Production Management & Supply Chain Management  -  45 contact hours

 

After completing the course, students will have an idea about the mindset, the problems, and the tasks of production and logistics management in the automotive industry, and discover trade-offs like those between product design, custom orientation, logistics, and production. Thus that experience will enable them not only to focus their attention on broadening their knowledge of pure engineering, design, or development, but will also enable them to perceive and understand the dependencies and effects of their engineering work on other functions.

Students discuss specific tasks and problems concerning production and supply chain management and learn how to use well-chosen methods to solve related tasks and to prevent related problems.

Students will gain a deeper understanding in management tasks and skills in a technical environment, consider how the dilemma and polylemma have to be balanced, and speculate on the optimization of production systems. Included in the overall program are visits to production plants such as Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche, and BMW as well as to institutions as the European Patent Office, or technology-oriented museums as the German Museum in Munich.

Thus students are able to deal with problems and tasks and have the ability and knowledge to act with self-assurance in production and supply chain environments

Emerging Technologies and Innovative Laser-Based Production Facilities -  45 contact hours

 

"Emerging Technologies" is designed for students navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of technological advancements. The effective management of emerging technologies is essential for maintaining economic viability and adaptability in today's dynamic environment.
The course will focus on a wide range of cutting-edge technologies, enabling students to
navigate and use these advances effectively in their chosen fields:

1. AI (Artificial Intelligence):

• Applications: We explore the multifaceted applications of AI, including machine learning, natural language processing (NLP), and computer vision.
• Case Studies: Students delve into real-world case studies to understand how AI is revolutionizing industries such as healthcare, finance, and e-commerce.
• Ethical Considerations: Discussions on the ethical implications of AI deployment, ensuring students understand the importance of responsible AI development and implementation.

2. Generative AI:

• Creation and Impact: Students investigate the use of generative models to create new data, images, text, and media. They analyze the potential impact of generative AI on industries ranging from entertainment to marketing.
• Hands-on Projects: Engaging in hands-on projects, students experiment with generative AI techniques, gaining practical experience in generating synthetic content.

3. Climate and Green Tech:

• Technological Solutions: Through case studies and discussions, students explore technological innovations addressing environmental challenges, such as renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and carbon capture.
• Policy and Implementation: Understanding the intersection of technology and policy, students examine how governments and businesses are collaborating to implement green technologies on a large scale.

4. Mobility:

• Innovations in Transportation: Analyzing the latest innovations in transportation, including autonomous vehicles, electric mobility, and smart infrastructure.
• Urban Planning Implications: Students explore how advancements in mobility technology are reshaping urban landscapes and transportation systems around the world.

5. AR/VR/XR and Synthetic Media:

• Immersive Experiences: Delving into augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), extended reality (XR), and synthetic media, students uncover the potential of these technologies for immersive entertainment, experiential marketing, and remote collaboration.
• Development Tools: Hands-on workshops introduce students to development tools for creating AR/VR/XR experiences, empowering them to bring their creative ideas to life.

6. Robots and Drones:

• Industrial Applications: Exploring advancements in robotics and drone technology, students analyze their applications in manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, and disaster response.
• Regulatory Landscape: Understanding the regulatory challenges and considerations associated with the deployment of robots and drones in various sectors.

7. Web3 Infrastructure:

• Decentralized Technologies: Investigating blockchain, distributed ledger systems, and decentralized applications (DApps), students explore the potential of Web3 infrastructure to democratize access to digital services and reshape online interactions.
• Smart Contracts: Practical exercises guide students in creating and deploying smart contracts, enabling them to understand the underlying mechanisms of blockchain technology.

8. Bioengineering:

• Biotechnological Breakthroughs: Examining recent breakthroughs in biotechnology, genetic engineering, and synthetic biology, students explore their implications for healthcare, agriculture, and environmental conservation.
• Bioethics Discussions: Engaging in bioethics discussions, students critically evaluate the ethical dilemmas arising from the rapid advancement of bioengineering technologies.

9. Metaverse:

• Virtual Shared Spaces: Introducing the concept of the metaverse, students explore its potential applications in gaming, social interaction, virtual commerce, and immersive storytelling.
• Building Virtual Worlds: Using virtual world-building platforms, students collaborate on projects to design and populate virtual environments, gaining hands-on experience in metaverse development.

10. Quantum Technologies:

• Quantum Computing: Delving into the principles of quantum computing and its potential to revolutionize computation, cryptography, and scientific research.
• Quantum Communication: Exploring quantum communication protocols and their implications for secure communication and information exchange. Integration of "no-code supervised AI":
• Accessible AI Development: Providing a deep dive into "no-code supervised AI," students learn to develop AI models without traditional coding expertise.
• User-friendly Interfaces: Hands-on sessions demonstrate the use of user-friendly interfaces and tools for training, deploying, and managing AI models, enabling students to harness the power of AI with ease and efficiency.

 

Innovative Laser-based Production Facilities play a significant and further increasing role in advanced automotive production. This can be explained through their various advantageous properties, such as high processing speeds or low heat inputs to the work pieces. On the other side high path-accuracies are requested for their successful operation in production.

 

Educational objective is a basic understanding of laser technology, laser materials processes and high-accuracy applications of robot-based production machineries. This will offer the capability to plan and to technologically accompany implementations of innovative laserbased production facilities in production.

 

Focus will be on: Industrial robots and their path-accuracy properties. Strategies to optimize path-accuracy. Lasers and laser-specific components of innovative laser-based production machinery. Welding and cutting for B-I-W. Welding, cladding, hardening for powertrain parts. Materials processes for the car interior.

 

The lecture includes the possibility of supplementary practical demonstrations in the lab for the participants.

German as a Foreign Language  -  30 contact hours 

Beginner or Advanced

 

During classes the Advance course provides students with a broad range of practical instruction of the German language. A major goal is the application of the correct use of grammar, the understanding of authentic texts (reading and listening comprehension) and the production of typical texts related to everyday life and studies. Emphasis is placed on developing and training sound communicative skills to be able to function independently in all situations inside and outside university.

In addition the Advanced course also covers aspects of the German culture and economy by preparing the students for the program’s fieldtrips. They learn about historic backgrounds and how to apply specific vocabulary related to the framework of the EMIG Summer School courses. Cultural aspects of German and European history are covered as well as specific engineering language aspects and information about the structure of the German economy. Thus the students are fully equipped and briefed for the company visits.

 

During the field trips students learn about the historic background of the German capital Berlin, its role during World War II, its division from 1949-1990 and its role as today’s political center of Germany both in preparatory information sessions and through guided city tours.

 

Furthermore students get acquainted with the history of Munich, the capital of the federal state of Bavaria, as well as with Strasburg, the center of the European decision making process, Heidelberg, the capital of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg Stuttgart and their current hometown Pforzheim. Company visits to Mercedes Benz, Audi and Porsche supplement this cultural dimension with an impression of the German automotive industry which is an important cornerstone of the German economy.

Students from our partner universities Penn State, Lehigh University and UMass Lowell are guaranteed 9 credits for successful completion of the full program 

 

Course A: Production Management & Supply Chain Management
Requirement: written closed book exam, 3 credits

Course B: Engineering in Manufacturing
Requirement: three written closed book exams, 3 credits

Course C: German as a Foreign Language instruction
Requirement: written closed book exam, 3 credits

 

Students from other universities must arrange for credit transfer with the home university in conjunction with Pforzheim University. Please contact us for further information.