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A talk presented by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. You can watch this recording until Jan 23, 2026. Watch here.
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In this session, you’ll discover practical steps to seamlessly adopt AI and transform your workflows for maximum efficiency and quality. Explore real-world examples of how businesses are successfully implementing AI to streamline operations and achieve measurable results. Gain insights into the tools and strategies needed to embed AI into your systems, optimise productivity, and stay ahead in a competitive landscape.

Why you should attend:

• Gain actionable insights into integrating AI into your workflows seamlessly and avoid common pitfalls
• Understand how other businesses are leveraging AI to streamline operations
• Uncover strategies to use AI for maximizing efficiency and improving the quality of your operations
• Get familiar with the tools and methods needed to effectively embed AI into your systems
• Keep up with advancements in AI technology and learn how to apply them in a competitive business environment

About Expleo:

Expleo is a global engineering, technology and consulting service provider that partners with leading organisations to guide them through their business transformation, helping them achieve operational excellence and future-proof their businesses.

On 9th December Lucilla Phelps gave an amazing talk about fine art photography at Sotheby’s. The talk was given by Lucilla in support of the Jubilee Sailing Trust.

Lucilla Phelps FRPS FBIPP worked as Principal Photographer at Sotheby’s auctioneers taking images for the catalogues, which included pictures taken in castles, palaces and stately homes. She ended up as the Photographic Manager. 

Lucilla was Chairman of the Professional Panel of The Royal Photographic Society for 10 years.

Since retirement Lucilla hosts workshops teaching the fine art of photography.  She did 15 years in the Alps taking images of wild flowers in the mountains; and now has an annual Workshop in Costa Rica photographing birds, mammals and the wonderful scenery.

Lucilla gives three different talks to raise money for the JST:  ‘The Fine Art of Photography’, ‘Following in the Footsteps of Shackleton’ and ‘Island Hopping (photography from 30 different islands’.  She is based in Budleigh Salterton.

The Jubilee Sailing Trust

The charitable trust was founded in 1977 in the Queen’s Jubilee year with the tall ship Lord Nelson (now retired). Its purpose was to provide sailing experiences for people whose physical challenges mean they would otherwise never have the chance to participate on a sailing ship.

Tenacious (a 3 masted Barque), the successor to the Lord Nelson, was built and launched in 2000. The ship is adapted to take a mixed ability crew, which can include 8 wheelchair users, aged from 16 to 90 years. A permanent crew of 10 and a paying crew of 40, steer the ship, keep lookout, climb and set the sails and also help the cook.

Tenacious has sailed all over the world taking on mixed ability crews from many countries.

At the moment Tenacious, sadly, is laid up, as the restrictions of Covid 19 led to financial difficulties and it has not been possible, yet, to re-start the sailing programme. The Save Tall Ship Tenacious campaign is looking for an individual or organisation with the vision and resources to to step in and get Tenacious sailing again. The reward will be to, once again, enable disadvantaged people to benefit from an absolutely unique experience.

To learn more, visit https://www.tenacious.org.uk/

A talk given by Robbie Sillars on 11th November 2024

Robbie introduced us to the FLNG Prelude, the biggest Floating Liquefied Natural Gas
platform built by Shell and completed in 2017, grossing nearly 500,000 tonnes
costing about $15-17 billion.

Floating platforms are used where land-based units are not suitable for such reasons
as political insecurity or proximity to final use of products.

This platform is moored some 300 miles offshore from western Australia
and collects natural gas from via four 12-inch risers from 250m below the sea. The
platform is anchored to the sea bed via 16 enormous steel link chains and is free to
swing with tides and wind. The platform is designed to meet all the sea and weather
conditions expected in the operational area taking into consideration wave, tide and
wind in multiple combinations and directions along with cyclones and tsunami.

The connection from the wells to the platform is via steel pipes whose length allows for
the flexing resulting from ship movement due to swing, roll and pitch. On board the
natural gas is passed through various refrigeration loops to condense it into its
various constituents and stored as liquid at virtually atmospheric pressure in
enormous insulated on-board tanks mostly as liquid methane and liquid petroleum
gas with some gas being used for process heat and gas turbines used to power
pumps and generate electricity. Excess unusable gas is flared off at the top of the
180m high flare tower required to minimize effect of radiant heat at deck level.

These cold liquid fluids are piped to tankers via 4 loading arms for LNG and 3 arms
for LPG that had to specially designed for the extra movement of a floating platform
and contained explosive breakaway joints to enable quick disconnect in the event of
an accident. The tankers transport the liquid gas in insulated tanks to shore based
regassification plants located adjacent to gas supply grids.

Some of the design conditions needed for this platform included wash down systems
to take care of liquid gas spills, provision of a SS skin any where pooling of LNG could
occur and refuges on deck in case of accident. Emergency lifeboats and rafts required
for the normal 250 crew and up to 500 during maintenance.

A major design constraint was for continuous operation with only 100year extreme
conditions allowable for shutdown.

Robbie finished with a short video (made by Shell) of the operation of the platform.

The Robey Trust, based at The Works in Tavistock is dedicated to the public awareness of our wonderful engineering heritage in Great Britain. It started in 1983 with a steam roller made in the 19th century by a Lincoln company called Robey. The focus to this day remains the preservation and running of Robey steam rollers, steam lorries and other steam powered machines.

We were shown round by Jack, who is the young man featured in a couple of the photos below.

We were met by Neil Farleigh, their Engineering Manager, who with five members of his engineering team looked after us for the duration of the visit. After introductory coffee and pastries Neil’s team went through a number of presentations including: safety briefing, introductions, Centrax history, Centrax products and future developments. After a coffee break we undertook a tour of the production facilities. This included: a visit to the factory floor to view two of the larger modules being readied for initial testing prior to delivery, an inspection of a test cell where a module was being readied for operation and the Test and Commissioning Control Room where a module was being subject to operational testing.

The visit was extremely interesting and resulted in a significant number of questions being raised and answered throughout the duration of the visit. The visit ended with ten members, one guest, Neil and 4 members of his team decamping to the Passage House Inn for a leisurely lunch and continuation of various discussion topics. Neil and his team were thanked for the time and effort they had taken in making the Club’s visit such a memorable occasion. Photos and text by Robbie.

A short introduction by Frank , the museum’s curator, followed by an individual wander around the two floors of cars and motorbike. As the cars were mainly British from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s there was a lot of “I had one of them”. The visit rounded off with a walk down to the Union Inn in the town centre for drinks and lunch. Photos by Robbie.15 May 2024 – Nine members and guests attended a morning visit to Moretonhampstead Motor Museum.

A short introduction by Frank , the museum’s curator, followed by an individual wander around the two floors of cars and motorbike. As the cars were mainly British from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s there was a lot of “I had one of them”. The visit rounded off with a walk down to the Union Inn in the town centre for drinks and lunch. Photos by Robbie.