Hands-on simulation in the classroom to teach new concepts and to prepare future industrial engineers as operator´s instructors

Abstract

This paper presents a hands-on simulation approach developed in a Curricular Unit of the 5th year of the Industrial Management and Engineering (IME) Integrated Master degree of University of Minho. The students, working in teams, were invited to prepare a potential training session to instruct operators in a work environment about cell operating modes (specific thematic in the Curricular Unit contents, defined by the teacher). The teams had freedom to prepare this session as they desired and to use all kind of concepts, tools, techniques they already know or acquire. All teams decided to use a torches kit, available by the teacher, with a product to assembly (the torch), in a different cell operating mode. With the hands-on simulation, the students learn how to prepare a training session, learn new concepts, and apply concepts and tools learned in previous classes. Student’s opinions and results of this hands-on simulation are presented.