The Engineer articles from June 2008

The Engineer archives from June 2008

COMMENT: No time to waste on nuclear.
June 2, 2008... The government's appeal to the UK's oil and gas industry to boost production in the North Sea and the offer of financial sweeteners to do so has more than a slight air of desperation about it. To be fair, ministers have not claimed extra...

NEWS: Data trip.
June 2, 2008... Data-gathering equipment on board buses could ease traffic problems City buses equipped with mobile sensing platforms could send out live information that can be used to control traffic and detect road hazards. The concept is part of...

NEWS: Right on cue.
June 2, 2008... Artificial intelligence software will identify suspicious sounds and make CCTV cameras respond Portsmouth University researchers are using sound cues to identify potential crime in progress and trigger CCTV cameras to turn towards the...

NEWS: Offshore savings.(Conference notes)
June 2, 2008... Condition-monitoring sensor could cut maintenance costs for motors used on oil rigs Power and automation technology specialist ABB has developed a sensor that could greatly improve the maintenance routine for small motors used in...

NEWS: Well connected.
June 2, 2008... Printing process to replace obtrusive connecting wires on circuit boards European researchers have developed a printing process that can be used to print conductor paths onto microelectronic components to replace obtrusive connecting...

NEWS: Quick-freeze cancer treatment.
June 2, 2008... The diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer could be rapidly improved by new magnetic resonance (MR) technology being developed by Specialty Magnetics, a subsidiary of Specialty Scanners. Working in collaboration with the Institute of...

NEWS: Quiet confidence.
June 2, 2008... Researchers are working on hybrid technology to reduce noise emissions by submarines Advances in sonar capabilities mean that future submarines will need to be even stealthier if they are to go undetected. This is the drive behind an...

NEWS: Feel the heat.
June 2, 2008... High-strength nickel alloys may allow power stations turn up the temperature to help cut emissions A German consortium is testing the endurance of high-strength nickel alloys for use in critical components for power plants. These would...

NEWS: Heavyweights unite to clean up coal power.
June 2, 2008... Power giants GE Energy and Schlumberger are to combine their technical know-how to create much cleaner coal-fired power plants. The companies have signed an agreement that will bring together GE's experience in integrated gasification...

NEWS: Smooth operator.
June 2, 2008... A battery-powered device makes it easier to prepare food for people who have difficulty swallowing a cheap, self-sensing device that accurately measures food consistency to help control the diet of elderly people who have difficulty...

VIEWPOINT: Big future for small firms.
June 2, 2008... Despite current economic turmoil, UK manufacturing is in good shape with smaller companies playing a key role, says Lord Bhattacharyya As a professor of manufacturing, I am more optimistic about this sector today than I have been for...

LETTER: Limited potential.(Letter to the editor)
June 2, 2008... The reported VPhase voltage reduction device (News, 19 May) is similar to many domestic embedded renewables technology - good technical performance but its potential may only be about 10 per cent realised. Voltage reduction may indeed...

LETTER: Price of knowledge.(Letter to the editor)
June 2, 2008... Is it just me, am I being thick, short-sighted, naive or what? The article 'Bottling the big bang' (Cover feature, 19 May) to me at least, contained very little enlightenment. Paragraph after paragraph described in a variety of different...

LETTER: Goodbye to cars.(Letter to the editor)
June 2, 2008... The MIRA project for 'plug-in' batteries (News, May 5) for electric cars suggests an interesting scenario. If it were possible to design a battery that was easily and quickly exchanged and if car makers adopted a common standard (probably...

LETTER: Flight of fancy?(Letter to the editor)
June 2, 2008... Our Online leader article 'Actually, it is rocket science' discussed plans to convert an ESA 'space truck' so that Europe can catch up with the rest of the world in the manned space flight stakes. Here is a selection of your emails. The...

LETTER: Moving matter.(Letter to the editor)
June 2, 2008... Our Online leader article 'Fuelling innovation' argued that the rising cost of fuel may help cut car use and promote hybrid technology. But a renaissance in public tranport may be slower to follow. Here is a selection of your emails. ...

LUNAR PROBE: Shoot for the moon.
June 2, 2008... While scientists pore over the latest pictures from Mars, a team of UK engineers is preparing to probe a cosmic body much closer to home. Jon Excell reports As the 700mph missiles slammed satisfyingly into their targets, the scientists...

NEXT-GENERATION HYBRIDS: Power surge.
June 2, 2008... A global effort is under way to develop the technology for a range of vehicles designed to go further and faster than conventional hybrids. Stuart Nathan reports HYBRID vehicles are now a common sight on our roads and everyone is...

INSIGHT: Power play.
June 2, 2008... Alternative energy innovator ITM Power is to market a Green Box domestic electrolyser that can produce affordable hydrogen for powering homes and cars. Berenice Baker reports AS THE cost of petrol and domestic energy bills hit the roof, a...

INTERVIEW: Radio control.(Interview)
June 2, 2008... As wireless technology expands, Ofcom's role in managing the radio spectrum takes on increasing importance. Jon Excell talks to William Webb, the man in charge To the wider world, Ofcom is perhaps best known as the industry regulator...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - MARINE DESIGN: Rigged for a record.
June 2, 2008... Later this year an all-UK team hopes its groundbreaking technology can set a new record in the world's only single-handed non-stop yacht race. Siobhan Wagner reports Founded in 1989, the race has taken place every four years since 1992....

DESIGN ENGINEERING - MARKING: High marks.
June 2, 2008... Colour-change laser identification technique could be used on NASA shuttles' mission-critical parts. Siobhan Wagner reports A SPECIAL pigment that will turn from white to black with the application of a low-power CO2 laser could be used to...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - MANAGING TECHNOLOGY: Critical choice.
June 2, 2008... Engineering consultants should select their CAD resellers with care, checking out that the range of services they provide are what is required, says Claire Bass SOME of the most forward-thinking engineering consultants are not aware of...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - DRIVES & MOTORS: Cool on energy.
June 2, 2008... Energy-efficient control technology will shift power consumption ratings from red to green, bringing immediate cost savings plus tax breaks. Colin Carter explains As the need to cut costs to stay competitive remains the focus of world...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - SOFTWARE: Program for optimism.
June 2, 2008... The global economic forecast may be gloomy, but with software-reliant companies still investing in R&D and hardware sales on the up, the news is not all bad. Charles Clarke reports Despite the economic downturn or a possible recession,...

CAREERS: Bright sparks.
June 2, 2008... The E3 Academy, backed by leading companies, sponsors students to encourage them into electrical and electronic industries. Anh Nguyen reports A NEW undergraduate sponsorship scheme aims to entice more students onto electrical and...

CAREERS IN BRIEF: Nine per cent pay rise.
June 2, 2008... Chemical engineers have seen a nine per cent increase in their pay since 2006, according to a survey released by the Institution of Chemical Engineers. The average annual salary for chemical engineers in the UK and Ireland has risen to #47,000....

CAREERS IN BRIEF: Energy boost.
June 2, 2008... Aberdeen University has introduced two new degrees that combine engineering, chemistry and petroleum geoscience disciplines in an effort to meet the future demands of the energy industry. The MEng and BEng petroleum engineering degrees, the...

CAREERS IN BRIEF: Feedback wanted.
June 2, 2008... Cogent, the sector skills council for the oil and gas industry, is asking employers to provide feedback on a new Higher Level Skills strategy. The framework is intended to increase employer engagement with higher education institutions, and...

CAREERS IN BRIEF: Gateway to training.
June 2, 2008... A network that will help businesses to source training from universities will be officially launched at the House of Commons next month. The Training Gateway, led by York University, will allow industry to approach any university in the UK for...

CAREERS: Driving demand for skills.
June 2, 2008... After a recent spate of buy-outs of UK automotive brands by overseas firms, such as Tata's acquisition of Land Rover Jaguar, doubts have been raised about the future of British engineering jobs. After the Land Rover Jaguar announcement...

COMMENT: Why we can't do without engineers.
June 16, 2008... Against an unsettling backdrop of spiralling fuel costs, plummeting house prices and increasingly bleak predictions of economic woe, here is some good news: the UK manufacturing industry is growing. And while this growth - 0.1 per cent in...

NEWS: Talking sense.
June 16, 2008... UK company proposes strategy to reinstate communications in disaster zones Disaster-stricken areas suffering from a collapse of communications may be able to restore connections with the outside world more efficiently using a solution...

NEWS: Height of sophistication.
June 16, 2008... 3D technique bids to risk-assess landslide areas Cardiff University in partnership with geophysical consultant Terradat is investigating new techniques for quickly assessing areas most at risk from landslides. Using a combination of...

NEWS: Portable power.
June 16, 2008... Re-usable carbon capture system for cars claims it can convert CO2 to biofuel using algae UK ENGINEERS have devised a system which captures and stores CO2 from a vehicle exhaust so it can be converted into biofuel to further power cars...

NEWS: Tiny tracers.
June 16, 2008... Ultra-sensitive detection system aims to measure minute concentrations of biological molecules A consortium of UK universities is developing a low-cost, ultra sensitive universal biosensor that could be used for everything from home...

NEWS: Economy wash.
June 16, 2008... Granule technology could mean new-style washing machines use less water and save energy Researchers claim to have developed a method of laundering clothes that uses as little as a cup of water in each load but gives the same results as a...

NEWS: Biofuel breakthrough.
June 16, 2008... Static diesel engine that runs on pure biofuel could bring fresh hope to the developing world A static diesel engine that runs on 100 per cent biofuel could help provide electricity to the remotest communities in the developing world,...

NEWS: BAE makes UAV missile mission possible.
June 16, 2008... BAE Systems has unveiled a reconnaissance and close-air support UAV armed with the Thales lightweight multi-role missile (LMM) system. Based on the HERTI UAV, the fixed wing, single-propeller Fury was developed and trialled in partnership...

NEWS: Crystal clear.
June 16, 2008... In-situ crystal analysis could help pharmaceutical firms cut the cost of new drug development A technology that could help pharmaceutical companies significantly reduce the costs of developing drug compounds by monitoring crystals as they...

NEWS: Carbon coolers.
June 16, 2008... Carbon dioxide is set to replace harmful hydrofluorocarbons in fridges and air conditioning units Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants used in fridges and air conditioning units could soon be replaced with more environmentally benign CO2...

NEWS: In a lava over oil prediction system.
June 16, 2008... Aberdeen University researchers are taking part in a two-year project to develop a software modelling system that could unearth major new oil fields beneath lava on the sea bed off the Shetland Isles. The Faroe-Shetland basin is, at 300...

VIEWPOINT: Strategy for the future.
June 16, 2008... A total re-think of our approach to innovation within hi-tech industries is vital to ensure UK firms can continue to compete internationally, says James Raby IN recent years the government has invested in many innovation-themed campaigns...

LETTER: Nuclear no-go.(Letter to the editor)
June 16, 2008... The use of nuclear energy will do nothing to stop the problems caused by our society's over-reliance on carbon fuels to power our transport systems. You can't run a car or a truck on nuclear energy, and until we get serious about...

LETTER: Reactor danger.(Letter to the editor)
June 16, 2008... We must safeguard against nuclear bombs or aircraft strikes on nuclear reactors - a possibility that must be accounted for over the 50-year life of a reactor. An article in the Scientific American magazine - possibly July 1979 - said...

LETTER: Safety first.(Letter to the editor)
June 16, 2008... I agree with Anthony Oliver (Letters, 2 June) that the benefits of CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC) project do not seem to justify the enormous costs. Although your original article 'Bottling the big bang' (Feature, 19 May) was a very...

LETTER: Power points.(Letter to the editor)
June 16, 2008... Our Online leader article 'Balance of power' highlighted the rising cost of fuel and the need for cheaper, more efficient vehicles. Here is a selection of your emails. Oil production peaked in 2006 and it is about time the government...

LETTER: Military madness.(Letter to the editor)
June 16, 2008... I am always struck by the apparent gap between the amazing hi-tech devices and weapons being developed for the UK military (The Engineer, passim) and what you hear about life on the ground for the average soldier. If we go by The Engineer...

ROBOTICS: Hive hopes.
June 16, 2008... The leaderless organisation of insects is inspiring a new generation of swarming robots for exploration, search and rescue and even surgery. Stuart Nathan reports Swarm robotics is a mainstay of science fiction. Armies of little robots...

SOLAR ENERGY: Islands in the sun.
June 16, 2008... Could man-made islands, floating in the sea or hovering above the desert sands, be the key to plentiful, low-cost solar energy? Jon Excell reports Shimmering and revolving beneath the relentless desert sun, the giant disc will look, from...

INSIGHT: Walk of life.
June 16, 2008... Wheelchair-bound engineer develops robotic suit with a difference to help disabled people tackle everyday problems with dignity. Berenice Baker reports A robotic suit developed by a wheelchair-bound Israeli engineer could soon be helping...

INTERVIEW: The trouble-shooter.(Interview)
June 16, 2008... Civil engineer Robert Hodgson, who heads the RedR relief charity, describes the challenges and achievements of working in disaster zones. Jon Excell reports We have all been moved by the desperate plight of people in Burma and China after...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING: Problem taped.
June 16, 2008... Automation, which for years has been used sparingly in aerospace production, could take centre stage at GKN. Siobhan Wagner reports GKN has developed an automated system it claims will produce carbon fibre aerospace components up to 40...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - CONDITION MONITORING: Great shakes.
June 16, 2008... Transatlantic collaboration results in self-generating wireless sensor system aimed at cutting time-consuming maintenance and saving energy. Siobhan Wagner reports A battery-free wireless sensor system that relies on power from a...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - METAL PROCESSING: Pure gain.
June 16, 2008... US researchers claim to have cut the cost of making titanium powder, which should lead to cheaper fabrication of military and commercial parts. Siobhan Wagner reports A new processing technique could reduce the cost and the amount of...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - MANAGING TECHNOLOGY: Waste not want not.
June 16, 2008... By recycling unwanted equipment and ensuring disposals are environmentally friendly, manufacturers can boost their green credentials and save money, says Graham Davy The manufacturing sector has become more environmentally aware, as its...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - TELECOMS: Smart call.
June 16, 2008... When it comes to installing telecommunications networks, the energy supply and distribution sector can be one of the most demanding clients. Communication between command centres and engineers is vital, not only to safety but also to the...

CLEAN ENERGY: Current affairs.
June 16, 2008... Researchers take on the challenge of designing technologies aimed at improving the cost-efficiency and performance of green power generation systems. Julia Pierce reports As demand for clean energy rises, so the challenges of increasing...

TECHNOLOYG UK: Steel and so much more.
June 16, 2008... Yorkshire and Humber has retained its status as one of the UK's engineering heartlands by playing to the strengths of its formidable industrial and academic base. Berenice Baker reports Yorkshire and Humber has built on its traditional...

CAREERS: Step up for skills.
June 16, 2008... Engineering companies in the UK can apply for up to #1,800 worth of training funding per employee under a government-backed scheme designed to boost skills in the sector. The #65m programme run by Semta, the sector skills council for...

CAREERS IN BRIEF: Nuclear training.
June 16, 2008... British Energy has opened a #3.5m training facility in Barnwood, Gloucestershire, to provide more than 80 courses in nuclear technology for experienced and new employees. The Nuclear Power Academy includes power station control room simulators,...

CAREERS IN BRIEF: Motor diploma.
June 16, 2008... Motor industry managers will be able to study on a new foundation degree in automotive business from September. The three-year, part-time course is being offered by the City of Bristol College in partnership with Plymouth University, and...

CAREERS IN BRIEF: Innovators wanted.
June 16, 2008... The MoD is opening its Centre for Defence Enterprise (CDE) to encourage innovators and investors in the defence industry to develop new technology for the UK's armed forces. The CDE, based in Harwell, Oxfordshire, will assess proposals for...

CAREERS IN BRIEF: Forum relaunched.
June 16, 2008... Scientists and engineers can exchange ideas on how catalysis can be used to address future energy shortages thanks to a forum relaunched by the Institution of Chemical Engineers. The Catalysis Subject Group, open to anyone interested in the...

CAREERS: Watch this space.
June 16, 2008... With growing investment in space-related technology, engineers can look to good long-term prospects. Julia Pierce reports Ask anyone about the space sector and they will no doubt mention the Apollo missions, Yuri Gagarin, Neil Armstrong...

COMMENT: UK can lead clean air push.
June 30, 2008... It is common at the moment to hear that the aerospace industry is undergoing 'a period of major change.' To which it is tempting to reply - 'so what's new?' If there is one thing that characterises the history of the three pillars of...

NEWS: Building works.
June 30, 2008... Household cuts 'beat chic technologies', says study Applying energy-saving technologies to buildings would bring the biggest single reduction in the CO2 emissions of major cities, while slashing hundreds of millions of pounds from energy...

NEWS: Tough coating for aircraft.
June 30, 2008... Ultra-hard technology designed for oil and gas industries to move into commercial aerospace market An Oxfordshire-based company has signed an agreement with Airbus to help expand the market for its 'ultra-hard' coating technology into the...

NEWS: Diagnostics cuts to the chase.
June 30, 2008... Doctors may be able to diagnose cancers of the colon more accurately and quickly with new Computer Aided Diagnostics (CAD) software from UK- based Medicsight. The company says recent trials of its software, ColonCAD, showed that...

NEWS: Hot stuff for space.
June 30, 2008... Constructing future reusable spacecraft from heat-resistant carbides could give them a sharper edge Heat-resilient carbide materials being developed at Cambridge University and Imperial College could be used to construct a space plane...

NEWS: Quantum leap for lasers.
June 30, 2008... The European Commission has awarded a research grant of #8m to a consortium of universities and companies to develop a new generation of smaller and cheaper biomedical lasers. Dundee University is leading the FAST-DOT project, which brings...

NEWS: Material fitness.
June 30, 2008... Joint UK projects aims to boost silicon solar cell efficiency by altering rear surface material UK researchers are hoping to improve the performance of silicon solar cells by changing the material that makes up the rear surface of the...

NEWS: Matters of the heart.
June 30, 2008... A portable device that transmits vital cardiac data is claimed to be more efficient than rival products Engineers in Northern Ireland have developed a device that could fill a niche in the market for medical equipment that measures the...

NEWS: Computer wizard.
June 30, 2008... Parallel platform brings super-computing power to the desktop Ordinary PCs could be used to solve complex engineering and science problems, 'supercomputer- style', by harnessing the power of graphics processing, a specialist in visual...

NEWS: Great white hope.
June 30, 2008... A new compound promises brighter teeth without damage to the enamel and desensitisation to boot A UK innovation could soon give the nation's dental patients a brighter smile and the confidence to indulge in their favourite ice-cold...

VIEWPOINT: Ring the changes.
June 30, 2008... UK universities must retain their positions as 'top-tier' suppliers of leading-edge aerospace research to ensure the country remains globally competitive, says Mark Lowenberg The UK aerospace industry enjoys a close working relationship...

LETTER: Wake-up call.(Letter to the editor)
June 30, 2008... As a senior engineer of some 30 years' experience I was heartened by your editorial 'Why we can't do without engineers' (Comment, 16 June). During my time I have both witnessed and felt the pain of the systematic decimation of our once...

LETTER: Incentives the answer.(Letter to the editor)
June 30, 2008... Your comment did a good job of banging the drum for those of us who 'make stuff' and might have the seeds of a route through the current recruitment crisis. One of the main reasons schoolchildren and students shun engineering as a career...

LETTER: Monumental loss.(Letter to the editor)
June 30, 2008... In your article 'Monumental task' about Dounreay (Feature, 19 May) you describe the Fast Reactor sphere as a monument to a technology whose time never came. Perhaps in future it will be viewed as a monument to yet another opportunity...

LETTER: Rail failure.(Letter to the editor)
June 30, 2008... In our Online leader article 'Train in vain' we discussed Network Rail's announcement that it is to commission a study into a network of new high-speed train lines linking the UK's cities. Here is a selection of your emails. We needed...

LETTER: Hydrogen hope.(Letter to the editor)
June 30, 2008... In our Online leader article 'Hydrogen hopes' we highlighted the Honda FCX Clarity, billed as the world's first commercially available hydrogen fuel cell car. Here is a selection of your emails. This is an exciting step by Honda....

LETTER: Hydrogen hype?(Letter to the editor)
June 30, 2008... Converting natural gas to hydrogen is not a sustainable way to power a vehicle. There seems to be a lot of hype surrounding hydrogen, which has made people think of it as a clean fuel. It is not. At best, a hydrogen economy based on natural...

LETTER: Causing a stir.(Letter to the editor)
June 30, 2008... At around 11am every day, there is a long-standing debate in our office about the coffee making process and I wonder if any of your readers would be able to settle the matter once and for all. When I make coffee I add the cold milk and...

FUEL-EFFICIENT FLIGHT: Clean machines.
June 30, 2008... Some of Europe's biggest aerospace groups are working together on technology for greener, more efficient aircraft. Stuart Nathan and Jon Excell report The twin presssures of environmental pressures and soaring fuel prices are challenging...