The Engineer articles from August 2004

The Engineer archives from August 2004

An eye on the long view.(ThisWeek)
August 6, 2004... THE NEXT TIME someone tells you that there are no more big, worldclass engineering and technology companies left in the UK, gently swat them with a copy of this magazine and mention Rolls-Royce. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When they tell...

A Mercurial approach to space flight.(ThisWeek)
August 6, 2004... THE MERCURY MESSENGER probe was launched on Tuesday from Cape Canaveral, Florida, for a seven-year journey costing $427m ([pounds sterling]234m). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Due to...

Semiconductor takes up baton.(ThisWeek)
August 6, 2004... RESEARCHERS have made a significant breakthrough in the development of the highly prized semiconductor gallium nitride as a building block for nanotechnology. For the first time a team at the US Department of Energy's Berkeley Lab and the...

Seeing the fire for the trees.(ThisWeek)
August 6, 2004... AN ESA-BACKED Earth Observation service will help monitor European forest fire damage and highlight areas most at risk of future outbreaks. The 'scars' left by forest fires can be identified from space as a reddish-brown signature on...

The walls don't have ears.(ThisWeek)
August 6, 2004... BAE SYSTEMS has developed a 'stealthy wallpaper' to stop outsiders eavesdropping on company Wi-Fi computer networks. Researchers at BAE's Advanced Technology Centre (ATC) have adapted Frequency Selective Surface (FSS) technology, more...

Interface by the armchair.(ThisWeek)
August 6, 2004... BT HAS built a wireless home ornament that allows users to access the web and manipulate stock prices, or bid in online auctions. The oval Ambient Interface device, with LEDs, IR sensors and voice recognition software, is designed so the user...

Stress test gets to heart of matter.(ThisWeek)
August 6, 2004... RESEARCHERS at Warwick University have combined a stress test originally designed to gauge the strain on wartime Spitfires with modern rapid prototyping techniques to help protect heart surgery patients. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In...

Trainers to give a running commentary.(ThisWeek)
August 6, 2004... NIKE AND PHILIPS Electronics have developed an MP3 player capable of playing music while monitoring a runner's speed and distance to an accuracy of up to 99.6 per cent. Using Bluetooth short-range wireless technology in a thumb-sized...

Stirred ... not shaken.(ThisWeek)
August 6, 2004... BUILDINGS in earthquake zones could be protected by an intelligent damper that adapts to different-strength quakes and reduces the shaking by acting as a friction device. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The system, developed at the University...

Free wheeling: Lotus researches crank-less engine capable of running on a variety of fuels.(News)
August 6, 2004... UK RESEARCHERS are attempting to develop a free-piston engine capable of running on a variety of fuels, which could ultimately become a competitor to the fuel cell. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Researchers at Sheffield and Loughborough...

Panoramic sight: multi-function sensors will give cars long and short-range radar and broadband in a single unit.(News)
August 6, 2004... A UK CONSORTIUM is attempting to integrate radar, microwave and broadband communications systems on to a single device, to reduce the cost and complexity of installing the technology in new cars. Sensors are increasingly used in...

Head count: infrared device could help enforce UK's HOV lanes.(News)
August 6, 2004... AN INFRARED DEVICE capable of counting the number of passengers in vehicles could soon be used on the UK's roads to help enforce high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Transport secretary Alistair Darling recently...

Fast forward to Mars: NASA-backed project to research thruster that would speed space flight.(News)
August 6, 2004... HIGH-POWER electric propulsion technologies that could help realise the dream of a manned mission to Mars are to receive $7m ([pounds sterling]4m) of funding from NASA. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The space agency has announced the launch...

Changing face of flight: US project looks into lubricants that adapt from Earth to space conditions.(News)
August 6, 2004... CHAMELEON-LIKE lubricating coatings that react to their environment are being developed that could enable future aircraft and space vehicles to perform more effectively under a wide range of extreme conditions. The project, a joint effort...

Risk obsessed: nano report dwells on doubts.(News)
August 6, 2004... THE ROYAL SOCIETY and Royal Academy of Engineering's report on nanotechnology is too 'obsessed' with nanoparticles and does not sufficiently consider other areas of the field, researchers have claimed. Published last week, it was commissioned...

The incredible shrinking mobile: tiny antenna could overcome the problem of smaller phones without signal loss.(News)
August 6, 2004... A TINY ANTENNA that could overcome the barrier holding back the creation of smaller mobile phones or wireless sensors, and improve their performance through walls and obstacles, is attracting the attention of Intel and the US military. ...

All done with mirrors: an omni-directional reflector that boosts light from LED bulbs could spell the death knell for conventional lighting.(News)
August 6, 2004... RESEARCHERS have developed an enhanced LED that is one third brighter than existing devices, potentially sounding the death knell for the incandescent light-bulb. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The US team has constructed a new type of...

Report weighs in behind lightweight materials.(News)
August 6, 2004... A EUROPEAN automotive research body has called for better use of lightweight materials and communications systems to help manage the expected growth in traffic until and beyond 2020. The European Road Transport Research Advisory Council...

Rolls signals runway to recovery ... UK giant's soaring profits cheers beleaguered global civil aero-engine industry.(Business)
August 6, 2004... ROLLS-ROYCE gave its clearest indication yet that the long-suffering civilian aerospace sector is on an upward curve as it unveiled a big boost in interim profits. Along with upbeat noises from Airbus and Boeing (see below)--the UK...

... as EADS and Boeing turn in improved forecasts.(Business)
August 6, 2004... THE WORLD'S big two civil aircraft manufacturers both offered better tidings from their beleaguered industry when they delivered financial updates within days of each other. EADS--majority owner of Airbus--and its US rival Boeing raised...

Hi-tech Ultra on a high: increased US security budget helps boost growth.(Business)
August 6, 2004... THE DRIVE towards technology-led warfare and surveillance helped UK defence systems specialist Ultra Electronics to notch up another period of strong growth. Ultra, which develops world-leading technologies in niche areas such as naval...

Russian tycoon Smolenski buys sports car maker TVR for [pounds sterling]15m.(The Week in Business)
August 6, 2004... TVR, one of the most famous names in UK sports car manufacturing, has been taken over by a Russian high-roller. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Blackpool-based company was bought by Nikolai Smolenski, the 24-year-old son of a Moscow banking...

Pursuit reports 10 global steam pump pilot schemes to shareholders.(The Week in Business)
August 6, 2004... Pursuit Dynamics, the Hertfordshire company developing new steam-powered pump and propulsion technology, told shareholders it now has 10 pilot systems up and running in various process plants in the UK and abroad. The company's PDX system...

Cobham wins [pounds sterling]48m contract for airborne coast watch down under.(The Week in Business)
August 6, 2004... Cobham, the UK aerospace and defence group, has won a [pounds sterling]48m extension to its contract to provide airborne surveillance of Australia's coastline. The country's government said Surveillance Australia, a subsidiary of the UK group,...

Surface Transforms doubles its turnover and narrows losses.(The Week in Business)
August 6, 2004... Surface Transforms, the Cheshire-specialist in carbon fibre reinforced ceramic (CFRC) materials, almost doubled its turnover to [pounds sterling]430,000 last year. The company is developing applications for its CFRCs in areas as diverse as...

Smiths' Detection division puts group on course for year-end target.(The Week in Business)
August 6, 2004... Smiths Group said a strong performance from its Detection division in the second half of its financial calendar would help it meet its year-end targets. Smiths said the recovery at Detection, which includes security screening for drugs, guns...

Warp factor has warped reality: as the countdown starts for SpaceShip One's attempt at the Ansari X Prize, David Windle reckons they're the pioneers of history's real frontiers. Move over, Jim and Mr Spock.(Comment)
August 6, 2004... I'VE ALWAYS HAD an irrational aversion to anyone describing space as The Final Frontier. What began as a well-crafted catch-phrase in a cult TV show has become so all-pervasive that people in the real world actually believe it and it drives me...

Step on the gas: as the race gathers pace to find the 'green' fuel of the future for cars, could the answer be found in the deserts of Qatar? Shell certainly thinks so. George Coupe reports.(Synthetic Diesel)
August 6, 2004... IF YOU FOLLOW the road north out of Dawhah, about half an hour's drive across the desert will bring you to Ras Laffan industrial city. In 1990 there was nothing to see here, only a sunburnt and dusty promontory that jutted into the sea on...

Happier landings: to combat the hazards of deck turbulence, aerodynamics experts are working on ways to smooth the airflow. Jon Excell reports.(Aerodynamics)
August 6, 2004... THE CONDITIONS in which sea-based military aircraft can operate are pretty limited: extreme waves, high winds, and the swirling currents of air created by the shape of the ships often conspire to make conditions too dangerous for flight. Now,...

Skid plan: Bosch takes the skid out of cornering with a system that reads the actions and speed of the driver and adjusts the power steering accordingly. Jon Excell reports.(Automotive Technology)
August 6, 2004... AN INTELLIGENT steering system that is said to be less expensive and easier to integrate than existing technology will enter series production next year. Developed by engineers at Bosch in Stuttgart, the steering assistance system has been...

Gears: as production moves abroad, smaller companies have successfully diversified, while the big names are relying on their brand to keep business. Christopher Sell reports.(Overview)
August 6, 2004... THE DOWNTURN in the UK manufacturing industry, coupled with a transition of production to eastern Europe has forced some smaller companies in the gear industry to alter the focus of their business and specialise in niche markets to survive....

Damping: following an unprecedented recession many UK pneumatics and hydraulics companies are having to think globally or abandon manufacturing altogether. Christopher Sell reports.(Overview)
August 6, 2004... FEWER CONTRACTS, greater competition from overseas and competitively priced electrical drives mean that the hydraulics and pneumatics industries are facing a challenging few years ahead. Companies must adapt to survive. [ILLUSTRATION...

Update.
August 6, 2004... For more information on any of the products listed below, go to www.theengineer.co.uk/info and enter the enquiry number ENQUIRY SUBJECT DESCRIPTION ...

Brain Teaser.(ProblemPage)
August 6, 2004... A cyclist has a single speed cycle with a pedal sprocket of 120 teeth and a driven sprocket of 42 teeth. He travels on a slope of 8[degrees] from a height above sea level of 25m to one of 2.3m. How far does he travel, and how many...

You could win a passport to a bygone era.(ProblemPage)
August 6, 2004... The early industrial settlement at Coalbrookdale has survived virtually intact from the height of the UK's Industrial Revolution. Park in the courtyard of the first 'modern' ironworks, walk up the beautiful wooded valley sides and look down...

Clear winner.(Tech Need Challenge)
August 6, 2004... A north American company is looking for new ways to clean glass surfaces--particularly those that are in hard-to-reach areas. Methods must be easy to use and preferably enable the user to reduce the frequency of cleaning. The solution will...

Sticking point.(Tech Need Challenge)
August 6, 2004... An Asian company seeks a method of inspecting the adhesion and defects of aluminium coatings. The method, intended for use in the automotive industry, may involve ultrasonic technology. www.yet2.com/demag/268

Bio-diversity.(Tech Need Challenge)
August 6, 2004... This global organisation has a general interest in biomaterial technology that could be applied to drug delivery systems, orthopaedics, cardiovascular, wound management, or dental and tissue engineering. If a promising technology is found...

High-strength fibre.(Tech Need Challenge)
August 6, 2004... A new technology for manufacturing high-strength fibres and coating and surface modifying fibre surfaces is sought by this European company. Any processes must not involve solvents, and the modification can include physical and...

Burning issue.(Tech Need Challenge)
August 6, 2004... This company is seeking non-halogen fire-retardant technology to cope with flammability requirements in textiles. The technology, which must be environmentally-friendly, is desired for use with woven or non-woven fabric in a variety of...

So handy Hanri.(Patent of the Week)
August 6, 2004... They say you can tell a lot about a person from their handshake. Too firm and you could be considered a bully, too limp and you are lacking in self-confidence, writes Christopher Sell. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] From Japan, the land of...

On the waterfront.(ThisWeek)
August 27, 2004... MANY OF THE WORLD'S best technological brains are understandably focused on ways to meet our future energy needs. How to keep our cars on the road if the oil runs out, or is unavailable due to war or sky-high prices. How to keep the lights on...

Bluetooth bug: Epson's latest flying microbot could be used in search-and-rescue operations within two years.(This Week)
August 27, 2004... SEIKO EPSON has unveiled its latest mini flying robot, which it claims could be used in search-and-rescue operations within two years. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The FR-II robot--just 136mm wide--uses micromechatronics and Bluetooth...

The chair for stairs.(This Week)
August 27, 2004... A UK RESEARCHER has designed a wheelchair to help people with mobility problems to escape buildings in an emergency. Health and safety guidance warns people not to use lifts to exit buildings in an emergency, but this can make escape difficult...

Boxing clever over car insurance.(This Week)
August 27, 2004... THOUSANDS OF MOTORISTS are taking part in trials of technology to allow insurance premiums to be calculated by how often, how far and when people drive their cars. Insurer Norwich Union is testing the use of telematics--a combination of...

Superconducting technology to accelerate ILC particle project.(In Brief)
August 27, 2004... The International Conference on High Energy Physics in Beijing agreed this week to use superconducting technology for the planned International Linear Collider (ILC), the next step in particle physics research. The ILC will accelerate electrons...

UCL's glass coating reflects new approach to temperature control.(In Brief)
August 27, 2004... UCL researchers have created a glass that can reflect or absorb the sun's rays, to keep buildings cool in summer and warm in winter. The glass is coated with vanadium dioxide, which reacts to changes in temperature by altering its optical...

Physics researchers take a quantum leap across the Danube.(In Brief)
August 27, 2004... Researchers from the University of Vienna and the Austrian Academy have 'teleported' information 600m under the River Danube from one photon to another, in what could be an important step for quantum communication and computing. In quantum...

Beagle 2 post mortem highlights atmospheric miscalculation.(In Brief)
August 27, 2004... The UK Beagle 2 team this week published its report into the Mars lander's failure. Due to lack of data, the report finds no definitive reason for the failure, but the team stressed that the planet's thinner-than-expected atmosphere could have...

Child protection act: monitoring device aims to prevent abductions by tracking individual biometrics.(News)
August 27, 2004... A UK COMPANY has developed a GPS-based child security device that uses biometric technology to ensure that it stays in constant contact with its wearer, in a bid to prevent abductions. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Northern Ireland internet...

Asteroids belted: Glasgow team leads ESA project to deflect doomsday objects.(News)
August 27, 2004... UK ENGINEERS are to lead an ESA-backed investigation to discover the most effective technologies to protect the Earth from asteroid impact. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In a sign that the issue is moving up the space community's agenda,...

Inflation set to rocket.(News)
August 27, 2004... AN INFLATABLE re-entry vehicle that could be used to return cargo and even astronauts from the International Space Station is to undergo flight tests next month. If the tests are successful the lightweight spacecraft could be used to...

Steaming into the future: engine powered by waste car exhaust heat could replace batteries in hybrid vehicles.(News)
August 27, 2004... A STEAM ENGINE POWERED by heat from a car exhaust could replace conventional batteries in hybrid vehicles, according to its UK developers. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A team from the University of Sussex has recently received funding from...

Flower power: clean, efficient hydrogen from sunflower oil could feed vehicle fuel cell.(News)
August 27, 2004... A UK TEAM has successfully built a device to produce high purity hydrogen from sunflower oil, which could be used to feed a fuel cell on board a vehicle. The University of Leeds team's reactor is claimed to yield hydrogen at a purity of up...

Hole new approach to repairs: US Navy tests self-healing polymers for aircraft hit by fire.(News)
August 27, 2004... US NAVY ENGINEERS are testing polymers with self-healing properties, which could be used to improve the survival prospects of aircraft hit by anti-aircraft fire and shrapnel. Surlyn--an ethylene-methaclyric acid (EMAA) ionomer--is already used...

Sensors look well ahead: UK team works on 'intelligent wells' that detect contaminating water.(News)
August 27, 2004... UK RESEARCHERS are developing intelligent oil wells that could spot advancing water from up to several hundred metres away and react before it contaminates production. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A team led by Dr Matthew Jackson, lecturer...

Radar improves materially: Qinetiq develops lightweight metal coating that soaks up stray radar reflections.(News)
August 27, 2004... QINETIQ is developing thin, lightweight materials to absorb potentially dangerous radar reflections from cars and airport buildings. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Conventional absorption devices must have a thickness of around a quarter of...

Water, water everywhere ... even rainy summers won't meet south-east England's demand for water, but desalination plants planned by two utility companies could tap the sea's vast resources. George Coupe reports.(Focus)
August 27, 2004... THE OLD CLICHE about the UK being a little, damp island somewhere off the tip of northern Europe has, it seems, officially had its day. While we remain a small island, our climate is, in fact, not damp enough--to meet the needs of the UK's...

Turbo Genset fills first clean energy contract: power developer looks to commercial landfill gas conversion system to boost finances.(Business)
August 27, 2004... UK POWER technology developer Turbo Genset has unveiled the first commercial order for its 1.2MW generation system. The company, a spin-out from Imperial College London, will supply the system to a US customer to be used for converting...

UK centre to research environmental technologies.(Business)
August 27, 2004... A NATIONAL research centre has been set up to support the development of environmental protection technologies. The Centre for Sustainable Engineering (CSEng) aims to help businesses working on products or processes that make more efficient...

Sending out a clear signal: [pounds sterling]100m Centurion buy underlines Laird's global intent.(Business)
August 27, 2004... UK ELECTRONICS and security group Laird will buy one of the world's leading antenna developers in a bid to grab a share of emerging mobile communications markets such as Wi-Fi and vehicle telematics. The London group will spend [pounds...

City jitters as ARM seals [pounds sterling]500m purchase of Artisan Components.(The Week in Business)
August 27, 2004... ARM Holdings this week unveiled a [pounds sterling]500m deal to buy US microchip technology firm Artisan Components. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Cambridge-based ARM, a world leader in microprocessor design, claimed the purchase of Artisan...

US military and BP award Ultra Electronics contracts worth [pounds sterling]19m.(The Week in Business)
August 27, 2004... Ultra Electronics has announced major new contracts with the US military and oil giant BP. The UK defence and aerospace group has been awarded up to [pounds sterling]14m worth of extra business by the US Army for its Air Defence Systems...

Spirent MRO software business sold for [pounds sterling]3m in management buyout.(The Week in Business)
August 27, 2004... Communications systems group Spirent has sold its aerospace maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) software business for [pounds sterling]2.9m MRO, which has bases in Somerset and San Diego, California, has been bought by its management with...

Increased work and spin-outs help MoD's R & D arm to [pounds sterling]20m profit.(The Week in Business)
August 27, 2004... The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), the MoD's R & D arm, made a profit of almost [pounds sterling]20m last year, the organisation has revealed. The surplus was almost [pounds sterling]6m up on the previous year, helped by...

BAE pays GKN [pounds sterling]14m for its half share of Aerosystems International.(The Week in Business)
August 27, 2004... BAE Systems has paid fellow UK engineering giant GKN [pounds sterling]14.5m for its 50 per cent stake in Aerosystems International. BAE already owned the other half of Yeovil-based Aerosystems, which specialises in complex software-intensive...

Flight of fancy.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
August 27, 2004... I agree with the spirit of David Windle's piece (Comment, 6 August) but I am tired of commentators telling us that Burt Rutan's SpaceShip One means cheap space exploration. NASA may have its faults, but to make any comparison between the...

Wheels of misfortune.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
August 27, 2004... I am sick of being told we should all ride bikes in towns and cities (Comment 9 July). I stopped cycling because I disliked been overtaken by articulated lorries, whose drivers probably wouldn't even notice the slight bump as they went...

Practice imperfect.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
August 27, 2004... Regarding John Halley's observations about e-mail disclaimers (Letters, 23 July) he and many others seem happy to embrace new technology but unhappy to abandon the outdated working practices of the last century. Surely the e-mail is an...

Leading rolls.(Talking Point)
August 27, 2004... The Rolls-Royce success story is a real achievement considering the company almost went to to the wall some years ago. Now it is a real force to be reckoned with--as you say a good UK success story. (Leader, 6 August). I'm sure there are...

Driving ambition: inspired by a Dubai Sheikh, A1 Grand Prix aims to put driver skill at the heart of a new global motorsport extravaganza based on UK technology David Fowler reports.(A1 Grand Prix)(Cover Story)
August 27, 2004... FANGIO, MOSS, Hill and Hunt. Once, motor racing was all about skill when legendary heroes with nerves of steel duelled wheel to wheel to be first to the chequered flag in a contest where a driver's innate ability counted for more than the...

Diesel gets the green light: if John Nicholas has his way diesel will become the premier alternative fuel in the UK, as his company's refinery produces a non-stop flow of biodiesel for the first time. Richard Fisher reports.(Interview)
August 27, 2004... WITH A LITTLE HELP from Gordon Brown, Australian John Nicholas is about to use the UK as a bridgehead for his assault on Europe's burgeoning market in biodiesel. When biodiesel--the 'green' alternative to conventional diesel, produced from oils...

Brain teaser.(ProblemPage)
August 27, 2004... A boat on a lake is 1,500m from the shore and its hull is leaking at a rate of 150 litres/minute. The boat can travel at 10m/minute. The hull can take 4,500 litres of water before it sinks. The people on board have cups that only hold half a...

Book yourself an evolutionary read.(ProblemPage)
August 27, 2004... Driving Force: the evolution of the car engine will fascinate any enthusisast keen to learn how engines have evolved into today's sophisticated units. Written by respected motoring journalist Jeff Daniels, this extensively illustrated book...

Plating head.(Tech Need Challenge)
August 27, 2004... The thickness of the alumite layer on an aluminum surface affects the adhesion of plating that is to be applied. The thickness of the layer can be only 1 or 2 microns--usually within the error range of commercial testers. This organisation...

TPE head.(Tech Need Challenge)
August 27, 2004... This company wants to use thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) as an alternative to PVC, but wants to improve the gloss without any degradation of performance. The material is sought for use in the automotive industry and must be processable using...

Space-age materials.(Tech Need Challenge)
August 27, 2004... A coating for titanium or inconel with thermal emissivity properties of 0.8 or greater, solar absorptivity of .25 or less which will not appreciably change optical properties given repeated exposure to heating up to 600F is sought. The coating...

Stable ester head.(Tech Need Challenge)
August 27, 2004... This company seeks a water soluble, non-foaming, hydrolytically stable ester, which doesn't irritate human skin, is environmentally friendly and resistant to microbiological attack. The ester will be incorporated into a synthetic metalworking...

How absorbing.(Tech Need Challenge)
August 27, 2004... A north American company is seeking a UV absorbing additive for use in UV transmitting (UVT) acrylic thermoplastic sheet. Unlike most UV absorbers that attenuate strongly across the whole 290-400nm band, the company is looking for an additive...

Of mousepads and men.(Patent of the Week)
August 27, 2004... The world is seemingly awash with wireless technology. Every week our attention is drawn to another 'hot spot', where those fortunate enough to possess a laptop can access the internet remotely, without any need for wires, leads or cables,...