It is not easy to get students to gain real-world experience with machines and automation systems, but most technical teachers have many skills and ideas for recreating industrial environments in their labs. The problems are the cost of materials, the space needed to install real systems, and the related difficulties of having enough systems to propose during lab sessions.

There are many solutions proposed by major vendors, but they are very expensive and sometimes not aligned with a school's needs. There are also virtual systems that could give very good results but cannot give real contact between students and machines.

The idea is to create a new concept of industrial simulators with the following features:

• Low-cost components such as actuators and sensors used in open source systems such as "Arduino."
• Easy construction using 3D printers, recycled materials and common tools that every school uses in its lab
• Easy connection with student projects
• Transparency of the interface: students do not need to know how the simulator is composed, they have to use the simulator like a real industrial system 

The goal, pursued together with partners in Spain, Sweden, Slovenia and Finland, will be to have an open online platform where technical teachers can:

• Find ideas and solutions to create their own simulators;
• Download ready-to-use projects: drawings, diagrams, parts list, software and tips;
• Consult guidelines and projects;
• Upload new projects and share them with the community;
• Discuss and propose ideas, ask for suggestions or different solutions;
• Giving feedback.

Visit the project platform: https://thinker-lab.eu

The project is co-funded by the Erasmus + Program of the European Union. The author is responsible for this communication and the European Commission is not responsible for any use, which may be made of the information contained herein.