Engineering students' at the Forefront of Robotic
Wednesday, 17th November, Stanmore College’s Level 3 Engineering students' took advantage of an excellent opportunity to attend a full-on learning and practical day at ABB Robotics in Milton Keynes. ABB Robotics is a global company and leading supplier of industrial robots, modular manufacturing systems and service with industries and organisations such as car manufacturing, Amazon , and many others having the company’s supplies installed worldwide.
Stanmore’s Engineering students' enjoyed experiencing the workshops where robots were being manufactured, operating and programming robots using the Robotic Studio software use by ABB Robotics. Students' were shown robot type IRB6, 6- axis robot ( most common robots in the market) among a host of robotic applications. The College’s young engineers of the future were using a handheld purpose made joystick to operate an individual robot allocated to each of them. They had the opportunity to participate in a robotic jogging challenge too where one student, Adel Al-Shorify, won an impressive prize; a large sized metal cast Robot supplied by the generosity of ABB Robotics Ltd.
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Excitement was palpable as Stanmore College’s students' were shown the different robots use in the car manufacturing industry, the pharmaceutical industry, construction industry and food industry, all of which operated for different purposes. They got to see demonstration of the robots’ functions in action. Students' were taught about the health and safety practices while operating robots. <<The DC postmodulated motor system includes a brake system to stop the robot instantly when the emergency stop button is set. Emergency button is located in three places – electronically in the joystick, at the operating station and in the robot.>> thus enhancing content covered in their study programmes.
They heard how robots manufactured before April 2014 were orange by law due to Health and safety rules. From, April 2014, robots have mainly been graphite white due to improved quality whereby the risk of accidents is now very low.
To top it all, the College’s fortunate students' were then encouraged to go the ABB’s website to check out apprenticeship opportunities. This highlights the benefits of Stanmore College’s great links with industry leaders and employers as well as universities.
Stanmore’s students' had an enriching day and, unsurprisingly, the feedback was extremely positive. Examples include ‘once in a lifetime experience’, ‘fun and engaging’, ‘enriching’ and ‘very informative’ to quote just a few.