Articles
As PE went to press the government made the controversial decision to approve a third runway at Heathrow. The decision follows the go-ahead for Hinkley Point C. Before the end of the year we should have a go-ahead for HS2.
Each of these infrastructure projects is as large as it is contentious. Projects of this type help to stimulate industry and the economy and the importance of the government’s role in these types of decisions cannot be understated.
If proof were needed that industry can make its own decisions to develop large engineering projects, you don’t have to look much further than our cover story. Pioneering Spirit is the world’s largest construction vessel at 382m long and 124m wide and is being used to decommission oil rigs. It is able to lift entire topsides, up to 48,000 tonnes, in one go. The ship has cost $2.8 billion. The demand for its services is forecast to be so high that the firm behind it is planning to build another, larger heavy lifter.
Despite the growth in North Sea decommissioning work, there is still “significant opportunity” for oil and gas extraction. Last month the Oil and Gas Authority published a report which estimates there are more than three billion barrels of oil untapped underneath the UK Continental Shelf. As oil and gas become more difficult to extract profitably, engineers have to devise innovative and complex solutions. Our look at enhanced oil recovery explains the latest approaches.
In comparison, other technology in this month’s magazine is tiny, but nonetheless impressive. PE visits the Rega record player factory and learns how this highly-regarded audiophile brand emphasises precision on a micro-scale in its manufacturing processes. The company’s engineers and technicians go to extreme lengths to guarantee the best listening experience for customers. We also examine the latest in gesture-based human-machine interfaces and learn how futuristic versions of the technology will be featured in products. We revisit the Bloodhound supersonic car project to report on the precision with which it is being built.
Elsewhere we investigate some of the other attention-grabbing government initiatives. The incoming apprenticeship levy (p46) will be one of the biggest changes to the way apprenticeships are funded and run for decades. Engineering firms are hopeful but also nervous about the changes. We also cover the positive impact Brexit is having on manufacturers, amid the concerns about the long-term effects of leaving the EU.
Most people have faith in the global markets that high-quality, innovative products will always be desired and sold anywhere in the world. Engineers are the people who make those products happen, just as they are the people who will bring Hinkley Point C, HS2 and Heathrow’s third runway to completion. Their role in those projects is at least as important as the government’s, if not more so, and they should be heard at the highest levels of decision-making.