26.10.2022

WorldSkills Robotics: The world champions come from MAPAL

The company promotes young talents

There is great joy and jubilation at MAPAL: Philipp Raab and Marvin Schuster have returned from Luxembourg with a gold medal. The mechatronics engineers achieved a dream result at the "WorldSkills" in the discipline "Robot Systems Integration". The 20-year-olds had entered the international vocational competition as German champions and showed outstanding performances. In the competition, which was exciting right up to the last minute, "Team Germany" succeeded in relegating the competition, especially from the Far East, to the back of the field. Philipp Raab and Marvin Schuster achieved the best overall result and secured the title of world champion in the "Robot Systems Integration 2022" category with a clear points lead over the teams from Taiwan and Poland.

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Philipp Raab and Marvin Schuster with their gold medals at the award ceremony
  • Philipp Raab and Marvin Schuster with their gold medals at the award ceremony
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    Philipp Raab and Marvin Schuster with their gold medals at the award ceremony 

  • Marvin Schuster standing in front of the robot cell. Philipp Raab sitting at desk and writing codes.
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    A good task sharing was important in the competition. 

  • Marvin Schuster and Philipp Raab checking a setting on the control unit.
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    Marvin Schuster and Philipp Raab checking a setting on the control unit. 

Teams from eleven countries

Young robot programmers from eleven countries, including Austria, France, Hungary, Luxembourg, Poland, Great Britain, India, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan, competed in the competition. WorldSkills aims to promote vocational training for young people. The event is held in more than 60 vocational disciplines every two years.

The robot programming category was to be held in Shanghai, but because of the pandemic it was moved to Esch-sur-Alzette in Luxembourg. For four days, the teams dealt with the programming of a complex robotic application in warehouse logistics.

The participants from Taiwan set a fast pace from the beginning. "We thought they were going to make the race until the very end," recounts Marvin Schuster. It was also clear to Uwe Heßler, Head of Training and Development at MAPAL: "When it comes to programming speed, the Taiwanese team is in a league of its own." Philipp and Marvin could not afford any mistakes, which would have cost valuable time. Ultimately, the scoring key played into Team Germany's hands, says Heßler. Philipp and Marvin were clearly ahead in other disciplines, such as documentation and program design. Whether that would be enough for victory, no one knew. "It was a surprise for us," say a delighted Philipp Raab and Marvin Schuster, who always kept their cool despite the excitement. The two had prepared intensively for the competition. Martin Ernsperger, who works at MAPAL in the area of manufacturing technology and automation, and WorldSkills national coach Jens Mühlegg from FANUC Germany supervised the two. The Aalen Technical School also provided support.

Robot systems in manufacturing

Robotics has a permanent place in MAPAL's training center. The company's own equipment and instructors with the appropriate expertise teach the latest future technologies in the area of machining and automation. MAPAL relies on robotics and assistance systems in new manufacturing areas and on young trainees. In 2018, the company entered the dual training of mechatronics engineers. As it turns out, very successfully. The first trainees to become mechatronics engineers were Marvin Schuster and Philipp Raab.

Kathrin Rehor, PR Project Manager at MAPAL

Contact

Kathrin Rehor Public Relations Kathrin.Rehor@mapal.com Phone: +49 7361 585 3342