Ioannis Menicou (photo from the cover of the latest IfM News*) is an Engineering student from Wolfson, who has just completed the MET IIA (Manufacture Engineering Tripos) course. During the summer, he is going to work at the Inkjet Research Centre as part of a UROP project supervised by Dr Steve Hoath. This project will help in understanding and predicting limits to drop-on-demand inkjet printing by analysing experimental data from previous UROPs on meniscus motion, air drag and drop charging. UROP research projects at the University of Cambridge are only available to students who will return to their undergraduate course of study for at least one more year.
On 7 June, teams of third-year MET students presented their design projects at the annual Design Show. Over the last year, teams of students have completed a major design project to develop a new product, with real business potential. The projects have generated some exciting new ideas and innovative technology. A few examples of the 2017 projects include:
• An innovative solar water still, used to purify water in economically underdeveloped villages.
• A super-low-cost process for manufacturing volume-efficient paving slabs to improve the standard of living of refugee camps and other off-grid areas, using only plastic waste and other readily available materials.
• An innovative composites weaving machine that scales down an industrial process and allows it to be used in design studios and universities.
*IfM News is the Institute for Manufacturing's internal newsletter.