June 26, 2019

Six professors and scientists of Chiang Mai University from Thailand and Professor Joseph Sarkis of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) from USA are currently at the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano to work with local scientists in the EU project "SME 4.0 - Industry 4.0 for SMEs". During the stays, the visiting scientists will pass on their know-how to scientists, companies, and students in the form of guest lectures, workshops, series of lectures and their research work. In addition, local scientists are supporting Chiang Mai University in setting up an industry 4.0 learning factory laboratory giving inputs based on the Smart Mini Factory Laboratory. Vice Dean Prof. Matthias Gauly from the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano welcomed the international scientists in a meeting and underlined the importance of international collaborations in the field of research.

June 25, 2019

On the 21^st of June 2019 Prof. Joseph Sarkis from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in USA, gave a speech within the seminar and workshop entitled “Industry 4.0 and sustainability: influences and relationships”, while doing his secondment within the project SME4.0 at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano. The event was organized by Dr. Patrick Dallasega and Dr. Guido Orzes.

June 24, 2019

On 21 June, a delegation from Chiang Mai University and Bangkok Science Park Thailand visited the Smart Mini Factory and NOI Tech Park in Bolzano. In the NOI TechPark, Prof. Dominik Matt presented the Fraunhofer Italia Research to the participants as the first and only Fraunhofer Institute in Italy. Sepp Walder introduced the participants to the Noi TechPark in Bolzano and led them through various laboratories of the newly opened technology park. Dr. Erwin Rauch guided the participants through the Smart Mini Factory Laboratory for Industry 4.0 of the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano. At the visit following persons took part: Dr. Nirut Naksuk, Manager at MTEC - National Metal and Materials Technology Center at the Science Park Bangkok, Prof. Wasawat Nakkiew, Head of the Department of Industrial Engineering at Chiang Mai University, Dr. Warisa Wisittipanich, phd-student Adirek Baisukhan and phd-student Dollaya Buakum.

June 19, 2019

The Free University of Bolzano started a collaboration for radio lectures with the radio channel RAI Sender Bozen. Three of this radio lectures are dedicated to the topic “Industry 4.0 for SMEs” reporting about the results of the EU project SME 4.0 and about further efforts to support the digital transformation of small and medium-sized companies. The radio lectures were held by Dr. Erwin Rauch who explained in the first radio lecture the history of Industry 4.0 and what were the main developments over the last years. In the second lecture he talked about the main results of the first phase of the project reporting about the specific requirements that SMEs are facing when introducing Industry 4.0 in their own company. The third lecture introduces the Smart Mini Factory laboratory, which is a learning factory lab for qualifying students and professionals from SME companies and therefore supports them in the introduction of Industry 4.0 technologies in practice.

All broadcasts can be listened to under the following link: http://www.raibz.rai.it/feed.php?id=83

June 14, 2019

On Thursday (June 13th 2019), Prof. Nakorn Tippayawong, Ass.-Prof. Korrakot Y. Tippayawong and Dr. Manuel Woschank conducted several company visits in Chiang Mai and Lampang. Thereby, a special focus was placed on the process improvement of SMEs in the food industry (i.e., pork skin producers).

June 10, 2019

On 30th May 2019, the PHD students Adirek Baisukhan and Dollaya Buakum participated to the excursion to LEITNER group within the secondment period at the Free University of Bolzano. The excursion to LEITNER (one of the leading producer of ropeways and technical equipment for winter ski areas) was organized within the courses “Production Planning and Control” and “Industrial Installations and Operational Safety” by the responsible lecturers Dr. Erwin Rauch and Dr. Patrick Dallasega. Although the Leitner group is anymore an SME most of the manufacturing processes are characterized by a high individualization of the products and therefore an important example of mass customization in manufacturing.