2. Project Overview Introduction to Factory Automation Numerical Control
Build an autonomous robotic solution
Testing an autonomous robot build by human control
Programming a autonomous robot
Exploring sensors
Autonomous robot design challenge
Industrial applications build challenge
Industrial applications robot delivery
Manufacturing system design challenge

3. LESSON 02

4. LESSON 2 STARTER
Learning objective: Apply building skills to a standardised component kit to assemble a specific outcome, use a range of tools with a level of skill, and develop confidence in the use and application of a kit to develop spatial awareness.
Getting Started Tools you will need are: - Allen Wrench 5/64” - Allen Wrench 3/32” - Open End Wrench - 4” Zip ties

5. autonomous Robotics Build
Building your 1st autonomous robot To get you started, you are going to build a simple autonomous robots solution. It will be very limited compared to this VEX EDR robot, but it is an ideal starting point Task Before we start building, let’s consider this Armbot and how it has been designed. - what gives the robot stability? - what ways can the robot move? - how is movement achieved (yes motors but what else?) - if the robot lifts something, will it topple? - if not, why not? - how could you improve this robot to lift more, farther and with more accuracy?

6. autonomous Robotics Build
The base plate VEX Robotics provide a specific base plate part for the design and build of both autonomous and mobile robotic constructions. The base plate is ideal for this because of its size, weight, distribution of load over a space, and the opportunity to modify the layout of the parts on a large space.
Base plate in use Here is an example of a robot that might control barriers to a car park using simple push buttons, motors and potentiometers. The robots individual parts are laid out on the baseplate as you can see.

7. autonomous Robotics Build
Building your 1st autonomous robot
Here is a visual of your basic autonomous robot completed. Your task is to build it step by step. Task
Follow the next slides to assemble the robot. You will need to be careful counting the positions of parts in relation to one another, and you will need to ensure you use the range of tools available appropriately. Good luck!

8. autonomous Robotics Build
Build Instructions part 1 Follow these instructions and complete your build.
From the Clawbot instructions, follow steps 4, 5, 6, then jump to 18, 19 and 20, before finally following step 22 (but remembering you have not assembled the base and wheels section.

9. autonomous Robotics Build
Build Instructions part 2 Follow these instructions and complete your build.
Moving away from the Clawbot instructions, use the angle gussets (above) to secure the tower you have built to the baseplate at one end. Attach your battery and Cortex close by.
Finally, use four sections of C Channel to create a tray/ball catcher area as shown above. Make sure they are fixed down securely, and the whole build is stable before testing and tweaking any nuts and bolts.

10. autonomous Robotics Build
Anticipate how the robot will perform… Looking at your finished robot, let’s now consider what you have built, and how we anticipate it might perform.
Task Identify through photo evidence what you think it can and cannot do. What issues would this robot have trying to pick up anything and moving it?
How well will this solution reach and pick up objects in its current design?
How effective is the actuator at the end of the arm at picking up objects and placing them?
How effective is the tower design in supporting the robotic arm?
How well is the storage bay designed for the objects it collects and stores? Could it collect from this area to put back out?

11. autonomous Robotics Build
Example photographic evidence… Here are some example photo analysis statements that you may well have come up with yourself.
“We think that the tower is very strong because of the brackets that attach it to the base. This feature of the structure is very effective at creating a rigid frame that does not wobble when in use”
“We think that the storage area is ineffective because the sides are potentially too low for large objects, once objects are in the area it is hard to relocate them and move them with the actuator, and the design means that the arm cannot reach certain areas where objects might be sitting.”

12. LESSON 2 Plenary
As a class, let us consider the following questions? A. How do parts connect in VEX? B. Where were there complications in assembling your 3D autonomous solution? C. What are the challenges for designers when moving from 2D drawings to 3D outcomes? D. How could the build of a 3D object to a specific design be simplified?

13. LESSON 2 Summary Today you have:
Learning objective: Apply building skills to a standardised component kit to assemble a specific outcome, use a range of tools with a level of skill, and develop confidence in the use and application of a kit to develop spatial awareness.
Today you have:
Applied your building skills to replicate an existing design
Used a wide range of tools and manipulated parts to build a solution that functions
Built your confidence not only in construction but also analysing a finished build