Prototyping

Prototyping essentially integrates electronics design, mechanical design, software design and simulation in order to build an engineering solution to a problem, often resulting in instrumentation assembly and production.

This capability has been developed as it is essential for meeting the demands from the scientists undertaking experiments on STFC facilities.

Within STFC this has been developed over many years from dealing with requests to make instruments or interfaces to instruments that are not available elsewhere. For example, many projects have been progressed by integrating several pieces of equipment to develop new measurement capabilities.

Flexible data acquisition is a key component in developing new instrumentation and STFC has significant expertise in data acquisition and control software.

In order to build a wide range of instrumentation a network of companies is also needed. Access through Daresbury SIC to STFC opens up the possibility of collaborative projects drawing input from across the STFC industrial and academic network.