Lessons Learned from Remote Access 3-D Printing Machine for Manufacturing Education

Abstract

Abstract Remote labs are designed to overcome barriers such as equipment cost and limited lab time, and to provide authentic and self-paced learning experiences. The paper describes the development of a remote 3D printer and learning materials for manufacturing education. The equipment is being evaluated for a robot welding motion planning experiment, but can also be utilized for other manufacturing activities. The materials were evaluated by students during the lab time. Pre and post test results suggest a significant learning gain using the designed materials. Students, overall, have responded positively to the remote access tool. Suggestions include reducing the time delay and providing a better view of the position of the tool tip. Future directions include splitting the program into subroutines so that a sub-routine will be executed only when requested rather than loading the entire program at the beginning. We will also provide a better view of the 3D rendering model using multiple images from webcams positioned at different locations in the machine work envelope.