Author: European Springs Web Team

If you’ve ever wondered what robots, spiders and cartwheels have in common, it turns out quite a lot actually!

In the face of danger, many animal species rely on the ‘fight or flight’ response to get themselves out of trouble. But a newly discovered species of spider prefers to cartwheel its way out of danger instead!

This acrobatic arachnid has captivated the imagination of engineers and provided an unlikely source of inspiration for a new breed of robot. Intrigued? Then read on as we explore this incredible story.

 

Handspringing Heroes

The Cebrennus rechenbergi, affectionately known as the flic-flac, is a spider species like no other. Unlike their other eight legged brethren, when threatened, these spiders are capable of cartwheeling their way to safety.

Oh, and that’s not the only remarkable thing about these spiders either. It has often been said that a good offence can be the best form of defence, and these spiders take the meaning of this phrase to a whole new level!

Rather than merely running away from predators, these agile arachnids literally flip in the face of danger too, and will propel themselves towards a perceived source of threat.

Ok, so we know what you’re thinking, that’s probably not a smart move. But in fact, there is method in their madness.

In the barren sand dunes of the Erg Chebbi desert, in Morocco – from which these spiders hail – running away can prove pointless, because there is quite simply, no place to hide!

This cartwheeling motion, at which this spiders are so adept, confers a number of advantages, enabling them to double their speed, from 3.3 feet per second to 6.6 feet per second. Not bad, right?!

Cartwheeling on Mars

After seeing these spiders in action, German engineer and biomimeics expert Dr Ingo Rechenberg, was inspired to create a robot that could mimic the remarkable gymnastic abilities of these spiders.

Rechenberg believes that such as robot, capable of achieving a similar means of locomotion, would confer considerable advantages in space exploration missions. More specifically, they are aiming to develop a robot version of the spider that could navigate the rough terrain on the surface of Mars.

But that’s not the only application this revolutionary robot could be used for. It could work in a variety of other environments too, including in the agricultural field and even on the ocean floor.

If you’re wondering what the advantages of this kind of motion would be, the answer is quite simple. Tumbling or rolling would allow more of the robot to be in contact with the surface its moving over, thereby spreading its weight over a larger area, allowing for greater traction and weight distribution than either wheels or legs can offer.

Rechenberg has already created a prototype spider that moves across the ground, using a similar technique to the cartwheeling spider, and you can check out a video of this in action below.

 

Here at European Springs Ireland, the subject of biomimeitcs – biologically inspired engineering- is something we find truly fascinating. That’s why we simply couldn’t resist sharing this incredible story with you. As leading manufacturers of a range of innovative springs, we understand how vital the right source of inspiration can be for the engineering field, and are excited to see what other treats the field of biomimeitcs has in store.

If you would like more information about our services and the range of products we offer, please don’t hesitate to contact one of our friendly advisors today, by giving us a call on 028 9083 8605.

 

They thought it was all over, but then came a ping that would change everything!

As anyone who has ever watched any kind of space movie can tell you, waking from hibernation in space rarely results in a happy ending.

But now it seems, that the real-life Rosetta space mission has bucked this trend, much to the relief of its makers here on earth.

That’s right, after seven months of silence, the Rosetta space probe has made its voice heard once again, well, sort of.

 

Mission Impossible

Back in November, the world rejoiced when the Rosetta spacecraft made history, after completing the first ever successful landing on a comet.

The comet in question, known as 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko – or 67P for short – was travelling at speeds of up to 84,000mph, over 300 miles away from earth, making it seem like somewhat of an impossible target.

Regardless, the ESA was able to pull off a spectacular feat of engineering that captured the imagination of the world, and saw its dreams of landing on a comet become a reality.

During the mission, a probe known as the Philae, was launched from its mothership, the Rosetta, which continues to orbit the comet. It was this probe that landed on the surface of the duck shape comet back in November, much to the delight of space travel enthusiasts the world over.

However, the probe relies on solar energy for power, and with its solar panels in shadow, it was operational for a mere 60 hours before its batteries died and it was forced to go into hibernation.

Since this time, scientists have been waiting with baited breath for the lander to receive enough sunlight to communicate with us here on earth once again. And now it seems, that the wait is over.

 

 

The Philae probe made three short contacts on Sunday. And whilst these contacts were shorter than the scientists had hoped, they still show that the little robot is in good nick after its extended nap.

So far scientists have received over 300 data packets from the lander. But there are many more to come. In fact, the probe has over 8,000 left in its memory – so exiting as this may be, we don’t exactly envy the team whose job it will be to pick through them all!

What Will It Show?

This data should revel vital information, such as what has happened to the lander since it awoke from its long slumber, as well as where exactly on the comet it is – something which has so far remained a mystery.

If you’re wondering what awoke the robot from its sleep, its because the comet has moved a little closer to the sun, allowing the landers solar panels to generate the electricity required to power its systems, including its transmitter, enabling it to reboot.

This latest development in the Rosetta space landing saga is no doubt a huge relief for engineers and researchers working on the mission. But the hard work has only just begun, and the lander remains on the very cusp of its mission.

The robots main mission now will be to carry out experiments that will reveal the secrets of these mysterious icy giants. The lander will be tasked with a number of challenges including drilling into the surface of the comet to analyse its composition, to find out exactly what lies beneath.

 

As leading manufacturers of a comprehensive range of high quality spring products, including compression springs, here at European Springs Ireland we’re passionate about engineering on all scales. We just couldn’t resist bringing you this exciting story and can’t wait to see what’s next for the Rosetta space mission.

Our innovative springs are used for a vast array of applications, including in the aerospace field, and we’re confident that thanks to the superior nature of our products, they could even be used to help make future space missions a reality too.

Whatever project your planning, if you would like more information about our high quality springs then contact our friendly team today, by giving us a call on 028 9083 8605.

 

Engineering is all around us, it’s behind everything from the cars we drive to the mobile phones in our pockets and a world without engineers doesn’t even bear thinking about.

Engineering skills are in demand too, and if you’re looking for a career with a real future, and a chance to shape our world, then engineering could be right choice for you.

Engineering is for everyone and whether you want to earn whilst you learn or study full-time there’s a route into engineering for everyone. To get you inspired, we’ve put together this handy infographic, that takes a look as some of the many routes into engineering. Enjoy!

We hope you’ve enjoyed this quick look at some of the many ways you can engineer your future. As leading spring manufacturers, here at European Springs Ireland we’re passionate about engineering, and understand the importance of inspiring the next generation of engineers.

If you would like to know more about our services, simply contact us today by giving us a call on 028 9083 8605 and a member of our expert team will be happy to help you with your enquiries.

The MacRobert Award is a highly competitive prize offered annually by the Royal Academy of Engineering, named after the great philanthropist Lady Rachel Workman MacRobert. Since the first award was presented in 1969 this has gone on to become the longest-running national engineering award in Britain, and now the finalists for the 2015 prize have been announced. Let’s take a look at the candidates for this year’s gold medal and £50,000 award:

Artemis Intelligent Power

The engineers at Artemis Intelligent Power are responsible for an innovation which will allow far greater amounts of power to be created by off-shore wind-farms. With a history of developing systems to improve turbine efficiency, their latest design is a digital hydraulic power system which will be a cost effective way of improving both the power capacity and the reliability of wind turbines.

Managing director Niall Caldwell says that: “the Artemis team of engineers has made a fundamental advance in the scale and efficiency of mechanical power transmission”.

Endomag

Endomag’s contribution is a tool for diagnosing breast cancer which doesn’t need to use radioactive tracers, instead using a magnetic tracer signal to track the spread of cancerous tissue in the lymphatic system. There procedure, which is more cost-effective than the use of radioisotopes, has already been used to treat over 6000 patients within Europe.

Speaking on the award, chief executive Dr. Eric Mayes has said: ‘Endomag is extremely honoured by this recognition, both for the hard work of our founding team and how we have since translated this engineering innovation to meet the needs of so many patients’.

Victrex

Based in Blackpool, Victrex have been working on a material which may be crucial for the coming flexible electronics revolution – the highest performing ultra-thin polymers in the world. These can be 20 times thinner than a human hair, and have a huge range of applications, including earphones and speakers, and potentially 3D printing.

Technical director John Grasmeder says ‘Victrex is a world leader in high performance polymers and to be in the running for the MacRobert award is a real testament to the capability, innovation focus and performance of our people’.

These are all incredible innovations, and we hope to see more of all the finalists in the future – whether they’re successful with the award or not. For your own engineering designs, you can come to us for essential high quality springs. Contact us at 028 9083 8605 for more information.

In our last post in the ‘Great Feats of Engineering’ series we looked at The Trans-Siberian Railway, which is a network of railways that connect Moscow with the Russian Far East and the Sea of Japan. For the next instalment in this fascinating series that looks into some of the most extraordinary accomplishments of engineering, we will be looking at The Great Wall of China.

The Great Wall of China is the world’s longest wall and the biggest ancient architecture. It stretches across North China from east to west for over 5500 miles.

Originally, the wall was built in the fifth century B.C as a defensive structure, to protect against raids and invasions. However, the best known and best preserved section of the wall was built in the 14^th-17^th century A.D.

How it came to be?

Some of the Great Wall was first built by princes and overlords sometime in the 7^th Century BC – as a boarder defence when China was divided into many small states. However, the big changes came later on.

In 221 BC, King Zheng of Qin conquered the last of his enemies and unified China – becoming the First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty.

He wanted to prevent the resurgence of feudal lords, so he ordered the destruction of the sections of the walls that divided his empire among former states. However, he still wanted to position the empire against the Xiongnu people from the north, so he ordered the building of new walls to connect the remaining fortifications along the empire’s northern frontier.

How was it constructed?

Builders had to use local resources, as transporting heavy materials was proving to be too difficult. Stones were used from the mountains over mountain ranges, and rammed earth was used for the construction in the plains.

Later on in the Ming era, the construction was stronger and more elaborate due to the use of bricks and stone instead of rammed earth.

Functions of the wall

The Great Wall of China has been used for a number of different purposes over the years. These include:

• Military uses – defensive works such as forts, passes and beacon towers were built across the wall. These were to house auxiliary soldiers and to store weapons.
• Infrastructure and Development – it provided protection to economic development and cultural progress. It was also used to safeguard trading routs such as The Silk Road.
• Tourist – a few sections of the wall have become one of the greatest tourist attractions of all time.

Here at European Springs Ireland, we are passionate about anything to do with engineering, which is why we find these engineering feats so fascinating, and we hope you feel the same!

As leading spring manufacturers, our passion for engineering is something we incorporate into our every day job.

We deliver a professional and bespoke service for the design and manufacture of springs – providing products for customers all over the world.

For any information about what we stock, or if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. You can call us on 028 9083 8605.

Floating cities, space ports and high rise farms- could these be the future landscapes of Britain?

Engineers have made some pretty remarkable advances in recent years, that have seen what was once thought impossible rendered possible. And now it seems that we are closer than ever before to seeing the world of tomorrow, today.

Many of us dream of the future and what it will have in store for our world. And luckily for us, leading engineers have recently released their predictions for exactly what Britain could look like in 100 years time, providing an irresistible insight into the future of our world.

 

Predicting The Future

All told, these predictions are really rather exciting, though if they come to fruition, they are likely to change the landscape of our planet beyond recognition!

The predictions came from a panel of 4 acclaimed experts from the engineering and architecture fields, including Director of Engineering and Education at the Royal Academy of Engineering, Dr. Rhys Morgan.

The panel envisage that the most likely advances in the next 100 years will include, floating sea cities, 3D printed homes, and buildings equipped with their own, fully functional micro- climates.

And that’s not all, the experts also foresee that in the years to come, buildings will soar to new heights, as engineers develop new techniques for constructing ever taller buildings.

Technological advances will also allow us humans to built a variety of astounding structures both here on earth and beyond too! That’s right, according to the panel we can also expect to see space ports built on Mars and the Moon within 100 years too!

Driving Innovation

According to the team, rapid advances in technology, and factors such as global warming and population increases, will have a significant impact on how we live in the future, and are expected to be one of the major driving forces behind new innovations in the years to come.

This research has been released to mark the launch of a new series titled Impossible Engineering, which will be airing from the 26th of May at 9pm on TV channel Yesterday. The series will explore a variety of exciting engineering feats, once thought to lie outside the realm of the possible.

 

Only time will tell if these predictions prove accurate, and here at European Springs Ireland we cannot wait to see if they do! As leading suppliers of a wide range of high quality springs we’re no strangers to innovation and like to think that all our spring products are an amazing feat of design and engineering in their own right!

If you would like more information about our products and services, simply contact our friendly team today, by giving us a call on 028 9083 8605.