Since 1950, trainees from all over the world have had the opportunity of demonstrating their technical skills at a vocational-training 'Olympics' competition currently known as 'WorldSkills'. Working in teams of two, trainee mechatronics technicians aim to complete the exercises set by an international jury. These involve constructing mechatronic systems, programming these and then commissioning them. To ensure total authenticity, Festo (MPS) Modular Production Systems (MPS) are used to simulate industrial automation systems of varying complexity - with industrial components supplied by market leaders. These MPS installations ensure conditions that closely relate to everyday practice.
Every two years, some 800 participants from almost 40 countries compete for the medals to be awarded in 34 competition disciplines and five demonstration disciplines. Competitors from 27 countries pursue mechatronic challenges, resulting in authentic learning conditions and appropriate preparation for the challenges which the trainees will face in their daily work.
MPS units are also used in exercises on process optimisation and lowering production costs. Trainers can control the level of complexity of the model factories created and thus use the system to teach both beginners and advanced students. Individual functions of production or assembly processes are simulated in modules, several of which can be combined to form an MPS station.
Thirteen standard stations are available from Festo, each ready-installed on a profile plate and covering functions such as distribution, testing/checking and assembly. Individual stations can be combined to form installations with material flow up to and including a complete assembly line.
The Mechatronics Assistant on CD-ROM ensures that training with MPS can begin immediately in schools and companies. The syllabus-oriented archive provides trainers with all the documentation they need: exercises on modules, stations and installations are available in all degrees of difficulty - and complete with solutions. There are also complete trainer's manuals and collections of OHP transparencies and worksheets ready to print out. Throughout the 10 000 or so pages of the Mechatronics Assistant, users can work on three levels: an outline training plan for mechatronics technicians, themes relating to automation technology, or work based on the MPS stations.
Trainees also benefit from the Mechatronics Assistant. Within a particular exercise, trainees can work independently with this multimedia tool. This provides all the information needed to complete the exercise, while the solutions remain in a password-protected area. The Mechatronics Assistant can be kept up to date at all times by means of free-of-charge downloads from the service page.
In addition to technical competence, the action-oriented learning provided by Festo MPS also promotes soft skills, such as the ability to work both independently and as part of a team. In the mechatronics section of WorldSkills, the Modular Production System will also offer participants the chance to demonstrate a winning performance under conditions very closely related to everyday industrial practice.
For more information contact Joanne Dix, Sales & Marketing, Festo, 011 971 5560, [email protected], www.festo.com
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