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BRINGING TOGETHER A NETWORK OF ORGANISATIONS FROM SEVEN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

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Mercantec ensures Cobotics and Industrial AI Training

On the 19th January CU AD_01 - Introduction to Digital Technologies in Advanced Manufacturing (Mercantec)

As Industry 4.0 transforms production environments across Europe, mastering digital workflows, automation, and artificial intelligence has become vital for the next generation of industrial technicians. Leading this digital shift, Danish vocational school Mercantec successfully delivered two specialized AILEEN pilot courses focused on modern digital technologies in advanced manufacturing.

Tailored specifically for third-year Vocational Education and Training (VET) students with strong practical foundations in industrial production, both full-day, face-to-face courses bridged high-level digital concepts with real-world shop floor applications:

• On January 19, 2026, Mercantec kicked off the training series with CU AD_01: Introduction to Digital Technologies in Advanced Manufacturing. Moving beyond pure theory, students engaged in immersive, hands-on learning by operating a collaborative welding robot (co-welder). Working directly with automated hardware, the future technicians evaluated diverse production scenarios to calculate operational break-even points, balancing technology investments with practical manufacturing output.
• Following the initial pilot, Mercantec hosted also CU AD_04: Artificial Intelligence and Advantages in Advanced Manufacturing on February 25, 2026. This session focused on smart production planning and the strategic role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in modern factory environments. Students explored how machine learning algorithms optimize production workflows, reduce downtime, and enhance decision-making across complex manufacturing lines—equipping them with a forward-looking mindset for smart industrial operations.

By placing collaborative robots and AI planning tools directly into the hands of advanced VET students, Mercantec demonstrated the core mission of the AILEEN project: empowering tomorrow’s technicians with job-ready digital skills.