develop and optimise sustainable future industrial production systems
Productions systems all over the world are facing a diversity of strong change drivers. The increasing diversity of products, accelerating environmental challenges and labor shortages ask for direct and radical changes in the way we produce goods and services. Innovative digitally driven technologies such as autonomous robots, digital twins of factories, artificial intelligence and complex sensor networks have shown their promising potential, but lack widespread implementation on the shopfloor. If you want to take a leading role in R&D for the development of sustainable, state of the art, production systems this is the master track for you.
Mechanical engineering and beyond
Humans are the most flexible production workers around. As western production methodologies change, we expect the same skills from modern production facilities; self-optimising, intelligent, able to select their next job and able to optimise themselves to execute it perfectly. AGV’s autonomously drive through factories to pick up good for the warehouse and tracked robots pick only those tomatoes that are ripe. Drones inspect crops for viruses and production equipment produce, pack and ship your internet order without human intervention. Manifold sensors in machines and whole factories create high amounts and new types of data which can support planning and operation. And without a question due to increasing global challenges, sustainability is a key concern for future factories. So besides economic objectives also environmental as well as social aspects imperatively need to be considered. Circularity concepts, the efficient use of energy and materials or the substitution to alternative sources are crucial fields of action in this context.
The development, analysis, simulation and control of these future production systems go beyond the realm of traditional mechanical engineering and also requires knowledge for the integration of robotics, vision, sensor systems and artificial intelligence within modern production equipment and tools. The skills to realise this integration into an efficient and sustainable production system is the core of the master track Smart & Sustainable Industry.
Why choose this specialisation at UT?
The specialisation combines a solid educational programme in Mechanical Engineering with specialistic courses from other relevant master programmes. It will prepare the student to become the broadly trained and future oriented engineer industry is looking for. It will train the student in doing research related to progressing the state of the art of modern, sustainable production systems. As a student you will also learn form other master disciplines in the University of Twente. You will be trained in skill required all over the world and thus will be prepared for internships, master assignment and professions in a wide range of production industries.
graduation
As a university that places a strong emphasis on societal impact and valorisation, we require our master’s students to choose graduation projects in which they combine fundamental research with a practical application in a real-world setting. Many of these projects are carried out in cooperation with industry or within the research labs on of the departments that are part of Engineering Technology.
Career prospects
As a graduate of the Sustainable & Smart Industry master track you will be the sought after Mechanical Engineer with additional skills and insights that can guide production oriented industries through the next decades. The skill set obtained will prepare you for research and development tasks in wide range of industries and research institutes.