Author: European Springs Web Team

The output of the UK manufacturing is expanding at the most rapid rate since 2008. The industry also recorded a seventh consecutive month of growth in November. In ten years, the UK manufacturing sector has never seen so much growth. It looks like 2018 is going to be a wonderful year, not just for the entire manufacturing industry, but for the sectors inside, such as gas spring manufacturers like ourselves.  So, why is the figure so, and how did we get there?

Output Figures

Renewable energy projects, boats, cars and aeroplanes for export helped to increase the output 3.9% higher in just three months. In fact, the official figures show that the entire industrial output rose by 0.4% in November.

Output from construction also fell by 2% compared with previous months, however, that was the industry’s biggest fall since August 2012. The main positive for this sector is the 1.2% increase in new housing.

November 2017 was estimated to have a total production increase of 0.4 % in comparison to October with an expectation of the majority of this coming from energy supply. While this was originally the prediction, this increased by 3.2% due to the change in temperatures. This was because the temperature was warmer than average in October and colder than average in November, which meant an obvious effect on production and supply.

Economic Growth

While there are positives and some negatives in the statistics, one main figure to focus on is the growth of the economy as a whole. This has slowed down within the first nine months of 2017, with higher inflation caused by the fall in sterling. This was of course due to the Brexit referendum. However, it is important to note that the UK economy did grow by 0.4% in the three months to September.

While the figures are looking great, it is also vital to point out that UK manufacturing makes up only 10% of the economy. While an important section, it is a small one.

Riding on Trends

One could say that British manufacturing depends on two trends; global growth and currency.

While, as mentioned, the value of sterling has fallen following Brexit, this circumstance has made UK exports much more competitive.

For the first time since the middle of the financial crisis, the 3 main engines of global growth – USA, China and Europe, are all performing strongly. This has led to further exports which are contributing to narrowing the trade deficit.

While there is a clear divide in value between what we import and export, the entire economic picture seems subdued. However, assisted by a positive outlook in the British manufacturing sector, we have not seen such quarterly optimism since way back in April 2008, and furthermore, we are enjoying a solid run of growth since 1997.

Lee Hopley, chief economist at The Manufacturers’ organisation EEF has said:

“UK manufacturers were, in the main, in good shape as 2017 came to a close, with the majority of sub-sectors enjoying growth. Manufacturers’ expectations for the year ahead point to output and export growth being maintained through this year on the back of continuing support from a burgeoning global economy. This, together with an ongoing commitment from government to deliver on its industrial strategy, will be crucial in helping to propel the sector forward”

While looking ahead, Brexit uncertainty is likely to continue affecting these figures, the UK Manufacturing sector can only be optimistic following from these numbers.

European Springs Ireland are looking forward to what the world of springs will be doing as the year continues and how the growth of Manufacturing can help all the sectors grow equally.

If you would like any information on how our services can help your business grow, we would love to discuss. Simply get in touch with our expert team.

2017 has been an incredible year for engineering and technology. Every year brings new possibilities and innovations throughout many industries and, as we are coming to the end of this year, we at European Springs Ireland have compiled a list of the greatest technology advancements 2017 has seen.

Automation

Driverless cars have been a fascinating topic for many years now, and this discussion has continued throughout 2017. It’s curious to believe technology could one day make this theory a reality, and the excitement level is increasingly rising as technology advancements continue. One of the goals for this innovation is to reduce the amount of road fatalities occurring each year.

Driverless cars reinforce the idea that automation will be more and more present in engineering, and this is set to continue.

The Internet of Things (IoT)

The Internet of Things is the interconnection of computing devices embedded in everyday objects, enabling them to send and receive data in real time. Throughout the years, engineers have only scratched the surface of what is possible. Technology today allows for improved security and energy efficiency, which allows us to set or schedule temperatures, noise patterns, lighting and the use of various electronics with digital assistance.

There are many industries who are already using, and starting to use, the Internet of Things, which is improving the way businesses work.

Robotic Interaction

Advancements within biology and engineering innovations have made it possible to do things which were only theoretical years ago. There are many examples of how far this technology has come, with brain-controlled prosthetics emerging, making it possible for amputees to control prosthetic limbs with their thoughts.

Biomedical engineers are continuing to explore the possibility of reverse engineering pathogens to help create antidotes to infectious diseases, limiting the devastation of pandemics.

Greener Innovation

The human impact on the environment has been a rising concern as, with the effects of global warming, there is a lot of strain on the planet. Engineers are looking for new and innovative ways to decrease environmental damage, from finding ways to counter resource depletion to reversing environmental destruction.

This year has seen some ground-breaking projects regarding this issue, such as an Air Link System, a device which converts pollution into printing ink.

Space Exploration

Engineers are making great steps in facing the challenges space travel brings, with exciting new developments and technological advancements being made. Space travel to Mars is a common topic within this industry (and on the big screen), and it is rapidly becoming a real possibility. There are several space exploration agencies, such as SpaceX, that are even planning a mission to Mars as soon as 2018!

Engineers work tirelessly to create new innovative technologies. Here at European Springs Ireland, we understand how greatly engineering developments help improve the industry. Our pressings form an integral part of our business, helping to establish us as a market leader in the spring and high-speed press technology.

If you would like to know more about our products and services, please do not hesitate in contacting us today by calling 0208 663 1800 or emailing ieinfo.bec@europeansprings.com, and we will be happy to help.

Metal fatigue is the weakening of a metal caused by loads that are applied repeatedly, causing both progressive and localised damage to the structural integrity of the metal. When above a certain threshold, microscopic cracks appear at stress concentrators, such as the metal’s surface or at grain interfaces. Cracks eventually become critical, causing a structure to fracture and collapse.

In a study published in the journal Nature, metal fatigue is demonstrated to be reduced when minute linear boundaries in the atomic lattice of a metal line up, in complimentary pairs called ‘nanotwins’. Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Science and the Brown University showcased how the nanotwins deform into correlated necklace dislocations, or linear bands, under repetitive strain. Remaining parallel to each other, these dislocations don’t block each other’s motion, which means that their effects can be reversed and fatigue reduced.

Professor at Bron University’s School of Engineering and author of the paper, Huajian Gao, states that “in a normal material, fatigue damage accumulates because dislocations get tangled up with each other and can’t be undone.

“In the twinned metal, the correlated necklace dislocations are highly organised and stable. So when the strain is relaxed, the dislocations simply retreat and there’s no accumulated damage to the nanotwin structure.”

Experiments were conducted through electroplated bulk samples of copper composed of closely spaced twin structures. These were compressed and stretched a high number of times at different strain amplitudes, which showcased quick stabilisation responses to stress at each strain amplitude. The nanotwinned copper continued the same even as the experiment cycle was conducted for the second time.

The strain amplitude started at 0.02 percent, which increased every 1,500 cycles to 0.04 percent and to 0.06 percent before the value peaked at 0.09 percent. Similar experiments were conducted on non-nanotwinned samples, showcasing significant softening and hardening that depended on the material. The samples also displayed cumulative effects of fatigue, which are common in most metals.

According to Professor Gao, this “tells us that the reaction to cyclic strain is history-independent – the damage doesn’t accumulate the way it does in common materials.” Researchers hope that nanotwinning can be an inexpensive solution to be applied in large components. This is due to there being a slowing down effect of the fatigue process, even though damage still accumulates at the boundaries between grains.

Within each crystalline grain, there is still damage accumulating at the boundaries between grains. The within-grain resistance to fatigue, however, “slows down the degradation process, so the structure has a much longer fatigue life”, says Professor Gao.

Nanotechnology can provide the answer for engineering problems in the near future, and continual investment in this technology can open the way to fortified metals that will ensure both springs and metal pressings are improved.

Here at European Springs Ireland, we are always enthusiastic about engineering developments and how they help to improve the industry. Get in touch with our expert team to find out how we can help you and learn more about the services we provide.