05/12/2016 How thermal stability affects the accuracy of non-contact displacement sensors In non-contact displacement measurement applications, engineers often overlook the effects of temperature variations on the measurement accuracy of the sensor. It is therefore critical to check ...
31/10/2016 Built for battle - Robot Wars' revamped House Robots The return of Robot Wars to our screens this summer had completely re-engineered house robots, which were needed to keep up with the competition. Justin Cunningham finds out how the technology has ...
31/10/2016 Cut contact with mirror measurements In the heat treatment industry, depending on the application, there is a choice to be made between sensors that make contact with the material being tested and non-contact sensors. Which should you ...
03/10/2016 Still king of the skies It’s an icon of British engineering prowess and ingenuity, and still turns heads 80 years on. Justin Cunningham finds out why they really don’t make them like they used too.
09/09/2016 Autonomy in the UK With the headlines being grabbed by US companies, Google and Tesla, in autonomous vehicle research and development Tom Austin-Morgan checks on the state of the UK’s driverless vehicle projects.
09/09/2016 Smart moves for industry What makes Industry 4.0 meaningful is to see it in action. Tim Fryer went to visit a factory in Germany that was using it selectively and successfully.
10/06/2016 Surfers under pressure The burgeoning wearable technology market is fast becoming inundated with fitness bands, smart watches, and intelligent headphones. These devices can collect all kinds of information about you from ...
27/05/2016 The importance of sensor triggering in production and process automation When measuring the position of moving targets in production and process automation environments, it is important to understand the different methods of sensor triggering, their impact on measurement ...
21/04/2016 Top ten level sensing technologies Level sensing is one of the most common functions for process control but it also uses a wide range of different technologies to achieve the same goal; it is therefore important to select the correct ...
15/04/2016 Making the case for lightening quick reflexes Electric cars are getting very fast. But any driver travelling at 280mph will want to know that the car is doing exactly what it is told, to and that means having highly accurate and dependable ...
19/01/2016 Non-contact laser sensor provides 10 times higher measurement repeatability in wax distortion tests A UK-based manufacturer of investment casting wax is using a laser displacement sensor from Micro-Epsilon to measure the distortion and contraction of wax materials used in investment casting. The ...
13/01/2016 Riding the future A UK company has launched one of the more controversial products of recent times in a hope to bring best practice to an emerging market. Justin Cunningham finds out more about the engineering effort ...
09/12/2015 Understanding the thermal issue Temperature is a key measurement parameter in controlling the quality of glass or glass products. Conventional thermal imagers with spectral wavelengths of 8-14µm do not measure accurately the ...
10/11/2015 Hot picks! If you are designing plant, process or product that requires knowledge of temperature, there may be more than one solution.
16/10/2015 Schaeffler and Deckel Maho Pfronten develop 'Machine Tool 4.0' concept Schaeffler and machine tool manufacturer Deckel Maho Pfronten GmbH have developed a ‘Machine Tool 4.0’ concept that is based on a specific investment project together with other partners. The concept ...
08/10/2015 Inductive encoders offer an alternative to traditional position sensors for the new wave of robotics Thirty years ago pundits were heralding a new age of industrial automation, forecasting huge numbers of robots in our factories and workplaces. These forecasts have proved to be overly optimistic ...
08/09/2015 Taken for a ride The sensors and systems getting integrated in to cars are getting smarter, and the reality of autonomous cars is getting closer. Justin Cunningham looks at some of the technologies acting as a ...
14/07/2015 Sensors star in industry's generation game Whether IoT or Industry 4.0, there are a few technological hurdles to jump before it becomes reality. But there are enabling technologies – notably EtherCAT and intelligent sensors – that are already ...
14/04/2015 Build it and they will come: revolutionary arm sensor seeks application The technology is there, the question is how you use it? Tim Fryer takes a look at some interesting new sensor technology that could point the way forward.
11/03/2015 Sensor intelligence comes of age Developments in intelligent sensor technology and its ability to integrate with an automation network are resulting in innovative new functions that have a positive impact on a system or machine's ...
10/03/2015 Raising the BAR If you have the best sailor in the Olympic history, sailing the best boat available, then the long wait for a British victory in the America's Cup will be over. Easier said than done of course
24/02/2015 Healthcare tech research receives £5million boost Three research projects has been awarded £5.3 million by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
16/01/2015 Can engineers take the weight of big data? With such hype behind the Internet of Things is all this information going to be useful or will it become a hindrance to the engineer and a distraction in finding real innovation? Is Big Data in ...
11/12/2014 Impact engineering: Why all head protection is in need of a redesign The humble helmet dates back nearly 3000 years and though it has been used prolifically in warfare, it is now most commonly used to provide head protection outside the combat arena.
11/11/2014 Embedding sensors for clever composites In applications like wind turbines, tidal blades, aeroplane wings, ship propellers and hulls, it would be beneficial to have a self-sustaining, fully embedded monitoring system in order to ensure the ... 1 comment