A Lichfield engineer has scooped a national title.
Shaun Addy from engine maker Cubewano was named Design Engineer of the Year at the British Engineering Excellence Awards (BEEA).
The judges praised Mr Addy, commenting that “whilst it can be a nine to five occupation for some, those who create the best designs don’t recognise the constraints of the clock.”
Mr Addy met the criteria for being able to produce innovative designs as well as contributing to the industry more widely. The panel noted that in his 26 years in the profession working for the likes of Lotus and BMW he had gained numerous patents for his innovative design work on some of the world’s most respected internal combustion engines.
In his current role at Cubewano, he perfected a small heavy fuel rotary engine with a high power to weight ratio which has been successfully used in a project for the US military. Recently he refined the design of the engine’s fuel injection system, reducing fuel consumption by 50 per cent – an innovation likely to receive another patent.
Eric Wilkinson, chairman of the judges for BEEA, said: “With a proven track record in the automotive market Mr Addy is stepping out to be innovative in a small company, where he is taking risks, but using his experience. He thinks nothing of 5am starts six days a week to solve an engineering challenge – that legendary ‘one step further’ ethos.
“Alongside his engineering responsibilities, Mr Addy heads the development department, mentoring and managing all development staff, ensuring they work to his methodology and design ethics.”
Entrants for the BEEA Design Engineer of the Year Award are nominated by other engineering professionals, with the judging panel including respected industry experts from ARM, Cambridge Consultants, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the Technology Strategy Board.
Cubewano MD Craig Fletcher, who nominated Mr Addy, said: “He worked crazy hours in a small garage with minimal machining capabilities to create a novel engine which, to this day, has not been bettered by any other firm or designer.
“But he is not resting on his laurels yet, and has already created a working prototype of a new line of lightweight portable power generators using our engine technology. We are already in talks with a number of large aerospace and defence companies to potentially partner with as a route to market.”
