Day 113: Out of the shop, and into the wild

And the day has come. Finally, the chassis of our e-trike design is complete. We got the steel frames painted for rust protection and black theme color. As I have said from last time's post, we were delayed in finishing this part but now, it's already done. We can now go on doing further research and development of our half-finished product before having the casing manufactured in the fiber glass factory.

We also had a test run done yesterday (November 26) from the shop to our main office. It was fun! People were looking at us while we drive down the National Highway with our skeleton e-trike and our thick faces. Who wouldn't be fascinated seeing an alien automobile running on the highway? Good thing the TDRO was kind enough to let us drive on the street.

Watch and see the first complete adventure of our e-trike as we roll out from the shop to our Headquarters.



Hello, electric-driven automotive technology!

More photos of the chassis after the cut.

Day 105: It's rolling!

A long awaited update about Project Proton!

We admit, the schedule got derailed. Big time. We're so excited probably at first that we never anticipated the building of the chassis to last more than a month, which we projected would only take 2 weeks. Lesson learned, though. And a lot of lessons from life came suddenly into our realization. But amid the days of frustrations and loss of inspirations, the e-trike chassis finally was completed, like 95% of it is already done. The only thing left to modify is the braking system, since our earlier design could not fully function.

After we roll out the chassis from the shop, we will conduct test drives to assess its performance first. Housing production will then begin right after, to waste no valuable time. It's a new set of work to do. Nonetheless, the sight of your design functioning and moving means we're doing something right (haha, because if that trike explodes, then we're sure we did something wrong).

Here's a short clip showing the rolling of the trike. That's Allen, our CEO, currently driving our product. We're still checking the connection between the differential and the motor at this scene. Next time, we'll show the e-trike moving in a normal speed. The placement of the batteries is not yet final.



Bring it on, baby.

Day 72: Frames up, almost there

It's taking shape! Not your conventional chassis design, but powerful.

VOILA! Lower frame of the e-trike vehicle is now complete. Also, the roll cage on the passenger side is done. Next to be completed will be the differential axle position on the rear side together with the suspension. We are going to use semi-elliptic type leaf spring on the rear, same as being used in other common wheeled vehicles. For the front, we're planning to use the common motorcycle-type fork with shocks as part of the steering system.

We'll probably have the front side of the roll cage be done last, since it will require angled curvature on its shape. It's a delicate process, since the circular form will be the basis shape for the front fiber glass and hood of the trike.

In case you're wondering what the width of the trike is, it's approximately 1.5 meters, same as a regular owner-type Jeep. This will provide spacious leg room for passengers while entering or seating inside. Also, I checked on the clearance of the entrance and everything is good, with less constraint to the passengers.

I told the preacher I'm in no hurry

Yesterday, I learned how to deal with detachment. I guess it's time to let the seas cover the distance in between. For the lady and for her adventures on the land down under. Thank you. This is my final song for you.

'But if I broke her heart, then won't you tell her I'm sorry?'



Peace.

GIG! TONIGHT!

COMMAND YOUR STREET gig tonight!

Get a load of indie alternative music tonight as we play with other great bands in AMOS Cafe, Kamias, Quezon City. FREE ENTRANCE YO!

Day 65: Start the production!

Finally, the prototyping stage!

About 2 months since the official Day 1 of Project Proton, we enter into fabrication of the e-trike we are designing. Finally, it's taking shape in reality from just the 3D models, system concepts, and electrical diagrams the company is working on (a lot of debating ensued too) for the past days. I can't release the final look of the product yet to the public, since we're still making last updates for its patent.

To cap off, chassis is the first to be created, as it will be the primary basis for the casing and shape of the trike, along with the weight and capacity relations of the whole product. I can say pretty much the frame (shown below) was done in less than two days. Minor errors did occur though they were fixed immediately. Here's a tip: one (especially designers) must always take in mind that precise measurements in working drawings are not always the same when being done in production. There will be an offside more or less to the actual measurements. The best thing to do is to monitor the production and instruct the builder well. Don't be afraid to discuss what you want to come out from the creation process. (But also allow the builder to work on his own. Do not supervise them round-the-clock; they will hate that.)

We're projecting that the whole lower frame will be done by the end of the week, and the rolling cage (the top structure) will be finished by next week. Final chassis then will consist of the wheels, fork, handles, and the axle and brake systems all combined and working well together. Hoping we get on schedule, production of body will start within two weeks. Now that's more exciting to see!

YAY CHASSIS! Apparently, my hands were shaking when I took this photo.

We're estimating that the whole production of this first e-trike will be completed before December. That will be the fastest the production team can handle, and we think it's also fair. We'll see to it that the prototype will roll-out as soon as possible, so we can have more testing done, details revised, and then release it out on the market early next year. This is going to be an interesting last quarter of 2012! Who's getting pumped up? Well, we are.

Til the next update, mates!

You & the Nite, and every stories in between

It's never too early or late in the evening. The night is your comforting shroud.

Ladies, gentlemen, and people from out of this world: the fourth and last single off LEO37's EP album, FANFARE. I can still remember the release of Firedance, the kind of music enough to jump start the energy in any one who listens to the song. Now we've come to a more mellow type with soothing beats, honestly my favorite song from the EP, You & The Nite. Still present is producer John Poon's perfect rhythms and bass lines that go well with Leo's style, and also features the vocals of Lillian Chan, another talented and creative artist not only in the field of music but also in animation and film as well. If you give notice to every detail of the song: the lyrics, the rap, the drums, the tunes, you'll feel the same excitement I'll get.

Jumping from the street scene in the video of last single Gorgeous, You & The Nite showcases a blend in of reality and the animated 2D world. The story of the video tells of Leo's relationship with the night: the special time of the day when ideas come and an unusual kind of serenity envelopes the mind of any creative thinker. Artists, musicians, writers, adventurers, and a lot of people alike find comfort in the calming background of the velvet skies and the hovering dance of the moon. The song and this video describe that surreal scenario really well.

My Mother doesn't just teach

I have a teacher for a mother, and every time we had periodical tests in our school back in my elementary days, she prepares reviewer tests for me and my siblings, much like how they will appear in the exams. Pretty neat, but still I get fair scores. Came high school and college, my mother did not make me those reviewers anymore. I had to do it myself. And lo, I could say my grades did better that time. What I realized was that, when I found out how to mimic what my mom did in teaching me to actually learn from studying (it's like the knowledge-wisdom paradox; you have the ability to know, but simply knowing is not really wisdom), I had a better chance of storing the information I need and using it in the situations I come across up until today. Not that I say my mother spoon-feeding me like that in my younger days is not good, but it kind of taught me in a subliminal way the strategy I have to use in growing up. She may or may have not known of that all along. But hey, it's already embodied in me. For me, she isn't just a teacher who teach from the textbook. She's someone who knows how to teach a life-worth of education.

Thanks Mom. :)

9 Life Lessons from Gordon Dean

1. Never lose your capacity for enthusiasm.
2. Never lose your capacity for indignation.
3. Never judge people. Don’t type them too quickly. But in a pinch, never first assume that a man is bad; first assume that he is good and that, at worst, he is in the gray area between bad and good.
4. Never be impressed by wealth alone or thrown by poverty.
5. If you can’t be generous when it’s hard to be, you won’t be when it’s easy.
6. The greatest builder of confidence is the ability to do something--almost anything--well.
7. When confidence comes, then strive for humility; you aren’t as good as all that.
8. The way to become truly useful is to seek the best that other brains have to offer. Use them to supplement your own, and be prepared to give credit to them when they have helped.
9. The greatest tragedies in the world and personal events stem from misunderstandings. So communicate!

Putting it here so I can read it every time I log on to this blog.

Found on INC.'s website. http://www.inc.com/harvey-mackay/9-life-lessons-every-entrepreneur-needs.html

日本語で (Part 1)

ときどきだれかは他言語で話したい。今日は私のためがその日です。恰も好し、少しでも私が日本語が話せます。たとえ簡単言葉で使って、私の意味は人が分かられます。長い時間に私は日本語話せないんでした。前回は私がタイに住みました。日本に戻って来たい。東京のタワーをもう一回見たいです。そうして、大阪と静岡にまた行きたい。静か気持ちまたほしい。もうすぐ。多分。