"Smart" plant and 3D-printing: what will learn TPU undergraduates

TOMSK, Jul 5 – RIA Tomsk. Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU) starts in 2016 several new profiles of preparation in a magistracy. The university plans to train experts for programming of "smart" plants, managers for mechanical engineering, experts in 3D-printing and town-planners for the Russian provinces. More detail – are in material RIA Tomsk.

Digital plants

The associate professor of the integrated computer control systems Evgeny Gromakov assumes that on a magistracy profile "The integrated automation of oil and gas productions" which from this year is started at department there will be rather high competition.

The matter is that in TPU will train experts, unique for Russia, who know how to develop systems for automation of processes at the whole plants and how to operate them. The program is focused on oil and gas branch.

"Similar foreign programs (of preparation) consider training in enterprise management, the plant as a whole", – the interlocutor of agency explained and told that at modern "clever" plants uniform automatic systems are created, where data from various sensors received, for example, sensors for control of processes, supply of electricity, quality of production and so on.

Similar systems, according to Gromakov, are favorable to the companies as they allow to obtain more exact data, to control production more rigidly, to optimize many processes. So, experts will be demanded by the enterprises working at the territory of the Russian Federation.

"Gazprom", "Rosneft", "Transneft", as far as I know, left with such offer (to open a similar profile of preparation) in TPU long ago. They expressed the need for such experts. <…> Traditionally companies send their experts to prepare (in TPU magistracy), traditionally at us consumers of graduates are – Shell and Schlumberger", – he explained.

The interlocutor of agency added that the first release on this profile of preparation will take place in 2018. On the budget it is planned to take 19 people.

Printers for astronauts

According to the associate professor of materials science and technology of metals Nikita Martyushev, TPU undergraduates not only one of the first in Russia will begin to study additive – connected with 3D-printing – technologies. They will study work with nanocomposite materials – this is nowhere else taught in the country.

"The basic that we will train in – ability to know, understand and work at the modern equipment for the three-dimensional press. Besides, they have to be experts in materials science to understand how processes happen, how to receive the set properties of a final product, how to develop materials for the printing", – he told.

The interlocutor of agency specified that metal nanopowders in which TPU scientific specialize, could be used for the press of elements for manned and unmanned spacecrafts, details for the industry which can't be received in the usual ways, for creation of elements of deep-sea vehicles.

According to Martyushev, additive technologies in general now also find the most various application – by means of 3D-printing scientists are trying to create, for example, components for aircraft or design, which will be used at construction of houses. "And we, probably, one of the first want to impart knowledge of work with 3D-printing in space", – he added.

According to his data, at the expense of the state on the new profile "Additive Production Technologies of Products from Nanocomposite Materials" 10 people will be able to study.

Desire to take masters from TPU on externship, and then, perhaps, for work, already expressed the "Saturn" scientific and production association (is engaged in gas-turbine engines), United Aircraft Corporation, Scientific and production association named after Lavochkin (is engaged in development and production of spacecrafts).

Managers for mechanical engineering

"People who would begin to organize competent mechanical engineering in Russia aren't trained now. From this point of view we are in the Stone Age. We buy the new equipment – it is good. But there are no people who are able to exploit it competently", – professor of department of automation and robotization in mechanical engineering Pyotr Krauinsh reported RIA Tomsk.

He explained that on the profile "Ensuring the efficiency of technological processes of the product life cycle" TPU will train the managers who are deeply understanding mechanical engineering. Among disciplines – are objects from both areas, for example, robotics and automation of production and management of projects.

At the same time Tomsk Polytechnic University realizes the program together with foreign higher education institutions and the companies (in particular, from Finland and Germany), and teachers of other universities can give part of lectures.

"It is the network program, students are academically mobile: can take part of courses at themselves, part – at other universities. On this profile a half of objects is read in English, and at selection the level of proficiency in English will be considered – all information on this subject in foreign languages because in Russia there are neither such programs of preparation, nor such literature ", – professor noted.

According to Krauinsh, in the first year is planned to accept for the budget 19 undergraduates. The first release will take place in 2018. According to him, the Russian Federation enterprises show interest in such experts not for the first year.

"When the operator manually makes adjustments of the tool on the most modern machine – it is wrong. <…> I saw Mazak plant in England (releases metalworking machines). In shop robots work, and there are two-three servicemen, the cybernetic center on the second floor – two engineers behind panels. And it should be able to be organized. It as in construction – one build the house, and exploit it will the others", – he added.

City-planners for the remote place

Professor Natalia Kolodiy told RIA Tomsk that at department of social communications the "Sustainable Development of Urban Areas" profile opens.

"The similar programs connected with design of architecture, town planning are mainly realized in Moscow and St. Petersburg. But the most part of citizens in Russia lives in the small or average cities – to one million (inhabitants). And it is impossible just to carry out a transfer of the projects created in megalopolises on the normal cities", – she specified.

Kolodiy explained that the training will take place in a kind of "studio" in which of undergraduates will form teams for implementation of projects. One of the main areas of work of studio will become the solution of problems of the residents of Tomsk living on suburbs, so – having limited access to infrastructure resources  . 10 budgetary places are provided in the first set for undergraduates.

According to her, undergraduates will learn not only to equip competently city space, but also to involve inhabitants in this process. And a problem not that the opinion of citizens isn't considered, but that the technology of interaction with the population isn't fulfilled.

"Qualification will be – the engineer innovator. But here a keyword is "engineer" – we want that it was the person who is capable to participate in design, to fill the project with desires, needs of people, to head the project, and if it is necessary, to bring to real construction, and also to be able to work in team. The development of the city, in my opinion, will be successful only if there is a team", – sure Kolodiy.

She added that for alignment of knowledge of the undergraduates having different basic education in parallel with special objects will read them thematic courses - "bridges". Besides, from last year in TPU the system of elective courses is started. So far courses are given only in English as they are designed for students foreigners.

The program is realized together with Tomsk State University of Architecture and Building, and also with TPU partners in the program of the academic exchanges Tempus – in particular, Aalborg University (Denmark) and Vienna University of Applied Sciences (Austria). The part of objects will be conducted by the invited teachers.