Andrew Prickett
As part of his first degree Andrew worked for Alusuisse, Switzerland analysing production methods of lithographic alloys and for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency on new materials for aerospace applications. His career in failure investigation began while carrying out his PhD, which was an investigation to determine the failure characteristics of fibre reinforced composite materials using fracture mechanics and surface analytical techniques, that was sponsored by BAE Systems. After completing his PhD, Andrew continued his interest in failure investigation by undertaking a post-graduate research project for Thames Water on the failure modes of cast iron trunk mains systems.In 2001 Andrew joined Hawkins, specialising in the investigation of materials failures, escapes of water, fires and explosions. He has investigated a wide range of failures in plastic, ceramic, metal and composite materials. He also uses his engineering knowledge and experience of the processes required for a forensic investigation to determine the causes of fires in residential, commercial and industrial premises.Andrew is experienced in the legal process; he is frequently appointed as a Single Joint Expert and has given evidence in the capacity of an expert witness in Magistrates’ and Crown Courts. In 2022, Andrew was promoted to Managing Director and is […]
Hawkins Hosts CPD & Drinks Evening at Trinity House
On 22nd September, Hawkins welcomed guests to Trinity House for an evening of CPD presentations and drinks, reintroducing our annual event following a hiatus since 2019. It was excellent to see so many familiar and new faces, and to introduce some of our own new team members and their expertise.
Reliable Adhesive Joints – Success Without the Stress!
Product designers are often faced with complex requirements when considering how to join components together, such as aesthetics, weight saving or part-count reduction. Adhesive technologies provide a compelling solution, especially in cases where traditional mechanical fasteners (e.g. rivets or screws) are less suitable. Unfortunately, confidence in adhesive technologies can often be low, particularly in cases where joint failure could cause damage or injury.
Nick Wright
Nick’s first job following graduation was for the Cookson Group at its research centre near Oxford, where he carried out materials development and testing work. Following this, Nick returned to the University of Birmingham where he gained a PhD developing polymer matrix composite engineering components. Nick joined Cosworth Ltd in 1999 as a Materials Engineer, developing materials and processing technologies for Formula 1 Engine applications. This work included a large number of failure investigations on race and road vehicle components. In 2006 Nick joined ERA Technology Ltd, working initially in the Gas Turbine group on failure investigations and remaining lifetime assessment. He became increasingly involved in failure investigations in a wide variety of applications including power generation, petrochemical process plants, electrical distribution, general industrial and road vehicles. This led to his appointment as head of the Forensic Engineering service line at ERA, where he led a team of engineers supporting loss adjusters, insurers, manufacturers and owners/operators. Nick joined Hawkins in 2013, where he works as a Principal Associate based at our London office.
Paul Gee
Paul started his career in engineering in 1988, with a four year technician apprenticeship with GEC Traction at its Trafford Park headquarters. Following the completion of his apprenticeship, Paul took the position of a Laboratory Technician in the now renamed GEC Alsthom Traction’s engineering laboratory, based at its Preston headquarters. In this role Paul was working within the electrical division covering product type testing, environmental testing, mechanical testing, EMC testing and product failure investigation of rail traction equipment. From this Paul was then promoted to Technician Engineer status to lead all aspects of the validation of its newly formed company ALSTOM Auxiliary Converters Ltd. During this time Paul completed a five year part-time degree course qualifying highest in the year and was awarded the IEE Institution Prize for distinction on the course. On graduation in 1997, Paul took the position of Design Engineer, then Lead Design Engineer within the ALSTOM Auxiliary Converter Business. Paul led the design on many auxiliary power supplies for use on all types of rail vehicles including trams and trolleybuses in the power range of 10 to 300kVA, for both AC single/three phase applications and DC battery charging systems. In 1998 Paul took the opportunity to […]
Richard Woodward
Richard completed his EngD qualification in 2017, working alongside Jaguar Land Rover, developing innovative adhesive bonding processes for high volume vehicle assembly. Throughout this work, Richard developed a detailed understanding of material joining techniques, associated test methods and failure mode identification. He also gained experience in the manufacture and testing of fibre ‑reinforced composite materials, as well as establishing an appreciation for the complexities inherent with using such materials. Prior to this, Richard completed a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering with Business Management at the University of Warwick. This degree brought with it an appreciation of a wide range of engineering principles with a particular focus on mechanical systems. Richard has also worked for Aston Martin Lagonda, focusing on the development and testing of new material technologies for use on future vehicles. This work primarily included adhesives and fibre reinforced composites, extending as far as material model generation for use with finite element structural analysis techniques. This work included substantial elements of durability assessment, understanding the durability limits of materials prior to failure, as well as investigating the effects of corrosive environments upon various materials and joints. Richard comes from a background in agriculture, where he spends a lot of […]
Chris Botham
Chris began his engineering career in 1978 as an apprentice welding and fabrication engineer at National Oilwell, working on projects for the oil and chemical industries. After completing his apprenticeship Chris began work as a welding and fabrication engineer at Fairey Engineering in Manchester, where he worked on projects for the Nuclear Industry and the Ministry of Defence. In the mid 1980s Chris worked for Cunnington & Cooper as a Design Engineer after gaining a Higher National Diploma in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering. After completing a lecturer’s qualification and Honours Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chris became a lecturer in Engineering subjects at Stockport College of Technology. Chris completed his Masters Degree in 1996 and began work as a Senior Structural Analyst at the National Nuclear Corporation on projects for the Nuclear Industry and the Ministry of Defence involving finite element analysis and engineering design. Chris brought his wealth of experience to Hawkins in 1999 where he trained in Forensic Engineering and now predominantly investigates incidents and failures involving machinery, product design and manufacture, and personal injury. Chris also carries out investigations into the causes of floods, failures of civil engineering structures and composite materials. These investigations have ranged from small […]
James Wade
James graduated from the University of Leeds in 2006 with a MEng degree in Automotive Engineering. Whilst at University he developed a bench top reactor to simulate oil degradation in internal combustion engines and was also an integral part of the University’s Formula Student Engine team, where he designed the fuel, electric and cooling systems for the 2005/6 car. After graduating, he accepted a role as a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Associate working between the University of Sheffield and JCB Earthmovers Ltd. Here, he participated in a research project focussing on optimising the arrangement of pin joint and component materials. The aim of the project was to reduce the dependency on grease whilst improving service life. He developed designs for a test rig which could test a variety of loading conditions and joint arrangements. James then worked as a self-employed subcontractor for a Kent based Kit Car manufacturer where he carried out a variety of roles including design, fabrication, servicing, modification and repair of a broad variety of both road and race cars. In 2010 James set up his own Automotive Engineering practice specialising in the maintenance and modification of classic BMW cars, as well as sourcing parts. James joined […]
Neville Tranter
Following completion of his degree in Metallurgy at the University of Birmingham, Neville worked as a Graduate Heat Treatment Engineer at Wallwork Heat Treatment. This focused his knowledge of working in hazardous environments. It was from the work undertaken at Wallwork that Neville gained an interest in failure investigations and decided to broaden his knowledge by undertaking a Master of Science degree in Forensic Engineering and Science at Cranfield University. Following his Masters, Neville worked for Intertek Plc, running Rolls-Royce’s out-sourced Metallurgical Laboratory. This gave him exposure to materials science and general engineering of gas turbine engines and failure analysis. Intertek also undertook failure investigations from a wide range of third-parties. Through this work, he conducted over 100 metallurgical and failure investigations including: multi-million pound oil and gas industry losses medical devices and equipment railway rolling-stock and systems consumer products and patent infringement. After Intertek, Neville moved to Goodrich Corporation as a Materials Engineer where he investigated failures, non-conformance and manufacturing issues on hydraulic and electric aerospace actuation systems. Since joining Hawkins, Neville has specialised in the investigation of engineering failures and is currently working as a Principal Associate in our Birmingham office.
Robert Taylor
Robert is a Senior Associate based in our Birmingham office who specialises in the forensic investigation of road traffic collisions, vehicle and mechanical failures, and personal injury claims involving vehicle and workshop related incidents. Robert has completed a wide range of investigations and has prepared numerous CPR compliant reports. He is experienced in completing vehicle examinations, collision scene surveys, analysis of CCTV and ‘dashcam’ recordings, download and analysis of Event Data Recorder (EDR) data, and analysis of the damage sustained to vehicles and how that affects roadworthiness. Before joining Hawkins in 2020, Robert held the position of Principal Engineer at Millbrook Proving Ground, having worked there for nearly nine years. He was the Subject Matter Expert for active safety, having worked extensively in the testing, development, and certification of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), such as Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) and Lane Support Systems (LSS). Robert worked on a wide range of vehicles, ranging from hyper-cars and passenger cars to buses, lorries, and military vehicles. He gained extensive knowledge of vehicular systems and dynamic characteristics, having also held an advanced driving permit allowing him to drive vehicles beyond the limit of grip. Robert graduated from the University of Warwick in […]