Partnership of FTI UPH-Festo Didactic

 Laboratory of Industrial Control System at UPH

The development of today’s industrial automation can not be separated from the development of machinery technology and human resources involved in the sector. A synergy of power from those two is needed in order to create an innovative and competitive industry. That is a kind of cooperation being carried out by Industrial Engineering Faculty of the Universitas Pelita Harapan and PT Festo, an industrial automation company that provides high quality industrial automation equipment.

“We have a special department for education, that is, Festo Didactic, to provide consultation, training, and learning systems. UPH is one of our members, so the faculty and staff can attend a Festo training program, especially for equipments owned by FTI UPH, “said Safri Susanto, the Festo Didactic Manager of Indonesia.

Until now, UPH has had a laboratory of Industrial Control System. “In the laboratory students learn Pneumatic, Electropneumatic, and Programmable Logic Control. Those modules are the ones for basic learning. The lab is also equipped with a robotic arm to pick and place certain components, “explained Anthony Riman, the Department Head of Industrial Engineering UPH. This campus is one of those campuses that has sufficient facility for industrial engineering classes.

Thanks to cooperation with Festo Didactic, UPH students can be categorized excellent in the mastery of industrial equipments. “Here, we are encouraging students to independently use and install equipments with the help of manual instructions, and of course, trainings. Lecturers are just accompanying the students. If new difficulties we are to intervene, “added Anthony.

Last year, three UPH Industrial Engineering students won the first place in Mechatronics Competition in the national level, organized by the Department of Labor. Thus, they were entitled to compete in the international levels in Bangkok and London. Another proof of students? proficiency in the industrial automation equipment was that they have successfully created a miniature of automation equipment. “There are already 2 miniature machines in the lab made by our students, namely food processing and electronics,” said Anthony. Both miniatures were made as the final projects.
 
Festo itself has also held a Mechatronics Competition at UPH, and the winners were sent to the World Skills Competition 2007 in Japan. Festo has been involved with some activities organized by the Industrial Engineering Student Association on campus by bringing in the truck Expotainer Festo. “The truck weighing 14 tons, contains displays and equipments for training, and is able to accommodate 24 people for a seminar session. This truck has a height dimension of four meters, five meters wide and 12 meters long, “said Safri.

With the mastery of reliable automation industrial equipments, indeed, UPH students will be more prepared in facing the working world later on. This is well supported because the equipments being used for trainings use the same components as the ones at the factory, and job sheets prepared by Festo were with reference to the actual process. Using Festo equipments for studying means using the same media with the same process as the ones in the factory. Festo equipments at UPH can also be used by the Department of Electrical Engineering, Food Technology, and Computer Science.

Some TI students UPH have proven their existences in the working world. There are some joining the production site of Gudang Garam, some other are with Caltex oil and gas contractor, some are in the automotive companies, and trading tools, such as the boiler from Germany. One of UPH graduates has also joined Festo. “His performance is excellent and remarkable,” said Safri.

In the next UPH Festival (a welcoming event for new students, red.), Industrial Tech. department will be holding Robotino exhibition. This is intended to attract high school students? interests in the field of industrial engineering. “So we will invite high school students. We are teaching programming and mechatronics and pneumatic. We hope this event could enhance their interests in the automation industry, “said Anthony. Robotino will also be provided by Festo. (cyn)

UPH Media Relations