secure its spot in the 3D printing world. These iterative changes mainly consist of improvements in precision and resolution (layer thicknes...

Assignment 1: Reader Response (Analysis) (Draft 1) + Thesis

Image
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fformlabs.com%2Fasia%2Fblog%2Fultimate-guide-to-stereolithography-sla-3d-printing%2F&psig=AOvVaw3HTXmYLWfKnbZiI2fMvU7A&ust=1727110717970000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBQQjRxqFwoTCJCkl_yC14gDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAX Thesis: Stereolithography is highly versatile compared to its competitors in the additive manufacturing market due to the combination of wide material range , accuracy , isotropic properties and geometrical complexity . The article “A Review of Stereolithography: Processes and Systems”, written by Huang et al. (2020), provides a comprehensive review of the generations of stereolithography (SLA), its representative system configurations and derivative technologies. Stereolithography, one of the three most widely used approaches to additive manufacturing, utilises ultraviolet light to cure liquid resin layers (aka Vat Photopolymerisation or Photo-Solidification), thereby forming 3D objects with...

Initial Research Pathways

Initial research pathways: Used gAI (ChatGPT) to research on the different technologies of resin 3D printing [Prompt: "The 3 most widely used and popular additive manufacturing technologies"] The results are as follows: 1. Stereolithography (SLA) 2. Digital Light Processing (DLP) 3. Masked Stereolithography (mSLA) Looked up on Google Scholar for more information on stereolithography [Search parameters: "Stereolithography"] Decided to focus on Low Force Stereolithography (LFS), which is a successor to the Masked Stereolithography (mSLA). We will be looking in the perspective of an aspiring small business. Looked at different industrial models of mSLA 3D printers and chose the Formlabs Form 3L as it was the most popular model in the industry Low Force Stereolithography (LFS) is an advanced form of stereolithography that minimizes tanks and a Light Processing Unit (LPU) to achieve precise layer curing with reduced peel forces. The key benefits of LFS include im...

A Self-Introduction Email to Professor Brad

Subject: An introduction for the trimester Dear Prof. Brad Franklin Blackstone, I am Er Zhi Xian, a student of yours and also a freshman currently studying mechanical engineering in the Singapore Institute of Technology. I am reaching out to provide a more substantial introduction of myself to you. Formerly studying aeronautical engineering in SP, my initial fascination of aircrafts has morphed into a broader interest in consumer products and industrial machinery development. This change was largely influenced by my final year project, which served as a catalyst in shaping my current interest and workstyle. Believing that with more information comes better understanding when communicating, expressing my thoughts without fearing the extent of criticism has always been my strong suit. In groups, I would rarely hesitate in providing constructive feedback and would always encourage my teammates to reciprocate. For instance, during the aforementioned final year project, we were tasked in pr...