Engineering for net zero

Recorded: 21 January 2021 (09:00 - 10:00 UK time)

What’s this webinar about?

The UK has a world-class reputation for engineering design, particularly in high-profile sectors such as aerospace and automotive. An important goal for this area is the move towards achieving net zero CO2 emissions, particularly where engineered products, such as cars and aeroplanes, can reduce emissions throughout their operational life by learning from experience, rather than this being fixed at the design stage.

The solution lies in using digital technologies to generate new collaborative co-design and assurance activities throughout the life of the product.

As part of BSI’s Net Zero Week, this webinar discusses the opportunities that arise from bringing digital transformation to the design and assurance process, and the challenges faced in making this a reality.

Who is this webinar for?

Manufacturers in:

• Automotive
• Aerospace
• Energy
• Pharmaceuticals
• Medical devices

What will participants gain?

• New knowledge on how to achieve net zero via industrial digital transformation and digitally accelerated engineering design
• The opportunity to ask our experts questions
• A post-event copy of all presentations and a recording of the webinar

Agenda

Welcome and introduction - Ben Sheridan, Digital Manufacturing Lead, British Standards Institution (BSI)

Challenges in achieving net zero in digitally accelerated engineering design - Martin Aston, Managing Director, Förvanda Ltd

Challenges for successful industrial digital transformation in achieving net zero - Alan Brown, Strategy Advisor, Entrepreneur, and Professor in Digital Economy, University of Exeter

Q&A session

End of the webinar

Ben Sheridan is the lead for manufacturing resilience at BSI, working with industry partners across a number of sectors to develop and adopt best practice in areas such as collaboration, resource efficiency and digital technology. He is the lead author of a number of pioneering publications in the area, particularly in understanding how to create greater trust and reliability in industrial digital solutions.

Martin Aston is a Chartered Engineer with over 40 years’ experience in the aerospace industry. He joined British Aerospace as an Undergraduate Apprentice in 1980, spending the first year “on the shop floor” learning how aircraft are built and operated. Having graduated from Southampton University with a degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics, he began his career in the Wind Tunnel department at the Filton facility near Bristol. Over the next 15 years Martin carried out a number of engineering and project management roles within BAE Systems Airbus division, culminating in accountability for all test capability within the Filton organisation.

When the Airbus single company was formed in the early 2000’s, Martin took on responsibility for delivering UK wind tunnel testing within the wider Airbus business. His career took another turn in 2005 when he was asked to lead a large research programme investigating the digitalisation of engineering. This led to the formation of the CFMS organisation and Martin was seconded from Airbus to set up and lead that new business. During that time he sat on several UK and European Commission strategy committees, defining the future of digitalisation within engineering. CFMS continues to be a key player in the field of digital engineering development.

On returning to Airbus in late 2012, Martin continued to lead a number of large multi-partner, collaborative research programmes, aimed at developing the engineering capability needed to deliver the next generation of aircraft. For the past three years he has led the Brunel Challenge. This is an ambitious UK-based initiative, aimed at delivering transformational change in engineering capability across a range of industrial sectors through the adoption of advanced digital technologies. He continues to be an advocate of the future of engineering, and the need to inspire young people to see engineering as an attractive, rewarding career.

Martin is married with two sons. He enjoys sailing (when time allows), exploring Scotland and listening to music.

Alan has been delivering impact as an entrepreneur and business practitioner for over 30 years, working predominantly in software delivery to power business transformation. He is also a university professor, researcher, coach and trusted adviser to start-ups and established organizations across the public and private sector. He has written several books on enterprise software delivery and digital transformation and holds a Professorship in Digital Economy at the University of Exeter, UK and a Fellowship at the Alan Turing Institute, the UK National institute for data science and AI.