Event Reviews
Event Reviews
Tuesday 13th September 2005 2.00 p.m. Visit to Aga Foundry and Factory |
| A visit to the foundry and modern factory of the successful local cooker manufacturer Aga. With much of the product being exported overseas this is chance to find out what makes this tradition product so popular. |
| Presented by Aga. |
| Review |
| Unfortunately this event did not place due to problems at Aga. Subsequently Aga have offered to stage the event again and we will include it in our future programme |
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Tuesday 4th October 2005 7.15 p.m. Fusion Energy |
| With the recent decision to site the next demonstration fusion reactor in France. This presentation reviews the current state of fusion energy production exploring the technical and practical aspects of realistically producing cheap safe energy. |
| Presented by Culham Science Centre. |
| The event will be preceded by the Shropshire IEE Local Network AGM starting at 6.00 p.m. |
| Find out what the Local Network has been up to over the last year and or influence the future of the Local Network through involvement with its organisation. |
| Review |
| There were around 35 attendees all very enthusiastic.. Chaired by Richard Gibson. Presented by Mike Hood from Culham near Oxford. Very interesting presentation talked about what they are doing at Culham large and small projects being undertaken, state of research. Discussed new build of demonstrator/feasibility/experimental fusion reactor in France. Went into detail about driving the reactor, large power supplies required, problems encountered, etc. Mike answered loads of questions, all in all excellent event. Though it would appear that experimental reactors are all that we are likely to see in the near future.. |
Tuesday 18th October 2005 7.15 p.m. Professional Review |
| This event is designed to follow up on the Professional Registration workshop held last year. Help and assistance will be on hand to guide participants through the training, experience and competence requirements of registration. |
| Presented by IMechE. |
| Review |
| 22 people present including a host of younger engineers wanting to get their membership form in. The presenter Steven Gasser IMechE gets involved with recruiting members, companies, training schemes, etc. Went through the form completing process for mech engineers elec being similar Three elements academic qualifications, training and responsible experience. This presentation covered the responsible experience part Covering 5 competence areas completing application form, organising sponsors, completing professional review report which should give details of a couple projects and show how you cover the competences. Very slick presentation Lots slides and good information came across, well rehearsed presentation. Steven was in a hurry to get away not that much time for questions. Audience did not give him many questions to answer. Needed to have been further inter-action. Appeared to expect everyone to have gone through the correct route and application difficult if had not. |
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Tuesday 1st November 2005 7.15 p.m. WEEE/RoHS Directives |
| The WEEE/RoHS Directives are currently being implement. They will have a major impact on the life cycle of electronic products from inception through to disposal. Find out how this will affect your business and the steps you need to take to comply and explore the possibilities for competitive advantage. |
| Presented by Vic Clements RFI Global. |
| Review |
| Presentation covered WEEE the legislation, why introduced, coming into force, what have to do as producers of products, how going to be disposed of, problems in setting up collection points, delay in legislation due to problem of re-cycling products, certain amount of products collected to be re-cycled. RoHS legislatation, why introduced to do with re-cycling, how being enforced what have to do as producers, and users, making sure hazardous substances not going into products, checking, marking, comes into force mid 06. Was very well presented talk Vic is excellent speaker, background in electronics, EMC moved into environmental area. Great slides, not enough time to cover the topic, |
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Tuesday 6th December 7.15 pm. 2005 Alternative Energy Sources |
| With the current focus on reducing the CO2 emissions from burning carbon based fossil fuels. This presentation explores the realities of alternatives such as wave, wind, tidal and solar power. Are they real alternatives in the energy mix or at best a top up for carbon based fuels. |
| Presented by Katie Brown, Centre for Alternative Technology. |
| Review |
| Presentation looked in detail at current energy use and split between transport, home, industrial, what energy used gas, oil, coal, nuclear renewables. Looked at what could happen in the future, further requirement for energy, use of wind, tidal, water, solar, nuclear, increase efficiency cars insulation, etc. What happening to oil, coal and gas reserves, huge requirement for energy from China. Problems of CO2 emissions, warm planet, beyond point of return when carbon reserves stored start to seep out. Need to do some things urgently. Unlikely to happen until it is too late. Very well presented and attended event, lots of questions and audience interest. |
Tuesday 7th February 7.15 pm. 2006 Consultancy |
| Have you ever considered being your own boss and becoming a consultant? This is a chance to find out about the pros and cons of being one. From first hand experience we take a detailed look at what being a consultant is all about. Products and Services, Marketing, Finance and Legislation are all reviewed under the microscope to help you find out if this is your next career move. |
| Presented by Harvey T Dearden, Time Domain Solutions Ltd. |
| Review |
| This was an exposition of the typical features of a consultancy practice, and the advantages and disadvantages of this field of work. The presentation began by distinguishing between consultancy and contracting, which can be confused, and then went on to consider some of the (often false) perceptions that people in industry have of consultants. A discussion was also made of some important financial considerations appropriate to the would-be consultant and personal attributes that they should have. Finally, the speaker considered some of the more practical aspects of a consultancy business, including such things as company type, pay rates, taxes, insurance and professionalism, amongst others. It was a well attended event with around 25 budding consultants present all wanting to know the secrets of making a fortune. It generated lots of interest and questions with not enough time to fit it all in. |
Tuesday 7th March 7.15 pm. 2006 The Rise and Fall of the Stationary Steam Engine |
| This is a chance to find a little more about the origins of the steam engine. A technical review of this workhorse of the industrial revolution looking at its design, development and applications. |
| Presented by Mr. David Bradbury, Retired IMechE. |
| Review |
| This was an excellent survey of the stationary steam engine (as used for pumping and other industrial applications) and the history of this type of steam engine technology. The main thrust of this presentation was to display the development of stationary steam engines from the earliest days of their existence. To this end, a number of steam engine designs were shown, starting with beam engines, as built by Thomas Newcomen and others, discussing their working and the innovative features in each. Mention was also made of various technologies, such as speed governors, valves and differing boiler types, which were vital to safe and effective engine operation. The final segment of the talk was a slideshow of real engines in Britain, some of which still in existence and operated by enthusiasts to this day. A host of around 25 budding engine enthusiasts were enthralled by this superb explanation of steam technology. The speakers knowledge of the subject was amazing, again too much information and not enough time. |
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Tuesday 20th June 7.00 pm. 2006 Summer Visit to Appleby's of Hawkstone |
| Visit this local cheese manufacturer and see the plant and process in action used to produce some of the county's best cheeses. There will be an opportunity to discuss the finer points of cheese manufacture and sample some of the products. |
| Presented by Appleby's of Hawkstone |
| Review |
| After an attractive review of all the lanes between Hodnet and Wem we eventually managed to find the farm at the end of a very pretty lane. This had followed frantic phone calls to the farm having had to forego pride and realise we were never going to get there using our own resources. Following the hot sunny days we have had, it was quite a cool and potentially rainy evening, luckily it stayed away. Appleby's cheese factory is based on the farm where all the milk is produced. Factory is possible too strong a word, most of the processing takes place in an annex to the main house and the cheeses are stored in various buildings scattered around the farm. The main drivers behind the business are third generation cheese makers which started back in 1947, when the grand father moved to the farm from Cheshire. Appleby's produce premier hand made Cheshire cheese which is well known across the UK. The cheese is renowned for following the traditional recipe and those who know the cheese say it tastes like the original. Being leaps and bounds better than the mass produced Cheshire found in super markets these days. We were provided with a tour of the dairy here the milk enters to start the process where it is separated into curds and whey. Once separated and at the correct consistency, etc. the curds are dressed, put into moulds and placed under presses. This happens daily and takes most of the day. The following day, the moulds, having being turned a couple of times and the pressure increased to remove whey, are redressed and taken to the first storage room to mature. They stay there for around 2 months. New chesses are turned daily for the first month, this is reduced over the following time. Over this period moulds form on the surface of the cheese as the moisture comes out of the cheese, which are removed. This is essential to obtain the correct texture and flavour to ensure the cheese will taste right and store well. Once mature they are dispatch to wholesales and shops all over the UK and the US. Those interested were given a tour of the parlour which was a rotary unit capable of milking 24 cows at a time, which is a good job seeing as they have around 400 of them. Following we were able to sample the fair through an excellent cheese and bread supper, supplemented by some fresh vegetables and pickle. All prepared by the present cheese makers. It was an excellent event attended by around 30 engineers and their partners. It was nice to see that small businesses can survive and prosper by producing excellent products for niche markets. It was an excellent event attended by around 30 engineers and their partners. It was nice to see that small businesses can survive and prosper by producing excellent products for niche markets. |
Tuesday 3rd October 2006 7.15 p.m Smart Water Security Marking |
| A world beating local company has developed an innovative security marking system. It can be used to identify, security mark and protect almost anything. It is being utilised domestically, by blue chip companies and government departments alike. Find out how this innovative forensic technology works and learn how to protect your assets. |
| Presented by Dr J Greenwood, Technical Manager, Smart Water. |
| The event will be preceded by the Shropshire Local Network AGM starting at 6.00 p.m. |
| Review |
| AGM This was attended by around ten members. The chairman reported on the Shropshire Networks activities past, present and future. The treasurer reported on budgeting and financial issues, actual spend aligning with budget. Two new members were voted onto the committee, further increasing its strength to twelve. The committee were very positive about the networks future events and success. Smart Water This was attended by around twenty members. It took place in Shrewsbury College’s Conference Suite on the fourth floor. Somewhat of a trek but well worth it, the room is spacious, bright and modern with room for a refreshments and chat area. The presentation was very well structured and interesting. It provided some background and history to the company, some information about the products, applications and case studies. Initially set up by an policeman and his chemist brother who saw how forensic DNA techniques could be applied to product marking. Developing a water based product using up to thirty chemical tracers which when combined create millions of unique codes for identifying marked products. Not able to tell us much about the chemistry due to patents and trade secrets, etc. The product can be used to uniquely mark and subsequently identify property. Another application is to set of a spray system which marks people entering a property. Anything marked with the water fluoresces yellow when put under ultra-violet light. Samples being taken for identification in the laboratory to find out where the marked item came from and who it belongs to. Homes and businesses are buying the product to mark property. By far the biggest user are the police who are buying kits to mark properties in areas where burglaries have already taken place. This acts as deterrent and identifies future property taken. A great deal of marketing and public relationship work has taken place to produce crime reduction strategies. Awareness of the product by burglars, fences, and marked areas has helped reduce incidences remarkably, up to 80% in same areas. All in all a very interesting product leading to an excellent presentation. Further details available from the Smart Water website smartwater.com. |
Tuesday 17th October 2006 7.15 p.m. Professional Development |
| This event is designed to follow up on the Professional Review workshop held last year. Help and assistance will be on hand to guide participants through the training, experience and competence requirements of registration. |
| Presented by Steve Gasser, Regional Manager, IMechE. |
| Review |
| 11 people were present including several younger engineers wanting to get their membership forms in. The presenter Steven Gasser IMechE is involved with recruiting members, companies, training schemes, etc. Went through the form completing process for mech engineers, elec being similar. |
| Three elements academic qualifications, training and responsible experience. This presentation, similar to last years discussed all elements qualifications, the responsible experience, covering 5 competence areas, completing the application form, organising sponsors, the professional review interview and completing the professional review report. This should give details of a couple of projects and show how you cover the competences. |
| Once again it was a very slick presentation. Lots of slides and good information came across, a well rehearsed presentation. Time for questions and answers to follow and was available for individual consultation. It was a pity the turnout was poor, possibly need to run every other year and have more of a focus on the electrical road to professional registration. |
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Tuesday 7th November 2006 7.15 p.m. Plastics Development |
| Shropshire is well known for plastics development and manufacture. With RAPRA based in Shawbury and a great deal of plastic manufacture in Telford. This presentation takes a look at the different types of plastics, their development, manufacture and innovative use. |
| Presented by Jonathan Barclay, Ticona. |
| Review |
| This was another interesting event with around 20 people in attendance from the local area. The presentation was split into several topics. |
| First there was an overview of the products of Ticona. They appear to be an innovative development and production organisation focusing on the higher value specialist products. Markets include automotive, pharmaceutical, aerospace and niche engineering. |
| There was a review of how plastic products should be designed and integrated into production and avoiding problems plus a general review of plastics. |
| The last part focused on a tie up with NPL and developing better plastics models to help designers make better use of plastics in production. |
| In all a very interesting and thought provoking talk on plastics past, present and future. |
Tuesday 5th December 2006 7.15 p.m. Engineering and the Law |
| Have you ever considered how your role as an engineer interfaces with the law. This event is designed to bring you up to speed with existing legislation and how it effects you and your business. Find out what you should be doing to ensure compliance with legal requirements. Keep ahead in this ever increasing maze and litigation dependent culture. |
| Presented by Rachel Clark, Halliwells Solicitors. |
| Review |
| We were very pleased to have Rachael Clark and Robert Lye from Halliwells solicitors present. They had come down from their offices in deepest Manchester on a wet and cold December evening to engage us on what can be a very dull subject. |
| Halliwells are an international group of solicitors specilising in aspects of the law related to businesses. |
| Around 20 local members attended, who were no doubt hoping to find out something useful to assist themselves and or their business. |
| Rachael covered some of the basic requirements of contracts; parties involved, standard clauses, what should be included, complexities, etc. Robert covered various aspects of intellectual property rights; looking at patents, copyright, product rights, rules surrounding and governing. |
| This was followed by a lively general question and answer session. Everyone seemed to have enjoyed the event, even if was not as they had expected, definitely worth doing again. |
| With so many topics they will always be something different to cover. For further information see Halliwells website. |
Tuesday 16th January 2007 7.00 p.m. Visit to e-Innovation Centre |
| Based within the pleasant Telford Campus at Priorslee, and built with funding from Advantage West Midlands and the European Regional Development Fund, the Centre aims to increase the formation of new businesses in Telford and the surrounding area. This is a chance to find out how you and or your business can take advantage of the Centre and its facilities. |
| Presented by e-Innovation Centre. |
| Review |
| The e-Innovation Centre was located on the University of Wolverhampton Telford campus at Priorslee. It was fairly easy to find and around 20 people joined us on a guided tour of the facilities. It was nice to see some new (impressed) faces from both the IET and IMechE, was it the event or the place? |
| The Centre was partly funded by AWM and the European commission to promote start-up companies in the Telford and Shropshire area. It was planned to be a self supporting organisation by 2012. It was ahead of target to achieve this with over 60% of the available space occupied within the first year of opening. |
| The centre offers consultancy for business start-ups, IT support, offices, networking opportunities with similar companies and close links with the university staff. Any size of business start up was catered for from single person ventures to organisations of up to 20 people. |
| It can provide all the needs of a start-up business from a business address to full blown office facilities for a small SME. Another useful feature being the professional conference facilities with computer access for small groups, these can be booked separately. Possible opportunity for an IET meeting? |
| For further information check out the website e-innovation |
Tuesday 6th February 2007 7.15 p.m. Demystifying the Nuclear Industry |
| With the current government energy review focusing on the nuclear option this event aims to take an unbiased view at its merits and pitfalls. This is a chance to find out the history of the nuclear industry in the UK and worldwide and where nuclear technology is at present. The talk will explore the electricity supply industry and nuclear's position within it. Also discussed will be the currently available "new technology" reactors and future technology. |
| Presented by Dr David Ward, British Nuclear Group. |
| Review |
| Due to David's full diary this event had to be re-arranged from the 6th February to the 18th February. Fortunately good communications ensured this did not dent attendees determination to attend. Around 20 people turned up to hear David give a rounded and unbiased view of nuclear power and its future. |
| He started with a general overview of current nuclear activities both at home and abroad. Including operation of current generating facilities, their future, final decommissioning and dealing with waste. |
| This was followed by possibilities for future nuclear stations again both in the UK and abroad. |
| There were many interesting anecdotes including at current use and taking account of current reserves there is only enough uranium for 50 years use. |
| As you can expect with this controversial topic, a lively debate followed. It was a thought provoking event which was enjoyed by all present, again an event worth repeating. |
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Tuesday 6th March 2007 7.15 p.m. The Lola Caterpillar Le Mans Race Car |
| Review of the development of the engine for the first diesel powered Le Mans car. |
| Presented by Duncan Riding, Engineering Manager, Caterpillar. |
| Review |
| This was a well attended event which took place on a bright March Evening. Chris Riding from Caterpillar explained how part of his projects team got involved with the Le Mans Race. |
| The venture involved integrating a high performance diesel engine into a Lola style racing car to compete in the race.They used a VW V10 engine, none of their own was appropriate. Which had many bits removed and changed to provide superior performance approx 500BHP. |
| This was integrated into a racing car chassis and managed a couple of hours in the race before running out of spares. He explained the perils and pitfalls associated with the venture and why working with a very limited budget certainy did not help. |
| He contasted the performance of the VW engine with that of there general engines and trade offs of performance, durability, relaibility and sustainability. It was full of anicdote and humour generating a host of questions. We look forward to similar events. |
Tuesday 17th April 2007 7.15 p.m. Blue Sky Research |
| Have you ever considered how companies come up with innovative products? What makes a successful product stand out from the competition? This event looks at the research and development operations of one of the UK's most successful hi-tech companies Rolls Royce. Find out what goes on in the exciting world of industrial research. See what your company needs to be doing to keep ahead of the competition. |
| Presented by Chris Bright, Rolls-Royce Derby. |
| Review |
| Once again it was a lovely evening at Shrewsbury College with about 20 people present. There was much anticipation, hoping to learn some of Rolls Royce’s secrets! |
| Chris started by giving us a brief outline of Rolls Royce’s history, its development and his role in the organisation. |
| We were given some generic information on innovation and how organisations develop new products and the type of environment required. |
| We were given a little insight into some new products, but nothing very startling, Chris told us it was all too top secret! |
| It was an interesting presentation which lacked any substantial views into new developments at Rolls Royce and how they utilise/introduce them as real products. |
Tuesday 1st May 2007 7.15 p.m. Short Papers Evening |
| This is an opportunity for engineers to gain experience at preparing and presenting a short project / paper on a topic of interest to their peer group. There will be cash prizes on offer for the best presented paper. Presentations should last approx. 15 minutes, including questions. Topics can include; work based projects, a final year college project or a subject the presenter has an interest in. |
| Presented by IET/IMechE. |
| Review |
| The event took place at Shrewsbury College on a pleasant pre Summer’s evening. |
| This was our first attempt at a members/guests short papers evening, we were a little apprehensive as to how it would proceed. |
| We were provided with four excellent presentations which were a very high quality and varied nature. |
| We had two students from a Ludlow School waxing about their engineering club and its development of an ECOCAR for Shell challenge. |
| A local Student IET member Liew Teh talked about human technology and the environment. |
| A Local member Robin McKenzie discussed manufacturing ethics. |
| Finally Dwiriana Setiati from Wolverhampton University talked about her investigation into lean production. |
| They were all of a very high standard and it was very difficult to decide on a winner. |
| After much deliberation the student team from Ludlow School was chosen. The presentation skills and enthusiasm from such young people was inspiring. |
| We look forward to running it again, as usual getting members to present can be a challenge. |
| The only disappointment was there been only a small audience to experience the excellent presentations. |
| We need to organise better publicity and possibly do it in conjunction with the local college when we do it again. |
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Tuesday 19th June 2007 7.00 p.m. Summer Visit to Dower House Gardens Morville Hall Bridgnorth |
| This is a chance to visit the Dower House Gardens Morville Hall Bridgnorth on a pleasant summer evening. The 1.5 acre gardens are set in the grounds of Morville Hall. The garden aims to tell the history of English gardening in a sequence of separate gardens designed in the style of different historical periods. Particular attention is given to the use of authentic plants and construction techniques. For further information visit the website Dower Gardens Website |
| Presented by Garden Staff. |
| Review |
| Around 20 people joined us on this murky evening in deepest Shropshire near Brdgenorth. Which was reasonably easy to find, compared with the cheese farm of last year. |
| On arrival we were given a general brief on the house and gardens and an invitation to tour the garden at our leisure |
| The garden is divided into sections, each section emulating a particular style of gardening history, period and designer. |
| Lucky there was loads of plaques around to explain the various aspects of plants, planting, layout, etc. The garden was not at its best due in part to the monsoon type summer we had experienced thus far. |
| It was interesting to walk around the gardens which had been very well layed out to best present their differing aspects. |
| It would have been nice to have had a guided tour around the gardens, being provided with a spoken narrative. Save me having to look at all the plaques. |
| Following our self guided tour of the different garden areas we were invited back to the house for an excellent buffet. |
| This was served to us in various rooms of the house which we were invited to peruse. |
| Just is I was about to leave the heavens opened. What a downpour I got thoroughly soaked on the way back to my car. |
| An interesting evening which was slightly spoilt by the weather. |
Tuesday 2nd October 2007 7.15 p.m. Young People in Engineering |
| Find out how the engineering community can help increase young peoples awareness of engineering through the SETPOINT initiative and the Science and Engineering Ambassadors (SEA) scheme. The shropshire SETPOINT contract has recently been awarded to Enginuity in Ironbridge which is also the home of the National Design & Technology Education Centre and has close links to Thomas Telford. |
| Presented by Melanie Weatherley Enginuity at Shrewsbury College. |
| The event will be preceded by the Shropshire Local Network AGM starting at 6.00 p.m. |
| Review |
| AGM |
| This was attended by around 8 members. The chairman reported on national, regional and local issues and initiatives past, present and future. Plus achievements of the committee over the last year and plans for the future. The treasurer reported on budgeting and financial issues, actual spend being slightly lower than budget. The committee was voted in ostensibly the same as last year. The committee were very positive about the networks outlook, future programme and focus. |
| Enginuity |
| Around 15 people were present at Melanie Weatherley's presentation on developing schools based engineering in Shropshire. Melanie works at Enginuity, one of the museums within the Ironbridge Gorge family. |
| She started by putting into context the museum and its role within the Gorge. Enginuity is based at the Coalbrookdale site. It is rather unique with a selection of hands on exhibitions aimed at enthusing young people. |
| Enginuity specialise in running technology related workshops and courses for schools and teachers in the area. It is very successful and fully booked. It covers many topics including bridge building, ceramics, casting and many others. |
| The SETNET mantel has only been taken on recently, being seen as complimentary to its other work. At present their SETNET development is in its infancy, still working out how they can best use resources to develop events, programmes, etc. to excite potential engineers. |
| The Science and Engineering Ambassador (SEA) scheme, is a resource of engineers who are willing to assist in schools related projects. Melanie is looking to develop new schemes to utilise them in local schools related engineering projects. |
| For further information check out the Enginuity website. A meeting of SEAs is being organised in November at Enginuity. |
| It was a very good presentation, Melanie's knowledge and enthusiasm was unsurpassed. A lecture well work repeating. If only for the overview of the Ironbrigde museums. |
Tuesday 9th October 2007 7.15 p.m. The JCB Dieselmax - The World's Fastest Diesel Car |
| This event explores the background to JCBs land speed record project. It reveals how JCBs approached overcame the technical issues to enable the car to set a new record speed for diesel powered vehicles. |
| Presented by Dr Tim Leverton, Group Engineering Director. |
| Review |
| The function room at the Lord Hill Hotel Shrewsbury was packed to the brim with people to hear and sea the presentation from Tim Leverton. |
| It was very well organised, his staff had spent several hours prepared the room. The land speed diesel car had pride of place at the front of the room. |
| It was an excellent presentation, with some superb slides and video clips showing the car in action at the Bonneville Salt flats. |
| Tim gave some background to JCB and the project and how it had become a dream of John Banford, JCBs chairman, to surpass the existing diesel car land speed record. |
| At excellent design and development programme had been put together which utilised as power trains. The recently developed JCB 444 diesel engine, with some modifications, I’ll hasten to add. |
| Tim waxed lyrically about the various aspects of the engine development, including several blown up engines, the cooling system, drive chain, wheels, tyres, gearbox, chassis, driver, etc. |
| The programme demonstrated JCBs ability to combine the use of technical development with the reality of putting together a one off special vehicle. Culminating with the achievement of a 350 miles per hour diesel powered vehicle. |
| It was an excellent presentation which was thoroughly inspiring, appreciated and well attended. The only down side being, not enough young aspiring engineers present. |
| I look forward to listening to Tim speak again, what an excellent engineer and great role model. |
Tuesday 6th November 2007 7.15 p.m. Graphic Facilitation - Putting your People in the Picture |
| Many organisational issues are overwhelmingly complex and virtually impossible to define and analyse in totality. Graphic Facilitation is the process of using pictures to clarify and disseminate a better understanding of organisational issues. The pictures show the key points and inter-relationships in an immediate and accessible way that the whole organisation can engage with and feel a part of. This presentation explains the Graphic Facilitation process - how it helps to pull leadership thinking together and how it involves and inspires a wide audience. |
| Presented by Chris Pearse, Clarity Partnership. |
| Review |
| Around 12 people joined us on this pleasant November evening for a novel look at facilitation. |
| We were very pleased to have Chris with us who lives at the bottom end of London. He works for Clarity Partnerships who have a range of techniques and tools for assisting companies. They work with large and small clients around the country helping them look at their organisation and involve key stakeholders in positive change scenarios. |
| Chris dived into the detail of the technique Graphics Facilitation. In essence this uses a cartoon type drawing of the organisation/situation which depicts culture, ethos, problems, where it is, where it would like to be, vision, strategy, tactics and a road map of how to get there. He brought various drawings from current clients which he invited us to look at and discuss in detail. |
| The outline for the drawing is created from a lively discussion with key stakeholders. Normally where they all realise that the did not fully understand their organisation. To begin with a black and white cartoon is created, this is reviewed by key stakeholders from which a Colour print is produced. This is rolled out to the organisation in a managed manner to enable the facilitation process to take place. |
| Chris explained that this was one of many techniques used to stimulate discussions, debate, new ideas, etc. It may not be an end in itself but a way to help move an organisation forward. Used primary in a change situation where an organisation wants to move from its present position to a new position which involves a little more than moving the desks around. |
| All in all an interesting presentation which stimulated discussion and debate. Though not quite what I had been expecting. |
Tuesday 4th December 2007 7.15 p.m. Westfield Sports Cars - The Ultimate Driving Experience |
| Westfield is one of the of the few remaining niche car manufacturers in the UK, it is the largest kit car company that makes over 70% of the car in house to an impeccable standard to give the ultimate driving experience. |
| Presented by Julian Turner Managing Director, Westfield Sports Cars. |
| Review |
| We were very pleased to have with us Julian Turner the managing director of Westfield Sportscars. It was a very warm December evening with in total around 60 people present, some of who had forgot that we start at 7.15 p.m. |
| The focus of the lecture being the transformation of Westfield over the last 12 months. Apparently it had been in financial trouble for some while when Potenza took it over around 12 months ago following an extensive due diligence process. Potenza is a family owned business development organisation that saw a potential in Westfield. |
| It would appear that Westfield was suffering from many of the typical problems of a small business started by an enthusiastic entrepreneur. As the business grew it had failed to invest in the systems and process necessary to support an ever expanding business and was in danger of going broke. |
| Julian talked us through the processes and systems as they were at present and the changes they are putting in to bring the business into the modern world. This includes: |
| Manufacturing: factory layout organised around the workflow, scheduling of manufacturing and parts procurement, supplier deals, just in time manufacture, stores layout, selling off old stock, outsourcing where essential. |
| Design: CAD used in the design process, common parts, simpler parts, working with suppliers. |
| Sales: stream lining the sales process, engaging with customers, providing new and better offers. |
| Staff: getting the staff to take ownership of the processes, training of staff, on going communications. |
| All in all a complete transformation of the business. |
| This was followed by a lively question and answer session where we tried to tease out some of the more intricate details and information on future car developments. |
| Every one present found the talk stimulating and lively. There was much nodding of heads from the audience who had obviously experienced similar problems. |
| An excellent event combining an interesting view on business transformation with an extremely desirable product. Well worth repeating, if only to get an update on the transformation process. Check out their website for more details. |
Tuesday 22nd January 2008 7.00 p.m. Biomass Combined Heat and Power |
| With the ever looming energy targets we look to new methods of meeting our energy needs while decreasing carbon emissions. Talbotts have developed a unique concept in biomass combined heat and power generation, providing renewable generation options to small and large business users. The talk will discuss the technology behind the biomass generators and the contribution they can make to solving our energy demands. |
| Presented by Ivan Tatt, Talbotts Heating Ltd. |
| Review |
| We were very pleased to have with us Ivan Tatt projects engineer with Talbotts Heating on a chilly but dry January evening. It was obviously a crowd pleaser as we had a full house with around 35 people present. |
| Talbotts have been involved in providing heat and electricity from Biomass in various guises for over thirty years. Starting out with wood burners and getting progressively more sophisticated. Ivan was with us to exhort the virtues of their latest project. |
| Recently they have been developing a novel technology utilising a micro turbine generator. This uses biomass to generate hot water and electricity and has world beating capabilities. This has been developed with the help of Stafford University and Harper Adams College where they have a pilot unit. The system consists of a furnace which generates hot gases using biomass that are used to heat hot water and drive a micro turbine generator. (The system is a lot more complex than this but it all went a little quick for me and this is about all I caught.) |
| It was a very interesting talk using some novel techniques to allow the generation of power from renewable energy sources. There is a great deal of interest in the product for remote sites, areas which have abundance of biomass, etc. The current unit is available at 100KW but they are looking at smaller and larger units. |
| The talk generated some interesting questions, a few centring around current controversial government support for sustainable energy projects. |
| It was nice to see a local company doing so well and working with academia to create a novel and currently popular generation scheme. We look forward to them achieving more success with this and other projects in the future. Check out their website for further details. |
| A very interesting talk albeit a little short but well worth repeating. |
Tuesday 5th February 2008 7.15 p.m. Routes to Registration IET Presentation |
| This evening is to assist members applying to the IET for the award of the CEng or IEng qualification under the UK SPEC requirements and for advice and/or help with their own applications. This is also applicable to IMechE members. At the event there will be a presentation of about an hour on the requirements for both CEng and IEng status followed by a general question and answer session. Following there will be an opportunity for you to discuss any queries you may have on a one-to-one basis with local Membership Advisors. If you wish for advice and guidance from Membership Advisors at these meetings it does help them give you the best advice if you come with drafts of the relevant IET forms. All of which can be obtained from the IET web site. |
| Presented by Lt Col James Sweetman, IET. |
| Review |
| We were very pleased to have Col James Sweetman from the Hereford and Worcester Network and Duncan Whittle from the Coventry Network to explain and motivate us into completing our CEng forms. |
| You’re never sure how many people are going to attend this type of event. We were pleased that approx 25 potential CEng candidates were present. Mainly from the electrical camp. |
| The evening was split into 4 sessions: |
| To begin with James gave us the low down on the registration process and how it differs depending on graduation dates, etc. This covered: qualification requirements, top ups, IPD, experience, gaining the competences, completing the forms and the professional interview. |
| The second part was presented by Duncan who gave of same examples of documenting experience to enable competence matching. Completing the CEng form, emphasis being on what you have contributed not the team. Value in seeking guidance through the use of PRAs and overcoming problems with CEng sponsors. |
| The third part was a general question and answer session. This provided individuals with the opportunity to discuss general aspects of the registration process. |
| The fourth part was one to one sessions with James and Duncan. A chance for attendees to discuss their own particular circumstances. |
| At excellent presentation/workshop. It was well structured and presented it such a way as to make the whole process appear user friendly and easy to complete. Though in reality we know its not quite that simple. |
| This has become an annual event where we alternate between presentations from the IMechE and the IET that we intend to continue. |
Tuesday 4th March 2008 7.15 p.m. Vehicle Dynamics in Motor Sport |
| This presentation will explore the myths of vehicle dynamics and the requirements for road, stage and circuits and how they overlap. |
| Presented by Damian Harty Technical Consultant Prodrive. |
| Review |
| Due to an urgent work requirement Damian was called away at short notice and unable to provide the presentation. We are expecting to re-present the lecture later in the year. Check out our 2008/2009 events programme for details, when available. |
| Substitute Presentation |
| We were very luck to have Darren Hodson present the work of the South Shropshire Schools Initiative. Through Neville Sykes, who sadly passed away last year. Strong links between engineers and schools in the South Shropshire region have been developed. |
| A number of schools have forged links with engineers to engage young people in engineering and technology. A varity of projects have been developed from bridge building competitions with Knex kits through to the design and development of an eco car to run in the Shell Challenge. |
| We are intending to publish further information about the initiative in the future. If you would like further details or would like to get involved Darren Hodson |
Tuesday 15th April 2008 7.15 p.m. Bringing Wind Power Ashore - Politics and Practicalities of Connecting Offshore Wind Farms to the Grid |
| Britain has the best offshore wind resource in Europe. More than 7GW of projects have been licensed representing an investment of over £12 Billion. But building and connecting offshore wind farms presents a whole string of challenges. Planning, regulation, financing as well as the real practical issues of trying to put electrical equipment in the midst of the sea. This talk will cover these technical and non-technical issues, progress to date and the future for offshore renewables. |
| Presented by Matthew Knight, Siemens Transmission and Distribution Ltd. |
| Review |
| We were very pleased to have Matthew Knight with us. Matthew has offices in Manchester, Newcastle Upon Tyne and lives in the New Forest. Sounds like an interesting logistics exercise. It was a very nice evening, back to the lights nights and a excellent opportunity for high attendance. |
| We had a good crowd of over 30 present, as you would expect most were electrical engineers. As usual we had a few late comers but its better than not turning up at all! |
| Following introductions Matthew explained that his current role involved him with working with partners in turnkey offshore wind farm projects. The spectrum of organisations he worked with included: wind farm designers, planners, turbine manufacturers, building contractors, cable layers, regulators, power generators, power transmitters, the list goes on. |
| As background information he reviewed the whole renewable spectrum across Europe and the drive towards increasing the proportion of generation from renewable sources including: wind, wave, sea current, solar and hydro. |
| With a focus on wind he explained that the UK government had so far organised three bidding rounds for licences to build and operate wind farms. Round 1, 2002 was for around 1GW and has mostly been completed. Round 2, 2005 for around 8GW and was well underway and round 3 for 25GW most of which is still being bid for with a target completion date of 2020. This is to help meet the UK/European target of 20% generation from renewables by 2020. |
| Matthew has been involved with several projects in round 1 and round 2. He gave us detailed information concerning some of the problems associated with these projects. This included turbine size and siting, cables, sizes, routes and connections, generation voltage 32KV, 132KV or higher. Transformers, planning, generation regulations. Again the list goes on and on. It was all very well explained including some great pictures, diagrams and anecdotes. Particular attention being paid to generator size, 3.6MW being the maximum at present, but increasing looking towards larger ones possibly 5MW or more. |
| Working within the government framework was seen as a big issue, along with the regulations surrounding generation and safety. The wind farm industry has caused quite a stir and required regulations to be reviewed and changed. |
| Matthew had worked with the government, industry and academia on formulating some of the regulations and rules surrounding wind farms. The social, political, economic and technical issues were all seen as important. At present power generated from wind farms is more expensive than convention generation and obtains a subsidy we are all paying as a levy on electricity bills. A very complex control mechanism was in force where the wind power generation was separate from the transmission and grid connection. Too difficult to understand. |
| The talk generated a lot of interesting questions which carried on at the local hostelry. It was an excellent presentation which know doubt we will want to repeat again as the industry grows. |
| Top |
Tuesday 6th May 2008 7.15 p.m. Fossil Fuel Combined Heat and Power |
| Continuing our energy discussions is a presentation identifying increased heat and power generation efficiency using fossil fuels and the technology required to deliver it; with ideal applications in the community such as hospitals, schools, hotels and sheltered housing. |
| Presented by John Rigby EC Power UK. |
| Review |
| We were very pleased to have John & Giles Rigby a father and son team to present. They have their own company Powerheat who partners with ECPower of Denmark, who are part of the STATOIL group. Through this arrangement they can provide novel micro combined heat and power solutions. |
| It was a very pleasant evening, no excuse for poor attendance! Unfortunately it appeared we had energy overload or a lack of interest in combined heat and power solutions as we only had 16 attendees! No doubt quality participation makes up for quantity! |
| Following introductions John and Giles explained the micro combined heat and power concept. It was hardly revolutionary, (ok I was not convinced.) being based around a Toyota (gas powered) or Deutz (diesel powered) engine in an efficient control package to produce three phase electricity and very hot water from engine cooling and exhaust gases. |
| The power output ratio being about 40% electricity 4-17KW and 60% heat 11-24KW for the diesel engine. Optimum electrical efficiency being 33% and total efficiency being 85%. Coal fire power stations have an electrical efficiency of around 40%. The micro power system plays on the fact that power transport systems waste around 20% of the power generated and most of the heat is never used. |
| The units obviously require applications where there is a constant requirement for hot water as well as electricity. Ideally where the electricity and heat can be supplemented by auxiliary supplies if necessary. This allows the unit to run continuous at maximum efficiency. Such applications include hospitals, leisure centres, housing associations. One of the problems being the payback period, the units are not cheap and figures of 8 years were quoted. Not likely to get your average accountant excited! |
| Nevertheless this novel technique is being pioneered in various applications throughout Europe and the UK and we were told about various current and new projects coming on stream which are proving very successful. |
| I lively question and answer session followed which generated some interesting ideas. I thought that its use in remote locations would have been ideal. It turns out that you require a three phase power system to get it up and running! Yes, the system does have applications but maybe needs some further work. |
| A great talk which follows our theme of energy conservation and management nicely. We’re looking forward to the wind farm visit in June to further expand our knowledge of the energy equation. |
Saturday 21st June 2008 10.00 a.m Guided Tour of the Carno Wind Farm and Visit to Powys Castle National Trust Property, Gardens and Restaurant |
| Meet on the Emerson Control Techniques "The Gro" car park (first office building on the right when heading into Newtown.) Following We will proceed to the Carno site. There will be an induction on arrival at the site substation, an informal talk followed by a trip up on to the site itself. Afterwards back to Powys Castle for those that wish to stop for lunch and view the property and gardens. An entrance fee is required for non National Trust members and good walking shoes will be required for the Wind Farm! |
| Presented by Siemens & Npower staff. |
| Review Around 30 members attended the windswept farm to hear interesting facts and figures and see the workings of the equipment and site. Some members followed this with lunch and a review of Powis Castle. A very good event if a little wet and windy. |
| Top |
Tuesday 7th October 2008 6.00 p.m. |
| Requirements seem simple, but are not easy. They drive all subsequent project activities, from planning and analysis through user interface, design, implementation, testing and documentation. In this talk Ian Alexander illustrates how discovering, documenting and validating a set of requirement elements such as goals, scenarios and rationale can transform "a black art" into a reliable a reliable engineering process. |
| Presented by Ian Alexander Consultant |
| Lecture was preceded by IET AGM at 6.00 p.m. (Tool place at SCAT) |
| Review |
| AGM This was attended by around 7 members. The incoming Chairman Simon Hart reported on the Shropshire Networks activities past, present and future (Chairman had moved to newcastle). The Treasurer reported on budgeting and financial issues, actual spend aligning with budget, other short reports on Schools & Event activities were presented. One new member was voted onto the committee, replacing one that had left. The committee were very positive about the networks future events and success. Discovering Requirements Unfortunately and likely due to the AGM this was only attended by around 12 members, in Shrewsbury College’s Conference Suite on the fourth floor. I had been a little worried that this would just by another project management lecture. Which I have to admit to, having attended many, few of them are very enthusing. I am delighted to say this was a very interesting presentation. Focusing on putting into place the necessary mechanisms to get a project off on the right track. Such as: scope, terms of reference, stakeholders, requirements, KPI's, milestones, etc. I had being hoping for a panacea approach, which would always lead me to getting this correct. I was not surprised though that Ian suggested a plethora of approaches depending on the project in a mix and match type of affair to get things right. As I already said project management is never easy, as will testify the many failing IT projects for ever being paraded in Computer Weekly and costing the tax payer millions of pounds. An excellent presentation well worth attending. |
| Top |
| 28th October 2008 7.15 p.m. An Introduction to the 17th Edition Wiring Regulations |
| Synopsis This presentation includes a brief history of the IEE Wiring Regulations, an explanation of the standardisation process and an overview of BS 7671: 2008. There will also be an explanation of some of the important technical changes. Presented by Jonathan Elliotta Senior Engineer with the IET. This event was held at Shrewsbury Shirehall. Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY26ND. |
| Presented by Jonathan Elliota IET staff |
| Review Approx 22 people turned up on a wet and foggy evening to hear Jonathan Elliotta of the IET Staff talk about the updated regulations. We had an excellent new venue, the Chamber at Shirehall Shrewsbury. Rather expansive for our modest get together but very nice all the same. Jonathan is on 3 of n BS committees involved with drafting and agreeing the regulations and very able to talk us through the updates. We were given a little in the way of history to the regulations and how the standards follow the requirements of the ISO and IEC standards. Following it was into the detail. The standards layout has changed slightly hopefully making it easier to read and cross reference. In depth information was provided chapter by chapter as to the changes, emphasis being placed on the major ones. The most striking change for me being the requirement for the use of RCCB’s on nearly all domestic circuits and further circuit separation. Sounds like a lot of added cost, no doubt all in the interests of safety. A lively question and answer session followed, at which time we all tried to get a solution to our domestic wiring problem. A very interesting and useful presentation. It’s thought provoking to realise as design engineers we can happily rewire our factory but not our home. The wonders of part P. |
| 4th November 2008 Visit to the all new Severn Theatre Shrewsbury |
| Synopsis This is a look round behind the scenes of the new theatre, before "the curtain goes up". Numbers are limited and registration is essential. |
| Top |
| Presented by By Harry Dhanjal of Willmott Dixon.Harry Dhanjal Theatre Project Team |
| Review Right up until the visit there were worries as to whether the event would go ahead or not. The project is running way behind schedule and the requirements for PPE, safety and visitors was ever present. As luck had it the visit went ahead with around 40 enthusiastic part PPE kitted attendees. A guided tour around the unfinished site proceeded with many interesting facts thrown in at appropriate times. Overall a very interesting visit well worth repeating once the venue has been completed. I’m aware that some IET members did not go due to the PPE requirement so a future visit is extremely likely. |
| 2nd December 2008 Visit to Control Techniques Newtown |
| Synopsis Control Techniques is a leading supplier of intelligent variable speed drives for commercial and industrial motor control applications. Our main manufacturing unit is at Newtown in Mid Wales, a facility that employs over 350 people. Here, drives up to, and over, 1 MW are made in what is probably the most advanced drives factory in the world, utilising demand-led-manufacturing principles, a high level of automation, and the most rigorous of quality standards. |
| Presented by Stephen Turner Control Techniques |
| Review |
| Tuesday 13th January at 7.15 p.m. The development of Airborne Assault Warfare in Shropshire During WWII. |
| Synopsis The presentation will detail the "lost" history that Shropshire played in the World War 2. At present the Trust is re-constructing one of the Horsa Glider from that era and a review of the progress will be given in the presentation. |
| Presented by Tim Jenkins MA Director of Education and Research Assault Glider Trust RAF Shawbury. |
| Review |
| Top |
| Tuesday3rd February at7.15p.m. The many faces of Biometrics |
| Synopsis We will begin with a brief introduction to the range of biometric technologies available, including the most common (finger, face and iris) and the more unusual, such as vein, voice and gait. We will discuss how the various biometrics differ, which are more suited to particular situations, how accuracy is calculated and why such statistics are often of little use. Taking face recognition as an example, we will review a number of applications, including time and attendance in construction and logistics, mug-shot searching for the police and uses for the passport service, airports, casinos and CCTV. |
| Presented by Dr Thomas Heseltine. |
| Review |
| Tuesday 3rd March at 7.15 p.m IMechE AGM and presentation Vehicle Dynamics in Motor Sport |
| Synopsis The presentation will explore the myths on vehicle dynamics and the requirements for road, stage and circuits and how they overlap. This event will be preceded by the Shropshire IMechE Branch AGM at 6.00pm. |
| Presented by Presented by Damian Harty, Technical Consultant Prodrive. |
| Review |
| Top |
| Tuesday 31st March Visit to Grainger and Worrall Foundry Bridgnorth |
| Synopsis The Company received the Queens Award for enterprise 2007, and the visit will review the approach on rapid proto typing and the up to date manufacture of high quality castings. Numbers are limited and registration is essential. |
| Presented by Grainger & Worrall Staff |
| Review |
| Tuesday 7th April at 7.15 p.m. Shrewsbury Shirehall Routes to Registration |
| Synopsis This evening is to assist members applying for the award of the CEng or lEng qualification under the UK Spec requirements, and for advice and/or help with their own applications. At the event there will be a presentation of about an hour on the requirements for both CEng and lEng status followed by a general question and answer session. There will then be the opportunity for you to discuss any queries you may have on a one-to-one basis with local Membership Advisors.If you wish for advice and guidance from Membership Advisors at these meetings it does help them give you the best advice if you come with drafts of the relevant ET forms, all of which can be obtained from the IET web site. |
| Presented by James Sweetman and John Lorriman from the IET |
| Review |
| Top |
| Tuesday 12th May 7.15 p.m. Present Around the World |
| Synopsis Short papers evening giving younger members and students an opportunity to develop their presentation skills and to get an insight into projects happening in Shropshire. Cash prizes are available to the participant giving the best presentation paper on a technical subject of their choice. Each presentation will last 15 minutes including questions. |
| Presented by IET & IMechE staff |
| Review |
| Tuesday 16th June 6:30pm Summer Visit Ironbridge Coal Power Station and Nature Trail |
| Synopsis Located in the Severn Gorge half a mile upstream from Ironbridge, a world heritage site, this coal fired power station is capable of generating 1.000MW of electricity: which is enough power to supply approximately 750,000 homes. The adjoining nature trail attracts around 2,000 visitors annually. The diversity of habitats and lack of disturbance helps promote the well being of locally scare species. |
| Presented by Ironbridge Power Station Staff |
| Review |