A young man kneels by a car chassis, holding a piece of cloth round a wheel fitting.

Motorsport, Mechanical, and Electrical Engineering Facilities

Our Facilities

Our Facilities

Our Motorsport, Mechanical, and Electrical Engineering facilities are located on our vibrant Swansea waterfront campus, combining state-of-the-art resources with the natural beauty of the coastline, creating an inspiring environment for students. Alongside specialised engineering facilities, students have access to a comprehensive library and study spaces. Here, students can immerse themselves while enjoying the vibrant city life and natural beauty that Swansea has to offer. 

Engineering programmes are conducted in purpose-built facilities that students can access from their first day. These facilities include advanced workshops and laboratories equipped with cutting-edge technology, enabling hands-on experimentation and collaborative projects.  

The motorsport engineering and automotive department boasts a diverse and comprehensive range of facilities and equipment, playing a pivotal role in delivering high-quality education to our students. These resources are designed to provide a hands-on, practical learning experience, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world application, thereby equipping students with the skills necessary to excel in the motorsport and automotive engineering industries.

Our workshops and laboratories provide space for hands-on experimentation and collaborative projects and offer access to cutting-edge equipment and technologies making for an inspiring learning experience. With a rich array of resources, from 3D digital modelling software to advanced manufacturing, dynamic simulation to testing equipment, you will have the nurturing support you need to explore aspects of the engineering industry and find where your future lies. Come join our vibrant community of aspiring professionals and start your engineering journey with the School of Engineering. 

Extracurricular teams offer additional opportunities for practical experience and networking, helping students find inspiration and drive their engineering careers forward. 

Our Facilities

Our specialist faculties include:    

  • Engineering Science Laboratory: Equipped with a scale wind tunnel, bending and torsion rigs, and tensile and compressive testing equipment. 

  • Chassis and Engine Dynamometers: Featuring emissions cycle simulation and testing. 

  • Automated CNC Machine Shop: For precision manufacturing. 

  • Race Simulator: For realistic motorsport training. 

  • Electric Vehicle and Battery Test Laboratory: Focusing on sustainable technology. 

  • Motorsport and Motorcycle Workshops: Offering a wide range of equipment for automotive innovation. 

A young man in a black UWTSD hoodie and baseball cap uses a right-angled screwdriver on an engine.

Race Vehicles and Automotive Vehicles

Our fleet of race vehicles, including the Sports 2000 Prototypes, F750, Morgan Plus 4, C1 Race Car, Locost Race Car, and EV Kart, provides students with the opportunity to engage directly with a variety of high-performance dedicated motorsport vehicles. Each vehicle type presents unique challenges and learning opportunities in terms of dynamics, aerodynamics, and powertrain configurations. Students learn to analyse and optimise vehicle performance through practical sessions and race simulations, understanding the nuances of each vehicle’s handling characteristics. Similarly, our collection of automotive vehicles, including the Tesla Model 3 Performance, Jaguar IPace, and E-Golf, allows students to explore the latest in electric vehicle technology and sustainability practices, preparing them for the future of the automotive industry.

Race Vehicles

• Sports 2000 Prototype Race Vehicles  F750 • Morgan Plus 4 • C1 Race Car • Locost Race Car • EV Kart 

Automotive Vehicles 

• Morgan Plus 4 • Tesla Model 3 Performance • Jaguar IPace • E-Golf

Students work at night on a pair of racing cars in a parking lot; each car is sheltered under a pop-up black gazebo.
A red-and-silver motorbike in a workshop with its front wheel clamped in a stand.

Race Workshop and Fabrication

The race workshop is equipped with dedicated race bays, a vehicle setup floor, a damper dynamometer, and spring testers, providing an ideal environment for vehicle preparation, measurement and testing. Students gain hands-on experience in setting up race cars, measuring and adjusting suspension components, and optimising vehicle dynamics for different track conditions. The fabrication area, with its TIG and MIG welding facilities, press tools, and other fabrication equipment, allows students to design and build custom components, fostering creativity and innovation. This practical experience is crucial for developing skills in materials engineering and manufacturing processes.

Race Workshop

• Dedicate Race Bays • Vehicle Setup Floor • Damper Dynamometer • Spring Testers

Fabrication

• TIG, MIG welding • Press Tools • Fabrication Equipment

A large well-lit garage with three racing cars in the foreground at different stages of assembly.

Automotive Development Area and Rolling Road

Our automotive development area includes a torsional test rig and a flowbench, essential for studying vehicle chassis stiffness and cylinder head characteristics to feed into simulation models. The rolling road facilities, featuring both 4-wheel and motorcycle MAHA dynamometers, along with emission measurement equipment, allow students to conduct performance testing and emission analyses, understanding the environmental impact of different powertrain configurations and tuning engines for optimal performance and efficiency.

• Torsional Test Rig • Flowbench

Rolling Road

• 4 Wheel MAHA Dynamometer • Motorcycle MAHA Dynamometer • Emission Measurement Equipment

A large go-kart type vehicle with big tyres; it has two seats and an engine at the back exposed to view under the metal frame.

Inspection Room and Automotive Electrical Lab

The inspection room, equipped with an inspection ramp, tire changers, and wheel balancers,  allows students to perform thorough checks and maintenance tasks, ensuring vehicle reliability and safety. The automotive electrical lab, with facilities for loom manufacture, EV powertrain rigs, and HV training rigs, provides a comprehensive understanding of modern automotive electronics and electric vehicle technology. These skills are increasingly important as the industry shifts towards electrification and advanced electrical systems. We support all of our vehicles with data acquisition equipment to allow students to gather real data to support their projects.

• Inspection Ramp • Tyre Changers • Wheel Balancers

Automotive Electrical Lab

• Loom Manufacture • EV Powertrain Rigs • HV Training Rigs • Emission Measurement Equipment

A large electrical engine enclosed in a green metal trolley; a yellow hazard sign is displayed in front of it.

CAD / CAM Computer Workstations 

In addition to these specialised labs, our campus includes CAD/CAM computer workstations with access to industry-standard software such as SolidWorks, MATLAB, ANSYS Mechanical, ANSYS Fluent, Ricardo Wave, WinGeo Suspension Kinematics, Design Studio, MoTeC i2 Analysis, and 2D Data Analysis. This software supports students in digital modelling, simulation, and data analysis, essential skills for modern engineers. 

Twenty PCs on desks in a bright modern room.

Robotics Lab 

Our Robotics lab features advanced equipment like FESTO CP (Cyber-Physical) Factory systems, Omron, Mitsubishi, and Universal Robots, as well as Boston Dynamics and FESTO Autonomous Robots. The lab also includes a machine vision demonstrator cell developed by PLATCON Automation and simulation tools by Siemens Technomatix, Visual Components, and Rockwell Arena. 

A group of young men inspect the robotics lab; equipment includes a robotic arm and a cyber-physical learning and research platform.

Simulator Room and Engine Dynamometer

The simulator room houses a Base Performance Driver in the Loop Simulator with a 180-degree wrap-around screen and VR capability, along with an automotive driving simulator. These state-of-the-art simulators offer students a safe and controlled environment to develop their designs, understand vehicle dynamics, and simulate race conditions. The engine dynamometer, with its control room, engine test bench, and preparation area, is essential for engine development and testing. Students can experiment with different engine configurations, measure performance parameters, and understand the principles of internal combustion engines.

  • Control Area  * Base Performance Driver in the Loop Simulator with 180 degree wrap around screen (&VR Capability) * Automotive Driving Simulator

Engine Dynamometer

  • Control Room  * Engine Test Bench * Engine Preparation Area
A large screen showing a digital racetrack and car interior; a student wearing a helmet sits in front of the screen with his hands on imitation steering controls.

Motorcycle Workshop

Three motorbikes, including two in racing colours, stand in a workshop with large windows.

Engine Workshop

Around ten engines hanging from stands along the length of a high-ceilinged workshop with a garage door at the far end..

Science Lab 

Equipment on workbenches in the science lab.

Wind Tunnel 

A large blue tube mounted on a bench; the tube expands at one end into a trumpet with a metal grille covering the outflow.

Engine Dyno

A very large engine dynamometer occupies the centre of the room.

Autoclave

A large autoclave about as tall as a man; a yellow cylindrical chamber projects outwards from behind the grey control cabinet.

EV Leaf Rig

A large engine with Nissan branding; a yellow sign in front reads: Hybrid/EV and displays a lightning bolt warning symbol.

CNC 

A room full of Computer Numerical Control (CNC) engineering equipment.

Flow Bench

An air flow bench.

Hydrogen

A range of scientific equipment on a workbench.

Race Workshop

A large well-lit garage with three racing cars in the foreground at different stages of assembly.

Race Cars

Students work at night on a pair of racing cars in a parking lot; each car is sheltered under a pop-up black gazebo.

Team MCR   

Our Motorsport students gain invaluable industry experience from joining Team MCR. The Team run two MRC race cars which manufactured in Wales, that compete in the national Sports 2000 Championship. The running of a race team enables students to complement their analytical course studies with practical skills that can only be learnt in a track side situation.

Three men work on a yellow racing car during a pitstop; a banner in the background reads Silverstone.

Bespoke testing facilities 

Students studying on our Motorcycle Engineering programme get access to our Motorcycle Workshop with a range of bespoke testing facilities for this one-of-a-kind IMechE accredited degree.  

Two students work on a motorbike.
A woman using a Proteus VSM: she is looking at a line graph on a monitor; next to the monitor are three grey units with knobs, cables, dials and screens.

Our Electrical & Electronic Engineering Facilities

As a student studying on our electrical & electronic programmes you will have access to a number of specialist facilities including two laboratories with specialist software such as Proteus VSM, Factory IO and LJ Create Virtual Instrument. 

Four students in the motorsport workshop make adjustments to a racing car.

Race Team 

A young man wears a virtual reality headset and leans forwards slightly as he holds a controller shaped like a gun in his left hand.

VR Headset 

Two men examine an engine in a workshop.

Workshop 

A student smiles over his shoulder towards two friends as he sits at a large monitor showing a motorsport simulation.

Simulator Room

Campus Life

four students on beach playing in shallow water

Discover Swansea Campus

Explore the impressive facilities at our Swansea campuses, offering a dynamic student experience. The campuses feature advanced laboratories, specialised art and design workshops, and innovative teaching areas. Comprehensive libraries are stocked with extensive digital and physical collections. Students benefit from dedicated areas for art, engineering, construction, and Psychology labs. Immersive rooms, available for all subjects including Policing, provide unique learning experiences. Additionally, vibrant social spaces, cafes, and an active Students’ Union hub foster a lively community atmosphere for both academic and personal development.