Engineering

Increasing operational effectiveness generally translates to process improvement initiatives. Best steps towards an efficient project community through recognition of the most definitive drivers at a time when PM and project portfolio management is gaining prominence Over the past decade, the manufacturing sector has witnessed a complete transformation across the globe. With large developing economies effectively handling competition against mature markets and transforming into first-tier manufacturing powerhouses, the changes have been unprecedented. Manufacturers have also experienced spontaneous growth in unstable markets around the world and skilled talent has remained in short and unbalanced supply in different regions. The entire evolutionary process has seen manufacturing organisations focus on demonstrating business value, with project governance and metrics playing an increasingly important role in keeping management informed about project performance and its impact on the bottom line. In an industry as diverse as manufacturing, project management as a management discipline has emerged as an important channel in highlighting much economic activity. Increasing Strategic Role of Project Management Manufacturers in recent years have discovered that project management’s reliable methodologies fit together ably with the overall processes and in every area of production. As business leaders continue to adapt to the increasing market volatility, project management is playing a big step closer to business strategy. A fully aligned programme and project portfolio management strategy includes the entire organisation, mandating project execution at every level and aiming to deliver value at each step. Best Steps to an Efficient Project Community Recognising the most definitive drivers that critically impact the skills requirements and competencies development of the project community in the manufacturing industry is essential. Identifying these four drivers and implementing the right measures respectively is paramount to achieving project success. Given the dynamics of the manufacturing industry, the pressure to produce, to gain or retain competitive advantage […]

Two new optional premium modules available for intuitive 3D design software, adding new functionality to make the tool more powerful to support engineers in the rapid development of product concepts. SINGAPORE, 10 June, 2015 – RS Components (RS), the trading brand of Electrocomponents plc (LSE:ECM), the global distributor for engineers, today announced the expansion of DesignSpark Mechanical with two new optional premium modules that significantly extend the functionality of the existing version of the tool. Developed in conjunction with SpaceClaim, the leading provider of flexible and affordable 3D modelling software for engineers, DesignSpark Mechanical is an advanced 3D direct modelling tool that can be downloaded free of charge. Notwithstanding the availability of these optional premium paid-for modules, which can now be purchased from RS, very importantly the fundamental software that is available today will remain free to all users with continued support, new versions and updates from RS into the foreseeable future. DesignSpark Mechanical is a key element of the initiative by RS to provide tools for engineers that enable them to rapidly develop prototypes in the product concept design stage. For example, the software’s STL-output format enables the direct export of designs to 3D printers. The first premium module available is DesignSpark Mechanical Exchange, which adds advanced import/export capabilities and enables the import, modification and export of industry-standard STEP and IGES file formats, which allows full exchange of design data with CAD tools such as SolidWorks, Catia, ProEngineer and AutoCAD. The module can enable engineers to integrate DesignSpark Mechanical into a product development toolchain that works across various software platforms, moving beyond concept creation to a seamless workflow for producing final designs. It means that companies can pass designs to their mechanical department or outside contractors for final design creation and manufacturing and do not have to invest in […]

In the picture: Blue and green circles indicate iron (Fe) and selenium (Se) atoms, respectively. The superconducting transition temperature is tuned by introducing electrons by depositing potassium atoms (orange circles) on the surface. Yellow circles represent a pair of superconducting electrons (Cooper pair). A research group at Tohoku University has succeeded in fabricating an atomically thin, high-temperature superconductor film with a superconducting transition temperature (Tc) of up to 60 K (-213°C). The team, led by Prof. Takashi Takahashi (WPI-AIMR) and Asst. Prof. Kosuke Nakayama (Dept. of Physics), also established the method to control/tune the Tc. This finding not only provides an ideal platform for investigating the mechanism of superconductivity in the two-dimensional system, but also paves the way for the development of next-generation nano-scale superconducting devices. The research results were published in Nature Materials on June 1, 2015. Superconductors are regarded as one of the most promising candidates for next-generation advanced electronic devices, because the unique quantum effects in superconductors are a great advantage in achieving the energy-saving and ultrahigh-speed processing. However, the device application of superconductors has long been hindered. The largest obstacle is the necessity of a huge and expensive cooling system with liquid helium, because of the low Tc of conventional superconductors, which is close to absolute zero (0 K, – 273 °C)*1. It has also been a big challenge to realise the high-density integration of superconductors into electronic devices. In order to overcome these problems, it is definitely necessary to develop a new superconductor with higher- Tc, that can be fabricated into a thin film. The research team at Tohoku University turned its attention to iron selenide (FeSe), which is a member of iron-based superconductors*2. While the Tc of bulk FeSe is only 8 K (-265 °C), a signature of higher-Tc superconductivity has been suggested in ultrathin […]

In the picture: Demonstration of a solar street light management system. Copyright : Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute. Researchers in Hong Kong have developed a software platform designed to manage and control devices for “Internet of Things” (IoT) systems. The platform can be tailored for everything from city management sensors and devices to controlling home appliances. The Internet of Things (IoT) is an emerging technology in which smart devices are interconnected and communicate via the Internet. A limitless range of devices could be incorporated into the IoT, from refrigerators and TVs to cars and solar panels. However, there is currently no universal system for managing these devices and the data that is transferred between them. “Many vendors focus on device manufacturing and provide good technologies for wireless connectivity between devices,” explains Dr Billy Chan, senior manager of the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI). “But many existing systems lack an IoT management platform.” There is also no standard platform to leverage the development of IoT applications, which means that designers need to start from scratch with each new application. This is time consuming and costly. ASTRI has developed the “IoT Management and Application Platform” (IMAP), which allows the connection of a local network of devices to the Internet, and provides remote management of devices and data through a simple and customisable web-based graphical user interface. The system supports several technological standards for communication between devices, web interfaces and network architecture. This means it can be used on different platforms to support a diversity of devices and the development of IoT applications. To demonstrate IMAP’s capabilities, ASTRI has developed several “Smart City” applications. These include “Solar Street Light Management”, a system designed to provide real-time monitoring and remote control of more than 3,000 street lights in […]

Stuttgart – The large-scale project, known internally as PLM2015, has been completed and the new Siemens NX CAD software has been introduced. Key criteria to switch from the CATIA V5 design software, which had been used for many years, to Siemens NX, were the improvement of efficiency and sustainability – and the wish to integrate the product data management software currently used by Daimler, which forms the IT framework for all the development and product planning processes, with the CAD system. Dr Michael Gorriz, CIO Daimler: “I would like to thank all the people who have worked so hard to complete our biggest IT migration project in recent decades to the planned schedule. The introduction of the new design and product data software not only means that we are well prepared for the future. We have also taken the opportunity to bring our engineering processes in line with the highest standards in the automotive industry. Since 2012, more than 6,200 users throughout the company have received training. Some 33 role-based training modules were made available in German and English, and special courses were offered in Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and Turkish. In peak periods, over 300 employees from the research and development office in Bangalore, India, were working on the migration of data from CATIA V5 to NX. In total, more than 235,000 CAD objects were migrated to the new software. All relevant suppliers either already use Siemens NX or have switched to Siemens NX in response to the software migration at Daimler. Close communication with all the relevant suppliers has safeguarded this important point in the supply chain. Daimler and Siemens will continue to work together closely on the further development of NX.

SINGAPORE — 22 May 2015 — Hypertherm, a U.S. based manufacturer of plasma, laser, and waterjet cutting systems, is introducing the ProNest® 2015 Version 11.1 today, which includes both new and enhanced features to its latest ProNest CAD/CAM software. One significant Version 11.1 feature is a new quoting tool that can calculate per part and total costs for any job. This tool is ideal for job shops, metal service centers, and other fabricators who need to quote work to external customers. In addition to using baseline material and production costs, the tool is capable of including secondary operations in the final cost, and the addition of mark-ups or discounts for certain customers and jobs. The ProNest 2015 Version 11.1 release also includes enhancements in support of waterjet cutting. The software is now capable of applying four waterjet pierce types (dynamic, circle, wiggle, and stationary) automatically through the use of embedded process parameters. The software applies the right pierce type based on lead length, material type and thickness, as well as the available space around the pierce site, and pierce duration, all without the need for programmer input. Another enhancement, used primarily for waterjet cutting, is the addition of “Quality colors”, a feature that allows programmers to color-code parts based on quality values, while in 2D CAD or while using ProNest’s “Advanced Edit” feature. Quality colors are also shown on the nest. A full list of new features and enhancements is available at www.hyperthermCAM.com; however additional notable highlights of this release include interior cut-up for laser cutting, enhanced SOLIDWORKS® assembly import, improved cut process Class selection, and material mapping by grade and type. This new ProNest 2015 Version 11.1 release is available to current subscribers at no-charge. Subscribers simply need to log in to the online Knowledge Base, and select the […]