The Product Engineering research group has a successful track record of collaborative research with a wide range of manufacturing and service organisations, including:

• Calsonic Kansei Ltd-Modelling of heat exchangers

• HTFS Ltd-Modelling and experimental validation of novel fastener systems

• Seminar Components Ltd-Design and usability analysis of Action furniture mechanisms

• Belron Technical Ltd-Finite Element modelling of windscreen stresses. Ballistics testing and analysis of windscreen impact. Fatigue and failure mechanisms of windscreen ‘chips'

• AGSI Ltd-Design & Development of novel windscreen removal device

• Starbridge Systems Ltd-Multiphysics modelling of microfluidic pump

• MicroHeat Ltd-Thermo-structural modelling of novel consumer heater concept.

Approximate turnover for this industrial interface over the period 2001-2007 has been approximately £500,000. Two KTP schemes have been completed in the area of mechanical product engineering with local companies.

The group has a number of strengths, including computational modelling and analysis using Finite Element and Boundary Element techniques and experimental validation of product performance. A large number of near-market research and development projects have been undertaken in collaboration with industrial organisations. This work built on the momentum created by the Faculty's Automotive Research Centre - a £1.1M initiative over the period 2000 - 2002 to undertake predictive analysis of automotive products.

The aims and objectives of the Product Engineering research group are:

• To foster research in the design, development and performance improvement of products and processes

• To develop partnerships with other university research groups and industries leading to knowledge transfer

Resources include commercial licences of industry standard software for Design, Finite Element Analysis and Computational Fluid Dynamics, a 32- blade comput cluster, digital photoelastic stress analysis, ultrasonics, high speed digital videography, scanning laser Doppler vibrometer, a range of infrared thermographic equipment, temperature-controlled ballistics facility, Computerised Vibration machine, a range of materials testing and metallographic equipment, stereo-lithographic and powder-jet rapid prototyping and CADCAM facilities.

There are strong links between the Product Engineering research group and the Industrial Design research group, that is located under the Applied Design area on the research home page.

Staff participating in this research group include:

Dr Ian Wells
Dr Owen Williams
Professor Kelvin Donne
Matt Archer
Richard Thomas
Dr Roderick A Thomas