sensors & systems - Industrial Technology Magazine

EAR TO THE GROUND • Becky Silverton
becky@itmagazine.uk.com
Particles, string theory and
successful manufacturing...
Does art imitate life, or does life imitate
art? Well, to answer that question, let’s
consider shopping for shoes and
handbags. On second thoughts, boys, I’ll
spare you that one. Instead, let’s use Douglas
Adams as our start point, where, as we all know,
the answer to the ultimate question of life, the
universe and everything turned out to be 42. Not a
terribly satisfactory answer from supercomputer
Deep Thought, but the problem was not so much in
the answer as in defining the question in the first
place. So that little task was
jobbed out to a new computer,
which turned out to be the Earth.
We have, then, our little planet
turned over to sorting out the
ultimate problem of life, the
universe and everything – its
entire history merely a prelude to
precisely forming the great
question. And interestingly, it’s a
question that’s been foremost in
our minds since the ancient Greek philosophers first
defined metaphysics, and began asking, “what is
the world made of?” and “what is the ultimate
substance of all reality?”
Over two thousand years on, the boffins at
CERN in Switzerland are on the verge of powering
up the Large Hadron Collider – the world’s largest
and most powerful particle accelerator, built to help
answer key unresolved questions about particle
physics. I heard one spokesman claiming that this
could be the key to “answering the question of
everything”, including by default the universe. Well,
that still leaves the question of life, but in my book
two out of three ain’t bad. Soon we may be able to
talk with genuine authority about the origin of
mass, the nature of dark matter and dark energy,
the differences between matter and antimatter, and
the secrets of the Big Bang. We may be able to
prove the existence of sparticles, the true nature of
string theory and the existence of hidden
dimensions and multiple universes. In short, we
could be on the verge of breakthroughs that could
fundamentally change all of our lives.
Now, of course none of this will come quickly.
Once turned on, the LHC could take months to
calibrate, and maybe even years to deliver results
given the amount of computing power that will be
needed for the analysis. But the sense of excitement
is palpable. We really are looking at the big picture.
Interestingly, every company I’ve ever spoken to
has its own big picture – a view of where it’s going
to be or what it’s going to be doing in five years
time, or ten or fifteen. But however exciting that
future may seem, it’s important not to let the big
picture become such a dominating force that the
equally important, day-to-day, incremental
improvements never happen. Which is why, for
example boys, I shall be shopping for shoes and
handbags this weekend, bringing me back neatly to
where I came in. Life, imitating art, imitating life.
PCIM Europe 2008
May 27-29, 2008
Nuremberg, Germany
www.mesago.de
Mesago PCIM (+49 711 61946-0)
North West Manufacturing
June 11-12, 2008
Reebok Stadium, Bolton
www.industry.co.uk
Etes (01784 880890)
Automatica
June 10-13, 2008
New Munich Trade Fair Centre, Germany
www.automatica-munich.com
Pattern (020 8940 4625)
Wireless Technologies
September 27-29, 2008
Bochum, Germany
www.mesago.de
Mesago Messe Frankfurt
(+49 711 61946-0)
Northern Manufacturing
October 1-2, 2008
Hallam Arena, Sheffield
www.industry.co.uk
Etes (01784 880890)
Sealing, Adhesive, Elastomer
October 21-23, 2008
Nuremberg, Germany
www.mesago.de
Mesago Messe Frankfurt
(+49 711 61946-0)
SPS/IPC/Drives
November 25-27, 2008
Nuremberg, Germany
www.mesago.de
Mesago Messemanagement
(+49 711 61946-0)
Index to Advertisers May 2008
Abssac ......................................................... 37
Air Control Industries ................................ 28-29
Air Control Industries ..................................... 56
Andantex ..................................................... 56
Associated Spring ......................................... 37
Baker & Finnemore ........................................ 18
Baldor ......................................................... 56
M Barnwell Services ...................................... 55
Bosch Rexroth .............................................. 11
Bürkert Fluid Control Systems ........................ 13
JG Coates .................................................... 56
Dirak ........................................................... 30
Eckold ......................................................... 17
George Emmott ............................................. 33
EMS ............................................................ 39
ERIKS ............................................................ 9
ETA Enclosures ............................................. 31
Feteris Components ....................................... 53
Futek Advanced Sensor Technology ................. 44
Heidenhain .................................................. 15
Henrob ........................................................ 43
HepcoMotion ................................................ 13
Huba Control ................................................ 49
Huco Dynatork ............................................. 23
Idec ............................................................... 3
IFM ............................................................. 51
Igus ............................................................. 21
Igus ............................................................. 56
Impac Infrared .............................................. 47
IMS UK ....................................................... 38
Industrial Gas Springs ................................... 35
Industrial Vision Systems ............................. OBC
Interpower ..................................................... 5
Interpower ..................................................... 7
Albert Jagger ................................................ 41
LAC Conveyor Systems .................................. 55
Lafert Electric Motors ...................................... 6
Lee Products ................................................ 55
Lee Spring ................................................... 35
Lenze .......................................................... 10
Machine Building Systems ............................. 56
Master Bond ................................................ 43
Mayr Transmissions ....................................... 25
Micro-Epsilon ............................................... 16
Murrelektronik .............................................. 19
Ondrives ...................................................... 23
Parker Filtration ........................................... IFC
Penny & Giles Controls .................................. 49
Pepperl & Fuchs ........................................... 45
Power Jacks ................................................. 25
Protex Fasteners ........................................... 41
RDP Electronics ............................................ 45
Reliance Precision Mechatronics LLP .............. 22
Renold Clutches & Couplings ......................... 23
Rittal ........................................................... 27
RK Rose & Krieger ........................................ 17
Rotalink ....................................................... 39
Sandvik Materials Technology ......................... 56
Sensor Technik UK ........................................ 47
Sensors UK .................................................. 47
Sensortechnics GmbH ................................... 53
SKF ............................................................. 17
Spirol Industries ............................................ 41
Spirol Industries ............................................ 43
Spraying Systems .......................................... 15
Springmasters ............................................... 35
Steute .......................................................... 20
Steute .......................................................... 56
Variohm Eurosensor ....................................... 53
WDS .......................................................... IBC
58
INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY • May 2008