Faculty of Arts, Science and Technology
Professor Stefan Kaczmarczyk received his Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Silesian University of Science and Technology and his PhD from Natal University for his thesis on the nonlinear dynamics of deep mine hoisting systems. He is a Chartered Engineer (CEng), elected Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (FIMechE) and a Member of the Institute of Physics (MInstP).
Prof Kaczmarczyk joined the University of Northampton (then the University College Northampton) as a senior lecturer in 2002. In 2003, he became the course leader for MSc Lift Engineering, then postgraduate field leader for Lift Engineering. He was awarded the title of Reader in Engineering Science in 2010. He is currently Professor of Applied Mechanics at The University of Northampton. Throughout his career Prof Kaczmarczyk has lectured a broad range of subjects in the area of applied mechanics, dynamics, vibration, computer simulation and general engineering.
His expertise is in the area of dynamics and vibration with particular applications in the sustainable design of vertical transportation and material handling systems. He has been involved in collaborative research with a number of national and international partners and has an extensive national and international track record in consulting and research in Applied Dynamics and Vertical Transportation system engineering.
He has been serving on the Institute of Physics Applied Mechanics Group Committee and initiated and developed a series of international conferences linking the U.K. and overseas-based academic and industrial research groups working in the area of mechanics of slender structures, with particular emphasis on applications in elevator engineering. More recently, jointly with the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) Lifts Group, initiated a new conference series: the Symposium on Lift and Escalator Technologies. Professor Kaczmarczyk has published over 90 journal and international conference papers in the area of engineering vibration and applied dynamics, vertical transportation and elevator engineering.
Master of Science (MSc) Lift Engineering: Course Leader (since 2003) and Module Leader / Tutor for the following modules:
BSc (Hons) Engineering:
Professor Kaczmarczyk’s research work has been focused on the dynamics of slender structures, multibody dynamics, vibration analysis, machine health monitoring, material behaviour, and damage assessment of structures. The work conducted involves multi-disciplinary projects with particular applications in vertical transportation and material handling systems, automotive, steel milling and mining systems.
The overall research output includes over 20 articles in peer-reviewed international journals, over 50 papers presented and published in peer-reviewed proceedings associated with major international conferences, 2 published patent applications and 1 book monograph on elevator system design. Eighteen invited lectures on the subject of research interests were also presented and a number of consulting reports produced. Other published works include a number of articles that appeared in professional media / trade magazines.
He is a Member of the School’s Research and Knowledge Transfer Committee, Research Ethics Committee and the Research Excellence Framework (REF) Steering Group. Prof. Kaczmarczyk is Research Leader for Engineering (since 2003). He secured funding and developed a research laboratory equipped with experimental and computational facilities necessary for conducting leading work in the field of Engineering Mechanics, Dynamics / Vibration and Elevator System diagnosis. The hardware and software tools include:
In addition, a dedicated laboratory facility to test traction elevator suspension systems was built and has been used to conduct research supported by a multinational elevator company.
Has developed and leads postgraduate research programmes in the area of Lift Technology and High Performance Engineering which have gained national and international recognition and have made a major contribution to the professional development of lift engineering practitioners worldwide.
Established a strategic partnership for cooperation in research and innovation with ThyssenKrupp Elevator AG (TKE). The collaboration involves developing new products and elevator-related research work, with the additional benefit of creating studentships, research project contracts, and honorary posts.
Current research projects involve investigations into the problem of modelling, prediction, monitoring and control of vibrations in systems with long moving continua. The prediction of the dynamic random response and the structural integrity of elevator components in high-rise applications form the primary concern in this research.
Has supervised 9 PhD students (5 to completion) and 5 MPhil students (to completion).
Generated major income stream from research, consultancy and knowledge transfer (KT) activities (amounting to over £450k over the last 5 years). Selected projects given below: