haha... i am starting to enjoy writing here now. i get to express myself (not mentioning about my anger)
in the previous post i talk about the trends of working environment in Malaysia. now i am going to continue to talk about what the employer seeks from a design structural engineer nowadays. you will be very surprised that nowadays those vacancies posted in jobstreet seeking for design structural engineers, will have the basic requirements of knowing design softwares. These are such as Esteem( i find this most COMMON), Orion, ETABS, Prokon, StaadPro etc etc etc...
what i fear is that, the uncontrolled growth of solely using design softwares to perform work will lead the engineers to no where but dead end. Lets say a fresh engineer, he is trained to deliver his job based on the usage of Esteem (since Esteem produces Drawings such as key plans, beam details and foundation design, QS, calculation, which is what most of the employer seeks). As time goes by, he will become a "Beam Slabs Column ---> issue the drawing engineer" (pardon me for giving them such a name).
so now let say if we take away the software, of even the computer. can the engineer perform his duty without the technology? a lot of them has forgotten how to use their C.A.L.C.U.L.A.T.O.R. nowadays. if you are used to the design softwares, do u know how to design a beam? slabs? or even column? everything you learn from the university has gone back to its own place.
i am not trying to say that all design softwares are evil. at least they serves the function of producing the concept faster than step-by-step calculations, and i also found that these design softwares serves the function of tendering purposes. but this is only subjecting to SIMPLE buildings, maybe less than 10 stories only.
til now a lot of engineers still think that if they "taruh" (key in) everything into the software, and click the magic button, they will get the analysis, design and detailing in one goal, and you can consider your job complete. This garbage in garbage out concept will not make you go far. And i foresee that this is the trend in most Consulting Firms nowadays, because competition is very tough, and time is very limited. Therefore people start to rely on computer softwares which will produce instant outcome... but they don't foresee the future.
Does anyone know about the fundamental theories behind the softwares? how to do calculations step by step? or do you know what the software is doing when u apply the 'predefined' functions? Do you know what is natural frequency, periods (not the one girls having every month), diaphragm, vibration etc etc... or even, those who are using the design softwares, have u EVER read all the design Codes such as:
British Standards 8110, British Standards 5950, British Standards 6339, or if i go further, the Uniform Building Code-97 (UBC-97)?
if you are aiming to do something like
in the previous post i talk about the trends of working environment in Malaysia. now i am going to continue to talk about what the employer seeks from a design structural engineer nowadays. you will be very surprised that nowadays those vacancies posted in jobstreet seeking for design structural engineers, will have the basic requirements of knowing design softwares. These are such as Esteem( i find this most COMMON), Orion, ETABS, Prokon, StaadPro etc etc etc...
what i fear is that, the uncontrolled growth of solely using design softwares to perform work will lead the engineers to no where but dead end. Lets say a fresh engineer, he is trained to deliver his job based on the usage of Esteem (since Esteem produces Drawings such as key plans, beam details and foundation design, QS, calculation, which is what most of the employer seeks). As time goes by, he will become a "Beam Slabs Column ---> issue the drawing engineer" (pardon me for giving them such a name).
so now let say if we take away the software, of even the computer. can the engineer perform his duty without the technology? a lot of them has forgotten how to use their C.A.L.C.U.L.A.T.O.R. nowadays. if you are used to the design softwares, do u know how to design a beam? slabs? or even column? everything you learn from the university has gone back to its own place.
i am not trying to say that all design softwares are evil. at least they serves the function of producing the concept faster than step-by-step calculations, and i also found that these design softwares serves the function of tendering purposes. but this is only subjecting to SIMPLE buildings, maybe less than 10 stories only.
til now a lot of engineers still think that if they "taruh" (key in) everything into the software, and click the magic button, they will get the analysis, design and detailing in one goal, and you can consider your job complete. This garbage in garbage out concept will not make you go far. And i foresee that this is the trend in most Consulting Firms nowadays, because competition is very tough, and time is very limited. Therefore people start to rely on computer softwares which will produce instant outcome... but they don't foresee the future.
Does anyone know about the fundamental theories behind the softwares? how to do calculations step by step? or do you know what the software is doing when u apply the 'predefined' functions? Do you know what is natural frequency, periods (not the one girls having every month), diaphragm, vibration etc etc... or even, those who are using the design softwares, have u EVER read all the design Codes such as:
British Standards 8110, British Standards 5950, British Standards 6339, or if i go further, the Uniform Building Code-97 (UBC-97)?
if you are aiming to do something like
then u need to look beyond other normal people.
Many of the softwares users don't actually understand what are they doing when they are using the programme. Of course it feels GREAT when u hit the button and let the computer do the job. but based on my humble experience, i have found out that all softwares has its LIMITATIONS. i am not pinpointing which one has the most limitations or which one is not doing the right thing. As u are getting more and more familiar with the industry, you will realise that there is no such thing as a complete right, or a complete wrong...
(to be continued)
2 comments:
Just wanted to know that do engineers in Malaysia still use BS code or have they changed it to Eurocode?
no, most of us are still using BS Code here in Malaysia.
of course, but if you are dealing with jobs overseas, you have to use the code based on the requirements from local authority.
like jobs from Middle east, or Vietnam, China... i find it quite popular recently, the job will require engineers to design for earthquake. that's how the UBC-97 comes in.
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