Six Students from the Programming and Software Development Programme heading off on their journey to Poland as part of the Erasmus+ programme in Galway Technical Institute!
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Robert Fitzgerald BelloneBlog Entry
Erasmus w/ ZAP in Ostrow Wielkopolski, Poland Week One After arriving in Lodz airport, we quickly made our way to Ostrow Wielkopolski, chauffeured in a minivan by our local host Anna, and settled into our rooms in Hotel Platan. My room was bigger than most hotel rooms I had previously stayed in, which was brilliant seeing as I would be there for 3 weeks. Our teacher that travelled with us suggested that we have a dinner together in a favourite restaurant of his, knowing that a good meal was on everybody’s mind. The food at Bar 21 was lovely and the perfect welcome to my new temporary home. The rest of my first week involved a series of interesting activities. A tour of the ZAP manufacturing plant and an explanation of the company’s history from management made us feel comfortable straight away. We began working on PLC drivers and did work programming circuits which pushed beyond what we had learned at home in our programming course. I loved the challenge of attuning to a new environment and even small challenges like learning small phrases and overcoming the language barrier were fun and exciting. Week Two This week began after we returned from a weekend away in Wroclaw. Piotr who had been working with us the previous week handed us over to Zbyszek. With Zbyszek we learned a lot about virtual machines and servers. We created our own virtual machines and even got to experiment by making virtual machines within virtual machines. We then used WordPress to design webpages. This was like using other programs in our course, but also introduced an element of design that we hadn’t had to worry about previously. This week we went to Krakow and had a marvellous time. We went on a day long tour to various historical sites, such as the concentration camps and a nearby salt mine. Both were fascinating in their own way, and represented a significant cultural experience we never would have had access to back home in Ireland. Week Three This last week was filled with a mix of different activities. We visited Poznan to see an international trade event at which ZAP was exhibiting. After some initial worry about being potentially on the wrong train, we soon landed in Poznan. The city was beautiful and busy. The centre of the city is undergoing major works as a series of archaeological finds have been made under the ancient streets. Once we returned to Ostrow Wielkopolski we spent the rest of the week engaging with different parts of the company. We looked at the manufacturing of control cabinets for industrial plants, the production of a near endless catalogue of parts from sheet metal, and the automation of various manufacturing processes with the use of robots. I found the robots very exciting and we got to see models of them from various decades and trace their evolution to the ones in use in the factory today. I had an amazing time on my Erasmus program. I got to meet people and experience things I never would have had access to any other way, and I made a whole new bunch of friends all the while. My advice for anyone considering the program would be to be brave. If you don’t know anyone that you are going with, you will likely have similar interests, hobbies and experiences to those you are going with. Even if you have very little in common with them, that’s still an amazing experience to learn from each other and have a great time learning new things. Nusrathara HanifWEEK 1: During the first week of our work placement at ZAP Cooperation a company located in Ostrow Wielkopolski, I along with five other students worked on many different things under the guidance of Peter. On the first day, Peter showed us how to create Ethernet cables as well as utilizing testers to identify and troubleshoot any errors, this was something I personally enjoyed. We then dived into programming PLC machines, where we gained hands-on experience in controlling lights based on switch inputs. I had a bit of trouble with this as the software that we were using was not compatible with macOS. So instead I teamed up with a friend and helped set up the extra PLC. Throughout the week the weather was beautiful, not too hot and not too cold. The six of us frequently went out for dinner in the main square and explored the Ostrow areas on the electric scooters. We found a slight difficulty locating and finding taxis as apps like Uber are not available in our area. This wasn’t a major problem as we all walked to work every day doing a little pitstop at the petrol station or Lidl nearby. Throughout this week, I sharpened my skills in cable making, Ethernet connections, and programming PLC machines. Moreover, I developed essential abilities such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and effective teamwork. WEEK 2: We were given a great opportunity to work with virtual machines in the second week. Our exploration of virtual machines began under the guidance of a new instructor who provided us with an understanding of their functionalities. We covered the basics, using WordPress and downloading a lot of different files while even covering some aspects of cloud computing. One of my favourite parts of this week was the tour around the main areas in this sheet metal company. This first-hand experience allowed us to see the workings of the company as well as observer the many different robotics in action. We met with a lot of the workers who gave us information on their jobs and the products they’ve helped create. Overall week two was a great learning experience as we ventured into areas I had never experienced before. To see these aspects of technology that I only read about in textbooks, be put to use for various different reasons was a fascinating experience for me. During this week we were told that we were given the opportunity to go to an ITM fair in Poznan for week three. This brought great excitement as we would get the opportunity to see different types of technology from around the world in action. WEEK 3: Out final week consisted of a variety of different things, from 3D design to the ITM fair, we were busy this week. We were shown a presentation of the many different types of products and inventions that Zap has created. From this we gained a comprehensive understanding of how these machines work as well as their demand in the industry. Another amazing experience awaited us at the ITM fair located in the heart of Poznan. This convention showcased cutting-edge technology that many different companies developed. It was fascinating to see the huge number of robots and machines all around the building. My personal favourite was the robot dog that had attracted a large crowd. To conclude the final week on a creative note, we put our focus on 3D design. Using software, we focused on creating 3D parts which I personally found very fun and interesting. It was difficult to remember the correct steps however a bit more practice we all seemed to get the hang of it. At the end of the week, we said goodbye to all our instructors and gave them the gifts we got for them. We headed off to Lodz for the last two days, packed and ready to head home. Micaela GeogheganWeek 1
On our first week, our mentor Piotr was showing us how to code using Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs). A PLC is a type of industrial computer that is used widely because it is reliable and easy to program. The functions of a PLC varies widely depending on what you are using them for, but in manufacturing PLCs are used to automate repetitive tasks, as well as monitoring and controlling various processes and making decisions based on the output of those processes. Our first task was to cut an ethernet cable to the required length to connect our PLC to the LAN (local area network). I found this difficult because I’ve never cut cables before, and my first few attempts didn’t actually work because of some of the wires being a millimetre or two too short to connect to the switch. Thankfully, my classmates helped me out with it to speed things along. Our PLCs had four switches and four LEDs, and our first task that we were given was to make a circuit using a software called LOGO. The intended result was to get the each LED from 1 in 4 to light up in turn, and then to get the light to go back the way from 4 to 1. Piotr gave us space to figure out this task by ourselves, and while I hit a wall in troubleshooting sometimes because it was brand new software that I was unfamiliar with, it ultimately felt very rewarding to work together to figure out how to achieve our desired output. We continued working with PLCs for the rest of the week to learn how to achieve different results that Piotr had assigned to us and we got more comfortable with the software as time went on. It was very rewarding to experience working in a team environment like that, and to have an opportunity to utilise core programming concepts we’ve learned throughout the past year (such as logic gates, for/while loops, or if statements). Week 2 At the start of our second week, we were introduced to Zbyszek who was going to be our mentor for that week. Zbyszek taught us about virtual machines (VMs). VMs are a type of emulator that we used to run an entire operating system (in our case, we used our VMs to run Windows 10). We were taught about Proxmox, which is a VM management tool, and XAMPP, which is what we used to run the virtual machines on our laptops. The downloads for Proxmox and XAMPP were quite big, and with six of us attempting this huge download on one network it stretched the bandwidth to its limit, so the download of both softwares took up the entire rest of the first day, but this did provide us with an opportunity to chat with and get to know Zbyszek. He recommended some places of interest worth visiting around Ostrów, such as the lake beach Piaski-Szczygliczka, the museum of local history in the town square, and a local restaurant that serves traditional Polish food. The next day we used the VMs we had created to code webpages using HTML and CSS. I had a lot of fun with this, because I enjoy using markup languages. Zbyszek also showed us how to make websites using Wordpress, which we did for the remainder of the week with him. We went to the museum in Ostrów this week, and it was a great experience which I credit to our tour guide. Barbara was so kind and enthusiastic, and able to answer any question about the local history that we could possibly conceive of. I didn’t know what to expect from a museum of local history (because to be honest, I find the Galway museum a bit underwhelming) but I loved every second of it and having all of this new information about Ostrów Wielkopolski while I was staying there made me appreciate the place more. Week 3 We did a variety of different things on our third week with ZAP. First we visited ZAP Robotyka, a sister company of ZAP Kooperacja on the same premises. There we met Natalia who showed us a presentation about the type of work that ZAP Robotyka does. I enjoyed learning about ZAP's robot programming and the applications they develop and sell to other companies. Natalia is a marketing manager so she had a wide range of information about the various stages of the process, and also creates 3D models of the process to help customers visualise the final design before its done. Natalia showed us around the workfloor of ZAP Robotyka and finished the day by showing us how to make 3D models in Solidworks. I’ve never done 3D modelling before, but I had a lot of fun with it. ZAP had generously bought us tickets to the ITM Industrial Trade Fair in Poznan, so on Thursday the six of us travelled to Poznan to see the latest technologies on display at the trade fair. There was a truly overwhelming amount of industry products on display there, which took up three buildings. The standouts for me were a robot dog and a machine that analysed an item in a physical environment and created an exact clone using 3D modelling. We had to catch a relatively early train back so we didn’t get to see a whole lot of Poznan, but my initial impression of the city was that architecturally it looked similar to Dublin but it was a lot cleaner and felt more open. We went for food at a Korean restaurant and then enjoyed the sun at a local park with a huge pond, since this was one of the hottest days we had experienced on the trip so far. From the little I saw, Poznan was a beautiful city and I would love to go back. Later that evening, we went to Natalia’s house for a campfire barbecue which was lovely. We brought her some chocolates and red wine, and it was a beautiful evening in early summer and the sky was clear. We roasted sausages, and later on marshmallows over the campfire and got to know each other and our cultures better. Natalia was a gracious host and I really enjoyed the opportunity to get to know her better. On Friday, Jurand gave us a tour of the production floor in ZAP Kooperacja, which we had yet to see. He took us through the metalworking processes of various production lines from beginning to end. It was nice to actually get a look at the site properly, because while we had spent a lot of time on the premises of ZAP Kooperacja, we had our work setup in a presentation room and hadn’t looked around too much. Once the tour was over, Jurand introduced us to Siemens’ Solid Edge 3D modelling tool, and showed us more on 3D models. I knew from our experience with Natalia earlier in the week that I enjoy building 3D models so I was pretty enthusiastic about it. Since the software we used is free for students I intend to keep using it. He also gave us gift bags when saying goodbye, which contained various things produced by ZAP for employees, such as a tote bag, a mug, some stationery, and a lanyard. Overall, I had an amazing three weeks in Poland. I learned a lot of new programming concepts as well as practical applications for the things I’ve learned at GTI in the past year. I became exposed to an entirely new culture and amazing food, and managed to pick up some Polish along the way. On the weekends, we visited Wrocław, Kraków, and Łódź, three beautiful cities each with their own remarkably unique culture and rich history. I truly believe that my time on Erasmus has had a positive impact on my ability to focus on my goals, and have already worked out a routine to keep practicing the things ZAP taught me. On another level, the experience has had a profound impact on my personal growth. Not only did this experience strengthen my ability to work harmoniously with others, but also it provided me an opportunity to work on some of my own personal shortcomings. I’m truly grateful for the experience, and would love to do it all again. Fionn QualtarERASMUS+ BLOG Week 1 Diary: Technology Exploration and Connections In my first week of this exciting journey, I joined a group of six students at ZAP, a company in Ostrow Wielkopolski, Poland. Our mentor, Peter, guided us through an engaging learning experience in technology. We began by learning how to create Ethernet cables and use testers to troubleshoot any errors. Then, we delved into programming PLC machines, where we controlled lights and buttons based on switch inputs. The PLC's touchscreen allowed us to interact with virtual buttons, providing a visual representation of their status. Our group fostered strong connections, as we were already friends from our college course. The weather was fantastic throughout, further enhancing our experience. The hands-on nature of the training was the most enjoyable aspect, allowing us to create cables and program machines from scratch. The occasional technical challenges were the least liked part, but they provided valuable learning opportunities. During this week, I honed my skills in cable making, Ethernet connections, and programming PLC machines. I also developed problem-solving, critical thinking, and teamwork abilities. For future students, I recommend embracing the hands-on activities, viewing challenges as opportunities, and fostering connections with fellow students. This concludes my condensed diary entry for week one Week 2 Diary: Virtual Machines and Factory Insights Let's dive into the exciting experiences of my second week, where we explored virtual machines and gained invaluable insights into a sheet metal factory. During this week, we had the opportunity to learn about virtual machines from a new instructor. The basics of virtual machines were covered, providing us with a solid understanding of their functionalities. Additionally, we were introduced to cloud computing, further expanding our knowledge in this field. A highlight of the week was a captivating tour of the sheet metal factory. We gained firsthand insights into the inner workings of the factory and had the privilege of observing various robots in action. Engaging with the workers allowed us to learn more about their roles and experiences. Witnessing the practical application of technology in the factory setting was a standout experience for me. The impact of automation and the integration of robots were truly fascinating to see. Looking back, the limited time dedicated to virtual machines and cloud computing was the only downside of the week. However, we laid a strong foundation and opened doors for further exploration in these rapidly evolving fields. As I conclude my diary entry for the second week, I am grateful for the knowledge gained and the eye-opening experiences shared. Week 3 Diary: Marketing, Inventions, and Industry Insights Week three brought exciting changes and diverse experiences. Join me as I explore the highlights of this week filled with marketing insights, innovative inventions, and industry exploration. Our first instructor, a marketing and sales professional, presented a comprehensive PowerPoint about the robots in the factory. We learned about their functions and gained insights into marketing and sales operations. Another fascinating experience was witnessing an inventive vending machine-style tool cupboard with a revolving design, streamlining tool access. We also visited the ITM fair in Poznan, a renowned trade convention showcasing Fourth Industrial Revolution-aligned products and services. At the fair, we immersed ourselves in Europe's industry landscape, witnessing remarkable robots like a walking robot dog. The week concluded with a focus on 3D design, where we explored the art of modeling objects using specialized software. Reflecting on the week, we appreciated the diverse perspectives from professionals in various departments. From marketing insights to witnessing innovative inventions and exploring the industry at the fair, our understanding of the technology sector deepened. Conclusion In conclusion, my Erasmus Europe journey has been an extraordinary adventure of exploration and learning. From the hands-on activities and engaging instructors in week one, where we delved into technology basics and programming PLC machines, to the diverse experiences of week two, exploring virtual machines and gaining insights into a sheet metal factory, and finally, week three, filled with marketing insights, innovative inventions, and industry exploration, each week has left a profound impact. Throughout this journey, I have developed essential technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and a deeper understanding of the industry. The practical applications, factory tours, and trade conventions have provided invaluable real-world insights. To future students embarking on similar Erasmus Europe experiences, I encourage you to embrace every opportunity, foster connections, and approach challenges as opportunities for growth. This journey has been transformative, expanding my horizons and preparing me for a future in the ever-evolving world of technology. Santiago GarciayalaWeek 1
We arrived in Łódź on a sunday and we met up with Anna and her husband, who drove us to Ostrów Wielkopolski. That same day we went to a restaurant in the square with Mark. When we went to work, we were greeted by some of the people who work there, were told our schedule and were introduced to Piotr, who would be our mentor for the entire first week. We spent the first day at work mainly making ethernet cables, which was something none of us were familiar with, except for Zina. I didn't find making the cables to be as challenging as some other people in our group, but nonetheless it wasn't the most exciting task. The rest of the week was spent programming PLC’s (programmable logic controllers) using mainly the Logo Soft Comfort software in order to program the physical inputs and outputs of the PLC’s. We were shown how it worked, and then we were instructed to do certain things such as making the 4 lights turn one after the other, which reminded me of an arcade machine. We also used EBPro to program the screens on the PLC’s, and we used them to mimic the physical inputs and outputs that we had programmed before. Programming the PLC’s was very satisfying for me, as I related it to programming in the sense that you have to problem solve in order get the desired results, but the actual things you do to get there are very different and completely new to me, so it made it very engaging. The first weekend we went to Wrocław. Out of all the cities that we visited in Poland, this one was my personal favourite. The main square had a very nice market and the architecture was really beautiful in that whole area. There were all these little gnome statues spread around the city and it was fun to look for them and take pictures of all the new ones. The first day we were there we went to this polish restaurant called Setka and I had Bigos (traditional hunter’s stew); it was so good that I attempted to make it myself when we went back to the hotel in Ostrów. The second day we went to the zoo and explored more of the city. The third day we explored more of the city, visited the Japanese Gardens and then went back to Ostrów. Week 2 The second week at work we were introduced to Zbyszek (we struggled to say his name for a while but eventually some of us got it, it's pronounced Zbee-shek). He taught us how to set up virtual machines using Proxmox. We set them up with both Windows and Linux. He also showed us how to clone them and take snapshots, which are necessary when wanting to make any major changes to the VM which could break it or change it majorly. After that, he showed us how to install WordPress on them and showed us some of the things that you can do with the software. He showed us how to install certain plugins and the general way in which you can build a website with WP, as well as how to change its style. After that, he showed us how to use Proxmox templates, which are containers for specific pieces of software. He also took us to the museum in Ostrów Wielkopolski after work on one of the days of that week. On one of the days after we had finished work, Micaela and I were offered pizza on the house from a local Italian restaurant in Ostrów. We had gone there the week before since Rob and Zina said it was really good, and the owner was this really nice italian man who seemed to like me based on the fact that I spoke spanish and he did too. The pizza was really good and we felt obligated to bring everyone else back to the restaurant later that week. The second weekend we went to Kraków. Me and Micaela had a bad experience with the train going from Ostrów to Kraków since we didn't book it with enough anticipation, so it forced us to get first class tickets and there were no seats available. We also got student tickets without knowing that they wouldn't accept our student ID’s because they're not Polish, so we ended up being charged a small fee to get a regular ticket while on the train. In the end we made it to Kraków, and the next day we went to the Auschwitz and salt mines tour. The tour to Auschwitz was really depressing, and we thought the salt mines would not be able to brighten up our moods after that, but we were wrong. The salt mines tour was really fun and the inside of the salt mines was really beautiful, so we enjoyed it a lot. The one caveat about taking this combined tour was that it didn't leave us with much time to see the city of Kraków. Week 3 The third week at work we didn't have one set person as our mentor/supervisor since we did a variety of things. We were shown around ZAP Robotyka by Natalia, and then she introduced us to 3D modelling in Solid Edge. We were also shown around ZAP Elektroserv, and some of the engineers there explained all of the things they did and how they worked. The company also got us tickets to go to a trade fair in Poznań, so one of our days from the last week was spent there. We got to see demonstrations for a lot of companies, with some of the most memorable ones being a laser 3D scanner, a lot of robotics, and some 3D prints. That week we also spent a day programming Arduino boards with Piotr, and on another day we got a tour of ZAP Mechanika with Jurand, who also taught us some more 3D modelling with Solid Edge. Natalia was nice enough to invite us to dinner at her house on the day that we went to Poznań for the trade fair, so we went there after coming back and had traditional Polish sausages grilled over a campfire with her and her friend. On our third and final weekend we went back to Łódź as we would be flying out of there on the sunday. I didn't really have the highest hopes for this city as every Polish person that we asked about Łódź asked us why we were going there or told us bad things about the city; one of them went as far as to call it “the Afghanistan of Poland”. The apartment in which I stayed was on a street which had roadworks all throughout it, which made it look somewhat like a bombsite, but I was pleasantly surprised by the main street of the city, which was very beautiful and full of life. After spending 2 days in Łódź, we finally headed to the airport and came back to Ireland. Zina Ní ChionnaErasmus+ placement in Poland Diary Week 1 So, we have been here in Ostrow Wielkopolski for the past week now. We arrived on Sunday, and all went out for food together which was nice to settle in. We met Ania who was the main contact we had while in Poland and she was lovely. After work one of the days, she brought us to a hunting palace, and I saw a piano that Chopin had played on, and she bought us all ice cream. The first days in ZAP were nice, we were making ethernet cables the first two days which I absolutely loved because I was good at it and was the quickest person making them all. After those days we were connecting these machines and coding them with a website on our computers. We had to make the lights on these machines light up and work in a certain sequence and I hated this but mainly only because I was terrible at it. I couldn’t get anything to work even though I did everything right and had a breakdown over all of it. Everyone else looked at it and not one person was able to fix it my lights did not work. When Piotr our teacher and mentor came back, he fixed it in no time. I really enjoyed this first week as the work was laid out in a nice way and I found everything interesting. That weekend we all went to Wroclaw and stayed in a hostel. I absolutely loved Wroclaw and will 100% be coming back to the city for longer in the future. We enjoyed the night and went out and visited a few sightseeing things like the Japanese gardens and the main square. We went to the zoo as well for a couple of hours and it was amazing. On the Sunday we went back to Ostrow Wielkopolski. I was so surprised when we were booking all the train tickets because they were so cheap and the same with the accommodation. Week 2 During this week there were 1 or 2 days where we were sat waiting for a while for the guy to come to us. I could not pronounce his name for the life of me, but he was lovely and was so nice and took everything slow. We had to download Oracle VM Virtual machine for this week, and he was teaching us all about how virtual machines worked. I found this week a bit more boring because we were just doing a lot of downloading things on virtual machines and spent a lot of time waiting for the downloads to finish. On the last two days he was teaching us about WordPress and how to make websites through WordPress and I loved this work. I have made websites using Weebly for GTI, but I also made a proper website for my aunt and am her official website manager, so this was a walk in the park for me. He was also nice enough to get us tickets to the museum in Ostrow which was ana amazing experience as they layout the museum actually keeps you interested. When I wasn’t at work, I was normally at the gym that I was able to get membership for an entire month for 20 euro which was amazing. I normally went to the gym straight from work as it was on the way to the hotel, and I miss it so much now. That weekend we all went to Krakow and since we arrived so late on Friday, we got food, and all went to sleep. We had booked a day tour of Auschwitz and the salt mines for the next day and had to wake up at 5:30 as the bus was at 6:30. We were all wrecked but managed to sleep in the bus to Auschwitz. Of everything we booked I recommend this tour the most. The tour guide was amazing and was more than happy to answer all the questions people had. Even after a day learning about all those horrors, the salt mines fixed that. I have never been so amazed by something before and the salt mines exceeded my expectations. The next day we all explored the city and then headed back via train which took 4 hours. Week 3 This week was the weirdest week because most people in zap were traveling to Poznan for a show about machines. The first day we met a lovely woman who was the head of marketing and she invited us all to her house for a BBQ later in the week because we would not see her again. The next day we were given tours of all the different warehouses and production centres which was interesting to see how the items were assembled. We went to zap electronica then and met all their team and how they all worked and were given presents by the company director because he was in a good mood. It was his birthday the next day. We were all given tickets to go to the show in Poznan for a day which was fun. We all went around looking at the different machines and everything and learnt lots of facts about machines in workplaces. That day was one of my favourites. I was sad to say goodbye to zap but had an amazing time. After being in Poznan 4 of us went to a BBQ that the woman had invited us too and had an amazing time learning about polish food and customs. We went to Lodz the final weekend and had an amazing last weekend. Erin had met us, and she got us all to the airport in 1 piece. Overall, the trip was amazing, and I loved almost all of it. My favourite part would either be Wroclaw, or the tour and I would 100% recommend the future Erasmus students’ book that tour that we did. My least favourite part was the fact there were some days we were sitting not doing much but I think that was mainly due to the Poznan fair that zap was part of. If I could give a tip, it would be to explore, explore, explore, and just enjoy the trip because it is a once in a lifetime experience. Oh, and in Krakow, be aware of scammers when getting taxi's..... We learnt this the hard way! ;P |
Group 2022-23May 2023: |