The Engineer articles from January 2008

The Engineer archives from January 2008

COMMENT: Model for a profession.
January 14, 2008... What is an engineer? That is a big question to start 2008 but it is one that Chris Wise, creator of landmark structures such as London's Millennium Bridge, is keen to address in this issue's interview (see page 26). Wise's views are...

THE BIG PICTURE: Animated over disaster.
January 14, 2008... Scientists create 3D emergency city design in case Istanbul is hit by an earthquake Emergency planning is easier when the authorities know what the emergency will be and when it will occur. Take Istanbul, which lies just north of the...

THE BIG PICTURE: Chamber test for fire engine.
January 14, 2008... The MoD recently used Qinetiq's whole vehicle chamber for electromagnetic testing as part of a 'midlife update' for one of its fire engines. The vehicle, an MoD specialist utility vehicle IPT, had to be electromagnetically tested to...

THE BIG PICTURE: Boss does the driving.
January 14, 2008... Ambitious claims are being made about General Motors' new, driverless car. 'Autonomous driving means that, some day, you could email, eat breakfast, apply your make-up, read the newspaper, watch a video - all while commuting to work,'...

IN BRIEF: High-energy ultrasound.(Brief article)
January 14, 2008... A team from Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering has produced a high-energy form of ultrasound imaging that it said outperformed traditional ultrasound in clinical trials. The method, known as Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI)...

IN BRIEF: Scots get super supercomputer.(Brief article)
January 14, 2008... The UK Research Council plans to launch the country's largest and most advanced supercomputing facility in Edinburgh this week. HECToR (High- End Computing Terascale Resources) will provide the means to perform complex computer simulations...

IN BRIEF: Centre to advance imaging.(Brief article)
January 14, 2008... The Mayo Clinic and IBM have established the Medical Imaging Informatics Innovation Centre (MI3C) in Rochester, Mn, aimed at advancing medical imaging technologies. A Mayo/IBM team plans to tackle projects such as maximum-resolution organ...

NEWS: Essential viewing.
January 14, 2008... New software allows 3D medical scans to be shared across hospital IT networks and via net Barco, a medical imaging company headquartered in Belgium, has received a #1m grant from Scottish Enterprise to help develop a new visualisation...

NEWS: Cocktail formula.
January 14, 2008... Compound semiconductors could provide high electron transport without restricting the band gap of the material Alternative semiconductor materials are being developed by researchers at Glasgow University with a group of other...

NEWS: Recycling that never tyres.
January 14, 2008... University/industry team develops continuous process to convert spent tyres into motor fuel A continuous recycling process could turn the estimated 50 million used tyres that are discarded in the UK every year into oil for motor fuel....

NEWS: Liquid asset.
January 14, 2008... Hydrazine could offer alternative as energy source for fuel-cell powered vehicles A former rocket fuel called hydrazine could be the new, green replacement for hydrogen in automotive industry fuel cells, according to Italy-based catalyst...

NEWS: Chemical detective.
January 14, 2008... Portable detector aims to speed up analysis of dangerous and illegal substances A hand-held near infrared (NIR) chemical detector for use in security, environmental monitoring and forensics is being developed by Welsh company ZiNIR and...

NEWS: On the ball.
January 14, 2008... Device based on radiation therapy technology delivery aims to identify contaminated areas in nuclear plants A UK COMPANY has developed a radiation-mapping device that allows repairs to be carried out in small contaminated areas of nuclear...

VIEWPOINT: Sea change.
January 14, 2008... Marine transport has recently come under fire for being environmentally unfriendly, but global initiatives are under way to help it improve efficiency, says Peter French For some time now shipping has hidden gratefully in the shadow of...

LETTER: Don't delay nuclear.(Letter to the editor)
January 14, 2008... Now that nuclear power stations are officially back on the government's plan for the future of UK energy provision we can expect a concerted campaign of opposition from environmental groups prepared to use any delaying tactic possible to...

LETTER: Light not-so fantastic.(Letter to the editor)
January 14, 2008... Brian Hammond posed a valid question in his correspondence 'Can you shine a light?' (Letters, 10 December 2007). Higher voltage bulbs require a higher resistance for comparable wattage, so it follows that the white-hot tungsten element is...

LETTER: Dangers of nostalgia.(Letter to the editor)
January 14, 2008... I suggest that those concerned about the small number of young people wanting careers in engineering should go into schools and ask what are the attitudes of the youngsters' parents and grandparents towards modern engineering. I would...

LETTER: Nation of sleepers.(Letter to the editor)
January 14, 2008... Our online article 'Off the rails' tackled the issue of the chaos caused by overrunning engineering works on some parts of the UK's rail network over the New Year period. Here is a selection of your emails. With respect to the theoretical...

LETTER: Oil-price ostriches.(Letter to the editor)
January 14, 2008... So we are told that oil prices are expected to rise far above what is already almost a record level - with all the problems that will bring for our economy and that of other 'developed' nations. What I find most amazing is the...

SIMULATORS: Ultimate test.
January 14, 2008... Europe's monopoly of giant, rolling-road wind tunnels for automotive testing is about to be smashed by the mighty US motorsport industry. Max Glaskin reports Track testing has long been, and probably always will be, an essential tool in...

INSIGHT: Stay tuned.
January 14, 2008... Gibson employs precision technology more usually found in the car industry to develop what it claims is the world's first self-tuning guitar. Jon Excell reports It's a scene acted out nightly in music venues all over the world. The...

INTERVIEW: Creation theory.(Interview)
January 14, 2008... Chris Wise, new head of the Royal Designers for Industry, believes 'true engineers' should be seen as artists not scientists. Stuart Nathan reports Chris Wise is a bit of a legend among UK engineers. Designer of London's Millennium Bridge...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - INDUSTRIAL POWER: On standby.
January 14, 2008... A constant source of power can be maintained by utility providers with back-up power units that use compressed air. Siobhan Wagner reports Back-up power from compressed air is now a cheap and simple option, claims Energetix, a new energy...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - AEROSPACE: Flight plan.
January 14, 2008... A new design of aero-engine fan could make future aircraft more efficient by turning drag into thrust. Siobhan Wagner reports Aero-engine fans that are claimed to reduce fuel burn by 10 to 20 per cent by turning aircraft drag into thrust...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - MANAGING TECHNOLOGY: Crime fighters.
January 14, 2008... A government initiative challenging industry and commerce to produce commercially viable designs that are also intrinsically secure is a welcome move, says Ken Pease While engineers well understand the connection between design and...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - SOFTWARE: Model business.
January 14, 2008... Established names in the CAD industry have accelerated a process of acquisition to expand the range and capability of their products. Charles Clarke report Acquisitive companies in the CAD/PLM industry are buying up technology to take...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - PROTOTYPING & MODELLING: Rapid benefits.
January 14, 2008... As consumer taste and industrial demand change ever faster, rapid prototyping is at the forefront of the technology helping manufacturers to develop new products. Colin Carter reports Modern manufacturing has to meet the consumer's demand...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - SOUTHERN MANUFACTURING: Show of strength.
January 14, 2008... This year's Southern Manufacturing and Electronics Show is shifting up a gear with a new venue and the addition of an automotive/aerospace event, reports Julia Pierce Next month the Southern Manufacturing and Electronics Show will embark...

CAREERS: Think big.
January 14, 2008... As engineering projects become more complex and ambitious, consultants are busy recruiting specialists to help these prestigious schemes move ahead smoothly. Julia Pierce reports From road building to the provision of energy plant and...

COMMENT: The challenge that lies ahead.
January 28, 2008... There are some areas of innovation in which each and every one of us has a stake. Medical technology is one of them, because no other area of engineering endeavour sets out to save and prolong lives, and make the quality of our lives better....

THE BIG PICTURE: Image of the future.
January 28, 2008... Mitsubishi claims latest radiotherapy machine reduces treatment time Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) is to begin full-scale production of an image-guided radiotherapy machine, the TM2000, capable of delivering stereotactic and...

THE BIG PICTURE: Pinprick solution for heart tests.
January 28, 2008... Kent-based in-vitro diagnostic company Vivacta has developed a point-of- care device that can measure the rate of heart muscle decay from a pinprick of blood. The technology combines piezofilm detection with immunoassay testing, a method...

THE BIG PICTURE: Inhaler offers powder power.
January 28, 2008... A dry powder inhaler (DPI) claimed to deliver doses in an easier and safer way has been unveiled by Valois Pharma. Using breath actuation to deliver medicine, the Prohaler works in three simple steps: open, breathe-in and close, making...

IN BRIEF: Cheaper fuel cells sought.(Brief article)
January 28, 2008... An energy materials research group at Surrey University, led by Dr John Varcoe, has been awarded #290,000 by the EPSRC to develop new low- temperature alkaline polymer fuel cells. Most cells use acidic polymers and need platinum...

IN BRIEF: Water-treatment technology.(Brief article)
January 28, 2008... Oxford-based Microbial Solutions is to commercialise its wastewater treatment technology, which uses non-pathogenic bacteria to cleanse toxic metal-working fluids. Current disposal processes for metal- working fluids require the used fluids to...

IN BRIEF: Boost for operational research.(Brief article)
January 28, 2008... The universities of Cardiff, Lancaster, Nottingham and Southampton are to take part in the #12m LANCS initiative, which aims to advance the field of operational research (OR). The initiative hopes to expand the national research base in OR,...

NEWS: Sound move.
January 28, 2008... Project aims to allow disabled people to control wheelchairs with aural vibrations from tongue movements A team at Bristol University is working to develop technology that would enable disabled people to control a wheelchair using tongue...

NEWS: Animal magic.
January 28, 2008... Proteins found in mouse urine could help create biosensors for environmental monitoring A European research group has discovered that proteins found in mouse urine could help create powerful biosensors for environmental monitoring and...

NEWS: Skin deep.
January 28, 2008... Scanning technology to produce moving images of organs through skin may remove the need for biopsies A technique developed to detect faults in fibre-optic networks has been transformed into a system that can see through skin and produce...

NEWS: Know the flow.
January 28, 2008... Next-generation radar technology aims to improve safety by better understanding avalanches RESEARCHERS at University College London are due to start a three-year project to develop a radar-imaging instrument and processing algorithms to...

NEWS: Seeing the light.
January 28, 2008... A technique to project visual signals on to genetically altered neurons in the eye could beat some forms of blindness People who suffer from the most common causes of blindness could one day see again with glasses that use an imaging chip...

NEWS: Driving force.
January 28, 2008... Truck uses telematics to reduce noise and emissions as required Renault Trucks is developing a vehicle for night and city deliveries that can change its noise and pollution emissions according to its workload and location. The truck...

VIEWPOINT: Critical list.
January 28, 2008... Tom Reynolds wants engineers to listen to staff at the sharp end of the NHS and design the basics better Those of us who work on the shop floor of the NHS are a simple lot. We want to get through the day doing the best for our patients....

LETTERS: Wise words.
January 28, 2008... The central premise of Chris Wise's 'Creation theory' (Interview, 14 January) could be better expressed. 'Gear the education process around (projects in the real world) so that it produces people who can produce (effective outcomes), and...

LETTER: Counting the cost.(Letter to the editor)
January 28, 2008... Matthew Young's comments in 'Oil-price ostriches' (Talking Point, 14 January) provided interesting but some illogical conclusions concerning energy. The correct view that oil prices will remain high follows the growing global GDP which...

LETTER: Think red for relief.(Letter to the editor)
January 28, 2008... International disaster relief charity RedR is holding its annual fundraising day on 14 February, and supporters from across the engineering world will help raise vital funds and increase awareness of the charity's role. Firms and...

TOMORROW'S NHS: Health plans.
January 28, 2008... From scanning to surgery and superbug control, UK hospitals are trialling potentially revolutionary medical technologies, report Jon Excell and Stuart Nathan Newspaper headlines frequently paint a picture of an NHS hospital system in...

INSIGHT: Life on earth.
January 28, 2008... Gas-analysis technology developed to search for life on Mars is being converted to diagnose tuberculosis in remote parts of Africa. Stuart Nathan reports Medical technology can come from anywhere. That might seem obvious, but until...

INTERVIEW: Cut and thrust.(Interview)
January 28, 2008... Surgical pioneer-turned health minister Prof Ara Darzi has been given the brief to review and update the UK's healthcare system. He shares his vision for the future with Jon Excell Labour peer Lord Brennan has particular reason to be...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - FABRICATION TECHNOLOGY: Thinking small.
January 28, 2008... Fabrication technology inspired by computer chips aims to turn complex designs into tiny medical devices, without the need for assembly. Siobhan Wagner reports With surgical and interventional procedures becoming increasingly less...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - THERMOGRAPHY: Chirpy outlook.
January 28, 2008... Anglo-Indian project aims to adapt bats' echo-location system to quickly and accurately inspect composite structures for unseen cracks and damage. Siobhan Wagner reports A technique adapted from the echo- location method used by bats and...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - MANAGING TECHNOLOGY: Surface work.
January 28, 2008... New engineering techniques using electronic beams look set to play a valuable role in developing cutting-edge medical technology, says Bob Nicolson Technology has come a long way since the introduction of artificial hips, and today...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - CNC MACHINING: Choice approach.
January 28, 2008... CNC programming can be carried out online from the office or on the shop floor, and operators favour one or the other. Martin Oakham discusses their merits There are two distinct schools of thought when programming CNC machine tools. For...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - MEDICAL DEVICES: Design conscious.
January 28, 2008... The UK medical devices market is the third largest in Europe behind Germany and France, making it one of the most significant in the world. That makes it an important target for innovations by both UK and international companies - something...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - MEDTECH-IPOT REVIEW: Quality time.
January 28, 2008... In recent years, the manufacture of high-volume, relatively simple parts and products has increasingly been outsourced to eastern Europe and the Far East to cut costs. However, concerns over quality. This has meant that UK companies now...

CAREERS: Safety first.
January 28, 2008... The UK oil and gas industry has unveiled a range of initiatives to boost skills and standards in the sector, particularly in the area of offshore safety. This year will see the launch of the first skills academy for North Sea oil and gas...

SKILLS SHORTS: New degrees for nuclear sector.
January 28, 2008... The nuclear sector's National Skills Academy has chosen the universities of Portsmouth and Central Lancashire to jointly develop and run vocational foundation degrees designed to meet the industry's future needs. The new degrees are intended...

SKILLS SHORTS: North-east gets skills cash boost.
January 28, 2008... Northumbria University has received a #365,000 funding boost to run work-based training programmes in sectors vital to the economy of north- east England. The cash, from regional development agency One North East, will be used to develop skills...

SKILLS SHORTS: Power to Alice's elbow.
January 28, 2008... A 26-year-old power industry engineer has won the 2007 Young Woman Engineer of the Year award. Alice Delahunty, an electrical engineering programme co-ordinator for E.ON UK in Nottingham, is the 30th recipient of the award, run by the...

SKILLS SHORTS: Food sector seeks more trainers.
January 28, 2008... The National Skills Academy for the food and drink sector is seeking training providers in areas including automation, sustainability and lean manufacturing. The move is part of an expansion programme that will see six new sector networks...

CAREERS: The wheel deal.
January 28, 2008... In the current volatile economic climate it is reassuring to know that one sector of the UK's economy is continuing to do well, particularly when news from much of the nation's manufacturing base has been gloomy. The automotive industry...

CAREERS - CASE STUDY: Catherine Bezant, Land Rover Jaguar.(Case study)
January 28, 2008... Catherine Bezant is a product analyst in Land Rover's product strategy department. After completing a MEng Materials Science and Engineering degree at the University of Liverpool, she joined Jaguar Cars' materials engineering department in 1999...

CAREERS FOCUS: Communicate to accumulate.
January 28, 2008... Engineers often complain of not being valued, but it is up to them to learn the language of finance and state their case to government and business, says James Raby The failure of Network Rail to complete major construction projects on...