Author: dobos.daniel

Howmet Foundation has been a committed supporter of the ÓE AMK for 8 years

The Howmet Foundation will continue to support the Alba Regia University of Óbuda’s Faculty of Technology in the academic year 2023/2024 (HUF 7.353.400). In addition to the eight years of professional cooperation, Howmet has contributed a total of HUF 130 million to the development of technical higher education in Székesfehérvár. The voucher was presented to Csabáné Budavári, President of the Alba Regia Foundation for Technical Higher Education, and Prof. Dr. Györök György Dean of the University of Budapest, and received by the Dean of the Foundation, István Katus.

At the event, Dr. András Cser-Palkovics, Mayor of Székesfehérvár, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Rudolf Kalman Foundation for Óbuda University, welcomed the next step of the successful cooperation. The mayor emphasised that the annual grant always reflects the developments defined by the company and the university together. He also described the Székesfehérvár Science and Innovation Park as a new arena for cooperation between the university and companies, which will be characterised by “scientific – entrepreneurial type orders”.

István Katus, the Howmet-Köfém Kft. said that since 2016, their group of companies has provided a total of HUF 130 million for the development of the campus’ equipment. He emphasized that their goal has remained unchanged from the beginning: “to produce students from the Székesfehérvár campus who have learned with tools, machines, programs and software used in local industry”.

Prof. Dr. Györök György, Dean of the Alba Regia University of Óbuda Faculty of Technology, noted in his welcome speech that they are committed to the transfer of practice-oriented, up-to-date knowledge. A fundamental element of this is the continuous renewal of the educational tool base, which is uniquely supported by the city of Székesfehérvár and its economic environment.

In his presentation, Dr. Károly Széll, Associate Professor, summarized the training and research offerings of the Alba Regia University of Óbuda, as well as the range of services of the Székesfehérvár Science and Innovation Park.

“Connectivity, digitalisation, industrial solutions” symposium

At the end of March, the Alba Regia Faculty of Technology of Óbuda University, the Székesfehérvár Science and Innovation Park, the University of Óbuda, the Festo Hungary Kft., a Fanuc Hungary Kft., Wenglor  Sensoric Hungária Kft. organized together an all-day program: ’Connectivity, digitalisation, industrial solutions’ symposium.

The professionals gathered in Building C1 were able to learn about the Science Park and the University’s capabilities, R&D services, and topics such as sensory issues in industrial robot welding, the use of digitalisation and virtual spaces in the monitoring of complex systems, predictive maintenance software, the combined use of industrial robotics and mixed reality, and the role of artificial intelligence in industry.

WREN satellite ready for launch

With the professional and research contribution of Óbuda University, in cooperation with the consortium partners, and as a result of significant development work, the WREN satellite will be ready for launch by the end of 2023. Once in orbit, it will regularly transmit remotely sensed data from Hungary.

On board the satellite, a multispectral SWIR camera and position measurement devices will be installed, as well as a micro-vibration monitoring unit developed by the University of Óbuda. The aim of the project is to provide a forecast of areas at risk of drought during periods of increasing precipitation deficit due to the effects of global climate change, based on continuously updated data. Thanks to drought monitoring, drought damage can be mitigated. Using the data from the 116 monitoring stations set up by the National Water Directorate General, complemented by high-resolution, multispectral satellite imagery, a system and technology can be developed that will provide greater predictability for agriculture, including farmers. Using the potential of artificial intelligence, the processing of satellite imagery will provide timely data and information on soil moisture and crop conditions, alerting farmers to the need for intervention.

Thanks to the experience gained from research using data from the currently available satellites, the large number of measurements made on soil samples from the test area, the discussions with the developers and, last but not least, the effective cooperation of the consortium members, the satellite was ready by December 2023 and was available for close-up inspection by the WREN project participants.

For months, the development work was carried out under near-sterile conditions. Shortly before the launch, the developers gave a detailed demonstration of the almost finished satellite and explained the details of its deployment and orbiting. The launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 launcher, which will deliver WREN and tens of other satellites on the mission, is scheduled for the near future.

The first priority after launch is to establish the link between the satellite and the ground receiving station. The units on board the satellite will have to perform a number of tasks, such as providing the necessary power for operation, controlling the cameras, taking images of Hungary at regular intervals, storing them and transmitting them to the ground station. The developers plan to program the on-board computer of the satellite from Earth once a suitable connection has been established and the first images have been successfully transmitted.

Cooperation with FEHA19 (Fehérvár Hockey Academy)

The Fehérvár Hockey Academy (FEHA19) and Óbuda University have signed a cooperation agreement to help each other in sports science research and the development of a long-term career model – said Prof. Dr. Levente Kovács, Rector of Óbuda University.

The event on 29 February was attended by Dr. András Cser-Palkovics, Mayor of Óbuda and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Rudolf Kalman Foundation for Óbuda University.

In the future, the Fehérvár Hockey Academy (FEHA19) and the Alba Regia Faculty of Arts of Óbuda University will work together for the athletes and students in several areas. The parties have agreed to support each other’s work, so that the academy’s athletes can participate in individual curriculum and in the university’s athletics programme.

At Óbuda University, hockey players will also have the opportunity to prepare for life after sport, as there is a sports economics course available. As part of the agreement, science could also play a role in the coaching of athletes, in the training of young players and even in the evaluation of their performance on the pitch.

The signing ceremony was attended by Mayor Dr. András Cser-Palkovics, Prof. Dr. Levente Kovács, Rector of Óbuda University, Prof. Dr. Györök György, Dean of the University, and on behalf of Fehérvár Hockey Academy (FEHA19) István Fekti, CEO and id. Gábor Ocskay, President of the Board of Trustees.

Ildikó Tóth

Year after year, Arconic stands up for the development of higher technical education

On 31 January 2024, a joint press event was held to announce the Arconic-Copper Mill Products Ltd. Zsuzsanna Varga, Managing Director of the University, Dr. András Cser-Palkovics, Mayor of Székesfehérvár, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University and Dr. habil. Éva Hajnal, Vice Dean of Research at the Alba Regia Faculty of Engineering at Óbuda University, that the Arconic Foundation will continue to support the university in 2023. The company supports the development of technical higher education for a long time. It donated 30,000 US dollars to produce special course materials and expand the equipment park in the 2023/2024 academic year in line with new industrial trends.

Mayor Dr. András Cser-Palkovics stressed that this support reflects the intention to support engineering education and to give young people a chance. He stressed that the university’s funding is secured through state subsidies, and mentioned that this year’s city budget contributes to the running and operating costs. The mayor of Székesfehérvár said that the municipality could do this through local taxes paid by companies. He thanked Arconic-Köfém Kft. for their support in training future workers and for being partners in the city’s fight to keep more people in the city.

Zsuzsanna Varga, Managing Director of Arconic-Köfém Mill Products Hungary Kft., who also represented the Arconic Foundation, emphasized that she is “proud to have been able to cooperate with the University of Óbuda for more than 5 years.” She emphasized that during this time they have provided more than 250,000 dollars in support for the education and training of the future generation, who will also become the leaders of the future through their engineering and management work. She noted that it is a traditional company that “prides itself on its roster of highly skilled professionals with whom it produces a quality product”.

Nagyné Dr. habil. Éva Hajnal, Vice Dean for Research at the Alba Regia Faculty of Technology, Óbuda University, highlighted the changing role of universities in her speech. Universities in the Middle Ages disseminated knowledge by sharing and reading the works of the great scholars of the time, while the students absorbed it, hence the name student. In today’s universities, the process of knowledge sharing has been replaced by active participation, where students learn not only the subject knowledge, but also the engineering approach, the way of thinking and, through practical training, the necessary competences from the lecturers. The Vice-Dean stressed that they are working to build close links with industry to keep knowledge and tools up to date through input from the economy.

Dr. Károly Széll, Associate Professor at the Alba Regia University of Óbuda’s Faculty of Technology, gave a presentation on the developments so far, the outstanding achievements of the students (successes at the Fanuc Olympics, robotics world championships and European championships) and highlighted that the 2023 grant will be used to “focus on the development of special industrial courses, including robot programming, PLC (programmable logic controller) programming and security engineering.”

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.