MECT 1215 - Mechatronics Automated Material Handling (robots)

Objectives:

LAP 1. Basic Robot Operation

1. Define a robot and give an application.
2. Describe three advantages of robots.
3. Describe the functions of five basic robot components.
4. Describe the eight rules of robot safety.
5. Describe the function of the six axes of a robot manipulator.
6. Describe three types of job applications.
7. Describe the functions of the four components of a servo robot axis.
8. Describe the function of the homing procedure.
9. Describe the functions of two types of end effectors.
10. Describe the operation of two types of gripper finger designs.
11. Describe the operation of five types of robot safety devices.

LAP 2. Teach Pendant Programming

1. Describe the function and operation of a robot program.
2. Describe how position points are recorded in a robot’s memory.
3. Describe the operation of the command PMOVE.
4. Describe the operation of a robot program.
5. Describe the operation of the commands LABEL and BRANCH.
6. Explain four ways to stop a servo robot.
7. Describe the operation of the program commands GRASP and RELEASE.
8. Describe the operation of the program commands SPEED and DELAY.
9. Describe three applications of robots in material handling.
10. Describe how multiple robot programs are stored and retrieved in a robot controller.

LAP 3. PC Software Programming 1

1. Describe the function of the PC robotics software and give an advantage.
2. Describe two functions of on-line and off-line robot programming.
3. Explain the function of a robot’s digital inputs and outputs.
4. Describe the function of a robot operator station.
5. Describe the operation of the I/O interface commands WAITI and WRITEO.
6. Describe how robots are applied to plastic injection molding and list an advantage.

LAP 4. Application Development

1. Describe three classifications of robot applications.
2. Explain how robots are applied to CNC machine loading and give an advantage.
3. Define the work envelope of a robot.
4. Describe the work envelope of a double-jointed robot and give an advantage.
5. Describe the four types of robot geometry and give an advantage of each.
6. List and describe six steps used to develop a robot program for a given application.
7. Define material transfer and describe five methods.
8. List three conveyor applications.
9. Describe two types of conveyors and give an application of each.
10. Describe the operation of the external motor commands MON and MOFF.

LAP 5. Flexible Manufacturing Cells

1. Describe the function of a flow chart and how to construct one.
2. Describe the function of conditional commands and give an advantage.
3. Describe the operation of the conditional commands IF-THEN, IFIN, ELSE, ENDIF, and INP.
4. Describe how robots are applied to multiple machine loading cells and give an advantage.
5. Describe the function of a subroutine and give an advantage.
6. Describe the operation of the subroutine commands CALL, RETURN, and SUB.
7. Describe two methods of controlling a conveyor and give an advantage of each.
8. Describe the operation of the robot command DDMOVE.
9. Describe how to vary the speed of a conveyor controlled by a robot.

LAP 6. Quality Control

1. Explain how the Cartesian coordinate system is used with robots.
2. Explain how a move command is specified using Cartesian coordinates.
3. Describe how robots are applied to a go no-go inspection process.
4. Describe the operation of the commands TESTI, FLAG, SET, RESET, and IF FLAG.
5. Explain how robots and operators communicate with each other and give an application.
6. Describe the function of two types of variables.
7. Explain six rules for naming variables.
8. Describe two ways variable names can be used with MOVE commands.
9. Describe the operation of the operator commands PRINT and PRINTLN.
10. Explain how robots are used to measure parts.
11. Describe the operation of the measuring command MEASURE.

LAP 7. Production Control

1. Describe the operation of the input command.
2. Describe the function and operation of four basic arithmetic operators.
3. Describe the function and operation of six relational operators.
4. Describe the function of a loop command.
5. Describe the operation of the loop commands: FOR, NEXT, and STEP.
6. Describe the function and application of a counter command.
7. Describe the operation of the counter commands IFCT, INCR CTR, DECR CTR, and CLEAR CTR .

LAP 8. Robot Simulation Software

1. Describe the function of robot simulation software and name two applications.
2. Describe the function of objects in the simulation workcell.
3. Describe two techniques to grasp an object in simulation.
4. Describe the operation of simulated digital inputs and outputs.
5. Describe how to edit a program in simulation software.
6. Describe two reasons for changing the viewpoint of the workcell.

Outcome 2: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate the use of Automated Material Handling (Robots). 

Objectives:

LAP 1. Basic Robot Operation

1. Power up and shut down a servo robot.
2. Jog a servo robot.
3. Adjust the fast and slow jog speed settings.
4. Home a servo robot.
5. Manually operate the gripper using the teach pendant.
6. Move parts using the manual jog function.

LAP 2. Teach Pendant Programming

1. Use a teach pendant to teach robot position points.
2. Test teach points
3. Edit teach points.
4. Use a teach pendant to delete a program file.
5. Use a teach pendant to enter a servo robot program that uses the PMOVE command.
6. Run a servo robot program using a teach pendant.
7. Use a teach pendant to edit a servo robot program.
8. Use a teach pendant to enter the commands LABEL and BRANCH.
9. Stop a servo robot program using any one of four different functions on a teach pendant.
10. Use a teach pendant to enter a servo robot program that uses the GRASP and RELEASE commands.
11. Use a teach pendant to enter a servo robot program that uses the SPEED and DELAY commands.
12. Design a program to perform a basic material handling task.
13. Store and retrieve multiple programs in a robot controller.

LAP 3. PC Software Programming 1

1. Enter and edit a robot program off-line.
2. Download a robot program stored on a PC disk to a robot controller.
3. Use PC software to enter and edit a robot program on-line.
4. Upload robot program and points files from the robot controller to disk.
5. Use PC software to delete a program.
6. Connect digital input and output devices to a robot controller.
7. Manually test discrete inputs and outputs using a teach pendant.
8. Enter a program that has WAITI and WRITEO commands.
9. Design a robot program that uses a manual operator station.
10. Design a robot program that will unload an automatic machine.

LAP 4. Application Development

1. Connect a solenoid-operated pneumatic valve to an output of a robot and operate it.
2. Design a robot program that will load and unload an automatic machine.
3. Teach points with a double-jointed robot arm using the full range of its work envelope.
4. Design a robot program that uses a robot’s double-jointed design.
5. Design a robot program given a general description of the application.
6. Connect and configure a servo conveyor to a servo robot.
7. Enter a program that has MON and MOFF commands.
8. Design a robot program that uses a non-servo conveyor.

LAP 5. Flexible Manufacturing Cells

1. Construct a flow chart given a general sequence of operations.
2. Enter a robot program that has conditional commands IFTHEN, IFIN, ELSE, ENDIF, and INP.
3. Design a robot program that will sort parts.
4. Design a robot program that will unload two or more automatic machines.
5. Enter a robot program that has subroutine commands CALL, RETURN, and SUB.
6. Design a robot application that uses a subroutine.
7. Enter a robot program that has a DDMOVE command.
8. Design a robot program that uses a non-servo conveyor.

LAP 6. Quality Control

1. Use PC software to power up a servo robot.
2. Use PC software to job a servo robot.
3. Use PC software to home a servo robot.
4. Use PC software to power down a servo robot.
5. Use PC software to run a servo robot program.
6. View the current location of a robot in Cartesian coordinates.
7. Use the MOVE function with Cartesian coordinates to move a robot.
8. Develop a robot program that uses points stored in Cartesian coordinates.
9. Enter a robot program that has TESTI, FLAG, SET, RESET, and IF FLAG commands.
10. Design a robot program to perform a go no-go inspection.
11. Enter a robot program that uses a variable name.
12. Enter a robot program that uses the PRINT and PRINTLN commands.
13. Design a program that provides an operator interface on a computer screen.
14. Enter a robot program that has a MEASURE command.
15. Design a robot program to inspect parts by measuring them in its gripper.

LAP 7. Production Control

1. Enter a robot program that uses an input command.
2. Enter a robot program that uses arithmetic and relational operators.
3. Design a robot program that stops a production process if a quality standard is not met.
4. Enter a robot program that has loop commands.
5. Design a robot application that uses a FOR-NEXT command.
6. Enter a robot program that uses counter commands.
7. Design a robot palletizing application that uses counter commands.

LAP 8. Robot Simulation Software

1. Start up simulation software.
2. Use simulation software to jog the robot.
3. Change the view of the simulation window.
4. Enter simulation teach points using a virtual teach pendant.
5. Test simulation points using the MOV function.
6. Enter and save a simulation program
7. Load and run a simulation software program.
8. Download simulation program to the robot controller.
9. Upload a robot program from the controller to the simulation software.
10. Use the simulation software to create workcell objects.
11. Edit objects in simulation software.
12. Create and resize the simulation windows.
13. Grasp and move an object using simulation software.
14. Write a simulation program to grasp and move a block.
15. Simulate the operation of digital inputs and outputs.
16. Edit a simulation program.
17. Change the viewpoint of the simulation workcell.

1. I. LAP 1. Basic Robot Operation
   1. Power up and Shutdown
   2. Manual Operations
   3. Homing
   4. End Effector Operation
2. II. LAP 2. Basic Robot Programming
   1. Teaching Points
   2. Basic Programming
   3. Movement and End Effector Commands
3. III. LAP 3. Interfacing and Material Handling
   1. Looping and Speed Commands
   2. I/O Interfacing
   3. Material Handling
4. IV. LAP 4. Application Development
   1. CNC Machine Loading
   2. Robot Workcell Envelope
   3. Robot Application Development
   4. Basic Conveyor Operation
5. V. LAP 5. Flexible Manufacturing Cells
   1. Conditional Commands
   2. Flexible Manufacturing Cells
   3. Subroutine Commands
   4. Servo Conveyor Operation