Advanced Manufacturing

Our 3,000-square-foot training center serves the needs of Wake County business and industry by providing workforce training for technicians in industrial automation, circuit board technology, collaborative robotics, basic machining, and 3D printing. All programs include hands-on lab training supplemented with online instruction through Tooling University. 

Advanced Manufacturing programs and courses: 

  • Industrial Automation: Electrical, PLC, Hydraulics, Pneumatics Controls
  • Collaborative Robotics: Robotics Utilization, Operation, Basic Programming

  • Introductory Machining and 3D Printing: Introductory Vertical Mill and Horizontal Lathe, 3D Printing, Mechanical Troubleshooting, Mechanical Blueprint Reading

Course Details & Registration Information

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Course
Collaborative Robotics Technician Level 2 Course
Name
MEC-3010I1
Available Classes
Not currently offered.
Description Course Outline Requirements Intended Audience More Details
Intended Audience
This course is intended for personnel who wish to be employed in an industry position that utilizes
Collaborative Robotics Operators
Description
Study the principles of collaborative robotics, their uses and applications, and proper operation and maintenance through online learning modules and hands-on lab exercises. This fascinating course includes materials from Tooling University On-Line covering topics such as Introduction to Circuits, Electrical Instruments, Electrical Print Reading, Basics of Ladder Logic, Basic Programming, the Forces of Fluid Power, Safety for Hydraulics and Pneumatics, Introduction to Robotics, Robot Safety,Robotic Drives, Hardware, and Components, Robot Installations, Robotic Control Systems, Vision Systems, and Robot Trouibleshooting.
Course Objectives
  1. Gain a more advanced understanding of how electrical circuits work. Students will become familiar with circuit components, circuit diagrams, and the rules that govern circuits. Students will be able to describe and demonstrate the use of electrical meters to safely and accurately measure electrical variables in order to determine if electricity is flowing properly and safely through devices and circuits. This course will introduce students to the types of prints and symbols that they are most likely to see which will prepare them for reading and writing their own electrical prints. These are integral skills for working with electrical systems, since almost all electrical projects, from designing a circuit to troubleshooting one, involve electrical prints.
  2. Gain a working knowledge of the basic principles of ladder logic, identifying the symbols used to program a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) and explain the primary logic functions those symbols represent. The class will identify common PLC commands and describe how those commands can be used to program a controller.
  3. Gain a comprehensive overview of fluid power transmission systems, from fluid characteristics and basic energy forms to force multiplication and the effect of fluid flow rate in a system. Students will gain a knowledge of the effects of pressurizing fluid system and how these pressurized systems are able to produce tremendous power with a minimal amount of effort. Students will understand the importance of maintaining constant fluid flow and its effects on system efficiency. Students will also receive a complete overview of the best safety and injury prevention practices for fluid power systems.
  4. Gain a greater understanding of industrial robotics, including types, applications, and programming methods. Students will learn the advantages and disadvantages of Industrial Robots and be able to determine whether industrial or collaborative robots are more suitable for a given application.
  5. Understand the importance of "Robot Safety" by reviewing and demonstrating the different ways to prevent robot accidents. Students will learn the importance of the robot's safeguards, the two kinds of safeguarding systems that protect employees from injury when working with robots, and why robots must be installed and maintained as intended by the manufacturer. Students will demonstrate how to properly make and verify adjustments as needed.
  6. Gain a greater understanding of the physical components of industrial and collaborative robots, and how these components operate and allow the robot to perform work. Students will also gain a greater understanding of how to properly interface with the robot through its Pendant Controller.
  7. demonstrate the basic steps for installing and maintaining industrial and/or collaborative robots.
  8. Gain a greater understanding of the types of control systems used in robots. In addition, students will learn about the effects of Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) control in closed-loop control systems and how to tune a robotic system in order to achieve the desired performance.
  9. Gain an understanding of how vision systems work and how they are used in robotics. Students will also gain an understanding of camera and light mounting and be able to explain potential concerns with these systems.
  10. Learn the use of a systematic approach in solving issues that cause robotic malfunction. Students will develop an understanding of the complexity of robotic assemblies and how assembly components can malfunction. Students will demonstrate the ability to troubleshoot motors, end effectors, and joints. Students will learn to identify the root cause of a problem rather than simply addressing the symptoms, then identify a corrective action that will resolve the root problem.
Outline of Instruction
  1. Intermediate Electrical Theory
    Tooling University Modules - Introduction to Circuits 201, Electrical Instruments 251, and Electrical Print Reading 261
    Lab: Students will describe how electrical circuits work and demonstrate the use of electrical measuring instruments to determine if electricity is flowing properly through devices and circuits.
  2. Intermediate PLC
    Tooling University Modules - Basics of Ladder Logic 220, and Basic Programming 250
    Lab: Students will identify common PLC Commands and describe how those commands can be used to program a controller.
  3. Intermediate Pneumatics
    Tooling University Modules - The Forces of Fluid Power 201, and Safety for Hydraulics and Pneumatics 211
    Lab: Students will discuss pneumatic safety hazards and corrective measures. Students will then build an advanced pneumatic circuit and verify it's functionality, including inputs and outputs.
  4. Review of the Basics of Industrial Robotics
    Tooling University Module - Introduction to Robotics 201
    Lab: Students will identify and describe the basic components of a robot's body and arm(s), including a description of the axis of movement for the robotic arm. Students will then describe the coordinate systems used to program a robot's movement, and review stationary and mobile industrial robots and appropriate applications for each.
  5. Advanced Robot Safety
    Tooling University Module - Robot Safety 211
    Lab: Students will identify common types of robot accidents, with a concentration on eliminating hazardous robot movement. Students will demonstrate common controls for stopping robot motion in emergencies. They will also demonstrate how to perform lockout/tag-out procedures for robots, and review NIOSH guidelines for robot safety.
  6. Robotic Drives, Hardware and Components
    Tooling University Module - Robotic Drives, Hardware and Components 220
    Lab: Students will describe and demonstrate items used in robots such as frames and frame material, robot joints, bearings, hydraulics drives, pneumatic drives, servomotors and encoders, transmissions, ballscrews, sensors, wiring and hoses. Students will also demonstrate the methods robotic axis control, and describe sensors for robots.
  7. Robot Installation
    Tooling University Module - Robot Installations 230
    Lab: Students will describe and demonstrate packing/unpacking and transporting the robot, installing the robot and the controller, making connections of power, grounding and other cables, robotic start-up, writing and loading programs, and troubleshooting the robotic assembly.
  8. Robotic Control Systems
    Tooling University Module - Robotic Control Systems 240
    Lab: Students will describe and demonstrate the use of position control systems, line diagrams, and PLC programming devices. Students will also describe and demonstrate the use of PID controls systems, open-loop control systems, and closed-loop control systems. Students will then describe and demonstrate the use of servo drives and servomotors, controller tuning and tuning maintenance.
  9. Vision Systems
    Tooling University Module - Vision Systems 250
    Lab: Students will describe and demonstrate the use of vision system for Industrial Robots including the concepts of linear array, matrix arrays, machine vision, pixel display, camera mounting, image intensity, Vidicon vs. Solid State cameras, lighting, lighting devices, laser vision and machine vision applications.
  10. Robot Troubleshooting
    Tooling University Module - Robot Troubleshooting 331
    Lab:Students will learn the basic troubleshooting process, useful troubleshooting tools, and common robotic malfunction root causes and corrective actions. Students will describe and demonstrate collection and organization of troubleshooting information, as well as the use of troubleshooting manuals and flow charts, assessment of troubleshooting costs, working backwards, the 5 Whys Technique, implementation of corrective actions, temporary vs. permanent corrective actions, and system testing following corrective action.
Contact Hours
100
CEU's
No
Industry Standard, State, or National Certification
No
CE to CU Articulation
No
Prerequisites
Collaborative Robotics Technician Level 1 or instructor's approval.
Text and Supplies Needed
Student guides, Collaborative Robots, Robotics Systems training panels and associated tools and
equipment
Clinical Site/Special Facilities
Advanced Manufacturing Center
Requirements for Successful Completion of this Course
  1. Attendance 90% or above
  2. Participation
  3. Completion of all assigned online modules with a minimum score of 75% for each module.
Accreditation/Special Approval Requirements
None.
Intended Audience
This course is intended for personnel who wish to be employed in an industry position that utilizes
Collaborative Robotics Operators
Specific Industry or Business Support Needs
Robotics Operator, Robotics Technician
Wake County Need for Industry Positions
This is a skills gap area for light manufacturing in Wake County that is dependent on skilled
robotics operators to keep manufacturing systems operating.
Industry or Job Titles Related to training Outcomes for Employment
  • Robotics Operator
  • Robotics Technician
Related Courses
Course Contact Information
Michael Moore
919-335-1043
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