Students get the inside track at McLaren
A group of year three automotive engineering students recently visited McLaren Automotive Ltd for an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour.
The visit to the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking on 14 November was an integral part of the Automotive Engineering degree course and enabled students to see advanced computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) in action in the real world.
The tour began in McLaren’s design studio where ideas are first created and developed, and the design office where students got the chance to talk to engineers about the design and development process. They then moved on to the company’s impressive production facilities before visiting the ‘boulevard’ which showcases some unique and priceless McLaren racing and production cars, including Ayrton Senna’s record breaking F1 racing car.
The group was hosted by Graeme Williams, Head of Design Engineering at McLaren Automotive Ltd, who teaches on one of Surrey’s Automotive Engineering degree modules. He commented: “It’s always nice to show people around and I’m really pleased to have been able to welcome the cohort from Surrey. This was a good group, and some of the questions asked showed real understanding and engagement in the subject.”
Dr Patrick Gruber, Automotive Engineering Programme Director, said: “It was great to get a behind-the-scenes look at how modern high performance cars are designed, developed and manufactured. The exceptional level of attention to detail that McLaren employees apply to all aspects of their work was very impressive.”
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