Smooth Breakthrough

This week is absolutely the refresh stage not only for the work but also for the daily life. Due to the good news acquired on the Monday, we eventually can let the pressure down and arrange the new plan for next phase. After completing the learning schedule of Flash, Premiere and Inventor, what I only need to do for next two months are the preparation for trip and finished the animation works. For the work, I have also entered the new stage, which I am able to focus on specific issue at least. So far, there are the three major projects in my hand. Except settling the annoying lower data transfer problems, another perplexed issue was the communication between the driver and human machine interface.

Unfortunately, this problem have existed for more than three months. In the beginning, the hardware structure including the HMI, PLC, and driver. For the above framework, the critical communication is between the PLC and driver. It offer the RS-485 protocol for further application, but there are no easy-use functions to make the connection directly. We have to define and build the entire data to connect smoothly. Furthermore, the standard connector employed make us require making it for ourselves. If there are any mistakes in the building process, we will not know what happened exactly. However, when the project have reached to the third quarter of the entire process, we found that the PLC is the replaceable element in the system. Thus, the PLC had removed out and what we had to do next is to connect the HMI and driver directly. However, not like the PLC, the delta HMI already have the connecting function between each element of Delta at least. Although, we still had encounter several problems during the building the structure, the critical points had been solved by discussing with the developed department of HMI.

Return and Go Home

General speaking, the progress of the three major projects have been breakthrough in this week. The first one is the most long time on-going project, which has carried out more than ten months: the software of the servo press. It would applied in collecting the data from sensor in machine and make the further analysis for exporting the report. However, the fundamental functions had been developed prior to the automation in Taipei this year, the additional application still have been demanded for gaining competitive. Recently, the issue of over slowly data transferring and recording have been discussed and required to make the clearly improvement. Due to the transfer speed rate limitation of the Modbus protocol, we are not able to solve the problems merely revise the code slightly. Thus, we attempt to seek the broadly application such as building buffer and read the batch of data once a time.

Fortunately, the batch read in Modbus is not the rare application. We have found out the available library soon after, although it only support for the 16 bits and acquire the data from 100 register at one time. Above problems will not be difficult to be solved by building the proper program. We can read more times to settle the limitation of acquiring data and combine the two 16 bits into the 32bits data. Nonetheless, the coming function might be much more challenging. We have to read the batch data according to the command in PLC. The PLC would save the data in two main buffer regions. Thus, when the PLC is saving data in one region, our program is necessary to acquire the batch data from another in the short time. Afterward, the batch data is supposed to be combined and sort into something seems like transferred one by one. Finally, I have built the complete class to carry all of above process. The key point in this function would be the switch the reading buffer and sort out the large amount of data without messing up.

Live in Seclusion for New Works

Since the middle of August, I had carried out the extra arrangement and recomposed the previous musical works thoroughly. Indeed, due to the period of new life adaptation, I had removed almost entire unnecessary hobbies in my daily life. However, in order to make the perfect ending of the current staged mission, I started to sort out the works which I hope I could share to the others for proving the effort I had put in. Thus, when I had some progress in dealing with the previous music, I found out the other works in different media as well, such as image and video. The only motivation could urge me to make the attempt might be the great issue I would be interested in. Currently, what I exactly want to do is to try to create the FLASH animation which I hadn’t tried before. 

This time the FLASH work is not independent, instead, it depends upon the music I had composed last year. In the previous experience, I often film the simple video for specific songs. Unfortunately, after graduating from the school, I had lost the sufficient opportunities to gather the actor and worker. As a result, what I could only do is to make the entire video by myself. In fact, there are several types of producing the animation such as the 3D model by 3DsMax or the 2D video by Flash. Considering the limitation of the time I possess, I am only able to choose the Flash if I want to complete the whole task in the following half year.

Music Created Collection

Truly speaking, my hobbies had commonly been transformed for different phase in my wholly life. Undoubtedly, except for the several hobbies had been built since I was child, the music certainly the major extracurricular activity in the six years. However, due to the inadequate resources including instruments and performing space, I could simply do something related to the music on the edge. I am merely able to take the musical instrument and play the old songs in the lazily free time, but the amount of music creations had sharply fall after I left the school. Only when I have the stronger feelings could make me power to rise the idea of composing music. Nevertheless, the specific time when I heard of the music would make me recall the past time and I would be going to listen to my old works immediately. What I felt strongest was that I had completely distinct style, skill and expression in the different period of my career. I thought this time would be the greatest opportunities to arrange and gather them thoroughly.

First of all, I reexamine entire works I had composed and choose which one is suppose to be collected in this project. The key standard for chosen is not only the music itself but also the meaningful value for particular moment. Moreover, I wish I could choose the diversified styles and the stories relevant to multiple issues. However, when I finished this toughest initial works, I found out the degree of completion for individual music has the big difference between each other. Thus, I have to classify all of them for the forward planning. Some required the entirely rework, but some only need to make the subtle adjustment. In the current situation, the record the singing might be the bigger challenge so far, so I have ensured the tune for each song and export into the basic version with the previous record. The next stage I totally have to do in my schedule is to record the singing as possible I can and push the process patiently and continuously. 

Motion Technique

After the end of the automation exhibition, our first task in the top half quarter had been nearly completely. If we attempt to summarize the works had done in this period, we are likely to conclude that there were two major missions so far. First one was the software development for the machine and another one was the control code writing on the second platform of the servo driver. Although, there were merely two major missions supposed to be accomplished, there had been still along with relatively technical issues involved. On the other hand, in the summer, when I could take the mostly control on my developmental works, the toughest tasks were transferred from technique to the marketing and speech on the automation exhibition which I had focused on in the last month.

The first major works in the half quarter was the software development which was supposed to be released with our machine. The key technique in this software is the communication with machine in order to acquire the live data and make the widely remote control. Fortunately, the useful function library had been provided completely so I could construct the structure and built the function smoothly. What I extremely concerned was likely to be the issue for improving the user experience and mature user manipulation. However, due to the fixed date of machine launched and released, the software also doesn’t have any flexible extensive span for development. In the last phase, some of the critical and competitive function required to be put in such as SQL Server and statics export. Above applications are common but I didn’t have the related chances to make the deeply study. By constructing the whole software, I could exhaustive examine where I should improve and gain skillful abilities.

Automation Exhibition Seminar

Truly speaking, the most of our skillful abilities had made the remarkable improvement after entering the society and acquiring job. However, for the research and development work, a great majority of tasks simply be asked for finished inside the corporation or even completed in the own department. Gradually, we had lost the chance of communication and presentation in the formal stage. The only opportunities we were likely to be involved were the technical reports inside the division which we were still in the familiar situation and colleagues. It was unnecessary to present under the high pressure and be asked for the strictly demand. However, due to the upcoming automation exhibition, our product of our department exhibited this time required the appreciate product presentation for latest released in the market. I will have to substitute for the original product manager who had to be on a business trip for a month prior to the exhibition. I think it would be the great chance of training not also for improving presentation skill but also enhancing market concept.

In the school time, I believe I had more opportunities than the others studied in the college of engineering. I had joined the music clubs which usually had to perform in the middle and end of the semester. Thus, we had the more opportunities to show our self in front of the unfamiliar audiences on the stage. In the last semester of being student, I thought I had totally overcome the nerves when I was a freshman and perform what I was expert in comfortably. Unfortunately, I had found out I couldn’t connect the work presentation and music performance closely. I had really wanted to find out the reason why it always caused the several problems. When I deeply investigated and compared two of them, I found that the music performance was created from me, but the work presentation might stand for another team or the specific technical which is liable to be challenged not only the team member but also the audience. Consequently, first of all, what I have to do is to understand the topic so much deeply and it could make me gain more confidence.

Next Four Days

The first day, as the plan we expected, we stayed more time in the village or bench on the Suhui highway. Although, there was only three major villages on the path, the incontinent traffic transportation make us have few chances for visiting. Most viewpoints located here are absolutely different from what is in the city where less pollution has. Generally, we had mainly visited the beach and hillside which were able to leave the crowd. The second section of the Suhui highway we are more familiar with because we had been here from the Hualien last time. By the way, the Suhua Highway Improvement Project had finished the first section. The much straight paths offer the safer driving environment.

In the First day, we fortunately had controlled the schedule accurately and smoothly arrived at the downtown of Hualien on time. However, the long trip with concentrated driving and climbing mountain tired in the process had made us exhausted eventually. We won’t go to the night market as usual but simply hang around the downtown stead. In the second day schedule, different from the first day, our trip merely focused on Taroko National Park where are regularly crowded causing the terrible quality. Nevertheless, unfortunately, the delay breakfast delivery affected the plan slightly. We drove to the Tpedu which is the farthest viewpoint from the entrance in Taroko National Park. Then, we had finished the major astonishing trail and went back slowly following the same road. The schedule in the second day was much pure and had much shorter distance for driving. Thus, we were able to go back to the feast earlier with the enjoyable pace. 

Travel Vacation

In this year, the six days long travel vacation the corporation provided annually was in the last week of June along with favorable weather condition. The last larger journey we had participated was five months ago when the period of work alternating transition in the end of January which mainly visited the Turkey for more than ten days. Generally, we had planed the longer trip once a quarter after graduating from school which we had completely broken away from the limitation of interfere from the regular exam and free block from the two vacations.

For the rare six days vacation in a regular work time, most of my colleagues had the diversified plans for travel abroad. However, for us, what we had truly missed more was travel along the eastern coast of Taiwan which the latest time had finished one and half years ago. This time we would visit the Hualien and Taitung and come back along the same way instead of traveling around the entire island.

The Scenes Still Fresh

Left Taipei where is my home town city for more than a decade had caused me be far away gradually from the friends in my neighborhood including the classmates of junior high and elementary school. Among the first three years, the first time study in the school outer our residential district, I still had the close connection with original friends via playing basketball or mountain climbing regularly. However, when I went to the college and moved to the Hsinchu city, there were fairly fewer opportunities for staying in Taipei for long time which truly decreased the contacts and interactions highly. Otherwise, the new communities in the other cities had built on the campus relationship as well exactly which made me not require relying on the communities in Taipei.

After graduated from the school entirely, I had entered the workplace. What the biggest difference of communities between the school and workplace might be the age distribution and staff turnover rate. The generation gap is the critical obstacle for building the close connection in the workplace anywhere. The unstable composition of members around circumstance is also difficult to unify the consistent identities. In fact, the classmates and roommates still has the most routinely activities due to the high correlation of work content between each other. In addition, the communities in club I had participated in the senior high school finally replace the major classmates and have much more activities in recent years.

Earlier Than Expected

After two months, the NBA playoff had been finished within the unexpected outcome. The competitors of final game were identical to the last years. Due to the more freedom time I acquired in this period, I had spent much more time on watching the playoff game than last couples of years. Initially, I merely had wanted to focus on the particular competitions or the critical moment. However, since the western and eastern conference final, the exciting game beyond the expectation made me determinate to watch the entire game of the above series unless the one team had been already leading to another team.

Thus, in the latest daily schedule, joining the game watching plan, there are simply three parts in the evening. First part was the flexible planning blank, the second one was playing basketball or doing other exercises, and the third part was watching the NBA playoff game. Generally speaking, the first and second parts were likely to be taken one hour separately and the third part therefore would be taken more than two hours. As a result, the regular habits such as read books and play the musical instrument were supposed to be neglected temporarily. After executing for more than two weeks, I had got used to the new pace of life. Watching the game more than two hours won’t become the burden for me if I could separate the whole game into the two equal length parts.

Dig The Fundamental Elements

The more free time in the daily life, the more difficulties would be generated for focusing on making the particular effort on the specific fields obviously. After three months for the further adjustment little by little smoothly, the most appropriate approach is likely to follow the completely true love of hobbies in the deep mind, on the other words, the basic element and existence all along in the early stage. I had tried hard to move out the unreasonable attempt or the trial without likely achievement and remove the annoying noise. Thank to the better weather recently as well, the first focus with passion most likely I acquired again is the basketball. Due to the widely intentions in the last ten years period, I had learned and get used to play the other ball game and joining the soccer team in the department especially. However, considering with mainstream environment and the skill maturity, I thought I am supposed to put more effort on the basketball training again which would be helpful for me easier to participate the major group. Though, the previous attempt didn’t mean wasting time which was exactly made me widen my vision thoroughly. Indeed, we usually thought we had achieved the acceptable target in the familiar domain, but the fact is that we are still far from the degree without capabilities of expressing confident and domination in this field.

The large amount of affairs wanted to be put in the limited regular life is not easy at all, but after removing the non-essential trivia. The schedule after work time would be gained more flexibility. Not only arrange the training plan, the more official watching and resource studying were also inclusive and gain more parts on the daily life.

Go Forward with Ongoing Project

Since being exactly the new role in my entirely daily life currently, for the attitude at least, I haven’t thought of any a little bit of suspicious toward the new definition of works during the period. Though, as the experienced freshman, it is still not obvious to make the precise judgment at any highly likely ignored moment. Got used to or not in the short term, there are certainly diversified perspectives in the concern. For the first case I have taken over in advance, I even couldn’t make sure whether or not I had got the good job. In fact, except for the programming skill in C# acquired previously, I had merely touched the very little aspect in the automation field even the actual implement. By accomplishing couples of tasks in my hand, this is supposed to be the excellent opportunities for examining where the insufficient piece requiring further improvement is as possible as I can.

For the first case, the framework of hardware built on the PLC system combining the Human Machine Interface and servo motor in the fundamental automation and control architecture definitely. The major motion programs had written in the PLC which governed the complete motion functions of the automation machine developed by the particular division. It would provide the position pulse to the driver accompanied with servo motor for driving the machine components to execute the specific works. Additional, the role of human machine interface is not only providing the operational platform but also supporting partially register with PLC in order to promote the better and more rational flow in the process. Therefore, the communication between the above two devices when controlled by the other unit would become the significant issue.

Executable Training

Due to the road run activity sponsored by our corporation, we had the unusual opportunity for participating with the colleague in our own department. It had been hold in the Shimen Reservoir where surrounded by couples of mountains which are obviously the big challenge for jogging. Though, I had been effort for track and field for several years previously, it was still merely the second time I took part in the formal competition outer school. The first time was the 42kM marathon with my classmates which I only wanted to prove my actual ability and keep the record for myself. This time the reasons why I joined the team not only for taking the running habit afresh but also wanted to connect with new colleague than regularly. I had been planned the strict schedule and conduct it every day. On the other hand, we would have the common topic in our division.

Unfortunately, owing to the Ching Ming Festival, our training schedule would be short of five days directly. Thus, there would not be well-prepared for this competition at all. For the good news was that this time we simply applied the 11k group. Even though we couldn’t acquire the remarkable achievement eventually, I still believed we could completely finish the entire game and tolerate the uncomfortable plain for shorter period.

Far from The Crowd

Since the graduated from the university, I had cut off the frequent connection to the Internet and the any related social network. However, due to lack of local human relations establishment, I still spent much time focusing on the issue and activities in the school. Undoubtedly, the university with the large amount people here provides the diverse platform for multiple idea and experiment, not only for the major professional field but also the amateur interested issue. For the first year, I had not taken out of the society and art club which I was likely to help me balance the proportion and ratio of being the engineer without creation and widely thinking in the daily life.

In fact, three years later, I had made the intensely adjustment for both the life style and the daily work content. Following the dream in the children, I have moved the off time hobbies to the working time. As a result, I have more rooms to rethink how to modify the life in the free time. Again, I had reexamined what I had effort previously in the school. Except for the programming and engineering, the other two major domains are most likely the society issue and creation.

The Entire New Step

It had been the third week since taken the new job. Though, go through the thoroughly transform both for corporation culture and working content, there would be several aspects supposed to be got used to, I still thought this time I had adapted much better than the last time obviously. Briefly speaking, I had taken part in the automation department which comprised of PLC and PC-based instrument exclusive of embedded system. Fortunately, on the platform above, I would have more opportunities to touch the control-relative issue. Additionally, there will be the widely distinct issue depend on the application I could be involved in the future. All in all, I would deal with the control programming in PLC or C#, communication, image process and even the application beyond the specific boundary.

The check-in was on the first day after Chinese holidays. I still felt nervous although I won’t the freshman in my career at this time. In the morning, anything in the fundamental introduction wasn’t special, but the welfare is much better than what I had previously such as leave, allowance and meal. I had taken into my new office after lunch break where located in the new building had finished merely two weeks ago. The environment is also much better, because of the clearer toilet, diversified store, and wider parking lot. Otherwise, the computer allocated has powerful calculating ability and the information systems are much easier to use. For above reasons, I really don’t know why I should stay in the TECO for the long-term development.

Crossing Europe and Asia

For the work transition period, I had planned another long trip to fulfill the gap. Although I had just visited the Europe ten months ago, the long time holidays were obviously appeared rarely after being in charge of the works. I exactly didn’t want to miss the any opportunities this time as well. By the way, due to the new work contents and creations produced in the free time already previously, I was not able to figure out extra meaningful tasks during the long holidays. Thus, four months ago, when I certainly found out the new job, though there would be ensured whether or not I could quit and take the long leaves in this period, I still make the surely schedule and start off the journey planning.

Ten months ago, for the honeymoon, we had visited the Balkans in the Europe trip where had been mixed with Catholic, Orthodox Church and Islamic mainly governed and affected by the Austria-Hungary and Ottoman Empire. Even though the Balkans is not the mainstream sightseeing area for major Taiwanese, the uncontaminated environments and the mysterious after civil war are still extremely attractive. For this time, I really want to take the long trip also. As a result, the Europe and the American were the likely choice, the Asia would be ruled out on the first stage. Finally, in order to extend the view cross the Islamic culture instead of focusing on the homogeneous European culture. We had made the decision of visiting the Turkey ultimately where we had transferred airline last time.

Welcome The New Phase Coming

Thank a lot, eventually, I have already left TECO since last Friday smoothly which completely followed the schedule I had planned in the November last year. Although, there are still a vast amount of dissatisfactions of the cost reduction policies (so-called Jupiter Project), they won’t bother me anymore and haven’t caused any damage on my will in these process. Ironically, when I hesitated whether or not resign after this Chinese year. This largest project became the key factor for me to make the firm decision. Afterward, I had made the intensely complains to the manager and asked for the dialog immediately, but unfortunately I had received the stupid and official rationalized response of the illegal cost reduction. A fewer days later, I submitted the resignation ensuring the resolution of leaving TECO. The manager made another dialogs two days in a row which provided the poor career planning suggestion which exactly attracted me at all. Then, I asked for the two weeks special leaves I desired and took very short time to sort out the data and stuff because I have already done great majority of them formerly. In the last week, I had several dinners with friends in this corporation and exchange the ideas for each other. No one would be optimistic toward future development, but they still seek more and further opportunities after Chinese New Year. I had handed over the entire work list finally, and finished the reasonable phase on the Friday which is the last day I had worked in TECO.

Knowledge Acquiring Fiercely

For couple of years, the bookstore is the most frequently visit place in my regular life. When I lived in Taipei, the subjects I had involved were simply the computer science and basketball. After entering the university, I had taken several courses and participated the wildly groups, so I had widen my vision within the social science. Obviously, the philosophy, psychology and art are still in the mainstream of knowledge whose resources are easier to be acquired. In the above period, I usually visited the bookstore once a week where located in the place took me approximately 30 minutes on the route. However, for the last three years, lived in Zhongli, I had transformed my focus from the mainstream social science to the engineering and law which are more difficulty to find the sufficient resource in the regular bookstore. Fortunately, I had found the flagship store of steppingstone located near from the Zhongli Station. There are four floors in the bookstore, the basement for the stationary, the 1^st and 2^nd for the mainstream books and the 3^rd floor for the academic field including the engineering, management and law where I had been looking forward. 

In the earlier period of engaging the new job, there would be a vast amount of requirements because I was still unfamiliar with the practical issue of the engineering. I had encountered diversified topics from the design task. Thus, every time I faced the new problems, the steppingstone bookstore could provide the sufficient resource which is probably even more than the public library. However, for the particulate field, it was impossible acquire the useful information by simply inquiring the specific page. I also enlist the purchase book or borrow list if necessary. After more than one year, I have finally completed the entire list I had built previous. I had also caught the enhancement direction and bought the several books in order to be the handy reference for work requirement.

Due to Cost Reduction

There are merely three weeks left in the future, but I still sense the time would be much slower. For the following three weeks, what I will be supposed to do have been written in my considerate schedule. On the other hand, I have attempted to enjoy the plentiful life since middle of November due to the tremendous change which is likely to happen for the next stage. I had read the entirely books in the list which I wanted before and hang out somewhere randomly in the evening. For the works, I have already made the completely arrangement for the knowledge and information I acquired in these three years. Overall, go through these one and half month, I think I am ready for the next step.

I have communicated with the manager of the new job last week. I asked for providing the useful information for me to study advanced. They had sent the manual relative to introduction of the functions. I had inquired API for particular filed when programming such as Action Script for Flash, Android Development, and m code for MATLAB. What most interesting for me is that the next job I will be involved in is not only the computer programming but also combine the motion and geometry in mechanical engineering, on the other words, it would be the excess worldly mission in my works. One of my favorite hobbies would become a significant role in the daily life which also can make more money.

Living Near to The Library

Today, I have exactly lived in Lunggang for more than one year. Couple of years earlier, when the period I lived in Hsinchu, I have even been Zhongli for several times and had been familiar with the major routes in this city simultaneously. Afterward, three years earlier, I had moved from Hsinchu to Neili due to the corporation location of the new job. However, in these period of years, I wasn’t truly know anything about Lunggang, even hadn’t heard of. The first time I had the opportunity been here is because of the baseball practice with the colleague who have already been for many years. In my vague memory at that moment, I recall in my experience that there are a big playground provided by military in LongGang where opened for the public. I always remember the time I had ridden the motorcycle from Neili to here and the first impress generated naturally when I arrived here is that there were wider roads generally than roads in downtown. In fact, at that time, I still lived in the dormitory for free which supported by the corporation and I obviously had no idea I would live here in the future.

After one year, in order to modify the life style, I tried to work in the different library for each evening after finishing the daily work. I had studied the entirely library distribution in Taoyuan City which was in order to make the further plan completely. I found out that there are three libraries in Zhongli. Which I had been familiar with is the Zhongli and Neili branch, the other one exactly is the Lunggan branch located near to where I have lived nowadays. However, at that time, I was really unfamiliar with the Lunggang. I couldn’t find out the location of the library according to the address posted on the official website directly. In the seeking process, I had stopped several times and queried the map and GPS ensuring the correct direction I had followed. Eventually, I found out the location of the Lunggan branch located on the small lane. Beyond the imagination, the inside of the library are much large scale and beautiful decorating with the wood where seems as the café. From that day, I would come here for work one week though I had lived the dormitory far from Lunggan.