TECHNOLOGY – ENGINEERING
7-11 year olds (Primary)
11-16 year olds (Secondary)
16+
Welcome to the wonderful world of STEM and engineering at Perkins Engines Company Limited.
Our engines power many different applications from lawn mowers, light towers, and mini excavators to backhoe loaders, wheeled loaders, telehandlers, tractors, and grape harvesters.
Learn how an engine works by looking at a real engine with one of our engineers and see a life size 3D printed engine. Our engines power machines, big and small, so enjoy a ride on our Large Wheeled Loader Machine Simulator, which we use to train operators. The wheeled loader provides 373 horsepower and weighs nearly 50 tons.
See how we make 1.1-7.1 litre engines with a Virtual Reality tour of our Peterborough factory. Robots have a key role in our factory, and are programmed to complete various tasks, improving safety and the working environment. Have a go at programming robots to see how you can programme them to complete a range of different movements. We even have a robot programmed to solve the Rubik’s Cube! Safety is of paramount importance at all our facilities. Learn to spot safety hazards in our Virtual Reality video.
Our electronics team create the cabin controls for drivers to operate machines. See how they do this with our electronics board and have a go at attaching parts to a cabin in the quickest time possible for the chance to win a prize.
Virtual Reality: Spot the Hazard
Watch out for hazards as a forklift truck makes its way through the factory and highlight the safety issues as you see them on a large screen using a laptop computer or handheld controls. On completion you will be able to review the course to see which safety issues you recognised and any you may have missed.
Virtual Reality Factory Tour
This is a great opportunity to experience a tour of our world-class engine factory, from machining parts to the assembly, paint, finish, and dispatch of our engines. You will get a behind the scenes look at the processes designed to help ensure our engines meet quality and performance standards.
Robot Rubik Cube solver
Twist the Rubik’s cube to mix up the colours and place it on to the pre- programmed Robot Rubik Cube solver and watch the robot scan and move the cube using a turntable base and arms to complete the cube in around 3 minutes.
Learn how an engine works
Rotate the handle on the side of the engine to turn the crankshaft and see exactly how the engine works inside. We will explain the four strokes of the diesel engine (Suck-Squeeze-Bang-Blow).
Three-Dimensional Printed Engine
Take a look at our 3D printed engine! This is a life size scale of a current production 2.8 litre industrial diesel engine. You’ll have the opportunity to understand how we use 3D printing in industry and which machines this type of engine powers.
Learn how to operate a Wheeled Loader
This machine simulation requires you to load soil in the bucket, transport, and deposit the soil into a truck. This activity teaches coordination, driver control, and safe machine operation.
Electronics Board
The activity provides a “hands-on” experience with a real electronics system. You turn on the “machine” and operate the lights and cameras and gain an understanding of electronic components and their real-world applications.