Category: Engineering

Referring to an intelligent system, artificial intelligence seeks to recreate the human brain and provide a complex but efficient technology that will innovate the way technological industries work. In recent years, artificial intelligence has seen a big development, with more self-aware robots that are increasingly more capable of performing difficult tasks.

With the evolution of the Internet of Things and the rise of automation, artificial intelligence will play a growing part in all processes of design and manufacturing involved in a wide range of engineering industries.

IoT, The Internet of Things

The Internet of Things is allowing for an interconnected world, where devices connect everyone from everywhere. This connection allows for engineers from all over the world to collaborate and minimise errors in projects. This ease of collaboration also permits for students to easily develop their skills by learning from the best, regardless of where they are situated.

Technological advances have transformed manufacturing, which has increasingly more cognition. The Internet of Things is opening the way for manufacturers to simplify all processes, with the transfer of information made easier in a continuous flow. This will permit real-time and informed decisions to be made, and for engineering projects to benefit from the input of several industries across the globe.

 

Industry 4.0

Industry 4.0 refers to the fourth industrial revolution, which relates to the rise of artificial intelligence and robots. With the integration of these machines, their cognitive and physical abilities are progressively being developed and innovated. Robots are increasingly more and more able to perform repetitive and heavy tasks, which allows them to perform at high capacity in automated and sophisticated environments.

Behaviour-based robots are permitting an Artificial Intelligence revolution, with engineering industries becoming more organised and more able to perform at higher, optimised rates.

 

Automation

In manufacturing, for example, this rise in automation and increase in robots with better cognitive skills will transform the industry in varied ways. Robots will be able to function semi-autonomously, providing support through a wide range of tasks in all projects. They will be able to draw expert knowledge from cloud-based databases provided by the Internet of Things’ connectivity.

They will be able to recognise all components within specialised equipment and apply different behaviours according to necessary tasks to perform and apply the correct tools. Through the database, robots will also be able to rapidly correct errors and provide suggestions to engineers, so that these are able to perfect their projects.

Through analysing global databases and applying that knowledge, robots will be able to identify opportunities and optimise all tasks within engineering projects and design. In this rapidly changing and evolving environment, engineering expertise is essential in order to adapt to technological developments.

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This year marks the 10^th annual National Apprenticeship Week and it started on Monday 6^th March and will finish on Friday 10^th. The National Apprenticeship Service coordinate the week, and it is designed to celebrate how apprenticeships can make a huge and positive impact on individual people, companies, and the economy as a whole.

But why are apprenticeships important to our country? Well, as expert manufacturers that are at the forefront of the industry, we know a lot about this.

The Week Is Great for Confidence

National Apprenticeship Week helps to make a positive impact for people that are present in various industries around the UK. Because of this, the week includes lots of activities, events, drop-in sessions, and much more.

These events can help to engage in apprenticeships that are currently working in the UK, as well as people that are interested in going into an apprenticeship, which can increase their confidence for the better.

Apprenticeships are Important to the Economy

In late 2014, it was reported by the Centre for Economics and Business Research that apprenticeships could contribute £34 billion to the UK economy, which is a staggering amount, considering that the total UK GDP in 2014 was equivalent to approximately £454 billion.

Therefore, apprentices in the UK contributed 7.5% of the UK’s GDP, and if the UK economy increases as it has done year on year, then the number of apprentices will increase, meaning that will become even more important than ever before.

It’s Great for Learning New Skills

If there’s one reason to joining an apprenticeship in today’s climate, it is to learn excellent transferable skills that you can take with you throughout your life. At the age of 16, you have two main choices when it comes to furthering your education; you can continue through to A-Levels, or you can join an apprenticeship.

By being a part of an apprenticeship, it can provide you with the skills that you will not have learnt if you studied it in a classroom. Apprenticeships are very hands on and it can be an excellent stepping stone in achieving the career that you’ve dreamed of being in for years.

It could be anything from manufacturing and technological development to cooking and construction, but either way, being an apprenticeship within these industries can be the perfect way to develop the necessary skills and go into the career you’ve always dreamed of.

Because of these aspects of apprenticeships, it is safe to say that National Apprenticeship Week is important in terms of awareness as it is for providing people with the information that they need to join the career path they’ve always wanted.

As specialist spring manufacturers, we understand how important apprentices are to the manufacturing industry, and it is vital to ensure that they are an integral part of our economy. The future of the economy is governed by the products that we produce, and if we continually bring in new apprentices that are eager to learn, we will flourish in the industry around the world.

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With the introduction of the apprenticeship levy on April 6^th 2017, employers in the UK will be required to invest more in apprenticeships. This system means that employers can incentivise their employees to achieve an apprenticeship at a Master’s level offered at Cranfield University.

Also known as a Mastership, employees are able to gain high-level engineering skills as it’s an apprenticeship at level 7. Whether your employees have an academic trajectory or experience in the industry, these Masterships are all-inclusive.

What is a Mastership?

Focused on your employees’ field, Masterships work towards building a framework of core skills and other needed knowledge in order to perform a career at a high level in an organisation. Through gathering a specialised portfolio, your employees demonstrate their knowledge and skills in the field.

As an employer, you select your employees for a Mastership and provide funding, which thanks to the apprenticeship levy will be more favourable. Your employees will still follow the same admissions process utilised for any postgraduate students, with the same requirements for experience and qualifications.

Engineering Sectors

Designed and utilised since the beginning of last year by members of the Defence Growth Partnership, the defence industry was the first to develop and run the Mastership. It is, however, available for a wide range of engineering industries such as energy and power, aerospace, environment and agrifood, and management amongst others.

The duration of the Mastership is five years, with three years being dedicated to academic study undertaken on a part-time basis. This investment in your employees ensures they will develop vital experience and skills that will benefit your business.

Importance of Skilled Employees

By investing in your employees, you ensure that they invest back into your business and improve the overall level of efficiency. Your employees remain engaged with their work and motivated to perform at their best, which promotes their creativity and increases productivity.

Employee retention can be an issue for businesses, and providing development opportunities for your employees builds their loyalty to your business. Your reputation for being a good employer also increases, which impacts how clients and prospective employees see you.

Investing in employee development forces you to look to the future of your business, which only leads to productivity and improvement. You also retain a highly-skilled workforce with up-to-date training and innovative skills, which they will input back into your business.

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Engineering is one of the most important sectors when it comes to the UK’s economy; it’s so important that it is responsible for providing just over a quarter of the UK’s total GDP, which corresponds to just under half a billion pounds! As such, it is ingrained within our society and it is important to everyone around us, whether you know it or not.

But what will the future of engineering look like? We at European Springs Ireland understand what it’s like to be a part of a revolutionary project, such as when our London based company worked on the new Tate Modern art gallery, as well as the Liberty in London display. As such, we’ve come up with some engineering predictions that could occur in 2017.

Will Virtual Reality Shape Engineering?

Virtual reality really came into itself in 2016, especially with the likes of the Oculus Rift, the Samsung Gear Headset, the PlayStation VR Headset, and the HTC Vive. These devices could provide users with the opportunity to view different perspectives that they aren’t usually used to, which can be easily used in various industries.

For example, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if we started to see virtual reality in more working environments, such as in training exercises, as they can provide users with the skills necessary without actually participating in dangerous scenarios, such as pilot simulations.

The Importance of the Cloud

Because of how important wireless technology has become over the last few years, businesses, industries, and technologies have had to develop themselves to make sure that they are keeping up with the latest trends in terms of data collections and transfer.

Therefore, the future will need to make sure that it incorporates the Cloud effectively. There have been some advances when it comes to the Cloud and data collection; one example is the automotive industry.

Companies such as Qualcomm and WirelessCar have been working long and hard to try and incorporate the idea of wirelessly connected cars. These types of vehicles will be able to communicate with one another, such as at traffic lights, traffic jams, on the motorway, etc. It could pave a way to greater safety when driving vehicles, as the wireless communication could potentially predict if a collision would occur.

The Onslaught of Drones

Drones were traditionally used as pieces of surveillance equipment, sometimes known as unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs. These were specifically used by the military and air force to monitor various areas around the world if there was any unusual activity present in the region. However, with recent investments in retail, drones have seen a slightly different development.

As you are aware, 2016 was the year that retail giants Amazon unveiled that they would use drones to deliver Amazon Prime packages to various subscribers of their online package. Some people were sceptical about the idea of drones flying around the sky delivering packages, especially in built up areas, as there could be a risk of them dropping the packages on people.

However, they were a major success around the world, which is why it wouldn’t come as a surprise if they were to be used by large delivery companies, such as FedEx, UPS, and even the Royal Mail. They can save a lot of fuel as well as money in the long run, so it could be a great benefit for everyone.

These are some possibilities that could occur within 2017, but it is hard to tell what exactly can happen. Either way, as long as we are fully prepared for what is to come, then the future of technology and engineering will be a bright one.

As leading spring manufacturers, it is important to make sure that all our springs – no matter whether they are compression springs, tension springs or any other design – match the ever-changing regulations within the industry, everything from testing to the manufacturing process.

If you want to know more information, then please contact us today on 028 9083 8605 and one of our friendly members of staff will be more than happy to help.

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