19 May 2025
Fabrication at Kildalton: Bringing designs to life
From initial concept to design and finally manufacture, students of the Advanced Machinery and Crops Course in Kildalton College gain valuable hands-on experience in fabrication, College Lecturer, Patrick Heffernan tells us more.
Through the fabrication module of the Advanced Machinery and Crops Course at Kildalton College, students are required to design and build a piece of equipment from scratch.
As some students may have never picked up a welder, worked with steel or thought about how a piece of machinery is produced, this might seem quite daunting to some students at first. However, we feel the fabrication module is a core part of the Advanced Machinery and Crops Course, as it allows students to work on their own initiative, take ownership of their designs and build a piece of machinery from scratch that can later be taken home.
Group photo of the Advanced Crops and Machinery Course students 2025 at Kildalton College, pictured with some of the students’ fabrication projects.
About the module
The fabrication module begins in June on induction day, where students are given their fabrication brief before starting placement in mid-July. This outlines what the fabrication module involves and what is expected of them.
Conor Fitzgerald, from Midleton Co. Cork, made this front storage box for his John Deere tractor at home.
Students, during their placement period, will complete the fabrication brief and return it to their tutors. This document will contain justification, research, basic sketches/drawings, base material costings and a health and safety risk assessment document on their chosen piece of equipment. This brief is then discussed by phone with each student on a case-by-case basis.
Kiera Fortune, from Kilmore, Co. Wexford, made this work bench with shelves designed to accommodate a tool chest. Kiera is looking forward to putting it to use at home in the workshop.
Once the semester commences in January, students are introduced to the 3D computer aid drawing (CAD) programme, Solidworks. They draft up their designs using this software and tease out any geometry issues that may arise. Using the Solidworks programme can be quite overwhelming for some students, as it may be their first introduction to 3D CAD, although some students may have already used it at Leaving Cert level.
Into the workshop
Workshops begin to get busy 2-3 weeks into the semester after relevant safety training has been completed. Students will typically spend three hours a week in the fabrication workshop.
Jonathan Banville, from Taghmon, Co. Wexford, made this wrapped bale handler, for use on his own farm and contracting business.
Each student is given their own workspace, workbench and mig welder. Any material and components used are purchased by the students and all consumables and workshop equipment is provided by Teagasc.
Kildalton has been proactive in ensuring students have access to modern workshop equipment during this time. Students avail of the services of local engineering companies from time to time, where machining or bending etc. of components is required.
James Fennin, from Athy, Co Kildare, made this square bale fork for handling two 8ftx4ft straw bales which they make on his home farm.
In general students take great pride throughout the fabrication of their projects, this could be something as simple as trying to get welds as neat as possible, or to cut a straight edge with an angle grinder or a plasma cutter. This, along with a sense of peer comradery, is very evident when watching on as they assist and help one another to reach their end goal.
Find out more about the Advanced Machinery and Crops Course in Kildalton College here.
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