Leading the Charge How Air Race E Plans to Put Electric Aviation on the Map

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Leading the charge How Air Race E plans to put electric aviation on the map

Advanced Manufacturing News, comment and in-depth analysis from Future threats Home help Car of the issue the world of production technology BAE’s technology director on Inside the centre developing The Jaguar F-Pace SVR, a luxury innovating in an increasingly technology to help those SUV that offers other- dangerous world »24 living with dementia »30 worldly performance »32 » 37

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Volume 299 Issue No. 7908 Established 1856 Powering innovation news 06 Energy Solar panels to boost

sustainability in sub-Saharan Africa here is a long and colourful history of sporting competition driving broader 08 Aerospace World’s largest aircraft set real-world innovation. to go all-electric Perhaps the best-known example of this is the race-to-road dynamic of motorsport, a phenomenon that’s been strongly reinforced in recent 10 Automotive High-energy batteries years, most notably through the Formula E competition, which has driven could help electric vehicles go further the development of electric vehicle powertrain technology and arguably 12 Medical New breast cancer scanner done much to shift public perceptions of electric vehicles. In this issue’s cover story, we turn our attention to Formula E’s airborne aims to give more precise diagnosis equivalent: Air Race E, the world’s first all-electric manned aircraft racing 14 Energy How phosphorene could competition, which – when it launches in 2020 – will see eight all-electric enhance technology developments planes racing around circuits at speeds of up to 400km/h. 16 Medical Brain trauma breakthrough It promises to be a truly exciting sporting “Electrification spectacle. But as we report, the team behind Tthe Airbus-backed competition also has opinion is becoming 20 Viewpoint Rebuilding Notre-Dame broader ambitions for the project, and hopes that it will mimic Formula E’s automotive impact 22 Mailbox Your letters to the editor and supercharge the development of increasingly key 24 Interview Dave Short electrification technologies for tomorrow’s commercial aircraft. to the sector” Just a few years ago, this would have been a features barely credible aim. But, thanks to the 26 Cover story Electric air racing and its continued advances in battery and powertrain technology, electrification is becoming increasingly effect on the aviation industry key to the sector’s strategy for meeting ever-more ambitious emissions targets, with companies including Rolls-Royce, Airbus, Siemens and Boeing all actively developing electric aviation Home-based 30 Medical & healthcare technologies. Just as electric car technology has become a key area of The Engineer’s coverage, we tech can help people with dementia look forward to reporting on the torrent of electric aerospace innovations that will surely follow in 32 Car of the issue Jaguar F-Pace SVR the coming years. Electric flight is just one of the topics that you can find out more about at The Engineer’s annual 37 Advanced manufacturing News; conference, when we will be joined by Rolls-Royce plc’s chief project engineer for hybrid-electric Mazak comment; machine tool propulsion Riona Armesmith, who will be talking about her company’s work on the E-Fan X project. round-up; 3D printing; products As in previous years, the conference, which takes place alongside The Engineer Expo, Subcon 52 Show preview Subcon and AMS exhibitions from 4-6 June at the NEC, Birmingham, boasts an exciting mix of presentations covering some of engineering’s hottest technology trends and most exciting projects. 54 Show preview Annual conference Two of our key speakers are profiled in this issue: BAE Systems technology director Dave Short 57 Archive (page 24) and additive manufacturing pioneer Jeremy Pullin (page 55). 58 Digest Finally, there’s still plenty of time to get your entries in for our annual awards competition Collaborate to Innovate, which now has an extended deadline of 21 June. Your number-one website for engineering news, views, jobs and products theengineer.co.uk Jon Excell Editor [email protected]

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MAY 2019 | THE ENGINEER 5

Ed - contents and comment_The Engineer - May 2019_The Engineer 5 07/05/2019 15:07 news technology

ENERGY Readmoreonline technology, connecting together 20 systems to form a virtual and Aerospace Solar grids set to physical node-to-node network. A UK CubeSat takes aim at monitoring and control system illegal maritime activity comprising sensors and a two-way transform lives in communications connection will manage the delivery of energy Automotive services and provide business data. Toyota’s royalty-free sub-Saharan Africa “We have developed a mobile windfall could stimulate network for the village that can be EV market used to monitor the system Project to build sustainable and affordable performance remotely,” said Mondol. means of generating electricity HELEN KNIGHT REPORTS The project will also aim to help Defence & Security users to finance the system. For Lockheed tests example, the researchers are 360-degree vision system Photovoltaic solar panels investigating the use of a battery on Bell V-280 would bring electricity to rental programme, to avoid users off-grid communities having to buy the system upfront. Households will also be able to Electronics & use excess electricity to pay for Communications the service, through a battery Marine Skin sensor goes trading system. to new depths “Usually, this kind of system would be expensive, but instead users can pay their costs through Energy & Environment their electricity generation, so they Glycerol cuts energy use in don’t have to pay upfront,” he said. CO2 conversion process The solar network will be operated and maintained by a not-for-profit distributed energy Medical & Healthcare service company (DESCO), formed of Medical robot navigates members of the local community and heart to help fix a project stakeholders. The DESCO will leaky valve manage electricity trading between individual consumer-producers, and round 588 million interconnected network of provide training to the local Manufacturing people in standalone solar systems, according community in using and maintaining Taking Industry 4.0 beyond sub-Saharan to lead researcher Dr Jayanta Mondol the technology. In this way, the project proof of concept Africa have no of the Centre for Sustainable will also help to develop skills and access to Technologies at Ulster University. employment in the local area. electricity, Each system will consist of In particular, the researchers Policy & Business meaning they lack photovoltaic solar panels to generate hope to have a positive impact on the EPO report shows why the basic services such as lighting, electricity for lighting, heating and lives of women in sub-Saharan future is patent pending Aheating, and communication. A new powering appliances; a solar thermal Africa. They will hold information solar project aims to change that. collector (called SolaCatcher) to forums to consult directly with Expanding the existing electricity provide hot water; a battery to store female villagers, disseminating grid in Africa would be hugely excess electricity; and a platform that information on the project and its expensive for both governments and uses mobile, cloud, and blockchain implications for households. For news and jobs communities. Meanwhile, more than cryptographic technology to provide “We would like to focus particularly theengineer.co.uk 80 per cent of the continent’s existing energy services to the community. on the employment of women, to electricity supply is generated by “The idea is that when the sun is improve their quality of life,” said fossil fuels, causing damaging shining electricity is produced by the Mondol. “Women (in sub-Saharan pollution and climate change. photovoltaics, and is fed to DC Africa) spend a lot of time cooking In a bid to increase access to appliances,” said Mondol. over open wood fires, but our electricity in sub-Saharan Africa “Any excess electricity is then technology can give them electricity without harming the environment, stored within the battery.” and hot water, so it could also improve researchers at Ulster University are The work builds on a previous their lifestyles and health.” developing a distributed energy project, known as SolaFin2Go, in The solar project includes network, based on solar power and which the researchers developed and researchers from the Botswana battery storage. The SolaNetwork tested individual solar systems for International University of Science project, funded by EPSRC and off-grid households in Botswana. and Technology, as well as Ulster Innovate UK, will develop and trial an They will now scale-up the University spin-out SolaForm.” n

6 THE ENGINEER | MAY 2019

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AEROSPACE Newsinbrief straightforward for us to model in simulation a change from our current Good year for deals Airlander 10 set diesel cycle engines to electric.” Research from AT Kearney has As part of the three-year project, found that the total value of the team will carry out extensive deals in the industrials market ground-testing of the full-size rose to $680bn (£525bn) in 2018, to go all-electric an increase from $662bn the prototype propulsion system, once it is built. year before. 2018 saw over 100 UK project to power giant HELEN KNIGHT REPORTS “We will be using test rigs that we individual deals worth over $1bn, n all-electric “The aircraft is already a low- have used to test the propulsion with seven of those transactions version of the carbon aerospace product, but we systems on the Airlander 10,” said topping $10bn, including United world’s largest have our sights set more ambitiously Allman. “That will allow us to Technologies’ takeover of avionics aircraft, Airlander in that we’re trying to be zero-carbon,” understand areas like its efficiency, supplier Rockwell Collins and 10, could be a step said Allman. “There are inherent noise levels, and how the new motor the $12bn deal between Melrose closer as a result features of our aircraft that we interacts with the propeller.” Industries and GKN. of a UK project. believe position us to be at the A hybrid-electric and, ultimately, Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV), the forefront of moving in that direction.” an all-electric version of Airlander 10 Phoenix rises Adeveloper of the Airlander 10 aircraft, The amount of power needed by would represent a major A new UK-built endurance in partnership with Collins Aerospace the aircraft is substantially lower achievement for the aerospace aircraft called Phoenix has made and Nottingham University, has been than it would be on a traditional industry, said Marc Holme, motor its public debut following indoor awarded a grant of £1.1m from the UK fixed-wing aircraft, for example, drive systems engineering director at flight testing at the Drystack Aerospace Research and Technology meaning the electric propulsion Collins Aerospace. facility in Portsmouth. Designed Programme, to develop electric systems needed are intrinsically “Electric propulsion has the to operate at high altitudes for propulsion technologies. smaller, he said. potential to revolutionise aircraft by extended periods, the prototype The project, E-HAV1, will develop a “We also have quite a modular providing significant reductions in has a 15m-long fuselage filled prototype 500kW electric propulsion design. We have four engines that are carbon emissions, noise, fuel with helium and a wingspan of system, with the ultimate aim of independently attached to the consumption, and operation and 10.5m. It propels itself using replacing Airlander 10’s fuel-burning vehicle, so its relatively maintenance costs,” Holme said. n variable buoyancy, constantly forward engines, in a first step shifting its weight to be lighter or towards an all-electric version. heavier than the surrounding air, Airlander 10 is a hybrid aircraft which creates thrust. that relies on a combination of buoyant lift from helium like an ‘Marsquake’ detected airship, aerodynamic lift like an NASA’s InSight lander has aeroplane and vectored thrust like a recorded its first possible helicopter. In this way it already ‘marsquake’. Seismic vibrations consumes significantly less fuel than of the Martian surface were conventional aircraft, but the detected by silicon sensors addition of electric forward developed in the UK. The signal was detected by InSight’s Seismic propulsors will improve this even Airlander 10 is the Experiment for Interior Structure further, according to Nick Allman, world’s largest aircraft executive director at HAV. (SEIS), which the lander placed on the Martian surface in December. AUTOMOTIVE accelerator hard to the floor. The reversing, advanced emergency Cubesat first Speed limiters system can also be disengaged, braking, lane keeping assistance and A cubesat containing the though it will be operational by a ‘black box’ data recorder for first commercial microwave for all new cars default every time a vehicle is incident reporting. radiometer and 3D-printed started. It is estimated widespread “Every year, 25,000 people lose antenna for space has launched ANDREW WADE REPORTS adoption could reduce EU road their lives on our roads,” said Poland from the US. Dubbed IOD-1 The EU is aiming for all new fatalities by around 20 per cent. EU commissioner Elzbieta GEMS, the miniaturised weather European vehicles to be equipped ISA is just one of several safety Bienkowska. “The vast majority of observing and forecasting with Intelligent Speed Assistance features the EU plans to introduce these accidents are caused by technology is the first of the (ISA) by 2022, inhibiting speed in under its revised General Safety human error. We can and must act to Satellite Applications Catapult’s accordance with local limits. Regulation. According to the change this.” In-Orbit Demonstration (IOD) The technology uses cameras and Department of Transport, the UK will The General Safety Regulation is Programme, which is funded GPS to detect the speed limit for a also adopt the measures, regardless now subject to ratification by the by Innovate UK. It is also the given stretch of road, then inhibits of the outcome of Brexit. Other institution’s parliament and council. first satellite in Orbital Micro engine power to ensure drivers do mandatory systems for cars under According to the EU, it expects that Systems’ Global Environmental not stray over the limit. ISA can be the new regulation will include a the proposed measures will help Monitoring System (GEMS) overridden temporarily, for example warning for driver distraction and save lives and avoid at least 140,000 constellation. when overtaking, by pressing the drowsiness, cameras/sensors for serious injuries by 2038. n

8 THE ENGINEER | MAY 2019

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AUTOMOTIVE MARINE energy again, said Greenshields. “As a result, at the electrode level, Propeller noise New high-energy you have at least ten times higher [energy] storage per unit of mass, because you’re using an actual breakthrough chemical reaction rather than the Quieter blades will batteries tested intercalation storage of lithium ions,” protect marine life he said. HELEN KNIGHT REPORTS Conversion reaction system could mean Innolith is planning to cars going further per charge HELEN KNIGHT REPORTS commercialise the high energy density battery through an initial lectric vehicles could “When you charge a lithium-ion pilot production in Germany, followed travel 1,000km on a battery, you force lithium ions out of by licensing partnerships with single charge, thanks the positive electrode, through the battery and car companies, said to a new type of electrolyte and they intercalate into Sergey Buchin, CEO of Innolith. lithium-based battery, the negative electrode, and when you The company anticipates its developer claims. discharge it the reverse happens,” development and commercialisation The device is the he said. of the battery will take between three world’s first 1,000Wh/kg rechargeable In a conversion reaction system, in to five years. Ebattery, according to developer contrast, the lithium reacts with a “We believe this battery will be Innolith, based in Basel, Switzerland. material at the electrode to form a suitable for all sorts of transport A new technology capable of The Innolith Energy Battery, which compound, storing energy in the applications, including electric cars reducing the underwater radiated does not contain expensive exotic process. and buses, and with its high energy noise generated by ships’ propeller materials, is based on an inorganic When this compound dissolves density we can also use it in drones cavitation has been developed at electrolyte, according to the company’s into its constituent parts it releases and other aircraft,” said Buchin. n Strathclyde University and West chairman, Alan Greenshields. Sussex-based Oscar Propulsion. Unlike the organic electrolyte in Experiments have been taking Cavitation occurs when tiny conventional lithium-ion batteries place to improve the bubbles form in the water as a result used in electric vehicles, this capacity of batteries of the propeller moving through it. inorganic electrolyte is non- When these bubbles collapse, they flammable. In this way it could create an audible shock wave. eliminate the main cause of battery Propeller cavitation can generate fires that plague electric vehicle as much as 180dB of underwater manufacturers, Greenshields said. radiated noise and can be heard by “The core of what we’re doing is – and cause distress to – marine life to [eliminate] the undesirable 100 miles away. It can also damage properties of lithium-ion batteries, the propellers. in that they catch fire, or even The new PressurePores system explode, and don’t last very long,” reduces propeller tip vortex cavitation he said. by applying a small number of In traditional intercalation- strategically bored holes in the based batteries, the lithium ions propeller blades. This reduces the shuttle back and forwards between sound produced by the propellers, the two electrodes, but do not without significantly reducing their chemically react with the material, efficiency, according to David Taylor, said Greenshields. Instead the CEO of Oscar Propulsion. lithium ions slide into gaps within The team first tested the idea in a the crystalline structure. cavitation tunnel at Newcastle University, said Taylor. “We made

HEALTH some relatively randomly-placed although athletes and leisure users are a target market. holes in different propeller models, Real-time sweat monitor could help Other potential users include soldiers in the field and and compared these with propellers diabetics seeking to monitor glucose levels non-invasively. without holes, and with that diabetics and fitness fanatics “Imagine a device that will be able to tell you when relatively crude test we managed to UK start-up Sweati has launched its non-invasive to fuel, when to hydrate and what pace to run at,” said get about a 14dB reduction in noise,” real-time sweat monitor, a wearable patch capable of Sweati founder and CEO James Mayo. “That means no he said. tracking glucose, lactate and hydration. more hitting the dreaded ‘wall’ while running a After this success they carried out Developed in collaboration with Imperial College marathon. Sweati will make working out enjoyable and CFD modelling at Strathclyde London, the fabric patch uses a combination of efficient. For diabetics, it would mean no more blood University, which confirmed the microfluidics and chip technology to measure minute draws interrupting their day… For members of the result of their physical tests. They levels of sweat. This means the wearer does not have to military, we have the ability to save lives with no more then used the CFD model to analyse be engaged in strenuous activity for it to function, heat casualties.” AW the effect of more specifically targeting the location of the holes. n

10 THE ENGINEER | MAY 2019

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MEDICAL AEROSPACE help detect ailments such as urinary tract infections earlier, something Project 804 is Dementia care to that could reduce stressful and costly hospital admissions. “Working with the latest machine- on The Grid learning capabilities means the Flight demonstrator to be closer to home technology we’re using will be able to test hybrid engines get better at spotting warning signs JASON FORD REPORTS New research and technology hub to look and events that require intervention,” at ways of easing NHS pressure ANDREW WADE REPORTS said Payam Barnaghi, professor of machine intelligence at the new research and off-the-shelf sensors that could University of Surrey and deputy technology centre either be purchased by patients or director of the UK Dementia will explore a range potentially prescribed by the NHS. An Research Institute Care Research of innovations for earpiece sensor being developed and Technology Centre. monitoring and in-house at Imperial will provide “Doctors will be able to have treating dementia information on gait and sleep, as well confidence in their ability to monitor Collins Aerospace has revealed in the home, as acting as a mobile EEG, delivering people remotely and to react quickly details of The Grid, a new facility in potentially easing the burden on a consistent stream of data over to any worrying changes.” Rockford, Illinois, claimed to be patientsA and the NHS. many hours. Scientists involved in the project industry’s most advanced electric Based at Imperial College This holistic monitoring will allow have already developed safe and power systems laboratory. London’s White City campus, the medical staff to better understand robust data storage technologies. Collins Aerospace is a unit of £20m centre is a multi-partner the effect of drug treatments and The new centre is due to open on United Technologies Corp, which collaboration that includes the patient wellbeing. AI systems will 1 June. n recently launched an advanced University of Surrey, with financial projects group and is developing backing via the Medical Research Project 804, a hybrid-electric flight New technology can help support Council, Alzheimer’s Research UK demonstrator predicted to yield people with dementia in their homes and the Alzheimer’s Society. average fuel savings of 30 per cent. Using a combination of sensors, Project 804 will re-engine and fly a AI, robotics, sleep trackers and regional turboprop aircraft – a infection testing, it is hoped that a Bombardier Dash 8 Series Q100 – system can be developed to aid the powered by a 2MW-class hybrid- 850,000 people with dementia. electric propulsion system. Collins “Latest figures suggest one in four Aerospace will use The Grid to help hospital beds are occupied by people design and test a 1MW motor, motor with dementia – and 20 per cent of controller and battery system in these admissions are due to support of the project. preventable causes such as falls, Collins Aerospace said the 1MW dehydration and infections,” said the motor will be the aerospace head of the new centre, Prof David industry’s most power-dense and Sharp, a neurologist at Imperial. efficient to date, and the new motor “The new technologies we develop and motor controller will be used to will improve our ability to support assist the demonstrator’s fuel- people in their homes. They will allow burning engine as part of its us to intervene at an early stage.” hybrid-electric propulsion system. According to Prof Sharp, some of Work on the 25,000 sq ft lab is the technologies that will be explored under way and is expected to be fully include miniaturised radar and operational by 2021. The $50m (£39m) investment in the lab is part

MEDICAL of a larger $150m investment Collins CZT is a room-temperature semiconductor that Aerospace expects to make in electric New breast cancer scanner aims to directly converts X-ray or gamma ray photons into systems over the next three years. charge carriers inside the crystal which is already “The Grid positions us to remain give more precise tumour diagnosis used in medical devices and for studying high-energy the world leader in the electrification Radiation detection specialist Kromek and Denmark’s phenomena in space. of aircraft for decades to come,” said DTU Space are developing a breast cancer imaging The 3D MBI project is funded via a £321,000 grant Collins Aerospace CEO Kelly Ortberg. device based on tech from high-energy astronomy. under European scheme Eurostars through Innovate “Hybrid-electric and fully electric Kromek is contributing its cadmium zinc telluride UK and involves a DTU Space research team at the aircraft will revolutionise air travel as (CZT) detection technology to the project, which aims Technical University of Denmark. we know it. They will help support a to develop a 3D molecular breast imager (3D MBI) The main focus of the project is making the greener planet by reducing carbon scanner capable of more precise diagnosis of small electronics used around CZT detectors smaller, lighter emissions, and will help our airline breast cancer tumours than is possible today. and more power-efficient. SN customers by reducing operating costs and fuel consumption.” n

12 THE ENGINEER | MAY 2019

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TE_010519_013_Solid Solutions_FP.indd 1 18/04/2019 16:44 news technology

ENERGY AEROSPACE could make phosphorene ribbons,” said Howard. Engineers to Phosphorene could So the researchers set about fine-tuning their process until they could produce samples in which use VR tech most of the contents were ribbons. Virtual reality courses make tech a reality The ribbons form with a typical successfully piloted height of one atomic layer, widths of HELEN KNIGHT REPORTS Tiny crystalline ribbons could help with 4-50nm, and are up to 75µm long. energy storage and electronics HELEN KNIGHT REPORTS They are extremely flat, crystalline and unusually flexible, said Mitch ast-charging high- Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Watts, the paper’s first author. capacity batteries and Switzerland, describe how they “What’s more, by changing the flexible devices that produced the tiny ribbons of width or the number of layers of the scavenge electricity phosphorene by accident. ribbon, you can actually tune the from waste heat are They were attempting to produce electronic properties for specific just some of the 2D sheets of phosphorene – the applications,” said Watts. technologies that phosphorus equivalent of graphene The use of phosphorene ribbons could be made possible following a – by mixing black phosphorus with within batteries could lead to devices Fworld-first development by UK lithium ions dissolved in liquid with extremely rapid diffusion of researchers. ammonia at -50C. After 24 hours, lithium ions, resulting in fast Aircraft engineers are to be trained A team at University College they removed the ammonia and charging. Batteries with phosphorene using virtual reality (VR) technology, London (UCL) have made flexible replaced it with an organic solvent. ribbons could also have almost twice following a successful pilot project nanoribbons of crystalline But instead of creating sheets, the capacity of traditional lithium- between Rolls-Royce and Qatar phosphorus, which they claim could they found they had made ribbons of ion devices, said Howard. Airways. have a wide range of applications in the material, according to UCL’s Chris The material has also been In a trial of the technology, energy storage and electronics. Howard, one of the paper’s authors. calculated to have a very high figure engineers with Qatar Airways In a paper published in the journal “In the meantime, we noticed that of merit as a thermoelectric, meaning received VR training on Rolls-Royce’s Nature, the researchers, alongside papers kept coming out in the it can convert waste heat into Trent XWB engine, according to team members at the University of literature about really interesting, electricity, and its flexibility means it Stuart Moss, an IT innovation Bristol, Virginia Commonwealth useful, and exotic properties that could be used to power wearable strategist at Rolls-Royce. University, USA, and École might be possible if only someone devices, he said. n The Trent XWB is so large that it must be separated before engineers Batteries with phosphorene ribbons can transport it for maintenance and could also have almost twice the capacity repair, said Moss. “This process takes of traditional lithium-ion devices a couple of days, to ensure that you can put it back together again in exactly the same alignment.” Engineers will often receive training in how to carry out this complex task a few years before they have to do it in practice. So the team decided to use VR as a way to offer a refresher course in the technique. Using HTC VIVE VR equipment, the engineers were immersed in the process, using sight, sound and touch to separate parts of the engine in a virtual setting.

AEROSPACE “We developed a fully immersive of polymer material similar to the struts. The resulting VR version of the engine,” said Moss. New wing design that can change wing structure is comprised mostly of empty space, “In fact, everything that you can do in forming a mechanical metamaterial that combines the real life is remodelled in the engine, shape mid-flight set for take-off stiffness of a rubber-like polymer with the lightness so you can take the engine to pieces Researchers in the US have built and tested a radical and low density of an aerogel. The wing has a density of and re-do the entire training course new wing design that can change shape mid-flight to just 5.6kg per cubic metre, the researchers say. in VR.” enhance performance and boost efficiency. The shape of the wing reacts passively to its Previously, an engine would have Developed primarily by engineers from NASA and environmental forces, with the stiffness in different been transported to Doha, Qatar, for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the wing is struts carefully calibrated to achieve the desired effect. the training, or alternatively Qatar made from thousands of triangular components with Sections of the wing bend in response to the various Airways would have provided an matchstick-like struts, bolted together in a lattice phases of flight, delivering a more optimal performance engine in service, with the risk of framework. This lattice is then covered in a thin layer at take-off, cruise and landing. AW damage to equipment and the loss of valuable flying time. n

14 THE ENGINEER | MAY 2019

Ed - news_The Engineer - May 2019_The Engineer 14 02/05/2019 15:21 Temperature

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MEDICAL PHYSICS “When you feel like you’re running a fever, it doesn’t matter when you Holographic New implant to check your temperature – it will probably be the same for several hours. But a glutamate spike is so development fast that if you don’t capture it at that ‘Maths is the key’ to track brain trauma moment, you miss the whole creating 3D projection opportunity to get data,” said Riyi Shi, STUART NATHAN REPORTS Glutamate spike measurement could a professor of neuroscience and determine if drugs are working STUART NATHAN REPORTS biomedical engineering in Purdue’s Department of Basic Medical ebilitating migraines implant that can detect a glutamate Sciences, College of Veterinary are a common spike and help track the damage it Medicine and Weldon School of consequence of causes, which may find future use as Biomedical Engineering. spinal cord injuries, a method for determining whether In a paper in Biosensors and triggered by a drugs for brain trauma or diseases Bioelectronics, Shi and the Purdue chemical messenger are working. team explain how they produced a in the brain that In healthy people, glutamate is flexible sensor from platinum spikes very quickly to toxic levels. associated with functions such as nanoparticle-based nanocomposite DIt has previously been impossible learning and memorising. Damage to ink, using 3D printing and laser to detect such a fast change in the the spinal cord can cause it to leak micro-machining. Physicists at Bilkent University in level of the responsible into spaces outside cells, over- “We wanted to create a low-cost Ankara, Turkey, have solved a neurotransmitter, glutamate. Now, exciting and damaging them. This and very fast way to build these long-standing conundrum in biomedical engineers from Purdue tends to occur very rapidly, with sensors so that we can easily provide developing holographic projection. University have now developed an glutamate levels suddenly spiking. researchers with a means to Creating a 3D holographic measure glutamate levels in vivo,” projection relies on back-to-back An implant has been said Hugh Lee, a Purdue assistant stacking of a large number of 2D developed that can professor of biomedical engineering, images. However, the images tend to detect a glutamate who focuses on implantable interfere with each other, making the spike in the brain microtechnologies. projection fuzzy, a phenomenon Using these two techniques known as cross-talk. allows the researchers to rapidly While previous attempts to solve change the size, shape and this problem have focused on optical orientation of sensors and test them technology, the co-leader of the in animals with no need for expensive Ankara project, Prof Ömer Ilday, says microfabrication methods. this is not the best approach. In an animal test, with the “The reason for this cross-talk is implants mounted in the spinal cord, the maths, not shortcomings of the the researchers were able to capture physical components,” he said. “Any the glutamate spike immediately, pair of high-dimensional mutually while previous sensors have taken random vectors tend to be approximately half an hour to return orthogonal. This is a consequence of the data. the central limit theorem and the law Shi hopes that the sensor will of large numbers. We use this help determine the mechanism property, and a straightforward behind glutamate leaks and wavefront engineering trick, to add migraines, which is currently random phases to each image, to unclear. n eliminate cross-talk without using any additional optics.”

AEROSPACE The key to this development lies Beresheet was launched on 21 February atop a in the work of Joseph Fourier, who Spacecraft’s orbit and moon-land SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. developed the ‘Fourier transform’ Nammo Westcott in Buckinghamshire developed and used in high-speed spectroscopy, attempt to be awarded $1m prize built Beresheet’s LEROS 2b rocket engine. and Augustin-Jean Fresnel, who The first privately funded spacecraft to orbit the Moon Founded in Israel in 2011 by Yariv Bash, Kfir Damari originated the flat lens used in and attempt to land on its surface is to be awarded a and Yonatan Winetraub, SpaceIL was set up to compete lighthouses. $1m (£0.8m) Moonshot Award by XPRIZE. in the $30m Google Lunar XPRIZE. In 2015, SpaceIL “It was not possible to SpaceIL’s ill-fated Beresheet robotic lander failed to became the first team to announce a launch contract. simultaneously project a 3D object’s soft-land during its final descent to the Moon on April “[SpaceIL’s] ability to build a lunar lander for $100m back, middle and front parts,” said 11. As it prepared for landing, Beresheet experienced a and less than 50 engineers is a leap forward towards Prof Onur Tokel. A connection main engine failure and lost communication with affordable and accessible space exploration,” said between the equation developed by mission control in Tel Aviv, Israel. Peter H Diamandis, executive chairman of XPRIZE. JF Fourier and Fresnel helps to solve this issue. n

16 THE ENGINEER | MAY 2019

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TE_010519_017_Made in the Midlands_FP.indd 1 03/05/2019 13:17 ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE Capital Projects – too complex to change? Yen-Sze Soon, Managing Director, Accenture Digital - Industry X.0, Engineering & Capital Projects

Across the world, there is surging demand for new infrastructure. Rising global growth and/or rework. Typically, across the industry, around 10% of a project’s populations and concerns about economic slowdown are making infrastructure value is lost due to rework. Inefficiencies can arise owing to incorrect material investment a top priority for government. In the UK, capital projects like Crossrail, selection and construction methods, which in turn often lead to excessive waste HS2 and new nuclear power generation plants are all high-profile – but not always (in fact, some studies suggest capital projects generate approximately 40% of for the right reasons. Capital projects, such as these across industries, not just the world’s waste). And all these issues are exacerbated by changes to original infrastructure, typically overrun cost and time projections by significant margins. designs not being effectively communicated across all parties involved. The Financial Times recently reported that Crossrail is expected to require further cash injections of almost £2.5 billion and is likely to start operations nearly two Lack of diversity and an ageing workforce years behind schedule1. There is limited diversity in the capital projects workforce. In the UK construction industry, women2 make up only 13% with BAME workers accounting for only 5.7%3. Critical challenges A lack of diversity means that there is a bias towards doing things the way they Crossrail is far from being the only capital project that’s run into difficulties. So, why have always been done. With few alternative voices, there is less chance of is this happening and what can be done to overcome these issues? While there is sparking innovation. no single solution, a more concentrated focus on ecosystem collaboration, Additionally, there’s still relatively limited use of intelligent machines that can workforce and digital transformation can combine to have major, lasting impact. augment human workers, enhancing project safety and upskilling people throughout the value chain. That’s particularly pertinent for the construction sector, Making sense of a complex ecosystem which is challenged by an ageing workforce and the sustainability of skills coming By nature, capital projects are hugely complex. They involve large goals within the through the next generation. overall plan and require many parties to deliver them. Across industries, there are So many moving parts and inter-dependencies, limited collaboration and an owners, EPCs (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) and sub-contractors, inability to drive change, mean most large projects are almost destined to fall short third-party logistics providers, expediters, quality assurance organisations and of expectations before they’ve even begun. The statistics paint a bleak picture. In other service providers. These parties manage multiple functions individually or construction alone, the average is 80% overspent on original budget and less than collectively: from project planning to supply chain and logistics, execution and 60% of projects completed on time. And with this sector contributing up to 6.5% of commissioning. These groups all have different commercial objectives, ways of Gross Value Added to the UK economy, any improvements will have a decisive working and measures of success, which makes coordinating them a huge task. impact on the country’s performance.

These differences also often lead to a lack of transparency, which limits Value left on the table collaboration. That means: While the industry faces some formidable challenges, solving them could deliver l An absence of cross-functional insights and analytics leaves integrated project massive gains. According to a recent Accenture study, in the UK alone, almost £90 planning and execution unsupported. After financial services, capital projects billion of value over 10 years is waiting to be unlocked through efficiency gains and generate more data than any other industry. But most of it is poorly managed, environmental benefits by improving how capital projects in construction are misplaced or discarded during execution. This means little value is extracted planned, managed and run. from historical data. And the lack of information symmetry, intelligent insights The construction industry has been slow to implement digital technologies as and access to lessons learned can result in sub-optimal decision making. transformation tools to drive value. That has to change. Advances in various digital l Design and engineering often do not span the lifecycle of a capital project. technologies such as edge computing, Industrial IoT, AI, robotics, additive Designs that do not incorporate cost, design and scheduling data, lead to scope manufacturing and mobile can support transformational solutions for capital project

1 8 THE ENGINEER | MAY 2019

Ad - Accenture_The Engineer - May 2019_The Engineer 18 07/05/2019 09:55 delivery. Rather than seeing these as standalone, individual technologies, it’s prove that and have meaningful conversations across parties to do something essential that industry players harness their combinatorial impact to support about it, with connected technology that can provide actual information. decision-making, enhance productivity, integrate business functions and improve safety. So how can the industry start to realise the gains available from adopting Build a ‘Control Tower’ to process data and optimise digital technologies? decision-making Data collected as described, can be combined into a trusted digital platform in the Monetise existing data to incentivise collaboration form of a ‘Control Tower’ with up to date engineering designs and documentation, First, there is a need to encourage more collaboration and sharing of the vast enabling real time end-to-end supply chain visibility and progress of execution amounts of valuable data across the industry. Each party could monetise their own against plan. This visibility combined with complex algorithms, available on a data by trading it with others in return for better contractual terms and/or financial platform incorporating artificial intelligence, can process and optimise proposed gains to incentivise collaboration. Overall this could help to enable and be funded solutions, accurately predict and mitigate risks and reduce the time it takes to by the collective prize of on-time and on budget delivery. This will require enabling resolve issues. Digital Twins, or representation of the physical site and assets with technologies such as a trusted collaboration platform, but most importantly a associated engineering properties, can be created and used to simulate decisions change in mindset and a redesign of incentive structures based on the data and redesigns further increasing efficiency and certainty. available and its potential value to the industry. External collaboration will have limited value if it is hindered by internal organisational barriers. Hence, within each Automate and diversify the workforce organisation, operating models also need to be modified to encourage more Adopt robotics to augment humans for repetitive tasks, increasing productivity cross-functional collaboration through redesign of individual and team measures of and safety, especially in challenging environments such as restricted facilities. success and ways of working. Adopting all these technologies will attract a different type of talent, including digitally native workers, to the industry. That will increase diversity, driving Obtain real-time supply chain and construction innovation, continuous improvement, and act as a catalyst effecting change in execution data the existing workforce in terms of behaviour and skills; ultimately transforming Speeding up the feedback loop for monitoring execution progress against plan will the workforce in capital projects. enable faster issue resolution and more effective risk mitigation. This can be achieved with the IoT. Collecting real-time location data for people, equipment and valuable Big challenges, bigger opportunities materials will support actions to ensure everything’s in the right place, at the right time The challenges in capital projects are massive. But the potential opportunities are in line with the project plan. Edge technologies in combination with cloud enable data even greater. The key to unlocking them? Combining the right technologies with from the most remote location to be collected, aggregated and analysed. the right talent. To discuss practical examples of how these challenges can be For example, connecting up a construction site in this way provides turned into opportunities, please contact [email protected]. unparalleled insights into productivity. Ask a construction company what they estimate their productivity (outputs over inputs) to be and they typically put it at If you would like to learn more about how Industry X.0 can help a business thrive around 60%. Our analysis shows it’s likely to be nearer 35%. One reason? It can in the digital revolution, please read our report Combine and Conquer: take workers 90 minutes to get on and offsite every day. But it’s only possible to Unlocking the Power of Digital – accenture.com/combine-conquer.

1 https://www.ft.com/content/6e63cfe6-20bc-11e9-b126-46fc3ad87c65 4 European Contech Summit London 2018 2 http://www.infrastructure-intelligence.com/article/may-2015/infrastructure-insider-power-diversity 5 Made Smarter Review 2017 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/ 3 http://www.constructionmanagermagazine.com/insight/diversity-are-these-our-true-colours/ attachment_data/file/655570/20171027_MadeSmarter_FINAL_DIGITAL.pdf

MAY 2019 | THE ENGINEER 19

Ad - Accenture_The Engineer - May 2019_The Engineer 19 07/05/2019 09:55 viewpoint | alasdair n beal

Decisions must be made without delay The principal associate of structural engineers Thomasons explains the restoration challenges facing the fire-damaged Notre-Dame cathedral

hat happened to Notre- Dame cathedral in Paris on 15th April is a grim reminder of the sheer destructive power of fire when it takes hold, especially in an old building where wall panelling and much of the Wstructure, floors and furnishing is timber. In normal use it is reasonably safe, but behind ceilings, partitions and panels there are innumerable voids, nooks and crannies where rubbish can accumulate over the centuries. A hidden fire can start in one of these areas and take hold before anyone even sees it. The danger is particularly prevalent during building work: these concealed areas may be opened up or disturbed and new inflammable materials brought in, such as plastic, paper materials, packaging, or solvents. Building work also introduces possible new ignition sources: sparks from a disc cutter, a blowtorch burning off paint, faulty electric wiring, power tool batteries, or a stray cigarette end. Image: Wandrille de Préville ( Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International) Planning and restoration headaches The first challenge for restoration is to assess the contracts and control finances; and builders and condition of the remaining structure and identify “Initial progress is craftsmen to carry out the work itself. those precarious parts which need to be removed likely to be limited by The first challenge will be assembling this before people can work safely in the area. To team as soon as possible and companies have extinguish the fire, a vast amount of water was the number of skilled to identify key people so they can be released sprayed into the building and unless this is workers available” from other commitments. Progress in the early removed quickly, it could cause untold further stages is likely to be limited by the number damage to plasterwork and timbers. Therefore, have to made with modern materials. Difficult, of skilled workers available to work on the as soon as it is safe to do so, the most urgent sensitive decisions about the design will need to rebuilding, so a push to get work started needs task is to pump water out of the basement, be made quickly so a new permanent roof can be to be followed with a recruitment and training start drying the building and protect it from the constructed as soon as possible to protect the programme to swell the workforce and weather with a temporary roof. precious interior from the weather and allow the accelerate the project. Once this roof has been erected, there will building to be heated, to assist drying out. This Solutions need to be found to cut through then be time to think and plan. Engineers and initial phase will be critical, as any delay in drying the bureaucracy and standard procurement architects will first identify areas that need and protecting the structure and finishes could policies, so work can get off the ground. As work to be rebuilt or strengthened to support the lead to major further deterioration. progresses, more people will become involved, and new roof and they also have to decide how it It is essential to assemble a team of people who this expansion needs to be managed properly will be constructed. The original roof structure are knowledgeable and experienced in working on so design, construction quality, cost and the (‘the Forest’) was constructed from a vast historic buildings: architects and engineers to programme are all kept under control. A huge number of oak trees felled in medieval times, assess the damage inflicted on Notre-Dame, challenge lies ahead: all that is certain is it so ‘like for like’ replacement is probably not design reinstatement work and checks to ensure will take many years and a large amount of possible: parts of the new roof structure may it is done correctly; project managers to arrange money to complete. n

2 0 THE ENGINEER | MAY 2019

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TE_010519_021_PNY_FP.indd 1 18/04/2019 15:27 reader comments

making at least an attempt to push the envelope in Europe. The other issue I have is the focus on the North and Midlands. I would much rather it was on the South West or East Anglia. Mailbox Better still, let’s be talking about HS4 and HS5 to these destinations. Thehottopic Darrian Lilley It should never have been called HS2, but IC2 instead – increased capacity. Rail use continues to grow rapidly and we have not built a new north-south line for over 100 years. Taking the Building this line will release the current infrastructure for more freight transport by rail, which surely could ease some of our wrong track? road congestion. News that the Government Andrew Smith is to review the HS2 project We were misled over HS2. The speed of HS2 will triggered a debate on the be slower than stated, the time savings will not UK’s future rail strategy be achieved and it will go no further than Birmingham. The project is, and will continue to be, over budget and late. HS2 is a disaster for the railways, sucking up all the funds and preventing the much-needed investments elsewhere in the rail system. Another Steve

Regarding all these fancy hi-tech, high-speed solutions, I’d challenge anyone to draw a 10-mile straight line on a map of Britain that doesn’t pass through an ancient monument or a site of natural interest. The last people with effective powers to do this were the Romans Trevor

Why are we persisting in installing pantograph systems? This is particularly pertinent to HS3 as there are hills in the way east-west and the Victorians built the incredible tunnels we still use. They are not tall enough for pantographs. Why are we not investing in hydrogen or other self-contained propulsion systems? Sandy

HS2 is a notable success for the construction Hyperloop is the optimum public transport Capacity and connectivity are the problems. lobby. It will benefit few (certainly not many system, with no drivers and no strikes, 24 hours a Existing lines need either longer trains or more between the main destinations) and cause day, 365 days a year, ensuring distance is dead. A of them and the old rail network should be immense environmental and social destruction section could be laid between existing stations on looked at for new light rail transport systems to – all for a reduction of 20 minutes at best. Any one track initially, creating a fast hyperloop connect to the main lines. economic improvement for business would be between strategic centres, bypassing slow Roger Newnham better served by an electrification and stations. The hyperloop would go back and forth modernisation of existing lines, together with between its stations within a few minutes, I am interested in and excited by the modern rolling stock, and by replacing the ensuring the hyperloop is available within five technologies (which range from tunnelling to ripped-up lines of the 60s. Once we have a minutes of arrival at a station. maglev) – and hope that they will be developed comprehensive rail network, businesses and Paul Booker to be affordable. Regrettably, there is no sign of employees will be able to devolve away from any innovating. And without innovation it is main centres and thus create wealth and I have always thought high-speed links are crucial likely to be expensive both in time and money. I benefit the whole country, not just the principal to a modern society, either for digital or transport. am not convinced that making one link very fast cities. If done right, this would reduce The problem I have with the current HS2 is it does and leaving all the slow ones in place makes commuting, and the resultant pollution. not push any boundaries of speed or building much sense. Bob Sheppard methods. Maglev trains may be a better option, Julian Spence

2 2 THE ENGINEER | MAY 2019

Ed - mailbox_The Engineer - May 2019_The Engineer 22 02/05/2019 15:24 reader comments

Thesecretengineer Our anonymous blogger ponders the possible reasons behind Boeing’s 737 MAX troubles and what this might mean for the future of civil aircraft design

I feel it only fair to point out at the start that I We have lived for a long time with airliners am commenting on this matter from a position A Boeing 737 MAX-8 (the same variant as that that need computer intervention to fly in their involved in the Ethiopia crash) takes off purely based on what has been reported in the operational envelope and mainly this has been media so far; undoubtedly there is more still to very safe. However, there is, I would suggest, come to light. at least a partial precedent for this sort of As you are all no doubt aware there has been failure in the loss of Air France flight 447. In a crash involving a Boeing 737 MAX, sadly with that case it is believed a pitot tube on the no survivors. This is the second involving this Airbus A330 became obstructed with ice, type of aircraft within five months, both causing a cascade of events which ended with reportedly initiated by the same cause. the loss of 228 lives – a devastating accident From what I have seen, this is a multi-layered that you would think is still actively referenced problem – in fact, most major accidents are in the civil aviation world. caused by multiple failures – but I wonder if Boeing is full of very clever people and I this one strikes at the heart of the way civil seriously doubt any of them take the potential aircraft are currently brought to market? loss of life that may come from any of their On the surface there is a simple cause and Image: Boeing decisions lightly. So how have we come to what, effect: a new anti-stall system on the aircraft is admittedly with hindsight, seems like an dependent on a sensor and this was giving airliners but surely one more sensor, on inherently dangerous situation built upon a false information leading to an ultimately fatal something like this, should have been designed number of questionable decisions? Answer: the nose-down attitude for the aircraft. in? In fact, I even wonder if the system should extension of a design over 50 years old that The first cause for concern is that the pilot have been purely a notification device, warning introduces a known risk, trying to negate that could not override the system. Apparently there the pilot so that he or she could respond. risk with an automated system that directly was a set procedure for just such a situation as Look a little deeper and you come to wonder affects the aircraft’s flight without the ability to this, but what it didn’t do was permanently lock why this system was needed in the first place. lock it out and the reliance on one sensor for the anti-stall out. Therefore, if the problem The Boeing 737 made its maiden flight in 1967 input and enforced response. persisted there was no way to stop it taking you and has been subsequently developed through Whether we have arrived here through hubris, into the ground. a number of upgrades on its way to becoming misplaced confidence in technology or financial Take this a step further and you have to ask: the most numerous jet airliner. pressure, I cannot help but think it may be a if there is no way to permanently disable the In the push for greater efficiency, the 737 watershed moment for aircraft design. It’s a system why was there only one sensor? MAX has been re-engined, but because of this reminder too that as engineers we have a duty When I worked on the design of an aircraft we there is now a danger of it pitching nose-up in to maintain our professionalism and stand had redundancy in every critical system. Cost flight; a danger sufficiently worrying for the guard against any inappropriate dilution and weight are ever more important with anti-stall system to have been introduced. of standards. n

way. So it does beg the question of what sort of The greatest polluter of London’s air space is Inyouropinion payloads this vehicle would carry. Heathrow and they are expanding that. Peter Spence John Bibby Maiden flight of Stratolaunch Ultra Low Emissions Zone Considering the weight of evidence from multiple Stratolaunch is quite old technology just looking countries, it would be wilfully ignorant not to to lift more. With a take-off weight, including A forthright approach is required from the outset urgently tackle NOx and particulate pollution. payload, of 540 tonnes, a 117m wingspan and and Sadiq Khan has done this. It will make As to just how effective the solution will be, requiring over 3.5km of runway, it can’t exactly use individuals reassess their vehicle choice and that’s harder to pin down. You can’t blame your local airport. I don’t know what the end increase the number of EVs in the capital. This government for choosing to charge motorists. purpose is. will also generate a new business culture around Simply banning the worst cars would have John Logsdon low-carbon alternatives. This is the future. constituents gathering pitchforks and torches. Pete J Eyre I would be interested to know what weight could be put into, say, LEO orbits – using the 225-tonne Seems to be a sticking plaster ‘solution’ based load of the Stratolaunch, and how this compares more on politics than real action. It does nothing Join with other (reusable) launchers. If my memory to remove polluters from the roads. London the debate serves me correctly, the Bell X15 used to be taken doesn’t exist in a vacuum, so what about the theengineer. up to a height and then, presumably, a ramjet and pollution drifting in from the M25 and Heathrow ? co.uk air-breathing rocket would take it the rest of the Another Steve

MAY 2019 | THE ENGINEER 23

Ed - mailbox_The Engineer - May 2019_The Engineer 23 02/05/2019 15:24 interview | dave short Always looking for a competitive edge

BAE’s technology director talks to Jon Excell about the engineering challenges of keeping one step ahead of a constantly evolving range of military threats

hile they may sound like the ingredients of an action movie, AI-enabled cyberattacks, hypersonic missiles, laser cannons and robot swarms are just a few of the potential real-life threats being anxiously contemplated by the world’s top defence researchers. WIn fact, at a time of rapid technological change and increasing geopolitical uncertainty, the range of threats facing countries is perhaps broader and more challenging than at any time in history. To gain a greater understanding of the engineering challenges presented by all of this, The Engineer sat down “ You’ve got to look further with Dave Short, technology director of one of the firms at ahead, become ever the forefront of innovation in the sector: UK defence giant BAE Systems. more competitive and Disarmingly affable and relaxed given the sobering understand what the export nature of the day job, Short is nevertheless clearly passionate about the task at hand: ensuring that no stone market is going to require is left unturned in the search for technology. “We’re before they ask for it” looking at anything and everything to do with technology,” he said. “Anything that can give us greater capability or competitive edge.” Prior to taking on his current role in January 2018, 01 Developed in Short’s career was spent predominantly within the collaboration with the military air sector. Most recently he was engineering University of Manchester, authority for the Typhoon and Tornado, and before that Magma represents a new was chief engineer for BAE’s involvement in the F-35. But, breed of aircraft without despite this focus on aerospace, interfaces in the firm and any moving surfaces a keen interest in competitive environments have, he claims, set him up well to take on a broader tech brief. 02 Artist’s impression of This is important, because encouraging collaboration Tempest, BAE’s proposed across a company where expertise has historically been a next generation fighter jet little ‘siloed’ is a key element of the role. “I’m trying to 02 ensure that from a collaboration point of view we understand what we’ve already got, ensure that we maximise the technologies we already have, and ensure for it,” explained Short. A good example of this Reaction Engines, which is developing SABRE, a that we don’t duplicate,” he said. bearing fruit is the Unmanned Warrior project, new class of aerospace engine that combines One of the ways that the CTO organisation for which in which BAE worked with other partners to jet and rocket technologies. Short works achieves this is with a ring-fenced pot of develop autonomous capabilities for the Royal Short said that while BAE’s interest in the ‘seed-corn’ funding that can be used to overcome some of Navy. “This was a more risky project when it project is “very much based around the bureaucratic hurdles that sometimes hold up started than was comfortable for the maritime opportunities for space”, the capabilities the innovation. business to take on without some backing from team is developing – notably the ability to sink This approach enables the firm to be a little more the centre,” he said. “But now that’s matured vast amounts of heat – could be applied to a speculative than is often the case and to second-guess into something that’s progressing into bringing number of other applications. future capability requirements. “You’ve got to look further in customer funding.” Short’s team is looking beyond BAE for ahead, become ever more competitive and understand Another case of the firm looking to the future inspiration, whether through its strategic what the export market is going to require before they ask is its £20.6m investment in Oxfordshire’s relationships with universities such as

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relevant in the age of digital warfare. “The fact that you’ve got cyber doesn’t suddenly supersede the need for being able to have a really significant force on the back of an 01 aircraft carrier somewhere, for other threats and other reasons.” One such threat is the emergence of hypersonics, and, in particular, growing concerns over the technology being developed by Russia and China. “You’ve got intercept missiles which can take things out at Mach 3 and 4 but if something’s coming in at Mach 6, 7, and 8, what do you do about it?” he asked. He said a key project for BAE is the Boeing-led HIFIRE programme which has been developing and trialling experimental hypersonic vehicle technology. Elsewhere, perhaps one of BAE’s most publicised areas of activity is its work on UAVs. From the development of the Taranis unmanned combat aircraft, to its ongoing work on flapless flight (which recently saw the firm’s Magma UAV become the first aircraft to perform manoeuvres using supersonically blown air), the pace of development has led some to speculate that the current generation of military aircraft will be the last to feature a pilot. But while UAVs will undoubtedly play an ever-greater role, Short thinks that there will be a “man in the loop” for some time to come. “It’s a mandatory aspect of engagement anyway, but also humans still provide a flexibility that is very difficult to truly replicate through the use of autonomous systems,” he said. He suggested the next generation will see an optionally manned capability – something being considered with Tempest, the next generation fighter concept unveiled by the firm at the 2018 Farnborough Airshow. Tempest, a real showcase for emerging defence A trial of an unmanned technologies, may also be the recipient of another system RIB during the Unmanned more readily associated with the movies: the directed- Warrior project energy weapon. Short confirmed that this technology is an area of great interest for BAE, adding that having an infinite magazine (i.e. a weapon that doesn’t run out of Manchester (which is playing a key role in its elsewhere rather than develop an in-house bullets) would be useful for dealing with threats such as development of unmanned aerial vehicles capability. A case in point is the gaming sector, swarm attacks. (UAVs) with characteristics such as non-moving which is proving to be a valuable source of Rather than developing the actual weapons, the prime surfaces) or by working with other companies. in-demand data expertise. “Some of the focus here, he said, is understanding the challenge of This often involves working with specialists from capabilities which have been developed in the integrating this kind of technology on future platforms. “If other sectors, and Short singled out motorsport, gaming industry and the engines which drive you think about the amount of energy, the amount of heat famed for its ability to move rapidly from those are quite suitable for some of the things that can be generated and some of the peripheral aspects prototype to finished product partner. we want to try and do going forward,” said Short. of having that kind of capability, you need to have a design The firm has a longstanding relationship with One of the threats driving this requirement is case that allows that to be part of the thought process McLaren and last year announced a tech the growing issue of cyberattacks. “This wasn’t right from the very start.” sharing partnership with Williams with whom it even mentioned in defence policy going back to Ultimately, this view on integration, and designing is reported to be collaborating on cockpit 2007/08. Now it’s a major topic,” said Short, platforms to cope with future technologies, is one of the designs and battery technology. citing the 2018 WannaCry ransomware hack key challenges. Obsolescence has been a longstanding The company also frequently finds itself (which cost the NHS £92m) as an example of the issue across the military environment, with numerous collaborating with competitors – an essential havoc that can be caused. And while he wouldn’t cases of capabilities being developed which are obsolete dynamic, he said, given the sheer range of be drawn on details of BAE’s work in this field, before they’ve gone into service. challenges the sector faces. “When I started his thoughts on how the technology might evolve But Short believes technology is enabling the sector to back in the 80s, almost everything was done are chilling. “The thing I’ll be interested to see become better at future-proofing its systems. “Computing, in-house, but as the world moves on and there’s evolve personally is the use of AI in conjunction communications, data backplanes and the way you can more technology available, you want to bring in with cyber. make things more modular means we’re in a better as much as you can.” “The AI will keep learning from what didn’t position to make things more future-proof even though In a sector where emerging technology areas work and you might find it learns more quickly the cycles are picking up pace all the time.” n frequently call for non-traditional skill-sets, than the human hacker.” collaboration is also at the heart of the But despite justified concerns over the threat Dave Short will be talking at Day One of The Engineer’s company’s approach to people, with it often of cyber, Short rejects the notion that 2019 conference (4-6 June, NEC, Birmingham) – see making more sense to tap into skills which exist conventional defence projects are no longer Page 52 for more details.

MAY 2019 | THE ENGINEER 25

Ed - interview_The Engineer - May 2019_The Engineer 25 07/05/2019 10:28 cover feature | aerospace Electric air racing

looking to 01 take flight Stuart Nathan looks at the development of Air Race E, a new motorsport involving electrically powered air racing, and the effect this might have on the future of air transport

hose Magnificent Men in their Flying small single-engine aircraft fly through a slalom Formula One events comprise Machines used to be a television course featuring sharp turns at high speed against eight laps of the circuit. fixture on bank holidays in the UK, the clock. However, the Formula One Air Racing Jeff Zaltman, chief executive of Air Race Events, seemingly on rotation with The Great series in fact predates this event, and was first which sponsors the Air Race 1 World Cup and is Escape and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. proposed in 1936 with its first event in 1947. The launching a new all-electric series, Air Race E, told With a huge cast of such 60s biggest air race event in the world, the US National The Engineer that electrification in aviation is 20 stalwarts as Terry-Thomas, Robert Championship Air Races in Reno, Nevada, attracts years behind automotive because it is focused on Morley and Sarah Miles, it was an Edwardian-set some 150,000 spectators annually. large aircraft that can carry a number of Tmadcap comedy depicting an air race between In contrast to the Red Bull championship, passengers. “For an air race, the situation is quite London and Paris with a fiendishly catchy theme Formula One events are full multi-entrant races, different. You’re only talking about small aircraft song: They go up-tiddly-up-up, they go down-tiddly- where eight aircraft compete virtually wingtip to going a short distance over a short time, so you down-down. It directly influenced the immortal wingtip around a 5.13km oval course at an altitude don’t have to worry about the limitations of battery cartoon character Dick Dastardly (who memorably of about 10m. As with all motorsport, racing size and weight balance which are so important for took to the air himself in a never-ending and vehicles must comply with detailed entry criteria. passenger airliners. But small aircraft like these are never-explained quest to stop a carrier pigeon. Cue Aircraft must have a minimum wing area of 66ft² going to be very influential in the development of another theme tune). (6.1m²), a minimum empty weight of 500lbs (227kg) bigger ones, particularly in the testing and proving However, air races were no laughing matter in and a maximum engine displacement of 200in³ of the engine and energy management systems.” the early 20th century. They have a long tradition in (3.28L). They can reach speeds above 200mph Formula One Air Race forms the model for Air aviation, and made important contributions to (322km/h) and the spectators are seated 150m Race E, with the same course layout and eight-lap aerospace development. The Schneider Trophy, a from the course. races, and the aircraft will be of similar size and prestigious competition for seaplanes, was a testing envisaged as having comparable performance. The ground for the development of aerodynamics and raison d’être of Air Race E is similar to that of the aircraft engines, and its winners were the “It’s not just replacing Formula E road motorsport series: to use the forerunners of such famous fighter aircraft as the galvanising effect of a sporting competition to British Spitfire (whose development from a fuel tanks and batteries concentrate and accelerate development of seaplane was immortalised in another bank holiday and an engine with an electrical flight. favourite film, The First of the Few), the American However, there will be differences, notably that Mustang and Italian Folgore. And air racing is still electric motor; the power Formula E is deliberately focused on development going now. electronics are crucial” of a high-performance electric powertrain rather Today, the best-known air race event is probably than car aerodynamics, unlike in Formula One the Red Bull Air Race World Championship, where Glenn Llewellyn, Airbus where powertrain and aerodynamics are equally

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Ed - cover feature_The Engineer - May 2019_The Engineer 26 07/05/2019 10:29 cover feature aerospace

important to the Constructors’ Championship. For aircraft, the challenge of installing an 02 electrical propulsion system is very much more bound up with the design of the plane than it is with cars. So while the early Formula E series saw all the teams competing with essentially the same car, and teams have gradually been allowed to develop more of the powertrain themselves, for Air Race E, teams will be developing their own airframes from the beginning. Entrants will, of course, not be limited by gender, so it should be a case of those magnificent men and women in their flying machines. Initially, Zaltman plans to run Air Race E events as an ‘undercard’ to Formula One races, but he hopes the electric event will become more important than conventional fuelled races over time. The open design regime is in keeping with the air racing culture, where the ‘maker community’ is heavily involved in designing and building aircraft. Some of the teams are made up of aeronautical engineering students, often representing their university. Others are archetypal ‘men in sheds’ 01 Formula One aircraft are not identical, as the (women can and do also have sheds): hobbyists inverted gull-wing configuration on this aircraft who simply enjoy the challenge of making their own 03 shows. Other aircraft have straight wings planes (sometimes, but by no means exclusively, from kits). In order to continue to fit in with this 02 Aircraft remain close and low throughout the race culture, entrants will have to conform with the specifications set down by the governing body 03 Wingtip-to-wingtip racing (likely to include wing area, empty weight, maximum motor power rating and battery capacity and/or weight, closed cockpit, fixed undercarriage and propeller design), but will otherwise be free to just a matter of replacing fuel tanks and batteries build and fly their own designs. and an engine with an electric motor; the power The industrial drivers are also somewhat electronics are also crucial, and new airframe different. While the automotive industry is focused configurations are possible even within the on producing electric cars that, although not single- stipulations of the formula,” commented Glenn seat racers, are not all that different from the Llewellyn, general manager and chief technology Formula E vehicles, the aerospace industry is not officer of Airbus’s electrification programme. interested in developing small single-seat aircraft, “We are very interested in how competitors in Air but larger passenger airliners to fly city-to-city Race E tackle that issue, and how they integrate routes. The environmental rationale is also batteries and motors into their designs. We think different. Both automotive and aerospace that might well give us some inspiration for how we industries want to reduce their fossil fuel burn and might look at that in our larger aircraft. It really is an therefore their carbon emissions, but aerospace is integration issue as much as it is an engineering hybrid propulsion systems research fellow Richard also very concerned about the noise that aircraft design one.” Glassock is converting a current Formula One make, and the desire behind the switch to electric But Llewellyn stressed that because this project aircraft by retrofitting an electric motorbike engine propulsion is concerned with losing the jet engine is within the context of a motorsport formula, the to power its propeller, and by replacing its fuel scream. For both industries, the carbon emissions airframe innovations possible with electric aircraft tanks with batteries. This prototype will be used to question is one of emissions in use: if the electricity will not be seen in Air Race E; Airbus is considering help set the specifications for future aircraft to power the vehicles comes ultimately from fossil options such as tilt-rotors for vertical take-off (particularly in terms of weight), and it is expected fuel power stations, then overall emissions are not urban mobility vehicles, and is likely to make use of to make its maiden flight (probably at Cranfield) reduced at all (although reducing emissions from hybrid technologies with an on-board generator for within the next couple of months. large-point sources like power stations is simpler cruise flight, but Air Race E will be strictly all- “I’ve been working on electric and hybrid than reducing them from a large number of smaller electric, fixed-wing and front-engine. systems for aircraft propulsion for about 15 years sources, such as fossil-fuelled vehicles). Despite this, Zaltman said: “We are very much and we can see now in the world that electric Both the land-based and air-based racing series hoping the design freedom we are allowing in our propulsion is really a growing industrial application, are very much concerned with the development of competition will give rise to some interesting so this is a perfect fit,” Glassock said. As electric battery technology – cramming more energy solutions to these kinds of problems. You probably motors allow faster acceleration than kerosene- storage into as small and light a package as wouldn’t see that variety of solutions if we were a powered engines because of their instant torque, possible – and with the management of that single manufacturer series like Formula E was in its they are well-suited for racing aircraft. battery system to ensure the most economical use earlier years.” The aircraft Glassock’s team is working on is a of its stored power. For electric aircraft, the Although the first race is currently scheduled for Cassutt III airframe which, he explains, is an older separation of energy production from propulsion 2020, the series is still in its infancy technologically. model but still popular in air racing. It has a welded (that is, removal of the need to actually burn fuel) A prototype aircraft is being developed with tube steel fuselage with wooden wings which are has significance for design of the vehicle. “It’s not Airbus’s help at the University of Nottingham, where fabric-covered with some composite fairings and

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Ed - cover feature_The Engineer - May 2019_The Engineer 27 07/05/2019 10:29 cover feature aerospace

nose cowling. The fuel tanks sits right behind the engine, so the substitution is direct: the batteries 04 occupy the space where the fuel tanks were. The original engine is a 0-200 4-cylinder piston design, the cylinders arranged in a horizontally opposing configuration. As electric motors are cylindrical, the characteristic “side cheeks” of the aircraft will disappear. The major challenge in engineering terms, Glassock said, is concerned with weight and its distribution. “The electric motor has the potential for relatively high ‘power density’ or power-to- weight ratio compared to the original piston 04 Richard Glassock engine,” he explained. “The engines used in racing and Jeff Zaltman can be modified in some limited ways, and typically operate at much higher RPM than as certified, 05 Air Race E will which enables considerably more than the focus on electric flight standard power output. development “Some racers claim around 150kW from their piston engines (originally certificated at 75kW rating), and the weight is around 110kg. A good presently available technology electric motor Also, the motor power is of course limited by the aircraft, Glassock believes that the noses might installation should give the same power at about ratings and operational conditions for the power become longer and thinner, with differences in the half this weight, when the necessary ancillaries electronics and battery.” cooling requirements of the motor leading to (mainly cooling system, heat exchangers, pumps In many types of aircraft, fuel tanks are located differing approaches to aerodynamics. fluid, etc) and power electronics are included. in the wings. Racing aircraft tend to locate them in Glassock believes that the Air Race E project will Whereas the old internal combustion engine in this the nose, and the retrofit project will follow suit be very significant for development of commercial case was pretty well at the limit of power to weight, with batteries behind the motor, to ensure that the electric aircraft. The main reason for this, he says, is the electric propulsion systems still have a lot of centre of gravity is in the right place. If future that the 150kW power level needed in racing development potential.” designs locate them in the wings instead, some aircraft is the same as the engine rating that will be A bigger problem is the batteries. For presently mechanical reinforcement would be needed, needed commercially. available battery technology, the energy required at Glassock speculated, as the batteries and “Electric motors are suitable for relatively easy 150kW may require batteries that “imply excessive associated equipment weigh some 100kg. ‘stacking’, so that multiple motors can easily drive a weight for the Formula One-type aircraft in current Glassock’s project has two phases. “The first single load, propeller or fan,” he said. “These use”, Glassock said. “This will be an interesting phase is to retrofit the aircraft with mostly properties make the technical development of Air problem for the overall design. It may be necessary commercially available components and replicate Race E propulsion systems highly relevant to to increase the wing area, or introduce high lift the original performance as far as possible,” he broader commercial use such as in eVTOL, PAV and devices (flaps, spats, etc) to enable higher gross said. “The second phase will be to design a bespoke even regional and sub-regional transport. weights. Alternately it may be better to use lower propulsion system including custom-built power “I can see this racing becoming very exciting, power and therefore less energy, if the overall electronics, motor and integration systems. The both in terms of the flight environment but also in speed can be made competitive.” aircraft we are using was fitted with a relatively the technical design and operations. And the These are typical aircraft engineering, racing standard engine. We believe it would have been human potential, social interaction and innovation and strategy design problems, he added. “Also, the developing approximately 80kW and so we are environment can be spectacular. We want to battery technology will improve over time along aiming at replicating this for Phase 1. We would like encourage younger generations to positively with motor and power electronics so that it is likely to keep the gross weight as close as possible to the embrace the ambition at all levels too. I think these within some years that the 150kW Air Race E original aircraft too, and so we expect equivalent factors align with the sort of future thinking and platform will be of similar gross weight to the performance, handling and manoeuvrability.” spirit necessary to solve many complex problems present-day units.” In the second phase, things may change. The facing the aerospace industry, transport and The electric motors are commercially sourced, goal of this part of the project will be to optimise environmental issues and within educational, although at least one model being considered was the aircraft and its systems. “This will involve the commercial and industrial engagement.” designed and built at the University of Nottingham. motor and power electronics design primarily, but So, while some harbour doubts about the These racing motors are rated at “continuous” and as with all aircraft design, and racing in general, transfer of technology from Formula E to “peak” power, Glassock explained. “The e-bike the whole system including the airframe, commercial road cars, there seems to be motors are in the order of 200kW peak and 120kW propulsions system and the environment have to agreement that the world of air racing will be of continuous rated, however the motorcycle race duty be considered.” definite influence to the coming generation of cycle is much different from the air race conditions. In the future, as teams develop their own electrically powered commercial aircraft. And although problems still remain to be 05 cracked, such as low-carbon energy to charge the aircraft’s batteries, and the batteries themselves (although the imminent launch of 1kWh per kilogram batteries may well change this, as we will see in coming issues of The Engineer), it seems certain that the way we fly – for short distances at least – is on the verge of a significant change. ■

2 8 THE ENGINEER | MAY 2019

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MAY 2019 | THE ENGINEER 29

Ads - RHP_09-May-2019_The Engineer_The Engineer 29 07/05/2019 10:24 feature | medical & healthcare Homing in on technology A new £20m research centre will explore home-based technology to help people living with dementia. Andrew Wade reports

t is estimated there are 50 million people on the planet living with dementia today, a number the World Health Organisation predicts will treble over the next 30 years as average life spans increase. The issue has been described as a time bomb – the biggest healthcare challenge 02 of the 21st century. Although there is no known cure for the disease, technology is playing an increasingly important role in helping people live with dementia, particularly in their own homes. “Dementia is now the biggest killer in the UK,” said Prof David Sharp, a Ineurologist at Imperial College London and head of a new £20m dementia research centre. Located at Imperial’s West London campus near White City, the facility will apply AI, robotics, sensors and software to create dementia- friendly homes when it opens in June this year. “We’ve got 850,000 people living with dementia today,” Sharp told media at a recent event to launch the centre. “We’ve got an ageing population. By 2050, we’re going to have about two million people living with dementia. “From my perspective, I think the system for caring for patients with dementia is broken. I think most patients and carers come into contact very infrequently with healthcare professionals. What that means is that preventable problems develop. One of the facets of that is around hospital infection monitoring. The information from these systems will feed into a admissions. So around 25 per cent of all the NHS beds are occupied by people system called Databox, which will essentially be a small home-server that will living with dementia, and we estimate that about 20 per cent of those give patients control over their own data, while also providing access to admissions are potentially preventable.” approved healthcare professionals. Preventable admissions can be the result of anything from dehydration and As well as evaluating technology that is already available, the centre will falls to things like urinary tract infections (UTIs), which are particularly test completely new hardware designed specifically for the project. An common in dementia patients and often result in lengthy hospital stays. earpiece sensor developed in-house at Imperial will provide information on Cutting the number of these admissions would reduce the strain on both the gait and sleep, as well as acting as a mobile EEG, recording brain activity over NHS and dementia patients themselves, for whom hospital visits can be extended periods of time. Elsewhere, low-cost miniaturised radar technology distressing. According to Sharp, technology in the home could have a major will generate detailed data on patient movement and behaviour. impact on how dementia’s effects are detected and how the disease is treated. “We have a prototype of an ear EEG system that can be used to track brain “We have treatments for UTIs, we’re just not implementing them quick activity over long periods of time, so we’ll be evaluating that,” Sharp explained. enough,” he said. “We think that technology and new engineering advances are “We’re also going to be developing new biosensors to measure infection state going to help us to do that. What we propose is that the centre will develop an as well as the earliest signs of the development of dementia from the blood.” intelligent environment, so really a cost-effective home that uses advanced AI and machine learning will help identify patterns in the data and guide engineering solutions and artificial intelligence to support and protect decision making. Crucially, the system should provide a more rounded view of patients living in their own home, which is where people want to stay for as the disease and its impacts, in comparison to the brief patient snapshots long as possible.” garnered from medical appointments. This will help healthcare professionals At the heart of the system will be a suite of advanced sensors deployed to evaluate the effectiveness of treatments in real time as well as enhance throughout the home, recording the most relevant information for patients who patient safety. are living with dementia. This includes things like sleep assessment, detailed “We want to use robotic devices and other ways of changing the behaviour assessment, medication effects, brain activity changes and environment to try and improve safety and to try and support people to live for

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Ed - mini feature_The Engineer - May 2019_The Engineer 30 02/05/2019 15:28 feature medical & healthcare Homing in on technology

as long as possible in the home,” said Sharp. “I think we’re close to having something that’s really usable in a wide “We think the system overall will have a context,” he said. “I think the wins will be across a wide range of things. I think number of benefits. We think it will we’ll be targeting reducing that 20 per cent figure of unnecessary hospital personalise care, it will improve health admissions. autonomy, it will improve communication “We’re very interested in the use of smartphone apps, for example, for across healthcare teams and it will improve monitoring certain aspects of disease progression. We’ve already funded that safety by allowing us to identify problems and we have a system for monitoring memory and attention and how people that might be developing in the home are affected. And that will be free to download. environment.” “So there’ll be an element that anyone will be able to access, from anywhere In a bid to ensure that the research is in the world. practical and relevant, the centre will work “Of course some of the more complicated technology will come at a cost.” with Imperial’s design centre, Helix, to get The vision is that someone diagnosed with dementia in the near future early feedback on prototypes from patients could be prescribed a package of hardware and software, perhaps via the NHS. and carers. The most promising technology GPs might have a dashboard of different apps suited to individual needs, while 01 will then be trialled in the homes of around 50 specialists might kit out homes in the same way internet and TV providers do people affected by dementia, with a new today. Ultimately, the system should enable healthcare professionals to 01 Prof David Sharp group of 50 rotated in every six months. This engage with dementia patients more effectively, but also much more model will enable the team to assess meaningfully. 02 The various technologies different combinations of technology to find “We think the technology will transform the efficiency, the use of the that could help dementia out what blends well for the best overall resources available, improve the way GPs are operating, reduce hospital patients remain longer in benefit. While certain devices are already admissions, keep people out of care homes and out of hospital for as long as their homes commercially available, Sharp expects some possible,” said Sharp. of the newer developments to reach the “That has major economic wins, and people also want to stay in their homes market within the next five years, with the aim with their loved ones as long as possible. They don’t want to be in a nursing of keeping the tech small, low-cost and home or sitting for three months in a hospital bed because they had a UTI but scalable. we couldn’t treat it. That’s the target. That’s a win all round.” n

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Ed - mini feature_The Engineer - May 2019_The Engineer 31 02/05/2019 15:28 automotive | car of the issue F-Pace SVR: The Magnificent Beast roars to life The latest creation from JLR’s Special Vehicle Operations department is the Jaguar F-Pace SVR – a luxury SUV that offers other-worldly performance, writes Chris Pickering

e call this thing The Magnificent Beast,” jokes Ross Restell, lead engineer for vehicle dynamics at JLR’s Special Vehicles Operations department. He’s referring to the new Jaguar F-Pace SVR that sits waiting for us across the car park. Just then, one of the cars starts up, its 5-litre supercharged V8 roaring into life like an angry lion woken from its slumber. I swear you can feel the ground shake. ‘WWe’ve been here before, of course. Luxury SUVs are big business and that means premium manufacturers are scrambling to outdo each other in the world of super-fast, super-sized off-roaders. Alfa Romeo has the Stelvio Quadrifoglio, Porsche has the Cayenne Turbo and even Jaguar’s sister company Land Rover has an indirect rival in the form of the Range Rover Sport SVR. But while the Range Rover Sport SVR is a gloriously silly hot rod that blends laugh-out-loud performance with Land Rover’s traditional mud- plugging capabilities, the F-Pace SVR is an altogether more serious attempt at a performance car. It has a very credible base in the standard F-Pace – 01 already one of the best handling SUVs on the market – and a lot of work has “It’s these gone into creating a civilised, well-rounded package. systems “We inherited a great car to start with,” comments Restell. “The F-Pace is that give the already extremely rigid so we were able to get the performance and the F-Pace SVR handling characteristics we wanted without having to make any changes to its remarkable the fundamental structure. It’s mainly ability” aluminium so it’s also comparatively light and the suspension already has a suitable layout with double wishbones at the front and an integral link setup at the rear.” The most obvious change is the addition of the vast supercharged V8 that’s 01 The steering is well- 02 currently causing the air around us to pulsate. It’s essentially the same unit as weighted you’ll find in top-of-the-range versions of everything from the F-Type to the Range Rover. 02 This is the first time a V8 However, this marks the first time that this engine has been installed in the engine has been installed F-Pace. The results are startling. Despite an unladen weight of more than two in the F-Pace tonnes, the 542bhp (550PS) V8 is capable of catapulting the F-Pace SVR from 0 03 The F-Pace goes from to 60mph in just 4.1 seconds. That’s faster than a Ferrari 360 Modena in a car 0 to 60mph in an impressive with ample room for five people and a boot large enough for a pony. Top speed 4.1 seconds is an almost equally barmy 176mph.

3 2 THE ENGINEER | MAY 2019

Ed - car of the issue_The Engineer - May 2019_The Engineer 32 02/05/2019 15:31 automotive car of the issue

with well-weighted steering that responds faithfully to your inputs and a chassis that seems to pivot directly about your hips. But what’s remarkable about this car is the way it combines the mild- mannered Dr Jekyll and the savage Mr Hyde into one coherent package. As Restell explains when we catch up later on, it’s this elusive balance between ride and handling that proved the biggest challenge for the SVO engineers. “We would sometimes spend a week at the Nürburgring developing an incredible track set-up. It would seem OK driving back on the continental motorways, but as soon as we rolled off the train into the UK we’d realise that it had become too track-focused,” he comments. “We’d then spend two or three weeks driving around the roads of the UK to wind that back out before we’d have to return to the track to ensure we’d got the balance right.” Part of this transformation lies with the hardware. The springs are now 30 per cent stiffer on the front and 10 per cent stiffer on the rear. There have also been revisions to the bushes, the spring aids and the anti-roll bars, along with the internal components used in the Bilstein Continuously Variable Damping system. Elsewhere, there’s a new electronically controlled rear differential, You can feel the ground shake with this Jaguar F-Pace SVR capable of varying the locking torque to strike a balance between traction and stability (for instance, allowing the rear inside wheel to spin on a damp corner to prevent excessive oversteer). Meanwhile, the fore-and-aft split can also be Other changes include a set of giant alloy wheels (21-inch as standard, with constantly adjusted, with anywhere from 50 to 100 per cent of torque sent to optional 22-inch wheels fitted to our test car). Inside those you’ll find an the rear wheels. On top of all this, there’s a brake-based torque vectoring equally gigantic set of brake discs (396mm at the rear and 396mm at the front) system that can occasionally be felt helping the car to pivot into the corners. charged with hauling this beast back to a standstill. It’s these systems that give the F-Pace SVR its remarkable breadth of ability. No less than 250 different software calibrations were apparently tested The calm before the storm before the SVR was finally signed off. Earlier on in the process, JLR’s driver-in- We climb into the beautifully appointed interior and point the F-Pace SVR’s the-loop simulator in Gaydon had been used extensively, allowing the ride and nose north from St Tropez towards the Route Napoleon and the Southern Alps. handling engineers to drive a virtual model of the car. The roads around the Aside from a flare of revs when the engine starts, it’s a very refined experience. development centre were digitised using a laser scanning process to capture The V8 dies down to a distant rumble, the eight-speed ZF automatic shuffles every bump and camber. Similar techniques were used to create virtual gears seamlessly in the background and the ride – even on those monster representations of test facilities such as the Nürburgring. This helped the truck wheels – has that classic Jaguar blend of compliance and composure. engineers to narrow down the hardware choices before they moved on to We find ourselves stuck behind a truck as the road starts to snake its way physical prototypes for the fine-tuning. up into the mountains. A short straight opens up ahead so I flick the drive Given all the performance and technology involved, the F-Pace SVR actually selector over to Dynamic and pin the accelerator to the bulkhead. A wall of starts to look like quite good value at its starting price of £74,835. Of course, sound erupts from the SVR’s tailpipes. With no turbochargers to worry about, there are those who will tell you that an SUV capable of hitting 176mph is the response is instant, the torque delivery is unswervingly linear and the excessive. And they’re not wrong. But there are a few things to consider: It’s a thrust is seemingly never-ending. It’s as if the road ahead has been stunning engineering achievement that acts as a halo product in an industry compressed by magic. where SUVs are big business and this particular variant will only ever account A few corners later, I’m even more convinced that the SVO engineers have for a tiny percentage of F-Pace sales. A lot of the lessons learnt on this project turned to voodoo. Whereas some fast 4x4s squat down on their haunches when will translate well to other areas of the business (particularly when it comes to you accelerate hard and roll around in the corners, the F-Pace stays level and engineering dynamism into electric vehicles laden with batteries). composed. The same applies to braking, with more than enough retardation to And finally, it seems that the days of big, loud combustion-engined cars like haul this two-tonne projectile down from the somewhat alarming velocities it this may soon be numbered, so we should enjoy this magnificent beast while is able to achieve. You never entirely lose that sense of mass, but at no point the opportunity still exists. With that in mind, I’m heading back up into the does it feel like an impediment. There’s a real sense of involvement here too, mountains. n

MAY 2019 | THE ENGINEER 33

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Maxon gives robotic surgeons a helping hand A collaboration between Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL) and Maxon is enabling greater precision in assisted keyhole surgery Supplier: Maxon Motors

Robots are becoming ever more adoption. The development of robotic prevalent in the healthcare sector, no surgical platforms has introduced 3D more so than in the demanding world vision and significant improvements of surgery. Bristol Robotics in the levels of dexterity. Laboratory (BRL) is developing a “RAMIS will reduce the demand system known as RAMIS (robotic- on the surgeon, shorten training time assisted minimally invasive surgery) and deliver accuracy, safety and that uses Maxon DC motors and reduced procedure time.” controllers to drive and position a BRL used Maxon’s online three-finger surgical instrument that Configurator to select and configure goes inside the body. the DCX 19 S brushed DC motor, GPX The instrument will be controlled BRL and 22 gearbox and ENX 10 encoder used by exoskeletons that fit over the Maxon are on RAMIS. The online platform surgeon’s hands, with smart glasses enhancing enabled the best fit in terms of providing the surgeon with a realistic keyhole output torque, speed and encoder view of what’s taking place inside the surgery feedback. Physical dimensions could patient. RAMIS is part of a wider procedures also be realised, including technical Maxon project – SMARTsurg – that is details of the package published, developing an advanced system for such as the 3D CAD model, at the robotic keyhole surgery procedures. “While the popularity of RAMIS is feedback to the surgeon,” explained touch of a button. Prior to RAMIS, Maxon worked steadily increasing, the potential for Sanja Dogmadzi, professor in The Maxon EPOS2 positioning with BRL on several projects, while improving patient outcomes and the medical robotics at BRL. controller and CAN communication the latest endeavour involves a team potential for other procedures is not “Specifically, restricted access, protocol were used to ensure each of 10 institutions across Europe, fully realised, largely because of lack of force feedback, and use of axis responds to commands from the featuring highly experienced clinical, serious limitations in the current rigid tools in confined spaces filled master controller in terms of academic, and industrial partners. instrumentation, control and with organs pose challenges to full position, speed and torque. n

HVAC systems boost hotel’s energy savings Installation helps Madrid hotel achieve 40% reductions in energy Supplier: ABB

It isn’t just manufacturing industries confirmed. “The study showed that that can make savings using smart 40 per cent of energy could be saved instruments. by decreasing the frequency of the The InterContinental hotel in motor by 10 per cent,” stated Enrique Madrid has achieved 40 per cent Bernad Lillo, quality and financial reductions in energy use by installing manager at Exel Industrial. variable-speed drives and high- ABB’s recommendation was that Variable-speed efficiency motors from ABB on its the system should be upgraded with drives and heating, ventilation and air variable speed drives with the IE3 high-efficiency conditioning systems. The total energy efficiency classification that motors have reduction exceeded 445,000kWh per is now mandatory for compliance been installed year. The installation was part of a with EC regulations. on HVAC project by InterContinental Hotels As well as saving energy, they also systems Group (IHG), of which the Madrid hotel produce less noise than the previous is a 65-year-old flagship. system because of their smoother exceed its Green Engage goals. Over He added: “This is a great example The hotel has eight pump groups start-up characteristics. Also, they a year that adds up to 445,000kWh, of how our variable speed drives, that serve its HVAC systems and hot eliminate the risk of pump cavitation, cutting the hotel’s annual energy bill combined with our high-efficiency water supply to guestrooms, kitchens increasing the equipment’s lifespan by more than £28,000 to deliver a motors, are providing the most and other facilities. Although these and reducing maintenance costs. projected return on investment in affordable, effective and sustainable were in good condition, IHG was “Our ABB intelligent motion less than two years,” said Morten means of saving energy and concerned their efficiency levels were solutions enable energy savings of Wierod, president of ABB’s Motion optimising operations for our below best practice, which a study around 40 per cent, helping IHG business. customers.” n

THE ENGINEER | MAY 2019 3 5

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3 6 THE ENGINEER | MAY 2019

Ads - RHP_09-May-2019_The Engineer_The Engineer 36 07/05/2019 10:55 Component production Funding gap preventing cycle could speed up firm growth Delay between Delay of a component Mid-sized firms miss production and a production cycle could be reduced to out on new contracts component’s just a few minutes measurement HELEN KNIGHT REPORTS checks could be Research from Wyelands Bank has found that nine out of 10 mid-sized reduced, boosting manufacturers, turning over £10m to efficiency £300m, are being held back because

HELEN KNIGHT REPORTS of a lack of finance. Difficulties raising finance to anufacturers support their growth have stopped could them from winning new contracts significantly and that has stifled new job creation. reduce the Each firm said that the difficulties delay between raising finance meant they had production of a missed out on an average of £20m in component revenues and an average of 11 new and precision measurement checks, contracts, which would have enabled Mthereby improving productivity and each firm to create 10 new jobs. efficiency, thanks to UK research. These figures suggest that the When a component is 23,000 mid-sized manufacturing manufactured, it typically leaves the businesses in the UK have CNC machine at an elevated collectively missed out on 163,000 temperature, and must be cooled contracts and 175,000 new jobs. before it can be precisely measured The research found also that in a coordinate measuring machine difficulties in raising finance (CMM). prevents 70 per cent of firms from But since engineers have no way of investing in new equipment or knowing precisely when the part will technology. drop to the desired temperature of Half have also been held back 200C, they typically wait for eight to 24 from entering new markets and 45 hours before checking it in the CMM, their ability to conduct heat to a per cent are said to have been according to Dr Naeem Mian at the “We can surface, to calculate how long it takes prevented from moving to a new site University of Huddersfield. for the temperature to stabilise. Mian or premises due to funding issues. JF This creates a logjam in production commence then used finite element Analysis to and means that expensive CMMs measurement validate his findings. When stand idle. experimenting with a heated venturi Now Mian and his colleagues have after just he found it could cool enough to be Contents found that this wait time could be placed in a CMM in minutes. slashed, potentially to just a few six or seven “We heated up the venturi to 37-41 News minutes. minutes” around 330C, while its base was Their research is expected to give around 400C,” said Mian. “But instead 43 Mazak engineering firms a technique for of leaving it for an eight-hour shift 44-46 Machine tool round-up calculating how long it takes for a The researchers carried out a pattern, or even up to 24 hours, we component’s temperature to be series of experiments to determine conducted our research and found 48-49 3D printing stabilised so that it can safely be the thermal contact conductance that we can commence measurement measured by a CMM. values of different components, or after just six or seven minutes.” 50 Products

MAY 2019 | THE ENGINEER 37

Ed - Advanced Manufacturing news and AM contents_The Engineer - May 2019_The Engineer 37 02/05/2019 15:33 advanced manufacturing news

PRODUCTION

the metal. In this way we generate Getting smart with new the empty spaces we need in order to allow the metal to move.” The use of the CMOS process also allows Nanusens to take advantage production techniques of Moore’s Law of electronics, meaning it can build smaller, New capabilities in MEMS designs can provide more sensors nanoscale sensor devices. Existing and bigger batteries for electronic devices HELEN KNIGHT REPORTS MEMS devices, in contrast, are typically one micron or larger in size. mart devices, The nanoscale MEMS (NEMS) including wearable The new technology structures can be built on the same electronics and is likely to be initially chip as the electronics needed to internet of things applied to earbuds control them, with the entire package (IoT) technology, 1mm³ in size. In contrast, packages could be equipped consisting of chips containing with more sensors conventional MEMS structures, and bigger batteries, thanks to a new alongside a separate chip for the Sproduction technique. control Micro electro mechanical “You need electronics, systems (MEMS) are a vital are typically component in most electronic empty around devices, as they provide the sensing 4mm³ in capabilities that make the space to size. technology smart. However, since The every MEMS sensor design is allow the technology unique, each needs its own is likely to be specially-developed manufacturing movement initially process, making it difficult to applied to quickly ramp up to large volume [of the earbuds, production. MEMS where they Now, London-based Nanusens will free up has developed a technique to use the device]” space for same standard production process larger used to make electronic chips, known batteries with improved operational as the complementary metal oxide life. It could also be used in smart semiconductor (CMOS) process, to phones and wearable devices. build MEMS sensors. However, the company believes In this way, the devices can be dioxide is etched away to produce the sensor. the sensors will ultimately have the produced in any fabrication plant, in the mechanical structure. In the new “You need empty space to allow most significant impact on the IoT, large volumes, according to Dr Josep MEMS process, these structures the movement [of the MEMS device],” which has so far been limited by the Montanyà, CEO of Nanusens. can include nanoscale moving parts said Montanyà. “So we etch away the lack of cheap, mass-produced MEMS In the CMOS process, silicon such as springs, which then form silicon dioxide very quickly, and leave sensors, said Montanyà. n

PRODUCTION business applications. This make the best use of their information is then analysed by the equipment, and reduce downtime. New software IBM Watson IoT platform to identify The AI system can recommend ways to improve production, steps to improve the quality of breakthrough according to Peter Boras, CEO and manufactured goods, reduce costs, co-founder of RoboticsX. and increase production speed. The X1 Grid to enhance AI “These days, industrial systems AI can also be used for quality and tech connections tend to be quite complex, you need to control, to reduce scrappage, and to study for 100 years to know how to improve supply chain management. Software designed to turn production automation software, has developed work the machines, so we are trying “Other systems need to be facilities into smart factories, by the platform, called X1 Grid. to offer very simple solutions,” said programmed manually, so it takes a more quickly and easily connecting The software platform is equipped Boras. “So if there is a problem, I lot of effort, time and cost, but our industrial robots and machinery with with IBM Watson Internet of Things want to know how I resolve it.” system is really easy to use, making it different business applications, has (IoT) and IBM Cloud technology. The Watson system includes AI cheaper and faster,” said Boras. been developed in Germany. The system extracts and software designed to predict and The software is suitable for use Munich-based RoboticsX, which translates industrial hardware data prescribe any maintenance. In this with advanced machinery, but also specialises in industrial robotics and into information suitable for use by way it can allow manufacturers to with older devices such as PLCs. HK

38 THE ENGINEER | MAY 2019

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MATERIALS

molecules to be reoriented. When Breaking tensions to see drawing polyethylene, defects and voids in the bulk structure are introduced which destroy the polymer’s transparency and reduce through sheets of strength its strength. The researchers started with A new processing technique can turn transparent polythene HDPE sheets and drew them out at a into a stronger material than aluminium, with implications temperature below the polymer’s melting point. They found that by for several industrial sectors STUART NATHAN REPORTS drawing at temperatures between 90 and 1100C, they achieved the best balance between strength and transparency. “We expect greater polymer chain mobility at these high drawing temperatures to be responsible for creating fewer defects in the drawn films, resulting in less light scattering by defects and therefore a higher clarity,” said Prof Peijs. The films possessed a Young’s modulus of 27GPa and the maximum tensile strength of 800MPa along the drawing direction, both of which are 10 times higher than those of PA and PMMA plastics. Aluminium, meanwhile, has a Young’s modulus of 69GPa and aerospace grades have tensile A new processing technique aims to enhance the mechanical properties of HDPE to the point where it competes with glass strengths up to 500MPa. However, the density of HDPE is rof Ton Peijs of the They have tuned the process of The researchers claim their new less than 1,000kg/m³ while Warwick drawing sheets of polymer from a technique, which orientates strands aluminium is 2,700kg/m³ and glass Manufacturing Group solid in such a way that the material’s of polymer molecules within the is around 2,500kg/m³. The and Prof Cees strength is enhanced whilst sheets, enhances the mechanical transparent aluminium-based Bastiaansen of transparency is not compromised. properties of high-density ceramics have densities approaching Queen Mary, Engineers have been trying to polyethylene (HDPE) to the point 4,000kg/m³. University of London, develop a material that can replace where it competes with glass and “It is anticipated that these HDPE have devised a method of making glass – which is heavy and brittle – in outperforms metals. films can be used in laminates and Ptransparent polythene sheets that vehicle glazing applications. Drawing involves pulling the laminated composites, replacing or have tensile strength greater than Transparent polymers have lower material under tension, generally at strengthening traditional inorganic aluminium. density but scratch and fog easily. an elevated temperature to allow the or polymeric glass,” said Prof Peijs. n

INDUSTRY 4.0 The UK trial, the first in a series deliver those types of applications of global trials, is being held at in an industrial environment.” How Wi-Fi 6 Mettis Aerospace’s 27-acre facility Other challenges the technology in the West Midlands, in faces is in juggling the competing can work collaboration with the Wireless needs of the different applications. Broadband Alliance (WBA). Some applications, such as New tech applications The Mettis Aerospace site was multi-stream video, will require high may be made possible chosen for the trial as it provides a bandwidth, others require low number of technical challenges to latency, while mission critical The use of augmented reality and the wireless system, covering a large manufacturing plant in which to applications will need to be real-time video monitoring of geographical area and with install the Wi-Fi 6 network, prioritised, said Rodrigues. equipment within the industrial radio interference that consisting of several antennae. “So particularly for Mettis’ manufacturing industry could be can disrupt signals, according to “We are going to run a series of maintenance team, it is very among the applications made Tiago Rodrigues, general manager of tests to address Mettis Aerospace’s important that they can have critical possible following the world’s first the WBA. requirements, so for example, the information as soon as possible, so trial of Wi-Fi 6 internet of things During the trial, the team will use of augmented reality,” he said. that they can take whatever actions (IoT) technology. select two or three areas of the “We want to verify that Wi-Fi 6 can are required,” he said. HK

MAY 2019 | THE ENGINEER 41

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TE_010519_000_Mazak_FP.indd 1 17/04/2019 13:27 advanced manufacturing | comment Customers are the key to innovation Demand for change comes from your client base, says Alan Mucklow, MD, UK & Ireland, Mazak

here does as price, application suitability, were significantly different to that of confined to merely new products, the desire distribution, training and aftersales Japanese or North American however. The ability to better to innovate service, to name but a few. machine tool users. understand asset utilisation and put come from? There are plenty of high-profile Without people on the ground, in place more proactive maintenance Most examples of investments that have visiting customers, standing on practices, such as remote monitoring companies been wasted on product or service production lines, asking the right as part of a predictive maintenance will tell you it innovations that were never able to questions and listening to the programme, will be an integral part is in their DNA, that there is a deep find a market. More difficult to recall, answers, our product development in of the new connected factory, or what Winherent need to push the boundaries because in hindsight their success Europe would have been much more we call the ‘iSmart factory’. of the possible; a restless urge to appears to have been preordained, limited, generic and unable to focus All of this will result in major create a new product that is faster, are the product developments that on the demands of individual sectors. changes to how we operate and stronger, better or cheaper. were driven by market demand and interact with customers but, But, in my experience, while customer insight. ultimately, we will benefit from the best organisations do have a At Mazak, we have long believed “For me, the deeper customer relationships which relentless commitment to innovation, that our customers are the starting will, in turn, fuel further innovation. the initial spark often comes from point for innovation. It was the message is that History tells us that the great market forces, more specifically demand from customers for we need to leaps forward were not made by customers, demanding some, or all platforms that could undertake organisations that looked inward of the above. multiple tasks that led to the continually invest” and remained in their comfort zones This initial spark convinces the development of the INTEGREX range as markets left them behind. Rather, organisation to point the full of multitasking machines. The VARIAXIS i-300 AWC, which the great leaps were made by those resources of its research and Similarly, the VTC-800 series of stands for Auto Work Changer, is a who were in tune with their markets, development capability at the machines, which are manufactured in direct example of this approach. The sensitive to the changing needs fulfilment of this latent demand, the UK, were developed after customer i-300 is a compact, simultaneous of consumers and brave enough providing customers with the answer demand for a vertical travelling column five-axis machining centre that was to seize the opportunities that to their conscious or unconscious machining centre. The 1,000th initially specifically developed for the were presented. problems, before marketing the new machine for the European market aerospace sector. The aerospace For me, the message of product more widely. rolled off our production line at supply chain was demanding Collaborate to Innovate is that we Make no mistake however, it is Worcester earlier this year. high-accuracy machining on small need to continually invest, not only customers who have provided the We are very sensitive to market prismatic parts, along with expanded financially, in terms of R&D initial spark and rightly so, because and cultural distinctions across the tool capacity and a highly rigid expenditure, but also invest further innovation without potential demand world, which lead our customers to construction to improve accuracy. in our customer relationships. It is is a recipe for waste and unfocused use machines in alternate ways and The AWC is an innovative solution for here that the sparks of creativity and effort towards an undefined goal. in different applications. This, in turn, the aerospace sector that has, innovation can be identified and The organisation needs to know encouraged the development of the subsequently, also found a role in nurtured, sparks that ultimately have that there is a potential market ready European Product Group, which was medical and automotive work. the potential to turn into something and willing to buy, providing the a direct recognition that the The next big innovation leap in the new, exciting, inventive and genuinely correct parameters are in place, such demands of European customers machine tool sector will not be groundbreaking. n

01 The VARIAXIS i-300 AWC, which stands for Auto Work Changer, is a 01 compact simultaneous five-axis machining centre that was initially specifically developed for the aerospace sector 02 02 The VTC-800 series of machines, which are manufactured in the UK, were developed after customer demand for a vertical travelling column machining centre

MAY 2019 | THE ENGINEER 43

Page 43_The Engineer - May 2019_The Engineer 43 03/05/2019 14:38 advanced manufacturing | machine tool round-up Continuous improvement Engineering subcontractors continue to exploit advances in automation and process improvement from production equipment suppliers. Mike Excell reports

espite ongoing political turmoil, the machine tool-related sectors continue to adopt a positive approach. “We are seeing companies taking matters into their own hands and relying on skills and abilities to secure the future of their businesses, by making them more competitive through investment in technology” says Steve Finn, managing director of DMG MORI UK. He’s observed a swing in order book make-up over the past two years, with Dsubcontractor business up from 35 per cent to 68 per cent. “The fact that these orders are not for machines which we hold in stock, but are for machines to be delivered in seven to nine months, demonstrates the confidence in the marketplace to proceed with capital investment despite the potential uncertainty.” Automation, he believes, is an increasingly important driver for investment decisions. “At our last Open House in 2018, 80 per cent of the machines had automation featuring, for example, robots and gantry loaders; all these machines were sold at the event. The key demand was for solutions which addressed the requirements of low-volume, high-variety applications. With these relatively simple automation systems, machines can be run 24 hours and at a rate of £7-£8 per hour and still be profitable.”

Investment delivers results Subcontractors illustrating that “This investment in advanced manufacturing technology underpins sustainability demonstrates weeks lead times on made-to-order valves, is enhanced by new machining include Silverstone-based Alitech technology. Precision. The company, which supplies confidence Historically, the company preferred to sub-contract machining, or use motorsport and automotive customers, manual lathes and radial-arm drills; but growing business, exemplified by installed its first 5-axis VMC in 2017 – an in the valve orders for aircraft carriers and planned work on BAE Systems’ Type 26 ‘entry-level’ machine – and this was frigates, prompted investment in two XYZ SLX 425 ProTURN lathes. joined by a Hermle C 400 in December marketplace” “Having the two machines has enabled us to bring more work back 2018. Subcontractors generally benefit Steve Finn, DMG MORI in-house, enhancing our service to customers,” said technical engineer Tom by progressing from 3/4-axis machining McLarnon. The machines enabled inexperienced operators to move from to fully interpolative 5-axis cycles. manual to CNC, and the ease of use of the ProtoTRAK control has seen them Advantages include raising the complexity of free-form surfaces that can programming most jobs at the machine. be profiled, higher component accuracy and reduced cost of manufacture. “This has made it much more practical to manufacture one-offs and small Fewer set-ups are needed, as a part can be positioned automatically with the batches quickly,” said McLarnon. “The set-up and cycle time savings we are two rotary CNC axes before being milled and drilled using the three linear axes. seeing are in the order of 60 per cent over highly-skilled operators using Alitech’s investment was prompted by capacity problems. It had been doubling manual machines. And as a lot of our valves are made to order, we can keep turnover every year, progressing from producing mainly prototypes and limited stock to a minimum while still being able to deliver to short lead times.” batches of components to larger runs of typically 20 off-complex parts such as race car uprights. This meant that work queued for up to a month, which is an Systematic improvement unacceptably long lead time in this sector. Productivity-boosting technology comes in many forms, as Senior Aerospace Glasgow-based Auld Valves also embraces an investment-based strategy. Weston will testify. The company makes complex components and sub- Established in the early 19th century, its global customer base covers the oil and assemblies for commercial aviation; output from its Lancashire machine shop gas, nuclear and shipbuilding sectors. A full foundry service, offering four to six includes Airbus wing and mainframe components – 50mm cube parts, up to

4 4 THE ENGINEER | MAY 2019

Page 44_The Engineer - May 2019_The Engineer 44 03/05/2019 14:17 advanced manufacturing machine tool round-up

01 03

engine pylon brackets and landing gear fittings. Some complex items were 01 Inlet manifold required eight taking up to 10 minutes to inspect using existing CMMs, causing production operations on a 3-axis VMC, two on bottlenecks. Manual inspection methods did not solve the problem; the solution Hermle C 400 would be in-cycle measurement. “Renishaw proposed the Equator gauge, another level up from a traditional 02 XYZ’s ProtoTRAK enables Auld 3-axis CMM in terms of speed,” explained Weston’s CMM programmer Andy Valves operators to programme jobs at Wright. The Equator system is a flexible gauge designed for speed, repeatability the machine and ease of use. “We have 70 part-numbers that could fit on the machine, so there is high potential,” said Wright. “No special skills are required – the operator 03 Yamazaki Mazak celebrates a simply loads the part in to the fixture, lets the cycle run and receives an decade of success for its European Technology Centre in Worcester which easy-to-read report.” has hosted more than 33,000 visitors Parts inspected in this way include a titanium wing flap track component. “Over the years we have gone through several process iterations and various equipment solutions trying to measure this part quicker with the required accuracy, but inspection would regularly fail due to component complexity and tight datum tolerances,” explained Wright. “However, using the Equator gauge, we have been able to achieve a process that delivers accurate gauging and repeatability. The Equator gauge measures around 25 different features on this particular part, taking just 90 seconds in total.” Another specialised technology which can profoundly affect productivity is Citizen Machinery’s LFV (low frequency vibration) chipbreaking system. Available on a number of the company’s machines, it can be applied to

MAY 2019 | THE ENGINEER 45

Page 44_The Engineer - May 2019_The Engineer 45 03/05/2019 14:18 advanced manufacturing | machine tool round-up

Inside information When considering connected solutions for enhanced productivity, another perspective comes from Sandvik Coromant. The cutting tool specialist observes that manufacturers of large and expensive components – such as those used in the aerospace or oil and gas sectors – sometimes need to slow down internal turning processes in order to protect the workpieces. One way of preventing errors, while speeding up machining, would be to introduce regular checks on what is taking place inside the component. Sandvik Coromant’s Silent Tools Plus enables manufacturers to do this; benefits include better process security and machining 04 efficiency and avoidance of damage to the machine tool and component. This latest solution in fact springs from established different parts of a cycle. It avoids a ‘bird’s nest’ forming Silent Tools technology, but the new development features around the sub-spindle, which inhibits synchronous 04 Renishaw’s Equator system a damped adapter with embedded connectivity. This component pick-up for reverse-end machining; and delivers speed, repeatability and ease makes it possible to extract accurate information from entanglement of a tool leading to breakage or of use the machining process and share it in real time with the compromised component accuracy and surface quality. operator via easily understandable, intuitive graphical LFV works by rapidly oscillating the tool in two axes in 05 Sandvik Coromant’s Silent Tools displays. Information can include vibration levels or the synchronisation with the rotation of the spindle. This is in Plus delivers real-time information temperature in the damping system. contrast to the intermittent chipbreaking action being The display instantly alerts the operator to any programmed into a cycle as a macro, which can generate incident outside set parameters, such as excess shaking heat and cause tool tips to wear prematurely. or increased harmonics, enabling action to be taken to LFV is not necessarily applied continuously to a whole stop or adjust the machining process and avoid damage programme as the technology is designed to slightly to the component. In addition, because the centre height extend elements of the cycle by repeated periods of air setting functionality provided by Silent Tools Plus displays cutting lasting microseconds. This action breaks the the level of the cutting edge, operators can quickly and swarf into short chips and also improves penetration of easily set the height of the insert to the correct level coolant to the cutting zone, extending tool life. before machining begins. This enhances machining If a job is price-sensitive, LFV’s use can be minimised performance and insert life. or switched off during manned operation, but the system The rise of newer manufacturing processes such as is so flexible it can be reintroduced for lights-out running additive methods and 3D printing can distract us from the to ensure a full shift’s production in the bin the next day, fact that machine tool technologies are still developing. without fear of stringy swarf impairing turning and drilling The latest offerings from suppliers of ‘conventional’ efficiency and possibly recycling from the conveyor back production equipment are providing users with new ways into the working area (and jamming the machine). of achieving improved and sustainable productivity. n

4 6 THE ENGINEER | MAY 2019

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MAY 2019 | THE ENGINEER 47 ONGOING QUALITY. Ads - RHP_09-May-2019_The Engineer_The Engineer 47 07/05/2019 11:34 advanced manufacturing | 3D printing How CAL takes liquid to solid in minutes Hayden Taylor talks tomographic reconstruction, concurrent printing and the serendipity behind successful collaboration

cience and minutes to print an object. We have serendipity are not printed structures ranging up to 01 always concepts between 5 and 10cm in diameter, and that fit well with features down to about 0.3mm. together, but when Existing methods would take hours it comes to the idea to print similar objects. behind Computed CAL uses commercially available Axial Lithography (CAL), it has digital video projection hardware to Scertainly played a role. About three achieve these fast build times. Its years ago we had the idea to adapt sophistication lies in its software, the principles underlying the 3D which translates a digital model of imaging technique of computed the desired object into a series of tomography to create a rapid new 3D images that are shone, in sequence, printing technique that could all the way through the material in fabricate objects all at once. the rotating print volume. The idea might initially have The rotation, coupled with the seemed a little crazy, but when rapidly changing light pattern, allows Image: Adam Lau/ graduate student Brett Kelly brought the light dosage to be fully controlled Berkeley Engineer a group of disparate experts together in three dimensions. When the total from the University of California at amount of light energy received at a Berkeley and Lawrence Livermore given point in the material exceeds a volume and is absorbed at a far printing volume. We will need to think National Laboratory, we realised it threshold, the liquid solidifies and gentler rate than in traditional more about these effects as we scale could actually work. the part is formed. light-based printers. We anticipate up in size and complexity. To produce sharp features, the that this property means that we will Introducing CAL thresholding response of the be able to scale up the size of printed Smoothing out the rough edges Our team was inspired by the widely material needs to be strong, and this objects by increasing the power of Speed and scalability are not the used imaging technique of computed is provided by uniformly dissolved the illumination source, without only advantages of CAL. The rough tomography, in which X-rays are oxygen which initially inhibits necessarily greatly increasing the edges associated with the layer-by- projected through solid objects from solidification but is consumed as the printing time. Using a simple model layer printing of standard additive many angles and software interprets light dose accumulates. that extrapolates from our existing processes are literally smoothed out. the transmitted signals to build up a experiments, we anticipate being By essentially printing whole 3D image of what lies inside the Re-using resin able to print a 0.5m diameter part objects in one go, no layering is object. We started to experiment with Another positive about oxygen with features down to 0.1-0.2mm, needed, which translates to no ridges how we could use related principles inhibition is the clear route it while processing material at several and smoother builds, which are ideal to create tangible 3D objects by provides to regenerating unused litres per minute. for consumer products. projecting patterns of light from resin. Following the printing process, Another important step in scaling We’ve printed soft structures with many angles into a volume of any unused resin can be drained out up the printing volume may be to exceptionally smooth surfaces into photosensitive material. of the volume and exposed to air to move to a configuration in which the gelatin methacrylate hydrogel. By CAL was therefore, in a sense, allow the oxygen content to reach its rays of light fan out from the printing an object concurrently, our conceived by turning the principles original equilibrium state once again. projector rather than travelling method also eliminates the need to behind computed tomography on The thresholding behaviour is reliably parallel to each other as at present. design and build solid support their head. It works by projecting a recovered and the resin can be Making this change would enable us systems or scaffolding, even for dynamically evolving pattern of light reused, reducing material wastage. to print objects much larger than the overhanging features. We can print into a rotating volume of projector. Another important into high-viscosity fluids which photosensitive material to form an Scaling up consideration is that as common support the object being printed, object based on the cumulative dose We are investing a lot of effort into resins solidify, they undergo translating to less post-processing of the illumination. scaling up the process to larger shrinkage which manifests itself as a time in the removal of supports. The process takes anywhere printing volumes. In CAL, light passes change in optical properties, As the object is not moving relative between 30 seconds and a couple of all the way through the printing potentially scattering light inside the to the liquid during printing, it is not

4 8 THE ENGINEER | MAY 2019

Ed - AM feature_The Engineer - May 2019_The Engineer 48 03/05/2019 14:22 01 Patterns of light are projected on to a cylinder

02 The liquid solidifies once the light energy exceeds a threshold

03 The many benefits to CAL include speed and scalability

limited by fluid flow, which means “all at once”, as opposed to traditional that we are able to use CAL to print 3D printers which must produce into materials that have a higher objects layer by layer. viscosity, broadening the range of The speed, material range and material properties that can be versatility that can be accomplished accessed. By avoiding fluid flow with CAL can potentially be during printing, we can even print translated into a vast range of into very soft and delicate materials, real-world applications – from like the gelatin methacrylate, which medical, dental and biomaterials to may open new applications in consumer products. What we have bioprinting of soft tissues. achieved so far has only been possible because of the diverse Overprinting for customisation expertise of our team: in optics, In addition to the smooth nature of photochemistry, computation and prints using CAL, the method also mechanical design. The team came enables you to print an object around together quite serendipitously a pre-existing object, for example, through some chance interactions on printing a plastic handle on to a steel campus, and there was a real joy in screwdriver. This ‘overprinting’ watching the team and the capability provides the opportunity technology take shape. to ‘mass-customise’ consumer Hayden Taylor is an assistant products, such as personalised grips professor in the Department of for tools or sporting equipment as Mechanical Engineering at the well as user-designed ergonomic University of California, Berkeley. features. It also lays the groundwork Find out more about CAL and hear for easier multi-material fabrication. from Hayden at this year’s Additive Projecting carefully crafted International Conference on 10-11 patterns of light on to a rotating July at Nottingham Belfry. Visit cylinder of liquid solidifies the shape www.additiveinternational.com n 03

MAY 2019 | THE ENGINEER 49

Ed - AM feature_The Engineer - May 2019_The Engineer 49 03/05/2019 14:25 advanced manufacturing | products

3D PRINTING Tiny triumph for Nanofabrica “The whole process is based Launch of a micron-level 3D printing platform offers speeds up to 100 times faster than other micro AM products on a digital light

ew technology processor engine” Nanofabrica’s AM platform at the intersection is tailored for micro and of micro and adaptive optics and enhanced this nano manufacturing additive imaging unit with technology used in manufacturing the semiconductor industry. (AM), will let By working at the intersection of manufacturers semiconductors and AM, take advantage of the inherent Nanofabrica is able to build large Nadvantages of AM, while achieving ‘macro’ parts with intricate micro micron and sub-micron levels of details. It can also do this at speed by resolution and surface finish, over a introducing a multi-resolution build envelope of 5x5x10cm. strategy, meaning that the parts AM platform developers have so where fine details are required are far struggled to get resolution under printed relatively slowly, but in the 50 microns and those that exist tend areas where the details aren’t so to be slow, expensive in terms of exacting, the part is printed at a machine costs and cost per part, or speeds 10 to 100 times faster. This can only print parts that are makes the entire printing speed restricted in size. AM platform Nanofabrica’s technology enables AM platform developers achieve anything from five to 100 times faster developers need to focus high precision at a cost required for precision through great hardware, than other micro AM platforms. technological advances in areas that industrial manufacturing. Secondly, Nanofabrica uses software. In addition, for original equipment open up innovation and manufacture Nanofabrica’s process is based on a Another unique aspect of manufacturers (OEMs) requiring of products and components hitherto digital light processor (DLP) engine Nanofabrica’s AM platform is the small parts, thousands can be impossible using AM. that combines with adaptive optics ability to achieve micron resolution printed in a single build on the It is here that Nanofabrica, a Tel to achieve repeatable micron levels over centimetre-sized parts, made Nanofabrica platform, making it a Aviv-based developer of precision AM of resolution. This tool, in conjunction possible through a combination of true mass manufacturing technology technologies, has been particularly with an array of sensors, allows for a technologies. Specifically, the for micro product or component successful. The first breakthrough of closed feedback loop. Where other company has taken its use of manufacturers. n

FORMING required 200kg less alloy than the adoption of WAAM technology 10 years and it is very satisfying to conventional manufacturing enhances the competitiveness of our see it reach this level of commercial Driving force techniques. Cranfield believes that product. A near-net-shape item is maturity. We are very excited about further weight savings are possible. fabricated in a few days – compared rolling out the technology through Pressure vessel built The vessel was sent to to several months needed for the our new spinout company, WAAM3D.” for exploring space Glenalmond’s East Kilbride works, procurement of the standard Dr Filomeno Martina, senior where it was stress-relieved, wrought products – and also the lecturer at Cranfield University and Cranfield University’s additive laser-scanned, machined further and amount of machining operation is CEO of WAAM3D, added: “This part manufacturing specialists have inspected using an ultrasonic consistently reduced. has given us the opportunity to test fabricated a full-scale prototype of a method. Tests confirmed it fulfils “We have achieved a 65 per cent WAAM3D’s innovative solutions on a pressure vessel, intended for use on technical and quality requirements reduction on the overall lead time high-profile user case, with a very crewed space missions for Thales and Cranfield and Glenalmond are and this provides a benefit aggressive timescale. We are Alenia Space. Scottish company working on a second prototype to also in terms of design very proud of the level of Glenalmond Technologies was a demonstrate the reliability and flexibility, making it automation achieved partner in the project. repeatability of the processes. possible to answer at Cranfield The pressure vessel is made out of “We were looking for an innovative customer needs at a University. WAAM3D will the titanium alloy TI–6Al–4V and is manufacturing solution for the tanks, late stage of the make all these tools 1m high, with a mass of 8.5kg. It was which typically suffer from long lead project.” available to industrial made using the wire arc additive time, with the conventional Dr Jialuo Ding, communities in the next manufacturing (WAAM) process, production route based on principal research fellow couple of months and which Cranfield has developed over subtractive machining,” said Eng. at Cranfield University we are looking forward to the past years. The process, which is Massimo Chiampi, study manager for and chief scientist at the impact on industrial derived from welding, allowed a additive manufacturing projects at WAAM3D, said: “We have large-scale additive conventionally two-part structure to Thales Alenia Space. “Thanks to this been developing WAAM manufacture this will be made in a single piece and project, we have demonstrated that technology for more than have.” n

5 0 THE ENGINEER | MAY 2019

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MAY 2019 | THE ENGINEER 51

Ads - RHP_09-May-2019_The Engineer_The Engineer 51 07/05/2019 11:39 show preview | subcon Innovation, partnership and excellence: Subcon is back

Opportunity to form new partnerships and see how areas of industry are innovating

ubcon returns on 4-6 June 2019 and is once again set to take place at the NEC, Birmingham. Now in its 43rd year, Subcon remains the UK’s only dedicated event to enable subcontract manufacturing buyers to source suppliers, benchmark capabilities and form new Smanufacturing partnerships. Against a backdrop of profound uncertainty and change within the engineering and manufacturing industries, Subcon 2019 will show how the industry continues to innovate and deliver maximum value, with three events in one venue.

Supporting innovation: The Launchpad and Launchpad Awards For 2019, Subcon has unveiled a new opportunity to support engineering entrepreneurs. The Launchpad and Launchpad Awards will showcase cutting-edge innovations from across the industry with dedicated space at the event for specially selected start-ups. The Launchpad aims to propel manufacturing and engineering-based start-ups by giving these entrepreneurs an opportunity to share their innovations with thousands of professionals with the power to guide them to success. The showcase and awards will deliver an unrivalled platform for eight engineering start-ups and a £10,000 prize package to the winner.

Enabling partnerships and driving business: The Subcon exhibition As with every previous year, Subcon will deliver the contacts, connections and content that engineering and manufacturing businesses in the UK need to succeed. Visitors will be able to harness new innovations from over 300 world-class of exhibitors shows, there will be huge an exhibition of next generation design and suppliers to help increase capacity, optimise opportunities to forge strategic partnerships and technology solutions from the UK’s most ground- productivity and improve flexibility, while driving improve existing processes. breaking suppliers, to an unrivalled conference down costs to stay competitive in a global market. To maximise the value of the event, Subcon is programme featuring industry leaders Subcon exhibitors span a massive range of once again co-locating with The Engineer Expo responsible for some of the UK’s most inspiring engineering businesses. Ahead of the event this and Advanced Manufacturing Show. The Engineer engineering and manufacturing projects, The year, Subcon hit the road and spoke to exhibitors Expo delivers the innovation, inspiration and Engineer Expo will keep visitors abreast of the across metal fabrication, 3D printing, insight businesses need to optimise future biggest issues around, from Brexit and Industry measurement and other sectors. As this diversity engineering and manufacturing strategies. From 4.0 to the challenges of diversity and skills.

52 THE ENGINEER | MAY 2019

Ed - Subcon preview_The Engineer - May 2019_The Engineer 52 02/05/2019 15:38 The Advanced Manufacturing Show will l Stephen Phipson, CEO, Make UK, covering the showcase live demos and the latest efficiency- impact of Brexit and the changes felt GOODMAN METALWORKS boosting innovations from hundreds of world-class throughout the manufacturing supply chain Goodman Metal Works is a Nottingham- suppliers. This is an unparalleled opportunity to l Riona Armesmith, chief project engineer, based, full-service metal fabrication company review outsourcing and procurement decisions and Hybrid Electric Propulsion, Rolls-Royce returning to Subcon. Director Richard bring tools and technology up to speed, to reduce talking about the development of electric/ Goodman explains what keeps them coming costs, cut lead times and increase productivity to hybrid aircraft and the E-Fan X project back: “It is a very compact event, spread out stay competitive in a global market. l Lina Huertas, head of technology strategy, over three days, so it is a very easy way to digital manufacturing, MTC, covering the meet the critical people you need to meet.” Shaping the future: technologies set to transform manufacturing The Engineer Conference l Jeremy Pullen, Sartorius, on what is next for Following the success of the conference additive manufacturing programme in 2018, Subcon will also feature l Steve Banton, channel manager, ABB LASER LINES presentations from industry pioneers such as Robotics, on the development of cobotics and 3D printers and additive manufacturing Siemens and Rolls-Royce, as well as thought where it will make its impact felt systems reseller Laser Lines is based in leadership from organisations including Make UK, l Nick Hawker, CEO and co-founder, First Light Banbury. This year at Subcon it is debuting not the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) and Fusion, on the commercial application of only new machinery but also new materials. WMG (formerly the Warwick Manufacturing Group). nuclear fusion Mark Tyrtania, sales director, explains that for A total of 34 sessions will be announced in the l Martin Little, commercial director, Rail Laser Lines, “Subcon is the right mix of visitors run-up to the event. Alliance, on the overlooked opportunities from varied industries... my top tip is to arrive The conference programme will deliver insight within rail early and leave late”. on industry issues, with presentations from industry leaders responsible for some of the UK’s Gordon Kirk, event director for Subcon, points most inspiring and ground-breaking engineering out that this wide range of opportunity and the METPRO and manufacturing projects. Speakers confirmed chance to see so many diverse companies is no Based in Smethwick, Metpro has grown to this year include: accident: “We are even more aware than ever of the become a leading supplier to the mechanical l Ian Warhurst, the engineering entrepreneur pressures on UK engineering and manufacturing and electrical market in the UK. Marketing behind the rescue of the Bloodhound car, will businesses, so we have crammed as much value manager Jacob Rudge says the value of talk about his plans for this iconic UK project into the event as we can. From the 34 sessions of Subcon is the quality of people that attend: l Brian Holliday, managing director, Siemens The Engineer Conference to the showcase of new “The majority of our conversations have been Digital Industries, delivering a keynote start-ups and co-locating with Advanced with key decision-makers... some of the most address, covering the latest developments Manufacturing Show and The Engineer Expo, successful outcomes we have had throughout and momentum around Industry 4.0 Subcon 2019 will deliver huge value to visitors the years have been from just striking up l Mark Ireland, chief engineer, MTC, speaking throughout the three days. We are incredibly these conversations.” on the MTC Sit Ski project and the role of excited to include so much new material and look collaboration forward to opening the doors at the NEC!” n

MAY 2019 | THE ENGINEER 53

Ed - Subcon preview_The Engineer - May 2019_The Engineer 53 02/05/2019 15:38 preview | the engineer conference Thinking outside the box with a game-changing innovation The Manufacturing Technology Centre’s state-of-the-art Factory in a Box initiative promises to revolutionise manufacturing. Stuart Nathan reports

hipping containers are the red The FIAB is linked to a blood cells of industry. Identical central control centre, and standardised, they carry all with remote monitoring the elements needed for manufacturing around the world. They circulate through shipping lanes, railway lines and motorways between the suppliers, manufacturers Sand assemblers that make up the organism that generates income for businesses and nations alike. But now, those same containers will be able to form part of the organism itself. The Factory in a Box (FIAB) initiative, part of the Smart Manufacturing Accelerator launched in March at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) in Coventry, turns these ubiquitous steel cuboids into manufacturing units in their own right. This represents an ideal opportunity to use the latest Industry 4.0 technologies, supplying all the equipment in the box with connected sensors that thickness. Each assembly can enter up to two allow their operation to be controlled from T-pieces with threaded end fittings. The FIAB unit anywhere in the world via a digital twin. contains several working stations, served by a There are several reasons why a manufacturer robot which runs along a gantry installed in the might want to investigate FIAB. It could act as a container ceiling: at one end is racked storage for “taster” of Industry 4.0 for wider operation, said copper pipe pieces and next to this is a computer Dr Hannah Edmonds, a technical specialist in the numerical count (CNC) pipe cutter, which cuts pipe digital engineering group at the MTC. It can with stock-use optimisation to minimise wastage. modularise manufacturing, so it can be located at The cut pipes are then carried to a brazing remote sites. Assembling the units at a remote station where end and T-fittings are attached. The location allows the systems to be tested before the inside the confines of a shipping container; GE; end-fittings are attached to pneumatic testing modules are transported to their final operational sensor specialist Senseye; Beckhoff, whose connections at this point. The assemblies then site, allowing them to be productive soon after fieldbus helps to link up the sensors to control move on to a CNC bending machine with a robot installation. “It’s of particular interest to companies systems; predictive simulation software and mounted end effector to set the correct geometry. who want to spread their manufacturing around modelling specialist Lanner; and Siemens. Pneumatic testing of the assembly follows and a the world, but keep their IP,” said Edmonds. Other partners include Wonderware and Unison, machine vision station inspects the geometry. The Part of the inspiration for FIAB came from whose robot path planner software helps guide the installation is mirrored by a digital twin, which Elon Musk, who commonly refers to factories as automated systems which carry parts from one allows a real-time simulation of the process in products in and of themselves. Speaking about the manufacturing station to another. schematic form to be viewed, while CCTV cameras manufacture of the Tesla Model 3 at the company’s Unison’s input has been helpful for one of the remotely observe the robot and other equipment. 2016 shareholders’ meeting, Musk said: “We first projects to be completed by the FIAB team, a Toby Peters, chief executive of Dearman, said: realised that the true problem, the true difficulty, modularised system for building cryogenic pipe “Getting innovative, responsive new technologies and where the greatest potential is, is building the assemblies for Croydon-based Dearman. The into international markets quickly relies upon a machine that makes the machine. In other words, assemblies are part of its transport refrigeration new model for manufacturing which can be it’s building the factory.” Tesla has the ambition of unit (TRU), built around a piston engine driven by established here in the UK, allowing us to export packaging the production system for its lithium ion expansion of liquid nitrogen or liquid air and not just technology, but manufacturing know-how. batteries into a product that can be reproduced capable of replacing diesel-powered refrigeration At Dearman, we see this as a way to produce anywhere: in a way, a Gigafactory in a box. systems for trucking refrigeration that produces no a game-changing technology, at the right price, The Smart Manufacturing Accelerator and carbon dioxide or air pollutant emissions. Using that can be tailored to local demands, while FIAB initiatives are supported by a variety of FIAB will allow Dearman to create TRUs establishing an international presence in collaborators and partners, including ABB, which internationally, co-locating production with fast-growing economies.” n has supplied robots; Autodesk, whose design overseas vehicle manufacturers and integrators. Dr Hannah Edmonds will be talking about FIAB software is integral to packaging all the equipment The cryogenic assemblies are made from on Day Two of The Engineer’s annual conference and machinery necessary to carry out production 15.87mm pay 65 copper pipe with 1.05mm wall (5 June, 12-12.30pm).

5 4 THE ENGINEER | MAY 2019

Ed - conference preview_The Engineer - May 2019_The Engineer 54 03/05/2019 14:12 conference preview | additive manufacturing Has additive entered the manufacturing mainstream? Jeremy Pullin, head of AM and design to manufacture at Sartorius Stedim, reflects on the technology’s widespread use and scope for future use

dditive manufacturing has We have already seen this in examples such as Metal AM machines are changed in many ways – 20 the fuel nozzle developed by GE for the LEAP now one of the additive years ago, for example, the term engine. Here, GE is ramping up its production sector’s biggest areas ‘additive manufacturing’ was volumes of around 38,000 parts per year, with the of growth not commonly used at all. The part count being reduced from 27 per assembly to additive layer technologies at three. To be clear, additive manufacturing is not the time were most commonly going to replace other manufacturing technologies, called rapid prototyping, because that’s what they such as injection moulding, but its adoption will Awere mostly used for. grow as a mainstream complementary technology. Over the past 20 years, the number of AM technology is strong in areas where technologies has grown, as well as materials. The injection moulding is weak, such as initial biggest growth by far has been in manufacturers investments (for tooling), lower economic batch and users – this is mostly due to the expiry of many quantities and design flexibility. Conversely, AM is key patents registered in the 80s and early 90s, weak in areas where injection moulding is strong, thus allowing new players to enter the market. such as amount of available materials, cycle times In 1999, you could not buy a fused deposition were as they first stumbled out of university labs and cost per part. For this reason, the two modelling (FDM) printer for less than £10,000 and and start-ups, from where they were spawned. technology groups will coexist quite happily. they were only manufactured by one company Adoption is now at an early, yet credible stage Another big change is the move to automation (Stratasys). Now you can buy FDM printers for a and for several years now, there have been parts in AM, such as material and part-handling. We few hundred pounds, with start-ups popping up on fitted in both military and civilian aircraft. These are already starting to see automated cells, an almost daily basis. The appearance of cheaper have been produced in their millions for markets where parts flow from printing to post processing systems has led to more users and wider adoption such as hearing aids and dental implants and we and inspection. The automated cells of today generally, which in turn has led to the growth of are now seeing custom 3D-printing parts being will turn into the mass production automated associated revenue streams, such as system offered in the automotive field, such as the ‘MINI lines of tomorrow. support, materials and sub-contract services. Yours’ project by BMW, to name but one. I say As more companies enter the field, the number Another big change generated by market adoption is early, because although these are all of materials available will not simply grow, but expansion is the entry of third parties, such as credible real-world use cases, we have barely explode, which is what happened in other material companies. Twenty years ago, the big ones begun to scratch the surface of where we are going. manufacturing industries before. Right now, there were not interested as the marketplace was too are a lot of commercial releases small for them. Chemical company BASF, for Which trends are here to stay? of reinforced and flexible materials, as well as example, has now released materials for all of the Predictions are a funny game, but we can consider metal alloys, but in the labs are smart materials main polymer AM technology processes and it will a few trends that are almost certain to continue. such as colour-changing and so-called continue to do so, being joined by others such as One of the shifts in the AM world is towards series programmable polymers. 3M. The same is true for the powdered metals parts. It is too often now said that AM will only ever Some of the major changes are down to bigger markets, with entries by companies such as be a good fit for custom parts. Yes, they are, which companies entering the field. Well-established Sandvik and Carpenter Technology. is precisely why they are being so widely adopted in groups such as Renishaw and Ansys have already the medical world. The geometries that they are made their moves through a combination of How far down the road have we capable of producing, however, also mean that acquisitions and incorporating their own expertise, come in relation to AM’s adoption there are times where they can add functional but we are now seeing true industrial giants active into the manufacturing process? advantages that have nothing to do with lead in the area. I’ve already mentioned companies such The growth in the sub-$5,000 desktop machines times, or reduced economic batch quantities. as GE, BASF and 3M, but others, such as Autodesk, – that were incorrectly predicted by some to be in Aerospace is a great example of this, where Siemens, Hewlett-Packard, DMG Mori and Ricoh, every home by now – has slowed. The fastest- parts can be produced with internal lattice have also moved in. growing area is in larger, more expensive structures rather than solid volumes, resulting in The R&D capacities of these companies will equipment. At one time, AM machines for metals lighter weight parts. Lattice structures also give accelerate the maturing and adoptions of AM in were very much the underground indie band at increased surface areas, making them ideal for ways that have not been seen in AM festivals. They are still not the headlining act, thermal exchange, so we are seeing heat its history. n but are appearing lower down the order on the exchangers/cooling structures being printed with main stage. This is partly due to smaller companies extremely high efficiency rates. The cost per part Jeremy Pullin will be talking being bought by larger concerns such as 3D may be higher when compared with technologies about additive manufacturing Systems, Renishaw and GE, with much larger such as casting, moulding or machining, but the on day one of The Engineer’s knowledge pools and research and development ability to reduce part counts and add value though annual conference (4 June, facilities being available, compared to where they inherent functionality can more than justify this. 1.30-2pm).

MAY 2019 | THE ENGINEER 55

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Automech-TheEngineer-Mar19-FPCAd-VP-300x225mm.indd 1 17/02/2019 17:29 from the archive |post-war pilot training Right plane, May 1949 wrong time The Engineer saw the versatile Balliol put through its paces

he Boulton Paul that the tailplanes, Balliol had just about elevators, ailerons, and everything the RAF wing tanks are and Fleet Air Arm respectively could want from an interchangeable from port advanced trainer. to starboard, and, in Specifications addition, the rudder fin is defined by the Ministry of Supply asked interchangeable with the Tfor an all-purpose Service training tailplane. Problems of platform with high performance and replacement stocks, good manoeuvrability. It had to be storage and transportation suitable for training in day or night are thereby considerably – flying, gunnery, navigation, bombing, eased.” photography, or glider towing. Finally, For naval use, the Balliol the new aircraft had to be “readily was fitted with easy folding adaptable for deck landing”. outer wings (secured by a Boulton Paul Aircraft Ltd delivered on simple latch gear), a the specs with the design of three Balliol shock-absorbing variants, namely the Mk l with an undercarriage for deck Armstrong Siddeley Mamba or Rolls- landing and an arrestor hook. Royce Dart gas turbine engine; the Mk 2, But for all its versatility and with a Rolls-Royce Merlin 12-cylinder vee utility, the Balliol was an engine; and the Pl08, with a Bristol aircraft that was in the right Mercury engine. “In the hands of pupils, aircraft are likely to place but very much at the wrong time. By the time The Engineer visited the company’s become damaged through violent landings, At the time of writing, a pre-production Balliol facilities in Wolverhampton, six prototypes had collisions and other accidents, and to reduce the had completed tests at Boscombe Down and was been built and a small-scale pre-production order work of repair, the Balliol is made in a large number undergoing “tropical trials” at the Ministry of for 17 Mk 2 aircraft had been received. of replaceable units,” said The Engineer. Supply’s facilities in the Sudanese capital In the air, the aircraft was said to perform as One example of this could be found in the Khartoum. Others, our correspondent said, were set well as the British fighters that took part in the centre section of the wing, which on similar aircraft for service trials at squadrons and maintenance Battle of Britain. would have carried straight across the fuselage but crews in the UK and Rhodesia (Zimbabwe). “Some twenty years ago a machine with this was made in two separate parts so that they could Balliol aircraft were, however, only delivered in performance and wing loading would have been be replaced independently. meaningful numbers to the Flying Training School considered only suitable for an exceptionally “Another example is the design of the at RAF Cottesmore where they replaced the North skilled pilot, yet the Balliol can, we understand, undercarriage, where the cantilever leg is American Harvard. The Sea Balliol served 781 easily be flown by pilots who have just completed unsupported by any external struts and is Squadron at Lee-on-Solent but by 1951 the curtain their primary training,” our correspondent noted. removable complete with all its locking mechanism was coming down on propeller-driven advanced Boulton Paul Aircraft Ltd was acutely aware and with a piece of the wing that houses it,” our pilot training as the RAF transitioned to jet- that an advanced trainer was only as good as the correspondent reported. “It is attached to the main powered trainers. flying time it afforded trainee pilots, so the spar by four dowels, and each leg is The weather conditions were very poor when company ensured that the Balliol would give interchangeable from port to starboard. If it is The Engineer visited Boulton Paul Aircraft Ltd, but aircraft maintenance teams easy access to all necessary to replace one of these assemblies, the our correspondent was thrilled by what the parts of the aircraft. whole unit is immediately available, with all company had achieved, reporting that despite poor Of particular note was the Balliol’s folding wing, adjustments already made to the locking visibility “the firm’s chief test pilot gave a very which gave access to “the inside of the wings, the mechanism and other parts. Finally, spirited demonstration of the flying qualities of the fuel tanks, guns and other parts”. interchangeability has been studied to the extent Balliol”. n JF

MAY 2019 | THE ENGINEER 57

Ed - from the archive_The Engineer - May 2019_The Engineer 57 02/05/2019 15:39 digest

Word oftheissue

Anthony Poulton- Smith explores Bigpicture origins of the word ‘drive’ We may think of ‘drive’ as a modern word, for instantly we associate this with the motor car. Yet pause to think what else this verb can be applied to. For example, we drive a golf ball, a cricket ball, when raising money, in computing, with a horse and carriage (hence the use of ‘drive’ as a road name), and in antiquity livestock and ploughs. While we see the act of driving as manoeuvring our cars, what we are really doing is impelling our vehicle and using ‘drive’ in a transitive sense first seen in 1660. Etymologically it is a Germanic word, used in Western Europe from the earliest Proto-Germanic ‘dreibanan’ and used to mean ‘impel, drive away’ and ‘I lead’. In turn this can be traced to the Proto-Indo- European ‘dhreibh’, which not only meant ‘drive’ but ‘push’. Perhaps a clue lies in the use of ‘drive’ in the hunting sense, for hunting clearly predates engineering. If ‘drive’ first referred to steering prey to an area where they are trapped and can be The first of 10 hydrogen fuel cell heavy duty trucks has been revealed in Los Angeles by Toyota and the Kenworth Truck picked off, then historically ‘drive’ Company. The new truck provides an estimated driving range of over 300 miles and the fleet will perform freight duties in and ‘push’ are interchangeable. and around the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in California. Prizecrossword When completed rearrange the highlighted squares to spell out a mechanical device that regulates movement. The first correct answer received will win a £20 Amazon voucher. Email your answer to [email protected]

Across Down 1 Destructive sea waves (8) 2 Mechanical device that sprays water on a 6 Having low density (4) fire (9) 8 Instrument for scraping the skin after 3 Show to be false (6) a bath (7) 4 Pools used for powering a water wheel (9) 9 Convert information into a cypher (7) 5 Water at boiling temperature diffused in the 11 Typesetting equipment (8,7) atmosphere (5) 12 Compound formed by replacing hydrogen in 6 Used again after processing (8) an acid by a metal (4) 7 Lines from the centre of a circle to it’s 13 An invention that is not protected (10) edge (5) 17 Event to get rid of unwanted household 8 Protection against splattering liquids (6,5) goods (6,4) 10 Battleship with big guns (11) 18 Repetition of a sound due to reflection (4) 14 Structurally different form of an element (9) 20 System that keeps an area cool (3-12) 15 Property of being cohesive and sticky (9) 23 Document received for the completion of a 16 Ap plication of soil and plant sciences to course of study (7) land management (8) 24 Some thing unusual – perhaps worthy of 19 Fuse with a metal alloy (6) collecting (7) 21 Characterized by speed (5) 25 Flow in a circular current, of liquids (4) 22 Dr aw up an outline or sketch for 26 Speculate about (8) something (5)

We’d like to apologise for the printing error that rendered our April Crossword trickier than usual. Congratulations to all of the readers who managed to complete it regardless! April’s highlighted solution was: SUPERHEAT. The winner was: Pete Hawkins. 5 8 THE ENGINEER | MAY 2019

Ed - digest_The Engineer - May 2019_The Engineer 58 02/05/2019 15:40 Awards Entry Deadline 21st June 2019

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