Teaching industrial robotics using multidisciplinary product design projects

The goal of each class in the Industrial Robotics course at Western Washington University is to assemble, in an automated workcell, multiple copies of a product that has been designed by the students using Design for Manufacturability and Assembly (DFMA) techniques and Concurrent Engineering (CE) principles. The product is used a learning vehicle to enhance understanding of DFMA, CE, team product design and automated manufacturing. The project chosen by the class must satisfy a particular customer need and is focused on utilizing the principles depicted in the Society of Manufacturing Engineers´ (SME) Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) Wheel. The students work as a CE team in the course and have an elected team leader Project scheduling is completed by the team leader with input from task managers and team members. The course structure is intended to resemble the industrial settings the students will enter after graduation