The Engineer
May 2011 Online

  • MIRA and Creative Data set to collaborate on vehicle projects

    7 Jun 2011

    MIRA and Creative Data have signed a memorandum of understanding that will see the two engineering businesses collaborate on future vehicle projects for original equipment manufacturers and tier 1 suppliers with operations in Germany.

  • 75km interconnector could be installed inside Channel Tunnel

    31 May 2011

    A 75km-long twin-cable 500MW DC interconnector could be installed inside the service tunnel of the Channel Tunnel, according to a new joint venture.

  • BASF begins development of electrolytes for Li-ion batteries

    31 May 2011

    German chemical company BASF is entering the business of electrolytes for lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries and forming a global electrolytes team in its Intermediates division for this purpose.

  • Samsung begins mass-production of 32Gb modules

    31 May 2011

    Samsung Electronics has announced that it is the first in the industry to start mass-producing 32Gb memory modules, for cloud computing and advanced server systems, using 30Nm-class 4Gbit DDR3 DRAM chips.Samsung’s 30nm-class 4Gbit DDR3 chip offers an approximate 50 per cent increase in productivity over a 40Nm-class 4Gbit DDR3 and, as a result, is expected to achieve rapid market penetration.

  • Awards scheme will encourage SMEs to work with universities

    31 May 2011

    Three UK universities have been awarded funds to create an awards scheme to support companies wishing to work with them for the first time.

  • Aker Solutions to supply production-control umbilicals

    31 May 2011

    Norwegian engineering services provider Aker Solutions has been selected to supply three subsea production-control umbilicals for the Chevron-operated Jack & St. Malo field developments in the Gulf of Mexico, under a contract of undisclosed value.

  • Vestas to supply turbines to Canadian wind-energy project

    31 May 2011

    Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas has received a 149MW order for 83 V90-1.8MW turbines for a wind-energy project in Canada.The contract includes delivery and commissioning, along with a 10-year service and maintenance agreement.Delivery is scheduled for autumn 2012 and commissioning expected in late 2012, with the project’s name and specific location being disclosed at a later date.

  • Jaguar Land Rover opens first India-based assembly plant

    31 May 2011

    British automotive company Jaguar Land Rover has officially opened its first assembly plant in India.The facility at Pune, in the Maharashtra region of India, will assemble Land Rover Freelander 2 vehicles supplied in Complete Knock Down (CKD) form from Jaguar Land Rover’s Halewood manufacturing plant in Liverpool, UK.

  • 'Electronic nose' could help to identify infant bowel condition

    31 May 2011

    Researchers are developing an ‘electronic nose’ that can detect small quantities of gas in infants’ faeces, signalling a deadly bowel condition.

  • Fibertek wins NASA contract for ICESat-2 mission

    31 May 2011

    NASA has selected Fibertek of Herndon, Virginia, to design, develop, fabricate, test and deliver laser systems to be used for the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) mission, which, managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, is scheduled to launch in 2016.The total estimated value of the cost-plus-award-fee contract is $26,083,242 (£15,832,100) and the period of performance is from the date of award through launch, plus 38 months.

  • IEA reports significant increase in carbon dioxide emissions

    31 May 2011

    Carbon dioxide emissions from energy sources are estimated to have reached record levels in 2010, according to the International Energy Agency.

  • Renewable optimism, emissions gloom

    31 May 2011

    Can Europe and North Africa be powered by 100 per cent renewable energy by 2050 and is the diesel engine relevant in this age of stringent emissions targets?

  • Biomaterial used for repair mimics native human tissue

    31 May 2011

    A new biomaterial designed for repairing damaged human tissue more closely mimics the properties of native human tissue.

  • Free software may aid creation of commercial ventilators

    27 May 2011

    A new, free software tool from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) could help designers develop ventilation systems for commercial buildings.

  • Microwave radiation used to immobilise radioactive iodine

    27 May 2011

    An engineer at Sheffield University has developed a novel way to immobilise radioactive forms of iodine using microwave radiation.

  • Mechanical fingers mimic nature without electronics

    27 May 2011

    A Naples, Florida-based company has designed mechanical fingers and thumbs that mimic natural body parts without any electronics.

  • Car seat is able to monitor a driver's heartbeat

    27 May 2011

    Working with researchers at RWTH Aachen University, engineers at Ford’s European research centre have developed a car seat that can monitor a driver’s heartbeat.

  • London gets city-wide electric vehicle charging network

    27 May 2011

    Source London — a city-wide electric vehicle charging point network and membership scheme — was launched this week by London mayor Boris Johnson.

  • National Museum of Computing recreates Tunny machine

    27 May 2011

    After tens of thousands of man hours and with only fragmentary information about the original, a rebuilt and functioning Tunny machine has recently been completed by a team at The National Museum of Computing.

  • Archaeologist uncovers lost Egypt using infrared satellite

    27 May 2011

    A University of Alabama archaeologist has used infrared satellite imaging to discover 17 lost pyramids, as well as more than 1,000 tombs and 3,100 ancient settlements in Egypt.

  • Electrically powered aircraft makes its maiden flight

    27 May 2011

    The eGenius electrically powered two-seater aircraft has made its maiden flight this week in Germany.

  • Government to fund offshore energy and innovation centre

    27 May 2011

    UK business secretary Vince Cable has announced that the government is to fund an offshore renewable-energy technology and innovation centre that will focus on technologies for offshore wind, wave and tidal power.

  • Science hands humanity a conundrum

    27 May 2011

    Limb transplants and robotic arms are forcing us to confront issues that were previously restricted to science fiction.

  • Drive to connect UK rural areas to broadband gathers pace

    27 May 2011

    Homes and businesses across Wiltshire, Norfolk, and Devon and Somerset will have access to superfast broadband connections as part of the government’s drive to connect rural areas to the internet.

  • Student designs toilet aid for children with cerebral palsy

    26 May 2011

    A Northumbria University student has designed a brightly coloured portable toilet aid for use by children with cerebral palsy.

  • First steel cut for second QE class aircraft carrier

    26 May 2011

    The first steel for the HMS Prince of Wales, the second of the Royal Navy’s Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers, was cut by UK defence secretary Dr Liam Fox earlier today.

  • IE Madeira awards Nexans Brazilian HVDC link contract

    26 May 2011

    Cable company Nexans has been awarded a €20m (£17.4m) contract by the IE Madeira consortium to deliver the overhead lines for the world’s longest power transmission link, Brazil’s Madeira River Power Interconnection.

  • John Deere to build $60m engine plant in China

    26 May 2011

    US agricultural machinery maker John Deere is to build a $60m factory to manufacture engines for equipment that it builds in China.

  • Software tracks CT scan radiation exposure

    26 May 2011

    US researchers plan to write software that can calculate and track a patient’s radiation exposure from diagnostic X-ray CT scans.

  • Wind Prospect Group launches renewable energy bond

    26 May 2011

    The first commercial wind turbines in the West Midlands could be built using money raised from a new green investment product.

  • Composite method allows fine-tuning of material properties

    26 May 2011

    A team of researchers at MIT has found a way to make complex composite materials with combinations of very different properties.

  • Still on the bottle

    26 May 2011

    The tap water where I live tastes horrid. While it might be good for washing clothes and watering the garden, drinking it is not an option — at least not one that I would consider.

  • NASA's human transporter to be based on Orion aircraft

    26 May 2011

    NASA’s transportation system to take humans into deep space will be based on designs originally planned for the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle.

  • Australia-NZ biofuels industry could take off, states report

    25 May 2011

    Commercially viable quantities of aviation fuels derived from non-food biomass sources is a feasible option for Australia and New Zealand, according to a new report.

  • UK and US leaders agree to strengthen educational links

    25 May 2011

    Improved sharing of satellite data and modelling to improve space weather forecasting is one of the outcomes of an agreement announced today between the UK and the US.

  • Smiths Detection supplies X-ray systems for customs points

    25 May 2011

    Risk sensors manufacturer Smiths Detection has won an order from the German Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF) to provide advanced high-energy X-ray systems for mobile customs checkpoints, to be delivered by the end of 2011.   The contract comprises three HCVM 3 series systems, to be deployed at various locations throughout Germany, to inspect trucks, containers and other vehicles for contraband, weapons, explosives and narcotics.

  • RWE Innogy and EPS to build hydropower plants in Serbia

    25 May 2011

    German utility company RWE Innogy and the Serbian power provider Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) have formed a joint venture for the development of hydropower plants in Belgrade, Serbia.In the years to come, the joint venture company Moravske hidroelektrane will develop five run-of-river power plants with an installed capacity of 30MW each on the Morava river.

  • Prysmian Cables and Systems wins NY-NJ power link contract

    25 May 2011

    UK-based Prysmian Cables and Systems has been awarded a contract worth in excess of $175m (£108.4m) by Hudson Transmission Partners for the development of a new strategic underground and submarine power link, between New York City and the New Jersey transmission grid, as part of a larger contract awarded to the consortium of Prysmian and Siemens Energy.

  • IMechE director calls for more testing of ash cloud dispersal

    25 May 2011

    Test flights should be carried out to verify the theoretical modelling of ash cloud dispersal, according to the IMechE’s director of engineering.

  • Moog to supply test systems for Indian automotive project

    25 May 2011

    The Industrial group of Moog has been awarded a contract to supply structural and fatigue test systems to the National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project (NATRiP) in India, which is intended to create automotive research and development, testing and validation infrastructure for the rapidly developing automotive industry in India.

  • BMT announces strong results for fiscal 2010

    25 May 2011

    Multi-disciplinary engineering, science, technology consultancy BMT has announced its financial results for the year ending 30 September 2010.

  • High-speed broadband services get free trials in Cornwall

    25 May 2011

    People living in Cornwall will soon be able to take part in free trials to test 4G LTE high-speed broadband services.

  • Rolls-Royce to provide support for Royal Navy destroyers

    25 May 2011

    Power systems provider Rolls-Royce has signed a long-term contract with BAE Systems to provide in-service support for the Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyers, each of which are powered by two Rolls-Royce WR-21 gas turbines.This six-year contract, worth £20m, will deliver guaranteed availability of the WR-21 engines to support the ships’ demanding operational schedules, allowing the MoD to focus solely on meeting its operational requirements.

  • AVEVA and Logica sign strategic alliance agreement

    25 May 2011

    Engineering software provider AVEVA and Logica, a business and service technology company, have signed a strategic alliance agreement.Drawing on AVEVA’s Enterprise Solutions portfolio, including AVEVA NET, as well as Logica’s professional services, the companies aim to jointly provide a managed service capability to optimise clients’ engineering projects and through-life management of digital assets.

  • Telescope optics set to aid gravitational detection

    25 May 2011

    A British team is designing the optics for a telescope that will be able to detect the gravitational effects of violent cosmic events.

  • Low-carbon policy won't drive out manufacturers, says Huhne

    24 May 2011

    The government won’t set policies that risk driving manufacturers out of the UK in order to reach carbon-cutting targets, Chris Huhne has said.

  • National Instruments acquires Phase Matrix

    24 May 2011

    Texas-based National Instruments (NI), a manufacturer of automated test equipment and virtual instrumentation software, has acquired Phase Matrix, a designer and manufacturer of radio frequency (RF) and microwave test and measurement instruments, subsystems and components.

  • Skylon development given go-ahead by UK Space Agency

    24 May 2011

    A report has found that there are no impediments to the further development of Skylon, a reusable spacecraft capable of delivering payloads into Low Earth Orbit.

  • UEA discovery could lead to creation of microbial fuel cells

    24 May 2011

    Scientists at the University of East Anglia have made a discovery that could lead to electricity from microbes.

  • Shale-gas drilling unlikely to affect energy security, say MPs

    24 May 2011

    Shale-gas drilling could be given the go-ahead in the UK but is unlikely to have a major impact on energy security or domestic prices.

  • Vattenfall agrees to sell Nuon Exploration and Production

    24 May 2011

    Swedish power company Vattenfall has reached an agreement for the sale of Nuon Exploration and Production to Tullow Oil for a cash consideration of €300m, subject to net working capital and post effective date adjustments.Nuon Exploration and Production currently holds interests in 35 producing gas fields in the Dutch North Sea, as well as interests in the Den Helder plant, pipeline and other associated infrastructure.

  • Rail franchise operator fined for health and safety breaches

    24 May 2011

    Merseyrail Electrics 2002 has been fined £85,000 and ordered to pay costs of £20,970 after pleading guilty to breaches of health and safety law.

  • ACAL Energy receives £400,000 investment funding

    23 May 2011

    Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel-cell developer ACAL Energy has secured £400,000 investment funding from The North West Fund for Energy and Environmental, managed by CT Investment Partners (CTIP), an early-stage investor in the energy and environmental sector.The funding will be used to commercialise ACAL Energy’s proprietary platinum-free cathode technology, Flowcath, in applications such as off-grid power for telecommunications and automotive power trains.

  • Goodrich to supply additional IMUs for Saab's NLAW system

    23 May 2011

    Goodrich’s Sensors and Integrated Systems business, based in Plymouth, UK, has received a follow-on order from Saab Bofors Dynamics for additional inertial measurement units (IMUs) for its next-generation Light Anti-tank Weapon (NLAW) system.The contract covers additional NLAW units intended for export and deliveries are expected to be complete in 2012.

  • UK government firms up plans for Green Investment Bank

    23 May 2011

    Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg today firmed up plans for the Green Investment Bank, which is expected to be open for business in April 2012 and have borrowing powers from 2015.

  • Competition invites engineers to design future pylons

    23 May 2011

    Engineers have been called on to redesign Britain’s electricity pylons ready for a doubling of energy infrastructure investment over the next decade.

  • Monitor that detects water impurities wins award

    23 May 2011

    A Cardiff University collaboration that created a real-time monitor to detect and warn of impurities in water supplies has been successful at the university’s annual innovation awards.

  • TransAsia Airways orders Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines

    23 May 2011

    Power systems provider Rolls-Royce has won its first order from Taiwanese airline TransAsia Airways, which has selected Trent 700 engines and TotalCare long-term service support worth a total of $150m (£92.4m).The engines will power two Airbus A330 aircraft to be delivered in 2012/2013.

  • STX Finland contracts Wärtsilä to supply cargo-ship engines

    23 May 2011

    Finnish power source manufacturer Wärtsilä has been contracted by the STX Finland shipyard in Turku, Finland, to supply the main engines for a new multi-purpose cargo vessel.

  • KKI signs agency agreement with Brazil-based RTS Valvulas

    23 May 2011

    Yorkshire-based valves manufacturer KOSO Kent Introl (KKI) has signed a five-year agency agreement with Brazilian firm, RTS Valvulas, which will open up new distribution channels for KKI’s specialist valve products and help the company increase its presence in Brazil.Mark Harris, KKI’s area business manager, will manage the contract and work closely with RTS Valvulas to develop new business opportunities in Brazil, primarily in the upstream and oil and gas sector.

  • ThyssenKrupp modernises hot strip mills in Rhine-Ruhr area

    23 May 2011

    Steel producer ThyssenKrupp is to invest around €300m (£261.5m) in its hot strip mills in Bochum and Duisburg, Germany, in efforts to strengthen its position as technology leader for premium flat-rolled carbon steel products.The modernisation will also secure sites and jobs in the Rhine-Ruhr area of western Germany.

  • Energy events put spotlight on transport and nuclear industry

    23 May 2011

    Energy dominates this week’s events, with hydrogen and fuel cells for transportation plus the aftermath of Fukushima high on the agenda.

  • Wind Towers buys Skykon wind turbine assembly plant

    23 May 2011

    Wind Towers, a joint venture between Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) and Marsh Wind Technology, has completed the purchase of the Skykon wind turbine tower manufacturing and assembly plant at Machrihanish in Campbeltown, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, from its administrators.

  • Fungus process makes ethanol production more efficient

    23 May 2011

    Iowa State University researchers have developed a process that uses a fungus to make a high-protein animal feed from the leftovers of ethanol production.

  • SSE acquires Keadby wind farm from RES

    20 May 2011

    Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) has reached an agreement on the acquisition of a wind farm close to SSE’s existing Keadby power station in North Lincolnshire, from Renewable Energy Systems Group (RES).Once constructed, the 34-turbine project at the Keadby Wind Farm will have an installed capacity of between 68 and 85MW.

  • Toshiba acquires Landis+Gyr for $2.3bn

    20 May 2011

    Toshiba is to acquire integrated energy management provider Landis+Gyr for $2.3bn in cash.

  • Southampton University to take part in bio-energy trials

    20 May 2011

    Southampton University is taking part in projects that will evaluate the use of biomass to create a cost-effective and sustainable energy system for the UK by 2050.

  • Coloured polymer coatings could help prevent fraud

    20 May 2011

    Researchers have honed a method for creating intensely coloured polymer coatings, which could have uses in security and fraud prevention.

  • Scientists develop injectable biomaterial for back pain

    20 May 2011

    Manchester University scientists have developed an injectable biomaterial implant that could be used to treat chronic back pain.

  • UK government invests in R&D for personalised medicine

    20 May 2011

    The Technology Strategy Board and the Medical Research Council are to invest more than £3.7m in research projects designed to place the UK at the forefront of developments in personalised medicine.

  • Thermo Fisher Scientific acquires Phadia from Cinven

    20 May 2011

    Life-sciences supply company Thermo Fisher Scientific has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Phadia from European private equity firm Cinven for €2.47bn (£2.18bn) in cash.

  • UCL project awarded €1.9m to develop data-analysis facilities

    20 May 2011

    A UCL-led project has received €1.9m from the European Commission to develop computing facilities capable of analysing data on a global scale.

  • Takeda Pharmaceutical acquires Nycomed

    20 May 2011

    Japan-based Takeda Pharmaceutical has reached an agreement with the shareholders of Swiss pharmaceuticals company Nycomed in which Takeda will acquire the Zurich-headquartered company for €9.6bn (£8.5bn) on a cash-free, debt-free basis.The transaction is expected to be completed within 90 to 120 days, making it a wholly owned subsidiary of Takeda, excluding Nycomed’s US dermatology business.

  • Lufthansa Cargo orders five Boeing 777 aircraft

    20 May 2011

    Aerospace and defence company Boeing and Lufthansa Cargo have finalised an order valued at $1.35bn (£834m) for five Boeing 777 Freighters.According to Lufthansa Cargo, the aircraft will help the carrier in its initiative to modernise and expand its fleet.

  • Scottish and Southern Energy announces full-year results

    20 May 2011

    Shareholders in Scottish and Southern Energy can expect the 12th successive above-inflation dividend increase following the publication of the company’s full-year results today.

  • The Electrospinning Company moves into ESA BIC Harwell

    20 May 2011

    The European Space Agency’s Business Incubation Centre Harwell (ESA BIC Harwell) has announced that its first tenant is The Electrospinning Company, a developer of materials for the biomedical research industry.

  • Project seeks better treatment for breathing disorders

    20 May 2011

    International experts are embarking on a project to develop a tool to help tailor the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

  • System could boost production of cancer-killing isotopes

    19 May 2011

    A new system for making radioactive material used to cure cancer could help increase production and lead to more effective treatments.

  • CBI survey shows healthy manufacturing order books

    19 May 2011

    A CBI survey published today shows that British manufacturers expect strong output growth in the coming quarter, backed by healthy order books.

  • Forensic experts developing system to identify fake art

    19 May 2011

    A new system for identifying fake Chinese artwork based on trace element analysis is currently under development.

  • Brainwave-decoding research explains facial recognition

    19 May 2011

    Researchers at Glasgow University have been able to identify how the brain encodes the visual information that enables human beings to recognise faces and scenes.

  • UK researchers win prize for AI-modified flight controller

    19 May 2011

    UK researchers have won an industry prize for their work examining the application of artificial-intelligence techniques to the flight-control system of the F16 Fighting Falcon aircraft.

  • Internet management system reduces buildings' energy use

    19 May 2011

    A software engineering student from Portsmouth University has helped to design an award-winning way of cutting energy use in buildings by up to 25 per cent.

  • MTL to supply boat landing systems for German wind farm

    19 May 2011

    Steel engineering company MTL Group has been awarded a multi-million pound contract to supply 97 boat landing systems to a European foundations manufacturer for a German offshore wind farm in the North Sea.Specialising in batch fabrications, with the ability to manufacture structures up to 400 tonnes in weight, MTL Group is a project manufacturing company in the metals sector and a secondary steelwork supplier of boat landing systems, working platforms, plate beams and nodes.

  • Dry response

    19 May 2011

    Eighteen months ago, I invested in a rather splendid washer dryer and it has proved to be a most valuable piece of equipment.

  • Russian Helicopters selects Goodrich to power Mi-34C1

    19 May 2011

    US aerospace manufacturer Goodrich has been selected by Russian Helicopters to provide the main rotor actuator and hydraulic power supply for its upgraded Mi-34C1 light helicopter.The agreement includes research and development, original equipment supply and aftermarket support for both units.Prototypes for flight tests have already been produced by Goodrich’s Actuation Systems business, with entry into service planned for late 2012.

  • US Navy awards General Dynamics submarine contract

    19 May 2011

    General Dynamics Electric Boat has been awarded a $33.5m (£20.7m) contract modification by the US Navy to develop advanced submarine technologies for current and future undersea platforms.Under the terms of the contract, Electric Boat will perform advanced submarine research and development studies in support of a wide range of technology areas, including maintainability, survivability, hydrodynamics, acoustics and materials.

  • International Power sells equity interest in CCGT plant

    19 May 2011

    Electricity generator International Power has agreed the sale of its 33.3 per cent equity interest in the 420MW T-Power CCGT power plant in Belgium for €48m (£42m) to Itochu, a Japanese conglomerate.Under this agreement, International Power’s role in the associated Operations and Maintenance Agreement will also be transferred to a subsidiary of Itochu and Itochu will assume International Power’s share of debt in the project.

  • Philips Electronics increases OLED production capacity

    19 May 2011

    Royal Philips Electronics is investing €40m (£35.2m) to increase its production capacity for organic light-emitting diode (OLED)-based lighting at its facility in Aachen, Germany.

  • Bombardier selects Triumph Aerostructures to build wing

    19 May 2011

    Triumph Aerostructures — Vought Aircraft Division has been selected by aircraft manufacturer Bombardier to design and build the wing for the new Global 7000 and Global 8000 large, ultra long-range business jets.The company will provide the high-speed transonic wing, which is designed to optimise aerodynamic efficiency, from its Dallas, Texas facility.

  • 3M's New Ventures invests in GoNano Technologies

    19 May 2011

    US manufacturer 3M, through its New Ventures Business, has invested in GoNano Technologies, a developer and manufacturer of high surface-area nanomaterials for pollution control, catalysis, composites and sensory technologies headquartered in Moscow, Idaho.Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

  • Tidal turbine set for two-month trial on the River Thames

    19 May 2011

    A tidal turbine is to be installed alongside the HQS Wellington in the River Thames in order to trial the technology over a two-month period.

  • Scottish CCS projects could create up to 5,000 jobs

    18 May 2011

    More than 5,000 jobs could be created through the construction and operation of three Scottish Carbon Capture and Storage demonstration projects.

  • Report considers lessons of Fukushima for the UK

    18 May 2011

    A report published today says Britain’s nuclear operations should not be curtailed despite the crisis at Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station earlier in the year.

  • Scientists get a 3D view of ancient fossilised spider

    18 May 2011

    Scientists have used X-ray computed tomography to produce 3D images of a 49 million-year-old spider trapped inside fossilised amber resin.

  • Will the government’s carbon budget help or hinder UK industry?

    18 May 2011

    Stung by criticism that it’s failing to deliver on its pledge to become the “greenest government ever” the coalition has announced ambitious emissions reduction targets that could put the UK at the forefront of the global low carbon industry.

  • Green Ocean Energy secures funding for Wave Treader

    18 May 2011

    Green Ocean Energy has secured £45,000 funding to develop its Wave Treader renewable energy technology for the oil and gas industry.

  • European Marine Energy Centre expands test facilities

    17 May 2011

    The European Marine Energy Centre is expanding its test facilities by opening two special test sites for marine renewable devices.

  • SanDisk acquires SSD developer Pliant Technology

    17 May 2011

    Flash memory manufacturer SanDisk is to acquire Pliant Technology, a developer of enterprise solid state drives (SSD). Under the terms of the agreement, SanDisk will pay approximately $327m (£202m) in cash and provide certain equity-based incentives. The transaction, which has been approved by the boards of directors of both companies, is subject to customary closing conditions and expected to close by the end of SanDisk’s second fiscal quarter. 

  • Severn Glocon supplies control valves for Berantai project

    17 May 2011

    Process control valve manufacturer Severn Glocon has been awarded a fast-track contract to supply 48 control valves by Petrofac in Malaysia for the Berantai project.

  • Network Rail selects AECOM to fulfil Crossrail work

    17 May 2011

    Technical and management support services company AECOM has been chosen by Network Rail to design improvement works to stations west of Paddington that are set to become part of the Crossrail route.

  • BP sells interests in Beacon and other oil fields to Perenco

    17 May 2011

    London-based oil and gas company BP has agreed to sell its interests in the Wytch Farm, Wareham, Beacon and Kimmeridge fields to Perenco for up to $610m (£376.6m) in cash.

  • US Army selects BAE Systems to operate ammunition plant

    17 May 2011

    UK defence, security and aerospace company BAE Systems has been selected by the US Army to manage, operate and maintain the Radford Army Ammunition Plant in southwest Virginia.The operating contract includes a 10-year base, for which BAE has initially been awarded $850m (£524.7m), plus three five-year options, which, if fully exercised, will extend the award through 2036.

  • Technology converts industrial waste heat into electricity

    17 May 2011

    Technology being developed in the US could be used to convert industrial waste heat into electricity.

  • Institute looks to the next generation of wind turbines

    17 May 2011

    The Energy Technologies Institute expects to invest around £10m in a project to develop long high-performance blades for the next generation of large offshore wind turbines.

  • Foster Wheeler supplies CFB steam generators to China

    16 May 2011

    Swiss EPC and power provider Foster Wheeler has been awarded a contract by Zhejiang Jiahua Industrial Park Investment & Development Company for the design and supply of three circulating fluidised-bed (CFB) steam generators, to meet increasing steam demand at China Chemical and New Material Park (Jiaxing) in east China’s Jiaxing city, Zhejiang Province.

  • PSA Peugeot Citroën invests in its Valenciennes plant

    16 May 2011

    French automotive manufacturer PSA Peugeot Citroën will invest €220m (£192m) from now through 2014 in its Valenciennes plant for the production of a new dual-clutch transmission.

  • Sponge-like carbon can be used as a supercapacitor

    16 May 2011

    A new sponge-like form of carbon promises to improve the efficiency of supercapacitor energy storage.

  • Report says that hydrogen fuel from sunlight could meet costs

    16 May 2011

    A method for producing hydrogen fuel from sunlight looks set to meet future cost targets set by the US Department of Energy.

  • Energy challenges and security solutions

    16 May 2011

    It’s good news for the UK’s renewable energy sector this week as the government prepares to prove its green credentials with an ambitious new set of emissions targets.

  • Supercomputer upgrade to benefit university engineers

    13 May 2011

    Engineers at Edinburgh University will have access to one of the most powerful supercomputers in Europe from autumn this year.

  • Sevcon announces results for second quarter 2011

    13 May 2011

    Sevcon, a designer and manufacturer of electronic control systems for battery-powered vehicles, has reported three-month sales of $7.8m (£4.8m) in its second-quarter financial report to the US NASDAQ exchange through its Boston-based parent, Tech/Ops Sevcon.

  • 'Sighted wheelchair' uses laser scanner to map surroundings

    13 May 2011

    Swedish researchers have tested an electric wheelchair that can sense its environment and transmit information to visually impaired users.

  • Software could aid near-Earth object collision response

    13 May 2011

    A new software system could help disaster response teams if an asteroid were to collide with the Earth.

  • University programs robot to solve Rubik's Cube

    13 May 2011

    Academics at Ulster University have programmed a robot to solve the classic Rubik’s Cube puzzle.

  • Final frontiers

    13 May 2011

    NASA has announced that it’s considering sending a robotic ship to sail the methane oceans of Titan, echoing the golden age of maritime exploration — but are there any final frontiers closer to home?

  • Researchers develop 'greener' hydrogen production method

    13 May 2011

    A Dutch research team has found a way to produce hydrogen from natural gas at lower temperatures than existing methods and without releasing carbon dioxide.

  • MRI-ultrasound combination could improve cancer diagnosis

    12 May 2011

    Doctors in the US are hoping to improve prostate cancer diagnosis by combining MRI with real-time 3D ultrasound for tissue sample collection.

  • Wind turbine tower factory to boost UK renewables industry

    12 May 2011

    The UK’s burgeoning renewable energy industry received a boost today with the opening of a £38m wind turbine tower manufacturing facility in Wales.

  • Stretchy sensors can prevent passenger airbag injuries

    12 May 2011

    Researchers in Germany have developed sensors to prevent car passengers from being injured by airbags during a crash.

  • Statoil reports financial results for first quarter 2011

    11 May 2011

    Norwegian petroleum company Statoil has announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2011, in which net operating income was NOK50.7bn — a 28 per cent increase from NOK39.6bn in the first quarter of 2010.According to Statoil, the quarterly result was mainly affected by a 33 per cent increase in the average prices for liquids measured in NOK, a 20 per cent increase in average gas prices and a 12 per cent decrease in liftings, when compared to the same period last year.

  • Trimble announces financial results for first quarter 2011

    11 May 2011

    Positioning technologies provider Trimble has announced first-quarter revenue of $384.3m, up 20 per cent as compared with the first quarter of 2010.

  • Apple scanner uses UV and infrared to identify defects

    11 May 2011

    US Department of Agriculture scientists have developed and patented an optical scanning system to scrutinise defects in apples before they are packed.

  • Managing the garden

    11 May 2011

    The managing director of the small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) had a rather large back garden. Sadly, though, it had become fairly neglected over the winter months and, as a result, the trees, shrubs and lawn all needed a lot of attention. So one bank-holiday weekend, he decided to do something about it.

  • National Instruments reports results for first quarter 2011

    11 May 2011

    US manufacturer National Instruments, which produces automated test equipment and virtual instrumentation software, has announced first quarter revenue for of $238m (£145.4m), marking a new first-quarter record and a 24 per cent increase year over year.

  • System enables hands-free control of electric wheelchairs

    11 May 2011

    Essex University researchers have developed a system that allows severely physically disabled people to control a wheelchair or mobility scooter.

  • Vestas reports financial results for first quarter 2011

    11 May 2011

    Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas has announced financial results for the first quarter of 2011, in which revenue totalled €1,060m (£909.2m) — an increase of 25 per cent relative to the first quarter of 2010.

  • Lear reports financial results for first quarter 2011

    11 May 2011

    Automotive seating and electrical power-management systems supplier Lear has reported its financial results for the first quarter of 2011.

  • Advanced Analogic announces first quarter 2011 results

    11 May 2011

    Advanced Analogic Technologies, an analogue semiconductor company focused on consumer electronics, computing and communications markets, has reported financial results for the first quarter ended 31 March 2011.

  • Ingram Micro announces record first-quarter results

    10 May 2011

    Technology distributor Ingram Micro has announced financial results for the first quarter of 2011, ended 2 April 2011.

  • Heilind Electronics acquires Thompson Electronic Supplies

    10 May 2011

    North-America-based Heilind Electronics, a distributor of electronic interconnect products, has acquired Thompson Electronic Supplies, a distributor of electronic components.Thompson Electronic Supplies is a privately held company serving electronics OEMs and contract manufacturers from its Columbus, Ohio, headquarters.

  • Direct air capture 'unlikely' to address CO2 concerns

    10 May 2011

    A new report says technology for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is unlikely to offer an economically feasible way to slow human-driven climate change.

  • TRL to seek ways to reduce delays caused by roadworks

    10 May 2011

    A joint £1m fund to research and develop new technology to reduce the disruption caused by roadworks was announced today.

  • Microsoft reveals plan to acquire Skype

    10 May 2011

    Software group Microsoft has confirmed rumours that it is to acquire Skype, an internet communications company, for $8.5bn in cash from an investor group led by Silver Lake.

  • UK submits 12 applications for low-carbon energy funding

    10 May 2011

    Twelve low-carbon energy projects in the UK entered the running for EU funding today.

  • Driver alert system detects changes in vehicle behaviour

    10 May 2011

    A new driver alert system from Ford analyses driver performance and issues a warning if the driver shows signs of drowsiness or erratic steering.

  • Renewable energy review 'plays down technical issues'

    10 May 2011

    Engineers have criticised a new report that says falling costs could mean renewable sources produce 45 per cent of the UK’s energy by 2030.

  • Imaging method could improve heart arrhythmia treatment

    10 May 2011

    Researchers at Columbia Engineering School have developed a method of non-invasively mapping the electrical activation of the heart.

  • Former directors of MG Rover face management ban

    10 May 2011

    Following an investigation into the collapse of MG Rover, four of the company’s former directors have been banned from being involved in the management of any company for a number of years.

  • Process uses laser deposition to produce high-strength alloy

    10 May 2011

    Researchers are using laser deposition technology to produce a high-strength material that can stop offshore oil pipelines corroding.

  • Digital watermarking used to make post 'interactive'

    10 May 2011

    The Royal Mail has become the world’s first postal company to help businesses make their post ‘interactive’, using digital watermarking technology.

  • Bee venom makes explosives detector extra sensitive

    10 May 2011

    A new detector so sensitive it can pick up a single molecule of an explosive such as TNT has been developed by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

  • STMicroelectronics reports first quarter 2011 results

    10 May 2011

    Italian-French semiconductor manufacturer STMicroelectronics has reported its financial results for the first quarter ended 2 April 2011, in which net revenues increased nine per cent year-over-year to reach $2.53bn (£1.55bn).Gross margin came to 39.1 per cent, up 140 basis points from 2010’s first quarter, while net income increased to $170m.

  • General Electric opens wireline manufacturing facility

    10 May 2011

    General Electric has officially opened a new wireline manufacturing facility within QinetiQ’s Cody Technology Park in Farnborough in Hampshire.

  • Chevron reports first quarter 2011 results

    10 May 2011

    US energy company Chevron has reported earnings of $6.2bn (£3.1bn) for the first quarter 2011, compared with $4.6bn in the first quarter 2010.Sales and other operating revenues in the first quarter 2011 were $58bn, up from $47bn in the same period a year ago, mainly due to higher prices for crude oil and refined products.

  • Honeycomb design could enhance thin-film solar cells

    10 May 2011

    A new honeycomb design for thin-film solar cells could reduce the amount of silicon needed to produce them and boost efficiency.

  • UK 'must protect infrastructure from effects of climate change'

    9 May 2011

    Engineers have welcomed the environment secretary’s urgent call for action to protect infrastructure from the effects of climate change.

  • Jaguar Land Rover develops all-electric Defender vehicle

    9 May 2011

    Jaguar Land Rover in South Africa has produced an all-electric version of its Defender model for use in game parks.

  • Eni Congo awards ABB natural gas treatment plant contract

    9 May 2011

    Power and automation company ABB has won a $151m (£92.2m) order from the energy company Eni Congo to engineer, build and commission a new natural gas compression station and treatment plant in the Republic of Congo.The new plant will be located at the onshore M’Boundi oil field near the Atlantic coast and will provide compressed natural gas to power the turbines at two nearby power plants in Djeno, which currently supply most of the country’s electricity.

  • Planetary defence and universal exploration

    9 May 2011

    Day-to-day worries like global warming and geo-political instability will all be rendered mute were an asteroid to slam into Earth.

  • Childhood leukaemia close to nuclear plants 'extremely rare'

    9 May 2011

    A new report has concluded that the incidence of childhood leukaemia in the vicinity of nuclear power plants in Great Britain is extremely small, if not zero.

  • Funding competition targets digital ventures in east London

    6 May 2011

    A funding competition that will see the Technology Strategy Board invest £1m to support the growth of creative and digital businesses working in the area around Old Street and Shoreditch in east London opened today.

  • April's top 10 engineering wins

    6 May 2011

    Each month The Engineer picks 10 of the most notable contract news stories from our Business Briefs archive. In April there were plenty of companies going green, with large automotive companies investing in electric technology, a carbon-reducing finance scheme launched and further contracts signed in the renewable power sector. The UK in particular has seen much activity in the defence sector.

  • Jaguar moves C-X75 concept car towards production

    6 May 2011

    Jaguar announced today that it will put the C-X75 concept car into production in 2013.

  • To boldly go where no budget has gone before

    6 May 2011

    The US wants the private sector to come up with plans and funding for an interstellar space travel programme. Maybe it could work with the right crazy idea.

  • 3D transistor to be put into high-volume manufacturing

    6 May 2011

    Chip maker Intel has announced a significant breakthrough in the evolution of the transistor, the microscopic building block of the microprocessor.

  • Balfour Beatty closes PPP street-lighting contract

    6 May 2011

    British construction services company Balfour Beatty has reached financial close on the £203m PPP street-lighting contract for Cambridgeshire County Council.The 25-year concession, in which Balfour Beatty will invest equity of approximately £5m, will involve the design and installation of 50,000 street lights and 6,000 signs and bollards, in addition to the ongoing maintenance of all existing and new equipment.

  • Nissan chosen to design and supply taxis for New York

    6 May 2011

    Nissan has been selected to design and supply the next generation of taxis for New York — the city with the largest taxi fleet in the US.

  • Cambridge project aims for innovation with graphene

    5 May 2011

    A Cambridge University project researching graphene is intended to point the way towards a €1bn European programme.

  • Research project eyes fuel savings for container ships

    5 May 2011

    Future container ships could combine wind, solar and battery power to save fuel and cut emissions thanks to a new research project.

  • Vernacare wins award for its detergent-resistant washbowl

    5 May 2011

    Bolton-based Vernacare has won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the innovation category for developing a detergent-proof disposable washbowl that is helping to lead the fight against hospital ’superbugs’.

  • SolMateS prepares to develop thin-film deposition system

    5 May 2011

    SolMateS, a supplier of PZT thin-film solutions, has received a $3m investment from private equity funds Twente Technology Fund and Participatiemaatschappij Oost Nederland.

  • Saab signs Helicopter 15 contract with FMV

    5 May 2011

    Swedish aerospace and defence company Saab has signed a new contract with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) regarding support and maintenanceof Helicopter 15, also known as Agusta 109 LUHS, operated by the Swedish Armed Forces.

  • Clean technology group I2BF invests in ACAL Energy

    5 May 2011

    Fuel-cell systems developer ACAL Energy has announced a £1m investment from international clean technology asset management group I2BF.

  • Wärtsilä to design LNG-powered PSV for Rem Offshore

    5 May 2011

    Finnish power systems provider Wärtsilä has been contracted by Kleven Maritime of Norway to design a new LNG-powered Platform Supply Vessel (PSV) for the Norwegian operator Rem Offshore.The scope of the order also includes the propulsion machinery, automation and other equipment for the same vessel.

  • Chevron acquires assets from Chief Oil and Gas

    5 May 2011

    US energy company Chevron has agreed to acquire oil and gas assets, primarily 228,000 net leasehold acres, in the Marcellus Shale from Chief Oil and Gas and Tug Hill.Terms of the transaction, which is expected to close before the end of the second quarter, were not disclosed.

  • Flexible paper computer 'does everything a smartphone can'

    5 May 2011

    A professor at Queen’s University Human Media Laboratory in Kingston, Ontario has unveiled what is claimed to be the world’s first interactive ’paper computer’.

  • Engineers near completion of floating wind turbine tests

    5 May 2011

    Engineers in the Netherlands are in the closing stages of testing three different floating wind turbine concepts for the US-based DeepCwind Consortium.

  • Design for life

    5 May 2011

    Because she lived through the exigencies of rationing during the Second World War, my mother threw away very little during her long lifetime. Indeed, many of her possessions are still tucked away in a variety of nooks and crannies in the house where I now live.

  • Applied Materials announces plans to acquire Varian

    5 May 2011

    Applied Materials is to acquire Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates for approximately $4.9bn.

  • BP Alaska is penalised for North Slope oil spill

    4 May 2011

    BP Alaska is to pay a $25m civil penalty as part of a settlement for spilling more than 5,000 barrels of crude oil on the North Slope of Alaska in 2006.

  • Enecsys secures financing to facilitate expected growth

    4 May 2011

    Solar inverter developer Enecsys has confirmed that it has secured £25m in financing to facilitate expected growth.

  • Alliance to launch world's first race-prepared electric vehicle

    4 May 2011

    Oxford Yasa Motors, Westfield Sportscars and Potenza Technology have formed an alliance to develop and launch the world’s first fully race-prepared electric vehicle — the iRACER — and the new electric GTM sports car.

  • Centre for Doctoral Training to focus on laser accelerators

    4 May 2011

    A UK-wide centre of excellence is to train more than 30 PhD students in the practical applications of innovative accelerators used in applications including security and cancer treatment.

  • Simulator will model shipping traffic interaction in ports

    4 May 2011

    Researchers at TU Delft have joined forces with counterparts at the Jiaotong University in Shanghai to develop a traffic simulator for shipping.

  • Boeing Phantom Ray UAS completes first flight

    4 May 2011

    The Boeing Phantom Ray unmanned airborne system completed its first flight at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base in California on 27 April.

  • Statasys acquires 3D printer manufacturer Solidscape

    4 May 2011

    Additive-manufacturing system maker Stratasys has acquired Solidscape for $38m (£23m) plus certain purchase price adjustments.

  • Crystal castles in the air

    4 May 2011

    Deceptively simple, ultrapure quartz crystals are at the heart of almost every satellite in orbit, as our guest blogger Bob Graham explains

  • 'Confidence drop' in UK upstream oil and gas industry

    4 May 2011

    Oil & Gas UK’s quarterly business index shows a drop in confidence throughout the UK upstream oil and gas industry in the first quarter of 2011.

  • Statoil awards Nexans contract to manufacture DEH system

    4 May 2011

    Cable company Nexans has been awarded a €20m (£17.9m) contract by Statoil to design and manufacture the direct electrical heating (DEH) system for the subsea pipelines serving the new Fossekall Dompap oil and gas field on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.

  • SGC Energia orders FT reactor from Oxford Catalysts

    4 May 2011

    Speciality catalysts developer Oxford Catalysts has received an order for a commercial-scale Fischer-Tropsch (FT) reactor and catalyst from SGC Energia (SGCE).

  • ATK receives ammunition contracts from MENA region

    4 May 2011

    US aerospace, defence and security company ATK has received awards totalling $13.4m (£8.1m) in new 25mm tactical ammunition contracts, from a mix of allies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.Delivery of the NATO-certified 25mm M792 rounds is set to begin in March 2012, with production taking place in the company’s facilities in Radford and Rocket Center, Virginia.

  • General Dynamics to construct 14th Virginia-class submarine

    4 May 2011

    The US Navy has released $1.2bn (£725m) for the construction of the 14th Virginia-class submarine, SSN-787, to General Dynamics Electric Boat, marking the beginning of the two-submarines-per-year Virginia-class programme.

  • Wärtsilä wins contract to design Sartor ship for Statoil

    4 May 2011

    Finnish power sources provider Wärtsilä has been contracted to supply the vessel design and complete diesel electric drive installation for a new field support vessel.The ship is to be owned and operated by Sartor Shipping of Norway and will serve the North Sea oilfields on behalf of Statoil.

  • Alloy could help provide water and power in remote areas

    4 May 2011

    An aluminium alloy could be used in a new type of mobile technology to convert non-potable water into drinking water while extracting hydrogen to generate electricity.

  • Sensor could enhance safety of respiratory equipment

    4 May 2011

    Microsensors could warn emergency services personnel when carbon filters in their respirators have become dangerously saturated and are unsafe to use.

  • System forecasts dangerous in-flight icing conditions

    4 May 2011

    Aircraft could be safer thanks to a new computer-generated forecast that provides pilots with critical weather information on the likelihood of encountering dangerous in-flight icing conditions.

  • Researchers develop efficient laser-beam direction method

    3 May 2011

    Researchers in the US say they have developed an energy-efficient method of directing laser beams that is both precise and relatively inexpensive.

  • UK could win almost a quarter of marine-energy market

    3 May 2011

    The UK could win around a quarter of the global marine energy market and generate more than 68,000 jobs, according to analysis released today by the Carbon Trust.

  • ATK wins contract to produce MK90 propellant grain

    3 May 2011

    US aerospace and defence company ATK has received an $80m (£47.9m) order from General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products for production of the MK90 propellant grain, which provides propulsion for the MK66 rocket motor, a key element of the Hydra 70 rocket system.The Hydra 70 rocket system is used on a variety of fixed-wing and rotary-wing platforms, including the AH-64 Apache, the UH-60 Black Hawk and the A-10, and has been used extensively in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

  • Bristow wins contract to support Statoil's North Sea operations

    3 May 2011

    Helicopter services provider Bristow has been awarded a five-year contract worth in excess of £100m by international energy company Statoil, to provide support for its Norwegian North Sea operations.Under the terms of the contract, which will commence in March 2013, Bristow will provide two dedicated S-92 aircraft operating from Sola Airport, Stavanger, Norway, to several North Sea facilities in the Sleipner, Draupner and Glitne fields.

  • On track, in orbit, and all at sea.

    3 May 2011

    From McLaren’s latest GT racer to the UK’s burgeoning space sector there’s plenty on the post bank holiday engineering agenda

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The Engineer 14 May 2012

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