Innovation Engineering on its Way

Today’s thriving engineering technologies have been surprising us constantly. And, with the changing technologies, we can still expect how things change across different technology domains and industries. Here are ten most groundbreaking innovations in engineering that gives it a new definition.

3D Printing: The computers here converts the digital image of the model into a tangible physical product. The technology can print almost anything by laying layers of materials with the help of 3D printers.

Floating Train tracks: Researchers are now working to develop steel platforms on which trains can pass. These will have flexible bearings that will let the light rail tracks stay in a line. 

 

A Roof that closes like a Camera: One of the Atlanta’s newest stadium, now has a set of eight 500 ton steel petals that unfurl 200 feet above the ground. They can shut quickly in nine minutes shielding the players and the fans from the weather outside.

 

Replicating the Robot Arms: Robotic arms can now reassemble clones for itself and is cheaper than most of its market competitors.

AquaRefining: The method uses an electrochemical system to dissolve the Lead at room temperature without smelting harmful emission which occurred in the traditional methods.

Genetic Code printing: The new Digital-to-Biological Converter is now able to print genetic code following the digital instructions.

Synthetic Spider Silk: This fabric is developed artificially using yeast and is later spun into fabric using machines. These are the renewable protein-based fibers now available as a merchandise.

Thin Rail Roller-coaster: Designers are now using durable and less amount of steel to develop the Raptor Track roller coaster which easily fit into the intended spaces and offers a highly smooth ride.

Floating Wind Farm: Scotland is now using a floating wind farm to generate power from wind. Although they are currently close to the seashore, researchers are working to install them at farther distances where the winds are strong.

Underwater Snake Bots: The technology can be stationed on the seabed to repair infrastructure damages.

Technology Innovation Could Enable Building Digital Twins on your own

With open source solution integrating Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and deploying efficient run-time becomes simple. One such innovation is the ANSYS Twin Builder, which aids in determination of ideal maintenance program, performance optimization, and generation of insightful data to improve products which are next in line through the following features.

Building

In the recent trends, open source technology has come up with a workable solution to overcome the design and building challenges encountered in the field of product engineering. As per the insights of researches it is expected that ANSYS Twin builder will allow the users to go in for multiple modeling which will have domains and languages, extensive 0D application-specific libraries, and third-party tool (including 1D) integration.

This feature, will also allow for reduced 3D order modeling (ROM) creation, product composition through its embedded software integration process and other accurate physics-based twin twice components.

Validation

Initially, building a digital twin was a complicated and challenging process. The ANSYS Twin Builder has changed the above situation and combines everything into a packaged and fluid work flow with intuitive interface features. Through this, users will be able to validate an accurate representation of their real-life products and optimize product performance up to 25 percent by using multidomain simulation with post-processing, rapid human-machine interface (HMI) prototyping, system optimization, and XiL (model-in-the-loop/software-in-the-loop) integration.

Deployment

Through deployment users will be able to quickly connect to supported IIoT platforms and will be able to export/deploy generated models in a timely fashion. Through this, users will be able to improve their operations with a 10 – 20 percent reduction in their maintenance costs.

Implications:

Compared to the other technological innovation, the  ANSYS Twin Builder allows engineers to quickly build, validate and deploy these digital representations of physical products without any hassle. This new trend will also lower the technical and financial costs involved in product maintenance.

Next Generation: Apartment of the Future Concept Design

The design of the apartments have evolved in the last few years, and will continue developing with technology advancements. The apartment of the future is a complete new concept, it pervades and enhances as the architects and designers adopt new styles and feats.

Below listed are a few technologies that are comprises to define apartment of the future:

Delivery Drones

These drones can drop off packets and other utilities into another apartment safely and securely. This technology will lower down the use of elevator system as it will help people in delivering things to another resident’s apartment with the help of drone.

Robotic Parking

It will become an essential feature within the apartments as the site size will decrease, and automatic parking will make systematic sequencing of cars while saving valuable space and time. As a part of robotic parking, drone landing pads will be also used so that cars can be transported vertically outside the building to the right parking location. The car drivers will then be able to instruct parking with the touch of a smartphone app.

Self-Driving Cars

Within the few years, the roads are going to experience autonomous cars dominating the urban areas. There will be special parking for those vehicles that can automatically park themselves while for human-driven cars, the apartments will accommodate robotic parking system as listed above.

Smart Exteriors

In the process of creating apartments for the future, designers will propose only the lightweight and incredible strong carbon fibre. Such kinetic façade exterior will out bring energy and movement combined with energy efficient LED lighting that will assist in growth of vegetation. Therefore, the apartment of the future will produce solar as well as wind energy as a feature of smart exteriors.

Luxury Amenities

Residents in the apartments of the future are going to enjoy the on-the-go lifestyle which includes one feature as smart phone enabled entry. The residents can provide limited access time to enter and also reset the time as per the requirement. There will be bigger and functional closet spaces into rooms and also huge balconies. The residents will also experience gas cook tops and recycled glass counter tops in the kitchens.

What’s new in Revit 2018

The 2018 release of Revit has introduced some amazing features for the users. These features will enable the designers to model a complete, consistent, and coordinated designs for multiple disciplines. These features have the extensibility to both detailing and construction. The list of features are:

Co-ordinated Models

The new Revit feature, now allows the users to link their NWC or NWD files of the coordination models that are generated on Navisworks®. This feature can be helpful to compare the non-Revit and Revit model.

Scheduled Groups and Revit Links

The users can now select the fields that appear in the schedule on the Fields tab of Schedule Property Dialog Box. Also, the new feature allows the Revit experts to include the elements from a linked model.

Global Parameters

In the 2018 Revit updates, the experts can now embed designs with project-wide parameters. Furthermore, these parameters can now work with equality constraints and diameter and radial dimensions.

Multistory Stairs

The new feature of stairs allows the users to create multistory stairs by selecting the levels of the building. These stairs adjust automatically when the heights are changed. These stairs can be created from the existing stairs even at a later stage.

Railings

The new railing feature allows the users to modify the railing by chaining its height, shape, and number. Also, the path of the railing can be customized through sketch tools.

MEP Fabrication Model

The 2018 updates allow the experts build a run of connected MEP fabrication parts automatically by just clicking on the points of the model. The selection of the parts is automatic from the current fabrication service and group.

MEP Design and Analysis

With the help of the new updates in Revit, the users can now manipulate the pathways of the circuit. Also, the updates in MEP design and analysis allows the users to define their own type of space. They can also include the requirements of outdoor air.

Rebar for Complex Geometry

The latest rebar updates allow the placement of rebar as concrete objects that are of free-form. Also, it allows the reinforcement of concrete elements that are imported and their varying rebar distribution is improved.

 

These are just a glimpse of updates in Revit 2018. There are many more interesting features such as Rebar Graphical Constraints in 3D, Additional Steel Connections, Collaboration for Revit, Work-sharing, Parametric components, and much more.

Italian Architect Designs Folding House that can be built in 6 hours

Wouldn’t it be nice if building houses became quick and moving them from one place to another became possible? An architect from Italy has proposed a new housing model which is completely different from the traditional way of building houses. He suggests a model where the houses can be folded. The assembling time of this house is not more than six hours with just three people working on it. Doesn’t that sound interesting?

M.A.Di Homes

Renato Vidal, an Italian architect and the founder of M.A.Di (Modulo Abitativo Dispiegabile) homes, assures of high quality and safe homes that can be built quickly and transported easily. M.A.Di homes are available in a few customizable models. All the models are equipped with the basic facilities such as toilets, furnished kitchen, and technical installations such as water and electrical systems.

Installation

The houses are built in modules to make the construction quick and simple. Multiple modules can be attached to build a huge house. The installation of the house does not depend on a concrete base. The house can be placed directly on any flat floor. However, for people who want a permanent house, are advised to build M.A.Di houses on foundation stakes.

Eco-friendly Optimization

Furthermore, these houses also support the installment of solar panels, LED lightings, and gray water treatment systems. Moreover, the external walls carry the color of customer’s choice. The walls basically come in wood veneers, which can be customized with natural fiber, aluminum, plaster, and much more.

Price

The smallest house M.A.Di home costs up to 30,000 USD and covers nearly 26 square meters. The maximum expansion possible is up to 84 square meters which can cost 75,000 USD on an average. The costs of the house, however, depends on the customization selected by the customers.