BRIDGE: Building the Future of International Engineering Collaboration
The Smart Learning Factory – Skopje is proud to announce BRIDGE (Bilateral Research Initiative for Design and Growth in Engineering), an innovative international collaboration project that connects engineering students across continents in a transformative learning experience.
Connecting Two Worlds, One Vision
BRIDGE creates a unique partnership between Penn State University’s Learning Factory and the Smart Learning Factory – Skopje at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University (UKIM). This groundbreaking initiative enables students from both institutions to collaborate on real-world engineering challenges, bridging the gap between design innovation and manufacturing excellence.
How BRIDGE Works
The project follows an innovative two-phase approach that maximizes learning opportunities for all participants. Students at Penn State University (PSU) initiate the process by developing creative product ideas, creating detailed designs, and building working prototypes. Once validated, these designs travel across the Atlantic to Skopje, where Macedonian engineering students take the collaboration to the next level.
In Skopje, students engage in four distinct learning paths: production and assembly evaluation, sustainable packaging development, eco-friendly design optimization, and Design for Manufacturing (DFM) processes. This multi-faceted approach ensures comprehensive skill development while addressing real-world manufacturing challenges. The concept is depicted in the following scheme.
Real Products, Real Impact
BRIDGE focuses on creating tangible products that visitors can assemble and take with them, making engineering concepts accessible to diverse audiences including high school students, university students, and industry professionals. Products are manufactured using cutting-edge technologies including 3D printing and laser cutting, showcasing modern manufacturing capabilities within the Smart Learning Factory’s and the complementary labs at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.
The project emphasizes visitor engagement through interactive showcase products that demonstrate the connection between design innovation and manufacturing excellence. Each product incorporates visual elements representing the partnership between Penn State University and the University Ss. Cyril and Methodius, symbolizing the international collaboration at the heart of BRIDGE.
Smart Learning Factory: The Perfect Platform
Since opening in 2023, the Smart Learning Factory – Skopje has welcomed over 1,000 visitors and facilitated numerous international collaborations. The facility serves as a physical simulation environment for learning production concepts, where practitioners and students develop skills in Lean Management and Digital Transformation.
With support from prestigious organizations including USAID, EIT-Manufacturing and partnerships with leading European institutions like TU Wien, the Smart Learning Factory provides the ideal infrastructure for BRIDGE’s ambitious goals.
Educational Excellence Through International Collaboration
Students gain invaluable experience in cross-cultural collaboration, advanced manufacturing technologies, and sustainable design practices. The project’s emphasis on visitor-friendly products ensures that learning extends beyond participating students to the broader community.
The project is initiated by prof. Bojan Jovanoski and prof. Matt Parkinsson. The students from UKIM are supervised by prof. Bojan Jovanoski, ass. Aleksandar Argilovski, assoc. prof. Jelena Djokikj, assis. prof. Ognen Tuteski and ass. Ema Vasileska – each responsible for a specific path.
BRIDGE is building tomorrow’s engineers today, creating connections that will shape the future of international collaboration in engineering education and manufacturing innovation.
The design process
The PSU students have finished designing the products. Three different ideas were selected among the 48 generated in the whole design process.
Beginning October, PSU students had online sessions with elementary and high school pupils, university students and industry people from Skopje. The goal was to understand their needs, everyday activities, habits etc. Carefully guided by prof. Parkinson, the students developed three different designs and prepared a full technical documentation for each product.
Coaster Charger Cube
The design is a wooden puzzle box with a wireless charger lid. Each side of the box will contain an engraving symbolizing Penn State, Skopje, and their connection. These sides will function as coasters when disassembled and as a storage container when assembled. The assembly of the sides themselves incorporates a “poka-yoke” concept to help reduce error. The design incorporates both functionality with a fun puzzle box activity appealing to a wide range of audiences and uses.
Internationsl Footballs
The final product bridges American Football culture and European football in a desk game. The product is designed to be applicable and memorable for the pupils, university students, and industry professionals who visit the Learning Factory. As well, we needed to have a meaningful representation of the unity between Penn State University and Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje. Characteristics used to bridge PSU and Skopje include cultural icons, symbols, aesthetics, and other representative means.
Pencil Pal
The Pencil Pal is a highly customizable desk storage organizer with a unique yet simple assembly. As we designed the Pencil Pal, we considered how we might design a product that showcases the capabilities of the Smart Learning Factory – Skopje and provides a memorable hands-on experience for visitors of all ages. To create a design that was large enough to be functional while also being quick and affordable to manufacture, we elected to use pressboard as the material for the box itself. The pressboard is cut on a laser cutter and folded to form the shape of the pencil holder. By using laser cut dividers and a 3dprinted rim, the holder was more than sturdy enough to hold whatever office or desk supplies that the customer would want or need to store. By adding many holes in the faces of the pencil holder, our pencil holder offers limitless possibilities for customization with different charms. For the time being, we came up with 3d printed charms for eyes, feet, and other body parts to turn the pencil holder into a Pencil Pal. Because of the modular design of the pencil holder and charms, customers can design whatever they want for their Pencil Pal, allowing them to be as creative as they want.
The designs are handed over to the four different student groups at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering – Skopje, each of them focusing on their working path.
Assembly path
< work in progress >
Update: The students are manufacturing, fixing bugs, assembling the products and developing assembly instructions in the Smart Learning Factory – Skopje.
Packaging path
< work in progress >
Update: The Skopje students are developing numerous concepts for each product and wait for feedback from the PSU students.
Sustainable design path
< work in progress >
Design for Manufacturing path
< work in progress >
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