Assessing Suitability for Robotics in Manufacturing: A Case Study

Robots are selling in record numbers in the U.S. and throughout the world, but there aren’t yet enough people who know how to work effectively with these new automation tools in existing processes let alone expanding and even optimizing their applications. This self-study Robotics Case Study uses an immersive eLearning Experience to illustrate critical concepts to review, select, and plan the integration of a robot to automate a portion of an industrial process, successfully.
 
Learning Outcomes
Determine suitability for robotics in a given scenario:

• Identify the cultural impact of robotics in a given company
• Recommend solutions that mitigate the cultural impact of automation in a given company
• Determine type and functionality of robot/automation needed in a given scenario
• Identify technologies related to implementing a robotics solution in a given scenario
• Assess economic factors associated with automation
• Identify safety issues to be considered when introducing robotics into a given situation

You will learn to:

• Employ effective decision-making strategies to assess the suitability of specific tasks for automation with robotics
• Assess potential robotics integrations in manufacturing
• Employ good practices to address the effect of the introduction of robotics on a company's culture
• Identify the risks and rewards of applying robotics to an industrial process
• Identify ways in which robotics can be used to make a process safer

Outline

Who should attend:
The primary audience for this course is a working (or professional) engineer transitioning to a career of industrial automation. Ideal for engineers who did not have a chance to get deep into Robotics during their degree but who are now starting into or considering a career in Robotics. It also applies to the most senior “Engineer” role at small-to-midsize companies who must wear many hats.

The secondary audience for this course includes managers and owners of manufacturing companies who are considering purchasing robots to include in their manufacturing processes.

Special requirements:  
We assume that learners in this course have obtained at least a bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or similar, and have some prior knowledge of manufacturing, basic economic principles, and perhaps some GD&T; usually as shown by a BS in Computer Science or BS in Mechanical Engineering.