A novel approach for teaching IT tools

within Learning Factories

7th Conference on Learning Factories, CLF 2017

J. Sauza Bedolla, G. D’Antonio, P. Chiabert

Summary

2

• Introduction

• SMALL Factory Project

– The implemented system

– Dealt issues

• The product

• Teaching approach

– PLM

– ERP

• Conclusions and future developments

Introduction

3

The most industrialized countries are funding national and international programs to promote the integration of the Industry 4.0 enabling technologies within the manufacturing environments.

Introduction

4

The lack of skilled engineers is already restraining companies

from generating more business.

The Smart Factories spread will significantly affect job definition in industry.

Education programs must be updated.

Introduction

5

In the last years, several universities around the world implemented Learning Factories.

Smart Lean Learning Factory

6

The aim of this project is to reproduce a smart factory for educationalpurposes in a laboratory environment, in terms of both hardware andsoftware.

This environment will allow students to become familiar withproduction applications commonly found in the modern facilities and toexperience realistic situations, as required by the “Gemba walk”.

TurningEmco Turn 105

MillingEmco Mill 105

MeasuringCMM DEA

Smart Lean Learning Factory

7

The product

8

Family of trolleys for sliding doors.

Product variants:– Load

– Number of wheels

– Wheels diameter

– Distance wheel to wheel

– Length

– Thread

PLM teaching approach

9

• The PLM teaching approach is based on team collaboration during product development.

• The PLM strategy is composed by three stages of the product lifecycle

Product design

10

• Students are divided in teams (6-8 people)

• Each team is provided with a set of requirements– Wheels are well defined

– Freedom to operate for the main threaded pin

• Design steps– Requirements

– Concept

– Preliminary layout

– Definitive layout

– Product documentation

• PDM systems: Teamcenter, Aras Innovator

• CAD system: Nx

Digital Mock-up

3D printed prototype

Tolerancing

Process design

11

Two steps

1. Part production

• Complete operation sequence

• Necessary resources (tools, machines, fixtures)

• Validation through CAM simulation

2. Assembly sequence

Virtual factory simulation

12

The assembly sequence previously defined is simulated in a virtualenvironment:

• To verify the feasibility of the assembly process

• To validate the sequencing of product assembly

• To evaluate process performance (cycle time, work in process,criticalities)

• To evaluate operators’ ergonomics

ERP teaching approach

13

• Students are divided in teams (6-8 people)

• Each team simulates a company– Team leader

– Warehouse manager

– Planning manager

– Manufacturing manager

– Purchase manager

– Sales manager

– Marketing manager

• ERP system: Odoo, client-server installation

ERP teaching approach

14

• Course structured in two parts– Software tutorial [12 hours]

– Company simulation [12 hours]

• Each team has to satisfy customers’ orders within the due dates– Plan manufacturing activities

– Plan supplies

– Plan deliveries of finite products

– Evaluate company profitability

Conclusions

15

• Students have been provided with satisfaction questionnaires– High overall satisfaction

– Possibility to work in teams is appreciated

– Learning-by-doing approach is appreciated

• Companies will have employees already familiar with IT tools– Reduced startup period

• Mindset growth for students– Flaws in their education are recovered

– Tasks that are not motivating are identified

A novel approach for teaching IT tools

within Learning Factories

J. Sauza Bedolla, G. D’Antonio, P. Chiabert

Thanks for your attention!