using machinery in universities (1 Viewer)

[tech.knockout]

Do universities let you operate machinery(e.g. lathes, drill presses) just like high school? If so, under what conditions?

 

[hipsta_jess]

What course would you be doing that requires the use of a lathe?!

I know with my practical courses (eg bio), we got to use a bit of equipment, but there were all these safety warnings and stuff first.

 

[tech.knockout]

Mainly for hobbies, car fixing, and other miscellaneous stuff. I guess my intended course, Science in biotechnology(basically an engineering approach to bio) will require a little work with machinery.

 

[Lexicographer]

Haha! Very little to none. In biotech I suppose you might get lucky and score an engineering subject or two (but all the biotech machinery, like bioactive implant research etc, is so expensive that only honours and above get to touch it).

You'll get histology (optical microscopes) and maybe some electron microscopy (if you're lucky). To my knowledge only UTS allows undergraduates to use SEMs (others require at least honours year).

 

[chookyn]

yep, you can use machinery in uni, pretty much like in HS, the general conditions are quite reasonable:

* relevant lecturer's permission (i.e. the one in charge of the industrial tech stuff preferably - let them know what machinery you'll be using, what it's being used for and how long you expect to take)
* casual supervision (they'll still check up on you occasionally if it's out-of-class time)
* use of safety gear (ear muffs, face shield, etc.)
* knowledge of how to use the machinery correctly (if not, they'll show you)

i did modules in sculpture (wood carving, assemblage, and bronze casting)
last year, which involved use of band saws, circular saws, drills, angle grinders, *really* hot molten metal, and other potentially dangerous stuff.

so yeah, generally you just have to ask permission, usually you don't need to be supervised much, unless you're using dangerous substances/equipment or need to be instructed on how to use a piece of machinery..

 

[saves.the.day]

Haha! Very little to none. In biotech I suppose you might get lucky and score an engineering subject or two (but all the biotech machinery, like bioactive implant research etc, is so expensive that only honours and above get to touch it).

You'll get histology (optical microscopes) and maybe some electron microscopy (if you're lucky). To my knowledge only UTS allows undergraduates to use SEMs (others require at least honours year).

I completely agree.

I really doubt whether you'll have anything engineering or too mechanical in biotech. Biotech subjects you'll be doign will be general sciences for 1st year then microbiology and biochemistry type subjects in 2nd year. Haven't actaully heard of any machinery used in biotech besides a dissection kit or a microscope though.

 

[clive]

Do universities let you operate machinery(e.g. lathes, drill presses) just like high school? If so, under what conditions?

At my uni we have used some pretty serious and potentially dangerous equipment in some subjects and the policy seems to be that students can use it as long as there is a tutor / lab assistant there. After hours use is strictly prohibited though.