Engineering news
Engineering vacancies fall 74.2%
E&T
There were 74.2% fewer engineering vacancies on CV Library in the second quarter this year compared to 2019, the jobs website has revealed. Competition for roles rose dramatically as companies were hit by the coronavirus pandemic, with a 220% increase in applicants per job.
Design for hybrid electric regional plane revealed
Aerospace Manufacturing
A design for a hybrid electric regional aeroplane with 70+ seats has been unveiled by UK firm Electric Aviation Group. Aiming to have its first aircraft in service by 2028, the company said the plane will be ‘whisper-quiet’ and use airborne battery regeneration.
Engineering GCSE entries fall 31%
Professional Engineering
Almost half (47%) of 11 to 19-year-olds know “little or almost nothing” about what engineers do, a new report has revealed. The Engineering UK report, Educational Pathways into Engineering, found that while GCSE entries in maths, science and computing have risen, entries for design, technology and engineering have fallen. Entries for maths and double science rose by 4% and 5% respectively in 2019, whereas entries for engineering fell 31% and design and technology fell by 22%.
’Non-cuttable’ material turns angle grinders back on themselves
Professional Engineering
Engineers at Durham University and the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany have developed a new ‘non-cuttable’ material. Known as Proteus, the material resists cutting by turning the force of a cutting tool back on itself. It is made of ceramic spheres encased in a cellular aluminium structure, and could be used for bike locks or lightweight armour.
Partnership aims to 3D-print rockets using scrap material
Aerospace Manufacturing
A new partnership has announced its intention to convert scrap materials into powder, before using it to 3D-print rocket parts. Relativity Space and 6K hope the process will bring new levels of sustainability to rocket manufacturing.
Space tech investment ‘still key for development on Earth’
Professional Engineering
Space technology and exploration can still bring numerous scientific, financial, societal and environmental benefits to the world despite challenges on Earth and the huge investment required, a panel of experts has said. Speaking during the virtual Farnborough International Airshow Connect, sector leaders including Jan Wörner, director general of the European Space Agency (ESA), and Graham Turnock, CEO of the UK Space Agency (UKSA), stressed the continuing positive impact of new projects – even while many are focused on the Covid-19 pandemic.
Pea-sized cameras track entire hand in 3D
Professional Engineering
A new wrist-mounted device can continuously track the entire human hand in 3D, a potentially major breakthrough for biomedical and robotic applications. The bracelet, called FingerTrak, can sense many positions of the human hand, including 20 finger joint positions. Developed at Cornell University in New York state and the University of Wisconsin, it uses four miniature low-resolution thermal cameras that read contours on the wrist, translating them into 3D shapes.
JLR develops contactless ‘touchscreen’
The Engineer
Jaguar Land Rover and Cambridge University have revealed a new contactless ‘touchscreen’, which reportedly uses AI and sensors to predict where a user is aiming to touch. The developers say it can reduce the amount of time interacting with a car’s screen, and help limit the spread of microbes.
Seven firms join next-gen combat aircraft project
The Engineer
Seven UK firms have joined Team Tempest, the project building a next-gen combat jet for the RAF. Bombardier Belfast, GE Aviation UK, GKN Aerospace, Thales UK, Collins Aerospace, Martin Baker and QinetiQ joined BAE Systems, Leonardo UK, Rolls-Royce, MBDA UK and the Ministry of Defence on the project.
Shift from road to rail will be vital after the coronavirus pandemic
Professional Engineering
Railway passenger numbers plummeted during the coronavirus lockdown. A shift from road to rail travel will nonetheless be more important than ever post-lockdown, writes David Shirres.
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