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CCOPPS, EC PROJECT FOR POWER AND PRESSURE SYSTEM INDUSTRY
08 January 2007 - NAFEMS
| The Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Strathclyde has just been awarded half a million Euros under the EU-funded Leonardo da Vinci Scheme for a 2 year project involving the C ertification of Co mpetencies in the P ower and P ressure S ystems Industry throughout Europe. The Leonardo da Vinci programme aims to stimulate innovation and enhance the competitiveness of European industry, through development in the skills of the workforce. |
The power and pressure systems sector is one in which there is a particularly strong need for innovation and ongoing education and training. The European pressurised equipment market is estimated by manufacturer’s associations to be worth around EUR 65 billion. The facts clearly show that in order to face the challenge of the emerging countries, the European power and pressure systems community must introduce innovative products and processes and prepare for the challenges that new power generation technologies will bring. At this point in time, many EU governments are wrestling with the perceived unpopular decision of sanctioning the building of new nuclear power stations. Currently, nuclear energy is the largest source of power generation in Europe and there is a growing concern that renewable obligations and associated technologies will not be able to replace the capacity of ageing coal and nuclear power stations. Meanwhile, work progresses on all fronts, including wind, wave and tidal generation, as well as clean coal and Generation 4 nuclear. While Europe’s future energy policies remain a hot topic of debate, it is apparent that analysis and simulation will be used to ensure that all technologies are as safe, cost-effective and environmentally-friendly as possible. Education is at the heart of these challenges and this is the focus of CCOPPS . The project will be led by Dr. Jim Wood at the University of Strathclyde and involves the University of Stuttgart, Warsaw University of Technology, University of Malta, CETIM (France) and NAFEMS (UK). In conjunction with industry, the partners will produce an Educational Base consisting of competence statements, which in turn will guide the development of effective modules for work-based learning. The focus is staff and personal development for engineers involved in the growing use of analysis and simulation in this industry sector. If any company working in the power and pressure systems sector is interested in the development of this educational resource, or in eventually assessing work-based learning modules in FEA and Design by Analysis, please contact j.wood@strath.ac.uk . The CCOPPS project is a direct descendent of the successful FENET Thematic Network, which was led by NAFEMS and in which Strathclyde was also involved.
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About: NAFEMS
NAFEMS is a not for profit organisation aimed at promoting best practices and also fostering education and awareness in the engineering analysis community. In line with its objectives to promote the effective use of simulation technologies, NAFEMS is continually seeking to create awareness of new analysis methodologies, deliver education & training, and stimulate the adoption of best practices and standards by offering a platform for continuous professional development.By the late 1970s and early 1980s, as computing power became more widely available, increasingly industry was starting to solve practical engineering problems using finite element analysis techniques. There was however considerable concern that the accuracy of the methods, and software implementations, required to be verified in order to allow the results to be effectively used. Following extensive lobbying, by industry and academia, the UK Government's Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) set up, and funded, a project within the National Engineering Laboratory (NEL), based in East Kilbride, Scotland, to investigate the issues. As a result the National Agency for Finite Element Methods and Standards, quickly shortened to the acronym NAFEMS, was founded as a special interest group in 1983 with a specific objective namely: "To promote the safe and reliable use of finite element and related technology" In order to keep engineers abreast of the latest developments in the Analysis World the quarterly magazine BENCHmark was launched by NAFEMS in July 1987. After seven years of seed funding by the UK government, and with the support of its industrial members, the decision was taken to launch NAFEMS Ltd as an independent not-for-profit company, owned by its member's in 1990. The company celebrated its 10th Anniversary in 2000, and has developed both the scope of its technology focus and its membership well beyond the original vision. Today NAFEMS and its members are involved in many different types of engineering simulation covering both products and processes. Membership continues to grow, now exceeding 700 corporate members in over 30 different countries. Steering groups have been set up in the UK, France, Germany, and the USA to co-ordinate local activities and interaction with members. |
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