May/June 2019
LAS VEGAS HIGH ROLLER! Bearings smooth the action
001_IEDM_MAY19.indd 1 25/04/2019 10:33 Contacts
Institution of Engineering Designers Courtleigh, Westbury Leigh, Westbury, Wiltshire, BA13 3TA Telephone: +44 (0)1373 822801 Fax: +44 (0)1373 858085 Email: [email protected] Website: www.ied.org.uk
@InstEngDes Institution of Engineering Designers
President May/June 2019 Pete Lomas FREng HonFIED Immediate Past President Maggie Philbin OBE HonFIED (PP) Chair EurIng Colin Ledsome BEng MEng LAS VEGAS Engineering Designer needs good articles on matters important to CEng FIMechE FIED MCMI FBIS MDS HIGH ROLLER! design. Why not write one? You will receive help from the editorial team, Immediate Past Chair Bearings smooth should you need it. Dr T Humphries-Smith BSc PGDip the action MPhil EdD CTPD CEng MIED(PCh) FHEA FRSA If you want to try your hand at writing a feature for Engineering Designer, Vice Chairs please submit an abstract (around 200 words), explaining what your DTH Castle IEng RCADMan FIED stock.adobe.com/ VILevi MBCS CITP 001_IEDM_MAY19.indd 1 12/04/2019 14:55 feature is about, with intended word count. (Features can be between N Phelps IEng MIED Editor 1,000 and 1,800 words.) It will then be forwarded to the IED editorial Ordinary Councillors Brian Wall committee for consideration. PKR Bateman EngTech MIED SJ Ben eld CTPD CEng CEnv Art Editor FIED(PCh) Neil Young Contact Brian Wall, MA Business Ltd EurIng Dr L Buck BSc(Hons) MA PhD Hawley Mill, Hawley Road, Dartford, Kent DA2 7TJ CTPD CEng FIED FHEA FRSA Publishing Director Telephone: 01322 221144 Email: [email protected] D Farrell BSc(Hons) MTech CEng Luke Webster CTPD FIED Dr PJ Sewell BEng(Hons) PGCert Sales Director PhD CEng MIED MIMechE FHEA Jez Walters Dr C J Simcock MEng&Man(Hons) Telephone: EngD CTPD CEng FIMechE FIED +44 (0)1322 221144 Dr GAL Tizzard BSc MPhil DIC PhD Email: MIEEE CEng MIED FHEA [email protected] I Treacy BA MSc IEng MIED MIET EurIng SP Vaitkevicius BEng(Hons) ISSN: 00137898 MSc CEng FIED Dr B Watson MDes(Hons) PhD LCGI The Journal of The Institution CEng CEnv CTPD MIED of Engineering Designers Circulation or service is recommended or endorsed by the Institution. Dr K Winning BEng(Hons) MEng Hawley Mill, Hawley Road, Established in 1945, The Institution of Engineering Designers Material may only be reproduced in any form by prior MSc PhD CEng FIMechE CEnv FIED Dartford, Kent DA2 7TJ is the professional body for Engineering Designers, Product arrangement and with due acknowledgement to Engineering Designers and Computer Aided Draughtsmen and Designers. Designer. CGeog FRGS Email: Engineering Designer is the Institution’s bi-monthly journal R Yuen MEng CEng MIED [email protected] sent to all Members, as well as design professionals Notice to advertisers Note: (PP) – Past President, Website: and opinion formers in industry, schools, colleges and It is a condition of acceptance of advertisement orders (PCh) – Past Chairman www.engineeringdesigner.co.uk universities. that the publishers, MA Business Ltd, does not guarantee Honorary Treasurer and the insertion of a particular advertisement on a speci ed Annual subscription rates for non-Members date, or at all, although every effort will be made to meet Councillor Contact the Editor UK: £74.20 the wishes of advertisers; further, the company does not ATA Keegan CEng FIED(PCh) If you would like to write a feature, Single issue: £14.60 accept liability for any loss or damage caused by any error Chief Executive add to the news or send your points Overseas airmail: £106.50 or inaccuracy in the printing or non-appearance of any EK Meyrick BSc(Hons) FRSA of view, contact: Schools and colleges: £57.00 advertisement. Although every advertisement is carefully Managing Editor Brian Wall checked, occasionally mistakes do occur. We therefore ask Disclaimer advertisers to assist us by checking their advertisements Libby Meyrick MA Business, © Copyright The Institution of Engineering Designers 2019 carefully and advise us by the deadline given, should an Editorial Committee Hawley Mill, Hawley Road Unless otherwise indicated, views expressed are those of the error occur. We regret that we cannot accept responsibility SJ Ben eld, MK Chowdhree, Dartford, Kent DA2 7TJ editorial staff, contributors and correspondents. They are for more than ONE INCORRECT insertion and that no KL Edwards, PC Hills, GJ Jeffery, Telephone: not necessarily the views of the Institution of Engineering republication or discount will be granted in the case of C Ledsome, LJ Meaton, +44 (0)1322 221144 Designers, its of cers, or Council. The publication of an typographical or minor changes which do not affect the advertisement or editorial does not imply that a product value of the advertisement. EK Meyrick, JD Poole Email: [email protected]
002_IEDM_MAY19.indd 2 25/04/2019 10:37 Contents Volume 45 Number 3
Regulars Features
View from the Chair 4 Graphene bids for glory 6 TeenTech conquest 16 Colin Ledsome CEng Every few decades a new ‘wonder’ material More than 1,500 students from schools FIED: pollution and its hits the market and is hailed as the answer right across the UK and Europe were involved environmental impact to engineers’ prayers. Then it all goes a in the latest TeenTech Awards bit at. Might the recent opening of the Asides 5 Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre in Bloodhound on the scent again! 18 Here’s one ‘L’ of a game Manchester be the critical step in bringing When the company behind Bloodhound SSC that just might prove this material to market in a big way? folded, the quest to smash the world land addictive! speed record looked to have gone. Now that The wonders of waste 10 dream shines brightly once again IED Annual Report A £200 million investment at United & Accounts 19 Utilities’ Davyhulme wastewater treatment Future-focused Leaders 23 works in Greater Manchester has put the In this series, Dr Benjamin W Watson CEng IED Elections & site right at the forefront when it comes to CTPD CEnv MIED identi es the key innovation Registrations 27 sewage treatment management principles central to success
Wright Hassall 28 COVER STORY Motors on Mars 24 Tariva Thomas looks at Bearing up under pressure 13 The space race seems to be accelerating once some complex issues The safe, reliable operation of tunnel boring more – with Elon Musk’s recent SpaceX launch around accident liability equipment relies on the integrity of critical upping the ante. China, the US and Europe are bearings and seals. And with no reverse all exploring the Moon and Mars, and planning IED News/What’s gear on tunnel boring machines, there’s future missions. Here, we look at some of the Happening 30 no going back once construction starts emerging technologies that are involved
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hen something is in the process of W being designed, the most fundamental decisions are usually about materials and the method of manufacture. There is often a wide choice of cost, weight, strength, stiffness, ease of manufacture, availability of materials and manufacturing capacity, as well as nish and corrosion resistance to be /stock.adobe.com peshkova considered, in order to nd a compromise that best meets the requirements. In recent decades, we have become more and more aware of pollution and its effects on the environment we Embracing depend on. The effects on wildlife, vegetation and the overall temperature of the planet, with sea level rise and loss of polar ice as a consequence, are all becoming more the planet apparent, along with the urgency to do something to reverse them. This means we have some extra factors to consider when making those fundamental choices. Pollution and its impact on the environment Producing ‘raw’ materials, no matter what the source, and are altering the way we approach design, as putting them through a manufacturing process to produce a Colin Ledsome CEng FIED points out component is usually an expensive, energy-intensive activity. It also produces signi cant amounts of waste, both of the material itself and the other materials used in the process, often including large quantities of water. Add to that the effects of packaging, transport and storage, and most products have had a signi cant environmental impact before they begin their useful life. Designers should be aware of the environmental consequences of their manufacturing decisions, including where to manufacture, as well as the impact of the product itself. Pressure is coming from political and market sources to give products longer lives in service, and make them easier to maintain and repair to extend those lives. This is an extra design requirement we should consider, even if it is not part of the original proposal. One option we have is to make it easier to give a product the potential for further ‘lives’ in service by designing it from the outset with that in mind.
Take a look at BS8887 Design for Manufacture, Assembly, Disassembly and End-of-life Processing (MADE): Part 3 1918 Guide to choosing an appropriate end-of-life design strategy.
Get Involved If you would like to contribute to any discussions, write to: Colin Ledsome BEng MEng CEng FIMechE FIED MCMI FBIS MDS, Chair, at: The Institution of Engineering Designers, Courtleigh, Westbury Leigh, Westbury, Wiltshire BA13 3TA. Or email: [email protected]
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004_IEDM_MAY19.indd 4 25/04/2019 10:49 ASIDES One ‘L’ of a game
Colin Ledsome CEng FIED looks at an engagingly simple two-person game. Spoiler alert: it can prove addictive!
imple two-person games, like Noughts and Crosses (Tic-Tac-Toe, if you are American), usually give an advantage to the fi rst player and often the game is inevitably short. (There is a maximum of nine moves in Noughts and Crosses.) SSome years ago, Edward de Bono (polymath inventor of ‘lateral thinking’) set out to design a simple game, which gave equal chances to both players, and produced the L-game. It is set on a 4 x 4 square grid. Each player has an L-shaped piece, coloured both sides, and there are two square neutral pieces. You can cut it all out of stiff card in fi ve minutes. The starting point is set out in the diagram. At each turn, a player must fi rst move their own L-shape, which can be rotated or fl ipped over, to a new position. They may then move only one of the neutral squares, if they wish. The game ends when one of the players cannot fi nd a new position for their piece. Games may be over quickly or can go on for some time before a winning position is found. It is very addictive. Have fun!
Starting position
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005_IEDM_MAY19.indd 5 29/04/2019 16:54 GRAPHENE BIDS FOR GLORY The recent opening of the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre in Manchester is the latest step in bringing this material to market
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o-called ‘wonder materials’ do not come along very often. Maybe every few decades a new one hits the market and is hailed as Sthe answer to engineers’ prayers. From plastics to carbon bre, composites and nanocomposites, the pattern is usually the same: a huge fanfare leading to unrealistic expectations that are all too often disappointed, causing cynical disillusionment to set in. Then everything settles down and, many years (even decades) later, the rst applications start to emerge and the material is gradually absorbed into the mainstream. Graphene’s entry into the public consciousness certainly conformed to the initial part of this pattern. Back in 2004, inov-8 worked closely with Graphene@Manchester in the when it was rst isolated at Manchester development of its latest products University by Konstantin Novoselov and Andre Geim (a process famously involving the distinctly low-tech use of sticky tape somewhere between 30 and 40 tonnes, marketplace.” However, Graphene@ and pencil graphite), the possibilities of by 2027 it is estimated that gure could Manchester exists to ensure that does the resulting material were universally be as high as 23,000 tonnes. not prove the case with graphene. It hailed… with good reason. The potential for graphene, then, is is an umbrella organisation for the not in dispute. However, as with all such University of Manchester and its graphene IMPRESSIVE CREDENTIALS materials and technologies, there can activities. Says Baker: “From an industrial Graphite’s credentials are seriously be an awfully big gap between potential perspective, it’s a one-stop shop: from impressive. It is many times stronger and actuality. As James Baker, CEO of teaching and training, undergrad and than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and Graphene@Manchester, puts it: “Anyone post-grad through to PhD, and then to exible. It is electrically and thermally who’s interested in new products or knowledge transfer.” conductive, but also transparent. It is also applications can take carbon bre as A major new part in this particular the world’s rst 2D material and is one a case study. It can take jigsaw has been lled in with million times smaller than the diameter years or even decades the opening at the end of of a single human hair. to move from that last year of the Graphene The global market for graphene-enabled discovery through Graphite’s Engineering Innovation products is predicted to be worth up to to products and credentials are Centre (GEIC) in the $25bn by 2027. And while current market applications seriously impressive. Maslar Building demand for graphene is currently only reaching the It is many times stronger on Manchester than steel, yet incredibly University’s ig t eig t an e i e campus. The It is electrically and £60 million GEIC thermally conductive, (inevitably pronounced but also ‘geek’) is designed to transparent. commercialise graphene by working with industry to explore how the material can be used in their products, provide independent testing and demonstrate the ways in which graphene is seen to be better than the current alternatives. Combined with the research power of the National Graphene Institute, also based in the city, Manchester has vast expertise that is now being leveraged to realise the material’s potential.
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biochemistry to ensure that this BUILDING BLOCKS technology moves from the lab to While acknowledging that the GEIC the marketplace through a model of was conceived to ll the valley of collaboration. So, we’re still a university death between mid-TRL and industry, and driven by what universities do. Baker clari es that its future is not to We’re wholly owned by the University of act as a graphene supplier. Instead, Manchester and we have the National its role is to support the whole Graphene Institute.” graphene supply chain, helping to The GEIC, however, has been built bring suppliers and potential end users much more around industrial pull, and together, and supporting them with a much more rapid and agile way of equipment, academic and industrial engaging with large, small and start-up expertise. From these suppliers, Baker businesses. So, what is the best way of says: “You can buy graphene today avoiding the valley of death? According at a quality and a quantity to meet Quarterre: future seating. “Graphene is truly international,” says to Baker, it boils down to the creation industrial requirements.” This model is Baker. “It’s being studied at most – if of effective supply chains. “Academics unashamedly based (Baker uses the not all – universities around the world. and universities are great at what they phrase “stolen with pride”) on the model However, here at Manchester, we have do. But often, if you look at graphene, of the UK’s Catapult Centres, which are more than 300 academics now working they can make it by the gram or perhaps designed to bring together businesses across a number of research groups. by the several grams; but along comes with academic and research expertise. That has driven a signi cant number of industry, wanting to add graphene to The good news, of course, is that publications and citations. In addition, it its car programme, and applications are beginning to has started that journey of collaboration there’s a big gap appear in signi cant numbers with industry and, so far, we have over between making a and at an increasingly high- 100 industrial partners.” gram of material “What we need pro le. Ford, for instance, For all its academic credentials, and making a to bring together is has become the rst however, it is these industrial partners kilogram or tens the best of academic automaker to use that represent the hopes for the GEIC’s of kilograms, know-how, the graphene parts in its success. This is because the core idea or even signi� cant investment vehicles, starting behind the facility’s existence is to bridge tonnes. with the Mustang and in infrastructure and the so-called ‘Valley of Death’ that exists “So, for me, F-150. equipment and a between the academic world’s capacity what we need to Ford acknowledges to initially develop a technology, and the bring together is partnership alongside the dif culties of graphene adoption and successful exploitation of the best of academic industry.” manufacturing and use, that technology by industry. know-how, the but, in partnership with Eagle That particular gap is ‘risk’, as far signi cant investment Industries and XG Sciences, as companies are concerned. “Risks to in infrastructure and equipment and a it has determined a way to make use funding, timescale, risk of committing partnership alongside industry to bring of graphene reinforcement in certain to something where you don’t know the engineering, manufacturing, the components to strengthen and lighten whether you can upscale it,” Baker points commercial and the route to market. In them, as well as reduce noise. Since out. “That risk means people wait and essence, forming that complete supply 2014, Ford and its partners have trialled let other competitors take advantage. chain.” Another signi cant building graphene-reinforced foam covers for Unfortunately, the UK has a reputation block for success lies in reducing the noisy components, such as the fuel rail, – some of it well-founded – for doing time taken to move technology from the pumps and belt-driven pulleys or chain- great invention over here and letting theoretical to the actual. “We’ve also got driven gears on the front of engines. The other countries come along, take that to address turnaround,” says Baker. “If resulting parts are 17% quieter, 20% invention, and create the products and it takes us three years to take a piece of stronger and 30% more heat-resistant. supply chains. Part of our strategy is research from one TRL to the next, our Baker sees these multi-layered to nd a business model that makes it weakest link is that we move along in bene ts as one of the key factors that more attractive for industry to engage three-year cycles, which means it can take will encourage adoption of graphene here in the UK and retain activity and us many years to move from discovery in the future. “Why are they putting engagement.” through to production. Therefore we graphene in the engine bay?” he says. He continues: “What we’re trying have to nd a means of disrupting this “They can take out weight, make it more to do is ground everything we do in business model, so we’re not waiting energy ef cient and make it less noisy. the academic excellence of physics, 6, 12 or 18 months before we have the One of the exciting parts of graphene chemistry, materials science and results of an experiment.” and 2D materials is the ability to disrupt
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existing markets. So, you may get single- gure improvement in one area, but, by GRAPHENE PROS AND CONS doing that system integration, there’s opportunity for double-digit bene ts in Scarce metals - such as tin, silver, tungsten and indium – are found in a wide range of everyday your chosen market.” objects around us. They can be found in your computer, in your mobile phone, in many of the plastics around you and in almost all electronic equipment. Society is highly dependent on scarce GRAPHENE FOOTWEAR metals and this dependence has many disadvantages. These metals are complicated to extract, Another fascinating application closer to dif cult to recycle and so rare that several of them have become ‘con ict minerals’, helping to home can be seen in the sports footwear promote wars and oppression. Also, they are dif cult to recycle pro tably, since they are often developed by inov-8, a Cumbrian-based present in small quantities in various components, such as electronics. company specialising in shoes for A survey at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden, suggests there are mountain or (as it’s properly known) fell potential solutions that can replace many of the metals. Rickard Arvidsson and Björn Sandén, running. As might be imagined, such an researchers in environmental systems analysis at the university, have examined substituting carbon application makes enormous demands of nanomaterials. These substances – the best known of which is graphene – are strong materials with shoes, in terms of grip and endurance. good conductivity, like scarce metals. Traditionally, this meant the soles of the There are potential technology-based solutions for replacing 13 out of the 14 metals [in shoes had to be made of a softer, stickier question] by carbon nanomaterials in their most common applications. The technology development rubber than would be used on normal is at different stages for different metals and applications, but in some cases, such as indium and training shoes, as this provided the gallium, the results are very promising,” Arvidsson comments. necessary grip and allowed the runner to This offers hope,” adds Sandén. “In the debate on resource constraints, circular economy and ‘feel’ the surface more effectively. society’s handling of materials, the focus has long been on recycling and reuse. Substitution is a The downside of this material, potential alternative that has not been explored to the same extent and, as the resource issues however, is that, being softer, it wore become more pressing, we now have more tools to work with.” away quickly, meaning runners were Yet, according to guidance from the EC, there are also environmental and health risks. “While faced with the prospect of either buying the potential use and safety of CNTs [carbon nanotubes] has been investigated for some time, new shoes on a regular basis or wearing much less is known about graphene, partly because of early dif culties in increasing its production inappropriate footwear that could and because it is in an early stage of development,” cautions the EC in its ‘Science for Environment potentially lead to injury. Policy’ guidelines. “Now, with increasing research, the adoption of different types of graphene It was with this in mind thatTrials the are now materials in different industries will increase the likelihood of human exposure to this material.” company approached expertsunderway at The at the Once inside a living cell, the material could interact with or disrupt cellular processes and cause University of Manchester, enablingFrongoch the site to damage. Arvidsson accepts there are questions still to be answered: “Carbon nanomaterials are brand to infuse graphene intobuild rubber. on metal only a relatively recent discovery and, so far, knowledge is limited about their environmental impact The upshot is that inov-8 has now from a lifecycle perspective,” he concedes. developed rubber outsoles for running and tness shoes that, in testing, have outlasted 1,000 miles of high impact and are shown to be 50% harder wearing. By using graphene in high-pro le applications such as these, it is hoped James Baker. The strength of that other potential users who might CEO Graphene@ these rubber otherwise have perceived the material Manchester soles was greatly as too ‘blue-sky’ for them will have their increased by minds changed and start to embrace its adding graphene. undoubted possibilities. As James Baker puts it: “I think represents the fact that not only are is that the GEIC – alongside the National graphene is reaching the in ection point, there many different forms of graphene, Graphene Centre and all the other or tipping point, in terms of its adoption.” but there are in fact many different types resources devoted to this technology – of ‘2D materials’ following on from the represents a new approach to creating INTO THE FUTURE discovery of graphene. an ecosystem for the material’s use As for of where the future might lie, “Potentially, there are as many and development in the UK. both for the GEIC and graphene itself, as 5,000 such materials that can be At the same time, a suitably cautious Baker believes unequivocally that there isolated,” he adds. “If you think about Baker emphasises that these are still remains an awful lot more development stacking those together with other 2D early days for the technology, pointing to come for the material, as well as the materials in a heterostructure, you out: “It’s come a long way in a short market. “We’re starting to use the term can end up with an entire family of 2D period. Having only been isolated in ‘graphenes’,” he comments, “as that materials.” What seems increasingly clear 2004, graphene is still a teenager.”
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006 IEDM_MAY19.indd 9 25/04/2019 11:04 The wonders of waste
A £200 million investment at United Utilities’ Davyhulme wastewater treatment works in Greater Manchester has put the site right at the forefront when it comes to sewage treatment
avyhulme wastewater tonnes per annum of biosolids (the process when, in 1914, two chemists, treatment works (WwTW) in ‘sludge’ produced both on site and Ardern and Lockett, discovered the Greater Manchester, serving from seven other feeder sites) can be ‘Activated Sludge Process’, soon after in a combined domestic and processed via thermal hydrolysis and use worldwide. Dindustrial load that is equivalent to 1.2 anaerobic digestion to produce a high- Fast forward to today, and Davyhulme million people, has become a beacon quality soil conditioner for farmers, plus is one of the biggest wastewater for United Utilities’ highly sophisticated biogas. The works has the exibility to treatment works in the UK, draining the approach to sewage treatment and sludge either clean the gas into biomethane for entire western side of Manchester. The management and disposal. It is the injection into the local gas supply grid or site operates 24 hours a day, every day. outcome of a recently completed £200 use it as fuel to power CHP (Combined In heavy rain, ows of more than 30,000 million four-year upgrade to modernise the Heat and Power) engines, generating litres per second are treated at the works. company’s largest such treatment plant. electrical energy for the site – and even Employing Ardern and Lockett’s activated The works can deal with a massive powering a eet of electric vehicles for sludge process, wastewater containing throughput of 750 million litres per day the site operations team. organic matter is aerated in an aeration (Mld), even as Manchester’s continued basin, in which micro-organisms (bugs) economic growth brings ever more SEWAGE FARM metabolise the suspended and soluble people and businesses to the area. It wasn’t always this way, of course. organic matter. The requirement to operate at the Davyhulme started life as a ‘sewage farm “The problem Ardern and Lockett had leading edge was clearly compelling and in the countryside’, treating the city’s to overcome was the continual loss of the capability of the works has been wastewater before releasing it into the micro-organisms being carried through massively enhanced to cope Manchester Ship Canal. The Davyhulme the ow out of the aeration basin, due to with future demand and tighter Treatment Works opened in 1894 and their suspension in the liquid, rather than environmental standards. has been at the forefront of innovation being xed onto a media-based process,” Only visit the new-look WwTW and ever since, not least with a breakthrough points out Dave Frain, Davyhulme WwTW you will nd an operation where 91,000 in the drive to improve the treatment production manager for United Utilities.
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The Davyhulme is one of the biggest wastewater treatment works in the UK, draining the entire western side of wonders of waste Manchester. Thermal hydrolysis plant reaction vessels.
“This is done by capturing the bugs in receive the right amount of food and air key differences between the old treatment a nal settlement tank and returning at all times. works and the new one, in terms of these to the start of the activated sludge The modernisation project also included operation and what could be achieved process, thereby matching the food replacing the old inlet works and building a before and now. and bugs to the correct ratio: quite an new odour-controlled inlet consisting of a “The new activated sludge process ingenious process that considerably two-stage screening facility, all controlled treats both ammonia and BOD reduces the footprint of a wastewater automatically via a distributed control (Biochemical Oxygen Demand). The treatment process, while having the ability system. “For the rst time on site, we original Arden and Lockett design utilised to treat variable loads,” he says. have a facility to capture the fats, oils and a carbonaceous treatment for the removal Before the modernisation project, grease that enter the works, and we now of BOD only. However, we now have a Davyhulme WwTW had two activated store this and send it to a green energy nitrifying activated sludge process that sludge plants running in parallel (ASP1 recovery company, which converts it into also removes ammonia, which is achieved and ASP2, each dealing with half of the a biodiesel,” adds Frain. There are other in the same way as before, but far more ows). ASP1 has now been replaced with a new 10-lane plant (ASP3), which handles 60% of the ows.
MODERNISATION IN ACTION The activated sludge process used in the modernisation process is still the same basic one devised by Arden and Lockett, but the way in which it is controlled has been massively enhanced, resulting in a much better controlled and energy-ef cient treatment of the sewage. The dissolved oxygen is now introduced from the bottom of the basin, instead of at the surface, ensuring it is uniformly ef cient throughout the entire process. The bugs
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Davyhulme new ASP3 plant. Thermal hydrolysis plant.
readily through careful control, using Throughout this six-month commissioning signi cant savings and reduced health different parameters and design.” process, a combination of on-site testing and safety risks.” Commissioning a new process such and samples taken to the accredited lab UU’s Donnellan says one of the as that at Davyhulme demands a vast was implemented. On-site testing was biggest challenges faced was integrating operational undertaking, of course. Lee a combination of the in-line instruments the old assets with the new ones. “We Donnellan, who was UU’s operations measuring key process parameters, such cannot stop the ow coming into the readiness manager for the duration of as dissolved oxygen, ammonia levels in works and, as we turned the new plant the modernisation project, explains: “We and out of the plant, and levels of sludge on, we had to carefully manage how we had to consider the start period where in the process at different stages. turned off the old plant. As the process is it doesn’t treat. In order for a treatment Quality tests were also carried out a biological one, you have to allow time for process to do its job, it requires a certain to con rm the in-line instruments’ the process to mature. recipe of activated sludge to ensure the accuracy. These results were backed up “The ops readiness role helped to FM ratio is correct. By switching on the by the results taken in United Utilities’ ensure that the operational team were lanes in pairs and in a controlled way, accredited labs at Warrington. involved in the design phase, which we introduced the correct recipe from the The civils were constructed using includes risk management and input into well-established activated sludge process Design for Manufacture and Assembly the future operational design,” he points on site. This is what we call ‘seeding’: we (DfMA). It meant most of the concrete out. “We used a system called Building seed the new process with the right type fabrication happened in the factory in Information Management, which allows a of micro-organisms that quickly establish precisely controlled conditions, then the CGI 3D model of the new works to be built treatment. It’s also acclimatised to the sections were assembled on site. It’s during the design process. Manchester home-grown sewage as well.” faster, cheaper and gives much improved “It enabled the engineering team and quality control. operators to use a virtual reality headset FACTFILE “The use of DfMA and Digital to walk through the plans and use their Engineering was identi ed as a key real-life experience – not theory – to ● Davyhulme wastewater treatment works ef ciency strategy from the tender design reduce issues relating to access and can treat up to 714 Mld (million litres a day) stage to nal construction,” comments introduce simple, yet effective, ideas, during storm conditions Laing O’Rourke’s project leader David such as moving sample points, access ● The onsite Manchester Bioresources Marsh. “By using 4D visualisation though platforms, stairways, pump control etc.” Centre produces around 33 million cubic BIM (Building Information Modelling), we A plan was also devised to ensure metres of biogas per annum could review each construction activity training was t for purpose and that all ● Each gas bag contains 9,000 cubic to ensure constraints were mitigated. the EO&M manuals were in a format metres of biogas It provided a representation of changes suitable for operations. ● CHP engines on site can generate up to and highlighted problems before they All in all, this has been a massive 60 GWh of electricity per annum physically occurred on site. undertaking that now stands as clear ● The site can inject 450 cubic metres of “Compared to traditional on-site testament to sewage treatment, and biomethane per hour into the gas supply grid. construction, the use of precast elements sludge management and disposal, at and off-site manufacture has saved its most effective and surely a guiding 6,800 on-site working days, generated light for the future.
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Bearing up under pressure
The safe, reliable operation of tunnel boring equipment relies on the integrity of critical bearings and seals. Once construction starts, there’s no going back
tunnel boring machine (TBM) wear and component damage. diameter, which has grown is not equipped with a reverse “For decades, SKF has from a standard of 13 gear! So, it is imperative collaborated with major inches some years ago that the machine is able to TBM manufacturers to to 17, or even 19, inches Acomplete its job without suffering any develop robust bearing, on the largest modern signi cant mechanical failure on route. sealing and lubrication machines. Where problems do occur, accessing the solutions that can meet the “The location of cutting machine for repair can be a complex, requirements of the most disc TRBs makes it very likely costly and time-consuming project, demanding tunnelling projects in that bearing surfaces will especially with the main slewing bearing the world,” states Dysiewicz. So, become contaminated during installed inside the TBM’s gear box. As what exactly are the key challenges operation. This, combined with Paul Dysiewicz, engineering manager at associated with the design, operation the presence of extreme shock SKF, explains: “The main slewing bearing and maintenance of these components, loads, means bearing manufacturers must is the heart of the machine and, in case and how can these be addressed to get design the bearings to cope with uneven of failure, it cannot be replaced easily, the best outcomes? loading and highly localised forces on potentially causing months of delays and rollers and raceway surfaces,” he adds. cost overruns that could easily add up to CUTTING-DISC BEARINGS “At the same time, consideration must be millions of dollars.” A large TBM uses several cutting discs, given to the nature of a premature bearing For design engineers, the challenge each rotating on a pair of taper roller failure, should it occur. The priority here is of delivering high levels of reliability bearings (TRB). In operation, these to avoid complete fracture of a raceway, and availability are compounded by bearings are subject to high transient which would lead to blocking of a disc, the extremely tough working conditions loads, which rise dramatically as the disc leading to damage of multiple discs.” associated with tunnelling works. TBMs is forced into the rock and are suddenly Building a bearing that can handle combine several highly undesirable released as the material fractures. The this environment requires careful operating conditions for key components, rotating speed of the disc depends on attention to geometry, material selection including slow rotating speeds, high its position on the cutter head, but it is and surface treatment approach. static and shock loads and a wet, typically in the range of 10 to 20 rpm. “Design engineers need to make use dirty environment. Together, these The use of ever-larger TBMs has also led of proprietary nite element analysis characteristics are a recipe for accelerated to a commensurate increase in cutter disc tools to optimise key bearing design and
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013_IEDM_MAY19.indd 13 25/04/2019 11:21 TUNNEL BORING
from worn cutting discs can also provide useful information about their operating conditions. “Expert analysis of wear and damage to bearing surfaces can reveal opportunities to modify operation and maintenance procedures to maximise bearing life. In cases where projects have faced unexpectedly challenging ground conditions, SKF engineering teams have even been able to
stock.adobe.com/ VILevi use insights gained from damaged SKF designed a spherical roller bearing for the bearings to produce customised 168m tall Las Vegas High Roller ferris wheel. solutions designed to offer improved performance.” manufacturing parameters, to deliver the Since disc replacement best combination of characteristics. Small operations are conducted adjustments to raceway geometry can underground, they must be as have a big impact on the bearing’s ability straightforward as possible, requiring to cope with irregular loads, for example, minimal use of time, manpower while the use of precisely controlled case- and specialist tools. The reliable hardening of raceways provides rolling operation of the taper roller bearings surfaces of suf cient hardness, while inside the discs, however, relies on retaining a tough core to prevent bursting an appropriate level of pre-load, which in failure conditions,” adds Dysiewicz. must be set by the maintenance team when the bearings are mounted. “In COMPUTER SIMULATION practice, operators have limited ability to Testing of cutting disc bearings presents assess bearing preload in the eld and SKF slewing bearings are built to withstand another challenge for manufacturers. must rely on the torque measured on huge loads as cutter heads bore into solid rock. “There is no test rig available that can the arrangement during assembly,” he adequately reproduce the rigours of real- further comments. “To assist operators lubrication of mounting hardware, so world operation and operating conditions in this critical assembly step, the TRBs careful inspection of components and can vary signi cantly from project to used in cutting discs are manufactured adherence to standard mounting protocols project. As a result, bearing design to tight dimensional tolerances, thereby are essential. Bearing suppliers can engineers must rely on a combination ensuring the closest possible correlation also provide support to operators in the of experience and computer simulation between mounting torque and preload. development of appropriate disc bearing when evaluating a new design,” he points Other factors come in to play as well, replacement procedures and the training out. The condition of bearings removed however, including the condition and of maintenance personnel.”
From Formula One to ferris wheels SLEWING BEARINGS While all cutting disc bearings employ a SKF manufactures virtually every type of ball and roller bearing. They are available in various cross- broadly similar design, TBM manufacturers sections, and satisfy a huge variety of operating conditions and application performance requirements. are setting higher and differing demands The company’s bearings can be found in a wide range of applications: from Formula One cars and on the design of the main slewing bearing. railway vehicles to wind turbines, quarrying equipment, and food and beverage applications. The size “This is the most critical bearing of the range of its bearings is also impressive, with the smallest bearing having an inner bore of 3mm and TBM and the link between the pinion the largest being a spherical roller bearing designed for the 168-metre tall Las Vegas High Roller ferris drives and the cutter head, while also wheel – see image at the top of this page and also the cover shot. taking over the huge loads induced SKF has just nished redesigning the bearings on the world’s oldest and largest double-deck during tunnelling operations. Slewing tram eet for Hong Kong Tramways, to improve comfort and facilitate maintenance. The company is bearing assemblies can range in size also working with Epiroc on its Mobile Miner machines, developing a combined radial and axial roller from less than two metres in diameter bearing with an outside diameter of 2.18 metres that can withstand the tough conditions in which this for micro-tunnelling applications, up to equipment has to work. SKF standard bearings are also being used by Benevelli S.r.l. in Italy, which more than eight metres for the largest creates electric motors for a range of applications, including six lines of transaxles exclusively for tunnelling machines. Manufacturers may electric vehicles. use different bearing arrangements, depending on the size of the machine,
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the anticipated ground conditions and the objectives: retaining lubricant within the overall machine architecture.” bearing assembly, keeping out water, As a result, a slewing bearing is always mud and debris, and accommodating the a highly customised design, created in signi cant misalignment that can occur close collaboration between the OEM and during operation. The seal must be able bearing supplier. “SKF has developed to ful l these duties throughout the full specialised design and optimisation duration of the project, even while subject software for such projects, allowing the to continual abrasion by rock particles. modelling and simulation of complete slewing bearing assemblies, including LIPS ARE SEALED rolling elements, cages, raceways, drive “To achieve the desired level of gears and mounting arrangements, and performance, several lip seals in series, thus has an accurate calculation of bearing with lubrication in between, are commonly and gear lifetime under the given load used. SKF’s TBM seals are designed conditions,” states Dysiewicz. “Special by utilising nite element analysis (FEA) solutions incorporated into TBM slewing to consider all load cases, such as bearing designs can include spring-loaded misalignments, pressurisation, grease raceway designs to reduce shock loads in ushing and even installation behaviour.” This 8 tonne bearing was supplied by SKF for hard rock applications.” To simplify assembly processes and a mining application. The large size of TBM slewing bearings facilitate on-site replacement of seals, presents challenges for transportation, where required, SKF has developed REMANUFACTURING assembly and maintenance. Depending a specialised welding process using As operators look to maximise the lifetime on OEM requirements, slewing bearings compact, hand-held equipment that value of their assets, they are increasingly can be supplied as single parts or fully allows engineers to operate in con ned looking for opportunities to re-use assembled units, including the sealing spaces, enabling main seals to be complete TBMs and key components on system. In some cases, bearings may installed without the need to remove the multiple projects. Component re-use can be constructed in segments to facilitate cutting head, greatly reducing downtime. result in lower costs, less environmental transportation, mounting or replacement, In addition to the highly specialised impact and smaller parts inventories. in case unforeseen events occur, affecting components developed speci cally for “To help manufacturers achieve their the machine. Along with the main slewing TBM applications, the company provides a objectives, remanufacturing of TBM bearings, there are also special ranges of wide range of other components, systems bearings is a good option,” Dysiewicz slewing bearings on the market for screw and solutions for machine manufacturers. concludes. “Used bearings are returned to conveyors and erector systems. These include standard bearings and specialist facilities or directly on customer seals used in screw conveyor drives, sites around the world, where they are SEALING THE DEAL erector bearings and other ancillary cleaned, disassembled and inspected. “Slewing bearings rely on proper lubrication equipment, along with sophisticated, Worn parts are replaced or reconditioned and ingress protection to survive,” he centralised lubrication systems that can and the completed unit is inspected, continues. “That means the seals used inject oil or grease directly into bearings documented and returned, ready for to protect these bearings against the in precise quantities to ensure optimum reinstallation.” harsh environment in tunnel boring are a lubrication with minimal wastage or project-critical component. Like the slewing environmental contamination, says SKF. Cut-away view, showing integrated SKF bearing assemblies themselves, sealing bearings, seals and lubrication systems. solutions for TBM main bearings need to be optimised to suit the needs of the typical applications, as well as customised projects with even more extreme conditions.” SKF retains “full control of the seal design and manufacturing process”, formulating its own proprietary materials and using in-house manufacturing processes to ensure precise control of nished seal geometry, regardless of the size of the machine involved. Slewing bearing seals must achieve multiple
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013_IEDM_MAY19.indd 15 25/04/2019 11:22 TeenTech conquest
The next generation of innovators met with TeenTech patron HRH The Duke of York at Buckingham Palace recently to share their award-winning inventions
About the TeenTech Awards ore than 1,500 students positive impact on our students, allowing from schools across the UK them to recognise a future for themselves and Europe were involved in in careers they had not thought of.” The TeenTech Awards are an annual initiative the latest TeenTech Awards, Since starting the TeenTech Awards at run by TeenTech that challenges young Mdesigned to make life “better, simpler, Evelyn Grace Academy, there has been a people aged 11 to 19 to tackle key societal safer or more fun”, using the power of noticeable increase in students at Year 9 and environmental issues, using the power science and technology. opting for Computer Science as their rst- of science, technology and engineering. The students’ ideas included drones to choice subject for GCSEs. “Before we did Each year, nalists present their ideas live detect and absorb pollutants, an app that the programme, there were 12 students to a panel of judges made up of celebrities, calculates a safe way home from school in our GCSE Computer Science class; we journalists and eminent academics. The and a suitcase that provides everything now have the majority of our current Year 9 overall winners are then invited to present for the stressed commuter, with room cohort selecting this subject,” he adds. their ideas to HRH The Duke of York. Award for clothes, a workspace – and even And the best in uence that TeenTech sponsors include Accenture, Atkins, CILIP, somewhere to sit. has on pupils? “[This] is on our more Cross Country Trains, GSK, FDM Group, JVC Some 269 schools registered to take reserved students, who are often forgotten Kenwood, Lloyds Banking Group, Rolls- part in the awards and one school had about in the classroom. They’ve realised Royce and Symantec. In addition, more than extra reasons to celebrate taking part, as they can achieve more than they thought 35 universities and 70 companies mentor Sumair Mohammed from Evelyn Grace they were capable of and it’s been a students for the awards. Academy in Brixton was named ‘Teacher of pleasure to be able to see them grow the Year’. His school has participated for so much, all due to this initiative.” Device for diabetics the past two years, during which time he The winners can be really proud of their to identify sugars has seen the number of students wanting achievements, but what is particularly in foods (winner to be involved soar from eight to eighty. exciting, he points out, is how the impact of the Research & “Many of our students do not realise life goes deep beyond them, right into a Information Literacy beyond Brixton, but, with the support of school itself. “Support from the TeenTech category). TeenTech, they have been given access Programme is enabling teenagers to to mentors from some of the largest develop incredible ideas and projects, and technology companies in the world,” he helping students understand their own says. “TeenTech has had an incredibly potential. I owe a massive thank you to
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016_IEDM_MAY19.indd 16 25/04/2019 11:30 PUPIL POWER
TEENTECH AWARDS
ENERGY: Loughborough Grammar School, Loughborough Ideas galore at the TeenTech awards. BioPump: an electronic water pump that is completely self-suf cient and environmentally friendly. FUTURE OF RAIL: Ranelagh School, Berkshire Travel Anywhere Case: a smart case that combines a mode of transport, work space and seat. FUTURE OF HEALTH (joint winners): Shef eld High School, Shef eld Copper Assist: bandage with a patch of copper to prevent infections after surgery. FUTURE OF HEALTH (joint winners): The Greenwich Free School, Greenwich Simple Reminders: a reminder app for patients with dementia. EDUCATION: Sandbach High School, Sandbach Simpletexts: an app that will scan text and automatically simplify and summarise. WEARABLE TECH: Bromley High School, Bromley Echolocanimals: earrings that give visually impaired people information about their surroundings. MUSIC, MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT: Evelyn Grace Academy, Lambeth The Augmented Reality Comic Book: physical comic book with an app that generates a videogame. ENVIRONMENT: Farlingaye High School, Suffolk Geotex: intelligent ying drones that can identify pollutants and absorb them. SAFETY & SECURITY: Channing School, London Maggie Philbin, TeenTech co-founder, TeenTech conquest and immediate Past President of the IED. Project Safety: app that calculates a secure route for school children to get home safely. FASHION & RETAIL: Farlingaye High School, Suffolk Fashion Fusion: app to log your clothes to reduce wastage, help select out ts and help sell items easily. the support from our sponsors, brilliant DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION: Healing School, Lincolnshire mentors and, of course, HRH The Duke Contain Your Future: sustainable housing solution to create affordable housing for the homeless in Grimsby. of York, who has been an enthusiastic FUTURE OF FOOD: Thurston Community School, Suffolk supporter of our work from the beginning.” AFRAPAK: catering solution providing nutritional aid to those in impoverished and famine areas. Maggie Philbin, TeenTech co-founder FUTURE OF TRANSPORT: Minehead Middle School, Somerset and Tomorrow’s World presenter, points LED Skateboard: new skateboard that features LED wheels and rims, speakers for playing music. to the importance of how schools and DIGITAL SKILLS: Horbury Academy, West Yorkshire students taking part in the TeenTech Memory Medication: dispenser to ensure that people with memory problems take their medication. programme are provided with resources MANUFACTURING: Amelia Roberts and year-round support, including Light Pollution? Why? Affordable smart attachment for existing lamp posts to reduce light pollution. access to mentors all over the world. RESEARCH & INFORMATION LITERACY: The Ladies College, Guernsey “They can also attend a series of live Device to identify sugars in foods: research of sugar amount in fruit drinks, to be used for device for diabetics. innovation events and workshops with TECH FOR ALL: St George’s School, Birmingham more than 200 scientists, engineers and Solar Pi: Raspberry Pi based solar-powered computer designed to teach people coding and digital skills. technology pioneers from companies BEST INNOVATION – CONCEPT: WMG Academy, Coventry such as Accenture, Atkins, BBC Academy, Aether Motion: medical aid to address the psychological issues of many patients. Chartered Institute of Library and BEST INNOVATION – MODEL, PROTOTYPE OR PRODUCT: Mill Hill School, London Information Professionals, Cross Country Anti-motion Stabiliser: support for those suffering from Parkinson’s to achieve improved dexterity. Trains, FDM Group, GSK, JVC Kenwood, BEST RESEARCH PROJECT: Oakham School, Rutland Lloyds Banking Group, Rolls-Royce, Royal Under-representation of women in computer science: an inquiry into the causes. National Orthopaedic Hospital DATA SCIENCE (joint winners): Sandbach High School, Sandbach and Symantec,” she adds. Sensor Track: testing rig composed of 80 infrared sensors connected by Arduinos positioned along the track. DATA SCIENCE (joint winners): Sutton Grammar School, Surrey Vertigo: data logger used to track position, acceleration and rotation of an object. PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD: Dalziel High School, North Lanarkshire Cloud Data Storage: reinvented black box for planes, which streams important data and location information. TEACHER OF THE YEAR Mr Sumair Mohammed from Evelyn Grace Academy, Brixton.
Students share their ideas For more information about TeenTech, visit: www.teentechevent.com with HRH The Duke of York.
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016_IEDM_MAY19.indd 17 29/04/2019 16:57 DREAM LIVES ON
Driver Andy Green with new supersonic rendition of Bloodhound. Urban Dream Becomes Reality Bloodhound on the scent again! The quest to smash the world land speed record looked to have disappeared for the team behind Bloodhound SSC when the company folded. Now that dream shines brightly once again, in a new guise
fter going through turbulent in the project and it would be a tragedy to people across the region who will have an times, wondering if the see it go to waste. opportunity to visit the Gloucestershire Bloodhound mission to break “Starting with a clean slate, it’s Science and Technology Park over the the existing world land speed my ambition to let Bloodhound off the next few years and see the car for Arecord had nally hit the buffers, a new leash to see just how fast this car can themselves.” force has emerged in pursuit of that goal. go. I’ve been reviewing the project and The Bloodhound LSR team, headed Under the ownership of Ian Warhurst, I’m con dent there is a commercial up by Warhurst, has the current world CEO of Grafton LSR, the freshly business proposition to support it. I’ll land speed record holder Andy Green as assembled Bloodhound LSR (Land Speed provide robust nancing to ensure there its driver, along with engineering director Record) team will focus on completing is cash ow to hit the high-speed testing Mark Chapman, chief nancial of cer development of the jet- and rocket- deadlines we set ourselves.” Rick Sturge, operations director Martyn powered car and moving to the next The UK Land Speed Record Centre at Davidson, commercial director Ewen phase of the programme – high speed SGS Berkeley Green UTC provides a 975 Honeyman, and many of the original testing – as soon as possible. square metre workshop facility in the mechanics and technicians. Bloodhound LSR signals a complete heart of the college campus. The Bloodhound team is now preparing rebranding. This includes a visual SGS Berkeley Green UTS group chief the car to go to South Africa; initially for transformation of the car, revealed executive and executive principal Kevin high speed tests and then to set a new recently in a striking red and white livery Hamblin comments: “We’re excited that world land speed record. The current as it moved into its new home at SGS Bloodhound is joining us at Berkeley. To record of 763.035 mph was set over Berkeley Green University Technical have such a ground-breaking engineering 20 years ago by a British team including College (UTC) on the Gloucestershire project on site, which shares Andy Green. Advances in engineering Science and Technology Park. our philosophy to enthuse and design, materials and “Since buying Bloodhound from the encourage the next generation computational uid administrators last December, the team of engineers, designers and dynamics (CFD) since the and I have been overwhelmed by the scientists, will be invaluable last record was broken passion and enthusiasm the public have for our own students and have convinced the team shown for the project,” says Warhurst. also for thousands of young it now has the right set-up “Over the last decade, an incredible Bloodhound LSR to break that record with amount of hard graft has been invested CEO Ian Warhurst. Bloodhound LSR.
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018_IEDM_MAY19.indd 18 25/04/2019 11:33 ANNUAL REPORT
For the financial year 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2018
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting and Extraordinary General Meeting
Held at 12.00 on Saturday 21 July 2018 at Aerospace Bristol, Hayes Way, Patchway, Bristol, BS34 5BZ.
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019_IEDM_MAY19.indd 19 29/04/2019 12:02 Present: S J Ben eld, J Blay, Professor the year totalled £288k, made up of procedures (non-standard) applications G N Blount, EurIng Dr L M Buck, D T H £209k subscriptions, £28k room for membership were examined by the Castle, M Cook, EurIng Dr D J Cumberland, rental, £18k joining fees, £7k Committee during the year, the busiest D B Farrell, Dr T M B Humphries-Smith, accreditation fees and £3k donations since 2014. The introduction of the G J Jeffery, A T A Keegan, Professor G E and advertising. Expenditure for the experiential learning route (ELR) will Kirk, EurIng C Ledsome, J C Leinster, P year stands at £300k, with £218k on mean that these numbers may decline Lomas, C A Maris, L J Meaton, S Owen, N administration costs (general running again as assessment of educational Phelps, M Philbin, J Roberts, M J Robins, of the organisation), £60k on the quali cations are not part of that F E Salisbury, Dr P J Sewell, Dr G A L journal, £17k on website, IT and other process. Tizzard, I Treacy, EurIng S P Vaitkevicius, expenses and £5k on accreditation. Dr B Watson, R T West, J L Whiteley, A M During the year 13 visits were made Williamson, R Yuen. This means there is a de cit of £12k to Higher and Further Educational for the year, which has been funded by Institutions to accredit or approve a Apologies were received from: P K R borrowing. Expenditure has been total of 50 programmes, the highest Bateman, M K Chowdhree, C M C Dowlen, T reduced by £11k, compared to 2016 number ever achieved in a single Doyle, E Fosberry, C Hibbert, Professor P C gures; other measures are being put year, with several HEIs requesting Hills, J C Lewis, Professor P A McKeown, J into place to ensure a more even accreditation for the rst time. D Poole, Dr F U Rehman, Dr C J Simcock, B keel with regards to the long-term Walker, R G Whitby, G Wilkin, Dr K Winning. nancial position, including realisation The International Conference on of the asset that is Courtleigh and Engineering and Product Design Chair of Meeting: Ms Maggie Philbin, longer-term development and Education (E&PDE) was held in Oslo outgoing President (to agenda item 5), investment plans. in September, it was well attended Mr Pete Lomas incoming President (from and a small surplus made. The 2018 agenda item 5). There were no questions, but Mrs conference is to be held at Imperial Linda Meaton thanked Mr Keegan for College Dyson School of Engineering The Annual General Meeting was convened a clear and concise explanation of the in September 2018. 173 abstracts by the Secretary at 12.00, there being current situation. have been accepted, with up to 180 present more than the number of corporate attendees expected to partake. members needed to form a quorum. Ms The Income and Expenditure Account Philbin welcomed all members and guests and Balance Sheet for the period The Chair asked those present for any present. were approved. questions on either report.
1.1 The Chair proposed that the Minutes of 3 The Chair then referred those present There were no questions. the Annual General Meeting held to the Annual Report and asked the at 12.00 on Saturday 8 July 2017, as representatives of the Membership The annual report for 2017 was published in the May/June 2018 issue and Education and Training approved. of Engineering Designer, be adopted. Committees to give verbal reports. This was carried. 4 The Chair proposed that Haines EurIng S P Vaitkevicius gave a report Watts be appointed as the Institution’s 1.2 The Chair proposed that the Minutes of on the work of the Membership Independent Examiners for 2018. the Extraordinary General Meeting Committee for the year, stating that Approved. held on Saturday 8 July 2017 there were 65 new member immediately following the AGM, as applications successfully completed 5.1 The Secretary announced that Ms published in the May/June 2018 issue (up from 53 in 2016), nineteen Philbin has come to the end of her of Engineering Designer, be adopted. Engineering Council registrations and term as Honorary President and that This was carried. one CTPD application. EurIng Mr Pete Lomas has been elected to Vaitkevicius commented that he is serve for a term of two years. 2 The Chair proposed that the Income stepping down from the role of Chair and Expenditure Account and Balance of the Committee after nine years, Ms Philbin presented Mr Lomas with Sheet for the period 1 January 2017 thanked the Committee members, the President’s badge of of ce. Mr to 31 December 2017 be accepted. staff and other volunteers for their Lomas assumed the role of Chair of Prior to being put to a vote, Mr A T A support and wished his successor, the meeting, presented Ms Philbin with Keegan, Honorary Treasurer, gave Mr Ben eld, good luck in the role. her Past President’s badge and invited a report of the Institution’s nancial Ms Philbin to say a few words about situation during the period. Dr P J Sewell reported on the work of her term of of ce. the Education and Training Committee, Mr Keegan reported that income for stating that 24 individual case Ms Philbin commented that she’s
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very pleased to be handing the role for Apprenticeships has been more to be adaptable and move with the to Mr Lomas as they have worked challenging, but we persist in our times. However, membership does in the same eld of encouraging efforts to become a registered EPA, as need to grow to enable the IED to young members into engineering and not only will it become an important truly represent the design industries, technology careers for some years. membership/revenue stream but a become more nancially stable and Ms Philbin has been honoured to be number of our accredited courses are provide professional security to our President over the past four years keen to work with us to be of bene t membership. Diversity and inclusion and has leant a lot about engineering of their students. Dr Humphries-Smith are key to this success, a broad mix design in the process. She offered her thanked the Secretary and team at HQ of backgrounds and af liations brings thanks to the staff and volunteers who for their support during her time as a greater range of thinking to the table have supported her during her term Chair and also the Honorary Treasurer and a more considered outcome. of of ce and particularly those who for his efforts during the period. She have volunteered at TeenTech events, wished EurIng Ledsome well in the role EurIng Ledsome concluded by offering mentoring and support to the and hoped he, and the two new Vice observing a quote from George Bernard young engineers of the future. Chairs, enjoy their experiences Shaw; ‘the reasonable man adapts as much as she has. himself to the world, the unreasonable Ms Philbin wished Mr Lomas the best one persists in trying to adapt the of luck in the role and concluded that Mr Lomas presented Dr Humphries- world to himself. Therefore, all she will happily continue to ‘bang the Smith with her Past Chair’s badge. progress depends on the unreasonable drum’ for the Institution. man’ and encouraged all IED members 5.3 The Secretary announced that Mr to get out there and be unreasonable. 5.2 The Secretary announced that Dr D T H Castle and Mr N Phelps have Humphries-Smith has come to the end been elected as Vice Chairs of Council. The Chair then said a few words of her term as Chair of Council and regarding his role as President and that EurIng Colin Ledsome has been Mr Lomas presented them with their thoughts about the IED over the elected to serve for a term of one year. badges of of ce. coming year.
Mr Lomas presented EurIng Ledsome 6 The Secretary then announced Mr Lomas stated that it’s a huge with his badge of of ce and invited Dr members of Council. The Chair then honour to take over the Presidency Humphries-Smith to say a few words. invited EurIng Ledsome, Chair of from Ms Philbin, adding his thanks to Dr Humphries-Smith re ected on Council, to say a few words about the the work she has done. The two share her three years as Chair, which have present scene and his aspirations for a common enthusiasm for engaging encompassed a number of events in the coming year. youth in STEM subjects, stating it is the life of the Institution. She set her critical that young people are exposed targets at the last AGM of; increasing EurIng Ledsome began by thanking to employment opportunities in design, company visits to recruit new Dr Humphries-Smith and Ms Philbin engineering and science in general. members, investigate development for their leadership over their terms opportunities for IED HQ and seek of of ce, observing that having three Mr Lomas observed that one of the approval to register as an End Point women in the positions of CEO, issues is that engineering is largely Assessor for degree apprenticeships. President and Chair makes the IED invisible to most areas of society but unique as a professional body – adding is key to societal and environmental These aims have all been furthered, that he hopes it will be the norm at development – the current ‘hot topic’ some more successfully than some point in the future. is building multi-disciplinary teams others. Kim, as the new membership to develop new processes and secretary, has carried out a EurIng Ledsome commented that, 49 products, the IED has a broad church programme of visits to companies, years ago to the day, Neil Armstrong of members and so this future dynamic which, along with the decoupling of became the rst person to walk on the is an opportunity to be seized. registration from membership, has moon, and went on to describe how lead to the increase in applications. he had worked at NASA on the Apollo Again, diversity is the key, dispelling A working party has formed to develop Skylab and recollected that rocket the myth that role models are all ‘pale, a number of options for realising the engineering is the dif cult bit, rocket male and stale’. Promoting the wider potential of Courtleigh to provide science is easy. range of membership within the IED a long-term sustainable future for will help with this issue, along with the Institution, with outline planning EurIng Ledsome commented that he the promotion of product design as approval being sought later this year. doesn’t know where the IED is going an exciting and innovative career. over the next few years – as a diverse Mr Lomas looks forward to developing The relationship with the Institute and agile organisation we can afford and contributing to these changes over
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019_IEDM_MAY19.indd 21 29/04/2019 12:03 ANNUAL REPORT
the coming years. Chair and Vice Chairs for 2019/2020 Expenditure for the year increased by 6. to announce the members £11k, but overall there was a healthy The Secretary brought the AGM to a of Council for 2019/2020. surplus made of £21.5k. Total income close and opened the EGM at 12.50. for 2018 was £333k, with the main sources of income continuing to be EGM NOTICE OF EXTRAORDINARY membership subscriptions, the E&PDE GENERAL MEETING conference, room rental and Gift Aid. 1. The Secretary explained that the An Extraordinary General Meeting of The graphic below shows this in more proposed small subscription the Institution will be held immediately detail. increases for 2019 were necessary following the above AGM. to cover the rising costs of running the Income Institution, which includes utilities, The Business of the meeting will be: rates, consumables and so on, plus To discuss and, if thought t, approve a small surplus to be used for the following: developing projects. That the Annual Subscription Rates Mr Blay asked if there is an age limit from 1 January 2020 shall be: to those wishing to become student members of the IED. EKM explained Fellow £203.00 that membership is open to anyone Member ( rst year) £91.50 aged 18 or over, but there is no upper Member (second year) £137.30 limit as long as someone is studying Member (after two years) £183.00 Gift Aid 6% Membership Subs 64% fulltime they can become a student Student Free Conference 7% member. Affi liate £60.10 Accreditation 5% Retired Member £56.20 Other 18% 1.1 The Chair proposed that the increases be adopted. Motion carried. Note: Free membership for students Expenditure for the year stood at £311k. is granted only to those undertaking The graphic below shows how this is The Chair brought the meeting to a full-time course acceptable to the broken down into the main areas. a close at 12.54. Institution.
These minutes are the formal record COUNCIL NOMINATIONS Expenditure of the meeting printed here for Further to the Notice given in the acceptance at the AGM on Saturday March/April 2019 journal, no 6 July 2019. nominations for election to Council have been received.
NOTICE OF ANNUAL E. K. Meyrick, Secretary GENERAL MEETING The Annual General Meeting of the Institution will be held at 12.00 on Saturday 6 July 2019 at National Motorcycle Museum, Coventry Road, Staff salaries and pensions 42% Bickenhill, Solihull, West Midlands, Property maintenance 5% B92 0EJ. Lighting and heating 3.5% IT costs and support 2% Postage 2% The Business of the meeting will be: Bank charges 2% 1. to approve the Minutes of the Summary of Annual Report - 2018 Professional fees 3% Journal 20% Annual and Extraordinary General Other 20.5% Meetings held on 21 July 2018 Income for 2018 increased by nearly 2. to adopt the Income and £45k, compared to 2017, mainly due Expenditure Account and the Balance to income from the annual E&PDE A full set of the annual report and Sheet to 31 December 2018 conference, a generous donation accounts is now available on request 3. to adopt the Annual Report of towards IT equipment and some – if you would like a copy of the 32-page the Council for 2018 compensation received from the report, contact [email protected] or 4. to appoint independent examiners bank, plus a small rise in income from telephone the of ce on: 5. to con rm the Honorary President, membership subscriptions. 01373 822801. [email protected]
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019_IEDM_MAY19.indd 22 29/04/2019 12:03 INNOVATION MANAGEMENT FUTURE focused leaders Innovation management systems in various forms have always been essential for continued success, although not widely understood. In this eight-part series, Dr Benjamin W Watson CEng CTPD CEnv MIED identifi es the key innovation management principles central to success, starting with the importance of future-focused leaders
nternational experts from over 40 mind-set, with methodologies for future national committees have been Innovation focus, developing and supporting these developing guidance for innovation 1/ leaders operating in vulnerable new management, with standardised Management spaces. Iterminology, tools and methods to manage Principles interactions between partners, how to 8 *STRATEGIC INNOVATION handle intellectual property, strategic Strategic Innovators operate at the edge intelligence and, more recently, idea of new spaces, developing proprietary management. Develop yourself and your people, positions for new solutions. As future- The cupboards are empty! Organisations continuously engaging people to achieve focused leaders, they not only adapt to, that focus on the short term, think only this: but also shape, external market forces about what’s on their plate today and will 1. In the rst instance, give express to the advantage of the organisation, go hungry tomorrow. Short termism can be ‘permission’ to yourself, and to others, to increasing the likelihood of technology an innovation killer. Yes, we all agree that focus on the future. This can be reinforced transfer success, building channels from sometimes being in a dif cult situation can with supportive organisational structures insight through to innovation. also drive creativity. However, once you start 2. Know the difference between strategic With the right implementation, the to compromise your means of production, innovation and more tactical innovation*, Innovation Management Systems (IMS) where intellectual and experimental rewarding leaders that constructively standard aims to support organisations freedom to invent are part of that machine, challenge the status quo and balance seeking sustained innovation success, you will accelerate towards failure. these priorities for near-term and future developing their ability to lead innovation Focusing on the future is not simply opportunities activities, embed design and innovation a thinking process. Focusing on the future 3. Use foresighting initiatives to support into their organisation, helping to ensure requires the development of yourself, your your strategic direction, building an good practice is followed. people, the right organisational structures inspiring vision for you to grow into, aligned Learn more: [email protected] and the ability to innovate in a reproducible throughout the organisation way. Over time, your organisation will become 4. Identify and nurture the entrepreneurial increasingly effective at doing what it does. Unfortunately, this can threaten future Dr Benjamin W Watson innovation and growth. You start to build your own organisational culture that becomes International Expert Work Group for innovation a type of ‘auto-immune system’ that can Management Systems. ISO/TC279. Innovation Leader, 3M. Trustee and Councillor, Institution supress challenges to the status quo. of Engineering Designers. Future-focused leaders often see what others don’t. Whilst persevering through uncertainty with boundary-breaking purpose, they still need support.
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023_IEDM_MAy19.indd 23 25/04/2019 11:36 Motors on MARS The space race seems to be accelerating once more – with Elon Musk’s recent SpaceX launch upping the ante. China, the US and Europe are all exploring the Moon and Mars, and planning future missions. Here, we look at some of the emerging technologies that are involved
ince the Wright brothers rst took been attempted. As the battle to edge to the skies of Kill Devil Hill, North ahead heats up, it adds extra spice to Carolina, on 17 December, 1903, the upcoming Mars 2020 rover mission, rst ights have been important a long-term robotic exploration of the Smilestones in the life of any vehicle red planet. The mission, part of NASA’s designed for air travel. After all, it’s one Mars Exploration Program, addresses could potentially return these samples to thing to design an aircraft and make it y high-priority science goals, such as the Earth. That would help scientists study on paper – or computer. It is quite another potential for life on Mars. The mission’s the samples in laboratories with special to put all the pieces together and watch next step will not only be seeking out signs room-sized equipment that would be them get off the ground. of habitable conditions on the planet in the too large to take to Mars. The mission Fast forward to today and air travel of a ancient past, but also searching for signs also provides opportunities to gather different dimension – the race to explore of past microbial life itself. knowledge and demonstrate technologies Space. The US, Russia – and indeed the that address the challenges of future European Union – are now taking their CORE CHALLENGE human expeditions to Mars. These include interest to a whole new level, while China The Mars 2020 rover introduces a drill testing a method for producing oxygen has joined the fray with clear intent after that can collect core samples of the from the Martian atmosphere, identifying landing a spacecraft on the far side of the most promising rocks and soils, and set other resources (such as subsurface moon; the rst time such a landing has them aside in a ‘cache’. A future mission water), improving landing techniques, and characterising weather, dust, and other The Mars Helicopter, a small, potential environmental conditions that autonomous rotorcraft, aims to could affect future astronauts living and demonstrate the viability and working on Mars. potential of heavier-than-air The mission is timed for a launch vehicles on the Red Planet. opportunity in July 2020 when Earth and (Image credit: NASA/JPL- Mars are in good positions relative to Caltech) each other for landing on the planet, so it takes less power to travel there. Landing is scheduled for 18 February, 2021, with a mission duration of at least One Mars Year (about 687 Earth days). To keep mission costs and risks as low as possible, the Mars 2020 design is based on NASA’s successful Mars Science Laboratory
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024_IEDM_MAY19.indd 24 25/04/2019 11:48 MARS LANDING
INSIGHTS ON MARS
Looking back, it was on 26 November 2018 that NASA’s InSight lander touched down on the surface of Mars to study the red planet’s seismic activity and record its core temperature. Unlike Earth, Mars does not have tectonic plates and hardly any geological activity. The surface is still as it was four billion years ago, minus the lakes and rivers we now know used to exist there. Mars is interesting to researchers, because it underwent the same basic formation process as Earth. Both started out as balls of liquid re and, through the process of planetary differentiation, turned into terrestrial (rocky) planets. Heavy metals gravitated to the centre, where they formed the red-hot iron core. Above, the mantle was formed, enclosed by the crust, which cooled down and solidi ed.
mission architecture, including its Curiosity rover and proven landing system.
HELICOPTER DESIGN AND TESTING One fascinating aspect of the mission is the design and testing, now rapidly advancing, of all the pieces that make up NASA’s Mars Helicopter ight model. This will be the actual vehicle going to the red planet. Its role is a massively important one, enabling in ight images of Mars to be received back on Earth for the rst NASA’s Mars Helicopter project test conductor Teddy Tzanetos, project manager MiMi Aung time. The technology will pave the way and chief engineer Bob Balaram observe the helicopter fl ight model undergoing a test from for many future scienti c and exploratory within the Space Simulator, a 7.62 metre wide vacuum chamber at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech) missions. Similar robots could serve as ‘ ying eyes’ for future rovers, exploring the surroundings and nding the best route. missions, will be employed to move the in cold temperatures, including nights of Weighing in at no more than 4lbs swashplate, adjusting the inclination of up to -130 degrees Fahrenheit? A series (1.8 kilograms), it will take an enormous the rotor blades, to control the vehicle. of tests within the Space Simulator engineering effort for the small helicopter The propulsion system has been designed has shown this will not be a problem, to y. The thin air on Mars is comparable and built by AeroVironment, working according to NASA. to conditions on Earth at an altitude of closely with maxon motor engineers, The Mars Helicopter’s rst ight was 30km. Also, taking the reduced Martian under contract from JPL. followed by a second in the vacuum gravity into account, the helicopter needs The majority of the detailed testing that chamber the following day. Logging a to be very light (1.8kg) and can only carry the ight model is now undergoing has grand total of one minute of ight time at small batteries. The components used, to do with demonstrating exactly how the an altitude of 2 inches, more than 1,500 therefore, must be extremely energy vehicle will operate on Mars, including its individual pieces of carbon bre, ight- ef cient. Six of maxon motors’ 10mm performance at Mars-like temperatures. grade aluminium, silicon, copper, foil and diameter DCX precision micro motors, One important question to be answered is foam have proven they can work together which have been used in previous Mars can the helicopter survive – and function – as a cohesive unit.
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024_IEDM_MAY19.indd 25 25/04/2019 11:49 MARS LANDING
WORLD FIRST did just that in JPL’s Space Simulator, a WINDS OF CHANGE All this testing is geared towards February 25 foot-wide (7.62 metre-wide) vacuum
One key question to address is how such 2021, when the helicopter will reach the chamber. First, the team created a vacuum a fragile craft as the Mar Helicopter will surface of the red planet, rmly nestled that sucks out all the nitrogen, oxygen cope with the often-cited high winds and under the belly of the Mars 2020 rover. and other gases from the air inside the sandstorms to be found on Mars. This A few months later, it will be deployed mammoth cylinder. In their place, the team won’t even be an issue, according to Bob and test ights (up to 90 seconds long) injected carbon dioxide, the chief ingredient Balaram, chief engineer for the Mars Helicopter at NASA JPL - see photo on will begin – the rst from the surface of of Mars’ atmosphere. page 25. another world. “Gearing up for that rst “Getting our helicopter into an extremely “The forces of the wind on Mars are quite ight on Mars, we have logged over 75 thin atmosphere is only part of the low – a 100 mph wind on Mars is the same minutes of ying time with an engineering challenge,” says Teddy Tzanetos, test as a 10 mph wind on Earth. In other words, model, which was a close approximation conductor for the Mars Helicopter at the actual physics is very different from that shown in the movie ‘The Martian’. of our helicopter,” says MiMi Aung, project JPL. “To truly simulate ying on Mars, we “Our helicopter will not tip over on the manager for the Mars Helicopter at have to take away two-thirds of Earth’s ground under very high winds and all the NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in gravity, because Mars’ gravity is that much early test ights will be when the winds Pasadena, California. “But this recent test weaker.” The team accomplished this with a are predicted to be below 10 m/s (ie, mid- of the ight model was the real deal. This is gravity of oad system – a motorised lanyard morning). We are also limited to a 30 sol [sol being the duration of a solar day on our helicopter bound for Mars. We needed attached to the top of the helicopter to Mars] window of ights, with ve ights to see that it worked as advertised.” provide an uninterrupted tug equivalent to lasting a few minutes each, so our overall While ying helicopters is commonplace two-thirds of Earth’s gravity. While the team exposure to both winds on the ground and here on Earth, ying hundreds of millions of was understandably concerned with how winds during ight is quite low – consistent miles away in the thin Martian atmosphere the helicopter would fare on its rst ight, with a Tech Demo philosophy.” Meanwhile, a pile driver-type mechanism is something else entirely. And creating the they were equally concerned with how the on NASA’s InSight lander, called HP3, will right conditions for testing here on Earth gravity of oad system would perform. “The burrow almost 5 metres into the Martian presents its own set of challenges. “The gravity of oad system performed perfectly, soil to measure the planet’s temperature. Martian atmosphere is only about one per just like our helicopter,” Tzanetos con rms. Inside HP3, a maxon motor-built drive cent the density of Earth’s,” points out “We only required a 2-inch [5-centimetre] consisting of a DCX 22 motor and a GP 22 HD planetary gearhead will force the Aung. “Our test ights could have similar hover to obtain all the data sets needed probe into the ground, while withstanding atmospheric density here on Earth – if you to con rm that our Mars helicopter ies extremely high requirements, such put your air eld 100,000 feet [30,480 autonomously as designed in a thin Mars- as temperature uctuations and thin metres] up. So, you can’t go somewhere like atmosphere; there was no need to go atmosphere, as well as forces of anything and nd that. You have to make it.” higher. It was a heck of a rst ight.” up to 400 g. Aung and her Mars Helicopter team As Aung points out: “The next time we y, we y on Mars. Watching our helicopter go through its paces in the chamber, I couldn’t help but think about the historic vehicles that have been in there in the past. The chamber hosted missions from the Ranger Moon probes to the Voyagers, to Cassini, and every Mars rover ever own. To see our helicopter in there reminded me we are on our way to making a little chunk of space history as well,” she adds. Once on Mars, the 2020 rover will conduct geological assessments of its landing site, determine the habitability of the environment, search for signs of ancient Martian life, and assess natural resources and hazards for future human explorers. Scientists will use the instruments aboard the rover to identify and collect samples of rock and soil, encase them in sealed tubes Members of the NASA Mars Helicopter team inspect the flight model (the actual vehicle and leave them on the planet’s surface going to the red planet) inside the Space Simulator, a 25ft-wide (7.62m-wide) vacuum for potential return to Earth on a future chamber at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. Mars mission.
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024_IEDM_MAY19.indd 26 29/04/2019 17:22 Institution News
Elections & Registrations
Registration as Ross Burberry Sami Helali Mason Penfold Zeki Yesilmen Chartered Technological Olives Burr Nathan Henderson Edward Pettipher-Young Product Designer Beau H Caldwell James Herrington William Pike Solent University Andrew Wolfenden Ben Car eld Sam Heywood Danny Pragnell Dayle J Chappory Stefania Cavalleri Madeleine Higgs Miles Prosser Philippe R Croze Registration as Nathan Childs Freddie Horlock Felix Quantrill Georgia M Francis Chartered Engineer Samuel Claridge Benjamin Hoskins Currun Ramkhelawon Michalis Pieridis Ahmad Alekasir Matthew Cleary Connor Hughes Connor Regaan Karan Pun Alan Boyd William Cook Augustus Hughes Maina Rezaei Juan Quiroga Andrew Watts Ewan Cooper Daniel Jacob Ben Rickards Jack H Sykes Aidan Craig Freya Jennings Cameron Robertson Registration as Ethan Croft Charles Johnson Jonathan Rowland-Orme Brunel University London Incorporated Engineer Oliver Czekirda William Johnson Danyar Salih Paramveer S Bhachu David King Rhidian Daculog Al na Jose Emily Salmons Gigi D’Anna-Burgis Ketlyn S C Jose Joseph Samuels University of Bath Election to Member Martynas Dapkevicius James Karr Pakhlavon Sanagulov Thomas Santini James Batchelor Melissa Darlow Ashley Keogh Samuel Satchell Howard Tee Samuel Darwen James Kidd Nia Schell University of Sussex Laura Hay James Davie John King Heinrich Schwartz Alixia Savary de Beauregard Alexander Bignell Florence Davies Denys Kruk Thomas Scriven Cameron Beck Ian Fraser Patrick Day Ashish Kumar Oliver Sercombe Clement Bucknall Mitchell Gebbie Thomas Demirgil Tharushi P J Kuranage Dom Shepherd Caitlin Cesena Andrew Nichols Joshua Doherty Emma Latham Justyn Slusarczyk William Childs Felix Quintanar Kumbirai Dokotera Nathaniel Lee-Blues Harrison Smith James Derby Andrew Robinson Alexander Dolphin Max Lee-Sang Jacob Smith Lloyd Destro Matthew Rodmell Toby Elliott Rian Lewis-Smith Daniel Solloway Dowdas Dirzius Piers Fairston Marcus Louch Aykut Solmaz Charlotte Edgington-Cole Election to Af liate Craig Ferris Clare Mackay Christian Southorn Nina Sandolm Fatch Olesen Kevin Stammers Louis Foligno Ahmed Makki Myles Steadford Rory Fergusson Benjamin Foot Lucia M Diaz Thomas Stone Galey George Election to Stephanie Fordred Hannah-Louise Martin Lewis Stroud Luke Hannam Student Member Jake Foster Thomas Maynard Baris Sunguroglu Gemma Hill Mohamed Gafar Robert McKerrow Marcel Sus Noelia Invernizzi Bournemouth University Edward Gammon Al e Miskin Kyle Tanyag Salvatore Mingoia Alexander Baker Megan Ganderson Asad Mohammed Matthew Taylor Emmanuel Oyemade Benjamin Barr Al e Gibbs Javaid Moied Esteban S Tolero Anant Parmar Ross Beagley Isobel Gilder Khalid Monir Antonella Tuccio Gabriel Robson Louis Becouarn Nathaniel Goddard Louis Moore Maximillian Turbin Pedro Sanudo Stuart Bernard Louie Gomez Daniel Morris Finley Underhill Zack Sawyer Oliver Best Stanley Graham Max Muggleton Todd Wakeford Alastair Spencer-Nairn William Bevis Guiseppi Grech Christian Munoz Ryan Waterhouse Daniel Stone Emin Bingol Thomas Grif ths Olaf Nieradka Myles Wheeler Nicholas Syrus Samuel Birgani Lewis Grosvenor Stephanie Njoaguani Ben White Arseny Tkachenko Simphiwe Blose Alexander Gunn Megan O’Connor Charles White Tom Westcott Oliver Bonnett Alex Haagensen-Casas Ella O’Hagan Peter Whitlock Georgina Wheeler Adam Boxall Alexander Hadden-Wight Jessica Ong Tim Whitney Oscar White Jake Boxall Max Hamilton Patrick Page Anthony Wilkinson Elizabeth Winch Amber Briscoe Laura Hardy Robert Pairman Jonathan Windsor Benjamin Brown Owen Harvey Cory Palmer Kate Woodcock University of Strathclyde Mate Budai Archie Haynes Oliver Paterson Rowan Woolley Charlie Scott
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027_IEDM_MAY19.indd 27 25/04/2019 11:51 Accidents will happen – but who is liable?
Tariva Thomas, Associate Solicitor at Wright Hassall LLP, uses a case study to show that apportioning responsibility when an accident happens is not always straightforward where several parties are involved
ttributing liability when an 3.A manufacturer with an excellent track accident occurs requires record was identi ed. Because it was careful consideration exceptionally busy, it outsourced the when several different job to its overseas facility which, for Aparties are involved. Investigating budgetary reasons, manufactured the where responsibility lies entails an frame using the lowest grade galvanised understanding of each party’s role steel and the extent to which each could, or 4.The climbing frame was delivered should, have prevented the accident directly to the LA, without the UK from happening. manufacturer or designer having Imagine a scenario in which a group examined it of bored 17-year-olds climb into locked 5.Giant angled anchors af xed it to public park at 11pm to reach a children’s the ground playground. Ignoring the partially 6.At the time of the accident, obstructed sign informing users that the climbing frame was showing the playground is only suitable for ages signs of rust 5 – 12, one of them climbs the steel 7.The teenager did not know climbing frame which collapses. The she was allergic to the teenager falls to the oor below which is chemical accelerator used in made from a wet pour rubber compound. make the budget stretch further, the the rubber ooring. She is allergic to a chemical accelerator local authority (LA) commissioned a low- In order to pinpoint used in the wet pour ooring and goes cost children’s playground responsibility, the into anaphylaxis. She is hospitalised 2.The playground designer, a start-up, investigation will review the where she is put into an induced coma. had never won a LA contract. To keep parts played by the local authority, the Who is liable for the accident? their design within architect, the designer, the manufacturer The investigation’s preliminary budget, they and the individuals. ndings reveal that: speci ed 1.The architect who galvanised Architect designed the park speci ed steel for the It is unlikely that the architect will natural materials to comply climbing be held liable, or partially liable, with the local authority’s frame for the incident. They ful lled the environmental policy. To LA’s brief but had no authority to insist that their design is used, or to specify the manufacturer.
Designer The designer’s role is more critical: ● Did the designers have the requisite experience and capability to design a
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028_IEDM_MAY19.indd 28 25/04/2019 11:54 LEGALLY SPEAKING
children’s climbing frame? complied with UK standards and anyone using the climbing frame might ● Had they considered how certainly before the product was have been injured and possibly very heavily used the climbing frame delivered to the end user. As the seriously. Because of the chain of Accidents will happen would be? manufacturer did not follow this process, events leading to the accident, liability ● Were any weight restrictions it is partially liable, running the risk of lies with more than one party and will indicated? Did the designer or reputational damage and nancial loss. be apportioned according to the level of the LA recommend installing the responsibility each bears. – but who is liable? Local authority This case study may As the commissioning party, the LA’s seem far-fetched, liability covers a number of points: but it provides a 1. The LA is responsible for stark illustration that maintaining the park, so the 5–12 establishing liability where age-restriction sign should have been several parties are involved clearly visible to the teenagers can be complicated. As age-restriction sign? 2. The age restriction sign did not warn recent reported cases The designer should have: anyone outside this age range against demonstrate, there is likely ● Checked the grading of the galvanised using the equipment (although signs to be more legislation in this steel and asked the manufacturer if it excluding liability for death or personal area, not less. The tragic case complied with BSI steel speci cations, injury have no legal authority) of the teenager who suffered a and would withstand regular daily use, 3. The LA was ultimately responsible fatal allergic reaction to sandwich and over what period for the safety of playground users. ingredients demonstrates the cascade ● Tested the frame’s durability It should have: of liability – from Pret a Manger, for ● Set out indemnities and warranties a. Checked if the inadequate labelling of their products, material proposed to the air stewards for not using the de brillator, the pilot for not making an emergency landing, the airline for failing in their contract with the local for the climbing frame was safe: public in their duty of care during the ight, authority and agreed a scope for safety trumps cost concerns and the girl and her parents for not regulatory compliance. Although liability b. Checked if appropriate UK quality checking the sandwich contents. for death and negligence cannot be control procedures had been carried out In this increasingly interconnected excluded, companies can protect their c. Checked if the correct anchoring world, it is crucial for all parties business by limiting their exposure to mechanism was used for galvanised involved in commissioning, designing, certain scenarios. steel manufacturing and installing a project Given the above, the designer could d. Checked if the composition of the to understand where their liabilities be held partially liable, both in breach playground surface should have been lie and mitigate their exposure to risk of its contract with the local authority displayed. where possible. (which could pursue a civil claim against Given the above, the Health & Safety it), and of health and safety regulations. Executive is likely to prosecute the LA for failing in its duty of care to the public. Manufacturer The manufacturer should have told the The individual designer it was outsourcing the job to its What responsibility did the injured overseas facility, enabling the designer teenager and her friends bear? to carry out due diligence and check if 1.The teenagers were trespassing the LA was happy with the outsourcing. 2.Did the teenager ignore the age- Although an experienced restriction sign or was it not visible? manufacturer might have queried 3.The teenager’s injury was if galvanised steel was speci cally allergy-related, so appropriate for children’s the causal link between the playground equipment, it climbing frame and the would normally only be anaphylaxis is tenuous. responsible for the quality It is likely that she of the manufacturing. would be held partially Nonetheless, having outsourced the responsible for her own injuries. job to a subsidiary, the manufacturer However, the point is that, because should have checked the steel of its poorly maintained state,
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028_IEDM_MAY19.indd 29 25/04/2019 11:55 INSTITUTION NEWS WHAT’S HAPPENING
GPS pioneers take the honours The Queen Elizabeth Prize for and banking to locating and rescuing ships in Engineering has been awarded distress – even all your accumulated stats to Dr Bradford Parkinson, as you run a marathon. Professor James Spilker Jr, The American Global Positioning Hugo FrueHauf and Richard System (GPS) – the world’s rst Schwartz for their work global satellite radio navigation on the Global Positioning system – helped make this possible. System (GPS). GPS provides location data for Billions of people around Google Maps and SatNav users. New forum the world rely on a huge This can be applied to everything engineering infrastructure that from precision farming with GPS- Time as a member of the IED Council extends across our planet and guided tractors to the guidance of is for a limited period. This means into space. It enables anyone humanitarian supplies into con ict that there are a number of past Chairs with a smartphone to pinpoint zones. GPS has transformed navigation and of Council who are no longer involved exactly where they are on Earth, as precision timing, and is essential for today’s in Council business, unless they well as the precise time, and is also used in transportation services, smartphones, food chair another committee and need applications that range from aviation safety production, banking and science. to report back. They still have a lot of experience and design expertise to contribute, so several met together, on 27 April, along with the current Chair Colin Ledsome CEng FIED to set up an advisory Past-Chair’s Forum. After catching up on the latest activities, a number of suggestions and recommendations were put forward for Council to consider. The Forum plans to meet about twice a year and will be provided with copies of Council minutes and other information they might need. As an informal group, they are not a direct part of IED decision-making, but could provide invaluable advice, based on many years of experience, along with the current Chair Colin Ledsome CEng FIED to set up an advisory Past-Chair’s Forum.
Prize possession Blue-sky approach The annual IED prize is awarded to Airbus and Dassault Systèmes have signed a ve-year Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to IED student members who produce cooperate on the implementation of collaborative 3D design, engineering, manufacturing, an outstanding performance on their simulation and intelligence applications. This will enable Airbus to take a major step forward in nal project. Universities from across its digital transformation, says the company, and lay the foundation for a new European industrial the UK and abroad can nominate ecosystem in aviation. nal-year students for this prestigious Under the MOA, Airbus will deploy Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform, which, it is award. Each university can award stated, will deliver digital continuity, from design to operations, in a single data model, making a maximum of ve prizes, one from digital design, manufacturing and services (DDMS) a company-wide reality for all Airbus divisions each category. and product lines. More information can be found on DDMS is seen as an important step in paving the way for breakthroughs in new product design, the IED website – https://www. operational performance, support and maintenance, customer satisfaction and new business institution-engineering-designers.org. models, as it represents a move from sequential to parallel development processes. uk/ – along with a nomination form. Instead of rst focusing on product performance, Airbus will be able to co-design and develop Both the student and the nominee the next generation of aircraft with the manufacturing facilities that will produce them, reducing need to be IED members. costs and time to market.
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030_IEDM_MAY19.indd 30 25/04/2019 11:58 AEROSPACE MECHANICAL BUILT AUTOMOTIVE IT & DESIGN PRODUCT ENGINEERING ENVIRONMENT COMPUTING EDUCATION DESIGN Who are we? This journal is produced by the IED for our Members and for those who have an interest in engineering and product design, as well as CAD users.
The IED, established in 1945, incorporated by Royal Charter in 2012, is a licensed body of both the Engineering Council and Society for the Environment and we register our suitably quali ed Members as Chartered Environmentalists (CEnv), Chartered Engineers (CEng), Incorporated Engineers (IEng) or Engineering Technicians (EngTech), Chartered Technological Product Designers (CTPD) and Registered Product Designers (RProdDes). We also offer professional recognition to Product Designers, CAD Technicians, and those who teach and lecture in design or CAD. “For any design engineer We represent our Members’ interests at the highest levels and raise awareness of the professional standards of our Members, whilst providing a hoping to pursue a career in resource and information service, and a friendly and approachable route to assessment and registration. industry, membership and www.ied.org.uk registration shows commitment
Why become a member of the IED? to continuing professional Membership of any professional body gives you professional recognition development and promoting and status, and an acknowledged code of conduct to work to. Membership of the IED gives you the added credibility of being acknowledged for the good practice in those with role you play in Design and Innovation, and helps to develop your skills and whom we interact on a daily knowledge in these areas. As well as the various registrations, membership of the IED gives you the basis. The IED provides a opportunity to meet with other designers and discuss issues particular natural home for those whose to your eld of expertise or interest. Many of our Members prefer to communicate primarily through the discussion forums on our website, roles encompass a diverse as this lends itself to the busy work schedules – however, we also run range of skills.” seminars, meetings and events where Members can carry out CPD and meet up. BH, Chartered Engineer The IED is the only Institution that represents designers in all Engineering and Product Design elds, plus those who teach these skills.
How do you join? We have made the application process as simple as we can. To maintain the high standards of membership, we need all prospective members to: Complete an application form Submit a CV and details of relevant educational quali cations. All applicants are assessed by a Committee of Members.
If you are a designer who would like to gain formal professional recognition, or work in an organisation which employs designers, and would like to have your employees gain membership and professional recognition, contact Kim at the IED on 01373 822801 or send an email to: [email protected] to discuss your next step.
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Engineers Without Borders
Engineers Without Borders-UK is an international development organisation that removes barriers to development through engineering. Our programmes provide opportunities for young people to learn about technology's role in tackling poverty.
We are always on the look out for new volunteers, so to get involved or make a donation please visit out donations page at http://www.ewb-uk.org