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  • Department of Industrial Engineering at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, University of Zagreb

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    Welcome

    The Department of Industrial Engineering at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, University of Zagreb, focuses on optimizing production systems, processes, and organizations through the integration of engineering, management, and human factors. It combines research and education in areas such as production management, process planning, ergonomics, industrial logistics, and digital transformation. The department collaborates closely with industry to develop innovative, efficient, and sustainable solutions aligned with modern manufacturing and Industry 5.0 principles.

    As part of the Inclusive Ecosystem Integration Labs (IEILs) initiative, the Department serves as a living lab for technology co‑creation, testing, and market acceleration in Human–Machine Interaction (HMI) and advanced industrial systems.

    Our Mission

    • Accelerate research-to-market through access to advanced R&D infrastructure, innovation services, and cross‑sector partnerships.
    • Bridge research, prototyping, and commercialization with inclusive, user‑centered approaches.
    • Engage students, researchers, and external partners in real‑world challenges.

    We Strengthen Innovation Ecosystem by

    • Collaborating with multiple external innovation incubators and excellence centers across Croatia (BIRD, ZICER, BIOS, PORIN…).​
    • Providing infrastructure and services to students and research teams.​
    • Building ties with national excellence centers → extended innovation network beyond institutional boundaries.​
    • Engaging with industry through our internal mechanisms: Industry Council of FSB → enables strategic coordination with the private sector.

    Innovation Ecosystem Stakeholders
    FSB’s stakeholder network is structured around the quadruple helix model—linking academia, industry, government, and civil society.

    Academia

    Good collaboration with other faculties → strong academic network within the national higher education system

     

    Industry

    • Industry Council of FSB ​
    • Collaborating SMEs (typically small to medium-sized companies in engineering, manufacturing, and technology sectors)

    German Croatian Chamber of Industry and Commerce

    Government / Public Sector

    • Ministry of Science, Education and Youth (provides incentives for project development)
    • Ministry of Economy
    • Croatian Chamber of Economy (active in conferences and co-sponsored events) 

    Civil Society:

    • Center for support of students' career development

    Internal Innovation Structures

    Centre for Technology Transfer (CTT):​

    • IP advisory and licensing
    • Spin‑off and startup support
    • Collaboration contracts and commercialization of student research via spin-offs and startups.

    Internal innovation infrastructure:​

    • CTT provides the incubator services to startups and spin-offs at FSB
    • We also collaborate with multiple external innovation incubators and excellence centers across Croatia (BIRD, ZICER, BIOS, PORIN, Nuqleus)

    Industry Council (Gospodarsko vijeće)

    • Strategic R&D agenda alignment
    • Internships and joint projects
    • Technology showcases and demo days

    Research & Development Infrastructure
    The Department’s R&D infrastructure is highly active in research, prototyping, and product development stages of the innovation value chain. Facilities within the Faculty, as a collaborators, in robotics, mechatronics, energy, and advanced manufacturing serve both internal projects and external industrial partnerships.

     

    Capabilities

    • HMI prototyping and usability testing
    • Robotics, mechatronics, and automation labs
    • Human factors and ergonomics workplace optimization
    • Advanced manufacturing testbeds
    • Industrial systems simulations

     

    Booking & Access

    • Request lab time and equipment
    • Contact technical leads for support

    Services for Students, Researchers & Industry
    Through the Centre for Technology Transfer (CTT), the Faculty facilitates spin-offs and student startup creation, connecting early-stage innovators to national and EU-level funding schemes. CTT ensures IP and licensing support, and also serves as an incubator offering complementary services. 

     

    Innovation & Startup

    • Idea validation and prototyping sprints
    • Business model and proposal writing clinics
    • Mentoring via CTT and partner incubators

    Collaboration

    • Contract research and joint development
    • Pilot deployments with end‑users
    • IP and licensing frameworks

     

    Training

    • Entrepreneurship workshops
    • Industry 4.0/5.0 & HMI courses
    • Career and innovation counselling

     

    Focus Areas
    FSB’s strongest industry connections are in:

    • Advanced Manufacturing
    • Mechanical & Industrial Engineering
    • Energy & Industrial Systems
    • Robotics, Mechatronics & Automation
    • Human–Machine Interaction (HMI)

    Inclusive Ecosystem Integration Labs (IEILs)

    IEILs are living‑lab environments where academia, industry, government and civil society co‑create, test and scale solutions with the aim to fast-track human-machine interface (HMI) innovations that address labor shortages and foster inclusive employment, safety, and wellbeing in labor-intensive sectors.  Creation of IEIL at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture of the University of Zagreb is part of the broader regional efforts to upgrade university entrepreneurial infrastructures in four higher education institutions (HEIs) in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia within the project HMI2MARKET, funded under the 2024 EIT HEI Initiative.

    Contact

    Department of Industrial Engineering – FSB
    Ivana Lučića 5, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
    Email:     manufacturing@fsb.hr  
    Website: http://zind.fsb.hr