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Facilities

You can access detailed descriptions of our departmental facilities, including our teaching laboratories, recording studios, digital media suite, computing laboratory and clean room, as well as the University’s Nanotechnology Research Centre.

Housed in a complex at the centre of the campus, the department's main building contains a concourse area which combines open-planned study space with flexible teaching rooms and large scale lecture theatres. Acessible by lift or stairs, the upper floors house our other specialist facilities, with the entire fourth floor devoted to extensive teaching and project laboratory space.

The research laboratories and staff offices are also close at hand. Undergraduates often become involved with research activities via their individual final-year project, with some projects taking place in research laboratories.

The University campus also provides a wealth of study facilities including the University Library and computing classrooms, many in the Colleges where you may be living.

Teaching Laboratories

‌‌‌The Electronic Engineering teaching laboratories have recently been completely re-equipped and extended at a cost of over two hundred thousand pounds. To complement these new facilities a comprehensive range of fully integrated Audio-Visual equipment is available including twin data projectors and screens, electronic visualiser system, radio microphones and CD/DVD player to enable full multi-media presentations in the laboratories. We provide the latest test equipment and laboratory instruments to enable our students to develop their practical skills in core electronics. Typically, students work in pairs at each standard workstation, which includes a PC, 60MHz Digital Storage Oscilloscope, power supply, Pulse and Function generators and other general-purpose test equipment. This is supplemented by specialised equipment and purpose built teaching aids, including:

• Network analysers, spectrum analysers and synthesised signal sources for radio frequency engineering laboratory work
• CPLD devices, FPGA devices and PIC micro-controllers for hardware aspects of digital and computer engineering (in addition to the software provided in the Departmental Computing Laboratory)
• Purpose built digital communications hardware simulators
• Design and fabrication facilities for unmanned aerial vehicles for practical work in avionics

First year students undergo an intensive laboratory introduction programme at the beginning of their course, designed to familiarise them with the equipment they will be using and develop key skills. These include fault finding techniques, soldering exercises and circuit prototyping and PCB manufacture. For project work in all years, students have access to PCB production facilities, including PCB design software, etching facilities and CNC drilling machines. Through-hole plating is available for complex digital PCBs and high-speed manufacturing. A surface mount prototyping facility and re-working system is also available. A new student project laboratory has also been created and fitted out with an entire suite of new PCs to extend the provision already available in the department’s own extensively equipped computing laboratory.

More information on the projects students carry out in the laboratories can be found on our teaching methods page.

Computing Laboratory

‌‌‌‌In addition to 24 x 7 access to the computing facilities available to all students in the campus computer classrooms, Electronic Engineering students have exclusive and open access to the department's computer laboratory.

The laboratory is situated in a purpose built facility offering video projection equipment for teaching purposes. It provides a comprehensive set of PCs with permanent Internet access via the campus Gigabit ethernet network. The PCs offer a wide range of both general purpose software such as word processing, graphics and e-mail, plus specialist teaching software such as JAVA, C, MATLAB and PSPICE. As a result of a generous donation from Texas Instruments, the laboratory also provides DSP based teaching equipment.

As well as access to their central file store and e-mail, Electronic Engineering students also have access to an additional departmental file store for use in group projects, assessments and laboratory practicals, helping to promote teamwork and interpersonal skills.

Technical support is provided between 09:00 and 17:15 Monday to Friday by the Computer Support Group which is located adjacent to the laboratory.

The Department encourages students to make full use of all the computing facilities available to them, not only as part of their timetabled courses but as a way of developing their general IT skills.

Recording Studios

The department possesses its own recording studio suite consisting of five acoustically treated rooms: three studios and two live rooms.

Studio 1

Studio 1 represents a traditional analogue recording solution interfaced with the latest digital recording technology. The studio is centred round an Audient Zen 16 channel automated mixing
desk connected to a custom-built PC running a variety of DAW software. I/O is provided by a MOTU 16A audio interface, and additional Focusrite microphone preamps provide extra recording options. The studio features stereo monitoring with both Genelec 8040A and Yamaha NS10 speakers. Nord Stage and Lead keyboards provide MIDI input and a wealth of high-quality sounds for production. A 42” LCD monitor is available for sound-to-picture work, and the studio shares an adjoining live room with Studio 2.
Software available includes Steinberg Nuendo and Cubase Pro, Pro Tools, Reaper and Ableton Live Studio.

Studio 2

Studio 2 provides 5.1 surround sound monitoring with Genelec 8040A speakers, as well as a stereo pair of Yamaha NS10s. A custom-built PC provides the same software suite provided in Studio 1, paired with an Avid S3 digital control surface. Focusrite preamps provide microphone input, and a MOTU 16A interface provides I/O. Studio 2 features a 65” TV for sound-to-picture work, as well as an SPL Goldmike preamp for vocal work. An 88-key Nord Piano is installed for MIDI/sound input, alongside a Dave Smith Prophet analogue synth. Studio 2 shares the adjoining live room with Studio 1.

Live Room (Studios 1 & 2)

The central live room has 16 microphone lines each to Studio 1 and 2, and includes a monitor that can mirror the displays in Studio 1 or 2 for sound-to-picture work. Two adjacent store rooms containing an array of equipment for recording work. These include:

• A range of 100+ microphones for vocal and instrumental applications
• 8 headphone channels around the room
• Pearl drum kit with a selection of snare drums and cymbals
• A range of percussion items
• Electric and acoustic guitars, plus bass guitar
• Marshall, Laney and Vox guitar amps plus DI and Re-amp boxes

Genesis 6 Studio

The third studio is located in Genesis 6, in the nearby York Science Park. It features the same custom-PC and software as the other studios, plus a MOTU 16A audio interface and Focusrite microphone preamps. It also features 7.1.4 surround sound monitoring (Genelec 8040A/8030A), a 32” LCD TV for video work, 16-channel Avid Artist control surfaces and transport controls, and a Nord Stage 2 and Roland Juno-Di keyboards. An adjacent live room contains Marshall and Laney guitar and bass amplifiers, 4-channel headphone monitoring, and an LCD screen for Foley or voice- over work. A range of microphones and other equipment is also provided. 

External recording equipment

A wide range of equipment is also available for location recording of assignments or personal projects. A large selection of microphones is available for loan, along with both portable recorders up to 8 tracks, and USB audio interfaces up to 8 tracks.

Virtual Reality Projects Lab

The Virtual Reality Projects Lab consists of three workstations that can be used for either audio production, video production or VR project development. Each station is equipped with an Oculus VR headset with controllers, a Focusrite Saffire Pro Liquid 56 interface and an Avid Artist series control surface. The lab is configured for stereo, surround and Ambisonic audio monitoring.

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Nanotechnology Research Centre

‌‌‌Opened in 2006, this multi-million pound facility represents a major long term collaboration between the University of York, Yorkshire Forward and JEOL UK Ltd, world leaders in electronic optics. In addition to supporting world class research activities, we will be offering undergraduates on the Electronic Engineering with Nanotechnology programme the opportunity to use the centre’s highly specialised facilities for project and other work. Located adjacent to the Heslington campus on the Science Park, the Nanocentre is a short walk from the Department.

Clean Room

‌‌‌The Department has its own Clean Room fabrication facility for the preparation, fabrication and measurement of micro- and nano-scale devices. Second year students undertake a device fabrication laboratory that allows them to build their own component on a silicon wafer. The clean room and associated microscopy facilities are used in final year projects.