The Mechanical Workshop is located in Room 175 of the Chemistry (Masson) Building at the University's Parkville campus. It is currently staffed by Richard Mathys, Marino Artuso and Emanuele Failla.

Role

The workshop's brief is to provide an effective support service to the School's teaching and research activities, at both Chemistry precincts at the Masson and Bio21 buildings. The workshop also provides a maintenance service for the teaching and research laboratories servicing vacuum pumps, heater stirrers and steam baths.

Tasks include the design, modification or repair of equipment, ranging from simple to specialized, or unique. This range of work requires various trade disciplines such as milling, turning, drilling, welding, forming, carpentry and sheet metal work. Work is also performed using various materials including timber, different ferrous or non-ferrous metals, polymers and machineable ceramics.

CAD software is used to assist design. The workshop also has a computer operated milling machine to enable the manufacture of complex shapes.

Our staff have expertise in vacuum technology and material selection as well as a long history of providing workshop support in teaching or scientific establishments.

We liaise and work with staff from Chemistry's electronics and glass workshops when required for particular projects. The workshop also undertakes a limited amount of work for other University of Melbourne departments who don't have their own in-house workshop facilities.