The title of this editorial was the central theme of two-day event PODIM, which took place in March in Maribor. All the participants – including the well-known domestic and foreign lecturers – have stressed the importance of this resource, criticising the companies that fail to recognise the value of human resources. Successful companies operating with well-qualified personnel are able to quickly and efficiently adapt to globalisation and grasp the skill of pooling into social networks, formed by individuals having very different knowledge and experience. Today, these networks are a prerequisite and the only chance for the companies to survive and thrive in the strong and demanding global market.

We have interviewed dr. Jožef Duhovnik, the dean of Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Ljubljana, and spoke about the increasing demand for good personnel, how to educate them and attract them into the educational environment. In addition to programme changes that are being prepared by the faculty, dr. Duhovnik has also underlined the expected progress in the knowledge of engineers. The number of enrolled students and their desire to study mechanical engineering are by all means very stimulating, informing the professors and the industry that the young generation is increasingly deciding to study mechanical engineering.

This issue includes an important and substantive thematic unit about grinding. The feedback from companies and representatives acting in this field gave us a clear sign about the importance of this technology and that it should not be neglected. The editorial board has therefore decided to regularly publish articles on this topic in the following issues with the help of young professional dr. Peter Krajnik, who earned his PhD from this field last year.

As always, you will also find a lot of other topics in our magazine. We are receiving them from companies and individuals who are repeatedly recognising IRT3000 as the right information junction for modern technologies in our vicinity.

We wish you a pleasant reading of our magazine.

Darko Švetak
IRT3000 Editor-In-Chief

From the content

The international trade fair event MESCPE in Parma offered six specialised fairs on one location. The topics of the fairs were: special mechanics, toolmaking, plastics, assembly automation and material handling, control and component suppliers. The operation of machines, tools and technologies was presented live on 22 work islands. In addition to a comprehensive presentation of manufacturing technologies, systems and products for single part production, a distinctive feature of MECSPE fair was definitely a very high professional level of organisation and exhibitors, as well as an innovative layout, featuring cities, avenues, squares and islands to give the most simple and efficient visiting experience.


Thematic unit:

prof. dr. Jadran Lenarčič

Together with partners and with the support of the Science and technology committee at the Chamber of craft of Slovenia, the section has organised Technological day, a traditional and well visited presentation of cooperation between science sphere and small companies. It was opened by the minister of development dr. Žiga Turk and the director of Jožef Stefan Institute

Sonja Sara Lunder, photo: Blaž Košak and MLM archive

The Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Maribor has been executing for years a study programme of Engineering Management in cooperation with the Faculty of Economics and Business. This is a four-year university study programme (since 2007/08 it is a renewed three-year Bologna study programme), combining technical knowledge with business/organisational knowledge. The students are taught that technical knowledge leads from an idea to invention, whereas innovation means to realise the idea and sell it on the market. This fact is reflected in an extensive project assignment that is prepared by students in the final semester of studies. The basic purpose of project assignment is to develop a new product. The project begins by finding new ideas for products, stimulating students’ creativity and innovation.


MLM group – Mariborska livarna Maribor, d. d.

Red. prof. dr. Andrej Polajnar, Peter Sever, doc. dr. Iztok Palčič

In today’s business environment which calls for a distinct specialisation of companies, and where there is so much knowledge around as that neither individuals or companies are able to manage it by themselves, forming alliances with other subjects is practically a must. Industrial clusters, technological platforms and other forms of networked organisations are only the result of these findings. The ability to innovate is conditioned by simultaneous internal technological development in the company and by constant interaction with other knowledge holders and the users of our products. In the third article on the findings of the survey about manufacturing activity in Europe, we discuss the willingness of manufacturing companies in selected European countries towards cooperation.

Doc. dr. Iztok Palčič

Sonja Sara Lunder, photo: Miran Varga

During the last years, many Slovenian companies in the metalworking industry are facing two difficulties. The first one are the high prices of industrial metals and energy carriers, and the other is the lack of human resources. Slovenia is unable to influence the first problem, but it is addressing the second one successfully and with visible results. Namely, the number of young people, deciding to study for a profession in this branch, especially on the level of higher education, has been growing for years. “Perhaps it would be fitting to stress that the general understanding of importance of technics in our society has improved significantly in the last years.”