On Thursday, 29 January, our A Level Design and Technology pupils took part in their first industry-focused visit, gaining a rare behind-the-scenes insight into the world of precision engineering. The group visited two specialist facilities: Nagai Machine Casting, a steel casting workshop, and Matsumoto Sanyo, a screw manufacturing company.
The visit was designed to move beyond the textbook, offering pupils first-hand exposure to industrial manufacturing and real-world material applications. By observing how raw materials, including alloys, are processed, shaped, and finished into high-performance components, pupils developed a deeper understanding of several key areas of their A Level studies, including:
- Material properties, particularly how alloys behave under heat and pressure
- Modern manufacturing systems, comparing different production scales and approaches such as mass production and just-in-time manufacturing
- Quality control, witnessing the rigorous standards required in professional manufacturing environments
Seeing these processes in action made a strong impression on the group and reinforced the value of experiential learning.
One pupil reflected, “It was really good, as I truly understood the process by actually watching it. It will help me remember it so much better than just reading about it.”
Another added, “The staff at both facilities were so helpful. They explained the technical parts we have been learning and answered all our questions. It was an amazing experience.”
We are very grateful to the teams at Nagai Machine Casting and Matsumoto Sanyo for their generous hospitality and for taking the time to share their expertise. Opportunities such as this play an important role in inspiring the next generation of designers and engineers, helping pupils connect classroom learning with the wider world beyond school.
