Started the day off with a train and bus ride to the LEGO Kladno factory. The facility consists of several large buildings labeled with letters (A,B…). I saw the area with many employees decorating bricks by printing designs on them in which they rotate positions every 2 hours. I learned that about 80% of the work done here is automatic. There were several machines involved in each stage of the production process. The press down vacuum equipment picking up four boxes at a time was fascinating. Also I was able to see how the machines separate defective parts and there are rooms in which people are monitoring the conditions of the factory. This process takes up to 3-6 months before being put out into the public. I thought that it was interesting how they are changing the packaging to be more environmentally friendly and the mention in relation to solar panels.
Next, we went to the Brownfields and there we met with an urban planner. The building contained an atomic bomb shelter built during the wars but never used. Many of the stuff from that time still remain there which is interesting. At the top of building, the old railway system can be viewed. The plan with the brownfields is to build new homes by 2030 specifically for service people. The plan shown was houses surrounded by trees and an area with a park in the middle. It is very pedestrian friendly as cars will be placed in a garage underneath. There is also a plan to built a school around the area. So far they are abandoned and plants seemed to outgrow the area with weeds surrounding the tracks. I am hoping that the plan is sufficient to work in 4 years.
Lastly, we did a walking ghost tour which I think is important in respect to the cultural aspect of Czech Republic. I liked learning about the folklore and connection to the Jewish Quarter. We went into some underground dungeons where executions were common and saw a figure of the golem legend.
Overall, a pretty exciting day.
Swanson School of Engineering 