Beside speciality-specific subjects, as presented within previous issues of the PRO LIGNO Journal, the curricula of the Wood Industry Faculty in Brasov also includes several other subjects, meant to complete the general technical education of the students within the first year of study. These subjects are: Mathematical Analysis, Physics, Linear Algebra, Analytical Geometry and Differential Equations, Mechanics, Electrotechnics, Computer Programming and Programming Languages in Wood Industry, Technical Drawing and Computer-Aided Graphics in Wood Industry.

 We dedicate the Frontlines within this issue to the last two above-mentioned subjects, considering that, at present, they are taught by teaching staff of our faculty, specialized in these complementary fields of competence.

Name of the discipline: COMPUTER PROGRAMMING AND PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES

Semester / Year of study: semester I / 1st year

Status: compulsory

Objective:
Gaining general knowledge about informatics, hardware and software, computer architecture, operating systems (MS-DOS, UNIX, LINUX and WINDOWS), networks, using the MS-Office package, archive and antivirus programs, general notions on algorythms and programming languages such as C and Pascal, different types of data and data structures, subroutines, files, units and graphics. 

Contents:
The lectured material is structured on the following chapters:

• General knowledge about information, date, source code and informatics system. The history of computers evolution. Computer architecture (IBM).
• Operating system, functions, commands. MS-DOS, UNIX, LINUX and WINDOWS operating system. Archive and antivirus programs.
• Using networks.
• Using the MS-Office package.
• Programming and designing methods. Programming languages. C and Pascal.
• Lexical types, data declarations, data types, syntactic diagrams, logical scheme, source code, simple and complex instructions, decisional alternative and repetitive instructions, structural data types (string, matrix, recording, range, file), dynamic data types, procedures and functions, creating personal program units, main graphic procedures.

The lecture is completed by practical laboratory works with the following topics:

• Presenting the computing equipment existing within the faculty laboratory. Operations with folders, files and floppy disks.
• Working with command files (batch type), re-directions and link commands.
• Archive and antivirus programs.
• Working with windows, menus and applications of WINDOWS program (Start menu, WINDOWS EXPLORER, CONTROL PANEL, MY COMPUTER).
• Legislation, licence and programs protection. Files and folders operation, disc and partitions managing, internal memory, clipboard, printer configuration.
• Programs application NOTE PAD, WORDPAD, PAINT, CHARACTER MAP, HELP.
• Working with MsOffice XP and WORD. Editing a document. Changing the format  paragraph. Page configuration. Trimming, copying, cutting, deleting, typing operations. 
• General information about EXCEL. Introducing the dates in a worksheet, references, operations, calculations, using the Office Clipboard. Sheet formatting. Others application: Office XP, Power Point, Access, OutLook, Front Page.
• Linux interface. Text and graphic mode. Presenting the main operations and commands.
• Presenting the Turbo Pascal and C programs. TPTOUR help. Logical scheme.
• Program structure. Logical scheme, source code. Date types.
• Decisional IF instruction and alternative multiple Case instruction.
• Repetitive For instruction, the initial and final test instruction WHILE and REPEAT.
• Structural data types, arrays, matrixes, files and recording data. Dynamic data structures, Pointer, references. Working with procedures and functions. Making personal units. Algorythms for data sorting in Pascal.

History:
The subject initially entitled “Research operational methods and computers using” was taught starting with the year 1973 within the University of Brasov, by Prof.dr.eng. Romulus FLOREA as head of discipline. Starting with the year 1983 the subject was taken over by Prof.dr.eng Teofil MIHAILESCU, then in 1991 by Prof.dr.eng. Wilhelm LAURENZI and since 1993 up to date, the discipline is taught by Lecturer dr.eng Gheorghita Nicolaie COMSA.

The title of the discipline has undergone several changes in time, such as: “Computer programming” (1989-1991), then “Programming and computer aided design” (1992-1999), then “Basics of computer using” (2000-2005), and finally, “Computer programming and programming languages” starting with 2005 till today.

The topics of lecture and laboratory hours was always focused on developing applications in Fortran, Basic and Turbo Pascal languages and CP/M, MS-DOS, Windows and Linux operation systems.
    
At the beginning, the discipline was taught to the students from the 3rd year, then in the 4th and 5th year, then again within the 3rd year, and finally in 1992, it was adapted as a fundamental subject for the students on the first year.
    
The heads of discipline have constantly enriched the faculty library with course supports - books and guidebooks for practical applications.

Present Head of Discipline:
Dr.eng. Ghiorgita Nicolaie COMSA, lecturer, graduate of the Faculty of Wood Industry, class 1976.

Title of PhD thesis: “Contributions to the study of manufacturing and assembling laminated parquet”.  Scientific Coordinator: Prof.dr.eng. Stefan ALEXANDRU. Thesis defended in April 2001 at the “Transilvania”  University of Brasov.

Perspectives and Opportunities:
     The future development of the discipline is oriented towards three main directions:

• Enriching the materials basis of the Programming Laboratory within the Faculty of Wood Industry from Brasov, with modern, more performant computers, new licences of operating systems, programming languages and speciality software.
• Renewal of the subject content by presenting the latest news within world research and the news products like hardware and software, avaliable on the market.
• Enriching the bibliographical basis for students, by editing a book related to computer programming and programming languages as well as re-editing the guidebook for practical experience, taking into account that the IT domain has a dynamic development.

Name of the discipline: TECHNICAL DRAWING AND COMPUTER-AIDED GRAPHICS IN WOOD INDUSTRY

Semester / Year of study: semester 2 / 1st year

Status: compulsory

Objective:
Gaining knowledge on the theory and the technique of representation in general technical drawing, and then specifically related to wood industry.

Contents:
The lectured material is structured in two parts:

Part I. General Technical Drawing

• Rules and general norms of technical drawing. The projections position on the drawing.
• Representation of views.
• Representation of sections and breaking areas.
• Parts dimensioning.
• Representation of rivets and wedge grooves and their dimensioning rules.
• Representation of gears and flutes and their dimensioning rules.
• Assembly drawing. Rules of representation, positioning and dimensioning. Table of components.
• Representation of riveted assembly, assembly with wedge, flutes and gears.

Part II. Technical Drawing for Wood Industry

• Materials used for finite wooden products manufacturing. Symbols and representation of sectioned.
• Representation of the parts and their dimensioning rules.
• Representation of the complex parts and their dimensioning rules.
• Representation of the sub-assemblies and their dimensioning rules.
• Representation of the assemblies and their dimensioning rules.

The courses are completed with seminars. The seminars contain the following issues:

• Standard paper formats. Scales. Lines and hatches in engineering drawing. Drawing head.
• Orthographic projections.
• Representation and sizing of simple parts.
• Representation and sizing of threaded parts.
• Representation of threaded assemblies.
• Materials used for finite wooden products manufacturing. Representation of sectioned surfaces.
• Representation and sizing of finite products.
• Representation and sizing of complex parts.
• Representation and sizing of sub-assemblies.
• Representation and sizing of a furniture case.

History:
Since the beginning the discipline was known as „Descriptive Geometry and Technical Drawing” and it was presented by several professors: between 1953 and 1962 by Assistant Prof. dr. arch. Florin IONESCU; between 1962 and 1978 by Lecturer eng. Ion BERNATH; between 1978 and 1986 by Prof. dr. eng. Mircea BRANA. Between 1986 and 1988 the discipline was presented by Lecturer eng. Ioana BRATILA, and between 1989 and 2005 by Lecturer eng. Mihaela LIVEZEANU.

Over the years, other professors also brought contributions to this discipline and they are: Prof. dr. eng. Valentin NASTASE, Lecturer arch. Roxana RENEL, Lecturer dr.eng. Elena POPA, Lecturer eng. Gabriela CENTEA.

Present Head of Discipline:
Eng. Mihaela POROJAN, lecturer, graduate of the Faculty of Wood Industry, class 1997.
PhD-student. Title of PhD thesis (in final completion stage): “Contribution to the study of the physical and mechanical properties of black locust wood”. Scientific Coordinator: Prof.dr.eng. Valentin Nastase.

Perspectives and Opportunities:
The future development of the discipline is focused on the following main objectives:
· To develop the students’ references database by issuing a manual of technical drawing for wood industry, considering that the most recent course support edited for this discipline dates back to 1980.
· To develop the infographics part by acquisitioning of specific software.