ENN535 Robotic Manufacturing

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Gardens Point, Internal

Overview

Since the 1960s and throughout the 3rd industrial revolution (Industry 3.0), the implementation of robotics in manufacturing has resulted in major advances in precision, safety, reliability, productivity and a minimisation of cost and downtime. Now with Industry 4.0 and beyond seeing unprecedented levels of system connectivity, virtualisation, and ever advancing technological development including the emergence of collaborative robotics, practical engineering skills and expertise in modern robotics are more important than ever. This unit provides you with an introduction to robotics in Advanced Manufacturing and will allow you to develop your knowledge of robotic automation of manufacturing processes and the design of such systems in practice. You will learn about the range of robotics employed in industry, be exposed to the engineering fundamentals of robotic design, vision, and control, and use simulation tools in the design and optimisation of robotic manufacturing processes.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Demonstrate an advanced specialist knowledge of robotic manufacturing approaches applied in contemporary industrial practice, including how cyber-physical digital twins can transform industry
2. Implement design of simple robotic systems including mechanical, electrical, and control components, in the development of a foundational understanding for how manufacturing robots function
3. Develop practical experience using commercial robotic simulation software to evaluate and optimise a robotic process and design virtually
4. Employ advanced analysis, research, and design approaches in the specification of design improvements within a robotic manufacturing process
5. Implement professional communication and collaborative skills while engaging with ARM Hub researchers, project team members, and assessors in the analysis of complex problems in robotic manufacture

Content

Learning Approaches

Learning in this unit has been designed to provide you with practice-relevant knowledge and skills in manufacturing robotics. These skills will be delivered through teaching, via weekly content and complimentary industry videos, learning, via weekly workshops and computer labs to put the knowledge and skills into practice, and assessment, that simulates the types of tasks you might carry out in practice as an engineer working in Robotic Manufacturing.

In this unit you can expect to experience the following timetabled activities:

• Formal interactive lectures (2 hours per week) from experienced professional engineers and scientists covering the main concepts with real world applications and examples to give you insight into basic engineering knowledge, skills and attributes.    
• Interactive workshops (2 hours per week) in a flexible learning space will provide hands-on experience and insight into the role of robots in manufacturing to support the topics covered in the lectures and case studies, with workshop activities contributing to your Skill Development Portfolio.
• Interactive computer class (2 hours per week for part of the semester) where you will learn to use robotic simulation software via guided videos that you follow and produce solutions that contribute to your Skill Development Portfolio.
• Site visit in a group in laboratory space at ARM Hub guided by experienced staff to observer/hands-on robotic manufacturing processes and understand the concepts covered in the lectures.

To complement the timetabled activities and complete your learning in this unit, you will be provided online resources and activities the unit's Canvas website:

• Informative recap videos as extra problem-solving resources to enhance your problem-solving approach, skills and knowledge.
• Basic materials such as notes, handouts, and Echo360 recordings.

You are expected to:

• Engage with timetabled activities on campus and ask questions. You should follow the weekly guide and announcements from Canvas on the online materials that should be completed prior to attending timetabled activities on campus.
• Engage with the online materials for developing your understanding of fundamental concepts. These will be available on the unit Canvas site. You will receive regular email announcements regarding release of these resources.
• Manage your time to engage with online resources outside of timetabled activities.
• Engage with your peers during the interactive workshops and the teamwork assessment tasks. 

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

You will receive informal verbal feedback on your progress in this unit during workshops and in-class discussions throughout the semester. Written feedback will be provided for each summative assessment throughout the semester. You may get general comments to cohort groups on canvas. You will receive collaborative peer feedback during the workshop and site visit.

Assessment

Overview

Assessment in this unit has been designed to give you the opportunity to show your learning against the unit learning outcomes.

Rubrics with criteria and standards will be used to evaluate the unit learning outcomes of your work.

The assessment consists of ongoing formative and summative assessments that are based on independent and group work. The assessment items allow you to demonstrate your technical knowledge in the topic, observation of real world and communication skills as well as laboratory practical skills.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal

Your site visit will allow you to observe/hands-on robotic-assisted manufacturing processes. This will enable you select a topic on a robotic manufacturing process, product, component, and/or device and conduct a literature review to identify significant opportunities and challenges within the process, and propose solutions that will either address the existing challenge or have the potential to improve an existing system. You will present your findings in a small group to engineers and non-engineers.

The report is an assignment eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Assessment: Skill Development Portfolio

You will keep a journal to record worked examples, simulation models, and short form problem solutions that you will present to tutors at weekly workshops or computer labs for feedback and sign-off.

Assessment item is individual work but peer collaboration and discussion will be encouraged.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Assessment: Virtual Robotics Practical Test

Within the examinations period in a computer lab you will be posed with a practical simulation task to carry out that is related to the control and simulation of a robotic manufacturing process. Within the time period, you will apply the skills and processes learnt within the unit within the solution of the problem posed. Your process and result will be evaluated in a practical setting.

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Requirements to Study

Requirements

Completion of Laboratory and Workshop HSE Induction – Faculty of Engineering

Resources

Risk Assessment Statement

You will undertake lectures and tutorials in the traditional classrooms and lecture theatres. As such, there are no extraordinary workplace health and safety issues associated with these components of the unit.

Any practical sessions in the laboratory must be done under the supervision of the lecturer or demonstrator and can be supported by technical staff. In this unit, you will be required to undertake practical sessions in the laboratory and may include a visit in an industrial site under the supervision of QUT staff. You will follow health and safety requirements of industry partners during any site visits and follow their requirements as outlined in the relevant risk assessments. If you do not have a general safety induction certificate or sticker you will be denied access to laboratories and/or visit to industrial site. In any laboratory practicals you will be advised further regarding the requirements for safe and responsible behaviour and will be required to wear appropriate protective items (e.g. closed shoes or gumboot shoes in the site visit).

Course Learning Outcomes

EN54 Master of Advanced Manufacturing

1. Demonstrate and apply advanced and specialist theory-based discipline knowledge and concepts as they relate to contemporary practice in Advanced Manufacturing
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal, Skill Development Portfolio, Virtual Robotics Practical Test
2. Employ advanced specialist technical skills, analysis approaches, design, and data to the solution of problems in Advanced Manufacturing, critically evaluating solutions against practice-informed performance and whole-of-life requirements
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal, Skill Development Portfolio, Virtual Robotics Practical Test
3. Implement professional communication and collaborative skills while engaging with stakeholders, exchanging ideas, and presenting complex information to specialist and non-specialist audiences
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal, Virtual Robotics Practical Test
4. Demonstrate ethical and socially responsible practice, recognising the importance of personal accountability, and reflective practice
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal
5. Enact a holistic approach to sustainability in Advanced Manufacturing that embodies the principals of efficient, green, circular, and clean
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal

EN56 Master of Engineering Technology

1. Demonstrate and apply advanced and specialist discipline knowledge, concepts and practices as they relate to contemporary practice in Engineering Technology
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal, Skill Development Portfolio, Virtual Robotics Practical Test
2. Analyse and evaluate Engineering Technology problems using technical approaches informed by contemporary practice and leading edge research to achieve innovative, critically informed solutions
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal, Skill Development Portfolio, Virtual Robotics Practical Test
3. Apply innovative, systematic approaches to plan, design, deliver and manage projects in Engineering Technology in a way that assures sustainable outcomes over their whole lifecycle
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal
4. Effectively communicate Engineering Technology problems, related complex data and information, and solutions in contemporary professional formats for diverse purposes and audiences
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal, Virtual Robotics Practical Test
5. Demonstrate ethically and socially responsible practice, recognising the importance of personal accountability and reflective practice when working in individual and collaborative modes
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal

EN64 Graduate Certificate in Digital and Robotic Manufacturing

1. Demonstrate and apply advanced theory-based discipline knowledge and concepts as they relate to contemporary practice in Digital and Robotic Manufacturing
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal, Skill Development Portfolio, Virtual Robotics Practical Test
2. Employ advanced technical skills, analysis approaches, design, and data to the solution of problems in Digital and Robotic Manufacturing, critically evaluating solutions against practice-informed performance and whole-of-life requirements
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal, Skill Development Portfolio, Virtual Robotics Practical Test
3. Implement advanced communication and collaborative skills while engaging with stakeholders, exchanging ideas, and presenting complex information to specialist and non-specialist audiences
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal, Virtual Robotics Practical Test

EN74 Master of Advanced Manufacturing with Project Management

1. Demonstrate and apply advanced and specialist theory-based discipline knowledge, concepts, methods and practices as they relate to contemporary practice in Advanced Manufacturing and Project Management domains
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal, Skill Development Portfolio, Virtual Robotics Practical Test
2. Employ advanced specialist technical skills, analysis approaches, design, and data to the solution of problems in Advanced Manufacturing and Project Management domains, critically evaluating solutions and practice-informed performance to deliver whole of life requirements and strategic objectives
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal, Skill Development Portfolio, Virtual Robotics Practical Test
3. Implement professional communication and collaborative skills while engaging with stakeholders, exchanging ideas, and presenting complex information to specialist and non-specialist audiences in Advanced Manufacturing and Project Management domains
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal, Virtual Robotics Practical Test
4. Demonstrate ethical and socially responsible practice, recognising the importance of personal accountability, and reflective practice, risk-informed judgements, and leadership
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal
5. Enact a holistic approach to sustainability in Advanced Manufacturing that embodies the principals of efficient, green, circular, and clean
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal

EN77 Master of Advanced Manufacturing with Data Analytics

1. Demonstrate and apply advanced and specialist theory-based discipline knowledge, concepts, methods and practices as they relate to contemporary practice in Advanced Manufacturing and Data Analytics domains
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal, Skill Development Portfolio, Virtual Robotics Practical Test
2. Employ advanced specialist technical skills, analysis approaches, design, and data to the solution of problems in Advanced Manufacturing and Data Analytics domains, critically evaluating solutions and practice-informed performance to deliver whole of life requirements and strategic objectives
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal, Skill Development Portfolio, Virtual Robotics Practical Test
3. Implement professional communication and collaborative skills while engaging with stakeholders, exchanging ideas, and presenting complex information to specialist and non-specialist audiences in Advanced Manufacturing and Data Analytics domains
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal, Virtual Robotics Practical Test
4. Demonstrate ethical and socially responsible practice, recognising the importance of personal accountability, and reflective practice, risk-informed judgements, and leadership
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal
5. Enact a holistic approach to sustainability in Advanced Manufacturing that embodies the principals of efficient, green, circular, and clean
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal

EN79 Graduate Diploma in Engineering Studies

1. Demonstrate and apply advanced discipline knowledge, concepts and practices as they relate to contemporary Engineering practice
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal, Skill Development Portfolio, Virtual Robotics Practical Test
2. Analyse and evaluate Engineering problems using technical approaches informed by contemporary practice and leading edge research to achieve innovative, critically informed solutions
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal, Skill Development Portfolio, Virtual Robotics Practical Test
3. Apply innovative, systematic approaches to plan, design, deliver and manage Engineering projects in a way that assures sustainable outcomes over their whole lifecycle
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal, Virtual Robotics Practical Test
4. Effectively communicate Engineering problems, related complex data and information, and solutions in contemporary professional formats for diverse purposes and audiences
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal, Virtual Robotics Practical Test
5. Demonstrate ethically and socially responsible practice, recognising the importance of personal accountability and reflective practice when working in individual and collaborative modes
   Relates to: Robotic Manufacturing Improvement Proposal