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1 May 2015

New Train Carriage Design wins a Share of Funding

Being involved in the rail industry, we at PRV like to keep an eye on the latest developments and innovations coming over the horizon, whether it’s to do with passenger travel, the moving of freight or the development of the trains of the future. So the recent headline about a UK company winning funding to develop a solution for passenger travel and the movement of freight for the future caught our eye.

A St Ives based company has won a share of £2.2m through the Tomorrow’s Train Design Today (TTDT) programme.

Their train carriage design, where passenger carriages can be reconfigured to carry freight or passengers at different times, is one of 3 designs that won a share of the funds to develop the rolling stock of the future.

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26 Feb 2015

5 Axis metal cutting and additive manufacturing in one

PRV engineering like to move with the times and have invested heavily over the last few years in more modern, improved 5 axis machines. We keep an eye on developments as we want to be able to provide the best service possible.

There are a whole host of reasons why 5 axis machining improves our service. These range from overall time reductions in production to better drilling and programming.
However, technology and development moves on and the latest development is in additive manufacturing. Additive manufacturing (increasingly being known by the more common term 3D printing) is the process of making 3D objects from data by joining successful layers of materials.

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16 Feb 2015

Battery powered trains are back

At a time when development within the rail industry is gathering pace, battery powered trains are poised to make a comeback. Battery powered trains have been used for around 100 years, but expanded use has been held back by battery technologies.

Now, the first passenger train of its kind in over 50 years has recently undergone a five-week trial in a bid to prove the viability of more eco-friendly alternatives to diesel-powered locomotives.

Back in 2013, The Independently Powered Electric Multiple Unit (IPEMU) came into force. It draws power from overhead lines and then lowers its pantograph to allow it to run on its batteries instead, so enabling it to run over non electrified lines. The challenge was in finding an effective energy storage system or battery.

2 years and much development later,  the IPEMU will now run a weekday service between Harwich International and Manningtree stations in Essex.

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27 Dec 2014

Robotic arm controlled by thoughts

The sight of a paralysed woman controlling a robotic arm, using just her thoughts, was enough to dominate the headlines in 2012.

At the time, experts in the field said it was an “unprecedented performance” and a “remarkable achievement”.

Two years on, the same woman has taken another significant step towards restoring her natural movements by controlling the arm with a range of complex hand movements.

Jan Scheuermann, who has longstanding quadriplegia, is now able to give high fives and thumbs up.

The plaudits go to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh, who have increased the manoeuvrability of the robotic arm from seven to 10 dimensions.

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12 Dec 2014

Developments in Driverless Cars

When plans for the state-of-the-art Driverless Cars were first mooted, there were plenty of raised eyebrows and an equal number of genuine sceptics. However, the plans went ahead with experts claiming that driverless car would be an important step for road safety.

They could take over driving on roads, just like autopilots take control of airplanes, while the pilot often has nothing to do but just sit and wait for landing. There would be fewer car accidents and road fatalities.

Experts also believe cars that drive themselves would represent the most significant transformation in road travel since the introduction of the internal combustion engine.

Five years on and four sites in England have been earmarked for trials of driverless cars. The process will begin in the New Year. The trials have been made possible with £10m of funding from Innovate UK, the government’s Technology Strategy Board.

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26 Sep 2014

What’s the future for electric cars?

Years ago when we first started talking about electric cars, we all envisaged small bubble cars that could be plugged in at your front door. While we may not be able to plug in at the front door the engineering developments in electric cars have come a long way.

This year motor sport saw the introduction of the Formula E series which was watched by thousands and attracted the well recognised racing names of Prost, Senna, Andretti Piquet and Trulli.

Obviously you can’t compare it to F1; the sound, speeds and handling are very different but FE is only just beginning and who knows where it will be in 10 years?

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19 Sep 2014

Robots taking the next step

We all know that Robots have replaced humans in performing those repetitive and dangerous tasks which humans prefer not to do.

It might be in outer space or at the bottom of the sea where humans could not survive the extreme environments. But in many other areas of industry, robots are developing almost out of all recognition.

Not only are robots here to stay, but with the ever-evolving world of technology in full swing, there have been a number of key developments in recent times. Many of those developments are taking place in the United States. However, the UK’s Robotic and Autonomous Systems are gathering pace too.

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12 Sep 2014

Tidal energy is the future in Wales

The benefits of using various natural energy resources, like tidal energy, cannot be overemphasized.

Whilst burning of fossil fuels like coal, natural gas and oil for creating electricity has led to global warming, the use of natural energy resources will not only ensure that air pollution is reduced, but will lead to a cutting of costs.

The latest development in natural energy resources comes off the coast of south Wales where the first underwater turbine in Ramsey Sound will run for a 12-month trial.

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28 Aug 2014

3D printing to help aerospace industry

Most engineers will tell you that 3D printing represents another significant development within the manufacturing industry.

How does 3D printing work?

Rather than making something by sticking lots of small parts together, a 3D printer can build complicated items in one piece. The printers use a variety of very different types of additive manufacturing technologies but they all share one core thing in common. They create a three dimensional object by building it layer by layer.

3D printing technology could now offer a new way for engineers to think about how to join and fasten components and the technology is moving away from its prototyping roots. Aerospace engineers are now hoping to prove its potential, one component at a time. Some experts claim 3D printing could even create new capabilities in the fasteners and joints that hold together an aircraft.

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7 Aug 2014

Engineering genius – driverless cars

Whatever next? First, they put a man on the moon, then came the Internet and now, driverless cars could be on the UK’s public roads by next year!

Since the story broke, most of us have either commented on or thought about the concept and how it will or might not, work.

Of course, there are significant legal barriers which must be overcome before this can happen. However, once those hurdles have been negotiated, we should all brace ourselves for the latest innovation in the automobile industry.

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