The Fachhochschule Dortmund's Faculty of Business Studies now has a smart logistics hall in miniature format: warehouse shelving with eight levels, barcode scanners, roller conveyors, autonomous transporters, packing table and delivery. In the "LogILab" (Logistics Innovation Lab), students of business logistics receive practical training for their future jobs. This first hardware laboratory at the faculty was presented at the University Days.
Logistics is all about getting the right product to the right place, in the right quantity, at the right time. Naturally in the best quality and at the lowest possible cost. Optimizing processes in warehouses is the job of logistics specialists. The Faculty of Business Studies even has its own study program for this, which was presented to the students at the Dortmund University Days along with others.
"We have always made excursions to the logistics centers of large companies," says Prof. Dr. Katja Klingebiel. "In the new LogILab, however, students now have the chance to directly optimize processes, change them and test their ideas." "We can't just move a pallet around during the excursions," adds Finn Kemper, who studies business logistics at the university.
Business IT specialists program the software
The new lab is mostly used by Bachelor's students of business logistics. However, business IT specialists from the Faculty of Computer Science are also active here. They have been working on programming the software in the lab. For example, sensors track the boxes on the roller conveyor belt and a traffic light warns in good time before a traffic jam is imminent. "The movements of the packers are measured at the storage rack," explains Prof. Dr. Jan Cirullies. "We can use this data to optimize processes so that employees don't have to reach up or bend down as often. This promotes health." Other study programs at the Faculty of Business Studies also have specialization modules in logistics on their curriculum. The laboratory is also open to them.
The "LogILab" is still in the construction phase. Mobile workstations and wireless scanners with displays are high on Prof. Klingebiel's wish list. For this, the Faculty of Business Studies is dependent on support from Business Studies. In return, companies will later benefit from the good training of the specialists. Prospective students at the Dortmund University Days gained a good insight into the interlinking of theory and practice at Fachhochschule Dortmund in the "LogILab".
In total, there were more than 60 events for pupils at Fachhochschule Dortmund on January 15 and 16, 2025 - from advisory services to laboratory tours and trial lectures. Visitors were able to get a taste of all eight faculties and find the right study program for them.