The Special Engineering Program (SEP) at Brunel University is a broad-based undergraduate course encompassing electrical, mechanical and production engineering and is enhanced by including business and management studies. There is a strong emphasis on the innovation, design and problem solving aspects of engineering. The program is a four year course and has a 'thin-sandwich' structure. During the second industrial training period a component design project is selected which is generated by the sponsoring company. This allows a real and relevant design activity in the year 3 university period. This paper describes the development of one such project highlighting the cross-disciplinary nature of the design activity and looks at a new way of assessing project quality.