Career Details

Dr Manuel Bandala is a Senior Research Associate in Engineering with a strong interdisciplinary background spanning manufacturing engineering, embedded electronics, industrial automation, and intelligent sensing systems. His work integrates advanced manufacturing methodologies with electrical and electronic engineering principles to deliver high-impact, industry-focused engineering solutions.

Manuel began his research career after receiving a prestigious full scholarship from the Mexican National Council for Science and Technology (CONACYT) in 2004. He completed his PhD in Microsystems and Sensors at the School of Engineering, Lancaster University, where he also received research sponsorship from A7 Engineering Inc. (San Diego, CA). His doctoral and early postdoctoral work focused on microfabrication, sensing technologies and precision manufacturing methods, laying the foundation for his subsequent career in applied manufacturing research.

He has substantial experience in electronics design, embedded systems, and the development of intelligent, safety-critical technologies. His portfolio includes technologies such as robotic systems for pipeline inspection in the oil and gas sector, obstacle-detection instrumentation for aircraft landing safety, and high-speed electronics for gamma/neutron detectors—now commercialised by Hybrid Instruments Ltd.

In manufacturing research, Manuel has played a leading role in projects involving industrial automation, digital manufacturing, and the integration of electronics into advanced manufacturing systems. Recently, he led a successful Innovate UK application to develop embedded systems aimed at supporting vulnerable households during extreme weather conditions (SR-IUK-10049123, £80K), demonstrating his ability to lead interdisciplinary engineering projects with significant societal impact.

His current research centres on the development of systematic methodologies for Digital Twin solutions for complex, highly regulated sectors—particularly nuclear manufacturing. He contributes to the AIRS-NFM programme (EP/V051059/1, £1.9M), where he is responsible for developing virtualised manufacturing environments that model, optimise, and de-risk uranium conversion and fuel-pellet fabrication processes. This work combines advanced manufacturing engineering, process modelling, automation, and embedded sensing strategies to support the next generation of digital nuclear manufacturing capabilities.

Manuel’s academic and industrial experience positions him at the intersection of manufacturing systems, electronics engineering, and applied research translation, contributing to innovation across several strategic engineering domains.