It was great to have an industrial visit at SEM Matic Sdn Bhd during the

Advanced Material subject. There are all together eight persons were involved in this
visit where three lecturers and five students. In this industrial visit it was a two-way
communication between the company and the university. We are having presentation
in the company regarding the properties, processing and application of alumina. On the
other hand, company is providing their flow of processing the alumina.

SEM Matic Sdn Bhd is a company equipped with the latest edge technologies
and equipment have around two hundred of employee. The company mainly do
manufacturing and trading of precision parts, cutting tools and jig fixture tools. SEM
Matic offer a complete range of capabilities from design and manufacturing of precision
tools. This company having their production line in making alumina for shaft.

During the industrial we were having a chance in visiting their production line
of alumina. There are having ten steps in processing of alumina. The process flow is
listed as below:

1. Alumina Powder preparation (crystal size 0.3 m)

2. Dry press (30 T)
3. Sintering (1700 oC x 53 hr)
4. Octagon grind to round shape (SR x 3)
5. Rough centreless grinding (RG x 2)
6. Intermediate centreless grinding (MG x 3)
7. Grind to length (LG x both end)
8. Intermediate final centreless grinding (FG x 2)
9. Add chamfering (CG x both end)
10. Final centreless grinding (FG x 1)

After finish one batch of final shape alumina, it will choose one of the final step
of the product to do quality checking to ensure the shape is round enough, the diameter
is in correct diameter where this step known as measurement of roundness. In this
processing of alumina, the both end of the rod is the most brittle part, it need to be
machined out before doing the final centreless grinding. One of the problem still exist
during the production of alumina is the uniformity of the alumina. Therefore, the both
end of the alumina is being so brittle.
 In addition, the company greatly provided the knowledge about processing of
alumina where it is normally unable to get it online. Company greatly appreciated that
our presentation regarding the properties of alumina, where it is the most basic
knowledge and fundamental concept require to know about in order to process the
alumina.

In conclusion, this type of industrial visit makes a mutual benefit between the
company and the students. The real working environment and the lecture in the class
totally different. It is because real working environment allow us to apply the
knowledge in the processing of alumina.

1. The process flow of processing alumina

2. The structure of alumina after each steps of processing

3. Production line of alumina

4. Quality control (measuring of surface roundness)

5. Presentation is done by advanced material students at the company