On Thursday, 29 October, Peskovnik, the Faculty’s open laboratory, hosted a presentation of the summer semester projects as well as newly selected projects for the upcoming period.
Vice Dean for Research and International Cooperation, Prof. Dr. Franci Pušavec, highlighted that after four years of operation, Peskovnik is increasingly becoming a hub connecting students, researchers, industry partners, and creators from various fields. During the past academic year, 111 workshops were delivered for more than 500 students of the University of Ljubljana, while 286 participants from ten university faculties also took part in its activities. Peskovnik was further enhanced with new equipment, including a Bambu Lab H2D Pro 3D printer. Future plans include expanding capabilities in wire EDM machining and metal additive manufacturing.
A wide range of student projects was presented, ranging from a liquid-fuel rocket engine and vacuum casting systems to the development of hydrogen technologies. The Faculty is especially proud of Vid Nemec, a senior member of Peskovnik and this year’s recipient of the University of Ljubljana Rector’s Award for Innovation.
Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Prof. Dr. Jernej Klemenc, emphasized that the student teams DBF, Formula Student, and Hydroman remain an important part of the Peskovnik community. They are now joined by two new interdisciplinary teams: European Rocketry Challenge (EuRoC), led by Prof. Dr. Matevž Dular, and European Rover Challenge (ERC), led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rok Vrabič.
Among the newly introduced initiatives were the projects Cat Display Enclosure and Balcony Farm, which broaden the scope of Peskovnik’s activities and connect engineering with sustainability, quality of life, and everyday challenges.
Peskovnik continues to be a place where good ideas grow into prototypes, projects, and products, but above all, it remains a community where students enjoy creating, collaborating, and transforming their ideas into solutions for the future.
The doors of Peskovnik are open to all curious makers. If you have an idea, a project, or are simply interested in discovering what is being developed in the Faculty’s open laboratory, you are warmly invited to join the weekly meetings held every Thursday at 2:00 PM. New faces, fresh ideas, and new collaborations are always welcome.
The next project presentation will take place in February 2027.
Photo: Anže Krže
