26 Aug 2019

Japanese Flying Car Ready For The Future

August 26, 2019
Aerospace, Auto Industry

A new flying car has been unveiled in Japan by NEC Corp. While it is essentially a drone with four propellers, the company says it will be capable of carrying people. Even though the prototype only hovered for a minute, it did fly and marks another impressive development in the hotly debated area of future transport.

Over the last few years in Japan, a number of small, passionate flying car communities have emerged. They believe that Japan has the engineering knowledge and the right environment to succeed (and lead) a global flying car industry. Venture capitalists in Japan have set up a fund called the ‘Drone Fund’ which is purely for investing purposes into autonomous aircraft and flying car companies.

14 May 2019

McLaren Automotive Hits The 20,000 Mark

May 14, 2019
Auto Industry, Automotive

Img Credit: McLaren Automotive

For the few who don’t know, McLaren Cars were founded in 1985 which later became McLaren Automotive. Today, they remain a successful British car manufacturer based at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey where their primary focus is on sports cars.

In 2017, McLaren constructed a £50m McLaren Composites Technology Centre (MCTC) at the Advanced Manufacturing Park between Sheffield and Rotherham. The facility is responsible for building carbon fibre chassis for all McLaren road cars.

McLaren Automotive became a 100% owned subsidiary of the wider McLaren Group in July 2017 and recently celebrated selling their 20,000^th car. It will be hand-assembled at the McLaren Production Centre (MPC) in Surrey.

30 Nov 2018

Audi Combines Electric Car With Flying Taxi Quadcopter

November 30, 2018
Auto Industry, Automotive, Engineering, New Technology, News

Credit: New Atlas

We can never get tired of reading and writing about engineering developments, emerging technologies and the flying taxi. This year has already seen a few interesting concepts from Uber signing with NASA to the CityHawk and Pal-V. And now it is time for Audi to step up to the plate.

The German automaker is living up to their name with the new Pop.Up Next, a hybrid quadcopter and compact two-seater electric vehicle. This is certainly an ambitious attempt but one that seems well worth it considering their partnership with Italdesign and Airbus.

8 Dec 2017

UK Manufacturing Performs Despite Brexit Concerns

December 8, 2017
Auto Industry, Engineering, Engineering Education, Investing, Manufacturing, New Technology, Steel Industry

Unlike some industries, UK manufacturing has grown to new heights throughout November and has defied all odds. Industries performing particularly well include the automotive sector, the steel industry and shipbuilding.

Overall, production is on the rise to the highest it’s been in four years; new territories with a significant increase in exports along with the highest employment growth in over three years. And according to a report from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the UK’s industrial sector has increased by

17 Nov 2017

UK Advanced Engineering Crisis Creating Opportunities

November 17, 2017
Aerospace, CNC Machining, Engineering, Engineering Education, Medical advances

Engineers are always in high demand and none more so than in advanced engineering. Looking to the future, the industry will need about 186 000 engineers by 2024. Another report, according to The Telegraph, suggests the UK is grossly lacking skilled engineers and would need 1.8 million new engineers and technicians by 2025.

Whichever way you look at it, these are big numbers to swallow. Engineering is not only central to ensure economic growth, it plays a vital role in global challenges. Among these are climate change, food security, health and safety, biodiversity, population and water security. Adding to the increased number of opportunities, engineering can yield significant financial reward.

8 Sep 2017

3D Printing brings Electric Motorcycle to Life

September 8, 2017
3D Printing, Auto Industry, Fabrication, Waterjet Cutting

In case you missed it, last year saw a great number of technological innovations with 3D Printing heavy on everyone’s lips. None more so than Airbus and APWorks’ Light Rider. They claimed in early 2016 that they were working on the world’s first 3D Printed motorcycle. Using their 3D printing expertise, they’ve recently produced the first prototype 3D Printed electric motorcycle and it looks fantastic.

18 Aug 2017

Flying Car Goes Back to the Future

August 18, 2017
Aerospace, Auto Industry, Automotive, Engineering, New Technology

Technology is at the point where talking about a flying car should come as no surprise. This can be attributed mainly to the new lightweight material, improved batteries, advanced computer technology and controls. According to reports, DeLorean Aerospace is in the process of developing a two-seater VTOL aircraft called the DR-7. This puts Paul DeLorean in a whole new category along with Airbus, Uber, Darpa and the likes of Larry Page.

The DeLorean is best remembered for the time-traveling sports car from Back to the Future films piloted by Doc Brown. Who would have thought his quote would

2 Jun 2017

Inside Look WaterJet Cutting

June 2, 2017
5 Axis Machining, CNC Machining, Steel Fabrication, Steel Industry, Tool Making, Waterjet Cutting

History of Waterjet cutting

Waterjet cutting is often used during the fabrication process of machine parts. A waterjet cutter, also known as a waterjet, is an industrial tool capable of cutting a wide variety of materials using a very high-pressure jet or stream of water. A mixture of water and an abrasive substance is also used in many applications.

Early waterjet machines could only cut softer materials as they had low pressure and could not handle harder materials and metals. They added an abrasive to the waterjet cutting nozzle in an attempt

19 May 2017

3D Printing: What you need to know

May 19, 2017
3D Printing, Aerospace, Auto Industry, Automotive, Defence, New Technology, Robotics

Futurologist Jeremy Rifkin claimed that 3D printing is the beginning of a third industrial revolution. This means it would subsequently succeed the production line assembly that dominated manufacturing which started in the late 19^th century. What if he’s right? Imagine printing a new valve for a broken tap or a brake disc for your car. In contrast, perhaps something simpler like a new plate when your little ones drop the good dishes. The possibilities are essentially endless given the right materials and machines.

18 Feb 2017

McLaren to open new research centre in Sheffield

February 18, 2017
Auto Industry, Automotive, Manufacturing, Motorsport

McLaren has announced that it is to construct the new McLaren Composites Technology Centre (MCTC) in Sheffield. The facility is the result of a £50m joint investment with Sheffield City Council and the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC).

The facility, which will create 200 jobs will be the first purpose built facility outside of the existing McLaren site in Woking, Surrey. The centre will be responsible for the research and manufacture of carbon fibre chassis for current McLaren automotive cars and also for future models. With work on the new centre due to start shortly, it is anticipated that there will be 2 years of research and development before advanced carbon fibre chassis will be manufactured from 2020. This will mean that at this point in time almost 60% of all McLarens will be UK sourced.

Tag Archives: automotive

Japanese Flying Car Ready For The Future

McLaren Automotive Hits The 20,000 Mark

Audi Combines Electric Car With Flying Taxi Quadcopter

UK Manufacturing Performs Despite Brexit Concerns

UK Advanced Engineering Crisis Creating Opportunities

3D Printing brings Electric Motorcycle to Life

Flying Car Goes Back to the Future

Inside Look WaterJet Cutting

History of Waterjet cutting

3D Printing: What you need to know

McLaren to open new research centre in Sheffield

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