Engineering news
Costs rise at Hinkley Point C…
The Engineer
The estimated costs of much-delayed nuclear power station Hinkley Point C have risen again, up £1.9-2.9bn to between £21.5bn and £22.5bn. EDF said the increase reflected “challenging ground conditions which made earthworks more expensive than anticipated, revised action plan targets and extra costs needed to implement the completed functional design, which has been adapted for a first-of-a-kind application in the UK context.”
and could go off-track at HS2
New Civil Engineer
Another flagship infrastructure project could also reportedly face rising costs. An independent review of the rail project has been told that final costs could reach more than £106bn – almost double its £55.7bn budget. There are concerns that the project could be restricted to bring it within budget.
Call for self-driving car speed restrictions
Professional Engineering
A growing number of people think autonomous cars should be limited to low speeds, showing a potential fall in public confidence in the technology following well-publicised fatal accidents. The IMechE poll also revealed 32% of people think driverless cars should be limited to 30mph (48km/h) – up from 27% in a similar report in 2017. The same proportion of those surveyed – two thirds – said they are uncomfortable with travelling in autonomous cars.
No-deal shutdown…
The Guardian
Jaguar Land Rover has become the latest car manufacturer to announce a week-long shutdown at four facilities, designed to prevent potential disruption from a no-deal Brexit. BMW and Toyota had previously announced similar measures.
but a bright future for JLR
Autocar
The premium car company also had some good news to announce this week – the opening of an advanced new ‘product creation centre’ at its Gaydon headquarters. Almost 13,000 engineers will work at the facility, which will combine design, engineering and production purchasing. The complex is designed for incredibly high sustainability, with energy provided by solar panels on the roof and other renewable sources.
'Clean' stoves, factories and cars: engineers tackle global climate change with £1bn
Professional Engineering
Large-scale battery storage, efficient cooling systems and lower-carbon factories could help tackle climate change and environmental damage in developing countries thanks to a £1bn boost. The Ayrton Fund will support British engineers and scientists in the development and testing of new technology. It aims to give developing countries access to the latest cutting-edge technology to reduce emissions and meet global climate change targets.
Telescopic eyes in the sky
The Engineer
A new British project will develop compact space telescopes, reducing volume to aid launch into orbit. Oxford University, Surrey Space Centre and Surrey Satellite Technology aim to develop satellites capable of stowing primary and secondary mirrors close together before deploying and making fine adjustments in orbit. Entire ‘constellations’ could eventually be launched in single rocket trips.
Flight into the future
Aerospace Manufacturing
Cranfield University will launch a new ‘entrepreneurship cluster’ to help small businesses develop future aerospace technology. The Aviation Innovation and Technology Entrepreneurship cluster (Aviate+) could support innovation in sectors including drones and electric flight.
Under the sea
Professional Engineering
A group of almost 30 international researchers have made a call to prevent the decommissioning of old oil rigs, wind turbines and other offshore installations. Although end-of-life removal is mandated by international convention, the artificial installations can become rich marine environments over several decades and support a number of different underwater species.
Spot the dogbot is let off the leash
The Verge
Boston Dynamics has released its Spot robot, making the dog-like quadruped available for lease to businesses that can afford it. Companies will be able to connect a variety of hardware, making it potentially useful for tasks including environment mapping and mobile sensing – of gas leaks, for example. Despite its futuristic appearance and impressive mechanics, Spot is only semi-autonomous and needs human assistance – for now.
Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.