Electronics Review Vol 23 No. 3 - ST Electronics

position of the PSD system also needsto be determined, such that the PSDthreshold is at the same level as thetrain.Besides the relative positions, thebonding of PSD to return rails needs tobe carried out at the appropriate nullpointsthat can be traced through thestation drawings.Project Planning andImplementationDuring retrofitting period, the mainconstraint for the PSD system provideris the need to ensure no disruption ordelay to the train service. In addition,the installation work should not causeinconvenience or endanger commutersin any way. The station has to run as pernormal during operating hours, and thismeans that retrofitting work can only bedone within engineering hours between0100hrs to 0430hrs. Considering thetime taken for preparatory work atthe beginning and handover tasks atthe end, the PSD system provider iseffectively left with only three workinghours each day. Hence, good projectplanning and implementation are ofutmost importance. Project planningincludes the following:• Design and development plan• Software development plan• Prototype development and testplan• Manufacturing and productionassembly plan• Manpower plan• Documentation plan• Installation preparation plan• Delivery plan• Installation plan• Testing and commissioning plan• Integration test planEach of the above plans must listsufficient details in terms of resources,facilities, tools and manpower. They mustbe reviewed periodically and updatedwhen necessary. Proper monitoringtools such as weekly rolling programmesand monthly programmes are neededto closely monitor the progress. Majortasks may be sub-divided into sub-tasksso that they can be monitored at microlevel to prevent lapses.Direction of train 列 车 前 进 方 向Figure 6: Wireless Interface for PSD system 图 6:PSD 系 统 的 无 线 接 口Whenever unforeseen constraints occur,they must be reviewed and appropriatemitigation actions should be taken toensure the project does not fall behindits original schedule.Method StatementsFor all critical activities that are tobe carried out at stations during theengineering hours, a proper methodstatement and detailed risk analysis isessential. This helps to perform thetasks systematically and efficientlywithout the need for abortive work.Safety ConsiderationsSafety of retrofit work is of primeimportance and a detailed risk analysismust be carried out prior to the launchof any retrofit work. All welding andhot works must be avoided as faras possible. Safety officers must bedeployed to ensure that work sitesafety is maintained professionally.When the PSD system installation isstopped for the day, the workers mustensure that there are no sharp edgesor protrusions, loose wires or cablesleft behind. Systematic safety checksmust be implemented before the stationis restored to its original state by themorning to avoid any inconvenience tothe passengers.To install a PSD system, the platformedge has to be modified. Drillingand coring of holes are required formounting and cabling. As these taskshave to be carried out during thenight, the noise generated may posedisturbances to residents around thevicinity of the MRT station. PSD systemproviders need to comply with strictnoise control regulations in whichevercity they work in. It may be necessary totake noise-damping measures to reducenoise levels.LogisticsAnother challenge for PSD systemproviders is the logistics and storageof PSD equipment and installationtools. Since there is only three workinghours per day, it will be easier if theequipment and tools are stored at ornear the platform. However, it is notalways feasible as most platform areasare very narrow, and any temporaryhoardings or storage will obstructmovement of passengers. In suchsituations, it may be necessary to deploymore dedicated manpower to manuallytransfer equipment and tools from thewarehouse to the platform level andback, every day during the course of theinstallation.ST Electronics has a proven trackrecord in providing rail electronicssolutions to major cities in the world. Itssolutions include platform screen doors,command control and communications,automatic fare collection, passengerinformation display and maintenancemanagement systems. Its experiencedand multi-skilled team will be able tomeet the challenges in retrofitting PSDsystems.For more information, contact RamaswamyMuthuraman at rama@stee.stengg.comMAY 2011 15