167 YEARS OF TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

JANUARY 2023

Power
Surge
Getting UK charging infrastructure
up to speed for the EV transition

24 28 34 TheEngineerUK
theengineeruk
The Engineer UK

Interview: grEEN LITHIUM CEO SEAN Feature: behind the scenes at ti q&a: how modular home building
SARGENT ON THE UK’S FIRST large- fluid systems’ new e-Mobility could help solve the housing crisis
scale lithium refinery Innovation Centre and decarbonise construction
 FARNBOROUGH | Hants | GU14 6TQ
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CONTENTS 167
YEARS OF
TECHNOLOGY
& INNOVATION
VOLUME 302 • ISSUE 7942 • January 2023

44

74
16
28 72
24 34

4 Editor’s Comment 12 news 28 Automotive 46 tech trends

The practical challenges of the zero Teesside large-scale lithium refinery to Inside TI Fluid System’s Key features from The Engineer’s
carbon transition will be the defining provide boost to UK battery ambitions e-Mobility innovation centre December Tech Trends supplement
technology trend of the next 12 months
14 Mailbox 34 Expert Q&A 70 Sci-fi eye
6 NEWS Readers discuss the approval of the Could modular home building help solve Engineering an asteroid imact solution
Thales Alenia Space exploring orbital UK’s first deep coal mine for 30 years the housing crisis and decarbonise
data centres as low carbon alternative construction? 72 late great engineers
16 cover feature Robert William Thomson, prolific
7 NEWS Why rolling out the charging tech for 40 Events Planner inventor of the pneumatic tyre
Net energy gain marks major the e-mobility revolution is once in a Key industry events in the year ahead
breakthrough for fusion research generation challenge 74 Archive
42 Panel write-up The post-war rise of civil aviation
8 news 22 Viewpoint The megatrends transforming
Sheffield team exploring triage A diversity of charging options engineering firms and roles 76 Blog
robots for battlefield casualities will be key to mass EV uptake Fresh STEM challenges beckon for 2023
44 Automotive
10 news 24 Interview How ZF’s UK R&D facility is helping to 78 digest
New facility to unlock digital potential Green Lithium CEO Sean Sargent pave the way for autonomous driving
COVER Image: Adobe Stock

Editor & Publisher Jon Excell Commercial director Justyn Gidley Art Director News 020 8076 0576
+44 (0)20 8076 0575 +44 (0)20 7738 5454 Calvin McKenzie Display 020 8076 0582
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3 January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk

 EDITOR’S
NOVEMBERCOMMENT
2019

JON EXCELL

5
READ MORE
ONLINE Transition time
Fusion, hydrogen and the

H
Cumbrian coal mine
appy new year. And welcome to The Engineer’s first issue of 2023, which -
somewhat astonishingly - is also the first issue of its 168th year.
As we’ve often remarked on these pages, although the world has changed
www.theengineer.co.uk almost beyond recognition since the publication’s launch all those years ago, The
follow us at Engineer’s core remit - to explore the disruptive trends and innovations at the heart of

@TheEngineerUK
that change - has remained a constant.
And as we look ahead to the next 12 months - and contemplate the technologies THINGS
theengineeruk
The Engineer UK
powering our now critical push to net zero greenhouse gas emissions - it seems that
these forces of change are perhaps more potent and pressing than they have been for
WE’VE
The Engineer UK
decades. LEARNT
So, what better way to kick off this year’s coverage by taking a look at some of some
of the technologies at the heart of our transition to a zero-carbon world? THIS
ENGINEER JOBS
Find your next engineering job
In this issue’s cover story for instance (page 16) we explore the UK’s shift to electric
mobility and how engineers are wrestling with the problem of ensuring we meet a
ISSUE
online at The EngineerJobs minimum target of 300,000 public charging points by 2030 - the point at which the sale Engineers are
of all new petrol and diesel cars will be banned in the UK. 1 the second
Meanwhile, in our interview (page 24) we talk to the CEO of Green Lithium, a most trusted
company planning to open the UK’s first large scale lithium refinery – a capability profession in the UK
that could be key to scaling up the UK’s battery manufacturing capability and helping
All but one of
deliver on its EV vision.
Elsewhere, we turn our attention to the construction sector – and hear from a panel
2 the UK’s
existing nuclear
of industry experts how modular, off-site construction could address the sector’s skills power stations will be
crisis, meet the spiraling demand for new homes, and play a major role in reducing retired by March 2028
the environmental footprint of a sector that is currently a major source of carbon
emissions. 80 per cent of
MISSION All of these technology areas - and many others - will not only be key to our zero-
3 offshore wind

STATEMENT carbon transition but will also be vital to the UK’s industrial future, and there’s little
doubt that over the next year our coverage will continue to be dominated by the role
economies will miss
their 2030 goals
The aim of that engineers must play in delivering a sustainable future for all of us. Britain’s first
The Engineer For a reminder of just how much our technology priorities have shifted over the 4 production car
is to champion past 167 years, visit the archive section of our website www.theengineer.co.uk where rolled out of the gates
and promote you can read The Engineer’s take on innovations ranging from Victorian curiosities of a former cotton mill
such as the horse tank and the gun bike to earth shattering innovations like the in Coventry in 1896
engineering
incandescent lightbulb and the first nuclear power station.
innovation and Modular homes
technology 5 can be built
with up to 82 per cent
development

Jon Excell
less whole-life
across all of embodied carbon
the UK’s key
engineering
sectors.
EDITOR • JON.EXCELL@MARK ALLENGROUP.COM

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 4

 11 - 12 July 2023 • Nottingham, UK
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(*Statista, Additive manufacturing and 3D printing - statistics & facts, October 2021)
 January 2023

NEWS
Read more online
Follow us at:
@TheEngineerUK AEROSPACE
• RAF Voyager takes flight with
theengineeruk
sustainable aviation fuel
The Engineer UK • Licence granted for UK space
The Engineer UK launches

w w w.theengineer.CO.UK AUTOMOTIVE
• Public smart charging trial
highlights big EV savings

Thales Alenia Space leading CIVIL & STRUCTURAL

effort to explore potential

• Engineers should bridge
gap with financiers to unlock
investment

of orbital data centres DEFENCE & SECURITY

• Dstl tests DragonFire laser
Orbital data centres could offer low carbon alternative to current technology weapon at Porton Down
• SmallSpark secures six-figure
Jason Ford reports MoD contract

E
nergy-intensive data centres demonstrate the extent to which ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
could be put into orbit by space-based data centres would • Oil-rich states key to scaling up
2030-35 following a feasibility limit the energy and environmental hydrogen – report
study being carried out by impact of their ground-based
a consortium led by Thales counterparts, which would unlock MANUFACTURING
Alenia Space. major investments within the scope • Capacity planning adding to
The consortium is working on of Europe’s Green Deal, possibly ramp-up challenge woes
ASCEND (Advanced Space Cloud justifying the development of a • Biolron process shows potential
for European Net zero emission more climate-friendly, reusable for low-carbon steel making
and Data sovereignty) as part of the heavy launch vehicle.
Horizon Europe research program. “Space data centres offer RAIL & MARINE
Yves Durand, director of also some benefits of security, as • Compressed air leak detector
technologies and ASCEND project they will be obviously difficult could save fuel and labour costs
leader, explained that the objective footprint in a few years,” Durand to access physically, and will be for rail operators
of the study is to ‘neutralise’ the told The Engineer. more controlled in terms of data
exponential increase of energy “Carbon free energy - connections,” said Durand. “But
demand associated with data renewable or nuclear - will be there are also benefits of storing Jobs online
centres. limited in Europe, to the point that in space, data that is produced in
To achieve this the consortium
will explore the installation of in-
very strong digital usage limitations
are envisioned to comply with the
space...as storage and processing
directly in space will allow for
LOOKING FOR A
orbit data centres powered by solar Paris Agreement.” more real time reactions for the NEW ROLE?
power plants generating several The second objective will be to protection of the environment or, Visit jobs.theengineer.
hundred megawatts. The only link prove that it is possible to develop for example, forest fire detection.” co.uk to search hundreds
with the ground would be high- the required launch solution. For the ASCEND study, of vacancies with leading
throughput Internet connections According to Durand, this will be Thales Alenia Space’s consortium employers from across
based on optical communications. a heavy lift, high rate, reusable partners bring expertise spanning industry
The study will first look at launch vehicle - of about the the environment (Carbone 4,
the carbon emissions from the capacity of SpaceX’s StarShip - with VITO), cloud computing (Orange,
production and launch of these a low environmental impact. CloudFerro, Hewlett Packard
space infrastructures, assessing “The payloads are then put into Enterprise Belgium), launch
whether they would be significantly a LEO storage orbit, where servicer vehicles (ArianeGroup) and orbital
lower than emissions generated by vehicles will bring them into the systems (German aerospace centre
ground-based data centres. proper orbit for assembly in space, DLR, Airbus Defence and Space).
“Data centres use so much and bring back modules to be
energy that their carbon footprint recycled or maintained,” he said. Read more at
is projected to surpass the aviation ASCEND expects to www.theengineer.co.uk

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 6

 TECHNOLOGY NEWS

Battlefield casualties set for triage GOVERNMENT

BACKING FOR
by robot SIZEWELL C
Jason Ford reports Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has
announced the government’s

W
ounded soldiers could decision to proceed with the
soon be triaged on the Sizewell C nuclear power plant.
battlefield via a remotely Hunt confirmed the power
operated robotic system station will create ‘10,000 highly
being developed at skilled jobs and provide reliable, low
Sheffield University. carbon power to the equivalent of six
Set for a live, indoor million homes’ for at least 50 years.
demonstration in Spring 2023, Hunt said contracts for the initial
the project is being carried out investment will be signed subject to
by researchers from Sheffield final government approvals.
University’s Department of In response, a spokesperson
Automatic Control and Systems from Sizewell C said: “We are
Engineering and Advanced terrain and will be fitted with (MediTel) development. delighted the government has
Manufacturing Research Centre equipment including a 360o camera David King, head of Digital reaffirmed its commitment to
(AMRC). plus smaller cameras attached to Design at Sheffield University Sizewell C.
The robot will use GPS to find two robotic arms. AMRC, said: “MediTel will reduce “The new power station will
the casualty and then acquire data Professor Dogramadzi the risk to medical personnel by strengthen the UK’s energy security,
- including blood pressure, pulse explained that a custom-built limiting their exposure to potential lower costs for consumers and help
readings and temperature – plus gripper will be attached to one hazards while providing an Britain reach Net Zero. It will bring
samples of blood and mouth swabs. of the arms so that it can handle improved chance of survival for the a big economic boost to Suffolk
This will be possible thanks to smaller objects with more dexterity. casualty. and create thousands of jobs and
photos and videos relayed back to “We are only concerned about “The MediTel system will be apprenticeships in nuclear supply
a medic via a 5G connection who how well we can keep the objects, trialled in a realistic scenario and chain companies up and down the
will use a commercial VR headset to manipulate them, hold them in demonstrate the potential of the country.”
observe the scene in 3D and control a stable way, [and] have haptic technology to save lives in the Britain has five generating
the robot. feedback in the grippers so that we future.” nuclear power stations, providing
Professor Sanja can understand how much we are Partners and suppliers in the around 16 per cent of the country’s
Dogramadzi from Sheffield gripping, grasping, palpating and project - funded by the Defence electricity from 5.9GW of capacity.
University’s Department of so on,” she said. “We are focusing… Science and Technology Laboratory Two stations will retire by March
Automatic Control and Systems on the manipulation, dexterity, and Nuclear Decommissioning 2024 and all but one will retire by
Engineering, told The Engineer that tele-operations, [and] the user Authority through the Defence March 2028. MB
the project is using a commercial interfaces.” and Security Accelerator - include
UGV (unmanned ground vehicle) The AMRC is leading the I3DRobotics and emergency Read more at
www.theengineer.co.uk
that can traverse relatively rough Medical Telexistence Platform medicine clinical consultants.

AUTOMATED VALET PARKING APPROVED AT STUTTGART AIRPORT

Jason Ford reports

German authorities have approved book a parking space at P6 and then the information it receives into
Bosch and Mercedes-Benz’s SAE Level leave their vehicle in a predetermined driving maneuvers that see
4 automated parking system for use drop-off area. Once passengers have the vehicles drive themselves
in the P6 car park run by APCOA at left the vehicle, the app starts the up and down ramps to move
Stuttgart Airport. parking maneuver. Drivers use the app between levels in P6. The
Owners of certain Mercedes S-Class to summon the vehicle when they are vehicle brakes and stops when
and EQS models whose vehicle features back at P6. infrastructure sensors detect
the INTELLIGENT PARK PILOT2 service as Bosch sensors in the carpark an obstacle and continues its when safe the adoption of Automated Driving
part of ‘Mercedes me connect’ will be monitor the driving corridor and to do so. technology. However, there needs to be
able to use the function at P6. its surroundings and provide the Commenting, Thatcham Research clarity for the UK insurance market since
To take advantage of the service, information needed to guide the vehicle. chief research strategy officer Matthew the carmaker will be liable if there’s a
motorists use the Mercedes me app to Technology in the vehicle converts Avery said: “This is good news for collision.”

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 8

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 TECHNOLOGY
NOVEMBER 2019
NEWS

New facilities set to unlock digital

potential for manufacturers
Jason Ford reports

N
ew facilities are available much more,” said Jon Stammers, Stammers said that in the
for manufacturers to theme lead for connectivity and AI near term manufacturers could
help them adopt the at the AMRC. get access to the AMRC Data
digital technologies that WANdisco plc, the Sheffield Cloud services by participating in
will cut energy bills, and Silicon Valley-based live data the NextGen project, which is aimed
boost productivity and improve company, and Sheffield University’s at addressing the future of data
competitiveness. Advanced Manufacturing Research science and current analytic skills
The AMRC Data Cloud has been Centre (AMRC), built the AMRC shortages in the manufacturing
established to offer manufacturers Data Cloud with support from sector.
the latest front-line analytics Databricks and Microsoft. tools needed to be able to go back “We’ll be equipping businesses
technologies that help reduce the In parallel, a Data Science into their factories and introduce with some FourJaw devices and
barrier to entry and are affordable Academy will equip manufacturers data science techniques to enable linking the data back to the AMRC
and adaptable. with the knowledge to introduce manufacturers to get the most from Data Cloud, and we’ll even send
“The AMRC helps data science techniques into their their data,” said Stammers. one of their apprentices/young
manufacturers adopt robotics, factories. The accredited six-week AMRC spin-out FourJaw, a engineers on the Data Science
sensors, 3D printing and augmented training course is being delivered by manufacturing analytics software manufacturing course with EyUp,”
reality in their factories, and the skills provider EyUp in partnership business, has already helped said Stammers. “We’re here to have
AMRC Data Cloud will unlock new with the AMRC and Innovate UK. Cradley Heath-based Westley a conversation with any interested
applications, including predictive “Through the EyUp Data Plastics gain greater visibility of its parties to see what they want to
maintenance, improve forecasting Science Academy, we want to manufacturing process, which has achieve and how we can get them
yield, energy consumption and give people the right training and led to more efficient 24/7 production. on board.”

SHARKGUARD DETERS SHARKS AND STINGRAYS FIRST UK

FROM BAITED HOOKS DEPLOYMENT
Jason Ford reports
FOR LOOP
The containerised LOOP system for
Sharks are being deterred from fishing splitting methane into hydrogen and
lines with SharkGuard, a device that graphene has been deployed in the UK
creates a powerful, short-range, 3D for the first time, at Eco Group’s HQ in
pulsed electric field to discourage the southern Scotland.
creatures from baited hooks. Developed by Cambridge-based
Developed by conservation Levidian, LOOP uses a patented low
engineers Fishtek Marine and tested temperature, low pressure process
by researchers at Exeter University, to crack methane into its constituent
SharkGuard has shown that it can reduce atoms, hydrogen and carbon, without
bycatch of blue sharks by 91 per cent and catalysts or additives. The hydrogen can
stingrays by 71 per cent. due to overfishing, particularly oceanic encased in a 100mm x 20mm be used immediately as part of a low-
The study, carried out on boats species commonly caught on longlines. cylindrical tube and are easily carbon gas blend to support industrial
fishing for bluefin tuna, found that catch SharkGuard activates on entering removed from its bespoke decarbonisation, while the graphene
of the target species also appeared to water and works by overstimulating polycarbonate housing, which can be used to improve the performance
decline. The team said further testing is electroreceptors in a shark’s nose is permanently attached to the of a wide range of materials including
needed to fully understand the effects of and mouth. It does this by emitting branchlines above each hook. consumer electronics.
SharkGuard on target species. The team’s an electrical pulse - 30V, lasting 1.5 SharkGuard is depth rated to 1000m The firm has committed to working
results are published in Current Biology. milliseconds every two seconds - and weighs 46g in seawater. with clients and partners to deploy more
Dr Phil Doherty from the Centre for powered by a 3.6V Lithium thionyl Engineers at Fishtek Marine are than 60 larger LOOP1000 units. AW
Ecology and Conservation on Exeter chloride battery with a 65-hour life now modifying SharkGuard so it is
University’s Penryn Campus, said many in water. smaller and self-charging after every Read more at
shark and ray populations are declining The device’s electronics are haul, said Dr Doherty. www.theengineer.co.uk

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 10

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 Business NEWS

UK’s first large-scale merchant lithium SEVENTY PER CENT

OF ENGINEERS
refinery announced WOULD PREFER
Melissa Bradshaw reports HYBRID OR REMOTE
WORKING

T
he UK’s first large-scale
merchant lithium refinery Almost two thirds of respondents to
is set for construction at The Engineer’s 2022 Top Employers
PD Ports in Teesside, a survey express a preference for
development that will give hybrid or remote working.
manufacturers a domestic supply of With COVID lockdowns, social
the essential element. distancing and mask-wearing now
Green Lithium’s refinery in largely behind us, some employers
Teesport, Middlesborough, will are looking at winding-down hybrid
provide battery-grade materials working arrangements introduced
for use in the electric vehicle, in 2020.
renewable energy and consumer lithium processing takes place in lithium plant is a great example of However, whilst many
technology supply chains. The East Asia and there are currently no how the public and private sectors companies might wish to revert
company has been backed by lithium refineries in Europe. Green can work together to deliver just back to more traditional working
£600,000 from the UK government, Lithium aims for this to be the first that,” she said. practices, engineers appear far
through the Automotive merchant lithium refinery outside “If we’re serious about from enthusiastic about a return to
Transformation Fund. of Asia. decarbonising transport, protecting regular office life. Indeed, according
The refinery promises to deliver Lauren Pamma, programme existing jobs and attracting new to the findings of The Engineer’s
over 1,000 jobs in construction director at the Green Finance ones, we need to double down 2022 Top Employers survey, 69 per
and 250 long-term high-skilled Institute, said that the UK will need on this kind of public-private cent of engineers prefer a hybrid
jobs once operational. It aims to to ramp up its current production investment – failure to invest working arrangement, whilst just 29
produce 50,000 tonnes of battery- of around 2GWh battery capacity now risks seeing other countries per cent would welcome a full return
grade lithium a year and enable per year to over 90GWh a year to capture this once-in-a-generation to an office-based working life.
manufacturers to build over one maintain the car industry at its opportunity to deliver a modern- The survey - sponsored by
million electric vehicles. current size. day green industrial revolution. Matchtech - received responses
Lithium is an essential “Key to establishing this If the UK can harvest this from almost 500 engineering
component of batteries and a capability is building a world- momentum, we will be positioned professionals working across 19
secure supply will be critical for the leading, home-grown supply chain to lead the way on a sector that different sectors.
automotive and energy industries. from raw material processing will underpin the future of road With skilled engineers in
Currently, 89 per cent of the world’s through to recycling. The Teesside transport.” huge demand across all areas of
industry, the survey was conducted
to help industry recruiters better
MOST COUNTRIES SET TO MISS OFFSHORE WIND TARGETS understand the expectations of the
engineering job seeker. JE
Melissa Bradshaw reports

Read more at
www.theengineer.co.uk
A report from The Renewables current global capacity every year until
Consulting Group found that 80 per 2030, and then installation 2.5 times
cent of the 15 countries with offshore that amount (86.5GW per year) for each shortening consenting processes.
wind development targets for 2030 are of the following 20 years. Commenting, Wouter Maas, strategy
predicted to miss their stated goals. To date, research from RCG’s Global director wind O&M at Fugro said that
The ‘Global Offshore Wind Market Renewable Infrastructure Projects (GRIP) world leaders can play a ‘huge role
Report: COP27 Highlights’ revealed that database shows that the target will be in cutting red tape’ and investing in
Vietnam, Poland and Denmark are set to missed by seven per cent. To reach RCG’s construction of new wind projects, but
meet or exceed 2030 targets. 2030 forecast, an average capacity of that the climate crisis is more urgent
According to predictions from 24.5GW will need to be installed annually. than this long planning process can
the International Renewable Energy According to RCG, there are myriad accommodate. Whilst building new
Agency (IRENA), the world will need an reasons why countries are falling behind. infrastructure remains critical, he
installed global capacity of 270GW of Given that planning and obtaining said, additional opportunities to drive
offshore wind by 2030, and 2000GW by consent takes four to five years on efficiencies must be taken in the short-
2050. Meeting these targets requires average, the company suggested that term including minimising downtime of
the equivalent of the installation of the regulatory bodies should investigate existing assets.

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 12

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 TALKING
Mailbox
POINT

BREXIT BENEFITS?
Talking at the CBI’s annual conference late last year Rishi Sunak said that Brexit is “already
delivering enormous benefits” to the UK economy. We asked readers if they agree?

I find it hard to understand delays. UKCA marking legislation

what benefits there could possibly has been poorly done and needs a
be? We are having much increased more work from the government.
difficulty recruiting engineers, Firms exporting to the EU now have
components are more difficult to to UKCA and CE mark so increasing
obtain, and take longer to arrive, workload. It is too inward looking
and so on. for the global economy.
Grace Nodes Billy T

So far results - whether There are and will be

positive or negative - have almost absolutely no benefits for the
been completely overshadowed by wider population. Unfortunately
the Covid pandemic and the war in most of our current crop of
Ukraine. I do know that most of us political leaders haven’t the whit to
received our covid vaccinations far also realise that admitting
earlier than our friends in the EU something was wrong is a
stock.adobe.com

and my own company’s sales to EU strength, they think they must

countries have increased since continue to spout the party line in
Brexit. The benefits were always the hope that it will be true even in
going to be long-term anyway and the face of counter evidence.
those have mainly been pushed Nick Cole
back by events. We need to be
patient and learn to look beyond outcomes of Brexit and don’t like it one in the two main parties can Our company approval via
the immediate horizon. As for when anyone points out that it has admit as much for fear of losing EASA used to allow my company to
recruitment, this has little or been a disaster. With their focus popularity for saying so. It’s carry out repairs and overhauls to
nothing to do with Brexit at the on evidence and common sense, completely hopeless until ALL EASA registered aircraft,
level of skills we most need and I can’t see many engineers taking someone does. approximately 6500 aircraft, at an
the components shortage is that line. Rory Wilson annual cost of 15k, Brexit allows
world-wide. Michael Kenward my UK CAA approval to work on
Richard Jenvey “The benefits were always approximately 1.2k UK registered
The majority of politicians in going to be long-term anyway”. aircraft.........for a similar cost. We
An English wine merchant every party thought Brexit would What benefits exactly? decided that we must also have the
said at an event last night that be a bad idea, a minority of Tory To be sure Covid has hindered EASA approval as the EASA aircraft
Brexit has made life much more politicians were in favour of it. But things, but it is undeniable that had been good business for us in
difficult for them to import wine the decision was put to the the loss of freedoms that Brexit the past, 19k paid to EASA to have
into the UK. On the other side of electorate, who with respect could entails, the erection of barriers third country status, the same
the equation, a large on-line not possibly have understood all that Brexit brought about, and the status as if we were anywhere else
cheese retailer reports that it no the implications, especially with reduction in investment in the in the world outside the EU
longer exports cheese to the EU. I the way the facts were presented UK and the diminishing of the without bilateral agreements.
suppose that might be “negligible” or misrepresented. And politicians UK’s place in the world, both from Companies in the EU are not
effects to some people, but it is a who would otherwise have Brexit, are all manifestly obvious. confident to work with us, parts
serious nuisance to anyone who supported remain because they And for what precisely? and materials getting held up in
enjoys a meal of wine and cheese. did know better have had to follow Jim Spriggs customs are not helpful in a time
The “remoaner” insult is this choice. And according to most critical industry. Still waiting for
usually bandied around by people economists and future projections Components take longer to the sunlit uplands.....
who can’t point to any positive it was a really bad choice, but no arrive from Europe due to customs Neil Fripp

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 24

 HAVE YOUR SAY
share your opinions at
www.theengineer.co.uk

Readers discussed the UK government’s controversial

decision to give the green light to the UK’s first new deep
coal mine in thirty years
There has been much is opposed by those who have the potential to help rather than poor quality and not suitable for
criticism of the government’s an irrational distaste for any hinder our transition to a low- modern, cleaner steel making. It
approval of a Cumbrian mine continuing use of coal, gas and oil, carbon economy. Let us assess seems pointless on so many levels
for metallurgical coal. That even if carbon is no longer released that potential dispassionately, and seems to be just virtue
widespread criticism is amply to the atmosphere by that use. rather than continuing to fight a signalling in the opposite direction
justified if that fossil carbon is Coal can prospectively be burnt carbon war that belongs to the last of its usual meaning. Who get’s the
simply going to be taken out of to make steel with environmental century. benefit from this? It seems like
the ground and dumped into impunity. Let us see if that process Dr Bryan Lovell more tory dodgy dealing to me,
the atmosphere once we have is also feasible economically, with Emeritus senior researcher in with no consideration of the
had the use of it for making an appropriate value put on carbon Earth sciences, University of impact on wider society.
steel. Permission to mine the not released. New methods of steel Cambridge Ben Kay
coal should be made manufacture currently under
conditional on capturing and development may prove to be Having spent most of my On an emissions level, there is
storing the carbon emissions economically superior to the use career working in the steel absolutely no business case for
resulting from its use in steel of coal with CCS. If so, good. If not, industry, it’s true that British coal this. On the point of driving UK
production. we will still have to produce steel - much like British iron ore - is of steel making to decarbonize, there
Technology for carbon using coal, but with emissions of isn’t a case to be had. I struggle to
capture and storage (CCS) is carbon safely abated. envisage a financial business case
now well established. CCS is a The UK missed an opportunity I suspect economics will for this.
commercially feasible global as host of the 2021 COP26 climate see that it never operates on Jim Spriggs
industry, given a rational summit in Glasgow. An offer significant scale, after all they
price for carbon. CCS tackles could have been made to take will be competing with low The only valid argument is
directly the problem of release the lead in developing CCS in wage countries that have little that if it’s cheaper in carbon terms
of carbon to the atmosphere, the manufacture of steel using health and safety. Unless of due to lower shipping costs and if
while allowing the continuing metallurgical coal, citing the course they end up with it’s a low cost to mine than to
use of the fossil fuels that proposed Cumbrian mine. There government handouts, or import the same.
have proved so useful to is still time to take that lead. A indeed shaft the locals for brianN2
us. The deployment of CCS CCS-based Cumbrian project has some “investment” like the
failed potash mine in I could understand this if the
Yorkshire. coal was required as a stop-gap for
RichS UK industry while it decarbonises,
but my understanding is that most
of it will be exported, while we will
continue to import coal. As such, it
seems pointless.
Chris Pickering

The suggestion that since the

mine will stop operating in 2049
(i.e. before 2050) it won’t affect our
zero carbon plans is non-sensical.
To avert climate catastrophe it’s
West Cumbria Mining

not about what we do in 2050, but

but what we do in the 27 years
before then.
Michael Hillman

25 January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk

 COVER feature EV Charging

CHARGING
LARGE Rolling out the public charging infrastructure
necessary for a successful EV transition is a
mammoth task. Andrew Wade reports on the state
of UK progress.

U
nder current plans, the designed precisely for this purpose. For the almost two- important right now because they give
UK is set to ban the sale thirds of the UK population without a driveway, the charging people confidence about switching. But
of new petrol and diesel experience can be more of a challenge. we know from our own data that when
cars by 2030. At that point, “The only reason I do it is because I do this job and I you then put the on-street stuff close to
the government wants therefore need to have an EV and I’m a proper early adopter, them or you put in workplace charging,
a minimum of 300,000 so I believe in this in my core,” Chris Pateman-Jones, CEO at the use of rapids goes down.”
public chargers installed, Connected Kerb, told The Engineer. Despite heading up an EV Charging at 360kW will minimise
supporting what it hopes will be a infrastructure company at the vanguard of UK charge point your wait time at a motorway forecourt,
smooth transition to electric vehicles rollout, Pateman-Jones is not shy about critiquing the current but what’s really needed to turbocharge
(EVs), where everyone can charge at will, state of play. With no driveway, he relies on rapid charge points the EV transition is, ironically, slow
with a minimum of inconvenience. more than a kilometre away, scheduling recharges when and steady on-street charging, used
The latest figures from ZapMap – a required. On arrival, he often has to wait for a charging bay or primarily by local residents to charge
digital database/app that tracks UK call tech support to get a device rebooted. overnight when grid demand is low.
charging infrastructure - show that “It is a catastrophically bad experience for me,” he said. “When you’re charging at home
there are now around 37,000 public “Rapids at the moment basically make lives marginally you have three things: convenience,
charge points, housing roughly 61,000 bearable for people who adopt EVs who don’t have a driveway... affordability and reliability,” said
total connections. The experience but it’s not a convenient experience.” Pateman-Jones. “Affordability is very
of using these public chargers can Much is made of the charging speeds at which rapids and important when you’re on a motorway
differ wildly, depending on your ultra-rapids can now reach. The latest and greatest chargers and affordability is a higher priority
circumstances. For those with offered by GRIDSERVE (see p 22), for example, at its high-tech because you could drive on to the next
driveways who can charge at home, Electric Forecourts, can deliver 360kW – enough to add 100 service station if you’re not happy. In
public charging is often just a top-up miles of range in under five minutes. This kind of power makes a local residential on-street area it’s
on a long journey, a chance to stretch for good headlines. However, it is on the residential streets of much less important because you’re
the legs while ‘ultra-rapid’ chargers add the UK where the real battle for electrification will be fought. talking much lower prices to charge, so a
dozens of miles of range in minutes, “I think you need to have a truly blended infrastructure couple of pence doesn’t make such a big
often at bespoke motorway facilities network,” said Pateman-Jones. “(Rapids) are particularly difference...but convenience becomes

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 16

 much, much more important. And the
situation at the moment - if you don’t
have a drive - is basically convenience
goes out the window.”
The ‘300k by 2030’ target presupposes
a heavy reliance on rapids and ultra-
rapids. If, as Pateman-Jones believes,
on-street overnight charging becomes
the dominant preference, the number
required is likely to be closer to 700k, a
figure that would demand northwards
of 200 charge points per day to be
rolled out between now and 2030. It’s a
daunting task – one that grows tougher
each day we miss that quota - as well
as a major engineering and logistical
challenge. According to Pateman-Jones,
we’re a long way off the pace.
“On a really good month, we’re doing
500,” he said. “There’s no one else getting
anywhere near that at the moment...so
the point I’m making is we’re nowhere
near hitting that 2030 target that the
government set out.
“But the important part is to get to
the 2050 point where the likes of

17 January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk

 COVER feature EV Charging

(US business consultants) Frost & charge point to be financially viable, it needs to have a certain means to purchase EVs today. But over
Sullivan and others are talking about utilisation rate, generating enough profit to justify installation the next 20 years, areas on the outskirts
2.9 million public charging points being and upkeep. But gauging utilisation levels of chargers in these of cities should have higher utilisation
required. So we’re really just scratching early days of electrification is a tricky business. Several experts rates. Weaker public transport and
the itch at the moment.” I spoke to referenced the chicken and egg conundrum of EV less home-working means the need
Those sorts of figures will require infrastructure and ownership: people are hesitant to buy EVs to drive is generally greater, leading to
a fundamental transformation of without charge points, but installing the infrastructure doesn’t more miles clocked up per vehicle and
the UK’s cities and suburbs over make economic sense unless people have EVs to use it. financial rewards for operators willing
the coming decades, with on-street One method the CDRT is exploring to overcome this is to play the long game. This also requires
charging available virtually everywhere. ‘utilisation-linked loans’, whereby the rate of payback is councils to think bigger picture,
Destination, workplace and motorway dictated by how much revenue charge points are actually according to Pateman-Jones.
charging can pick up some of the slack, generating. Similar in some ways to student loans, this model “We need to get to long-term
but the heavy lifting will have to be done could see the government having a role to play in subsidising contracts so you can make your money
overnight by a network of ‘fast’ rather the investment by reducing risk, according to Pamma. back over a longer period of time,” he
than ‘rapid’ chargers, drawing from the “Could they provide some sort of backstop that derisks that said. “We obviously would say that
grid while the nation sleeps. investment for private sector?” she said. “It’s something that because we’ve built our kit to last 15 to
“The message from anyone who’s we are looking at implementing and trying to get a pilot off the 25 years.
saying it’s just about rapids is basically ground.” “We deploy kit that lasts two or three
‘your time isn’t important to us and Different modes of charging will also require different times longer than anyone else’s on the
you need to prioritise driving down finance models. Service station-style ultra-rapid charging market. And we do that because we
the road to go and charge your car’,” requires big upfront spend but should generate solid revenue think you can only make this work for
said Pateman-Jones. “And if that from day one, both from charging and co-located shops and the user if you have something that has
is the message, I can basically say, facilities. On-street rollout may demand less capital initially a low total lifecycle cost, you can’t do
categorically, I don’t think you’ll get full but most likely comes with a payback over a longer duration of that if you’re replacing something every
transition to EV.” perhaps 10-15 years. five to seven years, you have to build
There is an intriguing psychological “There isn’t one winning business model. There’s going to something that is long life.”
component to the charging rollout, be a mix of successful business models, each with different The durability of Connected Kerb’s
trying to predict how the Great British risk and return profiles,” said Pamma. charging hardware has helped make it
Public will react and adapt to this For short-term gain, charge-point operators might be one of the fastest growing players in the
changing automotive landscape. tempted to deploy exclusively across the likes of Chelsea and sector. In fact, according to Pateman-
Despite the advances in high-speed Kensington, where car ownership is high and many have the Jones, the company is currently
charging, cost-effectively refuelling winning too much business, something
EVs takes hours rather than minutes. you won’t often hear uttered by a CEO.
Those without driveways may have to “The reason, to be very clear, that
reluctantly leave vehicles overnight
on out-of-sight streets, minutes rather
consumers don’t know how they’re we win, is because our kit is the best in
the market and our network operates
than seconds from their front doors. But going to behave until they’ve got an better than anyone else’s in the market,”
with cars so intimately linked with our
psyche - a statement of identity as well
electric car and actually test he said, returning to more familiar CEO
territory. “We have a win rate that’s...
as status - challenges to norms around it out for themselves between 60 and 70 per cent. As much as
driving and parking will undoubtedly
face some resistance.
“Consumers don’t know how they’re
going to behave, I don’t think, until
they’ve got an electric car and actually
test it out for themselves. There’s a
difference between perception and
reality,” said Lauren Pamma, programme
director at the Coalition for the
Decarbonisation of Transport (CDRT).
As part of the government-backed
Green Finance Initiative, the CDRT aims
to unlock financial solutions to net
zero challenges. According to Pamma,
barriers to investment in EV charging
include a general lack of knowledge and
understanding of the sector and the
Trojan Energy’s charging kit is designed to be invisible when not in use
different business models at play. For a

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 18

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 COVER feature EV Charging

“It’s necessary for progress, but you

want to do it as quickly and as painlessly
as possible,” she said. The scale of the
task also presents an enormous skills
challenge, both in traditional roles and
some less expected ones.
“First of all, you do need engineers
on the ground, delivering the
reinforcement, delivering the civils,
wiring in the charge points, all of that,”
said Lappin. “You need apprenticeships
to upskill network engineers and
engineers for
the charge point
operators, but then
GRIDSERVE’s Electric Forecourts are impressive, but on-street charging is the real key to EV adoption you also need to
plan where those
I’m delighted by that, it’s not necessarily 300k charge points
a sign of a good market....so I would like go so that they’re
the rest of the market to step up to that.” in the right place...
One of the newer entrants to the so there’s a lot of
market looking to do just that is Trojan digital skills around
Energy. Founded in Aberdeen by former analysing data and
oil and gas engineers aiming to pivot forecasts and patterns to see where
towards a greener future, Trojan’s USP charge points go.”
is its flat-and-flush on-street system Ensuring there is an equitable
that embeds discrete charge points charging infrastructure for all is also
in the pavement near the kerb, with a key focus for Connected Kerb. The
drivers using a specially designed ‘lance’ company has invested significant
that slots into these points and then resources into developing an AI
connects to the vehicle. Connected Kerb chargers and company CEO Chris Pateman-Jones platform that crunches huge amounts of
A handle at the top of the lance data to inform its rollout decisions.
- designed in consultation with a baseball bat seemed like a pretty aggressive one to us. And it “It ingests I think now over 40
Disability Rights UK - makes it easier stood up remarkably well,” said Cameron Baker, engineering different datasets and we built the tool
to detect for pedestrians, particularly design principal at PDD, who worked with Trojan developing to be able to ingest more, so when we
those with visual impairment and the system. “You could still pull the lance out, albeit dented.” work with local councils they can then
wheelchair users. When not in use, The Camden trial has so far been a big success, with 100 give us additional datasets that we
the infrastructure is designed to be as drivers on a waiting list for charging lances. Trojan is also in might not have access to publicly,” said
unobtrusive as possible, with street negotiations for a long-term contract with the borough that Pateman-Jones.
furniture that is virtually invisible. could potentially see the expansion of the scheme, subject “We’re able to blend the human data
But blending into the environment in to consultation with Camden residents and the pedestrians alongside the physical data. It means we
this way also means it must be able to that will have to share the pavements with the charging can do line searches in there in terms of
withstand the daily grind of life on the infrastructure. According to MacKenzie, Trojan is currently power availability. We can look at parking
mean streets. rolling out a 500-unit project in Barnet, set to complete in spaces. We can look at trees in the local
“One of the things we realised, March 2023. “That’s the scale we need to go to,” he said. area, existing street furniture, relative
because it’s a flat-and-flush point on Connected Kerb is already rolling out on-street at this proportions of off-street versus on-street
the street, it’s going to be run over by scale and beyond. The company has a contract for 7,000 points parking. All of these sorts of things
not just cars but by HGVs,” said Hugh across West Sussex, which is the sort of ambition Pateman- together with wealth profile, industry,
Mackenzie, chief operations officer at Jones wants to see across the whole country. commuting distances. Together those
Trojan Energy. “So it’s essentially got “There needs to be an acceleration of procurement,” he said. things basically help us to identify areas
to have the same rating as a manhole “Really, every county in the UK needs to be tendering, and we and streets which make sense.”
cover.” suspect that they will within the next sort of five to six years.” Computers may be able to tell us
As for the lance, its visibility makes it This mass rollout by councils around the country will where the chargers should go, but that’s
a potential target for vandalism, which inevitably ruffle a few feathers, as residential streets are dug the easy bit. Even the low-end figure
had to be incorporated into the design up. According to Shira Lapin, innovation project lead at UK of 300k public devices by 2030 seems a
from the start. Power Networks, planning and coordination between the long way off, a massive engineering and
“We tested what we thought might be various stakeholders is vital for ‘digging once’ and minimising logistical challenge. Roll on the rollout.
the worst case of vandalism loads, and disruption.

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 20

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 VIEWPOINT

2
022 was the year that EVs can make electric cars available
went mainstream. The to all with an experiencing that is
number of electric cars as straightforward as using petrol
on our roads increased by stations.
around 40 per cent on the
previous year and you now A greener grid for greener travel
can’t walk down the street without Toddington Harper Driving an electric car is only as
noticing the quiet hum of a Tesla or green as the energy that you use to

Accelerating the
BMW i Series passing by. power it. Fortunately, our energy
However, this is just the systems are undergoing a rapid
beginning. The public appetite transformation. At the same time,

EV revolution
for electric cars is massive and is electricity demand is increasing
growing at pace. But this isn’t just particularly from electric
a technology trend, it is a climate vehicles and heat pumps. To
necessity. create resilient, low carbon grids,
In 2022, the IPCC issued a stark it is essential to accelerate the
warning that greenhouse gas Mass EV uptake is critical to our future. But it can deployment of renewables, such as
emissions must peak by 2025 if we only be achieved by ensuring the rollout of a wide wind and solar, and other forms of
are to limit average global warming range of charging options writes Toddington Harper, distributed generation, supported
to 1.5 degrees. by flexibility and balancing from
CEO of UK energy company Gridserve
Transport represents the single large battery storage systems.
largest contribution to greenhouse A major challenge in delivering
gas emissions, representing just new renewable energy and
under a quarter of the UK’s total related to electric vehicles, solutions. The Gridserve Electric charging infrastructure is grid
emissions, making it a critical area including test drives, leasing Highway covers 85 per cent of the capacity, which can hamper
for action, so we need to act now to vehicles, and charging. Drivers entire UK motorway network, with the rollout of rapid EV charging
make the switch to electric cars to have access to multiple high-speed, best-in-class infrastructure being infrastructure. We also need
reduce our emissions. up to 360kW chargers, supplied deployed at scale and at pace. Since significant, sustained public and
So, what does 2023 have in by 100 per cent renewable energy. acquiring the Electric Highway in private-sector investment in grid
store? How can we continue to Our Electric Forecourts are also 2021, we have materially upgraded capacity to upgrade our ageing
accelerate this momentum and community hubs and this year we the network, providing dependable energy systems, in addition
deliver maximum climate impact welcomed additional community and quick charging solutions at to adopting more smart grid
within the timeframes available? transport in the form of electric more than 160 locations across the approaches and technologies that
minibuses charging at our marquee country to get ahead of consumer serve the grid.
Charging for all Braintree site. demand, and reinforcing sites with At Gridserve, we’re supporting
To democratise the electric car Motorway networks are, banks of 6-12 x 350 kW Electric the grid capacity challenge
revolution and make it available to of course, also a central part Super Hubs. through our Sun-to-Wheel
all, we require multiple charging of electric vehicle charging It is only through this ecosystem – which includes
solutions. If you are fortunate infrastructure, where demand is combination of charging – at home, a network of hybrid solar and
enough to have your own driveway, strong for high powered charging on-street and en route – that we battery farms which balance the
then charging from home is a great grid and provide grid services – to
solution for a large part of your support the UK’s transition to
charging needs. On-street longer renewable, secure and low-cost
dwell charging, such as from lamp energy. We view solar farms
posts fitted with EV chargers, can as a modern equivalent for
also help drivers in urban areas public electric vehicle charging
without access to off-street parking, networks, as oil wells are for
allowing drivers to charge their petrol stations, but with many
cars at lower speeds throughout the additional advantages such as the
night or during the day. energy being secure, low cost, and
However, in addition to longer producing zero carbon emissions.
duration charging, motorists Rolling out infrastructure fast
also need the option to charge up enough to meet demand is a major
quickly, and that is where the likes challenge for all charging network
of Gridserve’s Electric Forecourts providers, but it’s a great challenge
come in. Designed as the petrol to have - we’re delighted that
Adobestock

stations of the future, they are change is happening, and so fast.

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January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 22

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 INTERVIEW Sean Sargent

NOW ORE NEVER

L
Sean Sargent, CEO of
ast November, data from the UK’s car model to concentrate on the midstream, which
sector trade body the SMMT showed that
Green Lithium, spoke to is a real bottleneck in the industry, and at that
battery electric vehicles made up more Melissa Bradshaw about point they knew they needed some programme
than one in five newly registered cars.
developing the UK’s first delivery expertise.”
As demand grows, the UK must Green Lithium’s mission is to enable the
adapt, and this includes everything large-scale merchant energy transition through the electrification
from accelerating charging infrastructure (see lithium refinery of transport, predominantly EVs, by refining
cover feature, p16) through to sourcing critical battery-grade lithium salts for EV batteries. But
minerals needed for battery production. it doesn’t stop there, Sargent emphasised – he
Hoping to be part of the solution is Green believes that the potential of batteries’ role in
Lithium, which plans to open the country’s the energy transition beyond the EV market is
first large-scale lithium refinery at PD Ports underestimated.
in Teesside. Construction is planned for 2024 “Lithium-ion batteries are used in grid
and, once operational, the facility aims to storage and domestic storage as well, and
produce 50,000 tonnes of battery-grade lithium to some extent, I don’t think the full impact
hydroxide each year – enough for over 1 million that batteries are going to have on the energy
EVs per annum. transition is fully understood,” he said.
CEO Sean Sargent joined the company in “Even if you look at the numbers and believe
January 2021 after many years in the maritime everything the forecasters say, I think it’s the
and nuclear sectots. He began his career as a tip of the iceberg. I think it’s going to be huge,
maritime civil engineer working on the design and if you look at the complicated supply
of ports and harbours. Working on Devonport’s chain required to enable the production of all
submarine facilities led him to the nuclear those cells and batteries, it just doesn’t exist
industry, where he’s spent most of his 32-year today. There’s a part of it that exists in China,
career. After taking on various roles in the but China’s sitting on the largest and fastest
nuclear sector at Jacobs and Magnox, the growing EV market in the world.”
pandemic hit in 2020 and, like many others, With concerns around socio-political
Sargent’s career took a change of course. tensions, he added that he doesn’t believe the
“I was confined to home and started doing UK can rely on these Chinese markets to deliver
a bit of soul searching about where I could add what the UK and Europe needs to fulfil its 2050
the most value,” Sargent told The Engineer. obligations through electrification of transport.
“The energy transition is something that plays And whilst he believes the EV market is well
very deeply in my mind … There was a bit of understood, he predicts that the growth will be
serendipity when an old colleague of mine who ‘slower but bigger’ than projected.
knew about Green Lithium contacted me for a “As soon as you realise that batteries on a
chat.” large scale are viable and affordable, suddenly
This happened when Green grid storage using lithium-ion batteries
Lithium was changing the or other forms of battery storage
model, he explained – become a serious contender.
originally the plan was The way to buffer the
to focus on exploring UK storage from wind and
sources. solar, I think, is very
“They realised likely to be large-scale
there were no grid storage batteries.
great lithium ore “Whereas previously
resources [in the people thought it was
UK] … instead incredible and there
they changed the was no way you could

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 24

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 INTERVIEW Sean Sargent

we think it’s important that once you get the

make enough materials, the EV market is going carbon electricity and access to hydrogen and lithium out of the ground, you never waste it.
to unlock that.” carbon-capture technologies, of which Green It continues to be recycled through battery
As it stands, forecasters are projecting Lithium is exploring modular and industrial metals. We think we’ve got an important part to
Europe will need around 800,000 tonnes of options to ensure the maximum carbon play as part of that recycling supply chain.”
battery-grade lithium per annum by 2030. reduction for its investment. Another key challenge is producing
Currently, none is made locally and whilst Green “What’s really worrying is there’s a right lithium with zero waste, and here Green
Lithium has ambitious plans, its projected way and a wrong way to electrify transport,” Lithium is working with Sheffield University
50,000 tonnes per annum still makes up less said Sargent. “There are examples of low-grade to find circular economies for the by-product
than seven per cent of that demand. The UK has minerals being refined in south east Asia at the aluminium sodium silicate.
a mountain to climb, Sargent stressed. moment that produce more CO2 than an ICE “The key [industry] of focus is the
“What we’re seeing is government is very would over its entire life – so, rather bizarrely, construction industry, but....we’ve probably
focused on it,” he said. “We’ve enjoyed some you could be buying an EV and pushing up your identified between ten and 20 potential
great governmental support through the carbon footprint. It’s imperative that we find applications for that by-product. A lot of those
Automotive Transformation Fund, which is low-carbon solutions.” require conditioning, so we’ll have to do further
providing access to grants for every step of As well as decarbonising processes on site, work.....to make it fit for those markets.”
the way. Green Lithium is exploring circular economy Overall, the challenge isn’t underestimated
“But it is interesting, I think, particularly opportunities elsewhere. This includes by Sargent – he questioned where the resources
to see how countries like the UK are going to exploring retrieval of lithium from recycled will come from to meet demand, and with
secure the critical minerals. For us, that’s the batteries. the number of refineries, cathode production
most important part.” “Like most things in the sector, people facilities and gigafactories that will be required,
Accessing and importing the raw materials are using old technology to measure what’s he pointed to the UK’s skills shortage as
was a critical factor in choosing the location being done,” he said, adding that while lithium another barrier.
for the refinery, Sargent pointed out – the daily recovery from batteries is very rare currently “These are skills that largely don’t exist
shipping routes to all Europe’s major ports due to pyrometallurgy processes which destroy in the UK. We haven’t been big in mineral
was an important benefit. But it was Teesside’s the lithium, the ‘smart money’ is beginning processing for a long time … That’s why I say
decarbonisation landscape that gave it the to back hydrometallurgy processes where all that things are going to be slower and bigger
winning edge. battery metals can be extracted. than anybody realises. We’ve almost got to
“Planning, as we are, to produce lithium “There’s a lot of closely guarded secrets in the retrain engineers to be able to meet that
without producing any carbon is a challenge. market at the moment but we think there will challenge before we can deliver it.
It’s a thermal process, we use a lot of electricity, be some midstream lithium salts that will be “It’s a revolution, and all revolutions in
we use a lot of gas, so we needed to be in a site produced by the battery recyclers and we aim to history have had some false starts and some
that enabled us to decarbonise,” he said. work with them to convert and re-refine those bumps along the way. Our job is to lead from
“Teesside gives us all of that, it’s beautifully midstream salts back to battery-grade materials. the front, to lead by example, be very visible in
placed in one of these decarbonisation clusters “The market is not going to be significant what we’re doing and make people realise the
where we can see an emerging landscape that until the first generation of EVs start to wear importance of this revolution, because without
will provide the infrastructure we need.” out and they’ve been through their second life it you can almost guarantee that the 2050
This includes access to renewable and low- opportunities. But ultimately, in the long-term, commitments won’t be achieved.”

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 26

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 Automotive

ONE STOP
ELECTRIC SHOP
TI Fluid Systems’ e-Mobility Innovation Centre puts
automotive OEMs in the driving seat

Jason Ford reports

T
he company may not be a thermal management solutions, starting operations in Baden-Württemberg are
household name, but its in 1922 with its first contract with Ford e-MIC offers OEMs no different.
products are present in over Motor Company for unfabricated gas fully immersive 3D The Baden-Württemberg region of
simulation
37 per cent of the battery lines on the Model T. Germany is the country’s automotive
electric vehicles (BEVs) for TIFS has since grown into a heartland and TIFS has set its sights on
nameplates launched in 2021. multinational with 25,600 employees bringing automotive OEMs to Rastatt
With its HQ in Oxford and corporate and manufacturing facilities located to work collaboratively on the thermal
offices in Auburn Hills, Michigan, TI in 104 locations in 29 countries. Its management systems that will be vital
Fluid Systems (TIFS) has spent the manufacturing capabilities are located for the efficient running of BEVs.
past 100 years supplying automotive near to – or co-located within – OEM To do this it has opened its first
OEMs with advanced fluid handling and assembly plants, and its Rastatt e-Mobility Innovation Centre (e-MIC)

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 28

 Automotive

in Rastatt with plans to open four more company whose expertise and success thermal systems and components
in Michigan, China, Japan and Korea as has been honed on ICE-driven vehicles within a full electric vehicle
part of a wider corporate strategy for for decades. architecture in real-time.
electric vehicles dubbed Take the Turn “There is about double the amount The fully interactive nature of the 3D
(T3). The e-MIC centres will serve as of opportunity for our current fluid simulator gives OEMs an opportunity,
collaborative hubs for OEMs to work handling products in an electrified for example, to interrogate a component
with TIFS engineers on developing car than in a combustion engine car,” such as coolant module to see how it
highly optimised thermal management Dieltjens told The Engineer, adding would work with different parts.
solutions via the centre’s six core that the e-MIC is the first of its kind in “Our expectation and our
competencies of virtual engineering, the world to bring design, prototyping, commitment is clearly to come up with
design, processing, prototyping, product testing and real-life simulations under a real 3D, simulation,” said Helmich. “I
testing, and vehicle testing. one roof. think that’s a real game changer.”
At an October 2022 press event, Hans Every Watt second of energy loss Data from the initial simulation is
Dieltjens, president and CEO of TIFS affects BEV driving range and Johannes then translated into product design
said: “The Rassatt e-mobility innovation Helmich, Chief Technology Officer, using software tools like CAD/CAE/
centre was developed with a clear goal said that this has led to a reliance on CFD and 3D tolerance calculations
in mind: to be a collaborative space for suppliers ‘for the best power fit’. into a design that meets functional
our teams to design, simulate, visualise, To find the right fit, an OEM’s requirements.
prototype, and test the next generation journey at e-MIC starts with the virtual Next follows a processing stage
of thermal management systems, simulation of a vehicle’s thermal where TIFS uses its own patented blow
modules and components for electric management-based architecture moulding system and a Farsoon Tech
vehicles.” through an interactive 3D simulation. HS403 SLS 3D printer to render designs
Vehicle integration
Rather than threatening the very Developed at TIFS, the 9MP LED can gather coolant into 3D parts.
existence of TIFS, the roll out of BEVs screen for 3D simulation measures 9m flow, pressure and Prototyping then gives TIFS’s
and hybrid-electric vehicles presents x by 2.5m and lets engineers display, NVH information engineers the opportunity to fine
a unique commercial opening to a analyse and redesign 3D models of tune parts by focusing on how they

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 30

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 Automotive OEMs

will be assembled, and customers are

encouraged to witness this stage prior
to vehicle validation. Any welds can
be carried out on a welding fixation
unit that allows for +/- 1mm tolerances
and component level checks are
done via handheld scanner, with all
data recorded for reference. Finished
prototypes, which can be RFID-chipped
for traceability, are then sent to the
customer.
A full range of product tests follows
(-40oC to 150oC temperature tests, 3-axis
dynamometer tests, plus resonance,
fatigue and erosion testing) followed by
the integration into the OEM’s BEV for
vehicle testing. Data from coolant flow,
pressure and NVH (noise, vibration and
harshness) is dynamically recorded
during driving mode and adjusted to Parts fabrication
fine tune and maximise the overall via TIFS’ patented
blow moulding
performance.
system
Dieltjens said that taken as
a whole, e-MIC can offer up to
15 per cent of energy efficiency reduction of Scope 1 and 2 emissions by
improvements, 20 to 30 per cent of 2029, and a 26 per cent reduction by 2034
weight savings, and deliver 15 to 30 before hitting the 37.5 per cent target in
per cent of cost savings. 2039.
“We have received a tremendous “That’s a clear commitment,” said
amount of positive reaction,” he Dieltjens. “We’re doing that in two
said. “We have received a lot of ways, this is saving energy, buying
reactions like ‘you are on the right green, and there is a clear plan we have
track, this is really what we want worked through, a lot of activity going
from a supplier for the future.’” on currently in the company around
He continued: “We have several that, and to identify what is the best
programmes that we have been opportunity [to] save energy.”
awarded with this technology, but He added: “We’re working with an
it’s also a rapidly changing world, so see TIFS invest the right staff to fulfill external partner on that who’s very
we keep innovating and going forward the corporate transition. TIFS has developed knowledgeable [about] this, but also on
in steps. But it’s getting real, real good For Transformation, Dieltjens said, a comprehensive how to acquire and how to buy green
array of thermal
momentum in the market.” sustainability will be embedded across management energy, which in the first instance seems
Helmich added: “The fact that we are the company, from the electricity it uses solutions very straightforward, but it isn’t. It is
using…simulation tools is allowing us to the materials used in its products, more complex than you would think.”
to do changes as they are needed. From which Helmich said will be recyclable Thirty-one EV charging points can
our side, we are providing proposals: and CO2 neutral. be found the Rastatt site, which runs
how you can do it, how you can improve “It’s not what we do but how we do on renewable energy and across the
it. That is, I can tell you, what is really it: what path do we walk to get there?” business the company has installed
appreciated, because of the level of said Dieltjens. “We’re focusing on the LED lighting, eliminated compressed air
skills we have developed.” sustainability of how we do things leaks, installed balancing heating and
The automotive industry is through ESG.” cooling systems plus automatic shutoff
undergoing a huge shift that requires To this end, TIFS has committed controls, and is using variable motors
OEMs to introduce battery electric and to reducing its Scope 1 and 2 CO2(e) wherever possible.
hybrid electric alternatives to ICE and emissions by 37.5 per cent by 2039 “ESG is a very important part of our
TIFS’s T3 strategy has been introduced compared to 2019 emissions levels, business and of how we go forward,”
to help navigate the change. T3 stands aiming for maximum annual emissions said Dieltjens. “I always say, why would
for Technology (electrification), of 191,927 tonnes in the agreed you make green products in a non-green
Transformation (sustainability) and timeframe. The journey to emissions way? That doesn’t make any sense to
Talent which, as the name suggests, will reductions aims to see a 16 per cent me.”

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 32

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 Q&A FeatureNOVEMBER
– Modul ar2019
construction

Q&A:

Modular moves
Could modular home-building help solve the housing crisis and improve the
sector’s environmental profile? The Engineer asked a group of industry experts
about the opportunities, benefits and challenges of off-site construction

The Manufacturing Technology Centre

Why should we be considering off-site construction for new I“It is important GK: By far the biggest reason is the anticipated
to recognise that the
home-building? transformation of the productivity gains in addition to the improvements
SC: Put simply because it’s greener, better, and faster. UK housing sector must in building safety and design, which will enable us to
housing is in crisis. For more than 40 years we just haven’t consider the on-site construct greener, safer, and healthier homes. Furthermore,
built the homes we need leading to increasingly unaffordable activities and not with modular construction we can build at pace and at scale
just those migrated
rents and house prices. The construction labour force is old, without compromising on quality or cost.
off-site”
shrinking by more than 120,000 in the last 3 years, and the – Jonny Reid, The MTC Additionally, we are in a climate emergency and by
sector faces robust new low carbon targets. adopting best practice principles from other sectors, such
Factory engineering means modular homes can be built as the aerospace and automotive sectors, we can embed
to consistently high standards, lower cost at greater speed, advanced quality management processes to optimise
and delivered to sites with hugely reduced disruption. They system efficiency without compromising on quality. For the
create jobs at the factories which can be located where they UK to fulfil its net zero ambitions, this will make it more
are needed, and houses and apartments delivered to where straightforward to track and limit embodied carbon, by
homes are needed. utilising the controlled environment that manufacturing-led

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 34

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 Q&A Feature – Modul ar construction

construction brings. efficient walls, roofs and windows, to minimise the energy
Meet the Experts:
TS: With the housing scarcity nationwide, an energy crisis demand from heat-losses through the fabric. So ‘fabric-
and the UK government’s pledge to build 300,000 homes first’ design approaches will typically result in lots of wall
annually there is a real need to move away from traditional insulation for low u-values and low airtightness to minimise
on-site construction. Off-site construction, more specifically leakage. These highly insulated buildings are great for
modular homes produced through Modern Methods of reducing heating in winter, but care must be taken in the
Construction (MMC), present an appealing alternative to design to mitigate summer over-heating.
traditional construction. They are up to 50 per cent faster to JR: There are several fields of technology to be considered
produce than traditional homes and often cheaper to heat - the in this transformation. There are those that relate directly
Jonny Reid
average UK home costs double to heat than a modular home. to the products developed and the processes used for their
technical
creation, and there are key enabling technologies which are
specialist,
What are the environmental benefits? assembly systems, required to underpin their robust delivery and control.
SC: A study by Cambridge and Edinburgh Napier universities Manufacturing In our role as lead partner in the Construction Innovation
found a modular tower built by Vision Modular Systems had Hub we’re supporting our industry partners as they develop
Technology Centre
41-45 per cent less whole life embodied carbon than traditional innovative solutions such as laser cut reinforcement (LCR)
build. Modular homes, such as those produced by TopHat, can developed by Metlase, which can improve repeatability
be built with up to up to 82 per cent less whole-life embodied and quality and reduce installation time, and prefabricated
carbon. roof cassettes and partition walls which can offer better
In an era of rocketing fuel prices, modular offers significant quality, reduce waste and increase safety onsite. These are
gains in energy efficiency. All Legal and General Modular’s new demonstrated at the Hub’s physical testbed ‘sandpits’.
homes are EPC A (currently only two per cent of new homes At the MTC we believe the critical approach needed is to
nationally are in this category) while ilke Homes recently plan the manufacturing processes and methods such that they
launched a Zero Bills housing system in partnership with Gill Kelleher will appropriate for a manual-intensive low volume approach,
Octopus Energy. head of energy and be compatible with increments of manufacturing facility
JR: At the MTC, we understand there are numerous & housing data investment, up to automation and robotics.
benefits offered by off-site construction, or Modern Methods insights, BRE Group
of Construction (It is important to recognise that the Where are the opportunities for the UK?
transformation of the housing sector must consider the on- SC: Make UK Modular members are on track to deliver 10,000
site activities and not just those migrated off-site). new homes a year by 2025 with an ambition to deliver 30,000
These include key factors such as reduced waste, improved by 2030. This would be a step change in UK housebuilding.
productivity and faster delivery. All of these contribute to With a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 41.59 per
overall emissions reductions. By leveraging manufacturing- cent over the next four years this is not a pipe dream but a real
based principles for managing materials supply and use, in possibility.
tandem with Design for Manufacture and Assembly principles, Timothy Snelson British modular producers have the capacity to be world
it is possible to develop solutions which reduce the volume director and leaders in this field. They develop some of the best modular
of traditional construction materials in the short term, and structural engineer, on the market and there is real potential for exporting designs
evolutions of these that replace them longer term with more Arup and technology. Britain is world leading in exporting design,
sustainable feed-stock materials. engineering, and construction management services. There is
GK: Modular construction can make it easier to construct no reason why modular should not be part of this.
homes and buildings which utilise less carbon throughout TS: In the next fifteen years, it is anticipated that
their lifetime. Off-site construction can also help close construction will lose approximately 500,000 workers, due to
the performance gap by designing buildings that go above an ageing population and a lack of skilled labour entering the
minimum energy performance standards which negate the profession. Off-site construction workforces can offset this as
need to retrofit them in the future. This is important with MMC does not require conventional construction expertise,
nearly half of UK homes not meeting current energy efficiency Steve Cole, while overcoming an obstacle to increasing housing supply.
standards which are essential for our climate obligations. director of Make Modular homes can be deconstructed and moved to other
For example, a fabric first approach optimises the fabric UK Modular at sites, so the UK housing supply shortages could be mitigated
of building – such as insulation, roofing, walls, floors - which Make UK with temporary housing installed on ‘meanwhile’ sites that
reduces heating demand. This lowers fuel bills dramatically are awaiting development, such as Arup’s Ebury Estate pop-up
and, more importantly, reduces the demand for fossil fuels. units.
Home-suppliers can grow a more circular economy
What are some of the key technologies involved? service with low-carbon technology through the life of the
TS: Examples typically include an all-electric approach. Air home, by supplying equipment upgrades or using leasing
source heat pumps are common with some manufacturers contracts.
fitting photovoltaic solar panels as standard. There are also GK: The biggest opportunity for the UK is to significantly
manufacturers providing battery storage and even products ramp up housebuilding efforts which have been falling below
that offer zero bills. the 300,000 a year target for quite some time.
These technologies all rely on having highly-energy We are currently suffering the consequences of living with

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 36

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 Q&A Feature – Modul ar construction

old, poorly insulated, and carbon intensive buildings which competencies to bear in the housing sector. We already have Make UK
result in high energy bills, exacerbate energy insecurity, “Factory some fantastic MMC/modular housing providers in the UK
and rack up demand for fossil fuels. When constructing engineering means but have yet to reach the scale of manufacturing needed to
modular homes can be
new homes and buildings we must bear this in mind and satisfy the total market.
built to consistently
ensure they are constructed for future generations and with high standards, lower With such demands and value of pipeline that the
adequate insulation and low-carbon heating technologies. cost at greater speed, UK offers, we cannot ignore the potential for overseas
Poorly insulated homes are currently costing the NHS £800 and delivered to sites competition to seek an export opportunity into our market,
with hugely reduced
million a year, as revealed in our report on the Cost of Poor but I am confident the UK’s own supply chain could be scaled
disruption”
Housing, so it is crucial to address this moving forward. – Steve Cole, Make UK to match demands. One area of opportunity that should not
By seamlessly integrating smart technologies into be overlooked is the total emissions footprint of domestic
buildings, modular construction can help us accelerate versus imported MMC houses, and the consequential impact
this transition. It also brings with it a golden opportunity to on our trade (im)balance in this sector. Rather than viewing
upskill, or reskill, the construction industry. Green jobs will these factors as a vicious circle, we should consider this a
be key for the future of the construction sector and the wider golden opportunity to support and enable the transformative
UK economy, as carbon intensive jobs become redundant. change required within this sector and reap the benefits of a
JR: The UK has a strong track record in manufacturing significant scale-up for the nation and economy.
sectors, so there is no reason why we can’t bring these

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 38

 Show preview ADVERTORIAL

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39 January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk

 INTERVIEW
Events calendar:
Paul Stein
2023

EVENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR IN 2023 Commercial partners promote some of the key events
in the engineering calendar over the next twelve months

ACDC 2023: AC AND DC POWER TRANSMISSION SPACE-COMM EXPO

1 – 3 March 2023 | TIC Building, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK 7-8 June 2023 | Farnborough International Exhibition Centre

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7-8 June 2023 | Hall 12, NEC, Birmingham

Find out more: https://www.engineeringzero.com/

Subcon returns in 2023, bringing together the full manufacturing

RAILTEX 2023 ecosystem for the UK’s largest subcontract manufacturing
9 - 11 May 2023 | NEC Birmingham, UK. supply chain show.
Visitors can source from over 200 of the best British and
international suppliers, benchmark their subcontracting
manufacturing capabilities and refine their supply chain.
Situated in the heart of solid innovative developments in the
railway industry, Railtex brings together all rail professionals
from various sectors. Renowned as the leading one-stop-shop
event for the entire railway industry in the UK, the exhibition
reflects the dynamic developments in the sector and the vision
of the rail network of the future.

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 40

PPMA SHOW 2023 WOMEN IN BUSINESS & TECH EXPO
26 – 28 September 2023 | Hall 5, NEC, Birmingham 18-19 October 2023 | London ExCeL

The #1 Business and Tech Event for Women in the UK

PPMA Show is the largest processing and packaging machinery Karren Brady’s Women in Business & Tech Expo, 18-19 October
exhibition in the UK. 2023, London ExCeL is a two-day event for individuals who want to
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attend insightful seminars. It’s the only place to discover what
you didn’t know you were looking for. Karren Brady’s Women in Business & Tech Expo offers visitors the
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www.ppmashow.co.uk/ • Find employers that empower their female workforce
• Learn how to progress in tech or enter the field
• Discover companies invested in the success of women at work
• Connect with companies that champion women
ECOC 2023: EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS • Launch a new business or franchise
1 – 5 October 2023 | SEC | Glasgow | UK
• Explore new career options when returning after a break
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your career path

Europe’s leading conference on optical communications includes Register your interest at https://www.wibexpo.co.uk/contact/ to
talks by Vint Cerf, Vice President and Chief Internet Evangelist, discover YOUR opportunities and futureproof your career or business.
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THE ENGINEERING DESIGN SHOW in this new world. Manufacturers from across the industry will
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The Engineering Design Show (EDS) is the UK’s biggest event

EMEX
22 -23 November 2023 | EXCEL, LONDON
dedicated entirely to engineering, electronics and embedded
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With over 200 exhibitors, 3 dedicated conference streams and EMEX is THE Net Zero and Energy Management Exhibition for
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41 January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk

 Skills and careers
NOVEMBER
- In partnership
2019 with BAE SYSTEMS

PANEL REPORT:
THE FUTURE WORLD
OF ENGINEERING

During a recent panel session – hosted by The Engineer and BAE Systems – experts from
across industry looked at how engineering organisations, and the people who work for
them, are adapting to an era of profound and accelerating change. Jon Excell reports

F
rom the accelerating march of that are driving radical change and new ways “I’m looking for more traits and values around
technology to the impact of growing of working. “We have to consider different creativity and entrepreneurship. I want our
geopolitical instability, the push for net things now,” she said, “and that means different design team to be curious about what the
zero, and the challenges posed by the skills, different training, and different tools future is. I want them to be interested in what
pandemic, the engineering landscape is incorporating different technologies.” our customers are using our products for and
changing fast. Late last year (Dec 2022), At heart, she said, all of these challenges - and - beyond that - the future of our customers
The Engineer bought together a panel of experts the speed with which they evolve - create a need industries.”
from across industry to explore how individuals to be more adaptable, both in terms of skills and Alongside this, the whole panel identified
and organisations are evolving to address these the products and services that organisations a growing need - driven by the demands of
challenges. offer. “Cyber security is a good example,” said all-encompassing trends such net zero - for
Kempton. “That threat landscape changes really, engineers comfortable and adept at collaborating
Megatrends and shifting skills requirements really quickly, and we couldn’t go back and with experts from other sectors and disciplines.
The session opened with a discussion around re-engineer the product every time something “As we go forward to address all these
the specific trends that are reshaping the world changes. That product has to be able to be able to megatrends we can’t operate in isolation – we
of engineering and what this means in terms of adapt.” need to collaborate more,” said Kempton.
skills requirements. Picking up on this increased need for Expanding on these assessments, Dr Rhys
Looking at her own business, BAE adaptability, Katy Davies - Managing Director Morgan, director of Engineering and Education
Engineering Director Debbie Kempton identified of SME manufacturer CamdenBoss - said that at the Royal Academy of Engineering, added
the drive for sustainability; the emergence of these disruptive trends are also shifting the that technological advances - particularly in
disruptive digital and automation technologies; skills requirements of smaller organisations rapidly emerging areas such as AI and machine
the growing cybersecurity threat and the like hers, which have traditionally been home learning – are going to have a profound impact
lingering impact of the pandemic as key trends to more siloed and highly specific sets of skills. on how we train and upskill engineers in the

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 42

years ahead. “There are without doubt some BAE where there are lots ofopportunities to
disruptive technologies that are changing the move to different parts of the business. But
nature of engineering,” he said. “We’re still in the
Meet the Experts: alongside this , she said, the company is also
foothills of machine learning technology and Debbie Kempton - Engineering Director, BAE Systems plc actively developeing its further education
that’s really going to fundamentally change the opportunities. “People may come in on a
way we engineer products in the future. We need Natalie Desty - Founder & Director, STEM returners technician apprenticeship and later on study
to have a fundamental rethink about what it is for a degree. We try to look at the emerging
Chi Onwuhra - Labour MP for Newcastle upon Tyne Central
to be an engineer in in the 21st century - drawing trends and the skills we need, and then tailor the
and Shadow minister for Business, Energy and Industrial
on sustainability, ethics, inclusion, inclusive Strategy apprenticeships and further education and make
design, the end of engineering life – and really sure we’re offering training and support and
go into quite a lot of detail about the things Dr Rhys Morgan- Director of Engineering and Education, guidance.”
we’re teaching apprentices, technicians and Royal Academy of Engineering According to Katy Davies, this kind of activity
engineers.” is also vital at the SME level. She explained how
Katy Davies - Managing Director of CamdenBoss Limited
the apprenticeship levy has been a really useful
Attracting new skills method of upskilling existing workers “it’s a great
The current demand for skilled engineers across tool to have, to get the best out of our employers
all sectors is well known. And with some of potential returners are being let down by and make sure they’re supported to keep up with
industry’s key skills requirements - particularly standard recruitment channels, and that this changing world.”
around digitalisation - intersecting with those exceptional candidates are frequently taken
of other industries (e.g. financial services) it’s out of the running at an early stage in the Flexible and hybrid working
particularly challenging attracting new people to recruitment process because of perceptions that Interestingly, one factor that appears to be
the sector. So what measures can companies take their skills are now out of date. “In reality, 96 per helping drive diversity is the pandemic-induced
to give themselves the best chance of tapping cent of our returners are retained,” she said. shift to a more flexible workplace.
into the existing talent pipeline? An additional benefit of engaging with “Engineering can be a traditional space and
For Debbie Kempton and BAE Systems it’s STEM returners is that they tend to be quite a one of the biggest challenges we had at STEM
about ensuring that you’re building an inclusive, diverse group (46 per cent of Desty’s returners Returners before COVID was around flexibility,”
welcoming workplace and really stressing are female) and as all the panelists agreed, said Natalie Desty. “But that has completely
everything’s that’s exciting about engineering. “If driving diversity in the workforce will be key changed….COVID has moved the industry on at
you are curious, if you like change, if you like to to meeting the challenges ahead. “The most least 10 years in terms of attitude and cultures.”
make a difference to peoples’ lives - these are the important factor here is driving diversity of And with engineering organisations now
things that I think attract people to a career in thought, because that’s how you get really having to do everything they can to attract and
engineering. That’s why I became an engineer – innovative solutions. Lots of different lenses. retain talent, Desty doesn’t expect to see a return
and I think we lose sight of that sometimes.” Lots of different eyes on different problems,” said to more traditional working practices. “Hybrid
RAE’s Dr Rhys Morgan added that alongside Debbie Kempton. has to be here to stay,” she said. “Employees will
celebrating engineering and building an Meanwhile, Chi Onwuhra MP (shadow vote with their feet if it isn’t an option and with
inclusive company culture, another really business minister and one of the few engineers regard to inclusion and flexibility it’s absolutely
effective method of building an engaged and in parliament) argued that government has a vital.”
loyal workforce is to focus on apprenticeship and key role to play in helping to drive industry’s BAE’s Debbie Kempton agreed that - whilst
vocational learning opportunities, and work on future workforce. “The biggest challenges facing levels of flexible remote working will inevitably
building capability within the local workforce our world….have engineering at their heart, and vary from role to role - the workplace culture
from a young age. “The investment in young government has a role to play in making sure we has changed for good in this regard. “I think it’s
people that these companies provide is paid back have those skills in the right place….it should here to stay,” she said. “the way we look at it as a
by those young people who are more likely to have a long term vision of what kind of society company is that you don’t come in for the sake
stay within the organisation,” he said. we want in the future and it can also put in place of coming in, you come in because your role
Another potential solution is to recruit from the incentives and infrastructure which enable requires it, it’s the right thing for the project, or
the large pool of talented engineers who have that.” Onwuhra pointed to Gordon Brown’s you as a team want to be together for a certain
left industry for a career break – or to pursue a recent devolution report, which recommends amount of time.”
career in a different sector – and are now looking giving regions more of a say on skills strategy, as Meanwhile, RAE’s Rhys Morgan cautioned
to return. an example of the kind of policy assistance that that industry still has some work to do to
According to Natalie Desty – director of STEM could help. ensure that some of the positives of the old
Returners - there are currently thousands way of working are not lost. “The genie’s out
of potential returners with the skills and Retaining and upskilling of the bottle. We’re not going to be able to go
enthusiasm to make a big difference across a Alongside the challenges of bringing new talent back to a full-time office-based environment.
variety of sectors. on board, it’s clearly also vital that organisations And there are some things around that that are
However, whilst STEM returners has enjoyed do everything they can to retain and upskill disadvantages, for instance those serendipitous
some success in addressing this challenge existing workers. water cooler moments. We’ve got to work out
(so far helping around 350 individuals return According to Debbie Kempton, this comes as industry leaders how to develop and nurture
to industry) Desty warned that many more quite naturally to a broad organisation like those opportunities.”

43 January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk

 PRODUCT
Automotive
FEATURE

ZF’s UK R&D Facility paves the

way for autonomous driving
A new £70m R&D hub in Solihull focuses on all aspects of future mobility, from motor design to
connected and autonomous vehicles. Chris Pickering reports.

T
he West Midlands has long been a a major centre for innovation in the whole-vehicle needs,” explains
focal point of the UK automotive automotive electronics. Bal Panaser, global vice president for
industry. Britain’s first production ZF recently relocated to a new £70 chassis electronics at ZF. “The ‘See’
car rolled out of the gates of a million UK R&D hub on the outskirts element is how the vehicle perceives its
former cotton mill in Coventry of the town. The 220,000 sq ft site environment through systems like radar
in 1896. By that point Joseph Lucas & employs 750 personnel from 38 different and cameras, ‘Think’ is the enormous
Son had already been established in countries, and it’s home to a number amount of processing that has to be
neighbouring Birmingham for more of ZF’s Global Centres of Competency done to make sense of that, and ‘Act’ is
than 30 years, where it had made its including those for servo motor design Bal Panaser, VP actuation, such as brakes and steering
global electronics
name in the production of bicycle and automotive cyber security. EMC systems.”
chassis
lamps. testing is also a major focus, with six Panaser takes a refreshingly
As the newfound world of motoring chambers on site – one of which can pragmatic approach to the subject of
grew in the early 1900s, Lucas switched accommodate a complete aircraft automated driving. He acknowledges
its focus to automotive electrical items, engine – while the Hub is also home to that some of the industry’s original
with dynamos and magnetos, later a climatic test chamber large enough to predictions have proved wide of the
followed by starter motors and electric take a railway carriage. mark, but also emphasises that modern
headlamps. The company soon moved Much of the work at Solihull now passenger cars are already very much
to Solihull, and in time, it would go on falls under the far-reaching umbrella of on a road towards autonomy.
to become Lucas Varity and then TRW, future mobility. This includes the ramp “Electric power steering is a good
pioneering the development of electric up towards greater levels of automation, example of this,” he comments. “A lot
power steering and radar-guided governed by ZF’s mantra of See, Think of the systems that we’re working
adaptive cruise control along the way. and Act. on today are intended for
What began life as Joseph Lucas’s “The complexity of modern conventional passenger
bicycle lamp company is now part of ZF, vehicles means that you have to cars. But they’re designed
but it’s still in Solihull, and it remains start with an understanding of so they can be evolved into

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 44

 Read more
technology news
www.theengineer.co.uk

instance, a CAN bus module designed

for a commercial appliance might
function perfectly well while everything
is working as it should, but that doesn’t
necessarily mean it’s robust enough to be
used in a safety-critical application
“Availability is a critical trend in the
industry,” comments Panaser. “It’s all
about the ability to fail in an operational
manner. For instance, in the past, you
might have defined the ability to stop the
whole system within a certain timeframe
as an acceptable failure mode if there
was, say, a fault in an element of
the control system. Today that
would be totally unacceptable – you
need to provide an adequate degree of
steer-by-wire systems that are suitable functionality, even under a failure mode.”
for partial autonomy, where the steering The automotive industry has its
wheel is just one input. We’re starting to own standards and methodologies
see that already with some of the Level 3 surrounding this topic, but much of it
autonomous driving functions. And the has been inspired by aerospace. As with
same core concept can be evolved into flight control systems on aircraft, ZF’s
systems for autonomous shuttles and electronics relies heavily on redundancy
similar applications that may very well – providing a second ‘lane’ of control if
not have a steering wheel at all.” the first was to fail.
The sensing side of the equation has “If you work to the design standards
also become increasingly sophisticated. of ISO 26262, and various ASIL levels,
Radar is something of a speciality at they inevitably drive you towards
the Solihull hub. Lucas Automotive building in a degree of redundancy, and
– as it was back then – was one of the the diagnostic capabilities to determine
original pioneers of this technology, what’s happening if you have a failure,”
partnering with Jaguar on a project “Sensor resolution is perhaps the notes Panaser. “And those safety levels
known as Prometheus (Programme for single biggest area of improvement EMC testing is a aren’t something you can determine
European Traffic of Highest Efficiency that we’ve seen in radar over the years,” major area of focus retrospectively with validation alone.
at ZF’s new £70
and Unprecedented Safety). comments Panaser. “You need to link the You need to be able to prove that the
million R&D hub
By 1992, the consortium had radar with other systems on the vehicle development process has been carried
developed a microwave radar system to to gain the overall confidence you need to out with the right safety architecture in
monitor the range to the vehicle in front, make more complex decisions based on place from the beginning.”
complete with throttle control to speed those inputs.” These diagnostic capabilities are key.
the car up and brake servo actuation to Much like the sensors themselves, After all, switching to a backup function
slow it down. it’s the fusion of different autonomous only works if you can be sure that the
While the sensing range of these capabilities that’s drawing vehicles error originated in the area that you’re
systems has gradually improved over progressively into higher levels of bypassing. As a result, a lot of attention
the years, the step changes in their automation. is paid to eliminating so-called common
capability have largely come from other “A lot of the fundamental technology cause failure modes that could disable
aspects of their design. For instance, the is available today or will be imminently,” multiple parts of the system – basic
field of view in the early systems was comments Panaser. “The complexity examples might be the possibility of
less than 20 degrees, whereas modern really comes from validating that for all water ingress to a control unit or over-
automotive radar can cover a horizontal scenarios, and that’s where simulation reliance on a single sensor.
sweep of more than 150 degrees; comes in, with the ability to run millions It’s this methodical approach that
the sensor resolution has improved of miles of virtual driving in addition Panaser believes will help to lay down
dramatically; and it’s now commonplace to real-world testing. That’s still a huge the foundations for greater levels of
to have multiple radar systems on challenge. possibly autonomy in the future. That’s an area in
one vehicle, along with ‘sensor fusion’ Achieving the required level of which ZF’s Solihull hub will be heavily
where the inputs from different sensor functionality is the standout challenge involved – continuing a tradition that
technologies, such as cameras and radar, for these systems, but functional stretches back well over a century.
are combined. safety is also a significant concern. For

45 January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk

 ADVERTORIAL Supply Chain

WIND OF
CHANGE
The UK’s offshore wind ambitions
present a series of exciting
opportunities and challenges for
supply chain companies writes
Andrew Macdonald, Director of

Equinor
Offshore Wind Development and
Operations at ORE Catapult

B
ehind every successful industry is a strong, that amount powered by a supply chain that needs to
competitive supply chain providing the meet the need and reap the benefits.
innovation, products and people needed to The groundwork has been laid through the dramatic
create global impact. cost reduction and subsequent expansion of offshore
We are living in the time of a new wind. We now have the potential to go further into
green industrial revolution as technology deeper waters with advances in floating offshore wind
develops, ideas evolve, and our energy mix is technology enabling the harvest of an even larger power
reimagined with the use of natural resources offshore. resource and unlocking a multi-billion pound global
The ambition of our targets challenges us to adapt and market.
innovate, with 50GW of installed offshore wind capacity Floating wind offers us the potential to open up areas
targeted by the UK Government by 2030, the next eight of seabed which have previously been out of the reach
years will see growth like we’ve never seen before. The of fixed bottom offshore wind technology, while also
UK has delivered 10GW of installed capacity since the first offering new opportunities for technological innovation
commercial offshore wind farm powered up 20 years ago Lorna Bennet, to UK supply chain companies. We have seen, through
and there is now less than a decade to build four times Project Engineer at ORE Catapult test scale projects like Hywind and Kincardine, that
the technology works. The next step is to take that
technology and ramp it up to commercial scale. The
recent ScotWind leasing process developed by Crown
Estate Scotland provides us with a fantastic opportunity
to do exactly that, with potentially around 15GW of
floating wind being developed. This will, in turn, create
significant opportunities for UK supply chains that
will be spread across essential components such as
turbine blades and towers, substructure fabrication and
assembly, anchors and moorings, cables and substations,
installation and operations and maintenance. In fact, we
have already seen the successful ScotWind developers
make significant commitments to using UK supply chain
companies.
Offshore renewables are also boosted by extraordinary
advances in robotics, digital technology, and artificial
intelligence.

46 January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk

 Supply Chain ORE Catapult

As offshore wind farms grow in size, and move offshore renewable sector meet the energy needs of our
increasingly further offshore, digital and robotic future economy.
solutions have a vital role to play in creating But the timescales are challenging, and innovation
infrastructure and maintaining safety offshore. needs to find its way to the market quickly and efficiently.
Data analysis of wind farm performance significantly The consenting process needs to speed up with support
reduces the time required for workers to be offshore in from government and industry.
extreme environments and extensive infrastructure Developers can empower planning and consenting
monitoring can now take place remotely – reducing risk bodies to make quick decisions with provision of
and expanding analytical capabilities. advanced environmental knowledge and siting,
AI based systems also provide a solution for regular enabled by smarter use of data and digital technologies.
physical maintenance of offshore structures. An example Government must be quick to respond to this approach
of this is the SARBox system developed by Scottish and improve the consenting pipeline to deliver enhanced
company Zelim and supported by the Offshore Renewable investor confidence in the UK supply chain.
Energy (ORE) Catapult. Zelim are developing the world’s A long-term approach is needed on grid technology so
first in-field, crewless search and rescue service for that dynamic solutions can be created that allow greater
offshore wind farms. Recent tests have shown it can flexibility of access. We must identify skills gaps where
dramatically reduce the time taken to recover people they exist and work across industry, government, and
from the water when compared with conventional educational institutions to find the people we need. We
methods, reducing the risk of casualties at sea. should also make sure we are benefitting from existing
Robotic devices can also take on routine tasks such skills as people transition out of the oil and gas industry.
as blade cleaning and condition monitoring. Others can This resource cannot be easily recreated once lost and
test the tension on the millions of bolts holding offshore the movement of skills is happening now. We must
structures together. This pre-emptive maintenance capture the potential that this offers and learn from the
is crucial to ensure any faults are detected early. experience of others.
This extends the life of turbines at sea and helps the This is the new green industrial revolution and
industry progress towards a circular economy of repair, rethinking our energy solutions is vital for our future. At
refurbishment, remanufacture and recycling. ORE Catapult we power innovation and strive to make
Aberdeen-based offshore robotics company sure we all benefit from an industry that is expanding,
HonuWorx is supported by ORE Catapult and is on pushing boundaries, enabling growth and Net Zero. There
track to deliver a solution for subsea maintenance. Its are challenges, but we can meet them together.
Loggerhead system features a submersible mothership
that works as a mobile power and communications hub
for Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) – worker robots
that carry out the subsea work. The system can remotely
deploy and operate these robots at underwater locations
and data gathered can be accessed from anywhere in the
world.
While ROVs are currently used for offshore wind farm
inspections, they rely on large, crewed, diesel-powered
vessels for transportation. By using these vessels, a
21-day inspection can cost up to £1.5m and emit more
than 500 tonnes of carbon dioxide. Robotic systems
that can be deployed from smaller or uncrewed vessels
significantly reduce carbon emissions from operations
and maintenance activities.
The financial savings of technological development
are part of the overall success story of the global offshore
wind market, which is set to rise to over £100bn a year
by 2050. It’s predicted that increased use of robotics at
offshore wind farms could reduce operational costs by
over 20 per cent.
At ORE Catapult, we are using our facilities and
expertise to help foster innovation. Our £3m Digital,
Autonomous and Robotics Engineering Centre,
currently under construction in Blyth, will allow robotic
technology developers to access a state-of-the-art facility
as the UK’s go-to digital testing lab.
We work with developers of robotic systems and
artificial intelligence on the solutions needed to make the
Click here to find out more

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 47

 ADVERTORIAL Connected & Autonomous Vehicles

Collaboration key to navigating the

challenges of automated driving technologies
Firmly committed to the industry’s progress in automated driving technologies, HORIBA MIRA’s
connected and autonomous vehicle solutions leader, Aaron Mandalia, discusses the challenges
and why collaboration will be crucial in making successful strides forward.

T
he complexity of bringing automated vehicle
(AV) technologies to market has meant many
early milestone predictions around widescale
commercial deployment have been missed.
But the societal benefits are still as relevant
and necessary as ever, and as such we believe
this is a technology area worth investment
and progressing.
For these technologies to be a success, we need to
ensure that they are safe and robust, and that consumers
understand and accept their performance. This requires
continued investment in developing the tools and
techniques that will provide appropriate safety assurance
and support the industry on this journey. Investment
and collaboration across the sector – including parallel
enabling sectors such as infrastructure, regulatory
development and insurance – will be a key contributor in
moving along such technologies.

Setting out the regulations

Legislation exists in many countries to enable AV
technology trials to take place. However, legislation bring about a shift in liability from the driver to the
to progress to commercial deployment is currently Automated Self Driving Entity (ASDE). ASDEs will need
limited. For its 2022 Automated Vehicles report, the Law to provide assurance that the standard of driving is the
Commission brought together over 350 contributing equivalent of a ‘safe and competent’ human driver, while
organisations, groups and people from the public sector, quantifying risks and understanding exposure.
private sector, academics and working groups. It’s An area of significant complexity is determining what
through collaboration that it was able to make insightful tests verify and validate the technologies, and when
recommendations and begin paving the way for such enough testing has been completed to achieve such sign
critical legislation in the UK. off. Tackling this colossal challenge requires access to
HORIBA MIRA is proud to be amongst its contributors, the verification and validation tools and techniques that
supporting and guiding the progress of legislation. allow efficient exploration of the problem space through
Recently, the team also led a work package for the iterative scenario generation. Resulting test data must be
Department for Transport to provide guidance on the analysed to understand any gaps, which in turn informs
technical requirements for low-speed AV regulations, further scenario generation to create sufficient test
covering vehicles of up to 16 passengers at a maximum coverage across all areas of the system. This will be key
speed of 20mph within the UK. to optimising the amount of testing and managing the
Government is now deliberating the Automated complexity.
Vehicles report and will decide whether to accept It is an area where HORIBA MIRA can provide the
recommendations and introduce appropriate legislation, required tools and expertise, having collaborated with
anticipated by the end of the current parliament in 2024. Zenzic, Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) and WMG
to produce the ‘Safety Case Framework: Guidance Edition’,
The size of the challenge which shares best practice and guidelines for writing and
Amongst the recommendations is that active AV systems reviewing safety cases. It takes a scenario-based testing

48 January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk

 Connected & Autonomous Vehicles Horiba Mira

approach combined with a risk-based analysis, resulting and to get an advanced appreciation through subjective
in a robust safety case that will be key for commercial assessment of what the functioning automated driving
deployment sign-off. system will ‘feel’ like when actuated.
HORIBA MIRA will soon have a DiM simulator at
Multi-pillar test approach its facilities, opening for customers in 2023. With the
The research, development and implementation costs increasing development, early-stage rapid prototyping
of AV technologies are very high. Utilising simulation is and simulation reduces costs by removing the need to
imperative to execute vast quantities of test scenarios tool some prototype parts, and enabling our customers
in the virtual world. However, it cannot be used in to get their design right first time, to realise return on
isolation: real world testing is still critical. The industry investment.
must therefore move towards efficient multi-pillar
test programmes, combining simulation with physical Merging expertise
real-world testing in both controlled environments and Given the current economic situation and the sheer scale
on public roads. A particular challenge is validating and cost involved in developing, verifying and validating
that simulation test data is reflective of real-world such technologies, collaboration across industry is
performance. HORIBA MIRA’s ASSURED CAV facilities, a required to ensure the appropriate expertise and help ease
dedicated test ecosystem for connected and automated the burden. However, these headwinds mean we are likely
vehicle technologies, allows the creation of bespoke to see further consolidation.
scenarios to match those within simulation or on the In some cases, it will be possible for companies to
public road for correlation activity. A digital twin of consolidate through forming strategic partnerships – from
ASSURED CAV also enables the execution of tests in stack developers through to component and enabling
simulation that can be replicated on the proving ground. technology companies, and for OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers
OEMs need to be confident that systems perform well taking key technologies in-house. We anticipate that
in order to build brand loyalty and consumer trust. We mergers and consolidation will continue into 2023 to
are seeing this spill into ADAS development. Customers support the development of automated technologies.
of HORIBA MIRA’s ASSURED CAV facility are utilising A case in point is the announcement that rival lidar
the team’s expertise to identify appropriate scenarios to providers Velodyne and Ouster will merge, opting to
test beyond existing regulations and standards. It enables combine forces and technologies rather than compete in
them to improve quality and understand the real-world such a demanding environment.
performance of their system, which will become brand Unfortunately, such consolidation is not always plain
differentiating. sailing. Argo AI, which was backed by Ford and VW,
recently folded. However, Ford is looking to collaborate
A robust business model with other companies and purchase AV technology in
With the high costs involved, investment needs to be the future rather than developing it in-house due to the
justified. A strong business case hinges on consumer timescales of such mobility coming
acceptance and desire for the technology. Brand Bringing automated vehicle technology to the market
differentiation therefore becomes incredibly important. is a challenge, but through continued investment and
Technologies must be intuitive, robust, and ultimately collaboration with expert partners, we expect the industry
deliver according to the consumer’s expectations for that to navigate these incremental steps. As a company,
particular brand. HORIBA MIRA is confident that the technology will come
At an early stage, Driver in Motion (DiM) simulation to market and continues to invest in this area, providing
can assist by enabling safe trials to understand how users specialist guidance and support to design, develop, verify
will interact with the technology, the transition of control and validate such technologies. Collaboration with such
between automated driving systems and a human driver, organisations avoids capital expenditure on building
capabilities that
already exist: it is
crucial to successful
implementation
and delivery of the
business case in these
key steps towards AV
deployment.

Click here to find out more

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 49

 ADVERTORIAL Skills

Upskilling for
the future
Engineering skills body Enginuinty is
helping industry establish a workforce
capable of keeping pace with the rapidly
changing technology landscape

A
maelstrom of challenge is presenting itself Enginuity, explains how Enginuity is focussing on each
to the world and engineering consistently part of an engineer’s career-cycle.
appears to have a key role in navigating a Says Dan: “As children grow, they’re exposed to a huge
way through the complexity. variety of career options, but the nature of engineering
Enginuity is an industry charity working often makes it difficult for them to visualise what it means
to secure the future of engineering by as a job.
promoting how it offers enduring career “I was lucky, my father and grandfather were engineers,
potential and a wealth of varied career pathways. which meant I understood where the possibilities lay for
Recent figures show that among the UK’s current a future in the profession, but I do question how without
government leaders, only four out of 22 cabinet ministers that exposure, children can make the leap between the
hold a degree in science or engineering, with only one – engineering they see and touch, and how they can find
trade minister Kemi Badenoch – making a career of it. their way to a profession engaged in solving problems by
Labour fares even worse, with only one front bencher creating innovative solutions.”
holding a science degree. Similarly, just one Whitehall
permanent secretary holds an engineering qualification. Child’s Play
The UK is not alone in this, with government A major focus at Enginuity has been developing Skills
leadership in the US, Germany and France predominantly Miner – Minecraft games designed for use in the
made up of lawyers and economists, whereas in China classroom that bring engineering to life for young people.
almost half of the seven-man Politburo Standing The fourth in the series – Skills Miner Vertical Farming
Committee have engineering qualifications. And while – has just launched. Not only are the games a great
there are undoubtably many factors determining the illustration of the range of work covered by engineers but
disparity between the G7’s growth rate of 0.2 per cent and this edition comes at a time when population growth is
China’s of 3.9 per cent, it is difficult not to make a mild demanding a new approach to mass food production – an
assumption. issue exacerbated by events such as the war in Ukraine as
Writing in The Times, columnist Trevor Phillips well as the growing impacts of global warming.
reflects that the vulnerability presented by the lack of Dan says: “As well as encouraging young people to
STEM-educated government officials was evident in explore engineering through gaming, we’re using Skills
poor preparedness for the pandemic. For our industry, Miner to show how their eventual career could have a
this vulnerability represents a much greater risk around direct impact on creating a more sustainable planet which
attracting new entrants who are keen to carve out careers is a theme we know is particularly resonant among the
solving some of the world’s biggest challenges, while next generation.
holding on to those that may be questioning whether “Before launching Skills Miner Vertical farming, we
working engineering will take them to retirement. undertook some research with specialist researchers
Dan Meredith, engineer and Chief Operating Officer at ChildWise. It highlighted a ‘worrying disconnect’ between

50 January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk

 Skills Enginuity

the drive to teach STEM subjects, encouraging students identify current skills and the additional skills needed to
to engage with STEM, and a lack of understanding around move into a new role.
careers that STEM subjects lead to. The scale of this database is not to be underestimated;
“Our research showed that primary school rather than bringing together expertise in engineering skills and
secondary was where engagement with engineering needs ingenuity in data, Enginuity has created a bespoke on-line
to begin something that can be capitalised on through resource for the engineering sector using complex data
play as those interviewed who expressed an interest in engineering to amalgamate numerous job role and skills
engineering cited their enjoyment of fixing and building data sources.
things, cars and F1, and problem solving.” Says Dan “we’re aiming to bring clarity by helping
“Illustrating where this interest can lead to careers is individuals navigate a new career pathway in a
crucial, not least because the research also showed how logical, straightforward way. The type and scale of the
important it is to demonstrate the relationship between information and intelligence that the Skills Connector
skills and careers.” will bring to an engineer and their employer hasn’t existed
One-way Enginuity is doing this is by creating a virtual before and we believe that this will be a game-changer for
careers map which will be hosted on a new website engineering.
planned to go live early next year. Using animation, a “By bringing these tools to market we hope to keep
wholly immersive world has been created packed full of talent and experience in the industry. It is easy for an
well-sourced information and facts that will enable young individual to be overwhelmed by the skills requirements
people to explore the potential that engineering has to offer. associated with evolving technologies and so they feel
‘locked out’; through this work we are aiming to show in
Retaining talent practical and realistic ways how it is possible to pivot and
Moving beyond the classroom, new technologies as well progress.”
as the drive for sustainability are guiding Enginuity’s
forward-focused activities which encompass upskilling Workforce planning
and reskilling for the current workforce. An engineer has The challenge for employers is equally complex as they
a vast array of skills that can be transferred from one role try to establish a workforce capable of keeping pace
to another and one sector to another, but this isn’t always with the technological evolution as well as changing
obvious to the individual or their employer. demand, especially in sectors that are highly focussed on
Dan highlights the fact that alternative career sustainable development, such as aerospace.
pathways need to be explained, so that “someone working According to Dan, “As technologies evolve, the jobs that
in a declining sector can gain an understanding as to deliver them will also evolve.”
how they can transition to a growing sector, what skills Into 2023, much of Enginuity’s work will focus on
they have, what skills they may need and the educational developing tools to support employers in building an
pathways they can follow to upskill.” informed picture of different education systems and
Enginuity is creating a portfolio of interactive digital technology requirements, helping them to undertake
products to enable individuals to explore where their strategic workforce planning that will enable them to
future might lie. Set for launch in spring 2023, the first grow and compete.
such tool will be a free ‘Skills Connector’. Says Dan “Enginuity has a unique, 360 view of the skills
The Skills Connector harnesses a huge database of landscape – we can see the gaps, we understand where the
job roles and skills information to enable an engineer to education and training provision sits, and we can translate
this knowledge into effective workforce planning.
“Using data-led insight we’re developing wholly unique
tools that we believe will make a difference.”
“From energy consumption through to food
production, the problems are well presented; what’s
evident is the need to ensure opportunities within
engineering to deliver solutions are made clear so
that talented individuals join the industry and skilled
individuals remain part of it. Lawyers and economists
may run the country; however, the burden of fixing so
many of the challenges we face rests on the shoulder of
engineers.”

Click here to find out more

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 51

 ADVERTORIAL Servitisation

Machine servitisation helps

manufacturers tackle key
industry challenges
RS explains how its end-to-end solutions and services are helping
manufacturing operators reap the benefits of servitisation in a rapidly evolving landscape

T
he challenges facing the manufacturing infancy in manufacturing and areas such as plant
industry today are numerous and maintenance. However, there are clear signs the whole
exponential. From supply chain and logistics market is recognising the benefits and the importance
issues arising from Brexit and global factors of using servitisation to help them successfully navigate
such as the war in Ukraine, through to labour key challenges and remain profitable.
and skills shortages, a pandemic-induced As a global service solutions provider, RS’ end-to-end
cultural shift in working practices and solutions and services offering is helping manufacturing
consumer-led demand driving technology adoption – operators reap the benefits of servitisation in a rapidly
the sector has been hit with large-scale forces. But with evolving landscape. An established distributor with
challenges often comes opportunity, and there’s no doubt a long heritage, RS enhances its unrivalled breadth of
that the evolution of the sector holds many benefits for product offering with additional solutions, enabling
those operating within it. customers to buy and deploy those products in a much
Many of these challenges being presented today that smarter way. The provision of such services is a firm
can affect cash flow, skills and labour availability and example of servitisation, and manufacturers can
plant productivity can be greatly aided by servitisation. utilise this to help keep operations running smoothly,
While the servitisation mega-trend is prolific in many efficiently and profitably.
sectors such as media and creative, it is still in relative

52 January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk

 Servitisation RS

Using servitisation to overcome the skills and labour focus on other business critical tasks. We currently help
shortages in manufacturing customers by providing mobile condition monitoring
The skills shortage is a long-recognised issue and services, backed up with analysis and reporting, until the
one which is getting wider in the industrial sphere – maintenance maturity of the customer is ready for a more
exacerbated by the greater demand on businesses to tech led IoT solution.”
digitise. A report from The Engineering Construction
Industry Training Board in 2018 highlighted that nearly Servitisation enabling engineers to engineer
20 per cent of skilled engineers in UK manufacturing will With the procurement of maintenance, repair, operating
retire by 2026. and production (MROP) supplies costing organisations
With plant and asset maintenance being a major twice as much as the product itself - according to research
element in any manufacturing organisation, it is an Rob Webster conducted by RS in conjunction with the Chartered
important area that requires employing operatives with Institute for Procurement & Supply - manufacturing firms
the right skills to develop and maintain a viable and need to look for smarter ways to procure.
effective maintenance strategy. This is no mean feat with Servitisation in inventory management, for instance,
the array of maintenance activities and technology to be provides a huge opportunity for manufacturers to negate
utilised, and it’s an area not to be downplayed when it the pain points of stock management. Using a vendor-
comes to how servitisation can help. managed inventory service, such as RS Scanstock, reduces
Whether it’s lubrication solution design or oil analysis, the time and cost associated with replenishment of low
energy management or condition monitoring, there are value, fast-moving industrial supplies. Maintaining
specific skills that can make these maintenance activities control of inventory consumption in this way removes
effective – while a lack of skills can make them not only unnecessary stores processes and increases product
ineffective, but even detrimental to efforts. “Lubrication availability – removing the burden of procurement from
should be at the heart of any maintenance strategy, engineering teams.
but the use and application of lubricant is a science in Gary Harvey “I’ve spoken with operations and maintenance
itself – and the misuse or incorrect application, or type managers in many manufacturing businesses, and they
being used, can have a severe detrimental effect on plant all share the same challenge of engineers being burdened
equipment”, explains Rob Webster, head of onsite CM and with tasks that are not engineering based – inventory,
asset management at RS. “Choosing the right lubricant, procurement, and more. Embracing digitisation and a
to administer in the right volume, at the right intervals - servitisation model can unburden engineers, help address
ensuring compatibility and correct storage, handling and skills gaps and build resilience into any business,” says
monitoring measures – is far from an unskilled job. While Simon Fletcher, sales director for RS UK&I.
there are some good lubricant practices for a variety of Cash flow is the lifeblood of any organisation, and in
applications that can be followed, we’re finding a lot of an arena such as manufacturing – with cost arising from
organisations are navigating the skills shortage by using equipment maintenance, components purchase, logistics,
providers that offer this service to them, and hold the right staff and plant overheads, it is even more critical.
knowledge, equipment, products and expertise to execute Simon Fletcher Inefficient inventory management results in poor
it successfully,” he adds. visibility of stock – which can sap cash flow significantly
Servitisation in other areas of condition monitoring when working capital is tied up in unnecessary or
such as thermography or vibration analysis are growing. excess inventory, and can also lead to a risk of product
While staple condition monitoring activities such as obsolescence. There is also the cost of inefficient business
these can be aided with hand held thermal imaging processes leading to misuse of resource to consider:
devices and wireless vibration sensors - both of which are around two-and-a-half weeks are used up by engineers
becoming much more accessible and inexpensive – the each year as a result of trying to procure maintenance
greatest benefits can come from analysis of the data they products through ineffective supply chains and processes,
gather. Gary Harvey leads the Field Services team for wasting good resource – resource that cannot be spared
RS’ Maintenance Solutions offering. He says, “Wireless amid skills shortages. Using servitisation where possible
vibration sensors are great devices that offer an effective will help create efficiencies through minimising plant
way of capturing data. They are easy to install, and when downtime, increasing productivity and making savings on
coupled with software platforms that can aggregate and specialist equipment, staff or training.
analyse the data, actionable insights can be gleaned. Simon concludes,” Removing the burden of
However, there’s the investment in both the technology procurement from your engineering team and embracing
and the analyst or IT skills to consider, and increasingly, the digitisation of procurement to unlock the efficiencies
we’re finding organisations would rather use solutions on offer will set your business up for success in an
providers that can do this for them. When you consider increasingly digitised world. Using servitisation to help
the software and skills investment required to utilise with business critical tasks is a path manufacturers can
these condition monitoring solutions effectively, it’s not no longer afford not to take.”
hard to see why servitisation of these are on the rise. Not
only does this approach offer peace of mind that the job
is being expertly carried out, but it allows operators to
Click here to find out more

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 53

 ADVERTORIAL Net Zero

THINKING DIFFERENTLY
FOR A GREENER TOMORROW
Transitioning to net zero will require implementing more sustainable design strategies supported
by a culture of creative thinking that encourages engineers to challenge the norm.

E
ngineers play a critical role in sustainability.
From initial concept design to selecting the
components and materials, engineers have a
primary influence on a product’s lifecycle and
its overall impact on the environment.
Indeed, according to recent research cited
on the European Commission’s EU Science
Hub, over 80 per cent of all product-related environmental
impacts are determined during the design phase of a
product. Reengineering a product’s sustainability is not
easy – it needs to be baked in from the start.
So, that begs the question: how can companies
engender a pervasive culture of creative thinking and
empower their engineers to think sustainably? The
answer comes initially by unlocking the space for critical
reflection on ‘business as usual’ and giving engineers the
time, space, skills and encouragement they need.
“Any good creative process has some level of chaos
within it – it is rarely a linear journey,” says Emma
Crichton, Head of Engineering at Engineers Without and emerging standards related to eco-design. So, allocate
Borders UK, a charity which aims to put global individual responsibility for reading and understanding
responsibility at the heart of engineering. “Product the standards before looking at broader issues such as
development is complex and fast-paced, but often training and the checklists and tools required to take
companies need to take a step back and give their people things further.”
the time to self-educate, develop new competencies and One important acknowledgement inside organisations
question the norm. It is unlikely that traditional practices looking to embed a culture of more sustainable design
and processes will work effectively in creating more is that levels of awareness and understanding of
sustainable and equitable outcomes. People need time sustainability inside each organisation vary dramatically.
and space to come together and think creatively.” “You get many people with zero knowledge and
This sentiment, quoted in a recently published understanding, progressing through to basic, intermediate
whitepaper entitled ‘Keen to be Green: An Engineer’s and advanced,” adds Martin Charter. “Companies must
Guide to Sustainable Product Design’, was echoed by take stock and assess where the expertise resides.
Professor Martin Charter, director of the Centre for Sometimes it exists without them realising. Only then
Sustainable Design at the University for the Creative Arts. can an organisation identify the sustainability skills
He believes there needs to be a high-level commitment requirement and start to think about putting new
to sustainability, supported by a clear allocation of structures in place.”
accountability.
“Sustainability is an important issue, and it needs EMBRACING ACTIVIST ENGINEERING
an investment of time,” he insists. “To take it seriously, But company culture is only part of the story. There are
there needs to be someone inside the organisation also ways that engineers can take personal responsibility
responsible for taking a top-line view of the regulatory for their sustainability knowledge and experience by
landscape, monitoring and understanding all existing getting involved with initiatives that encourage innovative

54 Janaury 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk

 Net Zero DesignSpark

thinking – often at a very practical level.

The RS DesignSpark #ActivistEngineering programme
is a case in point. This global initiative was launched last
year to inspire engineers to put engineering responsibility
at the heart of their product designs, using their skills
to make a positive impact on the lives of people and the
planet. The programme encourages engineers to work
together to solve specific problems and think about how
products can fit harmoniously into the environment
with minimum disruption or degradation of natural
ecosystems.
To kick off the programme, RS DesignSpark launched The debate also covered the critical importance of the
its first community project using the concept of citizen skills agenda and how engineering organisations could
science to tackle poor air quality. The ‘Air Quality’ project attract and retain people with the right skills to fulfil long-
seeks to address the challenges of rising air pollution, term ambitions of achieving net zero. The conversation
particularly indoor pollution caused by airborne particles, recognised that many younger people had an intense
household odours and gases, carbon dioxide, and more. commitment to the environment and wanted to work for
The project aims to unite the more than one million companies that reflected their concerns.
members of the RS DesignSpark engineering community “Younger generations want to deliver holistic value:
to build and deploy a global network of portable indoor air it’s about people, planet and profit,” says Andrea Barrett,
quality monitors for the home, workplace, or other public Vice President of Social Responsibility and Sustainability
indoor spaces and share the data collected back to the at RS. “They are not just attracted by salary and rewards
community. – purpose, inclusion and sustainability are top of their
To support the project, RS DesignSpark collaborated agenda. Our purpose here at RS is to embody this by
with various partners to develop a cloud-enabled open- making amazing things happen for a better world.”
source prototyping platform – The RS DesignSpark
Environmental Sensor Development Kit. The kit consists DELIVERING A GREENER TOMORROW
of open-source hardware and code and has a set of sensor In conclusion, then, there is an unstoppable impetus
modules that plug into a Raspberry Pi single-board behind the trend towards sustainability and the demand
computer with a touchscreen, wirelessly connecting to for more sustainable product design. But successful
the cloud. implementation of sustainable principles cannot happen
Over the year, the Air Quality project has resulted overnight. It requires a top-down commitment from
in various innovative ideas from the RS DesignSpark inside an organisation and the requisite investment in
community, exploring unusual ways to monitor or people and processes. Engineers also need a personal
improve air quality. These include the Good Air Canary commitment to think differently, work collaboratively and
sensor, which detects too much CO2 in the workplace, and acquire new skills.
the Dream Lantern, which monitors air quality during But the benefits of sustainable design can be
periods of sleep for chemicals such as volatile organic transformative, resulting in higher levels of innovation,
compounds and automatically opens and closes the creativity and team morale. Sustainable product design
bedroom window to balance health and comfort. can also make an organisation more attractive to the
future workforce. Graduates and younger engineers
ATTRACTING YOUNGER ENGINEERS have lived most of their lives against the backdrop of the
The #ActivistEngineering programme is an excellent climate crisis, and many have a personal stake in the
example of how individuals can help create a more broader issue of Net Zero.
sustainable world. Recently, many forward-looking Sustainability is fast becoming a valuable recruitment
companies have also recognised that they have a critical tool for the brightest talent amid global skill shortages –
role to play. attracting and retaining a new generation who can deliver
A recent online roundtable comprising high-tech a greener tomorrow.
manufacturers from a broad array of backgrounds and At a broader level, the bottom line is that businesses
disciplines showed that the transition towards more today must create long-term value by adopting a strategic
sustainable engineering was gathering pace. During a approach to sustainability, taking into consideration the
wide-ranging and lively discussion, participants from ecological, social, and economic environments in which
Schneider Electric, RS, HARTING, igus, Phoenix Contact, they operate.
and Würth Elektronik described how their companies
had put sustainability at the heart of their operations.
The participants gave numerous tangible examples of
decarbonisation initiatives across the value chain – from
design and manufacturing, to packaging, transport, and
logistics.
Click here to find out more about RS DesignSpark

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 55

 ADVERTORIAL Design Soft ware

THE TEN KEY

ENGINEERING
CHALLENGES
TO SHAPING A Engineers are at the heart of addressing some of society’s

BETTER FUTURE most pressing issues writes John Kitchingman,

MD, EuroNorth at Dassault Systèmes

A
s we head towards 2023, it’s imperative that energy balance – and the virtual world can help to
the engineering sector continues to increase achieve this.
awareness of and respond to societal and Virtual twin technology – scientifically accurate 3D
environmental challenges. From inflation computer models of existing and planned construction
and economic downturn to sustainability, – can enable building design for eco-efficiency, evolve
humanity faces pressing issues that will manufacturing techniques to reduce waste and facilitate
impact our health, cities, energy, and water collaboration to improve outcomes. For example, a recent
systems – to name just a few areas. study by Accenture, which measured virtual twins’ ability
The engineering industry needs to lead from the front to operate existing buildings more efficiently, estimated
when it comes to reimagining the future. We need to the technology could reduce building operating costs by
quickly change the way products are designed and made US$288 billion (€254 billion) by 2030 by reducing energy
to imagine new sustainable innovations that address the demand and eliminating 6.920 metric tons of CO2-
challenges the world faces today. John Kitchingman, equivalent emissions.
MD, EuroNorth at Dassault
This will involve developing innovative products Systèmes
and services quickly and reliably, whilst adopting new Cities
business models, which sustainably address rapidly Beyond energy, it is more vital than ever to leverage
changing market demands. This shift should be the collective intelligence of citizens, businesses,
underpinned by workforce evolution, which addresses the and governments to make cities people-friendly and
skills gaps and working practices for people in business. sustainable as urbanisation continues.
The virtual world can help businesses to operate more New solutions can help us move closer to this goal.
sustainably across these three pillars. Virtual twin experiences of cities enable us to model,
In this piece, we’ll explore the ten key challenges that simulate, visualise, and experiment with entire cities to
the world faces in shaping a better future and the industry make real world improvements, helping us care for the
can address them. vibrant, cultural epicentres that billions are happy to call
home.
Energy This will help to improve cities by creating more
A key challenge lies in creating an energy-positive world. sustainable buildings with renewable materials, involving
As a planet, we are on course to increase our energy citizens that help to define the city of tomorrow and
consumption at least 50% by 2030. Much of this massive creating new solutions for mobility, agriculture, and
growth is taking place in remote areas never served by green energy. To develop those aspects, data-driven,
electricity. Traditional sources for power are becoming collaborative, and sustainable urban development
scarcer, while the need for sustainable solutions is planning is crucial – and engineering plays a key role.
increasing. For example, in infrastructure and cities, engineers
Just like in nature, energy solutions require balance: can now use virtual twins of a building to inform
juxtaposed against concerns about climate change and the construction phase to operations to ongoing
quality of life is the push to find the right mix between improvement. Having a holistic view of all processes,
existing and emerging energy sources. products, services, and usages along with the ability to
Meanwhile, the world’s metropolises account for up to digitally test new products, facilities and production
80% of the planet’s energy consumption and 75% of carbon and operation methods holds tremendous potential to
emissions, meaning cities also need to achieve a better improve the cities we live in.

56 January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk

 Design Soft ware Dassault SystÈmes

Mobility Emotion
We also need to reduce our carbon footprint as we Emotion is what drives people to act, to challenge the
move through the world. Our world is increasingly status quo and eventually change the world. Music, and
interconnected, with supply chains spanning continents art in general, are incredible ways to generate emotion,
and economic growth across areas such as Asia and and virtual universes are beginning to prove their value
Africa continuing to increase the mobility aspirations of for art and artists.
millions. This is coming to life in the form of projects such as
But swift changes in mobility make it more pressing to 3DVarius – where French violinist Laurent Bernadac
develop sustainable solutions for the movement of people has developed a new approach to innovation, combining
and goods and the virtual world again offers ground- advanced technologies with ancient violin-making skills
breaking insights. Modelling and virtual experience to create the first fully playable, 3D-printed electric violin.
technology is a crucial player in allowing us to design Designed using 3D design solutions, the 3Dvarus
safer and greener mobility systems. illustrates how innovation and art fuse together, bringing
musicians closer to their instruments and pioneering new
Water and consumption ways to create powerful emotional experiences.
The overconsumption of fresh water is one of the greatest
threats the planet faces. Irresponsible use of water to Heritage and the future
produce consumer goods and services jeopardises the We need to remember that understanding the past can
availability of water resources, which is why the United also help us to better navigate the future. The arc of
Nations Decade of Actions includes among its Sustainable human progress is drawn not only by the inventions and
Development Goals “ensuring access to water and innovations that we are able to conceive, but also by the
sanitation for all.” lessons that our shared history teaches us.
It’s up to the engineering industry to help provide Virtual worlds offer us powerful tools to do both: gain a
businesses with the means to better understand their greater understanding of our past through initiatives such
impact on water resources, and work with them to create as the Living Heritage project and make visionary models
sustainable approaches to consumption. and real-world changes that will result in a better future
For example, data intelligence, 3-D modelling and for generations to come.
visualisation technologies can be used to trace the Finally, it’s crucial that we invest in the workforce of
water footprint of products and services, from design the future. The pace of technology is changing, and the
and engineering through manufacturing and end-of-life industry needs to fill a gap related to digital engineering
implications. Ultimately, this benefit is passed on to skills and concepts such as big data and artificial
consumers, as companies can offer goods and services intelligence (AI).
that have been designed, manufactured, and transported Collaboration among societies, education, industry,
using less water. and government is central to addressing these skills
challenges. As society changes and technologies evolve,
Nature engineering schools must adapt and apply new methods
We can also learn from nature to innovate sustainability, to better prepare students for the workplace – and
with the resources it offers us going beyond raw materials collaboration between academia and industry will help
and energy sources. equip students with the skills to design a better world.
As our way of life continues to have a lasting impact
on the environment, many of the challenges we face can
find invaluable lessons in the natural ecosystems and rich Read the executive strategies for long-term business
lifeforms that surround us. Using virtual experiences, we sustainability 2022 survey results in full at
can apply these lessons to design and develop solutions
for a more sustainable future.

Health
Another key challenge the world needs to solve is how to
create preventative healthcare tailored to each patient.
Hippocrates, the father of medicine, dreamed of
personalised treatments that would be ideally suited
to each patient. Two thousand years later, his dream is
becoming a reality thanks to virtual twins of the human
body – designed by engineers.
These virtual duplicates enable scientists and
healthcare experts to model and test treatments and
medication in the virtual realm, resulting in safer, more
personalised patient experiences.
Click here to find out more

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 57

 ADVERTORIAL Soft ware

Enabling sustainable
product development
Hedley Apperly, VP and GM Systems and Software Engineering at PTC discusses the importance of
building sustainability into product development with requirements-based engineering

T
he sustainable performance of a product is design and engineering process and verified through valid
growing in importance and is now viewed tests at the end of the process.
equally as critical as traditional design In the present landscape, we use CAD, PLM and
criteria, such as size, weight, cost, and developing software and defining those requirements
performance. is a mixed approach that makes it hard to work
It is no longer seen as a nice add on, in collaboratively. This could be about to change with
fact it is fundamental and, with this in mind, Codebeamer, a product we recently added to our portfolio
needs to be built in from the outset. The challenge is to when PTC acquired Intland.
close the loop so that we ensure all requirements can be This solution is a very capable cloud web user
built into the process upfront and carried through the interface, focusing on requirements engineering, risk

58 January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk

 Soft ware PTC

management, and test management linked and traced requirements because they lead straight into one another.
together. It is powerful around areas like agile to facilitate When PTC do it in Codebeamer, we create the tests as
contemporary approaches for design and integration with plans right up front when we define requirements, and
technologies like GitHub, and Jenkins for CI/CD pipelines. they are linked and traced together, so we know which test
It also delivers numerous out of the box templates that is testing which requirement. First, we validate the test to
offer processes ready for critical aerospace and defence check that they are valid and meet testing requirements,
(DA178) or automotive (226262) industry standards. then later, we verify the product and make sure it matches
the test. So therefore, proving the product does what the
Facilitating collaboration and closing the loop stakeholders want you to do.
Rather than just relying on ad hoc documentation
and then going straight into the design, PTC can now Integrating with Windchill
provide a complete upfront ‘requirements engineering’ PTC already has a highly successful PLM solution in
environment. Windchill and Codebeamer’s ALM and requirements-
People can work together, and you can have different based engineering approach complements this
stakeholders. People with different viewpoints can offering. In addition, we are currently working on
document those requirements together so that when extending Codebeamer with Open Services for Lifecycle
you move into design, CAD, or the software environment, Collaboration (OSLC) which Windchill already has, so that
which you are recording in ALM or PLM, you can reference in the near future it can connect to the PTC Digital Thread.
back to those requirements until you are satisfied. That means you will be able to link the requirements
The critical capability, not just for software but also to the parts that satisfy the requirements. You will also
for the whole product, is the environment for defining be able to look at a part within the Windchill PLM and,
the requirements of the product. Historically, or in other without leaving it, view the requirements it is satisfying.
settings, this is conducted by email, Word documents This could be the type of material, where it is being used,
or spreadsheets. Using a database-centric, multiuser sourcing, right through to what size it needs to be, and
environment, you can build the requirements for all the what performance you require. There is direct linking
stakeholders, track them, and make sure you have not within a shared database, even though Windchill and
missed any. Codebeamer are separate tools.
It is not just the sizes and colours of the parts that Take a car for example. It will have high level
can be tracked, but also any sustainability or ecological requirements such as the total cost, which is a summation
requirements. This means that you can have stakeholders of all the subpart costs. The same is true for weight
for the product design, security, renewability, ecological because that impacts the range and acceleration of the car,
and environmental concerns at the front end, all and the carbon footprint.
contributing to the end result. Codebeamer is agnostic of the type of requirements.
Then at the back end, we create tests for the product Customers are already using this ability for fuel
that ensure these requirements are satisfied – in essence, consumption or power consumption on the car and the
we’re creating a virtuous loop to ensure that what range. We have already worked with customers like BMW,
was implemented and delivered meets those original Mercedes and VW and some of our involvements are more
stakeholders’ requirements. in the product, and some are more about the environment
outside the product.
Moving to requirements-based testing However, that can now be expanded to control the
Part of closing this loop is validating that the end product carbon footprint of a product by making it a requirement
meets the requirements and that it is conducted through upfront. This will enable you to measure the addition to
testing. Traditionally, you would adopt a back-end testing the footprint from all the supplied parts that go together
approach, but the trouble with that is you cannot test in to build the car. Then, using requirements-based testing,
quality; this must be designed. there will be a test at the end that ensures the sum of
Creating those tests right at the beginning and having those parts meets the requirements built into the original
them linked up and not having a separate discipline of design.
Quality Assurance that is isolated from the designers, As we move towards a net-zero future, the capability
means you are proving the requirements. It goes both to verify a product’s carbon footprint will become ever
ways; you want to make sure that you are not only testing more essential and allow manufacturers to satisfy the
everything you need, but also not delivering things you do sustainability demands of consumers.
not need. It is both building the right system and building
it right. Reviewing system requirements in the planning
phase of a test effort reduces rework, errors, and defects.
The connection between requirements, design and
testing is essential. When defining a need for a product,
such as a car’s stopping distance, several parameters
combine to enable this. The best time to create the test
plans for the whole product is while you are defining those
Click here to find out more

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 59

 ADVERTORIAL Automation

OPTIMISING
AGRICULTURE
WITH AUTOMATION
Technology from Flir is at the heart of efforts to automate
and optimise Japan’s agricultural sector

J
apan’s agriculture is faced with many serious Agricultural crops growing in a currently known as the world’s fifth-largest agricultural
problems, including the ageing of workers, Japanese hothouse power. However, more than 60 per cent of the agricultural
a lack of successors, and trade liberalisation population is 65 years old and over, while the working
under the Trans-Pacific Partnership population under 35 regrettably represents only 5 per cent.
(TPP). A research group is working on the Since critically important agricultural knowledge of
optimisation and automation of agriculture how to nurture crops is no longer being passed down
to solve these problems using the FLIR AX8 in the traditional manner, knowledge must instead be
thermal imaging camera to collect temperature images accumulated from a variety of sources. “In order to hand
of crops during the cultivation process. By visualising down veteran farmers’ expertise, it is necessary to collect
the surface temperatures of crops on a time series, various data,” explained Associate Professor Koide.
a technology not available in the past, their data can Above all, it is critical to know how to prepare
improve agricultural optimisation and automation. fertilisers and nutrients. “There are almost no climates
The research group includes Professor Ryo Miyake at that are the same across Japan,” said Koide. “The climate
The University of Tokyo (Graduate School of Engineering), environment will change even in Japan, owing to various
Professor Atsushi Ogawa at Akita Prefectural University factors. In the past, the Tohoku region lacked sunshine,
(Faculty of Bioresource Sciences), Associate Professor compared with normal years.”
Tetsushi Koide at Hiroshima University (Research Institute Using the FLIR AX8, it’s possible to ascertain
for Nanodevice and Bio Systems, or RNBS), and other the surface temperature of agricultural crops. By
experts, working on a project titled “Development of plant accumulating temperature data, researchers can create
growth estimation technologies combined with robust “visualisations” of agricultural crops to enable new
field monitors and micro-fluidic model simulating plant practices, like calculating hours of sunlight in specific
vascular system” at JST CREST. Associate Professor Koide areas or identifying general temperature distributions.
and his team are in charge of collecting and analysing data In fact, annual meteorological forecasts have not
on the cultivation process for agricultural crops. always been accurate. However, by collecting temperature
data, thermal images, and visible images in real time and
Ageing agricultural population and know-how periodically from a permanently installed fixed camera,
With the ageing of workers and a shortage of successors it may be possible to adapt to environmental changes
in Japanese agriculture, efforts are gathering momentum by adjusting the amount of fertilisers and nutrients
toward automation in different segments. Japan is accordingly.

60 January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk

 Automation Teledyne Flir

Q&A on TEMPERATURE SENSORS with Petter

Sundin, Product Manager for the A-Series:
Temperature sensors: which are the main types, what are they for
and how do they fit into digitalised and IoT-oriented contexts?
The temperature sensors from FLIR differentiate from old fashioned The FLIR AX8 continuously
contact thermometers, because they can measure the temperature observes the growth of crops.
of objects without touching them. This is possible due to our infrared
technology.
Basically we have cameras that instead of seeing light, they see the
heat and are able to measure the temperature in each pixel. That
means that if you buy one of our 640x480 resolution IR cameras,
you will get over 300 thousand temperature sensors.
Our cameras are also very connected. They support a vast amount The FLIR AX8 generates
of industrial protocols and modern IIOT protocols such as MQTT infrared images of 80 x 60 pixels
and REST API. This makes it very easy to connect the cameras to together with temperature
information.
an existing IT infrastructure and they can start generating value
for our customers with very little effort. If one were to use an old
fashioned contact thermometer instead of a camera, one would only images in real time with the occurrence tendency of high-
get the temperature of that particular point, with a IR camera you temperature damage. By introducing thermal cameras at
will get a complete image of the whole scene, where hot spots and an early stage, it may be possible to create an environment
temperature anomalies will stand out very well. that minimises damage to rice.
In addition, by accumulating temperature data,
What are the application critical issues still to be overcome and/or researchers can check sunlight hours and temperature
the currently most challenging processes?
distributions of rice and leaves, which may help reduce
Challenging processes are processes where the temperature needs damage to rice by determining the suitable amount of
to be measured very accurately. As all of our cameras are calibrated moisture. Further accumulation of data will also help
in the factory in Sweden, they all conform to very high measurement farmers make decisions about whether to accelerate or
performances and are able to measure the temperature with at delay cultivation in the following years, which would be
least ±2°C certainty. Some environments can be very harsh and a impossible with existing records and knowledge alone.
protective housing might be needed, in for example steel plants, Infrared cameras are particularly effective in these
where temperature measurements are extremely critical both circumstances because they can monitor the state of
from a safety perspective, but also from a process optimisation leaf temperature in real time. Conventional methods can
perspective.
measure photosynthesis by frequently placing the plant
in a specialised chamber, but with infrared, it’s possible to
measure the leaf temperature without giving stress to the
leaves, and to track the relationship of temperature with
What affects rice grades transpiration.
Though Japanese agriculture is experiencing a shrinking It is highly likely that rice management with such state
number of successors, crop breed improvement is highly observation will improve rice quality, as well as prevent
active, as shown in the growing number of rice varieties. grade decline caused by high-temperature damage and
Currently, over 800 rice varieties are registered in the other factors. “In the future, we would like to further
country, as breed improvement is gaining momentum. advance our research, so that infrared cameras can be
Infrared cameras play a big role in breed improvement. applied to local crops of Hiroshima Prefecture”, said
In recent years, Japan has experienced abnormal Associate Professor Koide.
weather accompanied by rising temperatures. The higher By keeping records of temperature trends, farmers may
temperatures affect not only the health of humans and be able to measure the state of photosynthesis. The FLIR
animals, but also the growth of agricultural crops. In AX8 plays a huge role in visualising the trend of high-
the case of rice, if the temperature increases during the temperature damage.
ripening period, the plant suffers “high-temperature
damage” and grows with many immature white grains and
the like. This is attributable not only to excessively high
temperatures, but also to how farmers manage water and
fertilisers. High-temperature damage also influences the
grade of the rice affected.
An infrared camera enables researchers to identify any
association of temperature distribution data and thermal
Click here to find out more

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 61

 ADVERTORIAL Medical

RESULTS IN MINUTES
Rapid point of care testing (POCT) is transforming
diagnostics writes Analog Devices’ Aileen Cleary

T
he COVID-19 experience has challenged the meaning they are significantly less sensitive. This testing
medical testing model and may have opened technique gives you results faster than molecular, but
the door to a much broader array of at-home the patient’s viral load needs to be high enough to meet
testing in the future. the limit of detection, creating a delay from exposure to a
Specific medical testing can be done positive result. The benefit of getting a result in 15 minutes
at home, like pregnancy and the critical at home is significantly reduced if that result cannot be
management of diabetes via glucose relied upon.
monitoring, but at-home testing options are still fairly
limited in scope. Most medical testing begins at clinical THE EVOLUTION OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE TESTING AT HOME
points of care (POC) like hospitals and doctor’s offices, but With these learnings in hand, testing manufacturers are
the tests themselves are typically processed in centralised turning their attention to creating smaller, automated,
third party laboratories due to the size and complexity of cost-effective versions of the lab-based PCR technique
the required devices and chemical reagents. and similar molecular methods. Such devices would help
This model of healthcare is long established and evolve the medical testing landscape from its current
familiar for patients; you see a medical professional who centralised model to one that is more distributed.
orders lab work. You then have a sample collected at a In parallel, rapid test manufacturers are now looking
clinic or diagnostic testing facility and wait for results to expand their point of care testing (POCT) offerings
that are sent to a lab for processing. Depending on the test to include other highly contagious, damaging, and
and the location of the lab, that wait could be a few hours potentially deadly viruses like STDs or the flu.
or days. Imagine the scenario where you wake up with a sore
The highly contagious nature of COVID-19 necessitated throat and runny nose one morning. Is it the flu? The
the ability to rapidly identify and quarantine infected common cold? COVID? Or is it just the result of sleeping
individuals. While the need for widespread testing for with a window open? To find an answer, you would need
COVID-19 was clear, it also quickly became apparent that to visit a clinic. By the time you choose to do so, you may
each method of testing had its own set of benefits and have infected multiple people.
drawbacks. Now, imagine a single test that could simultaneously
Tests performed in the lab setting typically use a check for the presence of several viruses with similar
molecular technique, such as PCR, that uses amplification symptoms and return a lab-quality result in your own
prior to detecting the presence of the virus in the sample. home. It is easy to see the impact such a product could
This technique can detect very low levels of the virus,
producing a highly sensitive result; however, patients
typically wait 24 hours or more to receive these results.
Imagine a single test that could, in one sample,
While rapid home tests can give you results in 15 simultaneously check for the presence of several viruses
minutes, rather than a day or more, they are typically less
accurate, as they rely on antigens or antibodies. But there
with similar symptoms and return a lab-quality result in
is no amplification process in an antigen or antibody test, your own home or local doctors office.

62 January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk

 Medical Analog Devices

have, not only in eliminating barriers to testing but also ADI worked with Roche Diabetes Care to develop a
in altering the trajectory of infection spread in future flu next-generation electrochemical BGM platform that
seasons. Multi-pathogen molecular testing is the holy was recognised by the National Library of Medicine for
grail of point of care medical testing. exceeding international accuracy standards.
The electrochemical impedance technology improved
FLEXIBILTY IS THE KEY the monitor’s accuracy by reducing the influence of
The market is exploring multitarget tests that can outside factors like temperature, ambient humidity,
diagnose different viruses with similar symptoms. The and interferences present in the blood. This approach
key to its success will be building the testing devices can easily translate to improved outcomes in infectious
in such a way that they can easily adapt over time as disease.
additional assays are added. This approach not only
allows manufacturers to quickly react when a new virus KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
emerges but also removes the need for multiple rounds of Having a single test that can return meaningful results
regulatory approvals: The multifunction test system will for multiple ailments is an exciting concept. It has
go to the Federal Drug Administration as a single review the potential to play a critical preventative role in the
package, rather than each individual new assay requiring spread of infection and in optimising daily management
its own instrument approval. of a variety of chronic conditions. It can even help in
One opportunity for multi-pathogen testing is in optimising everyday health, like understanding your body’s
clinical settings like doctor offices or walk-in clinics. unique vitamin and mineral needs over time, creating
The benefit is two-fold: These types of medical opportunities to turn testing toward maintaining good
facilities are often space-constrained, making a single, health rather than just monitoring illness.
multifunctional, printer-sized device an attractive option. Multi-pathogen testing can also reduce the burden on
It is also helpful to time-constrained clinical staff overbooked clinics and other points of care and decrease
who will only need to learn and use a single the volume of samples to be processed by labs. It
device, rather than remembering the order of will also play an enormous role in population
operations on dozens. health, giving people rapid answers to
This approach is also uniquely beneficial whether they are sick and should stay home
in the sexual health space. Offering a multi- or healthy but need to take an allergy pill.
disease STD tester at the point of care would Additionally, the barriers to testing have
provide space and convenience benefits. It come down. While someone may think twice
would also allow physicians to diagnose and about taking the time to make an appointment and
prescribe treatment in a single visit, rather than be tested at a nearby point of care, there’s hardly any
requiring a follow-up. This is of particular importance in Rapid point-of-care testing reason not to do a quick swab at home to confirm you’re
can provide results in minutes,
the sexual health space where studies suggest up to half of helping to enable the potential healthy before attending your morning yoga class or an
patients who are notified of a positive test result may not for quicker clinical decision indoor family gathering.
return for treatment. making, to decrease costs, and
While the opportunity is clear for testing to improve patients’ quality DEMOCRATISING PREVENTATIVE CARE
of life.
manufacturers, the path to get there is onerous. Multi-disease testing units that are small, flexible,
Measurement and sensing expertise will be critical, affordable, and easy to use will give people more than just
and these companies are specialists in chemistry, knowledge and reassurance—they can give both access
not electronics and complex signal chains. So while and agency to you and your family to make decisions
recognising the signature of a virus may come quickly, that benefit your health and wellbeing. The Center for
building products such as a potentiostat or high Workforce Health and Performance noted that if people
sensitivity fluorescence detector will take longer. took care of more of their healthcare needs at home,
The solutions these manufacturers design using this could result in an estimated $45 billion saved from
discrete components, like those on the market today, unneeded doctors’ visits.
will require more components and greater size and also Who would have thought we could thank a global
be more expensive and less flexible than integrated, pandemic for opening the door to better individual and
software-defined solutions. population health overall and greater access to healthcare
Partnering with a company like Analog Devices— for underserved populations?
whose expertise encompasses both discrete and
integrated, precision optical and electrochemical
solutions—can help testing providers focus on what they
do best: the science. Meanwhile, the IC partner delivers
integrated, future-proofed solutions that help them to get
to market faster, at lower cost, and with superior offerings
that can rapidly adapt to shifting market needs.
One real-life example of this kind of partnership
is within the blood glucose monitoring (BGM) space.
Click here to find out more

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 63

 ADVERTORIAL Net Zero

Compressing
costs: A ‘sound’
investment for
energy-intensive
industries under
pressure
Acoustic imaging is helping
manufacturers beat rising energy
bills by detecting previously
undiscovered air leaks

I
n the face of rising energy bills and the threat of rise for a few years now, but advancements in accuracy
blackouts looming, businesses are looking to reduce and ergonomics are now ensuring it takes pride of place
consumption and cut costs wherever possible. In as a clear tech trend - one which could save businesses
this new reality, acoustic imaging is helping energy- thousands of pounds in industrial pressurised air and gas
intensive industries to keep the lights on by driving costs per leak.
down operating costs and maintenance expenses. The emergence of newer, increasingly lightweight and
Across industry, acoustic imaging is rapidly more practical models of acoustic cameras will certainly
complementing traditional inspection techniques. appeal to inspectors worldwide. For example, the new
FLIR Si124 is almost 60% lighter than rival models on the
Reduce costs, improve reliability market and, critically, can be used with a single hand;
With production lines and robotic operations automating freeing up the operator to carry out harder-to-reach
industrial processes worldwide, virtually any business inspections in challenging environments.
with a large-scale rollout must overcome the issue of
machine failures, system optimisation and wear. Relying Inspect more easily
on compressors and vacuum pumps to drive machine Factories are often noisy places. Detecting air leaks
movement and lift loads far beyond ordinary human manually is all but impossible - especially as many are
capabilities is now the norm - but even the most high-spec far below the hearing range of even the most astute aural
systems aren’t entirely infallible. inspectors.
While isolated incidents may seem minimal, the costs Traditional acoustic imaging operates across a broad
of wasted energy can quickly snowball from a minor range of frequencies - but much of what is picked up
inconvenience to an acute concern. Consider that with the is unhelpful background noise that is of little help to
average compressor system, approximately 80% of energy operators. Newer acoustic imaging camera models such
is lost through heat dissipation, meaning only 20% makes as the FLIR Si124 use a number of high-spec audible and
the transition into a usable output on the factory floor. ultrasound microphones to detect air leaks as they appear
From this, up to a third of this usable energy is lost to leaks. and boast an optimal bandwidth range of 2 - 65 kHz,
Failure to find and fix air leaks means companies are yielding unmatched detection accuracy and identification
wasting energy powering ineffective equipment and down to even the smallest breach. It’s a small change
machinery. Acoustic imaging technology has been on the that offers a huge impact for operators and ensures that

64 January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk

 Net Zero Teledyne FLIR

Global thermography leaders like Teledyne FLIR, which

specialises in the design and production of thermal and
acoustic imaging cameras and sensors, have seen a huge
influx of businesses from virtually every industrial sector
enquiring about ways to better detect leaks and avoid
leak-related costs, especially in the wake of the global
energy crisis.
The EV industry is a particularly good example of
how acoustic imaging can be used to replace outdated
inspection models, as batteries for electric vehicles must
be hermetically sealed to ensure they hit operational
guidelines and safety standards. They must be both
airtight and watertight to keep dirt, dust and other
external contaminants from penetrating the core
components, which could cause the device to short-circuit
and become a fire risk.
Traditionally, such units were probed by mass
spectrometers to identify foreign compounds within
the unit or through the more rudimentary method of
background noise doesn’t hinder inspections. immersing the units in water to identify leaks by looking
The technology also gives handlers the ability to for air bubbles - but this was impractical as well as wasteful.
identify, photograph or video the location of an air leak Using acoustic imaging can detect leaks quicker than
up to ten times faster - meaning minimal downtime for this outdated model as well as identify much smaller leaks
the facility and a prompt repair or replacement of the that are not visible to the naked eye, able to be heard by the
defective component. In addition to this, it also detects ear, or even detected on traditional thermography.
partial discharge, floating discharge and corona - helping With models benefiting from increased bandwidth,
to curb potentially life-threatening events, as well as greater accuracy and acuity, vacuum and compressed leak
general maintenance issues. detection is at the forefront of ways that energy-intensive
Operators benefit from the much quicker identification industries can drive down production costs - even ahead of
of problem parts and even have the capability to see thermal imaging - and it’s more accessible than ever before.
the detected leak(s) as the sound is superimposed by
functional AIs to render a visual depiction of where the Find problems faster
leak is - and gauge its severity, including recommended Current acoustic imaging cameras are able to detect
actions to resolve. leaks more reliably and at greater distances than their
In the case of the FLIR Si124, projective algorithms even predecessors. The latest models are equipped with a
estimate how much the leak will cost by evaluating the higher number of microphones, allowing them to detect
air lost in real-time, calculating the spend per kWh and sound at higher frequencies to identify more minute
displaying an expected saving per year (or on a specified leaks and ensure the proper air pressure to pneumatic
timeframe) - ensuring that inspectors have clear evidence equipment. The FLIR Si124 uses 124 separate microphones
needed to solve problems and justify any incurred repair to render a visual image of leaks through sound, or
costs across the production line. partial discharge from high-voltage electrical systems,
and superimpose it onto an image of the operator’s
The first line of defence in fighting rising costs surroundings to easily pinpoint problems. This market-
To put a measurable scale on a problem that can vary leading specific array is optimal for detecting leaks with
substantially per application, operators must first explore acute accuracy.
exactly how much a leak can impact production costs. With volatile energy markets driving up costs and
Take, for example, a compressed air leak from a small impacting global supply, many businesses face an
hole of just 1.5 millimetres on a network of compressed uncertain future. Acoustic imaging is proving itself to
air at seven bars of pressure. Two years ago, with a be a growing tech trend that offers a lifeline to industrial
price of €0.07 per kilowatt hour, that alone would have applications struggling to reconcile excessive utility costs,
cost a company roughly €1500 (£1300) if you assume an costly equipment failures, and the knock-on downtime
operating time of 6000 hours per year. that impedes productivity.
Now that the energy situation is worsening, it means
that costs may be three, four, even five times higher in
some cases - which could be a cost of up to £7500 a year for
failing to identify a single small hole in a vital production
component. This is staggering when you consider the
scale of industrial manufacturing and the scope for leaks
to crop up unnoticed.
Click here to find out more

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 65

 ADVERTORIAL Product portfolio management

DISRUPTION
PROOF
Aligning Product Portfolio
Management with Real-Time
Business Intelligence

I
nternal and external forces of change have become low threat today, they expect it to climb into the top three
common attributes of the modern business paradigm. between now and 2030. That means now is the time for
Disruption is everywhere, whether you’re creating the organizations to embrace data-driven technologies and
disruption or being disrupted. Managing change in a strategies that enable adaptability.
way that ensures continued alignment with strategic
goals will be a massive differentiator between those who Real-time Business Intelligence:
survive disruptions and those who thrive through them. Crucial to Product Portfolio Alignment
The key elements required to manage change effectively Moving forward, organizations that invest in an
and join the ranks of the latter include the ability to: approach to product portfolio management that values
See it: Identify emerging change early in order to take adaptivity will be more successful in capitalizing on the
appropriate, timely action. latest trends. Today’s organizations must continuously
Predict its impact: Evaluate its potential effect on review their portfolio to connect the various elements
your business by turning data into actionable business of product development and their dependencies to
intelligence. ensure all stakeholders can readily adapt to change. That
Share it: Collate, customize, and report information to places renewed focus on product portfolio management
all stakeholders to identify the best path forward. solutions that provide data-driven insights and equip
Act on it: From Blockbuster to Kodak, history is filled businesses with essential capabilities such as:
with companies who failed to act even as impending Smart Prioritization: Smart prioritization can be
change became undeniable. achieved via the intelligent application of real-time
The best way to incorporate these elements into analytics. A real-time data layer is essential to identifying
your daily business processes is through a product what products to choose based on perceived and
portfolio management solution that integrates real-time predictable change. That includes cross-referencing
intelligence into every capability and leverages powerful current analytics with previous datasets that informed
insights to optimize decision-making during critical times decisions to clarify the context in which decisions were
of change. made and the outcomes. Analytics applied against
this data can create a continuous feedback loop that
Buckle up: disruption is just getting started minimizes costly missteps as decisions are based on
A 2021 survey on business disruption executed by global business value-driven prioritization.
consulting firm Protiviti found that “global Connectivity and Integration: A
leaders foresee a disruptive decade fueled by continuous flow of data from multiple
innovation that creates new markets and tools should be collected, normalized, and
eventually disrupts existing markets, integrated into a single database, where
displacing established incumbents that fail it can be mined to generate and deliver
to adapt.” tailored reports. Collected data should
The study noted that while business undoubtedly include critical decision-
leaders ranked disruption as a relatively making information but should extend to

66 January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk

 Product portfolio management Planview

include customer feedback, in-market feedback, and any 2 Identify and quantify risks and opportunities early on
other information relevant to the business and product and throughout every stage of production
development. 3 Accelerate cost-effective development of only the most
Hybrid Work: Tailored reporting also plays a pivotal relevant products
role in supporting cross-functional collaboration, 4 Automate, plan, and prioritize different types of work
which is crucial to promoting adaptability at the team with cross-functional collaboration
level. Virtually every department in an organization 5 Plan with an emphasis on visualizing resource capacity
can be improved with the right intelligence. Planning, and the financial impact of investments
execution, support, finance, marketing,
and development teams using differing A Use Case for Smart Data
methodologies have similar data Smart data is the key to helping
needs and must be included in the organizations succeed in an increasingly
feedback loop. However, they should competitive environment by identifying
not be overwhelmed with too much and defining trends, delivering visibility
information. That means data must be across product lines, helping to ensure
collected and organized in ways that internal strategic alignment, enabling
make sense for cross-functional teams, cross-team and cross-functional
helping them to reach their goals. collaboration, and increasing speed to
Speed: When translated into business market.
intelligence, data can be used to gain Consider Miele, a provider of high-end
foresight, anticipate problems, eliminate appliances such as the Miele hot plate.
bottlenecks, create solutions to business This smart appliance can be integrated
challenges, accelerate development, into existing smart home solutions via a
and minimize the time required to get home router and the Miele cloud, allowing
products to market. customers to exploit its full potential.
Moreover, the appliance can ingest
The Importance of Real-time data consumer use data back to the company.
Every company has data. Most have That data is fed into their product portfolio
more than they know what to do with. management platform and used to inform
But just having data isn’t enough—how customer-driven enhancements that help
that data is presented and shared is increase sales and improve customer
equally important: reviews.
• It must come from a single,
consolidated source of truth. Do you Want to Lead or Keep Pace?
• Data needs to be delivered in real-time, consistently, to Business leaders see disruptive forces growing
support prioritization. exponentially over the coming years. In a world of
• Stakeholders must be able to drill into information to continual disruption, it’s not enough to know what’s
clarify assumptions and reveal opportunities. changing—you need the ability to get ahead of it.
• Real-time intelligence must play a key role in Organizations can gain the intelligence needed to
forecasting and simulation capabilities. visualize, predict, and adapt to disruption by integrating
real-time data into a product portfolio management
Due to the increasing rate of change, today’s solution. Through these capabilities, it becomes easier
competitive advantage is found in real-time data. Without to identify areas of their product portfolio that can help
real-time data, organizations have difficulty prioritizing them create competitive disruptions of their own.
innovations, spend money and other valuable resources An adaptive approach to product portfolio
on products that fail, create cross-functional bottlenecks, management is a cornerstone of the digital
and suffer longer cycle times. These problems make it transformations all organizations must navigate to
challenging to align strategy, maintain a dynamic portfolio become intelligent enterprises. The path they choose to get
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January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 67

 Product News
NOVEMBER
– Drives
2019& Motors

ABB extends the life of UK

An important feature of the project
is the ABB Ability™ Electrification
Monitoring and Control ZEE600,
one of the first to be deployed in the

energy-from-waste plant
UK. It acts as a hub to integrate data
from five generators, as well as power
distribution systems, grid connection,
and drives and motors in waste-
handling units. Operators interact with
the system via a touch-screen interface

A
BB has delivered a life extension that gives visibility and control, as
and expansion project for well as access to alerts and historic
LondonEnergy’s North London performance data.
energy-from-waste (EfW) facility The project required upgrading of
that will ensure continued production four original generators and interfacing
of sustainable energy and processing them with a modern digital control
of waste for 1.9 million people in seven system, as well as adding a new
London boroughs. The upgrade has generator. To achieve this, ABB’s global
enabled LondonEnergy to improve experts in power consulting delivered
the plant’s resilience and enable the in-depth modelling and analysis,
connection of an additional steam before developing a scheme that
turbine, which will increase annual seamlessly combines the existing and
green energy production to 1,000 new technologies. ABB also delivered
megawatt-hours (MWh), equivalent to training to help LondonEnergy’s
the electricity consumption of 80,000 operators transition to the latest
LondonEnergy’s North London energy-from-waste facility
homes and businesses. control technology.

Danfoss cam lobe motors deliver better

performance in a compact package
D
anfoss Power Solutions has “We developed our Thorx cam lobe
announced the launch of its motors in close collaboration with our
Thorx family of cam lobe motors. customers,” said Chris Shrive, head
Designed for construction of Cam Lobe Motors, Danfoss Power
machinery with chain drives, such as Solutions. “The first thing they told
skid steer loaders, the compact motor us to do was reduce shock at speed
offers better performance, higher changeover. We didn’t just meet their
efficiency, and longer lifetime than expectations; we set a new standard for
other cam lobe motors. smooth, predictable, fast changeover,
The Thorx motor features newly regardless of oil temperature.”
developed two-speed technology, which The first product, the CLM 8 S
offers 70% shock reduction when motor, is claimed to offer five per cent
shifting speeds compared to other cam higher efficiency than other cam lobe
lobe motors. The technology delivers motors, with better starting efficiency
smoother speed changeover with a and performance at low rotations per
consistent, quick response time, even at minute, plus improved mechanical
low temperatures, resulting in superior efficiency at high speed. Operators can Danfoss’ Thorx reinvented cam lobe technology,” added
machine handling and better operator achieve faster travel speeds or use less motor is specially Shrive. “This is the most efficient, most
comfort. According to Danfoss the power at the same speed while wasting designed for use power dense two-speed technology on
in construction
motor also produces less noise when less energy in the form of excess heat. the market. Our CLM 8 S motor for skid
machinery
shifting, further improving comfort. “Danfoss Thorx motors have steer loaders is just the beginning.”

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 68

 Product NOVEMBER
News – drives
2019 & motors

onsemi redefines
brushless DC
motor control with
ecoSpin family
A
new range of of brushless DC (BLDC) motor
controllers from onsemi is said to simplify the
development of high-voltage motor control systems
in applications such as HVAC, refrigeration and
robotics.
The first member of the ecoSpin family to be launched
IDEC’s new line of variable frequency drives boasts a host of advanced functions
is the ECS640A, a three-phase brushless DC (BLDC) motor
controller designed for reliable high-voltage operation up

IDEC VFDs provide

to 600 V. The small-form-factor ECS640A features a trusted
gate driver, Arm® Cortex-M0+ microcontroller, three sense
amplifiers, three bootstrap diodes and can support either

flexible motor control

sensored or sensorless motor control architectures.
“The highly integrated solution reduces time to market
by eliminating the need for design cycles on applications,
simplifying solution reuse when scaling BLDC motor

and energy savings

power level requirements,” said Michel De Mey, vice
president of the Industrial Solutions Division, onsemi.
“Reliability is improved by replacing many of the larger,
more complex devices, while at the same time shrinking
the PCB routing area by approximately 20% compared to

A
new line of variable frequency Other advanced functionality a discrete implementation, to deliver an overall compact
drives (VFDs) from IDEC includes control of mechanical brakes, a solution.”
corporation IDEC Corporation is built-in braking transistor, regeneration The integration in a single IC package (10 by 13 mm)
claimed to provide versatile control avoidance, and low-voltage ride redefines BLDC motor control performance by optimizing
and efficient operation of electrical through. Safe torque off (STO) capability power stage placement and reducing noise. This allows
motors for a wide range of applications. ensures the VFD fulfills functional rapid reuse in alternative platforms by simply changing
The VF1A Doesa variable frequency safety standard requirements while the discrete power devices and updating the software.
drives (VFDs), are suitable for speed eliminating the need for external circuit The reduction in BOM simplifies sourcing challenges
control of variable and constant torque breakers required by conventional VFDs. stemming from having many different discrete devices.
applications ranging from fans and VFDs are used to control the speed To optimize performance, the ECS640A supports
pumps to specialized equipment. The and torque of AC motors so users can traditional motor control techniques including trapezoidal
VFD is capable of driving an induction optimize system performance by and vector control.
motor (IM) or a permanent magnet running equipment at just the speed Advanced commutation
synchronous motor (PMSM). IMs can be required to meet the demand of the load. algorithms are available
driven in open loop or closed loop, while Furthermore, VFDs are configurable to on the Cortex M0 platform.
PMSMs can be driven in open loop only accelerate and decelerate to commanded These techniques allow for
The product family features a speed smoothly, reducing the wear improved control over the
compact form factor in a UL open-type and tear on associated mechanical motor’s flux and torque over
construction, with nickel- and tin- components. Among the greatest of VFD a wide speed range, with
plated bus bars and conformal coatings benefits is the energy savings realized as much as a three to five
The controllers are claimed to
for corrosion protection. The VFD is by running a motor at any speed below percent improvement in
simplify a range of applications
designed for a long operating life, and maximum, so long as the equipment power efficiency.
provides a maintenance alarm signal. needs are met.

69 January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk

 NOVEMBER
Sci-fi e ye
2019

D
inosaurs ruled this planet to evacuate key personnel into
for 165 million years, orbit ahead of the impact, as in
which probably makes Netflix’s recent satirical drama,
them one of the most Don’t Look Up. However, the
successful species ever challenge of constructing and
to have existed. But that maintaining a viable space habitat
all came to an abrupt end when for a large number of people, not
fate dropped a 10 kilometre-wide to mention the amount of rocket
asteroid on them. gareth L. POWELL launches needed to ferry them
You’ve probably heard the old up there, makes this a far-from-

Zero impact
saying, ‘Hope for the best, plan for simple option, and certainly not
the worst.’ In engineering, it makes achievable unless we have a lot of
a lot of sense. It’s why tall buildings advanced notice.
have lightning conductors, and Perhaps one day, we will

engineering
bridges are designed to withstand develop the ability to open
earthquakes. When we consider an Einstein-Rosen bridge, or
that NASA estimates the number wormhole. These are theoretical
of Earth-crossing asteroids larger structures that link two disparate
than 1km to be at least a thousand, locations in space and time.
perhaps it’s time to start planning Assuming we’re able to detect a hazardous asteroid They have appeared in Star Trek,
for the worst. approaching the Earth, what can we do to prevent The Expanse, and the movie
But how can engineers disaster? Can we really send Bruce Willis up there to Interstellar, and are usually seen
mitigate the effects of a global as a way to travel to distant star
drill a hole in it? Our resident science fiction author,
killer? systems without having to cover
While Hollywood imagines a
Gareth L. Powell, looks at ways we might avoid the the intervening distance. But what
team of oil drillers could drop a same fate as the dinosaurs. if we used one for defence?
nuclear device into a shaft in order If a large comet or asteroid
to split the incoming rock in two, came at the Earth, we could
that’s very unlikely to work in to heat one side of an incoming strike with more energy than a 50 manoeuvre one end of the
reality. Many asteroids are loosely body, which would cause trapped megaton bomb. wormhole between us and it, so
held-together rockpiles. Setting gasses in the rock or ice to expand In the recent Amazon movie, that the potential impactor passed
off a nuke would simply convert and act like a thruster, pushing Greenland, the governments of into the hole instead of hitting the
one large impactor into a rain of the asteroid or comet onto a new the world construct bunkers Earth. It would then be up to us
smaller, radioactive impactors. course. The trouble with this plan buried deep in the Earth in order to decide where it would emerge.
The amount of devastation would is that any space-based laser with to shelter essential members of In the heart of the sun, perhaps,
be much the same. that amount of power would be a the population. But bunkers like or maybe way out in interstellar
If the asteroid is solid, and ferocious weapon, able to strike these would have to be deeper and space, where it wouldn’t become
caught early enough, a nearby any part of the Earth’s surface. more resilient than anything built a threat again on its next orbit
blast might be enough to nudge its Indeed, as Carl Sagan noted, during the Cold War. If something around the sun.
trajectory enough to miss us, but any method capable of deflecting the size of Snowdon comes at you Asteroid impact seems like a
if it isn’t particularly stable, you impactors away from Earth could travelling 300,000 kilometres-per- science fiction problem, but it’s
again run the risk of turning it into also be abused to divert non- second, you’re going to need some a real possibility. To ensure our
a shotgun blast of smaller rocks. threatening bodies toward the hefty shielding. survival, we’re going to have to
So what else can we try? planet. A rock only 100 metres in If we’re going to look at this dream up some science fiction
We could try attaching a rocket diameter could be easily capable of from a science fiction point-of- solutions.
motor to it. Some kind of low- wiping out a large city, as it would view, it might actually be easier
thrust ion motor might be capable Gareth L. Powell is an award-
of achieving a course alteration winning and widely lauded
without structurally destabilising author at the forefront of
the asteroid. But that would speculative fiction. He has won
take some time, so we’d need the the British Science Fiction
Alexander via stock.adobe.com

capability to reach the asteroid and Association (BSFA) Award for

attach the motor while it was still Best Novel twice, and been a
some distance out. finalist for the Locus, British
We could fire a laser at it. A Fantasy, and Seiun awards. He
large enough laser, assuming can be found on social media @
one can be built and placed in garethlpowell
position in time, could be used

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 70

 ADVERTORIAL

ENGINEERING A NEW TEAM AT AWE

F
or more than 70 years, AWE has supported they are not enough. We need to simplify how
the UK Government’s nuclear defence we work and ensure responsibility, clarity and
strategy Our role in keeping the nation safe empowerment for our key engineering leaders.
is to design, manufacture, develop and We have much to do.
maintain the warheads for Trident, the United “But managing a team is also about building
Kingdom’s Continuous At Sea Deterrent (CASD). a community. My years in the defence industry
We have a clear mission: to keep everyone, have only solidified my belief that people are
the environment, our products and information, the most important part of the business. The
sites and everything around them safe and foundations, or bare bones, of a team might be in
secure. place but, without good people and culture, the
With a confirmed pipeline of work, a passion and love that makes a company thrive
demanding programme and a wholesale is lost.
business transformation underway, these are “In my eight months here, I have been
truly exciting times for everyone at AWE. And if delighted to work with distinguished specialists,
that isn’t enough, we also have a multi-billion engineers, and other team members. There is a
pound, multi-year infrastructure and capability pride in defending the nation. There is a sense of
programme to deliver, that is unprecedented in its scale and belonging and commitment to the important work we do. In fact,
complexity. I was delighted to find out a former cohort of graduates are still
We spoke to Mandy Savage, Executive Director for good friends well over a decade later – this is testament to the
Engineering at AWE about her career, managing the strong community of people that already exists here.
engineering function and preparing for the future. Mandy joined “My time now is spent preparing people for the changes
AWE in April and through her leadership of the engineering that lie ahead. Building a community means embracing skills
function, plays a key role in delivering capability to support the and talent, being agile and flexible, and making sure people
mission. have opportunities to succeed in their own way.
“So how did I start my career and then get to where I am “We offer many different opportunities within engineering
today? When I left university, I got five interviews across three across the whole lifecycle from development, manufacturing
different sectors. And I chose defence. In some ways I surprised engineering to support our core skills of systems, electrical/
myself; it was my most difficult interview out of the five, but I electronics, mechanical and test/qualification. We support
loved being tested, stretched, and pushed to the limits of my and maintain a wide variety of specialist equipment. We are
knowledge and beyond. I knew then that this challenge and focused on how we modernise the way we work through use
excitement for defence would carry on throughout my career, of additive manufacture, virtual reality, robotics and more, there
but what I didn’t realise at the time was how I felt working is really something for everyone. We welcome apprentices
alongside my peers who had the same sense of passion for and graduates as well as experienced direct hires. We actively
the mission. I sense my love for community was born out of my support and encourage training, learning and professional
experience as a young graduate. development for all.
“That was my first step on the career ladder, and I have “It’s a rich time to be at AWE and I’m excited to be part of
not looked back. At AWE, we’re going through changes to get the journey.”
our business prepared for how we will deliver our mission today If you would like to be a part of that journey, too, find out
and in the future. Our challenges are much like the challenges about engineering roles at AWE www.awe.co.uk/careers.
that the engineering industry faces as a whole today: How do Our ambition at AWE is to create workplaces that recognise
we entice diverse groups of engineers into defence? How to get and celebrate differences,
young people interested in the field? How do we build resilience, encourage diverse contributions
so we have the skills we need in the future? Much of this has to and where employees feel able
do with how we manage our team. to be themselves. We strive
“Of course, we need the engineering ‘know how’ and to create a genuine culture of
expertise, especially given the complexity of the products we openness and inclusion and
make and the environment we operate in. But on their own, encourage diverse applicants.

71 January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk

 L ate, great engineers

ROBERT WILLIAM THOMSON:

OF AERIAL WHEELS
AND FOUNTAIN PENS
One of Scotland’s ‘forgotten engineers,’ Robert William Thomson was a
prolific 19th century engineer who took out patents on the pneumatic tyre as well as
the refillable fountain pen.

Writ ten BY Nick Smith

O
n 29th March 1873 the miles without deterioration.
Illustrated London Robert William Thomson (not to
News published a brief be confused with the better-known
obituary of ‘the late Mr engineer William Thomson, or Lord
R. W. Thomson, C.E., of Kelvin), was born on 29th June 1822 in
Edinburgh.’ Perhaps it was Stonehaven in the northeast of Scotland,
a sign of more dignified only a few days before Charles Babbage
times, but the short column of quietly published his ground-breaking proposal
written prose outlining the career of for a ‘difference engine’, forerunner of
‘this distinguished Scottish engineer’ the modern computer. It was a time
contrasts markedly in tone with the of great societal and intellectual flux.
21st century assessment in the Scots While Champollion was decoding
Magazine of the man who ‘didn’t get Hieroglyphs using the Rosetta Stone,
credit for his new tyres but he made his shoplifters were being hanged outside
mum happy.’ This informal assumption Newgate Prison. The same year that
is based on an anecdote describing gave birth to the civil engineering giant
how Thomson’s ‘inventive career began Mowlem also saw public whippings
aged 17, when he rebuilt his mother’s taking place in what was to become
mangle so that wet washing could Robert William Thomson 1811-1873 Thomson’s adopted hometown of
be passed through the rollers in both Edinburgh. His father wanted young
directions.’ Often described at Scotland’s Robert to go into the church, but he was
forgotten inventor, Thomson’s name pneumatic tyre. While debate over who can claim to be the unable to get to grips with Latin, making
doesn’t spring to mind so readily original inventor rumbles on – it’s another classic example of him an unsuitable candidate for the
as those of his compatriots – John ‘multiple discovery’ – what is beyond doubt is that (as his entry ministry. In unclear circumstances, at
Logie Baird, Alexander Graham Bell, in Britannica puts it) in 1845, “Thomson acquired a patent for the age of 14 Thomson emigrated to the
Charles Macintosh, James Watt or John a pneumatic tire—actually a hollow leather tire enclosing a United States where he lived with his
Dunlop – but the innovator who created rubberised fabric tube filled with air” that provided a solution uncle in Charleston, apprenticed to a
‘aerial wheels’ (as well as ushering to the problems of vibration that went with wheeled vehicles merchant. Two years later he returned
improvements to the fountain pen, of the day. Patents in France and the United States followed to Scotland, where he learned the
steam gauges and the hydraulic dry for the engineer who was still in his early twenties, and the principles of chemistry, electricity and
dock) had as much influence on 19th ‘wheels’ that increased passenger comfort and reduced road astronomy under the guidance of a local
century engineering. noise – fitted to several horse-drawn carriages – were publicly weaver and mathematician.
Alamyw

‘Aerial wheels’ was Thomson’s demonstrated in London’s Regent’s Park in March 1847. It was Following his unsettled youth,
term for what is known today as the claimed at the time that a set of Thomson’s tyres ran for 1200 life took Thomson in the direction of

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 72

 Read more
of our Late, Great Engineers at
www.theengineer.co.uk

Alamy
engineering when his father gave him technology for use on the automobile.
a workshop in which the (probably By the mid-19th century Thomson
apocryphal) story of his mother’s had moved onto other things and is
redesigned mangle took place. At this traditionally credited with ‘inventing’
time, the 17-year-old also designed the the fountain pen in 1849. This claim
ribbon saw and completed the first is almost certainly overstated, as the
working model of his elliptic rotary first English patent for a fountain pen
steam engine, which he was to refine was issued in May 1809 to Frederick
throughout his career. An engineering Fölsch. As the decades elapsed there
apprenticeship took him to Aberdeen was a steady stream of competing
and Dundee before he fetched up at a patents being filed, meaning that it is
firm of civil engineers in Edinburgh probably more accurate to state that
where he devised a method of remotely Thomson devised a fountain pen (with
detonating explosives using electricity heavy emphasis on the italics) whose
that was adopted by the mining innovative aspect was its self-filling
industry. His interest in explosives led mechanism. Focus on this moment in
him to London to work in the rapidly his career has tended to overshadow
expanding railway industry, at one point Thomson’s other more significant
for contractors Sir William Cubitt and engineering achievements that a
Robert Stephenson. This in turn led contemporary obituary listed as the
Thomson to founding his own railway ‘locomotive traction steam engine… the
engineering consultancy in 1844 under portable steam-crane and the elliptic
whose banner he proposed a line for rotary engine as well as of an improved
the Eastern Counties Railway that was hydraulic floating dock.’ The same
subsequently accepted by Parliament document goes on to detail how by 1852
and eventually developed. All this Thomson had relocated to the Dutch
achieved by the age of 23. East Indies (now Indonesia) island of
It was also at this time that the Java where he was commissioned to
central masterpiece of Thomson’s career oversee the mechanisation of a sugar
was established. The introductory words plantation, in which he was also to
to his patent for the ‘Improvement of become a commercial partner. While
Carriage-Wheels, &c.’ (No 5104 in the US) The wheels will in every part on the other side of the world, Thomson
should be the most famous written in
the history of the pneumatic tyre: ‘The
of their revolution present a met his wife Clara – who would
continue to submit patents based on her
nature of my said invention consists in
the application of elastic-bearings round
cushion of air. husband’s work after his death – and
after living in tropics for a decade, the
the tires of wheels of carriages for the Robert William Thomson (1822-1873) couple returned to Edinburgh in 1862.
purpose of lessening the power required By today’s standards Thomson’s life
to draw the carriages, rendering their was short and, having amassed a vast
motion easier, and diminishing the Despite the advantages of his invention, Thomson’s tyre never fortune from his inventions, he died
noise they make when in motion.’ He went into production, largely due lack of demand combined in the comfort of his opulent Moray
goes on to explain that his innovation with the high cost of the rubber required for the inner tubes, Place townhouse in Edinburgh at the
strategy prefers the use of ‘a hollow belt which meant aerial wheels could not be manufactured age of 50. His wife went on to marry
composed of some air and water tight commercially. Even if a business could be sustained charging the mathematician and Cambridge
material such as suphurized caoutchouc the £42 it cost to fit a tyre in 1847, as one historian has observed: Apostle Lord Moulton, while his
or gutta-percha, and inflating it with air, ‘not only were there no motor cars on the roads, there weren’t daughter Elspeth became the wife of
whereby the wheels will in every part of even any bicycles to make use of his tyres.’ As Britannica rather Kenneth Grahame, author of The Wind
their revolution present a cushion of air grandly explains, ‘and, thus, for almost half a century, air-filled in the Willows, a work often seen as a
to the ground or rail or track on which tires were forgotten,’ with history crediting the first practical lament over the rise of technology in the
they run.’ pneumatic tyre to Thomson’s fellow Scot John Boyd Dunlop. Victorian era and the influence of the
While today we may not immediately Despite being made aware of Thomson’s patent Dunlop, whose Industrial Revolution on rural life. What
recognise the term ‘sulphurized name has become inextricably linked with the innovation, Thomson would have made of Ratty,
caoutchouc’ as meaning ‘vulcanised filed his own on 31st October 1888. Four years later, according Mole and Badger’s resistance to Mr Toad’s
rubber’, or ‘elastic-bearing’ as ‘inner to the Hutchinson Dictionary of Scientific Biography, ‘Dunlop’s obsession with the motorcar is a matter
tube’, his ‘cushion of air’ has a modern patent was declared invalid because of prior art by forgotten for speculation. But as an engineer
ring to it, while the over-riding fellow Scot Robert William Thomson.’ By 1890 Dunlop was who made a huge contribution to the
philosophy of the design has remained mass-producing bicycle tyres at his factory in Belfast, while machine’s evolution, his feelings would
unchanged since the patent year of 1847. in 1895 French industrialist André Michelin adapted the doubtless have been mixed.

73 January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk

 ARCHIVE FEATURE

Ja n u a r y 19 46

r i s o ve r,
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tt le c o m m
let b a a sn ’t lo n g before h
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January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 74

 vide a five
ged to pro
its af te r end is hin said The
and
tr an ce fo r freight,”
e en sed as a
foot squar rcraft is u
n ee r. “W hen the ai enter
En gi assenge rs
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ailerons.” e tail unit
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e ai rc ra ft could ge gines.
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dent. “In o g and cook
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be fitted u r 200 gallo to that at. or 1
ta n k s fo alen t te, the Tud
be provid ed w ith
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addition to rn ed it s attention D esigned to ai rc ra ft designed b e
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e Enginee e start as a compete w t that didn
Finally, Th ed from th could not lation) bu
aircra ft d es ig n se d fu se lage
d (C o n stel ci vil airliner
Tudor I, an ci rc u la r pressuri 4 ) o r Lockhee s p u rs u it of the UK
meter ight day f Supply in
it raft that
ith a 10’ dia day and n Ministry o red US airc
airliner w d co u ld provide (2 4 if at th e time favou
0’ long an long flig h ts whic h sengers .
that was 8 sengers on for BOAC, d more pas
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accom m ed). weigh
en’t requir engines
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sleeping b st s o f fo ch
plant con
si , the pit
“The power propellers
d co n st ant-speed
Havil an
driving De

55
75 January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk
 NOVEMBER
Comment2019

H
appy new year! rise and have increased at a greater
2022 was a busy year for rate than all other sector subject
EngineeringUK – we hosted areas, they are still down by 5.5%
our first ever Tomorrow’s since 2018/19 and by 12.3% since
Engineers Live conference, 2016/17. The reality is, that we need
we celebrated a decade of significant and sustained growth
inspiring young people through in the number of engineering
Tomorrow’s Engineers Week, and and technology apprenticeship
we excited students with the return Dr Hilary Leevers starts, and completions, to meet
of The Big Bang Fair, in person for workforce needs. So this month
the first time since 2019! we’re launching an inquiry
Now it’s time to turn our
attention to the year ahead, so
A look at the year ahead calling for evidence and ideas
around growing engineering and
here’s an overview of some of the technology apprenticeships.
areas we’ll be focusing on in 2023. In this month’s column Dr Hilary Leevers, We will also be building on work
Making strides with diversity Chief Executive of EngineeringUK, shares last year around raising awareness
We know that the engineering opportunities for working together in 2023 to inspire of T levels among employers and
sector still has a long way to go young people – with the aim of
the next generation of engineers.
when it comes to achieving a increasing uptake of this promising
diverse workforce. Right at the end new vocational route.
of last year, we published a series Inspiring young people into
of research briefings, which looked share our learnings with others. each other, to deliver inspiring engineering
at the perceptions, understanding Supporting the engineering engineering and tech outreach. With the UK challenged to meet
and knowledge of STEM and community I’m delighted that we’ll be net zero by 2050, we must continue
engineering among young people, We will continue our efforts hosting our second Tomorrow’s to inspire tomorrow’s engineers
their parents and secondary school to support collaboration across Engineers Live event in March – they will play a critical role in
teachers. I was concerned, although the hundreds of organisations this year. This free conference is shaping the future for everyone.
not surprised, that our findings that engage young people with all about bringing organisations To get the next generation
highlight the extent to which engineering, tech and technician together to network, discuss inspired by the breadth and depth
demographic characteristics, such careers. challenges and share their practice. of future careers, we’ll continue to
as gender and socio-economic To drive up our collective impact Promoting vocational routes develop our Neon website which
background, have a significant and change the ways young people The skills shortage is an hosts a range of experiences and
impact on perceptions and perceive engineering, we first need ongoing problem the sector faces, careers resources to help teachers
knowledge of engineering careers. to understand where there is room and if we are to fix this then we bring STEM to life in the classroom.
This mirrors the diversity gap seen to work together, how we can target need to attract young talent into If you work for an employer who
in the workforce and in particular and deliver inspiring outreach the workforce through a variety delivers engineering and tech
the low number of women in to underrepresented groups, and of different educational pathways, outreach then we’d love to hear
engineering roles, even though we where we have more work to do. If including both vocational and from you so we can promote your
have seen an increase since 2010. your company is looking for ways academic routes. experience on Neon. Alternatively,
If those from underrepresented to inspire the next generation, At the end of last year, we if you’d like to share your own
groups are struggling to picture please do consider joining The carried out an analysis on the latest career story, then we’d love for you
themselves as engineers or are Tomorrow’s Engineers Code and new apprenticeships data, released to become one of our case studies!
unaware of what STEM careers join over 200 organisations working by the Department for Education. We’ll also be inspiring young
involve, then we, as a sector, need together to form a community of Although engineering-related people to get excited about STEM
to do more to make sure we’re practice, sharing and learning from apprenticeship starts are on the careers at the annual Big Bang
reaching and inspiring young Fair. Here young people can see
people from all walks of life and engineering in action, get hands-on
backgrounds. with interactives, and, importantly,
Reaching schools that meet our talk first hand to engineer and
equality, diversity and inclusion technician role models. Please
(EDI) criteria remains a top priority reach out if your organisation
across our outreach programmes. would like to get involved.
We’ll also be drawing together All of these plans depend on
more insights and advice on how to working with others and we hope
work more inclusively with young that you’ll join with us in 2023 to
Adobestock

people from different backgrounds make a difference to young people’s

to improve our own practice and futures.

January 2023 / www.theengineer.co.uk 76

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Across Down www.theengineer.co.uk/research

1 Temperature used to harden an alloy (6,4) 1 Emblems of a family or clan (6)
6 A very light brown (4) 2 Extracting ores or coal etc from the earth (6)
10 Unit of weight equivalent to 1000 kilograms (5) 3 Branch of physics that deals with static electricity (14)
11 Identifying the nature of some phenomenon (9) 4 Moved or operated or effected by liquid (9)
12 Small or minor detail (7) 5 Get or gather together (5)
13 Block off the passage through (4,3) 7 Someone who pays for goods or services (8)
14 Machine used in printing and making metal sheets (7,5) 8 Most liable to hurt or harm (8) www.theengineer.co.uk/webinar
18 Craft of making fireworks (12) 9 In an ominous manner (14)
21 Situated in a particular spot (7) 15 Old coin worth nine pennies (9)
23 Commodities offered for sale (7) 16 Device for temporary removal of undesired hair (8)
24 Place where two pipes meet (1-8) 17 Break into pieces (8)
25 Medicinal plant with yellow flowers (5) 19 The smallest discrete amount (6)
26 Winder around which flexible materials can be wound (4) 20 As the end result of a process (2,4)
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