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Dmitry Vorobyov, engineer, postgraduate student and professor at Samara University, combines research with teaching: he works in the Department of Metal Forming, participates in engineering projects for the aviation industry, and teaches students VR technologies. In the interview, he talks about his professional journey, participation in engineering projects, approaches to teaching, and the use of modern technologies in education.
– You were born and received your secondary education in Togliatti. Why did you choose Samara University? Among the skills that you acquired here, what are the most valuable?
– I graduated from school No. 40 in Togliatti. It was a general education school without any particular specialization. The decision to enroll in Samara University was largely influenced by my friends and relations. Another advantage was relative proximity to home: I didn’t want to go too far away, and Samara turned out to be the best option.
As for the skills I acquired, they can be divided into two large groups. The first is communication skills. Teaching, defending projects in competitions, and working with colleagues taught me how to interact with different people and audiences. Public speaking and project discussions helped me develop confidence and the ability to convey information in an accessible and persuasive manner.
The second important competency is the ability to search for information. In scientific and engineering work, one constantly has to delve into unfamiliar topics, work with large volumes of data, and quickly understand complex ideas. This skill helps me tackle any project; even if the task is completely new, I can quickly find the necessary information, structure it, and apply it in practice.
– Why did you decide to stay at the University as an engineering scientist after completing your studies? What is so exciting about this work?
– My journey into science began partly by my own decision and partly at an invitation of my scientific supervisor. In my fourth year, I was offered the opportunity to participate in the “Startup as a Graduation Thesis” project, a joint development with Samara State Medical University. As part of this project, we created a device for automated bending of maxillofacial implants. I found this combination of mechanical engineering and medicine quite exciting, so I decided to give it a try. Next, the Head of Department offered me a job as a laboratory assistant. The work turned out to be fabulous because each project is unique. There is no routine, the tasks are constantly changing, and this is how the motivation and involvement persist.
What I especially like about science is that each project requires a different approach: software development, experimental research, or modeling the technological processes. In the course of these non-standard activities, one can develop, apply a variety of methods, and stay involved in the process.
– You implement engineering projects for aircraft factories, including the design of an automated workstation for engineers at Kazan Aviation Plant named after S.P. Gorbunov. What are the objectives and relevance of this project?
– The project is related to the modernization of production technologies. Specifically, they produce skin and frame for the Tu-214 aircraft, which replaced the Boeings and Airbuses, and for the Tu-160 aircraft, the strategic bomber, our “White Swan”. In the modern aviation industry, aircraft are becoming more complex: aerodynamics is being improved, and the skin and frame for sophisticated systems such as aircraft are becoming larger and more elaborate in shape. It is becoming increasingly difficult to produce such parts with many bends and joints, especially from long (six to eight meters) sheets. This is why it is necessary to modernize equipment and the approach to production.
To address this challenge, we work together with the Ural Engineering Centre to modernize the stretch forming presses from the late 1980s, convert them to CNC (computer numerical control), install new hydraulics, and develop software. This helps minimize rejection, reduce human error, and improve the quality of finished products.
At the University, I work on modeling technological processes: I create programs for equipment control, calculate press kinematics, and prepare an automated workstation for a process engineer. This combination of engineering practice and programming makes the project comprehensive and engaging, and clearly demonstrates how science directly improves production.
– You also teach VR technologies to students. In what areas can those be helpful?
– We use VR technologies in engineering to visualize complex objects. For example, in aircraft manufacturing there are a lot of frame parts, and faults are not always visible on a regular screen. VR helps “travel” into a virtual space, rotate objects, check designs, and identify potential faults before production.
This is especially helpful when assembling complex components or units. We create virtual twins and simulators, e. g., for the assembly of stamping equipment. The tooling is a heavy metal instrument, and VR allows to safely model the assembly and understand the mechanics without risk to personnel or equipment.
In addition to engineering applications, VR is extensively used for educational purposes: students master the skills of design and assembly of parts, learn to evaluate structures in 3D, and see how real mechanisms work in practice.
– How do you manage to combine teaching and your own studies?
– It's complicated. Switching between being a teacher and a postgraduate student is difficult, but there are benefits. I am not much older than my students, which makes it easy for me to hold their attention and explain complex things in an accessible way.
We try to show the students why theory is necessary and how to apply it in practice. This makes learning lively and interesting. Moreover, teaching helps me digest the knowledge, analyze material, and find out-of-the-box solutions to engineering problems.
– Please share some of your prospects for the coming years. What goals are you pursuing? What projects are you planning to work on?
– The main project that a large team of engineers at the University is working at is the modernization of equipment for the production of aircraft skins. The project is to be scaled up beyond the Kazan Aviation Plant to other enterprises, including collaboration with Samara Aviakor Aviation Plant to produce a pilot batch of TVRS-44 Ladoga aircraft.
The goal is to implement our software and methods nationwide, improve production efficiency, and minimize errors in the manufacture of large and complex parts. This approach integrates scientific work, engineering design and educational technologies into one comprehensive process.
The material is prepared with the support of Russia’s Ministry of Education and Science, in the framework of the Decade of Science and Technology.
Source: volga.news
