This year the Australia Branch Young Members organised the first ever annual Engstravaganza. This national event began its legacy at Queensland’s Dreamworld theme park on 3rd March 2013 with delegates attending from across the country for “Engineering: A Roller Coaster Ride”.
Young Members from the Institution’s Australia Branch received exclusive access to Mick Doohan’s Motorcoaster, the Tower of Terror and the Engineering Facility where rollercoaster cars are maintained. Chris Deaves, Lead Engineer at Dreamworld, gave insightful information regarding the design, operation and maintenance of the thrill rides. Chris was kind enough to answer the many questions asked over the hour long tour.
Following the behind-the-scenes experience, the group spent the day on all of the rides. The overcast weather led to low park attendance making it possible to hit each of the Big Seven at least once. Belinda Herden, the Treasurer and Queensland State Rep, who is also the Young Member Representative for Oceania Region, encouraged all of those with weaker nerves to fight their fears. Much to the entertainment of the local school children, Chair Amy Lezala did not fight her fears quietly. Rodney Puzey watched calmly from the sidelines with a bemused grin on his face until the 105kph Buzz-saw very rapidly wiped it away.
The day out was a fantastic event with a lot of laughter along the way. The discussions with Chris Deaves at the start of the day allowed for technical reflection on the rides when travelling at speeds of up to 161kmh. The daily demand on the machines is immense which is why the cars receive a full overhauled on an annual basis. During this time the ride will be shut down or operated at reduced capacity.
The tracks of the rides are monitored using Non-destructive Test (NDT) methods along with weekly realignment of the magnetic propulsion system used on rides such as the Tower of Terror. The safety of this famous ride cannot be met without the positively pressured steel wheels running along the steel guide rail. The high pitched squeals of this metal-metal interface can be heard for miles around (this time not courtesy of the Chair). Dreamworld technicians have attempted using a sacrificial coating; however this only lasts a short period of time which leads to additional maintenance. When there is no redundancy in car availability the optimisation of the maintenance regime is crucial.
Dreamworld is renowned for providing a fun day out for all, not only for those who enjoy travelling at near-warp speed in all directions. The other two features of the park are the water rides and the animal habitats.
The water rides are as adrenaline pumping as the thrill rides; however, this comes at a cost. Chris Deaves and his engineering team are working to reduce the environmental impact of the park without limiting the experience of the park guests. Water conservation systems are being implemented to reduce the volume of water pumped down the slides when they are not in use. Sensors then identify the presence of a rider and full water pressure is activated.
The park boasts some of the greatest records for animal hospitality; the tiger sanctuary is the number one contributor to tiger conservation in the world and boasts the rare white tiger family. The Bilby marsupial family is another rare breed benefitting from the expert help of Dreamworld staff.
Despite the weather, this year’s Engstravaganza was a great success. Planning for the 2014 event is already underway, and this will take place in the same location as the Annual General Meeting. The Victoria panel recently hosted an event alongside Engineers Australia at which the Monash University’s Formula SAE team presented this year’s Monash Motorsport entry. The next planned Young Member event is “A Day in The Life of Real Engineers” at the University of Queensland.
The evening of April 11th will be the first event held at a University in Queensland. Delegates will receive a presentation from Industry Representatives detailing what a typical day on the job entails, along with some practical tips for entering the workplace. There will also be a talk on the Institution, followed by a speed interview session.
The Young Members in Australia have started a new panel who are dedicated to the support and development of all Young Members during the transition from education to registration. The support offered in Australia includes links to Industry, career and study guidance, networking opportunities, social events and mentoring. The panel also offers advice to international members when transferring to Australia in order to smooth the transition to the Australian industry and aid skills shortages.
The panel also aims to strengthen the links between academia and industry in order to provide undergraduates with greater awareness of what careers are available as well as provide a pool of talented graduates for industry to draw from. This is done through holding a national annual event, providing a number of regular local events and working with universities. The panel looks to its key partners in industry to support their activity through mentoring, advice or sponsorship.
Currently there are representatives around Australia who form the Australian Young Members Panel and are active in organising events for members in most states; Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales have active representatives.
For more details on all the events lists above, please visit the Australia Branch Near You Young Members page.
You can also follow the activity of the Australia Young Members through their facebook page.
Australia YM Chair Amy Amy Lezala can be contacted at australiaymchair@imechenetwork.org