· Arjun Rai Gupta · Events · 3 min read
Partner Visit to the Bundesfachschule für Kälte- und Klimatechnik in Leonberg
The XR2ACH project team visited the Bundesfachschule für Kälte-Klima-Technik in Leonberg to learn about the state of practice-oriented training and identify potential for VR/AR technologies.
On May 21, 2025, the XR2ACH project team visited the Bundesfachschule Kälte-Klima-Technik (Federal Vocational School for Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technology) in Leonberg. The goal was to gain first-hand insight into the current state of practice-oriented training and to identify potential for the use of innovative VR/AR technologies.
Training Focus and Challenges
The training to become a mechatronics technician for refrigeration technology takes place at three learning locations: the training company, the vocational school, and the inter-company apprentice training (ÜLU) at the Federal Vocational School in Leonberg. The ÜLU focuses on practical experience and examinations — approximately 150 to 200 apprentices complete the practical examination there each year. The State Guild of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technology is responsible for organizing the examinations and appointing the journeyman examination committee.
The vocational school’s managing director and master craftsman led the team through the workshops, where key skills such as pipe processing (cutting, bending, deburring), joining techniques such as brazing (with acetylene and oxygen), control cabinet wiring, and leak testing with forming gas are taught.
Particular attention is paid to the use of natural refrigerants such as R-290, including safety-relevant processes such as vacuum drawing and gas detection. The training program faces challenges: high demands on specialist knowledge in mathematics, electrical engineering, and thermodynamics are offset by a shortage of trained apprentices. The 2008 framework curriculum is outdated and is currently being revised to better reflect current technical developments such as natural refrigerants and heat pumps.
Potential for XR Use
The integration of virtual learning environments is of key importance: the use of VR should primarily enable practical processes such as adjusting soldering torches, operating leak detectors, visualizing thermodynamic processes, and training on virtual test benches. This would allow trainees to safely repeat complex and safety-critical procedures and thus improve their preparation for practical exams.
During the discussions, the following topics were identified as priority use cases for VR/AR: leak detection, leak testing, and refrigerant filling in refrigeration systems; sectional views of compressors, condensers, evaporators, and other components such as oil separators; and joining techniques such as soldering, flanging, bending, and crimping.
Furthermore, the desire was expressed to develop virtual refrigeration systems that could be used as a supplement in school education — for example, for cold rooms or office air conditioning systems, which are often not available in reality.
Outlook
The collaboration between training institutions and the XR2ACH project is intended to ensure that virtual training modules are adapted to the technical school curricula and remain relevant to practice.
The XR2ACH team thanks the vocational school’s team for their open and warm welcome and the informative exchange, which paves the way for future innovative teaching concepts.
