Sixty Years of Engineering 1 Sixty Years of Engineering INSPIRE Prep for Artwork.Indd 1 INSPIRE Prepfor Artwork.Indd 2
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1 sixty years of engineeringof sixtyyears Sixty Years of engineering INSPIRE prep for Artwork.indd 1 15/10/2015 17:42:28 sixty years of engineeringof sixtyyears INSPIRE prep for Artwork.indd 2 15/10/2015 17:42:52 engineering: set your imagination free INSPIRE prep for Artwork.indd 3 15/10/2015 17:42:53 sixty years of engineeringof sixtyyears Acknowledgments This publication was researched and designed by A-Level student Jason Finch and production support was provided by Joanna Smith of BSRIA INSPIRE prep for Artwork.indd 4 15/10/2015 17:42:56 The Building Services Research and Information Association (BSRIA) may be a bit of a mouthful but basically it does what it says on the tin. As a not – for-prof it organisation with 700 members, it enables creative research and “innovative testing for all aspects of building services. Many people don’t know what building services are. BSRIA says they are the parts of the building that you don’t usually see but they are the parts that make the building possible to use; things like heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, lighting and many, many more. It’s a place where the practical application of science reigns supreme and it attracts scientists, engineers and technicians from all associated disciplines to work within its laboratories and workshops. BSRIA aims to ‘make buildings better’ and without engineers of all sorts this just wouldn’t be possible. But it’s not just us that needs talented people and it’s not just engineers. The construction industry turns over around £90bn each year and that work goes through thousands of small and large businesses. The opportunities for a great career in the industry are without parallel, and “ ready for you to explore. sixty years of engineeringof sixtyyears This year BSRIA is celebrating our 60th “birthday”, so we wanted to do something a bit different. To commemorate the occasion we’ve chosen 60 notable engineers, both past and present, to show you what you could achieve as an engineer today, and inspire the next generation. Julia Evans, CEO INSPIRE prep for Artwork.indd 5 15/10/2015 17:43:21 Choose a sto r y 01 Engineers of the past 03 Archimedes 05 leonardo d a vin ci 08 george stephenson 11 michael faraday 12 isambard kingdom brunel 14 g u stave e i ffe l 17 wil lis ca rrier 22 ove arup 23 fra n k whittle 28 INSPIRE prep for Artwork.indd 6 15/10/2015 17:43:21 31 engineers of the present 35 E. sreedharan 40 james dyson 41 steve wozniak 44 bill g a tes 45 tim berners- lee 52 elon musk 53 larry page & se rg ey b rin 56 ro m a agrawal 59 engineers of the future 61 g et i nvo l ve d INSPIRE prep for Artwork.indd 7 15/10/2015 17:43:21 Choose a Story sixty years of engineeringof sixtyyears This book will take you through a selection of some of the f inest engineers in the world, but there’s no need to read it all now. Overleaf are a series of stories connecting engineers, and how they developed the work of those before to produce something truly amazing. Follow the development of planes from conception to new passenger jets which will f ly at four times the speed of sound; or see the journey that led to the computer in your office. Where this book takes you is up to you, but here are some stories worth sharing. All you need to do is read the entries ringed by the colour that matches that particular story. Pick one and see what you can discover from the past, to the present, and even into the future. Happy reading . 01 INSPIRE prep for Artwork.indd 1 15/10/2015 17:43:41 02 The story of... sixty years of engineeringof sixtyyears INSPIRE prep for Artwork.indd 2 15/10/2015 17:44:03 INSPIRE prep for Artwork.indd 3 15/10/2015 17:44:06 04 15/10/2015 17:44:07 sixty years of engineeringof sixtyyears INSPIRE prep for Artwork.indd 4 archimedes 287 - 212 BC 287 - 212 BC sixty years of engineeringof sixtyyears Archimedes Archimedes was an ancient Greek mathematician, physicist, inventor, astronomer and engineer. He contributed many ideas and principles which have shaped the modern world, not least of which, was his “Archimedes Screw”. This consists of a helical f lat surface screw around a shaft, which can be used to lift f luids, or propel objects through them when rotated. He also invented compound pulley systems, now commonly referred to as block and tackle, in order to lift great weights with reduced effort. These systems are still commonplace today. 05 INSPIRE prep for Artwork.indd 5 15/10/2015 17:44:07 06 Imhotep c . 2650 - 2600 BC Considered to be the earliest known architect and engineer. Designer and overseer of the construction of the Pyramid of Djoser. This was one of, if not the f irst building to be made entirely of stone and speculated to be the f irst to use columns in construction. Hero of alexandria c . 10 AD Ancient Greek mathematician and engineer. Thought to be the creator of the aeolipile, the first ever recorded example of a steam engine. First person to invent a vending machine. sixty years of engineeringof sixtyyears al jazari 1136 - 1206 Turkish mathematician and engineer, specialising in mechanical systems. First to create suction pipes, double action pumps, and valves. Designed f ive different systems for raising water. First to create a system which converted rotary to reciprocal motion. INSPIRE prep for Artwork.indd 6 15/10/2015 17:44:08 Johannes Gutenberg 1398 - 1468 German mechanical engineer. Credited with the invention of the printing press around 1439. Introduced moveable type printing. Created his own oil-based ink, which is the basis for modern inks. sixty years of engineeringof sixtyyears Galileo galilei 1564 - 1642 Italian astronomer and physicist. Created the military compass to calculate the optimal elevation of cannons, as well as the charge of gunpowder needed. First to create a refracting telescope. thomas savery c . 1650 - 1715 British inventor and engineer. Creator of the f irst commercially produced and used steam engine. He patented the engine in 1699, but the patent contained no pictures. The machine was f inally revealed to the public in 1702. 07 INSPIRE prep for Artwork.indd 7 15/10/2015 17:44:08 08 1452 - 1519 leonardo da vinci sixty years of engineeringof sixtyyears Leonardo da Vinci is best known for his world famous artworks, but what many people don’t know is that he was actually an inventor and engineer. Whilst many of his inventions were incredibly far fetched and completely impractical, many of them were perfectly capable of performing their desired function. A number of his more practical designs included: hydraulic pumps, reversible crank systems and f inned mortar shells. Some of his designs, such as giant crossbows and a parachute, have actually been constructed and tested with a degree of success. INSPIRE prep for Artwork.indd 8 15/10/2015 17:44:09 daniel bernoulli 1700 - 1782 Swiss mathematician and physicist. Studied and investigated applications of mathematics and mechanics. Most famous for the Bernoulli principle of f luid dynamics. This can be used to calculate the lift force on an airfoil. sixty years of engineeringof sixtyyears James brindley 1716 - 1772 British civil engineer. First to implement canal systems in the UK. Brindley minimised excavation by using contouring. In one instance, one of the canals was carried at an elevation of 13m. james watt 1736 - 1819 British mechanical engineer who specialised in steam engines. He realised steam engines wasted energy by cooling and reheating. He adapted the design and later managed to produce rotary motion. The unit of power, the watt, was named after him. 09 INSPIRE prep for Artwork.indd 9 15/10/2015 17:44:10 10 Joseph bramah 1748 - 1814 British engineer credited with the invention of the hydraulic press. This uses Pascal’s principle to magnify the input force of a system. Modern car brakes still use this system. He is also responsible for the design of the improved water closet. Alessandro Volta 1745 - 1827 Italian physicist and chemical engineer. Discovered methane and created the f irst electrical battery. Created the voltaic pile in 1799, the f irst to chemically create electricity. The unit of electrical potential, the volt, was named in his honour. sixty years of engineeringof sixtyyears thomas telford 1757 - 1834 Scottish civil engineer, architect and stonemason. Known as The Colossus of Roads for his bridges and highways. Founder and f irst president of the the Institution of Civil Engineers. Lead engineer of the A5. INSPIRE prep for Artwork.indd 10 15/10/2015 17:44:11 archimedes 287 - 212 BC sixty years of engineeringof sixtyyears 1781 - 1848 George stephenson George Stephenson was a British civil engineer, responsible for building the f irst public intercity railway to use steam locomotives in the entire world. He is considered the “Father of Railways”. Even now, his 4 ft 8 1/2 in rail gauge is still accepted as the general standard all around the world. Stephenson is also responsible for the design of the miner’s safety lamp, a specially designed lamp that eliminated the chance of explosion in mines after many lives had been lost. 11 INSPIRE prep for Artwork.indd 11 15/10/2015 17:44:11 12 1791 - 1867 Michael faraday 1781 - 1848 George stephenson sixty years of engineeringof sixtyyears Michael Faraday was a British scientist, who made advances and contributions in the f ields of electromagnetism and electrochemisty.