Engineering facilities

Mechanical Engineering workshop

For many students, the mechanical engineering workshop is the highlight of their course. During the first year of study on an engineering-based course, you will be trained on how to use the equipment and you will progress from the use of basic hand tools to manufacturing an artefact, such as a joy stick or a sterling engine, using lathes, CNC mills and other advanced manufacturing techniques. Students are free to spend additional time in the workshop to work on their own project during years two and three and even to undertake a practical final year dissertation project of their choice to either prove or demonstrate an engineering concept.

The workshop also includes rapid prototyping equipment (3D printers) which is available for students to use to either develop their own skills or to manufacture something they can use to demonstrate engineering principles. Many students enjoy experimenting with different aspect of robotics and mechanisation.

Civil Engineering materials workshop

Concrete, steel and timber is at the heart of many civil engineering and construction projects. In the civil engineering materials lab, students gain hands-on experience of mixing, curing and crushing concrete to develop an understanding of its properties and practical applications. Concrete is not an environmentally friendly material, and many students have enjoyed experimenting with different ways of reducing its environmental impact by, for example, using recycled materials such as glass in place of aggregate, and alternative materials, such as glass fibre and bamboo, that can be used in place of steel reinforcing.

The workshop has concrete mixing facilities, environmental chambers to cure concrete under different conditions, a calibrated crushing machine to test the compressive strength of concrete and a beam tester to test the load carrying capacity of steel and timber beams.

Students undertake practical sessions in the workshop as part of their coursework and in the final year can undertake a dissertation based on practical workshop experiments or material testing.

Geotechnics laboratory

It’s important to understand the properties of the ground beneath our feet as not only does It provide the foundation (literally) for many civil engineering and construction projects, but many civil engineering projects involve reshaping the ground, with retaining walls, cuttings, embankments or tunnels. Geotechnical investigation and testing is core to the efficient design and execution of earthworks.

Geotechnical engineering is a thread that runs throughout the civil engineering course. Students have an opportunity to explore soil properties by undertaking tests for plasticity, particle size distribution, permeability and consolidation, among other properties, on different types of soil, using the laboratory’s test equipment both for coursework, as part of their project work or as part of a final dissertation.

Hydraulics and fluid mechanics laboratory

The current climate emergency has made it more important than ever that we understand the behaviour of liquids, including water. More severe rainfall events can have a significant impact on the environment by scouring water courses and adversely affecting natural habitats. In the hydraulics laboratory students can experiment with different methods of designing sustainable drainage systems. The flumes allow tests on both laminar and turbulent flow systems, and hydraulic jumps.

Experiments can also be carried out on pipe friction and fitting losses, which is an essential element in designing effective plumbing and drainage systems.

The laboratory is also equipped with a wind tunnel. The wind tunnel can be used for experiments on aerodynamic design, essential not only to investigate the effect of high winds on structures and buildings, but also in vehicle design.

Students will carry out experiments as part of their modules. Project work and the hydraulics lab can be used to undertake a final year practical dissertation.

Mechatronics laboratory

In a competitive world the skills to design, operate and maintain robotic and mechanised production lines will be in high demand. Experiment with high-tech intelligent manufacturing equipment of the same type that is used in cutting edge manufacturing plants making a variety of goods from electronic components to food items. The equipment allows students to investigate the type of modern pneumatic controls and robotic systems used in modern production lines. Simulate production systems using a computer simulation and then try it out on the scaled down equipment.

Electronics workshop

Electronics are at the heart of many modern devices. In the electronics workshop students can design electronic systems, simulate the design on a computer and then test the system by building it in real life. The workshop is equipped with a range of machinery and equipment for the design, production and testing of electronic circuits. Students can make use of Matlab and Simulink to simulate robot programming and testing as part of their modules and project work, or undertake tasks such as designing a robot to navigate a maze. The workshop can also be used to design and construct electronic circuits or robotic control systems, as part of a final year dissertation.

Collaborative design studio and project space

The collaborative design studio is a space used exclusively by Engineering and Built Environment students for group and project work. Students can collaborate on solving design problems and have space to hold group discussions and carry out trial assembly for experiments on different types of structure.