Description
Given the fact that the European economy faces difficult times and a lot the low-level production has already been outsourced to foreign countries, educating experts and performing research in cutting-edge technologies, like those involved in the the Digital Factory project, will provide a decisive competitive factor for Europe as an efficient, effective, environmental-friendly and technology-savvy production site. The project, Digital Factory, seeks to becp,e be an environmentally friendly manufacturing system that decreases pollution by reducing waste in manufacturing. The goal is to facilitate the development of modern innovative factories where well-trained and experienced personnel should be attracted to work. The project will discuss different approaches and concepts of dealing with frameworks and models of production integration (on product/application level), as well as for the management of technology-based industries in combination with the holistic representation of Supply Chains. The project’s aim is to present innovative engineering and information systems solutions as well as their applicability in their inter-disciplinary areas, communication frameworks and tools. Direct beneficiaries will be students, who will have the chance to experience a new study and practice environment, which will ensure a smoother inclusion on the labor market. Also academic staff (teachers/administrative staff) will experience new methods of teaching and job shadowing, having the opportunity afterwards to use the acquired knowledge in their future career and activities. The donor project partner is Buskerud and Vestfold University College and its role will be to provide a course on "Supply Chain Modelling” of the project and to coordinate the student selection process. All partners will share their best practices and know-how for the improvement of their managerial skills and enhancing new cooperation opportunities.
Summary of project results
Given the fact that the European economy faces difficult times and a lot of the low-level production has already been outsourced to foreign countries, educating experts and conducting research in cutting-edge technologies will provide a decisive competitive factor for Europe. The project, Digital Factory, focused on developing an environmentally friendly manufacturing system that decreases pollution by reducing waste in manufacturing through the proposed Supply Chain Management. The project has implicitly increased the quality and volume of multilateral cooperation between the partner universities through bilateral collaboration initiatives for student and teacher mobilities. All theoretical information was put to practical use by the participants in through case studies and the use of modeling tools both for production planning and supply chain modeling. The case studies dealt with topics like modeling, simulation, factories, processes, networking and distribution of data. The project organized two workshops and one intensive programme. The purpose of Workshop 1 was to transfer know-how techniques from Buskerud and Vestfold University College (BVUC) to the other partners. The workshop was organized at BVUC over five days and had 15 participants (9 of them from BVUC). The intensive programme was organized between 15-26.06.2015 at Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu for 10 days and had 20 students (out of which 5 were coming from BVUC) and 8 teachers (out of which 2 were coming from BVUC). The innovative way of learning facilitated by this programme helped to fulfill students' expectations by providing them opportunities for personal development and educational growth. Finally, Workshop 1 was held in Sibiu between 25-26.06.2015 with 70 participants. The main purpose of the workshop was to disseminate the results of the project and the conclusions drawn during the project implementation. The partners will also strive to create local industry cooperation(s) based on the results of the project aiming at practical applications as well as knowledge transfer. There is also the idea to continue the summer school program through own means.
Summary of bilateral results
The project aimed to present innovative engineering and information systems solutions as well as their applicability in their inter-disciplinary areas, communication frameworks and tools. The outcome was reached as the students had the chance to learn and apply the knowledge acquired during lectures. The project aimed to explore modern approaches and techniques within the fields of modeling, simulation, optimization and visualization of products, factories, processes, networking and distribution of data, models, tools and computer resources with the support of grid technologies. The project also increased the student and teacher mobilities, provided more chances of self-development and personal growth for students and professionals, and increased collaboration in the scientific fields tackled by the project between the partner universities. All beneficiaries participated in the activities of the project, including project management, courses and case study development, summer school, workshops, and cultural activities. The students were direct beneficiaries, with the chance to experience a new study and practice environment, which ensured a smoother inclusion on the labor market. Also academic staff, both teachers and administrators, experienced new methods of teaching and job shadowing, having the opportunity afterwards to use the acquired knowledge in their future career and activities.