Christopher Sansom

Case study: meeting the demand for skilled precision engineers

Purpose – This paper aims to demonstrate how science and engineering graduates can be recruited and trained to Masters level in precision engineering as an aid to reducing the skills shortage of mechanical engineers in UK industry.Design/methodology/approach – The paper describes a partnership between three UK academic institutions and industry, creating an Integrated Knowledge Centre (IKC) in Ultra Precision Structured Surfaces. Within this project sits a Knowledge Transfer activity that seeks to channel graduate scientists and engineers through an MSc in “Ultra Precision Technologies” into the UK engineering industry. The creation and implementation of this pipeline, its systems and its processes, is the subject of this paper and its case study.Findings – In order to retain competitive advantage, the UK precision engineering industry requires a regular supply of technically proficient and organizationally prepared graduates. This paper has explained the approach taken at Cranfield University to increase...

Airborne sand and dust soiling of solar collecting mirrors

The reflectance of solar collecting mirrors can be significantly reduced by sand and dust soiling, particularly in arid environments. Larger airborne sand and dust particles can also cause damage by erosion, again reducing reflectance. This work describes investigations of the airborne particle size, shape, and composition in three arid locations that are considered suitable for CSP plants, namely in Iran, Libya, and Algeria. Sand and dust has been collected at heights between 0.5 to 2.0m by a variety of techniques, but are shown not to be representative of the particle size found either in ground dust and sand, or on the solar collecting mirror facets themselves. The possible reasons for this are proposed, most notably that larger particles may rebound from the mirror surface. The implications for mirror cleaning and collector facet erosion are discussed.The reflectance of solar collecting mirrors can be significantly reduced by sand and dust soiling, particularly in arid environments. Larger airborne sand and dust particles can also cause damage by erosion, again reducing reflectance. This work describes investigations of the airborne particle size, shape, and composition in three arid locations that are considered suitable for CSP plants, namely in Iran, Libya, and Algeria. Sand and dust has been collected at heights between 0.5 to 2.0m by a variety of techniques, but are shown not to be representative of the particle size found either in ground dust and sand, or on the solar collecting mirror facets themselves. The possible reasons for this are proposed, most notably that larger particles may rebound from the mirror surface. The implications for mirror cleaning and collector facet erosion are discussed.

Contact Cleaning of Polymer Film Solar Reflectors

This paper describes the accelerated ageing of polymer film reflecting surfaces under the conditions to be found during contact cleaning of Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) collectors in the presence of dust and sand particles. In these situations, contact cleaning using brushes and water is required to clean the reflecting surfaces. Whilst suitable for glass reflectors, this paper discusses the effects of existing cleaning processes on the optical and visual properties of polymer film surfaces, and then describes the development of a more benign but effective contact cleaning process for cleaning polymer reflectors. The effects of a range of cleaning brushes are discussed, with and without the presence of water, in the presence of sand and dust particles from selected representative locations. Reflectance measurements and visual inspection shows that a soft cleaning brush with a small amount of water can clean polymer film reflecting surfaces without inflicting surface damage or reducing specular reflectance.

The Role of Sodium-Rich Pretreatments in the Enhanced Sintering of Sodium Cobalt Oxide Thermoelectric Ceramics

Oxide-based thermoelectric materials are of growing interest for high-temperature operation and as a route to eliminate elements, such as Te and Pb, that pose issues of safety, sustainability and security of supply. NaCo2O4 bulk ceramic materials were prepared from powders synthesized using a solid state reaction (SSR) process. The effects of different Na-enriching pretreatments were evaluated with respect to microstructural evolution and thermoelectric and electric behaviours of the samples. Such modifications were found to be a critical factor affecting the microstructure of the bulk ceramic materials. Both premixing the powder and infiltrating a Na-rich precursor solution into the material prior to sintering were found to improve the density by up to 10 %, increase the electrical resistivity and help to compensate for Na losses at high sintering temperatures. A Seebeck coefficient and resistivity of 17 μV/K and 2.85 mΩ.m, respectively, were recorded around room temperature.

Training ultra precision engineers for UK manufacturing industry

Ultra Precision Engineers are in demand in both UK and European manufacturing industries. Engineering Companies can address this skills shortage by training existing staff or recruiting new staff with the appropriate skills. Since companies are understandably reluctant to lose key staff for re-training, it is preferable to meet the shortfall by recruitment. This paper describes how UK engineering companies have worked in partnership with academia to design a postgraduate course in ultra precision technologies. The new Masters level course has come to fruition under the auspices of the integrated knowledge centre in Ultra Precision structured surfaces (UPS2), as a component of its Knowledge Transfer portfolio. The MSc in “Ultra Precision Technologies” is led by Cranfield University, with support from University College London and the University of Cambridge. The role of industrial partners is described, from course design to student placements for individual project work; and the lessons learned from the first four cohorts are discussed.

Precision engineering for optical applications: Knowledge Transfer into UK industry

A means of facilitating the transfer of precision engineering knowledge and skills from academic institutions and their research partners into UK optics and optical engineering companies is described. The process involves the creation of an Integrated Knowledge Centre (IKC), a partnership led by Cranfield University with the support of the University of Cambridge, University College London, and the OpTIC technium. This paper describes the development of the three main vehicles for knowledge transfer. These are a Masters level postgraduate degree course (the Cranfield University led MSc in “Ultra Precision Technologies”), a portfolio of industrial short courses which are designed to address key skills shortages in the fields of precision engineering for optical applications, and an e-learning package in precision engineering. The main issues encountered during the development of the knowledge transfer teaching and learning packages are discussed, and the outcomes from the first year of knowledge transfer activities are described. In overall summary, the results demonstrate how the Integrated Knowledge Centre in Ultra Precision and Structured Surfaces’ approach to knowledge transfer has been effective in addressing the engineering skills gap in precision optics based industries.