Space Camp visits Resonate

Resonate Testing recently welcomed Belfast Metropolitan Annual Space Camp to its premises in Newry.  The camp is organised and run by the College in conjunction with local companies including Armagh Planetarium and Resonate Testing.

As part of the camp, the participants built a cantilever structure to support a weight which was then vibrated on Resonate’s state-of-the-art vibration table (one of only a few in Ireland and the UK).  The winning construction having to withstand vibrations up to 10g on the table.

The experiment was a precursor to Resonate Testing’s schools competition beginning in September, which will see local schools pitted against each other to engineer the best possible structure to test.

Dr Mary Kelly, Resonate’s Test House Manager, is a STEM Ambassador and was thrilled to host the budding scientists at the Newry facility.  She explained: “Shake, Rattle and Roll is a new and innovative competition designed and run by Resonate Testing Ltd.  It is aimed at secondary school students, addressing mainly technology, engineering and physics curricular subjects.  The activity provides students with practical experience in material science and engineering problem solving, promoting teamwork and project management.  The project should help students understand how to optimise static structures, and an introduction to the vibration and high cycle fatigue aspects of any operational environment that often need to be considered during the design and build phase of any structure.  The intent is that the testing should demonstrate how a structure might fail due to vibration!”

With limited spaces available any local schools which are not registered are advised to contact Resonate Testing as soon as possible.