Belarus’ first innovation competence center BELAZ opened in BNTU

Pass to good engineering tomorrow. BNTU has opened the country’s first innovation competence center BELAZ. Until this day, he worked only in St. Petersburg. The one that accepted the first students today includes several laboratories that will help cover areas beyond the curriculum. Everything so that after graduation from the university, a person trained, ready to work with modern equipment came to the enterprise.

Why Engineers Should Practice the Future: From Theory to Real Production

There is a lot of talk about engineering training today and not without reason. In their hands are concentrated a lot of resources that affect virtually all areas of life: from the economy and security of the country, to energy supply – which we face directly. Therefore, it is important that during the study – not only to study in theory, in practice to work out a scenario from the future – really work in the enterprise.

3D Modeling and Powerful Computers: The First Competence Center Laboratory

The Competence Center includes two training laboratories – according to the latest technology. She's pretty good here. With the design of 3D models, not everyone can cope, and this is not about students. Special computer power is needed for working out details and continuous work. The direction is promising and in demand, in plans to completely go to three-dimensional modeling of parts in order to carefully think through all possible nuances. For example, what material to make – at the initial stage.

Andrei Tupik, BNTU student: The stands are quite visual, the computers are very good. That is, we can do a wide range of our capabilities here. I think this will help us in designing coursework and diplomas.”.

Arkhip Rotko, BNTU student: “I believe that those who will enter the future and students in junior courses were lucky to have such a laboratory.”.

VR zone and simulation of unmanned control: feel like a service specialist

An element of the game with an educational bias. The VR zone helps to study all models of the engineering giant’s products, and even disassemble and assemble them entirely. In general, feel like a service specialist, replacing certain parts and components of the unit. The second stand is a practical simulation of working with unmanned control. A set of radars, cameras and sensors - allows you to get acquainted with the device of the dump truck management system.

Igor Serebryakov, Associate Professor of the Department of Technical Operation of Cars of the Autotractor Faculty of BNTU: The introduction of interactive technologies in the educational process has a very positive effect on its quality. Students are very interested to try the most live gemified, touch, see, service BELAZ. I think it will be used very actively in the learning process and have some success.

Electric drives, hydrostatics and hydrodynamics: second laboratory

In the second laboratory there are four stands. They help to study different processes that will be useful in the future. For example, understand the principle of control of electric machines. How to avoid overloads - by studying electric drives on direct alternating current. Another stand demonstrates the laws of hydrostatics and hydrodynamics. With its help, you can easily check the work of formulas in a practical way.

Alexander Zakharov, Head of the Department of Hydropneumatics and Hydropneumatic Drive of the Autotractor Faculty of BNTU: At some stands you can carry out two, or even three dozen laboratory works, rapid adjustment, maintenance of this equipment stand is simplified, and the range of laboratory work itself is expanded for a deeper understanding of various types of drive. These are reciprocating, rotating, and servo drives. This equipment allows the upgrade to be carried out.”.

Access for all: more than a thousand students a year and the impact of curricula

And most importantly, access to this equipment is not for a narrow circle of people. Students of autotractor, machine and instrument-making faculties, information technologies. There are more than a thousand students a year, and these are special skills in working with modern equipment.

Sergey Kharitonchik, Rector of BNTU: We need new ideas, new forces, new knowledge. And this cooperation allows us to connect our desires and our capabilities. I think that the Belarusian Automobile Plant is now getting an opportunity to work more closely with our guys, to give them the subject of course and diploma projects, to influence the subject of laboratory work.

Sergey Lesin, General Director of the Belarusian Automobile Plant: “Thanks to the rapid development of the semiconductor industry, thanks to the use of a computer, but simulated in this area, real breakthrough technologies are created, again, drives, batteries and electric vehicles are winning a large volume of the market in any field, commercial transport, cargo transportation, passenger transportation. And, of course, not only Belaz will become the main customer on this site. My colleagues in the Ministry of Industry are also in need of such specialists.”.

Every year students strive to practice at the Belarusian automobile plant. But it's about a hundred people. Annually about 40 graduates receive their first job in the enterprise.

Result: less time to adapt – more resources for new inventions

The joint work of the industrial giant and a higher educational institution is an example of complex work, thanks to which the young specialist understands that he is waiting for next, time for “adaptation” takes less. So there is more resource for creativity and new inventions. Especially when the practice has already proven itself. The BELAZ Competence Center at St. Petersburg Mining University has already graduated five generations of specialists.