Blog

27 Dec 2019

We aim to keep everyone informed from engineering and manufacturing to new technologies, defence updates and future combat vehicles. For those who know PRV, we publish new content every week covering all sorts of topics. Our belief is that you can’t grow unless you learn something new every day. With Christmas behind us and the New Year approaching, here’s a look at some of the PRV Engineering blog highlights from 2019.

16 Dec 2019

A 62-year-old seaplane was transformed into the world’s first fully electric commercial aircraft. The debut flight took place earlier this month over Vancouver. This modified six-seater DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver took off from the Fraser River at Harbour Air Seaplanes terminal in Richmond, British Columbia, just south of the international airport.

Greg McDougall, CEO and founder of Harbour Air Seaplanes, was at the helm taking the electric commercial aircraft on a 15-minute flight. The 750-horsepower magni500 propulsion system was developed by Australian electric motor manufacturer, magniX.

11 Dec 2019
6 Dec 2019

Russia is the latest country to announce launching a new electric vehicle. Russian Engineering and Manufacturing Company (REMC) is launching the first locally manufactured electric vehicle, naming it Zetta.

Early reports suggest it could be the cheapest electric vehicle ever built with an expected price tag of just $7,000 (£5,400). Zetta is short for Zero Emission Terra Transport Asset and should be ready for launch early in 2020 after the final certification stages.

28 Nov 2019
20 Nov 2019

The World Automotive Conference was held in Istanbul on October 17 2019, where experts presented possible solutions for keeping up with future trends in the automotive sector.

From managing global economic challenges to overcoming changing industry demands, 50 speakers added tremendous value to the conversation. There are various issues plaguing the automotive sector including too much traffic, too many cars, bad drivers, inadequate public transport, air pollution and not enough parking.

These may not be the trends that are directly shaping the automotive industry but they are important nonetheless. It clearly indicates some of the consumer feedback which the automotive sector needs to respond to.

11 Nov 2019

Even though the British manufacturing sector is the ninth-largest in the world, Brexit has already had an impact and it could get even worse. Factories in Britain have suffered a sixth consecutive month in October showing fewer new orders thanks to the ongoing Brexit uncertainty. The industry is facing a tough future with weakened global demand for UK manufactured goods and employment issues.

According to an industry survey, Brexit has not only affected demand but also an increase in job losses. The survey was conducted before the announcement of the election which reflects two months of preparations for leaving the EU on 31 October. Of course, we all know what happened with that story.

6 Nov 2019

The term Augmented Reality was first used in 1990 with the first commercial uses being in television and the military. Since then, AR technology has evolved considerably as we see it being used in Augmented Reality applications across every industry. The Augmented Reality market showed record growth in 2018 and according to Markets and Markets, the industry will be worth $61.39 billion by 2023.

28 Oct 2019

Welding flux is crucial as a prime anti-oxidising agent most commonly associated with arc welding. Choosing the right one will play an important role in the final quality of the weld. As anyone in the industry knows, becoming a welder is no easy feat as they are put to the test with extensive training. Welders must familiarise themselves with the various weld types, practices and the components for each welding method.

Did you know that flux core welding is known as one of the oldest arc welding methods? In this case, age has no bearing as is it remains one of the most effective and widely used methods for joining metal. The way it works is pretty straightforward as flux prevents welds from interacting with the environment, including air. Without flux, the base and filler material will interact with the atmosphere forming oxides or other unwanted compounds.

22 Oct 2019

Over the last four decades or so, fibre-reinforced plastics (FRP) have been used in engineering structures. Since then, the use of composite materials has steadily diversified into sports equipment, helicopters, aerospace and high-performance racing cars.

The military first used composite materials before engineering companies applied the technology to commercial planes and cars. It was initially used in military applications such as radomes, secondary structures and internal components. Looking at the automotive future, composite materials can be used to design and build safer, lighter vehicles.

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