WQW23

It is World Quality Week, with the main theme Quality: realising your competitive potential. 

We asked our Quality Lead, Peter McIndoe in Australia what successful quality initiatives and improvements we have made in the organization over the last few years:

“I think of Quality as a fundamental aspect of the entire organisation, not just a separate department.  Our Quality principles are integrated into all processes within the Supacat group. The true strength of our quality assurance is from years of cross-functional collaboration.  Different teams working together to build a system that documents how we manage risks, ensures that the decisions we make are based on data and that we continuously improve, all while adapting to the inevitable changes in our business environment.

Our successes (and our failures) have resulted in the continuous evolution of our business systems (Quality).  It’s the tools we take for granted that keep us on the path.  Tools like Project Reviews that standardised the way we manage our projects. It’s a tool that anyone, whether they a have been with the company for 10 years or 10 days can follow. Tools such as this, show us what we must do, how we are tracking to the original plan, what risks we face and whether we need to change course.  The examples are endless and part of everyday activities, but we probably don’t think of them as “Quality”.

Each department has similar tools that standardise how we do engineering release, how we control the finances of the company, how we interact with our suppliers and customers. Also, how we adapt and improve after setbacks, how we manage the flow of products and services through our workshops.

If I was to give a specific example, I would use the NSOC communications upgrade that we implemented into our fleet our vehicles in 2022. Think of all the aspects of the business that were required for this project to be a success. We collaborated with our customer and came up with a clear understanding of what we wanted to achieve. We defined that requirement in a clear statement of work and we distilled that statement of work into clear work instructions. We communicated when this task needed to be completed and documented how to verify that the product was fit for use. We worked out what resources were needed and procured the materials to complete the task and worked out a budget, then monitored the progress. Along the way we adapted to the challenges and unforeseen problems that occurred.

Consider how many aspects of the business collaborated to make that happen. The proof of the success is that we carried out this major upgrade to the HMT fleet at three separate locations with different teams of people. How you ask?  The standard business tools that we use every day. The same tools we apply to any task that we do, whoever the customer may be.

If we take anything away from Quality Week it should be, there isn’t some department in Supacat that does all this work. Quality is the contribution made by each and every employee within the organisation”.

STEM Event Returns

The premise of the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) event was to demonstrate the operations of a design and manufacturing company to the future of engineering.
During the event, the team covered; the full product lifecycle from concept to end-of-life management, including obsolesce. The team also spoke to the students about the variety of routes into engineering and explained the different career choices within the industry open to young enthusiastic budding engineers.
 
SC Group has a range of pathways into the design, technology, engineering and manufacturing business areas. For careers advice or to learn more about our apprenticeship scheme, contact HR:

[email protected]

The growth of Engineering skills driven by the desire for a clean planet

Championing Improving Lives through Engineering.

Today, 2 November 2022, National Engineering Day, SC Group is proud to celebrate, Improving Lives through Engineering!

The organisation has over 40 years’ experience in automotive design, engineering and manufacturing, working across many sectors; working on local infrastructure projects to off-road vehicles; and designing innovation solutions for a variety of well-known brands: RNLI, Prestigious Car Co., Conquering Horizons, Fred Olsen, HPC plus so many more.

SC Group is contributing to the South West by boosting the region’s engineering capacity, thus enabling a number of projects to be released with the support of our local supply chain, and directly benefiting the economy and employment. With over 26% of the adult population employed in the UK’s engineering profession, SC Group id delighted it is contributing to the 8.1m people employed in the engineering field.

Did you know that over the next 30 years the demand for engineers is expected to grow significantly as a result of increasingly complex and urgent global challenges and rapid technological developments?  With a key challenge to drive down carbon emissions by 2035; clean energy is a priority for SC Group, demonstrated by SC’s Matt Harvey, Design Engineering winning the KTP Project 2022 for Electric Off Road Vehicle in-conjunction with University of Exeter and Innovate UK.

Matt Harvey Winner KTP Awards 2022
Matt Harvey Winner KTP Awards 2022

With research telling us that the younger generation is pursuing a career that is going to positively impact people’s lives, then with SC’s engineering vision to deliver innovations that seek to ‘Protect Lives and Protect the Planet’, the organisation is confident it will attract those people who have a similar vision; to make the world better for all.

For more information on how to get into engineering then please contact [email protected]

If you know someone who is interested in engineering then please share using #thisisengineering #engineeringatscgroup

 

Electric Off Road Vehicle takes home national award

Going Green – Electric Off Road Vehicle` KTP project wins national award for SC Group – University of Exeter partnership

KTP Awards 2022 Winner

The SC Group – University of Exeter Knowledge Transfer Partnership led by KTP Associate Matt Harvey have won the national Innovate UK KTP 2022 Award for Business Impact & Transformation for developing an electric drive version of the company’s ATMP (All Terrain Mobility Platform) – an industry first for the propulsion and control of a high mobility off road vehicle, which is used in defence or other hazardous operating environments, including search and rescue and utilities support.

The award recognises how the two-year KTP has developed the expertise and know-how to make military and off highway vehicles more capable and environmentally sustainable, and  transformed SC Group’s capabilities to create new commercial opportunities.  These include the Group’s Supacat business converting its HMT `Jackal` to hybrid electric drive for the British Army and contributed to a number of high mobility system projects outside of the defence sector via the Group’s SC Innovation business.

Business Impact and Transformation Winner

Design Engineer Matt, who joined the Devon high mobility vehicle specialist full time on completion of the KTP, also has a BEng in Motorsport Engineering. Matt said, “‘The award was a fantastic way to summarise the work done during and since the KTP to establish a technology within a sector that hadn’t previously been exploited. I’d like to thank the University of Exeter’s KTP team along with Professor Chris Smith as well as everyone from SC Group that assisted in making the KTP a reality, especially Steve Austen, Simon Turner, Mark Field and Yash Katare”.

Steve Austen, Engineering Director, SC Group, said, ‘This is a prestigious award as it recognises the impact the project has had on the company. We have translated its outcomes into profitable, sustainable business with a number of new customers and sectors through embedding the knowledge and expertise gained by Matt Harvey and Yash Katare (our second project associate working on optionally crewed vehicles) into the company, in keeping with the core principles of the KTP scheme.

‘Congratulations to Matt, who led a brilliant project and to Yash, Simon Turner and Mark Field for providing such sterling support and company supervision of these projects. I should also like to extend my sincere thanks to Prof Chris Smith and Sophie O’Callaghan at the University of Exeter and to Dr Andy Treen at Innovate UK for making this such a successful and enjoyable team effort – the impact of this project will shape the business for years to come.’

Innovate UK’s Andy Treen, Knowledge Transfer Adviser for Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, said, “It was fantastic work on such an interesting project with Supacat and Exeter University. The project has more than delivered on its ambitious goals with every partner gaining significant benefits. The KTP associate, Matt Harvey, was central to the project and his skills, enthusiasm and dedication have been rightly recognised by the KTP Award.”

Prof Chris Smith, Director of the Centre for Future Clean Mobility, who was lead supervisor for Matt Harvey whilst he was KTP Associate working between the University and Supacat, states: “Matt was an outstanding employee, calmly and steadily working out how best to electrify the ATMP vehicle. This was a first in class, so nobody knew the answers beforehand. What Matt achieved in the end worked incredibly well from both the engineering and the business points of view. This work is helping shape the progress of electrification of defence vehicles in the UK and beyond.”

Watch the KTP Awards Ceremony.

We say goodbye to the Queen Elizabeth II

Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II has left the Country in-mourning.

On Thursday 8th September 2022, Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II left us to walk again beside her beloved husband, Prince Phillip, leaving Britain and the rest of the world heavy-hearted.

The Queen has for the last 70 years been a constant and a positive influence, she has dealt with many personal and professional battles but has always remained dignified, diligent, and dutiful to her oath to ‘Serve’ the Country, the Realm and the Commonwealth.

Words spoken by our late, great, Queen Elizabeth II, always had an undertone of wisdom weaved through, which we must take heed of today! But now as we honor our Queen, we find ourselves lost for words, as no words can fill the void she has left or could ever be enough to explain what she meant to so many. She was a gracious figurehead, who meant the world!

As we move into a new era, the Carolean period; we will pause and reflect on this historic moment. We will also take time to grieve and celebrate, the life of a Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, and Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth Realms, as well as welcome in our new King Charles III.

As a wise Queen Elizabeth II once said, “Grief is the price we pay for Love.” statement that we should perhaps, take a moment to reflect upon.

We will be a little quiet in our comms as we reflect during this period of mourning – so please bear with us!

Our thoughts are with the Royal Family during this time.

Long Live the King – King Charles III

Peace be with you all, SC Innovation and all at SC Group

 

Photo: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II meeting Lizzie Jones, SC Group Operations Director

Prototype e-ATMP electric launch vehicle shown to the RNLI

Electric Vehicle Demonstration at Weston-super-Mare Beachfront

The SC Innovation demonstration proved the prototype e-ATMP’s towing capability conveying a D-Class boat over the pebble beach in both crewed and teleoperated modes. The 6×6 vehicle can tow a range of small boats – the base vehicle for e-ATMP is the company’s All-Terrain Mobility Platform (ATMP) `workhorse`, capable of hauling payloads up to 1600kg over demanding terrain.

e-ATMP offers a variety of low carbon options, from battery electric to hybrid power for extended range.  It uses a common hybrid electric drivetrain with six electric motors attached to each wheel, each of which can be customised through different powering options depending on the task, range, payload and operating environment.

The prototype e-ATMP is the product of an Innovate UK-supported Knowledge Transfer Partnership between Devon based SC Innovation and The University of Exeter to develop electric drive for off highway and teleoperated vehicles.

The RNLI is collaborating with a broad range of organisations to support the development of alternatives to fossil fuelled vehicles and vessels as part of its Sustainable Decarbonisation Plan and to ensure that it is well prepared for future capability requirements.

SC Innovation previously collaborated with the RNLI to jointly develop the Shannon Class Launch & Recovery Vehicle.

Toby Cox, SC Innovation, said: “Following the trial at RNLI Weston super Mare, we believe the e-ATMP’s versatility, the electric drive train and teleoperation capability offer a fully rounded boat towing solution for a variety of conditions, and acts as a spring board for developing a carbon neutral small craft launch and recovery capability”.

 

-ends-

Shannon Launch & Recovery System marks 20 years of collaboration with RNLI

Twenty Years of RNLI Collaboration marked by the completion of SC25 Shannon Launch and Recovery System

 

SC Innovation jointly developed the state-of- the- art system with the RNLI from early concept stage through to production and into service, and SC Innovation is continuing to support the SL&RS fleet under a new framework contract with the RNLI providing post design services and maintenance.

The SL&RS is a high-mobility tractor and tracked carriage system that acts as a mobile slipway to beach launch and recover the RNLI’s Shannon Class boat at lifeboat stations without a harbour or slipway.   The 20.2m long and 37 tonne vehicle system is capable of carrying the 18 tonne Shannon over steep shingle banks, gullies and long muddy flats at speeds up to 10mph. It can operate in heavy surf conditions in depths approaching 3m and is fully submersible in depths up to 9m.

Joe Wilcox, Head of Projects, SC Innovation, said, “We are immensely proud of our collaboration with the RNLI in producing an exceptional piece of equipment that is making a difference in saving lives at sea.  The challenge it presented has enhanced our engineering skillsets, especially for the marine environment, and it has become a showcase for our engineering capabilities in developing bespoke equipment for hostile environments and high mobility transportation”.

The journey started in 2002 when SC Innovation’s solution to the RNLI’s challenging requirement for a vehicle to beach launch a new All Weather Lifeboat – then designated FCB2 to replace the Mersey Class – became one of two selected for pre-prototype development. The vehicle had to match the RNLI’s evolving FCB2 design, which would be the first water jet propelled all weather lifeboat and need to be able to be both launched and recovered `Bow First’ with the minimum amount of involvement from the volunteer shore crew.

The RNLI conducted a two-year side by side trials programme with a view to selecting one or both solutions.  The prototypes were tested at stations representing the extreme conditions where Shannon would be beach launched – steep shingle gradients at Dungeness, long distances over flat sand and gullies at Wells-Next-The-Sea and rough Atlantic swells at Hayle.  The SC Innovation design’s superior mobility, utilising a permanent, software controlled Four-Track-Drive system for extreme traction, won it the sole pre-production development contract in 2008.

The pre-production design incorporated a series of upgrades, such as a new composite cab to increase driver situational awareness, a new cradle and boat interface to match the modified lifeboat hull, and a suite of minor changes to improve maintainability and supportability over the system’s projected 50 year life. A new 450hp Scania engine was also integrated to match what the RNLI were fitting to the lifeboat, again to reduce total system ownership costs for the RNLI.

In 2012 the first production standard SL&RS was unveiled and entered service at Dungeness in 2014 with SC Innovation building the next two to support the Shannon’s initial introduction into service.  The second competitively tendered production contract was won by SC Innovation the following year.  At the request of the RNLI, in 2016 SC Innovation designed a new two-track drive `non-powered carriage` variant to save costs for lifeboat stations with more benign conditions where less traction is needed.

Last SLARS SC-T25 Leaves Supacat
Last SLARS SC-T25 Leaves Supacat/SC Innovation

From left to right:

  • Luke Priddle: RNLI Technical Surveyor
  • Steve Dyer: SC Innovation Works Manager
  • Craig Walker: SC Innovation Senior Project Manager
  • Simon Turner: SC Innovation Principal Engineer
  • Jack Andrews: RNLI Senior Engineer, Launch and Recovery System

eATMP Live Event

In the last twelve-months the absence of exhibitions and events, continues to be felt globally and has significantly impacted many SME’s and OEM’s. We are therefore reaching out to governments, national armed forces, industry thought leaders, the commerical and utilities sectors to deliver a series of live shows featuring our world renowned platforms.

The eATMP demonstration showcases a breakthrough electric and optionally manned vehicle specifically developed for rugged off-highway transportation.  The technology has been developed under a Knowledge Transfer Partnership between the UK’s high mobility vehicle specialist, SC Innovation and The University of Exeter.

Developed by the company’s specialist and emergency services vehicles team, SC Innovation, the eATMP is the technology demonstrator for an electric drive-train that has tested and validated to operate successfully over harsh terrains beyond the scope of commercial SUVs. Crucially, the drive train can be applied to new vehicles or retrofitted to existing fleets, and the architecture readily tailored to the task, range, payload and operating environment that each vehicle will be used for.

See the video below which we hope informs our viewers about how this class of vehicle can be transformed to electric as part of the solution for net-zero emissions and clean air for off road/off highway applications in a variety of applications, including as a key enabler for remote or autonomous operation.

Electric All Terrain Mobile Platform and the Optionally Manned ATMP

Pioneering collaboration praised in prestigious national awards

The pioneering collaboration between the Centre for Future Clean Mobility (CFCM) at the University of Exeter and SC Innovation-Global has secured the runner-up spot in a prestigious national award.

The innovative partnership was shortlisted in the Engineer’s Collaborate to Innovate Awards in the Aerospace and Defence Category.

Now in its fifth year, the Collaborate to Innovate Awards were established to uncover and celebrate great examples of technology-led engineering collaboration across a range of different disciplines and sectors.

The results from the annual competition were unveiled today (February 2nd 2021), as part of special Collaborate To Innovate Week hosted on The Engineer’s website.
The collaboration between the University of Exeter and SC Innovation-Global has grown in strength over a number of years.

The collaboration started with engineering students doing projects on real life problems at SC Innovation, which then grew to a Knowledge Transfer Partnership awarded to Supacat and the University. That resulted in development of a new first in class Electric All Terrain Mobile Platform (eATMP).

Apart from emissions reductions, silent running, and reduced heat signature, and the ability to provide significant power in the field, one major benefit of the new clean powertrain was its ability for transfer to other vehicles and platforms. SC Innovation-Global is now involved in projects scaling up this powertrain for larger defence vehicles.

Professor Chris Smith, project lead for the University of Exeter and Director of CFCM, said: “The Engineers at SC Innovation are a very capable group, with world class capabilities, who’re welcoming and open minded. I enjoy working with them immensely.

“The eATMP is a very capable vehicle and a fantastic architecture for further development. I’m sure this will only be the start of bigger things for SC Innovation. Given the capabilities and role of the eATMP the powertrain we developed is very different from its predecessors.”

Steve Austen, Engineering Director and Chief Engineer of SC Group and Associate Honorary Professor at the University of Exeter added: “Over two KTPs, our collaboration with Professor Smith, Professor Menon and the wider team at the University of Exeter has already led to profitable new revenue for Supacat.

“It has helped to position us at the vanguard of the electric revolution in design, production and conversion of specialist and off road vehicles, particularly in the commercial and defence sectors.

“Beyond impact on the bottom line, other indicators of successful collaborations are that they stimulate new skills and ways of working in partner organisations and are enjoyable to be part of. In this respect, the H-ATMP project has surpassed expectations.”

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) aim to help organisations improve their competitiveness and productivity through better use of the knowledge, technology and skills held within the UK knowledge base.

KTPs are funded by UKRI through Innovate UK with the support of co-funders, including the Scottish Funding Council, Welsh Government, Invest Northern Ireland, Defra and BEIS.
Innovate UK manages the KTP programme and facilitates its delivery through a range of partners including the Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN), Knowledge Bases and Businesses. Each partner plays a specific role in the support and delivery of the programme.

https://youtu.be/gPpNcpDDdGw

Next Generation Optionally Manned

A new generation of extremely capable optionally manned all-terrain platform will soon be available. A Knowledge Transfer Project brought SC Innovation-Global and the University of Exeter together to explore every aspect of the ATMP design, retaining and enhancing its key features with state of the art intelligent control. The vehicle is currently in a comprehensive test phase.

Off road transportation involves operation in a dynamic environment where a multitude of elements have to be taken in to account. The ATMP represented the pinnacle of performance in terms of payload and mobility since its inception in the 1980s. This was achieved through incisive understanding of the users’ operating environment and applying best practice defence automotive mechanical and electrical engineering. Now computational theory, software and sensor technology brought about by advances in automotive racing, autonomy and robotics have significantly re-defined what is in the art of the possible for a vehicle of this nature. This ‘intelligent system’ uses contemporary control theory, complex real time data computation, Artificial Intelligence and Neural Networks to enable the vehicle to be ‘optionally manned’ in a range of hazardous and difficult environments.

A combination of robust vehicle motion modelling, real time mapping and localisation form the vehicle’s interaction with the environment. The awareness of where and how the vehicle is operating will gradually take the operator out of the loop as safety and use cases evolve and allow users greater latitude for multi-tasking. Key enhancements include the use of sensor fusion with the Inertial Navigation Systems, which will allow greater operational freedom in a GPS-poor environment and localisation, involving dynamic vehicle models, with efficient on-board processing of outputs from stereo-cam and LiDAR forming the 3D environment map. Object detection and categorisation is also provided to designate rules of interaction with the environment, personnel and other systems, which holds the potential for ATMP and other vehicles fitted with the scalable technology to be a part of Intelligent Battlefield Systems.

For more information the Optionally Manned technology, contact the SC Innovation team.

Hide

This website will store cookies on your computer. We use cookies to improve your browsing experience (we never store personal information in a cookie) and to track how the site is being used. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies.