Students as product developers

Involve students into real product development projects
Involve students into real product development projects
Objective of approach: 
  • Use creative potential of students to create innovative product concepts
  • Identify talents as later colleagues

Within these projects students of mechanical engineering (or other engeineering courses) develop real products in cooperation with an industrial company. The company provides the task assignment. The university is responsible for project planning, development methods and processes as well as for teaching. The students are guided through a real product development project within about 4 month and present their results after every phase in milestones and at the project close-out.

USP: 

Unique combination of science, teaching and innovation.

Resources: 
  • Between 40 and 80 students
  • Hardware and software
  • Project partner, university
Success factors: 
  • Huge pool of creativity
  • Highly relevant products
Barriers: 
  • Motivation of students might be fragile
Contact information: 

IPEK - Institute of product engineering, Kaiserstrasse 10, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany

Workflow: 
Published