Institute Awards Engineering Top Prize to Student

The Institute of Engineering Designers (IED) student prize for Best Final Year Project has been awarded Dominic from FdEng Engineering (Marine Technologies) at Bournemouth and Poole College the top accolade. As a Degree Apprentice, he has now progressed to the final year of the BEng.

Dominic works for the RNLI and completed his project for them as part of his Foundation Degree. His abstract in his report for the project outlines the process which was followed in the design and manufacture of a redundant fan housing on a Severn Class Lifeboat, as part of a major ‘Life Extension Programme’. 

The project brief starts with input from the crew that use the vessel, their ideas and experiences with the housing and how it could be improved. This data is then amalgamated with design criteria already identified by the Naval Architects at the RNLI Headquarters in Poole. To achieve this goal, many options were considered, these ranged from reusing the original component to manufacturing brand-new alternatives. 

This report details the research analysis involved in determining the final specification, which included material degradation and corrosion in a marine environment to composite material properties during sheer stresses. 

A brand-new composite fan housing was designed and manufactured to meet the specifications of the client. This involved the production of a mould to facilitate the continual production of fan housings for the fleet, all of which was done in-house at the All-weather Lifeboat Centre in Poole. 

The manufactured part fulfils its requirements well, is pleasing to the eye, matches the aesthetics and style of the vessel and was also completed within the budgeted estimations. A key factor to the project’s success was the fact that the RNLI maintained control over the build process, as well as any necessary amendments that needed to be made. There is no doubt this component will continue to provide good service for the charity and all that use it.

Dominic said of his award and of the course: “It has been a challenging and rewarding experience which allowed me to develop my project management skills and gain valuable experience in an area of the business I wouldn’t normally have exposure to. 

“I chose that particular task because it was closely related to the Severn Life Extension Project, which I was working on at the time. It allowed me a glimpse into an area of the business where decision-making, product design and ideas are developed. This also encouraged me to liaise with senior management and professionals in the industry, who I wouldn’t usually be interacting with.”

“Completing my Foundation degree, whilst working full-time and managing family commitments, has helped me with task prioritisation and also given me the ability to demonstrate practical experience whilst working on complex projects. I hope this will prove invaluable as I look to advance my career after completing my studies.”