The virtual FMS - An engineering education environment

The challenge of education related to large technical systems is to provide enough hands-on experience. Virtual models and visualizations make it easier to explain the behavior of those systems. This paper discusses on the development of such a learning environment for engineering education that focuses on planning, operation, and analysis of Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMS). The aim of the learning environment is to allow the students to achieve the intended learning outcomes mostly with learning by doing. For this purpose, the learning environment is introduced and the individual exercises are described with their teaching and learning activities. This kind of learning by doing in an environment, which is similar to environments in manufacturing companies, enhance the learning results and serve the needs of the industrial companies recruiting the students.