Professional Engineering pre-launch issue by Abdul Montaqim

PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER Issue 0 September 0000

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anteposuerit mas humanitatis parum per seacula quarta decima et quinta decima. Eodem modo typi, qui nunc nobis videntur parum clari, fiant sollemnes in futurum. Duis autem vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit in vulputate velit esse molestie consequat, vel illum dolore eu feugiat nulla facilisis at vero eros et accumsan et iusto odio dignissim qui blandit praesent luptatum zzril delenit augue duis dolore te feugait nulla facilisi. Nam liber tempor cum soluta nobis eleifend option congue nihil imperdiet doming id quod mazim placerat facer possim assum. Breaker Typi non habent claritatem insitam; est usus legentis in iis qui facit eorum claritatem. Investigationes demonstraverunt lectores legere me lius quod ii legunt saepius. Claritas est etiam processus dynamicus, qui sequitur mutationem consuetudium lectorum. Mirum est notare quam littera gothica, quam nunc putamus parum claram, anteposuerit litterarum formas humanitatis per seacula quarta decima et quinta decima. Eodem modo typi, qui nunc nobis videntur parum clari, fiant sollemnes in futurum. Duis autem vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit in vulputate velit esse molestie consequat, vel illum dolore eu feugiat nulla facilisis at vero eros et accumsan et iusto odio dignissim qui blandit praesent luptatum zzril delenit augue duis dolore te feugait nulla facilisi. Nam liber tempor cum soluta nobis eleifend option congue nihil imperdiet doming id quod mazim placerat facer possim assum. Typi non habent claritatem insitam; est usus legentis in iis qui facit eorum claritatem. Investigationes demonstraverunt lectores.

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Contents

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Contents Materials FRP bridges are design, challenging traditional architects and engineers 28

Automotive Electric cars have been gaining kudos with the launch of Tesla and now the BMW i8 30

Oil & Gas Goodwin fires on all cylinders to bring in 18 per cent profit increase 38

Medical Lack of NHS engineers is putting lives at risk, says IME chairman 44 Minerals MDM Engineering Group receives approval to merge with Foster Wheeler 46

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Contents Editorial 3 News 6 Opinion Name 12 Opinion Name 14 Opinion Name 16 Letters 18

Aerospace feature Building feature Materials feature Automotive feature Electronics feature Oil & gas feature

20 24 28 30 36 38

Marine feature Infrastructure feature Medical feature Minerals feature Careers Events

5 40 42 44 46 48 50

Building Green building after the closure of the Home Improvement Fund 24

Aerospace Britain is to build a spaceport to launch manned missions and commercial satellites 20

Electronics Electronics industry â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;in good healthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; says new research 36

Marine European shipyard orders grow 60% in the first quarter 40 Infrastructure The government invites companies to apply for licenses to drill for shale gas 42

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News

News In Brief News in brief headline here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Aenean vitae arcu imperdiet, aliquet turpis quis, suscipit urna. Nullam ac leo non diam tincidunt sodales a eu sem. Proin vitae leo auctor, sagittis odio ut, viverra urna. Ut gravida, eget euismod ipsum condimentum est non erat porta. Etiam vitae rutrum augue. In ac sem in lorem elementum consequat et vel velit. Fusce accumsan odio sit amet est gravida, eget euismod ipsum viverra. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos. News in brief headline here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Aenean vitae arcu imperdiet, aliquet turpis quis, suscipit urna. Nullam ac leo non diam tincidunt sodales a eu sem. Proin vitae leo auctor, sagittis odio ut, gravida, eget euismod ipsum gravida, eget euismod ipsum viverra urna. Ut condimentum est non erat porta. Etiam vitae rutrum augue. In ac sem in lorem elementum consequat et vel velit. Fusce accumsan odio sit amet est gravida, eget euismod ipsum viverra. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos. News in brief headline here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Aenean vitae arcu imperdiet, aliquet turpis quis, suscipit urna. Nullam ac leo non diam tincidunt sodales a eu sem. Proin vitae leo auctor, sagittis odio ut, viverra urna. Ut condimentum est non erat porta. Etiam vitae rutrum augue. In ac sem in lorem elementum consequat et vel velit. Fusce accumsan odio sit amet est gravida, eget euismod ipsum viverra. Class aptent gravida, eget euismod ipsum taciti sociosqu ad litora per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos.

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News headline here like this one here right now Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Aenean vitae arcu imperdiet, aliquet turpis quis, suscipit urna. Nullam ac leo non diam tincidunt sodales a eu sem. Proin vitae leo auctor, sagittis odio ut, viverra urna. Ut condimentum est non erat porta vestibulum. Etiam vitae rutrum augue. In ac sem in lorem elementum consequat et vel velit. Fusce accumsan odio sit amet est gravida, eget euismod ipsum viverra. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos. Donec eu ipsum ligula. Maecenas non mi at ante tempus dignissim. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. Etiam commodo est at mi auctor, sed ultrices mauris elementum. Proin faucibus non nisi id venenatis. Integer malesuada ac ligula

sed dapibus. Quisque tincidunt feugiat augue id aliquet. Ut id dolor nec erat faucibus sollicitudin. In id metus in lectus gravida malesuada id at sapien. Proin pulvinar diam scelerisque eros dictum accumsan. Sed cursus magna odio. Praesent malesuada augue in convallis aliquet. Nullam sed nisl sit amet augue varius lacinia. Nam ut tellus nisl. Morbi non venenatis felis, a commodo eros. Quisque tincidunt vulputate velit, in ornare leo tempor sed. Praesent sed arcu id tortor dignissim bibendum id quis orci. Donec eros felis, varius in tincidunt sit amet, congue at enim. Proin sit amet urna eget orci aliquam tincidunt sit amet vel sem. Nullam eget faucibus nibh. Donec pharetra porttitor varius. Aenean sed massa lobortis, egestas diam vel, sodales diam. Duis enim ligula, fermentum sit amet convallis.

Another headline to show style only Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Aenean vitae arcu imperdiet, aliquet turpis quis, suscipit urna. Nullam ac leo non diam tincidunt sodales a eu sem. Proin vitae leo auctor, sagittis odio ut, viverra urna. Ut condimentum est non erat porta vestibulum. Etiam vitae rutrum augue. In ac sem in lorem elementum consequat et vel velit. Fusce accumsan odio sit amet est gravida, eget euismod ipsum viverra. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos.

Donec eu ipsum ligula. Maecenas non mi at ante tempus dignissim. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. Etiam commodo est at mi auctor, sed ultrices mauris elementum. Proin faucibus non nisi id venenatis. Integer malesuada ac ligula sed dapibus. Quisque tincidunt feugiat augue id aliquet. Etiam commodo est at mi auctor, sed ultrices mauris elementum. Proin faucibus non nisi id venenatis. Integer malesuada ac ligula sed dapibus. Quisque tincidunt feugiat augue id aliquet.

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News

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Contents

News

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Opinion

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orem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis autem vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit in vulputate velit esse molestie consequat, vel illum dolore eu feugiat nulla facilisis at vero eros et accumsan et iusto odio dignissim qui blandit praesent luptatum zzril delenit augue duis dolore te feugait nulla facilisi. Nam liber tempor cum soluta nobis eleifend option congue nihil imp nunc putamus parum claram, anteposuerit erdiet doming id quod mazim placerat facer possim assum. Typi non habent claritatem insitam; est usus legentis in iis qui facit eorum claritatem. Investigationes demonstraverunt lectores legere me lius quod ii legunt saepius. Claritas est etiam processus dynamicus, qui sequitur mutationem consuetudium lectorum. Mirum est notare quam littera gothica, quam nunc putamus parum claram, anteposuerit litterarum for nunc putamus parum claram, anteposuerit mas humanitatis per seacula quarta decima et quinta decima. Eodem modo typi, qui nunc nobis videntur parum clari, fiant sollemnes in futurum. Duis autem vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit in vulputate velit esse molestie consequat, vel illum dolore eu feugiat nulla facilisis at vero eros et accumsan et iusto odio dignissim qui blandit praesent luptatum zzril delenit augue duis dolore te feugait nulla facilisi. Nam liber tempor cum soluta nobis eleifend option congue nihil imperdiet doming id quod mazim placerat facer possim assum. Breaker Typi non habent claritatem insitam; est usus legentis in iis qui facit eorum claritatem. Investigationes demonstraverunt lectores legere me lius quod ii legunt saepius. Claritas est etiam processus dynamicus, qui sequitur mutationem consuetudium lectorum. Mirum est notare quam littera gothica, quam nunc putamus parum claram, anteposuerit litterarum formas humanitatis per seacula quarta decima et quinta decima. Claritas est etiam processus dynamicus, qui

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sequitur mutationem consuetudium lectorum. Mirum est notare quam littera gothica, quam nunc putamus parum claram, anteposuerit litterarum for nunc putamus parum claram, anteposuerit mas humanitatis per seacula quarta decima et quinta decima. Eodem modo typi, qui nunc nobis videntur parum clari, fiant sollemnes in futurum. Claritas est etiam processus dynamicus, qui sequitur mutationem consuetudium lectorum. Mirum est notare quam littera gothica, quam nunc putamus parum claram, anteposuerit litterarum for nunc putamus parum claram, anteposuerit mas humanitatis per seacula quarta decima et quinta decima. Claritas est etiam processus dynamicus, qui sequitur mutationem consuetudium lectorum. Mirum est notare quam littera gothica, quam nunc putamus parum claram, anteposuerit litterarum for nunc putamus parum claram, anteposuerit mas humanitatis per seacula quarta decima et quinta decima. Duis autem vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit in vulputate velit esse molestie consequat, vel illum dolore eu feugiat nulla facilisis at vero eros et accumsan et iusto odio dignissim qui blandit praesent luptatum zzril delenit augue duis dolore te feugait nulla facilisi. Nam liber tempor cum soluta nobis eleifend option congue nihil imperdiet doming id quod mazim placerat facer possim assum. Claritas est etiam processus dynamicus, qui sequitur mutationem consuetudium lectorum. Mirum est notare quam littera per seacula quarta decima et quinta decima gothica, quam nunc putamus parum claram, anteposuerit litterarum for nunc putamus parum claram, anteposuerit mas humanitatis per seacula quarta decima et quinta decima.

Nam liber tempor cum soluta nobis eleifend option congue nihil imp nunc putamus parum claram, anteposuerit erdiet doming id quod mazim placerat facer possim assum.

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Opinion

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Nam liber tempor cum soluta nobis eleifend option congue nihil imp nunc putamus parum claram, anteposuerit erdiet doming id quod mazim placerat facer possim assum.

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Opinion

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Nam liber tempor cum soluta nobis eleifend option congue nihil imp nunc putamus parum claram, anteposuerit erdiet doming id quod mazim placerat facer possim assum.

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Letters

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Inbox Letter headline here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nunc pulvinar condime placerat dolor. Sed aliquam nisl ntum enim, id eget nibh velit. Quisque cursus sed arcu viverra pretium. Nam ligula odio, tristique ut dictum a, ultrices nec erat. risus. Nam consequat placerat dolor. Sed aliquam placerat dolor. Sed aliquam nisl nisl odio blandit mi pharetra. Curabitur imperdiet sapien sed auctor egestas. Maecenas risus lectus, semper sit amet eros non, consectetur a dolor egestas, placerat dolor. Sed aliquam nisl et feugiat risus volutpat. Curabitur vitae nulla orci. Name Here Letter headline here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nunc pulvinar condimentum enim, id mattis sem lobortis sit amet. Sed eget nibh velit. Quisque cursus sed arcu viverra pretium. Nam ligula odio, tristique ut dictum a, ultrices nec erat. Suspendisse sagittis id nunc nec risus. Nam consequat odio blandit mi pharetra. Curabitur imperdiet sapien sed auctor egestas. Maecenas risus lectus, semper sit amet eros non, consectetur placerat dolor. Sed aliquam nisl a dolor egestas, et feugiat risus volutpat. Curabitur vitae nulla orci. Name Here

Letter headline here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nunc pulvinar condimentum enim, id mattis sem lobortis sit amet. Sed eget nibh velit. Quisque cursus sed arcu viverra pretium. Nam ligula odio, tristique ut dictum a, ultrices nec erat. Suspendisse sagittis id nunc nec risus. Nam consequat odio blandit mi pharetra. Curabitur imperdiet sapien sed auctor egestas. Maecenas risus lectus, semper sit amet eros non, consectetur placerat dolor. Sed aliquam nisl a dolor egestas, et feugiat risus volutpat. Curabitur vitae nulla orci. Name Here

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Britain enters space race Scotland and Wales ready to compete to win final decision to host world’s first spaceport outside the United States

ight potential locations for British space ports have been unveiled. Britain might be struggling to work out what to do with Boris Island, but the government is already looking ahead. And above.The list, published by Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander, places six of the eight potential sites in Scotland. Under the plan the first spaceport in the UK could be open by 2018. The main aim would be to enable satellite launches to take place in the UK, which would be a boost to the UK satellite-design industry but would also have military and defence implications. The Coalition government is also keen to make it possible for space tourism companies, including Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic, to one day launch paying customers to the edge of space from Britain. However that is currently still a dream for the future – Virgin Galactic is yet to launch a tourist to space from its current home in the New Mexico desert. The announcements came as Prime Minister David Cameron announced a new £1.1 billion package of investment in high-tech military equipment. Alexander said: “I am delighted that the government is pushing forward with its ambitious plans to open a spaceport in the UK by 2018. Spaceports will be key to us opening up the final frontier of commercial space travel.” The announcement was also widely seen to have a political element, with six of the locations being located within Scotland which is just weeks away from a critical vote on independence. The government stressed the role of UK “cooperation”

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in maintaining momentum within the home-grown space industry. Alexander said: “Scotland has a proud association with space exploration. We celebrated Neil Armstrong’s Scottish ancestry when he became the first man on the Moon and only last week an amazing Scottish company was responsible for building the UK Space Agency’s first satellite. The UK space industry is one of our great success stories and I am sure there will be a role for Scotland to play in the future.” Meanwhile the Scottish Nationalist Party said Scotland’s space industry would be better served by independence.As part of ambitious plans the government aims to capture 10 per cent of the world’s space market by 2030, citing figures that the UK sector has grown by just over 7 per cent in the past two years, making it worth £11 billion and employing 34,000 people. Leading scientists welcome space port initiative Top space scientists at Aberystwyth University have welcomed news that an airfield in north Wales could become the UK’s first launch pad for orbital leisure flights. The Department for Transport announced last week that

“

Space planes will be launched from this spaceport, and they will carry humans and equipment into space.”

Professor Dave Barnes, Aberystwyth University

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the Llanbedr Airfield near Harlech is one of eight sites being considered for the first civilian flights into space. Prof Dave Barnes, Head of Space Robotics at Aberystwyth University, said that if Llanbedr was picked it would offer “massive economic ben-efits” to Wales. Six locations in Scotland and one at Newquay, Cornwall, are the others on the shortlist and the government says it wants to have the UK spaceport operational by 2018. Prof Barnes said: “Space planes will be launched from this spaceport, and they will carry humans and equipment into space. It will be used for space tourism and for launching UK-built satellites. This opportunity would provide massive economic benefits to Wales, and being only 50 or so miles from Aberystwyth would offer many opportunities for the university.“ Aberystwyth University is a key member of the Welsh Government co-ordinated WASP - Wales Academic Space Partnership - that seeks to support the Welsh Government in winning the bid to locate the spaceport at Llanbedr. “The inaugural meeting of WASP was held at Aberystwyth University in May of this year, and a 10-year strategic plan for a pan-Wales, industry-facing, WASP Centre of Excellence is being generated. This seeks to strengthen the ‘space’ in ‘aerospace’ for Wales.” Scotland clearly favourite Government plans for the UK’s first dedicated base for spacecraft includes Scotland as its primary location. According to the plans, the commercial and industrial spaceport would be completed by 2018. The base would be the first of its kind outside of the US. Eight locations were shortlisted, with six of the potential locations being in Scotland. The base will be primarily used for launching satellites, with the potential for commercial specialist operators like Virgin Galactic and XCor. Scotland claims a connection to the 1969 moon landing. Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, has Scottish ancestry. Armstrong made one of the most iconic speeches from the furthest distance any human has been from planet Earth. On July 20, Armstrong, alongside co-astronaut Buzz Aldrin, gazed upon the surface of the Moon – signifying the greatest scientific achievement humankind can boast of. Broadcast live on international television, Armstrong said, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Launched by the Saturn V rocket, at the Kennedy Space Centre in Merritt Island, Florida, Apollo 11 was the fifth manned mission of NASA’s Apollo program. The spacecraft was made up of three compartments. A command module, with a cabin for the three astronauts, with pilot Michael Davis making up the third seat – this was the only piece that would make it back to Earth. The second piece was the service module, which supported the command module with propulsion, electrical power, oxygen and water. The final part was the lunar module, which would land on the moon. It took the astronauts three days to travel to the moon, where they entered lunar orbit. Armstrong and Aldrin then landed the lunar module on the Sea of Tranquillity, a lunar mare. The landing signified the end to the space race, the latest development in the arms fuelled Cold War, between the United States and Russia, formally recognised as the USSR. The late president John F Kennedy had previously announced a national goal to the US congress in 1961, which was finally completed eight years later, “before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth.” The proposed building of the UK’s first commercial

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Feature: Aircraft

Virgin Galactic takes crucial step to space

irgin Galactic has added a crucial step as it bids to launch tourists into space with the announcement of its hotel partner for prospective travellers. The company has selected Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces for its elite roster of passengers who will pay £120,000 per person to make the flights from Spaceport America. Virgin Galactic also announced a contract with World Class Gourmet of Las Cruces to provide catering for travelers during their training at Spaceport and said it is relocating more of its staff to New Mexico and will be hiring locally in the next few months. The company is the anchor tenant in the $209 million futuristic Spaceport America that the state built for Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson (pictured) to launch his flights from.

But the project and Virgin have been plagued by delays. Originally, Branson had said he hoped to launch the flights by the end of 2010. The company is now hoping to begin operations by the end of this year, although its public relations agency said in a statement that the schedule ‘will ultimately be dictated by safety and readiness — as has always been the case.’ In the southern part of New Mexico, the grand Spanish Colonial style of the full-service Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces, overlooking the beautiful historic Mesilla Valley, creates an ambiance reflective of the area’s rich Spanish and Mexican Colonial history and tradition. Vibrant colors, rich fabrics and textures, and oneof-a-kind pieces from old Mexico give this hotel a sense of grandeur not found in contemporary brand hotels.

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spaceport in Scotland is a significant moment in space development history. The idea of commercial space flight, headed by industry leaders Virgin Galactic and Xcor, signifies the drive commercialism has in humankind’s scientific development. However, Scotland’s government, in reply to the UK’s plans has said only independence will lead to a greater development of the country’s space industry, which has dominated the UK’s, as a whole.

Lockheed Martin to take key role in UK

ritain’s space industry is being targeted for development by US defence and aerospace giant Lockheed Martin, which is expected to set up a space office in the UK. The company hopes to be one of the “leading” space businesses in the UK within the decade, potentially employing hundreds of staff here. On a group level, Lockheed Martin currently has 3,300 direct employees in the UK and supports another 10,000 jobs in the supply chain. Richard Ambrose, executive vice-president of Lockheed Martin’s space systems unit, said the company was attracted by a combination of the work being carried out in the UK on small satellites and the Government’s moves to support the space industry. “Initially we just want to get our foot on the ground in the UK but ultimately we want to establish a British space company

here,” he said, adding that Lockheed Martin would use its typical model to expand of growth by acquisition. “We’re supportive of the UK government’s vision of cultivating an even stronger space industry to address pressing challenges and opportunities.” He added he hoped to use a British base to “springboard” off into other markets, such as Europe. Lockheed Martin will set up the office at the UK Space Gateway in Harwell Oxford, with the aim of working with British space companies and universities doing work in the sector. The US company has already met with more than 30 businesses, universities and government agencies about setting up partnership programmes. “Britain is a good pool of talent, especially with the concentration on small satellites and small satellite payloads,” said Mr Ambrose.

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“

Spaceports will be key to us opening up the final frontier of commercial space travel”

Danny Alexander, Treasury Minister

Wales ready to compete Llanbedr Airfield in Snowdonia National Park is thought to have been identified as one of eight possible UK locations for the first British spaceport. Representatives from the UK Space Agency will join Government ministers to reveal the potential sites at Farnborough air show this week. It is believed that the former RAF facility in Gwynedd will join six locations in Scotland and one in Cornwall as contenders to house a space travel base not unlike Nasa’s famous Cape Canaveral centre in Florida. As part of ambitious plans the Government aims to capture 10% of the world’s space market by 2030, citing figures that the UK sector has grown by just over 7% in the past two years, making it worth £11bn and employing 34,000 people. It is hoped the dedicated spaceport will be ready by 2018. Business Secretary Vince Cable, who will join representatives from the Department for Transport in making the announcement on Tuesday, said the UK space sector is booming. He said: “This week we will announce the next steps for this country’s space race and how we will take one giant leap towards creating the first British spaceport, making space travel one step closer for all,” he said. News that Wales was being considered as the home for Britain’s first space launch centre was first revealed in November by science minister David Willetts. Mr Willets said the project could provide a European hub for Sir Richard Branson to base his Virgin Galactic space tourism programme which intends to take passengers on suborbital joyrides for around £200,000 a time. He said: “The space portal is a very exciting ambition. It’s very important that Britain is a driving force for the growth area of low cost space travel.” Andy Green, chairman of the UK Space Leadership Council said if built the spaceport would need to be near a coastal area, making Llanbedr a perfect location. Mr Green said: “For a space portal you need to be beside a long body of open water where you can’t annoy anybody. You don’t want to be launching over land. What we are asking the government is not to fund the space portal but to set a regulatory regime that allows it to be delivered. “If you’ve got craft going up into space they need to be coordinated with the Civil Aviation Authority and everything else that’s going on in our already crowded airspace.” He added: “It’s important to understand that the space portal is not just for people going for jaunts into space. It would enable us to put up a range of satellites which would make it easier for us to expand broadband coverage, for example. These sort of things could be resolved by low cost access to space. There are groups of people debating the possible location. “The belief is there is a commercial opportunity. We believe 2018 is feasible.” Figures from the government show that the space sector is one of the fastest growing industries in the UK as a whole. Ministers hope to capitalise on that growth by capturing 10% of the global space market by 2030, which could mean the creation of 100,000 additional jobs.

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Feature: Building

Professional Engineer

Increasingly tall tales in t London is being taken over by ever taller and stranger buildings, with more than 200 skyscrapers currently in the planning stages

ondon is a long way down from the top of the Shard, 1,000ft above the city. But it does not feel quite so far down as it once did. Tall buildings are sprouting not just in the City and Canary Wharf, London’s two financial districts, but also in places that had never seen a skyscraper, such as around Battersea Power Station and Elephant and Castle. Of the 41 buildings in the city taller than 100m, 24 have been completed since 2000. Another seven are under construction, many more in the pipeline. In short order, the capital’s skyline is being transformed. London has long been a low-rise city. For most of the 20th century Britain’s tallest commercial building was in Liverpool. In the 1960s planners embraced Corbusian high-rise brutalism—including the tower that houses The Economist. But, partly due to mistakes made then, tall buildings fell from favour for two decades (see chart). Today’s boom is much bigger. It is stoked by soaring demand for office space from expanding businesses and even greater pressure for housing, driven by gentrification

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and population growth. A shortage of land in a city constrained by a tight green belt makes it profitable to build upwards. Foreign money—whether from Arab sovereign-wealth funds or wealthy Malaysian investors who buy flats before they are built—means there is plenty of finance for risky projects. And the authorities, for reasons both idealistic and pragmatic, are minded to allow construction. In theory, the London Plan, laid out by the mayor’s office, determines the city’s shape. Tall buildings are encouraged in a few “opportunity areas”, especially if they

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hanks to the panoply of different T authorities in London, getting planning permission is expensive and takes a long time” Ian Simpson, architect www.professionalengineer.co.uk

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Feature: Building

‘Cheesegrater’ building adds to London skyline

the capital city are architecturally striking, explains Sir Edward Lister, the capital’s head of planning. The plan also protects views of St Paul’s Cathedral and the Palace of Westminster, as seen from London’s larger parks. You must, for example, be able to see both buildings from a specific oak tree on Hampstead Heath. Erecting tall buildings behind them is discouraged, too. These protected views help to explain why tall buildings are rising in such a dispersed pattern. The Shard will not get neighbours anytime soon, as it is wedged between two viewing corridors. In the City, towers are scattered instead of crowding around transport hubs, as economic theory might predict. Their odd designs—described by nicknames such as the Gherkin, the Walkie Talkie and the Cheesegrater—are in some cases a means of avoiding imposing on St Paul’s. Only at Canary Wharf, which is too far east to spoil many views, do cuboid skyscrapers rub together in the way they do in other big cities. The other reason London’s tall buildings are so oddly

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aing O’Rourke has reached practical completion on the iconic Cheesegrater building. The contractor has handed over the Leadenhall Building, to the Leadenhall Development Company. The developer – a joint venture of British Land and Oxford Properties – will oversee fit out work with a plan to open the building next year. At 224m tall, the Cheesegrater consists of 18,000 tonnes of steel, 300 miles of cable and 75,000 sq m of cladding. Laing O’Rourke built 85% of the structure by value offsite in locations including Northern Ireland and the East and West Midlands. Steel columns of up to 28m in length were hauled using four cranes, two of which were custom built. More than 400 tonnes of mechanical and electrical services are housed in the attic of the

building. Laing O’Rourke chief executive Anna Stewart said: “We are hugely proud of our work on the Leadenhall Building. “To take on the construction of such a complex and unique building has been both challenging and rewarding, and the Laing O’Rourke team and our partners have worked tirelessly to ensure the project has been delivered on time and to the highest standard.” The Leadenhall Building’s unique architectural style and scale will make an elegant and striking addition to the London skyline. The development’s tapering shape, when viewed from the West, will appear to ‘lean away’ from St Paul’s Cathedral. The tapered form provides a variety of floor plate sizes. Available floor plates range from 16,000 sq ft on the lower floors to 6,000 sq ft at the top of the building. All have spectacular views over London.

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Feature: Building

Professional Engineer

spread is local democracy. In the conservative borough of Westminster, the council resists almost all new tall buildings; despite soaring rents, no new skyscrapers have been built there since the 1960s. In the corporatist City, expensive architecture is prized. Almost anything goes in poor Labour-run authorities such as Lambeth, Southwark and Tower Hamlets. In Elephant and Castle, part of Southwark, at least two towers are expected to join the Strata, an ugly 148m building that incorporates rarely-moving wind turbines. At Nine Elms, on the border between Lambeth and Wandsworth, another undistinguished tower will be joined by several more over the next few years. More still are going up at Stratford and Croydon. Councils—and the mayor’s office—smile on big development projects which spruce up neglected areas or raise money for infrastructure. The Nine Elms projects will help to pay for an Underground extension to Battersea. Towers in Elephant and Castle will provide new socially-rented housing.

Iconic building Gherkin goes into receivership

ondon’s Gherkin skyscraper is set to be auctioned off later this year after lenders appointed receivers to the iconic City building. The tower, formally known as 30 St Mary’s Axe, was at one time the UK’s most expensive office when German bank IVG and private equity firm Evans Randall bought it for £630 million from original owner Swiss Re at the top of the market in 2007. But the financial crisis sent its value plunging and the buyers defaulted on a £400 million loan from a five-bank consortium in 2009. Part of the loan was also made in Swiss francs, increasing the burden on the borrowers as the currency soared against the pound. But recovering property markets and huge demand for assets in the capital have boosted sale prospects for the

Gherkin, prompting lenders to bring in Deloitte as receivers. It is understood a sale is likely within months. One senior property source put the value of the Gherkin at close to £600 million and said it would attract interest from a host of international and domestic buyers. He said: “This is a trophy product. Values for prime assets are approaching the levels we saw at the peak of the market.” Potential buyers include Chinese insurer Ping An, which bought the Lloyd’s Building for £260 million last year. The Gherkin was commissioned by Swiss Re to replace the Baltic Exchange, damaged by an IRA bomb in 1992. Architects Foster and Partners designed the building, which would become one of the design companies most famous creations.

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Rising temperatures The rapid, chaotic rising of London upsets some. Sir Simon Jenkins, head of the National Trust (and formerly with this newspaper), says that all new tall buildings should be stopped. Both English Heritage, a public conservationist body, and Westminster Council object to Lambeth council’s plans to allow new office blocks on the South Bank near Waterloo station – where, it is said, they will spoil the view of Parliament. Last November Westminster won a judicial review of Lambeth’s decision: an unhappy escalation of decades of inter-borough warfare over planning. Oddly, businessmen are not much happier with the way things work. Thanks to the panoply of different authorities in London, getting planning permission is expensive and takes a long time, says Ian Simpson, an architect. A new tower he has designed near Blackfriars Bridge will have taken 14 years to plan and build when it is finished. Protected viewing corridors prevent many projects which would be useful. And the entire system adds enormously to the cost of construction. According to a study by Paul Cheshire and Gerard Dericks of the LSE, firms hire well-known architects as a way to ensure they win planning permission: a popular architect, on average, can get 19 storeys more. The buildings they design, while pretty, are often costly and impractical. London needs a better, stronger plan. The mayor should provide it. A single authority could reduce the cost and uncertainty of the current system for developers. It would allow planning to be more clearly linked up with transport— ideally, projects such as Crossrail would lead to more construction near stations such as Tottenham Court Road. It might even help conservationists: since the mayor would be directly accountable, he might pause before allowing an ugly building. London’s skyline is changing faster than ever. It is time the system that regulates it changed too.

London needs a better, stronger plan. The mayor, Boris Johnson, should provide it

More than 230 skyscrapers planned More than 230 new towers are being built or planned for London, making Renzo Piano’s Shard look like a modest proposal and St Paul’s almost quaint. The think tank New London Architecture researched planning permissions and applications for buildings over 20 stories and found that hundreds are in the process of obtaining permission, have been approved or are already under construction. Of these, 80 percent will be residential and most will be over 35 stories.

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Feature: Materials

Professional Engineer

event is an excellent opportunity for all areas of the bridge design process to come together, providing a unique combination of ideas and expertise. The comprehensive programme will touch on many important aspects of this material, both celebrating its successes and highlighting its challenges.” Registration for this event is still open, with an “earlybird” delegate rate available for all registrations received and paid in full by 1st August 2014. Full details are available at the NetComposites website.

FRP bridges event predicted to be busy Innovative fibre-reinforced polymer bridges could become the standard rather than the exception to the general rule as they are now

etComposites has published its programme for its upcoming FRP Bridges conference, the latest in its packed events schedule for 2014. Taking place on 11-12th September at The Building Centre, London, UK, the conference will showcase current innovations in FRP bridge design through speaker presentations and recent project talks. The final programme includes talks on topics such as bridge design, joining and materials development. Fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) materials offer distinct advantages over other materials and hold many long-term benefits such as superior durability and the ability to form prefabricated complex shapes. The excellent electrical and thermal properties of FRP’s can be utilised to meet the specific performance requirements of customers, whilst its reduced mass means faster, more economical installations. Despite these benefits, the material is often overlooked during the design process. FRP Bridges will bring together designers, architects and engineers in an exchange of ideas to consider this material during these early stages of design. Sue Keighley, Events and Communications Specialist at NetComposites commented “We’re thrilled to be presenting the FRP Bridges conference once again. The

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FPR bridges For designers and bridge owners, fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) materials offer distinct advantages over other material that can provide dynamic solutions as well as long term benefits including: l Reduced mass leading to easier, faster and more economic installations. l Superior durability in particular to atmospheric degradation, de-icing salts etc, leading to reduced maintenance requirements. l Ability to form prefabricated complex shapes. l Good electrical and thermal properties which can be utilized to meet specific performance requirements. This two day event will showcase the current and future innovations in FRP bridge design, challenging traditional bridge architects and engineers to consider the material in the early stages of the design process. The event will provide a forum for exchanging ideas, concepts and showcasing recent projects. Historic bridge to be replaced with FRP bridge Vermont’s historic floating bridge has been torn down, and state officials promise that a better structure that retains the aesthetic of the old span will be carrying vehicles and pedestrians over Sunset Lake in Brookfield by next summer. Construction crews dismantled the old wooden bridge this spring after the state closed it to traffic six years ago over safety concerns. The state is spending $2.4 million on the replacement, and officials hope to have it ready for use by Memorial Day. The old bridge was the town’s crown jewel. The bridge was 318 ft. long and 20 ft. wide, with a 12-ft.-wide travel lane and two elevated sidewalks. It was built to hover just above the water, supported by 400 50-gal. barrels. When a car or truck drove over, the bridge would dip, and water would swell up in the tracks, giving the wheels a bath. “I’d never seen anything like it,’’ said Sandra Schmitt, an engineer of the Vermont Agency of Transportation who is working on the replacement project. The Brookfield resident said she first saw the bridge in 1994. It may have been the only wooden floating bridge in the United States, said Jennifer Fitch, project manager at the Vermont Agency of Transportation. The new bridge will be supported by more durable fiber-reinforced polymer pontoons instead of barrels. The sidewalks will be about a foot wider with higher side rails and additional ramps. The bridge will maintain its historic style but will be easier to repair. It will have a 100-year lifespan.

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Feature: Automotive

Professional Engineer

Together in electric cars Electric cars have been gaining credibility with the launch of Tesla and the BMW i8

erman luxury automaker BMW will work with with rival Daimler to refine and develop wireless inductive charging technology — and has already proven the technology feasible by using it to charge a collection of plug-in cars, including BMW’s ActiveE prototype electric car, its i3 production electric car and i8 plug-in hybrid. That’s according to an official press release made yesterday in which BMW detailed the new technology cooperation between both companies and described some of its early tests into the technology. Unlike conductive or tethered charging where there’s a physical connection between a car and the charging station, inductive charging works by transferring power electromagnetically between a charging coil embedded in the ground and a specially-designed receiver plate fitted to the underside of the car. In operation, power flows from the charging station to the inductive primary coil fitted into the centre of a parking space or garage, inducing an electromagnetic field around the coil. The magnetic field from the first coil induces a

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MW is discussing with other auto B makers how to collaborate on expanding fast-charging networks”

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Cliff Fietzel, BMW

current flow in the secondary coil on the underside of the car, charging the car’s battery pack from this point on using the usual on-board power electronics. By carefully controlling the frequency of the alternating current to a very narrow band and matching the resonant frequency of the two coils, total system efficiency of the inductive charging system can peak at over 90 percent. This means less than ten percent of the energy which is enters the wireless charging system at the primary coil is lost due to inefficiencies, while 90 per cent of the energy put into the charging system makes its way to the car’s on-board power electronics. The biggest challenge to keeping that efficiency high however is the way in which the car is parked over the top of the primary coil. Park a few inches off-axis, and efficiency drops. In an attempt to combat that, both Toyota and Honda’s inductive charging prototypes have included semiautomated parking where the car positions itself over the inductive charging plate for maximum efficiency. BMW however, uses a different system. Instead of fullyautomated parking, BMW’s current system uses WiFi between the charging pad and the car to coach the driver into the perfect parking space. At the moment, BMW says the inductive charging system has been used to charge a selection of its cars at rates of 3.6 kilowatts, resulting in an empty-to-full charge of a BMW i8 in under three hours, and a BMW i3 recharge

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time of around eight hours. In the future however, BMW says it hopes to double the power transmitted wirelessly to 7 kilowatts, halving charging times. BMW says it wants to pursue wireless inductive charging for future models as it is first more convenient and more weather-resistant than conductive charging technologies. Its demonstration of wireless charging technology mirrors that of other automakers like Honda and Toyota who are also trying to develop and lead in the wireless charging sphere before any arbitrary standards have been set. As for BMW’s partnership with rival Daimler, whose Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive competes directly with the all-electric i3? We suspect both automakers are keen to avoid the problems both experienced by the Combined Charge Standard (CCS) and be among the first automakers to codify and design a comprehensive wireless charging solution. CCS, a quick charge standard jointly developed by and supported by all German automakers, has only recently entered the marketplace and has a far lower penetration rate than the Japanesedesigned CHAdeMO DC quick charge standard favoured by Asian automakers. Tackling the challenges of recharging Meanwhile, BMW is launching two attacks on one of the biggest obstacles to broader acceptance of electric cars such as its i3 model: the lack of fast recharging stations. The German company unveiled a deal with US-based NRG Energy on Monday to allow owners of BMW i3 electric cars to recharge their batteries free of charge through 2015 at NRG eVgo charging stations in California. The free fast-recharging offer responds to rival Tesla Motors’ offer of free recharging for owners of the company’s Model S at Tesla-owned charging stations. In yet another separate move, BMW is collaborating with German engineering and automotive-technology company Robert Bosch to offer a compact fast-charging station that will be sold to BMW dealers and other businesses for $6,548, or about one-fifth the price of other fast-charging systems on the market, BMW officials said. BMW plans to offer the charging stations, which weigh about 100 pounds and can be mounted on a wall, starting next month to BMW dealers and other businesses interested in offering electric-vehicle owners the ability to recharge batteries in 30 minutes, said Cliff Fietzek, manager of connected emobility for the auto maker’s North American operations. The BMW-Bosch recharging stations will use the SAE Combo plug system – which is being adopted by other global auto makers, including General Motors, Ford Motor, Daimler and Volkswagen – but isn’t used by Tesla. That means Tesla owners can’t recharge at BMW recharging stations, and BMW i3 owners can’t use Tesla’s “Supercharger” stations. BMW is discussing with other auto makers how to collaborate on expanding fast-charging networks, Mr Fietzek said. BMW cooperates with rivals Volkswagen and Nissan on recharging-network development in Europe, he said. BMW and other auto makers attempting to boost sales of electric cars continue to confront reluctance from would-be buyers worried that their batteries will run out of juice during a day’s drive, leaving them stranded for hours far from a recharging station. While marketers of electric cars say that most consumers wouldn’t drive far enough during a typical day to drain their batteries, this so-called range anxiety is a significant reason why all-electric vehicles now account for less than 1% of US vehicle sales.

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Feature: Automotive

Electric cars have their own ‘Formula 1’

lectric cars are the future – or so we’re told by the futurologists predicting how our planet will evolve and change in the next 30 years or so. Admittedly, there’s a lot of logic in owning a sustainable, non-polluting and relatively cheapto-run electric vehicle (EV), but consumers are so far unconvinced, with range anxiety fears and purchase prices the biggest barriers to take-up. More desirable models – such as the BMWs i3 and i8, and the Tesla S – will help create a bigger buzz around electric cars, but now there’s another propaganda tool to help persuade car buyers that EVs are indeed the future. Formula E is a new motorsport championship that will see 10 twocar teams racing all-electric singleseaters around 10 city-centre circuits across the world, starting in Beijing on

September 13 and ending in London on June 27 next year. For the first season, all teams will run the same car, the Spark- Renault SRT_01E, which features the latest technology developed by a host of major names from Formula 1. McLaren is responsible for the electric power train, Williams has designed the batteries and Renault is integrating all the car’s elements – including a carbon fibre and aluminium monocoque chassis, and carbon and Kevlar bodywork. The car is capable of 0-100kph in less than three seconds and has a (limited) top speed of 225kph. Obviously, an electric power plant means that the Formula E car won’t make the kind of noise we normally associate with racing cars. But the highpitched, jet-enginelike sound emanating from the Formula E car is intriguing, in a futuristic kind of way.

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Feature: Automotive

Professional Engineer

Elon Musk had originally wanted to call the new Tesla car the Model E, but Ford objected and he had to drop the idea

Tesla delivers more at supercharging points

n June, Tesla’s Supercharger network passed a charging milestone, delivering more than 1 GWh of energy to Model S vehicles in a single month. That energy accounts for a collective 3.7 million miles driven, 168,000 gallons of gas saved, and 4.2 million pounds of carbon dioxide offset. That’s like driving to the moon and back seven and a half times, and nixing a day’s worth of CO2 from 73,684 Americans. Tesla’s Supercharger network is now the largest fastcharging network on the planet. It’s also the world’s fastestgrowing charging network. At a Supercharger, Model S customers can get half a charge in as little as 20 minutes, and it’s totally free. Supercharger routes now span the entire width of

the United States, from Los Angeles to New York, as well as up and down the East Coast and the West Coast. By the end of next year, 98 percent of the U.S. population will be within 100 miles of a Supercharger. We are also aggressively expanding the network in Europe and Asia. Last week alone, we opened eight new Supercharging sites in Europe, bringing the total number of stations on the continent to 32. We unveiled China’s first Superchargers in June and more are coming soon. You can find a Model S charging at a Supercharger any given second of the day, and to date Superchargers have powered a total of 24.7 million miles of driving – which means the world has been spared the burning of 1.1 million gallons of gasoline.

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BMW’s goal is to “seed the market with SAE Combo stations,” said Robert Healey, electric-vehicle infrastructure manager for BMW’s North American arm. “We want people to see these charging stations.” BMW’s deal with NRG’s eVgo has a similar aim. NRG has projected that it will have 50 fast recharging stations in California by the end of this year, and 100 by the end of 2015, Mr Healey said. Tesla said it has 103 supercharger stations in operation throughout North America, allowing a Model S owner to drive across the US, albeit on a defined route. By 2015, Tesla said it aims to have supercharger stations available to 98% of the US population and parts of Canada. Tesla is the motor people want to be seen driving When it comes to all-electric vehicles that you’d actually want to be seen behind the wheel of, the only real name that comes to most people’s minds is Tesla Motors. After all, the flagship Model S sedan is one of the best vehicles you can buy, and that’s not just among electric cars. Recall that in 2013, the Tesla Model S electric car was crowned Motor Trend Car of the Year, an honor that’s the envy of every auto maker. Indeed, the success of the Tesla Model S electric car, and the incredible success of TSLA stock (up more than 1000% since it began trading four years ago), has caught the interest of Tesla’s much-bigger rivals. The thinking here is that if Tesla, a small-fry compared to major automakers, can develop an electric car of such quality, and with such a cool factor, then why can’t the bigger guys duplicate that success? Moreover, at a base sticker price of $69,000, the Model S is the most expensive electric car for sale. So, could the bigger automakers come in with an electric car that goes as far as a Tesla on a single charge, but that costs half as much? Could other luxury automakers such as BMW come up with a luxury, high-performance electric car to rival Tesla? And what about newer technologies? Could other automakers come up with an even more fuel-efficient way, for example hydrogen, to power their vehicles? All three of these factors — competition from other luxury brands, bargain electrics and newer technologies — represent potential threats to Tesla and the electric car throne, currently held by CEO Elon Musk. But potential threats to a juggernaut need to be really strong if you want to dethrone a king like Elon Musk. With their Model S Tesla conquered the high-end electric car market; with the Model X in 2015 they plan to revolutionise electric SUVs; and now with their Model III Tesla Motors plan to make electric cars mainstream. It’s long been known that Tesla were planning on a more affordable version of their revolutionary electric cars, and now details have been revealed of what to expect. The Model III will go on sale for around £30,000 in the UK and about $35,000 in the US from 2017 according to reports, while it’ll have a range of 200 miles (320 kilometres). These details on the Model III were revealed by Tesla CEO Elon Musk in an interview with Auto Express. Currently, Tesla has about 100 ‘Supercharger’ stations scattered across North America and Europe that give Model S drivers a free power source when traveling long distances. The technology is designed to replenish about half of the battery power within 20 minutes. Tesla recently opened three Supercharger stations in China and plans to set up about 200 more around the world, including Japan, by the end of the year. The all-electric vehicle will be a compact vehicle, about 20 per cent smaller than the Model S. Its pricing will also

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Feature: Automotive

Professional Engineer

“

BMW’s goal is to seed the market with SAE Combo stations. We want people to see these charging stations.”

Robert Healey, BMW

Cost of replacing Leaf battery revealed

ast month, electric-car owners finally learned the price of a replacement battery pack for the Nissan Leaf: a surprisingly low $5,500 after the old pack is traded in. Many advocates and Leaf owners promptly seized on the price to “prove” that Nissan could now build batteries for less than $250 per kilowatt-hour. But Nissan has confirmed to Green Car Reports that it subsidizes that price. In light of the Leaf battery replacement price of $5,500, we asked the company to comment on its costs for producing electric-car batteries--which, predictably, it wouldn’t do. “As you can imagine,” wrote Jeff Kuhlman, Nissan’s vice president of global communications, “we don’t share those figures for competitive reasons.” But regarding the replacement price,

Kuhlman was quite clear: “Nissan makes zero margin on the replacement program,” he wrote. “In fact, we subvent every exchange.” To “subvent” means to subsidize. In other words, selling a replacement Leaf battery for $5,500 requires Nissan to subsidize that price-the actual cost to the company is higher. That may not always be the case, of course. Nissan is clearly expecting its production cost for battery packs to fall over time, with higher sales of electric cars, improvements in lithium-ion cell fabrication processes, and general economies of sale. But it underscores the principle, sometimes overlooked by advocates, that the price at which a given part is sold may or may not equal its actual cost to the maker.

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make it more affordable to the general public. Musk had originally wanted to call the vehicle the Model E but, following action from Ford who wanted that name for themselves, the alternative name was decided upon. That was much to the chagrin of Musk, who had wanted the three Tesla cars to spell out the word ‘sex’ (Model S, Model E and Model X). ‘We were going to call it model E for a while and then Ford sued us saying it wanted to use the Model E,’ Musk told Auto Express. ‘I thought this is crazy, Ford’s trying to kill sex! So we’ll have to think of another name.’ Instead the ‘3’ of the new car will be denoted by three vertical lines. China moves to boost electric car sales China will exempt electric cars and other types of “new energy” vehicles from purchase tax, the government said, as it seeks to reduce pollution and conserve resources. The State Council, or cabinet, said that buyers of new energy vehicles – fully electric, hybrid and fuel cell cars – would not have to pay the levy from September to the end of 2017, according to a statement. The tax is 10% of the net value of the vehicle, according to state media. “For achieving industrial development and environmental protection, this is a win-win,” the state council said in a statement on Wednesday. The exemption applies to imported vehicles as well as domestically produced ones, the statement said, adding the government would compile a catalogue of eligible models. China has sought to increase ownership of electric and hybrid vehicles to ease chronic pollution and reduce reliance on oil imports, but high prices, lack of infrastructure and consumer reluctance have been obstacles. The government has set a target of having five million new energy vehicles on the streets by 2020. But China has only 70,000 currently in use, the China Daily newspaper reported on Thursday. The central government also offers outright subsidies for electric passenger car buyers, which were set at $5,700 to $9,800 last year, while local incentives can bring the price down further. Lack of charging stations and the desires of Chinese consumers - many first time owners for big, flashy vehicles have hurt electric car sales. Policymakers are seeking to move away from state spending to domestic consumption as a key driver of the economy, which has been slowing. Several foreign auto makers have announced plans to develop environmentally-friendly vehicles in China, despite the currently small market. US electric car maker Tesla Motors has also caused a stir with aggressive marketing and by pitching its imported vehicles to luxury buyers in China, although analysts say they might only find a niche market. Will GM have the last word? A few days ago, the Internet was again abuzz with rumors about a future electric car from General Motors. The claim was that it would have 200 miles of range, be available by the end of 2016 and be part of the Chevrolet Sonic nameplate. In essence, this is only a variant of rumors based around seemingly inconsistent statements from then-outgoing GM CEO Dan Akerson last December. This time, it’s really not a lot better, except for one thing: LG has recently said that it will have a battery capable of providing 200 miles of range by 2016. LG is GM’s current battery supplier, but LG also supplies a long list of other automakers.

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Feature: Electronics

Professional Engineer

Lasers set to displace quartz Researchers at Caltech, in the US, have shown a way that lasers could supersede quartz in electronics

early all electronics require devices called oscillators that create precise frequencies—frequencies used to keep time in wristwatches or to transmit reliable signals to radios. For nearly 100 years, these oscillators have relied upon quartz crystals to provide a frequency reference, much like a tuning fork is used as a reference to tune a piano. However, future high-end navigation systems, radar systems, and even possibly tomorrow’s consumer electronics will require references beyond the performance of quartz. Now, researchers in the laboratory of Kerry Vahala, the Ted and Ginger Jenkins Professor of Information Science and Technology and Applied Physics at Caltech, have developed a method to stabilize microwave signals in the range of gigahertz, or billions of cycles per second—using a pair of laser beams as the reference, in lieu of a crystal. Quartz crystals “tune” oscillators by vibrating at relatively low frequencies—those that fall at or below the range of megahertz, or millions of cycles per second, like radio waves. However, quartz crystals are so good at tuning these low frequencies that years ago, researchers were able to apply a technique called electrical frequency division that could convert higher-frequency microwave signals into lowerfrequency signals, and then stabilize these with quartz. The new technique, which Vahala and his colleagues have dubbed electro-optical frequency division, builds off of the method of optical frequency division, developed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology more than a decade ago. “Our new method reverses the architecture used in standard crystal-stabilized microwave oscillators—the ‘quartz’ reference is replaced by optical signals much higher in frequency than the microwave signal to be stabilized,” Vahala says.

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Jiang Li—a Kavli Nanoscience Institute postdoctoral scholar at Caltech and one of two lead authors on the paper, along with graduate student Xu Yi—likens the method to a gear chain on a bicycle that translates pedaling motion from a small, fast-moving gear into the motion of a much larger wheel. “Electrical frequency dividers used widely in electronics can work at frequencies no higher than 50 to 100 GHz. Our new architecture is a hybrid electro-optical ‘gear chain’ that stabilizes a common microwave electrical oscillator with optical references at much higher frequencies in the range of terahertz or trillions of cycles per second,” Li says. The optical reference used by the researchers is a laser that, to the naked eye, looks like a tiny disk. At only 6 mm in diameter, the device is very small, making it particularly useful in compact photonics devices—electronic-like devices powered by photons instead of electrons, says Scott Diddams, physicist and project leader at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and a coauthor on the study. “There are always tradeoffs between the highest performance, the smallest size, and the best ease of integration. But even in this first demonstration, these optical oscillators have many advantages; they are on par with, and in some cases even better than, what is available with widespread electronic technology,” Vahala says. The new technique is described in a paper that will be published in the journal Science on July 18. Other authors on this paper include Hansuek Lee, who is a visiting associate at Caltech. The work was sponsored by the DARPA’s ORCHID and PULSE programs; the Caltech Institute for Quantum Information and Matter (IQIM), an NSF Physics Frontiers Center with support of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation; and the Caltech Kavli NanoScience Institute.

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Feature: Oil & Gas

UK shale boom is ‘good news’ Fracking will benefit both the economy, through the creation of jobs, and the environment, says Corin Taylor of City AM

hale gas production would be good news for meeting Britain’s energy needs, for jobs and for the environment, and yesterday’s launch of the 14th licensing round for onshore oil and gas was good news for shale development. First, gas supplies. The British Geological Survey has estimated that the North of England and Southern Scotland have a combined 1,400 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of natural gas from shale. Britain uses less than 3 tcf of gas each year, so if only 10 per cent of this resource could be produced, it would be enough to meet the country’s needs for nearly 50 years. With more than four in five of us heating our homes with natural gas, shale could help to keep us warm for many decades. At the moment, only certain parts of northern England’s Bowland Basin and Scotland’s Midland Valley are licensed for exploration and development, so the 14th round presents a major opportunity for companies to carry out exploration drilling in new areas. This will allow the industry to gain a better understanding of the geology, and if gas can be made to flow at economic rates, produce more gas from more sites. But slackers will not get far. Bidders for the 14th round will need to put together a work programme detailing the number

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of wells they plan to drill, with more application points for each well, and demonstrate that they have the financial capability to carry out the work programme. This means that the licensing round will provide a major impetus to activity, and we can expect to see many more planning applications being made around the country in the months after the licenses are awarded. Second, jobs. A recent report from EY found that a shale industry could spend more than £30bn over the next two decades, including on rigs, steel, hydraulic fracturing pumps and skilled labour, creating over 60,000 jobs across the UK at peak production. Much of the equipment could be made in the UK, boosting the manufacturing sector and creating the potential for exports as other countries start to develop their shale resources. Before the 14th round was launched, the government commissioned engineering consultants AMEC to carry out a strategic assessment of the impacts of production. It found that development in the 14th round areas alone could lead to up to 32,000 new jobs. Third, the environment. Natural gas produces around half the carbon emissions of coal, and almost none of the air pollutants of coal and diesel. Replacing coal-fired power stations with gas-fired equivalents in the 1990s is the main reason why Britain met its Kyoto emissions targets. But coal still generates around 40 per cent of our electricity, so there is some way to go. At the same time, using natural gas in trucks and buses would help to clean up the air Londoners breathe – Reading already has a fleet of compressed natural gas buses, and there is no reason why other cities can’t follow suit. Ensuring that drilling and hydraulic fracturing operations are carried out carefully and sensitively is key to realising the overall environmental benefits of shale gas. And that’s why it’s right that the industry is so tightly regulated. Securing a license in the 14th round is just the start. Operators will have to obtain environmental permits, planning permission, and approval from the Health and Safety Executive and the Department of Energy and Climate Change before they can actually start drilling. And given that you can only manage what you measure, monitoring of local air and water will take place before, during and after operations so that any impacts can be identified and mitigated. Despite the headlines, the measures announced yesterday to protect National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and World Heritage Sites reiterate existing planning guidance – which already states that major developments in those areas should be refused unless there are exceptional circumstances. When considering where to locate new drilling pads, it is of course right to look after special areas. But largescale oil production has taken place safely for decades in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and among Sites of Special Scientific Interest. At peak, Wytch Farm in Dorset was producing more than 100,000 barrels of oil a day, cheek by jowl with a RSPB nature reserve, beauty spots and some of the most expensive homes in Britain. So applications in sensitive locations should not be carelessly dismissed. There is still a lot of exploratory work to do before largescale shale gas production can begin in the UK. But by bringing in new companies and new investment, the 14th round will give the sector a major boost.

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Feature: Marine

Seawork exhibitor numbers increase S The 17th annual marine engineering event profits from higher numbers of interested companies

eawork, the commercial marine exhibition and conference, concluded its 17th annual three-day run at the ABP Port of Southampton, UK, last month. This year over 7,350 visitors from 53 countries attended the exhibition to do business in this important driver of economic progress. Seawork has again shown around 12% growth in exhibitor numbers. This is due to the fact that the commercial marine and workboat sector has maintained steady progress though the economic downturn. Much of the business of building and maintaining our coastal and marine infrastructure must be kept up and is often the subject of increased government spending to stimulate growth. Marine renewables is undergoing a period of change, with the offshore wind industry once again generating a great deal of business at Seawork. Some of the highlights of the exhibition included the signing of an agreement between Burgess Marine and Mainprize Offshore initially to build two 25m wind farm support vessels. Brightlingsea-based CTruk held a naming ceremony of its 20T Multi-Purpose Catamaran Ocean Warrior, the second CTruk 20T MPC for owner Scott Wharton of Ocean Transit Services, and Cowesbased South Boats IOW handed over its 24m wind farm service vessel, Seacat Ranger, to Seacat Services. In addition,

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Alicat Workboats delivered a 23m crew transfer vessel to Dalby Offshore and Tidal Transit took ownership of its fourth Personnel Transport Vessel, Kitty Petra, from the Spanish Mercurio Shipyard. Red7 Marine of Essex chose Seawork for the official christening of its new 250 tonne, 250m Euro jack-up barge from Dutch exhibitor Ravestein, and Fender Innovations, also from the Netherlands, confirmed its selection as official fender supplier to the RNLI for its new Shannon Class lifeboats. Erith-based Kort Propulsion signed an order for 28 tug boats for the Egyptian Army and UK Dredging took over its new, bespoke-built 19C aluminium survey craft, which it had specified at Seawork 2013, from Wales-based Robust Boats. Devon and Cornwall Police took delivery of its 8m Ribcraft, which will be used for a variety of police activities, including diver rescue, missing persons search and intelligence-led crime detection. Seawork once again delivered the goods for companies in the southern region. Portsmouth-based Meercat Workboats confirmed an order for an 18m multi-purpose vessel from Saudi Arabia. The vessel, which retains its road-transportable capability, is the first to be class approved with Bureau Veritas and it is anticipated that it will be at Seawork 2015. Dorset-based Dometic UK was selected by fellow exhibitor Safehaven Marine to provide air conditioning systems for several notable new builds, including a unit for the first catamaran in Safehaven’s four-boat contract with the Polish navy. Fareham-based PSP Worldwide Logistics confirmed that it had already doubled the number of wind farm boats it transports with more on the way, Seawork 2014 was the first year of exhibiting for Hayling Island-based Marathon Leisure, one of the UK and Ireland’s largest Marine Equipment Distributors. Over three days of Seawork, the Marathon Leisure stand saw great interest from potential clients, showing enthusiasm for the various ranges of professional specialist product on display. Company Director Tim Millinder said: “We have seen great success at our first year exhibiting at Seawork and are delighted with the potential client relationships that have been established. It has been very beneficial for us to both exhibit and attend Seawork 2014, it’s been a fantastic exhibition.” A delegation of four admirals from the Italian Navy, led by Vice Admiral Steffano Tortora, attended Seawork on opening day. Asked for his impressions of the exhibition, he commented: “It’s a very interesting and stimulating exhibition and we’re very grateful to have been invited by the Ministry of Defence. “What we have seen here is that there are solutions already available for existing problems and it has confirmed that there is no longer a line between naval and other marine operations and there is no need for us to re-invent the wheel.” As a result of meetings held at Seawork, four exhibitors have been invited to Rome for follow-up meetings. Alex Roberts of Nauti-Craft PTY, who had travelled from Australia to exhibit at Seawork, was surprised and delighted when the delegation paused to see video footage of the 8m, 1/3 scale, prototype vessel featuring a breakthrough in marine suspension technology, showing its paces: “It is the forerunner to our full 24m WFSV. We are at Seawork to talk to – and team up with - European boatbuilders and suppliers to put the programme into action.”

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Feature: Infrastructure

National parks to allow fracking UK Government decides to go ‘all out for shale’ in latest move to open up half the country to fracking

racking will be allowed in national parks across the UK under “exceptional circumstances”. The go-ahead for the expansion of fracking in the UK comes now the bidding process for shale companies seeking licences to explore for oil and gas has opened. The Government has committed to going “all out for shale”, claiming development of the gas and oil resource is needed to improve energy security, boost jobs and the economy and bring down energy prices. But opponents say it causes disruption and damaging development in the countryside, can cause minor earthquakes and the risk of water pollution, and that exploiting new oil and gas resources is not compatible with tackling climate change. In Wales, energy firms have expressed an interest in exploration in the Vale of Glamorgan and Swansea, among others and The National Trust has called for shale gas extraction to be banned from vast swathes of the country including in Snowdonia, Brecon Beacons and Pembrokeshire national parks. Ministers are expected to unveil new guidance which means applications for developments in National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, World Heritage

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Sites and the Broads should be refused other than in “exceptional circumstances and in the public interest”. The Department of Energy and Climate Change said where an application in these areas is refused and the developer launches an appeal, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles will consider whether to make the final decision himself to ensure the policy is being properly applied. Business and energy minister Matthew Hancock said: “Unlocking shale gas in Britain has the potential to provide us with greater energy security, jobs and growth. “We must act carefully, minimising risks, to explore how much of our large resource can be recovered to give the UK a new home-grown source of energy. “As one of the cleanest fossil fuels, shale gas can be a key part of the UK’s answer to climate change and a bridge to a much greener future. “The new guidance published today will protect Britain’s great National Parks and outstanding landscapes, building on the existing rules that ensure operational best practices are implemented and robustly enforced. “Ultimately, done right, speeding up shale will mean more jobs and opportunities for people and help ensure long-term economic and energy security for our country.” But Greenpeace warned that the National Parks policy would not appease campaigners against fracking. Louise Hutchins, Greenpeace UK energy campaigner, said: “The Government has fired the starting gun on a reckless race for shale that could see fracking rigs go up across the British countryside, including in sensitive areas such as those covering major aquifers. “Eric Pickles’ supposed veto power over drilling in National Parks will do nothing to quell the disquiet of fracking opponents across Britain. “Ministers waited until the parliamentary recess to make their move, no doubt aware of the political headache this will cause to MPs whose constituencies will be affected.” Friends of the Earth’s energy campaigner, Tony Bosworth, said: “Today the risk of fracking has spread. This threat to the environment and public health could now affect millions more people. “Those who thought that fracking would only happen in other places will now worry about it happening on their doorstep. “Fracking is increasingly politically toxic and is far from being seen as the holy grail of energy policy by those local to proposed drilling sites.” However, The National Trust, which has previously campaigned for an outright ban, also had a positive reaction, saying it was “right that the government have recognised the concerns about fracking in special places like national parks and AONBs”. However, it called for the new rules to be extended to other special places such as nature reserves and sites of special scientific interest. The licences which can be applied for from today provide the first step to start drilling but do not give an absolute agreement to drill. Planning permission, permits from the Environment Agency and agreement from the Health and Safety Executive will be required for further drilling.

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Feature: Medical

‘Urgent need’ for engineers in NHS W Low priority given to engineers in the NHS is leading serious injuries and deaths, says IMechE

ith the increasing importance and complexity of technology used in hospitals, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ new report Biomedical engineering: advancing UK healthcare is calling for urgent action to prioritise the role of engineers, and introduce a Chief Biomedical Engineer in every NHS acute trust. Boosting the number, as well as the influence, of engineers in the NHS would help cut the number of incidents caused by faulty medical equipment. In 2013 13,642 incidents related to faulty medical equipment were reported to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA); leading to 309 deaths and 4,955 people sustaining serious injury. These incidents can vary from faulty pacemakers to faulty equipment like CT or MRI scanners used to diagnose patients. This faulty equipment, or the unavailability of it, is also one of the major causes of cancelled operations. As the technology used in hospitals becomes increasingly complex, the danger of improperly calibrated and validated equipment is also increasing. Indeed, there are huge implications to the mis-calibration of even basic equipment such as weighing scales - in 2008 a medical devices alert was issued warning of incorrectly calibrated weighing scales which led to a number of patients being given the incorrect

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dosage of medication. Furthermore ‘equipment failure/ unavailability’ is cited as a major reason for cancellation of operations in NHS hospitals. Dr Patrick Finlay, lead author of the report and Chairman of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ Biomedical Engineering Association said: “Government and the NHS need to take urgent action to prioritise the role engineers play in hospitals and trusts. “Technology is leading to huge advances in healthcare, but this technology is dependent on the work of biomedical engineers who are inadequately recognised and in short supply in most hospitals. “Clinicians and engineers need to work in partnership to ensure that advances in medical technology are applied in the best interest of patients. The benefits of hospitals having a designated Chief Biomedical Engineer responsible for healthcare technology are clear. “It is vital that engineers are at the heart of the planning, procurement, use and maintenance of high value equipment, as well as its calibration. It is only with engineers that properly informed choices on these issues can be made in the best interests of patients and taxpayers. “This report demonstrates some of the exciting ways engineers can revolutionise healthcare through, for example, new, low invasive treatments to sense, measure and manipulate the human body; or by developing novel ways of tracking and monitoring personal health through mobile phone apps. But in order to reap the full benefits that technological advances can offer UK healthcare and the NHS specifically, the people who design, make, maintain and use these pieces of equipment need to be heard.” Biomedical engineering: advancing UK healthcare features key case studies from UK academia and industry in the areas of: regenerative medicine, medical imaging and robotics, cardiopulmonary engineering, orthopaedic implants, physiological monitoring, m-health and e-health, assistive technology, rehabilitation and independent living. According to the report, the UK is one of the leading countries in academic research in the area of biomedical engineering and has an excellent record in inventing and researching new medical devices. But often the results of this excellent research are then sold to international corporations for development and marketing because of the lack of long-term domestic venture capital. The development of many technologies, and in particular m-health and e-health, are also being hampered by a lack of international consensus on standards, practices and patents. The Institution of Mechanical Engineers therefore makes four key recommendations: l Every NHS acute trust should have a designated Chief Biomedical Engineer. l A single, dedicated funding programme for biomedical engineering research should be established in UK Research Councils. l Industrial and taxation policy should promote longterm investment in biomedical engineering to encourage domestic development and manufacturing. l International consensus should be pursued for global standards, a common device regulatory and approvals regime, and harmonisation of patent legislation in medical devices. Named UK leads should be agreed for these policy roles. It also made the following observations: l The low priority given to NHS engineers is leading to problems caused by faulty medical equipment, cancelled operations and poor value for money for taxpayers l In 2013 over 13,000 incidents were reported to the UK regulator relating to faulty medical equipment, which led to over 300 deaths and almost 5,000 serious injuries.

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Feature: Minerals

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risks. In May, the EU increased the list of critical materials with supply risks from 14 to 20. These materials have various end-usages in Europe including: consumer electronics and telecoms products, engineering and construction, agriculture, aerospace and steel, and aluminium production. The EEF report states the UK is ‘lagging behind’ competitor manufacturing nations, such as Germany and the USA, that ‘have already implemented sophisticated resource strategies seeking to minimise supply risks, enhance resource productivity and regulate waste for economic value’. Office for Resource Management EEF’s recommendation to create an Office for Resource Management located in BIS aimed to ‘drive a coherent vision and policy response to resource security’, with the intention for the ORM to act as ‘a central point of expertise and “resource-proof ” policy across Whitehall’. In addition, the report specifies that the office would ‘lead on an update of the Resource Security Action Plan (RSAP)’ in order to inform policymaking and direction across government. This may take the route of long-term planning and scenario exercises, economic forecasts, innovation and infrastructure needs assessments.

Report warns of resource risks Rare earth elements are among the materials considered to have supply chain risks

new report, ‘Materials for Manufacturing: Safeguarding Supply’, by EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, is urging the government to act upon the increasing risks to the UK’s supply of raw materials. Echoing earlier calls from the Institute of Civil Engineers and others, the report calls for the establishment of an Office of Resource Management located in the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to strategically co-ordinate action across Whitehall, and for improved regulation of waste to extract the full value of materials. The ‘end of an era’ The report highlights that the UK is approaching the ‘end of an era’ as its resource supply is put under strain by the global growth in middle-class consumers, increased demand for all commodities and ‘an over-reliance on China for strategic supplies’. The report also raises concerns voiced by UK manufacturers that volatile material prices and security of supply pose a threat to economic growth, confirming that the UK faces ‘escalating risks.’ Susanne Baker, Senior Policy Advisor at EEF, said: “As we approach the end of an economic era we cannot afford to be left underprepared and overexposed. Manufacturers have sounded the alarm over the growing risks to material supply and others are now picking up the clarion call. But while competitor nations are already taking evasive action, our government is in danger of burying its head in the sand.” UK government ‘lagging behind’ EEF’s report claims that the government ‘responded weakly’ to the increasing awareness of resource supply

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Further recommendations Alongside the establishment of the ORM, the EEF is urging the government to act to mitigate material supply risks by: thoroughly and regularly assessing material supply risks and vulnerabilities; and providing stronger incentives for resource efficiency to help overcome market failure. Baker added: “Resource security is dynamic and complex. It requires a flexible response working in close cooperation with industry and other stakeholders. But key to this must be a joined-up, thought-through approach across relevant policy areas. Given how crucial material supplies are to the UK’s wealth and economic stability, there is clear case for a new Office of Resource Management to act as a central hub of expertise, data and stakeholder liaison and to co-ordinate the UK’s response to these risks.” Although the government launched the Circular Economy Task Force as part of the strategy to deliver the Resource Security Action Plan, published in 2012, the report contributes to increasing demand upon the government to take further action to improve resource security. The Material Security Working Group, including British Glass, EEF, UK Steel, the Resource Association and Friends of the Earth, sent a joint letter to Whitehall in August 2012 calling for ‘urgent action’ to avoid raw material shortages, while more recently shadow Minister for the Natural Environment, Barry Gardiner MP, also called for improved resource security. The global resource crisis ‘Materials for Manufacturing’ highlights that globally, the consuming middle classes are expected to swell from 1.8 billion people to 4.9 billion by 2030 with a demand for all commodities expected to rise from 30 to 80 per cent in the same time. However, the UK’s supply of essential materials – ranging from silicon metal and rare earth elements through to coking coal – is concentrated. The report continues to state that the 100-year decline in resource prices has reversed over the last decade as demand for commodities has surged, while the minerals and metals vital to British manufacturing are increasingly supplied by China, which produces 22 of 38 elements of strategic economic value to the UK.

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Careers

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l r esearching ways to make fuel-efficient parts, such as wings, fuselage and engines lu sing computer-aided design (CAD) software to draw up project designs l c arrying out ground- and flight-testing programmes on prototypes l collecting and analysing test data l planning and supervising the assembly and fitting of aircraft and components l signing off projects under strict licensing regulations l scheduling and supervising line (airport) and base (hangar) maintenance of aircraft. You would also be involved with estimating project costs and timescales, attending meetings, writing technical reports and manuals, and giving presentations to managers and clients. With several years’ experience as an engineer, you could work on the investigation of air accidents. Income Starting salaries can be between £20,000 and £26,000 a year. Experienced aerospace engineers can earn between £28,000 and £40,000. Salaries for senior staff, such as project leaders can range from £45,000 to £65,000. Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Flying higher than the rest Britain has one of the busiest airports in the world and is about to build a spaceport, so it’s a good time to get into aerospace engineering

erospace engineers design, build and maintain aircraft and the parts and instruments that go into them. They also work at the forefront of technology on space vehicles and satellites. If you are passionate about aircraft and spacecraft, and want to be involved in their development, this job could be perfect for you. To become an engineer you will need excellent maths skills, the ability to solve problems and a methodical approach to work. To do this job you will normally need a HND, degree or postgraduate award in a relevant engineering subject.

Work activities Aerospace engineers work on the development of aircraft and related technology. Their work covers: l fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters l space vehicles l missiles and weapons l flight simulators l flight components and instruments. As an aerospace engineer, you could work in research and development, testing or production and maintenance. Your duties would vary depending on which area you worked in, but may include: ld eveloping avionic systems like navigation instruments and communications

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Entry requirements You will normally need a foundation degree, HNC/HND or degree in aerospace engineering or avionics to get into this job. Employers also accept other related subjects such as: l electrical or electronic engineering l mechanical engineering l manufacturing or product engineering l physics and applied physics l software engineering l mathematics. Course entry requirements vary depending on the level of study you do but training providers are likely to ask for qualifications in maths and/or physics at A level standard. Check with individual providers for exact details. Training and development You would normally start out on a company’s training scheme, working towards the Part-66 engineering licence. The licence is issued by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on behalf of the European Aviation Safety Agency. It certifies your skills and experience and allows you to work as a qualified engineer. It has three categories, A, B and C, with Category B the standard licence for many engineers. If you hold a Category B licence you can specialise in mechanics, for example engines and fuselage, or work in avionics, like flight instruments and communications. Skills, interests and qualities To become an aerospace engineer, you will need to have: l strong problem-solving skills l excellent maths and IT skills lk nowledge of computer aided design (CAD) or manufacturing (CAM) software l good communication skills l excellent technical knowledge l t he ability to plan, prioritise and manage projects effectively l the ability to work within budgets la commitment to keeping up to date with new developments la comprehensive understanding of engineering licence regulations. Having European language skills may be helpful to you, particularly if you are working on a joint international project.

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Events

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Events International Model Boat Show 2014 » When 7th - 9th November 2014 Address Warwickshire Exhibition Centre, Leamington Spa Website modelboatshow.co.uk More information Marine Modelling Exhibition returns to the Warwickshire Exhibition Centre this November. As the only 3 day marine modelling exhibition dedicated to all aspects of marine modelling, visitors are guaranteed a packed hall with club displays, demonstrations and specialist suppliers. Over 30 clubs and societies with over 600 of the finest marine models on show. it I eco l fm SHOWCASE When 23rd September 2014 Address New Bingley Hall Birmingham, UK Website www.compago.co.uk More information Our showcase events are a business roadshow like no other, with three complementary themes : itSHOWCASE, the business software roadshow; ecoSHOWCASE, the green building roadshow; fmSHOWCASE, our new event for facilities and estates management. Each SHOWCASE is designed to bring you expert suppliers and authoritative presentations, focusing on key business issues, government directives and current legislation.

Interplas 2014 When 30th September - 2nd October 2014 Address The NEC, Birmingham, UK Website www.interplasuk.com More information Interplas is the UK’s largest plastics exhibition and the only UK event to cover all of the manufacturing processes, technologies and services within the plastics industry. For over sixty years Interplas has served as the showcase for plastics technology innovation and is known as the place for the plastics sector to do business in the UK. Held triennially Interplas showcases hundreds of exhibitors.

TCT Show + Personalize 2014 When 30th September - 2nd October 2014 Address NEC, Birmingham Website www.tctshow.com More information TCT Show + Personalize is the leading event dedicated to 3D printing, additive manufacturing and product development for every level of interest from hackerspace to aerospace. For 20 years TCT has served as a launch pad for innovation and is a business forum for the latest in 3D design and manufacturing technology. The media explosion around 3D printing has heralded new interest in the technologies that have been central to TCT for two decades.

Midlands Model Engineering Exhibition 2014 When 16th - 19th October 2014 Address Warwickshire Exhibition Centre, Leamington Spa Website midlandsmodelengineering .co.uk More information THE Show for Model Engineers. 2014 marks the 37th year of this highly regarded and successful exhibition. As one of the biggest modelling exhibitions in both size, scope and duration, this is THE event for any modeller’s calendar. The show will feature nearly 1000 models, demonstrations, and both indoor and outdoor displays.

The Building Controls Show When 22nd - 23rd October 2014 Address Surrey Hall, Sandown Park Racecourse, Esher, Surrey KT10 9AJ Website bcshow.bsee.co.uk More information The Building Controls Show is the only exhibition in the UK which is dedicated to the building controls industry and as such will provide a focussed event which showcases new product development and technical innovation in building controls. The event will feature a wide range of exhibitors, showcasing the very latest in building control technologies, and informative seminars which will be presented by experts.

Tec 66 Vacuum & Photonics Technology Conference & Exhibition When 27th October 2014 Address Sussex Coast College Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 1BA Website www.tec66.co.uk More information Tec 66 is a conference and exhibition covering: High Vacuum/ Ultra High Vacuum Technology and Photonics which attracts delegates from all over the world to see the latest innovations and applications within the high technology sector. Hastings and East Sussex based business have been at the forefront of these sectors for decades.

Electrical and Electronic Equipment and Environment 2014 When 12th - 13th November 2014 Address Hilton London Heathrow Airport (terminal 4), London Website www.era.co.uk More information The leading event of its kind, the conference covers all the latest news regarding substance issues (the RoHS2 Directive and REACH), ecodesign, end-of-life (the new WEEE2 Directive), responsible sourcing (conflict minerals) and sustainability. Conference speakers are carefully chosen as experts in their fields who can offer delegates the knowledge to get up to speed with these complex matters.

Future Intelligent Cities When 4th - 5th December 2014 Address Prospero House, London Website conferences.theiet.org More information Future Intelligent City initiatives are already making a contribution to solving some of the world’s most challenging engineering problems stemming from rapid urbanisation, high energy demand, and increasing/ ageing populations, to ensure both economic growth and environmental sustainability. Future Intelligent Cities optimise the use of new information and communication advances to improve life in urban environments.

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