New engineering hub opened at Cambridge

Sir James Dyson has opened a new engineering facility at Cambridge University, to support research in advanced materials, electric vehicles and efficient internal combustion systems. The development of the Dyson Centre for Engineering Design was aided by an £8m donation from the James Dyson Foundation. The centre will provide space for more than 1,200 design student, supplying them with specialised printing machinery, scanners and lasers. It is hoped some technologies created here will become spin-outs.

Sir James said: “Developing the intellectual property that will help Britain succeed in the global technology race depends on applying our brightest minds to ambitious and exciting research projects. I’m hopeful this new space for Britain’s best engineers at the University of Cambridge will catalyse great technological breakthroughs that transform how we live.”

The Centre is located in the Cambridge cluster, which has more than 1,500 technology firms, employing 57,000 people. Their combined revenue exceeds £13bn. The success rate of Cambridge spin-out companies over the last 10 years is 97.4%, far higher than the UK average of 44.6%.

The building itself contains fibre-optic sensors in the foundation piles, concrete columns and floor sections to offer live data on temperatures and strain. Some of the student-led projects to be housed here include solar powered electric racing cars, quad rotor drones and helium balloon spaceflight systems.

Professor David Cardwell, Head of the Department of Engineering, said: “Collaboration is at the heart of solving global engineering challenges and the new James Dyson Building brings brilliant researchers from across disciplines together with industrial practitioners to serve our cities, transportation and energy systems with novel techniques.”