Engineering students benefit from practical expertise thanks to manufacturing specialist

8 February 2016

Visit to independent air movement specialist Gilberts

Engineering students from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) have benefitted from practical expertise at the UK’s top independent air movement specialist.

Second year full-time and third year part-time students on the BEng (Hons) in Building Services and Sustainable Engineering course undertook an exclusive visit to state-of-the-art manufacturing company Gilberts in Blackpool. Hosted by Gilberts’ Technical Director Roy Jones, the visit demonstrated the practical element of the students’ mechanical services design module.

The trip enabled the visitors to experience first-hand the processes involved in modern ventilation strategy: the factory tour addressed the practicality of production from drawing board through manufacturing to testing, whilst the technical seminar covered selecting and sizing grilles and diffusers for effective airflow and transfer.

UCLan Senior Lecturer in Building Services and Sustainable Engineering Dr Liben Jiang commented: “Seeing the manufacturing processes at first hand, coupled with the knowledge that the students glean from the visit, will enhance their employability after graduation. They will have a better understanding of the practicalities beyond the theory."

"Seeing the manufacturing processes at first hand, coupled with the knowledge that the students glean from the visit, will enhance their employability after graduation. They will have a better understanding of the practicalities beyond the theory."

“Gilberts has an advanced in-house air distribution test centre, and Roy Jones is one of the leading authorities in the industry; a trip to the company’s headquarters in Blackpool is therefore of great benefit to the students’ learning experience.”

Student Craig Wallace said: “I found the visit to Gilberts very interesting and useful. From the perspective of a full-time student with little experience in visiting manufacturing facilities, being able to see how different air distribution products were made significantly furthered my understanding towards this area of engineering.”

Roy Jones added: “I have previously undertaken lectures at UCLan; the opening of our new leading edge air distribution test centre meant students could learn even more by coming to Gilberts in person.”

Gilberts is one of the UK’s largest manufacturers of grilles and louvres, and a growing force in the design and supply of natural ventilation solutions for the public and commercial sectors. The company is unique in its sector in manufacturing every component in house, even as far as designing and engineering its own tools and dyes in its own tool making facility.