Professor Andrew Rees

PhD BSc CEng FIMechE SFHEA PGCLT 

Pronouns: He/him
  • Professor of Engineering Teaching Practice
staff profile image of Andrew Rees

Background

After initially starting his engineering career (1996) within the automotive sector as a Toolmaker Andrew moved to academia in 2002. From 2002 to 2012 Andrew conducted industrial facing research at the Manufacturing Engineering Centre, Cardiff University. He completed his PhD at Cardiff University in 2011 in the field of micro electrical discharge machining. In 2014 Andrew started a full academic position at the College of Engineering, Swansea University. From 2016 to 2023 Andrew held the position of Head of Department of Mechanical Engineering at Swansea University. Throughout his academic career in addition to conducting research within advanced manufacturing Andrew has always been very passionate about learning & teaching. Andrew holds the position of Professor of Engineering Teaching Practice within the Wolfson School of Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering, Loughborough University.     

Key awards

  • Swansea University Teaching Excellence Award 2023 

Andrew is a Professor of Engineering Teaching Practice at Loughborough University. He has a particular interest in pedagogical professional practice. Also, Andrew is research active within advanced manufacturing technology. His industrial facing expertise are in the areas of advanced manufacturing technology, microcellular injection moulding, CNC machining and lean six sigma.  

Grants and contracts

21/22 - Royal Academy of Engineering - 50% For the Future ----- Increasing the Gender Balance within Mechanical Engineering £98,722 

21/22 - ERDF West Wales and the Valleys WEFO - Impact Innovative Materials, Processing and Numerical Technologies £485,260 

21/22 - Welsh Government - ASTUTE EAST - £122,391 

21/22 - European Regional Development Fund WEFO - ERDF: ASTUTE2020 £179,473 

20/21 - Innovate UK - Digital Supply Chain Innovation [IMPACT] £500,000 

19/20 - European Regional Development Fund WEFO - ERDF: ASTUTE2020 £1,119,199 

19/20 - European Regional Development Fund WEFO - ERDF: ASTUTE2020 £271,541 

17/18 - European Regional Development Fund WEFO - ASTUTE EAST £2,036,200 

16/17 – EPSRC & European Regional Development Fund WEFO – Materials and Manufacturing Academy (M2A) CDT £1,625,500 

 

Current teaching responsibilities

  • WSD203 Lean Operations and Supply Chain Management  
  • WSP233 Lean and Agile Manufacturing 

Current administrative responsibilities

  • Acting Director of Student Outcomes and Accreditation 

 

Journal Publications 

  1. Harding, O., Griffiths, C., Rees, A., & Pletsas, D. (2023). Methods to Reduce Energy and Polymer Consumption for Fused Filament Fabrication 3D Printing. Polymers, 15(8), 1874 https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15081874  
  2. Griffiths, C.A., Rees, A., Morgan, A. and Korkees, F., (2023). Optimisation of 3D Printing for Microcellular Polymers. Polymers, 15(19), p.3910. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15193910 
  3. Pereira, B., Griffiths, C., Birch, B., Rees, A. (2022). Optimization of an autonomous robotic drilling system for the machining of aluminum aerospace alloys. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 119(3-4), 2429-2444. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-021-08483-4  
  4. Langford, E., Griffiths, C., Rees, A., & Bird, J. (2021). The Micro Topology and Statistical Analysis of the Forces of Walking and Failure of an ITAP in a Femur. Micromachines, 12(3) https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12030298  
  5. Llewelyn, G., Rees, A., Griffiths, C., Jacobi, M., Llewelyn, G., Rees, A., & Griffiths, C. (2020). A Design of Experiment Approach for Surface Roughness Comparisons of Foam Injection-Moulding Methods. Materials, 13(10), 2358 https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13102358  
  6. Tucker, M., Griffiths, C., Rees, A., & Llewelyn, G. (2020). High Temperature Adiabatic Heating in µ-IM Mould Cavities—A Case for Venting Design Solutions. Micromachines, 11(4), 358 https://doi.org/10.3390/mi11040358  
  7. Llewelyn, G., Rees, A., Griffiths, C., & Scholz, S. (2020). Advances in microcellular injection moulding. Journal of Cellular Plastics, 0021955X2091220 https://doi.org/10.1177/0021955x20912207  
  8. Mosey, S., Korkees, F., Rees, A., & Llewelyn, G. (2019). Investigation into fibre orientation and weldline reduction of injection moulded short glass-fibre/polyamide 6-6 automotive components. Journal of Thermoplastic Composite Materials https://doi.org/10.1177/0892705719833098  
  9. Llewelyn, G., Rees, A., Griffiths, C., & Jacobi, M. (2019). A Novel Hybrid Foaming Method for Low-Pressure Microcellular Foam Production of Unfilled and Talc-Filled Copolymer Polypropylenes. Polymers, 11(11), 1896 https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11111896  
  10. Griffiths, C., Rees, A., Llewelyn, G., Fonesca, O., & Rees, A. (2018). Investigation of the Integrity of aC:H Coatings on Stainless Steel Micro-Moulds during Thermal Cycling. Journal of Coating Sciences and Technology, 5(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.6000/2369-3355.2018.05.01.1  
  11. Griffiths, C., Adams, G., Rees, A., & Rees, A. (2018). Wear Monitoring of Coffee Grind-On-Demand Burrs Using Precision Sieving and Laser Diffraction. International Journal of Food and Bioscience, 1(1), 34-41. http://innovationinfo.org/international-journal-of-food-and-bioscience/article/Wear-Monitoring-of-Coffee-Grind-On-Demand-Burrs-Using-Precision-Sieving-and-Laser-Diffraction#pdf 
  12. Griffiths, C., Rees, A., Kerton, R., Fonseca, O., Rees, A., Kerton, R (2016). Temperature effects on DLC coated micro moulds. Surface and Coatings Technology, 307, 28-37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2016.08.034  
  13. Griffiths, C., Howarth, J., De Almeida-Rowbotham, G., Rees, A., Kerton, R (2016). A design of experiments approach for the optimisation of energy and waste during the production of parts manufactured by 3D printing. Journal of Cleaner Production, 139, 74-85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.07.182  
  14. Griffiths, C., Howarth, J., De Almeida-Rowbotham, G., Rees, A., (2016). A design of experiments approach to optimise tensile and notched bending properties of fused deposition modelling parts. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part B: Journal of Engineering Manufacture, 230(8), 1502-1512. https://doi.org/10.1177/0954405416640182  
  15. Griffiths, C., Tosello, G., Dimov, S., Scholz, S., Rees, A., & Whiteside, B. (2015). Characterisation of demoulding parameters in micro-injection moulding. Microsystem Technologies, 21(8), 1677-1690. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-014-2269-6  
  16. Williams, E., Brousseau, E., Rees, A., & Rees, A. (2014). Nanosecond Yb fibre laser milling of aluminium: effect of process parameters on the achievable surface finish and machining efficiency. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 74(5-8), 769-780. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-014-6038-6  
  17. Griffiths, C., Dimov, S., Scholz, S., Tosello, G., Rees, A. (2014). Influence of Injection and Cavity Pressure on the Demoulding Force in Micro-Injection Moulding. Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering, 136(3), 031014 https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4026983  
  18. Rees, A., Brousseau, E., Bigot, S., & Griffiths, C. (2013). Development of surface roughness optimisation and prediction for the process of wire electro-discharge grinding. Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 64(9-12), 1395-1410. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-012-4110-7,  
  19. Griffiths, C., Dimov, S., Rees, A., Dellea, O., Gavillet, J., Lacan, F., & Hirshy, H. (2013). A novel texturing of micro injection moulding tools by applying an amorphous hydrogenated carbon coating. Surface and Coatings Technology, 235, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2013.07.006,  
  20. Kettle, J., Rees, A., Brousseau, E., Horie, M., & Rees, A. (2013). Low-temperature thermal nanoimprint lithography of anti-reflective structures for flexible low band gap organic solar cells. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 46(10), 105102 https://doi.org/10.1088/0022-3727/46/10/105102,  
  21. Rees, A., Brousseau, E., Dimov, S., Bigot, S., Griffiths, C., Rees, A., & Griffiths, C. (2013). Development of surface roughness optimisation and prediction for the process of wire electro-discharge grinding. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 64(9-12), 1395-141https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-012-4110-7,  
  22. Rees, A., Dimov, S., Minev, R., Lalev, G., Rosochowski, A., Olejnik, L., & Rees, A. (2011). The effect of material grain structure on the surface integrity of components processed by microwire electrical discharge machining ( WEDM). Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part B: Journal of Engineering Manufacture, 225(9), 1647-1656.https://doi.org/10.1177/0954405410395860,   
  23. Uriarte, L., Herrero, A., Ivanov, A., Dimov, S., Rees, A. (2007). Micro-electrode discharge machining: factors affecting the quality of electrodes produced on the machine through the process of wire electro-discharge machining. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part B: Journal of Engineering Manufacture, 221(3), 409-418. https://doi.org/10.1243/09544054JEM645, 

Conference Proceedings 

  1. Rees, A; Thompson, J.S. 50% for the Future: Addressing the Underrepresentation of Female Students Studying Mechanical Engineering (July 2023), 15th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies.  
  2. Jennifer Thompson, Chloe Morgan, Andrew Rees and Katie Hebborn, Gaining deeper understanding of the female decision-making process for the selection of Mechanical Engineering at degree level in the UK, to counteract its low uptake. Conference Horizons in STEM Higher Education 2023 
  3. A. Rees; J.S. Thompson. AdvanceHE EDI Conference 2023: 50% for the Future | Proactively creating a strategy to enhance the female student population studying Mechanical Engineering  
  4. A. Rees; J.S. Thompson. Inclusive Engineering Conference 2023, Plymouth University: Inclusive Learning and Teaching for Female Mechanical Engineering Students 
  5. A. Rees; J.S. Thompson SALT Conference 2022: 50% for the Future | Underrepresentation of females studying Mechanical Engineering 
  6. Kirby, M., Johnson, R., Rees, A., & Griffiths, C. (2020). Energy Utilization Analysis and Optimization of Corrective Insoles Manufactured by 3D Printing, Sustainable Design and Manufacturing 2020 (pp. 239-250). 
  7. Evans, I., Rees, A., Griffiths, C., & Johnson, R. (2020). Computational Validation of Injection Molding Tooling by Additive Layer Manufacture to Produce EPDM Exterior Automotive Seals, Sustainable Design and Manufacturing 2020 (pp. 273-283). 
  8. O’Sullivan, R., Rees, A., Griffiths, C., & Wadlinger, J. (2019). A Study on the Modelling and Simulation of Bio-inspired Hedgehog Spines Structures for More Efficient Use Digital Manufacturing Processes. In Sustainable Design and Manufacturing 2019 (pp. 375-385) 
  • Swansea University 
  • Cornell University 
  • MBDA 
  • Institution of Mechanical Engineering (IMechE)
  • External Examiner Kingston University 
  • External Examiner University of West England 
  • Committee Member IMechE Scholarships 
  • Committee Member Whitworth Scholarships