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Overseas Reports【Current Activities of a Former Participant】

Rene-san reported his current activities
in Honduras.

1) Course Leader:

Masataka TANIGUCHI2) Former Participant:

Mr. LEON QUANT Rene Antonio

February 10th, 2016
Training Division

Kitakyushu International Techno-cooperative Association

We report on activities being run by former participants playing an active role intheir homeland after completing their JICA/KITA training course
This issue of Overseas Reports covers activities being run in their homeland by participants whoattended the training course, “Practical Technology for Mechatronics and Robots”.
Masataka TANIGUCHI, the course leader who managed the course, introduced us their activity
situation.

1. Introduction of the participant, who has given the report

Nickname

Rene – sanName

Country

Period of JICA
Training Course

Mr. LEON QUANT
Rene Antonio

HondurasJan. 28, 2014 ～Apr. 25, 2014

Photo

Rene - sanCourse leader
M. TANIGUCHI
Rene-san after a lecture, with participants,
Mr. TANIGUCHI and the coordinator
Practical training at the JICA

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2. Message from Masataka TANIGUCHI, Course Leader
In the industry, the mechanization and systematization of theproduction is progressing remarkably to enhance competitiveness.
On the other hand, in the developing countries with low technical bases
and a limited number of engineers, it is strongly demanded to develop
mechatronics engineer who acquire mechanical, electric and controlling
technology

byhimselfinintroducing

production

system,andmaintaining machinery and products for the industrial modernization.
In this course, we aimed to learn and improve practical mechatronics technique mainlyon training, practice and the company training. And in action plan, we make training
result certain through presentation on the instruction and basic plan of mechatronics orimprovement plan in their home country after returning.
Mr. Rene, he is planning to develop a course manual on “Introduction to Mechatronics
Engineering” in UNITEC, Honduras based on knowledge and the text earned in JICA
training, as his action plan.
He sent email with pictures showing a competition of the computer technology
application in UNITEC in March, 2015 based on practice in Japan. And I could guess that
he has achieved result steadily.
This course “Mechatronics Robot” had been finished in 2015 but I expect that thistechnology will be spread all over the world centered on trainees.

Masataka

TANIGUCHI

3. Letter from Rene-san

I miss the days spent in Japan and tell students about splendid
experience in Japan. I hope that Honduras traces same way as Japanand will develop someday.
I encourage UNITEC students to study hard and not to be selfish.
I really appreciate the training provided by JICA and KITA and I will doall my best to make great influence on Honduras.
Thank you very much.

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Title of Report and Contents
Development of a course manual for the "MEC101 Introduction
to Mechatronics Engineering" course at UNITEC

Participant: Mr. René A, LeónCountry:
Honduras
Organization: Universidad Tecnológica Centroamericana (UNITEC)
Present post: Academic Head of Electromechanical Engineering

1. INTRODUCTION
Mechatronics Engineering program at UNITEC started in July 2004 as the first, newand innovative program in Honduras university level to meet the necessity of aworldwide industry applying advanced technology for manufacturing and production oftheir goods. The freshmen student from our program should have a detailed explanationof all aspects that are part of the field of mechatronics to open the scope of this field
impact.

2. ANALISYS OF THE PROBLEM
As a new field in the Electromechanics science, mechatronics in Honduras is in its
development stage and there are no people in the country with considerable experience.
The creation of the program was based on research and exchange of knowledge withprofessionals from the different areas of electricity, mechanics and computer systems
engineering.

3. STATEMENT OF NEEDS BASED ON THE PROBLEM
1. Information exchange and advice from experts in the field.
2. Development of a manual adapted to the region.
3. Explain basic mechatronics topics to students and professionals in the Honduran
Industry through a document.

4. PROPOSAL
Development of a course manual for the "MEC101 Introduction to Mechatronics
Engineering" course at UNITEC.
This manual will consider all topics and teaching approaches learned at the training
course in Japan. The topics to be included in the manual are listed below:3 Basic Principles of Control Engineering.
 Mechanism and Kinematic of Manipulators.
 Pneumatic and Hydraulic Systems.
 Electronic Circuits.
 Basic of Inverter Technology.
 Variable Speed Electric Motors.
 Numerical Control Machine Tool.
 Basic of Sensor Technology.
 PLC Control
This Manual also include an open list of examples of mechatronics used in companies
and educational technical institutions in Japan and others known in other countries,(the information will kept updated with a visit to the company’s web pages).

A scene of engineering contest
Team competition by cars made with given
materials

5. EXPLANATION OF HOW PROPOSAL MEETS NEEDS
A course manual of Mechatronics Topics developed with accordance to the topics
covered in the JICA training course (Practical Technologies in Mechatronics andRobots J1300902) and the advice of experts will help us to develop an easy to use
document, to achieve the explanation of the basic technologies described in previous
section and grouped in the following categories: Basic knowledge and technologies.
 Elemental technologies.
 Application at industries (Japan and other countries).
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This document will help to expand the vision of mechatronics for the future graduates ofthe program at UNITEC, obtaining a multiplier effect at the Honduran companies(National or International based) where they will be laboring.
This same document could be used to promote the Mechatronics information directlywith Honduran human resources in the industry through UNITEC or country’s
professional society of Mechanical, Electrical and Chemical Engineers of Honduras
and related fields (CIMEQH for its acronym in Spanish)

6. IMPLEMENTATION
1) Role and responsibility
 The participant will have the main role of developing the manual and as
Instructor of the course.

2) Resources
The manual will be created using as a reference the topics covered inthe JICA-KITA training course “Practical Technology for Mechatronics
and Robots”.
The Manual will take into account the technology seen at the different
sites visited in the study trips, as the information of the enterprises that
could be found through their Internet Web portals and others known
cases of mechatronic implementations.
All the instructors of the Mechatronics program will be interviewed
and their opinion will help the developing of the manual. The lecturers
have a coordinated participating time at the Introduction toMechatronics course.

7. CONCLUSION
With the topics presented in this training program, I was able to obtain an overview ofthe different fields of mechatronics, from basic technologies to their applications. The
field study trips have been a nice addition to observe examples of mechatronics
technologies applied in Japan companies, which will serve as active examples toreproduce to the students of the Mechatronics Engineering program at UNITEC.
As a complement, the subjects covered will help to maintain a state of the art
Mechatronics Engineering program, sharing the information to our staff of lecturers atUNITEC.

5Photo Album of the JICA/KITA Training Course

Closing ceremony of “Practical Technology for Mechatronics and Robots” course,
April 24th, 2014

Rene-san’s presentation for his Job Report

The participants with Mr. Taniguchi

Field study at the course

Field study of Robot6