MSc Digital Design and Manufacturing

While covering all aspects of digital design and manufacturing, the course will centre around 3D printing (also known as additive manufacturing). The aim of the course is to educate and train work-ready, capable, and equipped professionals who will be better placed to fulfil the requirements of higher-paid positions within Industry 4.0 and contribute to its further research and development. 

Additive manufacturing permits design freedom and allows the creation of geometrically complex objects that cannot be made in any other way. Evolving rapidly, it is now an integral business process in many industries and sectors. On this course, you’ll examine established and recent additive manufacturing technologies with an aim to leverage their capabilities in the creation of new and unique work – using a wide range of materials, from plastics to concrete.

Modern society expects better products, for more people but made with fewer materials. Exploring the concept of circular economy, you’ll learn how to optimise designs to make objects using less material and with consideration for the environment through an evaluation of the product life cycle.

You’ll learn how to digitally model, design and evaluate components and products; some of which cannot be made using other methods of manufacturing. We strongly embrace a ‘fail-fast, fail-often’ design approach so that you can learn which parts of your designs work, and which need redesigning. You'll 3D print these models on-site using our wide range of 3D printers. From stereolithography (SLA), fused deposition modelling (FDM) and continuous fibre fabrication (CFF) to digital light processing (DLP) and multi-jet fusion (MJF) full colour printing, you’ll have the latest equipment at your fingertips.  

You’ll also learn how to use digital 3D scanning to capture the exterior surfaces of objects or environments, recording their shapes and textures. Then, you’ll learn how to post-process and manipulate the data to produce additively manufactured physical replicas of captured objects or to provide missing parts. 

Ultimately, the course is positioned at the cutting-edge of technology and examines how UK manufacturing could be transformed through the adoption of industrial digital technologies (IDT).

A minimum of 2:2 in a UK honours degree that contains laboratory or practical components is normally required. Examples of relevant degree subjects include: engineering, product design and technology, computing and digital technology, graphic design, fashion design and technology and interior design. 
 
Applicants who don’t meet these criteria will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Other professional qualifications or degree disciplines will be considered on merit and/ or with relevant professional experience. We may interview you as part of your application. 
 
Overseas applicants will require IELTS with an overall score of 6.5 with no less than 5.5 in any category, or an equivalent accepted English qualification. Accepted English qualifications can be viewed here.