March 6, 2009

Spring break trip to Germany to focus on manufacturing practices

The students, part of Henry Kraebber's "Manufacturing in Germany" course in the Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology, will leave March 13 for Munich, where they will spend the next week touring manufacturing plants, meeting students at a local university and exploring Germany.

Kraebber, a professor of mechanical engineering technology, has led similar visits to Germany for the last several years, but this is the first time that the trip to Germany was part of a larger course that prepares students for the trip abroad and provides closure following their return to campus.

"For many of these students, this will be their first experience overseas. This course gives them an opportunity to learn something about German manufacturing and culture so they have some knowledge for their visit," he said. "It also has given them a chance to get to know each other, which will help them share their experiences during and after the trip."

The group will visit the KUKA Robotics plant in Augsburg and tour a BMW plant in Regensburg, where they will see how KUKA robots are used in the body assembly process. Kraebber said thanks to the use of robotics, the BMW plant is able to produce hundreds of cars a day.

Students also will visit the Ayinger Brewery outside Munich, which features state-of-the-art control and packaging systems and integrated computer controls. In addition, the group will meet with students and faculty from the University of Applied Science in Munich to discuss opportunities for partnership and will visit World War II landmarks, such as the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site.

Although the visit is focused on manufacturing, the experience has attracted students from a wide variety of majors, such as mechanical engineering technology, organizational leadership and supervision, management, and industrial engineering.

Kraebber said he has taken numerous visits abroad, but has focused on Germany because the country offers a good mix of innovative practices, rich history and a taste of a different culture.

"Munich is a fun place to be," he said. "This is a great learning experience for students to see cutting-edge ideas and technology put into action."

Students will return on March 21. The remainder of the course will be spent discussing what they learned, writing a report on their experiences, and preparing presentations for administrators and students.

Kraebber plans to offer the "Manufacturing in Germany" course next spring. Those interested in learning more about the course and the visit to Germany can contact Kraebber at (765) 494-5039, kraeb@purdue.edu .

Writer: Kim Medaris, (765) 494-6998, kmedaris@purdue.edu

Source: Henry Kraebber, (765) 494-5039, kraeb@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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