Mori Seiki University has launched Education On Demand, which applies e-learning to manufacturing. Courses are divided between general manufacturing topics and the operation and mastery of specific Mori Seiki machines.
The machine-based courses employ interactive, 3-D digital machines. During training, students operate these machine models as they would real, physical machines. This immersive "virtual learning" environment helps keep students interested in the courses while improving their retention of the material presented.
To offer the most flexibility, all courses can be started at a student's specific level of expertise and experience. Individuals also move at their own pace throughout the program. Comprehensive tests follow each section of a course and students must score 100% to proceed.
Mori Seiki University Education On Demand provides an immersive virtual learning environment.
"As soon as we opened the doors of Mori Seiki University [earlier in 2007], we were receiving feedback from customers asking us to develop the means for courses to be available to them," says Rod Jones, chief learning officer at Mori Seiki. "Our courses were already very computer intensive and it was not difficult to adapt them for an online environment. Education On Demand allows machine operators to develop additional expertise on whatever schedule works best for them."
In addition to machine-specific courses, classes are also offered on general manufacturing topics. Some of these include lean manufacturing, metrology, manufacturing math, statistical process control and blueprint reading. The course methodologies were developed in conjunction with the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology and the School of Information Technology.
