Engineering news
PM makes offshore wind pledge
BBC
Prime minister Boris Johnson pledged that offshore wind will supply enough electricity for every home in the UK by 2030 this week. The government has raised its target for offshore wind power capacity from 30GW to 40GW, and will invest £160m in ports and factories to built the necessary turbines.
Flatpack waterwheel could bring electricity to off-grid communities
Professional Engineering
A highly efficient new flatpack waterwheel could bring electricity to many off-grid communities for the first time. The first waterwheel to be patented in 138 years, the device was developed by Carruthers Renewables to combat electricity scarcity in developing countries. Carruthers told Professional Engineering that it can convert 80% of a river’s energy to electricity – anywhere between 10kW and 1MW, for domestic or community use. In comparison, domestic solar panels give up to 4kW.
Simulated car testing blends the real and virtual
Professional Engineering
New car testing techniques are increasingly blurring the line between physical and virtual testing. We looked at the new simulation suite at Millbrook Proving Ground, where real cars can drive in simulated environments.
’Self-eating engine’ could save rocket launch mass
The Engineer
The Ministry of Defence has awarded £90,000 of financial support to a Glasgow University project building a ‘self-eating’ rocket engine. The body of an autophage rocket would be a tube of solid fuel, which, by the time it reaches orbit, would be consumed by the engine. The technology could launch small payloads from the UK.
Fish scales could hold the key to cutting aircraft emissions
Professional Engineering
Fish scales could be the unlikely key to reducing aircraft drag, a team of researchers has said. The team, led by aerodynamicist Professor Christoph Bruecker at City, University of London, have transferred the idea of fish scales to ‘bio-inspired’ arrays that could reduce skin friction drag by more than 25% – therefore boosting aircraft speed and reducing fuel consumption.
Huge competition for engineering roles
Professional Engineering
Engineering job applicants are facing tougher competition for roles thanks to a fall in vacancies and a huge increase in applications, according to new figures from a jobs website. Vacancies were down 37.4% year-on-year in September as the industry continued to react to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the latest job market data from CV-Library. With fewer jobs advertised and the end of the furlough scheme approaching, the ‘application to job ratio’ was up by a huge 95.3% year-on-year, an increase of 22.2% on August 2020.
Squid bot swims with jet propulsion
E&T
A team of engineers at the University of California have create a squid-like robot that propels itself using jets of water. The untethered robot, which mimics the features that squids use to swim, could be used for underwater exploration.
Plant-based spray could be used in masks, electronics or human organs
Professional Engineering
A new method of spraying extremely thin wires made of a plant-based material could be used in a wide range of objects, researchers have claimed – from coronavirus mask filters to 3D-printed organs. Developed at Rutgers University in New Jersey, the method involves spraying methylcellulose, a renewable plastic material derived from plant cellulose, on 3D-printed and other objects ranging from electronics to plants.
Electric car boom bucks the trend during ‘torrid’ year for UK automotive
Professional Engineering
Battery electric and plug-in hybrids accounted for more than one in 10 of new cars registered in the UK in September. Demand for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) increased by 184.3% compared with September last year, according to new figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), with the month accounting for a third of the year’s BEV registrations.
Hybrid 3D printing technique prints both plastic and metal
Professional Engineering
A new hybrid 3D printing technique can print both plastic and metal, producing objects with combinations of both. Developed at Waseda University in Japan, the technique aims to overcome the limitations of the most popular 3D printing process. The researchers said the technique, which is compatible with existing fused filament printers, could be used to create 3D electronics for Internet of Things applications.
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Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.