Practical Hands-on Industrial Robotics Laboratory Development

Abstract

Abstract Practical Hands-On Industrial Robotics Laboratory DevelopmentThis paper presents efforts of the author in developing practical hands-on laboratory exercises inRobotics and Automation, based-on his work in two different universities. The laboratoryexercises evolved into their current state after a decade of teaching with ABB, Eshed, and Fanucrobots. The current laboratory exercises include the following components: Getting familiar with the Fanuc robots, their teach pendants and controllers as well as the major frames associated with the robots including WORLD and TOOL frames. After writing a simple ON-LINE teach pendant program (TPP) to check robot positional data based on its joints and frames, students conduct an end-effector exchange exercise and learn about the TOOL frame setting process. Programming various motion types including linear, joint, circular, and associated TPP instructions by scribing two words, one in Arial like font while the other is in cursive. The laboratory exercise is furthered with an additional experiment where velocity and motion termination parameters are varied to see the results of them. Students also get exposed to number registers as well as time driven velocity settings. Following a tutorial of all available TPP program control structures in branching, decision making, and looping by writing short programs. Conducting a physical palletizing and depalletizing exercise by using the Palletizing add on feature of Handling Tool operation system. Students use a (2 x 2 x 2) 3D matrix in defining a palletizing/depalletizing algorithm and work with wooden blocks as boxes for the exercise. Reverse engineering an Input/Output (I/O) box and using it in a virtual automated manufacturing cell problem. Students need to understand the wiring of the I/O signals and draw their circuits. They also incorporate the I/O box to simulate the inputs and outputs of a work-cell program. Employing Fanuc’s ROBOGUIDE software HandlingPro and PalletPro modules in generation of simple pick and place and palletizing OFF-LINE programs to be downloaded into the controllers. Students work with WINOLPC and PC File Services for transfer of data and OFF-LINE programs. Presentations of Windows Teach Pendant Editor (WIN TPE) as well as KAREL Programming Language – a second programming language used in OFF-LINE programming of Fanuc robots. Getting familiar with the hand-shaking procedures in a work-cell after watching a demonstration of the work-cell. Students are given a CNC program to alter and write a simple KAREL program to work with the CNC machine for a simple key fob fabrication process by only machining one side of the stock handled by the robot.Students quickly learn ON-LINE programming is cumbersome, the variations of the dimensionsof the blocks used in simulating the boxes in the palletizing example is critical if the boxes getmixed up, wiring I/Os into a robots controller may not be as hard if you know about basicelectricity and safety rules. They also get more or less expose to the KAREL programminglanguage of the Fanuc robots. While boosting student confidence for practical work, theapproach may also discourage them at times due to rather large class sizes. Student feedback willalso be included in this study in addition to the observations and deductions of the author.