There is an industry need to train more engineers more quickly and to a higher level. Today’s new learners learn in different ways to previous generations. These two aspects mean that new ways of training need to be embraced. Virtual Reality is an obvious candidate. This feasibility study will assess the current relevant technologies and define the methodology by which existing and new scenarios will be translated into this new training environment. As an adjunct to the virtual reality training, there will be an additional assessment of the feasibility of transfer of the VR digital asset into an augmented environment so that mobile or portable training ‘prompts’ can be taken with the engineer and contextualised to the scenario for which he has been trained.
13,900
2013-07-01 to 2017-03-31
Collaborative R&D
A new methodology for assessing residual stresses using non-contact thermography is proposed. Residual stresses are stresses that are hidden in structures usually developed during manufacturing. The addition of the residual and service stresses can bring the material close to failure. The purpose of the research is to identify the residual stresses at welds in service components. Most portable residual stress measurement techniques are destructive. Other non-destructive residual stress measurement techniques are not portable. The thermography approach is non-destructive and portable, therefore offering a means to investigate components in service without costly plant down time. The proposed technique has been validated in a laboratory environment. There are still significant challenges to be addressed to bring the system to market, which will be dealt with in the planned research work by an expert consortium.
12,790
2011-11-01 to 2012-09-30
Feasibility Studies
TRL are the lead partner of a consortium consisting of ecoXchange, EDF Energy, E.ON and Red Deer Technology Group. This project seeks to identify the optimal business case for EV battery reuse in the UK by determining what the highest value services for EV battery reuse could be, and how technically feasible these reuse applications are. This feasibility study is focusing on investigating the feasibility of reusing EV batteries for energy utilities applications. The project will investigate where the highest value locations for electricity storage may be; whether on transmission or distribution networks, or on community or domestic-scale installations. It will also investigate what the highest value services are, which could be: provision of back-up power, peak-shaving, load-shifting, grid-investment deferral or provision of balancing services.