For the latest news, follow us on Twitter: @CI_DesignMag and/or ‘Like’ us on Facebook QUEEN ELIZABETH PRIZE FOR ENGINEERING: NOMINATIONS OPEN


Nominations for the 2021 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering (QEPrize) opened around the world on 21st April, coinciding with the 94th birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The QEPrize is awarded to up to five engineers


responsible for a groundbreaking engineering innovation which is of global benefit to humanity. Lord Browne of Madingley, chairman of


the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering Foundation, said: “In the midst of the current global health crisis, engineers are creating new medicines and healthcare equipment; maintaining critical infrastructure for key


workers and supply chains; and enhancing digital services to accommodate rapid changes to the way in which we learn, communicate and do business. The Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering exists to celebrate the critical role that engineering plays in society, as well as those who have changed the world through their engineering innovation.” Speaking at the presentation of the inaugural


QEPrize in 2013, Her Majesty The Queen said: “Throughout history, engineers have served their neighbours, their towns and their countries by making tools, machines and countless other


RS URGES DESIGNSPARK COMMUNITY TO 3D PRINT VISORS FOR FRONTLINE HEALTH WORKERS


RS Components (RS) has embarked on a partnership with the National 3D Printing Society (N3DPS) in the UK to enable frontline health workers to quickly access vital personal protection equipment (PPE). The company has teamed up with its RS PRO supplier to donate 400kg of PLA filament to N3DPS from end-of-reel-supplies, enough filament to produce up to 20,000 visor frames. This will be available to users who join the N3DPS campaign. RS has reached out through its DesignSpark engineering platform to the


930,000-strong DesignSpark community, urging members with access to a 3D printer to join an urgent campaign to produce NHS-accepted protective visors (https://www.rs-online.com/designspark/do-you-have-a-3d-printer- you-can-help-to-fight-covid-1). The company has also been developing a 3D printing farm in Corby, Northamptonshire, which aims to produce over 1000 visors per week for this initiative. N3DPS has agreed to loan a number of its machines to support this. Another collaborator is igus, which is acting as the main distribution


hub and providing its facilities and staff to assemble the visors. The company has also donated the plastic sheets that are added to each 3D printed frame before they are distributed by MedSupplyDriveUK. To produce each complete visor and deliver it safely costs £1.50. The


National 3D Printing Society has a Just Giving page for any donations to help towards these costs: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/N3DPS. https://uk.rs-online.com/web


I


n the space of just a few short weeks, the world has changed


beyond recognition. And yet while faced with an almost unbelievable situation in which we’ve been instructed to stay in our homes and only venture out if absolutely necessary, it’s been


quite amazing and pretty humbling to see how companies are pulling together to try and save lives through the fast development and manufacture of essential medical equipment. Not only are many companies prioritising the manufacture and


shipping of components for critical medical equipment, but others are joining what has become a national effort to design ventilators and medical products, and produce personal protective equipment for the NHS and healthcare market. Consortiums have been developed to manufacture ventilators quickly,


and coalitions created to produce 3D printed face shields. Already an essential tool within the modern world, the 3D printer has, in fact, become a vital piece of equipment, with companies of all sizes using their skills to print this much-needed PPE. So on Thursday evening when I stand on my doorstep to clap for


the NHS, healthcare workers, emergency services, transport workers, and all those making a huge effort to get us though the pandemic, I will also be clapping for the engineers, the manufacturers and all those companies producing essential medical equipment, components and parts. Together, we can get through this.


Rachael Morling - Editor 4 APRIL 2020 | DESIGN SOLUTIONS


STOBER is supplying Stäubli with additional axes that will enable the manufacturer to configure its multi- axis robots with even more dynamic options for precise, high-speed tasks. The first joint project was for linear


technology manufacturer Rollon. This involved expanding the six axes Stäubli robots with a seventh, plus an optional eighth, STOBER axis. An SD6 single-axis controller from STOBER manages the motion control on the two additional axes. Connection to a higher-level controller is by EtherCAT or CANopen. In a second project for a German bicycle manufacturer, Stäubli demonstrated how a six-axis robot from the TX2-60 series can be equipped with additional external axes from STOBER. The cooperation allows the


companies to provide ground- breaking drive solutions to OEMs and drive system integrators worldwide. www.stober.co.uk


DETECTING PEOPLE WITH ELEVATED TEMPERATURES


IDS cameras, together with thermal imaging cameras, are being used to detect people with elevated temperatures who may, potentially, have the coronavirus. The non- contact thermal imaging and measurement system designed for mass screening, detects temperature differences of less than 0.6˚C. The Thermoteknix FevIR Scan


software tracks people in real time as they walk in front of the camera and shows their maximum face temperature on screen. https://en.ids-imaging.com/


things that improve every aspect of life. From information technology to medical science and mining, from building roads to space travel, engineers are working to make a difference to our standard of living, and with it our health, wealth and happiness. At its heart, engineering is about using science to find creative, practical solutions.” This year’s nominations window will remain


open until 23:59 BST on 17 July 2020, with the winner(s) announced in February 2021. The winner(s) will be awarded a total cash prize of £1 million. https://qeprize.org


STOBER COLLABORATES WITH STÄUBLI TO


EXPAND ROBOT RANGE


AM company, 3T-am, is utilising EOS’ global partner ecosystem to 3D print face shield headbands for frontline health workers in the UK. The company is now producing 20,000 headbands per week, and will exceed 100,000 within the next few weeks. 3T is working directly with NHS


trusts across the UK, as well as various medical distribution companies, to supply the face shields. It has also provided the CAD for free, available to download from 3T’s website. www.3t-am.com www.eos.info/en


Whilst the COVID-19 pandemic continues, Carlo Gavazzi is taking its responsibilities to the medical industry extremely seriously by ensuring all components for this purpose will be given precedence. As the government asks


companies to help build respirators and other vital equipment as quickly as possible, all orders brought to the company’s attention which are required for this particular purpose will be manufactured and shipped as a priority. www.carlogavazzi.co.uk


WEG has announced the signature of a technology transfer agreement with LEISTUNG Equipamentos, which grants WEG the license to produce a ventilator based on the company’s mechanical ventilation device ‘Luft-3’. The company will use the current


structure of its factories in Jaraguá do Sul, in Santa Catarina. Once the production line is installed by WEG, it will have an estimated capacity to produce 50 ventilators per day. www.weg.net


IMI Precision Engineering has undertaken a rapid adaptation of its Switzerland-based manufacturing capability to meet the urgent requirement for more ventilator units. Production of its FAS FLATPROP


valve has been significantly escalated to meet the rapidly increasing demand to support healthcare systems around the world. www.imi-precision.com


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