Fern Beighton

University of Nottingham > Engineering > Departments > Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering > PDM Exhibitions > 2025 > MEng students > Fern Beighton

This project presents an innovative automated wet food dispenser, designed to provide at least 24 hours of feline meals without human intervention.

My name is Fern Beighton and I have just completed my fourth year studying PDM at Nottingham. I am passionate about how good design should not be a luxury, but something to make everyday life easier for ordinary people. Whatever the product, whoever the user, good design always makes life better. It is the experience of the user that especially interests me and spurs me on to greater creativity - whether the product is a biomedical device or a multi-functional piece of furniture. Throughout the course I have enjoyed developing my drawing and CAD skills and I am proud of the level of competence I have achieved.

For me, studying PDM was the obvious choice – I gained an A* in Product Design at A-Level and a grade 9 in Design and Technology at GCSE, and it was my undoubted favourite subject. I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunities this course has given me to explore vastly different design briefs ranging from something as small as a tape dispenser to an electric assisted vehicle designed for infant health check-ups. The breadth of tasks has ensured I developed a wide range of skills enabling me to fulfil any brief.

On top of this, I have always enjoyed crafts and DIY and I use my creative skills as part of my leadership role in Girlguiding UK to design badges and merchandise as well as designing and selling my own jewellery. I carefully selected this course because it combined both the aesthetics of designing something beautiful, with the practical skills to make it a reality, preparing me well for my future career.

I am looking for a role, ideally within commuting distance of Bristol, where I can put my design and engineering skills to good use, creating products that improve the user experience while respecting sustainability.

Fern Beighton, MEng Product Design and Manufacture

Digital portfolio

Automatic Wet Food Cat Feeder

Cats are often wrongly regarded as an “easy” pet, but to keep them healthy and happy they need regular, consistent feeding around the clock. This can be a real challenge for owners with demanding schedules, but who care deeply about their cat’s welfare.

The majority of automatic feeders on the market dispense dry food, which does not provide the hydration and nutritional benefits found in wet cat food sachets. The few automatic feeders that serve wet food require ice packs and pre-served portions, limiting their functionality and requiring significant pre-planning. As a result, cat owners who work long hours or are frequently called away from home may struggle to maintain their pet’s dietary preferences, leading to wasted food and inconsistent meal routines that can affect the cat’s wellbeing.

This project presents an innovative automated wet food dispenser, designed to provide at least 24 hours of feline meals without human intervention. The system employs motor-driven bowls and a servo-operated clamp with a lead screw mechanism, ensuring that wet food is precisely and efficiently squeezed from the sachets into the serving bowls at timings to suit the cat.

Designed with user convenience in mind, the dispenser has an intuitive interface for effortless programming. Additionally, a smart notification system alerts owners via a phone app when their cat has eaten, offering peace of mind to owners from a distance.

The design is compact and attractive, perfectly at home in the kitchen where cats are typically fed, and providing a reliable, hygienic, and minimally intrusive feeding method.

The automated wet food dispenser directly addresses the limitations of existing products, offering greater efficiency, reduced waste, and improved meal consistency for cats. It serves as a modern, user-friendly solution tailored for cat owners seeking a practical way to support their pets’ dietary needs amidst busy lifestyles.