The Engineer UK

📣 The July edition of The Engineer UK is now live! 📣 This issue considers how the new Labour government can answer industry calls for a new industrial strategy, the future of renewable energy solutions, and if humanoid robots could be the answer to the labour shortages facing not just engineering, but many other areas of the global economy. 🤖 Stepping Up: As a series of headline-grabbing technology trials gather pace, Jon Excell asks whether the age of the general-purpose humanoid robot is finally upon us. 💭 Make UK CEO, Stephen Phipson CBE, lays out the government measures needed to keep manufacturing on the upward curve. 💡 The Future of Fusion: Fiona Harden, a Technical Lead Engineer for the UK Atomic Energy Authority, shares her experience of working on STEP, the UK's prototype fusion energy plant. Ellie McCann reports. 🚘 Digital Driving: Andrew Wade test drives HORIBA MIRA's new advanced simulator, which puts driver feedback in the loop at the earliest stages of vehicle development. 🌊 Buoyant Future: A newly opened innovation centre in Aberdeen is aiming to accelerate the UK's position in the emerging field of floating offshore wind (Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult). Jon Excell reports. 💬 In this month's column, Dr Hilary Leevers, Chief Executive of EngineeringUK, explains why our new government needs to make workforce planning a key priority in the first 100-days. Read these features and the latest news in our July edition here: https://lnkd.in/e8v75p82 #theengineer #robotics #manufacturing #nuclear #simulation #renewables

👽 Research has been carried out using low radio frequencies to detect the existence of alien technology in galaxies beyond our own. The non-profit SETI Institute, the Berkeley SETI Research Center and the ICRAR (International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research) announced the study using the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) in Western Australia. MWA’s 4,096 dipole MWA antennas are made from aluminium and optimised for the 70-300MHz frequency range. Each 74cm by 55cm antenna is fitted with a low noise amplifier (LNA) that amplifies incoming signals while adding less noise than is received from the coldest regions of the Milky Way. Led by Dr Chenoa D. Tremblay, PhD of the SETI Institute and Professor Steven Tingay of Curtin University, this research is the first to search for signs of alien technology in galaxies beyond our own, focusing on 100MHz radio frequencies. Read the full report over on our website here 👇 https://lnkd.in/dXwhXsVM #theengineer #alien #galaxies #research #lowradio #technology

Wärtsilä, Eidesvik Offshore ASA and Equinor are working together to convert the vessel Viking Energy to ammonia power, said to be the first project of its kind.  Currently powered by LNG (liquid natural gas), the offshore platform supply vessel (PSV) is owned by Norwegian shipping operator Eidesvik and on contract with Norway’s state-owned oil and gas major, Equinor. Finland’s Wärtsilä will supply the vessel with its recently launched Wärtsilä 25 Ammonia engine as well as the complete fuel gas supply system and exhaust after-treatment needed for the conversion. Learn more here 👇 https://lnkd.in/dFARdHqm #theengineer #retrofit #marine #vessel #offshore

A more co-ordinated approach to Net Zero Future Skills is needed if the UK is going to reach its target of 480,000 ‘green’ jobs by 2030. This is the view of academics whose ongoing research at Coventry University is looking to understand the commercial and sector-specific barriers of training and reskilling of workforces to deliver decarbonisation. The project, supported by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and the Clean Futures Programme, is looking to explore the current landscape by engaging with over 100 employers, including E.ON and Unipart Manufacturing Group, through a series of workshops, deep dive interviews and surveys. Read more here 👇 https://lnkd.in/eRU5a8hD #theengineer #netzero #skills #UK #greenjobs

Celebrating our #C2IAwards sponsors who are pushing boundaries and fuelling progress! 🚀 Find out more about their work here 👇 https://ow.ly/8Xx950T39Um #theengineer #engineering #collaboration #awards Lucideon, Med-Tech Innovation, Schneider Electric, UK Research and Innovation

⁉Is your new engineering role on our jobs board? The Engineer UK Jobs is full of the latest and most exciting engineering roles, from opportunities in fusion energy to electrical engineering roles: ▶ The National Theatre is seeking a Project Engineer (electrical bias) to provide support, knowledge, and expertise in all engineering matters with a bias to electrical services, for the portfolio of projects delivered by the Estates Capital Projects team (£55,000). Closing date: 27/08/2024. ▶ The Metropolitan Police is looking for an Electronics Development Engineer to take responsibility for the design and delivery of robust solutions throughout the complete design lifecycle, from capturing customers’ requirements, to creating novel design solutions and turning these into a fully functional product or system for operational use (£51,196 rising to £55,571). Closing date: 24/09/2024. ▶ Join the UK Atomic Energy Authority as an Electrical Design Group Leader, to lead the delivery of electrical designs for robotic systems and infrastructure, ensuring they meet and exceed international legislative standards across diverse applications (£67,023). Closing date: 17/09/2024. ▶ BAE Systems is seeking a Senior Marine Technical Alignment Surveyor, who will conduct laser tracker dimensional inspections of high accuracy equipment interfaces; complete estimates for alignment, dimensional inspection, laser scanning and reverse engineering tasks; and more (£45,000 DOE). Closing date: 30/08/2024. Apply for these roles and many more on our jobs site here 👇 https://lnkd.in/e-jPmjvi #theengineer #theengineerjobs #engineering #nuclear #UKAEA #electrical #marine #police

The University of Surrey's Advanced Technology Institute (ATI) has developed energy-efficient and flexible nanogenerators, which demonstrate a 140-fold increase in power density when compared to conventional nanogenerators. The new nanogenerators can convert small amounts of everyday mechanical energy, like motion, into a significantly higher amount of electrical power. For instance, the researchers said that if a traditional nanogenerator produces 10 milliwatts (mW) of power, their new technology could increase that output to over 1000 mW, making it suitable for energy harvesting in various everyday applications. Read the full report over on our website here 👇 https://lnkd.in/eKK6y_SN #theengineer #ATI #nanotechnology #nanogenerator #energy #electricity #wearables #IoT

💡The Great Grid Partnership represents the beginning of a major overhaul of our national energy infrastructure, investment in which will contribute an average of £18.4bn to GDP between 2024 and 2035, says James Rowntree CEng FICE, director of Strategic Growth & Major Projects at WSP in the UK. "This major overhaul is certainly not an overnight development, but rather sits within the longer story of our electricity network, transforming over the decades into what it is today," writes Rowntree. "The UK energy grid was the first of its kind, born out of necessity following the First World War, a period impacted by uncertainty, economic stagnation, and major social and political change. The country needed a reliable energy system to provide a sense of stability and enable space for recovery. As such, in 1925 Lord Weir proposed the development of a Central Electricity Board, connecting the most efficient power stations in the country. The energy grid as we know it was created 10 years later. "For almost nine decades since, our energy system has been changing, from nationalisation to major infrastructure overhaul, developed through collaboration across industries." Read the full opinion piece over on our website here 👇 https://lnkd.in/eRpd9v5A #theengineer #nationalgrid #UK #energy #grid

📣 Register now for our October 16th webinar with Dassault Systèmes, exploring how AI and machine learning can transform supply chains. AI and Machine Learning (ML) are revolutionising supply chain management by enhancing efficiency and resilience. These technologies transform supply chains into agile, autonomous systems capable of real-time optimisation and predictive analytics. Businesses can make smarter decisions, anticipate disruptions, and stay competitive. Imagine a supply chain that foresees demand, optimises routes, and streamlines operations effortlessly. In this webinar, Adrian Wood, Director of Strategy & Marketing, Dassault Systemes, and Jon Excell will discuss: ▶ Understanding the need for AI/ML in supply chain resilience. ▶ Discovering AI applications driving continuous optimisation. ▶ Real-world Use Cases of AI/ML optimising operations. Learn more, and sign up for the free webinar, here 👇 https://lnkd.in/eSrBeAqg #theengineer #AI #MachineLearning #ML #webinar

Oxa, a UK specialist in self-driving vehicle software, has announced its third commercial deployment of Oxa Driver in the US in collaboration with Beep, Inc., a provider of autonomous shared mobility solutions. Oxa Driver is installed on the autonomous shuttles operated by Beep in a pilot program for Beep’s client, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) in Walnut Creek, California. Named PRESTO, the autonomous shuttle service is operated by Beep for CCTA, servicing Rossmoor Walnut Creek and is CCTA’s first pilot with Oxa Driver. The autonomous shuttles can carry up to seven seated and secured passengers, and will operate Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a safety attendant on board. Read more here 👇 https://lnkd.in/e_P8qGsb #theengineer #Oxa #autonomous #vehicle #OxaDriver