Opportunities for Enterprise 

The School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering has the expertise and experience to collaborate with your company to solve a business problem so you gain competitive advantage:

Innovative Manufacturing

• Laser Processing: surface modification; surface cladding; laser shot peening; cutting; welding.
• Implementation of micro-integrated on-line sensing of chemical, metal or organic species.
• Process Mapping/Optimisation: design of experiments; artificial intelligence; Monte Carlo.
• Additive Manufacturing and 3-D printing.
• Process simulation: thermal; fluid mechanics; solid mechanics; artificial intelligence simulation.
• System Control: data acquisition; transmission; analysis and control.
• Semi-Solid Metal Processing: rheocasting; thixocasting; thixoforming.
• Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems: fibre-optic laser scanning; electrohydrodynamic focusing. 

Bioengineering

• Experimental Biomaterials Science: characterisation of biomaterial functional properties which arise due to effects at multiple length scales, including cellular, nanoscale and molecular effects.
• Biomaterials and Nanobioanalytical Characterisation.
• Theoretical Mechanics and Computational Stress Analysis (finite element method) for measuring and modelling the macroscopic behaviour of biomaterials and tissues.
• Experimental Mechanics facilities include tensile and biaxial vessel compliance testers.
• Coating Technologies for medical device implants: Sulzer Metco 9MB Plasma Spray Process facility, operated in a dedicated, self-contained and sound-proof room.
• Electrospinning Process - application to tissue engineering including bio-compatibility, strength and perfusion.
• MEDeng research staff have a record of engagement in consultancy and/or collaborative research with major medical device companies including Medtronic, Stryker, Vasorum and others.
• Expert consultancy is offered in the following areas:
• Development and experimental characterisation of biomaterials and medical devices (Dr Garrett McGuinness, Dr Triona Lally).
• Computational stress analysis using the finite element method (Dr Bryan MacDonald).
• Coating technologies for medical device implants, particularly HVOF and thermal spray (Dr Joseph Stokes).
• Novel materials and products are currently being developed for future commercialisation through licencing or start-up companies.

Sustainability

• Technology development for cleaning, transport and provision of water supplies.
• Development for reduced electrical usage within engineering and commodity products.
• Enhancement of sustainable energy supply devices including solar cells, fuel cells, and wind turbines.
• Computational fluid flow modelling for enhanced water flow though pumping systems and reduced energy usage.
• Product development for reduced usage of non-recyclable materials.
• Integration of operations management practices to increase efficiency of work flow.
• Development of novel advanced manufacturing technologies which have reduced energy usage.