Tag Archives: Technology

11 Nov 2016

Hyperloop One has agreed a deal with the Dubai Road Transport Authority to assess the delivery of a hyperloop system that will reduce the time taken to travel from Dubai to Abu Dhabi.

The system which works using a vacuum-sealed pod transport system could potentially reduce the time taken to travel the 90 miles from Dubai to Abu Dhabi in as little as 12 minutes. Whilst initially the aim is to concentrate on what a hyperloop system can achieve across the United Arab Emirates (UAE), there is speculation that it could be expanded at a later date to build links with neighbouring Gulf countries. The current travel time by plane between Dubai and Saudi Arabia is 2 hours; with Hyperloop that travel time could be halved.

30 Sep 2016

There are few products that we use in everyday life that have not had CNC machining take some part in their production. Cars, planes, household machines and appliances, medical parts and toys all get to visit the CNC machine at some point in their production.
CNC or Computer Numerically Controlled machining has become more versatile then ever over the years. The number of axis has increased and the types of machine available now mean that increasingly smaller and more intricate parts can be manufactured using CNC machining.

5 Aug 2016

Back in March this year London was set to see the introduction of 5 all electric double decker buses capable of driving up to 190 miles in day on one 4 hour overnight charge. The 5 buses joined a fleet of single deck electric, hydrogen and hybrid buses as part of the effort to reduce emissions in the city centre.

At the other end of the country Stagecoach are operating all electric bus services in Inverness and having worked with manufacturer Optare have managed to extend the range of miles the vehicles can do. In addition to running on electricity, these buses also feature electric heating systems rather than the standard diesel ones. This makes them the UKs’ most efficient electric buses in terms of kWh per mile and they fist of their kind.

23 Jul 2016

When we think of the technical developments in F1 and motorsport generally, we can all probably think of an area in the automotive industry where those developments have had an impact. But do you ever think about what or who else benefits of those developments?
If I was to say that the care of premature babies has been impacted by motorsport technical developments you’d probably wonder how. What about supermarkets? How could they possibly benefit from the motorsport industry?

These are only a couple of examples of where motorsport innovation is being used to solve challenges in other industrial sectors.

28 Sep 2015

Traditionally 3D printing, or ‘Additive Manufacture’ has been used mainly to create prototypes and showcase design ideas. The speed with which Additive Manufacture (AM) can take place along with the versatility of the manufacture method causes it to be the most obvious choice when creating new designs.

An example of where AM is still being used for it’s traditional versatility is the surgeons of Great Ormond Street Hospital using a 3D printer to create a model of a patients’ Trachea. The surgeons had to perform a delicate surgery on a child. They used a CT scanner to map the boys’ Trachea, 3D printed an exact model of it and then assessed which surgical instruments fit the tiny spaces best.

17 Jul 2015

Self driving cars, whilst once a novel and entertaining idea have now become a regular news feature. The design and rigorous testing they are going through is all in an effort to see road safety improved by eliminating driving error.

In fact a recent report in manufacturing.net stated that in the 6 years and 1.9 million miles of testing by Google there have only been 14 accidents involving their self driving cars. Google say that none of the accidents were caused by their self driving cars. In 11 of the 14 accidents, the self driving car was rear ended, by distracted drivers.

So, could autonomous applications be applied to ships to improve efficiencies and also the level of CO2 emissions, which are twice that of the aviation industry? Could we see autonomous ships at sea?  Rolls Royce think so.

10 Jul 2015

Will this be the way to solve overcrowding in big cities?

For years there has been concern over the space available for new buildings, whether it’s housing or industrial. Skyscrapers have got taller and taller and the space between buildings has reduced. But still, this isn’t solving the problem of overcrowding and in some countries planning authorities are becoming uncomfortable with the higher structures.

Living like the fictional Wombles, ‘underground’ is increasingly looking as though it could become a reality at some point in the future. We travel underground regularly, even using tunnels to get to other countries, so why not take that next step?

26 Feb 2015

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.

9 Feb 2015

There was further good news for The Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon plan this week.

The £1billion tidal lagoon plan now has full equity funding following a decision by InfraRed Capital Partners to pump up to £100m into the project.

Led by Tidal Lagoon Power Ltd, the project is expected to generate around 500GWh of electricity every year for 120 years, helping to save more than 236,000 tonnes of CO2 annually.

The project will also create almost 2000 jobs.

Werner von Guionneau, chief executive, InfraRed Capital Partners, said: “We are proud to be playing a key role in securing the future of this world-leading renewable energy project.

“The power station is unique in that it not only leverages the estuary’s second highest tidal range in the world, but it will also make a material contribution towards both the local economy in South Wales and the long term stability of sustainable energy supply in the UK.”

It is the second piece of positive news for the tidal lagoon project, within the space of three months. At the end of 2014, the plan was named in the National Infrastructure Plan published ahead of the chancellor’s Autumn Statement.

27 Dec 2014

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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