Engineering news
During the constant weekly bombardment of news and information, even the most stunning breakthrough can slip by unnoticed apart from by a diligent few. Here's our second weekly round-up of the best engineering stories from around the web.
Builder bots collaborate for 3D-printed structure
New Atlas
The future of construction is modular – technologies such as additive manufacturing and drones, both aerial and ground-based, are poised to transform the sector. Until now, however, concrete 3D printers were large and unwieldy. A team at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore tackled the issue with their pair of collaborative, mobile robots that built a large structure in just eight minutes.
The 62 tonne lunar lander
Space.com
Lockheed Martin has unveiled a new design for a reusable lunar lander. The vehicle would transport up to four astronauts from lunar orbit to the surface, before acting as their home for two weeks. The vehicle would weigh more than five-times as much as the two man, 4.3 tonne Apollo lander, weighing 22 tonnes dry and 62 tonnes fully loaded. The lander could, reports Space.com, act as a precursor to a Martian lander.
Could Nissan hit the road?
The Guardian
The Japanese manufacturer warned of potential “serious implications” from a so-called hard Brexit in a statement to The Guardian, urging the Government and the EU to collaborate for "mutually beneficial trade". The company employs almost 8,000 people in the UK.
Skyrora unveils 3D-printed rocket engine
Professional Engineering
Printing robots might revolutionise construction in the future, but 3D printing is already having a major impact in the aerospace sector. British firm Skyrora exclusively revealed its newly-printed rocket engine to Professional Engineering. They hope it will launch 150kg rockets from the UK.
'Invisible' F-35 jet crashes deal announcement
The Guardian
A US Marine pilot ejected safely as a $90m Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jet crashed in South Carolina. The crash came as Reuters reported a new $11.5bn Pentagon contract for 141 of the stealthy fighters. US president Donald Trump has previously been mocked for appearing to suggest the planes are invisible, The Guardian reported.
Tesla autopilot hits traffic
Bloomberg
CEO Elon Musk tweeted that the electric car manufacturer will delay the release of its autopilot drive navigation mode "for a few weeks" due to the challenges of creating "a general solution for self-driving that works well everywhere."
Virgin oil
Yahoo! News
A Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 flew from Orlando to London Gatwick with a fuel blend containing 5% biofuel. The fuel, which is made from industrial waste gases converted into ethanol, is reportedly certified to make up half of a flight's total fuel supply – a potentially significant amount as the aerospace sector seeks to offset increasing numbers of flights with lower-carbon technology
Solar tech captures summer heat for reuse in winter
Professional Engineering
Immediate, on-demand access is an ongoing issue for renewable energy, but researchers from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden hope their system could successfully capture the Sun’s heat for cold Scandinavian winters – and offer commercial energy storage around the world.
HyperloopTT reveals its 'aeroplane without wings'
The Telegraph
The Hyperloop concept is still far from proven, with myriad technical and regulatory hurdles to overcome. Companies around the world are nonetheless dedicating serious money and engineering might to the vision. The latest to showcase its work is HyperloopTT, which revealed a full-scale, 700mph, 40-passenger prototype capsule.
Robot picks up the screwdriver
Gizmodo
So, a pair of helpful Singaporean builder robots have built you a house and you've got the central heating on thanks to your Swedish solar energy system. Not many fittings though – enter the HRP-5P, an autonomous humanoid robot that can walk, lift and secure drywall. If it can work out an Ikea chest-of-drawers as well then it might just get a job soon...
Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.