Microsoft CEO to Retire In The Next Year
Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO, has announced that he plans retire in the next twelve months, depending on when a replacement can be found.
The company publicly announced the news on Friday, which resulted in the company’s stock shooting up by nearly 9% in pre-market trading.
In a statement Ballmer said, “There is never a perfect time for this type of transition, but now is the right time. We have embarked on a new strategy with a new organization and we have an amazing Senior Leadership Team. My original thoughts on timing would have had my retirement happen in the middle of our company’s transformation to a devices and services company. We need a CEO who will be here longer term for this new direction.”
Only one month ago Ballmer Ballmer led a massive reorganisation of the company in a bid to bring all the divisions under one unified vision. Microsoft has said that a special committee has been appointed to oversee the process of hunting for Ballmer’s replacement.
How do you think a change in CEO will affect Microsoft? Tell us your comments below.
[Image via digitaltrends]
SOURCE: http://mashable.com/2013/08/23/steve-ballmer-to-retire/
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3D Printing to Help Break 1000mph Land Speed Record
The Bloodhound SSC project is aimed at building a supersonic car that will travel at incredible speeds, with the ultimate goal of breaking the 1000mph land speed record.
The team behind the Bloodhound Supersonic Car has turned to 3D printing technologies to attain its goal. More specifically, one of the most important parts of the vehicle, the nose tip, will be custom manufactured of titanium.
Bloodhound SSC’s tip is a critical part of the project, as it will be the first part to break through the new speed record and will have to withstand pressures up to 12 tons per square meter. This is why the team decided to manufacture it from titanium, with the help of leading additive manufacturers Renishaw.
The nose tip will be made in one of Renishaw’s laser melting machines that are traditionally used for 3D printing complex components and prototypes. The process that Renishaw will use to create the titanium tip is called laser sintering – using a high-power laser beam to fuse thin layers of metallic powders together.
According to Bloodhound SSC engineers, the process will allow the creation of a hollow yet rigid titanium structure, but will also make it possible to minimize the tip’s weight by easily adjusting wall thickness. The 3D printed tip will be bonded to the car’s carbon fiber monocoque body.
The pencil-shaped vehicle will also be equipped with a jet engine and a rocket, along with an auxiliary Formula 1 V8 petrol engine. The vehicle is being assembled in Bristol, at the recently opened Bloodhound Technical Centre.
The Bloodhound SSC team is planning to go for the 1000mph land speed record in the summer of 2015. The current record is 760 mph and was set in 1997 by Andy Green and Richard Noble with the ThrustSSC, the first supersonic record. Noble is currently director of the Bloodhound project.
What do you think of the Bloodhound SSC project and the UK team’s use of 3D printing technologies? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
[Image via CSMA Club]
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