164 YEARS OF TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION www.theengineer.co.uk

FEBRUARY 2020 Wind of change Could a new generation of wind propulsion technologies help clean up commercial shipping?

24 34 42 TheEngineerUK theengineeruk The Engineer UK

INterview: Atlas copco CEO Mats masters of suspense: How semi LATE GREAT ENGINEERS: The life Rahmström talks electrification, active suspension is helping car and achievements of engineering connectivity and digtalisation makers balance speed and comfort legend ISAMBARD Kingdom Brunel

ESTABLISHED 1856 164 CONTENTS YEARS OF TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION VOLUME 300 • ISSUE 7914 • FEBRUARY 2020

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4 Editor’s Comment 14 COVER FEATURE 24 Interview 36 Q&A Why the commercial shipping sector - How a new generation of wind assist Atlas Copco boss Mats Ramhström An expert panel discus innovations in long resistant to change - is joining the propulsion devices could help clean up on electrifi cation, digitalisation and the fast moving world of EV charging low carbon transport revolution global shipping connectivity infrastructure 6 NEWS 18 VIEWPOINT 28 agritech 38 Product feature Europe poised for zero-emission Engineers can save the world, writes Can the growing fi eld of vertical farming Drive industry experts offer their heavy-duty trucks as Nikola launches Astronomer Royal Prof Lord Rees help shore up UK food security? perspectives on key industry trends battery-electric lorry 20 TALKING POINT 32 interview 42 Late Great engineers 10 BUSINESS NEWS HS2 - too big to fail or destined Ann Watson explains how skills body The life and times of Ministers misled over HS2 costs, for the scrapheap? Semta has remodelled itself to help Isambard Kindgdom Brunel claims Lord Berkeley report 22 MAILBOX meet industry’s future skills needs 54 from the archive 13 NEWS ANALYSIS Attitudes to autonomy and where 34 Automotive technology A look back at The Engineer’s 1955 High time for hydrogen - could the gas to target government infrastructure Innovations in semi active suspension coverage of USS Forrestal, the world’s reshape the HGV sector? investment achieve speed / comfort trade-off fi rst supercarrier

COVER Image: Econowind

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3 February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk EDITOR’SNOVEMBER COMMENT 2019

JON EXCELL

READ MORE ONLINE Wind in the sails of Industry’s digital transformation; Huawei or not Huawei; and the marine innovation challenges of net-zero riven by increasingly demanding emissions targets, the priorities www.theengineer.co.uk of the automotive and aerospace sectors have been transformed in follow us at recent years. From the bold electric roadmaps of the world’s biggest car makers, @TheEngineerUK D to aviation’s growing interest in hybrid electric propulsion systems, to say 5 THINGS theengineeruk that these critical sectors are in the throes of a low carbon revolution is no overstatement. WE’VE The Engineer UK There are numerous examples of this rich climate of innovation The Engineer UK throughout this issue; from the truck industry’s growing interest in LEARNT hydrogen (News analysis, page 13) to the EV charging infrastructure advances discussed by the expert panel in our Q&A feature (page 36). THIS ENGINEER JOBS By contrast, the subject of this issue’s cover feature, the commercial ISSUE Find your next engineering job shipping sector, has proved somewhat more resistant to the changes online at The EngineerJobs sweeping other areas of transportation. Commercial Perhaps secure in its unassailable position as the enabler of world 1 shipping accounts trade, the sector - which is thought to be responsible for around 2.5 per for 2.5 per cent of cent of all global human-made greenhouse gas emissions - has tended to global greenhouse resist the winds of change sweeping other areas of transportation. gas emissions But a bold industry-wide strategy - set by the UN’s International Maritime Organisation (IMO) back in 2018 - to eliminate GHG emissions as One kilogram of soon as possible this century has changed the dynamic in the sector. 2 hydrogen has the Today, as we report, no stone is being left unturned in the sector’s quest same energy density as to reduce its environmental impact. And amongst the many technologies one gallon of diesel that look set to play a role are a new generation of systems that harness shipping’s original energy source: the wind. Socket fi t is one MISSION The technology behind these systems – a curious blend of Fle ner 3 of the biggest STATEMENT rotors, aerospace industry inspired deck mounted wing structures, and challenges in prosthetics even giant kites - is truly fascinating. And whilst it’s early days, a growing The aim of number of ship operators and industry experts believe that this new The Engineer generation of wind-assist technologies, coupled with existing powerplants is to champion - could play a key role in reducing the sector’s emissions and boosting its and promote fuel effi ciency. Who knows, perhaps these innovations might ultimately prove as engineering disruptive as some of those pioneered by the subject of our latest Late innovation and Great Engineers article (page 42): possibly the most well-known late great More than fi fty per technology engineer of them all, and one of the great innovators of transportation - 4 cent of readers development Isambard Kingdom Brunel. think HS2 should be axed across all of Brunel’s role as the the UK’s key 5 designer of the engineering Clifton Suspension bridge sectors. is questionable EDITOR • [email protected] Excell

February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk 4

FEBRUARY 2020

Read more online Follow us at: @TheEngineerUK AUTOMOTIVE theengineeruk • Autonomous vehicles on The Engineer UK bumpy road to market The Engineer UK CIVIL & STRUCTURAL www.theengineer.CO.UK • Bone composition inspires NEWS more resilient structures DEFENCE & SECURITY • Interview: Babcock technology All-electric Nikola lorry paves MD Jon Hall ELECTRONICS & the way for fossil free freight COMMUNICATIONS Battery-powered truck precedes fuel-cell lorry • Drones link scattered devices to create IoT networks jason ford reports • Self-healing thermoelectric material adds durability to urope is set for the roll-out wearables of zero-emission heavy-duty trucks with the introduction MEDICAL & HEALTHCARE of the Nikola TRE, a battery- • New bandage clots blood but electric lorry that will act as doesn’t stick to wound Ea springboard for the launch of a • AI tracks blood sugar without fuel-cell freight vehicle. fingerprick using ECG Arizona-based Nikola will bring its advanced electric technology proprietary infotainment system to RAIL & MARINE the TRE, which is based on IVECO’s • Shipping sector proposes S-Way heavy-duty truck, which was emissions busting research launched in July 2019. programme A maquette of the TRE was unveiled on December 3, 2019 at ROBOTICS CNH Industrial in Turin, Italy. The • Sea anemone inspires unveiling followed the creation adaptable robotic gripper of joint venture between Nikola and CNH’s IVECO commercial vehicles arm, and FPT Industrial, the BEV’s modular lithium-ion distribution and local authority its powertrain division. Iveco has battery system will have a total missions. invested $250m into Nikola and capacity of up to 720kWh, with the Gerrit Marx, president of IVECO Jobs online the first battery-electric vehicles electric driveline delivering 480kW commercial and specialty vehicles (BEVs) are expected to be delivered continuous power output with said the move to a FCEV version of LOOKING FOR A in 2021, followed by fuel-cell 1800Nm peak torque. The lorry the TRE will help customers meet electric vehicles (FCEVs) in 2023. will also have a maximum speed of EU emissions targets, assist in the NEW ROLE? Speaking in Turin, Trevor 121kph (75mph), a 350kW charging development of a more circular Visit jobs.theengineer. Milton, CEO, Nikola Motor Co. said, capacity and an average recharge economy, and offer a ‘conflict-free’ co.uk to search hundreds “What’s really special about this time of two hours. method of developing a fuel source. of vacancies with leading truck is while a lot of other OEMs They added that the nine- “Hydrogen truly is the fuel of employers from across are building a lot of small battery battery pack (800V each) BEV will the future. Both the drivetrains industry electric trucks, or very limited be offered to customers who would between the electric and the range hydrogen trucks, we are ‘pay by the mile’ and will be able hydrogen trucks share the same actually doing it. to tailor battery requirements to platform,” said Milton. “There is “This truck has around 750 the job being undertaken by the almost no difference. The battery kW/h of lithium battery in it, that vehicle, which is expected to have allows us to refine that platform will allow it to go over 300 miles on a range of 400km (in 4x2 tractor very well. It allows us to bring the charge. It will also have between configuration) and will be available fuel cell in right after that to make 60 and 80kgs of a hydrogen version in 2-and 3-axle rigid versions. sure that that platform is ready that will allow it to surpass the IVECO added that the gross for it.” battery range.” vehicle weight (GVW) will range Read more at According to the partners, between 18 to 26 tonnes for urban www.theengineer.co.uk

February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk 6 TECHNOLOGY NEWS

Southampton spin-out fi nds NEWS IN BRIEF BETTER BLADES IN BRISTOL right fi t for prosthetic devices Rolls-Royce has opened a £25m advanced manufacturing hub in CES 2020 launch for ‘right fi rst time’ software solution Bristol that will develop fan blades and fan cases that will reduce JASON FORD reports weight in jet engines. According to Rolls-Royce, the fan blades ast month’s consumer each visit and the and fan cases being made at the technology show CES 2020, resultant comfort composite technology hub are a saw the launch of software score. feature of the company’s UltraFan designed to give clinicians “We can engine demonstrator, a new a tool to ensure the fi t and then aggregate engine designed to reduce fuel Lcomfort of prosthetic devices prior and compare burn and CO2 by at least 25 per to manufacture. this data across cent compared to the fi rst Trent Spearheading this ‘right the population engine. fi rst-time approach is graduate to determine entrepreneur Dr Joshua Steer, which sockets FUTURE RAIL INVESTMENT whose company, Radii Devices, are suitable Funding worth £9.4m is being was spun out from Southampton for particular made available through the University in April 2019. individuals and provide this computational models in tandem 2020 First of a Kind (FOAK) NHS England’s Prosthetics information back to the clinic,” with their expertise to arrive at the competition which aims to make Patient Survey Report 2018 found Steer said. “Our second package fi nal design, our aim is to make this Britain’s railways greener, more socket fi t to be one of the most of real-time pressure prediction technology accessible and available economical, and accessible. common complaints among requires an MRI scan. This enables to clinicians at the point of care,” “Having already supported trains prosthetic users. Furthermore, an us to capture shape of the bones he said. that run on sunlight and hydrogen, average of nine fi  ing sessions are and soft tissues to generate the Radii Devices’ solution is drones to survey our tracks and required to achieve a comfortable computational model required initially focussed on prosthetics for technology to tackle leaves on the fi t . to predict the pressures at the lower limb amputees, but Steer said line, the UK is fast becoming once Dr Steer, a Royal Academy interface between the limb and the the technology can be applied to again a hub of global innovation in of Engineering Enterprise Hub socket.” any external medical device which transport,” said George Freeman, fellow, told The Engineer via email Steer added that Radii Devices applies pressure to the skin such the UK’s future of transport that there are two packages of is using the same simulation ankle-foot orthoses, wheelchair minister. analysis which are used to provide technology that has been used seating, and footwear. information to clinicians who successfully across engineering “Designing devices to fi t the design the prosthetic limb. disciplines to streamline design complex geometry of the human The fi rst package captures processes and reduce the number body is a real challenge, and we information from a laser scan of the of protypes which need to be want our tools to be used to improve limb to model how the limb changes manufactured and tested. quality of fi t across all these over time, the socket design at “Much as an engineer will use devices,” he said.

COASTAL DEFENCE UPGRADE on their underside and the Cambridge scanning confocal microscopy and x-ray Work has started on a £40m INSECT GIVES team, as described in BMC Zoology, has computed micro-tomography, the team project to upgrade Great INSIGHTS INTO imaged these suction cups to reveal how obtained images of the larvae suction Yarmouth’s fl ood defences. The they work. cups and discovered that the cups have refurbishment works will extend BETTER SUCTION The cups can stand up to any force a central piston, which is controlled by the working life of the existing STUART NATHAN reports below 600 times the larvae bodyweight, specifi c muscles. defences and is expected to said Victor Kang, a PhD student and The cups also have a dense array of provide protection to over 4,500 Engineers are often seeking better fi rst author of the paper. “The force of hairs on their inner surface, which come homes and businesses. According methods to stick articles to surfaces the river water where the larvae live is into contact with the surface of the rock to Defra, the project will see 46 and a discovery by zoologists at absolutely enormous, and they use their on which they anchor. The piston then fl ood defence walls refurbished at Cambridge University may have the suction organs to attach themselves with creates a tight seal and a strong vacuum locations across the town using potential to help solve these problems. incredible strength. If they let go they’re to anchor the larva onto the surface. a technique that will extend their The researchers are studying the instantly swept away,” he said. “They When it needs to move, more muscles lifespan by up to 30 years. net-winged midge, an insect with aquatic aren’t bothered at all by the extreme control a tiny slit on the suction disc, larvae that attach to rocks in fast fl owing water speeds.” which pulls it open allowing the larva to Read more at streams. They do this using suction cups Using scanning electron microscopy, detach. www.theengineer.co.uk

7 February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk TECHNOLOGY NEWS

regions with little or ambiguous LIFT-OFF FOR geometry,” said the Oxbotica spokesperson. “The primary ELECTRIC TAXI challenge with implementing a Hyundai is to develop an electric multi-modal localisation system vertical take-off and landing air - vision, laser and radar - is taxi as part of the Uber Elevate intelligently deciding which mode initiative, which is working to rely on to provide the best pose towards a future aerial ride estimate at a given moment in share network. time.” The full-scale concept for an Oxbotica’s autonomous driving Uber Air Taxi was unveiled at CES software has been deployed in 2020, which took place in Las cities, mines, airports, quarries Vegas in January 2020. and ports as part of its Universal “Hyundai is our first vehicle All-weather autonomy Autonomy commitment, partner with experience of which aims to give autonomy manufacturing passenger cars with radar-based to any vehicle without the need on a global scale,” said Eric for external infrastructure. Allison, head of Uber Elevate. “We perception system Notably, the company was part believe Hyundai has the potential of the DRIVEN consortium that to build Uber Air vehicles at rates Algorithm helps radar deliver driverless demonstrated vehicle autonomy unseen in the current aerospace to the public in a week-long industry, producing high quality, JASON FORD reports demonstration around a circuit reliable aircraft at high volumes in Stratford in east London. to drive down passenger costs ehicles will be able to spokesperson, the technology can Autonomous vehicles were per trip.” operate with Level 4 be deployed on vehicles ranging simultaneously demonstrated The S-A1 PAV (Personal Air autonomy following the from airport cargo pods, mining in a quarry and a forest, using Vehicle) will have a cruising launch of a radar-based trucks, on-road cars, and delivery Oxbotica’s software. speed up to 180mph (290km/ navigation and perception shuttles. In use, the radar has a Phil Avery, CEO of Navtech, hr), a cruising altitude of around Vsystem that is not reliant on any range of approximately 300m. said: “Despite the potential of 1,000-2,000 feet (300 – 600m) external infrastructure. Set for launch this year, radar very few companies have above ground, and to fly trips up Developed in a partnership the solution from Oxbotica and successfully developed the to 60 mile (100km). between Oxbotica and Navtech, the Navtech can operate independently necessary algorithms to use it S-A1 will also utilise so-called multi-module localisation or be fused with other location properly. Oxbotica are world distributed electric propulsion, system - consisting of radar, vision services driven by GPS, lidar or leaders in this area and together powering multiple rotors and and laser - allows end users to laser vision. with our high-performance radar propellers around the airframe deploy autonomy in on-road and “The incorporation of radar sensors we believe the resulting for noise reduction and increased off-road locations in weather into Oxbotica’s localisation stack system will deliver a step change redundancy. JF conditions where standard GPS or provides robustness to weather in the performance available lidar cannot function. (e.g. snow and heavy rain), dust for all weather all environment Read more at www.theengineer.co.uk According to an Oxbotica clouds, low/no light conditions, and localisation and perception.”

(an alkane), which can be used to create into valuable commodity chemicals, like DEPLETED URANIUM COULD BE useful compounds including ethanol. The hydrogenated oils and petrochemicals work is published in the Journal of the which can be used as an energy source,” CATALYST FOR REDUCING WASTE American Chemical Society. said Professor Richard Layfield from ANDREW WADE reports “The ability to convert alkenes Sussex University. “The fact that we can into alkanes is an important chemical use depleted uranium to do this provides Scientists have developed a catalyst uranium has proved difficult, with costs reaction that means we may be able to proof that we don’t need to be afraid of it based on depleted uranium that could rising for the resulting storage. take simple molecules and upgrade them as it might actually be very useful for us.” help cut stockpiles of nuclear waste and Sussex University researchers, reduce the burden of its storage. alongside colleagues from Université de Depleted uranium (DU) is one of Toulouse and Humboldt-Universität zu the primary by-products of generating Berlin, have found that an organometallic nuclear energy, and as one of the oldest molecule based on DU could catalyse nuclear powers, the UK has found itself the addition of a molecule of hydrogen with a significant nuclear waste problem. to the carbon-carbon double bond in Finding non-military uses for depleted ethylene (an alkene) to create ethane

February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk 8 TECHNOLOGY NEWS

blanket for the STEP reactor. This component lines the reactor interior Assystem takes next step and performs two functions: it extracts the heat from the reactor so in fusion power project that it can be used to raise steam to run turbines, and it captures the fast Team will develop designs for UK-led fusion reactor’s breeder blanket neutrons generated by the fusion reaction and multiplies them so that STUART NATHAN reports they can generate tritium through a further reaction with lithium nuclei. he Spherical Tokomak for While the reactor itself is being Energy Production (STEP) developed by UKAEA (UK Atomic project, which aims to design a Energy Authority) at Culham, power station fi red by nuclear Assystem’s contribution will be fusion, has announced delivered from its locations in the TAssystem as a new collaborator. North and Midlands. Assystems’ The France-based company Sunderland site is already involved will provide designs for a key in fusion development, as it is component of the fusion system and leading the design of a robotic device provide services that will help other to handle components of ITER while collaborators deliver the project. the reactor is in operation. STEP is a UK government- generate electricity. technologies. They are, to date, “With global dialogue on proposed project to take a lead in the The project’s ambition is to the most successful kind of fusion reducing carbon emissions development of fusion. In October have a power station – which would reactor, with the Joint European becoming an urgent priority, we 2019, the government announced be the fi rst fusion unit – sending Torus (JET) located at Culham commend the nation’s commitment a £200m investment to develop electricity to the grid by 2040. in Oxfordshire, the current to investing in the development of the concept behind STEP, which Spherical Tokomaks are being record-holder for fusion energy fusion energy and are proud to be is to use a spherical Tokomak to designed to generate nuclear production. associated with STEP,” said Kevin perform and manage nuclear fusion fusion by heating and compressing Assystem’s UK operations Wilkinson, business unit director at and harness the heat produced to plasma using electromagnetic will develop designs for a breeder Assystem.

because lithium-ion ba eries perform best at 25°C SMART DIAGNOSTICS INDIAN TEST BED FOR ambient temperature and degrade very rapidly when it is ho er. In India, where temperatures can often Urinary tract BATTERY RESEARCH exceed 45°C, they tend to last as li le as two to three infections – UTIs – years. could be diagnosed Project will combat heat degredation The Loughborough researchers will provide in under 30 minutes expertise in the operation and management of with a smartphone STUART NATHAN reports lithium-ion ba eries, environmental test facilities camera-based test for ba ery modules and advanced ba ery analysis developed by biological engineers at Bath oughborough University is among institutions techniques. University. hoping to fi nd ba eries that can cope with South Fly said: “When our smartphones get too hot from The process can identify the presence LAsian heat to improve air quality in congested being left in the sun, they notify us to move them into of E. coli bacteria in a urine sample in 25 cities. the shade. This is often not an option with a whole minutes and could make UTI testing more As part of a project with Tamil Nadu, India-based vehicle, so instead, we need to engineer intelligent widely available in developing nations and Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) and PSG College solutions to manage the temperature.” remote regions thanks to its potential to of Technology, Prof Rui Chen, Prof Jin Xuan and Dr Among the approaches the team intends to be made portable, and more cheaply than Ashley Fly of Loughborough’s School of aeronautical, test are the use of phase change materials which lab-based tests. automotive, chemical and materials absorb heat as they melt or As well as a smartphone camera, the engineering will vaporise, cooling systems test takes advantage of widely available work on the design based on refrigeration and reagents and new micro-engineered and development of a temperature resistant materials. four-wheeled electric ba ery chemistry. The test uses antibodies to capture vehicle for research, They will use an bacterial cells in capillaries within a teaching and outreach environmental chamber plastic strip, detecting and identifying in India. to replicate the ambient the cells optically rather than through Electric vehicles conditions of Indian cities microbiological methods. JF have diffi culty for characterisation and Read more about med-tech at operating in South Asia testing of their ba eries. www.theengineer.co.uk

9 February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk NOVEMBERBUSINESS NEWS 2019

BORIS BOOST FOR BRUDERER AFTER Ministers misled over HS2 GENERAL ELECTION Minority report points to major cost overun for high-speed rail project

Management at stamping JASON FORD reports press specialist Bruderer UK are crediting December 2019’s through parliament. defi nitive general election In his report, Lord Berkeley result with an upturn in said the costs of the HS2 project investment. are out of control, the benefi ts The company expects a are overstated and might not be buoyant 2020 with a £3m delivered to Leeds and Manchester pipeline of projects including for another 20 years. the installation of machinery Consequently, Lord Berkeley for clients in the aerospace, believes government ministers automotive, construction and should acknowledge that the renewables sectors. project is over three times over Adrian Haller, managing budget and look to approve a new director, said: “We move into budget estimated at £107bn, with 2020 with a very healthy order or without a reduced specifi cation, book, which refl ects the positive and accept that the benefi t attitude of our customers cost ratio will be substantially following the election results in arliament has been ‘misled’ from London can be delivered decreased. December. over the cost of HS2 and without building HS2, which Lord Commenting on Lord “Electrifi cation is a market rail improvements can be Berkeley said would disrupt and Berkeley’s report, Darren Caplan, that is due to take off after a delivered without building it, damage businesses, residents and chief executive of the Railway number of stalled starts and claims a new report that puts the environment. Industry Association, said: “Let we are currently in the process Pthe cost of the project at £107bn. First proposed by Lord us be clear: HS2 is vital for the UK of tooling up suites of tools for In his report, Lord Berkeley, Adonis during the last Labour as it seeks to boost its transport major automotive suppliers formerly deputy chair of the administration and brought into infrastructure for the whole in preparation for EV product Oakervee Review commissioned being by the Conservative-Liberal country in the coming decades. launches. 2020 could well be the by the government to evaluate Democrat coalition government in “It will provide much greater breakthrough year.” the future of HS2, states that 2010, HS2 had an initial price tag capacity by taking traffi c off Bruderer UK, which employs rail services in the Midlands of £56bn. the current rail network, and 14 people at its headquarters in and North can be improved with According to Lord Berkeley, transform connectivity between Luton and at a satellite facility alternative solutions that are HS2’s Benefi t Cost Ratio (BCR) economic centres, cities, towns in the West Midlands, weathered quicker, more economical and has fallen below the break-even and communities.” Brexit uncertainty and economic would provide commuters in these point of 1:1 and could fall to under volatility with a surge in major areas with be er daily services. 0.6:1, falling short of the 2.3:1 BCR Read more at www.theengineer.co.uk rebuilds on existing presses. JF Improvements to the lines to and used by HS2 Ltd to get the project Fresh funding for hot idea Mixergy’s hot water tank cuts energy bills and balances grid

n Oxford University spin-out whose of being the fi rst hot water product certifi ed to innovative hot water tanks promise to save deliver grid balancing services to the National A up to 20 per cent on hot water bills has Grid. Through turning on/off when national secured £3.6m in Series A fi nancing. energy demand misaligns with energy supply, Rather than heat all the water in a hot water the Mixergy tank can reduce network strain tank, the Mixergy Tank applies volumetric and use renewable energy more eff ectively. heating to supply hot water in a quantity The company said this has been achieved specifi ed by the consumer, who can control the through developments in sensing and control system with an app. along with a software platform, which According to Mixergy, it does this by optimises household heating schedules exploiting thermal stratifi cation and in doing across a national network of smart connected so delivers hot water fi ve times faster for direct hot water tanks. electric tanks and two times faster for indirect Mixergy said it will use the funding gas tanks. As well as saving on energy, the tank – which was led by Foresight Williams provides up to 30 per cent more useable hot Technology – develop the technology and water via the use of inlet diff users that reduce support the national roll out of Mixergy the mixing of cold water that enters the cylinder tanks with British Gas. FWT were joined by as hot water is drawn from it. Centrica, Oxford Sciences Innovation, and

inspi/stock.adobe.com Mixergy says its tank has the added benefi t IP Group. JF

February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk 10 WE’RE AT 6-620

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Renishaw SPRINT ad The Engineer half 0917.indd 1 04/02/2019 09:32:17 February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk 12 NewsBUSINESS analysis NEWS

Kittybrewster in Aberdeen he expression ‘chicken and operated by BOC,” said Griffin. egg’ crops up repeatedly “Once generated, the hydrogen is when researching compressed to store it efficiently.” hydrogen’s role as a viable Kittybrewster produces 300kg fuel source for heavy duty, of hydrogen a day, which Griffin Class-8 lorries, and it’s easy said is enough to refuel ten 42-seat Tto see why. buses, with each bus travelling up One kilogram of hydrogen has to 350km on a full tank. the same energy density as a gallon Addressing the chicken and of diesel, but manufacturers won’t egg conundrum for Class-8 trucks, invest in the development of fuel Nikola Motor has a target of 700 cell electric trucks if there is little heavy duty fast-fuelling stations or no refueling infrastructure in High time across the USA by 2028 and a more place for customers. modest 70 across Europe by 2030. “To encourage adoption, These will provide refuelling in hydrogen faces similar issues for hydrogen 15-minutes on 3-to-4-hectare sites to battery EVs – the need for that will use renewable energy infrastructure and volume With the cost of renewable energy falling and sources, supplemented with grid manufacture of vehicles to emissions regulations tightening, the time has never power, to produce a standard 8T reduce costs. Battery EVs need been better for hydrogen to fuel heavy duty trucks of hydrogen per day. Delivered in charging points and sometimes partnership with Norway’s Nel, the grid reinforcement; hydrogen WRITTEN BY JASON FORD stations will provide 7T/day heavy vehicles need refuelling stations,” duty fueling at 70Mpa (enough for Mark Griffin, market development the Nikola Tre (News, page 6) this haven’t been low-cost or low around 160 trucks), and 1T/day manager for clean fuels, BOC told Gerrit Marx, president of IVECO carbon until quite recently. for lighter duty fueling on the SAE The Engineer. commercial and specialty vehicles, The most common production J2601 standard, providing fuel for It’s a conundrum that has said, “In order to bring down 15 per method today is steam methane around 200 passenger cars. helped stymie the adoption of cent we need to target 20-25 per reformation, which can be a “Ultimately, hydrogen fuel hydrogen as a fuel source for heavy- cent CO2 reduction versus actual low-carbon process when used cells will be more economically duty vehicles, but this is about to consumption in 2019, which is only with carbon capture or a biomass viable than Battery Electric change with tightening tailpipe possible with 8,9,10 per cent fully feedstock, said Griffin. Another is Vehicles because of the power emissions standards and a drop in electric, emissions free, heavy duty electrolysis, a process that extracts required to pull heavy loads, the financial - and environmental - trucks. hydrogen from water. In its Path to the space available in the truck cost of producing it. “There’s only one way to Hydrogen Competitiveness report, cab and the constant use that The EU has mandated that do it, and that’s battery electric the Hydrogen Council states that heavy duty applications require from 2025, heavy-duty vehicles trucks with a modular toolkit, a electrolysis via renewables is 60 just to make them economical,” will have to emit 15 per cent less modular platform that allows for per cent more affordable as low- said Jim Gregory, European CO2, rising to 30 per cent from fuel cell electric range extender carbon and renewable electricity business development manager 2030. The organisation adds that technology.” prices have dropped and capital for alternative fuel, at Luxfer Gas as a first step, the CO2 emission Despite being the most expenditure in electrolysis has Cylinders. standards will cover large lorries, abundant element in the universe, fallen. In the long-range commercial which account for 65-to-70 per hydrogen must be extracted from “This is how hydrogen is vehicles market there is a clearer cent of all CO2 emissions from compounds including water or produced at Europe’s largest opportunity for the application of heavy-duty vehicles. In the UK, the methane, and the processes to do hydrogen bus refuelling station, fuel cell technology, added Jeremy government’s Road to Zero Strategy Parkes, DNV EV business leader. is driving the transition to zero “We anticipate that 5-13 per emissions across all vehicle types HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS WILL BE MORE VIABLE THAN cent of heavy goods vehicles will for public, commercial and private be powered by fuel cells by 2050, transport. BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES BECAUSE OF THE POWER according to our Energy Transition Speaking at the launch of REQUIRED TO PULL HEAVY LOADS Outlook report,” he said.

13 February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk COVER feature Marine propulsion

Could a new generation of innovative propulsion technologies that harness the power of the wind help the shipping industry clean up its act? Jon Excell reports WINDSOF

February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk 14 ommercial shipping - for many years resistant to the low carbon revolution sweeping other areas of Norsepower’s Rotor Sail transportation - is changing fast. technology, a Faced with a combination of rising fuel prices type of Flettner and an industry-wide strategy to cut greenhouse rotor, exploits the gas emissions by at least 50 per cent over the next magnus effect to 30 years, the sector (thought to be responsible for aid propulsion Caround 2.5 per cent of global GHG emissions) is innovating as never before in an eff ort to boost fuel effi ciency and reduce its environmental impact. From the development of novel hybrid electric propulsion systems to AI driven improvements in operational effi ciency, no stone is being left unturned in the quest to slash emissions. But arguably some of the most intriguing advances are being made in a fi eld that harks back to the earliest days of seafaring: wind propulsion. Whilst no-one’s quite proposing a return to the great age of sail - where world trade was u erly reliant on the power of the wind - many believe that a new generation of wind propulsion changesystems - an eclectic mix of innovative sails, strange deck mounted wings, kites and weird hull designs - could play a key system (a dual fuel LNG MDO engine) role in the sector’s future. will be assisted by four Oceanwings; Gavin Allwright, who heads up the trade body representing fully automated wing-sails which are companies in this fi eld - the International Windships each supported by a 30m high mast and Association (IWSA) - has witnessed this growing interest measuring a total of 363 square meters. fi rst-hand. The association has grown from 12 to just over There is also growing interest in 100 members and partners since 2014: a clear refl ection, the use of rigid hard sails, which are says Allwright, of the growing seriousness with which wind sometimes preferred over soft sails propulsion is being treated. “We don’t see how we can make the because of the potential for incorporating speed and depth of the change without wind propulsion taking a diff erent aerodynamic structures or even signifi cant load,” he told The Engineer. photovoltaic coatings. Many of the technologies at the heart of this burgeoning As with soft sail innovations, there fi eld have actually been around for some time. Fle ner rotors, are numerous ongoing initiatives in this for instance (discussed later in this article) were invented over area exploring the application of the a century ago. What’s changed, said Allwright, is that there are technology to vessels of various diff erent now tangible examples of these systems in action and, in many sizes. In one recent development, cases, verifi ed fi gures to back up the developers’ claims. Japanese fi rms Mitsui OSK lines and At the most recognisable end of the wind-assist spectrum are Oshima shipbuilding received Approval innovations in soft sail systems. The increasing sophistication In Principle from marine classifi cation Econowind’s of automation and route optimisation systems have revived body ClassNK to build a 100,000 DWT containerised ventifoil system, interest in seafaring’s original power source, and there are bulk carrier equipped with a telescopic installed here now a growing number of examples of larger vessels using hard sail system that the group claims on the deck of smart soft sails alongside auxiliary propulsion systems. In one could reduce fuel usage by as much as 8 the DFDS cargo notable development, French naval architect VPLP recently per cent. vessel Lysbris unveiled a design for a 121 metre long roll-on/roll-off (RORO) Whilst the ability to automate, deploy Seaways vessel that will be used to transport components of the Ariane new materials, and use data to optimise 6 rocket from Europe to Guiana. The ship’s main propulsion performance is breathing fresh life into

15 February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk COVER feature Marine propulsion

the use of traditional sails, they do come metre foils that automatically fold out of a 12 metre container, storage for the wing when it’s not being with some significant challenges as they on the deck of DFDS Cargo vessel, Lysbris Seaways. According operated, and the wing itself. are scaled up in size. Not only do they to Paul Woodall, director, Environment & Sustainability at During operation the wing flies at take up large amounts of deck space DFDS, although a mechanical fault has brought this trial to a an altitude of around 150m metres at a (valuable real-estate in the commercial premature end, preliminary results show that a positive effect 30 degree angle from the ship. A flight shipping sector) but they can also induce was achieved. control pod positioned directly beneath a significant amount of heeling (or At the time of writing, Econowind was also poised to install the wing dynamically adjusts the flight tipping from side to side) in the vessel. a larger permanent system aboard MV Ankie, a 3,600 DWT path, moving it through a series of One concept that potentially gets cargo vessel operated by Van Dam Shipping. Commenting positions and repeatedly dragging it around this problem is an innovative on the potential fuel savings resulting from this application out of what Reinhard describes as “its device known as a suction wing, a deck Niewnhuis said: “we expect that on a really good day we will comfort zone”. It’s the wing’s efforts to mounted vertical foil claimed to provide save 20 per cent and over the year we would expect the unit to return to this position that generate most considerably more power per square do between 8 – 10 per cent.” of the device’s traction. metre than a normal sail at a fraction of The company has already conducted the height. on a really good day we will a number of ground tests and sea trials Based on technology originally using scaled down versions of the pioneered by marine explorer and save 20 per cent and over the year technology, and is now poised to begin its conservationist Jacques Cousteau, these we would expect the unit to do first commercial installation, which will systems use a powered suction device see a 500 square metre wing installed on mounted within the wing to suck in between 8 - 10 per cent an Airbus RORO vessel used to transport the boundary layer around the foil and aircraft parts. The firm also recently increase its propulsive efficiency. Whilst Econowind’s unit takes up a fraction of the deck signed a contract with Japanese Ship One of the key players here is space occupied by conventional sails, other innovators are owner Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd (aka Netherlands firm Econowind, whose looking beyond the deck, and eyeing up the use of giant kites to K Line) to install an even larger 1000 m2 so-called Ventifoil technology – a non- tap into the potential of the considerably greater wind resource wing on one its vessels, with an option rotating wing with vents and a powered in the skies above a vessel. to install upto 50 further systems if this internal fan - can either be retrofitted to One of the most exciting technologies in this area is Seawing, application is successful. the deck of a vessel, or deployed within an autonomous system developed by French company Airseas. Ship design changes slowly – which containers that are added and removed The firm was spun out of Airbus in 2016 with the express is why many of these technologies as and when required. purpose of finding marine applications for modelling and flight currently being deployed are retrofittable The company’s CEO Frank control expertise gained in the aerospace sector. Nieuwenhuis explained that during The technology consists of a giant kite that is deployed operation and when the wind conditions and refurled at the push of a button, and which, the company are favourable, the system increases the claims, can deliver average fuel savings of 20 per cent. speed of a vessel enabling the captain Luc Reinhard, who heads up the firm’s business to throttle back the propulsion system development activities, explained that whilst other kite-based without reducing the voyage time. systems have been trialed, Seawing’s autonomous operation, Late last year (2019) the firm installed and the software tools and flight control systems that underpin a prototype system, consisting of two 10 its operation set it apart from other technologies. “What is really innovative about our solution is this notion of automation software, digitalisation of the product so it’s really simple to use by the crew members Airseas, spun out of Airbus, is onboard ships” commercialising kite-based The key components of the system are a propulsion systems mast that allows the wing to be deployed, a winch to roll the 500m long cable,

February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk 16 Serje Lade’s Vindskip concept turns solutions. the hull of the boat itself into a However, Vindskip, a radical concept giant sail developed by Norwegian engineer Serje Lade, offers a glimpse of how future vessels might be designed from the ground up to tap into the wind resource. Lade’s aerospace inspired design turns the hull of the boat itself into a wing, a symmetrical airfoil that generates lift that can be used to generate pull. Lade told The Engineer that the hull works in tandem with the propulsion system and meteorological data to keep the ship at a constant speed. He has also been working with engineers from the Fraunhofer Center for Maritime Logistics and Services on the development of algorithms to calculate the optimum wind angle for the design of the vessel. Tank testing and wind tunnel tests of scale models and CFD simulations emissions by more than 30 million metric tonnes. technology that could be applied to indicate that the design could enable fuel Back in 2018, the company was behind the first ever merchant shipping and reduce carbon and emissions savings of as much as 60 application of the technology to a passenger vessel when a emissions for certain ship types and and 80 per cent respectively, he said. Rotor Sail technology was installed on Viking Grace, an LNG- sailing routes,” he said. “However, Whilst concepts like Vindskip fueled passenger ferry. Last year, it announced plans to install since wind technologies are generally are probably many years away from a 30 metre high system aboard the M/V Copenhagen, a hybrid at a low level of technology readiness, commercialisation, other technologies passenger ferry operated by Scandlines. there is a cautious interest by most are already having an impact. And the The firm also recently announced results of a year-long of the market, with some of the most widely deployed of the emerging installation of two 30 x 5m Rotor Sails on the Maersk Pelican , larger charterers directly investing in systems is the Flettner rotor, an a 109,000 DWT, a tanker. The results of this trial were analysed technology development programs intriguing concept originally developed by Chris Craddock, Technical Advisory & Ship Performance and pilot projects. As more technology almost a century ago, which is now under Manager at Llloyds Register, who told The Engineer, “We have demonstration pilot projects are serious consideration by some of the independently verified the performance of Norsepower’s successfully completed raising shipping industry’s biggest players. Flettner rotor system through a 12 month in-service trial - the confidence in the technology, and new Similar in appearance to suction aggregated total fuel saved for propulsion was 8.2 per cent. This build contracts are placed specifying wings, Flettners operate on a very was closely in-line with the expectation of Norsepower.” these technologies, payback periods will different principle, exploiting a curious drop and there will be a steady increase aerodynamic phenomenon known as the we can leave no stone unturned in the uptake of the technology.” magnus effect, the same force that causes DFDS’s Paul Woodall took a similarly a spinning tennis ball to swerve. in pursuit of continued efficiency balanced view. “We can leave no stone Looking rather like vertical cylinders improvements unturned in pursuit of continued mounted on the deck of a ship, these efficiency improvements. This must powered devices rotate around their Craddock added that the lessons learnt from this project include being available for testing any own axis. This rotational speed can be have been incorporated into a Flettner rotor savings calculator new technology, including various types adjusted depending on the wind speed which can be freely used to estimate the fuel savings for many of wind assistance. There is no single and direction, and the interaction types of ship types sailing on any trading route across the globe silver bullet that will bring shipping’s between the surface of the rotor and the flettner.lr.org GHG emissions down to the required wind creates a lift force that generates Having demonstratable figures like this has, said Allwright, levels, it is a long tough road. Shipping is additional thrust. created real momentum in the sector. “Two or three years ago a multifaceted industry that will require Whilst a number of firms are actively we had very few demonstration vessels out there and there a number of different solutions models.” working on the development of the weren’t enough reference points for the industry to say ‘right The technology’s current momentum technology, the leader in terms of the now we understand’ and get an understanding of what the will no doubt lead to a greater number number of installations is Finnish savings might be.” of applicaitons in the years ahead. But company Norsepower systems, which Lloyds Register’s Craddock, though broadly positive it’s clear that while wind-assist has an makes the bold claim that its Rotor Sail about the role that could be played by wind assist systems, important role to play, it’s not going to technology - if applied to the entire global warned that there is still a long way to go. “ Wind technologies single-handedly address the shipping tanker fleet - would reduce annual CO2 are generally acknowledged as a credible energy saving sector’s ambitious targets.

17 February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk NOVEMBERVIEWPOINT 2019

ny eff ort to forecast the about every level of the global future of Earth and its ecosystem. Last year’s Global Grand people is, inevitably, Challenges Summit in London, tentative. AI might hosted by the Royal Academy of revolutionise healthcare; Engineering jointly with the US human inhabitants of National Academy of Engineering AMars may evolve into a diff erent and the Chinese Academy of species; palates may eventually Engineering, did just that. It warm to the idea of an insect-based Professor Lord Rees provided a forum for burger. I cannot predict the future, interdisciplinary discussion about but there are two things that I can solving global challenges such as say with near certainty: the world sustaining 10 billion people and the in 2050 will be more crowded, and it On the future, impact of AI and other will be warmer. transformational technologies. Key Fifty years ago, the global decisions about global issues population was 3.5 billion, but this a challenge for shouldn’t be made by one facet of is predicted to rise to around 10 the populace; they should be the billion by 2050, impacting outcome of diverse debate. increasingly on our infrastructure. engineers The Large Hadron Collider Food production has largely kept epitomises such eff orts. It required pace with the rising population global collaboration, pushing and, while famines still occur, they Professor Lord Rees Kt OM HonFREng HonFMedSci technology to its limits to are more often caused by confl ict FRS, Astronomer Royal at the Institute of Astronomy, investigate the fundamental and maldistribution than overall University of Cambridge mysteries of the universe; this is scarcity. This may not continue, something in which humanity can and the geopolitical stresses are take pride, and I hope such most worrying. new technology, for without it we If mitigating climate change is cooperation is repeated more In recent years climate change won’t be able to sustain an truly a priority for politicians, then frequently in our a empts to has acquired global a ention, yet it expanding population; and we nations should invest in protect the future. remains chronically under- should be wary that politicians are accelerating the development of Scientists and engineers have addressed. It is diffi cult for people, unlikely to prioritise the necessary low-carbon energy generation, and an obligation to promote benefi cial businesses, and governments to global and long-term measures technologies where parallel applications of their work and to prioritise action that will benefi t unless voters continue to call for progress is crucial. The faster these warn against the downsides. people elsewhere in the world them. mature at scale, the sooner that Researchers can use their collective decades hence. Even those who Technological advancement national transitions will become expertise to assess which scenarios agree that there is a signifi cant risk has provided people with safer, more aff ordable to countries can be dismissed as science fi ction, of climate catastrophe diff er in how longer, and more satisfying lives needing more generating capacity, and how best to alleviate the most urgently they advocate action than ever before. However, climate and where there is otherwise serious consequences. Experts today. change and unintended downsides pressure to build coal-fi red power must collaborate to enhance their The Earth has existed for 45 of advanced technology are stations. This will have geopolitical leverage and amplify their voices million centuries, but this is the collateral impacts of some of these implications, but I struggle to think through blogging and media fi rst where the planet’s future advances. Consider, for instance, of a more inspiring challenge for engagement. hinges so heavily on a single the fi res currently burning in the next generation of engineers Extinction is a call that we species: ours. A daunting task, but Australia, and the growing than devising clean and economical must heed but there is hope. Half a there is hope. Consider surveillance of our personal data. energy systems for the world. century ago technologies that we technologies such as the To protect our planet’s future, Tomorrow’s challenges are take for granted today were thought smartphone or the internet – just we need wisely directed technology international; managing potential to exist only in futuristic fantasy, 25 years ago they would have and appropriate investment. shortages of resources and and daily advances in every fi eld seemed like magic. These two Feeding 10 billion people requires transitioning to low carbon energy continually push the boundaries of innovations transformed the world more effi cient agriculture: cannot be achieved by nations what is possible. If humanity so greatly, and so quickly, that we genetically modifi ed crops, dietary individually. Lasting change guides itself with rational, global, must keep our minds open to innovations, and artifi cial meats. requires integrated discussions and long-term thinking, then I advances dwelling currently in should say that we stand a science fi ction. chance. I recommend maintaining a TO PROTECT OUR PLANET’S FUTURE, WE NEED pragmatic approach, balancing Prof Rees’ latest book, On the Future: professional optimism and political WISELY DIRECTED TECHNOLOGY Prospects for Humanity, was released by pessimism. We should evangelise Princeton University Press in 2019.

February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk 18 AUTOMATE TO OPTIMISE YOUR BUSINESS PERFORMANCE

s we begin the 2020’s we’re This has been made entering a new era in Business possible thanks to built- Performance Automation. Sure, in Machine Learning and task automation has been building Artificial Intelligence driven overA the last 20 years, but we now have the by SAP HANA. It doesn’t tools to deliver it business wide. With the matter if the process is part Business Technology Platform from SAP you automated, for example a can now have true Intelligent Automation. digital assistant to a human, Furthermore, this technology is now or a fully unattended process, available for SMEs, not just blue-chip the self-learning bots are key companies. When an ERP system, such to the automation. as SAP Business One, works hand in hand The use of Conversational with the SAP HANA Database you have AI means computers can now the engine for Intelligent Technologies and simulate real conversations Predictive Analytics to create Business Process across different business Automation. areas, from warehouses In most businesses today the processes and production to providing are complex and still require too much manual management information. So, intervention. It’s this manual input that leads to it’s possible for actions within inefficiencies and errors. However, removing the ERP system, such as stock re-ordering, to In Attended Mode, the bot is helping human these steps often leads to systems becoming be driven by Conversational AI. However, there by automatically adding commentary, 360° overly complex and integration becoming a are practical environmental restrictions of an views, images and data to whatever they are weak point. If any one of the integration points office environment that are currently holding viewing. It’s commenting on not just the data changes or is upgraded the system breaks. this back. on the screen, but the underlying data that isn’t Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Conversational AI means SAP Business seen but that is driving the results. accelerates the digital transformation of One users can ask for reports in language that Unattended bots continuously monitor and business processes by automatically replicating makes sense to them. For example, “Show me perform tasks to learn from the results. This tedious repetitive tasks to free up humans for the top 20 lowest sales margins by product results in semi-automated processes becoming more high value tasks. group for 2018 and 2019”, could be said in 20 fully automated over a short period of time. SAP’s intelligent RPA is able to automate different ways by 20 different people, but that’s This takes automation to a whole new level and scenarios including SAP and non-SAP not a problem to the bot executing the request. SAP Business One users can easily benefit applications. This brings the level of business The bot may offer several variations of the from this technology. automation possible to a new level and within result, but quickly learns what it is that This new decade will see the repetitive reach of the average SME in the UK. you want. business processes that have traditionally been manual, becoming more and more automated within their ERP system. Human intervention will start to become a rarity. If your business is not currently utilising an ERP product that can provide this level of Intelligent Business Automation then now is the time to consider products such as SAP Business One.

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19 November 2019 / www.theengineer.co.uk TALKING POINT

f all the sectors we the UK’s climate goals, while cover at The Engineer, groups such as ‘Stop HS2’ have put none tends to ignite the successive UK governments under passions quite so much pressure to cancel the project. as rail. From the grand But what of the HS2’s stations and bridges of supporters? Businesses across the 0the Victorian era to the complex, UK, particularly in the north of heaving network of today, rail England, are invariably in favour, is interwoven into the fabric claiming it will dramatically of British society, a symbol of improve connectivity between both towering achievement and the commercial and industrial modern frustration. epicentres of the country, giving The Victorian heritage is the economy a much-needed something of a double-edged boost. Politicians have been largely sword, inspiring with its storied supportive, seeing the project as past and engineering marvels, an opportunity to help redress the while at the same time impeding north-south imbalance perceived the radical overhaul the network IN OUR OPINION by many who live beyond the M25. clearly requires. For all its former Politics is fickle, however, glory, the UK’s infrastructure has and ballooning costs have failed to keep pace with the rest frightened the herd, leading to the of Europe, never mind the likes aforementioned Oakervee Review of new rail superpowers such being established in August 2019. as China. Inevitably, this has On track or off According to The Times, an early led to services being squeezed, draft of the report states that compounded by increased ‘large ticket price rises’ would numbers flocking to the network be required if HS2 does not go in recent years. the rails? ahead. HS2 Ltd, the government- HS2, or High Speed 2 to give it backed company responsible for its full title, was supposed to be Too big to fail or destined for the scrapheap? building the new line, says the the answer. Running north-south economic case for the project from London to Birmingham The UK government’s eventual decision on is strong and that it will deliver initially, then on to Manchester HS2 will cast a long shadow for years to come, value for money. But in his recent and Leeds in a ‘Y’ route under writes Andrew Wade dissenting report, Lord Berkley Phase 2, the project was conceived accused the promoters of HS2 of to relieve capacity on existing lines former deputy chairman of the – for so long the poster child of having ‘undue influence’ over the while also reducing journey times independent Oakervee Review in UK rail infrastructure – are also ongoing Oakervee Review, skewing between some of the country’s to HS2 - claims the final cost will be a very timely reminder that even the outlook in favour of the project major cities. As well as a new high- closer to £110bn, around double the when things appear to be going despite evidence to the contrary. speed line and rolling stock, HS2 original budget. The same report smoothly, trouble is never far away With any project of this size, will see major new stations being says that Phase 1 trains – originally on projects of this magnitude. there comes a point when it built in London and Birmingham, due to start running between Cost aside, HS2 faces a litany of becomes too big to fail. A recent with significant updates to London and Birmingham in 2026 other issues. The visual, ecological freedom of information request existing stations at multiple other – are unlikely to carry their first and environmental impact of from the Local Democracy locations. passengers until 2031. the project have all been cited as Reporting Service revealed the Perhaps unsurprisingly given The sheer size of the figures reasons to scrap or reroute the line. total HS2 spend on buying property the scale, questions regarding cost involved has raised eyebrows The most comprehensive study to in London to be more than and value have dogged HS2 from as well as the inevitable cries of date, published in January, claimed £1.25bn as of 30 June - no small day one. An initial price tag of ‘white elephant’. Building high HS2 would destroy or irreparably investment, but undoubtedly a £55bn was tabled in 2015, followed speed rail infrastructure was damage five internationally drop in the ocean compared to by parliamentary approval for never going to come cheap, but protected wildlife sites, 693 the final bill. What Boris Johnson Phase 1 in 2017. With work at rising engineering costs and local wildlife sites, 108 ancient and his cabinet must decide in the several sites across the country poor ground conditions have woodlands and 33 legally protected coming months is whether HS2 underway, some estimates claim seen estimates spiral upwards sites of special scientific interest. is worth the outlay. That decision the projected costs have already worryingly fast, leading to calls for Environmental organisations that will cast a long shadow over risen to more than £80bn. A recent the entire project to be scrapped. such as Greenpeace have said this government and indeed many report from Lord Berkeley - the The ongoing issues with Crossrail the project is incompatible with governments to come.

February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk 20 Read more comment, news and features www.theengineer.co.uk

IN YOUR OPINION Poll: How should the incoming government deal with HS2? HS2 should be abandoned and the Readers of the engineer are strongly in favour of axing the money put into east/west links in the It should be cancelled and project, with cancellation (52 per cent) twice as popular North of England thus linking cities improvements made to the existing as moving ahead with current plans (26 per cent). Around like Newcastle with Carlisle, Hull to one in fi ve respondents (21 per cent) think that the project system including reopening should refocus on the northern connections it has prom- Liverpool etc. Linking these cities “Beechinged” lines closed in ised, while just one per cent chose the ‘none of the above’ would then give links to the main the 60’s and 70’s. Increasing the option. A remarkable 3,555 respondents took part in the lines to London, Birmingham, Leeds loading gauge to allow lorry poll, illustrating what an emotive topic HS2 has become in etc. Just look at the railway maps of the engineering community and beyond. Needless to say, trailers to be moved by rail would some strong opinions were expressed in the comments the Victorian/pre-Beeching era, that also cut carbon and reduce traffi c and the debate raged on below the line for several weeks was a reasonably good plan. on the roads. Both of which after the poll was published. David Banks could give a better return on investment than HS2. 1% Cliff

Absolutely HS2 should go ahead with the everything planned with cost effectiveness existing plan. This is a vital project that will in mind. 21% allow high speed services to be taken off However, it would be foolish to scrap it existing Victorian infrastructure and free now, at this late stage, seeing as so much that up for local and freight services. money has been sunk in, and we won’t get Melanie Osborne any of that back (except for workers who at least got paid for this elephant). Sorry for the 52% Cramming more and more people in to opponents, but I think it should proceed. One our already overfl owing capital city and overpriced and fl awed rail connection is still surrounding areas seems ridiculous. much better than spending all that money 26% Especially with the latest technology to for nothing. support remote working and collaboration I Robert think we would be far better off investing the money to support growth and diversifi cation It’s a good job the Victorians didn’t worry elsewhere on our tiny island. about it how much things would cost years Simon Stevens ago. If they did we would not have any railway. So let’s just get on with it. If the PM and his new government are Gandy serious about delivering prosperity to the Midlands Cancel it and the North, while at the same time achieving Cancel it! The stated benefi ts aren’t worth the a real reduction in carbon Go ahead with existing plans investment (£60B-£100B??), would be a lot more emissions, there is only one benefi cial and cost effective in putting the money credible course of action – into upgrading the existing infrastructure and press ahead with HS2 Phase Concentrate on northern connections 1 and bring forward Phase 2a rolling stock – across the whole country. I suggest and 2b. It’s a no-brainer the current Government (same as the old) are Carl Shillito not going to make any sensible decisions on this None of the above front. Just as BoJo didn’t lie down in front of the HS2 was fl awed from the bulldozers to prevent Heathrow expansion he is start. Stations should unlikely to make any decisions that impact the have been planned for the HAVE YOUR SAY outskirts of cities, where investments and profi ts of his rich buddies. Visit our website to take part land is much cheaper, and Another Steve in the continuing debate on this emotive topic

21 February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk TALKINGMailbox POINT

We asked where Ambivalent to autonomy government should target infrastructure Our report on the public’s reluctance to embrace driverless investments vehicles was matched by reader scepticism I would say local and developmental exercise, often (commuting) rail, and on the grounds of ‘let’s see if we can national road infrastructure. make it work’. There is no doubt National rail travel is too that the concept has advantages, expensive to be a ractive but but as always technical solutions increased local rail services only work within a constrained set will make a diff erence around of parameters and environments. commuter towns. The biggest problem is that outside Chris the conceived paradigm diff erent rules and circumstances apply and it remains the case that an Has to be energy informed human brain coupled (specifi cally electricity). All with experience is far more fl exible coal-fi red power stations are and adaptable and able to deal with due to close by 2025 and we unexpected and unplanned will be down to one nuclear scenarios. To ensure the needed power station (Sizewell B; or If I want to travel between fl exibility (such as in emergency) two if Hinkley Point C is A and B in a vehicle I don’t full human ergonomic controls are completed) by 2030. We’re control I would rather use a bus fi rst idea that comes up! We need still required, therefore it is going to struggle to match or a train! I honestly cannot see something more like driving questionable if the additional present-day capacity let alone any rational reason I would assistance where the driver is still machinery to allow a computer to new demands like EV spend money on, or travel in mainly in control, because it is do the controlling can be optimised charging and ASHP for these death pods. human nature to be in control of without adding additional weight domestic hot water and space Another Steve any situation. Martin and the ability to override or be heating. Trevor overridden as circumstances Is the whole strategy crossing dictate. If the automatic machine is Got to be energy (with rail the line between feasibility and carrying around passengers who a close second). Preferably desirability/utility? This whole are entirely capable of carrying out renewable, if not then small These cars will be very area seems to be being hyped up the same and more functions modular nuclear, designed expensive for the majority of but user acceptance (and ultimately what is the point? And and built in the country. people and also with cars changing insurance issues) could be the how is a human ‘supervisor’ to be Cliff to electric power, they won’t have killer. Phil Mortimer kept alert and capable of taking the capacity to go very far with the over in milliseconds while being I voted energy. Let’s extra power required. The The pursuit of technical chauff eured around? invest in modern small infrastructure has to be thought solutions to problems that don’t Nick Cole nuclear reactors. This will out fi rst without rushing into the really exist is largely an academic benefi t the whole country. Robert Harris-Mayes

A lithium-sulphur battery developed in Australia is claimed to This should / could make I voted Energy but not outperform market leading batteries by more than four times. many more electric planes viable, nuclear. The UK should invest due to much longer fl ights/charge! more in the huge tidal It would be great to have a Stuart Saunders resource we have. Ekij factory making these in the UK. John Hartley Four-times higher capacity sounds exciting, but the devil is Imagine my electric scooter often in the detail. What are the going 80 miles instead of 20 miles. costs of manufacture for this new No more range anxiety. ba ery design/chemistry? Anthony Steele Gary Williams

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23 February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk INTERVIEW INTERVIEW Mats Paul Rahmström Stein PRESSING AHEAD Mats Rahmström, CEO of compressor giant Atlas Copco, talks to Andrew Wade about how electrifi cation, connectivity and digitalisation are driving innovation at the fi rm.

ven against the backdrop of London’s have more ba ery cars, more environmentally “It’s a big engineering challenge,” said Square Mile skyline, Mats Rahmström friendly cars in general, then you’re going to Rahmström, “but it’s also a competence and looms large. As CEO of industrial giant be dealing with frames made from lighter people challenge, because you start out with Atlas Copco, the big Swede is hosting materials,” said Rahmström. “So now if you more mechanical engineers, now you have an event at The Shard to mark the UK come to us and you’re an assembly company more electrical engineers, and today, half of the centenary of the company, which was or want to build a new car - it’s probably mixed people working in Industrial Technique are founded in Rahmström’s homeland in materials today, with composites and software engineers. And then you get to E1873. Its early days in rail construction seem an aluminium – we have all the technologies to digitalisation and analytics – we’ve decided age away, and today Atlas Copco is one of the do that assembly. So that’s one of the biggest that analytics should be a core competence for world’s leading producers of air compressors. changes, and I think the auto industry at this the future, so we’ve hired these types of According to the CEO, change has always been time is the most interesting to be part of in all engineers. So the competence journey is as part of the company’s DNA. the ways that it’s changing quite rapidly. important as the engineering journey.” “One thing we always speak about is the “If you look at tools in the automotive Though at its core the company is still very tradition of always being ready for change,” industry, when I started – which was 30 years much a nuts and bolts engineering fi rm, said Rahmström. “It’s also aligned with one of ago – all the tools were pneumatic. And of digitalisation is playing an increasingly our main owners, the investor group of the course we sell compressors. But for today’s car important role. Rahmström understands some Wallenberg family. And thus the move to industry, 95 per cent of what we sell is electric of the frustrations engineers have around the separate the mining from industrial.” tools, smart electric tools, transducerised hype of IoT and Industry 4.0, often failing to Sweden’s prominent Wallenberg family has tools.” deliver on oversold promises. Nonetheless, the stakes in many of the country’s most recognisable industrial fi rms, including Atlas Copco, Ericsson, Saab and ABB Group. In 2018, Atlas Copco’s mining equipment division was spun out of the main business into a new independent company called Epiroc, a change Virtual and augmented it seems at least partially driven by the reality are part of Wallenbergs seeking to divest from less the company’s wider sustainable sectors such as mining. It’s a move digital strategy that also fi ts with Atlas Copco’s trajectory towards more electrifi cation across its business lines. “The most obvious example is the auto sector where we – maybe six or seven years ago Today the company is divided into four right digital tools in the right hands can be a – realised that we were heading this way and business lines, or ‘Techniques’. Compressors powerful thing. this was an opportunity,” Rahmström are still very much at its heart, making up “It can be very abstract, but in some areas explained. roughly half of revenues. The other half is it’s very tangible for us,” he said. “If you think of Up until that point, Atlas Copco’s primary split between the remaining three the Ford car factory, they could only build black role in the automotive sector had been Techniques, namely Vacuum, Industrial and Model Ts on one line. The way they sorted that powering equipment for fi nal assembly, such as Power. The transition from diesel equipment out was by building in batches of cars or using compressors and pneumatic tools for robots to more electrically driven machinery across diff erent lines. But with modern day and manual workers. all the business lines is one of the key digitalisation, we can actually build six or “Then we realised that if you’re going to challenges Atlas Copco is facing. seven diff erent models on the same line.

February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk 24 I think the auto industry at this time is the most interesting to be part of, in all the ways that it’s changing quite rapidly

fi eld maintenance of industrial equipment, as demonstrated by software providers such as PTC in recent years. “It’s still a niche tool and I think the ones who are leading it is service, for example on portable compressors,” said Rahmström. “If you are out in the fi eld somewhere you can use your camera and get guidance from an operator or an engineer that can look at the same thing and have see-through drawings. I don’t think it will be for everyone, but it’s something that could be extremely valuable with time.” That type of innovation is important for Atlas Copco to continue a racting young engineers. By Rahmström’s own admission, the company may not initially be as appealing as other employers it competes with for engineering talent. But when people see the

“And with our smart tools, every time you designed the asset, we know the asset and we enter into station, you just scan the operation, can learn quicker than anyone else what will you know exactly what parts to pick, we have fail. We now have fi ve digital centres for the human-machine interface to guide where compressors around the world where people to tighten bolts, for example. So that’s a really with service contracts have this service with us tangible impact of digitalisation actually where we can start to make more proactive working.” calls if something is vibrating or there’s heat or That impact is fundamental to Atlas Copco’s whatever. digital strategy. Adopting technology for its “We cannot predict which part it is yet, we own sake where the benefi ts are unclear are not quite on that level, but predictive is simply adds complexity and can lead to ge ing more and more tangible for us. We’ve customer frustration. But industrial taken it down to what is valuable instead of variety of technology that underpins its companies should not be afraid to make the what is cool or what is possible. When you operations, Atlas Copco becomes a more leap when the rewards are obvious. Predictive work with the semi-conductor industry and the enticing prospect. maintenance is one such area where auto industry, they are very demanding, so that “Many young engineers don’t realise all the Rahmström believes digitalisation is clearly keeps us on our toes makes sure what we bring cool technologies being implemented in this working. to them is valuable.” big industrial company,” Rahmström said. “We’ve got 130,000 connected compressors,” VR and AR tools are more niche, said the “Normally we are not so a ractive, looking he said. “But you need to know what to do with CEO, but should by no means be ruled out from the outside. But when we’ve had people the data. I’d say we’re in the midst of being able simply on that basis. VR can have a role to play come to us and learn what we’re doing and the to predict what will happen. Since we’ve in the design process, while AR could assist in opportunities, then they stay.”

25 February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk Kaylee McNally Arlington Automotive

Engineering Skills for a Smarter World their world andours. Given theopportunity, one engineer can change your businesstosucceed,todayandtomorrow. Quality We’re engineeringspecialistsratherthan skillsand We createpracticalskills to creatingskillssolutions tomorrow. to succeed,todayand for individuals,educators, solutions thatareeasytouse,integrate andmeasure. solutions forengineering who wanttoseeand organisation dedicated at enginuity.org and engineering education generalists–engineeringskills solutions give toindividuals. employers likeyou,using and manufacturing develop theskillsneeded Enginuity isanew Discover howwe’re engineering skillsforasmarterworld manufacturing employers, Enginuity usesdatatocreatetherightskills solutionsfor by engineers,forengineers. make smarterdecisionsabouttheopportunitiesyou unmatched industryexpertiseanddata.Helpingyou

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Growth industry Vertical farming startup LettUs Grow is one of a number of UK firms developing technology that could help shore up the UK’s food security. Andrew Wade reports

February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk 28 etween the UK’s EU exit terms of how scalable the technology is We can optimise and the growing threat and controllable and optimisable it is. of climate change, food “It’s all about the amount in the root the photosynthetic security has become zone that plants experience. Everyone performance of a a headline topic. The knows that healthy soil has good supply lines from farm to pockets of oxygen and nutrients and is plant fork that many of us take well aerated. So this is really what we’re for granted can be more fragile than we maximising. By having no soil and an Bthink, as illustrated by recent weather air gap you’ve got bountiful oxygen and Advances in LED lighting, coupled with events in the UK. carbon dioxide for plants to perform at a reduction in cost, have played a key “At the height of the heatwave their biological optimum.” role in the sector’s boom. Rather than that we had last summer, (the UK) Somewhat misleadingly, LettUs simply replicating sunlight, LEDs can be was importing lettuce by plane from Grow is primarily a technology provider finely tuned to different wavelengths for California, importing around 30,000 rather than an actual food grower, various crops. Combined with carefully heads a week just to keep food on supplying its equipment and software to controlled climate conditions, LEDs and our shelves,” explained Charlie Guy, farmers and entrepreneurs seeking out aeroponics can enhance every aspect of managing director and co-founder of new opportunities. According to Guy, growth, maximising crop yields. agritech startup, LettUs Grow. the return on investment of aeroponics “All of these are effectively ways Set up in 2015 while Guy was still takes just two to three years, while the that we can optimise or tune the at Bristol University, LettUs Grow is more widely used hydroponics takes performance of a plant so that it’s one of several emerging UK businesses between four and five. Vertical farming most photosynthetically efficient and sees trays of focused on vertical farming, where But nutrient delivery is just one working at its optimum,” said Guy. produce stacked plants and crops are grown indoors in part of the vertical farming picture. under LED lights The second pillar of LettUs Grow is upright stacks, typically without soil, Ostara, a bespoke software platform using LED lighting, climate control and that can monitor and control indoor targeted nutrient delivery. Although growing in greenhouses as well as still a relatively niche enterprise, vertical farms. Sensors throughout the it’s attracting plenty of attention, growing environment feed back to the with grocery retailer Ocado recently software, which collates the data and announcing a £17m investment in the provides crop growth analysis. On top sector. of this, Ostara also incorporates tracing For its part, LettUs Grow has just of crop history, something that Guy secured £2.35 million in seed funding, believes has become more important for which Guy says the company will use retailers and consumers given events of to scale up and invest in new products. recent years. Currently, the business has two major “The real importance of this was seen industry components: its aeroponic nutrient in 2018 with the romaine lettuce scandal delivery system and an integrated farm in the US, where contaminated produce management software platform called was on shelves and nobody knew where Ostara. According to LettUs Grow, it had come from,” he explained. its aeroponics equipment can boost “One of the massive benefits of growth rate by 70 per cent across a range indoor and controlled-environment of crops compared to other vertical agriculture is that we can really know farming methods such as hydroponics, where our produce has gone and what as well as reduce water usage by 95 per it’s experienced after it was produced cent versus traditional agriculture. and grown.” “At LettUs Grow we’ve developed The elephant in the room remains two key technologies,” Guy explained. cost. Swapping sunshine and soil for “The first is a new aeroponic method LEDs and aeroponics may deliver a host where we irrigate the crop roots with a of benefits, but is also comes at a price. very fine mist using a patent-pending The energy inputs currently required method that we’ve developed over the for vertical farming make it difficult to last few years. It has massive benefits in turn a profit on anything but high value

29 February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk Agritech

herbs and leafy greens. Basil, parsley, and watercress grow quickly and sell at a premium, making them the perfect candidates for vertical farming in terms of competitiveness. “To date we’ve grown around 60 diff erent crops in our facility,” said Guy. “We’re mainly focused on the high-value herbs or le uce and leafy green crops, but we’ve also grown things like carrots, radishes strawberries and a whole host of things like tobacco and propagation for trees.” Seasonal demand sees peaks and troughs in the price of things like cress and le uce, and carefully choreographed growing at scale could allow vertical farms to be profi table in these types of markets. Whereas traditional agriculture has been pushed to the limits of its productivity, this nascent farming method has plenty of headroom to make leaps in effi ciency as it scales up and technology improves. Urban farms that Co-founder Charlie supply on demand to high-end city provenance, it can provide tweaks and Guy inspects some restaurants is one business model leafy produce adjustments in growing conditions that Guy thinks could work, but Energy inputs make to produce an abundance of diff erent knowing your market is key. up the the bulk of outcomes on demand. crops’ fi nal cost “There’s no point growing crops “We’ve been working with a company that are fashionable but you don’t testing crops that could be used for know where you’re going to sell vaccine production,” Guy explained, “so them,” he said. there’s all sorts of novel uses where you “We’ve been working with a really want that tight level of control.” company who supply 20 or so of the Despite the produce being endorsed best restaurants in Bristol - Michelin by high-end restaurants and big Star quality. So quality is defi nitely one pharma, the nature of the growing of the biggest selling points.” method has also brought some Ultimately, the produce also has unexpected hurdles. to be able to match conventional per cent reduction in energy through “At the moment we aren’t able to agriculture on price. this,” said Guy. “And with energy being certify as organic, even though our “Food grown in these systems has one of the biggest contributors to most sustainability credentials are arguably to be competitive with traditional crops in an indoor facility, this is pre y be er than organic,” said Guy. “This is a methods…and we’re building tools and signifi cant.” bit of a sticking point, because we don’t features into our software that will As well as herbs and leafy greens, the have any soil, and without any soil it’s enable effi ciencies in labour and energy company has identifi ed a more niche hard to certify that soil as organic.” as well,” said Guy. area with potential for profi t. Research As much a philosophical problem One of those features is integration sectors, including the pharmaceutical as a technical one, the absence of soil with renewable energy. Le Us Grow industry, often require exotic plants is nonetheless preventing vertical recently partnered with Octopus Energy or novel strains of crops. The closely farming from achieving the same to optimise power usage throughout the controlled environment of vertical certifi cations as traditionally grown day, avoiding times of peak demand. In farming can not only guarantee food. It’s symptomatic of an industry a controlled indoor environment, day still coming to terms with a new method and night can be variable concepts that without any soil, it’s and its impact. As the sector expands, refl ect the vagaries of the energy market these growing pains will no doubt be rather than the rising and se ing of the hard to certify overcome, allowing vertical farming to sun. as organic play an important role in agriculture’s “We’ve already shown around a 15 21st century tech revolution.

February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk 30 NEW FOR WWW.ENGINEERINGSOLUTIONSLIVE.CO.UK 2020

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Brought to you by the publishers of INTERVIEWINTERVIEW ANNPaul WATSON Stein Engineering a skills shortage solution Employer led skills body Enginuity, formerly known as Semta, is on a mission to reshape the way that industry attracts and nurtures key skills. Jon Excell spoke to the organisation’s CEO, Ann Watson.

jon excell reports

s the boundaries between once distinct sectors become ever more blurred and new technologies transform the way that engineers work, UK industry’s skills demands are changing fast. Add to this the fact that the Asector is increasingly competing with other areas of the economy for expertise in emerging areas - such as data analytics and AI - and it’s clear that when it comes to tapping into the best available talent, engineering employers face some considerable challenges. Unsurprisingly, these challenges are also a key priority for the various organisations committed to helping industry get the skills it needs, one of which is newly launched employer-led body Enginuity – formerly known as Semta – which is on a mission to

February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk 32 revitalise the way that industry nurtures and coverage generated by its annual awards Enginuity has been piloting since April 2019, attracts expertise. competition – and more direct practical aims to address this by helping to funnel The Engineer caught up with Enginuity CEO measures. unsuccessful apprenticeship applications with Ann Watson ahead of its relaunch to discuss the Here, Enginuity is particularly heavily larger companies through to SME recruiters. nature of industry’s skills challenge and find out involved in the apprenticeship arena, and along “The very large organisations are inundated how the new organisation plans to address this with partner organisation EAL (the awarding with applications from young people for their head on. organisation for industry) is working closely apprenticeship vacancies,” said Watson. “BAE, CEO since 2015, Watson has had a front-row with employers to help them develop their one of the engineering talent partners, last year seat on industry’s changing skills requirements apprenticeship standards and also to refine the sent out 1300 rejection letters. At the other of in recent years. “It’s a really challenging time for apprenticeship assessment regime. “Better data the spectrum you’ve got the SME who may have employers,” she said. “Skills have been top of will only improve [these solutions] moving a great opportunity but doesn’t have the brand the priority list for a number of years, and as we forward,” said Watson. “Making these solutions name and can’t attract the young people”. move into the world of Industry 4.0 those skills even more responsive to current and future The new portal, which pulls in data from challenges are changing. The need for data and needs, an even better user experience, and even employers as well as all apprenticeship digital skills is increasing and we’re seeing a easier to integrate and measure.” vacancies from the national apprenticeship huge upskilling challenge. Sixty per cent of the Alongside apprenticeships, another priority service, points these unsuccessful applicants – manufacturing workforce of 2030 have already area for the body is helping industry upskill many of whom would otherwise be lost to the left school, and these are the individuals that existing employees, and it works with engineering sector – at related opportunities we’ve got to upskill.” employers and skills bodies on the development elsewhere in the sector. The difficulty employers face addressing all training programmes to do just that. Whilst There’s no doubt that the blurring of of this is, she added, compounded by the speed much of this is, inevitably, focused on the boundaries between once distinct disciplines of the change. “Employers are telling us that cutting edge technologies of Industry 4.0, and sectors, and the widespread need for whilst in the past job roles might have changed Watson stressed that sometimes, improving an expertise in new emerging areas create some every 10 years, they’re now changing every 3 significant challenges for employers. years, and this requires constant upskilling and But, concluded Watson, it has also created reskilling of the existing workforce.” the opportunity to be more strategic about Against, this backdrop, it’s also becoming skills, and to encourage both skills bodies, and increasingly difficult for employers to second- we looked at how we the different engineering sectors to work guess what skills they’re likely to need in the could use the tools of together in a way that they haven’t before. “The future, said Watson. “What they’re telling us is industry 4.0 to create skills sector’s not been great at collaboration in that in five years’ time we don’t know what an the past,” she said. “It’s very fragmented. There engineer’s going to look like but what we need is something quite special are something like 620 different initiatives someone that’s got a broad range of skills that in the skills world focused on schools, and 36 professional can be applied to different situations and engineering institutions. The future world gives technologies.” the opportunity to bring a bit more strategy and The launch of Enginuity is, she said, a direct structure to things.” response to this situation, and borne of a To this end, a key focus of the new realisation that to be fully effective the skills organisation is encouraging the different skills sector itself needs to embrace the same working groups, and employers from different technologies that are reshaping industry. “We sectors to collaborate on the challenges they need to recognise that this is the world our face. employers are in and if we don’t join that world “In the new digital world the skills that the we’ll be left behind. From our perspective, we’ve aerospace, rail, and defence sectors need are got to be running alongside the employers – if becoming very common,” said Watson. “We’ve not running faster – if we want to help them in now got people like Network rail sitting on our terms of their future skills” company’s digital awareness, can involve board because they’re seeing that when they For Enginuity, this has meant investing in an something as fundamental as ensuring that move into the world of digital railways the internal data science capability which, Watson staff know how to use an Excel spreadsheet. skillsets they need are more akin to the claims, has helped the organisation become Another way in which the organisation aerospace and defence sectors, skills they’ve much better placed to anticipate these emerging hopes to move the skills dial is through a never needed before. This creates the skills requirements. “We looked at how can we recently launched online apprenticeship opportunity to get employers to collaborate, use the tools and techniques of industry 4.0 to matching service. particularly on the data and digital skills create something quite special in the skills One major problem, frequently noted by The agenda, and to work together, supported by world,” she said. Engineer, is that whilst big name employers Enginuity, on developing some of the digital Expanding on exactly how the organisation don’t typically struggle to attract the skills they skills solutions. We’re not going to see can help, Watson explained that it’s typically require; less well-known, smaller companies do government come in with a lot of money for through a mixture of softer messaging – such as face significant challenges. skills, so it’s very much down to the employers case studies on emerging engineers and the The Engineering Talent portal, which working together.”

33 February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk automotivePRODUCT FEATUREtechnology

Easy glider might detect a large steering input and The Bentley react accordingly or it might adapt its Bentayga V8 uses behaviour to different vehicle speeds. an electric anti- roll bar system Schaeffler and Continental are coupled with among the suppliers who offer systems Semi-active twin-chamber air that work on this principle. The two suspension companies offer separate products, but they collaborated on the underlying technology, which sees the anti-roll bar split into two halves, connected by suspension a three-stage planetary gearbox and a 48-volt electric motor. By rotating one way or the other, the motor can apply up Engineers are increasingly turning to semi-active to 1300Nm of torque to each half of the suspension systems to optimise the seemingly- anti-roll bar, resisting wheel movement conflicting balance between ride and handling on that side of the vehicle. The torque is measured precisely with the help of a non-contact sensor and full actuation chris pickering reports can be reached in 0.3 seconds. One advantage of this approach e often talk about cars suit the prevailing conditions – or, in is that it’s relatively easy to integrate defying physics. That’s some cases, even pre-empting them – into a chassis that’s been designed perhaps something of an it’s possible to blend ride comfort and for traditional anti-roll bars. It’s also oxymoron. But when a dynamic ability in a way that simply isn’t quite energy efficient as the system high-riding 2.4-tonne SUV possible with passive systems. only consumes energy when the motor can dance through a set One of the most effective ways of doing of S-bends like a sports this is to use adaptive anti-roll bars. Wcar, it really does feel like it’s bending the Unlike conventional anti-roll bars, these adaptive roll bars can vary the laws of nature. And yet that’s precisely devices can vary the amount of load that what active and semi-active suspension resists the car’s body roll. This allows the amount of load that resists the car’s systems can achieve. roll stiffness to be tailored to different body roll By adjusting the suspension to use cases. For instance, the system

February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk 34 Read more technology news www.theengineer.co.uk

is applying torque (and only a small 2,395kg, the Bentley Bentayga V8 is not amount if it’s maintaining an existing a natural athlete. Or at least, it shouldn’t load). be. But flick the rotary controller on The other option is to do away with the the transmission tunnel into Sport anti-roll bars completely. Mercedes’ mode and it will carve through corners Active Body Control system uses with barely a hint of body roll. Even in hydraulic servos on the suspension this stiffest setting, however, it glides struts to generate forces that oppose imperiously over rough roads. unwanted movement. Recently, the firm Bentley uses an electric anti-roll has taken things a step further with its bar system coupled with twin-chamber Magic Body Control system, which uses air suspension. As with any semi-active a lidar scanner to analyse the upcoming system, the great benefit is that it only road surface and pre-empt the required firms things up when you need it to spring and damper characteristics. – the anti-roll bar can be softened or Other cars use hydraulically- even completely decoupled the rest of interlinked systems, where the time. In some cases, the motor is displacement of one wheel forces fluid left connected and the 48-volt system Given the focus on refinement, it Fluid power into the dampers on the other side to can actually harvest energy from the was imperative that the motor-driven Tenneco’s resist body roll. The basic concept here suspension movement. anti-roll bar system should be silent and Kinetic intelligent is not new. Citroën and BMC both had Speak to the Bentley engineers and suspension system seamless in its operation. There were passive interlinked systems more than they’ll tell you that the Bentayga has uses hydraulic also other challenges, such as providing half a century ago (although initially the broadest remit of any of their cars. dampers to resist cooling and managing the mind-boggling both were only linked fore-and-aft). In fact, possibly of any car on the road. body roll complex interaction with the other Recently, however, Tenneco has revived With its sporting heritage and 180mph chassis systems. the concept with its Kinetic system, performance, the big Bentley needed Perhaps the most impressive thing which is believed to be the basis of the to deliver a genuinely dynamic driving about this system is that you never really Proactive Chassis Control system on experience. On the other hand, it also sense it in action. The handling response McLaren’s Super Series cars. needed to offer limousine-like comfort feels consistent, whatever the speed Where McLaren’s application of this and even a degree of off-road ability. and road conditions. It’s not even the technology takes things to a whole new It’s doubtful that many owners will lack of roll that you notice particularly, level is its control. A series of solenoid- venture off the beaten track in their but rather a tautness to the Bentley’s operated needle valves limit the flow Bentayga, but it nonetheless manages demeanour and the way it responds to rates – side-to-side and front-to-back to provide 245mm of ground clearance your inputs. – to continually adjust the bump and and 500mm of wading depth (despite There are even more overtly sporting roll stiffness at both ends of the car. It’s the electronics mounted on the chassis). SUVs out there, but none that can also phenomenally effective and allows these Meanwhile, decoupling the anti-roll bar Good Sport match the Bentayga’s levels of comfort cars to blend genuine comfort with the allows the wheels to reach full droop A top down view and refinement. It may not truly defy sort of cornering performance that was for maximum wheel articulation when of the Bentayga’s the laws of physics, but it certainly uses only available on the race track until driving off-road. powertrain them to blistering effect. recently. The potential applications of these systems extend far beyond supercars, though. With the continuing SUV craze and the move towards electric and hybrid powertrains, everyday cars are getting heavier. That makes it harder than ever to control their mass while still providing a comfortable ride. The technology also complements connected and autonomous vehicles, allowing the suspension to adapt itself to the road ahead.

ON TEST: BENTLEY BENTAYGA And so we head back to those S-bends. At more than 1.7 metres tall and weighing

35 February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk NOVEMBERQ&A feature 2019

ith car makers and Q&A: DM: Based on current levels of EV government on a mission to ownership, the existing charging bring low-carbon motoring infrastructure is sufficient. However, to the masses, the number with EV ownership predicted to increase of electric vehicles on the CHARGING drastically within the next few years, it is roads is set to increase imperative that adequate infrastructure Wrapidly. But is current charging is put in place to meet accelerating infrastructure fit for purpose? And how demand. will this infrastructure evolve to meet AHEAD future demand? The Engineer sought Where is the greatest need for charging the opinions of some of the leading An expert panel discusses the infrastructure? experts in this rapidly growing area of charging infrastructure innovations RM: All sorts of forms of charging will the automotive sector. required to support the growing be needed to reflect the diverse modes of driving. Home and work charging is Meet the experts popularity of EVs great for those who have a home parking Professor Richard McMahon – WMG, place. For those who don’t, the charging University of Warwick Jon Excell reports hub is one model; supermarkets, Matteo de Renzi CEO, BP Chargemaster shopping centres and the like are also in Colin Heron - Managing Director, Zero the game. Carbon Future EV. The principle reason for lack of vehicles is a shortage of MdR: Ultimately, we will need the right Dr. Doron Myersdorf - CEO, StoreDot batteries. Europe has hardly increased installed capacity over type of charging infrastructure in the the last 6 years and is only now installing large capacity cell right places. It won’t be appropriate, Is lack of charging infrastructure manufacturing plants. necessary or possible to lay down 150kW hampering the uptake of electric MdR: The reality is that there is plenty of capacity in the chargers absolutely everywhere, but it’s vehicles? existing public charging infrastructure in the UK, and there is also important that we offer these higher CH: There are no studies that correlate more being built virtually every day. One thing we need to do speeds and don’t assume that everyone the simple number of charge posts with better is increase the visibility of the charging infrastructure will be happy or able to charge at slower EV registrations. The early adopters that is already installed and will be installed in the future. A speeds. are mainly people who live in urban key benefit of our ultra-fast chargers on BP forecourts is that DM: Having multiple charging options centres and have off street parking. they will be seen by drivers of other vehicles while refuelling, (unlike today when filling a gas tank The lack of plentiful affordable EVs which will give them greater confidence that the infrastructure at a garage is the only way) is key for is what is hampering the take up of is there and it’s in convenient, familiar places. allowing drivers the flexibility they

February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk 36 Read more about EV technology at www.theengineer.co.uk

determines how the ba ery is charged. It is the ba ery chemistry and ba ery design that determine how long it takes multiple charging options are key Dr. Doron Myersdorf to charge.

What technologies do you see coming further down the line that will make need. Outside of cities, where driving is complicated. The current network, it quicker and easier to charge EV characterized by long distances, drivers with the exception of isolated pieces of batteries? will have to rely on a combination equipment, is a fi nancial liability due to MdR: We would like to see more OEMs of home charging and public the low utilisation. The more chargers bringing vehicles to market that are infrastructure. In this scenario, having that go in the fi nancial viability drops capable of genuine ultra-fast charging access to ultra-fast charging facilities is even more, which manifests itself in – not just peaking at 100kW or even imperative. lack of maintenance and frustration of 150kW for a minute or two. In terms of the current users. The core problem is inductive charging, we have trialled this What needs to happen to drive greater the uncontrolled installation of charge before and even retrofi  ed it to previous levels of installation? points where land becomes available Dr. Doron company vehicles, but we are not seeing DM: As technological developments and where there is an acceptable Myersdorf - CEO, a huge amount of appetite for it from the such as ultra-fast charging continue connection cost or grant funding. StoreDot OEMs. to overcome barriers to EV adoption, CH: Inductive charging as you drive so governments around the world will What is the current state of the art? (dynamic) will, I believe, never happen have to ensure policy making facilitates DM Interest in EVs for heavy-duty due to the cost involved in basically rapid deployment of the supporting applications and demand for ultra-fast digging up our main roads and installing infrastructure. Meanwhile, simplifying charging are just two of the factors equipment, as well as installing a power regulations and installation licensing driving rapid development of charging supply. Static induction charging on processes reduces overall costs and technology. Ultra-fast charging requires Colin Herron peoples’ drives is a possibility. Outside removes uncertainty for developers and high power stations, with the result Managing Director, on the street is expensive and requires business owners. Charging stations, that we already have 350 kW stations Zero Carbon Future dedicated charging bays. especially those off ering high power, in various stages of implementation. With regard to ba ery technology, require high capital investment. At the same time, new standards are the current lithium ion format will get Therefore, the main goal must be now being developed for even higher- be er by about 30 per cent but there will to ensure that private investors in power chargers – so expect to see be no step change for 6 to 8 years. The infrastructure projects will maintain a mega-chargers capable of charging at current Holy Grail is solid state, which is high level of return on their investments. one megawa (MW) or more in the not not productionised or costed. RM: The current players in charging too distant future. Adopting a more DM: Innovative ba ery technology, infrastructure have invested a lot of strategic approach, infrastructure in addition to ba ery cost reduction, money into the fl edgling networks, companies will need to fi nd a way to Matteo de Renzi will play a crucial role in making EV but the networks are mostly (so far) analyse large amounts of usage data in BP Chargemaster charging both quicker and easier. With unprofi table. It’s risky because it’s order to pinpoint and optimise ideal range anxiety a major inhibitor to EV hard to predict peoples’ charging locations for charging stations, and adoption, the ability to charge a ba ery behaviour pa erns on 1 per cent of early to help standardise their technical quickly whilst on the move is a critical adopters. Sure charging will be needed, specifi cations. In addition, operators factor to overcoming this challenge. but where and at what charging rate will need to implement ‘smart grid’ RM: I don’t see a disruptive ba ery remain unknown to a certain degree. algorithms and intelligent metering technology in the near future. If it It’s probably a cart and horse problem – systems to balance peak usage and existed, it would probably be obvious the limited amount of electric vehicles optimize the overall cost of ownership of Professor by now. However, ba eries will get means it’s harder for systems to make the entire infrastructure. Richard McMahon be er but how that is cashed in is moot money, therefore limiting investment in CH: Charging technology is sophisticated WMG, University of – smaller or cheaper packs hence cars, the area at this stage. in terms of the power electronics to talk Warwick or longer range or ability to take higher CH: The UK has no overall installation to a car and deliver power. However, they charge or longer life? plan, and services such as ZAP MAP only are also quite dumb as it is the car that Static wireless charging has fi nd out what has been installed when some a ractive use advantages – no it is switched on. We have a true post cable to handle, no ge ing out in the code lo ery. There is no model available I don’t see a disruptive battery rain, personal security issues and which calculates how many chargers accessibility for the disabled are all valid by type are required per number of technology in the near future considerations. The initial steps are registrations (year and cumulative), Prof Richard McMahon being taken to demonstration, but the as the variables are currently too OEMs are still on the sidelines.

37 February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk PRODUCTS:NOVEMBER drives 2019

adjustment of speed, torque and position control is expected from a modern drive, but the best products are now capable of much more, including support of predictive maintenance, active condition monitoring and real-time power and energy usage information. Customers expect also that new products should support the latest security protocols. JP: There is an increasing expectation from customers to gain valuable data from assets to increase productivity/ availability. We can meet these expectations, as our fully digitalised factory in Congleton includes: Digital Twin technology, Virtual CAVE (Computer Aided Visual Environment), application and 3D glasses-enabled demo of the Q&A: Details ‘digital factory floor’. Another fast- ABB drives growing trend is customers requesting helped cut a more integrated and configured Madrid hotel’s products, meaning additional options energy usage by to enhance performance are expected to 40 per cent Driven by demand be integrated into one or more products. This means a seamless flow of data from the customer to the manufacturer is Industry leaders from ABB, Rockwell and Siemens critical to ensure fast delivery times as reveal customer requirements and overall trends portfolios are now becoming more based that are shaping the evolution of drives on ‘make to order’. Give one or two examples of how your jason ford reports drives are helping customers meet the challenges that they are facing? rives perform different tasks for customers to help them choose the JP: One of our key customer bases for customers in numerous settings right drive, so they can reach their goals drives is logistics and intralogistics who are starting to demand to reduce downtime and maximize companies. For instance, in IIOT compatibility, better data productivity. Another key trend is energy intralogistics, companies are driving manipulation, more efficiency, efficiency, both to contain costs and productivity savings, picking and moving and greater process control. The to reduce emissions that contribute DEngineer sought the opinions of experts to climate change. Today, one-third in this field to find out how they will of global electricity is converted into The number of motors in the deliver on these demands. motion by electric motors. By 2040 the world is set to double by 2040 number of motors in the world is set to Arnold Taddeo - ABB Meet the experts double. Typically, a variable speed drive Arnold Taddeo, head of global product in combination with high efficiency management – Drive Products, ABB motors will cut energy consumption by goods quicker with more accuracy. Motion 30 per cent to 50 per cent. Similarly, in a varied sector like utilities Jonathan Smith - field business leader - JS: Without doubt, the capability we see water companies are maintaining Power & Control Rockwell Automation for drives to leverage the Industrial reliable supply through the online Jason Peel, head of motion control Internet of Things (IIoT) is pushing monitoring of connected assets and business, Siemens UK on developments. Customers are reducing energy bills by pumping far expressing an increasing desire to more efficiently. This is achieved not just What trends / customer requirements have more control over devices for by the drives’ components but through are driving developments in your drives improved production and quality but Total Integrated Automation (TIA). It is products? additionally to gain actionable, real- important to ensure that not only is a AT: We’re seeing a continuing demand time data about what is happening in plant or facility totally integrated in all its from our customers for process control their plant. Having great motor control hardware but connected through various and reliability. We work closely with with the potential for almost infinite IoT tools. For instance, our clients use

February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk 38 Simply better performance

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February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk 40 Read more about drive & controls at www.theengineer.co.uk

MindSphere. building heating / ventilation systems JS: A key demand in a modern plant is to perform in all conditions. The easy-to- maximise the availability of production use drive is applied across a variety of operations. During downtime the cost industrial environments. of lost production quickly escalates, so keeping the plant online is critical. What products or technologies do you see The latest PowerFlex drives have the changing your sector in the future? capability to provide a detailed condition JP: I can see there being more status in real time, not only of the drives integration with robotics, with drives themselves, but also associated motor controlling robots. Businesses will operations, such as changes in load Product get faster operational insight as we characteristics. This means is that rather details move to 5G and overlay artificial than having fixed maintenance periods Rockwell Auto- intelligence, and software will play an (or waiting for a failure) it’s now possible [that] can lead to additional losses, mation’s Pow- increasingly important role, interpreting to use dynamic planned maintenance. resulting in extra costs from energy erFlex 755T has insight from data and proving plant been designed AT: By installing Variable Speed Drives suppliers and increased capital costs improvements in the virtual world. to eliminate (VSDs) and electric motors with in terms of larger supply items such harmonics at New modelling tools combined with IE3 energy efficiency classification, as transformers or switchgear. A source additive manufacturing techniques we helped cut the energy usage of common electrical disturbance is will have greater impact in new product InterContinental Hotel Madrid by “harmonics” where non-linear loads designs, helping customisation and 40 per cent. The equipment reduced (such as conventional drives) provide individualisation reach the market much energy consumption by 445,000 kWh a a cumulative impact on the plant quicker. Customers are also starting to year - enough to boil two million kettles electrical supply network. The use of the request more integrated and configured of water. ABB’s water dedicated drives low harmonic technologies within drives products, meaning additional options to provided crucial reliability at a key such as the PowerFlex 755T help mitigate enhance performance are expected to be unmanned wastewater treatment plant harmonics at source. integrated into one product. in Pietarsaari, Finland. The drives have JS: The vision of a full IIoT platform a built-in pump cleaning function to is still quite difficult to achieve as true prevent clogging - reducing downtime an ongoing trend is for customers interoperability between multiple and saving on manual cleaning costs. to be evaluating their energy usage vendor platforms is not there yet. At The drives can be remotely accessed, Rockwell Automation, within our Logix Jonathan Smith - Rockwell Automation ensuring complete control of water environment we get very close to the levels to prevent the risk of flooding. sort of Plug-and-Play approach that JP: Our Sinamics G120X drive, which people expect with personal devices. What’s the key product for you currently we launched in 2019, meets all the latest We call it Premier Integration, and it and how is it being applied? and upcoming UL, NEMA and EN/IEC works by giving each device a dedicated AT: Our ultra-low harmonic drives standards for 2019 and beyond, and offers profile which adapts it within the are designed to combat the harmful up to 100kA short-circuit current rating automation system and allows the users effects of harmonics that may cause (SCCR), ensuring enhanced product and programmers to concentrate on the electrical equipment to run erratically safety and energy efficiency. This drive automation and process control, rather and increase equipment failure. These has been developed to meet the needs of ProducT than the configuration of individual VSDs produce exceptionally low levels of the infrastructure market competitively, DETAILS items. harmonics, reducing electrical losses in having dedicated features that enable Siemens’ AT: Digital solutions allow us to make it systems and making them more efficient pump / fan and compressor solutions Sinamics G120X easier for customers to use our products. drive is suitable and reliable. We have also developed to be installed more cost-effectively and For example, digital user manuals allow for a range variants of the ultra-low harmonic VSD specific safety-related modes to ensure of industrial customers to quickly and easily access specifically for the HVAC and water environments graphical and animated instructions and wastewater markets. These drives right from their smartphone. By have been installed in mission critical simply scanning a QR code located on facilities like hospitals, data centres, and our product, the customer has all the water treatment plants. They keep power relevant information at their fingertips. networks clean, stable and compliant Soon, it will be possible for customers to with the strictest harmonic standards. use their smartphone to connect their JS: An ongoing trend is for customers to drive directly to our support team. This be evaluating their energy usage [and] will allow us to quickly diagnose and how to minimise losses in their electrical resolve any issues. Fast and efficient supply network. Electrical disturbances troubleshooting will help customers have the potential to disrupt supplies maximize production uptime.

41 February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk Late, great engineers ISAMBARD KINGDOM BRUNEL: NATIONAL ENGINEER One of the best-known engineers of the 19th century, Isambard Kingdom Brunel achieved greatness in railway, civil and maritime engineering.

Written BY Nick Smith

n 2002, the BBC conducted a poll of beyond doubt that further designs by the ‘100 Greatest Britons’. While there Brunel eventually won a competition can be few eyebrows raised at the (and more importantly, public opinion) winner – statesman Winston Churchill to reinstate him as the designer. But the – to have an engineer sit in second bridge itself, that would not be completed place, above the likes of William until 1864 (five years after the engineer’s Shakespeare, Captain James Cook and death), substantially differs from Brunel’s IQueen Victoria, seems to say something original vision. Less controversial are about just how highly the British prize the Hungerford Bridge – a suspension their Industrial Revolution heroes. The footbridge close to Charing Cross station engineer in question was Isambard in London – the Royal Albert Bridge in Kingdom Brunel. Saltash near Plymouth, the Somerset These days, Brunel’s fame is Bridge, the Windsor Railway Bridge and greater than our knowledge of his the Maidenhead Railway Bridge, the last achievements. While those within the of which was the widest brick arch bridge engineering community will know that in the world and is still in service, despite he designed the Clifton Suspension today’s trains being ten times heavier Bridge, Paddington Station and iron than they were in Brunel’s time. transatlantic ships, it’s unlikely that By 1833 Brunel was chief engineer of those outside will remember Brunel the Great Western Railway, a company as the man behind the Great Western that had been founded to reinforce Railway, and even a hospital in the Brunel in 1857 Bristol’s prominence as Britain’s second Crimea that was to establish the port and primary point of departure for blueprint for how field medical facilities By the time Brunel junior was eight years old, he was fluent merchant trade to America. Brunel’s are built to this day. in French and familiar with Euclidian geometry. Following a largest project to date, the London- Isambard Kingdom Brunel was born stint at boarding school in Hove (where he learned classical Bristol line received its enabling Act of in Portsmouth on 9th April 1806 during languages), he continued his education at Lycée Henri-IV Parliament in 1835, with the first trains the reign of George III, shortly after the (now the University of Caen Normandy) in Paris while his running in 1838. Brunel chose a 7 ft creation of the United Kingdom of Great father languished in debtor’s prison with a liability of £5000. (2,134 mm) ‘broad gauge’ for his railway, Britain and Ireland. It was a time of social On graduating, Brunel studied as an apprentice to the leading based on his calculations and trials and political unrest across Europe, with clock maker Abraham-Louis Breguet, after which he returned for stability and comfort at high speed Brunel’s father, French civil engineer to England in 1822. His first appointment was with his now (later increasing this by a quarter of Marc Isambard Brunel (a royalist released father, working as assistant engineer on a River an inch to reduce friction in the wheel sympathiser) forced to escape the French Thames tunnel project to connect Rotherhithe with Wapping, sets while negotiating curves). But Revolution by fleeing to the United during which time he was nearly killed in a flooding incident. with the Birmingham and Gloucester States, while his mother Sophia Kingdom The tunnel eventually became part of the London Underground railway operating on a 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 was arrested as an English spy during and remains in use today. mm) standard gauge, the ensuing the Reign of Terror. The couple were Although his public recognition rests heavily on one of the incompatibility meant that passengers eventually reunited in England where most significant feats of Victorian bridge building, the idea that travelling from south to north needed they started a family shortly after the Brunel designed the Clifton Suspension Bridge is contested. to change trains to continue their turn of the century. Their son was named It is a matter of record that Brunel submitted four designs for journey. The so-called ‘gauge war’ led Isambard, a Germanic name of Norman the bridge (all of which were rejected by the ‘Colossus of Roads’ to the appointment by Parliament of

origin meaning ‘iron-axe’. Thomas Telford in favour of one of his own designs). It is also the Gauge Commission that reported in commons @Flickr Museum Maritime National the from Photos

February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk 42 Read more Late, Great Engineers at www.theengineer.co.uk

favour of the standard gauge and, apart from exceptions made for parts of the GWR, the broad gauge was phased out entirely. The gauge war has done li le to overshadow Brunel’s achievement in designing the Great Western Railway’s London terminus at Paddington. Infl uenced by Joseph Paxton’s Crystal Palace that housed the Great Exhibition of 1851, it remains one of the capital’s most important stations and, despite being extended and rebuilt after sustained bombing throughout the Second World War, is still recognisable as Brunel’s design. A life-size bronze statue of Brunel by John Doubleday is located between Platforms was based on the assumption that ships powered purely by The Great Eastern under construction at Millwall 8 and 9. The same sculptor has a steam weren’t capable of making commercially viable voyages standing statue of Brunel in Bristol, at of such magnitude. It was a ma er of practicality, as the fuel ship failed to become commercially the other end of the line. required would take up all the space available in the cargo successful as a passenger vessel and was One of Brunel’s lesser successes hold. However, Brunel managed to prove that while the repurposed as a sub-oceanic telegraph was his ‘atmospheric railway’. The amount of cargo a ship could carry increased by the cube of its cable-layer, so playing a role in opening ‘vacuum traction’ system was intended dimensions, the resistance it experienced only increased by the up telecommunications between Europe to provide an alternative to steam square. The implications were obvious: the bigger the ship, the and North America. power, in which locomotives were less fuel proportionally required. Brunel off ered his services While Brunel was working on the propelled along the track by means of a to the Great Western Steamship Company pro bono and was Great Eastern, Florence Nightingale was continuous jointed cast iron slo ed pipe rewarded with the commission to design their fi rst vessel, the tending the military sick and wounded that lay between the rails connected Great Western, a predominantly wooden craft with steam- of the Crimean War at the British Army to a pumping station, with pressure powered paddle wheels, the longest ever built at 236ft (72m). Hospital at Scutari, notorious for its maintained by a longitudinal leather The ship went into regular service – 64 crossings between 1838 unsanitary conditions that caused fl ap along the slot. The patented system and 1846 – and was so successful that Brunel was asked to outbreaks of cholera, dysentery, typhoid came from shipbuilders and engineers design another. and malaria. Nightingale wrote to the Joseph and Jacob Samuda who, along Great Britain was even bigger at 322ft (98m). But, more Times to force the government to provide with gas engineer Samuel Clegg, were signifi cantly, was propeller-driven and built of metal: as a solution. The task was handed to able to produce encouraging tests in such, widely regarded at the fi rst modern ship. Success was Brunel, who in the space of fi ve months London. When put in practice on a short-lived, with Great Britain meeting misfortune only one managed to assemble a team to design, section of the South Devon Railway, year into service, when it ran aground off the coast of Ireland build and ship a pre-fabricated complex there were reliability problems with the due to navigation error. It was subsequently sold for salvage of wood and canvas buildings to the seals and valves. The whole enterprise and is now a ship museum in dry dock in Bristol. The third of Dardanelles in 16 ships. The resulting is described in ‘The Iron Road: The Brunel’s ships – the Great Eastern – was larger still, carried a hospital at Renkioi was an overwhelming Illustrated History of Railways’ as an complement of 4,000 passengers and was capable of cruising success, with a 90 percent improvement ‘expensive fl op.’ from London to Sydney and back without refuelling. The on patient recovery compared with Brunel’s vision for the Great Western Scutari. Railway had always been to extend Brunel died on 5th September 1859 Britain’s rail network across the Atlantic at the age of 53, shortly after the ill-fated Ocean to America via a sea route from by 27, Brunel had become chief maiden voyage of the Great Eastern, Bristol to New York. The technical engineer at Great western during which it was extensively damaged issue facing Brunel in the mid 1830s by an explosion.

43 February 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk ARCHIVE FEATURE

February 1955 Top deck The Engineer took an in-depth look at the USS Forrestal, a pioneering warship hailed as the world’s fi rst supercarrier written by JASON FORD

reasons for the extreme width of the present vessel,” our correspondent noted. “The other advantage is that on the he program to deliver the US Navy’s next generation starboard side of the ship outboard of the island aircraft of aircraft carrier is well underway with the most can be brought up from below without interfering with recent Ford-class carrier – USS John F. Kennedy – operations on the centre line of the deck. ready for fi nal completion and outfi  ing. “From the air the Forrestal does not appear to be a large The 10 Ford-class carriers on order will replace ship because of the fact that her length of 1036ft is only TUSS Enterprise, which was the world’s fi rst nuclear- slightly more than four times that of her extreme width powered carrier, and Nimitz-class carriers that have been of 252ft. Her island, which is the height of a ten-storey in service since USS Nimitz entered service in 1975. building, is almost lost on her enormous fl ight deck.” With a ship’s company of between 3000-3,200 and able Another innovative design feature on board the to embark over 60 aircraft (and 1,500 air wing personnel), Forrestal was that the fl ight deck acted as the ‘strength the Nimitz-class carriers were designed to have a service deck’. life of 50-years with the requirement for a single mid-life “Normally, the fl ight deck is built with expansion joints refuelling. so that it is not a part of the ship’s overall strength girder,” The Ford-class will embark over 75 aircraft but will The Engineer said. “By contrast, the fl ight deck on the operate with fewer crew members, saving US taxpayers Forrestal is a continuous fore-and-aft strength deck. The almost $4bn over its 50-year service life. deck is 1¾ in steel plate, which will have no diffi culty in A shared feature of these vessels is the canted – or withstanding the heat of jet blasts.” angled - fl ight deck and the fi rst to introduce this New features on the Ford-class carriers will be an innovation to the US Navy was USS Forrestal, a surface electromagnetic aircraft launch system and advanced ship acknowledged as being the world’s fi rst supercarrier arresting gear that will help contribute to a 33 per cent

that was launched at the yard of Newport News increase in sortie generation compared to the Nimitz- February 1955 February – USS Forrestal USS – Shipbuilding, Virginia, on December 11th, 1954 and covered class. by The Engineer the following February. Similarly, four steam catapults allowed Forrestal to Our correspondent noted that the 59,900-ton vessel launch aircraft faster than any other American carrier – which had an overall length of 1,036ft and an extreme afl oat and ‘her heavy-duty hydraulic arresters will stop one width across her fl ight deck of 252ft – would be able to of to-day’s 70,000 lb jet aircraft within 150ft after it hits the ‘accommodate the fast new jet fi ghter and light bomber deck at a speed of 100mph.’ aircraft, some of which will be capable of delivering atomic “The steam catapults employed were commissioned bombs to any part of the world.’ at the US Naval Air Material Centre in Philadelphia The canted fl ight deck – which had been evaluated in December, 1953, and are similar to those originally aboard the carrier USS Antietam – covered nearly four developed by the Royal Navy,” said The Engineer. “With acres, enabling aircraft to land at a slightly oblique angle to an increased launching power estimated at between fi ve the fore and aft centre line of the ship. and six times greater than current hydraulic models, these “Thus, a pilot who has made a bad approach can “gun” new catapults can launch high-performance jet aircraft his aircraft for another try without endangering aircraft even when a carrier is headed down wind or is in a dead and personnel on the forward fl ight deck,” noted The calm. Operating steam for the catapults is provided by the Engineer’s American Section editor. conventional ship’s boilers which eliminates the necessity The canted deck arrangement also provided the for special petrol, oil, powder or compressed air advantage of handling take-off and landing operations facilities.”. simultaneously. “This cant or angle on the fl ight deck is one of the

NovemberFebruary 2020 2019//www.theengineer.co.ukwww.theengineer.co.uk 44 Slingshot The vessel’s four steam catapults enabled it to launch aircraft faster than any other carrier afl oat

45 NovemberFebruary 20202019 / www.theengineer.co.uk NOVEMBERSci-fi eye 2019

ast month’s story on magnetic risk of shipping materials into product delivery caught my orbit. Half a dozen towers, placed eye. It detailed London start- strategically around the equator, up, Magway’s plans to build a might make it economically nationwide network of pipes feasible to move most of our along which freight could manufacturing off -planet, cu ing Lbe moved using magnetic waves down on industrial pollution. It of electrical current. The idea is to would also open the way for space remove freight from the roads and gareth L. POWELL tourism and travel to the moon and eliminate tonnes of CO2 emissions. other planets—a true engineering As a science fi ction author, I’ve marvel. heard similar schemes before, from Can you imagine taking an the pneumatic passenger tubes of elevator from an equatorial nation, Stairway and then watching as it rises the 1940s to Elon Musk’s Hyperloop. But the diff erence with this idea smoothly into the air? The ground is that it doesn’t require a vacuum drops away, and then the curvature or low pressure in the tunnels, nor to heaven of the Earth becomes visible. And is it trying to solve the problem of still you rise, until you’re 22,236 transporting humans at supersonic From sub-surface freight delivery tubes, to miles high. This is geosynchronous speeds. Instead, its pallets trundle space elevators for ferrying workers to off-planet orbit. A satellite at this height will along at 31 mph, milliseconds apart. manufacturing facilities, resident science fi ction take the same amount of time to orbit the Earth as the Earth takes London already has a low writer Gareth L. Powell ponders some of the speed tube-based network for to revolve, so the satellite will transporting passengers. It’s ingenious transit technologies of the future. appear to remain motionless above called the Underground, and it the same spot. Here there will be handles around 2 million people One of the most mindboggling maybe carbon nanotubes - a space station. Maybe a luxury per day. Creating a network for concepts to have been dreamed- reaching from the surface of the hotel, some corporate offi ces, and freight makes a lot of sense. Rather up is the space elevator—an idea Earth to geosynchronous orbit. A a staging area for transfer to some than entrust the delivery of your used by scores of writers, including counterweight on the far end keeps of the nearby stations and factories takeaway dinner to a cycle courier, Arthur C. Clarke, Iain Banks, Kim the structure taut. Passengers that share this orbit, strung you could order it from a restaurant Stanley Robinson, and Alastair and freight can then be moved between the various elevators like a and collect it, still hot, at your local Reynolds. up and down in pressurised diamond spider’s web. terminal. And if companies such First proposed in 1895 by elevator cars, without relying on It sounds like something out as Amazon took to the system, you Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, the space the uncertainties of rockets or of Star Trek, but the realities of could use it to get almost anything elevator is simple to describe but parachutes. our strife-based world mean the you wanted delivered. harder to build. It involves a length Such a structure would ownership and operation of these Be er yet, if each pallet carries of extremely strong material— drastically lower the cost and towers would need to be carefully its own RFID chip, you would be agreed in order to stop one group able to track its exact postion as it or nation gaining a monopoly on made its way towards you beneath PASSENGERS CAN BE MOVED UP AND DOWN IN orbital access—and to stop the the streets. No more waiting in PRESSURISED ELEVATOR CARS WITHOUT RELYING towers themselves becoming for delivery drivers who may or targets during wartime. In Red may not show up within the time ON THE UNCERTAINTIES OF ROCKETS Mars, Kim Stanley Robinson window they’ve given you. Instead, depicts the fall of one such elevator you can see your new fl atpack after a terrorist a ack. The falling armchair has just passed under the cable wraps itself twice around Thames and will be ready to collect the planet’s equator, causing huge in ten minutes. amounts of death and destruction. Science fi ction has always Trust me, you do not want to be been full of ingenious mass transit standing under one of those when systems—some more plausible they come crashing down! than others. Larry Niven wrote Personally, I think I’ll stick about moving pavements, which with the London Underground. he dubbed “slidewalks,” while It has its frustrations, but also its British author Peter F Hamilton charms—and unless you fall asleep envisions trains utilising a network on the Circle Line, you don’t have to of wormholes to travel around the travel 22,000 miles to get to work!

globe, and even to other planets! denisgo/stock.adobe.com

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MISSED OPPORTUNITIES ow that Bloodhound is original material in the aircraft finally up and running as possible and in the latest we once more have a FOR ENGINEERING newsletter there is a very good dynamic engineering piece about the work currently figurehead in the underway on the rear fuselage. Npublic eye. However there are INSPIRATION As well as using basic technical other projects that, in the past terms it covers aspects such as decade or two, have garnered It’s great that Bloodhound’s back on the annealing and dressing of as many column inches in the aluminium. It also briefly explores general press whilst barely track, but as our anonymous blogger the idea of aircraft having a acknowledging our profession’s writes there are plenty more projects design life and the financial input. That’s not to say the out there with the potential to get consequences of preservation technical aspects have been rather than manufacture totally ignored but rather that the people excited about the dynamic from new. It has enough basic “human story” behind each one nature of engineering information to entice the novice has been very much to the fore. whilst retaining enough content Prime examples of this are to interest the knowledgable and to be found within the railway train goes by”, inevitably quoting brings them in? stands as a model of how the work preservation community via so many millions of pounds, so Look around and there are of our profession can be portrayed Tornado and Flying Scotsman. many years and so on. plenty of similar projects on to the masses. When first unveiled, coverage Coverage of both missed the go with the potential for The internet provides plenty of the former tended to give opportunities for shots of drop sustained long term, in depth of opportunity to get this kind of timescales and personal hammers beating huge ingots into coverage. Bentley are building article out there but, perversely, sacrifice but, excepting a specific shape, the flash of acetylene as a batch of new “1929” 4 ½ litre that also means so much is out documentary hidden in the plates are cut or the raw sparking cars, the DeHavilland Sea Vixen there already its difficult to get schedules, little of the engineering crackle of molten metal being is starting to be repaired after anything noticed by those beyond aspects that had to be overcome. poured. Missed opportunities her wheels up landing and – the the already engaged. Promotion True, numbers tend to be trotted too for showing the rising inspiration for this piece – the by an engineering big hitter, be out – x hours, y tons of steel, etc – excitement as locos are built up Hawker Typhoon Preservation it commercial organisation or but these are simply journalistic from dead, disparate parts to Group is aiming to rebuild RB396 institute, would surely help? shorthand for the commitment become something that breathes to flying condition. The ideal would be a broadcaster required to fulfil the project’s goal. and lives through fire and steam. For those who don’t know, picking up the baton and really The Flying Scotsman came The language of the engineer is the Typhoon was a late World running with it. Coverage of out of her protracted rebuild one that draws on the lexicon War II heavy fighter which these kinds of projects should to national hysteria with, of mathematics and physics, actually came to excel as a ground not be produced and broadcast as again, just a couple of notable illuminated through plan and attack aircraft. A role that, in niche or “minority interest”. They documentaries by Auntie Beeb drawing. The deciphering of these particular, was critical in allowing should not be sidelined while shown on secondary channels. equation heavy incantations, allied forces to make headway C-list celebrities just being C-list Well, apart from numerous items glimpsing the secrets of the immediately after D Day. celebrities fill prime time slots on about “Excitable of Winchester dark arts of engineering – One of the self-imposed major channels. They are far too who has been waiting 10 hours in surely that is what hooks remits for the restoration interesting, and important the rain to catch a glimpse as the the next generation and team is to use as much for that.

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