Digitization is changing our world. For production in particular, it is opening up completely new technological possibilities and, inherently, new business models. New professions are emerging, and existing professions are increasingly changing. As a result, the education of students must also change to meet the new requirements. In the following, we would like to show you some examples where this trend has been recognized and how new training concepts are being implemented for this purpose.
Under the name "Learning Landscape I4.0", the three vocational schools from the district - the Friedrich Ebert School in Esslingen am Neckar, the Max Eyth School in Kirchheim unter Teck and the Philipp-Matthäus-Hahn School in Nürtingen - are joining forces as educational partners.
Together, they want to take on the challenge of setting up inter-school projects around the topic of Industry 4.0.
To this end, an IoT lab has been equipped at the Friedrich Ebert School in Esslingen, a MESK Factory at the Max Eyth School in Kirchheim unter Teck and a CP Lab lab at the Philipp-Matthäus-Hahn School in Nürtingen.
As part of the official funding project of the Ministry of Economics, Labor and Tourism, the I4.0 learning landscape is receiving lively support.
The aim of this overall project was to build a state-of-the-art robot center for collaborative robotics in which industry-related processes can be mapped. Furthermore, a Makerspace for students was to be created, which integrates project-oriented teaching and self-directed learning.
The implementation of the school-internal Industry 4.0 project with collaborative and classic robotics technology as well as the MakerSpace expands the school offer of the Werner-von-Siemens-Schule and promotes a school-wide understanding of technology.
The project received funding under the "Initiative for Master Plan Digitalization - Human-Robot Collaboration-Robonatives" as well as funding from the district for equipment and building-related adaptations.
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As early as 2016, planning began at Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences for the establishment and equipping of two mechatronics laboratories in which the topic of Industry 4.0 was to be comprehensively taught.
In the following years, the planning and concept phase followed, in which regular exchanges took place with those responsible at the university and a holistic didactic concept was gradually developed and concretized.
In December 2021, the two laboratories were fully equipped with functional, modern furniture and the latest teaching aids in the field of automation technology and robotics. Today, the two rooms are primarily used by students of mechatronics and mechanical engineering. The project was funded by a major equipment grant from the DFG. The official opening then took place at the end of October 2022.
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Since 2020, the vocational school in Tübingen has had two newly equipped laboratories to make the topic of Industry 4.0 tangible and experienceable in practice.
The project was financed with the help of the second edition of the "Lernfabrik 4.0" funding program of the state of Baden-Württemberg.
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In 2016, planning began at the vocational college for the introduction of the topic Industry 4.0. A scientific study resulted in various requirements for the new laboratory in the areas of safety, network , robotics and additive manufacturing.
Together with the vocational college, we developed a coordinated didactic concept that depicts the entire production and life cycle of products. The equipment for the laboratory was procured in stages, which was completed in 2019.
In the course of an expansion in 2022, the two production lines of the Smart Factory were merged and applications were replaced. In addition, another lab was created to serve as a basic PLC technology lab.
Today, the I4.0 lab is used by diverse professional groups and educational programs: Technical College for Mechanical Engineering and E-Technology, EBT, Mechatronics, Application Developer, Machinist, Industrial Mechanic, Toolmaker, Technical High School, Technical High School.
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Planning at SBBS Eichsfeld to modernize the fluid technology laboratory, which is used by all metal training occupations, started in 2019.
The goal was to bring the teaching equipment up to the latest state of the art to enable future-oriented, modern teaching in which cutting machine operators, industrial mechanics, machine and plant operators, as well as metalworkers are taught the essential basics in pneumatics/electropneumatics, as well as control technology.
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As part of the general renovation of the vocational college, three new technical laboratories for the main subjects of mechatronics, control technology and drive technology were put into operation in November 2020. With state-of-the-art technology and innovative furniture, the fully equipped laboratories enable the design of future-oriented lessons.
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The Learning Factory 4.0 is a laboratory that resembles industrial automation solutions in terms of its structure and equipment and in which basic principles for application-oriented processes can be learned.
In addition, the Learning Factory 4.0 is also made accessible to participants from continuing education programs such as technician training.
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Interview with Klaus Heeger, Headmaster of the Hubert-Sternberg-School Wiesloch
In February 2020, the Center of Excellence for Digitization was inaugurated at the Lauingen State Vocational School.
Thanks to its forward-looking, well thought-out concept, the Lauingen Vocational School succeeded in financing half of the project through the "Center of Excellence" and "Integrated Specialist Teaching Rooms" funding programs of the Free State of Bavaria. Half was contributed by the district.
The center of excellence makes it possible to take up the advancing digitalization in production and other business fields in the training occupations as well and to prepare learners for the digital future in the core topics of Industry 4.0, virtual reality and robotics.Thanks to the multifunctional room concept with TecDesign®, different key topics can be taught in one and the same room without major conversion work.
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The Industrial Internet of Things Test Bed (IIoT Test Bed) offers researchers at HTW Dresden and industrial partners the opportunity to use a model factory to research the process innovations needed to manage the digital transformation in manufacturing and to develop the necessary solutions. As a model factory, the IoT Test Bed recreates a discrete, partially automated manufacturing process that replicates real process conditions in industrial manufacturing in as much detail as possible.
State-of-the-art training tools and technologies are used to prepare learners for the challenges of mechatronics and Industry 4.0. Thus, an Industry 4.0 learning factory was acquired in 2018. The functionality was particularly important, but also the scope that the facility offers. Modules for handling and packaging chocolate were developed, built and implemented by trainees in several projects. Sensors enable the complete traceability of orders - a perfect example of the combination of theoretical and practical content.
It is crucial that small and medium-sized enterprises and large companies simultaneously contest progress in digitization. Vocational schools have an important role to play here, equally providing the basis for the relevant qualification and acting as a showcase and driving force for technological development. A good example here is the Philipp-Matthäus-Hahn-Schule in Balingen with its new Learning Factory 4.0 - which inspires vocational and technical school students, teachers and local industry alike.
With the MPS® PA, our customer BASF has succeeded in demonstrating the interaction of the components in a networked plant in a practical way.
This made it possible to optimize both the closed-loop and open-loop control technology. With the four control sections integrated in the plant, the following cross-learning core competencies can be taught in a practical way:
In addition to the basic and advanced topics, the system can also be used to teach more advanced content such as the interaction between IoT and production or higher-level control systems in the age of Industry 4.0.
In order to also be able to apply processes such as multivariable control, carry out ratio and limiting control or also implement disturbance variable feedforward control, the MPS® PA system was expanded to include a compact workstation.
After several training sessions have already taken place at the plant, it has become clear that the transparency of the control structures and the control processes are particularly important for the customers. But also the possibility to completely map a complete supply chain on the topic of Internet of Things was very helpful.
This feedback has shown that the transfer between theory and concrete applications in practice can illustrate the understanding of the processes very well.
Festo Didactic worked together with Schaeffler to develop a qualification concept for the "Training of the Future" project.
Learn more about the project and the focus areas in training
Getting German and French students fit for Industry 4.0 - that's the goal of the Smart Factory
Since summer 2021, the Smart Factory has been in operation at the Germersheim Vocational School, Wörth site.
With the "Smart Factory", which was set up in the former carpentry workshop of the BBS, a German-French competence and learning network 4.0 was created, which benefits German and French young people.
The integration of the Industrie 4.0 facility offers the opportunity to carry out simulations of realistic manufacturing processes directly on site. Through the connection with e.g. merchandise management systems, several professional groups can work on and with the Smart Factory at the same time. Above all, the practical implementation, as well as the precise analysis of individual production steps, clearly helps the trainees to adjust to the changed work processes of automation and the new job profiles.
Visit by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock
As part of her Summer Tour 2023 through Germany, which was themed "Economic Security", Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock visited BBS Wörth. There, she had German and French vocational students explain the Smart Factory and its individual learning stations to her.
In 2020, together with Zahnen Technik GmbH, we started planning a new training and further education facility at the second location in Üttfeld. The so-called InnovationLab was to be built on a hall area of approx. 600 m², which was to contain a separate training area for each of the 5 competence areas of the company. Together with the customer, a didactically integrative training concept was then developed and implemented.
The aim was for a trainee in technical/craft professions, for example, to also gain insights into process engineering planning, laboratory work, digitization as well as the standardization of global water-specific customer requirements. The intended connection of the individual areas of competence was created, among other things, by the EDS Watermanagement learning system as a model wastewater treatment plant. Here, the various manual activities can be practiced for all apprenticeships, dual study programs, trainees and new employees. The other competence areas were also equipped with modern and state-of-the-art equipment.
The InnovationLab was put into operation in 2021.
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