LEARNING OUTCOMES

This course provides a general intersectoral introduction to applications, scopes and development of flexible automation, including robotics, for industrial and non-industrial sectors. Technologies, means and methods, socio-economic issues related with different domains are presented and discussed. In greater detail, design and development techniques are proposed for intelligent flexible automation of industrial production systems with a view to Factory 4.0.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The educational target is to make students aware of  the involved means and methods, technologies, and of the socio-economic issues related with the subject. The scope, to be achieved, covers the definition of the scenarios and of the different cooperating resources including robots and cyber-physical machines.

After completing this course the students will be able to:

• achieve good acquaintance of problems of flexible automation and about the role played in the industrial, economical and social context.
• exploit the concepts, language and the tools understood along with the course.

PREREQUISITES

No prerequisites

TEACHING METHODS

The students will be involved to discuss and work with the aim to learn and enhance their knowledge about the different topics of the intelligent automation techniques.

Continuous assessment is based on:

• Example cases discussion
• Web search
• Readings

Simulation of FMS and FMC examples for design and control/management aims; Experimental work @ PMARlab

Attendance is mandatory

Contimuous assessment (Readings, Examples discussion, Web search mini-reports and oral presentations, Simulation projects) accounts for 50% of the final evaluation

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

• First notes
  •           Industrial and Service Robot statistics (last published by IFR)
  •           Robotics technology and industry 4.0 trends
  •           Examples of robots in flexible automation plants and systems (swarmItFIX, AUTORECON, LeapFrog)
  Chapter 1- INTRODUCTION
  •           Introduction to manufacturing and production systems
  •           Production automation facilities
  •           Physical and resources and information processing resources and activities
  Chapter 2 – PRODUCTION & AUTOMATION
  •           Type of Production
  •           Plant layouts
  •           Type of automation
  •           Digitalization of processing activities
  Chapter 3 - FMS
  •           FMS equipment
  •           Applications of FMS
  •           Development of FMS
  Chapter 4 – FLEXIBLE AUTOMATION TREND
  •           Green systems
  •           Lean and Agile systems
  •           Collaborative systems
  •           Bio-intelligent manufacturing
  •           Digital twins

Chapter 5 – ADVANCED ROBOTICS TECHNOLOGIES FOR FLEXIBLE AUTOMATION

• Introduction and discussion of Advanced Robotics technologies 
• (Machine learning, Soft Robotics, Rapid prototyping, Autonomous vehicle, Collaborative robotics, AR/VR, Artificial skin/proximity sensors)
• Introduction and discussion on example use cases
• Introduction and discussion on challenges on adoption of Advanced Robotics Technologies for flexible automation

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

S. Deb Robotics Technology And Flexible Automation, McGraw Hill, 2004

Manufuture: www.manufuture.org

IFR (International Federation of robotics): www.ifr.org

SIRI (Associazione Italiana di Robotica e Automazione): www.robosiri.it

Intelligent Manufacturing Systems: www.IMS.org

Study material will be available in the official study portal

Further readings will be provided by the lecturer