The International Conference on Research and Development of Mechanical Elements and Systems – IRMES is organized under the auspices of the Association for Design, Elements and Constructions (ADEKO). The Conference has a long tradition of gathering scientists, researchers, academics, engineers and industry representatives, intending to exchange and share knowledge, ideas, experiences, innovations and research results in the field of engineering design, machine elements and systems.
So far, there have been nine editions, organized by several universities – members of the ADEKO association:
1995 – University of Niš, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
1998 – University of Belgrade, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
2000 – University of Podgorica, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
2022 – University of East Sarajevo, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
2004 – University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
2006 – University of Banja Luka, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
2011 – University of Niš, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
2017 – University of Montenegro, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
2019 – University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Engineering
More than a thousand authors participated in previous IRMES conferences, with more than a thousand papers published in total. The current IRMES conference was supposed to be held in 2021. However, due to the COVID-19 epidemic, it was postponed to 2022.
The main topic of the IRMES 2022 conference is „Machine design in the context of Industry 4.0 – Intelligent products“. For sociologists and philosophers of science, the question remains whether the concept today, most commonly called Industry 4.0, is the true fourth technological revolution or the development/continuation of the third technological revolution – through further application of computers in production and logistics. It is indisputable that the essential question of this concept is the following: how do we introduce intelligent production in industry? This consequently opens up new questions in the field of engineering design, theory and practice of technical systems and machine elements, innovative product development – in the environment of the now global comprehensive Industry 4.0 concept or the Japanese answer to this concept – Society 5.0.
Teaching subjects and modules, such as Mechanical Elements, Machine Design, Innovative Product Development and others, has been the basis and generator of previous technological revolutions. Therefore, the question arises as to how to develop and improve the existing content of these subjects, but, also, what the best way for knowledge transfer is in order to keep the listed subjects as a driving force behind further development and improvement of philosophy and concept of Industry 4.0 (i.e. how to implement new teaching methods, lessons, exercises, student projects, laboratory work, evaluation, etc).
Taking into account the previously described facts, it is clear why an exchange of opinions, experiences and results between experts in the Industry 4.0 area is essential for social and industrial development. One of the best ways to do that is via public debate at international conferences, such as IRMES 2022, which we are very glad and proud to host and organize this year.