Learning factories represent a realistic manufacturing environment for education, training, and research.
The term 'learning factory' was first coined in the US in 1994, when the National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a consortium of the Penn State University.
Source:[6] In the Process Learning Factory CiP of the Technische Universität Darmstadt focuses on developing competencies for lean production and Industrie 4.0.
The delivery of raw material, machining, quality control, assembly, packing, and indirect processes are simulated similar to a small and medium-sized enterprise .
Besides the eight variants of the pneumatic cylinder, customer-individualized requirements of different measurements are implemented in a lean machining area.
The Process Learning Factory CiP is a part of the SME competency center for the Rhine-Main area funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.
Different technologies are implemented, e.g. product traceability, worker assistance, digital shopfloor management, predictive maintenance, milk run 4.0 and AGVs.
Different Industrie 4.0-concepts are integrated, e.g. process and layout adaptivity, a high degree of human-machine interaction, and use of data analytics for transparency and optimization.
In the learning factory a RFID track and trace-system and a real time KPI visualization are integrated.
[5] The iFactory of the University of Windsor has the main topics integrated product – systems learning and Industrie 4.0.
The main purpose of the learning factory is research, teaching and demonstration for students and industry.
The learning factory is a platform for retrofitting new technological features to develop, analyze and validate their usability in assembly or disasssembly lines.
[5][6] The main topics of the LPS Learning Factory are lean production, Industrie 4.0 and resource efficiency.
The production environment includes various machine tools, load transports, manual assembly stations, and various industrial robots.
[10] Building on solution approaches from the fields of modularization, digitization and artificial intelligence, the P2O-Lab investigates the next steps to serve highly variable markets with almost binary product life cycles.
As an accompanying UserStory, the goal is to derive, evaluate and implement a suitable process from existing plant modules directly from the product order.
The findings from the current research are subsequently flowing into the teaching of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at the TU Dresden.
In addition, students as well as external persons have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the P2O-Lab in the context of workshops and internships.
The assembled products can be reused after the training: e.g. roof control units, sun visors, covers, floor mats or room tears.
Qualified in-house employees carry out the training who have didactical background knowledge as well as long-term experience in the production area.
More than ten different learning modules are offered for participants who take important insights to their daily work.
[6] The Festo Learning Factory in Scharnhausen is operated by Festo AG since 2014 with four different topics: mechanical processing (1), valve and valve terminal assembly (2), automation and process improvement (4), administration of the learning factory (4).
The planning, development, construction, and operation of learning factories require financial and personnel resources.
A single learning factory is not able to provide a suitable, general environment for all challenges in academia and industry.