Student training within the TEMPUS program (ENGITEC)

In the period from February 28 to March 28, 2015, within the framework of the TEMPUS project «Modernization of higher engineering education in Georgia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan in accordance with technological challenges» (530244-TEMPUS-1-2012-1-SE-TEMPUS-JPCR), 20 masters from 10 universities participating in the project were trained on the basis of Kutaisi State University Akakiy Tsereteli.

The purpose of the training was to study Delcam software and increase the level of mastery of CAD/CAM systems with further application of the acquired knowledge for the performance of master’s theses.

During the training, 4 Delcam software products (PowerSHAPE, PowerMILL, FeatureCAM, ArtCAM) were studied:

PowerSHAPE – includes basic capabilities of surface, solid and frame modeling and data import in STEP, IGES, VDA and AutoCAD formats, as well as work with triangulated data, morphing, creation and editing of G2-curves and B-splines, a number of global surface editing operations;

PowerMILL – a package for preparing highly efficient control programs for CNC milling machines, is considered the best system for preparing control programs (CP) for milling products of complex shape;

FeatureCAM – a CAD/CAM system based on the principles of rational processing of elements allows you to build or import parts; identify elements of parts (holes, pockets, grooves, milling surfaces); create and simulate the processing process; generate NC codes of the control program.

ArtCAM is a powerful, easy-to-use set of modeling tools that gives the designer freedom when creating complex spatial reliefs, allows importing mathematical models; import and use models obtained on laser and traditional scanning devices; create 3D reliefs on flat geometry; apply a three-dimensional texture to the details; create models from halftone images; create assemblies consisting of different models; create KP for different machines.

The training was opened by the rector of the university, Georgy Havtadze, with a congratulatory speech in which he noted the importance of modern technologies in production and education. The training program included both lecture and practical parts, the latter was carried out in a separate time. As a result, the team from each university, which consisted of two representatives of the university, had to present a presentation of their work. Students had to demonstrate not only their knowledge in the field of modeling and development of control programs, but also their ability to work in a team. The result of the work was a presentation in which materials were presented: – from modeling and creation of an assembly unit in the PowerSHAPE system, a control program for processing a part for a CNC lathe created in the FeatureCAM environment, and a model of the university coat of arms created with the development of a control program in the ArtCAM environment. The final papers were presented to the commission, which included teachers of specialized departments of the Kutaisi University, where the Delcam software will be implemented in the future. All teams successfully coped with the task, demonstrated a high level of acquired knowledge and the ability to work in a team.

In addition to the educational program, students had the opportunity to visit the sights of Georgia. During the weekend, students visited Batumi and Tbilisi, the building of the Parliament of Georgia, the «Caves of Prometheus» in the suburbs of Kutaisi, and the old church in Mtskheta.

Vitaliy Klymenko, Pavlo Glushko office. MV and I