Department of Engineering / Research / Academic Divisions / Mechanics Materials and Design / Research Facilities in Mechanics, Materials and Design

Department of Engineering

Research Facilities in Mechanics, Materials and Design

Research Facilities in Mechanics, Materials and Design

Mechanics, Materials and Design occupies teaching and research laboratories with a total floor area of approximately 2500m2.  Facilities range from those for testing the dynamics of heavy goods vehicles to those for micro-electromechanical systems and cellular biomechanics.  Resources and equipment within the Division include:

Applied Mechanics & Materials:

The materials testing and characterisation laboratories have been refitted and upgraded to include:

  • Zeiss Evo LS15 Scanning Electron Microscope
  • Hysitron UBI nanoindenter
  • PerkinElmer Spectrum 100 FTIR spectrometer with ATR
  • X-TEC HMX X-ray machine
  • Schenck 10KN Servo Hydraulic
  • Instron 8872 25KN Servo Hydraulic
  • Instron 8805 1 Meg N Servo Hydraulic
  • Mand 4-post 10kN Servo-hydraulic with environmental cell
  • Zygo Optical Profilometer
  • Omicron 3-D co-ordinate measuring machine
  • Talyrond
  • High speed cameras
  • Gas gun
  • Drop tower
  • Laser vibrometer
  • Ling Dynamics Shaker
  • Oxford Instruments RT3000 with base station
  • Correvit noncontact optical speed and sideslip sensor
  • Extensive instrumentation, communication, data logging and control facilities for full scale vehicle testing.
  • Volvo FH12 4x2 tractor unit with servo-hydraulic active roll-control system and extensive instrumentation
  • Volvo FH12 6x2 tractor unit with extensive instrumentation
  • 12.5m triaxle semitrailer with servo-hydraulic trailer steering and extensive instrumentation
  • 15.65m triaxle longer semitrailer with servo-hydraulic trailer steering and extensive instrumentation
  • 13.6m tandem-axle B-link trailer with servo-hydraulic trailer steering and hydraulic regenerative braking
  • 12.5m triaxle tanker semitrailer with active roll control system and extensive instrumentation

The Bulk Superconductivity group facilities have been re-sited and include:

  • Quantum Design MPMS-XL Squid
  • Oxford Instruments Large bore 7/9T magnet
  • LabSys evo-calorimetry system capable of DTA, TGA and DSC (1600)
  • Cold Isostatic Press
  • X-Ray Diffractometer

Biomechanics:

The new dedicated Bioengineering Laboratory to Class 2 biosafety standards, with full cell/tissue culture facilities and optical microscopy is nearing completion, equipment includes:

  • Microplate Reader (FLUOstar OPTIMA)
  • FT-IR Spectrometer
  • Instron (Biopuls 5544) upto 500N
  • Humidified CO2 incubator