Aerodynamics and Aeroacoustics Laboratories

Some of the best and most unique wind tunnel facilities in the country, including an Aeroacoustic wind tunnel, a low-turbulence wind tunnel, a pressure-neutral acoustic wind tunnel for propeller research, a high-speed subsonic and supersonic jet facility, and a large 7’x5’ close-circuit wind tunnel.

Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL)

An internationally recognised centre of excellence. More than 3,000 m² of state-of-the-art specialist workshops, wet labs and two flying arenas with multiple 3D motion capture systems. This unique collaboration harnesses the collective strengths of its university partners,the academic community and the best expertise from industry so the UK can lead the world in modern advanced robotics.

Communications Laboratory

The latest hardware and measurement facilities including an anechoic chamber; analogue (40GHz, two channel) wafer probing facility connected to a 65GHz VNA; computer cluster; RF and wireless instrumentation; ultra high bandwidth, real-time oscilloscope and logic analyser; Medav multi-element wideband channel sounder with full remote MIMO operation and a MIMO test-bed and channel emulation facility.

Composites Manufacturing, Test and Characterisation Facilities

The Faculty's full range of top class facilities include composites-specific equipment for mechanical and high strain rate testing, manufacturing research, visualisation, composite processing and the measurement of process critical properties. In addition to our degree programmes, we also offer composite materials training and consultancy to our industrial partners.

Computing Resources and High Performance Computing

The University hosts Bluecrystal Phase 4, one of the fastest and most advanced supercomputing facilities in the UK, capable of up to 600 trillion calculations per second. The Faculty has several locally-managed distributed memory parallel computer clusters, with larger simulations run on a University central resource. For High Performance Computing, the University also hosts the UK's most powerful academic computer cluster.

Cyber Security Laboratory

The Bristol Cyber Security Group's state-of-the-art large scale testbed provides a realistic environment for our research into cyber-physical systems security. It has been built from the ground up, based on extensive past experience of building ICS security testbeds and input from industry partners.

Digital Manufacturing Laboratory

Founded in response to the drive towards digital across engineering, the Digital Manufacturing Lab hosts multi-disciplinary teams sitting at the cutting-edge of future design and manufacturing technologies, tools, and systems. Crossing the boundaries between design technologies, digital and rapid manufacture, digital twins, data science, robotics, and metrology systems, the DML aims to produce disruptive knowledge and tools for industry and the general public alike. For example,  it hosts one of the UK's few Optomec Aerosol Jet 5X printer.

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Dynamics Laboratory and Model Validation Facility (MVF)

The Dynamics laboratory and the Model Validation Facility (MVF) are part of the Faculty's advanced dynamic engineering facilities. Both laboratories have leading cutting-edge measurement and testing technologies. They serve a large group of researchers with a focus on aspects of dynamics, such as composites and nonlinear vibrations of mechanical structures.

Earthquake Laboratory

The largest earthquake engineering facility in the UK and one of the larger ones in Europe. The main piece of equipment is the six axis shaking table. We welcome enquiries from industrialists interested in our test facilities. Access if offered through a University-owned company: Bristol Earthquake and Engineering Laboratory Limited ("BEELAB").

Electrical Engineering Teaching Laboratories

Bigger and newly refurbished electrical teaching laboratory. Fully kitted out with state of the art equipment.

Contact: dominic.hardman@bristol.ac.uk (Technical Services Manager)

Electrical Energy Management Facilities

Our electrical and electronic labs and newly-refurbished facilities support research and development in electrical energy management. Examples are the Power Electronics lab, Electrical lab and Electric Drives lab, used to train students in electric vehicle drive trains, energy harvesting, smart grid components, power electronics and machine design.

General Engineering Student Laboratory

An open-plan engineering teaching laboratory for 200 students in one group or multiple simultaneous classes and workshops. The flexible layout increases hands-on teaching and learning opportunities.

Contact: dominic.hardman@bristol.ac.uk (Technical Services Manager)

Geomechanics Laboratories

The geomechanics and geotechnics laboratories are temperature controlled facilities with equipment for research, project work and class teaching in fundamental geomechanics.

Hackspace

The Hack Space is a fantastic 103m² creative co-working area, designed with our students as a space for hacking, making and crafting. Located on the ground floor of the Merchant Venturers Building,  its ethos is one of experimentation and collaboration. It is a safe space where all engineering students can test new ideas and make mistakes!

Contact: hackspace-info@bristol.ac.uk

Heavy and Light Test Laboratories

Our structures facilities allow for testing a variety of structural forms, from large frames to smaller machines for more standard testing. Our laboratories offer heavy and light test facilities, a 100 tonne capacity frame for pilot testing and a large-scale fatigue testing facility. We offer novel testing solutions to Research, Teaching (projects) and Industrial Partners to investigate new materials and methods. All machines are available to Students to use as part of their project work if required.

High Temperature Centre: Creep Laboratory

A temperature-controlled environment, supporting research on metals operating at high temperature. Tests can be run on metals at temperatures up to a thousand degrees centigrade. Within Mechanical Engineering, this Lab is dedicated to the Solid Mechanics Research Group and exploring the 'in service' life of components and material. Novel esearch conducted in the lab helps the relevant authorities make informed decisions around the life of the UK's nuclear facilities.

Metallurgy Laboratory

The metallurgy lab is used for the forensic analysis of metal, ceramic or composite samples generated during research projects. This often involves microscopic analysis of samples to explain behaviour seen during other tests. Examples include diagnosing the fracture mechanism in carbon-fibre composites and how high-temperature deformation changes the structure of power plant steels.

National Composites Centre (NCC)

Composites enable everyday lives. Lightweight, strong, smart materials make better, more sustainable products. NCC technologies include Fibre Placement, High Volume Manufacuring, Ultra High Rate Deposition, Ceramic Matrix Composites and Large Scale Resin Impregnation  It has the only two-ring braider in the UK. 

Non-destructive Testing Laboratory

The non-destructive testing laboratory supports research into ultrasonics and acoustics. Key areas are phased array imaging, materials characterisation (e.g. nonlinear ultrasound), structural health monitoring,  composites and ultrasonic particle manipulation. 

NSQI Low Noise Laboratories (LNL) and Cleanroom

The NSQI centre houses low noise laboratories (LNL), a suite of purpose-built, low-vibration research spaces and among the quietest laboratories in the world. With additional radio frequency and temperature stability measures, they are ideal for experiments where background interference is a barrier to sensitive research. The related Bristol NanoESCA Laboratory is available to industry and the LNL is open to project applications from across the nanoscience and quantum research communities.

Photonics

The University has excellent facilities for this field of research, including a very well equipped clean room, a focused ion beam etching (FIBE) machine, advanced measurement and experimental kit, state-of-the-art equipment for optical communications testing and measurements, and fundamental research facilities particularly in the Quantum Photonics area.

Quantum Laboratories

Quantum Engineering Technology (QET) Laboratories span the School of Physics and Faculty of Engineering. As a global centre for research, development and entrepreneurship, the labs facilitate an exploration of the fundamental aspects of quantum mechanics.  Having the technology to generate, manipulate and measure single photons and work on the quantum systems that emit these photons will help inform emerging quantum technologies.

Residual Stress Laboratory

A Solid Mechanics/Mechanical Engineering laboratory to measure residual stresses within engineering components and develop and apply novel research tools to interrogate locked-in stresses in components. The Solid Mechanics group's research includes determining residual stresses in high-integrity nuclear welded components and in non-metallic components such as fibre composites for aerospace applications using x-ray diffraction to meaure surface stresses. A FARO arm co-ordinate measuring machine with laser scanner can map and produce 3D models of surfaces and objects from which componets can be reverse engineered. A purpose-built machine can measure residual stress through thickness. The lab is used for research and student projects.

Satellite Laboratory

The lab forms the ground station, or mission control, accepting signals from satellites and the International Space Station via antennae on the roof. It also houses a ‘clean room’ and testbed, where satellites will be built by students and researchers in a contaminant-free environment.

Smart Internet Lab

One of the UK's most renowned Information and Communications Technology (ICT) research centres which addresses grand societal and industrial challenges. Experts in 5G radio/wireless, optical communications and networks fuse research expertise and innovation in areas such as: IoT,  future transport networks, smart cities, machine learning and AI.  An unique combination of end-to-end network design and optimisation that impacts regional, national and global ICT innovations.

Soil-Foundation-Structure Interaction Laboratory (SoFSI)

A state-of-the-art facility for research into the structural-geotechnical boundary. It supports the UKCRIC mission to underpin renewal, sustainment and infrastructure improvement in the UK and beyond.  Primarily supported by the Earthquake and Geotechnical Research Group, SoFSI's size and scale means a wide variety of academic and commercial research could be supported.

Visual Information Laboratory

The VI lab's innovative, collaborative and interdisciplinary research results in world-leading technology in the areas of computer vision, image and video communications, content analysis and distributed sensor systems.

Wind Tunnel Laboratory

A key part of the University's aerodynamic and aeroacoustics facilities, the Hele-Shaw laboratory's new Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel with its modular construction was designed for multi-purpose applications. The 30m long wind tunnel has nine axial fans that can be configured for partial or full operation, allowing a steady flow velocity between 2m/s and 35m/s with very low turbulence intensity. At c 18m, the test section is one of the longest in the UK and can produce a boundary layer over 25cm thick. The laboratory also has specialist rigs used to teach fluid mechanics and is used for related research projects.

Workshops

Our staff and students benefit from excellent workshop facilities. They are also able to get significant components made here on site for projects. The facilities and equipment includes Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines, lathes, Electro Discharge Machines (EDMs) and rapid prototype machines.

Contact: engf-workshop@bristol.ac.uk