William Fairbairn – The Experimental Engineer.

From a poverty-stricken Scottish background, William Fairbairn (1789 - 1874) became one of the greatest engineers of the nineteenth century. He was a leading international builder of mills, iron ships, cranes and locomotives. He was the first engineer to undertake major experiments on wrought-iron plates, riveted joints, creep, buckling, fatigue, the resistance of boiler flues to collapse and the density of steam at different temperatures. His work was recognised by honorary degrees from Cambridge and Edinburgh Universities and a Royal Society Gold Medal. He became the third President of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers after George and Robert Stephenson.

这个演讲由肯德尔和地区Engineering Society (KDES) and the IMechE South Cumbria Area (SCA).