Facilities
We view product realisation as vital to successful design, and therefore have a wide range of manufacturing facilities, which are accessible to all Design students who have covered the basic safety instruction on the machines. As these workshops are dedicated to provide essential skills, facilitate design visualisation, and help students gain confidence in terms of material and process selection, they are well-equipped with a large selection of machines and facilities. Moreover, our experienced and well-qualified staff are always present to support. Since student safety is regarded our top priority, safety instruction programmes, workshop training, as well as protective eyewear and workshop coats are provided.
The details of our workshop facilities are demonstrated below:
Metal Fabrication Lab
This lab contains all essential machines, namely the pillar drill, band saw, belt sander, folding machine, hand guillotine, power guillotine, fly press, hearth, casting facility, anvil, lathe, surface plate, metal vice, work bench, pipe bending facility, chop-off saw, off hand grinder, spot welder, gas welding, MIG, TIG and MMA welding. Sheet metal is also supplied. Our workshop training is treated as vital learning experience and well-integrated with design projects at all levels.
Metal Machine Shop
The workshop encompasses a wide selection of machines, such as drilling tools, metal lathes, grinders, sanders, presses, metal cutters, planners, etc. Mini projects are integrated as part of the workshop training, and materials are supplied.
Model-Making Workshop
As this workshop is dedicated to supporting students in making industrial models or aesthetic prototypes, it is equipped with rapid prototyping machines, disc/belt/pillar sanders, band saws, casting facilities, spray paint booths, etc. Materials, such as yellow foams, woods and pigments for casting, are also supplied.
Plastic Fabrication Lab
The lab is designed to support students in forming plastic models, it contains a large selection of machines and facilities, namely the CNC milling machine, vacuum forming machine, laser cutter, driller, sander, jigsaw, band saw, polishing/sandblasting facilities, lathe, strip heater, spray & mount area, etc. Materials, such as acrylic, polystyrene, polypropylene, and nylon are also supplied.
Woodworking Workshop
This workshop offers a wide range of machines and facilities, namely wood lathes, disc/belt/pillar sanders, band saws, pillar drills, mortise machines, portable hand tools (e.g. routers), and a wide selection of hand tools (e.g. hand saws, hammers and wood chisels), etc. Wood materials are also supplied. Mini projects, such as a trammel box and a table, are integrated as part of workshop training.
Other facilities provided by School of Engineering and Design are:
Computing Facilities
Over 300 computers are available to our students across a variety of well-equipped computer rooms within the School - many of which are available 24 hours a day. These are in addition to the central computing facilities of the University.
Electronics Facilities
Our electronics facilities comprise of several well equipped labs, and include full PCB production capabilities.
Multimedia Facilities
We have a number of multimedia laboratories, including a music technology suite, a video edit suite, a digital broadcasting laboratory, which are well equipped with cutting edge facilities, such as three large stewart screens (available for both 2D and 3D presentations), a Vicon motion capture suite, and a unique system used in many various industries, including film, TV and animation. There are also computers devoted to unique multimedia programmes. Therefore, students can focus their interests and skills with programmes that require specialist knowledge.
Driving Laboratory
The laboratory consists of two medium-fidelity fixed-base driving simulators. Both simulators consist of actual vehicle shells, one of which is linked up to bespoke simulator software offering total control over scenarios and track layouts. The second simulator uses commercial off-the-shelf software, with less control but higher fidelity (in terms of visual, auditory and tactile feedback), and is ideally suited for observational studies.
