ABSTRACT:The concept of web laboratories with remotely controlled laboratory set ups or virtual laboratories with different simulations have an important role in engineering education and training. This paper presents an evaluation of the fundamental objectives of laboratories for distance education, comparing the effectiveness of a remotely controlled approach versus simulations. The results and analysis show that students prefer remotely controlled laboratories compared to simulation labs. The results show that remotely controlled laboratories better fulfill objectives important for laboratory exercises. ß

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The aim of this study is to propose a fuzzy decision‐making model to rank manufacturing processes from the quality management perspective in the automotive industry. This paper proposes a model for improving quality management through the assessment and ranking of manufacturing subprocesses with respect to key performance indicators (KPIs). The developed model, supported with the fuzzy extended ELECTRE III, allows for the determination of subprocesses' rank. An illustrative example indicates that the proposed model could be very useful in everyday business operations as total quality management asset. The model can handle all uncertain and vague input data by applying the theory of fuzzy sets. The research also suggests different managerial implications because it provides an adequate tool for overall quality improvement. The number of treated KPIs is relatively high, so ELECTRE III method gives an advantage over other multicriteria analysis methods because it embraces less subjective thinking and demands slightly less experts' knowledge during the process of decision making and assessment.

In engineering education, it is very important to provide solid knowledge and practice to students in order to deal with architectures, mechanisms, and algorithms for the control of processes. In this article we will present the concept, detailed technical requirements, description, implementation, and verification of a process (thermal) trainer. In addition three possible educational tasks will be presented with a developed software infrastructure for the remote control of a laboratory set-up via the Internet.