YOGYAKARTA – Not so long ago one lecturer in Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Muhammad Agung Bramantya, M.T, was awarded prestigious Young Engineer Award 2009 from the Japan Society of Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics (JSAEM) and the Fujiwara Award from Keio University Japan. On August 31, 2010, the Board Meeting of Keio University conferred his doctorate. The graduation ceremony is planned for 17 September 2010.
Therefore, Agung has succeeded in accelerating his S3 study from three years to two and a half years. Interestingly, he had also accelerated his S1 and S2 studies.
"Formerly, UGM S1 level was ideally done eight semesters, but I did it in 7 semesters, UGM S2 three semesters from the usual four semesters. And for S3 at Keio, it is ideally six semesters and I did it in five semesters,” Agung Bramantya said in his email on Thursday (2/9).
He added that with the doctoral degree which will soon be assumed, he is still relatively young, about 30 years old. Bramantya was born in Yogyakarta on March 22, 1981. In his explanation, Bramantya saw his accelerated study a unique gift in this Ramadan.
"There is fast education system such as the Direct Ph.D. of 4 years in Singapore, or the integrated master-doctoral of four years in several universities in Japan and Europe. But all has been designed in a different package. We had implemented a successful strategy in the acceleration of our study so far," he said.
His dissertation’s title is Fundamental Study on the Inner Structure of Magnetorheological Fluids by Ultrasonic Propagation Method. There he was researching on smart fluids called "magnetorheological fluid" that is liquid material whose rheological nature can be regulated using a magnetic field. This liquid material consists of three main components: (1) ferromagnetic micron-size particles, (2) liquid media in the form of oil-base and (3) surfactants to maintain the micro-particle distribution uneven.
The natural origin of this fluid is considered to be Bingham fluids (mud and slurry are examples of Bingham fluid), which will change drastically to a semi-solid when subjected to a magnetic field. The dramatic change in fluid properties is reversible in very fast order of time (milliseconds). "This is a unique phenomenon that attracts many researchers to study further about it," Bram added.
Novelty aspect of his research is the use of ultrasonic wave method to study the basic character of this fluid when subjected to magnetic field. With ultrasonic waves, too, he predicts the inner structure of the smart fluid.
"Although our study is more towards the fundamental, but the result is very useful for further application," he explained.
Up to now, the magnetorheological fluid is widely used for vibration damping devices, such as suspension in cars (BMW, GM, Porsche, Ferrari, Audi), seismic damper, shock loads damper. Meanwhile, the military also applies to damper their car and helicopter combat. Body armor is also developed based on this smart liquid. Medical field applies it for artificial bone hinges, and modification for the treatment of cancer, drug delivery, MRI, etc. Engineering also makes use of it, especially for polishing, including for the Hubble telescope lenses in the use of this method for finishing.
In his statement, Bramantya said that on his achievements, the examiners commented "excellent", recognising his length of study and 25 units of achievements both paper journals, paper of international and national seminars and awards. For his main dissertation, his supervisor was Prof. Tatsuo Sawada and the dissertation examiners team was Prof. Kimiyuki Mitsui, Prof. Tetsuya Sato, Prof. Atsushi Hotta, and Prof. Yasushi Ido. Meanwhile, the pre-dissertation examiners team was Prof. Masatsugu Yoshizawa and Prof. Norihisa Miki.
"Hopefully, this result can spur the spirit of other friends in their studies. Insha Allah, I will return to Indonesia by the end of September 2010, and to be active again in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Industry in early October 2010," Bramantya concluded.