Open Automation Challenge 2024 shaping engineers of future

By Staff Report September 10, 2024 11:42 am IST

The Open Automation Challenge 2024 by B&R paired engineering students with mentors to innovate using advanced automation technologies, bridging academia and industry.

At a time when the global manufacturing landscape is more competitive than ever, industry and academia are collaborating to overcome complex new challenges in engineering and, at the same time, inspire future engineers. The B&R Education Network in India interfaces educational institutions and the automation industry. To help make the next generation of engineers ready for industry, the B&R Education Network partnered with the Dr. D. Y. Patil Institute of Technology in Pimpri-Pune to organise the Open Automation Challenge 2024. The event paired engineering students with B&R mentors to bring their ideas to reality using state-of-the-art technologies in the field of automation engineering. The event started in June 2024, with over 50 teams across India registering their groundbreaking ideas. Fourteen teams were shortlisted based on their innovative approach and application. The selected teams completed training on B&R’s Automation Studio engineering software and other B&R technologies to finally execute their projects and bring their ideas to life.

Understanding the gap
In a fast-paced world, technological transformation leads to better productivity. The engineers must understand the industry challenges. Today, automation is considered a key element in all manufacturing operations, and the industry expects recruits to have the required skills in this technology. Moreover, in the era of industrial IoT and Industry 4.0, the evolution of technology is growing, and the engineering curriculum often needs help to keep pace with it. B&R’s Education Network is a well-structured program of collaboration to improve the industry knowledge of engineering graduates and make them industry-ready. Open Automation Challenge 2024 offered fresh inspiration for engineering students’ innovative minds, encouraging curiosity for creative solutions and big ideas. Emerging engineers have explored numerous possibilities and how automation is changing the world. They were intrigued by a presentation from B&R’s Regional Managing Director for Southern and Eastern Asia, Jhankar Dutta. During the presentation, he highlighted important topics like industry trends, the changing demands, sustainability and how the B&R Education Network is bridging the gap between industry and educational institutes.

Building the bridge of knowledge
Open Automation Challenge 2024 has seen remarkable milestones with new perspectives and a fresh outlook on the projects built by students and their mentors assigned by B&R. The group of students participating in the challenge embarked on a two-week educational adventure, including project development and training on B&R Automation Studio and related technologies. Their dedication and creativity transformed innovative ideas into reality using advanced software and simulation tools. On the final day, each team unveiled their meticulously crafted automation projects before a panel of judges. The students demonstrated technical prowess and the potential to revolutionise the manufacturing, healthcare, and agriculture sectors. The top three teams were selected as winners. The right knowledge is an important first step, and one of the most effective ways to bridge the gap is to mentor the right way. As the automation industry grows across India with rising expectations and demands, engineers are the pioneers of a bright tomorrow. Beyond competition, the Open Automation Challenge 2024 celebrated the value of collaboration and learning in the engineering field.

For more information, visit www.br-automation.com