Interview with the technical expert of the "Digital Manufacturing" competence, Timur Belychev.

The TechSkills Championship became the most notable event of the Testing&Control exhibition held in October this year. Timur Belychev, a technical expert and engineer at the training center for the "Digital Manufacturing" competence, answered the organizers' questions about the competition tasks, evaluation criteria, and the factors that determined the success of the team that won the championship.

— Who could participate in the championship? Were there any age or experience restrictions?

— The championship was strictly team-based, with a clear set of rules: each team had to consist of exactly four participants. There were no age restrictions; we welcomed both young specialists and experienced professionals ready for intensive collaborative work. The key factor was team spirit and the ability to effectively distribute tasks within the group to solve complex manufacturing cases.

— What tasks did the participants of the TechSkills Championship perform in 2025?

— The competition was held within a single key competence—“Digital Manufacturing”—and all tasks were carried out using the specialized software “Rational Production.” Participants sequentially completed four modules.

First module: "Modeling a Digital Twin of Production." The task was to design and launch a virtual model of a production area, ensuring the specified output.

Second module: "Offline Programming and Commissioning." Teams created programs for a robotic cell using the software, then deployed and fine-tuned them on real equipment.

Third module: "Lean Manufacturing." Using the R-Pro LSS software tools, participants had to analyze the provided digital model of the production process, identify inefficiencies, and propose optimized solutions.

Fourth module: "Geometry Quality Control." Participants worked with the PMT ALPHA measuring arm to precisely measure a physical sample, compare it to the CAD model, and generate a report.

— What was the difficulty in evaluating the contestants?

— The challenge lay in objectively and comprehensively assessing the teamwork across several modules. To address this, the Expert Council developed a detailed system of criteria, which included several dozen evaluation parameters. These criteria covered a wide range of competencies—ranging from technical skills in working with the "Rational Production" software and programming equipment, to strategic thinking, data analysis, and effective team communication. This approach allowed us to not only measure the final result but also evaluate the entire problem-solving process and the contribution of each participant.

— What criteria did the jury use to evaluate the participants and award points? What aspects of the teams' solutions were considered most important when assigning scores?

— The jury relied on an extensive system of criteria that focused on two main aspects: the technical quality of each module and the team's strategic, systematic approach to solving the overall production task.

— What was unique about the development of the "Grinatom-GUAP" team, which took first place? What allowed this team to stand out among the other participants?

— The "Grinatom-GUAP" team demonstrated not just technical skills, but a deep and integrated mastery of the "Rational Production" software suite. In the modeling module, they showcased the highest level of proficiency with the entire software package. In the lean manufacturing module, their analysis was supported by simulation data, and the improvements they proposed led to the greatest efficiency gains. The work with the measuring arm was completed with exceptional precision and speed.

— How did the teams' approaches to completing the tasks differ?

— The key difference between the teams was not so much in the technical solutions as in the organization of internal work. The most successful teams, particularly "Grinatom-GUAP," demonstrated excellent skills in role distribution within the team, which became their main competitive advantage.