Physics Instrument Shop

The Physics Instrument Shop at Purdue University primarily serves the teaching and research needs of the Department of Physics and Astronomy. The shop provides faculty and students and staff with a well-equipped, safe working environment in which one can design and manufacture their projects for education and research through on-site technical guidance.

The topmost precedence of this shop is to provide safety training and machine operation instructions as well as mechanical supervision  for the purpose of providing hands on experience for undergraduate students, graduate students, staff, and faculty.

Anyone requiring to use the Physics Instrument Shop must complete the shop training course.

The Physics Instrument Shop training program provides student instructions covering safe working abilities by means of hand tools, operating power machine tools carefully, and the common procedures of operating those machine tools. The machine tools include engine lathes, horizontal milling machines, drill presses, grinders, belt sanders, and band saws capable of producing prototype parts for research and education.

Upon completion of the shop training program, students who qualify are allowed to make use of the shop facility. Here, they can design and manufacture their projects supporting their education, and research projects.

Access to the shop is controlled by a computer monitored swipe card lock. Once the safety training course has been completed, student IDs are programmed into the computer, allowing them access to the shop and its equipment.

The shop is equipped with a well stocked tool room that finds extensive use by students, staff, and faculty throughout the department.

The shop's duties also include design assistance, fabrication, updating, and maintenance of teaching and experiment instruments for labs and demonstrations on a limited basis. At no cost to staff or faculty. 

The Physics Instrument Shop in the Department of Physics and Astronomy is maintained and supervised by Jim Corwin. Jim teaches the shop training course to Physics students that provides the safety awareness and knowledge to fabricate parts.

Jim Corwin, Shop Supervisor
Phone: 765-494-5548
Email: corwinj@purdue.edu

Physics Instrument Shop hours are 7:30am to 4:00pm, Monday thru Friday.

Rules for the Physics Instrument Shop