The Engineer articles from January 2002

The Engineer archives from January 2002

Training body must be allowed to blaze its trail.
January 4, 2002... AS A NEW YEAR dawns, one of the most pressing issues for engineering in the long term continues to be training. Even in the current economic climate skills shortages have long been a source of concern in industry. So have the numbers of A-level...

Good week.
January 4, 2002... * Engineering honours: Robin Saxby, executive chairman of ARM Holdings, and Professor Martin Sweeting, chief executive of Surrey Satellite Technology, who received knighthoods, led the list of industry figures in the UK who were honoured in the...

Bad week.
January 4, 2002... * Electronics phobes: A survey for the retailer Comet found that two-thirds of Britons admit they don't know what they're doing with consumer electronics, such as video recorders, but will have a go anyway. * Train operators: The UK is the...

The government has joined private-sector IT users. (The week).
January 4, 2002... The government has joined private-sector IT users in putting Microsoft under pressure over its software licensing fees. The civil service procurement agency fears Whitehall faces a big rise in the cost of using Microsoft's packages, and has...

Close look this week. (The week).
January 4, 2002... Health and safety inspectors are expected to take their first close look this week at the Port Talbot steel furnace, which exploded in November. Corus has been forced to quench the furnace which otherwise would have taken months to cool down....

MBDA Missile Systems, the world's second-largest missile company. (The week).
January 4, 2002... MBDA Missile Systems, the world's second-largest missile company, began operating this week. Formed by the merger of Matra BAe Dynamics, Aerospatiale Matra Missiles and Alenia Marconi Systems (Missile Division), the new company has a total of...

Engineering misses out in skills training revamp: Policy; Union boss denounces decision not to make EMTA a 'trailblazing' council. (News).
January 4, 2002... INDUSTRY CHIEFS have been angered by a decision not to make engineering training organisation EMTA a pilot in the government's new skills programme. The training body had been hoping to become one of five 'trailblazing' Sector Skills...

TC Group looks on [pounds sterling]15m deal as sound investment; Audio: digital sound giant set to use acquisition for launch of 'intelligent speakers'. (News).
January 4, 2002... ONE OF the world's leading digital sound technology specialists plans to use its acquisition of UK audio equipment manufacturer TGI as a springboard to launch a new breed of 'intelligent loudspeakers'. TC Group of Denmark claimed speakers...

MG drives a bargain with China.
January 4, 2002... MG ROVER is negotiating a wide-ranging alliance with China Brilliance Holdings, covering new model developments and a range of other activities. The company has been seeking a partner to share the cost of developing new models since it was...

Rolls-Royce has signed a $1bn ([pounds sterling]600m) contract with Pratt & Whitney. (The week).
January 4, 2002... Rolls-Royce has signed a $1bn ([pounds sterling]600m) contract with Pratt & Whitney to develop the short take-off and vertical landing engine for the Joint Strike Fighter. Rolls will design the lift-fan, and a duct and nozzle system that will...

Cookson this week sold its plastics mouldings businesses. (The week).
January 4, 2002... Cookson this week sold its plastics mouldings businesses in four separate deals which raised a total of [pounds sterling]38m. The UK-based materials technology group said the proceeds would be used to help reduce its [pounds sterling]800m debt....

Jaguar is expected to lay off workers from Halewood. (The week).
January 4, 2002... Jaguar is expected to lay off workers from Halewood, where the new X-Type saloon, launched last year, is produced. A spokesman said the losses would fall among 900 temporary and short-term contract workers brought in to cover initial high...

Letters.
January 4, 2002... The lean dream: putting more muscle in manufacturing? The government's recently promised pilot scheme, designed to raise productivity through financially backed training incentives to employers, is a welcome move for the UK's manufacturing...

Women set new pay agenda: The 2001 annual survey of engineering salaries has revealed that female engineers can earn more than their older male counter parts. (Cover Story Salary Survey).
January 4, 2002... Women are starting to move ahead of men in the pay stakes when it comes to top engineering jobs. The annual survey of engineering salaries has revealed that at certain levels within an organisation, a woman can earn more than a man in the same...

Micrometers. (Marketpalce).
January 4, 2002... With a resolution of 0.01um and a 2400p/s sample speed, Keyence's new range of high-speed, high-accuracy, intelligent micrometers is a breakthrough in optical technology. The new LS-7000 Series makes use of a new optical system coupled with...

Air supply. (Marketpalce).
January 4, 2002... The [pounds sterling]210m Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, the UK's new acute teaching hospital project, is installing ABB variable speed drives, supplied by ABB Drives Alliance member Staler Drive Systems, to maintain a clean air supply in its...

Power. (Marketpalce).
January 4, 2002... NMB-Minebea has announced the availability of the SD025A460WSW power supply, designed for the network server markets. This model has been optimised for use in the mid-range workstation segment and features two SELV-compliant 12V outputs.

Precision. (Marketpalce).
January 4, 2002... System 3R has launched the 3HP, a levelling head providing enhanced stability and a three-axis adjustment feature. It is designed to bring cost reductions to wire EDMing, and is compatible with the range of System 3R tooling technology.

Millennium. (Marketpalce).
January 4, 2002... Birmingham's new Millennium Point is a blend of practical technology and futuristic style. The [pounds sterling]114m centre provides facilities for the public and business. Specially-created fascia panels in the atrium feature several hundred...

Software. (Marketpalce).
January 4, 2002... Holroyd's expertise in the manufacture of worm gear sets has been enhanced with the development of the worm gear contact analysis program, which is set to revolutionise the production of large centre distance gears.

Bearings. (Marketpalce).
January 4, 2002... Radamec Defence Systems manufactured platforms for mounting surveillance pods on Sea King helicopters. The design called for precision preloaded bearings able to supports moving, unbalanced workload in demanding conditions.

Water jet. (Marketpalce).
January 4, 2002... Calder Systems has unveiled a new range of rotating nozzles designed particularly for internal pipe cleaning applications. Calder's wide product range is designed to enable the company to supply nozzles for surface cleaning.

Calibration: CAL2009. (Marketpalce).
January 4, 2002... The new CAL2009 was developed to provide the lowest uncertainties for flow in a calibration laboratory, It has automatic control, data handling and ISO/IEC 17025 compliant calibration sheets, printed after the last calibration point.

Switches: Telemecanique. (Marketpalce).
January 4, 2002... Small, easy to install and highly tolerant to misalignment, the XCS-DM range of contact-less, coded, magnetic safety switches from Telemecanique, a brand of Schneider Electric, stops dangerous moving machinery as soon as the guard is opened.

Markers. (Marketpalce).
January 4, 2002... Custom markers can now be produced with the new Xcard marking system from labelling specialist Partex. The system uses credit-card sized cards, made up of between six and 35 pre-cut tags. After printing, markers are snapped out of the card.

Lifts. (Marketpalce).
January 4, 2002... The latest range of goods lifts from Pickering Lifts Europe is the Freightline range, developed in accordance with European lift regulations. Pickering achieved ISO 9001 with a scope that covers design, engineering, manufacture, supply and...

Packaging. (Marketpalce).
January 4, 2002... Industrial magnets from the new 'try and buy' range launched by Eclipse Magnetics allows evaluation of the suitability of a magnet from engineering merchants without damaging or tearing the packaging.

Interfaces. (Marketpalce).
January 4, 2002... Electronics firm Ero UK has unveiled its configuration port interface kit, allowing the recently-launched LME/LDE temperature controllers to be set up using a desktop PC-- an alternative to the more conventional use of controller front panel...

Catalogue. (Marketpalce).
January 4, 2002... Inmoco has introduced a new catalogue for its Exlar range of precision positioning components. The full technical catalogue includes a range of linear and rotary actuators, with a sealed design that allows for use in the semiconductor industry....

Detection. (Marketpalce).
January 4, 2002... A new leak detector in Ai Qualitek's range uses a mixture of 5% hydrogen in nitrogen as a tracer gas. The gas can be brought pre-mixed. The company claims it is less expensive than helium and will spread quickly throughout the test piece.

Switches. (Marketpalce).
January 4, 2002... Suitable for either control panel or surface mounting, and indoor or outdoor use, the 70 RT range of rotary control switches from Gewiss are available in ratings of 16, 32 and 63A with a choice of two, three or four poles depending upon the...

Robots. (Marketpalce).
January 4, 2002... Kuku has supplied two industrial robot cells to vehicle component maker Dana for welding heavy-duty axies at its Bimingham site. A pair of Kuka's KR15 robots are processing axies for Land Rovers, LDV and Ford Transit vans.

Welding. (Marketpalce).
January 4, 2002... The new Aristo system from Esab provides a modular design approach to welding, based on inverter IGBT technology, Its flexibility is optimised by its CAN-bus digital communications and control system.

Calibration: Aple. (Marketpalce).
January 4, 2002... Instrumentation company Able has tackled the issue of keeping process control equipment calibrated with its range of new calibrators that can link up with personal digital assistants. These PDAs have pen input and hot-synch capabilities.

Investment watch. (Marketpalce).
January 4, 2002... Manufacturing businesses in the Merseyside area have the opportunity to gain up to [pounds sterling]15m of investment. Manchester venture capitalist Aberdeen Murray Johnston is keen to do more in the area. The company backed shipbuilding...

Rallying to the cause.
January 4, 2002... Caption: Everything from rally cars, such as this Subaru which won the world rally championship, and Formula 1 to karting and bikes will be at Autosport International at the Birmingham NEC from 10-13 January. The trade and consumer fair for the...

Tapping into a more positive future: Despite the telecoms sector gloom, mobile phone giant Nokia is still bucking recruitment trend. (Company Brief).
January 4, 2002... DESPITE THE DOWNTURN in the telecommunications industry Nokia -- the world's largest mobile phone maker -- is recruiting research and development engineers to maintain its dominance of the mobile phone market. Unlike many other...

People on the move.
January 4, 2002... Morgan Advanced Ceramics, a subsidiary of Morgan Crucible, has appointed Dr Andrew Hasty European president. He was previously managing director of MBM Aerotech and has held senior positions at Mini Instruments, MEI and Morganite Special...

The former head of research and development at EMTA. (The week).
January 4, 2002... The former head of research and development at EMTA has been awarded an OBE in the New Year's Honours list. Sue Peacock, who retired from the training organisation last year, was given the award for services to industry, for her work in the...

Roger Putnam is to replace Ian McAllister as chairman of Ford UK. (The week).
January 4, 2002... Roger Putnam (pictured) is to replace Ian McAllister as chairman of Ford UK. McAllister, who is now chairman of the government's proposed not-for-profit successor-company to Railtrack and also The Carbon Trust, will leave Ford at the end of...

European steel producers have warned they will take legal action against any decision by the US to impose tariffs of up to 40 per cent on steel imports. (The Week).
January 4, 2002... European steel producers have warned they will take legal action against any decision by the US to impose tariffs of up to 40 per cent on steel imports. The European Union has offered to make cuts of 16m tonnes in an effort to persuade the US...

2001 was a disaster, but this year will be worse; UK manufacturing: Experts predict a decline in growth plus shrinking output. (News).
January 4, 2002... AS INDUSTRY finally turns its back on a disastrous 2001, experts predict that this year may be even tougher for UK manufacturers. A report by Cambridge Econometrics, published this week, predicts manufacturing growth will decline of 2.8 per...

IMI said a slump in US restaurant visits following September 11. (The week).
January 4, 2002... IMI said a slump in US restaurant visits following September 11 hit sales of its high-tech drink-dispensing systems. The UK group's Beverage Dispense division announced that sales would be down by around five per cent in its second half, with...

A political lifeline has been thrown to the European Union's plans. (The week).
January 4, 2002... A political lifeline has been thrown to the European Union's plans to build its own satellite global positioning system. The Galileo project looked in doubt after transport ministers refused to grant [euro]450m ([pounds sterling]275m) in...

The new Nissan Primera, which went into production in Sunderland. (The week).
January 4, 2002... The new Nissan Primera, which went into production in Sunderland last month, will be the last model sourced by the firm's UK-based purchasing operation. UK automotive suppliers will now have to deal with a department in Paris, following...

Aga Foodservice Group. (The week).
January 4, 2002... Aga Foodservice Group snapped up two bakery equipment manufacturers over the holiday period. It paid [pounds sterling]13m for Bury-based Millers Bakery Machinery and [pounds sterling]3.6m for US equipment producer Adamatic.

Bosch puts foot down on brake system of the future; Technology: Computer-controlled braking could open way to other developments. (News).
January 4, 2002... BOSCH HAS developed a brake-by-wire system for Mercedes-Benz which it claims improves a vehicle's stability and reduces stopping distances. The Sensotronic Brake Control took seven years to develop, and is designed to replace conventional...

Fan brings cool comfort for chips. (News).
January 4, 2002... A FAN BLADE the width of a human hair has been developed by an international consortium to cool microchips in mobile phones and laptop computers. It uses a piezoelectric ceramic that expands when an electric current is passed through it,...

Electronics firm NEC is suspend production. (The week).
January 4, 2002... Electronics firm NEC is suspend production at its Livingston factory in response to the downturn in demand for its mobile phone microchips. he move will result in the loss of 1,260 jobs by March. The company said it would keep a skeleton staff...

Forget the referendum Tony, just get on with it.
January 11, 2002... Time has run out for the UK and the euro. There is no more time for the long-promised 'national debate'; no more time for the government to rely on its five economic tests; no more time for vacillation. Now that the notes and coins have...

Good week.
January 11, 2002... * Executives: A Finnish company has designed a sauna with video-conferencing facilities. Remember to wipe the steam from the camera lens. * Radio listeners: Ever heard a song and wanted to know its name and composer? A new mobile phone...

Bad week.
January 11, 2002... * Genealogists: The Public Record Office's 1901 census website has had to close for a week. Designed for 1.2 million users a day, it attracted 1.2 million an hour. * Polluters: The water industry is complaining about new European Union...

Revamped MG races into production. (This week).
January 11, 2002... MG is to launch a redesign of its successful MGF sports car at the Brussels Motor Show next week, six, months ahead of schedule. The new MGTF, due on sale next month, has been restyled by design director Peter Stevens, but the most significant...

Good riddance to golden goodbyes. (This week).
January 11, 2002... A campaign to stop golden goodbyes for executives who leave after their company has performed badly has been launched by the Association of British Insurers. The ABI calls for contracts of employment that do not allow for large pay-outs if...

Calls to tighten mobile phone security. (This week).
January 11, 2002... A huge increase in mobile phone theft has led to calls from both the government and mobile phone makers for network operators to tackle the problem. A Home Office report, published this week, revealed mobile phones are involved in 28 per...

UK government signs first trade deal with Iran after 23 years. (This week).
January 11, 2002... The uk has signed its first export guarantee deal with Iran for 23 years. The government broke off diplomatic ties with the country following the Islamic revolution in 1979, but this week it announced it would provide [pounds sterling]28m of...

Signs of early US tech recovery. (This week).
January 11, 2002... An upturn in the US electronics sector may be underway, according to the latest survey of manufacturing orders and production. While industry as a whole continued to decline in December, for the 17th successive month the rate of decline...

BP in firing line over Grangemouth. (This week).
January 11, 2002... BP is being prosecuted for breaches of health and safety law at its Grangemouth refinery and chemicals complex, after two serious incidents at the site nearly two years ago. The worst of these was a fire in the petrochemical complex that...

Systems go for 'greener' cars. (This week).
January 11, 2002... The US government has reaffirmed its backing for efforts to replace internal combustion engines in cars with environmentally-friendly fuel cells. Fuel cell-powered cars would create zero emissions. The cells use liquid hydrogen and oxygen to...

No more heroes anymore. (This week).
January 11, 2002... The fabric of society would collapse within days without engineers, the new president of the Institution of Civil Engineers Mark Whitby said this week. He also bemoaned the lack of modern engineering heroes' in the mould of Isambard Kingdom...

Hail, tomorrow's driverless taxis: Exclusive; computerised cabs could be operating in Cardiff this year as city centre test track reaches completion. (News).
January 11, 2002... The world's first driverless taxis could be operating in Cardiff by the end of the year, The Engineer can reveal. A demonstration of the computer-controlled cabs, which are designed to follow a simple metal guide-strip on the road surface,...

Mothballed shipyard set to re-open this summer. (News).
January 11, 2002... Cammell Laird'S former shipyard at Birkenhead on Merseyside may be reopened this summer, its new owners have revealed. This follows talks to secure ship repair and conversion work for the site. But A&P Holdings, which bought the Birkenhead...

Stronger euro could boost exports: Trade; as City analysts predict a 70p Euro, UK manufacturers look forward to an easing of exchange rate pressures. (News).
January 11, 2002... UK manufacturers are looking forward to a strengthening euro in the coming year, with its attendant potential to relieve the current exchange rate pressures on exports. The successful switch to notes and coins in the eurozone last week...

Free-to-view TV 'converter' let out of the box. (News).
January 11, 2002... SET TOP BOX manufacturer Pace is poised to launch the UK's first mass-market 'free-to-view' digital television product, writes business editor Andrew Lee. The box will act as a converter for people who want to watch the growing number of...

Dunwoody blasts rail outsourcing: Contracting; railtrack 'must take works in-house'. (News).
January 11, 2002... RAILTRACK'S USE OF engineering contractors has come under fresh fire this week, as the rail industry crisis deepens. The rail infrastructure firm has been urged to reduce its dependence on private contractors and bring more of its...

[pounds sterling]15m submarine-build support deal signed. (The Week in Business).
January 11, 2002... BAE Systems has handed support services group Chieftain a [pounds sterling]15m, seven-year contract to help build the first three Astute Class submarines. Chieftain will begin work on the Astutes at BAE's Barrow yard within the next few months....

BT link boost for telematics specialist. (The Week in Business).
January 11, 2002... Telematics developer Toad has signed a one-year joint development agreement with BT, which will now supply the company's ACTRA Fleet system to its small and medium-sized enterprise customers. The internet-based system allows fleet managers to...

Rotork's US buy brings on board new expertise. (The Week in Business).
January 11, 2002... Specialist engineering group Rotork has strengthened its position in the US through the [pounds sterling]7.2m purchase of Jordan Controls. Milwaukee-based Jordan supplies niche electrical products to power, water and petrochemical customers in...

Kvaerner reschedules debt prior to merger. (The Week in Business).
January 11, 2002... Kvaerner this week completed months of negotiations with 50 banks and other creditors to reschedule [pounds sterling]660m-worth of corporate debt. The Anglo-Norwegian engineering group narrowly. avoided bankruptcy in November by agreeing to...

China to get UK-style black cabs. (The Week in Business).
January 11, 2002... London-style black cabs are set to appear on the streets of China following a licensing deal by vehicle and components manufacturer Manganese Bronze. The UK company -- the biggest producer of London taxis -- will allow Brilliance China...

Airbus's low-cost route to profits: Aerospace; it's bargain time as the big planemakers compete for cut-price contracts with low-budget carriers. (News).
January 11, 2002... Airbus is hoping low-cost airlines may offer a route out of the crisis facing the civil aerospace sector, as the company competes with Boeing for an EasyJet order of up to 75 aircraft. But the budget carriers are exploiting the downturn in...

Invensys slims down to cut its debt mountain. (News).
January 11, 2002... Invensys this week unveiled the first of what is expected to be a string of disposals, writes business editor, Andrew Lee. Chief executive Rick Haythornthwaite began his promised transformation of the engineering group with the the sale of...

Review finds a new role for coal: Energy; the government's long-awaited energy report is set to back renewables to fuel UK's electricity needs. (News).
January 11, 2002... The government is about to recommend producing gas from coal as an alternative to coal-fired and nuclear generation. The conclusion is part of the government's energy review which will be published at the end of this month. It will...

Next generation of injection valves 'will save fuel'. (News).
January 11, 2002... A fuel injection valve that promises a 20 per cent reduction in fuel consumption and a 25 per cent boost in power is being unveiled this week. The valve has been developed for an as yet unnamed Formula 1 racing team by Cambridge startup...

Letters.
January 11, 2002... Draughtsmen jockey for recognition Your feature 'Trust me, I'm a designer' (Cover story, 30 November 2001) is typical of the attitude in this country. Designers and the much-maligned draughtsmen (now called 'CAD jockeys") are totally...

Ford's nouveau niche: A spending binge on Land Rover spells the end of Ford as we know it -- and behind the transformation is a major Step up in the firm's Profile in the UK. (Cover Story Automotive).
January 11, 2002... Eighteen months after buying Land Rover from BMW, Ford's vision of the future for Solihull's dedicated four-wheel-drive producer is beginning to emerge. Unusually in the current economic climate, it appears to be good news for the manufacturing...

Fat buoy slim: A slimline design looks set to cut the time it takes cargo ships to cross the Atlantic from three weeks to three days -- with the potential to revolutionise the whole freight industry.
January 11, 2002... Transporting goods by air is an uncertain business, graphically and tragically underlined by the terrorist attacks of September 11. But the knock-on effects of the bombings, not least the crisis in the aerospace industry, are unlikely to create...

Events.
January 11, 2002... JANUARY 22-25 January: European Subcontracting and Engineering Fair Utrecht. Trade fair including a matchmaking programme to bring contractors and suppliers into contact with each other. www.esef.nl 23-24 January: Maintenance...

Eyes front for a challenging career: The army seeks mechanical, electrical and civil engineering officers for the world's troublespots. (Company Brief).
January 11, 2002... The army is recruiting graduate engineers willing to work in some of the world's most dangerous troublespots. The service is looking for mechanical, electrical, electronic and civil engineers to join as officers, said Lieutenant Colonel...

People on the Move.
January 11, 2002... Motorsport and high-performance car brake and clutch manufacturer, Alcon has appointed Darnley Payne manufacturing director. He joins the Tamworth-based company after 13 years at Mentor where he was business unit manager responsible for...

The Engineer.
January 11, 2002... Purity that's above the salt Research to produce pure drinking water from the sea has resulted in an air-conditioning unit that uses salt water instead of ozone-destroying chloro-fluorocarbons as the coolant. Jim Beckman, a professor of...

Remember WAP? Gadgets must be right to excite.
January 18, 2002... THE WIRELESS REVOLUTION is running late. By now the shop were supposed to be heaving with next-generation mobile phones and Bluetooth-friendly gadgets freeing us from the tyranny of the cab e. But, like 3G mobile, Bluetooth has been plagued by...

Sledge over troubled waters. (This Week).
January 18, 2002... DEMONSTRATORS of an amphibious sledge got a sinking feeling on the treacherous Thames when their vehicle took on water, Designed to cross the rugged 56 miles of the Bering Straits between Alaska and Siberia, it had to be taken to a dry dock...

It's...super-fly super-spy! (This Week).
January 18, 2002... A University of Cranfield project to build a bug-sized flying drone has attracted interest from the US Air Force, Army and NASA. It will hover, move at low speeds and have a wingspan of only 150mm. Military chiefs hope it would be able to...