Institution of Mechanical Engineers

  Eleven student and apprentice teams from the UK, Germany and Egypt are preparing to take part in the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ Railway Challenge in Stapleford Miniature Railway in Leicestershire in June.

Calling for all nominations, this year’s Prestige Awards from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers has prizes on offer worth about £20,000. The Prestige Awards champion engineers who have improved the world, or advanced the discipline of engineering both through professional and volunteering efforts. 

A variety of young budding engineers from across the UK and overseas will be challenged to design, build and operate an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) in a humanitarian aid mission as part of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ annual challenge. The competition, which is now in its fourth year, has been growing steadily since its launch, when twelve teams took part. This year, twenty-five teams will compete, including 4 international teams and a team from the University of Bath, which was crowned winner of the UAS Challenge 2017.

A report has been released which suggests the Government should review nuclear approval process to cut costs and speed development, it also calls for greater support from the Government in nuclear skills. The Government should implement an independent review of the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) process, necessary for the approval of any nuclear reactor in the UK, to ensure that costs are not unnecessarily added and to enable the faster approval of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), according to the report by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

It is common knowledge that the UK is in the middle of an engineering skills crisis, but the Government are now worried that this will deepen without a fundamental change in the way we educate children about the 'made world'. School students have little exposure or understanding of engineering which is leading most to choose subjects which effectively rule out this career path early on in their schooling, according to a new report by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

A new report by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, has warned that school students have little exposure or understanding of engineering which is leading most to choose subjects which effectively rule out this career path early on in their schooling.

According to a new survey by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, a large proportion (50%) of the public would back the construction of new coal and gas fired power stations if there was an ability to capture and store any emissions produced. The survey, which looks at public views on UK electricity generation, found that the public also seem to prioritise security of supply and climate change over price.

A new investment has been completed by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers through its £2m Stephenson Fund, into Bristol-based company Inductosense. Inductosense, a spin-out of Bristol University, is developing novel ultrasonic sensors for monitoring corrosion, cracks or defects. The technology is known as the WAND - Wireless And Non-Destructive system and it works by bringing a measurement probe near to a compact, battery-free sensor installed on a structure.

A record number of UK manufacturers have been shortlisted for The Manufacturer MX Awards. Thirty-three percent of the 2017 shortlisted companies are new finalists, and overall, entries are up more than 25% compared with 2016, with some categories witnessing increases of 40-70%.

Hyperloop One, the vacuum-tube linear motor propelled transport system, has achieved a successful test of all its sub-systems in a simplified test in Nevada. Philippa Oldham, Head of Transport and Manufacturing at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said in response to test that safety systems are critical to technology ever being viable: “This completion of this first trial from Hyperloop One must be very exciting for the team working on the project.

In response to the Queen’s speech 2017, Dr Colin Brown, Director of Engineering at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers commented: “It's reassuring that Government is committed to deliver plans for an Industrial Strategy, technical education, the next phase of High Speed Rail and support the UK’s automotive sector.”

A team of nine graduate engineers from SNC-Lavalin Rail & Transit, Derby, has retained the award of Overall Winner at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ Railway Challenge 2017 at the Stapleford Miniature Railway near Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. The competition saw 11 teams compete against each other to design and manufacture the best, most innovative, efficient and quietest small-scale locomotive.

The 132nd President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers has been announced as Carolyn Griffiths CEng FIMechE FREng from Burgess Hill, West Sussex. Carolyn commented on her appointment: “I am honoured to have been elected by the membership to become the President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.”

  A group project award from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) has been won by five engineering students from Robert Gordon University (RGU). The students were then given the opportunity to present research at an international conference in Berlin.

Boosting links between schools and industry, the UK is keen to deliver sufficient people with the right skills as part of the Government’s Industrial Strategy, according to a new report from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. The Apprenticeships in the education and skills landscape of England report said the Industrial Strategy needs to take a sectoral and regional approach, including engagement between local employers and education providers, to ensure that industries have the skilled people they need entering the workforce.

It's no secret that there are far more men in engineering than women; however that does not mean that men are more successful. Philippa Oldham, Head of Transport and Manufacturing at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers is evidence of this. From a young age, the word engineering was always a buzzword in Philippa’s household, as both her great-grandfather and grandfather, who she unfortunately never got to meet, were both engineers, so her parents knew the industry well and this was a huge impact on Oldham. 

It's no secret that there are far more men in engineering than women; however that does not mean that men are more successful. Philippa Oldham, Head of Transport and Manufacturing at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers is evidence of this. From a young age, the word engineering was always a buzzword in Philippa’s household, as both her great-grandfather and grandfather, who she unfortunately never got to meet, were both engineers, so her parents knew the industry well and this was a huge impact on Oldham. 

  In response to the Government’s launch of an industrial strategy, Dr Colin Brown, Director of Engineering at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers made the following statement.

A team of Engineering students from Middlesex University have beaten other undergraduate teams to be crowned overall winners of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ Design Challenge. The Design Challenge Competition gives undergraduates a taste of the ‘real world’ of engineering by setting them a challenge to design and create a device to a strict technical specification.

Combining tools, guidance and support, a structured online resource has been launched by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers to help members achieve professional registration. The Developing Engineers Programme (DEP) has been specifically designed for Associate Members who have recently graduated from university.