Welcome to the Community Insights blog!

This blog features posts from and about the EngX community. Want to contribute? Read our blogging guide to help you get started.

  • Travels in Additive Manufacturing (AM)

    IET Central London Evening Lecture, Savoy Place, 09-Mar-2016 Presented by Dr. Chris Sutcliffe, Renishaw AM Products Division   What exactly is 'Additive Manufacturing (AM)'? You may know it better as '3D Printing',  'Rapid Prototyping' or by a plethora of other names. That doesn't matter.  It's a "simplicity machine" that allows complexity: with it, we can make ace stuff. Such as the "Magic Arms" which help a little girl to use her arms: Body specific, pretty cheap, lightweight and quick to repair.   Chris took us on a whirlwind journey from inception to the current day, drawing on his personal experience at the forefront of this technology. (He'd just had to become an engineer at the age of 14 - the Spinning Jenny was invented on his childhood street in Liverpool.)   The samples that were…

    David Tabor
    David Tabor

  • Munich - The Long Night Of The Museums 2015

    The Long Night of the Museums 2015 Members of the IET Germany Local Network (LN) met up on Saturday 17th October  to visit the "Lange Nacht der Museen" (LNDM), an annual event where Munich's museums stay open until 2 O’Clock the next morning. All Museums can be visited for just EUR 15 (about GBP10). Ten participants from all manner of different areas, from aerospace to automotive, braved the autumn chill to meet up at "Café an der Uni". Even buying the tickets was steeped in science and engineering: The sales tent at the city´s Odeonsplatz was part of an open-air exhibition organised by automotive manufacturer MAN, featuring antique buses and trucks. The ticket itself showed a portrait of the optical physicist, Josef von Fraunhofer.   With the group free to choose to visit the different institutions…

    Howard Gray
    Howard Gray

  • WET Design Visit

    The SoCal Local Network were fortunate enough to have a fantastic tour of WET Design in Sun Valley. WET Design was founded by a group of former Disney Imagineers who wanted to design performing fountains. With over 200 installations worldwide, their performances bring together water, fire, ice, fog and lights in spectacular shows such as the Fountains of Bellagio , The Dubai Fountain , or the Cauldron at the Salt Lake City Olympics.   WET Design offers an almost complete turnkey services from concept design and animations through the design and manufacturing of all the fountains and components through to in operations support to keep their systems at peak performance. Our tour started with a look at the creative process that WET goes through to help come up with the concepts taking into account…

    Richard Tregaskes
    Richard Tregaskes

  • Space Innovation Congress - Invitation To IET Members

    Space Innovation Congress   Dr Rita Andrews, Director of the Space Innovation Congress, is organising a Space Innovation Congress, taking place on the 7th - 8th  April in London, UK -  Its an event that aims to be a platform for commercial ventures, entrepreneurs and academia to come together and network, showcase the most cutting edge uses of space technology and connect with their peers.   Rita has a number of complementary tickets available for IET members all you  need to do is register here  and enter the code innovation16IET  - this will generate a £0 ticket.  (please note dinner tickets are not included on this offer)   Some  of the speakers already confirmed:   Jean-Francois Clervoy, Astronaut,  ESA  Jonathan Firth, Executive Vice-President of Spaceport and Program Development,  Virgin…

    Deborah-Claire McKenzie
    Deborah-Claire McKenzie

  • Autonomous Vehicles - expert insights

    The automotive industry is moving up a gear; an increased use of electronics and software is enhancing a car’s safety, connectivity and environmental impact and these three megatrends are also enabling a growth in automated driving features. Progress has seen a growth in on-road demonstrations, for example in March Delphi took part in a project that saw a vehicle drive 5,500km autonomously from San Francisco to New York. “A fully automated vehicle is the ultimate robotics solution. As Technical Director of Automated Driving, I can see and feel the excitement in our organisation. Our teams in Europe, US and Asia are working together in this new domain, developing ideas and technology that increase safety, fuel economy and connectivity in the vehicle,” says Delphi’s Serge Lambermont . As the…

    Former Community Member
    Former Community Member

  • Women of Aviation Week – Valentine Tereshkova in profile

    This week marks the 6 th annual Women of Aviation Worldwide Week which aims to foster gender balance in the air and space industry. Here at the IET Aerospace Network we are celebrating by taking a look at some of the inspiring women of the aerospace industry.   For the final day of Women of Aviation Week 2016 we are celebrating Valentina Tereshkova (1937 – ongoing). Tereshkova was a Russian cosmonaut who was the first woman to have flown in space. She was selected from more than four-hundred applicants to pilot Vostok 6. Tereshkova was also inducted into the Soviet Air Force.   For her role as pilot for Vostok 6, Tereshkova orbited the earth forty-eight times; spending nearly three days in space. In that one mission she clocked more flight time than all of the American astronauts before that…

    Former Community Member
    Former Community Member in Space

  • Women Of Aviation Week – Therese Peltier In Profile

    This week marks the 6 th annual Women of Aviation Worldwide Week which aims to foster gender balance in the air and space industry. Here at the IET Aerospace Network we are celebrating by taking a look at some of the inspiring women of the aerospace industry.   Today we are celebrating Therese Peltier (1873 - 1926). Peltier was renowned for being a talented sculptor before her foray into aviation. However, she later went on to become known as the first woman to fly as a passenger in an aircraft (though this has been disputed). She was accompanied by fellow sculptor and friend Leon Delagrange.   She went on to learn to fly by herself and made several solo flights, though she never earned a pilot’s license. Leon Delagrange proved to be a hugely influential figure in her life and his forward-thinking…

    Former Community Member
    Former Community Member

  • Women of Aviation Week – Nancy Harkness Love in profile

    This week marks the 6 th annual Women of Aviation Worldwide Week which aims to foster gender balance in the air and space industry. Here at the IET Aerospace Network we are celebrating by taking a look at some of the inspiring women of the aerospace industry. Today we are celebrating Nancy Harkness Love (1914 - 1976). Nancy Harkness Love discovered her love of aviation at a young age. By the age of 16 she had taken her first flight and earned her pilots license a month later. Known to be restless she was nicknamed the ‘Flying Freshman’ at school. She went on to earn a commercial license not long after school. To earn extra money she would take students for rides in aircrafts she rented. She married Robert Love in 1936 and they set up a successful aviation company where she was a pilot. She…

  • Women of Aviation Week – Lilian Todd in profile

    This week marks the 6 th annual Women of Aviation Worldwide Week which aims to foster gender balance in the air and space industry. Here at the IET Aerospace Network we are celebrating by taking a look at some of the inspiring women of the aerospace industry. Today we are celebrating Lilian Todd (1865 - 1937). This was a remarkable woman who was a self-taught inventor with a passion for mechanics. According to the New York Times, Todd was the first woman to design airplanes. Todd worked with patents and began to study law as part of the first Woman’s Law Class of New York University. In 1903 she began to focus on mechanics and aeronautics. Todd was especially inspired but the airships in London and the sketches she saw. Todd was the first woman in the world to build a heavier-than-air machine…

  • Caithness Science Festival - Supported And Sponsored By The IET Scotland North Local Network

    2016 Caithness International Science Festival  - 14th to 19th March The Caithness International Science Festival is a festival of education, enlightenment and entertainment, where all Caithnessyoungsters are given the opportunity to experience science in work shops, shows and much more. The Festival has been organized every spring since 2003. The IET Scotland North Local Network are helping to supporting and sponsoring this event.   Launch Event, 15th March 2016 Family Science Fun Day - Saturday, March 19th, Wick Assembly Rooms The 2016 Family Fun Day will be taking place on Saturday 19th March 2016 at the Assembly Rooms, Wick. This will be a day of fun and discovery from 12 noon to 4.30pm, as part of the 2016 Caithness International Science Festival. There will be many exciting exhibits, hands…

    Lynsay Callaghan
    Lynsay Callaghan

  • Visit to RAF Valley

    On the 9th March 2016, a group of members and non members visited RAF Valley on Anglesey. We were shown Hawker Aircraft being serviced and the workshop where various electronic devices are serviced by highly skilled staff. Of particular interest was 208 Squadron who have recently celebrated 100 years of service through two world wars as well as other conflicts, we saw a slide show showing the achievements of 208 Squadron over the years and also heard about the imminent closure of this fine Squadron later this year, a poignant moment indeed. Many thanks to the staff of RAF Valley who took the time to show us round and patiently answer all our questions.

    David S Crawford
    David S Crawford

  • Burnish your halo

    We are looking forward to Michael Wilcockson's exposition on Business Ethics next Tuesday (15th).  It promises to be a thought-provoking session on what is often regarded as an unimportant 'soft' topic.  More details in the events diary.  Pre-booking is essential ... and there are not many places left.

    Andrew Dodd
    Andrew Dodd

  • Remote Diagnostic Systems

    Nick Corbett CEng FIMechE of the Industrial Turbine Company (UK) Limited talked about Remote Systems Diagnostics to members of the Buckinghamshire Network on 8th March.  The audience learnt interesting facts about aero-derivative turbines and found the examples, and discussion, of trend analysis thought-provoking.  Nick had plenty of ‘war-stories’ coupled with a deep knowledge of the products supported by his team.  Nick's considered answers to the audience's questions helped to illuminate further understanding of the topic.

    Andrew Dodd
    Andrew Dodd

  • CPD: Explaining the benefits to your employer

    As someone that regularly speaks to members regarding their professional development, I am often asked how they can justify time out of the office for training or opportunities to their line managers or companies.   As we explored in our previous blog on CPD, not all learning requires formal training – in fact the 70:20:10 model explains that most learning actually occurs as part of experiential learning or on the job training (70% of learning is made up of it).  However you may still need to take time to record and reflect on your learning during work time in order to get the most out of it.   Some larger or more perceptive companies will already recognise the benefits of CPD and will have formal development schemes to help meet skills gaps or provide succession planning, but smaller or niche…

    Kathryn Bain
    Kathryn Bain

  • Careers Event

    Last night, 8 March, there were 50 attendees at a Beers and Careers held at the Espresso Library on East Road, Cambridge.  Organised by the IET and I Mech E, attendees were able to discuss with companies, potential jobs and career prospects, in a relaxed and informal setting. Several attendees were interested in professional registration.  Details are available on the IET website at http://www.theiet.org/membership/profreg/ or you can email cambsec@theiet.org.  Because of the interest in this topic, we will look to organise a similar event focussing on registration.

    David Blake
    David Blake

  • Women of Aviation Week – Helen Richey in profile

    This week marks the 6 th annual Women of Aviation Worldwide Week which aims to foster gender balance in the air and space industry. Here at the IET Aerospace Network we are celebrating by taking a look at some of the inspiring women of the aerospace industry. Today we are celebrating Helen Richey (1900 – 1947). She was a pioneering aviator and was the first woman to be hired as a professional pilot by a commercial airline in the US. During her teenage years Helen Richey demonstrated a forward-thinking, rebellious streak and was one of the only girls to wear trousers. A determined woman, she learned how to fly at the age of 20 years old and when she earned her pilot’s license her family bought her a plane. Richet partnered with another female pilot (Frances Marsalis) to set an endurance record…

  • Read The Latest Issue Of The ABU Technical Review

    The latest issue of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union Technical Review is now available to download free of charge. This issue covers: IBC2015 and InterBEE2015 reports Technology Department training activity reports Technical Committee Meetings summary and presented awards Technical Review (ABU-TR264) (PDF Download Available) and backissues available here: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/A_Punchihewa/publications?pubType=book

    Former Staff Member
    Former Staff Member

  • Happy International Women's Day - New Poster to Celebrate Women in STEM

    Take a look at the fab new poster that we producedhighlighting women in STEM Download it here If you would like a professional printed copy, please e-mail womensnetwork@theiet.org  along with your name and the address that you would like us to post it to. Best wishes, Jo

    Former Community Member
    Former Community Member

  • Women of Aviation Week – Pancho (Florence) Barnes in profile

    This week marks the 6 th annual Women of Aviation Worldwide Week which aims to foster gender balance in the air and space industry. Here at the IET Aerospace Network we are celebrating by taking a look at some of the inspiring women of the aerospace industry. Today we are celebrating Pancho Barnes (1901 – 1975). She established a career as an aviator and movie stunt pilot who was one of the first American women to build a career in aerospace. Barnes came from a wealthy family who married a clergyman at 18 years old. She was unsuited to the life of a wife and mother and so she left her family for a while. It is at this time she began wearing men’s clothes and travelled through Mexico. In 1928 she bought her first airplane and hired an instructor. She made her first flight after only 6 hours…

    Former Community Member
    Former Community Member

  • Taking the Leap - Wireless Charging Buses

    IET Central London lecture, Savoy Place, Wednesday 10th February 2016   Our speaker this evening was  Murat Basarir,  Business Development Manager in MASP *   We heard a short, yet informative overview of the on-going trial of inductive charging for electric buses in Milton Keynes (a technical hitch preventing us from seeing a supporting video, which was a shame). On the plus side, there was enough time for a great many questions; an indication of the interest and passions aroused by this topic.   So far, the results and feedback have been very positive. As pointed out by the speaker and the Q & A, there remain a number of operational, performance and cost-effectiveness concerns; over the remainder of the trial, these can be evaluated and mitigated in any future implementations. What we can…

    David Tabor
    David Tabor

  • ESAS 2016 - in partnership with the IET

    In partnership with the IET, Atkins, IEMA and IIRSM The Environmental and Safety Assurance Symposium (ESAS) is the MOD’s flagship Symposium focusing on Equipment Safety and Environmental Management.  http://www.esas2016.co.uk/ 22nd and 23rd June at MOD Abbey Wood, Bristol, BS34 8JH Hosted by DE&S and in partnership with Atkins, IET, IEMA and  IIRSM The DE&S Environmental and Safety Assurance Symposium (ESAS) is the UK MOD's flagship Equipment Safety and Environmental event held at MOD Abbey Wood Bristol. The Symposium is attended by over 500 people from the MOD, Industry and Academia over a two day period.  This Year's Theme DE&S is currently undertaking an unprecedented programme of transformation during which it must continue to engineer and deliver major equipment programmes and support…

    Lynsay Callaghan
    Lynsay Callaghan

  • The IET Aerospace Network Celebrate Women Of Aviation Week

    This week marks the 6 th annual Women of Aviation Worldwide Week which aims to foster gender balance in the air and space industry. Here at the IET Aerospace Network we are celebrating by taking a look at some of the inspiring women of the aerospace industry. It is important to acknowledge women’s contribution to aerospace not only to be inclusive of their achievements, but to also inspire the next generation of female engineers.  Every day this week, we will be posting a profile of remarkable women of aviation in our blog. Monday: Bessie Coleman Tuesday:   Pancho Barnes Wednesday: Helen Richey Thursday: Lilian Todd Friday: Nancy Harkness Love Saturday: Therese Peltier Sunday: Valentina Tereshkova To keep up-to-date with our latest blogs, content and events join our community today. Join the…

    Former Community Member
    Former Community Member

  • Women of Aviation Week - Bessie Coleman in profile

    This week marks the 6 th annual Women of Aviation Worldwide Week which aims to foster gender balance in the air and space industry. Here at the IET Aerospace Network we are celebrating by taking a look at some of the inspiring women of the aerospace industry. Today we are looking at Elizabeth ‘Bessie’ Coleman (1892 – 1926) who was the first female African American international pilot. She was also the first American woman to hold a pilot’s license. Bessie Coleman was the grandchild of slaves, her parents were illiterate and her prospects were extremely limited. With passion for education Coleman would read aloud to her family. She promised them that she would amount to something and set her sights on aviation. At the time there were no Africa American pilots in the area and no white pilots…

    Former Community Member
    Former Community Member in Space

  • IET NorCal Seminar: EVs, Charging, And Self-Driving Vehicles

    On Saturday 27 Feb 2016, Simon Lonsdale of ChargePoint gave a very stimulating presentation on the current state of  EVs, Charging, and Self-Driving Vehicles as well as a glimpse into what the near future has in store for us. This talk certainly interested the local network as over 20 people attended the seminar. The talk started with a look at the number of EVs currently in the US and the approaches manufacturers are taking to encourage people to switch from gasoline; be it access to HOV lanes, the availability of charge points, or the price to fill up an electric tank. Amongst engineers, safety and in particular electrical safety, was of great interest and sparked a lot of discussion amongst the attendees. This was particularly relevant when talking about the newer fast charging stations…

    Allan Casey
    Allan Casey

Community Rules & Guidelines