Sudahlah, lupakan media sosial. Hapus akun medsosmu dan tinggalkan dunia maya. Karena kamu tidak butuh sebenarnya angkat jempol teman-teman mayamu: mereka yang pura-pura memberi jempol padahal amat sangat iri dan marah kepadamu. Jangan hidupmu seperti budak yang mengemis meminta puluhan jempol agar harga dirimu melangit. Semurah itukah kamu?
Saya sudah setahun lebih tidak ber-Facebook. Akun Twitter juga saya tutup; toh gak ada yang ngikut. Bodoh amat! Ngapain musingin politik dan akhirnya dikadalin politikus. Presiden ganti atau nggak, saya tetap nguli, ya kan? Ngapain sibuk nyari perkara sendiri berusaha ngejan sampai hampir brojol membujuk, bahkan meyakinkan, orang lain agar sepaham dengan kita. Lebih baik saya fokus ke kegiatan saya sehari-hari.
Hidup saya lebih tenang. Walau kadang saya ingin menyampaikan uneg-uneg saya lewat blog ini. Saya yakin tidak ada yang membaca blog ini. Ini justru bagus, karena blog ini menjadi catatan pribadi saya, yang saya pakai untuk bercermin ke diri sendiri.
Terlebih lagi, orang yang kerap ngomong, nyetatus, komen tidak akan punya waktu untuk berpikir seksama. Orang ini tidak lebih hanya corong suara saja, copas kiri kanan. Apa kamu ingin belajar dari orang seperti ini? Orang yang pintar lebih suka diam karena dia punya kesibukan sendiri dan tidak dengan mudah nge-share pikirannya dengan orang lain. Jadi semakin kita berharap mencari pengetahuan di media sosial, semakin mudah kita menjadi dungu karena informasi yang kita dapat kebanyakan nyampah.
Tidak ada yang gratis di dunia ini. Kalau saya tidak mau bekerja keras memimpin, maka saya akan jadi kambing dungu. Jika kita tidak berpikir sendiri, kita akan mudah tergiring opini orang lain. Giring-menggiring ini lah yang terjadi di media sosial. Sudahlah, lupakan saja medsos!
Empat bulan terakhir saya punya hobi baru: menonton wayang kulit lewat youtube baik live streaming maupun rekaman. Motivasi saya awalnya untuk belajar bahasa Jawa kromo dan memperkaya perbendaharaan kata Jawa.
Mengikuti percakapan karakter2 wayang kulit butuh konsentrasi tinggi. Pada awalnya cukup sulit buat saya, tapi setelah 2-3 bulan saya mulai terbiasa dengan gaya bahasa dan perbendaraan kata yang dipakai. Karena percakapan wayang kulit ini dilakukan oleh satu dalang, maka saya akhirnya cocok dengan salah satu gaya percakapan dalang tertentu. Yang juga menarik adalah saya akhirnya memilih dalang yang mempunyai selera humor yang sama dengan saya.
Fragmen limbukan adalah fragmen dagelan (humor, pelawak) yang biasanya menjadi waktu intermezzo diantara alur cerita lakon wayang. Sang dalang memasang 1-2 karakter wayang khusus diluar cerita wayang, yang merepresentasi alter ego sang dalang. Di limbukan ini sang dalang mengulas inti acara pagelaran dan lalu mengundang pelawak yang ikut pentas dan juga sinden2 untuk menyanyikan gending2 Jawa.
Secara keseluruhan wayang kulit bisa dibilang acara sit up comedy yang disisipkan di cerita lakon wayang. Percakapan monolog sang dalang menjadi menu utama sit up comedy ini, yang menjelma di percakapan punakawan maupun di sela adu jotos para Kurawa dan Pandawa.
Di sinilah menariknya wayang kulit: dia bisa menjadi bahan belajar psikologi lewat berbagai karakter wayang, sarana hiburan dagelan sit up comedy, saat mendengarkan gending2 Jawa yang dinyanyikan sinden2 ayu. Acara sepanjang 4-6 jam tidak terasa lama karena acara wayang kulit adalah complete entertainment package much more exquisite than opera or symphony orchestra. Bukti keagungan budaya Jawa.
Minggu lalu saya menegur satu tim proyek skripsi karena kurang sekali menghitung keputusan-keputusan rancang disain mereka. Dari mulai ukuran produk sampai spesifikasi teknik produk yang mereka rancang seperti torsi, tenaga kuda, temperature, dan efisiensi alat konversi energi yang dipakai.
Kolega saya yang ikut menghadiri pertemuan kita dengan tim ini sampai nyeletuk: Kalian perlu menghitung dengan seksama semua yang kalian rancang; jangan seperti tukang. Semenit sebelumnya saya hampir berkata sama, tapi saya urungkan karena saya yang mengajar matakuliah ini. Saya pikir saya tidak bisa berkata agak kasar agar mahasiswa tidak ciut hatinya.
Begitulah beda insinyur dari tukang. Insinyur harus bisa menghitung apa-apa yang dia rancang bangun paling tidak dengan 70% rasa kepercayaan (confidence level). Confidence level ini bisa ditingkatkan dengan memakai perhitungan yang lebih akurat baik memakai komputer atau formula2 matematika fisika yang lebih canggih. Tetap intinya adalah: insinyur harus bisa memprediksi performance dan spesifikasi produk yang dia rancang bangun sebelum membuatnya. Jika ini tidak bisa dilakukan, maka tidak ada bedanya antara insinyur dan tukang.
Urip sing becik kudu tebeh saking roso sumelang lan kuatir. Pikiran kito toto supados roso kuatir lan sumelang saget diilangaken. Urip nrimo ora podo karo urip tanpo makarya. Urip nrimo sejatinipun sami karo mangertos watesan pikiran lan tindakan kulo.
Saya selalu tekankan ke dua anak cowok saya untuk mencari dan memperhatikan minat dan bakat mereka. Minat menentukan apa yang mereka suka lakukan. Bakat menentukan ketrampilan yang mereka perlu asah. Minat dan bakat yang bersatu bakal menentukan jalan hidup mereka.
Dari kecil saya ingin jadi pengajar dan ilmuwan di perguruan tinggi dan dari kecil saya tekun belajar untuk merealisasikan mimpi itu. Saat itu saya berpikir bekerja menjadi profesor sangat asyik karena saya mendapatkan uang hanya dengan berpikir dan menulis. Pekerjaan profesor ini yang menentukan jalan hidup saya sebagai orang yang terus belajar, menulis, dan mencari ide baru untuk dituangkan di karya tulis ilmiah. Pekerjaan ini yang saya sukai dan bisa saya lakukan seumur hidup. Itulah jalan hidup: sesuatu yang tiap kita lakukan dengan senang dan seumur hidup.
Orang yang setia kepada jalan hidup yang sudah dia bina tidak dengan mudah mengubah pekerjaan hanya karena gaji tinggi saja. Saya makanya respek sekali dengan seniman yang teguh kepada seni yang dia kecimpungi, tukang yang selalu belajar untuk mengembangkan ketrampilan mereka, koki masak yang tekun menjaga kualitas makanannya. Orang-orang inilah buat saya yang telah menemukan jalan hidup mereka.
Keteguhan melalui jalan hidup yang sudah kita pilih buat saya nilainya lebih tinggi dari hanya menjadi kaya. Jalan hidup yang kita pegang teguh ini, jika kita serius, akan memberikan filsafat hidup tentang bagaimana kita bersikap dan membina diri dan jiwa kita untuk bekerja lebih baik. Satu contoh buku yang menggambarkan filsafat hidup dari jalan hidup yang dipilih adalah buku The Book of Five Rings karya Miyamoto Musashi.
Saya tidak suka mengomentari pekerjaan orang lain, apalagi terlibat polemik berkaitan dengan kampanye politik pemilu presiden tanah air tahun 2019. Tapi saya gregetan melihat buzzword Revolusi Industri 4.0 dituturkan berulang kali tanpa pendalaman berarti. Celotehan ini terjadi di kedua belah pihak, walaupun terus terang terlihat pihak mana yang mempunyai orang-orang yang melek pendidikan tinggi.
Keterbelakangan teknologi di tanah air secara fundamental karena lemahnya kemampuan matematika rata-rata. Tenaga kerja lulusan universitas kerap tidak mempunyai kerangka analisa matematis kuat (dan otomatis fisika kuat) yang dibutuhkan untuk mendesain produk baru bermuatan teknologi. Solusi penguatan sekolah vokasi hanya solusi sementara untuk menurunkan angka pengangguran. Lulusan sekolah vokasi setingkat SMK maupun program D3 universitas tidak bisa diharapkan menelorkan produk sarat teknologi karena banyak teknologi yang tersedia di pasar bertumpu pada prinsip-prinsip fisika dan matematika yang tinggi tingkatannya.
Pemerintah akan sekali lagi tidak menggunakan kesempatan keterbelakangan teknologi sebagai motivasi meningkatkan kemampuan sendiri. Pada akhirnya ini akan memperparah ketertinggalan teknologi. Dan perbaikan mutu sekolah vokasi hanya akan terbatas ke menurunkan angka pengangguran belaka.
Hari ini saya diingatkan bahwa diskusi terbaik tentang Kualitas ada di buku Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance yang ditulis Robert M. Pirsig. Kemarin di kuliah proyek skripsi saya berbicara tentang Kualitas. Ada satu mahasiswa yang teringat oleh buku itu setelah mendengar kuliah saya. Dalam percakapan kita hari ini dia bertanya apa saya tahu buku itu. Tanpa banyak bicara saya ambil buku itu dari rak buku di kantor.
Kualitas itu pada dasarnya Kepuasan Pemakai. Dalam bersepeda motor, pengendara akan merasakan dengan cepat kualitas sepeda motornya karena dia terekspos dengan suara bahkan bau motor. Dia juga akan merasakan tiap getaran yang dihasilkan oleh motor. Dia merasakan hembusan angin, bau rumput, dan tiap benjolan jalan. Mengendarai sepeda motor membuat kita sadar apa itu Kualitas.
Buku yang ditulis Pirsig juga mengupas arti Kualitas dari sudut pandang filsafat. Bahwa sifat-sifat Kualitas tidak pernah atau jarang didiskusikan di universitas. Kita lebih memperhatikan sifat Benar atau Salah dalam menilai satu masalah khusus dengan mengabaikan hubungannya dengan aspek lain.
Kualitas kerap jadinya dihubungkan dengan atribut lain seperti Harga atau Pendapat Umum. Apalagi sekarang di jaman media sosial dimana orang-orang yang berpikiran lemah akan mudah digiring seperti kambing untuk meng-iya-kan apapun yang menjadi trending topic di medsos.
Dari semua keindahan yang bisa kita nikmati: kecantikan perempuan, keindahan alam, kesempurnaan alam semesta, cuma ada satu keindahan kekal, yaitu keindahan ilmu tentang alam semesta. Ilmu alam tentang alam semesta berupa hukum-hukum fisika yang termuat dalam beberapa saja persamaan matematika. Persamaan-persamaan inilah yang terindah. Bergelut dengan merekalah keseharian saya selalu terasa indah.
Jika pengalaman saya dijabarkan ke berbagai ilmu yang ada di sekeliling kita, cukup saya bilang hidup yang mengejar ilmu, hidup yang diabdikan untuk ilmu adalah hidup terindah.
Semua negara maju mempunyai ekonomi yang berbasis teknologi. Untuk mencapai tingkat ekonomi ini setiap negara maju tadi mempunyai ratusan tahun sejarah mengembangkan sains (ilmu pengetahuan) dan teknologi. Canada, tempat saya tinggal, contohnya mempunyai seabad riwayat sains dan teknologi. Contohnya, Ernest Rutherford yang mengerjakan riset di McGill University di awal 1900an dan kegiatan R&D artificial intelligence di University of Toronto.
Fakta butuhnya basis iptek untuk mempunyai teknologi2 yang akhirnya membuat negara kaya tidak usah diragukan. Kalau tidak percaya, bisa saya sarankan kegiatan ini. Pilih satu negara yang menurut anda maju. Lalu tanya mbah Google darimana negara ini mendapatkan kekayaannya (kemajuannya). Kemudian coba cek dari mana asal usul intellectual property yang jadi akar produk dari negara itu. Nah dari sini akan ketahuan korelasi kuat antara kegiatan riset sains and kemajuan negara tersebut.
Kuatnya riset sains di satu negara tapi tidak berarti setiap warna negara harus melek sains. Yang dibutuhkan bukan semua warga negara melek sains; cukup sebenarnya sebagian kecil saja yang melek sains dan mengerjakan R&D sains dengan militan. Yang bisa mengerjakan seperti ini adalah lembaga riset baik swasta maupun pemerintah. Kemudian lembaga riset ini butuh mempunyai sejarah puluhan tahun mengumpulkan orang-orang berkualitas dan mengerjakan riset tertentu dengan cermat dan konsisten.
Jadi yang terpenting adalah (i) kemampuan dan komitmen kuat untuk mengerjakan riset sains dan (ii) critical mass di bidang tersebut. Taksiran kasar saya dibutuhkan sekitar 20an orang di bidang tertentu untuk bisa mendorong bidang riset yang dipilih dan menghasilkan hasil penting.
Musim gugur di Calgary berjalan seiring dengan musim dingin. Salju telah mulai datang November dan mulai hilang sekitar April. Tidak berlebihan penduduk Calgary bilang musim dingin di Calgary lamanya 6 bulan.
Apa efek musim dingin 6 bulan? Pertama, dengan bertambahnya umur orang, dinginnya cuaca mempersulit kehidupan sehari-hari dari jalan dan trotoar licin sampai tuntutan kebugaran yang lebih berat. Kedua, buat orang yang lebih suka kegiatan-kegiatan musim panas, tentu berkurang waktu untuk aktivitas-aktivitas tersebut.
Dinginnya udara menambah latensi tubuh. 10 tahun lalu latensi tubuh saya adalah -20 derajat Celcius. Tapi akhir-akhir ini latensi tubuh menjadi -10 C. Toleransi terhadap udara dingin menurun dengan bertambahnya umur.
Sudah lebih dari setahun saya tidak bermain Facebook dan Twitter. Saya masih punya akun Instagram yang saya pakai untuk menyimpan foto2 yang bisa saya pakai untuk bernostalgia. Selama setahun ini kehidupan sehari-hari saya bisa lebih efisien. Tidak perlu lagi memikirkan komen2 teman dekat dan jauh yang tidak relevan dengan kehidupan sehari-hari. Tidak perlu lagi melototin foto2 selfie narsis teman2 yang menggambarkan kegembiraan mereka, padahal sudah jelas mempamerkan foto2 ini sebenarnya menggambarkan kesedihan mereka yang butuh pengakuan orang lain untuk eksis.
Bermain Facebook dan Twitter sering membuat saya iri dan marah. Iri karena melihat teman2 yang ketawa ketiwi sementara saya bekerja keras. Marah karena membaca komentar2 yang melukiskan cara berpikir sempit. Dua pikiran ini perlu disingkirkan karena menghambat kreativitas berpikir.
Newsfeed Facebook dan Twitter yang terus ditayangkan 24/7–jika kita mau berpikir–bertentangan dengan prinsip orang belajar. Jika kita belajar kita perlu membaca dengan seksama dan setelah itu mencerna informasi untuk mengejar target ilmu berikutnya atau mengaplikasi apa yang sudah kita cerna. Sifat interaktif 24/7 Facebook dan Twitter yang mengalir tanpa henti tidak membolehkan kita berhenti sejenak untuk berpikir seksama. Otak kita akhirnya akan dengan mudah terbawa emosi karena dengan semakin banyak netizen yang nimbung dan berkomentar maka kita akan merasa dituntut untuk merespon dengan cepat. Inilah kejelekan Facebook dan Twitter: Kita menjadi tawanan kebodohan orang lain.
Jalan hidup terbaik buat saya adalah Jalan Sunyi. Jalan yang diisi belajar terus setiap hari, yang dituntun oleh naluri saya sendiri untuk mencari apa yang baru. Tanpa butuh diberitahu orang lain. Tanpa butuh keplokan tangan dan ikon jempol orang lain.
My first motorcycle is BMW 2014 F700GS. I was attracted to the GS models by its reputation as a globe trotter and by many Youtube videos showing how versatile a BMW GS motorcycle was. The R1200GS model was outside the budget I had, so I decided to purchase the 700GS.
Three years fast forward to 2017: The 700GS is exactly what I wanted. It has a fuel mileage of 23 km per liter (or 55 US miles per gallon). It has a good ground clearance of about 19 cm so I don't have to worry hitting a bump or rock when going on dirt road. It is very comfortable and roomy for one passenger; its wheelbase is in fact 6 cm longer than the 1200GS. Its 798 cc engine is adequate and can handle a 120 km/h highway speed at above 4000 rpm in gear 6. It has two large saddlebags (BMW option) and a large top bag (another BMW option). It is a capable adventure touring motorcycle.
I have ridden over 42,000 km over the 3 years owning the 700GS. We have ridden to New Orleans from Calgary and back. Calgary to the southernmost Oregon coastline and back. And numerous times to Vancouver, Nelson, Kamloops, Jasper and anywhere in between. We had experience riding in heavy rain, freezing 4 degree C weather, and the grip heaters are essential for Canadian climate. But I have ridden only once or twice off-road even though I had taken a BMW off-road course.
There are two problems with the 700GS, which I cannot get rid of. The first problem is the seat height. Even though I have gotten used to the 85 cm seat height (using the comfort seat option) from the many trips, I still feel a slight unease whenever I have to make a sudden stop in a two-up (with a passenger) riding. I am 5 feet 7 inches tall (170 cm).
The second problem is the 75 hp peak power at 7300 rpm and is more serious for me. I learn that I like speed and don't enjoy riding in a pack. Whenever I'm riding behind a vehicle I would get sleepy soon and lose my alertness. Whenever I'm being followed by a vehicle I feel like leaving it way behind. I'm always reluctant to run the engine at higher than 4000 rpm because of sooner engine component fatigue consequence. The engine sound also changes above 4000 rpm to a whine from a quiet growl at lower than 4000 rpm.
Doing a quick calculation on the required horsepower to counterbalance the drag force I found about 35 hp power requirement for a 120 km/h cruising speed. This is the main reason why the 700GS feels underpowered when facing headwind, like when I rode on I-84 westbound heading to Portland in July.
From the motorcycle perspective, the 700GS power is not that great and the tall seat height can be sometimes uneasy for me. From my riding habit perspective, I'm not really an off-road enthusiast. I find distance and speed are more alluring than dirt roads. I like going far and long.
Regardless for off-road or not, I used three criteria when assessing a motorcycle: (i) fuel economy, (ii) power, (iii) luggage and passenger capacity. On these counts, the 700GS wins 2 out of 3: it lacks power, but it is great on fuel economy and is surprisingly roomier (due to a longer wheelbase) than R1200GS for a motorcycle 30% cheaper than the 1200GS.
But a fourth criterion showed itself up when I replaced the 2 spark plugs of the 700GS after we came back from the Oregon trip last month. Because of the side-by-side vertical geometry of its twin cylinders and the location of the gas tank under the seat, the usual location of gas tank, i.e., the space behind the front fork, is used for battery and air filter housing. It still looks like a gas tank, but it's a combination of 3 body panels that cover the battery and the air filter housing. Only after removing the body panes, the battery, and the housing was I finally able to reach the spark plugs which are each located at the bottom of about 10-cm-deep hole. The fourth criterion that I have to account for is serviceability, and on this count the 700GS receives a D grade.
The ultra-hidden location of the valve cover also means that it is very difficult to perform an engine valve tolerance (adjustment) check required every 20,000 km by BMW manual. All of a sudden the 700GS is not as reasonable as it was. Granted, the space typically reserved for a gas tank is efficiently used by BMW engineers to store battery and air filter housing, but it's unreasonable to displace the radiator unit just in order to remove the valve cover.
If instead four criteria are used: (i) fuel economy, (ii) power, (iii) luggage (and passenger) capacity, (iv) serviceability, the 700GS is now split at 2-for-2: Good fuel economy and large luggage capacity, but awful serviceability and lacklustre power. This was when I decided to shop for another motorcycle. I need a more serviceable machine that the 700GS if I want to ride it to Mexico and beyond. I need a simpler motorcycle.
So now other motorcycles started to show their appeals. I've test ridden Yamaha FJR1300 and Super Tenere, and they both have inline four and twin engines, respectively. Although they are great for power and luggage capacity, their fuel economy is marginal at a maximum 50 mpg for Tenere and low-40 mpg for FJR. I especially like FJR, but its body is covered by fairing, which makes me wonder what would happen if I ever drop an FJR. Their serviceability is questionable as well because of the vertical engine geometry, even though I'm aware that Yamaha is the most reliable motorcycle brand in the market. I considered Triumph T100 and T120 Bonneville but ruled them out because of the small luggage capacity and poor passenger seat position due to their slab seat.
When I think more about serviceability, I arrived at a conclusion that a motorcycle with simpler engine and electronics was what I wanted all along. I want to service it myself: oil change, spark plug change, air filter change, tire change, chain-sprocket change, valve adjustment. Save for engine repair, I pretty much want to do my own service and repair. I find it satisfying to have done them myself and good to know in case I get stranded in the middle of nowhere. Consequently, I prefer an older model, and if new, then I prefer a standard (naked, roadster) model. Honda has CB1100EX, which looks beautiful, but it doesn't accommodate a passenger well and doesn't seem ready to carry a lot of luggages.
The best serviceability is obtained from an open engine geometry and also prefers a naked (standard) cycle. There were two motorcycles that caught my attention: (i) BMW boxer engine and (ii) Moto Guzzi transverse V-twin. I test rode Moto Guzzi V7 and was interested in its V9 Roamer. The V7 felt old-school: rather imprecise but with gusto. I spotted a problem with Moto Guzzi though: Unless I pick the larger models, the V7 and V9 models don't have a large luggage capacity. That killed the deal with Moto Guzzi since I wasn't interested in its cruiser California model or adventure touring Stelvio. I couldn't find a naked model from Yamaha, Suzuki, and Kawasaki with an old-school look. Yamaha Bolt wouldn't work since it doesn't have a large luggage capacity.
So -interestingly enough- I'm back to BMW. I could not afford a new R1200R and was less interested in its touring R1200RT model since it's even more expensive. I wasn't interested in the GS model anymore as I now know I won't be using a GS for an epic off-road trip.
So the solution is an older BMW roadster model. Its boxer engine offers accessible valve covers to change spark plugs and do periodic engine services, such as valve adjustment. It has a shaft drive, which eliminates a 1000-km periodic cleaning and lubrication of chain and sprocket.
I bought a second-hand BMW 2003 R1150R model. It has less than 10,000 km and -more importantly- it is an air and oil cooled engine. A water-cooled engine of the same cc size gives out more power than an air-cooled, but I think for most road use I don't need a motorcycle with more than 90 hp. Does it satisfy the four criteria I set out?
(i) Fuel economy: 47 (US) miles per gallon, or 20 km/litre. It's a 15% reduction over that of the 700GS.
(ii) Power: 85 hp. It's a 13% power increase over the 75 hp of 700GS. So criteria (i) and (ii) even out between R1150R and F700GS.
(iii) Luggage capacity: 217 kg total payload. F700GS has 227 kg total payload. They're practically identical. My wife will be equally happy to be a passenger on either motorcycle.
(iv) Serviceability: I expect it will take half an hour to replace spark plugs. I spent 4 hours when first time replaced F700GS spark plugs if all steps were followed correctly. R1150R beats F700GS. Oil change and air filter change are similar. One less thing to worry though in R1150R: no water pump, no engine coolant radiator.
As a bonus: R1150R is equally capable on dirt roads. I have tried riding it standing up on gravel roads. No problem. It's not an adventure touring motorcycle, but a roadster is a good solution for those who enjoy occasional dirt road encounters. R1150R has about 15 cm ground clearance, and that is enough for me.
I note that there are not many roadster motorcycles that treat a passenger seriously. Most of them have slab seats with the exception of BMW roadsters (R1150R, R1200R). I think the non-BMW motorcycle manufacturers miss out on riders' profile like me: Those who enjoy road more than dirt road and want to ride in a roadster with a passenger.
One main reason teaching engineering design is difficult is the number of permutations we can arrive at a design work. For a professional engineer or designer to see a design opportunity, the process he uses can be one shown in the diagram above. He sees opportunity from experience he has accumulated through talking to customers or clients. He then develops a product design, i.e., a basic design idea for a product or service, and then develops its engineering design, i.e., doing the detailed engineering works.
Another possibility is captured by the next diagram below.
The first step is the same as above: seeing the opportunity from his contacts. The second step though is detailed engineering works he does by refining a current design he has access to. To refine the current design, he may realize that he needs to come up with a new product idea, so that the product design comes after the engineering design works.
There are a total 6 permutations to the 3 steps that define the design process. Below are the remaining four.
When market opportunity step occurs in the middle, it requires the designer or the design engineer to test his initial design to a market, either real or proxy through surveys.
These six possibilities show that engineering design is not an isolated discipline. It requires us to acknowledge that all three play a role.
As I'm designing an engineering design course I'll teach in 2017 Spring term, I'm faced with the question "Can I teach engineering design?" It could be interpreted as whether I have a credential to teach engineering design, and the answer is yes. In fact, I think each and every engineering faculty members should be able to teach engineering design, depending on what we mean by "design". There are some of us who think that design means the ability to conceive a product and to draw it. This aspect is what I call the aesthetics of the design of a product. The conceiving and drawing parts attempt to improve the appearance of the product. We can learn this, but engineers are not natural in doing this.
Engineers are more natural in focusing on the functionality and optimality of the design of a product. Functionality has to do with what we use the product for. Lifting, pushing, picking, pulling, opening, separating are some of mechanical functions I can name. These functions can be analyzed mechanically using computer software or using mathematical equations. Optimality has to do with reconciling more than one function we have for the product. We want a cork opener that is safe, easy to use, light, and cheap. The four ideas: safe, easy to use, light, and cheap represent properties of the design that have to be optimized as the cork opener is used to open a wine bottle.
I think the aesthetics and engineering (functionality and optimality) of a design are two separate issues. Ideally, they are one. Yet as disciplines to study and teach, they cannot be taught at the same time. There are just too many things to worry about when they are combined into one.
A pipe of radius R is
immersed horizontally in a liquid. The distance from the top of the pipe's
outer surface to the surface of the liquid is H. If the liquid exerts a hydrostatic pressure ρgh, where h is the
depth from the liquid surface, determine the total force per length experienced by the
pipe.
After fitting my F700GS with a skid plate and crash bars, I thought I was ready for an offroad training. The next thing to wait out was the July rainy weather that drenched Calgary and pretty much Southern Alberta all month long. Thankfully, the August long weekend rolled in with auspicious sunny disposition, signalling for me to go out and head to the mountain for the training.
Leaving Calgary in early afternoon, I found Trans Canada Highway (Highway 1) quite busy heading to Canmore, about 100 km west of Calgary. There were a lot of motorcycles on the road as well, and I spotted a spanking new Honda Africa Twin going in the opposite direction as its white red blue stripes are unmistakable.
Canmore was packed. A lot of people poured into its streets; we all deserved a sunny break after a wet stormy July. I quickly headed to Highway 742 - a truly misnomer in my opinion since it's a gravel road - after meandering the busy downtown section.
The 742 section by Whitemans Pond was filled with washboards and uphill curves. I have driven here before many times but have never ridden a motorcycle on it before. I stayed in gear one but soon realized gear two was better. The road condition naturally asked me to stand up. A good downhill section just before Ha Ling Peak trailhead reminded me that if I continued there would be a 60-km gravel road to complete. I took note mentally of the answer and plowed ahead.
The gravelly 742 did give me a good training ground to ride standing up, and by 2/3 of the way I was able to maintain a third gear going at about 70 km/h on a 80 km/h speed limit gravel road section. Most sections along the 742, however, have a 50 km/h speed limit. The 742 is wide and mostly straight with moderate curves here and there. It's a good gravel road to practice for a beginner in offroad riding, like myself.
I wore my touring helmet and flipped up its chin protector face in order to see my F700GS dashboard. I lowered the sun visor to protect my eyes from flying dust from opposite cars and trucks. Even with my prescription glasses as additional covers, the dust still felt in my eyes. It's almost better to wear an open face helmet, a goggle, and a bandana covering my nose and mouth than wearing my full-face touring helmet on this dusty road!
In addition to the helmet configuration problem I have to solve, I also need to find a solution to extending my rear brake lever. I find it not easy to reach the rear brake lever when I am standing up.
I didn't turn off the ABS and felt a tiny fish tailing if I went above 65 km/h and negotiated a curve. By and large though the bike maintained its straight momentum. I paid more attention to maintaining a straight course for the front tire and let the rear wheel do its own thing. The straight up riding position is confidence inspiring in gravel road and much less tiring than I thought. I lean my body to the direction I want to go or press the handlebar downward on the same side with the direction I want to go. For instance, I press the left side of the handlebar if I want to effect a left turn along a curve. It may be thought of as a gentle version of countersteering.
The 742 ends with a fork onto Highway 40. I picked the left turn, going northbound to go back to Highway 1. I stopped for ramen noodle early roadside dinner and an instant coffee at the Barrier Lake information office. It's a nice cooking break to celebrate my offroad training start.
Total distance of Calgary - Canmore - Highway 742 - Calgary via Highway 1 is about 300 km. A fill up in Canmore, Alberta is strongly recommended.
Tools needed include drill with grinder head, chain breaking and riveting tool (blue box in the centre), torque wrench.
I decided to replace my F700GS chain, front and rear sprockets myself. The OEM endless chain gives 31,600 km service, which wears faster than my expected 40,000 km service. I often ride two-up with my wife, and this load factor might reduce the lifetime.
To have a certified mechanics replace the chain and the sprockets would cost about $190 (i.e., a 2-hour job). To do it myself I bought Motion Pro's Chain Breaker and Riveting Tool for $160 (in Canadian dollar; it should be much cheaper if bought in US, even with US dollar). Wheel-bearing grease costs $6, and ceramics grinder head $6, so the saving isn't much if I intend to do it once. The saving I want to make will be realized if I replace the chain myself at least twice; it's both tool and skill investment.
Other tools needed are goggle, grease, torque wrench drive, wrenches of required sizes, sockets of required sizes, ceramics grinder head, drill, screw driver. A caliper is optional, but it is essential if complete agreement between measured rivets' flare width and the chain manufacturer's manual is required.
The numbered steps below are chronologically arranged and do not give detailed step-by-step instructions which are provided by the Tool instruction manual. These 14 steps are proven to have worked for my case. They give the major steps and are best followed in conjunction with the manuals of your motorcycle, chain manufacturer, and chain breaking and riveting tool you use. They suggest that motorcycle chain replacement and sprocket replacement is a complicated procedure and may be best performed by a certified mechanics if you aren't sure.
First step: Open the front sprocket cover using Torx wrench.
1. Open front sprocket cover and chain guard to help smooth the chain removal process later. They are usually held by screws.
Count the number of outer side plates of your chain. Use a Sharpie marker to mark the chain numbers. There are two chain side plate types in a chain: outer (O) and inner (I). To verify your count, repeat your first count and accept the number if it is repeated. For BMW F700GS, the number of outer side plates is 58. There are therefore 58 inner side plates. There are 2 x 58 = 116 riveted pins therefore in the chain.
Rear (left) and front (right) sprockets are now exposed. Chain is crooked due to kinks.
2. Use the grinder head to grind off one rivet of any pin connecting two side plates of the chain. Only one rivet needs to be ground off for breaking the chain. This step reduces mechanical stress to the chain tool's breaking tip when pushing the pin. Wear a goggle to protect your eyes from flying steel debris.
Grinding to remove the rivet of a pin helps reduce the breaking tip's mechanical stress.
I find the grinding step indispensible to ease pushing the ground pin out using the Tool as described in Step 3 below. In my opinion, since my original OEM chain pins are slender solid steel rods, it would be impossible to push out the pin if its rivet is not ground off; it will rupture the breaking tip of the Tool.
The chain breaking & riveting tool here is configured to push out the unriveted pin.
3. Use the Motion Pro's Chain Breaker and Riveting Tool to break the current chain. Please refer to its instruction manual for more detailed step-by-step instruction on how to use the Tool to break the chain. Basically, its breaking tip, when the Tool pieces are correctly assembled, is used to push out the unriveted pin so that the chain links are broken and can be removed.
The pushed pin is visible on the upper left edge of the vice body. The pin can be pushed only after its rivet is ground off.
4. Remove the chain by rolling it off the front and rear sprockets. Be careful not to have your fingers caught between the chain and a sprocket.
5. Put the broken chain and the new chain side by side on newspaper sheets. This is to make sure that the length of the new chain together with the master link is the same as the broken's. The new chain is almost certainly longer than the broken and therefore needs to be cut to have exactly the same length. If a cutting mistake results in a shorter chain, a new chain needs to be purchased.
Repeat counting the number of outer side plates of the broken chain. The number should confirm the previous number from Step 1.
There are two chain side plate types in a chain: outer (O) and inner (I). Their sequence in my new chain is I-O-I-O-I-O-I-...-O-I. (To form a chain, the first (I) and the last (O) side plate have to be different so that they can be linked together.) Because the master link is of type O and is initially separate from the new chain, the new chain needs to be cut to give exactly (i) the sequence I-O-I-O-...-O-I and (ii) one O-type side platefewer than the number of O-type side plates of the broken (old) chain. The master link is then used to connect the resulting sequence I-O-I-O-...-O-I from the cutting in order to form a chain.
For example, my new chain has 59 outer side plates and 1 O-type master link. Because the broken chain has 58 outer side plates, I have to remove 2 outer side plates from the new chain to give me 57 outer side plates. The master link then makes the total number of outer side plates 58.
Note that both words "link" and "side plate" refer to the same object. The total number of side plates is therefore equal to the number of links in a chain. The number of pins is also equal to the number of links.
6. Grind off the rivet of the correct pin so that the cut new chain has (i) I-O-I-O-...-O-I sequence and (ii) one O-type link plate fewer than the number of O-type link plates of the old chain. Use the Tool to push the unriveted pin out, and thus cut the new chain into two parts. Discard the shorter part (and make a nice key chain out of it.)
7. Remove the current front sprocket from its shaft. It is usually held by a bolt which can be loosened using a torque wrench. Clean the area around the shaft to prepare for the new front sprocket installation. Install the new front sprocket by applying the correct amount of torque as specified by your motorcycle manual -if available- to tighten it using torque wrench.
Installing the new front sprocket. Washing the front sprocket area with water removes accumulating oil and dirt cakes. It's important to remove the water using oil penetrant so that water is not present in the crevices and there will be low corrosion risk.
Old (left) and new (right) front sprockets. The old sprocket's cogs are worn out.
8. Remove the rear tire (which includes the wheel, i.e., rim, that the rear sprocket is bolted to) as per your motorcycle manual. Make sure to properly disconnect speed sensor cable and to not scratch the brake disc by resting the tire flat on wooden bars.
Rear tire unit has to be removed so that rear sprocket can be accessed and replaced. Follow your motorcycle's manual on how to remove the rear tire unit.
Place the rear tire unit on top of wooden bars to prevent the brake disc from getting scratched.
9. Remove the rear sprocket from the wheel. Install the new rear sprocket by applying the correct amount of torque as per manual to tighten it using torque wrench.
New (left) and old (right) rear sprockets.
10. Install the rear tire with the new rear sprocket back as per manual. At this stage do not tighten the rear axle bolt yet. You will need to push the rear wheel forward when connecting the cut new chain using a master link.
The rear wheel installation takes a lot of time for me due to aligning the brake disc, rear axle, and spacers. It is helpful to have another person help insert the rear axle. My son helped me in this step. We had a great father-son conversation (shop talk) while working together. Unforgettable!
11. Wrap the still-unconnected new chain around the new sprockets. Ensure that the upper part of the wrapped chain between the front and rear sprockets is as tight as the old one.
The chain breaking and riveting tool is now configured to push the master link's side plate.
12. Connect the new chain using the master link. This step also requires assembly of the master link's parts (o-ring seals, side plates) correctly, as per chain manufacturer's manual, when connecting the new chain. Use the Tool to press the master link's side plate. The Tool piece assembly for this step is different from the chain breaking assembly, as per the Tool manual.
It is best to press the side plate in several slow steps. That way you can inspect and slowly increase the amount of protrusions (flares) of the pins.
13. Assemble the Tool pieces, as per Tool manual, so that the Tool is now used to create rivets from the two hollow pins of the master link. The plugged end of each pin should be at the inside (facing away from you) of the chain. The open end which will be flared by the Tool to form a rivet, is at the outside (facing toward you) of the chain.
In my case the master link's pins have a pre-installed side plate, so I don't have to worry about identifying the plugged and the open ends of the pins.
This step is critical since the amount of flares determines the mechanical integrity of the chain. A flushed flare with the side plate may crack the pin. Not enough flare will not hold the side plate solidly in place. As an important option: use a caliper to correctly determine the amount of flare by taking the difference between the flared pin's diameter and the unflared pin's diameter.
Once the push bolt of the riveting tool feels tight, I apply 3/4 of a turn to produce each rivet. Repeat this step for the second pin. I press the riveting tool twice for each pin to produce the rivets on the two pins' heads.
This is the verbatim safety warning from the Motion Pro's Chain Breaking and Riveting Tool's manual:
* It is very important that chain master links be clipped or riveted properly. Improper installation can lead to great bodily harm or death. If you are unfamiliar or uncomfortable with this process, please have your work supervised by a qualified technician or bring your vehicle to a qualified facility for repair.
Quality of the rivets of the master link by following the steps outlined in this blog.
14. Turn the rear wheel to make sure that the chain runs through the sprockets without intermittency. Adjust the chain sag as per your motorcycle manual. Install the front sprocket cover and the chain guard.
Chain maintenance during a long-distance touring is a daily chore. Chain sagging occurs after kinks are observed in chain links.
I just got back last week from a 3-week, 8700-km motorcycling trip from Calgary to New Orleans return. The long distance covered requires that I ride about 620 km every day in the 14 riding days I had. I rode with my wife and 4 bags, including a tank bag, so that our total payload is about 210 kg.
We rode under various weathers, from 5 to 40 degrees C, from monsoon rain to hot sunshine. The coldest riding days were in Southern Alberta and around Glacier National Park, Montana, while the hottest riding days were in Texas and Louisiana. We experienced monsoon rain in Metairie, just west off New Orleans, and the best riding conditions (25 degrees C, still air, sunshine) in New Mexico - Texas border and Southern Utah.
My motorcycle is BMW F700GS, which has an 800 cc engine, a maximum rated 75 hp power at 7300 rpm, and a maximum rated 77 Nm torque at 5300 rpm. The maximum payload it can have is 227 kg, so our payload is close to the maximum allowed. My average highway speed is 70 mph (112 km/h) during the trip, which was 1/3 of the time felt inadequate, especially on interstate highways that have 80 mph speed limit. I can push my motorcycle to 150 km/h (94 mph) when overtaking trucks or RVs, but it's having a hard time sustaining a 75 mph average speed or higher with our payload in order to keep up with fast-moving interstate highway traffic. The maximum 0.18 hp per kg of total mass (both payload and motorcycle's mass of 200 kg) proves 1/3 of the time inadequate.
The horsepower per kg (i.e., power to weight ratio) is a good measure to use as it factors in motorcycle's mass, payload, and power output. For example, if I ride by myself, the figure of merit changes to 0.25 hp per kg, representing a 38% improvement over a two-up. Because drag force only depends on surface area, which is constant regardless whether it is a solo or a two-up, and speed, then I expect to be able reach an 80 mph average speed when I am riding solo.
The only solution to improve the 0.18 hp/kg number is to change a motorcycle with a larger engine displacement. The larger hp/kg requirement doesn't mean that sports bikes, like BMW S1000RR, are good choices. Even though S1000RR has a 0.48 hp/kg power to weight ratio, which is a fantastic improvement over my F700GS, it doesn't have the correct riding posture for a multi-day touring. The upright riding posture of the BMW GS models fits best for the multi-day touring. My back and arms didn't feel sore at all after straight 7 days of riding, covering 4500 km. Other adventure touring motorcycles, such as Yamaha Super Tenere and Suzuki Strom, will fit best too.
Beside power-to-weight ratio and riding ergonomics, I find power transmission drive type matters as well. The chain drive of F700GS requires daily maintenance because I cover about 620 km every day. (Normally, chain links need to be cleaned and lubricated every 500 km.) I had to clean and lubricate the chain in the morning before we rode. Because we do 8-10 hours of riding, we're tired by the day's end, and the morning cleaning ritual works well. My motorcycle chain was stretched at the end of our trip (see photo). Next time I will have to bring a spare chain and rear sprocket pair for such long distance touring.
Shaft power transmission drive will not require daily maintenance and in my opinion is the ideal drive type for a long-distance touring. Some adventure touring motorcycles, even Honda Africa Twin CRF1000L, have chain drive; although chain drive is lighter, I have to wonder whether the rigor of chain drive maintenance might interfere with the trip enjoyment. I know it did in my case. My left thumb was almost crushed by the rear sprocket when I was cleaning it.
After power-to-weight ratio, riding ergonomics, and power transmission drive type, the fourth requirement is wind (rain) protection. During our trip, we experienced high crosswinds in Texas - New Mexico border along I-40 and in Highway 2 around Cardston, Alberta. A tall front windshield will remove most of the wind problems. When I started riding 2 years ago, wind protection was my main concern, but as I get used to handling crosswind forces, I now think that the tall windshield is good enough. A full fairing that protects the entire arms, body, and legs is better of course, but it's not necessary since quite often rain doesn't occur throughout the trip. I find that rain does occur within 10-15% of the time.
The most important requirement is in fact riding ergonomics. Fatigue and soreness in arms and back are no option for riders going long distance. That's why I hesitate if I should ride Yamaha FJR1300 even though it satisfies power-to-weight ratio to give an 80 mph speed average, power transmission drive type, and wind protection. FJR1300 riding posture is bending forward, more sports-bike. One other factor, though optional, is the off-road capability. I like F700GS because it allows me to ride on gravel roads to a campground or a hiking trail. I didn't have this experience in our New Orleans trip, but it occured in previous trips.
The next important requirement is power transmission type. Chain maintenance requires 1 hour per day and requires one to carry chain cleaning and lubrication tubes, in addition to spare chain and sprocket. This may actually be acceptable for some riders who ride around the world and value easy repair of chain drive. I happen to think, however, that shaft drive is better. My next motorcycle will have to have a shaft drive.
Power-to-weight ratio is the third important requirement. F700GS is actually fine power wise if I don't mind with a 70 mph average speed. It will still take me where ever I want to go. If I encounter a faster speed limit in a highway, I simply exit it and use a secondary highway. The power-to-weight ratio is an ego thing - somewhat.
The touring thinking I outline could explain why BMW R1200GS is so popular. I would like to have such machine, but it's so expensive. Yamaha Super Tenere offers much more reasonable price and arguably better reliability. That's a decision process I have to go through.
Clouds gathered in Lethbridge, which made us postpone our lunch stop until we reached Vulcan.
86. Our ride home to Calgary from Great Falls on Wednesday, July 6 wasn't without challenges. The main challenge is the high probability of thunderstorms in Southern Alberta, where Calgary is located. Our sons told us that Calgary was having a lot of rains when we're in the States. This piece of information is what made me decide to ride a longer-than-usual 840 km from Brigham City to Great Falls the day before, with a purpose to create a time slack for the Wednesday ride in case we get caught in thunderstorms. If things go well, the 520 km distance between Great Falls and Calgary should be completed in less than 5 hours of riding. But if we are caught in thunderstorms along the way, we're mentally prepared to wait out for 3-4 hours or even to stay overnight in Lethbridge or Fort Macleod.
87. The second challenge is the average 15 degree C ambient temperature, which on its own is okay. 15 degree C is in fact a pleasantly cool riding temperature. It will, however, give a really cold riding condition if rain comes down as well. We've experienced such condition before in September 2015 when we rode back from Nelson, BC. Knowing this, we'd like to avoid having rain and cold temperature when we ride.
88. As soon as we left Great Falls, heading north on I-15, we're surrounded by dark clouds. Water droplets start forming on my helmet visor around Conrad, MT. It disappeared before Shelby, MT, where we stopped to refuel. There were not many gas stations between the 300-km stretch between Great Falls and Lethbridge, AB. Besides, refueling in Shelby is the last opportunity we have for a low gasoline price.
89. Dark clouds kept shadowing us between Shelby and the Canada - US border in Coutts, AB (or Sweet Grass, MT in the US side). The sky cleared a bit before Lethbridge, but unsettling sky surrounds us again when we reached Lethbridge. We decided not to stop in Lethbridge although we were hungry. Dark clouds toward Fort Macleod made me take Route 23 northbound to Vulcan where we stopped for 20 minutes for lunch and refueling. Route 23 turns westbound north of Vulcan, which takes us to Highway 2 junction. I rode as hard as I could to avoid getting trapped in a thunderstorm. Try as I might, we finally got drenched in rain as we entered Deerfoot Trail north of Okotoks. My wife was elated when we entered Calgary; that gave me a push to complete our ride safely home.
Rain finally caught us as we entered Deerfoot Trail north of Okotoks. It cleared once we were around Cranston area.
