Engineering news
More planes produced than ever before
Aerospace Manufacturing
More aeroplanes were built in the third quarter of 2018 than in any previous period, Aerospace Manufacturing reported. Manufacturers built 390, up 10% on the same period in 2017.
Budget aids apprenticeships...
FE Week
Chancellor Philip Hammond's autumn budget – likely to be the last one before Brexit – dominated the news early in the week. Although the announcement did not mention the word 'engineering' once, 11 months into the Year of Engineering as we are, there was plenty of relevant content. Changes to apprenticeships were widely welcomed, including halving the contribution that smaller companies pay towards apprenticeships.
... but 'misses opportunity to boost electric car market'
Professional Engineering
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) and the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), on the other hand, lamented missed opportunities in the automotive sector. The SMMT said the budget should have included incentives to buy "environmentally friendly vehicles", while ICE repeated calls for a 'pay-as-you-go' car charging network.
£35bn boost for British railway reliability
Rail Business Daily
Caught a train recently? You have probably also been delayed recently.
Luckily, the Office of Rail and Road has approved £35bn to improve British trains' reliability and timetabling.
Floating wind could bring £34bn
Energy Live
All that money for reliable rail could almost be paid purely by floating wind's economic contribution up to 2050, according to a new report that said the technology could add £34bn over the next 31 years. The technology is frequently touted as one of the most promising renewable energy sources, thanks to its ability to work in deeper waters than traditional fixed windmills.
Rising tide
Energy Live
Tidal energy is another promising offshore renewable energy source. A planned project in France will be Europe's largest, and it could reportedly provide more power than Hinkley Point C – at a lower predicted cost.
'Cleaner' energy from methane
Professional Engineering
A new breed of fuel cell could use polluting methane as a source of ‘clean’ energy for cars or homes, thanks to a unique combination of technologies and materials.
Modular robots adapt for the task
New Atlas
Researchers at Cornell University in the US have created small, modular robots that can work together or split up to tackle different tasks.
UK's first all-electric satellite propulsion
Professional Engineering
Thales Alenia Space has claimed a “major new manufacturing milestone” for the UK space sector after unveiling the first all-electric satellite propulsion module designed and built in the country.
The robots on Mars
IEEE Spectrum
Electric propulsion using xenon might be suitable for satellite movement, but rockets need something more substantial. NASA engineers are working on a 'dust-to-thrust' robotic factory, to convert Martian soil into rocket fuel.
Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.