The Research Support Shop, under the direction of Dwight Dear, is a full-service machine shop working behind the scenes of the innovative research performed at Rice. Dear and his teammates create tools and machines to help Rice scientists complete their research and experiments. 

The Research Support team provides services ranging from simply drilling a hole to creating complex scientific instruments. Almost every job completed is one-of-a-kind, created to serve a unique purpose in a specific lab for a particular piece of research.

Dwight and his team manufactured the highly-successful High Pressure Carbon Monoxide (HipCo) machine, designed and developed by the late Dr. Richard Smalley, a Rice professor and Nobel laureate, to produce carbon nanotubes.

The shop is self-supported by revenue earned by providing services to all schools and laboratories on campus, although Natural Sciences and Engineering are high volume users.

Dwight also leads an annual six-week class for graduate students seeking an introduction to his team’s services and products. In the 36 hour course, students learn basic machine shop tool skills and how to make simple machine parts for their experiments.

Equipment

• Hurco CNC Milling Machine
• Bridgeport Milling Machines
• Hardinge HLV Precision Lathes
• LeBlond Lathes
• Vertical Band Saw
• Horizontal Cutoff Saw
• Tool Grinders
• Belt Sander
• Hydraulic Press

Services

• Precision Machining
• EDM Machining (Electrical Discharge Machining)
• Sheetmetal Fabrications
• TIG Welding
• Metal Finishing

The RSS has a material stockroom where miscellaneous shop supplies can be purchased. If your needs require materials not in stock, a special order can be placed.

Materials on hand

• Raw materials such as Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Copper, and Brass
  
• Fasteners such as a variety of screws, bolts, washers, and nuts
• Materials not on hand can be special ordered