MEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering with Composites
This fully accredited, and well respected, programme of study allows students to develop a firm foundation in the principles of Mechanical Engineering in a Composite Materials context. Our graduates have found employment in a diverse range of industries. That diversity is mirrored in the range of dissertation projects our students conduct, examples of which you will find here.
The projects currently being displayed are from our current academic year. To view other years
please select below.
George Modica-Cliff
Use of Biomimicry Model for the Design of Perforated Composite Plates
There
are many practical reasons for making perforations in composites, which include
reducing weight and for joining components. Nature often produces strong
materials that have multiple perforations, biomimicry seeks to utilise these
features for artificial solutions. The project investigates natural structures,
using this information to suggest methods to design and make more efficient
openings in composite structures. Holes are usually
made by machining however this project proposes a to use tree knots holes as a
model to mould holes in composites. Three types of sample plates, moulded,
drilled and control, were manufactured using RIFT and unidirectional fibres.
Test samples were compared to investigate any tensile improvements made.
Digital image correlation (DIC) analysis shows a difference in the failure modes. The
project was limited due to time and resources.
The results show that
the moulded holes had a lower tensile strength but a higher tensile modulus
than the drilled sample. However, the failure mode of the moulded samples
showed a more gradual deterioration, which would prove advantageous in
real-world scenarios, where products are monitored regularly. This process
could be useful as it is reusable, has no wasted material, saves on machining
time and costs, risk of delamination and dust when installing components.
There
are many practical reasons for making perforations in composites, which include
reducing wei...
Lloyd Vance
The Design, Prototyping, And Testing Of A Carbon Fibre Mountain Bike Handlebar
The aim of this project is to design and prototype a carbon
fibre mountain bike style handlebar which performs well in a laboratory test
setting, and while installed on a mountain bike.
The first stage of this project was to conduct a literature
review, to build on the knowledge gained through taught composites modules, and
develop a greater understanding of key subject areas.
The literature review enabled a suitable design,
manufacturing, testing, and analysis methodology to be devised. A SolidWorks
model of the proposed CFRP bar, along with models for aluminium and steel bars
were produced, and a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) study was conducted to
obtain values for the bending stress and bending deflection at varying loading
conditions. The bending stress/deflection values were then validated with values
obtained via analytical calculations.
Two prototype bars were then manufactured in the University
of Plymouth composites laboratory using 3k 2x2 twill weave prepreg carbon fibre
with a vacuum bag technique and an oven cure cycle.
An Instron machine was then used to 3-point bend test the
prototypes in the University of Plymouth materials laboratory with the
assistance of Dr Jeremy Clark. From these tests, a force vs displacement plot
was produced, and the maximum bending moment achieved by each bar was
calculated, and the maximum bending moment seen by each prototype was compared
to the maximum bending moment seen by a sample bar in a previously published
paper.
Results triangulation showed both prototypes exhibited displacement
values far greater than what was predicted by the FEA and analytical
calculations, but still managed to significantly surpass the performance
target.
As such, the testing showed both prototypes could withstand
the bending loads seen by a handlebar during off road use.
The aim of this project is to design and prototype a carbon
fibre mountain bike style handlebar whi...
