European Springs, Author at European Springs

24/08/2015
With a number of advancements in robotic technology, it’s only logical that the next step could take us into the comic book world of superheroes!

We’ve seen them in sci-fi movies and dreamed of a future where superheros exist since our childhood. In recent years the Marvel wonders have been brought to life in action packed moves displaying the super abilities of Thor, Captain America and Guardians of the Galaxy. One Marvel hero standing apart from his brethren is the infamous Iron Man: a human in a robotic suit, and with the spread of masterful bionics it seems that the billionaire, playboy philanthropist superhero could appear off screen as well as on.

It’s exciting when new and improved technology awakens and here at European Springs we can’t help but wonder what will happen next.

Earlier this year seven year old Alex Pring was visited by the Marvel superhero. Alex, missing his right arm below the elbow, was presented with an Iron Man styled bionic arm. Featuring an impressing light in the centre of the bionic hand, and designed to identically match the Iron Man outfit, it’s made us wonder just what will come next in the robotic industry. Creating superheros may not be on the agenda, but robot suits are very much a top priority.

Mechanical Suits

Recently a mechanical suit has been created to control the movements and actions of a DARPA robot. Unsteady on its feet when controlled by remote, the mechanical suit is worn by a human ‘pilot’ in charge of moving the robot.

The current mechanical suit created allows the ‘pilot’ to see what the robot sees. Cameras attached to the robot’s head transmit images into VR goggles the ‘pilot’ wears, allowing for complete human control.

This has greatly excited us; blockbusters such as Pacific Rim and Real Steel may come to many a mind, but to us the potential to successfully and safely manoeuvre robots could have greater potential protecting humans in serious disaster zones such as Fukushima.

Able to go where no man has ever gone before, robotic technology has proved itself to be stronger and more durable than us; the positive and heroic influence this can has on human life has already been proven in reality, now we’re just waiting for the next step in heroics – bringing the likes of Iron Man off of the big screen.

Though we may not be leading producers of super suits (yet) we do offer quality pressings to help you further your technological dreams. If you’d like to know more about what we offer, contact us todayon 0208 663 1800. Super suits are no longer stuff of sci-fi, they’re the future.

European Springs

24/08/2015
There are many devices we use on a daily basis which we take for granted. From our beds to our cars, we know a spring has been invented to ensure these niffty devices are working properly!

If you have any questions about our amazing springs, or would like to know about our custom springs, contact us today on 0208 663 1800

European Springs

21/08/2015
It may seem like the stuff of Hollywood legend, but with so many advancements in robotic technology, you can be excused in thinking that the Artificial Intelligence takeover of the world is looming ever closer.

An announcement made recently by engineers at the University of Cambridge seems to have furthered those fears; they have designed a robot which can develop baby robots which improve with each successive generation.

As custom spring manufacturers with a penchant for engineering, this revelation has both intrigued and excited us, so let’s take a deeper look at this new baby robot making machine.

The Mother Robot

The main robot, known affectionately as the mother robotic arm, has been programmed to create and nurture miniature baby robots which were completely capable of moving (or walking) across a surface.

Thanks to the AI programmed in the mother robot, it was able to create and improve each successive generation of baby robots; essentially learning what worked and what didn’t when it came to creating successful baby robots that could move across the surface. This replicated the process of mutation which is seen in real life.

The Baby Robots

The smaller baby robots are created with a unique genome which is made up of one and five genes which controls the shape, motor commands and movement style of the robot. This is what the mother robot adapted and mutated to create more successful robots.

The baby robots that moved from one point to another in a specific time frame remained the same, whereas those which failed to move to the position were adapted and modified to be successful.

At the end of the experiment, the fastest baby robots were recorded as being twice as fast as the first generation at the beginning of the trial. This is possibly due to the mother understanding and learning what movements and shapes moved best.

Darwin’s Theory of Evolution
The research was based around Darwin’s theory of evolution and the concept of natural selection. Researchers wanted to prove that robots can do so much more than just automatic tasks, and that there is a basis of learning and innovation when it comes to how robots can operate.

Fumiya Iida is the lead researcher of the Department of Engineering at Cambridge and has announced that the research looks further into how intelligence first came about, stating One of the big questions in biology is how intelligence came about we’re using robotics to explore this mystery,

Ida has also dismissed fears that robots are becoming too intelligent for us; It’s still a long way to go before we’ll have robots that look, act and think like us.

Although it’s quite a scary to think that robots are becoming more intelligent and can perform more intricate and life-like tasks, here at European Springs, we can’t wait to see what the future holds for the future of robotics.

We may not be able to supply you with a fully functioning mother robot, but we do have a wide selection of pressing and spring products to aid you in a variety of different applications. Don’t hesitate to contact us today by calling 0208 663 1800 and our team will be happy to help you find the perfect solution for your needs.

European Springs

17/08/2015
At European Springs we pride ourselves on our dedication to quality and innovation, keeping our fingers on the proverbial pulse of engineering and its subsequent advances.

Manufacturing everything from custom springs to wire forms, we are always intrigued when we hear of innovation in a similar field.
The great thing about engineering is the industry’s ability to continually improve standards of living, be it through subtle changes or grand improvements. With the increase in the availability of 3D printers, there are continuing stories of innovation hitting the news as more and more people realise their pseudo-casting potential.

Parts for Organs

Through a process called 3D bioprinting, there is an increasing ability to be able to construct custom repairs for damaged parts of organs. For example, one could create bespoke sections for damaged windpipes by combining the 3D printing technology and tissue engineering to connect, or fuse, the sections of a windpipe.

At the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research they have modified a 3D printer to incorporate a syringe of living cells that produce collagen and cartilage which, within a few hours, can bioengineer tracheas specific to an individual’s precise biological requirements. The speed and cost at which these can be produced opens up a plethora of doors for the future of medicine and biological research. Bones and Organs As with parts of organs, there is seemingly an exciting future ahead when it comes to full organs and the printing of internal structures. Medical company, Organovo, began selling 3D printed liver tissue in 2013, although it seems that it may be a while before fully functioning livers can be printed and made available. The research does however give hope for the creation of 3D prints of a range of body parts, such as blood vessels, eyes, bones or even skin and hearts, and with the ability to graft to a particular individual, just imagine the number of lives that this could save. Also, through CT scan data, doctors are able to print 3D versions of people’s internal organs, meaning that they can have a literal hands on approach to discovering irregularities, such as fatal tumours. Such developments follow on seamlessly yet exponentially from the current 3D printer-created prosthetic limbs that have been developed to improve the lives of children worldwide. Living in the 21st century there are perpetually advances in technology that make Back to the Future look like something of a soothsayer – although we are still waiting on the hover-board to roll out. At European Springs, we love seeing other companies share our forward-thinking notions and passion towards design and implementation of new technologies and can’t wait to see where these will take us next year, let alone the next decade. If you would like to discuss our springs and pressing services, then don’t hesitate to <a href="https://www.europeansprings.com/contact/_our-locations.asp" class="external" target="_blank" rel="noopener">contact us</a>on 0208 663 1800 where one of our friendly specialists will be eagerly awaiting your call. European Springs

14/08/2015
Have you ever stopped and considered how every day things around you are made? We’re talking about the things that you might use in your job every day yet have never really given them much thought. We take these things for granted, but not anymore! Today we are going to delve into the life of a stapler. How is it made? What is the process involved? All those burning questions you’ve been dying to know – we have the answers.

A stapler is an incredibly useful tool that is mostly found in offices and educational settings. A lot of people also own their own at home! It’s used to fasten together sheets of paper with staples. They are available in a number of different colours and sizes.

Pstttt did you know?

A stapler comprises of many components! The majority of this is metal stamping and spring parts. In an average office stapler, there are around 8 different parts. This includes the metal head, magazine, anvil, base, staplers, pin, springs and the hanger. The magazine is connected to the head and is the part that homes all the staples. The hanger is the piece that connects the head and base together. The pin is the part that you see at the back of the stapler, which is responsible for letting the head swing up so that staples can be inserted.

Springs, springs, springs

In a stapler, several types of springs are commonly used to facilitate its operation:

Magazine Spring: The magazine spring also known as tension springs, applies tension to the staple magazine, pushing the staples forward for proper feeding into the stapler mechanism.
Return Spring: The return spring, also know as compression springs, is responsible for retracting the stapler handle or plunger after each staple is expelled, resetting the stapler for the next use.
Tension Spring: The tension springs provide the necessary force to hold the staples in position within the stapler mechanism, ensuring they are properly aligned for effective stapling.
Spring-loaded Safety Catch: Some staplers may have a spring-loaded safety catch mechanism that locks the stapler handle in place until sufficient pressure is applied to release it, preventing accidental stapling.

There are a lot of other parts that go into making the stapler – but we think the springs are the most important. As leading experts in the field of spring manufacturing and pressing, including being disc spring manufacturers , we provide our clients with the best springs and pressings all over Europe.

To find out more about what we do or if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us . You can give us a call on 0208 663 1800 and a member of our team will be happy to help.

European Springs

10/08/2015
At European Springs we produce and provide reliable spring solutions worldwide for anything from flat springs to bespoke springs which serve a very individual and specific purpose.

You can almost guarantee that wherever there is an efficiently working system to-ing and fro-ing, there’s a spring at the heart of it. For example, take Axess2 with their glass elevators, if you’ve ever been in one or even seen one you will probably have noticed a significantly large hydraulic or gas spring acting as a cushioning-buffer at the base. This is to allow for safe braking should the trusty lift’s braking system experience the unlikely event of stalling or breaking.

Elevators in Taller Buildings

When it comes to structural engineering and implementing such an accessibility solution, there are other difficulties which can emerge; lift technology becomes a factor which can ultimately limit its own installation. Steel cables are used throughout the world when it comes to installing an elevator, however in taller buildings the cables come under huge strain, primarily down to their own weight. The fact that a lift can only really reach a maximum height of around 500m has major implications on the floor a lift can reach which is why lifts can quite often only go up to a certain point in taller structures.

Engineering Comfort

The effort involved in making these lift structures bearable, let alone comfortable, is invisible. Nevertheless, if the installation and building construction wasn’t carefully considered at every step, external mitigating factors such as wind would cause the structure to sway and would even leave users of the lift feeling seasick! Special consideration must be taken towards fire as well as wind, meaning that engineers must rely on strong and robust stability systems for the interior and exterior of the construction.

A spring is but one ‘cog’ in the whole structural engineering process, but without it where would we be? There are numerous challenges that engineers face when constructing an elevator solution and dealing with individual access needs. However, with continual improvements in technology and sophisticated modelling systems, along with the increasingly important robust stability systems – which become ever more important the taller and taller buildings get – we haven’t seen the end of structural engineering’s innovation.

If you would like to discuss the innovation and multi-compatibility of our spring solutions, or would simply like to discover how they can aid with your structural engineering or lift installation project, please don’t hesitate to contact us on 0208 663 1800 where one of our friendly team of industry specialists will be awaiting your call.

European Springs

Author: European Springs

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