ISSN 0269-0225 No.164 January/February Diagnostic …

Diagnostic EngineeringISSN 0269-0225 No.164 January/February 2009

T H E J O U R N A L O F T H E I N S T I T U T I O N O F D I A G N O S T I C E N G I N E E R S

Hands-freedomestic ,commercialand industrialmultifunctioninstallationtester.See page 5

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Front Cover Jan/Feb 2009 26/1/09 8:51 pm Page 4

MVT’s new visioninspection system

14

ContentsJanuary/February 2009

Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, as permit-ted under the copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, no part of this publicationmay be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or byany means without prior permission in writing of the Institution. Single copiesmay be made for the purpose of research or private study. Multiple copying of thecontent of the publication without prior permission is illegal.

Lee-Dickens’ variablearea flowmeter alarm

system

On-line Video Gamehelps troubleshooting

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Micro-Epsilon’s Multi-channel capacitive

measurement system

Artesis targetOEM Sector

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INSTITUTION OFDIAGNOSTIC ENGINEERS

President: Dr.David Adams PhD., MIPM(SA), FIDiagE

Diagnostic Engineeringis published by

The Institution of Diagnostic Engineers

Registered Office:7 Weir Road, Kibworth,

Leicester LE8 0LQ.

Tel: 44 (0) 116279 6772Fax: 44 (0) 116279 6884

E-mail: [email protected]: www.diagnosticengineers.org

Chairman: Bill Parker,

MIDiagE.

Institution Officers

Treasurer: Ing.P.Eur, Ray EldersPEng., FIDiagE. MIIE., AFA.

Vice-Chairman: Steve Reed MIDGTE, MIDiagE.

Company Secretary: Andy Garnor MIDiagE.

Membership Selection Officer:Chris Gilbert MIDiagE., MIOA.

Council MembersArthur Kennedy BEng(H), CEng., MIET., FIDiagE

Office Manager/Administrator: Karen SeilesEditor: Dave Mullins CEng., MIMMM,

Design & Print: Tony Kirby

Articles, photographs, manuscripts andother contributions for publication to:

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Leicester LE8 0LQ.or by e-mail:

[email protected]

Advertising RatesAvailable upon request from Head Office.

ISSN 0269-0225Diagnostic Engineering is free of charge to members

of the Institution of Diagnostic Engineers.

It is also available on subscription.For details contact Head Office.

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The views expressed by contributors are their own and are notnecessarily those of the publishers, the editor or the Council ofManagement of the Institution of Diagnostic Engineers. Whilstevery care is taken to ensure that the contents of the Journalare accurate, we can accept no responsibility for these, or forthe effect of errors or omission. Likewise, while every care istaken when accepting advertisements, we cannot acceptresponsibility for the contents of these or for unsatisfactorytransactions. We will however investigate any complaints.

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New multifunctionInstallation Tester

4 Objectives of the Institution

6 Read it in “The Daily News”by Malcolm Hedley-Saw MIDiagE

8 Collacott Prize Winners 2008 & New Members

9 Teseo Air System Goes Nuclear

10 Jersey - Granville in ‘Rotrid Star’by Robert Kisch FIDiagE

11 Fuse manufacturer specifies Cropico

12 Well Oiled?Another tale from Douglas Wragg FIDiagE

15 Versatility of Fenner Inverters & Motors

16 Exciting Careers in land-based engineering

18 Children of Designby John Sayer FIDiagE

18 McLachlan Cartoon

19 New Autodata Wheel Alignment Manual

20 Cost-saving initiatives at easyfairs® Maintec 2009

22 Patents: The other side of the coinby Malcolm Hedley-Saw MIDiagE

24 The Real Definition of Some Tools...by John Sayer FIDiagE

25 My car won’t go...!by Commander Bob Mummery RAN, FIDiagE

25 A contribution of howlersfrom Fellow Member Ivan D. Vernon FIDiagE

28 Hot technology wins SPARK award

28 Engineers are the key to integrated Green Strategy

29 Membership Application Form

30 Corporate Membership Application Form

31 Corporate Members Gallery

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3 Contents VER B AW 28/1/09 7:54 pm Page 1

4 Diagnostic Engineering

Institution of Diagnostic Engineers • www.diagnosticengineers.org

1. To promote the education and training of persons whether resident in the United Kingdom or elsewhere in all matters relating to diagnostic engineering and allied technologies.

2. To establish and maintain contacts with persons and/or organisation concerned with the employmentof diagnostic engineers and consultants.

3. To arrange consortia of specialist diagnostic engineers to perform specific advisory/consultancy projects as required.

4. To develop the science, practice and business of diagnostic engineering and allied technologies.

5. To encourage and improve the technical, financial, business, managerial and general knowledge of all persons engaged in the practice of fault andfailure diagnosis, condition monitoring, post-mortemexamination,accident investigation and allied activities.

6. To compile and classify information and particulars relating to the expert services rendered by members of the Institution.

7. To disseminate information and particulars relating to the expert services rendered by members of the Institution.

8. To stimulate efficiency in diagnosis and to elevate the position of those connected therewith in skilled practical employment.

9. To foster intelligent appreciation of the facilities existing for the provision of education and research.

10. To facilitate the exchange of information, ideas and practice by the publishing of such information as shall be of interest to diagnostic engineers.

11. To render advice and aid in the exploitation of inventions and to make known their nature and merits.

12. To assist in obtaining employment and to help engineers and others to find competent staff.

Definition

A ‘Diagnostic Engineer’ shall be any person capableof contribution to the art or science of determining theexistence of a problem in a machine, plant,system or structure and/or appraising the cause(s) ofa failure which may have taken place and/or assessingthe condition or vulnerability of such machine, plant,system or structure either during use or while underdevelopment.

Interpretation

It is accepted that through a diagnostic capability ora special knowledge of a failure and deteriorationmodes, reliabilities and hazards a person will be ableto contribute to a satisfactory assessment of thecauses of a defect and able to contribute to theidentification of remedial action to cure the defectand prevent failure.

Motivation

Employers are invited to recognise that persons whohave joined have shown distinguished interest indeveloping and extending their technical skill.

Rewards

Prizes up to £500 in value are offered annually for thebest brief accounts of interesting diagnostic cases.

Activities

The Institution shall arrange and subsidise:

� Regular Newsletters to members� Regular notices of services available from members

will be (distributed free of charge to members) to interested parties. These notices will also be displayed at times on the Institution’s web page.

CertificateA Membership Certificate is issued to all members.

The Objectives of the Institution

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Diagnostic Pages Not Change 28/4/08 1:03 pm Page 5

Diagnostic Engineering 5


Fluke, the global leader in handheldelectronic test and measurementequipment, has introduced the new

Fluke 1650B Series of multifunctionInstallation Testers to test and verifydomestic, commercial and industrialelectrical installations - the 1651B, 1652Band 1653B models. The 1650B Seriesbuilds on the rugged performance of theearlier 1650 Series, but it has beenredesigned to make testing even moreproductive. The testers ensure that fixedwiring is safe and correctly installed tomeet the latest BS7671 17th Editionwiring regulations as well as IEC 60364and HD 384.

The Fluke 1650B Series show twomeasurements at once on a dual display.This can show PEFC/PSC and loopimpedance results in parallel negating therequirement to run the tests separately,more than halving the test time of otherloop testers. The 1650B Series alsofeatures an additional new high-currentloop test which gives extremely fastmeasurements when testing in circuitswhere no RCDs are being used. All the1650B Series offer both non trip and thisnew high current test so the user canselect depending on the application.In addition there is fast voltage measure-ment between L-N, L-PE and N-PE usingthe mains cord, with no need to changemeasurement connections.

An Earth Volt Touchpad detects earthvoltages raised above 50V to indicatepotentially dangerous situations. Theinstruments are supplied as standardwith fused test leads to comply with HSEGuidance note GS38. These latest leadsfrom Fluke have gold plated contactsto ensure reliability and repeatability oftesting.

The Fluke 1653B is the completetester for virtually all electrical wiringinstallations, for domestic, commercialand industrial use. The 1652B is theideal tester for the professional working indomestic and commercial installations.The Fluke 1651B is the everyday tester,ideal for domestic installations coveringall the basic needs for testing the 17thEdition wiring regulations / Part P of thebuilding regulations.

For ease of use, a rotary dial clearlyindicates which function is selected, andprovides access to all functions in oneplace to avoid complex multi-level menus,so that even after a long period of non-usethe Fluke 1650B remains intuitive to use. Alarge display with backlight uses clearsymbols and has an exceptionally wideviewing angle for easy and safe readings.There is a PASS/FAIL indication for RCDtest results, and a variable RCD currentmode for customised settings. It iscompact, lightweight (less than 1.2 kg)and has a padded neck-strap to freetesters’ hands for testing.

The Fluke 1653B is equipped with abuilt-in memory to store test results fastand easily on site without any additionaldevice needed. Each stored measurementconsists of the test function and userselectable test references, such as thecabinet and circuit number. The data canbe uploaded to a computer after testing

for the preparation of professional reports.A slim probe with test button suppliedwith the 1652B and 1653B enablesinitiation of a test without the need toaccess or reference to the front panelwhen probing hard to reach points.

All Fluke 1650B models have detachablestandard 4-mm leads that can be replacedif damaged or lost, and require nocustomised special connectors. A durablehard case protects the instrument in toughfield conditions. A Zero Adapter ensureseasy, reliable and accurate test lead andmains cord compensation. The adaptercan be used for all kinds of mainsplugs and test accessories like probesand alligator clips.

The new Fluke 1650B Series can bepurchased from Fluke authoriseddistributors and wholesalers. For moreinformation about all Fluke products, visitwww.fluke.co.uk

For further information:

Ken West

UK Regional Marketing Manager IndustrialToolsFluke (U.K.) Ltd.,52 Hurricane Way,Norwich,Norfolk NR6 6JB

Tel: 0207 942 0700Fax: 01603 256 606e-mail: [email protected]

Fluke introduces the new1650B multifunctionInstallation Testers

Extra functions increase productivity whileproviding the same ruggedness of design

5 Fluke ver 2 AW 28/1/09 6:42 pm Page 1

The title of a song by the folk singerand peace activist, Tom Paxton, is adelightfully cynical take on the

America of 1964, but only the names havechanged since then. It invokes the officialview that the executive is always right,and that hanging murderers is always just,‘even if we make a mistake sometimes’.

However, the residents of much of NorthAmerica, Canada’s North West Territories,and Yellowknife especially, would havebeen as concerned as Paxton when thetruth slowly emerged about satelliteCosmos 954.

Cosmos 954 was a Russian satellite whichgot out of control, finally crashing to eartharound 4 am on 24th January 1978,narrowly missing Yellowknife, a smallmining town high in Canada’s frozenNorthern Territories, and the southernterminal for the Channel Five ‘Ice Roadtruckers’. (This was written beforeYellowknife became so famous).

Cosmos 954’s approaching descent toearth received worldwide publicity, notleast because the world was concerned onwhose of our heads it might fall. Readersmay just remember the hoo ha.

Now that the dust has long since settled -literally, it’s worth examining the episodeto see what, ¡f anything, can be learnt. Thesatellite was large, a total weight of fivetons, much larger than normal, suggestingthe Russians were up to something verysecret.

They claimed that before re-entry it wouldbreak into three, and the nuclear reactorwould be fired out into deep space.

This didn’t happen.

Neither would the Russians co-operate,either in divulging information, plotting itspath, or even admitting they had lostcontrol, until after rest of the world hadlong since worked it out. They did confirmit wasn’t a missile: this statement could bedescribed ¡n the then current Americaneuphemism as “Enlightened Self Interest”,because the Soviets knew it would havetriggered the NORAD defence response,which would launch, automatically,massive nuclear retaliation.

The satellite adopted an irregular, yoyo-ing orbit, varying up to fifty miles inaltitude that The Hawks’ in the Pentagoninterpreted as a ruse to probe Americandefences. As it descended in heightits orbit times increased. This madepredicting the time and place of its finalimpact, beyond the capabilities ofcomputer science. The satellite’s path wasmoving west about twenty degrees oflatitude. with each orbit, and on oneof its last orbits passed directly over LasVegas where the organisation taskedwith cleaning up the mess was housed.(Nobody if seems had taken this remotepossibility into account).

Wide spread ignorance spawned massivespeculation as to its chances of falling onland, averaging out at a twelve percentchance, with computer predictions havinggreater variance than weather forecasts!This wasn’t surprising as such a thinghad never happened before. Similarly theNuclear Emergency Search Team (NEST)had never had to tackle a project on sucha scale.

954 finally disappeared from the radarover Canada. The Americans had taken theresponsible view that as the leadingnuclear state, if was their task to clear’ upany nuclear accidents in the free world,

but to date, their nearest experience hadbeen cleaning up nuclear bombs from acrashed US aircraft, in Greenland. Howeverthey were well prepared and had theirsearch and clear-up gear ready packed inthree enormous C141 transports, withscientific specialists on standby.

One problem was, Canada is anothercountry, and America is legally hamstrungover nuclear protocols that. precludeforeigners from any participation. Thiscomplicated relations with the Canadianswho, initially opted for a completely openpolicy, while the Americans adopted oneexactly opposite, so they would not evenwhisper what the rest of the world wasalready fully aware of. Fully aware, that is,except for one potentially devastatingfact.

Canada is a big place, and no one knewwhere it had landed. The worst-caseprojection was for a footprint up to sixtymiles wide, and six hundred miles long,along a North Easterly axis. The final foot-print of debris was half this area,at eighteen thousand square miles.

Only two people saw its end: Red Indianswho, due to official bullying of their race,were either too afraid or too apathetic toreport it.

Visual search over the area by U2 spyplanes failed to turn up anything From upthere, the land was white, the lakes werewhite the trees were white.

Now we come to the devastating fact thatdidn’t get into the Daily News’. Althoughsatellites carry small nuclear reactors. 954was carrying a large nuclear power plant,containing a mass of U235 equivalent tothe bomb dropped on Hiroshima!

This caused concern among the satellitetrackers, some of whom thought that thiscould reach critical mass due to heatingon re-entry, producing a ferocious nuclearair-burst over the USA.

This didn’t get into the ‘Daily News’ eitheruntil Canadian investigative journalist LeoHeaps published his book ‘OperationMorning Light’ later that year.

Read it in“The Daily News”

by Malcolm Hedley-Saw MIDiagE



6 The Daily News ver 2 AW 28/1/09 6:43 pm Page 1

The search method was grid searches byaircraft carrying gamma ray detectors,small enough to fit in helicopters. TheCanadians were the first to find a majorradioactive component thanks to anEnglish born scientist who had built agamma ray detector that was larger andmore sophisticated than the Americanones, needing a Hercules transport toaccommodate it. Even so, in the age beforeGPS, it was difficult to pinpoint the spoton the ground, although the Americanslater set up a ranging system, whichenabled more accurate navigation forflying accurate box searches, down to awingspan apart.

One problem hampering progress was thatnuclear emissions from objects buriedin snow emit only a narrow verticalbeam upward meaning that you haveto fly directly overhead, within a few feetlaterally, to detect it.

However, history and our recollections tellus that there was no nuclear explosion, oreven casualties, thanks mostly to goodluck.

With the benefit of hindsight, the world,and North America in particular, was morelucky than clever. The situation wasmade considerably worse by the lack ofinformation forthcoming from the Soviets.

Because it was officially a Canadian‘show’, with Americans offeringassistance, the Canadian Atomic EnergyContro’ Board clamped down on all news,at variance with its own government’spolicy, shipping all radioactive materialsto its research facility for analysis.All information disappeared into anadministrative ‘black hole’, evading the‘Daily News’.The nuclear core was apparently neverfound, and only a minute percentage ofthe five tons ever recovered, while if wasagreed that most of the highly enricheduranium became a cloud of particles,dispersed over a wide area. Ironicallysearch was handicapped by the localintensity of natural radiation over thewhole province.

From a diagnostic point of view theproblem was unique:

1. It had never before arisen, so there wereno guidelines other than minimalexperience and common sense.

2. Inadequate data on which to makedecisions. While the story underlines theimportance of having as much data aspossible before momentous decisions aretaken, perversely, the best guess of the twocomputer analysts who worked more orless continuously for fourteen days topredict its landfall, was their first, basedon the most tentative data. This suggeststhat, when the chips are down anddecisions have to be made, gut instinct ofthose at the sharp end may be the best.

3. The risk of making the wrong decision,or no decision, at the wrong time. At onepoint, evacuation of most of NorthAmerica was considered. The problemnobody could solve was where to go.

4. One further point, not importantdiagnostically, was the obsession theCanadian technocrats had with secrecy.Where have we come across this before?To give us a clue, the name of theirresearch establishment, coincidently is‘Whitehall’.

The book turned up some fascinatinginsights on operating in the frozen Northin deep winter. Major finds were reportedby hunters, while the RCMP were keptbusy dissuading the local Indians fromtouching the radioactive finds. There is noword in the Chippewan language todescribe ‘radioactivity.’ The nearest was‘poison’, which didn’t make too muchsense to them as there was already amajor scare locally around the lakes fromarsenic pollution in the waters, from goldrefining.

Each aircraft carried a survival expert tolead the crew in the event of ditching intemperatures down to minus sixty degrees.The Great Slave Lake, the largest of themyriad lakes in that part of the NorthWest Territories, is closest to Yellow knife,In winter the ice can grow to five foot

thick and after surface snow is cleared,will support a fifty ton load, enablingHercules to use it until the spring break up.

Most of the close up work was carried outby twin Otter planes landing onaluminium skis, allowing them to landon any flat snow. A specialised techniquerequires slithering to a standstill, then,immediately, short movements forwardseveral times. This is because the skis heatup on’ landing, and melt the snow locally.If you don’t move on, the melt waterfreezes, gluing the aircraft to the spot, soyou keep moving until they have cooleddown. Pity the guy who first discoveredthe problem!

To end on a reassuring note, there arecurrently upwards of twelve thousandsatellites above our heads. So far nonehave publicly collided, and only this week(at the time of writing) has a conventionbeen announced to develop some sort ofair traffic control for space - only twentyeight years later, to the month!

Malcolm Hedley-Saw MIDiagE



Don’tForget

You can advertiseyour services or products

in this JournalFree of Charge.

Simply forward details. text,photographs etc., by email orpost to Head Office and we

will produce an advertisementfor you according to

space available.

6 The Daily News ver 2 AW 28/1/09 6:43 pm Page 2

Collacott PrizeWinners 2008

The Council offers sincerecongratulations to ourworthy prize winners

1st Prize -Karl Dalton

MIDiagEFor his article:

Measuring Shock Pulse which appeared in

the Jan/Feb 2008 issue.

2nd Prize -Jeffrey Casciani-Wood

FIDiagEFor his paper:

A Water Problem Solvedpublished in the

July/August 2008 issue.

MembersPlease Note:

You are invited to make yourcontribution to this journal.

Whatever your experience ofdiagnostic engineering, all

contributions will be consideredby the council for the

Callocott Prize.

UK systems engineering company,Lee-Dickens Ltd. has launched asingle channel variable area (VA)

flowmeter alarm unit suitable for use witha wide range of VA flow meters includingmodels supplied by Emerson andYokogowa. The BU191 sensor and alarmsystem is configurable and can be used toalert engineers to low or high gas flowconditions.

Originally designed for BNFL Ltd. for use atSellafield, the SIL2 /IEC 61508 ratedsystem can easily be fitted retrospectivelyand used to monitor the flow of any typeof gas. The sensor head contains an infrared source and detector and is fittedaround the flowmeter to be monitored.It is supplied with 5m of cabling to allowthe sensor to be connected to its associat-

ed alarm unit. The system includes asensitivity adjustment allowing it to caterfor different flow rates.

The alarm panel features three LEDswhich alert engineers visually to thestatus of the gas flows and power.A white LED indicates that the powerstatus is ‘on’, a separate LED shows greento indicate a healthy level of gas flowchanging to red if there is a problem.A third ‘instrument fault’ LED shines amberwhen power is lost either by the alarm unitor at the sensor head.

Should a power outage cause this LED toswitch to amber - it can only be cleared byrestoring power, replacing the sensor headand passing the float from the Alarm Stateto the Healthy State and then by pressingreset.

These units are particularly appropriate foroperators monitoring the safety ofgas flows in the food, drink, chemicals,pharmaceuticals, nuclear and powerindustries. The BU191 can be AC or DCpowered and fits a variety of metersincluding the Emerson 1100, Emerson1300 and Yokogowa RAGK series VA flowmeters. The head sensors cost £179 + VATand the single channel alarm unit £320+ VAT. More details are available fromLee-Dickens’ sales office by [email protected] or via tel+44 (0) 1536-760156.

Lee-Dickens launches a variablearea flowmeter alarm system



The BU191 VA Flowmeter single channelalarm available from Lee-Dickens Ltd

We offer a warm Welcometo our New Members

The Chairman and the Council of Management are pleased towelcome our new members. We hope that their membership will assist

them in reaching their aspirations and add to their knowledge from contactwith other members as well as through the medium of this Journal.

Martin Towey MIDiagENo. 10235 Member. Area: Merseyside

Mechanical Engineer Team Leader

Nigel May MIDiagENo.10273 Member. Area: Hampshire

Forensic Vehicle Examiner

8 Lee Dickens ver 3 AW 28/1/09 6:44 pm Page 1



The latest addition to the Royal Navy’snext generation of nuclear poweredattack submarines, the Astute Class,

is being built by BAE Systems SubmarineSolutions (BAE Systems Barrow) usingTeseo’s modular aluminium hollow barsystem to deliver compressed air on to theBAE production line at Barrow-in-Furness.

BAE Systems Barrow have specified Teseo’ssystem in the development of their‘Construction Vision’ programme thatseeks to optimise the submarine buildprocess. The company is currently build-ing four of the planned seven-strong class– Astute, Ambush, Artful and Audacious -with a cost for the first three agreed withthe Ministry of Defence at £3.8bn.

Previously, fitters in BAE Systems’Devonshire Dock Hall (DDH) would workon the boats from scaffold on the outsideand then move inside. Any problems wouldrequire them to stop installing, climb outof the sub, down the towers and go to theworkshop to make even minor alterations.It wasn’t the most efficient system.

BAE Systems’ Construction Visionprogramme identified the need to developmethods of construction, which wouldexclude the wasted man-hours. Theyintroduced modular, stackable office andworkshop units onto the DDH shopfloor.Teseo products were specified after BAESystems production engineering developer,Ray Woods, saw them at a trade show andrealised the system was ideal for the task.Following a meeting with Sean Connolly,director of Teseo UK, a system wasprescribed that would be robust enough tomeet the task, flexible enough to managethe design requirements and designed toensure the highest safety standards.

“We were looking at ways to bring thebuild process right into the 21st century,”says Ray Woods. “We designed the stackedconstruction towers to have modularoffice spaces and workspaces in an effortto bring people out of the workshop andonto the line. We had rolled out the

system fully by the beginning of boat3 (Artful) and it has worked a treat.”Mark Earnshaw, Principal OperationsEngineer for BAE Systems Barrowcontinues: “The construction visionprogramme sought, among other things,a solution for compressed air delivery thatwas adaptable, could be easilymodified, was clean and tidy. We foundTeseo’s system and used it on the firstprototype as the vision became a reality.The work crews used it, pointed out whereand how things needed adapting and weoptimised the system accordingly.”

The HBS (hollow bar system) and the AP(aluminium profile) products featurealuminium extruded piping which hasan external rectangular section with teeslots and a fine, smooth internal bore.A wide selection of angle and straightjoints, quick clamping pieces andconnectors make the Teseo system totallyflexible in layout design and quick toinstall. The speed and ease of accurateinstallation reduces labour time and skillsto make the Teseo system an attractivetechnical and economic choice formodern compressed air and fluid delivery.

Darren Lawson is operations improvementmanager at BAE Systems Barrow and

led the integration of the Teseo systeminto the modules. “The Teseo product’sflexibility has been useful; we hang it fromthe existing cable supports and run itaround the hall. Our stackable modules are‘plug-and-place’ and loaded four-high; theTeseo system allows us to have just oneinput line coming into the stack which canthen be split to feed each module.Crucially, we are not restrictedto where the outputs go. We have 5-6outlets per workshop and can run in thepipework and THEN decide where we wantan outlet. Connecting the Teseofitting after that is simple. There are nocables to worry about either so there areno health and safety issues. It’s a greatsystem.”

Local contractor, Edmunson Electrical hasbeen responsible for the installation of theTeseo products. Director Dave Stewart:“The Teseo product is so simple to installand can be used on the most complex ofjobs.”

Lighter than traditional galvanised steelairlines to install and handle the Teseolines are also more energy efficient due tothe high flow rates of a smoothprofiled aluminium tube (typically 30%higher than steel) which equates toa lower pressure drop and overallenergy savings from day one. Since theintroduction of the Teseo system, buildtimes have shortened.

Teseo Air System Goes Nuclear

Teseo Air Systems specified in BAE nuclear powered submarine construction

9 Teseo ver 2 AW 28/1/09 6:44 pm Page 1

This was my first solo voyage outsideJersey waters. By solo, I mean with-out the comforting sight of accompa-

nying Vessels of the Cruising Section ofthe Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club. And,of course, without the fatherly eye of anexperienced seaman in the cockpit topoint out errors before their effect wasfelt. It was one of those days... force threefrom the North East and real Jersey sum-mer sun. A neap tide meant that we couldsail from Belcroute at any time, and tocomfortably make Granville lock wedecided to leave at 11.30 am.

As I have said, it was one of those days.Loaded with provisions as a first step, Irowed the Redcrest dinghy to the stern ofROTRID STAR, as I had a transom entry.Saving time, I decided to drop the board-ing ladder but load the boxes directly onto the stern, then go on board and stowthe contents. This would save roping theboxes and hoisting on deck, then unlash-ing and going back to the dinghy. The firstbox went on beautifully. The second waslarger and just overbalanced. Turning itround, the dinghy slid away from underme, the box overbalanced and I ended inthe water showered by hard tins. Lookingdown through the water I could see thebottle of Napoleon brandy standing on thebottom.

I was, as always, wearing my lifejacket.This is comforting, but not exactly thething to swim round Belcroute in, gather-ing floating tins and trying to note theposition of sunken goods. Of course I hadshaken off my waders (which is why Iwear a lifejacket) and as I paddled my wayback to the shore I reflected that it was abit of a waste of time trying to keep myfeet dry but I have an aversion to that wetclammy feeling.

Back home, I changed. My long sufferingwife (known on the sweepstake entries as“Fifi”) made up a duplicate set of goodiesand I set off, this time determined to do itright. Especially as the load this timeincluded sleeping bags. Back on Belcroutebeach, the water was just about to floatthe dinghy. I loaded it, pushed it out-and

forgot I did not have thigh boots on. Onlyknee length boots which squelched. It wasas a I have said, one of those days...

My two young keen crew were waiting asI arrived at Belcroute for the third time. Tosave time with rowing I fitted the out-board. With everyone aboard I pushed offand pulled the starting cord. Nothing.Again. And again. No time to find outwhat was wrong (it turned out to be dirtin the main jet) so back to the oars. Witha flat calm it was easy. On board, checkcourses, start engines and ready to go.Cast off! (the skipper in command for thefirst time). What’s wrong? Crew memberblushes. Dinghy painter the wrong side ofthe stanchion...

Ten minutes late at the Demi des Paslighthouse, we set course for the N.E.Miniquiers buoy, keeping St. Peter’schurch over the Demi and checked thecompass. All seemed well and at sevenknots all seemed to be going well. In duecourse up came the N.E. Miniquiers buoy,and we again checked course for the nextleg to L’Etat Tower on Chausey. WithAutopilot FRED (Fantastically ReliableElectronic Device) doing his stuff, itseemed safe to relax and eat. The sea wasstill smooth, the force three was nownothing.

l46°M seemed to be wandering when Inext looked at the compass. With thatsinking feeling that not was all well Iordered a lookout for the red and whiteLes Ardentes which should by then havebeen to starboard. At the same time Irealised that FRED was on strike. Worse,the alternator was not charging and thebattery was flat. Detailing a crew to holdcourse as before I found the drive belt wasslack and started to tighten it, only to findthat the engine makers had omittedto allow for belts to be tightened, thealternator not being standard fixture. Themakers shall be nameless, but I calleddown enough curses on their designers tomake their ears tingle. A quick decision tostart the wing engine and with jumpleads, drive the autopilot from this gener-ator. The sharp eyed youngsters then

spotted Les Ardentes on the port hand andthis enabled me to set course for L’Etat.It was then I noticed that the horizon haddisappeared. Fog.

Experienced skippers must have all, at onetime, felt that leaden feeling in one’sstomach which must be called fear, andyet known that a confident front was allone can do. A quick time check, a pointplot and carry on. Then, by the grace ofGod, a quick parting of the fog to showthe double hump of Chausey, roughlywhere it should be. Then nothing.

Sharp eyed young crew on deck, peeringfor that great white tower. Seems late,better reduce speed. And so down to fiveknots and hoping. Suddenly a cry “over toport”. I can see nothing but steer port untilI see it. So close, visibility must be twentyfive yards or less. As I steer outside it asloop looms up to port to cross my bows,turns to port and we are all heading thesame way. Then she veers away to portagain and I carry on looking for the nexttower, course 146°M. Again nothing. Ashout “ROCK AHEAD”. I swing quickly toport and the sharp tooth passes to star-board, about ten feet away. That was aclose one. Again on guesswork. If thatrock was a Chausey rock we must keep toport. Yet where is that R.W. Tower.Nothing for it but to dogleg it and getback on 146°M. A R.D.F. check won’t beaccurate enough here. Allowing for thedogleg we must have passed the tower sonow for the Pignon. Nothing. Nothing butfog at five knots. Everything happens soquickly in fog.

Two shouts. “Sail on port hand”. “Buoy toport”. The sloop sails up to the buoy, rightround it and sets off about 146°M. She islost in the fog before I can get her name.We motor gently up to the buoy. Identifiedas Le Founet, we reassess tides, time andset forth again at seven knots, hopingnothing fast is coming our way. In themurk, all one can do is to keep course,keep lookout, and plot R.D.F. This is finewhen you can turn the alternator screechoff, but the auxiliary dynamo wasn’tscreened. It seemed hours later when aFrench trawler approached from the stern.Fifi speaks French. Smiles at a damsel indemi deshabille (it was still hot) and some

Jersey - Granville in ‘Rotrid Star’An insight into the joys of cruising by Robert Kisch FIDiagE.

Continued on page 24



pages 10 -24 -28.qxd 28/1/09 6:45 pm Page 1

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The world's largest manufacturer ofNorth American and European-stylefuses is using the Cropico D05000

microhmmeter to test the functionalityof its products during the manufacturingprocess.

Cooper Bussmann, a wholly owneddivision of US-based Cooper Industries Inc,manufactures fuses at several sites aroundthe world for the electrical,electronics and transportation industries.

The company has specified the D05000 forvarious manufacturing sites includingoperations in Eastern Europe and Asiawhere it is being used to test theelectrical resistance values of the fusesduring production.

This enables Cooper Bussman to check thefuses are working properly, functioningwithin pre-defined +/- parameters. Tenunits have already been supplied withfurther orders expected in 2009.

The D05000 was chosen to replace theprevious testers because according toindustrial engineering manager Dave

Laxton it is a superior product offeringgreater functionality.

He said: "Not only is the D05000 the mostcost effective solution for us but also thebest, with functionality greater in terms ofoutput.

"It's fulfilled all expectations and hasimpressed with its performance in thedemanding production environment."

Designed to handle all testing applicationswith a single highly flexible meter, itmeasures from 0.1µÙ to 30,000Ù ineight ranges with manual or automaticselection and ±0.03% accuracy. Automatictemperature compensation with 20°Creferencing or other user-defined settingsincreases true measurement accuracy.

Higher accuracies over a wider measuringrange on the DO5000 microhmmeter arecombined with greater functionality thanother instrument models and programma-ble current setting in 1% steps from 10%to 100% with 10A maximum.

Measurement speed settings of 50, 25or 2.5 per second allow selection of

high speed with full accuracy forproduction line testing usually with aninterface, medium mode also for fastproduction testing but where the DUTneeds a bit more time to settle or slowspeed for manual operation where displayclarity is a priority.

Component sorting is simplified byprogrammable Hi/Lo limits and built-in algorithms ensure stable readingsfor measuring inductive circuits such aswindings.

The standard unit also has RS232 anddata logging function, storing up to 4000readings with date and time stamp andstatistical analysis.

Interfaces can be added for remotecontrol and integration into automatedtest systems.

The D05000 forms part of a comprehen-sive range of precision measurementinstruments available from Cropico Ltd,part of the Seaward Group.

More at www.cropico.co.ukTel: 0191 587 8731.

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11 Cropico ver 2 AW 28/1/09 6:46 pm Page 1

This is a tale which goes to show thatwe can all make mistakes - humanbeings are programmed to do just

that - but it is the manner and thetimeliness in which the problem is resolvedthat sort out the real managers from thosewho are really just “key holders” to thepremises.

Let me set the scene, Duncan Bennettowned a Porsche Carrera 2/911 of whichhe was justifiably very proud.

He had owned it from new, and at thetime of this incident, it was booked in atthe local Porsche dealer - who for thepurposes of this saga we will refer to asBodgett & Scarper - for a 60,000 mileservice and an MOT.

Whilst in their care, they also fitted fournew tyres to vehicle, more of which anon.

The next bit becomes a bit confused;however, at some point whilst it was beingdriven by one of B & S’s employees, theengine went bang!

This was bad enough, but when the, forwant of a better word, we will call“management” of B & S, then informedMr. Bennett that “this was down to him”,there ensued, what can only be describedin higher management parlance, as a“manure/fan interface situation”.

Mr. Bennett, like many Porsche owners,was not in the habit of being “messedaround”, and also, like many Porscheowners was not without a bob or two.

Without more ado, he instructed hissolicitors - Lye, Fiddel & Cheet - to sortmatters out.

That was when I became involved.

Bodgett & Scarper opened the batting fortheir side saying that only a “qualified”engineer would be permitted to examinethe engine. Fine, I am a qualifiedengineer.

They then went on to say that I would notbe permitted to enter their premises until

they had checked my qualifications.Fine again by me, so all it needs is alittle trip up into the loft to dig out thebox with the certificates, and load theminto the boot of the car.

If this is how they wish to play the game,so be it, but be warned, I am now in aslightly “playful” mood.

Come the day, come the time, and I arrivedat the premises of B & S.

As a measure of their supreme confidencethat they were in the right, the manage-ment kept the owner and me waiting forhalf and hour before they deigned to seeus.

This is not the first time that this hadhappened, and I know just how to dealwith it - remember that I too go in to batat some stage in these proceedings.

“I believe that you wish to see proof of myqualifications” I said to their “DealerPrincipal”.

“Ah, well, I am not sure that, well, um,it may not be altogether, well, ah, in thecircumstances...”

“Oh, but I brought them especially for youto see” said I, rather enjoying the moment.

Gently, but firmly, I steered him to my car,and we went through the whole bloominglot of them - even my very first City &Guilds certificate. You can have a lot ofinnocent fun when you are in a playfulmood!!

Once in the workshop, and what waslaughingly called their “clean” room, therewas the engine stripped down and waitingfor inspection.

But wait, where is the oil? I gave specificinstructions that it should be saved, soI enquired, only to be told that they haddisposed of it.

On reflection, I think that we will changethis game from cricket to tennis.Right, 15/love in my favour!

What they do not know, is that I canmanage with a very small amount of oilfor the analysis - one test only requires15µg - that is miniscule, so I collectedwhat I wanted from the remains in thesump and put it in a sealed container.

The engine had suffered catastrophicfailure which originated in the Nos. 6 & 7main bearings caused by oil starvation.

The oil which I collected was heavilydiscoloured - remember this, as all willbecome apparent shortly.

I then requested from the managementcopies of the workshop job sheets,invoices and the MOT inspection sheet -I want some times and dates to workout precisely when this failure occurred.

“We are not prepared to release these, andthey are commercially confidential” wasthe response - 15all, possibly.

“Would you like me to obtain a courtorder instructing you to provide thesedocuments?” I (innocently) asked - 30/15.

Eventually, they were forthcoming, andwhat a story they told - a gripping read,but not quite as gripping as Harry Potter!

Lo, and behold, there had been twopeople working on the vehicle at the sametime - never a wise move, in my opinion,unless they know each other’s workingmethods intimately.

Further, B & S did not carry out MOTtesting themselves, but rather took thevehicles to a nearby industrial estate tohave them done.

Looking at the MOT check sheet, theemissions test was carried out at 16:05,and it so happened that two “technicians”were booked out as working on the carfrom 16:00 to 16:16! “Curioser andcurioser” said Alice.

When the oil analysis came back, itshowed that the oil was old and depletedin additive content - it needed changing,to put it in language that you and I canunderstand.

Having carried out all my further researchI was ready to write my report.

Well oiled?Another tale of woe from Douglas Wragg FIDiagE



12 Well Oiled ver 2 AW 28/1/09 6:47 pm Page 1

Before we deal with the engine, let usconsider the tyres. Whilst I was at thepremises of B & S I insisted on inspectingthe vehicle. It had been left outside withthe inevitable consequences. I took note ofthe four “new” tyres which had beenfitted, and found that they were threeyears old, even though they had neverbeen on the road; therefore, they were“old” stock. This is not a good situationfor an everyday car, and certainly notacceptable on a car such as this.

They will have to be changed before thecar can be put back in service - well, I toldyou I was in a playful mood! 40/15, I think!

Well, to the engine, my report dealt indetail with the failure, and in the“opinion” section, I offered B & S threeoptions:-

1. The oil was changed during the service.2. The oil was not changed during theservice.3. The oil was drained on the service butwas not replenished.

Then the report went on to discuss theimplication of these.

Option No.1The report from Professor Cranford and theAnalytical Services Section of Grange Oilat Wellborn in Berkshire showed that theoil in the engine was old and depleted inadditive content, and therefore could nothave been recently added to the engine.Therefore, option No.1 may be discountedfrom the diagnosis.

Given that Bodgett & Scarper does notchange the engine oil filter at the 12.000mile service, but rather on the 24.000 mileservice, there would have been residual oilin the filter and the oilgalleries of the engine which would nothave drained out.

Allowing a generous quantity for retainedoil of, say, 1 litre, when the engine hadbeen replenished with oil - approximately10 litres - there would have been a“dilution” effect whereby the remaining oilin the engine would have mixed withthe new and been absorbed by it. In allprobability there would have little if anydiscolouration to the oil as a result.

Option No.2 Given the foregoing information, optionNo.2 poses a problem, as the oil wasundoubtedly old and depleted in additivecontent, and yet new oil was charged foron the invoice at £107.15. It is thereforevery unlikely that the oil was changed onthe service.

Option No.3The possibility for this option occurringarises from two people working on thesame vehicle at the same time. It is knownthat this situation occurred on threeoccasions when the vehicle was at Bodgett& Scarper; however, it is not known for afact whether one of these times was whenthe service was being carried out, and inparticular, whether the engine oil wasbeing changed.

This model of Porsche does not incorporateany fail-safe device to stop the enginebeing run if there is insufficient oil in theengine. Whilst it is impossible to say withabsolute accuracy how far it wouldbe possible to drive the vehicle in thiscondition, given the quality of the oilused, a distance of five to ten milesmay well have been possible beforecatastrophic failure occurred.

Of the three options available, this is moreprobable than options Nos. 1 & 2.

Game to Wragg - new balls please.

It is a funny thing, but whenever you carryout an investigation and submit a report,one side will no longer love you, andyou will be removed from their Christmascard list.

A heated exchange ensued between thesolicitors and B & S, who vehementlydenied any wrong doing, and were of theopinion that DGW was incompetent,wrong and biased. 15/love to B & S -possibly.

The case was progressing towards court,and I had written a further supplementaryreport on the oil analysis, pointing out thatas it came from an independent source, itwould be wrong to suggest that it too wasbiased and wrong. 15 all!

At the very last minute, B & S made whatcould be described as an “offer” to settle.

The solicitor contacted me and asked whatI thought of it. “Give me half an hour towork out the sums and I will telephoneyou with my thoughts” I replied.

So I did.

“Well” I said “I think that they have onlycovered about one third of the real costsinvolved.”

Let us consider the following:-

1. Loss of use.2. Road fund licence.3. Insurance.4. Depreciation of the vehicle - typically25% per annum5. Re-commissioning.6. New brake discs and pads due tostanding out in the open.7. Comprehensive valeting.8. Four new tyres

Plus all the costs of the investigation, oilanalysis and the cost of a new engine,fitting and all that goes with it.

“I suggest that you go for a sum threetimes higher, and tell them that it is notnegotiable.”

I could almost hear the solicitor purring atthe other end of the telephone. 30/15 inmy favour.

Eventually, B & S capitulated, and saidthat they would rebuild the engine.

My reply was that they should not, andthat a new engine should be fitted, but notby them. 40/15.

However, they should re-assemble the oldengine so that it could be sent back to thefactory for exchange - at their cost. Gameto Wragg!

If only they had addressed the problemright at the beginning and investigatedwhat had occurred instead of adoptingsuch an arrogant attitude, none of thiswould have happened, and it would nothave involved them in such a hugeexpense.

Douglas Wragg FIDiagE



12 Well Oiled ver 2 AW 28/1/09 6:47 pm Page 2

Anew vision inspection system,designed to add a range of qualitycontrols to tablet and capsule

counting systems for the pharmaceuticalindustry, has been launched by MachineVision Technology Ltd.

Supplied both with original equipment orretrofitted to existing counting systems,this latest use of camera vision technolo-gy has been specially developed byMachine Vision Technology Ltd (MVT) for

pharmaceutical applications. Tablet andcapsule colour, shape and size can beinspected, defects can be detected andproduct mixing prevented.

Utilising megapixel colour cameras withan LCD monitor and custom lighting, eachcamera scans an area equivalent to sixlanes or conveying channels on tabletcounting machines. The camera will detectcolour variation, texture,surface andcoating defects, such as scratches, cracks

and chips, and willmonitor size by length,width and diameter.

Camera software allows for menuselection of up to 400 products asstandard, although this is expandable.The menu also allows for recall ofpre-saved product parameters and alive image display provides ongoinginformation during production. Producttracking and analysis throughout the fieldof view of each camera is continuous.An analysis can be made every 50milliseconds.

Integrated with the counter software,the camera software identifies defectiveproducts through a signal to the counter,indicating where the defect has beendetected. One option would be for thecounter to force the defective tablet into aknown bottle for rejection on dischargefrom the counting machine.

Says Rick Marshall, Sales Manager, " MVT'ssystem is particularly suited to highvolume tablet counting machines. Addingour in line camera vision system enhancesquality control by providing additionalquality assurance, production repeatabilityand reliability."

The new system can be retrofitted easilyand is suitablefor all leading tabletcounting systems currently available,including those produced by PharmaPackaging Systems, Swift Pack, Cremer,Countec and others.

Further information from:

Rick Marshall

Machine Vision Technology LtdBlackdown Mill,Kenilworth RoadLeamington Spa

CV32 6QT

Tel: +44 (0) 1926 422043Email: [email protected]

www.machine-vision-technology.co.uk

New vision inspection systemadds quality controls totablet counting systems



MVT's new vision inspection system can be retrofitted easily to existingtablet counting machines, such as the Pharmacount 12-2 system pictured.

14 Machine Vision ver 2 AW 28/1/09 6:48 pm Page 1



Adding to the range of Fenner PowerTransmission products are the newFenner inverters and electric motors

offering simple, precise and powerful con-trol, delivering the very best in perform-ance and energy efficiency - time aftertime. From initial electrical input throughto the final driven machine, Fenner cannow offer a complete solution.

The new QuickDrive (QD) range ofinverters available from ERIKS UK.Available in a number of designs,including IP55 variants of the QD:E andQD:CT PLUS that are suited to harshenvironments, the QD range is incrediblyeasy to install and commission yet rich infeatures and functionality. The rangecaters for variable torque applications andthose needing high performanceopen-loop requirements and simple speedcontrol such as Heating, Ventilating andAir Conditioning (HVAC).

The Fenner QD:E (Easy) range is a basic,simple-to-use drive available in ratingsfrom 0.37kW to 11kW. The range iscompetitively priced, with factory pre-set

settings that are suitable for mostapplications. For more complexapplications, the 14 basic parameterscan easily be adjusted to suit moredemanding requirements.

The QD:E units have an overload capacityof 150% for 60 seconds, and are suppliedwith an integral RFI filter. Repeat

programming can easily be carried outwith the aid of the new Fenner Q-stick,a memory stick that simply plugs into thefront of the drive to allow the specificparameter settings to be uploadedextremely quickly and efficiently.

Suited to providing energy savings inHVAC applications is the QD-VT (VariableTorque) range. This range is specificallydesigned for use with fans and pumpsand is available with ratings from 1.5kWup to 160kW. Integral RFI filters are fittedas standard and each drive is capable ofa number of real-time energy optimisingfunctions, together with integrated PID(Proportional Integral Derivativecontroller) functionality.

The advanced QD:CT (Constant Torque)Plus range offers open-loop vectorcontrol for motors with ratings from 0.37kW to 160 kW. These drives are capable ofdelivering 200% torque right down to 0Hz, allowing them to be used in manyapplications where closed-loop controlwould have previously been essential.

Setting up QD:CT PLUS drives is simplicityitself, to achieve optimum performance, allthat is needed is the data found on themotor plate. The drive will thencontinuously (and automatically) track themotor characteristics and using the vectorcontrol algorithms adjust foroptimal performance ensuring maximumtorque at low speeds.

Completing the range are the enclosedQD:E IP55 and QD:CT PLUS IP55 unitsthat offer a fully weatherproof drivesuited for even the harshest of industrialenvironments. The front facia comescomplete with speed control knob,forward/reverse selector, lockable isolatorand full programming keypad and display.Fenner QD drives from ERIKS areMODBUS compatible and can beconverted to allow easy integration withFieldbus and Ethernet connections via theRS485 port. All QD drives can operate inambient temperatures from 0°C to 50°Cfor IP20 units and 0°C to 40°C for IP55units. The QD range is fully compliant withboth the ROHS and EMC directives andis UL/CUL approved.

The FM:P premium efficiency electricmotors, completes the new range ofproducts. The Fenner FM:P is an ECAcompliant, high efficiency motor thathas been designed to work in the mostdemanding applications. Available inpowers from 1.1 to 500kW, these motorsfeature NU bearings on larger motors toprolong bearing life where there is aconsiderable overhung load. Optimumenergy efficiency is guaranteed by theuse of high quality materials and qualifiesthe range for EFF1 status.


Tel: 01582 878870.Email: [email protected]

Fenner Inverters & MotorsCombine Tough Simplicity

with Versatility

15 Fenner ver 2 AW 28/1/09 6:48 pm Page 1

An insight into working in land-basedengineering is now available atw w w. l a n t r a . c o . u k / a f u t u r e i n

http://www.lantra.co.uk/afuturein>showcasing what a day in the life of anAgricultural Technician Apprentice mightbe like to those looking into a similarcareer. Lantra Sector Skills Council, withfunding from the East of England LSC andTrain to Gain, has produced the Afutureinthe environmental and land-basedindustries careers DVD to showcasejust some of the career opportunitiesavailable.Adam Godwin, of Ben Burgess in Aylsham,stars in the DVD to highlight what youmight do if you worked as an AgriculturalTechnician Apprentice. Adam said: "This isa fantastic industry to work in and if youwant to get into this career my top tip toyou is to apply for a Saturday job at yourlocal dealership, this may turn into workexperience and then an Apprenticeship.

After completing an Apprenticeship theopportunities are endless." Ben BurgessMD, Ben Turner, added: "I often callAgricultural Technicians a knight in shin-ing armour because to the customerwhose machine has broken down they turn

up just like a knight in shining armour tofix their problems. This is a great boost totheir self esteem but also puts them undera lot of pressure but the satisfaction at theend of the job is great."

The DVD will be made available toschools in the East of England and JobCentre Plus and can be viewed atwww.lantra.co.uk/afuturein.

Partnership Manager, Mike Appleyard,added: "The A future in careers DVDhighlights ten job roles available in theenvironmental and land-based industries.The aim is to highlight the interestingtasks involved in the day to lives ofpeople working in these industriestherefore encouraging others to focustheir future in our sector." To take a look ata day in the life of an AgriculturalTechnician Apprentice and others workingin the environmental and land-basedindustries visit www.lantra.co.uk.afutureinhttp://www.lantra.co.uk.afuturein>.

For careers information contact: LantraTel: 0845 707 8007or Email: [email protected]:[email protected]>alternatively visit:www.afuturein.com

Highlighting exciting careersin land-based engineering



Adam Godwin, of Ben Burgess, at work

16 Highlighting Careers AW 28/1/09 6:49 pm Page 1



Artesis, a leading supplier ofintelligent predictive maintenancesolutions, has launched the MCM

System on a Card (SoC), a product for theOEM sector, bringing a highly efficient andeasy to use tool suite that allows thefast and complete integration ofArtesis’s advanced condition monitoringtechnology into a variety of industrialcontrol and monitoring systems.

Artesis provides a range of intelligentcondition monitoring units to detectany changes in the condition of electricmotor-driven equipment as well asgenerators and alternators and providesautomated fault diagnosis. The Artesisintelligent monitor systems - MotorCondition Monitor (MCM) and PlantCondition Monitor (PCM) - both usean advanced technique known as model-based fault detection to allow fullyautomated setup and analysis. This allowsthe system to operate effectively withminimum user intervention, even when

applied to equipment with varying speedand load conditions.

The new MCMSoC enables OEMcompanies to integrate this unparalleledand highly advanced technology into arange of devices and systems and addingthe MCM capabilities to control ormonitoring systems.

“The MCM predictive maintenance systemis fast becoming an open, standards-basedsolution of choice for a wide range ofapplications in many industries,”said Andy Bates, director at Artesis.“Developing MCMSoC allows OEMs toembed a market-leading conditionmonitoring toolset that delivers muchmore than other systems on the market.The OEM sector is a significant market forus, and we can now enable companiesto implement our technology in theirproducts.”

Installation of MCMSoC is straightforwardwith only one connection necessary to themotor or generator supply cables and norequirement for any specialist sensors onthe equipment itself. MCMSoC hasthe added benefit of being suitablefor a wide range of applications anddevices including motor protectionrelays, current and circuit analysers, testequipment, event recorders, contactors,inverters, soft starters, and conditionmonitoring systems.

MCMSoC provides the functionality ofMCM in a single 40 pin PCB measuring40mm X 50mm. It requires only sixanalog inputs representing three phasecurrents and voltages, and communicatesusing a high speed I/O port. A customdevelopment package is also availableto allow in-circuit emulation.

About Artesis Artesis is a leading supplier of intelligentpredictive maintenance solutions andhas been offering its reliable andefficient range of products since 1999.Its technology has helped manycustomers around the world increaseproductivity and reduce maintenancecosts. The Artesis team combines extensiveexperience in advanced productdevelopment with the successfulapplication of advanced technologyto the requirements of operations andmaintenance professionals.

Artesis manufactures a range ofintelligent condition monitoring productsincluding the Motor Condition Monitor(MCM), and Plant Condition Monitor(PCM) instruments, and the MCMSCADAsoftware package. These products are usedfor plant monitoring, predictive mainte-nance, and process optimization acrossmultiple industries includingthe chemical and petrochemical, metalprocessing, power generation, pulp andpaper, water, utilities, cement, foodand beverage, automotive, textile, andmaritime sectors. Artesis has a robustintellectual property portfolio of issuedand pending patents internationally.

For further information contact:

ArtesisGeoff Walker, Director Artesis, St John’s Innovation Centre,Cowley Road, Cambridge CB4 [email protected] www.artesis.com

Artesis Launches MCMSoC For OpenIntegration Of Advanced ConditionMonitoring - Targeting OEM Sector

17 Artesis AW 28/1/09 6:50 pm Page 1

Do you have children? Do they buildprojects at home... or do they spendthe vast majority of their spare time

playing on computers?

I feel that it has become quite noticeableover the past few years that children havebecome more and more dependant oncomputers as the basis of not onlyentertainment but also imagination!

It would seem that long gone are the dayswhen the average child would find time,let alone inclination, to go out and build aproject of their very own, such as the‘soap-box go-cart’ or that ‘secret denat the bottom of the garden’ that, initself was the inspiration for so manyadventures. I know that today we all seemto be far more aware of the nastier side ofhuman nature that could put our childrenat risk... but then again both the develop-ment of such unpleasant people and ourknowledge of the same also stems from amedia that itself has grown up with a

dependence on computer related sources!

I am beginning to wonder if we haven’t alltaken a wrong turn somewhere in allowingour children to follow this path... We seemto be encouraging a generation of burgerbar serving staff, rather than adults withmotivation and vision.

Recently I visited a local school, I waseagerly shown the Technology departmentand the amazing projects that the childrenhad ‘built for themselves,’ I noticed acertain amount of similarity in commonprojects and enquired as to why this was. Iwas told that the children had done all oftheir development work on computers,using the same software package andaccordingly the same design tools andrules. The proud teacher expected mypraise, he didn’t receive it!

For some strange reason he couldn’t seethat the method used had stolen the art ofimagination from his students, trial and

error in manufacture had been replacedwith ‘virtual tools’ and models, in short thechildren had failed to grasp the complexi-ty of what they had achieved, to them ithad been little more than a kit of partsbuilt following written down instructions.I asked what would happen if he hadrequested that the children had designedand built the project for themselves,at first he had difficulty in graspingthe concept as being different from whatthey had done already. Eventually heunderstood and replied that the childrenwould be very difficult to inspire andcontrol if allowed to do their own thingand in any case it would lead to a waste ofmaterials.... I rest my case!

Where might I ask is the next generationof diagnostic engineers going to comefrom when our children have little conceptof simple fault finding through develop-ment and in fact would be hard pressedto do more than change a fuse (blown orotherwise). Perhaps I am being unfair, butI invite a member who is a secondaryschool teacher to justify this style ofteaching and tell us all how schools areencouraging inventiveness and diagnosticsat a hands on level?

John Sayer FIDiagE

Children of Designby John Sayer FIDiagE



18 Children of Design AW 28/1/09 6:51 pm Page 1



The 2009 edition of Autodata’s WheelAlignment Data manual is now onsale, offering workshops the vital

manufacturer information they need tosave time and money, whilst ensuring theircustomers’ safety.

Wheel Alignment Data ‘09 will provideworkshops with the critical anglesrequired to correctly align a car’s roadwheels relative to its chassis.

Incorrectly set geometry can lead tounpredictable vehicle dynamics, whichcould compromise the safety of the car’soccupants, or uneven tyre wear, leading tocostly replacements for motorists.

Normally, correct alignment is onlyachievable with the latest manufacturersettings, which can take time for atechnician to find. Autodata’s ‘09 manual

will save this time thanks to its constantlyupdated data.

Tony Swiatek, managing director ofAutodata, said: “Our 2009 manual willhelp garages ensure that vehicle handlingis optimised and is both predictableand controlled. Correct alignment willalso extend tyre life, putting a stop tounnecessary tyre replacement because ofuneven wear - a valuable benefit in thesecredit crunch times.”

Autodata’s Wheel Alignment Data manualcovers the following critical angles forwheels:

- Toe- Toe Out on Turns- Camber- Castor- King Pin Inclination.

The manual will be available from January,priced £45, from authorised TradeSuppliers or by calling Autodata directlyon 0845 607 7072.

New Autodata Wheel AlignmentManual Now available

Fluke, the world’s leading supplier oftest and measurement equipment,has unveiled the Fluke Challenge, an

interactive video game set in an imaginaryindustrial workplace that makes itfun learning how Fluke thermalimaging technology helps solve systemmaintenance problems. Fluke Challengeconveys a sense of reality you can see andfeel. The game is set in gritty industrialequipment rooms and there is a supervisornearby to check progress. To try the FlukeChallenge, go to www.fluke.co.uk/ti andclick on the Fluke Challenge Game icon.

As you scan the rooms and detectproblems with your Fluke thermal imager,

you can capture and save the images asyou would in real life. Then you can reportwhat you found to the boss and fix theproblem. There is a transformer that isoverloaded, fuses overheated, a valve stuckshut, etc. The more problems you find andfix the more money you save, the higheryour score...and the happier the boss.

Fluke thermal imagers are excellent toolsfor many applications, in a multitude ofindustries. The latest thermal imagersfrom Fluke, including the Fluke Ti25, FlukeTi10, Fluke TiR1 and Fluke TiR ThermalImagers, deliver more durability andperformance at a lower price thanever before, bringing the benefits of

thermography to the toolboxes ofeveryday maintenance technicians,troubleshooters, and contractors.

For more information on Fluke’s thermalimagers, visit www.fluke.co.uk/ti.


Ken West,UK Regional Marketing Manager -Industrial ToolsFluke (U.K.) Ltd., 52 Hurricane Way,Norwich, Norfolk NR6 6JBTel: 0207 942 0700Fax: 01603 256 606e-mail: [email protected]

Fluke Thermal Imaging Challenge videogame on the internet provides maintenance

troubleshooting experienceInteractive game demonstrates how thermal imagers save money

19 Auto Data Fluke 2 AW 28/1/09 6:51 pm Page 1

MAINTEC marks its 34th year as theUK’s leading maintenance andasset management show when

it returns to Birmingham’s NEC inMarch – and with the recession forcingPlant Managers to prioritise cost-savingmeasures, easyFairs® MAINTEC 2009 isarguably the most pertinent in its history.

The event (March 17-19 2009) showcasesa host of new products designed tooptimise plant availability and productivi-ty by avoiding unplanned shutdowns,cutting maintenance costs and improvingefficiency…concerns that are more crucialthan ever in today’s challenging industryenvironment.

easyFairs® UK Managing Director PeterHeath, said: “In tough times, whenbudgets for new capital expenditure aretight, effectively maintaining existingassets and machinery is paramount forfactory bosses. easyFairs® Maintec isa unique trade show for the kinds oftechnologies and products needed toachieve this.”

Many of the 150 exhibitors have choseneasyFairs® MAINTEC 2009 to launch theirlatest advances in hazard detection andpredictive maintenance technology.

But in addition, this year’s show alsoembraces suppliers of a wide range ofmechanical equipment, buildings andfacilities management services, lubricantsand energy efficient products.

And it also features a new MAINTECSummit Conference. Chaired by formertrade union chief Lord Bill Jordan CBE,the March 18 conference includes papersand case studies from leading lights inthe fields of ‘lean’ plant management,lubrication technology, condition monitor-ing, automation, and energy efficiency.

Peter Heath, added: “The show evolves

every year…and in 2009 there’s a mass ofnew products scheduled to be unveiledand a significant number of exhibitordebutants alongside show stalwarts. OurSummit Conference is an exciting newaddition, plus visitors can tap in to awealth of free information through theindustry experts delivering learnShopsseminars.

“easyFairs’ ethos of cost- and time-effective shows means smaller supplierswith niche product offerings are able toexhibit alongside multi-nationals turningover in excess of £1-billion.”

New Product Launches

Last year’s show attracted almost 2,000 ofthe most influential manufacturing andprocessing industry leaders – and withthis year’s expo acting as a platform fornew maintenance technology, organiserseasyFairs® expected to break visitorattendance records.

Here’s just a glimpse of the latest productsthat will be on show:

Holroyd Instruments will be launchingits new ViTAE Pro software that allowsusers to remotely interrogate dynamicsensor signals on inaccessible or movingmachinery.

ViTAE Pro affords analysis of the FFTspectrum of the detected activity forrotational speeds down to 10rpm. Inaddition, users can convert the samesignal into a .wav file and listen to it inorder to identify sporadic occurrences ormissed teeth.

Another new product launch comes fromEnercon in the form of its 3Gt AutomaticMeter Reader. Like its predecessor the 3Gtuses pulse data from motors to providewater, electricity and gas measurementswhich, when converted into statistical CSVfiles, show consumption across an entiresite. But the new model – which allowsoperators to identify abnormal usage ormachinery that is performing inefficiently– also features a temperature probecapable of working up to 20 metres awayfrom the device.

Whitelegg introduces a new AutomaticWinding Analyser with high-current testcapability for traction armatures, whilst anew range of enhanced AC accelerometersdesigned for vibration analysis will be ondisplay for the first time by leading sensormanufacturer Monitran.

Hansford Sensors – specialists in industri-al accelerometers for vibration monitoringon rotating machinery – also arrive ateasyFairs® MAINTEC fanfaring a newproduct development. Their compactHS-130 vibration sensor is fitted witha slimmer connector and several newadditions from the HS-500 series ofmonitoring modules.

Jena Rotary Technology unveils its new,ultra low-friction XLF ball screw seriesthat, according to the manufacturer,promises improved accuracy, extendedoperational life and reduced noise levelsthanks to the use of hybrid materials andchanges in the design of the racewayprofile in the ball screw.

Industry Eyes Look forCost-Saving Initiatives ateasyFairs® MAINTEC 2009



EasyFairs UK ManagingDirector Peter Heath

20 Maintec AW 28/1/09 6:52 pm Page 1

Swedish manufacturer Elos FixturlaserAB, through its UK distributor Monition,introduces the UK market to its new,easy-operate Fixturlaser GO shaftalignment system. Elos says FixturlaserGO’s symbol-based graphic interfacesimplifies measurement and alignmentand speeds up the process by reducing therisk of user error.

And an array of industrial and ATEX plug

and socket systems will be on show byMarechal Electric, including the company’snew motor disconnect decontactor socketthat has an integral switch mechanismdoubling up as an isolator.

Fluke UK’s latest thermal imagingcameras – the Fluke Ti10 and Ti25 – willbe available for visitors to check out.Offering 3D imaging, both cameras utiliseIR Fusion™ a technology that integratesinfrared and visible light images forenhanced problem detection and analysis.

FLIR Systems hopes it new range ofentry-level cameras will enable moremaintenance managers to incorporatethermal imaging into their predictive work.Appearing for the first time at easyFairs®Maintec, the FLIR i40 and i60 cameras arethe first of FLIR’s compact models tofeature a laser pointer whose location is

captured on the infrared image andenables the camera to quickly find faults. And the company will also give a UK showdebut to its new P660 detector for non-contact scanning of wide areas. It featuresan industry-leading sensitivity of >45mKand wireless remote control allowingthe camera to be set-up in sensitive,dangerous or difficult to access locations.

With the 2009 show reaching out to newsectors, in-particular lubricants, a sizeablenumber of oil, grease, spray and pastemanufacturers will attend – and notablythese include Shell UK Oil Products.

With increasingly complex machinerycomes the need for careful fluid manage-ment in order to prolong working life andincrease productivity. And in a firstappearance at easyFairs® Maintec, ShellUK Oil Products will illustrate howeffective fluid management can helpreduce operational costs and boostefficiency. The company will focus on itsCassida range of specialist food gradelubricants, plus its new energy efficientproducts that are specially formulated togive substantial energy savings.

It’s estimated that three-quarters ofall hydraulic component failure can beattributed to contaminated oil as parts ofpumps, motors, cylinders and even hosesare worn away by fine debris.

Antech Hydraulics brings a new specialistfiltration product to easyFairs® Maintecthat is designed to tackle the problem,whilst also reducing the amount of wasteoil produced by businesses. Designedby Dutch company NTZ, a manufacturerlikely to be new to many UK maintenancemanagers, the Radial Bypass Micro-Filtration system reduces contaminationby filtering oil in a hydraulic systemto two-micron at a constant flow andpressure.

Elsewhere, Rocol Lubricants plans tolaunch its ‘Sentinel’ lubrication manage-ment system – a web-based, bespokesystem offering multiple users access toup-to-the-minute lubrication schedules.Rocol is also using the show to unveilFoodlube Premier, a triple-life food gradegrease that contains performanceenhancing ingredients suitable for hightemperature and high speed applications

such as linear bearings, slides, electricmotors and fans.

MCP Consulting & Training is among themaintenance management consultanciesthat will be providing advice on effectivetraining and lean initiatives, whilst FSIdemonstrates its advances in ComputerAided Facilities Management, andspecifically its new Concept Evolution™.Accessible from any web-enabled system,Concept Evolution™ centralises data andprovides a single, integrated view offacilities and maintenance activitiesacross all locations, divisions, operations,people and projects.

Artesis, SKF UK, Eurotron Instruments,Hawk IR International, Schaeffler, Festo,and SPM Instrument UK are among theother leading exhibitors.

And amongst the first-time easyFairs®MAINTEC exhibitors are circuit breakerretrofit specialists Santon; cable supplierLapp Group; multi-key managementsolution providers Keytracker; OlympusIndustrial – a leading manufacturer ofadvanced testing instruments suchas remote visual inspection devices,ultrasound, eddy current, and high-speedvideo – and Eurotron, experts incalibrators, infrared thermometers andcombustion gas analysers.

Register to attend for free by going towww.easyfairs.com/maintecuk. And tobook a place at the MAINTEC SummitConference, and to take advantage of‘early bird’ delegate prices, call Lucy Daleyon 0208 622 4468 or [email protected].



Elos Fixturlaser GO ShaftAlignment System

Visit uson StandG23

20 Maintec AW 28/1/09 6:52 pm Page 2

Before starting out ¡n business morethan thirty years ago. I worked forseveral large and medium sized

companies, often on trying to find a wayround competitors’ patents. Thus my viewon Patents and Intellectual property gen-erally ¡s from the perspective of a smallmanufacturer who makes and marketsinnovative products.

In my experience and doubtless reac-tionary view, patents for individualinventors, and small and even mediumsized businesses, have limited use. Indeedfor the innocent proprietor, they maskunfortunate realities that advisers likepatent agents, fail to point out because ifmeans turning away business.

The trouble starts with the expectation,which in the cold light of reality is unsus-tainable, as the Dragons’ Den seriesdemonstrates.

Briefly, patents are very expensive to get,and confer little effective protection. Thereare many ways of achieving most objec-tives. To achieve a monopoly on an ideamay require a number of separate patents,each entailing more cost, You cannotpatent an idea: merely its application.

At the examination stage the patent Officemay take the view that any variationsincluded in your patent constituteseparate inventions, entailing furtherseparate patents and expense albeit withthe original priority date.

Trying not only to perfect your inventionbut thinking of every possible way round itis the hardest intellectual task. I haveencountered. A good patent agent (andthey are not all good) can think of some, oreven most, but you only need one to slipthrough the nest to leave you exposed, andyour investment worthless.

Having said this, patents can have bluffvalue, so long as you don’t get into litiga-tion, which is more expensive still. Thisonly applies for certain types of invention,but can frighten off the fly by nights whowould otherwise make a ‘Chinese’ copy.

(How’s that for a dated expression!).

I knew of a patent for a fisherman’s backpack you could sit on, whose proprietorwas still breathing fire and slaughterthrough his solicitor, five years after it hadexpired, and thus escaped into ‘The public domain.’ ie had become public property.But it was enough to deter my nocturnalclient.

Which neatly brings us to the‘Convention’. Those countries that agree. toabide by the same rules, which don’tinclude China, various S E Asian states,and certain states in America, who ignoreliterary copyright.

Companies may attempt to enforce amonopoly by patenting every conceivableway of achieving a result. In the fifties acompany patented nearly fifty ways ofmaking ‘Swing back’ wing mirrors for cars,the wing mounted things you see on carsof the fifties and sixties. I was involvedbecause they were suing my employersand a competing company jointly forinfringement of one of their patents.

They were successful, and my employershad to pay royalties, but weren’t prohibit-ed from producing them. Having all 49 tolook at, with fiendish ingenuity, and muchtoo late, I found a way round all of them.But already, I was designing close-up pillarmirrors, and soon swing backs wereconsigned to the dustbin of history. APyrrhic victory for the proprietors of allthose patents!

If you are unfortunate enough to stand inthe way of say, some multinational, they’llwalk all over you, confident in the knowl-edge that you will run out of money longbefore they do. That is even if by someremote chance they have infringed yourmajor claims precisely.

Do not devote precious resources, financialand mental, to fighting over the carcase,but move on to better things. Anythingthat takes longer than a year to develop(six months in some trades) risks being outof date by the time it sees the light of day.

Here you will have six months to a yearlead over competitors. And, you will onlyhave imitators once you are seen to besuccessful, which will take a year or so forthem to wake up. By that time you shouldhave in hand the mark two model whichwill address the problems you didn’texpect in the mark one, or be cheaper tomake, better in function, or just ‘new’.

The Wright brothers wasted time, money,and market leadership vainly pursuinginfringers of their wing warping patents(virtually the entire aviation world), whichby 1906 were already likely being circum-vented by hinged ailerons.

If you are not greedy and launch yourproduct from a business with low over-heads, competitors will leave you alonebecause they can’t see any way of makinga profit. I would like a fiver for all thetimes I’ve been in gloomy meetings withcost accountants looking at a competitorsproduct that they launched for a pricearound what it costs your client to make.

Searches for ‘Prior Art’ involve what is inthe Patent Office library, which is not tosay your innovation doesn’t already existin some remote corner of the world.

Many patents are taken out for innova-tions that are largely pointless. In my lineof business - pottery equipment, a gentle-man of my acquaintance was fortunateenough to sell a design for a certain typeof potters wheel, to a large distributorspecialising in equipment for the disabled.The principal patented feature was thatthe wheel head was not horizontal in theconventional manner but tilted toward theuser, sitting in a wheel chair. This reducedthe effective thickness of the rotatingmechanism, - a ‘good thing’.

But due to its radical nature, andconservative nature of the market, thisrendered it almost un-saleable. Never oneto miss trick, I offered them my alreadylong established version. Having alreadysolved the problem envisioned in hispatent, by other means.

With a conventional horizontal wheelhead, and about half the price, anywholesaler could make an attractive markup. They didn’t buy it of course, and wroteback pointing out that it looked from thephotograph as if my wheel head wastilting forward, and thus infringing theirpatent. After a good chuckle I had pleasure

Patents: The other side of the coinby Malcolm Hedley-Saw MIDiagE



22 Patents AW 28/1/09 6:53 pm Page 1

in writing back to point out that due toinadequacies in manufacturing, my wheelheads often tilted forward (althoughnowhere as much as theirs), posing theinteresting question: was it possible toinfringe their patent by my manufacturingshortcomings?

They took it seriously and were all forstarting proceedings.

Then I wrote pointing out that I couldprove my design predated theirs by agood ten years, and that in Malaysiatraditional wheels, albeit of a differenttype but still within the terms of theirpatent, had employed tilted heads, sincetime immemorial.

All of which demonstrates what a waste oftime patents can be.

Patents cover exclusively functional fea-tures, like mechanisms, chemical formulae,genetic modifications, and electronicinnovations. What they don’t cover is anyform of appearance.

This is the preserve of Registered Design,Design Copyright, and Trade Marklegislation. Registered Design and DesignCopyright are restricted purely to appear-ance.

Copyright used to relate only to thewritten word, works of art and photo-graphs, with its own rules. In passing it isworth noting that copyright covers thesupporting paperwork to a product. I knowof an ex-employee having been fired,design a largely identical widget in com-petition with his past employer. They hadno real protection over the appearanceand function, but he stupidly copied theiruser notes, infringing their copyright byreproducing a graph with a deliberatelyspurious feature. This is a regular practicein map making known as finger printing.

Registered Design requires the lodgingwith the designs registry, three of moreorthographic views and a perspective,before the product is given publicexposure (in ‘the public domain’), whichalso applies most stringently to Patents.That is ‘year pays yer money before yerknow if you’re backing a loser.

As somebody who is quite handy atdrawing, I couldn’t understand why thosedone by patent agents were so abysmal.The answer is, that the worse it is, within

carefully judged reason, the more coverfrom near copies it affords.

Design copyright, introduced in 1968, wasan attempt to combine the best elementsof copyright for three dimensional objects,by including the notion of automaticcopyright, but for the same duration of apatent (maximum of sixteen years at thetime) Case law then dictated that thecopyright lay in the drawings that definethe product, which didn’t help people whoproduce shapes, without drawings - sophotograph them, and send them toyourself recorded delivery, and file themaway without opening. Legally, it is verydifficult to prove to someone who isignorant of the process, that say, onefibreglass moulding has been taken fromanother, and then altered locally.

When they were introduced on the first ofJanuary 1875, trademarks referred tologos, symbols. names and typefaces. Itrestricted the use of pejorative adjectives,like ‘superb’, although I did slip one pastthem a long time ago. I fell out with apartner, who registered the name ‘Nova’for a product I had designed, but couldn’ttake with me. It was deliberately one upmy kilt as it was also the name of a sportsracing car of mine. By then I had teamedup with a competitor, and produced a rival product, I registered as ‘Supernova’,returning the up the kilt gesture. ‘SuperNova’ wouldn’t have. been allowed, nei-ther would ‘Supernova’ until, lying in myteeth. I claimed it referred to the type ofrecently discovered heavenly body.

It all changed with the Trademarks Act,1988.

The Trademarks act is a breath of fresh airto intellectual property. It does notdistinguish between appearance andfunction, requires merely drawings like aregistered design, and the test of infringe-ment is general resemblance.

It’s other attractions are that it is cheap(180.00 when I last looked), possible to doyourself, and can be done after theproduct has already been exposed for sale.

The initial granting runs for five years, andcan be extended indefinitely. The very firstregistered Trademark: the Bass BreweryRed Triangle was in force for a hundredyears, and may well still be. So you don’thave to pay your money before you knowyou have a winner. But don’t let the grass

grow under your feet. A competitor mayregister his first, and then you have afight on your hands, that only the legalprofession will win.

The revised act does not distinguishbetween appearance and function, doesn‘tapply to components but does toaccessories. And it has to have an elementof novelty. It applies to anything that canbe defined, like the Direct Line jingle, theMorgan car, even perfumes if you candefine them, and Lego bricks. (Which havesix buttons. I bet they also have trade-marks on buttons from one to ten!)

Intelligent use of the Trademark isan unexpected bonus to the small andmedium sized business in an increasinglybureaucratic world.

It almost revives your faith in humannature.

Where patents have some use is in regis-tering your invention as the initial‘Provisional Specification’. Its use is merelya way of legally defining what you areoffering for sale. Although the rags toriches tales of sucessful inventors arethe stuff of urban legend, I have neverpersonally had any luck, having beenmessed about and downright screwed bysome household names. My fuse is tooshort, so I have restricted my endeavoursto things that I can market myself. - whichis why you won’t find me -in the Lion’sDen.

PostscriptLego bricks are usually cited as mostbenefiting from the changes to the law ofTrademark registration - received opinionthinks.

Last Sunday I was cIearing out mymoribund catalogue system when thepaper shredder jammed. On investigation,I extracted a miniature Lego brick!Fortunately I had the supporting paper-work of a company I would bet are sincelong deceased. So long indeed theiraddress didn’t carry a postcode.

The application was different, but not sofar away from Lego’s as not to provide amajor challenge to their Trademark.

So anyone wanting to set up incompetition to Lego, please ring...

Malcolm Hedley-Saw MIDiagE



22 Patents AW 28/1/09 6:53 pm Page 2

The Engineering and Technology Board(ETB) has welcomed the launch of theGovernment’s high level panel on

social mobility in the professions andcalled for engineering to be included as anexample of a sector in which there aremany, varied and flexible pathways intothe profession.

The Government White Paper- NewOpportunities: Fair chances for the futurestates the Government’s intention to setup a panel of professions Chaired by AlanMilburn MP to identify barriers to accessinto professional careers, and proposeconcrete actions to address them fromboth government and the professionsthemselves. The aim of such measureswould be to increase social mobility andto ensure that employers can access awider talent pool.

The White Paper recognises, engineeringprovides an excellent example of a careerin which it is possible to gain qualifica-tions through a wide variety of Higher,Further and vocational education routes.Qualification to Eng Tech level and beyondcan be achieved via apprenticeships, voca-tional courses, HNDs, and a variety ofother flexible routes, so enabling employ-ees of all social backgrounds to achievesenior positions of responsibility.

The White Paper cites the exampleof engineer Rachel Hoyle who took anengineering Apprenticeship with BAEsystems leading to increased responsibili-ties and a Bachelor of Engineering Degreeat Manchester Metropolitan University,demonstrating the excellent versatilecareer path engineering provides.

The White Paper also mentions theGovernment’s recent decision to createanother 35,000 apprenticeships, and indoing so recognises their success as aflexible pathway to employment and pro-gression. .

Paul Jackson, Chief Executive of the ETBSaid: “Engineering is an exciting, reward-ing and varied career which offers a fan-tastic range of opportunities at all levels.The wide variety of flexible progressionroutes through to qualification as an

engineer has ensured that engineersare setting a strong example on socialmobility’.

“The new panel on social mobility wouldbenefit greatly from close examination ofengineering as an accessible and reward-ing profession that offers young people ofall social backgrounds a great start inworking life.”

The Engineering and Technology Board(ETB) is an independent organisationthat promotes the vital role of engineers,engineering and technology in our society.The ETB partners business and industry,government and the wider STEM commu-nity: producing evidence on the stateof engineering, and inspiring young peopleto choose a career in engineering,matching employers’ demand for skills.For more information about the ETBplease visit www.etechb.co.uk.

frenchie stuff elicited the informationthat they were going to Granville andwould lead us in.

What speed could we do? I push thethrottle harder against the stop and Fifiindicated that that was it. The trawler wasas good as his word. He adjusted his speedto us (he must have been doing quite tenor twelve knots before) and we followedhis wake. At times that was all I could see.He zigzagged in front of us and some timelater slowed down. About twenty yardsaway on our port side was Point du Roc.We still could not see the harbour, andfollowing our friend, without even seeingLe Loupe we passed between the harbourentrance walls and felt our way over tothe lock gates. Mr.Corbinet saw us mooredand feeling very experienced I completedand signed the log before going to reportarrival.

Robert Kisch. FIDiagE

An extract from ‘Time Slots’ published in 1975.The likes of GPS did not exist in those days.

Engineering sets exampleon flexible pathways into professions

Jersey - Granville in ‘Rotrid Star’Continued from page 10

The Real Definition ofSome Tools...John Sayer FIDiag E.

Drill Press A tall upright machine usefulfor suddenly snatching flat metal barstock out of your hands so that it smacksyou in the chest and flings your beeracross the room, denting the freshly-painted project which you had carefullyset in the corner where nothing could getto it.Wire wheel Cleans paint off bolts andthen throws them somewhere under theworkbench with the speed of light. Alsoremoves fingerprints and hard-earnedcalluses from fingers in about the time ittakes you to say, 'Oh sh -- '

Electric hand drill Normally used forspinning pop rivets in their holes until youdie of old age.

Skill saw A portable cutting tool used tomake studs too short.

Pliers Used to round off bolt heads.Sometimes used in the creation of blood-blisters

Belt sander An electric sanding toolcommonly used to convert minor touch-up jobs into major refinishing jobs.

Hacksaw One of a family of cutting toolsbuilt on the Ouija board principle. Ittransforms human energy into a crooked,unpredictable motion, and the more youattempt to influence its course, the moredismal your future becomes.

Vise grips Generally used after pliers tocompletely round off bolt heads. If noth-ing else is available, they can also be usedto transfer intense welding heat to thepalm of your hand.

Oxyacetylene torch: Used almostentirely for lighting various flammableobjects in your shop on fire. Also handyfor igniting the grease inside the wheelhub out of which you want to remove abearing race.

Table saw A large stationary power toolcommonly used to launch wood projec-tiles for testing wall integrity.

More in the next issue!



pages 10 -24 -28.qxd 28/1/09 6:45 pm Page 2



This guy ran over a mattress anddecided to keep going.

The ensuing jumble finally whippedaround enough to put a tear

in the gas tank, the subsequent lackof fuel is what finally brought this

vehicle to its knees.

It had still managed to drive 30 moremiles decently with a 60lb tanglewrapped around the driveshaft.

This genius complained that thevehicle had a "shimmy" when driving

at high speeds.

This is what the dealership

found.............

My car won’tgo......!

Another hilarious contributionfrom Commander Bob

Mummery R.A.N. F.I.DiagE

A contribution of howlersfrom Fellow Member

Ivan D. Vernon FIDiagEIf you’re not familiar with the work of Boswell b. Rabbitsmith, he’s the famous

erudite scientist who once said: ‘I woke up one morning, and all of my stuff hadbeen stolen and replaced by exact duplicates.’ His mind sees things differently than

most of us do, to our amazement and amusement. Here are some of his gems:

� I’d kill for a Nobel Peace Prize.

� Borrow money from pessimists — they don’t expect it back.

� Half the people you know are below average.

� 99% of lawyers give the rest a bad name.

� 82.7% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

� A conscience is what hurts when all your other parts feel so good.

� A clear conscience is usually the sign of o bad memory.

� If you want the rainbow, you got to put up with the rain.

� All those who believe in psychokinesis, raise my hand.

� The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

� I almost had a psychic girlfriend, but she left me before we met.

� OK, so what’s the speed of dark?

� How can you tell when you’re out of invisible ink?

� If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.

� Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.

� When everything seems to be coming your way, maybe you’re in the wrong lane.

� Ambition is a poor excuse for not being smart enough to be lazy.

� Hard work pays off in the future; laziness pays off now.

� I intend to live forever... so far, so good.

� If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?

� Eagles may soar, but weasels don’t get sucked into jet engines.

� What happens if you get scared half to death... twice?

� My mechanic told me, ‘I couldn’t repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder.’

� Why do psychics have to ask you for your name?

� If at first you don’t succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.

� A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking.

� Experience is something you don’t get until just after you need it.

� The hardness of the butter is proportional to the softness of the bread.

� To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research.

� The sooner you fall behind, the more time you’ll have to catch up.

� Everyone has a photographic memory; some just don’t have film.

And an all time favourite:

� If your car could travel at the speed of light, would your headlights work?

Ivan D. Vernon FIDiagE

25 My Car Wont Go AW 28/1/09 6:53 pm Page 1

Anon-contact, multi-channel capaci-tive measurement system has beenlaunched that offers sub-nanometre

resolution, unmatched temperaturestability and rapid changeover of sensorswithout any re-calibration required.

The new capaNCDT 6500 Series fromMicro-Epsilon supersedes the company’sexisting capaNCDT 600 Series and isavailable as a benchtop or 19-inchrack-mounted unit. Modular in design, thesystem can accept up to eight measuringchannels to suit individual customerrequirements.

Due to its extreme resolution andflexibility, the system is ideal forhigh-accuracy R&D applications, testlaboratories, quality assurance, academicinstitutions and also semiconductormanufacturing, military, aerospace anddefence applications.

The capaNCDT 6500 uses a unique,active-driven, hermetically sealed, triaxialRF cable, in combination with an activeguarded three-electrode sensor. Thesystem is therefore electron leakage-proof,creating a protected and homogenousmeasurement field. This means the userobtains stable, precise, interference-freemeasurement data.

Chris Jones, Managing Director atMicro-Epsilon UK comments: “What itmeans for users is that they get analmost perfectly linear measurementsystem that requires no calibration againstany conductive material. If a sensor needsreplacing, for example due to mechanicaldamage, or a different measuring range isrequired, the user simply disconnects theoriginal sensor and connects the new onein a matter of seconds.”

“Laboratories will see time and costsavings from not having to stock differentsensor ranges, but also by reducing the

time spent re-calibrating sensors to thetarget material. The resolution of thecapaNCDT 6500 is so high that the usercould even sacrifice some of this resolu-tion in order to increase the measuringrange. If you halve the resolution, whichmay still give the user sufficient resolutionfor the application, the measuring range isdoubled,” continues Jones.

The capaNCDT 6500 comes with anEthernet port with 24-bit resolution, sothat measured data can be easily outputwith no loss of performance (error-free)and then shared with other techniciansanywhere in the world, using unique IPaddresses and Micro-Epsilon’s specialdata acquisition software (included asstandard).

As Jones explains: “One of the difficultieswith very high resolution measurementsis the transmitting of data via analogueoutput channels to the user’s own acquisi-tion system. Quite often, signal noise dueto cable interconnects and earthing loops,gives a reduced system performance asthis is seen on the output signal as noise.By converting internally in the capaNCDT

6500 controller, the analogue signal to adigital Ethernet output. This problem iseliminated and can then be transmittedanywhere in the world to another IPaddress.”

Customers can choose from either aversion with an integrated preamplifier orone with an external preamplifier, whichenables cable lengths of up to 20mbetween sensor and controller. The sensorsoperate virtually independent of tempera-ture and operate between -50°C and+200°C.

The capaNCDT 6500 is fully compatiblewith any electrically conductive materials.Insulated materials can also be measuredusing the system’s unique integrated

electronics. Also, for many applicationsearthing of the target material can bedifficult or impossible to do.

Unlike conventional capacitive measure-ment systems, the unique synchronisationof two capaNCDT systems means thetarget does not require any electricalearthing.

The overall design of the capaNCDT 6500enables unmatched temperature stabilityof 5ppm/∞C for the controller and11ppm/∞C for the sensor.

capaNCDT sensors can be used to measurea variety of features and characteristics,including vibration; amplitude; clearance;run-out; displacement; distance or

Multi-channel capacitivemeasurement system offers

extreme resolution



26 Micro Epsilon AW 28/1/09 6:54 pm Page 1

WHITELEGG MACHINES

For over 70 years Whitelegg Machines have been manufacturingand supplying manufacturing solutions and equipment to the wire

and electrical industries world wide.Visit us on our website: www.whitelegg.com

position; elongation; deflection; deforma-tion; waviness, and tilt angle. They canalso be used for dimensional inspection,parts recognition, tolerance checking andsorting.

The capacitive measurement principle. Thenon-contact capacitive measurementprinciple used by the capaNCDT 6500Series is based on the ideal parallel platecapacitor. The two parallel plate electrodesare represented by the sensor and theopposing target. If an AC current with

constant frequency flows through thesensor capacitor, the amplitude of the ACvoltage on the sensor is proportionalto the distance between the capacitorelectrodes; and adjustable compensatingvoltage is simultaneously generated in theamplifier electronics. After demodulationof both AC voltages, the difference isamplified and output as an analoguesignal.

For more information on Micro-Epsilon’s new range of multi-channel capacitive

sensors, please call the sales departmenton 0151 355 6070 or email: [email protected]

Chris Jones, Managing DirectorMicro-Epsilon UK LtdUnit 1, Pioneer Business ParkNorth Road, Ellesmere PortCheshire CH65 1AD

Tel: +44 (0) 151 355 6070Fax: +44(0) 151 355 6075Mobile: 07789 484503Email: [email protected]



26 Micro Epsilon AW 28/1/09 6:56 pm Page 2

The University of Greenwich has wonan award to help design engine partswhich can operate at temperatures

above 1,000 degrees Celsius while them-selves glowing ‘yellow-hot’.

Researchers have won the SPARK award fortheir partnership with Oxsensis, a youngcompany making high-tech sensors whichsimultaneously measure pressure andtemperature. Because the sensors canoperate at such high temperatures, theyhave the potential to make a step changein the efficiency of planes, cars and powerstations, saving fuel and reducing carbonemissions.

Professor Chris Bailey and his team will beusing computer modelling to predict howthe sensors and their components wouldoperate under different variables, forinstance fluid flow, temperature and vibra-tion. The research will help Oxsensis withthe design, assembly and installation of thehighly sophisticated sensors which operatedeep inside combustion engines.

Professor Bailey says: “I am delighted thatour work with Oxsensis has won this recog-nition. The aerospace and car manufactur-ing industries are demanding improvedsensors because next generation enginesare getting much hotter. At the moment nosensor can work reliably above 800degrees.

“The university can offer the facilities,experience and knowledge base Oxsensisneeds to ensure the highest level ofreliability in its processes and products.”The partners will start working togetherthis month.

The SPARK Awards, which started in 2002,are given to higher education institutionswhich help small and medium businessestackle a problem of direct relevance tothem. They also aim to encourage longer-term relationships between educationaland business organisations.

Background Information:Professor Chris Bailey leads the

Computational Mechanics & ReliabilityGroup in the School of Computer &Mathematical Sciences at the University ofGreenwich. The group is a world leader inthe development and application ofcomputer-aided technologies whichpredict the physical behaviour, perform-ance, reliability, and maintainability ofcomplex engineering systems and products.

Oxsensis Ltd. was formed in 2003 as aspin-out from Rutherford AppletonLaboratory in Oxfordshire. Its sensortechnology is based on the micromachiningof super resistant materials such as single-crystal sapphire (melting point >2000C)together with innovative fibre opticinterrogation techniques which give highsensitivity and immunity from electro-magnetic interference (EMI)effectscommon in turbo-machinery such as gasturbines.

The SPARK Awards are organised by theNetwork, one of the Knowledge TransferNetworks of the Technology StrategyBoard, jointly with the InnovativeElectronics Manufacturing Research Centre(leMRC) of the Engineering & PhysicalSciences Research Council.

Hot technology wins SPARK awardUniversity of Greenwich and Oxsensis work together

to design ’white hot’ engine parts

The Engineering and Technology Board(ETB) has responded to recent callsfor an integrated green strategy by

highlighting the pressing need to increasethe supply of trained engineers in therenewable energy sector. The organisationhas also called for increased opportunitiesfor skilled individuals who find themselveswithout work as a result of the downturn,to re-skill or retrain in renewables.

Following US President Elect BarackObama’s announcement of his NewEnergy for America plan there have been acalls from across the political spectrumfor a similar approach to be adopted inthe UK. The ETB supports these calls buthighlights the need for hundreds of thou-sands of engineers and technicians in thesector if such a strategy is to succeed.

Statistics from the ETB’s recentEngineering UK 2008 publication indicatethat the UK must train an additional170,000 workers in Solar Water andHeating alone, not to mention 75,000 inMicro Wind Energy and 76,000 in

Rainwater Harvesting, plus hundreds ofthousands more in other ‘renewable’ sec-tors such as fuel technology and hydrogeneration (water power).[1]

More optimistically, Engineering UK 2008also reports that many people say a gen-uinely green agenda would inspire themto take up a career in engineering. [2]

Paul Jackson, Chief Executive of theETB said: “It is important to rememberthat there is an ongoing and vital role forengineers in our economy and our societyat large, particularly when it comes toovercoming increasing environmentalchallenges.

It is encouraging to see continued interestin the green agenda and the recognitionthat engineers will lead the way in dealingwith these issues.

We know that people are motivated by adesire to make a difference and by thegreen agenda. We need to make sure thatthere are sufficient training opportunitiesavailable to them.”

Engineers are the key to integrated Green Strategy

DouglasWragg

RoadTransportConsultant

Specialising inAccident

ReconstructionCatastrophic Analysis

Provenance

Tel: 01444 811349

Fax: 01444 819247

Mobile: 07778 730 581



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