Lifelong Learning

Lifelong Learning Possibilities

Developing skills throughout life is extremely important for achieving success in both career and personal life. Therefore, the Chair offers various workshops that enable participants to gain new knowledge and skills in the field of design and development

Given that technology is advancing rapidly, acquiring new knowledge and skills has become crucial for success in many business sectors. The Chair of Design and Product Development ensures that participants receive the latest information and have access to the most advanced technology in their field. This helps participants advance their careers and remain competitive in the job market.

Through its workshops, the Chair offers opportunities to learn CAD tools and their automation, virtual reality technology and its applications in education and industry, various design methods (e.g., design for additive manufacturing), developmental approaches (e.g., Design Thinking), and different computational tools and artificial intelligence in product design and development. In addition to the listed workshops, it is also possible to organize other workshops related to the topics of product design and development upon request (cadlab@fsb.hr), even if they are not explicitly mentioned.

Advanced CAD Modeling

Through this workshop, participants will gain the knowledge and skills needed for advanced creation of 3D models (parts and assemblies) and drawings.

The workshop includes advanced modeling of parts using sketches and 3D features, assembly modeling by combining modeled and standard parts, and the creation of drawings (both workshop and assembly drawings). Additionally, it covers CAD configurations, sheet metal modeling, surface modeling, and other advanced features. The workshop can be conducted using any CAD tool, such as SolidWorks, Siemens NX, PTC Creo, 3DExperience, Onshape, CATIA, Autodesk Inventor, Autodesk Fusion 360, etc.

The workshop is tailored to different groups of participants, meaning the content and duration (number of hours) will be adjusted according to specific needs and knowledge levels. The workshop can also be held either at the faculty or at the client’s location. The Chair of Product Design and Development will provide expert instructors, and participants will receive a certificate of attendance.

The workshop has already been conducted for primary and secondary school teachers, gifted primary school students, and industry partners (Sinago, AluTech).

The CAD Automatization

The CAD automation workshop enables the creation of various scripts that speed up the execution of repetitive tasks engineers encounter in CAD tools.

In addition to increasing the efficiency of creating CAD models, automation also reduces the possibility of human error. The first part of the workshop focuses on automating work on 3D models by creating scripts for skeleton creation, standard shapes, and automatic data export (e.g., name, material, mass, etc.). The second part of the workshop addresses automating work on 2D models (technical drawings) by creating scripts for automatic view addition (front, top, side views), sections, hatching, and dimensions (e.g., retrieving dimensions from the 3D model), as well as for graphic editing (font, line thickness) and automatic filling of the bill of materials (BOM) table. The workshop is typically conducted in SolidWorks or CATIA, but content can be adapted for other CAD tools upon request (Siemens NX, PTC Creo, 3DExperience, Onshape, Autodesk Inventor, Autodesk Fusion 360).

The workshop is tailored to different groups of participants, meaning the content and duration (number of hours) will be adjusted according to specific needs and knowledge levels. For example, depending on the level of knowledge in the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) programming language, a short programming course can be organized as preparation for CAD tool automation. The workshop can also be held either at the faculty or at the client's location. The Chair of Product Design and Development will provide expert instructors, and participants will receive a certificate of attendance.

References:

• 2018: Conducted professional training “CATIA V5 VBA Automation – Basic Course” for Yazaki Europe Limited Zagreb
• 2019: Conducted professional training “CATIA V5 VBA Automation – Advanced Course” for Yazaki Europe Limited Zagreb
• 2021: Conducted professional training “SolidWorks VBA Automation” for Sinago d.o.o.

Virtual Reality for Industry and Education

Virtual reality is a ubiquitous topic in the modern world and has many applications across various domains and industries.

In addition to its applications in education, VR has revolutionized the ways companies operate and create and analyze new content. Instead of spending significant time and financial resources on creating physical prototypes and testing in the real world, VR simulations allow companies to test new situations and processes in a virtual environment. This technology also enables companies to create interactive product and service presentations, enhancing sales and marketing activities. Furthermore, VR technology allows companies to significantly improve employee training for specific jobs by simulating real work situations in a virtual world. In short, VR has great potential to transform education, business, and industry, and we can expect its continued expansion in the future.

This workshop covers the basics of virtual reality—what VR technology is and where it is applied. We will present various VR devices and their features, as well as the setup and configuration process for the HTC Vive Pro VR system. We will explain the working principles of HMD VR devices and their specific features. Additionally, we will provide a brief overview of the applications of VR technology in education and industry. Throughout the workshop, participants will try out around 20 applications that can be used for educating students and staff, visualizing and simulating products (CAD models), and 3D modeling. Furthermore, an advanced workshop can be organized to explore any of the mentioned topics in greater detail.

This workshop is intended for teachers, professors, industry employees, and anyone interested in learning more about VR technology and its applications in education and industry. Our goal is to educate you about VR technology, give you an understanding of its capabilities, and show you how to use it in your work.

The workshop is tailored to different groups of participants, meaning the content and duration (number of hours) will be adjusted according to specific needs and knowledge levels. The workshop can be held either at the faculty or at the client's location. The Chair of Product Design and Development will provide expert instructors, and participants will receive a certificate of attendance.

Design for Additive Manufacturing

The introduction of additive manufacturing into the industry brings enormous advantages, including reduced production time, lower costs, greater flexibility, and the ability to personalize products.

Designing for additive manufacturing is a key factor for success in this technology. With a solid understanding of design principles, engineers can fully leverage the advantages of additive manufacturing.

In this workshop, you will learn everything you need to get started with additive manufacturing and designing for this technology. Participants will learn about the main benefits of additive manufacturing and the essential guidelines to follow when designing products for this technology. The workshop also includes practical exercises for designing polymer and metal products for additive manufacturing. Additionally, participants will propose their own solutions on a computer, which will be printed during the workshop. Finally, the workshop concludes with a discussion on the future and challenges of this increasingly popular method of production. In addition to the basic course, more advanced workshops can be organized to cover the field of designing for additive manufacturing in greater detail (e.g., topological optimization, using design guidelines for additive manufacturing).

The workshop is tailored to different groups of participants, meaning the content and duration (number of hours) will be adjusted according to specific needs and knowledge levels. The workshop can be held at the faculty or at the client’s location. The Chair of Product Design and Development will provide expert instructors, and participants will receive a certificate of attendance.

Design Thinking

Design Thinking is used for the development of products, services, processes, and organizations. It is based on understanding users and their needs, as well as an iterative process of generating and testing solutions.

Design Thinking can be applied across all industries and sectors and is particularly useful in innovative areas where quick and creative problem-solving is required. This process helps in generating new ideas, improving existing products and processes, and developing new market opportunities.

This workshop is intended for anyone who wants to develop their skills in creating innovative products through the Design Thinking process. The workshop will cover a range of topics, including user and market research, goal definition, concept generation and evaluation, prototyping solutions, and testing solutions. Each topic will be thoroughly addressed using a variety of methods and tools that will enable participants to acquire practical knowledge and skills they can apply in their everyday work. Additionally, an advanced workshop can be organized to delve deeper into any of these topics. For example, the concept generation topic can be explored further by demonstrating the process of patent search, generating ideas using analogies (e.g., TRIZ, nature-inspired analogies), physical effects, and artificial intelligence (e.g., ChatGPT), as well as individual and team-based solution creation (e.g., brainstorming, brainwriting).

Participants will gain practical knowledge of this process through working on real-world problems in small teams. In addition to acquiring knowledge about Design Thinking, they will also learn skills related to teamwork.

This workshop is suitable for all participants, regardless of their prior knowledge of Design Thinking. Participants will have the opportunity to learn with the support of our experienced instructors – experts in the fields of engineering design and product development. The workshop can be held either at the faculty premises or at the client’s location. Upon completion of the workshop, participants will receive a certificate of attendance.

AI Methods in Design

AI methods in engineering design enable the optimization and automation of design processes, providing new opportunities for the development of innovative solutions and increasing engineer efficiency.

This workshop covers the fundamental concepts and methods of artificial intelligence and their practical application in engineering design. Participants will learn, through practical examples and tools specifically tailored to the needs of engineers involved in development projects, how to use AI for design optimization, predictive modeling, and generative design. Additionally, the workshop includes the consideration of ethical and safety standards, which are crucial for the responsible application of AI methods.

The workshop is intended for anyone looking to expand their knowledge of artificial intelligence and its application in an engineering environment. Topics include the analysis of machine learning algorithms, generative design, topological optimization, and solving real-world problems through project work and case studies. Participants will gain practical experience and skills that they can apply in their everyday work, with a focus on developing innovative engineering solutions in a team setting.

The workshop is suitable for all participants, regardless of their prior knowledge of artificial intelligence, and will be conducted by experienced instructors – experts in the fields of engineering design and artificial intelligence. The workshop can be held on the faculty premises or at the client’s location, and upon completion, participants will receive a certificate of attendance.