Author: European Springs

Back in 2004 the engineering world was rocked by the news of a discovery that would change the face of the field of materials science forever – graphene.

This miracle material takes the crown for being the world’s first two-dimensional material and captivated the imagination of scientists and engineers the world over.

Ultra tough, 200 times stronger than steel, and more conductive than copper, it’s not difficult to see why either.

Oh, and what makes the discovery of graphene even more remarkable is that around this time physicists were only just beginning to wrap their minds around the concept of how a 2-D material could even exist!

Graphene and Beyond

But fast-forward to 2015 and things have changed. The awareness of our ability to thin materials down to a single atom has spread like wildfire throughout the world and researchers are looking beyond the carbon atoms of graphene to produce an array of ever more innovative materials.

If you’re wondering what all the fuss is about, it’s because 2-D materials are truly incredible. They behave very differently from their 3-D counterparts and it’s this that has created so much excitement.

These materials are endowed with an array of surprising electronic, mechanical, and optical properties, and what’s more it’s hoped that they could bring these to all sorts of exciting new applications.

The granddaddy of the 2-D materials revolution is undoubtedly graphene. Following the first successful isolation of graphene back in 2004, the world went mad for this material.

Yet despite intensive research into the unique properties and potential applications of this wonder material, it has not quite lived up to all the hype.

So far, the material can only be found in a small number of niche products. If you’re wondering why, it’s because as magnificent as this material may be, harnessing its potential has proved much more difficult than anticipated and graphene is now in danger of being surpassed by its descendants!

The Challengers

Molybdenum is one of the first 2-D materials to emerge in the wake of graphenes discovery to attract significant attention. This silvery black solid, which is similar in appearance to graphene, is nothing short of extraordinary.

When thinned down to a single monolayer, it becomes a highly effective light source, that is 10,000 times brighter than its 3-D counterpart. Hence there’s no denying that the potential applications of this material in the energy sector are pretty exciting.

Another tantalising 2-D material to emerge in recent years is Silicene – which is basically what you get when you reduce silicon to an atom thick layer. This material is able to conduct electricity faster than any other commercially available semiconductor. And because silicon is already so ubiquitous in electronics, it could be much easier to adopt than other 2-D materials.

But these are likely only the first of many new exiting materials to come – so watch this space!

Here at European Springs as leading manufacturers of a fantastic assortment of state of the art spring products, including die springs, we’re passionate about materials, and understand just how important finding the right ones can be.

That’s why we only ever use the highest quality materials in all of our spring products, which are specially selected for their fantastic properties.

For more information about our services, please don’t hesitate to contact us our friendly team today, by giving us a call on +44 (0) 208 663 1800.

European Springs

But not to be outdone, plants are now getting in on the act too. That’s right, engineers are now looking to plants in order to perfect their designs – and trust us, there no denying that this is a pretty smart move.

A Closer Look

Researchers are taking a closer look at the complex structure that make up plants in a bid to develop new, more advanced engineering materials.
More specifically, a team of researchers from the Plant Biomechanics Group at the University of Freiburg, in Germany have developed a new magnetic resonance imaging technique that has enabled them to visualize the junction between branches and stems in plants – also known as ramifications.

In particular, the team were hoping to discover exactly how the vascular structures within these ramifications respond under stress.
By comparing 3D images of vascular bundles in both unloaded and mechanically loaded ramifications it's hoped that the team will be able to better understand the importance of these bundles and other tissues in biomechanics.

What’s more this method could also be used in the future to help optimize branched, fibre-reinforced light-weight components. As such, this technology and the insights learned from it could have important implications for fields as diverse as the aerospace and sports equipment industries, which rely heavily on the use of lightweight high-load bearing materials.

The technique is not ready to be fully implemented just yet, but it's hoped that in the near future it will prove to be of great importance in the field of biomimicry – so watch this space!

The Lotus Effect

Remarkably, this isn’t the only example of how plants are helping to revolutionise the engineering field. Engineers have already taken inspiration from the lotus plant to mimic what is known as nature's lotus effect.

If you’ve ever wondered why the leaves of a lotus plant are always so clean, it’s because they have special hydrophobic – water repelling – characteristics, referred to as the lotus effect.

If you're wondering what makes this possible, it’s because the leaves of a lotus plant are bumpy and this causes water to bead and pick up surface contaminants in the process.

This water then rolls off taking the water with it – pretty neat right! Inspired by this, engineers have developed ways of chemically treating the surface of materials such as metals and plastics to evoke the same effect.

As you can imagine, the applications of this technology are pretty much endless, and you can expect to hear a lot more about materials inspired by this – who have enduring water repellent properties – in the future!

We hope you’ve enjoyed this latest insight into the wonderful world of biomimicry. Who knows what this fascinating field will reveal next!

Here At European Springs we’re passionate about all kinds of engineering and love to share incredible stories such as this with you. All of our spring products – including our torsion springs– are the work of a lot of clever design and engineering and as such we like to think that they are an innovation in their own right too!

Want to know more about our products and services? Then simply contact us our friendly team today, by giving us a call on +44 (0) 208 663  1800 and we will be happy to answer any questions that you might have.

European Springs

It was announced on Thursday 16th July that British company Artemis had won the 2015 MacRobert award.  A team from Artemis Intelligent Power were given the award during the annual awards ceremony at a hotel in London just last week. The award celebrates the field of engineering, and indentifies some of the greatest innovations. Not only does Artemis get the title of being a winner for such an influential award, they are also awarded with a gold medal and £50,000. There were three different companies competing for the prize, including a firm in Cambridge who manufactures medical technology for detecting breast cancer and a firm in Blackpool who have been working on developing advanced polymers in ultra thin sheets for smart phones.

Outstanding innovation

Artemis has produced a Digital Displacement power system, which uses digital controlled hydraulics instead of a normal gearbox, which could transform the capability of offshore wind power and low carbon transportation. It is designed to improve power capacity and overcome reliability issues that are already present in existing turbines. It’s possible that this technology can also be applied to reduce fuel consumption of commuter buses and trains – by improve braking technology. A bus company which has been trialling this system has already recorded a fuel saving of up to 27%.

The future?

This has already been considered as being a ground breaking advance in the use of green energy technology. One of the judges on the panel referred to this breakthrough as achieving “a technical advance of global importance.”

In general, wind turbines are limited to an average power output of just 3.5MW – mainly because gear boxes can’t be scaled up. This means they can only power around 3,300 households at a time, meaning that huge numbers are required to power whole cities. With the technology by Artemis, it’s predicted that they will be able to power double that, with it already being installed in a 7MW turbine. It’s also made with common materials, which mean that the production cost isn’t too expensive and can be maintained by the staff that they already have.

Here at European Springs and Pressings we are fascinated by all the new innovations in the field of engineering.  We pride ourselves on being a part of this exciting field, as a company who stocks a brilliant range of springs, including high quality torsions springs.

To find out more information on our services, please don’t hesitate to contact us . You can give us a call on +44 (0) 208 663  1800  and a member of our team will be happy to answer any questions.

European Springs

You won't spot a human receptionist or porter anywhere in the building. And we're not calling it 'weird' just to be mean, as that's literally what the name translates to in English – so the hotel's creators certainly aren't afraid to embrace the more bizarre side of their innovative idea.

It's certainly a fun idea, not least because the English speaking receptionist isn't a humanoid as you might reasonably expect, but a dinosaur in a branded hat and vest. Hideo Sawada, the man behind the idea, explains that the Henn na Hotel is all about creating an opportunity to both 'highlight innovation' and 'do something about hotel prices going up.'

Japan is already well-established as a world leader in robotics, and this is yet another example that shows how robots don't simply have to lurk behind the scenes; they can also take on jobs that typically require a large amount of human interaction. Of course, to avoid scenes from Westworld playing out, albeit in a rather more futuristic environment, the security is one role which is still strictly taken up by human employees – and the hotel is constantly monitored via security cameras.

Still, the robots can certainly do a lot of the jobs we might typically expect to be best for human hands, including cleaning the rooms, checking customers into the hotel and even operating the cloakroom with their robotic arms! Meanwhile, head into one of the bedrooms and you'll meet a friendly tulip called Tuly, who can answer questions about the time or the weather and even operate the lights for you – the height of A.I. luxury!

Crucially, the reduced labour costs have helped to keep the cost of staying at the Henn na Hotel far lower than at many of its competitors, allowing more people the opportunity to experience the unusual reality that Hideo Sawada has constructed.

This story demonstrates both the incredible possibilities and the current limitations of robotic technology – we're still a way off from worrying about them taking over from humans entirely!

Still, there has never been a more fascinating times for engineering. As die spring manufacturers , we're happy to be part of that world, supplying our customers with high quality and durable springs for a range of applications. Contact us today online or at 0208 663 1800 if you would like to discuss your own spring needs with our friendly team of experts!

European Springs

With an estimated 2 million new engineers needed before the year 2020,  in order to meet the growing demands of the industry, there's no denying that this is a real problem, and one that we need to be taking seriously.

But don’t worry, it's not all doom and gloom! In fact, only this week new research was released suggesting that the number of young people choosing engineering may be on the up!

That’s right according to the Engineering and Technology Magazine the latest UCAS figures have brought some welcome good news for the future of engineering here in the UK.

These figures have revealed that the number of applications to study engineering at UK universities have increased by seven percent on the previous year.

A Total of 114,160 applications for engineering courses were logged by UCAS this year. And there's no denying  that this represent a much needed boost for the engineering sector, which is currently crying out for more young blood.

Plugging The Gap

Obviously we cannot plug the engineering skills gap on the back of university graduates alone. There are many different routes into the engineering field and if we wish to tackle this challenge head on then we will also need to increase the number of apprentices too.

Luckily, there is good news to be had for those wishing to undertake an apprenticeship in the engineering field too. Only last month the government announced that it is on track to fill engineering higher apprenticeships across the country, in a bid to get 3 million more by the year 2020.

At the moment it is expected that the number of apprenticeships started in the engineering and manufacturing sectors from August 2014 to April 2015 will be approximately 65,000. Hence whilst the number of apprentices has not quite reached the millions yet, this is definitely a step in the right direction.

This latest story demonstrates that despite recent forecasts, there is some indication at least that the future is looking a little brighter for the engineering industry here in the UK. And with continued efforts to inspire more young people to discover what a career in engineering could do for them, hopefully the good news will keep on coming!

Here at European Springs as leading manufacturers of a wide range of spring products, including torsion springs, we’re proud to be a part of the engineering industry here in the UK. As such we understand the vital importance of inspiring the next generation of engineers and like to do out bit to help with this too. We’ve taken on a number of engineering apprentices in recent years and are hoping to take on many more in the future too!

If you would like to know more about our services, then please don’t hesitate to contact one of our friendly advisor today, by giving us call on +44 (0) 208 663 1800 today.

European Springs

Researchers at Trinity College in Dublin are exploring the composition of various insect legs in the hopes of learning insights that could enable engineers to improve aircraft designs.

More specifically, they are hoping to discover how the legs of insects such as cockroaches are able to buckle and bend when pressure is applied to these appendages. This could lead to the development of improved designs for the long tubular structures commonly found in aircrafts and medical equipment.

These structures are typically used in aircraft designs to reduce weight. But a key requirement of these is that they must be able to resist buckling, and maintain their strength and structural integrity.

This has created significant challenges for engineers in the past given that thin-walled tubes are prone to buckling. What’s more it can be difficult to predict the exact loading conditions that can cause buckling.

To make this a little clearer, try picturing a drinking straw. As you are no doubt already aware, these long tubes have a bad habit of suddenly giving way when you bend them – very annoying!

The Legs Have It!

In an attempt to find a solution to this pervasive problem the team of researchers are examining in detail the legs of several insect species including locusts, stick insects, bees and even the humble cockroach, in order to determine exactly how their tiny legs are able to withstand pressure.

If you’re wondering what drove the scientists to choose these insects in particular as their choice of subject matter, it’s because they represent a variety of different leg structures. What’s more these critters all use their legs in different ways in their natural environments.

So far, the teams investigations have already uncovered an array of intriguing insights. For example, this research has revealed that a stick insects’ legs feature five longitudinal ridges. These ridges help stick insect legs to resist a particular type of buckling known as elastic buckling.

By contrast, the legs of a bee feature a triangular cross section, in addition to a large flat area that houses the pollen basket. Significantly, tests revealed that this area does not have a significant impact on the bending movement of the insects legs, demonstrating that materials with non-circular mid-sections can still be produced without compromising the mechanical strength of the structure.

Finally, the team has also found that cockroach legs are in fact hollow, and feature an almost circular mid-section. It’s thanks to this unique design that these insects are able to come close to breaking point when they jump and take to the air.

Insect Inspiration

The team behind this research believe that by understanding exactly how insect legs work, we could one day develop a wide range of biomimetic materials inspired by the structures found in insects legs. So in answer to our earlier question maybe, just maybe, we will one day have cockroaches to thank for helping us to take to the skies.

Here at European Springs we love to keep up to date with all the latest news from the engineering field including captivating – if a little surprising – stories such as this. As supplier of a wide range of spring products, including torsions springs , we appreciate how important finding the right design can be. All of our springs are designed and manufactured to only the highest possible standard to ensure they are able to deliver optimal performance.
For more information about our service, simply contact our friendly team, by giving us a call on +44 (0) 208 663 1800 today.

European Springs