News & events
Final year project wins award for Dominic | 23/10/2014
Culham Apprentice Graduate Dominic Callaghan has been given an HND award by the Institution of Engineering Designers (IED).
His award from the IED was made for his design of a prototype Hot Cell Cut-Off Machine (see photo right) for the UK Atomic Energy Authority's Materials Research Facility (MRF) and will be presented to him in November at Newbury College. The award is given to IED student members who produce exceptional final year projects.
The Hot Cell Cut-Off Machine is used to reduce sample sizes inside a hot cell. The ultimate aim of the device is to reduce radioactive samples to a size of 1mm x 1mm x 1mm so that they can be prepared for analysis using polishing equipment before being inspected.
Dominic's prototype demonstrated the mechanical concepts of the design, the next step before production is to make modifications to the device so that it is useable in a hot-cell. This work is currently being carried out as part of the next development stage - work which was begun by Dominic, and is now being continued by the MRF following a new role for Dominic in the Authority's new centre for Remote Applications in Challenging Environments (RACE).
Martin O'Brien, sponsor of the MRF project, said: “One of the key processes in MRF will be cutting small samples off radioactive specimens in a way that minimises dust production. Dominic's device is a major contribution to this and therefore of great importance to the future success of MRF.”
“The design and manufacture of the prototype has been a very interesting and rewarding challenge. I hope that after further development the machine can be used to support exciting work within the new MRF,” said Dominic. “Receiving this award is fantastic, and a great way to round off my Culham apprenticeship.”
