Student project became a reality – highlighted to inspire others

A proposition developed by four engineering students in production and product design became a reality and is used today to streamline GKN ePowertrain's production. Now Visual Components is also highlighting the student project to inspire others in the industry.

“It is fantastic and very valuable that the project has been widely appreciated and that others can still benefit from our project,” says Erik Andersen, a former student at MDH and one of the people behind the project.

While Erik Andersen was studying for a Master’s degree in Production and Product Design at MDH, he and three other students developed a concept about how a robot cell would automate and streamline GKN ePowertrain's production. The project was carried out in collaboration with the company and is part of the course Industry Automation included in the study programme. Today, the proposition has become a reality and has been implemented in production. But it doesn't end there. The proposition was in fact developed using a simulation programme from Visual Components and recently they used the project as a case study.

“The project shows that students, with the right tools, were able to make a big difference in actual production environments. The students’ use of simulation with Visual Components to design various propositions and ensure that production assets are utilised to their full potential was remarkable and impressive. This, combined with the fact that the project helped GKN ePowertrain save 80 per cent of the costs for an operator, deserves to be highlighted and therefore we wished to give the project a further boost in our industry network,” says Umair Ejaz, Product Marketing Manager, Visual Components.

Exposure and the opportunity to network through student projects

On the Engineering programmes in Production and Product Design, students get the opportunity to conduct real-life projects with companies during several courses, in order to be allowed to test in reality. Teachers therefore spend a lot of time preparing contact with companies, and then together develop suitable student projects.

“In order to prepare our students for their future careers, it is important for us to collaborate with industrial companies. Through the various real-life projects, our students get the opportunity while still studying to understand what requirements they need to fulfil when they enter the labour market,” says Niklas Friedler, Course Coordinator at MDH.

According to Erik Andersen, who currently works as a Simulation Coordinator at Mälardalen Industrial Technology Center (MITC), he gained more than he could have hoped for from the student project.

“It is partly because of this project that I got the job at MITC. In connection with the final presentation of the project, several companies were there to hear about our project, including MITC. A presentation opportunity of this kind provides exposure and the opportunity to network. Another advantage of the real-life projects is that as a student you get a taste of what you can work with in the future, which makes you even more motivated to complete your studies,” says Erik Andersen.