Development of Virtual Learning Factory Toolkit for Production Engineering Education

The advent of industry 4.0 and the continuous digitalization of production ask for the enhancement of human skills and competences in the field of information and communication technology (ICT). Therefore, higher education has to keep pace with the global market needs for the necessary ICT skills and the overall understanding of the complexity of industries in 21st century. This paper focuses on the development and integration of Virtual Learning Factory (VLF) tools that can be used in production management and engineering education. The digital tools integrated in VLF toolkit can help students to exploit enabling technologies like simulation and virtual reality in their manufacturing studies and practical projects with industrial companies