
Wood, Metal and Plastics Workshops
School of Creative Industries / Facilities / Wood, Metal and Plastics Workshops
Students from our undergraduate and postgraduate courses have access to exceptional Wood, Metal and Plastics Workshops. In total, there are six fully equipped specialist workshops offering an extensive range of materials and processes – all supported by a full team of technical support staff.
Workshops include
Wood workshop
The wood workshop has four specialist circular saws for preparation of materials from rough sizing through to precision cutting. It is professionally equipped for producing a range of prototypes and has a comprehensive range of tools for bench and hand work.
Machine tools include:
- Hand and table routers
- Morticers
- Dovetailing machines
- Wood lathes
A number of other processes are available for the forming of timber using our steam bending and vacuum press for lamination work. These facilities are complemented by a large scale CNC Router which enables designs to be produced using the 3D CAD software: SolidWorks, AutoCAD and ArtCAM.
2 fine metal workshops
they include:
- 2 specialist jewellery and silversmithing benches
- Acid etching and annealing processes
- Facilities for chasing and repoussé work, and the drawing of non ferrous metals
- 3 brazing hearths and forging facilities, complemented by specialist polishing equipment
- A sound booth with a large array of dies and stakes for forming and shaping non ferrous metals
The engineering workshop
includes:
- Lathes · A large scale milling machine
- Hand tools for shaping and forming metals
- Power fed tube forming equipment – as well as more traditional forming processes
The welding room includes:
- MIG, TIG, Spot and Plasma cutters
- Specialist extraction systems
- A finishing spray booth – which enables prototypes to be completed to a high professional standard
Plastics modelling workshops
There are two plastics modelling workshops. They include a state of the art laser cutter /engraving machine and vacuum forming equipment. The workshop is fully equipped to construct and form polymers. It also includes two kilns that enable materials to be thermoformed along with hot wire cutters to form and sculpt modelling foam. Other facilities in the plastics modelling workshops include:
- Mould-making
- A wet resin room for forming glass and carbon fibre lamination
- A resin casting facility
- Spray and sand blasting machines