ABOUT THE PROJECT — Learn4SMEs stands for Learning Factory for Improving Digital Competitiveness of Macedonian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. The project plans to set up a learning factory in Skopje (North Macedonia) under the motto “low-cost automation and digitalization”. The primary project goal is to raise the awareness of SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) for digital transformation and to disseminate an implemented example of a learning factory. The learning factory promotes initial and continuing vocational training in Macedonia, in particular the continuing vocational training of employees and job seekers. Learn4SMEs wants to show local SMEs the possibilities and advantages of a learning factory for the retraining of their existing employees and the qualification of new employees. In addition, trainees, students, and job seekers in North Macedonia are expected to benefit from the vocational training programs, including technical and non-technical courses and learning units tailored to the needs of local SMEs and the European labor market.

FUNDING — The project is funded by the European Innovation and Technology Institute Manufacturing (EIT M).

PARTNERS — Technical University of Vienna, Festo Lernzentrum

LINKS — www.mf.edu.mk/learn4smes, www.tuwien.at/learn4smes, LinkedIn

ABOUT THE PROJECT — This scientific research project proposal focuses on researching the technologies of Industry 4.0 and their influence on the Lean production philosophy by implementing different sensors and augmented reality in a laboratory environment. After the implementation, a series of experiments will be carried out in order to eliminate production wastes. The idea is to show an approach to digital transformation that, in addition to nurturing traditional approaches like Lean, can lead to optimizing the production process. The improvement of the production process by eliminating the eight types of losses defined in the Lean philosophy further leaves additional space for faster and easier digital transformation and implementation of other digital technologies. According to the feasibility in the given conditions, the focus of the project proposal are two different technologies: sensors as basic parts of cyber-physical systems and augmented reality system. Both technologies, in the initial phase of the project, will be investigated in detail in terms of their ways of implementation and functioning, and their potential application in a production environment. Implementation and experimentation with new technologies will be carried out together with interdisciplinary teams of fourth year students at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering – Skopje.

FUNDING — The project is funded by Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje.

PARTNERS — Institute of Mechanics, Institute for machine structures, mechanization machines and vehicles

LINKS — www.mf.ukim.edu.mk/lean4.0waste

ABOUT THE PROJECT — The mutual objective of the three offered CT programs is to aid the development of advanced competencies for the future production industry, enhancing its competitiveness. The analyzed skills are one of the crucial ones for Industry 4.0, so the programs aim to follow this trend and implement the core competencies throughout the modules in the CT. Although each of the CTs will be conducted independently, the combination of the gained skills represents the foundation for the workers of the Factories of the Future. The three CT programs that will be offered with this project are: CT 1 – Production controller for Lean and Industry 4.0, CT 2 – Operator of CNC machines for metal cutting and CT 3 – Operator and maintainer of machines for injection molding.

FUNDING — The project is financed by the Regional Challenge Fund (RCF).

PARTNERS — SMELT-ING, Van Hool, APTIV, Torax DOO, Laminati Kom, Aktiva, Roloplast, Te-Te Plast, Demastil

LINKS — Second National Grant Award Ceremony held in North Macedonia

ABOUT THE PROJECT — This research project should bring the inevitable digital transformation process of the Macedonian SMEs in faster and easier way. The project team is committed in doing so systematically using numerous methodologies and methods. A comprehensive research of current methodologies will be performed at the beginning of the project, they will be independently analyzed and assessed in the selected Macedonian SMEs. After their study, a comparison will be performed and detailed investigation of their effectiveness. The main Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) will be evaluated in a number of Macedonian SMEs, especially the ones associated with the production and maintenance processes. The included SMEs in the research project will be acquainted with the I4.0 concept and numerous Lean tools, get a suitable assessment/performance data according to numerous methodologies and, finally, be better prepared for the future digital transformation.

The result of the research will be better assessment of the Industry 4.0 readiness of the Macedonian manufacturing SMEs, based on the product portfolio, size, type of production and other criteria that will emerge from the research.

FUNDING — The project is funded by Macedonian Ministry of Education and Science and the OeAD – Austria’s Agency for Education and Internationalization.

PARTNERS — Technical University of Vienna, and 30+ companies from North Macedonia as associated partners

LINKS — www.mf.ukim.edu.mk/digits-me, www.tuwien.at/digits-me

ABOUT THE PROJECT — CompetenSEE aims at design, development and implementation of a hybrid training course between teaching and learning factories (TLFs) in South-East Europe (SEE). Hybrid learning becomes increasingly important for TLF, because of higher flexibility, reusability, availability and cost efficiency of trainings, of which all are common limitations of traditional TLFs. A network of recently established TLFs, namely in University of Zagreb (CRO), FabLab (BIH), Smart Learning Factory Skopje (MKD), build a joint training course in collaboration with University of Tartu (EST), Chalmers (SWE), TU Wien (AUT). The activity will i) provide a joint (international), hybrid training course for manufacturing education tailored to local industry demands for upskilling of professionals and job-seekers, ii) leverage networks of TLFs in SEE to implement manufacturing training in RIS regions, in particular Balkan region, and iii) open markets for commercialization of the training course. The training covers the assembly process through topics in Lean 4.0, Human-Robot Collaboration and Enhanced Quality through Machine Vision.

FUNDING — The project is funded by the European Innovation and Technology Institute Manufacturing (EIT M).

PARTNERS — Technical University of Vienna, University of Zagreb, Chalmers University of Technology, University of Tartu, FabLab BiH

LINKS — www.competensee.eu

ABOUT THE PROJECT — Due to ongoing digital transformation and AI advancements, a comprehensive industry-oriented program is needed for integrating AI into manufacturing in South-East Europe (SEE). EIT M has developed teaching and learning factories, and North Macedonia has implemented lean and data-driven tool training. The AISkills4Lean initiative aims to enhance this by adding AI and Lean 4.0 skills through practical use cases. We will customize a low-cost, open-source voice assistant system to improve information accessibility and training quality in learning factories. This will be evaluated in Skopje, a new learning factory in Bulgaria, and a Macedonian SME (Fitofarm Plus), involving associated SME partners. This approach offers low-cost digitalization solutions and ensures scalability and mobility across partners. Additionally, its multinational context allows adaptation to different languages and organizational needs.

FUNDING — The project is funded by the European Innovation and Technology Institute Manufacturing (EIT M).

PARTNERS — Technical University of Vienna, Technical University of Sofia, Fitofarm Plus

LINKS — TBA