AN INNOVATIVE SPIRIT
STORY // Tan Jun An
PHOTO // Shaun Ng & Courtesy of ME4 Chuang
ME4 Chuang Tze Shiung's pursuit of greater productivity has led to tens of thousands of dollars in cost savings for the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).
With numerous award-winning work improvement projects under his belt, Military Expert (ME) 4 Chuang has displayed some serious creativity in increasing productivity levels.
In fact, one of his ideas has been implemented not only in the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), but also in other air forces.
Innovation at its best
The most notable Work Improvement Team Scheme (WITS) project that the 33-year-old Officer Commanding of Logistics Flight in 143 Squadron facilitated was the "Review of Main Fuel Gear Pump (MFGP) Replacement Procedure".
"Previously, an F-16 engine component called the Digital Electronic Engine Control (DEEC) had to be removed before the MFGP could be taken out.
"However, the removal of the DEEC required six hours, and disturbing the fuel lines could potentially lead to safety risks such as fuel leaks and the engine stalling."
After carefully analysing the steps in the MFGP replacement procedure, ME4 Chuang and his team determined that they did not need to remove the DEEC.
"The technical representative from the company (Pratt and Whitney) verified our hypothesis and gave us the green light to carry out our modified MFGP replacement procedure.
"The new procedure enhanced our operational readiness significantly by improving our engine recovery rate by 54 percent or seven man hours. It has even been implemented by other air forces worldwide."
It was one of three Best Safety Projects in the RSAF PRoductivity and Innovation in Daily Efforts Convention 2016. The project also won the Gold award in the Team Excellence Assessment organised by Singapore Productivity Association, and a Certificate of Merit in the PS21 ExCEL Innovation Spotlight Award.
ME4 Chuang has also worked on two other projects that amounted to significant cost savings of about $68,000 for the SAF. One of these was creating a wooden storage stand to hold either an F-16 Centerline Tank or two Travel Pods which are used to carry fuel for the aircraft and to store aircraft accessories respectively.
The stands are made from recycled wood at zero cost and are set to replace the dunnage (long pieces of wood that the centerline tank or travel pods will rest on) that the RSAF currently uses.
Giving back
Speaking on his drive to give back to the SAF, ME4 Chuang said: "I came from a humble family background and signed on after Basic Military Training as the RSAF offered to sponsor me for my diploma. After working for a few years, I received the SAF Part-Time Degree sponsorship to upgrade my skills and knowledge. Thus, I am grateful to the SAF for realising my potential, and I want to do my part to contribute back to the organisation."
He added: "I also want to promote the spirit of learning because I believe that innovation is the key to growth and success. So, I am committed to driving productivity efforts to make the workplace a more conducive one for creative ideas to surface." But what truly inspires him in his innovative efforts is improving his team's welfare. Said ME4 Chuang: "The men form the bedrock of the organisation Our projects show that we value the limited resources available, and we strive to reduce costs while providing a safe environment for servicemen to work in."
Better solutions
ME4 Chuang believes that more can be done in coming up with better solutions for the RSAF. "I believe that change is the only constant, and the projects that we have now are just a start.
"I hope that more people will step up and come up with better modifications to our solutions and make the ideas better to improve the lives of our soldiers."
He added: "Challenging the status quo is the spirit of innovation that I hope to promote. Only then will the RSAF be able to continue to improve and break new ground."
