The Engineer articles from November 2003

The Engineer archives from November 2003

Act now to keep the lights on.(This Week)
November 7, 2003... There are many good reasons for continuing with nuclear power in this country. But perhaps the most forceful argument is the one revealed in our investigation. Our research shows that the 'safety cushion' of excess generating capacity in...

Branson to take another round trip.(This Week)
November 7, 2003... RICHARD BRANSON and Steve Fossett have announced their intention to fly a plane non-stop around the world with a single pilot and without refuelling. Global Flyer will be piloted by Fossett and is to be built by US firm Scaled Composites...

Satellite dishes.(Good Week)
November 7, 2003... SATELLITE DISHES: In the run-up to the Olympics in Athens, rooftop receivers are getting a makeover so as to blend in. Design-aware residents can choose bricks, clouds... or a mangy old cat.

Pub goers.(Good Week)
November 7, 2003... PUB GOERS: Strongbow's new beer mat is designed for optional flipping. Engineers sat around in pubs for two months before coming up with the winged wonder. So much for the skills shortage.

Sheep.(Bad Week)
November 7, 2003... SHEEP: An investigation was launched after a strange radio signal emanating from a radio mast near Scarborough was picked up by GCHQ. Spooks looked sheepish when the cause was found to be a randy ram.

The world.(Bad Week)
November 7, 2003... THE WORLD: Sciencetoys.com helps your child to make toys that demonstrate scientific principles. One of them is a plastic hydrogen bomb. Sweet.

Cornering the arms market.(This Week)
November 7, 2003... A US-ISRAELI company has developed a gun that can fire round corners. The front half of the weapon comprises a gun that swivels from side to side and a video camera that shows the area that the barrel is pointing towards. Florida-based...

A golden bullet against cancer.(This Week)
November 7, 2003... SILICA NANOPARTICLES coated with gold could provide a novel way to deal with cancer cells. A Rice University, Texas, team injected the 'nanoshells' into mouse tumours then shone light with a wavelength close to infrared at the area....

China plots path to the stars.(This Week)
November 7, 2003... FOR THE FIRST TIME China has publicly announced a timeframe for its space programme, saying it wants its own space station within 10 years. Hu Shixiang, vice-director-general of the manned space project, told a news conference in Hong Kong...

Dry run for timber oven.(This Week)
November 7, 2003... A TECHNIQUE for drying timber using microwaves has been developed by an Australian research team. The Co-operative Research Centre for Wood Innovations developed the equipment--300 times larger than a domestic microwave oven--for drying...

No hiding from switchback missile.(This Week)
November 7, 2003... BOEING has successfully demonstrated the first missile capable of changing its target while in flight. According to Jim O'Neill, naval weapons general manager for Boeing, new software will 'multiply weapons value' as the missile, known as...

Green light to cause mayhem.
November 7, 2003... A DASHBOARD device allowing drivers to change red traffic lights to green could cause havoc in the US. The $300 (178 [pounds sterling]) Mobile Infrared Transmitter (MIRT), which has been used for years by the police and fire services, emits an...

Power failure: dangerous new lows in UK generating capacity will force nuclear decommissioning to be put back.(News)
November 7, 2003... A CATASTROPHIC fall in the UK's power generating margin will force the government to extend the life of the country's' nuclear power stations to avoid widespread blackouts. An investigation by The Engineer reveals the margin, which...

Foiling the forgers: UK researchers develop low-cost security nano-tag that cannot be copied.(News)
November 7, 2003... RESEARCHERS AT the University of Durham have developed an affordable, forgery-proof security tagging system based on nanotechnology. The development of the tag, which works in a similar way to a traditional barcode, was announced at the...

Sending a clear message to graffiti artists.(News)
November 7, 2003... HISTORIC BUILDINGS and monuments could be spared from graffiti damage, following the development of a long-lasting, transparent nanoparticle paint coating that can be used on any surface without altering its texture or appearance. Current...

Softly, softly: collapsible plastic lamp post could save lives in the event of accidents.(News)
November 7, 2003... THE LIVES of hundreds of motorists could be saved each year following the development of a composite lamp post that buckles when hit by a car. Every year in the UK there are over 200 deaths and 3,000 injuries, each involving cars hitting...

Western approaches: EU constition will include plans for its own DARPA.(News)
November 7, 2003... PLANS FOR A European version of the US military research agency DARPA will be included in the new EU constitution, EADS chief Phillipe Camus said this week. The agency would fund important research projects and encourage European...

Hitting a new high: 10-year project results in missile that can travel at world record Mach 7.(News)
November 7, 2003... A EUROPEAN MISSILE bas achieved the world record hypersonic speed of Mach 7, according to European defence firm EADS. Known as the E1, the missile's speed is the culmination of a 10-year research project to produce a weapon that could hit...

Taxi! Electronic map aims to help planes move safely around airports.(News)
November 7, 2003... FROM 2006 pilots could use an electronic moving airport map rather than paper versions to find their route to the arrival gate and avoid the risk of a runway incursion. Today, pilots and co-pilots have to work together to take information...

Weather report: track monitoring system could prevent temperature-related rail delays in the UK.(News)
November 7, 2003... RAIL RESEARCH UK is developing a train-mounted sensor to measure the temperature of track throughout the country's rail network, to prevent points systems freezing in winter and to reduce the number of speed restrictions during hot weather. ...

Alternative to the hydrogen economy ... Simple engine enhancement could sidestep the need for national infrastructure investments.(News)
November 7, 2003... A DEVICE that converts a percentage of vehicle fuel into high quality, hydrogen-rich gas could reduce emissions and cut oil consumption, reducing the immediate pressure for countries to shift to a hydrogen economy, its developers have claimed....

... As Australia takes first step in that direction.(News)
November 7, 2003... AUSTRALIA has laid out its stall in an attempt to become one of the world's first hydrogen economies, following the launch of an ambitious national flagship project. Energy Transformed will develop national large-scale hydrogen generation...

Glass act: UK firms team up to mass-produce large photovoltaic panels for buildings.(News)
November 7, 2003... BP SOLAR has formed an alliance with glass specialist Romag Holdings to develop large photovoltaic glass panels for use in building design. The panels, which will be mass-produced for the first time, will allow solar cells to be used more...

The best self-healing computer under the sun?(News)
November 7, 2003... AUSTRALIAN researchers have programmed a satellite computer operating 800km above the Earth to repair itself from blasts of potentially catastrophic space radiation such as those emitted by a sun spot last week. A team at the...

Plasmon: blue laser technology gives optical storage specialist a clear run at 60m [pounds sterling] global market.(Company Profile)
November 7, 2003... IT'S A RED letter day indeed for any company when it can stop talking about a new technology and start showing it--and more importantly selling it--to its target market. That sweet moment arrived for Plasmon last week, though in the case...

Ocean Power aims to use 22m [pounds sterling] flotation cash to finance UK centre.(The Week)
November 7, 2003... New Jersey-based Ocean Power Technologies is planning to establish a UK operation and demonstration plant for its wave-powered electricity generators. The company, which floated on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) last week--raising...

Turbo Genset secured 2m [pounds sterling] power converter contract for Underground.(The Week)
November 7, 2003... Imperial College spin-out Turbo Genset has won a 1.9m [pounds sterling] contract To supply 150 6kVA power converters to London's District Line upgrade. The company was selected by Bombardier Transportation, which is doing the work ion...

Bookham Technology Q3 profits up as it acquires Ignis Optics.(The Week)
November 7, 2003... A busy three months for Bookham Technology, supplier of components for optical fibre networks, saw Q3 profits rise by 10 per cent Increased sales to Nortel Networks and Marconi took revenues to 23.1m [pounds sterling], a rise of 204 per...

VT Group starts Type 45 destroyer work in 50m [pounds sterling] Portsmouth facility.(The Week)
November 7, 2003... Warship building returned to Portsmouth Naval Base after 35 years this week when VT Group started work on the first of 12 new destroyers for the Royal Navy. VT Group, formerly Vosper Thornycroft, invested 50m [pounds sterling] in a new...

Airbus wins government backing to supply Aeroflot with 18 A319s.(The Week)
November 7, 2003... The government has agreed to Underwrite an agreement by Airbus to supply Russia's national operator Aeroflot with four A319 aircraft, the first part of an 18-strong order. The export credit guarantee Department will back a $24m (18.5m...

How engine-makers are being led down the wrong production line: labour's belief in hi-tech green solutions means that the UK runs the risk of squandering expertise that is precious to the nation's economy.(Comment)
November 7, 2003... THERE IS a grave danger that the UK could lose a global lead in an area that is precious to the nation's economy. We are at serious risk of missing out on a significant trend in engineering and of squandering an expertise that has been acquired...

Take a new cycle path.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 7, 2003... It is a well-known statistic that the majority of car journeys are just a few miles, and generate a lot of traffic congestion and huge car parking problems, along with a negative environmental impact in terms of noise and pollution. The...

Dutch delta force.(Talking Point)(Letter to the Editor)
November 7, 2003... Thank you for the article about the Thames Barrier and the possible need for an additional one to protect the capital and the south-east (Cover Story, September 12). There is a similar project in the Netherlands where a barrier (pictured)...

III wind for UK firms.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 7, 2003... I agree entirely with Fiona Harvey (Comment, 24 October) that although the government is making the right noises over clean energy, it is doing little to actually improve the situation. I am a director of Eurowind Developments, which is...

How green is my fuel?(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 7, 2003... With regard to the debate over hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles (News, 24 October), it seems to have been somewhat overlooked that it is simply a method of storing energy. How green the vehicle is will depend on the source of energy used to...

Economy class.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 7, 2003... As an avid reader of The Engineer it is obvious that this government has no interest whatsoever in engineering, technology, industry or manufacturing. So when eventually, half the working population will be employed in a government agency,...

Russian evolution: link-ups with western companies such as Airbus are helping the former Soviet Union's hi-tech industries to commercially exploit their engineering expertise.(Technology In Russia)(Cover Story)
November 7, 2003... TECHNOLOGY specialists from EADS, western Europe's biggest aerospace and defence company, will soon become the latest to set up shop in Moscow, eager to find out what the Russians know. Twenty years ago, it is very likely that such a...

Nice and easy: sophisticated in-cabin technologies for private jets pioneered by Lufthansa Technik could eventually grace commercial airliners. Helen Knight meets the manager of innovation engineering, Andrew Muirhead.(Interview Andrew Muirhead)
November 7, 2003... LUXURY PRIVATE jets designed to satisfy the expensive tastes of oil magnates and pop stars may seem a far cry from the aircraft cabins most of us encounter on boarding our flight to the Balearics. But technology now being introduced to...

Tunnel vision: design software is indispensable in predicting the effects of digging a train tunnel directly beneath the heart of old Amsterdam.(Machine Design)
November 7, 2003... CITY PLANNERS in Amsterdam have taken the plunge and decided to case burgeoning congestion problems with the construction of a new underground rail line. Due to be completed in 2011, it's estimated that the north/south Metroline will ultimately...

Desperately seeking signals: technology originally developed for military stealth applications could soon spell the end of that frantic search for decent mobile phone reception.(Wireless Technology)
November 7, 2003... WIRELESS communication, whether by mobile phone or wireless local area network (LAN), is increasingly important today. It's therefore something of an irony then that modern building design, which relies heavily on metal structures, is...

Spray time: a technique that replaces the traditional coolant flow-through system with a shower unit could be the next big thing in the thermal design of automotive electronic systems.(Drives & Controls)
November 7, 2003... THE TIME may not yet be right for electric powered cars but the use of electricity in cars is spreading, with an electric motor hidden away in just about every nook and cranny. The days when you had to do anything so menial as wind a window...

Speed metal: the designer's dream of producing functional alumunium components direct from CAD models could soon become a reality, given recent advances in rapid prototyping technology.(Rapid Prototyping)
November 7, 2003... BECAUSE of its light weight, "aluminium is an increasingly popular metal for designers, particularly in the aerospace and automotive industries, dust imagine then, that if instead of relying on tooling, dies and traditional metalworking...

Top draw: it has its detractors but with the world's biggest user base of designers, the future looks bright and busy for Autodesk Inventor.(Software)
November 7, 2003... BOTH Autodesk and Inventor have been criticised in recent months. Some say the software is lagging behind the main players in the Inventor market space. Some criticise Autodesk for offering it at rock bottom prices to existing AutoCAD users....

Perfect piezo: traditional fuel injection systems are solenoid based. Now a growing number of automotive companies are backing piezoelectric systems to deliver fuel more accurately.(Mechanical Components)
November 7, 2003... MOST EXPERTS agree that it will be some time before we're all driving around in hydrogen-powered vehicles. For instance, Ford's UK managing director Paul Thomas argued in the The Engineer (News, 24 October) that nothing less than worldwide...

Web source.
November 7, 2003... ACTUATORS DRIVES INTERNATIONAL--www.dil-actuators.co.uk POWER JACKS GRUUP--www.powerjacks.com AUTOMATION PENNY & GILES--www.pgcontrols.com SEW AUTODRIVE--www.sew-eurodrive.com BATTERIES YUASA...

Fuchs Lubricants (UK).(Update: lubricants)
November 7, 2003... Two Boron-free water-miscible cutting fluids that provide bio-stability rust protection without compromising performance quality have been launched by Fuchs Lubricants (UK). Eliminating Boron side effects and improving performances, the Fuchs...

Bott.(Update: cabinets)
November 7, 2003... Bott are often asked how long its products last?' The answer lies in how the product is Treated. A cabinet at Bott has for seven years stored milling cutters in its tool room and it has seen better days. Cutting fluid, oil and swarf had left...

Icore International.(Update: connectors)
November 7, 2003... Featuring lightweight, yet robust aluminium construction, the Termilock range of connector backshells from Icore International, offer exceptional ease of assembly and reparability, combined with 360o EMI sheilding and outstanding resistance to...

Capital Safety Group Northern Europe.(Update: safety)
November 7, 2003... Capital Safety Group Northern Europe (CSGNE) was launched on September 1 this year. As part of the worldwide Capital Safety Group, the Sala--height safety and fall arrest systems, Protecta--a top-end, distributor friendly brand in the height...

Kistler Instruments Ltd.(Update: sensors)
November 7, 2003... Kistler Information 64 introduces the company's PiezoSmart sensors at DaimlerChrysler, and the part played by Kristler in bringing about a worldwide IEEE standard for this modern measurement technology. It also introduces a number of new force...

Morgan Advanced Ceremics.(Update: lubricants)
November 7, 2003... Solid film lubricanta manufactured by Everlube Products have passed the rigorous material specification laid down by GE Aircraff Engines. Everlube 853 and PermaSilk RMAC reduce friction and extend wear life of components by preventing galling...

Addison McKee.(Update: catalytic converters)
November 7, 2003... Addison-McKee were chosen by Nihon Spindle, the Japanese metal spinning and flow-forming machine specialist, to act as a distributor for its technologically advanced catalytic converter spinning equipment outside of Japan. The agreement could...

dSpace.(Update: calibration)
November 7, 2003... By introducing the dSPACE calibration system, dSPACE has entered a new field of applications in ECU software development. This new system provides a modular concept of newly developed hardware and software to facilitate tailor-made and...

Poeton Industries.(Update: material coatings)
November 7, 2003... Poeton Industries has won a order from Spirax Sarco thanks to a recent investment in EDEN--an environmental dialysis system designed to reduce waste from the coating process. Spirax Sarco uses environmentally friendly suppliers is sample...

Durapipe UK.(Update: fire protection)
November 7, 2003... Vulcathene has extended its purpose-designed chemical drainage system with the addition of Unicollar fire collars. Unicollar is a method of protecting Vulcathene pipes that are required to pass through fire rated walls and floors. Available in...

Variohm.(Update: linear motion)
November 7, 2003... The Tyrannosaurus Rex at Coombe Martin Wildlife & Dinosaur Park is claimed to be the most life-like in existence. One of the many features that make this modal so lifelike is the tact that the mouth is synchronised to the generated roaring. The...

Kopez International Ltd.(Update: conduits)
November 7, 2003... Conduit manufacturer Kopex International has introduced a new section offering a Beginner's guide t electrical conduit systems to its recently launched website. 'The Knowledge' has seven chapters covering technical specifications, types of...

Alfa Laval.(Update: pumps)
November 7, 2003... The SolidC range of sanitary pumps from Alfa Laval has been developed for standard duties in the food, dairy, beverage, pharmaceutical, light chemical and water industries and will handle maximum inlet pressure up to 4 bar, flow rates up to...

Sonatest.(Update: test)
November 7, 2003... New to the Sonatest digital flaw detector range is the Sitescan 123--designed with simplicity in mind. Technicians can now learn basic functions within minutes and can Be familiar with all the features within an hour, with its ease and low cost...

Fork Lift Truck Association.(Update: fork lift apprentice awards)
November 7, 2003... Three students will share the honours at the Fork Lift Truck Association Annual Awards for Excellence. The changes, on behalf of sponsors Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks, have been brought in to recognise the consistently high standards reached by a...

DMS Technologies.(Update: batteries)
November 7, 2003... Romsey-based battery provider, DMS Technologies, has announced two new additions to its range of battery products. The company has been appointed by Yuasa as an approved distributor for a new range of Nickel Cadmium and Nickle Metal Hydride...

Mechan Controls.(Update: safety switches)
November 7, 2003... British safety switch manufacturer; Mechan Controls, has announced that it is expanding its range of IP67 stainless steel non-contact safety switches for industrial machinery. Engineers and equipment manufacturers can chose front an array of...

Zellweger Analytics.(Update: gas detectors)
November 7, 2003... The popular range of Neotronics Impact portable multigas detectors from Zellweger Analytics is now rated to IP67 for dust and water ingress protection and has met the demanding requirements of the ATEX European Performance Approval. These two...

Erwin Sick.(Update: switch)
November 7, 2003... Erwin Sick has introduced the L40OO safety photoelectric switch system, a low cost, Type 4, noncontact safety device that meets the requirements of IEC 61 496. Used to safeguard hazardous areas on machinery and central access to restricted...

Melexis.(Update: LED driver)
November 7, 2003... Melexis has developed a new programmable single chip CMOS LED driver for high-power (1W) LEDS. The MLX10801 LED driver shines in its high number of integrated and programmable functions, its high-energy efficiency and small footprint SO8...

Huntsman.(Update: materials)
November 7, 2003... In the development of optical equipment for the detection of glaucoma, eight different design of an internal optical housing were built using RenShape SL stereolithography material. RenShape SL 7560 photopolymer produces accurate, complex parts...

BOC Edwards.(Update: pumps)
November 7, 2003... BOC Edwards have been awarded UL 3101 and CSA C22.2 1010 approvals for its XDS range of dry vacuum scroll pumps. The approvals have been issued by the Canadian Safety Association as part of the National Registered Testing Laboratory scheme and...

Curtis Machine Tools.(Update: outsourcing)
November 7, 2003... Numerous small machine too companies in the UK operate in niche markets, manufacturing equipment either for their own use or for sale. Order receipts can be erratic or susceptible to external economic factors making it hard to justify...

Planned Storage Systems.(Update: warehouse fitting)
November 7, 2003... Stapleton Tyre Services ms the UK's largest wholesale distributor of passenger car tyres. A new distribution centre has recently been acquired for them by project managers SBH (UK), who awarded the warehouse fitting to Planned Storage Systems....

KSB.(Pumps)
November 7, 2003... KSB, the Loughborough-based international pump manufacturer, have launched a new waste-water lifting product, the Ama-Porter intelligent control system (ICS) with cutter impeller. Ama-Porter ICS macerator version is an addition to the company's...

Display Solutions.(Single Board Computer)
November 7, 2003... LCD display specialist, Display Solutions, have launched a low-power, sub-compact, single-board computer that features innovative design that allows it to be ordered in any one of four different configurations. Manufactured by Aaeon, the...

Sokkia.(Measurement)
November 7, 2003... Sokkia Have announced the extension of its total station range with a series of reflectorless total stations, the Series030R. They feature a further enhanced version of Sokkia's RED-Tech EDM. This Revolutionary Digital Processing Technology,...

Flender.(Couplings)
November 7, 2003... Flender Power Transmission always seems to get the most interesting requests for service. One summer Saturday evening service engineer John Mustchin received a call from Blackpool Pleasure Beach who had had a competitors coupling fail at...

Wellman.(Superheater)
November 7, 2003... The failure of a steam superheater critical to plant operations for Lucite International UK led to a race against time for Wellman Customer Services, the after care service arm of boiler manufacturer Wellman Robey. The problem was identified...

Pinet Industrie.(Hinges)
November 7, 2003... Pinet Industrie, founded in 1840 and one of the largest independent hinge and hardware manufactures in Europe ms delighted to announce the opening of its UK sales operation. We boast a range of over 4,000 standard and special parts manufactured...

Schubert & Salzer.(Valve)
November 7, 2003... Schubert & Salzer have developed a G S Control Valve that is resistant to cavitation, the phenomenon that occurs when static pressure falls below the boiling pressure or a flowinq liquid. The unique construction of the valve's regulator device...

Truflo Air Movement.(Cooling)
November 7, 2003... Truflo Air Movement, part of the Concentric Group, have introduced Trufoil, a versatile and cost-effective alternative to traditional aluminium hub designs for a wide range of industrial cooling applications. The design features a sheet metal...

Rittal Electronic Systems.(PCI)
November 7, 2003... Rittal Electronic Systems have added a range of DC powered high-density Compact PCI solutions to its AC models The systems fully utilise each U of height with a maximum slot count of 2 x 4HP making efficient use of the available rack space,...

Hawker Traction.(Battery Handling Systems)
November 7, 2003... Forklift battery supplier, Hawker Traction, have introduced to the UK what is claimed to be the world's most advanced range of battery handling systems. As Carney's sole distributor in Europe, Hawker will be offering the best-of-breed Pro...

E-T-A.(Circuit Breakers)
November 7, 2003... The corporate quality management system of E-TA's group headquarters have been accredited to EN 9100:2000/AS9100:2001 that address the requirements of the aircraft industry. This makes E-T-A the first manufacturer of aircraft circuit breaker...

Janes Walker & Co Ltd.(Casing and Tubing)
November 7, 2003... James Walker's new range of high performance FS casing and tubing seals can replace conventional plastic packed seals and other hanger packers to handle heavy duties between pipe members with large clearances at surface wellheads and reduce...

Sterling Hydraulics.(PTDs)
November 7, 2003... The XPRO 900 series offers a unique package of easy to apply high performance electronic Proportional Plug Top Drivers (PTDs) that are both durable and economical Designed and developed in association with Peter Hill associates, the XPRO 900...

Combidrive.(Clutches)
November 7, 2003... Combidrive have combined two standard components, clutch and flexible coupling, creating an off-the-Shelf combination. According to Edwin Jones, managing director: "Over 90% of the market for centrifugal clutches requires the clutch to drive a...

Conbraco International.(Valves)
November 7, 2003... Conbraco, the valves specialist, have released a flee guide to its range of valves for industrial uses. Conbraco'ssales and distribution centre at Trafford Park, Manchester is a major supplier of valves and actuation products to process...