Reducing Tool Costs, Increasing Performance

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Exchangeable head milling systems are a fairly familiar sight thanks to the cost savings that they deliver over conventional solid carbide milling cutters above a certain diameter.  However, to achieve optimum performance close attention has to be placed on the connection between holder and cutter head. Ceratizit has achieved high levels of performance using an interface technology for its new MultiLock system.

The MultiLock exchangeable head system makes use of a precision sintered interface with a patented ‘Captive Pocket’, guaranteeing high levels of stability and performance. The precision sintered, form-fitting, interface ensures maximum rigidity for optimum power transmission, while enhancing process security and by default extending tool life.

Further benefits of this form-fit connection is that axial and radial run-out accuracy of 0.02mm is achieved, while the combination of carbide head and steel body has excellent vibration-damping properties to ensure improved surface finish.

MultilLock targets applications such as those found in mould and die, aerospace, and hydraulics sectors where complex contours are required or, when difficult to machine materials are common. Using conventional solid carbide tools as the diameter increases so do costs, the MultiLock exchangeable head system reduces these costs and also lowers the environmental impact (through reduced use of carbide material). The ability to use one steel holder in conjunction with multiple carbide heads further reduces the investment required by the end-user and provides added flexibility into the manufacturing process. The latter is enhanced by the multiple choice of milling heads available, including high-feed milling cutters, torus cutters and radius cutters in diameters from 12 to 25 mm; 45° deburring milling cutters are available in diameters of 12 and 16 mm. The HFC and torus heads are screwed to the front of the holder through a hole in the exchangeable head, making it possible to swap the heads quickly and reducing unnecessary machine downtime. Additionally, a variety of screw-in adapters add even greater flexibility to the MultiLock system.

Customers have the choice of two innovative carbide grades (CTPX225 and CTC5240) with proven cutting geometries that cover the majority of applications, both of which make use of Ceratizit’s state-of-the-art Dragonskin coating technology to deliver all round excellent performance האתר שלי.

The PVD coated CTPX225 is a reliable fine grain carbide grade whose toughness lends it to universal use, while CTC5240 has a TiB2 based coating making it suitable for machining titanium and titanium alloys. Analysis from customers shows that these grades deliver excellent service life and chip volumes, in one case when machining tool steel a 310% higher chip volume could be produced than with comparable competitor products, with tool life increasing from 14 minutes to 92 minutes.

“MultiLock meets a specific need in the market and brings with it certain cost and environmental advantages over solid carbide milling cutters, especially in applications where longer reach is required. Cutting data is improved by virtue of the increased number of cutting edges that can be introduced, and with those cutting edges being generated by the precision sintering technology costs are also reduced.

 

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New Composite Material for 3D Printed Functional Aerospace Parts

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Windform FR2 is a Flame Retardant polyamide-based glass fibre reinforced material. Owing to its flame-retardant quality and insulating properties, Windform FR2 is suitable for aerospace applications. It diverges from Windform FR1 on some properties, including: reinforcement material (Windform FR2 is glass fibre reinforced, Windform FR1 is carbon fibre reinforced), colour (Windform FR2 is off-white, Windform FR1 is dark gray), electrical behaviour (Windform FR2 is electrically insulating), smoother surface finish.

The material passed successfully the FAR 25.853 12-second vertical and 15-second horizontal flammability tests as well as the 45° Bunsen burner test and Smoke density test.

“CRP Technology constantly produces technological breakthroughs and highest-level solutions,” commented Franco Cevolini, VP and CTO at CRP Technology. Only a few months ago we launched Windform FR1, flame retardant carbon fibre reinforced material. Now we introduced Windform FR2, a flame-retardant material which is glass fibre reinforced.

“Flame retardants are not new to the 3D printing market but flame-retardant materials which were also reinforced and presenting significant mechanical properties, lacked. We at CRP Technology were the first to fill this void; we have created not only the first material of its kind, but now two. In order invent these materials, we must anticipate, intercept and satisfy the requests of the most demanding and innovative industrial sectors.”

Windform FR2 is halogen-free polyamide-based material, which combines outstanding wear resistance and good temperature resistance. It is not electrically conductive. It allows for good detail resolution with smoother surface finish when compared to Windform FR1 znajdź więcej informacji.

 

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The Surprising Power of Simply Asking Co-workers “How are They Doing”

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We humans have an innate need to belong — to one another, to our friends and families, and to our culture and country. The same is true when we’re at work. When people feel like they belong at work, they are more productive, motivated, engaged and 3.5 times more likely to contribute to their fullest potential.

In fact, the majority of individuals look to their homes first (62%), before their workplaces (34%) when it comes to where they feel the greatest sense of belonging. While the workplace exceeds neighbourhood communities (19%) and places of worship (17%), many individuals spend most of their time at work, and creating workplace communities where people feel like they belong is imperative.

This tells us that many people want more connection with those they work with. So how can companies connect more effectively with employees and help them feel like they belong within their workplace community? One simple solution: establish more opportunities for colleagues to check in with one another.

By reaching out and acknowledging their employees on a personal level, companies and leaders can significantly enhance the employee experience by making their people feel valued and connected.

The art of the check-in

People have different preferences about how they connect with each other at work. While some people may want to sit and talk, some may prefer a digital chat and others may not be open to engaging at all.  Learning how to engage with employees in a way that they feel comfortable is key to creating a sense of community. Here are a few tips to consider as you find the right way to check in with colleagues:

Seize the small opportunities to connect:   Try to establish connections with your colleagues that communicate that you value, understand, and care about them. Be present, curious, and seize small daily opportunities to connect authentically. For example, a simple “How are you doing? How can I support you?” could go a long way in nearly every setting.

Check bias at the door:   Check-ins are a time to listen to another person’s perspectives, not to debate or persuade. If someone shares something that you don’t understand or agree with, you might consider acknowledging their point of view or asking them to tell you more. You may be pleasantly surprised by their response. For instance, “Tell me more about it,” or “I never thought about it from that perspective, but I do realize we can experience the same situation in different ways, so I appreciate you explaining that for me.”

Assume positive intent:   Start any conversation with your colleagues believing that those talking or listening mean well, especially when it comes to difficult issues. Sometimes you might fumble through these topics, but assuming positive intent will help you pause, ask clarifying questions, and connect in a more meaningful way. Sometimes, these pauses make a huge difference. It is fine to say, “I am pausing because I just don’t know what to say,” or “I am pausing because I want to learn more from you.”

It’s OK to be vulnerable:   Seek feedback from your colleagues, especially those who are junior to you. Demonstrate your trust in them through the way you communicate and act on their feedback. For example, expressing vulnerability by acknowledging their views and talking openly about challenges you’re facing humanizes the relationship you have with your peers and direct reports.

Be consistent and accountable:   Be transparent and model consistent, inclusive behavior, even under pressure or during difficult conversations. Expect, reinforce, and reward the accountability of others. For example, offer a conversation to team members when a difficult event occurs, and model inclusive behaviour in your own interactions to set an example for other team members rankhaya.com.

These five tips may help guide the way, but the journey towards true inclusion is never ending. It is a continuous path that requires commitment from leadership, particularly as more people look to their work communities for validation, safety, fulfilment and happiness.

In turn, this yields tremendous benefits at scale —  from engaged employees, to client retention and better financial results. By starting with simple things like a check-in, we all have the power to make a difference in the lives of others and even on the bottom line.

 

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Learning From Mistakes is a Key for Success

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 “If you aren’t making mistakes, you probably aren’t trying hard enough.”

Moving forward is good but spending a short amount of time reflecting on past errors in a productive way has a huge value. Because it’s the only way to learn from them.  It is a reflective thinking with the purpose of growing.

Reflective thinking allows to process the events in your life and improve yourself afterwards. By examining what worked and what didn’t, one becomes able to takeaway the best from successes and failures. Reflective thinking is a vital part of growth process.

A five-step reflective thinking technique:

1.  Review.

Look back on the events of your past. Do that annually, monthly, weekly and, to some degree, daily. At the end of every year, set aside an entire week to review the previous 12 months. Look at successes and failures of the previous 30 days. List the things that you accomplished, where your time was spent and any mistakes you made.

You can’t know what to do tomorrow until you know what you messed up today. As you review, ask yourself, “Where did I come up short? Where did I come up strong”?  Make a list of everything that stands out. Celebrate the wins and make note of the losses. Then move on to the next step.

2.   Reflect.

Here are some questions to ask yourself:  What plans worked? What decisions yielded good results? What decisions ended up being wrong?  If I were to approach the situation again, knowing what I know now, what would I do differently? Why?

The biggest mistakes often yield the biggest lessons, so think deeply to prevent your tomorrows from falling into the same traps as your yesterdays.

3.   Recover.

When things don’t turn out as planned, you may need time to recover. If you aren’t making mistakes, you probably aren’t trying hard enough. Recovery time brings closure.  Letting yourself feel bad for a short time can motivate you to fix what can be fixed.  And it frees you to move forward. Just remember, with every look at the past, always keep an eye toward the future. This will help you recover effectively, without wallowing in regret.

4.   Re-arrange.

Reflective thinking often provides clarity about priorities. Examining what went wrong may reveal where you lost sight of what was really important. Many times your priorities need to be realigned with your mission. Sometimes your priorities need to shift. Reflection allows you to hit the pause button and make sure you are still on track. Don’t keep pushing forward in a direction you shouldn’t be going!

5.   Recharge.

Dwelling on the past with an eye toward the future allows you to rebound. It often reveals the humor in situations. Go ahead and laugh. It’ll renew your energy. Reflecting also brings humility when you step back and see where others have helped you along the way.  And discovering the steps you can take to avoid repeating mistakes will invigorate you.

Reflection can also be a time of excitement and creativity. It’s a great chance to brainstorm about future opportunities and look for ways to put new plans into action. It can be a time of fulfilment.

Reflective thinking is crucial to unlocking the door to growth. It expands your thinking and inspires you to continue improving. It keeps you progressing as an individual and as a leader. It virtually guarantees your future will be better than your past.

So go ahead: Reflect on your mistakes just long enough to let them shape your future in positive ways.

 

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Aircraft Engines Market Revenue, Opportunity, Segment and Key Trends by 2028

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The Global Aircraft Engine Market is projected to reach USD 140.17 Billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 6.2% during a forecast period.

Aircraft engines are primary propulsion devices that produce the necessary thrust to generate lift for the aircraft to fly. These engines were synonymous in design to reciprocating engines used in automobiles but in the present world, a shift from reciprocating engines to jet engines has been observed. Turbofan engines are the most common type of jet engines used in commercial aircraft, owing to their high bypass ratio and fuel efficiency. Manufacturers of aircraft engines are continuously engaged in innovating such systems in order to reduce the overall weight and improve fuel efficiency and performance.

Air travel has increased considerably over the years. A large chunk of the population, with high disposable income, now finds traveling through flights an affordable option, which is pushing airline carriers to increase their fleet size to cater to this demand. This factor is one of the primary factors driving the growth of the aircraft engines market as airline carriers are increasingly ordering more and more aircraft. Air pollution caused by the exhaust fumes generated after the combustion of fuel in aircraft engines is a pressing concern acknowledged by government bodies across various economies. Aircraft engine companies are therefore striving to produce fuel-efficient engines that are less polluting. Aircraft engines are cost-intensive products that can be a challenge for both producers and the aviation industry’s development. The market is also dependent on the number of orders placed by airline carriers. The high number of orders can strain the productivity of aircraft OEMs, thereby restraining the growth of the market over the forecast period. Additionally, highly skilled personnel are required to manufacture as well as maintain aircraft engines, which increase the cost of investment and consequently, acts as a roadblock to the growth of the aircraft engine market. Stringent regulatory policies and standards are promoting aviation safety and are providing a positive outlook for the aircraft engine market expansion. New aircraft programs, like Boeing 777X and COMAC C919, are powered by newer generation engines like GE9X and Leap-1C. Such developments in newer generation aircraft are supporting the growth and development of lightweight, advanced propulsion systems.

The turbofan segment holds a major share in the aircraft engines market and may continue to do so during the forecast period. Turbofan engines are most widely used in commercial and military segments. New aircraft programs, like COMAC C919 and Boeing 777X, which are yet to enter service, are powered by newer generation turbofan engine. In 2018, Boeing and Airbus recorded 806 and 800 aircraft deliveries, respectively. With growing aircraft orders in the commercial aircraft segment, which is majorly dominated by the turbofan engine segment, the turbofan engine segment may register the highest CAGR during the forecast period warum schau hier nicht.

Based on aircraft type, the market is segmented into commercial, military and general aviation. The commercial aviation segment is expected to have the largest market share during the forecast period. With the increase in disposable income and worldwide tourism, a lot of commercial aircraft are being manufactured to meet customer demands. Also, due to globalization, many countries import and export products using air transport. These factors are going to propel the market for commercial aircraft through the forecast period.

The North American region is expected to have the highest share in the market during the forecast period. Two of the biggest aircraft manufacturers, Boeing (US) and Bombardier (Canada) are present in this region and hence is expected to have a lot of demand for aircraft engines. Moreover, the US military expenditure is the highest in the world and the demand for aircraft engines is also high from the military aviation segment. However, with increasing demand for new aircraft in the Asia-Pacific and Middle Eastern countries, Asia-Pacific is anticipated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. China and India are expected to be among the major demand generating countries during this period since both these countries are experiencing major growth in their air passenger traffic. Also, the two major aircraft manufacturers, Airbus and Boeing have opened manufacturing plants in China. Moreover, China is expected to overcome the US fleet size within the next four years, in the commercial aircraft segment. Also, the increasing military spending is bolstering the military aircraft developments and procurements, and the growing general aviation fleet in the region is further propelling the growth of the aircraft engine market during the forecast period.

 Key Factors Impacting Market Growth:

  • Increasing air passenger traffic worldwide
  • Increasing military expense in several regions
  • Stringent regulatory policies and standards are promoting aviation safety
  • Cost-intensive and require highly skilled personnel to manufacture as well as maintain aircraft engines

Market Segmentation:

By Type:

  • Turbofan
  • Turboprop
  • Turboshaft

By Wing Position:

  • Fixed Wing
  • Rotary Wing

By Aircraft Type:

  • Military Aviation
  • Fighter Jet
  • Transport Aircraft
  • Military Helicopters
  • Commercial Aviation
  • Narrow Body
  • Wide Body
  • Regional
  • General Aviation
  • Business Jet
  • Helicopter
  • Turboprop
  • Piston Engine

By Region:

North America

  • By Country (US, Canada, Mexico)
  • By Type
  • By Wing Position
  • By Aircraft Type

Western Europe:

  • By Country (Germany, UK, France, Spain, Rest of Western Europe)
  • By Type
  • By Wing Position
  • By Aircraft Type

Eastern Europe:

  • By Country (Russia, Turkey, Rest of Eastern Europe)
  • By Type
  • By Wing Position
  • By Aircraft Type
  • Asia Pacific
  • By Country (China, Japan, India, Rest of Asia Pacific)
  • By Type
  • By Wing Position
  • By Aircraft Type

Middle East:

  • By Country (UAE, Qatar, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Rest of Middle East)
  • By Type
  • By Wing Position
  • By Aircraft Type
  • Rest of the World
  • By Region (Latin America, Brazil, Rest of the World)
  • By Type
  • By Wing Position
  • By Aircraft Type

 

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Top Strategic Technology Trends for 2020

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New and emerging technologies have the capacity to change our lives.  If they are used correctly, they can improve the way we live, work, and do business. If misused, they can create problems ranging from a small disturbance caused by automated software to a large scale security breach.  Rapid developments and adoption of these technologies in the enterprise are contributing to the digital transformation that slowly started some years ago. And so, year after year industry analysts identify the technology trends that will shape and disrupt businesses in the next few years.

Industry analyst Gartner has identified the most relevant strategic technology trends that CIOs and IT executives should know about for 2020.  Gartner has identified the following Strategic Technology Trends for 2020.

1.   Hyper-automation

Hyper-automation requires a combination of tools.  Hyper-automation is the combination of multiple Machine Learning (ML), packaged software, and automation tools to deliver work. Hyper-automation refers not only to the breadth of the pallet of tools, but also to all the steps of automation itself: Discover, analyse, design, automate, measure, monitor, and reassess. CIOs must understand the range of automation mechanisms, how they relate to one another, and how they can be combined and coordinated to get a full picture of what the major focus for hyper-automation is.

2.   Multi-experience

A combined shift in both perception and interaction models leads to the future multi-sensory and multi-modal experience. Through 2028, the user experience will undergo a significant shift in how users perceive the digital world as well as how they interact with it. Conversational platforms are changing the way in which people interact with the digital world. Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) are changing the way in which people perceive the digital world. This combined shift in both perception and interaction models leads to the future multisensory and multimodal experience, something we will see more often starting in 2020 across many industries. According to Brian Burke, Research Vice President at Gartner, the model will shift from one of technology-literate people to one of people-literate technology.  The burden of translating intent will move from the user to the computer. “This ability to communicate with users across many human senses will provide a richer environment for delivering nuanced information,”

3.   Democratization of Expertise

Democratization is focused on providing people with access to technical expertise.  Democratization is focused on providing people with access to technical expertise such as Machine Learning or application development, or business domain expertise such as sales process or economic analysis via a radically simplified experience and without requiring extensive and costly training.  Citizen access such as citizen data scientists and citizen integrators as well as the evolution of citizen development and no-code models are good examples of democratization.  Throughout 2023, four key aspects of the democratization trend to accelerate, including:

  • Democratization of data and analytics tools: Those targeting data scientists expanding to target the professional developer community
  • Democratization of development: Such as AI tools to leverage in custom-developed applications
  • Democratization of design: For expanding on the low-code, no-code phenomena with automation of additional application development functions to empower the citizen-developer

Democratization of knowledge: Such as non-IT professionals gaining access to tools and expert systems that empower them to exploit and apply specialized skills beyond their own expertise and training.

4.   Human Augmentation 

Bio-hackers and body-hackers on the rise. With a new consumerization effect, employees seek to extend their personal enhancements to improve their office environment.  Human augmentation is a much wider topic than what many people think.  It explores how technology can be used to deliver cognitive and physical improvements as an integral part of the human experience. Human augmentation enhances humans in two main ways: Physical or Cognitive. It can be physical, by changing their inherent physical capabilities by implanting or hosting a technology element on their bodies, such as a wearable device. But also, cognitive augmentation can occur through accessing information and exploiting applications on traditional computer systems and the emerging multi-experience interface in smart spaces.  Over the next 10 years, increasing levels of physical and cognitive human augmentation will become more prevalent as individuals seek personal enhancements raising the number of bio-hackers and body-hackers globally.  This will create a new consumerization effect, where employees seek to exploit their personal enhancements — and even extend them — to improve their office environment as a whole.

5.   Transparency and Tractability

Transparency and tractability are critical elements to support digital ethics and privacy needs.  Consumers who are increasingly aware that their personal information is valuable, are demanding control.  Analysts report how organizations recognize the increasing risk of securing and managing personal data, and governments are implementing strict legislation to ensure they do. Both transparency and tractability are critical elements to support these digital ethics and privacy needs. Transparency and tractability refer to a range of attitudes, actions, and supporting technologies and practices designed to address regulatory requirements, preserve an ethical approach to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other advanced technologies, and repair the growing lack of trust in companies.  The organizations must focus on three areas:

  • Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
  • Personal data privacy, ownership, and control
  • Ethically aligned design

6.  The Empowered Edge

Edge Computing was born from the need for IoT systems to deliver disconnected or distributed capabilities into the embedded IoT word for specific industries such as manufacturing and retail.  Edge Computing is a computing topology in which information processing, content collection, and delivery are placed closer to the sources, repositories, and consumers of this information. Edge Computing tries to keep the traffic and processing local to reduce latency, exploit the capabilities of the edge and enable greater autonomy at the edge.  M uch of the current focus on edge computing comes from the need for IoT systems to deliver disconnected or distributed capabilities into the embedded IoT world for specific industries such as manufacturing or retail. However, edge computing will become a dominant factor across virtually all industries and use cases as the edge is empowered with increasingly more sophisticated and specialized compute resources and more data storage. Complex edge devices, including robots, drones, autonomous vehicles, and operational systems will accelerate this shift.

7.  Distributed Cloud

The distributed cloud leads a new era in cloud computing.  The cloud expands its territory and becomes a distributed cloud, which is the distribution of public cloud services to different locations while the originating public cloud provider assumes responsibility for the operation, governance, updates to and evolution of the services.  This represents a significant shift from the centralized model of most public cloud services and will lead to a new era in cloud computing.

 

8.   Autonomous Things

With the improvement in regulation and social acceptance, autonomous things will increasingly be deployed in uncontrolled public spaces.  Autonomous things, as physical devices that use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to automate functions previously performed by humans. The most recognizable current forms of autonomous things are robots, drones, autonomous vehicles/ships, and appliances. The automation of these things goes beyond the automation provided by rigid programming models, and they exploit AI to deliver advanced behaviors that interact more naturally with their surroundings and with people.

As the technology capability improves, regulation permits, and also social acceptance grows, autonomous things will increasingly be deployed in uncontrolled public spaces.  As autonomous things proliferate, there is an expected shift from stand-alone intelligent things to a swarm of collaborative intelligent things where multiple devices will work together, either independently from people or with human input.  For example, heterogeneous robots can operate in a coordinated assembly process. In the delivery market, the most effective solution may be to use an autonomous vehicle to move packages to the target area. Robots and drones aboard the vehicle could then affect the final delivery of the package.

9.   Practical Block-chain

CIOs need to start evaluating block-chain, even if they don’t anticipate aggressive adoption of the technology in the near term.  Block-chain has the potential to reshape industries by enabling trust, providing transparency, and enabling value exchange across business ecosystems, potentially lowering costs, reducing transaction settlement times, and improving cash flow. CIOs will see that assets can be traced to their origin, significantly reducing the opportunities for substitutions with counterfeit goods. This will contribute to a more transparent supply chain. Asset tracking also has value in other areas, such as tracing food across a supply chain to more easily identify the origin of contamination, or track individual parts to assist in product recalls.  Another area in which block-chain has potential is Identity Management.  Smart contracts can be programmed into the block-chain where events can trigger actions; for example, payment is released when goods are received. The significant potential for disruption and revenue generation means organizations should begin evaluating block-chain, even if they don’t anticipate aggressive adoption of the technologies in the near term.

10.   AI Security

Although AI and ML create great opportunities to enable hyper-automation and leverage autonomous things to deliver business transformation, it creates significant new challenges for the CISO, the security team, and risk leaders.  A rather obvious trend for 2020 sees Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning continuing to be applied in order to augment human decision making across a broad set of use cases.  While this creates great opportunities to enable hyper-automation and leverage autonomous things to deliver business transformation, it also creates significant new challenges for the CISO, the security team, and risk leaders with a massive increase in potential points of attack with IoT, cloud computing, micro-services, and highly connected systems in smart spaces. Therefore, analysts advise that Security and Risk leaders should focus on the following three key areas:

  • Protecting AI-powered systems
  • Leveraging AI to enhance security defense
  • Anticipating nefarious use of AI by attackers

As far as we can see, the new year anticipates great opportunities as well as great challenges for CIOs and their teams. Yet, it is paramount to always remember that embracing change and adopting new technologies and trends will guarantee that your enterprise remains active and competitive on the market. Resisting change will only set your company a few but important steps behind. Leaders in enterprise digital transformation will continue to evolve with those who are brave enough to jump into what the future will bring.

 

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Researchers Develop a Drone that can Bend its Wings Similar to Birds

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Creating drones that can bend their wings will make it easier to manoeuvre.

Aiming to create drones that are more manoeuvrable as they fly through the air, researchers at Stanford University turn to birds for inspiration.  A group of researchers from Stanford University’s Lentink Lab developed a flying robot that has a wing design that’s similar to that of a pigeon.  Dubbed  PigeonBot, the drone is able to extend its wings, bend them and move similar to birds. By making drones less rigid and more bird-like, they will be able to manoeuvre in smaller spaces and to handle more severe winds.

In a future where drones are delivering packages to the masses, being able to navigate through tight spaces and around buildings and trees will be necessary.  “Birds can dynamically alter the shape of their wings during flight,” the researchers wrote in one of two studies they published on the matter.  “How this is accomplished is poorly understood.”

To determine how pigeons control their wings they studied the wings of dead pigeons. Through their experiments, they learned the angles of the wrist and finger joints impacted the alignment of the feathers used in flight. The angle of the flight feathers dictates the shape of the wing.

“Whenever the skeleton moves, the feathers are redistributed passively through compliance of the elastic connective tissue at the feather base. To prevent the feathers from spreading too far apart, hook-shaped microstructures on adjacent feathers form a directional fastener that locks adjacent feathers,” the researchers wrote.

Armed with that knowledge they used real pigeon feathers to build the flying robot. The PigeonBot has 42 degrees of freedom that control the position of 40 elastically connected feathers via four servo-actuated wrist and finger joints.

“Our flight tests demonstrate that the soft feathered wings morph rapidly and robustly under aerodynamic loading. They not only enable wing morphing but also make robot interactions safer, the wing more robust to crashing, and the wing reparable via ‘preening,” the researchers wrote in another study. “In flight tests, we found that both asymmetric wrist and finger motion can initiate turn manoeuvres—evidence that birds may use their fingers to steer in flight.”

 

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Marshall wins £9.5m contract with Lockheed Martin

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Marshall Advanced Composites has signed a £9.5m contract with Lockheed Martin to manufacture cockpit trim panels for its C-130J Super Hercules airlifter for the next five years.

Advanced Composites general manager, Carl Morse, said: “We are delighted to have received this five-year contract from Lockheed Martin.  It really is testament to the hard work of the team and strength of our partnership with Lockheed Martin više detalja.  We’ve been supplying the panels for over 20 years and have historically been on a series of relatively short term contracts, however our proven ability to drive cost out of the supply, outstanding on-time delivery record and appetite to innovate our processes has given our customer the confidence to make another long-term commitment.  We are all very proud to be able to play a part in supporting the valuable service of C-130 fleets across the world so often pressed into action to help protect people in critical situations.”

The panels are manufactured at Marshall’s composites facility in North Yorkshire from phenolic glass fibre sandwich panels with a Nomex honeycomb core, followed by finishing operations such as painting, electrical assembly and integration to provide Lockheed Martin with lineside kits of plug and play parts to its Marietta facility.

Panels are supplied in various sizes and complexity in kits of 14 or 18 panels to form the centre console in the C-130 cockpit.

Advanced Composites is part of Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group, which has been maintaining, repairing and overhauling C-130s for more than 50 years.

 

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Airbus’ New Design That Could Revolutionize Flying

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One big difference between land-based vehicles and aircraft is that there’s been much less innovation for airplanes in the last few decades than there has been for cars.  Aerospace company, Airbus, is looking to change that. Their MAVERIC is not set to fly in the skies anytime soon, but the prospects certainly look promising, and more efficient than current airplane models.

You may have noticed that most aircraft have a similar design: a single or double aisle long fuselage that has wings attached on either side. There are exceptions, of course, namely when it comes to military aircraft.

Now, it looks like Airbus has taken a few pages out of the military plane book and turned them into a design for commercial flights.  It has named it the Model Aircraft for Validation and Experimentation of Robust Innovative Controls, or MAVERIC. The MAVERIC features a blended wing body design where there is minimal structural separation between the main body and the wings of the aircraft. What’s interesting about it is that its design should include more interior space than a regular fuselage plane. Moreover, thanks to its impressive aerodynamics it should bring fuel consumption down by 20%.  Airbus is showcasing the MAVERIC, however, don’t expect to board it on your next flight, or even the one after that. It’s currently just a scale model that spans 2 meters in length and 3.2 meters in width.  It’s still too early to tell whether or not Airbus’ innovative design will take off — literally and figuratively — but it certainly opens up the aviation industry into looking at new possibilities once again.

 

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Tesla Creates Advanced Aluminum Alloys for Die-Casting Electric Cars

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Tesla’s push to advance transportation technology comes on the heels of the company’s ongoing curation of the superstar engineering teams. Together, they are literally inventing the advanced materials needed for their full suite of next-gen products.  This innovative trend began in 2016, when Elon Musk hired Apple’s alloy expert Charles Kuehmann to lead both Tesla’s and SpaceX’s materials engineering departments, according to an Electrek report. Obviously, that’s already an exceedingly-intimidating resume, but Kuehmann is also the man behind these advanced new alloys.

Why new alloys are needed for next-gen transportation

The newly-released Tesla patent describes the problem Kuehmann and his team set out to solve:

“Commercial cast aluminum alloys fall into one of two categories — either possessing high-yield strength or possessing high conductivity. For example, the A356 aluminum alloy has a yield strength of greater than 175 MPa, but has a conductivity of apporximately 40% IACS. Conversely, the 100.1 aluminum alloy has a conductivity of greater than 48% IACS, but a yield strecngth of less than 50MPa. For certain applications, for example, parts within an electric vehicle like a rotor or an inverter, both high strength and conductivity are desired. Further, because it is desired to form these electric-vehicle parts through a casting process, wrought alloys cannot be used. Rather, it is desirable to form the parts through a casting process, such that the parts may be cast quickly and reliably, such as through a low pressure and high velocity metal injection or a high pressure die casting process. After casting, suitable alloys must maintain their properties sufficiently for the necessary application. Poor castability of the alloy often results in observed hot tearing, and can cause fill issues which typically decreases the mechanical and electrical properties of the end cast part.”

This means Tesla needs to manufacture alloys that have both high-yield strength and conductive, while also maintaining resistance to hot tearing, to properly function in die casting unit components.

Further materials toward new alloys for electric cars

In the patent, Tesla further explains that its advanced aluminum alloys can be adjusted to offer a yield strength of 90 Mpa, and electrical conductivity that ranges from 40% IACS to 60% IACS.

Of course, Tesla also claims that its new alloys can still successfully perform die casting:

“In one embodiment, the alloy has the proper fluidity to ensure that the alloy wets the entire length of a mold and the mold is properly formed, and such that the alloy resists hot-tearing and retains the desired yield strength when the cast solidifies.”

Clearly there is a treasure-trove of new and interesting engineering in the patent alone, which is worthwhile reading for every aspirational engineer (feel free to download at-casinos.com!). But the applications of new alloys are the stuff of dreams, which is where the seemingly-endless advancements of Tesla intersect with lived reality: in the utopic possibilities of a new, sustainable future for transportation technology.

 

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