Adaptation of the Higher Education in Engineering to the Advanced Manufacturing Technologies

Abstract

The 21st century will be the era of the fourth industrial revolution with the progressive introduction of the digital society, with smart/connected objects, smart factories driven by robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence. Manufacturing should be performed by the industry entitled 4.0. These are advanced technologies resulting from steady development of information technology associated with new objects and systems that can fulfil manufacturing tasks. The industry 4.0 concept relies largely on the ability to design and manufacture smart and connected devices that are based on microelectronics technology. This evolution requires highly-skilled technicians, engineers and PhDs well prepared for research, development and manufacturing. Their training, which combines knowledge and the associated compulsory know-how, is becoming the main challenge for the academic world. The curricula must therefore contain the basic knowledge and associated know-how training in all the specialties in the field. The software and hardware used in microelectronics and its applications are becoming so complex and expensive that the most realistic solution for practical training is to share facilities and human resources. This approach has been adopted by the French microelectronics education network, which includes twelve joint university centres and 2 industrial unions. It makes it possible to minimize training costs and to train future graduates on up-to-date tools similar to those used in companies. Thus, this paper deals with the strategy adopted by the French network in order to meet the needs of the future industry 4.0.

Innovative Strategy to Meet the Challenges of the Future Digital Society

“…Assuming current technologies are maintained, this global energy consumption could reach 124,600 TWh in 2040, which represents a permanent production of 15,000 GW or 15,000 nuclear reactors. This energy consumption is also equivalent to the global energy production in 2018, regardless of its source and form [18]. It is clear that this situation will become unrealistic and that major changes will have to be made in the design, technology, energy consumption of connected objects, the organization of manufacturing (Industry 4.0.)…”

“…The works of the French microelectronics network and of the working group of the strategic committee of the Industrial Sector have concluded on the priorities. Although already presented in a previous document [18], it is however useful to recall the enumeration of the major points [13]:…”

“…As already presented in the previous paper (18), this network is entitled CNFM for National Coordination for Training in Microelectronics and nanotechnologies [21], with an official structure as a GIP (for Public Interest Group). It is composed of twelve academic members who are respectively in charge of twelve common centers spread over the French territory, each center being common to several academic institutions located in the same geographic area [22].…”

Skills in Physics and Semiconductor Devices: A Global Challenge for Digital Society

“…Of course, the manufacturing becomes also a need for industry. This explains the involvement of the Education network in the advanced manufacturing technologies [29], the network having several cleanrooms in interuniversity common centers that are devoted to the practice learning of technologies [10].…”

Education, technology and industry 4.0: Developing a multidisciplinary subject with mini reactors

“…A powerful driving force permeating all the recent scientific and technological development is miniaturization. Originally arising from the development of Microelectronics and the production of ICs, currently accounts for virtually all the innovation provided to the society by industry 4.0 (BONNAUD, 2021) and the consequent new requirements in higher education (BONNAUD & BSIESY, 2020). Industry 4.0 is also quite dependent on miniaturized sensors that Microelectronics can provide (BONNAUD, 2020), which also occurs in the development of mini reactors in the Chemical Engineering field, much due to Process Intensification needs.…”