Lightweight Professional Courses

Die Gewichtsreduzierung von Strukturen ist in den letzten Jahren zu einem Schwerpunkt für viele verschiedene Branchen wie Maschinenbau, Transport und Tiefbau geworden. Der richtige Umgang mit Rohstoffen in Leichtbaukonstruktionen ist der entscheidende Erfolgsfaktor für Ressourcenschonung und Kostensenkung. Leider zeigen die praktischen Erfahrungen oft, dass die Design- und Handhabungsregeln für neue Materialien nicht eingehalten werden. Das Konzept der Kurse "lightweight professional" greift dieses Thema auf.

Die Grundkurse geben einen Überblick über Leichtbaurichtlinien, Leichtbauwerkstoffe, Kosten- und Lebenszyklusbewertungsmethoden. Fortgeschrittene Schulungen bieten spezielle Schulungen zu verschiedenen Leichtbaumaterialien. Kurse auf Expertenebene, die auf dem Wissen früherer Stufen aufbauen, bieten zusätzliche transversale Perspektiven.

Background

Reducing the weight of structures has in recent years become a critical point of focus for many different sectors, such as machine building, transportation and civil construction. The appropriate handling of raw materials in lightweight design structures is the key success factor for preserving resources and reducing costs. Unfortunately, practical experience often shows that designing and handling rules for new materials are not being respected. The professional training concept underlying the “lightweight professional” courses addresses this issue.
Within these courses, industrial employees (managers as well as engineers and technical staff members) will not only obtain information, but also acquire the knowledge in a manner appropriate to their individual educational backgrounds. Based on results from a recent Europe-wide survey, the content and the format of the “lightweight professional courses” are designed to meet industrial needs. Guided by the concept of the T-shaped professional, the basic level courses give an overview of lightweight construction guidelines, lightweight materials, cost- and life-cycle -assessment methodologies. Advanced level training provides specialized instruction on different lightweight materials. Expert level courses, based on the knowledge acquired in former levels, will offer additional transversal perspectives.

All courses have been developed in the cooperation project “LightRight” by experts from different European universities and research institutes. (For further details regarding the consortium members and the project please visit www.lightright.eu). Lightweight professional courses aim to deliver high quality content and ready-to-use practical information. Participants will experience an open environment atmosphere with the opportunity to exchange experiences with other participants and industrial branches.

Target

The courses are aimed at employees in industry whose work involves planning the manufacture of lightweight products, and at employees in companies that want to start manufacturing lightweight products.

Objective

Participants will be able to identify and differentiate the steps involved in developing lightweight products, and to use (design, construct and set up processes with) specific lightweight material in the correct way to fully utilize the lightweight potential.

Type of training

The courses combine e-learning elements with classroom training. Lightweight professional course modules are delivered on different levels for different target groups. While the basic level module is designed both for managers, engineers and technical staff, the advanced and expert modules are targeted at technical specialists. All levels offer certification according to DIN EN ISO 17024. The certificates confirm that successful participants have acquired expertise and practical knowledge in the relevant area. The basic level comprises one module and a final examination to be certified. The advanced and expert levels comprise six modules each whereof four modules have to be chosen. All modules can also be booked individually and independently from the certification procedure.

Basic level

After successful completion of the basic level (“Introductory Module” (IM)) of the lightweight professional training courses participants are able to

identify and differentiate the different steps in the process to develop a product in order to critically assess the advantages and disadvantages of lightweight design for specific cases and different materials.
identify company key figures and components to develop products using a lightweight approach (designers, buyers, quality personnel …)

Course content

Environmental impact of lightweight construction: socio- political background, governmental (European) strategies, ecobalance, need for recycling and circular economy, marketing issues
Definition of Lightweight design and strategies, design process
Design guidelines in lightweight product development
Materials knowledge related to properties and processes
Health and safety issues
Manufacturing specifics, cost-value ratio
Supply chain: definition of criteria to identify reliable suppliers
Planning and management

Language

English, German, Spanish, Italian

Lightweight Professional