Digital Design Skills for Factories of the Future

Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering Department, 550025, 4 Emil Cioran, Sibiu, Romania

^* Corresponding author: adrian.florea@ulbsibiu.ro

Abstract

Industry 4.0, Smart Manufacturing, Factories of the Future all describe aspects of the heralding era of digitalization of manufacturing aiming to interconnect every step of the manufacturing process and seamlessly integrate the physical and digital world. In Factories of the Future a central computer organizes the intelligent networking of all subsystems, suppliers and customers into one system. All relevant requirements concerning manufacturing and product are confirmed at design time, while execution takes place autonomously as ICT and automation are integrated. The main challenge is represented by educational system, how prepared is to provide students, future employees, the digital competences necessary for the Factories of the Future. What are the structural and curricular measures Higher Education Institutions need to take in order to align engineering education, especially in the design of all constituents of Factories of the Future, with the need of competences in new manufacturing era? A quantitative analysis of existing study programs aims understanding the status quo of Master programs in engineering education and, deriving from existing policy documents potential requirements for competences design of Factory of the Future employees.