Blog

20 Mar 2019

Image Credit: Austel

When we look at modern naval vessels, the larger and more glamorous ships generally take centre stage including the massive aircraft carriers and the ever-dangerous nuclear submarines. However, if it weren’t for frigates, these super ships would be unable to safely take on the open oceans.

Frigates are also called the “eyes of the fleet” and serve as multi-purposed warships. Their size is essentially in-between a smaller corvette and a larger destroyer where they act independently of the fleet and can free up larger ships in medium-threat areas.

While frigates weren’t suitable to fight with the rest of the fleet in normal battles, they were the perfect solution to long-range solo missions. This included exploration, patrols, escorts, blockades, anti-piracy and anti-slavery missions among others.

12 Mar 2019

The construction industry has evolved significantly and with it, many new and improved methods including steel fabrication. If you think about skyscrapers, warehouses and shopping malls, almost every aspect in construction consists of structural steel. Steel framed structures are common across many construction projects including garages, residential properties and short-term temporary structures.

Steel fabrication is used to create various components and products with different qualities for different applications. Fact is, structural steelwork has been the primary choice for most builders, engineers, contractors and structural steel fabricators. Many industries rely on steel fabrication because of the quality, reliability, flexibility, cost effectiveness and sustainability that it offers.

5 Mar 2019

In today’s modern manufacturing world, not too many products are made without CNC machining. This includes the basics like toys, household appliances and machines but also cars, aeroplanes and medical devices among others. CNC machining is incredibly versatile and many industries cannot do without it.

Some of the main industries that rely heavily on CNC machining include aerospace, automotive, medical manufacturing and woodworking. Here, they use it use for various operations such as drilling and routing where the aerospace industry favours CNC machining because it offers the five-axis option when required. This functionality means they can more easily manage hard-to-cut materials such as Inconel.

In healthcare or the medical sector, CNC machining plays an essential role for micro-machining. This involves fabricating all the tiny parts made from different types of materials for various life-saving applications. Examples of CNC machined parts are pacemakers or titanium joints not to mention tools and implements for medical professionals.

26 Feb 2019

Image Credit: Rolls-Royce

The UK Government, with Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, has awarded Rolls-Royce Submarines with a £235m contract to support nuclear propulsion systems for the Royal Navy’s nuclear-powered submarines. They have also revealed the name of the third Dreadnought submarine that will add to their already powerful naval defence. It is called HMS Warspite in memory of the last ‘great ship’ built during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

As the contract stipulates, Rolls-Royce will deliver the required support, advice and materials to ensure the safety of the propulsion systems. The multi-million-pound deal relates to the current Trafalgar, Vanguard and Astute class submarine fleet until 2022. The contract will also help sustain approximately 500 jobs in the UK mainly in Derby, HMNB Clyde and HMNB Devonport.

20 Feb 2019

Image Credit: Boeing

Back in 2017 we reported on the Boeing Echo Voyager autonomous unmanned submarines and now, big brother is here. It comes in the form of the Orca Extra Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicles (XLUUVs) built for a host of applications.

The US Navy awarded Boeing with a US$43 million contract to build four Orca’s and the support gear. Boeing partnered with Huntington Ingalls Industries to develop the 51-ft (15.5 m) long unmanned undersea vehicles which will operate in the open ocean. This is largely thanks to next-level autonomous navigation systems and a fuel module that gives the Orca an incredible range of 6,500 nm (7,480 mi / 12,038 km).

But to get a real idea of the engineering ingenuity of the Orca, let’s recap on the Boeing Echo Voyager.

12 Feb 2019

Running a successful engineering company with high quality fabrication services requires knowledge, experience and continuous investment in the latest machinery. Investment in equipment and staff should be extremely high on anyone’s priority list. Quality and customer service excellence are two of the most important factors and in order to provide that, equipment and staff must be of the highest level.

8 Feb 2019

Structural steel fabrication involves a complex process of turning steel into fabricated products for a construction project or other industrial applications. Structural steel has been a first choice in all types of construction and for quite some time. Even the smallest project incorporates steel because it offers faster construction among many other benefits.

The structural steel fabrication and welding process is demanding and you should only consult experienced fabricators. A less experienced company may not be able to properly perform the tasks at hand which means they could compromise the product viability. Welding and fabricating structural steel requires special expertise that only a few companies share, PRV Engineering is right up there.

31 Jan 2019

Img credit: ultimatescience.org

Dams in themselves are engineering and construction marvels that use the flow of water predominantly for irrigation and generating hydroelectricity. The Three Gorges Dam in China is by far the largest hydroelectric plant on earth but it’s not without controversy. While it certainly looks like an engineering masterpiece, there are a few things you may not have known. We take a look at the good, the bad and the ugly truth behind this man-made marvel.

23 Jan 2019

Img Credit: Horizon Nuclear Power

Hitachi has suspended construction of the new nuclear power stations in Anglesey and Gloucestershire. The decision followed some speculation that Hitachi’s nuclear development plans were on hold after failed negotiations with the government based on financing. The Japanese conglomerate concluded that more time is needed to develop a financial structure for the Wylfa Newydd Project. That assessment also included the conditions for construction and operation of facilities.

The nuclear power stations were intended for Wylfa Newydd Anglesey in North Wales and Oldbury on Severn in South Gloucestershire. Horizon Nuclear Power, which Hitachi acquired in 2012, had planned to develop at least 5,800MW of nuclear power across the sites. Adding insult to injury, both sites would have created around 850 full-time positions and 9,000 jobs during construction.

15 Jan 2019

Shot blasting is used to clean, polish or strengthen metal preparing it for the application of overlays or specialist coatings. It is a technological process used to remove various impurities from different surfaces using abrasives. This includes removing rust or old layers of paint to prepare surfaces for further processing like painting, welding or powder coating. Many industries working with metal use shot blasting, including aerospace, automotive, construction, shipbuilding, rail among many others.

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