KTP Associate to ensure Stelram stays at the cutting edge
University of Huddersfield graduate, Gareth Eyre, is playing a key role in a Government-backed project designed to ensure that West Yorkshire company, Stelram Engineering Ltd, stays at the cutting edge of specialist engineering and expands its order book
Wed, 27 Aug 2014 16:04:00 BST
Stelram Engineering appoints Huddersfield First Class Honours graduate Gareth to create “The Stelram Bible”
A UNIVERSITY of Huddersfield graduate is playing a key role in a Government-backed project designed to ensure that a West Yorkshire company stays at the cutting edge of specialist engineering and expands its order book.
Wakefield-based Stelram Engineering Ltd designs and manufactures bespoke machinery for production lines. It has provided highly-specialised equipment and automated systems for a wide range of companies in sectors that include car manufacture, food and drink production and consumer goods.
As the company grows it wants to increase its capacity and its robustness. Strategies for this include increased standardisation and “mass customisation”, so that designers working on bespoke projects will utilise standard components and designs as far as possible.
In order to develop this, a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP was formed between Stelram and the University. Gareth Eyre, who graduated in 2013 with First Class Honours in motorsport technology, has been appointed KTP associate and is supervised by Dr Simon Barrans, who is Reader in Turbocharger Engineering at the Turbocharger Research Institute, based at the University.
KTPs are formed between companies and universities to work on strategically important projects. The partnerships are part-funded by the Government, via the Technology Strategy Board.
For the next two years, until the completion of the KTP, Gareth will spend the bulk of his time at Stelram, where he previously worked for a short spell as a designer. Part of his task will be to help compile what he describes as “The Stelram Bible”. It will include a procedure system and repository of standard components for designers to use in their bespoke projects.
Dr Barrans – the KTP supervisor – said that Gareth was an ideal choice for the project. In addition to his First Class Honours degree he also had considerable practical experience working for engineering companies, both on the shop floor and in design departments.
“It is a challenging project, but we definitely have the right person for the job,” said Dr Barrans, adding that Gareth was also undertaking postgraduate study, leading to a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering.
The KTP is also able to draw on the expertise of Dr Iain Reid, a Senior Lecturer in Operations Management at the University of Huddersfield. A qualified engineer himself, Dr Reid has also researched and written on the subject of “agile manufacturing”, which demonstrates how companies can become more robust and responsive. Gareth discovered Dr Reid’s previous work on mass customisation whilst researching the topic using the University’s Repository and introduced himself.
“We want to reduce a company’s operating costs, so that they gain robustness,” said Dr Reid. If you can cut inefficiencies and waste then you can increase capacity, and if you do that then you can focus on new products and services, creating new markets.”
