Aircraft Recovery – Expert Witness Services
Recovery systems using 40 tonne and 30 tonne airbags are in common use for recovery of aircraft that have suffered a main undercarriage or nose wheel failure, and 12, 15 and 20 tonne are often ideal for small lifting areas. Failures of aircraft recovery systems can be expensive not least because stricken aircraft block runways and taxi ways preventing the normal operation of airports. My expertise also covers other aspects of aircraft recovery include strapped lifting of fuse larges the deployment of temporary roadways and elevating transporters.
Airport ground power systems – Expert Witness Services
I investigate problems associated with 400 Hz frequency converter ground power units, 50 Hz to 60 Hz converters, DC aircraft engine starting systems and battery chargers, industrial UPS systems, harmonic distortion compensation systems tug-and-start vehicles and aircraft power connectors.
Airport Ground Handling Equipment – Expert Witness Services
We have over 40 years experience of mobile airport ground handling systems, and report on accidents and problems with tractor/trailer systems baggage trailers and trolleys, WSU and TSU vehicles, scissor lift catering vehicles air-steps and stairs, baggage conveyors, de-icing and snow clearance equipment, and most other airside ground handling equipment.
Airtugs – Expert Witness Services
I possess extensive hands-on design, manufacture, maintenance and refurbishing experience of all sizes of Airtug and associated drawbars and GPUs, including the solving of a wide variety of Airtug problems over the past 40 years. I also designed the first ever ‘Jumbo’ Airtug manufactured in the UK.
Automated steel foundry and aluminium smelter plants – Expert Witness Services
Automated founding of castings in steel and aluminium has become a highly automated process. We possess practical experience of addressing problems in these fields.
Automated Systems – Expert Witness Services
There is an ever widening demand for more and more sophisticated and reliable hands-off automation in many fields of industry from food production to flat pack furniture. I have been involved in several problems relating to such equipment.
Automated warehousing – Expert Witness Services
Automated warehousing covers ETVs specialised FTS and a host of racking and monitoring systems, ranging from delicate miniature electronic components to huge pallets holding the props and scenery for a complete opera or show, and fully palletised warehousing such as the World Cargo Centre at LAP Heathrow. I have extensive experience in the design and evaluation of such systems.
Automatic packaging systems – Expert Witness Services
Packaging systems of all types is a highly developed and sophisticated field of expertise. Packaging materials include paper, cardboards, plastics metal and glass, and the equipment to handle the packaging and the goods to be packaged includes conveyor systems, high speed pick and place machinery. I have expertise in these fields.
Automation and Robotics – Expert Witness Services
Industrial robots can reduce operating costs, improve product quality and consistency and the quality of work for employees, increase production output rates and manufacturing flexibility and reduce material waste while increasing yield. However, the dependency that these machines create sometimes lead to catastrophic effects on production when they do not perform as required.
I possess considerable experience of robotics problems in applications as diverse as engine block casting and yogurt pot sorting.
Baggage handling systems (BHS) – Expert Witness Services
Baggage handling at airports has grown into a massive industry involving complex multi-level automated conveyor systems, X-ray screening, electronic tagging and sorting, from ticket counters aircraft loaders, and checked baggage coming from aircraft to baggage claims or to an area where the bag can be loaded onto another aircraft.
In addition to sortation, (the process of identifying a bag, and the information associated with it, to make a decision on where the bag should be directed within the system) a BHS may also detect bag jams, regulate volume flow, perform bag counting and tracking, and operator instigated redirection intervention as required. I have extensive experience in all these fields.
Chemical Blenders – Expert Witness Services
I have extensive experience and know-how in the design of Pillar lifts, inverters and tippers and bespoke blending and IBC handling, having worked on leading makes of such process equipment over many years.
Civil and military trucks and tanks – Expert Witness Services
I have useful experience in the investigation of problems and accidents of trucks and fighting vehicles including the Warrior and the Chieftain tanks.
Construction equipment, drilling, piling, earth moving – Expert Witness Services
These comprise five equipment systems: implement, traction, structure, power train, and control and information. Through the mechanical advantage of a simple machine, the ratio between input force applied and force exerted is multiplied. Currently most equipment use hydraulics as a primary source of transferring power.
I have expertise on earthmovers, tracked equipment, augers, backhoes, bale spears, bulldozer blades, clam shell & excavator buckets, demolition shears, forks, grapples, hydraulic hammers, hoe rams, landscape tillers, material handling arms, mechanical pulverisers, crushers, power take-offs (PTO), quick couplers, rakes rippers, rotating grabs, skeleton buckets, snow blowers, stump grinders, stump shears, trenchers, vibratory plate compactors and wheel saws.
Cranes, slings and lifting equipment – Expert Witness Services
I offer expertise on many types of crane in common use such as tower cranes, container cranes, jib cranes, overhead cranes, gantry cranes and mobile cranes, and lifting and tensioning straps.
Deep shaft pumps – Expert Witness Services
I have investigated problems associated with very deep shaft pumps and water bearing wear.
Electric and electronic equipment – Expert Witness Services
I offer experience in the general field of electric and electronic control systems related to automation, remote control and monitoring as applied in our general range of equipment specialisations.
Electric, ICE and hybrid vehicles – Expert Witness Services
I offer experience in the design of powered vehicles, particularly in modified ICE and electric powered vehicles for off-highway applications.
Fire Engines – Expert Witness Services
Fire engines and general fire appliances have changed enormously over the years. I spent seven years in fire engine design at Dennis Brothers, and offer considerable engineering experience on many types of fire appliance.
Forklift and Pallet Trucks – Expert Witness Services
The introduction of the FLT revolutionised the mechanical handling industry. I offer expertise particular on the fields of specialised FLT applications, including side-loaders and warehousing systems.
Foundry Robotics – Expert Witness Services
Handling and pouring molten metals requires special techniques. I have some useful experience in this field.
Guided vehicles design and application – Expert Witness Services
I have designed vehicles and systems incorporating automatic guided vehicles (AGV), monorails, Maglev, or magnetic levitation and guided buses. I engineered the service tunnel guided vehicle system for the Channel Tunnel.
Health and Safety – Expert Witness Services
The Health and Safety Act (1974) and the consequent administration authority have given rise to a plethora of rules and regulations aimed at increasing safety in the workplace. These now extend into all walks of public life, making the interpretation of the law in particular incidents a major exercise for the expert engineer. I have reported extensively to the Courts on many accidents and accident related matters in this relatively new and specialised field.
Hydraulic Systems and Equipment – Expert Witness Services
I possess experience of hydraulics, hydrostatic drive system, hydraulic power transmissions and auxiliary hydraulic systems, electro-hydraulic power steering systems, hydraulic power networks, and many hydraulic components such as pimps motors valves and electro-hydraulic actuators.
Integrated Military transport systems – Expert Witness Services
I incorporated a modified PD22 system in the DROPS system, to be air portable in the Hercules Transport aircraft. I possess extensive expertise in both PD22 and MAFI trailer systems.
Lift, elevators, moving walkways and escalators – Expert Witness Services
I have extensive experience of investigating accidents on escalators, lifts and moving walkways. Accidents range from getting shoes stuck in part of the escalator to breakaways in machine-room less lifts. Some accidents are caused by improper or unsafe use such as riding the hand rails and others because many lifts are old, worn out and not fitted with modern safety devices. Fatal accidents include 8 deaths and 30 injuries on the Moscow Metro, 31 people died after a fire at King's Cross St. Pancras station in 1987, and an 8 year old child at New Delhi's international airport.
Light rapid transit and people mover systems – Expert Witness Services
This category includes airport mobile lounges, manned and un-manned vehicles on guide trackways, both physical and electronic and many semi-automatic bus systems in urban conurbations. I have experience in these areas.
Mechanical handling equipment – Expert Witness Services
I am widely experienced in the specification detailed design, installation and commissioning of an extensive variety of mechanical handling equipment.
Mechanised film props – Expert Witness Services
Many film props are not what they seem. The trams in the film ‘Michael Collins’ were based on electric milk-floats, and the sledges in Dracula were actually on wheels on the back lot at Pinewood Studios. I have dealt with cases involving failed props.
Military Equipment – Expert Witness Services
I have experience in the general field of heavy fighting vehicles and their weapons, particularly on Warrior and Challenger. I have successfully assisted military personnel in claiming compensation from the MOD over faulty weapons such as chain guns.
Nuclear flask transporters – Expert Witness Services
I have successfully designed a number of electro-hydraulic nuclear flask handling transporters including power trains and umbilical cord control systems
Packaging Systems – Expert Witness Services
I have investigated problems on many automated packing systems and lines including dry ice packaging for the airline catering industry and flow-wrapping in the food industry.
Patents UK and US – Expert Witness Services
I have successfully written a number of patents and have expertise in both upholding and revoking patents. I also offer expertise on industrial copyrights.
Pharmaceutical advanced handling and blending equipment – Expert Witness Services
I designed the core range of pharmaceutical hoist and blenders for a leading UK manufacture and offer expertise in this area.
Pneumatic compressor pumps – Expert Witness Services
I have expertise in mass produced pumps for garage forecourt tyre inflation, including diaphragm, vane and piston pumps.
Rapid Transit and Guided Buses – Expert Witness Services
I have carried out in-depth studies on several major UK cities and designed segregated trackway public transport vehicle systems utilising guide bus technology.
Refuse Vehicles – Expert Witness Services
I worked for several years at a leading refuse vehicle company and I have reported for a number of cases involving specialised refuse collection, in the light of the increasing demand for kerb-side sorting.
Road Transport Pollution and Congestion – Expert Witness Services
I have undertaking comprehensive studies for Governmental ‘think-tanks’, on the Independent Initiative Scheme, and offer expertise in this area. I also carried out detailed air pollution studies for Trans-Manche Link and Eurotunnel.
RORO and marine handling systems – Expert Witness Services
RORO tractor-trailer systems revolutionised cargo handling worldwide wide. I offer extensive design and implementation experience of RORO gained in many countries.
Scaffolding – Expert Witness Services
Accidents involving scaffolding occur all too frequently. I have been appointed to look into accidents on a number of occasions and offer expertise in this general field.
Shipyard transporters – Expert Witness Services
I offer considerable experience in the design and application of on and off the highway transporters.
Siphonic roof drainage – Expert Witness Services
This type of roof drainage is often problematical, and can cause unforeseen adverse effects. I have investigated and acted in cases involving siphonic roof drainage problems.
Tractor, trailer and general vehicle design – Expert Witness Services
My experience of design and application in this field ranges from airport baggage trailers and dollies to 200 tonne fifth wheel applications for the wood pulp industry.
Vibrating tables – Expert Witness Services
Vibrating tables have a much wider range of applications than is generally realised ranging from foundry tables to vegetable sorting. I offer some expertise in this relatively specialised field.
Wave and wind machines – Expert Witness Services
I designed the present wave machines used at Pinewood studios, and have carried out detailed studies on the effects of high powered wind machines. I have expertise in these fields.
Wing Transporters – Expert Witness Services
I designed a unique and highly successful wing transporter for the Airbus wing production Line at Chester, and have extensive experience in this field.