Author: European Springs Web Team

Scientific progress is being made at large scales, aided by the development of new and better technologies, which has a great positive impact on all fields. From the discovery of gravitational waves that prove Einstein’s theory, and which has been called the breakthrough of the century, to the constant advancements made in engineering, science is moving forwards at a fast pace. This leads to incredible discoveries that can make our lives better and improve society as a whole.

Whiskers and Navigation

It’s not a surprise that animals have better navigational skills than humans. Birds can travel thousands of miles every year and still come back to the exact place they left, without getting lost, and cats can find their way around a room using their whiskers to paint a picture of their surroundings. They brush their whiskers against surfaces and are then capable of orienting themselves. Likewise, seals judge water currents by how the water flows through their whiskers.

Researchers from the US and Singapore have developed a system similar to animal whiskers, which uses elastic metal alloy wires covered in plastic straw-like structures. They’re capable of recording delicate movements, and those signals are then interpreted to form an image of the surroundings. The goal of this project is to eventually use these whiskers in robotics as an alternative to other systems, such as vision and sonar.

A Flexible Camera

Researchers at Columbia University have recently created a novel camera that works unlike any other. Due to its flexibility, this camera works by being wrapped around everyday objects and capturing images that other cameras are not able to. The lens array is capable of producing high quality pictures when the sheet camera is bent, and in the future it could be used to photograph everything – and with unusual fields of view.

Handheld Surgical Pen

Engineering is a vast field that has a wide range of applications, and one of those is in medicine. Australian researchers have now created a handheld 3D printing pen that is capable of drawing human stem cells in any pattern. These cells have a high survival rate and will enable surgeons to design customised cartilage during surgery. This pen has a huge potential, as it can revolutionise tissue engineering, since it allows cells to be printed at will. Surgeons will be able to treat defects by simply printing new tissue to replace the damaged or missing ones.

Here at European Springs Ireland we’re always interested when engineering takes a step forward, which is why we provide high quality springs, wireforms and pressings that can help you develop your scientific projects. We also offer bespoke solutions that are custom-made specifically for your needs, so don’t hesitate to contact us or call us on 028 9083 8605 and discuss your requirements with us. We’re also on Facebook, Twitter and Google+, so find us there to stay updated with our latest news.

 

The engineering world is huge, and deciding on a specific type of engineering to specialise in can often be quite a difficult choice for many young people.

Aerospace engineering is one of the most rewarding industries which focuses on engineering, but is often overlooked by many people as they feel as though a prestigious position in such a crucial industry is out of their reach.

However, securing a job in aerospace engineering needn’t be any more difficult than other engineering positions. Here’s our guide for all our young, aspiring engineers of the future on how you can land a position in the aerospace engineering sector!

What Does Aerospace Engineering Entail?

As the name suggests, aerospace engineers are tasked with designing, building and maintaining parts that belong to an aircraft.

Engineer Teaching Apprentices To Use Tube Bending Machine

Depending on the company, engineers may be required to build full scale aircraft parts from prototypes as well as repair any parts which may require it. You may work on fighter jets, helicopters, vehicles to be used in space or various instruments which are crucial for the flight success of an aircraft.

There are a variety of different roles within aerospace engineering, including:

  • Research and Development
  • Production
  • Maintenance and Repair
  • Testing.

You would be expected to work around 37-40 hours a week on average, and starting salaries for new aerospace engineers can be anywhere between £20,000 and £26,000 per year, rising up to around £65,000 per year depending on the role and experience as you progress through the industry.

What Qualifications Would I Need?

Like most engineering positions, you will need to have had some form of relevant training or education which covered some aspects of the aerospace industry. This could be in the form of an aerospace engineering related degree or college course which provides a Higher National Diploma or Certificate.

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You may also be able to gain access to the industry through apprenticeships. This gives a prospective aerospace engineer a valuable insight into the way that the industry operates and they will be trained on the job to develop and learn all the relevant skills needed to be a successful aerospace engineer.

What Skills Should I Already Possess?

Due to the critical nature of many aerospace engineering projects, it is important that you are able to think on your feel and have excellent problem solving skills. Hesitation can often lead to injury, and working with large, dangerous vehicles such as aircraft means that there’s very little room for error.

It is also advantageous to be able to communicate clearly and precisely to get the job done. You won’t always be working alone, so it is essential that you are able to communicate with the rest of the workforce in order to be able to advance through projects seamlessly.

Young woman in the office

You should also be committed; becoming an aerospace engineer doesn’t happen overnight. You will need to be fully invested in your work and be willing to continuously learn new things as technology is always advancing.

The aerospace industry is one of the most successful industries in the world, make sure you’re preparing yourself adequately if you are looking to secure a job in the field. With great career prospects available, we’d love to see more young aerospace engineers step up and fuel the next generation of incredible aircraft!

Here at European Springs Ireland, we work closely with the aerospace industry to provide them with the best quality compression springs for their crucial engineering processes. For more information on our services, please feel free to get in contact with us today and we’ll be more than happy to help you.

 

The UK is a country in need of engineers. Statistics show that this country has to double at least the number of engineering graduates to cover its demand. Women make up just over half of UK population but just 4% work in the engineering sector. Your company might benefit from attracting more women engineers and in March, the Women’s History Month, we want to discuss this issue with you.

Young woman in the office

 

Why are there not more women in the engineering sector?

The reasons are multiple, but it doesn’t have anything to do with their skills as both male and female students show an equality of results in their Physics and Science GCSE exams. However, some women suffer from the so-called ‘damsel in distress’ syndrome, which means they don’t see themselves as good as men when performing tasks traditionally associated with the latter. Also, the engineering world of today is mainly male dominated, which can discourage some women to take this path.

female engineer looking at blueprints in construction site

 

3 Things that can Encourage Women to Choose Engineering

1. Money. This is a very practical aspect but the truth is that the engineering sector has a higher wage than average and it’s on the rise.

2. Support. For those women scared to enter the ‘male’ world of engineering there is lots of organisations that will support them and help them feel part of the group. The Women’s Engineering Society was launched in 1919, and Women into Engineering and Science (WISE) offers support and advice too.

3. Success. There are many successful female engineers out there and their main advice to the ones that are starting on this field is to build confidence. Many women think they’re going to struggle balancing an intense career in engineering and society’s (often antiquated) expectations. However, encouraging women to feel confident and less guilty is the key. If they feel passionate about their talent they should go out and pursue it, even if this requires hiring people to do the house holding or take care of the children.

Apprentice Female Engineer Working On Machine In Factory

 

What are other businesses doing to increase the presence of female engineers?

Accenture Consulting set the goal to have a 50% female workforce in their Newcastle office. They found this more difficult than they thought, so they decided to turn to education centres as these are the places where girls can be encouraged to follow an engineering path. They helped to set up an after-school coding club for girls and under the Stemettess initiative they developed an app that runs building workshops for girls.

 

Engineers are people who daily think about strategies and methods to improve every day’s life. Men or women, they have been an essential piece in the history of humanity. European Spring Ireland wants to encourage anyone with an engineering passion whilst offering them an assorted catalogue of springs. Contact us with any inquiry and we’ll be glad to help. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+.

You’ve designed a product that you’re ready to take to market, but you need some assistance when it comes to deciding on the style of spring or wireform that will enable it to function in the way that you hoped. If this scenario sounds familiar, here at European Springs IE we are experts in determining what solution companies and individuals need for their invention.

Our CNC machinery allows us to create springs and wireforms in a variety of sizes and for numerous specifications, enabling us to offer a truly bespoke service. However, with so many options it can become daunting when determining what style of spring you require.

Therefore, here are a few of the more common springs we create to help you distinguish what it is that you need for your project.

Compression Springs

compression-springs

Undoubtedly, compression springs are our most popular order. They resist a compressive force and are available in an array of shapes and sizes. With the option to choose from conical, cylindrical and an array of different forms, they are a dynamic option.

Furthermore, with multiple materials to choose from and a diverse range of sizes, they can be optimised to perform certain functions to ensure that they are the perfect solution for your product. For instance, the option of using wire springs that are finer than a human hair (from 0.1mm) means they are a viable option for the medical industry.

Tension Springs

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Also known as extension springs, these perform by stretching through an application of a force on either side of the coils. When there is no load the individual coils touch, and the spring will always try to revert to this original shape.

This style of spring is most commonly found with lever-based applications, such as door locks.

Torsion Springs

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A coiled type of spring, torsion springs use a twisting motion to store energy. The most common types of these springs are single or double varieties, although there are also other variations.

If you’re designing a door hinge or similar device, it is a torsion spring that you will require.

Clock Springs

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As their namesake suggests, clock springs are commonly found within watches and wall clocks, but there are also other uses for them. Their exertion of a pushing force from its outer edge as it rotates around a set axis also makes it perfect for scenery retraction in traditional theatres.

Still Unsure About the Type of Spring You Require?

If you still require some guidance about the kind of spring that would work best for your product, please don’t hesitate to speak to one of our experts who will be able to advise you on the perfect spring for your project.

Furthermore, if you know the style of spring or wireform that you need but are unable to determine the exact specifications or size that you require, we are able to help. Our 3D printing capabilities allow us to print a to-scale replica of your product, enabling us to work with it to create the best solution.

For more information, you can call a member of our team on the number at the bottom of this page.

Last week, Chancellor George Osbourne delivered his budget for this year and made a number of references to the technology and engineering sectors. Planning for upcoming advances in technology and investing in British infrastructure were both featured a number of times.

So how does the Chancellor envision Britain in the coming years and what do engineers need to know about the proposed budget changes?

Budget 2016 Torn Paper Concept

The Introduction of 5G

The global roll-out of 5G is expected to begin in 2020, meaning that the UK will need the relevant infrastructure to be in place ready.

Osbourne made a promise that his infrastructure measures will prepare the country for the arrival of 5G technology. It involves relaxing the planning restrictions for mobile network masts, and simplifying the procedure for companies building taller masts for better broadband speed and coverage across the UK.

With the growth in 4G for mobile phone users, it seems only right that the infrastructure and technology advances to allow for this next progression. Although 3G and 4G are much faster than their predecessors, 5G promises speeds of up to 10GB/s and much faster response times.

Investment in Renewable Energy

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Finding environmentally-friendly alternatives for powering British homes is something that features quite regularly on the news agenda and has become a subconscious part of most individual’s day-to-day life.

George Osbourne sees the UK as a nation that will harness an extra 3.5 gigawatts of offshore wind power between 2021 and 2025 – that’s enough to power 3.5 million homes. He also estimates that investment in this sector will overtake the gas industry by 2025.

The efficiency of wind turbines has been called into question a number of times, but as the technology advances it’s likely that there will be an improvement in the amount of electricity wind turbines generate.

Transport Infrastructure

The controversial HS2 budget will enable the planned infrastructure of the high-speed rail link between Manchester and Leeds, as well as the Crossrail 2 for London.

Osbourne also plans to set aside £230m for road improvements in the North, including the delivery of a four-lane M62 and a new tunnel road between Manchester and Sheffield.

Northern England

Finally, the Chancellor said he will invest more money into schooling in the North of England. However, some companies don’t believe it is enough to encourage the next generation of engineers to study STEM subjects.

Tudor Aw, who heads the technology arm of the KPMG, told Engineering and Technology magazine that he thought the promises to the sectors weren’t enough. He said, “Without a comprehensive people and digital infrastructure strategy in place, we risk falling behind in hot areas, such as nanotechnology, Internet of Things and driverless cars.”

However you feel about the budget, if you think that 2016 is going to be the year where you get your next invention off the ground, speak to a member of our team about how we can help you to make it a reality. With an array of springs and wireforms to choose from and the capability to create bespoke solutions, we can help you. Speak to a member of our team by calling 028 9083 8605 for more information.

19 years ago, a story hit the front page that gave the science industry a huge shake-up. The announcement heralded the arrival of the first successfully cloned animal – Dolly the sheep. Despite being born 7 months earlier, her existence was kept under wraps until February 22nd 1997. Read on to find out more about Dolly and her impact on the world of science.

The Life of Dolly

 Dolly started life as every other living creature does – as an embryo. However, the embryo that was to become Dolly was created through a technique known as somatic cell nuclear transfer which involves inserting the nucleus of a somatic cell into an enucleated egg cell. With the help of an electric current, this cell became an embryo which was inserted into a surrogate and carried to full term.

Dolly was born on 5th July 1996, a healthy newborn lamb. She lived a relatively normal life, even mothering her own offspring before dying on 14th February 2003. There was much concern over the health of Dolly during her life, partly due to the discovery that she was suffering from arthritis – something that was feared to be down to her being a clone.

The Impact of Dolly

 Although there was much controversy around the birth and life of Dolly, this was a huge success for scientists across the world due to the implications of the successful cloning. So, what are the implications, and where could this technology take us in the future?

DNA

 Saving Species’

 According to the World Wildlife Fund, approximately 10,000 species’ or sub-species go extinct every year. With the successful cloning of Dolly the sheep, we could be looking at the possibility of species’ being saved through this method as was done last year when scientists cloned the endangered mouflon.

Curing Disease

 Cloning presents a whole world of medical possibilities, from cloning organs for transplant patients to maybe even curing terminal illness. However, the medical possibilities have their own ethical implications and questions – something that has played a large part in slowing down progress.

Back From the Dead

The release of Jurassic Park sparked the imaginations of people all over the world; could we really bring back the dinosaurs? While the tyrannosaurus rex may be a bit of a stretch, scientists have been conducting research into bringing back species’ such as the woolly mammoth.

 Woolly Mammoth

 Cloning is an extremely complicated and controversial field. While there are clearly benefits of this advancement, the ethical implications cannot be ignored. The biggest issue seems to be in relation to the value of human life. Wherever you fall on the matter, it’s clear to see that cloning could change the way we live our lives, forever.

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