Engineering design

The engineering design theme addresses all stages of the engineering design process and links the properties of the products with the processes by which they are designed. We focus on complex products that are designed through incremental increases between product generations. We study design practice in industry and develop tools and methods to support them. We work on the theoretical foundations of engineering design. Our research bridges design and engineering and we work closely with colleagues in the Design and the Engineering research areas, as well as other engineering design researchers in the UK and internationally.

Our research interests include:

• Engineering design tools and methodologies
• Design margins in engineering design
• Processes modelling
• Models and modelling in engineering design
• Philosophy of engineering design
• Theory of engineering design
• Trends in the engineering design practice

Entry requirements

Minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent). If you are not a UK citizen, you may need to prove your knowledge of English.

Potential research projects

If you are interested in undertaking a PhD in any area related to the topics above, please get in touch with one of the listed supervisors. You can find out more about the research interests of each academic by clicking on their profile link.

Before submitting an application, you will need to do some background reading around your topic and develop a research proposal. We can provide assistance with identifying funding sources and occasionally offer funded PhD projects. We welcome mature students and are open to applications for part-time and full-time study.

Current research products

• Managing design margins through the product development process
• Additive manufacturing for functional prototyping as part of the design and development process
• Complexity and process change in engineering design: Comparison of historic whole aircraft design and production with contemporary practice
• Generating product platforms
• The value in functional models in system engineering
• Making Rules, Making Tools: How Can Shape Grammar Support Creative Making Rules for making: kinematic design, shape and structure

Potential supervisors

• Professor Claudia Eckert – Professor of Design
• Dr Helen Lockett – Senior Lecturer in Engineering

Fees and funding

Some of our research students are funded via the Open-Oxford-Cambridge AHRC Doctoral Training Partnership; others are self-funded.

For detailed information about fees and funding, visit Fees and studentships.

To see current funded studentship vacancies across all research areas, see Current studentships.

Links

• Design group
• Materials Group