2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Incorporating the Design and Development of an Educational Automated Manufacturing System Utilizing Desktop Equipment into Instruction of Various Courses

Presented at ET Capstone Design Projects

This paper presents the design and development of an educational automated manufacturing system that integrates warehouse operation, material handling, and laser engraving using low-cost desktop equipment. The system was developed by a group of undergraduate students majoring in mechanical engineering technology (MET) and electronics and computer engineering technology (ECET) as a capstone design project. The ultimate goal is to develop an educational manufacturing system simulating various manufacturing processes following Industry 4.0 standards with flexibility, allowing instructors to use existing modules for course instruction and students to expand and improve these modules.
The system is based on four Dexarm robotic arms, a sliding rail kit, a conveyor belt kit, and a safety enclosure offered by Rotrics Inc. The Dexarm is a three degree-of-freedom (DOF) desktop robotic arm that performs various functions depending on the modular tools it is equipped with. The sliding rail kit provides a base for mounting the Dexarm that moves along the rail up to 1000mm. The conveyor belt kit offers a 700mm effective length material moving conveyor belt for material transportation, and the safety enclosure ensures safe laser engraving process. The three modules work collaboratively to complete the engraving manufacturing process, following the steps of picking the stock material, transferring the stock material to the conveyor belt, feeding the stock material to the engraving station, and retrieving and storing the engraved material. The system consists of three functional modules: 1) warehouse operation module: a Dexarm equipped with a pneumatic suction cup tool to pick stock material from raw material storage, transfer the stock material to the conveyor belt, retrieve the engraved material from the conveyor belt, and then place it in finished material storage; 2) material handling module: a Dexarm equipped with a pneumatic suction cup tool to pick up stock material that is moved to the engraving station by the conveyor belt, feed the stock material to the engraving station, retrieve the engraved material, and place it on the conveyor belt which sends it back to the warehouse operation module; 3) engraving station, a Dexarm equipped with a custom designed tool to open and close the safety enclosure door, a second Dexarm equipped with a laser engraving tool to engrave the stock material.

Plans to develop and incorporate additional modules, such as computer vision and smart sensors, and use these modules as design projects for other MET and ECET courses to enhance and expand the system’s functions will also be discussed.

Authors

Dr. Junkun Ma http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8983-1999 Sam Houston State University [biography]

Dr. Junkun Ma is currently a Professor of Mechanical Engineering Technology at Sam Houston State University (SHSU). He teaches courses in areas related to product design, manufacturing processes, CAD, and HVAC. His research interests include finite element analysis, powder metallurgy, and sintering.
Dr. Reg Recayi Pecen http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7145-0282 Sam Houston State University [biography]

Dr. Reg Pecen is currently serving as a Quanta Endowed professor of Engineering Technology at SHSU and he served fourteen years at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) as a professor and program chairs of Electrical Engineering Technology and graduate programs where he established an ABET-ETAC accredited 4-year engineering technology program. He also served 4 years as a President and professor of a small, non-profit North American University in Houston, Texas. Dr. Pecen were awarded many grants from state, federal, and private agencies. Majority of Dr. Pecen's grants were in the areas of designing and implementing solar and wind hybrid power systems. Some of his previous grants included “Design and Implementation of 33.6 kW PV-based fast charging station on SHSU campus”, "Promoting of Renewable Energy, Environment Education and Disaster Storm Relief through a state-of-the-art Mobile Renewable Energy Support (MRES)" from Entergy EIF 2021 and 2019. During his tenure in Iowa, Dr. Pecen designed and built a 12-kW hybrid wind-solar power systems on UNI campus, and a 6 kW wind-solar-micro hydropower system to provide green energy to RVs and Campers in Hickory Hills State Park. Dr. Pecen was recipient of 2022 service excellence award in the Engineering Technology at SHSU, 2011 UNI C.A.R.E Sustainability Award for the recognition of applied research and development of renewable energy applications at Iowa. Dr. Pecen was also recognized by State of Iowa, State Senate on June 22, 2012 for the excellent service and contribution to Iowa for development of clean and renewable energy and promoting diversity and international education between 1998 and 2012. Dr. Pecen served as past chair (2013-14), chair (2012-13), chair-elect (2011-12) and program chair (2010-11) of ASEE Energy Conversion Conservation & Nuclear Energy Division (ECCNED). Dr. Pecen also served on the U.S. DOE Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas (ERA) FOA 3045 grant review in 2023, and again U.S. DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)’s merit grant, and U.S. DOE Rural Energy Development review committees to promote Grid Engineering for Accelerated Renewable Energy Deployment (GEARED) and Rural renewable energy initiatives.

Download paper (2.48 MB)

Are you a researcher? Would you like to cite this paper? Visit the ASEE document repository at peer.asee.org for more tools and easy citations.

» Download paper

« View session