IE 48B Special Topics: Robotic Manufacturing Systems

This special course focuses on real-time control of robotic manufacturing systems and aims to introduce the third and fourth grade IE students to the state-of the-art issues in the area of advanced manufacturing through hands-on experience in BUFAIM- Flexible Automation and Intelligent Manufacturing Laboratory. After getting introduced to several automation concepts such as industrial robots, 3D printers, automated guided vehicles and RFID, and gaining an understanding of flexible manufacturing and the real-time operational decisions required for controlling such systems, the focus is set on the usage of the robot arms in BUFAIM Model Factory, their controller software, and the interaction between the real-time Shop Floor Control (SFC) system and the robot controllers. During the project, students will design and implement robot control programs and their interface with the existing SFC software in BUFAIM, so that the Model Factory operates seamlessly and enables new directions for potential research within the context of the Industry 4.0 concept. The students (individually or in teams) are expected to analyze the given case, come up with a good design, implement, verify and document their solution, and present it.