On 19.11.2024, second-cycle logistics students had the opportunity to participate in a study visit to the Kirchhoff enterprise in Gliwice. The purpose of the visit was to familiarise themselves with the company's history and business profile and to gain practical knowledge of modern technologies used in production.

During the introductory presentation, Quality Engineer Ewa Pokrywka introduced us to the history of Kirchhoff and its main areas of activity. Kirchhoff is an international company with a long tradition that specialises, among other things, in the production of structural components for the automotive industry. The company is known for its high-quality products and innovative technological solutions.

Next, measurement specialist Marcin Swat presented the latest non-contact laser part measurement technologies allowing reports to be generated with an accuracy of up to 0.01mm. These technologies are used both for series measurements of Kirchhoff-manufactured products and are also used for pre-series product inspection and to support the work of the tool room. This is key to ensuring that products meet customer requirements.

Another highlight of the visit was the discussion of material flows in SAP by the Warehouse Master, Kamil Guzik. SAP as an ERP system is used by Kirchhoff to manage the company's resources, including production planning, inventory management and business process monitoring. By using SAP, the company can effectively manage its operations and optimise its production processes.

At the end of the visit, we were given a tour of the product production line for one of our key customers. We had the opportunity to see how the production process works, from material input to finished product output. The tour guide - Quality Engineer Mateusz Lemieszko- described each production phase in detail, highlighting the technologies used and the control and measurement processes that ensure the high quality of the manufactured parts.

The culmination of the visit was a meeting with the Quality Manager, Mr Rafal Smaluch (a graduate of our Faculty). The visit to Kirchhoff was extremely informative and allowed us to understand how modern technologies and production management systems work in practice. Thanks to this visit, Logistics students were able to gain valuable knowledge that will certainly be useful in their future careers.