Christmas 2016 and new year 2017

 http://enweonye.weebly.com/

Automated sorting of tree trunks

Logs of different lengths are randomly placed over one belt in queued system. These tree trunks must be sorted into two boxes by length. After release, the logs are transported to the measuring and sorting station. The length measurement by photocells B1, B2 and B3 takes place as follows:

B1 interrupted → Short tree trunk.
B1 and B2 interrupted → Half-length tree trunk.
B1 and B2 and B3 interrupted → Long tree trunk.

If there is a short tree trunk on the belt, the operation carrier B7 of the tree trunk can be pushed into box 1 by the ejector 1.
If there is a half-length tree trunk on the belt, the operation carrier B8 of the tree trunk can be pushed into box 2 by the ejector 2.
Long logs pass through for further processing. The pneumatic ejectors B7 and B8 are delayed for 5 seconds and then reverse back to their resting position.

Only after the sorting has been done (that is, B4 or B5 or B6 is interrupted) a new tree trunk may be supplied. This is the enable signal. 

Operation can be done in three different ways:
 - Automatic operation.
 - Semi-automatic operation.
 - Manual operation.
The selection is made with switch S3.

AUTOMATICALLY
The sorting of short and medium tree trunks and the operation of the ejecting happens automatically, as well as releasing a next one tree trunk.

SEMI-AUTOMATIC
The ejection of the logs is done manually by operation of buttons S1 and S2, when B7 or B8 given a signal (a pulse is sufficient). The request for the next tree trunk is done automatically.

MANUAL
Ejection is done manually via the push buttons. Also the release for the next tree trunk is done manually, via the release button. Long tree trunks cannot be sorted.

The inputs of the PLC are connected to the panel as follows:
Inputs Meaning Additional information
I4.0 Automatic operation Switch S3
I4.1 Semi-automatic operation Switch S3
I4.2 Manual operation Switch S3
I4.3 Driver B7 NO
I4.4 Driver B8 NO
I4.5 Push button ejector 1 NO
I4.6 Push button ejector 2 NO
I4.7 Photocell B1 “1” on interruption
I5.0 Photocell B2 “1” on interruption
I5.1 Photocell B3 “1” on interruption
I5.2 Photocell B4 “1” on interruption
I5.3 Photocell B5 “1” on interruption
I5.4 Photocell B6 “1” on interruption
I5.5 Push button “release” NO

The outputs of the PLC are connected to the panel as follows:
Outputs Meaning
Q8.0 Ejector 1 “ON”
Q8.1 Ejector 2 “ON”
Q8.2 Enable signal
Q8.3 Release indication

In this design a didactic panel ET708 is connected via the input and output connectors to the
PLC. We programmed an automated solution to this problem in FC1 of the S7 program “Tree Trunk” and tested it out using a didactic panel ET708.

Offer someone a split second

 

 

I offered someone a split second of my time

It was very emotional today at a “Lagos street” of one popular Flemish city. People might wonder the whereabouts of a “Lagos street” in Flanders. It’s a name I coined after the typical stylish life of Lagos in Nigeria. 

I’m sure that you’re spell bound now with several questions racing randomly in your medular oblangata. A typical life on a Lagos street is where people move very quickly without paying attention to what others are doing or even looking at them.

Having set the background, I came across a woman, of African decent, who was dressed in a weird manner. Today is 1st June 2023, Sunny day, with an environmental temperature of 23 degrees centigrade. One can confidently claim that it’s a summer’s day. 

And this black woman was dressed in white hand gloves and blue face mask even though the last covid-19 restrictions have been lifted since more than a year ago. She was also walking through the “Lagos street” with two heavy tattered bags - one on her left hand and the other hanging over her shoulder and kept in balance by her right hand. 

The black woman approached me with such a supersonic speed that I almost ignored her. She muttered few words in French. A spirit in me, compelled me to stop and I did. I responded to the woman if she understood Dutch. She said yes, and, translated her meaning in Dutch half haphazardly coupled with a few hand gestures. Her situation was not immediately clear but I concluded that she could be mentally challenged. 

Essentially the woman communicated that she was direly thirsty and asked if I could buy her a drink from a nearby shop. I responded that it was a great pleasure to offer her some drinks to assuage her thirst. Guess what? We both entered the shop, the lady went straight to the refrigerator and picked just one bottle of Coca Cola and nothing else. 

Friends, I expected the woman to ask for additional things, which may include, but limited to bread, snacks or even cooked foods but she didn’t. She was simply happy with a bottle of Coca Cola. I thought that she needed more than a split second. At this time, I put it to her that she would definitely need the other things she didn’t request. So, I asked to shop to give her some cash to leave in her pocket should she eventually need something else during her journey. 

The woman of African decent was so happy, she collected the cash and we bade farewell. A lot of things began to run through my mind. I realised how much pains people are going through in their daily lives. Folks, please, give people a split second of your time today, and listen to their stories. We are all humans living in human society for one another. 

Thanks for reading !!

Christmas in Nigeria

 We had the privilege of having Christmas with our entire family in December 2016. 

I. Igwebuike Enweonye was also baptised in early January 2017. 

We invite you to view some of our pictures by following the link below:

https://enweonye.weebly.com/

2.11.0.0

2.11.0.0

Novartis Influenza Team Off-site Event, Barcelona 20-24 May 2013

Nigeria, a business environment

The enormous population with hetrogeneous background, under utilised natural resources and under utilised labour forces, all provide a good opportunity for investors to grow very quickly in Nigeria. The people are very friendly and visitors are kept at a very high esteem. Government places little taxes on investors to encourage them strive. Hotel accommodations are generously available with varying rates. In some places prices may range from 10-20 euro per night.

Nigeria, the macro and microeconomic and development environment

In the last two and a half decades, Nigeria has shifted emphasis from being a major agricultural producer to a single product economy. The oil boom transformed Nigeria from an agricultural economy to an oil producer and a mono-export culture. By 1980, oil accounted for 22% of GDP, 81% of government revenu and 96% of export earning (NASENI, 1992). Nigeria has risen to the 3rd position in the world supplying oil but declined in agricultural productivity giving way to massive importation of food items. The concentration of industries in the urban centers exacerbated the problems of inadequate and uneven development of the rural areas and a depletion of the rural agricultural labour force.

As of 1999, the country experienced negative per capita income growth, limited froeign reserves, and external debt of over 30 billion US dollar. As a result, deficits and inflation have been high and variable, social spending on health and education has been inadequate, state owned enterprises render poor service. Agricultural support systems have deteriorated and agro industries are under utilized. Farmers have little access to credit, agricultural inputs and extension services. Over 40% of the crops produced are lost to post harvest pests, spoilage and poor infrastructures.

Nigeria, basic administrative structure and socio-demographic charateristics

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa with a popultion of about 150 million (NPC, 2000). Approximately 75% of the population is women and children with over 70% residing and securing their livelihoods in the rural area. Administratively, the country consists of 36 states, a federal capital territory in Abuja and 774 Local Government Areas (LGA). A three tier government system is being implemented : federal, state and local government levels. This administrative structure is meant to promote development at the community level. Nigeria is a nation with diverse cultures, ethinicity, as well as religious and political interests. There are estimated to be over 250 ethnic groups speaking different languages. The dominant groups are Edo, Fulani, Hausa, Ibibio, Idoma, Igbo, Ijaw, Kanuri, Tiv and Yoruba.

Nigeria, Geography

Nigeria is situated in West Afrika on the Gulf of Guinea. The country lies between 4° and 14° North of the Equator and between 2° and 14° East of the Greenwich Meridian. It shares a border ith Benin Republic (West), Niger (North), the Republics of Chad and Cameroon (East) and the Atlantic Ocean (South).

Nigeria is endowed with natural resources including a land mass estimated at 930,000 square kilometers. It has over 900 km of coastal waters which, when combined with the 320 km Exclusive Economic Zone znd the vast resources of rivers and lakes, provide enormous fishery resources. The topography of the country consisits of plain, lowland and plateau areas. The plateau area reaches a height of over 1800 meters in the Jos Plateau.

The vegetation can be divided broadly into tropical rain forest areas in the south and the savannas in the north. There are also low-lying mangrove swamp forests along the coastal line in the south and the savannas. The climate is hot and humid with temperatures between 25-35°C throughout the year and an annual rainfall of up to 4,000 mm in the south. The climate is mostly hot and dry in the north with occasional sandstorms or harmattan. Temperatures up to 40°C are recorded in the hottest months while the plateau area can record temperatures as low as 15°C in some months of the year. With exception of some parts of southern Nigeria that have bimodal rainfall patterns, rainfall is limited to one season (Jagtap 1995). In the south, the rainy season is from March to September, while in the north, it is from July to september. About 75% of the country’s total land area is suitable for agriculture/arable farming, forestry and animal husbandry. Rainfall agriculture is generally practised while irrigation is carried out mostly along the large rivers and dams.

A Visit to Neerpelt

Benny, a brother and friend:

Ladies and gentlemen, bravery can be viewed in many different perspectives. It is a display of bravery when one encounters a bunch of enemy army and survives. But I think that I have got another way of looking at the word 'bravery.'

On October 13, 2004, I bade my family in Anaku bye. On October 14, 2004, I left Murtala Mohammed airport, Lagos, Nigeria and arrived Amsterdam Schiphol in Holland the next day after flying about 6 hours in the celebrated KLM aircraft. From there, I took an international train to Brussels, Belgium. When I was making the difficult decision to go to Belgium to study Biostatistics in the then Limburgs Universiteit, Diepenbeek (now UHasselt), I did not have any friend or a family member to recieve me. A blind journey in which one can't tell where one would end up. But I saw it as a mark of bravery and challenge which I needed to pass through in order to achieve my aim of fighting for the rights and the previleges of the ranks and files in the region where I come from.

This was how I came to stay with Benny Giesbers who was also getting ready for a second Master degree in Database programming in the same University. Benny was my opposite neighbour and closest companion in the students house where we lived. A very humble, gentle, compassionate and quick in reasoning young man; Benny, soon became my God given brother in all situations.

In April, 2005, Benny took me home to stay a weekend with the rest of his family. When we arrived the closest "De Lijn" bus stop from the family house of Michael Giesbers, Jennifer took me by her "broemfiets" while Benny rode a bicycle. The sumptuous reception at the entrance of Benny's house was to be given by mother and little angel Mieke. It was an exhilarating breath of a new life to be taken as a member of the Giesbers family.

Gradually Benny paraded me round the whole places. I came in contact with his Oma (about 84 years then) , his uncle and many neighbours and friends. We also went to a stuffy but lively cafe in Neerpelt where I got the opportunity to meet with Jori and many others. I noticed that times well spent together would fly away very quickly. I won't forget the walk we had to the place where the royal aircraft crashed in Neerpelt during the world war II.

When mama Benny asked me what she could buy for me as a gift I thought that my new family had a lot of colors and so I chose a jas designed with three colors to symbolise the many colors of my new family.