Week10 report

Alahmak!10th week already. I remember my attachment is only 20 weeks. Time flies without knowing it. Weather is getting colder. As the temperature goes down, people getting more and more “un-motivated” or you can say “lazy”. Feeling sleepy all the time, trying to find warm places, eat a lot, slack at work or even don’t want to work. Haha… My German friends, Stephen (getting colder in China as well) and I, hah…I think most of the people will have such feeling for sure when they live in cold environment, unless you are Iron Man then it is different story. Hmm… I need something to motivate myself. Do you have any ideas? Tag your answer at the right hand side. Thank you.hah…

This is sunflower, which I planted in the seeds about 2 weeks ago. I get the post card from my friends. (“While we are going green you can grow yellow.” I think the idea is pretty cool. the seeds are actually embedded inside the card.) Ya, why not “grow some yellow” on your own? And help to save our planet. So I have artificially created a “Green house” environment for it. And it just germinated recently. Haha…

I knew some Chinese friends from internet recently. They are currently study in Essen. I went to Essen last weekend. This is one building in Essen University. (“solar building”, after study solar technology, whenever I see a building with solar panel, I will take a picture. Hah…) why so special about this building is that, it has a large photovoltaic array system installed at the side of building rather than root top (in Singapore). Ya. This is what we learned in text book. Because the sun will never go above your head (90 degree to the horizon.) throughout the day at this latitude. Install the panel in such a way can maximize the usage of the solar panel. Bring out the efficiency of the solar cells.

We went to a Flea Market (跳蚤市场,集市) in Essen. It is a market, which sells some second hand stuff, or discounted fruit or vegetable. Things sells here are cheaper compare to the supermarket outside. That’s why it attract so many people to come down here every Saturday. (If you stay in Shantou 汕头, China. It is place like “金沙公园旁”, got it? Hah…)

We took a same train back to bochum, (they were going to Ruhr university to borrow some books. ) We saw many people wearing the blue and white “VFL” scarf. “It must be a football match.” So we went to the stadium to watch the game. It is Bochum against Bremen. It was my second here in the stadium watching football. But the result is not as good as it was last time. This time is 0:0. Sian…

I went to Cologne again this week. Why? Because there is a Carnival takes place in the city. It started at 11st Nov, 11:11 AM. People dressed with different kinds of funny clothes. Gather together, singing, cheering, dancing. Just to have fun. I also grab one can of beer. And went have fun with the crowd. (Playing knows no boundary between countries. Hah…)

I also went to chocolate museum in Cologne. I got a chance to see the history of making chocolate, and how they actually make it. There is a production line there for you to see. I don’t like to eat dark chocolate in fact. But I like the white one. So I think for this big “chocolate Santa Claus”, I will only eat the white part. His beard for example. Hah…(if I have one.)

My project this side, I still working on the drawing of grids pattern. I have found out the problem, which causes my computer so lag when I working on “solid works”. It is because the software itself. You can’t have too many grids in one single sketch. It will slow down your computer as the number of grids goes up. By now, I am almost finished all the centerline drawing. I should be able to start record down all the coordinates by next week.

We have taken out all the cells from the car. We are now doing some cleaning for the cells using alcohol. And a picture of the solar car without solar cells. This is going to be our new driver seat on the new car. Feel quite comfortable.
Cologne church + sunset = “golden church + last few minutes” have a nice weekend! I am coming. Netherlands! Hah…

Week9 report

Germany is getting colder right now, but the temperature is quite different throughout a day. It can be around 3 degree Celsius, and rise up to about 13 degree Celsius in daytime. However, I wish it could be colder, so I can see snow first time in my life. Let us wait! HOHO…

I went to Cologne last weekend. It was a great trip. I do the same thing as usual. Check out some information about the city I am going. Get all the places of interest marked in the map. Bring some bread, chocolate and drink in my bag. And I am ready for one day trip.
I took a train to which is located within the Ruhr area. (That mean the train ticket is free.) So I only paid 11 euro for a return ticket from to Cologne. Let me give you a short brief on Cologne. It is the fourth-largest city in Germany with the population of around 1 million. River Rhine is flowing through the city. You can actually take a ship from Düsseldorf to here. It casts you about 30 Euro. It is better to come here by water in summer. But not now, you can imagine the cold wind blowing…
This is Cologne main train station. I have been here before when I first came to Germany, it is an train interchange. I took the train from Frankfurt to Cologne and from Cologne to Bochum. Hmm…it has been 2 months. I am back again.

This is Cologne Cathedral. (Koelner Dom) It is Cologne’s most famous landmark. Second-tallest church in the world (157 m) and one of the wrold’s largest churches. It started construction in 1248, and complete in 1880. It is about 600 years. This is the largest church I have seen so far. Standing in front of it. You feel like getting closer to the heaven. As you can see architecture design. (Two tower straight into the sky.)

This is photo taken inside the nave of the cathedral. I like the colorful glass window inside. It is around 20 meters tall. In addition, it is said that, every window reflect a story, which is written inside the Bible. (I am not a Christian. so I have no idea.hah…)

This is a best photo point for the overview of the cathedral.( I find out from the internet.)

This is the famous “4711” shop. It sells Eau de Cologne (Water from cologne,古龙水) “4711” is a street name. Now it becomes the brand for this Eau de Cologne. When Napoleon and his French troops occupied cologne, this “water” is gifts for the soldier to bring back to hometown for their love one.

I have submitted my report to my professor and NP. Finally finished it. Hoho… Hope I can get some feedback from NP.

I am working on the grid patterning for the 3D car model using “solid works” this week. I get one more monitor from Mathias. With two displays, I can do some drawing in one screen, and record the data in other screen. But my computer is not power enough, it is very very lag when I drawing “solid works”. I need to figure out a way to solve this. Sian…

I went to a Barbershop to have my hair cut today. It is second time already. First time it was about 4 weeks ago. However, it was not so good, because the barber don’t understand English. I tried my best to explain, but was useless. So this time I ask my friend Martin to write down in a piece of paper with “how to cut” in German. So I can just show this to the barber. Hah… Stupid idea, but it works. Hah…Have a nice weekend!

Week8 report

Now is 8th week already. Do you guys notices something? Look at the clock at the right side. Because we are using wintertime now. Therefore, it is no longer 6 hours different from China and Singapore. But 7 hours. (Everything changed automatically. My clock in my handphone, computer etc. ) 1st Nov is my friend Stephen’s birthday… (Stephen: Happy birthday to you! And hope you do well in China. God will be always with you.) Moreover, today it is Our Ngee Ann Poly 45 Anniversary celebration. Happy birthday to NP as well. (I miss the celebration…Sian ah…)

Oh..Ya. My weight increased to 64Kg already. Haha…I remember first when I came to Singapore three years ago is around 52Kg.i made joke about Xuanming’s weigh 3 years ago. Now it is going to be his turn…Sian…My friends keep on asking me whether the food in Germany nice? Ya…they taste good…I love it…Exercise? NO…The weather is damn cold outside…I don’t want…hah…
I didn’t go to any places last weekend. (busy with my report) But at the beginning of this week. I have experienced something, which never happened in my life before. I “lose” my laptop…Haha…
I went to school as usual in the morning, but after I went to workshop, finished my stuff. I was going to use my laptop. But I can’t find it on the table. OMG…I was like, Damn it. All my report, photos, files… what can I do. I told my professor, my friends. My friends Mathias even drive me to my house to look for it. We called the subway service center, police…I called my father, friends, and Mr. Lee. (Haha…funny…isn’t ?)Lucky I got it back in the office…虚惊一场 it ruins my Monday….sian. (T.T)

Anyway, I got several works to do in this week. Arne Austing, team chief for mechanical team. He taught me some drawing technique on “solid works”. I need to use these techniques to draw “something” on the car. And record down all the data. (More detail in my report. Sorry, but I can’t tell you guys more in this blog.) I am new to this software. Therefore, it is a bit tricky for me. But any way. I am in the right track now. The one with curly hair is Arne. The other one is Mathias who drives with me to my house looking for Laptop…hah…Thanks…

We start to take out all the cells from the old car this week. Why? Because we don’t get money for new solar cell. They are too expensive. So we got to reuse them. Take them out from the car. Do some cleaning, measuring and stuff like that.

The top cover of the car needs to be separated from the body. This is my first time to saw the solar car without the cover. We used knife to take out the solar cells. This process required people to be extremely careful. The solar cell can break easily if not handle properly.

This is to clean away the remaining double-sided tape on the back of the solar cell. Be careful...Be careful…
This is a de-soldering station. It is to take out the remaining wiring at the back of the cells. Alex was doing it.
So…This is one string of solar cell. There are 23 cells connected in series. This string is equivalent to almost 7000 US Dollar. I got 7000 in my hand… LOL.

It has been a long time for me staying at home in the weekend. Feel a bit tired so bored. I need a break. I’m going to Cologne tomorrow. Hoho…
“You look tired, Lin. You do need a break. Go for it! Have a nice weekend!” Said by a stuff who was doing testing for the wheel.Haha… (Joking)