Junior Engineers Camp 2 – HARMAN Hackathon

The Municipality of Székesfehérvár City with County Rights, in collaboration with Harman Becker Kft. and the Alba Regia Faculty of Technology at Óbuda University, organized the “Junior Engineers Camp – HARMAN Hackathon” for the second time. This competition was aimed at teams comprising high school and university students to develop ideas and prototypes. The finals took place at the Sóstó Stadium on November 17-18, 2023, involving a 24-hour technical challenge and prototyping session. The event was inaugurated on Friday afternoon by Attila Mészáros, Deputy Mayor of Székesfehérvár; István Kis, Managing Director of Harman Becker Kft; and Prof. Dr. Györök György, Dean of the ÓE AMK.

Teams introduced themselves briefly on stage, followed by a thought-provoking presentation by Tibor Tiszai, process engineer at Harman Becker Kft., on the company’s development directions. Tibor Németh, education manager, then outlined the technical challenge and provided necessary technical information for task completion.

The result of the national call for the ideas and prototyping competition was evident in the composition of the teams that made it to the finals: 2 teams from Fehérvár, 1 from Pécs, 1 from Mohács, 1 from Budapest, and 1 joint secondary school team from Várpalota-Fehérvár. This year marked the first time the university category was included, with 1 team from the University of Pécs, 1 from the University of Pannonia, 1 from the Alba Regia Faculty of Technology at Óbuda University, and 1 joint team from Corvinus University of Budapest and Óbuda University.

The Sóstó stadium provided a well-prepared creative space for high school and university students, including tools such as a 3D printer, laptop, soldering iron, electronic components, sensors, etc., to overcome the technical challenge as well as for prototype production, however, teams were also allowed to bring their own tools. Throughout the finals, a mentor team (“Council of Wise Men”) comprising engineers from Harman Becker Ltd., was available for 24 hours to offer technical support as needed, but the teams themselves were primarily responsible for problem-solving. Competitors enjoyed unlimited food and drinks and had access to a rest area during the finals.

The pitch phase of the competition began at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday morning, during which the teams presented their developments to the jury through short presentations. Each team discussed the concept they had devised to address the technical challenge and showcased a functioning prototype of their product.

At the conclusion of the ‘proof of concept’ phase, the jury appreciated the teams’ presentations, emphasizing that despite the fatigue of the 24-hour competition, every participant had performed admirably and should take pride in themselves and the results achieved.

The evaluation committee included István Kis, Managing Director of Harman-Becker Kft; Tibor Németh, Education Manager of Harman-Becker Kft; Roland Farkas, a dual student at Óbuda University and Harman Becker Kft; Prof. Dr. György Györök, Dean of the Alba Regia Faculty of Technology at Óbuda University; Attila Mészáros, Vice Mayor of Székesfehérvár; and Károly Szántó, Director of the Venture Studio at Obuda Uni Venture Capital Zrt.

The final results of the competition are as follows:

In the secondary school category:

  1. Palotai motoroSOKK – a joint team from Veszprém SZC Öveges József Technical School and Dormitory,  along with the Székesfehérvár SZC Széchenyi István Technical School
  2. Robbiners – Budapest SZC Mechatronics Secondary Technical School 
  3. Sárgák – Baranya County SZC Zipernowsky Károly Technical School
  4. Next Generation (NG) – Baranya County SZC Mohács Radnóti Miklós Technical and Vocational School
  5. Mikrobi – Székesfehérvár SZC Széchenyi István Technical School
  6. New World – Székesfehérvár SzC Hunyadi Technical School

In the university category:

  1. AMKoffe – Alba Regia Faculty of Technology, Óbuda University
  2. Hackoffein – University of Pécs
  3. FDMG – a joint team from Corvinus University of Budapest and Óbuda University
  4. JBL Miklós – University of Pannonia

The teams were informed about the number of Harman dollars they earned through their development work.

Participants could redeem their virtual banknotes for Harman premium audio devices placed in the event space.

The gifts were presented by Erzsébet Preiszler, Managing Director of Harman Becker Kft., and Hajnalka Árki, Senior HR Director.

In addition to the valuable gifts, the winning high school and university teams will also enjoy an exclusive factory visit to the Harman Becker Kft. factory in Hungary.

Throughout the evening, all the organisers and participants of the hackathon demonstrated exceptional collaboration, teamwork, and adaptability.

For more information about the competition, visit the official websites:

Another FANUC Olympic Success

Every year FANUC organises the FANUC Olympiad in Törökbálint, a competition for the most talented robot programmers of the next generation.In 2023, 34 students from 7 different Hungarian institutions participated in the competition, and five pairs competed in the finals.

The task was to solve brick palletising in less than three days in the FANUC’s Education cell. In an industrial environment, this project could take several months to complete.

The biggest stake of the FANUC Olympiad is that the winning team will qualify for the WorldSkills 2024 Lyon competition and will represent Hungary in the “Industrial Robotics” and “Robot Systems Integration” disciplines in the international field next year.

In 2023, the winning team is the pair of Árpád Benczik and Dávid Márk Németh, both mechanical engineering students at the Alba Régia Faculty of Technology, University of Óbuda. Their victory qualifies them for the 2024 Worldskills competition in Lyon.

Congratulations to our competing students for their great success!

A little Fanuc Olympics history

In 2022, our mechanical engineering students Bálint Farkas and Erik Kovács won the first Fanuc Olympiad and represented Hungary at the 2022 World Autumn Competition. In September 2023 they will represent our country, our University, at the Euroskills robotics competition in Gdansk. We congratulate them for their excellent performance and thank them for their role in preparing the next generation of robotics students. With their guidance, mechanical engineering students Márk Németh and Árpád Benczik prepared for this year’s competition.

For more information on the WorldSkills competition itself: https://worldskills.org/skills/id/558/

For more information about the 2023 Euroskills robotics competition in Gdansk: https://worldskillshungary.hu/szakmak/ipari-robotika

source: Fanuc Hungary facebook page

Safety Engineering Networking in Székesfehérvár

Nagyné Dr. habil. Éva Hajnal, Deputy Dean for Research, opened the Safety Engineering Symposium, which covered the latest legislative changes, relevant standard references, energy efficiency methods, practical tips for industrial machine design, safety considerations related to robots and relevant educational opportunities. The programme was organised in cooperation between the Alba Regia University of Technology Óbuda and SMC Hungary Kft. and attracted professionals from all over the country who wanted to improve their knowledge in this field. In addition to the lectures, the day included a round table discussion and a professional exhibition.

Despite the real summer sun, the hall was full, where Dr. habil. Éva Hajnal, Deputy Dean of Research, welcomed the participants, then spoke about the importance of cooperation and the opportunities that “networking” offers. She stressed that safety engineering is one of the most important issues today, both in the digitalised and in the traditional industrial environment. She wished all participants a productive and insightful day of discussions.

Following a short opening, Imre Kovács, Managing Director of CMSW Safexpert Ltd, gave presentations on the important elements for machine compliance from a manufacturer and operator perspective, as well as on legislation and standard application, and on the safety distance based on approach speed, which is part of functional machine safety. Associate Professor Dr Károly Széll and Assistant Professor Zoltán Szilágyi presented developments in safety education from the perspective of the hosting university’s faculty.

As part of the programme, a round table discussion was also held, where the safety aspects of industrial robots and the present, future, opportunities and challenges of collaborative robots were discussed by Dr. habil. Péter Galambos, Director of the Antal Bejczy Antal iRobottechnikai Központ (BARK) of the ÓE, Tamás Mezei, Managing Director of FANUC Hungary Kft, Imre Kovács, Managing Director of CMSW Safexpert Kft and János Péger, Automation Engineer of DENSO Gyártó Magyarország Kft.

In the afternoon of the professional discussion, Gergely Szabó, the manager responsible for personalized services, gave a presentation on energy saving issues in pneumatics, representing SMC Hungary Kft, and Richárd Bajzák, a mechanical engineer, gave pneumatic design tips, ideas and practical demonstrations.

The event was accompanied by a mini exhibition and a presentation of the faculty’s laboratories.

Cooperation Between BorgWarner Oroszlány Kft. and ÓE AMK

The, Alba Regia Faculty of Technology, University of Óbuda, and the BorgWarner Oroszlány Kft. met in Székesfehérvár in the university’s “C” building to announce their intention to cooperate. Representing the university, Prof. Dr. Imre Felde, Vice Rector for Industrial and Business Relations, Anett Fejéregyházi-Kozó, HR Director, representing the company, and Dr. Monika Pogátsnik, Vice Dean of Education, participated in the ceremonial event to inaugurate the collaboration.

The parties agreed on a broad spectrum of cooperation, including competence development for engineers and other skilled workers, joint research, support for engineering students’ internships, other trainee programmes and the future introduction of dual training at the company.

Prof. Dr. Imre Felde, Vice-Rector for Industrial and Business Relations, introducing the university and the faculty in Székesfehérvár, emphasized the importance of cooperation with business organizations, which ensures the continuous renewal of the institution and the community of teachers and researchers. He stressed the economic strength of the city, which has been developing thanks to both industry and the activities of its inhabitants and has been attracting new investors for years. Regarding cooperation, he expressed the hope that the “dialogue” between the large company and the higher education institution could produce fruitful and innovative results for both parties in the future. He thanked the company for choosing Óbuda University as a partner in the areas mentioned.

After the welcome speech of Anett Fejéregyházi-Kozó, HR Director, she introduced BorgWarner. She explained that, in addition to turbochargers, starting this year, they will expand their presence to include products for the electric car market, in addition to the hybrid market. She noted that in addition to improving the knowledge of current colleagues, new employees will also be needed, so there will be a focus on expanding knowledge and retraining in the coming years. She emphasised that they have found a worthy professional partner in Óbuda University and its Alba Regia Faculty of Technology. She expressed her thanks to the university’s management for its openness to cooperation, its flexible attitude and its understanding of the company’s concerns.

About BorgWarner:

BorgWarner Oroszlány Kft. manufactures turbochargers, while BorgWarner Hungary produces transfer cases and transmission control units. The two divisions employ nearly 2,000 people, making it one of the leading employers in Komárom-Esztergom County.

BorgWarner Oroszlány Kft. was founded in 2000, the first turbocharger was produced in September 2001, at the 1200 sqm plant. Thanks to a lot of development and expansion over the last 23 years, they now operate on nearly 25,000 sqm. Their high demand for quality and expertise is a credible reflection of the fact that their products are installed in premium vehicles from major car brands.

ABB Joins Robotics Training at Óbuda University, Essential for Re-Industrialisation

1 Although 80 percent of education professionals believe that robotics and automation will define the future of employment in the next ten years, only one in four educational institutions currently use robots in their teaching programmes.

2 ABB is expanding its robotics and automation education programme with new training centres, with more than 100 schools and universities worldwide.

3 The Industrial Robotics Park of the Alba Regia Faculty of Technology at Óbuda University with 10 robot-arms provides a real industrial environment with its unique Industrial Robotics Engineering training.

Significant investment will be needed to support lifelong learning to enable the existing and future workforce to thrive in the age of robotics and automation, as pointed out by ABB Inc. and Óbuda University at a joint press briefing in January. Nearly three-quarters (74 percent) of European companies and 70 percent of US companies plan to relocate their operations back home or to a nearby region in response to global challenges, labour shortages, and uncertainty in the business environment, increasing the resilience of their supply chain and the sustainability of their market presence, according to ABB’s survey (Supply Chain Survey 2022), conducted among business leaders in the two regions.The majority of companies – 75 percent of European respondents and 62 percent of US respondents – would facilitate this re-shoring or near-shoring shift by investing in robotics and automation over the next three years.

Yet despite the increased interest in robotics and automation, ABB’s Global Education Survey 2022 revealed significant gaps in education and training for the skills needed to work in the connected and automated workplaces of the future.
“Although 80 percent of the education professionals surveyed agree that robotics and automation will shape the future of employment in the next 10 years, only 25 percent of educational institutions currently use robots in their education programmes,” said Norbert Haray, head of ABB’s Robotics and Factory Automation business. These shortcomings pose a threat to the success of re-industrialisation. Collaboration between technology providers, educational institutions and governments is needed to prepare society for the transformation of the workplace, fully exploit the potential of flexible automation and seize the new opportunities emerging with ongoing re-industrialisation.

To this end, ABB is expanding its robotics and automation education programme with new training centres, including the Global Innovation and Training Campus in Austria, which was opened last year with an investment of €100 million. Together with new regional training centres in the UK, Germany and Brazil, this investment brings the total number of ABB training facilities worldwide to over 40, where more than 30,000 students, apprentices and employees from schools, college and universities receive training annually. These training centres complement ABB’s existing educational offerings, which are available in more than 100 schools and universities worldwide.

“With its extensive experience and portfolio of robotics solutions, ABB also provides product support and training to help educational institutions integrate robots into their learning programmes,” said Norbert Haray. “ABB works with schools, colleges and universities in more than 40 countries to help students learn the basics of robot programming and operation. Through our partnership, institutions can participate in collaborative research and development projects for the development of automated solutions for use in real-world applications, thereby improving employment opportunities for students.”

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In Hungary, ABB has established similar cooperation in the field of niche robotics training with Hungarian higher education institutions, including the Alba Regia Faculty of Technology at Óbuda University, since 2016, and the attractiveness of the programmes is reflected in the fact that the total number of students is growing by 20 percent per year.
“The aim of our Industrial Robotics Engineering programme is to provide our students with the knowledge required by industry in a practice-oriented further education programme that focuses on the maintenance and improvement of industrial processes and production lines, as well as on robot integration and maintenance processes,” said Dr. Károly Széll, Associate Professor at the  Alba Regia Faculty of Technology at Óbuda University. “Our Robotics Centre’s unique national robot park creates a real industrial environment for niche training, which will be made available in English in the near future.”

About ABB in brief: ABB is a technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. The company’s solutions combine engineering expertise and software to optimize the manufacture, supply, power, and operation of machines. Building on more than 130 years of excellence, ABB’s approximately 105,000 employees are committed to driving innovations that accelerate the transformation of industry.

ABB’s Hungarian subsidiary, ABB Ltd., was founded in 1991 and has since become one of the leading suppliers in Hungary’s utility and energy sectors.

In addition to the 4-term Friday afternoon course offering a BSc degree, the Alba Regia Faculty of Technology at Óbuda University also offers 1-2 day modular courses in various topics of robot programming and operation.

Participants at the press conference were able to see ABB’s IRB 120 model in operation. The six-axis industrial robotic arm provides an agile, compact and lightweight solution for material handling and assembly tasks that is highly accurate and easy to control.

About ABB in brief:

ABB is a technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. The company’s solutions combine engineering expertise and software to optimise the manufacture, supply, power and operation of machines. Building on more than 130 years of excellence, ABB’s approximately 105,000 employees are committed to driving innovations that accelerate the transformation of industry. www.abb.com

ABB’s Hungarian subsidiary, ABB Ltd., was founded in 1991 and has since become one of the leading suppliers in Hungary’s utility and energy sectors.

Hanon Systems Hungary Kft. Donates Equipment to Our Faculty

A Hanon Systems Hungary Kft. announced at a press conference that it will support the Alba Regia Faculty of Technology at Óbuda University with equipment in 2022.
At the event, Zsolt Karikó, Managing Director of Hanon Systems Hungary Kft. and Prof. Dr. György Györök, Dean, presented the details.

Zsolt Karikó, Managing Director of Hanon Systems Hungary Kft., emphasized that “this will not be the first time, but it will not be the last time either, that we sign a donation contract with the university. The aim of our cooperation is to familiarize young engineers coming out of the university with the new technologies and machines used in industry.” He noted that industrial robots have been donated to the university in the past, and that the current donation is for machining equipment (a CNC lathe, a CNC milling machine and a robotic arm). He stressed that by strengthening practical knowledge, students become more marketable and companies have better-prepared employees. All players benefit from further developing a practical orientation. At the end of his speech, he drew attention to the benefits of the university, which can be seen in the number of applications from secondary school students and in a further increase in popularity.

Prof. Dr. György Györök, Dean of the Alba Regia Faculty of Technology at Óbuda University, in his welcome speech, highlighted the words pragmatism and adaptivity in the philosophy of the faculty: “we only deal with topics that make practical sense, including practice-oriented training, and we can react very quickly to the development needs we receive.” He highlighted the importance of these donations, emphasizing that they enable students to gain exposure to various technologies during their university studies. He noted that the aim is to help students realise how theoretical knowledge can help them in practice. “By installing the machining unit offered by the company at the university, we are incorporating a small part of Hanon Systems Hungary Kft. into the university’s infrastructure, which is a guarantee that we are training the kind of engineers that industry needs” – stressed the head of the higher education institution. He concluded his speech by thanking the community of Hanon Systems Hungary Kft. for their support.

Drone technology company joins list of partners

Drone technology company joins list of partners of Óbuda University

Research and development cooperation is of great importance nowadays, as one of the key elements of economic development. It can contribute to maintaining and increasing the competitiveness of a company or a region. The document establishing a cooperation between Alba Regia Faculty of Technology, Óbuda University and Ku-Me  Invest Ltd. (Double Ring Wing) was signed at a press conference in Zichyújfalu. The Mayor of Zichyújfalu Ilona Füzesiné Kolonics, was present, and the details were shared with the press by Vice-Rector of Óbuda University Prof. Dr. András Molnár, Managing Director Károly Pál and the Dean of the University Faculty Prof. Dr. Györök György,.

The purpose of this cooperation agreement is to establish a long-term cooperation and partnership between Óbuda University and Ku-Me Invest Ltd facilitating the activities of the Parties related to education research and development, technology transfer and innovation, the most successful market introduction of innovative technologies, and the publication of joint scientific work.

Ilona Füzesiné Kolonics, Mayor of Zichyújfalu, mentioned that the presence and activity of Ku-Me Invest Ltd. is an important factor in the life of the small settlement, providing development opportunities for the community. She stressed that the proximity of Székesfehérvár, with the development of higher education, offers perspectives for the young people of the village. She said that “we should bring all services as close as possible to where we live, where we try to live and prosper, and use the knowledge we acquire to build our own environment. She thanked the company and the university for their collaboration, and hoped to be successful.

Prof. Dr. András Molnár, Vice Rector of Óbuda University, conveyed the congratulatory words of the Rector to the attendees. He expressed his pleasure because one of the company’s divisions is engaged in the operation and development of unmanned aircraft and the expansion of their fields of application, which coincides with his personal research and development field, which now looks back on 20 years within the university. He noted that this is the first partner in the life of the University of Óbuda to be involved in the application of drone technologies. He pointed out that among the university’s science park developments, the one in Székesfehérvár is the site where aerial competence development is planned. So the cooperation can also contribute to laying the foundations of it. He stressed that this is a future-oriented cooperation, which will give university students the opportunity to get to know the high-tech of autonomous aeronautics, drones both in the field of construction and development. “At Óbuda University we believe that every region should have a technology to build on, develop and offer young people a perspective, support career development learning locally, strengthening the region and its economy, and contributing to the achievement of national economic goals.” – said Prof. Dr. András Molnár, Vice-Rector General of Óbuda University.

Károly Pál, Managing Director of Ku-Me Invest Ltd. said that he was honoured by the opportunity of the cooperation. He mentioned that he personally has been involved in drone technology for 15 years, while Double Ring Wings has been involved in it for 6 years. It is an integral part of the company’s policy that the tools they develop should be deployable in a real, live situation and have practical use. He pointed out that one of the common research areas could be the integration of radiation and gas measurement systems in unmanned aerial vehicles, which could be fulfilled in this cooperation. He noted the openness he had experienced at Óbuda University, which immediately opened the door to joint thinking and work and to other directions of development. “The aim is to integrate the curricula developed by the company into university education and, by further developing them at university level, we can jointly build a multi-level education system that can be unique in Europe,” said Károly Pál, Managing Director of Ku-Me Invest Kt. Two of the four owners of the company live in Zichyújfalu. It is the reason why it was important for them to find a local higher education partner and draw attention to the fact that a small settlement can also integrate into the world’s development vanguard and enter the R&D bloodstream.

KU-Me Invest Ltd. in Zichyújfalu is a drone and robotics company developing underwater robots and aerial unmanned vehicles. The company’s employees work mainly in the North Sea, inspecting critical infrastructure. Read more: https://ringwings.hu/

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A week of “space experience” in Székesfehérvár

Alba Regia Faculty of Technology is hosting a space camp organised by the Hungarian Astronautical Society (MANT) from 3 to 9 June. The scientific and entertaining programme attracted high school students from all over the country and beyond.

 Alba Regia Faculty of Technology is hosting a space camp organised by the Hungarian Astronautical Society (MANT) from 3 to 9 June. The scientific and entertaining programme attracted high school students from all over the country and beyond. The aim is to raise young people’s interest in engineering and raise environmental awareness. At the opening ceremony, Dr. András Cser-Palkovics, Mayor of Székesfehérvár, welcomed the participants.

At the invitation of the Dean, Prof. Dr. Györök György the space camp will be held at Alba Regia Faculty of Technology of the University, which has “moved” to the online space for two years due to the epidemic situation
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– The space industry, space technology, is always the most modern and cutting-edge industry, the results of which are reflected in industry and everyday life, said Dr. András Cser-Palkovics at the opening ceremony. He added. These companies need skilled workers. He stressed that Óbuda University has a key role to play in the education of young people.

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Prof. Dr. András Molnár, Vice-Rector, pointed out that space technology is present in many areas of our lives. He mentioned navigation equipment, maps and weather forecasting systems using satellites as examples. “In our everyday life, we are not really aware that we have space technology in our hands.” He expressed the hope that students would be motivated by participating in the programmes and that their imagination would soar, leading them towards engineering.
István Zentai, the SpaceBuzz project founder of the SpaceBuzz project in Hungary, said that the programmes, which focus specifically on the next generation, are free of charge. They hope that the STE(A)M education programme will help young people to become more responsible in their climate and environmental thinking.
Dr. László Bacsárdi, Vice President of the Hungarian Astronautical Society, said that MANT, the oldest space research association in Hungary, has been organising the space camp at different locations since 1994, and for the second time in Székesfehérvár after twenty years. Experience has shown that many of the participating secondary school students have gone on to study engineering or science, and some have become space professionals. The young people are in for another exciting and life-changing experience, with interesting lectures, demonstrations and quizzes by renowned space experts from Hungary. The programme will include presentations on the first spy satellites and the US Artemis moon programme. Students will also have the opportunity to learn directly about the history and future of space and the workings of the space industry in Hungary, and to visit a robotics laboratory.Diakok 1 1024x683

source: uni-obuda.hu
 
20220525 5103

Expanding Hydro and OUAS cooperation

The cooperation between Hydro Extrusion Hungary Ltd. and Alba Regia Faculty of Technology, Óbuda University continues to expand. Environmental protection is a priority for both organisations. Their ambition is also reflected in the reinterpretation of the tools released by the company, strengthening the practice-oriented nature of engineering courses at the higher education institution.

In line with the circular economy approach, the surplus machines that appear in one place and are taken out of production are reborn within the walls of the educational institution during the mechanical and electrical engineering courses as raw materials for a project task. In an era of scarcity of raw materials, this cooperation has highlighted a possible way of creating the conditions for practical training.

The cooperation agreement was signed by Gábor Veres, factory manager on behalf of Hydro Extrusion Ltd. and by Csabáné Budavári, chair of the board of trustees on behalf of Alba Regia Foundation for Higher Technical Education, supporting Alba Regia Faculty of Technology, Óbuda University. Nagyné Dr. Éva Hajnal, Deputy Dean of Research representing the University Faculty also participated the programme.

The relationship between the company and the higher education institution will continue in the near future. Besides the dual training further training programmes, joint research and development activities will be done.

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Visiting Nemesys Games Ltd.

On Thursday morning, 14th April 2022, a group of master and bachelor students of computer engineering visited Nemesys  Games Ltd. Nemes Games. During the visit, the managing director of the company, Szabolcs Józsa, and one of the lead developers, Zoltán Nyakacska, gave presentations on game design and development and game software. After the presentations, the team was guided through the company’s very exclusive premises, where the developers work in a super-designed environment and use the most advanced technology. We were able to learn about the games the company has been involved in developing and hear stories about the work they have done. We could see the staff at work, with not just two but three monitors in front of them. The students were very enthusiastic and asked the hosts plenty of questions. All of the enquiries were answered thoroughly. We hope to make several similar visits in the future.