Engineering news
Bombardier flight 'puts 4,000 jobs at risk'
The Guardian
Canadian aerospace giant Bombardier has put its wing factory near Belfast up for sale, reportedly putting almost 4,000 highly-skilled jobs at risk. The Unite union vowed to "cause hell" if the workforce is reduced, but a spokesman for the prime minister said the government does not expect job losses thanks to existing orders.
Faulty aluminium foiled NASA launches
E&T
Oregon manufacturer Sapa Profiles has been ordered to pay NASA and others $46m after an investigation found the company falsified certifications for faulty aluminium, which led to the failures of the Orbiting Carbon Observatory and Glory missions in 2009 and 2011. Sapa falsified the result of tensile tests for the aluminium extrusions.
Growin' in the wind: offshore wind capacity could grow tenfold
Professional Engineering
An almost tenfold increase in offshore wind power could be required to help the UK achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The massive jump from 8GW today to 75GW in 31 years’ time would require roughly 7,500 turbines, said the Committee on Climate Change a report for the government. The expanded capacity could reportedly fit within 1-2% of the UK seabed.
New flight control technology is unflappable
Aerospace Manufacturing
BAE Systems and the University of Manchester have claimed a historic first in aviation after using blown-air technology to control a flying UAV. The technique, which blows supersonic air from the aircraft to manoeuvre it, could lead to lighter and more reliable vehicles by replacing conventional flaps.
'Mechanical trees' could root out carbon dioxide
The Engineer
Arizona State University researchers have created 'mechanical trees', devices aimed at capturing and storing carbon dioxide to prevent it from contributing to climate change. The trees, which could capture one tonne every day in groups of 12, expose columns of sorbent discs to absorb the gas before lowering them and extracting it.
Navy’s new Dragonfire laser weapon gets energy boost from Formula One flywheel
Professional Engineering
Development of the Dragonfire laser weapon has been boosted by a flywheel created for Formula One. Officially known as the Dragonfire Laser Directed Energy Weapon, the naval warfare device will reportedly have a power rating of 50kW. The weapon will provide defence and protection from aerial or marine enemies. It could also dazzle enemy equipment.
Ice to (clearly) see you
New Atlas
3D-printed parts have been frozen inside blocks of ice as part of an innovative new process designed to allow unimpeded ultrasound scans. The technique, known as cryoultrasonics, aims to solve the issue of waves bouncing off printed parts thanks to the curves and angles of their surfaces. Instead, the ice acts as a 'coupling medium' of a similar density to printed materials, letting ultrasound waves through so they only reflect off flaws.
Forget the hype? Serious engineering analysis 'shows Hyperloop is decades away'
Professional Engineering
Elon Musk's futuristic vision for 1,200km/h 'pods' running in tubes is still decades off according to engineering analysis, wrote rail expert David Shirres in Professional Engineering. Aspects that need major development include suspension, air locks, vacuum-tight tube expansion joints and switches.
Organ inbound: drone deliveries kidney in world first
The Engineer
A custom-built drone has completed the world's first unmanned aerial organ delivery. The aircraft was developed by the University of Maryland and includes back-up propellers, extra batteries and an emergency parachute system to ensure the kidney's protection and delivery.
Cheers! Sunshine and beer help create hydrogen for fuel and chemical industry
Professional Engineering
Sunshine and beer is a classic combination, and now researchers have combined the two for a novel new use. The team from Princeton University in New Jersey processed brewery wastewater with simulated sunshine in a photocatalysis reaction, simultaneously treating the liquid and isolating hydrogen for use as fuel or in the chemical industry. The process generated hydrogen at twice the accepted rate for scalable water-splitting technologies, the researchers said, and it was also reportedly the first time that wastewater was used in photocatalysis.
Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.