Institution news
At the sites he visited, he talked to engineers about the Institution and the benefits of membership. He enthused his audiences about their career development and the rewards of mentoring, which led to a membership workshop being set up after his visit.
Germany Group member David Baker provided a detailed report on the three-day visit, on which this shortened version is based.
Jon’s first appointment was at the GE Global Research Centre in Munich. A presentation by the Director, Dietmar Tourbier, was complemented by a tour of the research laboratories, hosted by Germany Group member Paolo Vanacore, with members of the research team on hand to answer questions and give demonstrations. Jon also gave a presentation, illustrating the benefits of membership for career development in the international context, which was of interest and relevance to the GE engineers present. David Baker said:
“Dietmar’s presentation gave us an interesting insight into the roles of the European and other Global Research Centres within GE. The silicon carbide MOSFET technology, which has been developed from original GE research, was presented as a key example. This technology enables faster switching at higher efficiencies and, crucially, higher operating temperatures than silicon for power electronics with key application benefits for the renewable power generation and aviation amongst others.”
In the evening, Jon delivered the 26th George Stephenson lecture to the assembled members of the Germany Group, which was full of engaging insights into aspects of his varied engineering and business career.
The gathering was also addressed by Paul Heardman, Her Majesty’s Consul-General for Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg about the changing relationship between the UK and the European Union.
Jon, who was President of the Institution at the time of his visit, also went to the MAN Diesel and Turbo facility in Augsburg, an historic site that originates from 1758 where, in 1897, the first diesel engine was made. The party was guided by Germany Group member Lars Brookman, who illustrated both the precision and the might of the marine diesel engines now produced there.
In the evening, Jon joined members for the Germany Group AGM and from there the party attended a viewing of the Airbus A350 wing and fuselage section fatigue test at the IABG test site in Erding, guided by Germany Group member David Eyre-Jackson. One of the first A350s to be built has, at this site, been through the equivalent of more than a lifetime of simulated flight cycles using an array of actuators, load distribution linkages and a fuselage pressurisation system as part of the aircraft testing and certification programme.
Jon’s visit to Germany concluded at Rolls-Royce Deutschland in Dahlewitz, close to Berlin. Jon was given a private tour of the state-of-the-art Mechanical Test Operations Centre, following which he delivered the George Stephenson lecture to an impressive gathering of engineers. Two of the themes of Jon’s lecture were the importance of continued professional development and the huge benefit to be gained from mentoring, both of which were very well received by the audience. In view of the high level of interest shown, the visit has been followed by a membership workshop.