The Engineer articles from September 2008

The Engineer archives from September 2008

COMMENT: Plotting a course for success.
September 1, 2008... It's that time of year when an A-level student's thoughts turn from raucous celebration of results towards the future, and specifically towards university. For those who care about the future of engineering, science and technology in the...

NEWS: Small measure.
September 1, 2008... NPL opens UK facility to accurately assess electrically small antennas The development of smaller, smarter and even wearable antennas has received a boost thanks to the completion of a new facility at the National Physical Laboratory...

NEWS: Foiling ID theft.
September 1, 2008... Portable shield could help stop credit card cloning A simple foil envelope that costs the same as a postage stamp could prevent the cloning of credit cards and passports during transit and use. Recently there have been repeated...

NEWS: Beyond the boundary.
September 1, 2008... Researchers aim to extend the scope of conventional X-rays with revolutionary imaging system An imaging system with the potential to revolutionise the X-ray techniques used in medicine, biology, industry and security is to be built by...

NEWS: Chemical creation.
September 1, 2008... A new chemical technique for creating nanoscale arrays of molecules over a large surface area could be used in sophisticated sensors, catalysis and nanoelectronics. The process, developed by researchers from the University of St Andrews,...

NEWS: Space for surfers.
September 1, 2008... International team aims to help mobile web users by optimising the available spectrum With the number of mobile internet users growing and accessing increasingly rich multimedia and interactive content wirelessly, there is a problem of...

NEWS: Lowering the load.
September 1, 2008... Two trailers that could cut the number of trucks on the roads by nearly a third have been developed by Scunthorpe-based SOMI Trailers. Each can carry 31 per cent extra load, all without being higher or longer, hence their name SOMI - Same...

NEWS: Finger on the pulse.
September 1, 2008... EU research project adapts finite element analysis technology to treat heart conditions The computer analysis technique used to visualise how a vehicle would deform during a crash could determine the best treatment for patients with...

NEWS: Star performer.
September 1, 2008... International team uses risk-analysis technique in bid to ensure the success of ESA missions as exploratory space missions take unmanned autonomous scientific craft further and further from Earth, robust spacecraft control systems are...

NEWS: Looks good.
September 1, 2008... A virtual mirror allows shoppers the luxury of viewing clothes without undressing Shoppers can try on clothes without undoing a button using a virtual mirror developed by German researchers. It was launched by scientists from the...

VIEWPOINT: Mobility drive.
September 1, 2008... To survive the climate challenge the automotive industry needs to transform into a business covering all forms of transport, says Achim Steiner Passenger cars and vans are responsible for around half the EU's transport emissions. Gradual...

LETTER: Bench mark.(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2008... As a forensic computer analyst for a police hi-tech crime unit, I try to follow the news in related forensic fields, so I very much enjoyed the article 'Print Pioneer' (Interview, 24 July) about Sir Alec Jeffreys and DNA profiling. One...

LETTER: What incentives?(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2008... Despite the government's supposed attachment to environmental friendliness, what is it actually doing to promote this? All it seems to do is tax everything that runs on fossil fuels, which everyone sees as a moneymaking scam. Incentives are...

LETTER: Demand for engineers.(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2008... Our Online leader article 'A load of crystal balls', discussed two opposing predictions about how the economic downturn is affecting recruitment in the engineering sector. Here is a selection of your emails. Due to manufacturing now...

ALTERNATIVE PROPULSION: Clean pair of wheels.
September 1, 2008... Isle of Man TT week may seem an unlikely showcase for clean technology, but next year the event is set to host the world's first zero-emissions grand prix. Jon Excell reports The Isle of Man TT - a 100-year-old festival of screeching...

INSIGHT: Remote control.
September 1, 2008... UK company develops a contact-free water meter register that is claimed to offer improved accuracy and economy, says Berenice Baker With the soaring cost and scarcity of resources, accurate metering is becoming increasingly important for...

INTERVIEW: High-wire artist.(Interview)
September 1, 2008... Michel Virlogeux masterminded the construction of France's Millau Viaduct and showed how structural engineers and architects can collaborate successfully. Stuart Nathan reports IT HAS been called one of the wonders of the modern world....

DESIGN ENGINEERING: Stone washed.
September 1, 2008... Researchers trial air-purifying concrete they hope will convert NOx from car exhaust fumes into harmless nitrates. Siobhan Wagner reports An 'air-purifying concrete' that uses titanium dioxide to remove harmful pollutants from the air is...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - SUSPENSION SYSTEMS: Shock tactics.
September 1, 2008... Technology that improves cars' road grip may soon be available outside of the highly secretive world of F1 racing. Siobhan Wagner reports A FORMER 'top secret' McLaren Formula One component will be available to all race teams following a...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - TURBINE TECHNOLOGY: Wind of change.
September 1, 2008... Research collaboration develops active damping system to help combat unnecessary turbine gearbox noise. Siobhan Wagner reports Researchers claim to have developed a new active damping system to cancel out the noise produced by mechanical...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - MANAGING TECHNOLOGY: Special friends.
September 1, 2008... Open innovation involves collaboration between companies with specialist skills instead of relying on internal development, says Campbell Macfarlane Internal research and development was once universally viewed as a strategic asset for...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - CAD SOFTWARE: Model solutions.
September 1, 2008... Next-generation CAD programs are claimed to produce technical illustrations that could enhance collaboration between engineering and technical data. Charles Clarke explains To most people the main elements of a product lifecycle management...

DESIGN ENGINEERING - DRIVES: Force the pace.
September 1, 2008... From polishing high-end watch parts to moving water around more efficiently, the global growth of low-power drives looks set to continue. Colin Carter reports With the cost and size of low-power drives coming down, they are increasingly...

CAREERS: Skills exchange.
September 1, 2008... A growing number of companies are working with universities to access the expertise and skills they need to stay at the forefront of innovation, according to new research from manufacturing industry body EEF. Results from the...

CAREERS IN BRIEF: Nanotech courses.
September 1, 2008... Cranfield University has teamed up with the Institute of Nanotechnology (IoN) to offer a series of short courses covering the impact of nanotech on the development of new medical technologies. The courses range from a general introduction to...

CAREERS IN BRIEF: Fast-track training.
September 1, 2008... The Learning and Skills Council is urging more engineering firms to use its Train to Gain training service. An LSC survey of 79,000 employers showed eight per cent of the workforce in the sector gained nationally recognised qualifications...

CAREERS IN BRIEF: Semta appoints.
September 1, 2008... Shaw Jonathan Shaw is the new chairman of the mechanical and electrical sector strategy group of Semta, the science, engineering and manufacturing skills council. Shaw, managing director of Colchester- Harrison manufacturer 600 Lathes, will...

CAREERS IN BRIEF: Nuclear expertise on offer.
September 1, 2008... ATG Nuclear Division and Sellafield have started a training scheme to enhance the skills of electrical engineering graduates in the nuclear industry. Graduates on the Sellafield programme will spend up to six months at Merseyside-based ATG,...

COMMENT: Spread the good news.
September 15, 2008... Another year, another strategy for manufacturing. In the midst of a global economic slowdown, with the wolves of recession snapping at its heels, it probably isn't a bad time for the government to set out what it can do to help the UK's...

NEWS: PCC world.
September 15, 2008... Energy giant trials 'clean coal' technologies in bid to halve CO2 emissions Attempts to reduce the environmental impact of coal-fired power stations received a boost with an announcement by E.ON Energie that it is to test three more CO2...

NEWS: User-phriendly.
September 15, 2008... Variable stiffness control could make robots safer Human interaction with robots could be made safer and more productive with technology that varies the stiffness of robot arms. Variable stiffness actuator technology, which is being...

NEWS: Brilliant future.
September 15, 2008... Imaging biomedical samples could become cheaper with advanced white light laser A collaboration of four UK partners could boost laser manufacturing and biomedical imaging technology within the UK. The Technology Strategy Board is...

NEWS: Close to the heart.
September 15, 2008... Doctors will get clearer view of a patient's heart with advanced echocardiography system Miniaturisation of electronic components has enabled commercialisation of the world's first echocardiography system to acquire instantaneous,...

NEWS: Stop, look, listen.
September 15, 2008... UK project aims to develop digital systems that can react to sounds they hear A major project is under way to give machines 'smart ears'. The aim is to develop digital systems that can understand the sounds they hear so they can react...

NEWS: Hybrid hits water.
September 15, 2008... Cleaner, quieter travel is promised by developers of a boat part- powered by fuel cells A boat part-driven by fuel cells that can carry up to 100 passengers on three-day trips has been launched in Germany. Proton Power Systems, a...

NEWS: On side.
September 15, 2008... New-style tidal turbine system could harvest energy more cheaply and efficiently Successful tests of a new type of tidal turbine have boosted hopes that a full-size prototype can undergo sea trials in 2011. Its developers believe the...

NEWS: Survival technique.
September 15, 2008... Reactive polymer curtains prove capable of cleaning air in submarines during emergencies A technology that removes carbon dioxide from air in submarines without the use of power could help save lives in an emergency. Reactive polymer...

NEWS: Nothing too small to detect.
September 15, 2008... Nanoscale analysis previously unobtainable is now possible, thanks to an unusual approach to atomic force microscopy. The new detection system has successful measured the displacement of very small cantilevers and, most importantly, could be...

VIEWPOINT: Opportunity knocks.
September 15, 2008... Innovative entrepreneurs should play a big role in the next generation of energy technologies, says Richard Lester The poet Wallace Stevens wrote of 'the lunatics of one idea... in a world of ideas'. He was referring to ideologues and...

LETTER: Tax returns.(Letter to the editor)
September 15, 2008... The points made by your correspondent Simon Martin (Letters, 1 September) are spot-on. If the government had a plan to invest, encourage or even bludgeon any sector of UK industry towards innovative design to save or maximise energy...

LETTER: Invest in health.(Letter to the editor)
September 15, 2008... Recent correspondence about hospital infection has understandably focused on the need for patients and visitors to maintain good standards of hygiene. But there are surely many ways that technology could be applied to make our hospitals...

LETTER: Tide has turned.(Letter to the editor)
September 15, 2008... One day I read that the government is preparing a strategy to secure the future of the UK manufacturing industry, the next day Airbus announces plans to build a factory in Tunisia, where it will save hugely on costs. I don't know why, but...

LETTER: Clean motoring.(Letter to the editor)
September 15, 2008... Our Online leader article 'Leap of faith', discussed the idea that the biggest stumbling block to low emissions motoring is fear of the unknown, even though a survey indicated that almost 75 per cent of motorists would consider driving an...

LETTER: Career boost.(Letter to the editor)
September 15, 2008... I enjoyed your article 'Going for gold' (Feature, 18 August) about how the Olympic effort for London is being helped by engineers, and recommend that it be shown to anyone who perceives engineering and science as 'boring; topics with no...

SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY: Moore to come?
September 15, 2008... For 50 years it has been the guiding principle of the digital revolution. Jon Excell asks if the end is now in sight for Moore's Law It was 1965. The first computers based on integrated circuits had recently been launched. And Gordon...

WIRELESS POWER: Cut the cord.
September 15, 2008... Recent developments in wireless technology could one day enable us to charge everything from mobiles to laptops simply by walking into a room. Jon Excell reports Demonstrating the ability to turn on a lightbulb is not usually the sort of...

INSIGHT: Drop in the ocean.
September 15, 2008... The UK's deepest-diving autonomous undersea vehicle is helping scientists explore the sea floor for threats from tsunamis, earthquakes and landslides. Berenice Baker reports Early last month, to the delight of its UK developers, a...

INTERVIEW: Air pressures.(Interview)
September 15, 2008... Peter Chivers, research head of Airbus, explains why rising fuel costs and environmental demands are forcing a radical re-think of aircraft design. Stuart Nathan reports Close your eyes and picture an airliner. You will probably see...

TECHNOLOGY + INNOVATION AWARDS 2008: Medical & Healthcare.
September 15, 2008... Haemair Swansea University and Swansea NHS Trust Respiratory Aids and Prosthetic Lungs Haemair's mission is to produce devices ranging from aids that can support respiration for patients with deficient lungs to systems that may...

TECHNOLOGY + INNOVATION AWARDS 2008: Main sponsor - Investment.
September 15, 2008... BAE Systems is one of the UK's leading investors in research and technology, spending over #1.4bn every year to develop the next generation of intelligent defence and security systems. More than 100,000 highly-skilled people work across...

TECHNOLOGY + INNOVATION AWARDS 2008: Automotive.
September 15, 2008... GKN Wheels/JCB Excavators/Corus/Michelin/ Imperial College London ARTISMO A project was set up to investigate wheel systems for off-highway vehicles. These are highly complex assemblies, and existing mathematical models poorly...

TECHNOLOGY + INNOVATION AWARDS 2008: Aerospace & Defence.
September 15, 2008... Auxetix Exeter University Auxetic Blast-Protection Textiles A collaborative project was launched to investigate a new type of blast- curtain material invented at Exeter University that makes use of a novel technology known as...

TECHNOLOGY + INNOVATION AWARDS 2008: Environmental Technology.
September 15, 2008... Nottingham University Microwave processing of oil-contaminated drill cuttings The project has adopted an innovative, multidisciplinary approach to enable a paradigm shift in waste and environmental management in the oil industry. It...

TECHNOLOGY + INNOVATION AWARDS 2008: Business Support of Universities.
September 15, 2008... BAE Systems Cambridge, Cranfield, Loughborough and Southampton universities, plus networks Networked university teams for industrial grand challenges The objective has been to align the UK's best university capabilities with...

TECHNOLOGY + INNOVATION AWARDS 2008: Energy.
September 15, 2008... Cambridge University Fusion Island Fusion Island centres on an engineering system for the 2030s that has the potential to contribute greatly to energy security and greenhouse gas emission reductions. The machine would be a key...

TECHNOLOGY + INNOVATION AWARDS 2008: University Support of Business.
September 15, 2008... Cambridge University Royal College of Art inclusive design Longer life expectancies are resulting in an increased proportion of older people within the adult population. With increasing age comes a decline in capability, yet often...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING: Less hot air.
September 15, 2008... Drying machines, one of the most costly and wasteful pieces of industrial equipment, are being transformed into energy-saving devices. Siobhan Wagner reports Food and drink manufacturers could significantly reduce their power use with a...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - OPTICAL TECHNOLOGY: On a roll.
September 15, 2008... Printing-style technique means precision micro-structured optical film can be developed in the UK for the first time. Siobhan Wagner reports A UK company has recently installed a machine that is able to manufacture precision...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - DATA STORAGE: Drive for size.
September 15, 2008... Combination of lithography and block copolymers could lead to efficient production of higher-capacity chip memory. Siobhan Wagner reports A new manufacturing technique could overcome the technological limitations currently facing the...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - MANAGING TECHNOLOGY: Feel the heat.
September 15, 2008... Thermal imaging technology can help organisations save money by identifying temperature imbalances that affect production, or even cause schoolchildren to shiver, says Ian Taylor By monitoring the unique thermal signature of machines,...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - MACHINE TOOLS: High five.
September 15, 2008... Digital drive and control technology and software developments are helping machine tool builders offer several machining functions in a single machine and control multiple axes simultaneously. As a result, manufacturers have hugely improved...

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING - PROCESS CONTROL: Save and prosper.
September 15, 2008... Companies in a wide range of sectors are aiming to improve energy efficiency and reduce waste with the installation of the latest automation technology. Colin Carter reports In an effort to cut energy costs and reduce material waste,...

TECHNOLOGY - INTERNATIONAL: Power to the people.
September 15, 2008... Post-apartheid South Africa has embarked on a path to growth, and its push for mass electrification and new nuclear energy options is fuelling technology innovation. Jon Excell reports When riots erupted in the townships around...

CAREERS: Skills shake-up.
September 15, 2008... A government study has identified the need for greater co-ordination and an image boost for manufacturing jobs training. Andrew Lee reports Meeting manufacturing's huge future demand for skilled staff will require a 'fundamental...

CAREERS IN BRIEF: Workforce 'time bomb'.
September 15, 2008... The construction industry faces a 'workforce time bomb' as many skilled professionals such as civil and mechanical engineers employed in the sector approach retirement age, warns ConstructionSkills, the sector skills council. It says the age...

CAREERS IN BRIEF: Home for hybrids.
September 15, 2008... Automotive technology group Ricardo is to set up a dedicated unit for hybrid and electric vehicle development. The company said the new division, called the Ricardo Global Hybrid Product Group, would allow it more effectively to use the...

CAREERS IN BRIEF: UK 'lags on green jobs'.
September 15, 2008... The Green Party has accused the government of allowing the UK to fall behind the rest of Europe in creating jobs relating to low-carbon technologies. The party claimed the UK has at the most 26,000 people working in renewable energy compared...

CAREERS IN BRIEF: Pride and the passion.
September 15, 2008... Regional development agency One NorthEast has launched an initiative to boost the image of the north east of England and attract skilled employees to the area. The 'Passionate People, Passionate Places' campaign will focus on successful...

CARRERS: Clean break.
September 15, 2008... Automotive manufacturers are investing in engineers who can develop and deliver a new generation of vehicles with low environmental impact. Julia Pierce reports As legislation governing emissions from both private and commercial vehicles...

COMMENT: Follow the French.
September 29, 2008... With the world of international finance in turmoil, thank goodness at least one big business deal managed to get done last week. The credit crunch might be hurting us now, but without the purchase of British Energy by French power giant EDF,...

NEWS: Wide-eyed.
September 29, 2008... Insect mimetics could open up a whole new panorama for missile tracking systems An insect-inspired imaging device could give guided missile-tracking systems a panoramic 120deg field of vision, and be used in other areas, such as...

NEWS: Bright lights.
September 29, 2008... Project aims to make urban driving more efficient A prototype system from Audi claims to enable traffic lights to communicate with each other and with cars, allowing drivers to sail through rush-hour traffic and reduce wasted fuel. The...

NEWS: Model surgery.
September 29, 2008... Training tool for anaesthesiologists uses computer game technology to give unprecedented levels of realism Technology previously used to bring computer game characters to life is set to transform the way cardiac anaesthesiologists are...

NEWS: Pharma find.
September 29, 2008... Purity and quality of chemical compounds can be monitored and controlled with process analytical technology The manufacture of pharmaceuticals could be made cheaper with a new system that monitors the crystallisation of chemical compounds...

NEWS: Sounds for seals.
September 29, 2008... Acoustic technique promises to deter sea mammals from marine installations ACOUSTIC technology that could more effectively protect marine installations from unwanted sea life has been unveiled at St Andrews University. The system could be...

NEWS: Whisker with a whisper.
September 29, 2008... Developer claims wind turbine with egg whisk-shaped rotor blades cuts noise and increases efficiency A wind turbine that spins in a spherical formation increases efficiency and reduces noise, according to its Dutch developer, Home...

NEWS: High-tech carers.
September 29, 2008... Elderly people could maintain contact with their carers and community using technologies that let them join group activities and organise transport with the click of a television remote control. This is one aim of the three-year VirtEx...

VIEWPOINT: Force for the good.
September 29, 2008... A recent MoD move has made it easier for civilian innovators and designers to help develop equipment for UK troops, says Helen Almey To ensure that UK armed forces have the best equipment to keep them one step ahead of the enemy, the...

LETTER: Air of uncertainty.(Letter to the editor)
September 29, 2008... I was very interested in the points Henry Ditmore made in 'Let's be optimistic' (Letters, 18 August) promoting the possible use of compressed air (CA) in commuter vehicles. Although not a sensible way of converting the heat/electrical...

LETTER: Singles bar, please.(Letter to the editor)
September 29, 2008... Your correspondent Graham Loakes says that single-seat vehicles for commuting are a worthy recipient of government subsidy (Letters, 15 September). I would have thought they are the last thing we need, as people using multiple-seat cars...

LETTER: Critical point.(Letter to the editor)
September 29, 2008... According to the article 'Save and prosper' (Production Engineering, 15 September) 'the use of digital automation is claimed to boost the efficiency of coal-based electricity generation by more than 50 per cent.' I think that someone is...

LETTER: Balancing act.(Letter to the editor)
September 29, 2008... As one of the 'activists' referred to in your piece 'PCC world' on carbon capture and storage (News, 15 September) I would like to put the other view to balance what was a very nice piece of publicity for E.ON. Your article began...

LETTER: Pie in the sky?(Letter to the editor)
September 29, 2008... Our online leader 'Big Bang' argued against the critics, such as Sir David King, of the cost of blue skies research and said work such as CERN's Large Hadron Collider and its associated experiments benefited society. Here is a selection of...

LETTER: Come clean.(Letter to the editor)
September 29, 2008... Your correspondent D Cook, who thinks that technology is going to solve the problem of hospital hygiene (Letters, 15 September) is wrong. The solutions are all very 'low-tech', which means they are inexpensive (good) but need responsible...