Mangaluru: St Joseph Engineering College (SJEC), through its AICTE IDEA Lab in association with the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Industry Innovation Group, organised two consecutive 3-day hands-on workshops at the FESTO Centre for Industrial Automation, SJEC, Vamanjoor.

The first workshop on “Automation & PLC Programming” ran from 18 to 20 August 2025, followed by “PLC-based Automation with Pneumatic Controls” from 21 to 23 August 2025. Both programmes were conducted exclusively for diploma students of Karnataka Polytechnic, Mangaluru.

Focus on industry-ready skills

The workshops were inaugurated by Dr. Ravikantha Prabhu, Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, who underlined the growing importance of industrial automation and the role of hands-on training in bridging the gap between academics and industry needs.

Workshop highlights

  • Day 1: Participants were introduced to the Fundamentals of Hydraulics and Automation. Sessions were led by Mr. Joel D’mello on system principles and applications, followed by hydraulic circuit design with Mr. Prathviraj H and Mr. Prashanth Kumar. Pneumatic circuit visualisation using FluidSIM 5 was demonstrated by Mr. Rajesh Belchada and Dr. Sushanth H. G, concluding with a FESTO Workbench demo by Dr. Swaraj D. Lewis and Mr. Belchada.

  • Day 2: Focus shifted to Pneumatics and Electro-pneumatics. Students explored compressors, FRL units, actuators, and electro-pneumatic systems. Practical sessions were conducted by Dr. Lewis and Dr. Sushanth, with live integration of electrical controls.

  • Day 3: Dedicated to PLC programming, sessions were led by Dr. Binu K. G and Dr. Rolvin D’Silva on Ladder Diagrams and PLC concepts. Real-time PLC simulation using TIA Portal v15.1 was demonstrated by Mr. Rajesh Belchada and Dr. Sushanth, followed by complete automation integration at the FESTO Workbench by Dr. Prabhu and Dr. Ashwin Shetty.

    • Outcomes and feedback

    The workshops gave students practical exposure to hydraulics, pneumatics, electro-pneumatics, and PLC programming, enabling them to apply theoretical knowledge to industrial practices. Participants reported enhanced confidence in working with automation software and hardware, preparing them for real-world industry challenges.

    Both programmes concluded with a feedback session and certificate distribution. Technical support was provided by Mr. Immanuel and Mr. Harshith. The workshops were convened under the guidance of Dr. Vijay V. S, with coordination by Dr. Rolvin D’Silva, Dr. Swaraj D. Lewis, Dr. Sushanth H. G, and Mr. Joel D’mello.