Industry news
Here you can find a handpicked selection of the big stories and latest updates for professionals involved in all things related to engineering.
PRF Composite Materials introduce new unidirectional glass prepreg
PRF Composite Materials are delighted to introduce their new unidirectional glass prepreg!
14 September 2020
© PRF Composite Materials
UK manufacturing industry data shows road to recovery
After improvements in output and orders in the last three months, the UK’s manufacturing sector has begun its long road to recovery.
21 September 2020
Full story © Production Engineering Solutions
AEHF-6 protected communications satellite completes on-orbit testing
The On-Orbit Test period was successfully completed by the sixth Lockheed Martin-built Advanced Extremely High Frequency protected communications satellite.
18 September 2020
Full story © Aerospace Manufacturing magazine
McLaren pays tribute to 1995 Le Mans victory with inspired cars
McLaren Special Operations have revealed five unique McLaren Senna GTR’s. Created in celebration of the McLaren F1 GTR race cars that dominated the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race in an astonishing display of motorsport achievement that included overall victory.
18 September 2020
Full story © Composites in Manufacturing
NCC partner with Network Rail
The National Composites Centre has partnered with Network Rail to investigate, design and build a composite footbridge.
16 September 2020
Full story © Composites in Manufacturing
Sea Sure named joint winners of innovation awards in offshore wind sector
Sea Sure is delighted to announce that its design for transportation seat hoods has won an innovation contest.
10 September 2020
Full story and images © MAA
All-composite wheel for niche electric vehicles moves to next development stage
The ACRIM-Wheel has moved to the next stage of development with the manufacture of fifty wheels by the end of the year. Its the first commercially viable, affordable, lightweight and composite wheel for niche and electric vehicle applications.
9 September 2020
Full story © Composites in Manufacturing
Airbus selects software development suit for unmanned helicopter system
AdaCore has announced that Airbus Helicopters (France) is using its GNAT Pro tool suite and Ada programming language to develop new software for the VSR700 prototype project.
9 September 2020
Full story © Aerospace Manufacturing magazine
Aerospace sector to invest in green tech despite Covid-19
The key to the industry bouncing back from Covid-19 is to create a greener areospace sector.
9 September 2020
Full story © Production Engineering Solutions
Ricoh 3D printing secures medical certification
3D printing specialist, Ricoh has achieved the international standard certification for production quality management in the medical industry.
2 September 2020
Full story and Images © Production Engineering Solutions
Rolls Royce battles for survival
In a bid to recover financial losses that have resulted due to the coronavirus pandemic, Rolls Royce are planning on selling £2 billion worth of assets.
28 August 2020
Full story © The Financial Times
Bristol based company unveil pioneering flying taxi
With cruise speeds of 150mph and a flyable range of up to 100 miles, passengers could travel from London to Brighton in approximately half an hour.
26 August 2020
Full story and images © Production Engineering Solutions
Superstrata’s 3D printed e-bike has raced past initial crowdfunding targets
Superstrata, a Silicon Valley-based bicycle brand, has unveiled its flagship product, a 3D printed e-bicycle with an impact-resistant unibody carbon fibre frame.
20 August 2020
Full story and images © Composites in Manufacturing
"Thank you for flying SpaceX - have a nice day"
One step closer to reaching full commercial space capability was proven on the 3rd of August 2020
3 August 2020
Full story and images © BBC News
Did Mars ever host life? The answer could lie in the rocks
NASA’s Perseverance robot has left Earth on a mission to try to detect life on Mars
30 July 2020
Full story © BBC News
Nanocomposite innovation set to increase air passenger safety
Developed for aircraft interior applications, this advance in materials promises better fire, smoke and toxicity performance, and reduces costs. What’s not to like?
29 July 2020
Full story © Composites in Manufacturing magazine
Ultraviolet cleaning system a 'potential game changer' for JetBlue
About the size of an aircraft beverage cart, Honeywell’s virus-killer system is just our cup of tea …
29 July 2020
Full story © Aerospace Manufacturing magazine
Just, wow - peek inside Virgin Galactic's craft for space tourists
Welcome, at least virtually, to the cabin of VSS Unity. If you’re lucky enough to ever sit in the real one, we salute you. There are still tests to run before then of course, but powered test flights are about to begin, so it’s going to be happening sooner than you may think.
28 July 2020
© BBC News Image: VIRGIN GALACTIC
AEO, AEV and ESSA secure go-date for exhibitions
A combined group of members from the Association of Event Organisers (AEO), the Association Event Venues (AEV) and the Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA), led by the associations, has today secured the long-awaited go-date for the exhibitions industry for the 1st October 2020.
© Production Engineering Solutions
The wheels are beginning to turn again at Vauxhall
Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port manufacturing site will resume manufacturing activity on 17th August, parent firm Groupe PSA has announced.
15 July 2020
© Production Engineering Solutions
Business jet facility underway for Bombardier in UK
Work has begun to construct the Biggin Hill airport-based aircraft service centre
15 June 2020
© Aerospace Manufacturing
Government thought to be working with Tesla for Big EV facility in the UK
The Department for International Trade is scoping out a large area for EV R&D and Manufacturing believed to be in Somerset. Although it has not confirmed which company is involved, it is thought to be TESLA (Image courtesy Production Engineering Solutions magazine and Tesla)
8 June 2020
© Production Engineering Solutions
20% weight reduction using revolutionary thermoplastic composite
A leader in lightweight thermoplastic honeycomb core technology, and Tier 1 automotive supplier, have developed innovative technology which has reduced the weight of the Hyundai Creta’s trunk floor by 20%.
1 June 2020
© Composites in Manufacturing
Advances with UV light for cabin cleansing
Airbus and Boeing study ways to detect and deactivate viruses in cabins between flights using UV light and robots. Could this be a key route to the aviation industry to get travel safe again?
1 June 2020
© Aerospace Manufacturing
GKN signs agreement for all-electric plane
GKN Aerospace is to be involved in design and manufacture of wings, empennage and electrical wiring for Alice all-electric aircraft. Already a key partner in the Airbus ‘Wing of Tomorrow’ programme, GKN Aerospace is an ideal candidate to help change the way people travel with the Alice plane, which aims to make journeys of up to 650 miles more sustainable.
20 May 2020
© Aerospace Manufacturing
Planning application for UK's first waste-to-jet fuel plant given green light
A planning application backed by Shell and British Airways to create the UK’s first commercial-scale waste-to-jet fuel plant in North East Lincolnshire has been granted planning permission.
© Edie
Boeing picks STS for UK Wedgetail conversions
Boeing Defence UK has named STS Aviation Services as its conversion partner for the Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) future fleet of five 737NG-based E-7A Wedgetail surveillance aircraft, after Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group withdrew from the project.
20 May 2020
© Flight Global
Go-ahead for largest new station ever built in UK
Joint venture contractors Balfour Beatty, Vinci and Systra have got the green light from planners to start work on HS2’s west-London super hub, Old Oak Common.
© Construction Enquirer
US no 1 automaker should emerge with permanently reduced costs post-pandemic
Boeing Defence UK has named STS Aviation Services as its conversion partner for the Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) future fleet of five 737NG-based E-7A Wedgetail surveillance aircraft, after Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group withdrew from the project.
2 June 2020
© Reuters
AMTE Power and Britishvolt sign MoU for UK's Landmark GigaFactory
AMTE Power and Britishvolt are pleased to announce plans to investigate collaborating to build the UK’s first full cycle battery cell GigaPlant, servicing the automotive and energy storage markets. Both parties have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) focussed on each other`s complementary ambitions to create and expand an onshore manufacturing supply chain.
22 May 2020
© IDTechEx
The stealthy little drones that fly like insects
Start-up company studies biomechanics from dragonfly to use flapping wings powering more weather-resistant and flight-efficient drones
21 April 2020
© BBC News
Boeing set to resume Dreamliner production next month
South Carolina facility prepares to welcome back majority of its workforce for the 787
16 April 2020
© Reuters
European factories begin to reopen
VW’s HQ sports a logo squashing the virus Pac-man style, as it plans to welcome back workers on Monday.
27 April 2020
© Business Insider
BMW places massive 5,000 robot order with KUKA
Great news for the industry and KUKA, as the latter’s robots, including innovative linear units, will be used in auto manufacturing for BMW around the world.
19 April 2020
© Robotics and Automation News
Innovative start-ups to receive £1.25Bn government support package
Chancellor believes start-ups will be key to driving growth coming out of COVID-19
20 April 2020
© BBC News
Solvay signs long-term supply agreement with Honda Aircraft
Honda’s business jet models to benefit from Solvay’s innovative composites & adhesives over coming decade
17 April 2020
© Aerospace Manufacturing magazine
Approved for NHS: new Penlon ventilator upscaling for mass production with help from Airbus and F1
A consortium including Siemens, Airbus, Ford and several Formula 1 teams worked with the medical device maker, to adapt its ventilator so that it could be mass-produced quickly.
16 April 2020
© BBC news
Rising demand for Ceratizit tooling driven by ventilator collaborations
Formula 1 teams, and many others throughout the supply chain approach Ceratizit for support in production.
14 April 2020
© Aerospace Manufacturing
50% growth for Rockwood Composites over 6 months
Aerospace, including interiors, and defence are biggest drivers, but medical is an important sector too.
8 April 2020
© Elsevier
Fiat Chrysler and Honda plan to reopen sites for N. American production in May
Fiat Chrysler’s statement says that it “intends to progressively restart its U.S. and Canadian manufacturing facilities beginning May 4.”
6 April 2020
© Reuters
Ex Dassault Systèmes Simulia exec joins MSC as new CTO to lead innovation
Working across the Hexagon technology portfolio to develop synergies, Bruce Engelmann will be responsible for technology and solutions across MSC design and engineering product line.
3 April 2020
© Aerospace Manufacturing magazine
Third Dimension launch first in new range of GapGun handheld feature measurement tools
Third Dimension have taken the industry standard to a new level with the GapGun Pro2 and T series sensor heads. Designed for the increasing needs of automotive metrology and quality control professionals, a dedicated team of engineers have spent 3 years to build cutting-edge technology into the 25+ year established GapGun.
1 April 2020
© Third Dimension Advanced Manufacturing
YOUR NHS NEEDS YOUR PPE
Many NHS hospitals have run out of face masks for their staff. GRP Solutions has been supporting a number of hospitals around the country giving them what we have but have now nearly exhausted our supplies.
31 March 2020
© GRP Solutions
Dyson vacuums up thousands of orders for its new ventilator prototype
The companies will start making up to 30,000 ventilators from next week to help the NHS fight Covid-19
30 March 2020
© The Guardian
Welsh hospital creates new purifying ventilator for self-care, releasing specialist nurses for other duties
A new ventilator, a virus-killing snood and a hands-free door pull are just some of the innovations coming out of Wales to tackle coronavirus.
24 March 2020
© BBC News
London start-up OneWeb launches more satellites, and its online network is more important than ever
A Soyuz rocket lifted off from Baikonur, carrying 34 more spacecraft into orbit to continue the build-up of the firm’s broadband internet constellation.
21 March 2020
© BBC News
Repurposing of manufacturing to beat virus is not limited to engineering firms alone
Firms including Zara, Nivea and Dyson are switching output to make needed equipment.
20 March 2020
© The Telegraph
Scott Bader launches new structural adhesive
Crestabond M7-04 is a toughened, two component 1:1 acrylic structural adhesive designed for bonding composites, thermoplastics and metals.
10 March 2020
© Scott Bader
Can this company have discovered the future of car production?
Proprietary AM techniques combine with smart thinking to eliminate hard tooling for the astronomically fast 21C Hypercar.
9 March 2020
© Production Engineering Solutions
Dr.Cedeno-Campos, Prof. Fairclough and Mr. Jaramillo and the Composite Systems Innovation Centre
Composites are lightweight but strong materials. Their applications range from aircraft and automotive parts, wind turbines to bespoke sports equipment. However, to create bespoke designs or one-off production, making moulds is expensive. We research parts production without moulds but that tailor the fibre alignment in order to retain the strength
© University of Sheffield
British Science Week coincides with welcome government investment in STEM
Future scientists, mathematicians and engineers from all backgrounds are set to benefit from the government’s £179M investment announced this month.
© Production Engineering Solutions
New UK electric van prototype reflects GEELY's £500m investment
LEVC’s new hybrid-electric van prototype comes out of its Coventry facility, with a 30% lighter body, and ability to absorb twice the crash energy of mild steel.
7 March 2020
© Production Engineering Solutions
SMMT calls for solid UK-EU deal to drive growth
There is understandable concern about the figures published by the SMMT this week showing an auto slow-down in 2019; but there is evidence for great potential too, not least from the demonstrable growth in alternatively fuelled car output. The SMMT is pushing to achieve a world class FTA to maintain and grow this vital part of the UK economy and capability.
30 January 2020
© SMMT
Uber's deal with Nissan to benefit Sunderland and the Capital
Uber’s recent order of 2,000 Nissan LEAF vehicles not only provides more business for the North East plant, but benefits Londoners by adding to Ubers goal for every London car on the app to be fully carbon-free from 2025.
24 January 2020
© Production Engineering Solutions
New composites tech could speed up aircraft manufacture
MIT researchers have devised a way to manufacture autoclave-formulated aerospace-grade advanced carbon fiber composites without using applied pressure from an autoclave or oven.
23 January 2020