There has been much made of the future of UK manufacturing and engineering. Reports show that the UK is holding it’s own and that the future of manufacturing in the UK is good. The flip side of this good news, however, is the major concern over our engineers of the future. The UK still has a skills gap and when it comes to engineering we still have an annual shortfall of 55,000 people. The 2015 EngineeringUK report claims this shortage of skills is costing the UK £27bn a year.
27
Nov
2015
20
Nov
2015
Denmark has engaged in many challenging infrastructure projects in an effort to improve transport links. Over the years Denmark has built many record breaking bridges and tunnels earning it the reputation of a global centre of structural engineering excellence. And they are about to take on their biggest project yet.
Known as the Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link , an 18km long sub sea tunnel to link the German island of Fehmarn to the Danish island of Lolland has been approved. It is thought the construction of the tunnel will have a huge impact on transport in the region and will replace about 2 million annual ferry journeys. It is also believed it will cut rail journey time between Copenhagen and Denmark by 25%.
The project has been approved in Denmark but is currently awaiting approval from the German government.
30
Oct
2015
Back in 2014 we were talking about the experimental 3D printed joints being tested by the Airbus Group. The Rotite Fastener, was being tested on bicycles before being progressed into aircraft, but it was hoped that the technology could be developed and progressed into the aero industry making the attachment of electrical and mechanical components easier.
Additive manufacturing (the process of building components layer by layer) started off being used just for building prototype parts, but has now moved on to producing in flight components in the aero industry.
In March this year 3D printed parts got the go ahead from the FAA to be used in flight and as a result Boeing have used additive manufacturing to install over 20,000 non metallic 3D printed parts in their planes. They are using 3D printed parts in military and commercial aircraft.
23
Oct
2015
This week it’s been announced that Tata Steel could slash up to 1,200 jobs across Scunthorpe and Soctland. Caparo Industries has called in the administrators and now up to 1,700 of their staff are facing real uncertainty about their futures. The UK Steel industry is in crisis and many commentators are rushing to blame China. But the fact of the matter is that the global Steel industry is in crisis, not just the UK, with many nations overproducing and even our closest neighbors in the EU undercutting British produced Steel. At a time when unprecedented trade deals are being fought for and signed across the globe we have to ask if we should still be trying to use China as a scapegoat or if it’s time to reconsider our economic ties with the emergent power.
16
Oct
2015
First came driverless cars, then came research into autonomous ships to help with transport freight emissions. Earlier this month Mercedes Benz tested an autonomous big rig on a public road and this week the news is of a pilotless helicopter being tested to help in the battles with wildfires in the United States. Autonomous and remote controlled vehicles are being used more and more in the battle for improved efficiency, safety and sustainability.
Earlier this week a Lockheed Martin helicopter capable of flying autonomously was launched in Idaho. Whilst the helicopter is capable of flying without a pilot, there was a safety pilot on board during the testing. The helicopter completed multiple drops of water that it had scooped up and then delivered to a demonstration ridge.
Why a pilotless helicopter?
9
Oct
2015
There’s been a lot of talk in the Media about the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) this week as it’s finally been agreed upon between states after a 12 year negotiation. Though the TPP does not directly affect the UK there is a similar agreement in negotiation called the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) which is between the US and various EU countries. These agreements are meant to encourage Free Trade and are being sold as ‘good for everyone.’ It’s very obvious that this is almost never the case in the world of business.
28
Sep
2015
Traditionally 3D printing, or ‘Additive Manufacture’ has been used mainly to create prototypes and showcase design ideas. The speed with which Additive Manufacture (AM) can take place along with the versatility of the manufacture method causes it to be the most obvious choice when creating new designs.
An example of where AM is still being used for it’s traditional versatility is the surgeons of Great Ormond Street Hospital using a 3D printer to create a model of a patients’ Trachea. The surgeons had to perform a delicate surgery on a child. They used a CT scanner to map the boys’ Trachea, 3D printed an exact model of it and then assessed which surgical instruments fit the tiny spaces best.
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Jul
2015
BAE Systems test pilot Pete Wilson became the first pilot to test the launch of the F35B from a ski jump last week.
The launch, which took place at a Naval Air Station in Maryland is only the start of testing which is expected to last two weeks and is a big step towards the implementation of the ski launch on UK aircraft carriers.
The F35B is designed for short and vertical take-off and the trials demonstrate the ability to take off and land safely and effectively from a ski-jump ramp.
19
Jun
2015
All areas of engineering are evolving and developing and we like to keep an eye on what’s going on, reporting from time to time on innovative and sometimes controversial developments.
When it comes to robotics most of the things we’ve written about have been ground breaking developments that have meant that safety can be increased or that major improvements in quality of life can be achieved.
We even wrote about whether increased automation means that less skill will be required in the future. It seems the answer is no – operators still need to understand what they’re doing, why they’re doing it and what could go wrong. However, automation can and does help improve efficiency.
20
May
2015
With only 12 days to Subcon at the NEC in Birmingham 2 – 4 June, PRV Engineering are gearing up for what we hope is another successful show. This will be PRVs 8th visit to the highly successful show which has improved and evolved over the years.
In its 32nd year, Subcon provides a meeting platform for buyers, specifiers and key decision makers from all industry sectors. It’s is a great place to meet, compare suppliers, discover and discuss new technologies and to forge new partnerships.
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