Mechanical Workshop Course for Stage 2 Students

Introduction

This course is held in Term 3, after the examinations and is compulsory for MPhys students and optional for BSc students on Physics programmes. It comprises two parts:

• a basic fitting course;
• a basic soldering course.

Both parts are normally covered in one day to a cohort of 10 students.

Schedule

• 0915 Registration in the Harrison Student Workshop (HAR/152)
• 0930 Start morning session
• 1300 Lunch
• 1330 Start afternoon session
• 1700 Finish

Suitable clothing (no shorts) and suitable footwear must be worn. Safety glasses and overalls are supplied. No loose jewellery or rings to be worn and long hair will need to be tied back.

The first delivery of the course is normally on the second working day after the last core level 2 examination is completed in Term 3.

Intended Outcomes

Students will be able to:

1. show an awareness of relevant hazards and use safe working practices in the mechanical workshop;
2. make a front panel for an instrument enclosure from a supplied drawing;
3. make a thermocouple using T₁ (nickel-chrome) and T₂ (nickel-aluminium) wire and silver solder;
4. make soft-solder and silver-solder joints.

by using the following range of tools, materials and equipment:

• Tools
  • Scriber,
  • Engineers Rule
  • Engineers Square
  • Centre punch
  • Twist drill
  • File
  • Trepanning tool
  • Deburring tools, (countersink and scraper)
• Materials
  • Aluminium sheet 16swg S1C H4
  • 15mm dia and 28mm dia copper tube
  • brass and copper sheet 16swg or 18swg
  • 15mm dia copper elbow
  • Scotchbrite pad
  • T₁ and T₂ wire
  • soft solder (tin/lead alloy)
  • silver solder
  • dilute nitric acid (5% solution)
• Machinery / Equipment
  • Drilling machine
  • Natural gas / compressed air torch