In this STAR interview, we speak to Poorya Ghafoorpoor Yazdi of the Faculty of Engineering Technology (ET). STAR is an acronym for (S)ituation, (T)asks, (A)ctions, (R)esults. We also have many “star” colleagues at UT with interesting stories. Poorya Ghafoorpoor Yazdi contributes to the development of the Learning and Research Factory.
Situation
What is/was the situation (S) of your research/initiative?
Before the establishment of FAB2 Learning and Research Factory, providing a practical grounding within the theoretically driven production engineering educational program and ensuring industrial relevance was challenging for students of the ET faculty at the UT. Hands-on experiences are essential for engineering students to realize real-world applications, hence an alignment between curriculum and industry needs is necessary to prepare students for contemporary industrial demands. Students and researchers, particularly in product and production design, require an industry-realistic testbed for research and learning, and the FAB2 Learning and Research Factory initiative addresses this need, bridging the gap between academia and industry.
Tasks
What tasks (T) were or are you currently working on?
The FAB2 Learning and Research Factory initiative involves several key tasks designed to provide a comprehensive, industry-realistic learning experience. It is a smart manufacturing system as a platform for education and research. It consists of modular, industrial-scale working stations that build up flexible process chains for dedicated product(s). The focus is on manual and partly automated assembly, disassembly, and further related operations (e.g., quality control, 3D printing). FAB2 Learning and Research Factory is highly flexible and scalable, e.g. in terms of layout, addition/changing of processes, the inclusion of additional smart technologies (e.g. sensors, cobots), or a diversity of possible products. Through its digital infrastructure with advanced sensors (e.g. Real-Time Locating Systems, motion capturing, manufacturing execution system), the physical FAB2 Learning and Research Factory shopfloor is dynamically connected to different virtual models of the manufacturing system which facilitates advanced use cases in both education and research. In the teaching context participants are actively involved in different roles and manifold learning paths can be realized, e.g. in the context of manufacturing system design and operation, automation, human factors, energy efficiency, circularity, or smart industry technologies. Also to those topics, FAB2 Learning and Research Factory facilitates research and serves as a platform for development and demonstration of innovative approaches towards smart and sustainable manufacturing of the future.
Actions
What actions (A) are you working on and who are involved?
Within the FAB2 Learning and Research Factory, a multitude of actions are being undertaken to develop and utilize learning assets while implementing Smart Industry concepts. Central to these efforts is the design and creation of an immersive factory learning environment that can accommodate diverse learning objectives and provide multifaceted educational experiences related to production. This environment is characterized by versatility, mobility, and reconfigurability of the entire space and all associated assets, enabling to support a wide range of learning and research goals. These attributes ensure that the FAB2 Learning and Research Factory can adapt to various educational and research needs, offering a dynamic space where theoretical knowledge and practical skills converge. This approach not only enhances academic pursuits at the Engineering Technology Faculty but also fosters robust collaborations with industry partners. By aligning academic research and teaching with industry needs, the FAB2 Learning and Research Factory serves as a bridge between theoretical advancements and practical applications, benefiting the students and researchers at the Engineering Technology faculty and industry partners.
Results
What results (R) do you hope to achieve and how will society (or UT organization) perceive them?
Culminating on the value brought by the FAB2 Learning Factory for education and research, it stands to bridge theory and practice at the ET faculty at UT. It results in crucial skill enhancement to better prepare our engineers of the future for the job market both outside and inside academia, preventing skill gaps in the industry and ensuring they make a positive societal impact. Through interdisciplinary learning experiences at the FAB2 Learning and Research Factory, a multifaceted insight into production implications are devised. Overall, future engineers will be better suited to dealing with the harsh realities of fostering sustainable, circular, and flexible production systems in the advent of Industry 5.0, Society 5.0, and beyond.