Exclusive look behind the scenes at Bergbahnen Söll

During the current semester, students from the Industrial Engineering & Management in the WING.ftB24 and WING.ftB25 cohorts swapped the lecture hall for practical experience: as part of a self-organized excursion, they visited Bergbahnen Söll and were given an exclusive tour of the modern Doppelmayr cable car facility at Hexenwasser.

The tour was led by Walter Gatt, HR manager at Bergbahnen Söll and a trained mechanical engineer. He gave the students exciting insights behind the scenes of a cable car system - from technical processes and safety concepts to operational challenges during ongoing operations.

THEORY MEETS PRACTICE

Particularly valuable for the students was the direct link between the content taught in their studies and its implementation on site. Topics such as machine elements, statics, automation technology, plant engineering and cable car technology became tangible in practice. An impression that had a lasting effect: “I would never have expected the scale of such a cable car system,” says one of the participants, looking back.

Sustainability aspects were also in focus. The interaction between the reservoir, hydroelectric power plant, pumping stations, and snowmaking system impressively demonstrated how well thought out the resource cycle in the region is - a system that many students were not yet familiar with.

INITIATIVE FROM THE STUDENT BODY

The excursion was organized by Alexander Wohlfart, a student in the Industrial Engineering & Management program. He became aware of the guided tour opportunity through an Instagram post by Bergbahnen Söll. “The tour was originally intended only for guests with a guest card. I simply inquired whether we, as WING students, could participate - and after a few emails and phone calls, everything worked out very quickly.”

The feedback from students was overwhelmingly positive. Many emphasized how exciting it was to finally understand the technical and organizational aspects behind a facility that they otherwise only use as guests. “I didn't expect such enthusiasm and positive feedback from my fellow students,” said Wohlfart.

GREAT ADDED VALUE – ALSO FOR THE FUTURE

The added value of the excursion was also convincing at the institutional level: Program director Prof. (FH) Dr. Martin Adam would like to integrate the tour into the lecture schedule of the industrial engineering program in the future.

For Alexander Wohlfart, the benefits of this experience extend beyond his studies. The excursion impressively demonstrated the technical, organizational, and infrastructural achievements behind what is often taken for granted in winter sports: “I would recommend this tour not only to every aspiring engineer, but also to anyone who actively participates in winter sports, to gain an overview of the dimensions and multifaceted functioning of such a facility!”

A powerful example of how student initiative, committed industry partners, and practical teaching successfully come together at the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol.

Links:

• Industrial Engineering & Management | ft