Based on the previous cooperation of the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca in the field of 3D printing with the medical institutions (University of Medicine, Oncological Institute, Skull-Maxilla clinics) in the last 15 years within National / EU projects (FP7, HORIZON 2020) emphasized in the developing, testing and producing of medical implants / testing and producing new biocompatible materials /providing solutions that contributed to the saving of more than 200 patients using 3D printing methods & with the support of medical institutions it has been identified a strong need in boosting the scientific excellence level and innovation not only in research, but also in teaching, for preparing specialists in this field in order to get their competences & skills in the field of 3D printing for developing, producing and testing of medical parts, that are stringent, especially nowadays, in the context of the pandemic. In this context a curriculum was defined with the support of the Medical institutions, which comprises not only the 3D printing, but also complementary disciplines CAD/CAE/Materials Science & Strength of Materials/Flexible manufacturing systems/Process optimization & software control/ Medical Engineering), disciplines which were considered necessary for providing competences & skills in developing, producing and testing of medical parts by 3D printing technologies. Boosting of scientific excellence & innovation is needed to be done also in teaching, by bringing practical & motivational methods for engineering students, especially now in the context of the pandemic. Boosting of scientific excellence and innovation is needed to be done not only in research, but also in teaching, by bringing modernized applications that are really practical & motivational for engineering students, especially now in the context of the pandemic. The main objective of the BRIGHT project is to provide teaching resources & methods for professors coming from Higher Education institutions that are interested to find ways in providing their students relevant knowledge, skills & competences in the field of 3D printing methods used for producing medical parts , by providing e-courses that sustains the BRIGHT project curriculum, e-toolkit manuals for digital learning (which are correlated with the support courses & which provides from the experience of BRIGHT consortium previous case studies that were developed, produced & tested in cooperation with medical institutions in the last 15 years in the field of 3D printing, but not as a research book, but as an useful tool for teaching purpose, being an important resource in providing detailed description (on real case studies (e.g. skull implants) which are the required steps to follow starting from CAD, CAE & continuing with 3D printing & testing. Same approach is foreseen to be reached through the BRIGHT e-learning virtual laboratory platform that will be built by the BRIGHT consortium & will be a useful teaching method through which professors & students can follow the chain & see all stages (virtual rooms) in preparing their CAD models, CAE analysis, 3D printing simulation & mechanical / medical testing (with one very intuitive interface & interactive environment), for experiencing in virtual mode all processes that are needed to be followed for developing, producing & testing of medical parts by 3D printing methods, at the end. BRIGHT e-learning webinars on the use of 3D printing technologies in development, producing & testing of medical parts based on videos & explanations that emphasize the pre-processing stages, real 3D printing & testing equipment items (correlated with the examples provided in the e-toolkit & e-virtual laboratory platform) are provided as a useful tool for teaching purpose as well. Last, but not least BRIGHT e-case studies for project based learning method used in developing, testing & manufacturing of new medical products by 3D printing technologies in pandemic period (real case studies) are aimed to be launched on the e-platform of BRIGHT project so professors & students can use the resources provided by the BRIGHT project (e-courses, e-toolkit, e-virtual laboratory, e-webinars) for developing, producing & testing of medical parts that are coming from medical sector, in cooperation with BRIGHT consortium & support of the SMEs). BRIGHT consortium comprises 5 partners coming from different technical universities in Europe – Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, University of Nis (Serbia), University of Poznan (Poland), Sveuciliste Jurja Dobrila University of Pula (Croatia) & Slovak University of Bratislava with high experience in research & teaching & 2 partners coming from the SMEs sector – BIZZCOM s.r.o. company in Bučany (Slovakia) & B.M Plast d.o.o from Optatija (Croatia), all these partners of the BRIGHT consortium having strong expertise in providing all teaching resources that are needed for the support of the BRIGHT project curriculum, at the end.
The BRIGHT project aimed to boost scientific excellence and innovation in research and teaching of 3D printing for medical parts. By collaborating with medical institutions, the BRIGHT consortium has managed to create a range of teaching resources to provide professors with tools to impart relevant knowledge, skills and competencies to the students. The ultimate goal was to prepare specialists in the field who could support hospitals during the pandemic and beyond. The BRIGHT project's success in developing new medical parts and promoting interdisciplinary knowledge exchange is a testament to its impact on the field. The BRIGHT project has also managed to foster collaboration among experts from different sectors through the organized events such as summer schools and multiplier events. By providing practical skills and competencies, the BRIGHT project has played a crucial role in addressing the urgent need for innovative solutions in the healthcare sector, especially during the ongoing pandemic. Teaching resources were utilized with the assistance of SMEs to address case studies in time of pandemic.The BRIGHT project's resources will continue to support not only students and professors, but also hospitals in times of crisis.
The BRIGHT project was seen as an opportunity to further advance the BRIGHT partners expertise and experience in 3D printing, build upon successful collaborations with medical institutions in previous National and EU projects. The BRIGHT project offered a chance to address a pressing need in the field - the lack of scientific excellence and innovation in both research and teaching, particularly in the context of the pandemic. By developing a curriculum in collaboration with medical institutions, the BRIGHT consortium was able to create a range of valuable teaching resources including e-courses, e-toolkit manuals, e-virtual laboratory platform, webinars and e-case studies for producing medical parts to support hospitals in time of pandemic. These resources were designed to equip professors with the necessary tools and methods that are needed to provide relevant knowledge, skills, and competencies to their students, enabling them to develop, produce and test medical parts using 3D printing technologies. With the pandemic highlighting the importance of such skills, the BRIGHT project's resources were seen as a vital step in meeting the needs of medical institutions and supporting hospitals during this challenging time.