British Bicycle Land Speed Record Broken

Posted on October 28, 2015 by Mike Osborn CEng MIMechE AUH

Mike Osborn CEng MIMechE AUH's avatarFLYWHEEL Re-Invented

 ARION1__#2_ ARION1__#3_

The University of Liverpool Velocipede (ULV) team, designed & built their recumbent bicycle ARION1 and transported it to Nevada and raced it in the International Human Powered Vehicle Association’s World Human Powered Speed Challenge 2015. The race is held on a 5 mile course on an ordinary road, accelerating up to a 200m flat section where speeds are measured & recorded. The driver of the ARION1 is positioned inside the vehicle’s aerodynamic carbon fibre shell, and sees where he is going using a small video camera mounted at the top of the vehicle.

On 16th of September 2015, Ken Buckley, aiming for the world record of 83 mph fell short but achieved an amazing 69 mph smashing the previous British record of 67 mph held by Rob English since 2002. Later that week Ken broke his own record again with a staggering 75 mph!

Two of the…

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British Bicycle Land Speed Record Broken

Posted on October 28, 2015 by Mike Osborn CEng MIMechE AUH

 ARION1__#2_ ARION1__#3_

The University of Liverpool Velocipede (ULV) team, designed & built their recumbent bicycle ARION1 and transported it to Nevada and raced it in the International Human Powered Vehicle Association’s World Human Powered Speed Challenge 2015. The race is held on a 5 mile course on an ordinary road, accelerating up to a 200m flat section where speeds are measured & recorded. The driver of the ARION1 is positioned inside the vehicle’s aerodynamic carbon fibre shell, and sees where he is going using a small video camera mounted at the top of the vehicle.

On 16th of September 2015, Ken Buckley, aiming for the world record of 83 mph fell short but achieved an amazing 69 mph smashing the previous British record of 67 mph held by Rob English since 2002. Later that week Ken broke his own record again with a staggering 75 mph!

Two of the team also received from the Nevada sheriff commemorative speeding tickets for breaking the road’s 70mph speed limit!

Although the team didn’t make the world record this time, they will be returning next year with ARION2 for another attempt.

I wish them all the best

Link to video of the ARION1 in action:

Hope you have a great month

by Mike Osborn

Quotations:

“Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.”
Margaret Mead
“No man has a good enough memory to be a successful liar.”
Abraham Lincoln
“Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone.”
Anthony Burgess

ps  If you have enjoyed the blog please forward to those who might be interested, many thanks in advance, Mike

Posted in aerodynamics, carbon fibre, cycling, design, Engineering, EXTREME SPORT, humor, humour, mechanical, speed records, university | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Nuclear Fusion Reactors – looking commercially hot !

Posted on September 24, 2015 by Mike Osborn CEng MIMechE AUH

Tokamak Nuclear Fusion_#1_   Close up of the Sun__

Nuclear fusion is cited as a safe, clean and sustainable energy we all need, but alas to make this technology commercial has been quite a headache. Development has been slow – Iter nuclear fusion project started in 1985 is still only in it’s infancy with an experimental plant that is only just being built in the south of France. Possibly becoming commercial in 2030 or later.

A British company Tokamak Technology made up from nuclear scientists and engineers at the Culham Innovation Centre Oxford have come up with a faster way to fusion by combining two technologies – spherical tokamaks and high temperature superconductors (HTS). These HTSs make the tokamak more efficient and significantly reduce their size (100 times smaller than Iter – aircraft hanger size to room size). The timeline given by CEO David Kingham would be 5 years to net energy gain then another 5 to produce electricity then another 5 to construct a plant, which is a vastly accelerated timeline compared with Iter.

Tokamak Nuclear Fusion_#2_

Tokamak fusion reactors were originally invented by the Soviet Union in the 1960s, and adopted by researchers around the world thereafter. They can operate at 10 times the temperature of the sun. The new HTSs transform this fusion technology to becoming a potentially commercial and a viable future energy source that is safe, clean and stable. It offers no risk of meltdown or adaption to weapons manufacture, and no emissions of carbon dioxide or any other pollutants.

The business model that Tokamak Energy are proposing is to build fusion devices that could be safely located on the edge of towns and cities, replacing existing coal fired power plants, and also be located in off-grid environments such as mining or disaster relief situations.

Great to see a British company leading the way to a new safe and viable energy source.

Wishing them every success

Hope you have a great month

Quotations:

“If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together”
African proverb
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
Oscar Wild

Posted in business, design, Energy, Engineering, environment, humor, humour, mechanical, MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, nuclear, technology, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Solar cells to dye for

Posted on August 20, 2015 by Mike Osborn CEng MIMechE AUH

Close up of the Sun__   Modern Glass Buidling_

Solar panels are becoming more common place around us as renewable energy is promoted by the government to reach it’s ‘green’ targets. Photovoltaic (PV) silicon solar panels are the commonest, but a new technology being developed at Cambridge University could be applied to glass creating ‘smart windows’. Solar panel farming and panels set on roof tops of buildings could become a thing of the past.

Researchers are perfecting the method of artificial photosynthesis using a special chemical dye. The dye absorbs sunlight, with enough energy to inject one of it’s electrons into titanium dioxide nano particles to which the dye is attached. The process stimulates an electrical circuit, which cycles hundreds of times a second, creating a dye-sensitised solar cell, like a mini chemical engine.

The new solar cells incorporated in the new ‘smart windows’ glass would be barely visible to the naked eye. This new glass could power whole buildings, eventually creating ‘smart cities’.

Brings to mind science fiction films – especially as autonomous (remotely driven) cars are nearing reality too !

Best regards, Mike

Quotation corner:

“If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got”.                  – Albert Einstein
“Heaven goes by favour. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in”. – Mark Twain

Posted in architecture, business, chemical engineering, civil, design, Engineering, environment, green power, humor, humour, MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, power generation, renewable energy, research science, technology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

New kind of powder kegs for the Royal Navy

Posted on July 21, 2015 by Mike Osborn CEng MIMechE AUH

ship powder keg UAV #2_

The University of Southampton and the Royal Navy are already testing the technology to manufacture UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) at sea from 3D printers supplied with various plastic powders stored in barrels ! In 5 years time, UAVs with wing spans up to 4m could be produced from multi- material 3D printers tailored to specific missions. The semi-disposable aircraft would be printed in sections with wiring within them, and clipped together without fasteners. They would then be fitted with batteries and electronics, such as cameras for reconnaissance trips.

This is quite amazing – tailored designs of a UAV with ‘just in time’ manufacturing within a war zone !

Hope you are having a great summer and are enjoying the good weather

Mike

Quotation:

There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate.

Charles Dickens

Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.
Peter F. Drucker

Posted in 3D Printing, AIRCRAFT, design, Engineering, humor, humour, MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, NAVY, NAVY#, uavs, WEAPONS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bloodhound: Britain’s 1000 mph land speed record attempt

Posted on June 25, 2015 by Mike Osborn CEng MIMechE AUH

Bloodhound image_side_

You may or may not of heard of this amazing engineering project that started back in 2008. The vision for Bloodhound came from a desire from Richard Noble & Andy Green to break the land speed record and reach 1000mph, to go public with the ongoing design & development, and to promote & inspire the next generation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, through this amazing adventure.

Here’s a couple of short videos to wet the engineering appetite!

Video #1:  http://www.bloodhoundssc.com/project/videos/target-1000mph

Video #2: http://www.bloodhoundssc.com/project/videos/bloodhound-rocket-animation

Quotation:

Some men look at things the way they are and ask why?  I dream of things that are not and ask why not?     Robert Kennedy

Posted in aerodynamics, business, cad, COMPUTER SIMULATION, Engineering, ergonomics, humor, humour, jet engine, MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, project engineering, quotations, record breaking, rocket engine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Surfs Up in Snowdonia – dude !

Posted on April 28, 2015 by Mike Osborn CEng MIMechE AUH

Surfing#3  Surfing#4  Surfing#5 Snowdonia

Who said engineering can’t be fun!

The world’s first inland Surfing Centre has been built in the rural Conwy valley in Snowdonia, North Wales, on the concrete covered site of a disused aluminium factory. The guaranteed waves, whatever the weather, will make the sport more accessible to people of all abilities, including beginners who can learn the sport on the smaller waves at each end of the new lagoon. The project has even caught the interest of the International Surfing  Association based in California because the regular sized waves could open up the door to surfing becoming an Olympic sport!

First indoor snow boarding & skiing and now inland surfing – whats next ?

Engineering again raising the bar of civilisation

Mike

link to surf snowdonia website:  http://www.surfsnowdonia.co.uk/

Quotations:

“You will never win if you never begin.”    Helen Rowland

“A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.”    William Shakespeare

Posted in business, civil, Engineering, environment, EXTREME SPORT, humor, humour, mechanical, MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, SPORT | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Motion Tracking and Engineering Design – any remote connection?

Posted on March 17, 2015 by Mike Osborn CEng MIMechE AUH

Gesture Medical Op_              Tracking Motion body sensors#2_

Motion tracking & gesture controls have been used for many years now for video games such as Microsoft Kinetic and Nintendo’s Wii. The technology is becoming cheaper and better, and is being used in cars and consumer devices. It is now quite common for athletes to use wristbands and apps to track their performance.  Control of in-car air conditioning and infotainment is literally at your finger tips with the Volkswagen’s latest offering!

There are two main types: optical and sensor based systems. The former uses cameras within a 3D space that compares images taken of a subject that has reflectors attached but not always, and so tracks movement. The latter consists of a computer receiving continuous data from a number sensors on a subject, and tracks the movement again in 3D. Both systems collect data that can be imported into a 3D software for gaming, film making, medical operations, simulation data, and more …

How is this technology useful in engineering?

It helps improve ergonomic design of manufacturing lines and therefore efficiency, and  ergonomic design of manufactured products e.g car interiors. It can also be used on machines to improve prototype performance such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles that require dynamic data collection of flight performance without interfering with it’s operation.

Engineering in motion !

Mike

Quotations:

“Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow”

Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835 – 1910 – well known by his pen name Mark Twain, – American author)

“An archaeologist is the best husband a woman can have; the older she gets the more interested he is in her.”

Agatha Christie – English crime novelist, short story writer, and playwright (1890 – 1976)

Posted in 3d, COMPUTER SIMULATION, design, Engineering, ergonomics, humor, humour, quotations, quotes, tracking motion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Engineers Lead America’s Cup Bid

Posted on February 27, 2015 by Mike Osborn CEng MIMechE AUH

Sailing Americas Cup_

Mechanical engineers will play a more crucial role than naval architects in the development of a British catamaran that will compete for the America’s Cup in 2017.

This is because the catamarans are at the very edge of engineering design & technology in the combined arena of aerodynamics and hydrodynamics. Naval architects on the other hand are experts in traditional design methods & ideas that are safe and proven within hydrodynamics, and have understandably become a little sniffy about the transition.

Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR) team will compete in an AC62 catamaran powered by highly efficient wingsails and designed to fly above the water on foils at speeds approaching 50mph. Since the rules prohibit sailing of the boats until 150 days before the competition, most of the important design decisions will be based on data from Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations (CFD), supplied by Siemens and CD-adapco but some advanced technology prototypes will be tested on smaller AC45 boats. Siemens Product Lifecycle Management(PLM) software will also be utilised to take design of products to the very limit.

The BAR team will design, manufacture and test the catamaran in virtual environments. The design will be captured as a 3D CAD model – a living embodiment of the design that will be raced – created from a large bank of data in a virtual design environment.

Exciting days ahead – I wish Ben and the team all the best for 2017

Mike

Quotations:

“Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs”

Henry Ford – American industrialist, Founder of Ford Motor Co. – 1863 – 1947

“Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world ! ”

Joel Arthur Barker

PS  If you have enjoyed the blog please forward to those who might be interested, many thanks in advance, Mike

Posted in cad, COMPUTER SIMULATION, design, Engineering, EXTREME SPORT, FLUID DYNAMICS, humor, humour, MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, quotations, quotes, sailing, SPORT, technology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Engineering Design + 3D Printing from CAD – helps farmers in developing countries

Posted on January 27, 2015 by Mike Osborn CEng MIMechE AUH

Flexipump#2_                          Flexipump#4_

In Africa and other developing countries where energy infrastructure is limited to power irrigation of farm land, engineering design has overcome the problem. A simple design that requires low maintenance, robust, easy to repair and has a low cost to manufacture was borne by Hunton Technologies in Norfolk. The prototypes needed to test & perfect the idea were created as a 3D CAD model and then 3D printed in an ABS material before launching into full production by a company in Italy, who also made the molding tools from the CAD model. Now fields 100s of yards from a water source can be watered more quickly and efficiently, increasing much needed yield. The efficiency of operation is approximately 5 times that of the alternative of carrying buckets of water by hand! Engineering design in practice – making a difference.

To find out more regarding Hutton’s Flexipump design please click on link http://www.flexipump.com

By Mike Osborn

Quotation Corner:

“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

“The innovation point is the pivotal moment when talented and motivated people seek the opportunity to act on their ideas and dreams” – W. Arthur Porter  – Mark Twain

PS  If you have enjoyed the blog please forward to those who might be interested, many thanks in advance, Mike

Posted in 3D Printing, business, cad, design, Engineering, environment, humour, manufacturing, mechanical, printing, quotations, technology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment