Author: European Springs Web Team

Back in September, we were invited to attend one of the biggest agricultural events in the world. The National Ploughing Championships were being held in Ratheniska, Stradbally in County Laois and naturally, we went along to see how we could help the participants with our springs, pressings and wire form products- after all, we are one of the leading spring manufacturers in Ireland!

So, what is the National Ploughing Championship all about?

One of the Largest Agricultural Events Worldwide

According to the National Ploughing Association (yes, that is a thing!) the National Ploughing Championships is one of the most popular agricultural exhibitions worldwide; attracting crowds of nearly 300,000 visitors over the 3 day event and hosts around 1,500 exhibitors like ourselves who have strong links with the agricultural community and provide essential parts and products to them.

ploughing championship

This year, the visitors to the championships parted with €36.5 million during the 3 day event, with trade related purchases making over €9.6 million.

Our Exhibition Stand

Now that you have some idea of the scale of this event, you can see why we were excited to  participate in this incredibly popular experience.

On our stand, we displayed a range of springs, pressings and wire form products that we have on offer which can benefit the agricultural community and equipment manufacturers. This gave us the opportunity to show off our expertise to some of the biggest agricultural machine manufacturers in the world, many of whom require springs within their products!

Stampings and Pressings 3

It also allowed us to catch up with some of our existing customers who have dealt with us before. It’s always a great feeling to see customers who are happy with the product that you have supplied to them, especially those who attend such a prestigious event.

We were extremely happy with the popularity of our stand, with a variety of people coming over to see what we had to offer and discuss our products with us.

A Great Opportunity for Networking

Because there were so many customers and businesses in one area, all of whom were interested in farming and agriculture, it made sense to take the opportunity to network with other people and really ramp up the interest in what we do here at European Springs Ireland.

This definitely paid off and we have made hundreds of new contacts, simply by talking to people and discussing how we can help. Networking is a great way to get people interested, and it’s definitely paying off!

Handsome businessman portrait

We really enjoyed our time at the National Ploughing Championships and learning even more about the agricultural industry! This experience has allowed us to reach a wider range of people to show off what we do best; springs, pressings and wire form products!

If you would like to take advantage of our vast knowledge and need help finding the perfect pressing, spring or wire form for you, don’t hesitate to contact us on 028 9083 8605 and a member of our friendly team will be happy to help you.

Make sure to follow us over on Facebook , Twitter and Google+  to stay up to date with all of our exciting news!

When it comes to our love of engineering at European Springs IE, we aren’t just about die springs and pressings… we enjoy nothing more than celebrating the whole world of manufacturing. While it may seem somewhat of an unlikely source, reptiles have had many an influence on the future of engineering; so to celebrate Reptile Awareness Day, let’s take a peek at some of the ways that reptiles have played their part in shaping the future of the engineering industry.

Biomimetics

As you may be aware, biomimicry is where engineering, manufacturing or design takes influence from the natural world. Through history, such biomimicry has influenced everything from aeroplanes to diving gear, but what parts have our reptilian friends played in the evolution and development of engineering?

Lizard’s Feet

Small lizards have a fascinating ability to sprint up walls and cling upside down to ceilings without any effort. Attributed to their ‘sticky toes’, geckos have an adhesive force 600 times that of friction!  Implementing and developing technologies based around this adhesive, several connotations towards the future implementation with robot technology have been formed, such as the potential of applying such an adhesive to aid in robots ascending burning buildings to save those trapped inside.

The dry adhesive which is generated could equally be of use in medical operations, in particular nano surgery. Its ability to stick with such strength also offers major implications for a variety of transport, helping to keep car wheels stuck to the road, as well as the potential application of mini-gecko robots which could help to repair ships or bridges, as well cleaning hard to reach windows and ceilings. The potential of such a technology is so vast that it could even be applied to the repair of satellites.

And that’s just the influence from their feet! Consider the impact of chameleons on colour changing clothes or the influence a snake’s balance has on a robot’s… the possibilities are fascinating. It is just a matter of time before we see more and more biomimicry influences from reptiles, so watch this ssspace!

Reptiles - iStock_000004884355_Medium

So, join us in celebrating Reptile Awareness Day and give thanks to our scaly friends, they may well save your life one day. If you would like to discuss the technologies we already have available at European Springs IE, and the services we have on offer, then don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can contact us on 028 9083 8605, where our friendly team of spring manufacturing experts will be eagerly awaiting your call.

To say that we are easily excited when we hear about any new engineering feat is an understatement, and one engineering project has been in the back of our mind for many months now; the Bloodhound SSC, an engineering masterpiece which is set to break the land speed record with speeds of up to 1,000 miles per hour in 2017.

This incredible project is headed by the same man who was behind the team who hold the current land speed record, Richard Nobel. However, 20 years since that record of reaching 763mph was set, the team are back and looking to quash the record by a huge 237mph by creating a supersonic car which is expected to cover a mile in just 3.6 seconds.

Exhilarating Engineering

Weighing in at 7.5 tonnes, you may not expect this ingenious hybrid vehicle to make much headway, but thanks to the design and ingenuity used by the team, the car is believed to be able to reach over supersonic speeds of up to 1,000 miles per hour.

The vehicle’s design takes inspiration from both a car and an aircraft; with a carbon fibre monocoque which is found in Formula 1 cars at the front of the machine and a network of carefully placed panels like an aircraft at the back.


It is also powered by a dual system which uses a jet engine and a rocket to allow the super streamlined car to produce over 135,000 horsepower to reach speeds well over the speed of sound.

Put it this way, the car is designed to be over six times the power of all the F1 cars on a starting grid!

EUROJET EJ200 Engine and Rocket Power

Usually found in the engine of a Eurofighter Typhoon, the EUROJET EJ200 engine is what gives around half of the Bloodhound’s thrust. Not only will this car incorporate the design of an aircraft, it will also incorporate its power too!

In addition to this extremely powerful engine, the Bloodhound SSC will also benefit from a further speed boost through the addition of a Nammo rocket.

Although the project aimed to be solely rocket powered in the beginning, the team behind this supersonic powerhouse realised that rockets aren’t easily controlled and that the addition of a jet engine would not only give a boost of extra power, but would also add a range of control to the vehicle, too.

Revealed to the world back in September ahead of its record attempt in South Africa in 2017, the eight years of research that has gone into this powerful land vehicle will have hopefully paid off. The team behind the vehicle is made up of various Formula 1 and aerospace technicians and engineers, so we’re excited to see where this next step in engineering takes us.

Although we can’t provide you with the means to build a machine that can reach speeds of up to 1,000mph, we can provide you with some of the best spring products available. From die springs to pressings and wireforms, we are sure to have a product or service to suit you.

For more information, get in touch with our expert team today by calling 028 9083 8605 and we will be more than happy to help you with your enquiries.

Technology is advancing at an alarming rate and with more people requiring prosthetic limbs to be able to get on with their daily lives, it’s crucial that every avenue is explored when it comes to creating artificial limbs which are durable and comfortable.

Now, thanks to a team of biomedical engineers at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, prosthetic limbs may require less tuning during wear in order for them to remain working correctly.

Re-tuning Prosthesis

People who don’t need prosthesis may not understand how much work goes into maintaining the limb. Every so often, the wearer will be required to visit a prosthetist to “tune” the limb up to keep the patient walking and moving smoothly and comfortably.

This is an essential visit which can be quite time consuming and may even be quite costly as more often than not, adjustments will need to be made.

Juming in Patagonia Argentina. Saltando en la patagonia.

Due to the essential nature of a prosthetic limb, it isn’t a simple case of “one size fits all; much like a custom shoe, the limb must be modelled to the remaining portion of the limb and tuned up to the individual user. This usually takes into account the weight, strength and movement range of the wearer.

The Self-Tuning Algorithm

So how do these self-tuning prosthetic limbs work? It’s pretty simple in theory; a software algorithm is installed into a powered prosthesis and will be able to tune the power which moved the motors in the limb’s joints.

This allows for faster, real-time tuning, making it easier for the wearer to deal with activities which may have required extensive tuning, such as carrying heavy objects which would put more strain on the joints.

Handicapped mountain bike rider downhill track

It also reduces the need to go and see a prosthetist as regularly, as the algorithm will be able to adapt the limb to any changes that may occur within the patient, such as weight loss or gain, and even adapt when the user becomes accustomed to the limb.

So will we be seeing these self-tuning limbs very soon? Associate professor of the biomedical engineering program at North Carolina State University and University of North Carolina says not just yet.

In a statement, she has reported that “We’re not yet able to replicate the prosthetist’s success in achieving those comfortable ‘trunk motions,’ but it’s something we’re working on.”

So, although it’s not happening just yet, it is something that we will hopefully be seeing implemented in the future of prosthetic limbs.

As leading spring manufacturers, we understand how much work and effort go into such life saving devices. That’s why we supply only the finest spring solutions for your needs, whatever they may be. For more information on our products, simply contact our expert team today by calling 028 9083 8605 and we will be more than happy to help you.

Scientists have been looking to nature to help solve engineering problems for years – and now they’ve turned their attention to the subject of helicopter landings.

Helicopters are often used in rescue situations because, compared to planes, they offer better manoeuvrability, can hover, and can land in a more restricted area. However, they still need a flat surface to land on; something that is noticeably hard to find in disaster-struck areas.

Helicopter flying

It can also be difficult to land safely on transport ships at sea, as rough conditions can require split second timing to come down level whilst the deck rocks beneath the pilot. Time it poorly, and the rotor blades could hit the deck, with disastrous consequences.

DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency in the USA, has recently demonstrated a new design to overcome these issues. Developed at the Georgia Institute of Technology, the Robotic Landing Gear takes inspiration from the legs of insects to provide a much more flexible landing.

Instead of the traditional skids, the DARPA prototype features four articulated robotic legs, each equipped with a contact sensor in the foot. On landing, these sensors allow the legs to flex and adapt to the surface, determining the best angle to create a level landing. During flight, these legs can be drawn up against the helicopter’s body to maintain an aerodynamic profile.

According to the researchers, the Robotic Landing Gear should allow helicopters to land on slopes of up to 20 degrees in gradient, more than twice the gradient which is currently possible. In addition, they will be able to land on uneven ground, as demonstrated by the radio-controlled prototype safely landing with two feet on the ground and two on an elevated piece of wood.

The design is currently only in prototype, and it’s not known when it will be available for either military or civilian use. However, it could offer potential not only for safer landings on rough terrain here on Earth, but also on far away planets if adapted for space exploration vehicles.

One potential disadvantage is in the extra weight that the adaptive legs carry compared to traditional skids; in flight, and particularly in a rescue situation, weight is naturally a very important consideration. The full-size Robotic Landing Gear will need to be designed with enough strength to carry the helicopter and its load, yet without adding too much weight of its own.

At European Springs, this is exactly the type of problem we often help our clients with; not only finding the right components from die springs to disc springs but also creating them with the most appropriate materials for the task at hand. Whatever you’re building, whether you’re at prototype stage or the finished product, we’ll be happy to help. For more information, get in touch with us on 028 9083 8605 today.

Engineering UK have recently hired two video bloggers ‘vloggers’ to help inspire the new generation of engineers. After a huge search nationwide, the chosen two will be joining the Tomorrow’s Engineers Week 2015 campaign.

Lily Kate France, a young A Level student who lives in Lancashire, and Nayeeb Chowdhury, a chemical engineering student from a university in London, have been given the challenge of creating engaging YouTube content that gives lots of information on the latest news in science and technology. The aim is to bring the science and technology sector to life across the whole of the UK, so that more young people will be encouraged to join the engineering industry.

Designer modern home office desk with laptop

Video Blogging AKA Vlogging

They are hoping that vlogging will be the thing needed to bridge the generation gap and bring a new dimension that has never been seen before. Lily Kate and Nayeeb will be capturing and highlighting as much engineering in action as possible, so that everyone can see what happens on a daily basis. They will be looking to record behind the scenes footage from well known brands, conduct interviews with up and coming engineers, as well as analyse and review some of the newest innovations. It’s said that they hope to collaborate with well known vloggers, to help get their message across.

With studies showing that more than half of teenagers today now use YouTube to search for information, it’s only natural that vlogging has been chosen as the means to showcase information across the country. YouTube stars such as Zoella are now using it to connect with the whole teenage generation, becoming a role model for a lot of young girls under the age of 16.

The Future?

The people behind Tomorrow’s Engineers Week want to dispel common myths surrounding engineering and inspire young people to seriously consider it as a valid career option. It uses topical issues, celebrities and competitions to reach young people and to get them to listen to what they have to say about STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects.

If you’re interested in working with these two young vloggers, the Tomorrow’s Engineers Week encourages you to contact them.

site engineers

As leading gas spring manufacturers, it’s only natural that we are passionate about both engineering and technology. We find the STEM industries fascinating, and therefore fully support the hunt to inspire the younger generation.

If you’re looking for any type of spring products, we can help you out. Just contact us on 048 9083 860 and a member of our team will be happy to help.

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