FEATURE TRAINING & SKILLS STANDARDISING ON COMPONENTS AND TRAINING
Engineers are now being challenged with rapid advances in technology, resulting in an increasing skills gap. Head of norelem ACADEMY and product trainer, Martin Ahner, discusses how standard components can help bridge this gap
T
he manufacturing industry is currently undergoing a revolution, with many
existing systems needing to be revamped or renewed due to Industry 4.0 and IIoT. With this revolution, it is imperative that we find a solution to bridge skills gaps. Otherwise, manufacturers may find themselves outmoded, while there won’t be enough labour to go around. A report by The Manufacturing Institute
and Deloitte last year found that 4.6 million jobs will need to be filled in the sector over the next decade, and 2.4 million jobs may be left open between 2018-2028 due to a lack of trained workers1
. The skills gap within the manufacturing
industry is not a new development, especially in recent years. It’s a challenge for every engineer to work in a new area where new knowledge must be acquired. Due to the existing shortage of skilled workers, companies must internally train their employees to gain new skills for new technology. It’s no shock that the technology used in
manufacturing is constantly changing to keep up with industry needs. Machines are getting smarter and are networked with each other to pass on certain information to generate an optimal workflow. As this technology grows it may feel
daunting to engineers who were trained many years ago. Grasping these new skills will also take longer if the user isn’t already used to operating modern technology. Equipment such as code writing machines, robotics and data analysis will be all but alien. Although it may seem like there is a
divide between the more experienced engineers and young engineers that are just beginning their career, it is actually quite the contrary. Experience in manufacturing is a desired trait and although knowing all modern equipment may be a bonus, younger engineers may struggle with the basics of engineering and manufacturing. So how are we going to help bridge that
gap? Manufacturers like norelem have taken a step in this direction with its smart product portfolio, which shows how new technologies have impacted new standard components. The use of these standard components is one solution to the issue. Mechanical
34 OCTOBER 2020 | PROCESS & CONTROL
standard components do not require a wealth of expert knowledge from the outset - they can be easily operated with basic knowledge, which can be helpful for young professionals at the beginning of their career. However, it’s the little intricacies that
can be the difference to an efficient workflow. For instance, knowing which positioning tool is the best for the job, how to assemble standard components together, and what material the component should be made from to lower maintenance time. There will always be a place for standard
components, and by learning how to use these components, engineers can increase their skills and select the right components for the right applications. They can even go on to transfer this knowledge to build fully automated machines or production lines. The use of standard components,
whether for new or old machinery, can reduce retooling times, tooling changes or even the time to swap out workpieces for machining or fabrication. This improves productivity, extends machinery lifespans and reduces downtime. Of course, training is vital to learn how
to use components effectively, which not every business can undertake through internal means. To solve this challenge, norelem ACADEMY offers product training on site from its team of experts with advice, application samples and best practice examples. For example, norelem has recently
sponsored a team of student engineers at HTL Rennweg with some standard components to help in their project, Visual Drive. The Visual Drive project describes a universal attachment for conventional wheelchairs in which the user can choose between two driving modes. The wheelchair can then be used manually or drive with the help of electric drive. By providing standard screws, washers,
couplings, indexing plungers and nuts to this project, norelem enabled the team to develop their project further without the need for bespoke parts or training in specialist skills. The indexing plungers provided speed
and efficiency within the wheelchair and ensured the safety and security of the components were reliable during
Closing the skills gap isn’t something that one person or one company can do alone. It will take a collective effort to address this industry- wide issue. Sharing expertise and knowledge with colleagues and companies is the first step for positive change that the industry needs
operation, resulting in the ideal component to use to fix the wheelchair levers into certain positions. Supporting the younger generation to
develop new skills and knowledge is also vital in order to start bridging the skills gap. Knowing the importance of this, the norelem ACADEMY also supported Team InVentus of the University of Stuttgart and donated some standard components to their automation project. norelem donated numerous components
such as bevel gears, pins, ball bearings, cylindrical pins, shrink disks and angle plates in order to provide components which can be used universally and are easy to integrate into machinery. The InVentus team developed a vehicle
that can drive directly against the wind, powered solely by wind energy with the help of standard components. There are several ways to select suitable
standard components, however, just the idea of preferring standard components to a production part is the first step in creating a successful design. Stay on top of the latest trends and
1
https://www2.deloitte.c om/us/en/pages/manufa cturing/articles/future- of-manufacturing-skills-
gap-study.html
innovations to help you consider the factors when choosing standard components. Also, speaking to experienced and innovative manufacturers who are currently producing standard components may be a step in the right direction. All knowledge you can gather around what’s already been produced will help in choosing standard components. But most importantly we need to
For more information please visit:
https://trainingscenter.no relem-academy.com/en- GB/KnowledgeCategories
remember the human factor. Employees, teams and future talents in the industry must have access to all the training and advice they need to grow. The norelem ACADEMY provides technical support and free standard components to students for their educational projects.
Norelem
www.norelem-academy.com
/ PROCESS&CONTROL
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