Research facilities

The Group has built one of the most comprehensive research laboratories in any UK academic institution with an equipment base of approximately £2.5M. This comprises industrial scale high speed machining centres with linear motor capability and spindle speeds up to 120,000rpm, several wire/die-sink EDM units, a flexible grinding centre (courtesy of Winbro Group) and bespoke hybrid processing systems.

• Matsuura LX-1 High Speed Machining Centre
• Matsuura FX-5 Vertical Machining Centre
• Bridgeport FGC1000 3-axis Grinding Centre
• Agie-Charmilles FI240 Wire EDM Machine
• Agie-Charmilles Vertex Twin-Spool Wire EDM
• Agie-Charmilles Compact 1 Micro Die Sinking Machine
• Mazak QTS200M Smart CNC Turning Centre
• Mazak VCS 430 Smart Vertical Centre

In addition to the commercial machine tools detailed above, the Group has a range of advanced EDM related technologies including systems for texturing and surface alloying, electrical discharge grinding, deep hole drilling, water deionisation together with multiple pulse generators offering open circuit voltage up to 600V with high frequency capability.

Additionally, the Group has an extensive suite of complementary analysis equipment encompassing video tool wear systems, a range of Kistler piezoelectric platforms / rotating dynamometers for force measurement, infrared cameras for temperature measurement as well as access to leading edge surface / dimensional metrology equipment and facilities for in-depth workpiece surface integrity analysis. This includes optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), sample preparation and metallography, coordinate measuring machine (CMM), microhardness evaluation, X-ray residual stress and fatigue equipment.

Routes for industrial and academic collaboration

The Group welcomes contact from industrial organisations who wish to discuss potential project partnerships or develop grant proposals to secure EPSRC, TSB, EU and RAEng (or similar Government funding) research funding together with direct industrial contracts, KTP programmes and PhD studentships. We are also interested in hearing from international academic colleagues who would like the opportunity to work with us as visiting researchers (typically 9 – 12 months duration) on projects of mutual interest.