Robotics Workspace Floorplan

[Alan Anderson]

Consider a "lounge" area where students can do homework without getting in the way of other team members, and an "office" area where mentors can gather to discuss things that students shouldn't have to worry about. Don't forget to plan for a trophy case and/or a place to hang banners. A prominent bulletin board and place for a calendar would probably be a good idea.

Will you have a shop telephone? If so, make sure you can put it somewhere that won't be too noisy.

[DanUeda]

These are great recommendations everyone! Thank you. I might even collect all these into a document for future use. Please keep them coming.

Does anyone have knowledge of a shop design guide or a description of machine envelopes?

Thanks!
Dan

[Clem1640]

Originally Posted by DanUeda

These are great recommendations everyone!
Does anyone have knowledge of a shop design guide or a description of machine envelopes?

Thanks!
Dan

We've got machine envelopes, but these turn out to be pretty machine specific. It's best to develop these based on your own team's machines.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Clem1640

We've got machine envelopes, but these turn out to be pretty machine specific. It's best to develop these based on your own team's machines.

The machine envelope is, in practice, the area that the machine operator needs to run the machine. That includes any area that the machine can extend parts into (like the table on a mill or the handles on a lathe, or the operator panel on a CNC) as well as enough room for the operator and a tool area if needed.

If you can, mark the floor around each machine with its envelope--if you're in the marked envelope, and you're NOT the operator or mentoring/assisting the operator, you should probably find another place to be!


The homework area suggestion is actually a good one, and here's why: If the students have some things that can be done at home, but won't take a lot of time, or if there's time before the start of the meeting, crash there for a few minutes and do the homework, then jump right into the build. (Also great as a quick break.) If done right, with tables and chairs, you also get a food area for those late-night or all-day build sessions.

[mman1506]

We use extruded aluminium (8020?) walls and doors to surround machines that aren't in are machine shop.

The doors have safety interlocks on them to prevent the machines being turned on without the proper procedures being completed.



http://www.tdsb.on.ca/schools/ShowIm...atureID=222315 (I apologize for the obnoxious picture. It is the only one I could find)

[akoscielski3]

Originally Posted by mman1506

We use extruded aluminium (8020?) walls and doors to surround machines that aren't in are machine shop.

The doors have safety interlocks on them to prevent the machines being turned on without the proper procedures being completed.



http://www.tdsb.on.ca/schools/ShowIm...atureID=222315 (I apologize for the obnoxious picture. It is the only one I could find)

I'm pretty sure that's just safety guarding fences (don't know the real name). Most, if not all, companies that make robots have to have those around them so no humans can get inside the area. Yours might just be normal extrusion painted yellow though.

and those look like normal robots used for assembly lines or welding, they don't look like normal machines, are they?

[mman1506]

Originally Posted by akoscielski3

I'm pretty sure that's just safety guarding fences (don't know the real name). Most, if not all, companies that make robots have to have those around them so no humans can get inside the area. Yours might just be normal extrusion painted yellow though.

and those look like normal robots used for assembly lines or welding, they don't look like normal machines, are they?

The extrusion has a T-slot profile very similar to 80-20. They were installed with the arms so they are likely sold by a safety guarding company. You could probably do the same thing with any T-slot extrusion.

They are Motoman HP6 robotic arms equipped with a resistance spot welder. The arm's head position is programmed using normal Cartesian coordinates (X,Y,Z) just like any other CNC machine. We also have the cage installed around our plasma cutter.

[akoscielski3]

Originally Posted by mman1506

The extrusion has a T-slot profile very similar to 80-20. They were installed with the arms so they are likely sold by a safety guarding company. You could probably do the same thing with any T-slot extrusion.

They are Motoman HP6 robotic arms equipped with a resistance spot welder. The arm's head position is programmed using normal Cartesian coordinates (X,Y,Z) just like any other CNC machine. We also have the cage installed around our plasma cutter.

What would the robotic arms be used for in a highschool robotics room? Or is this a class for the hogh school programming classes?

American high schools have so much more then here in Canada. Im jealous, but at the same time wondering why you need to have all the extras, especially when your government has no money... But I don't know

[Cory]

Originally Posted by akoscielski3

What would the robotic arms be used for in a highschool robotics room? Or is this a class for the hogh school programming classes?

American high schools have so much more then here in Canada. Im jealous, but at the same time wondering why you need to have all the extras, especially when your government has no money... But I don't know

Most public high schools in the US have nothing or almost nothing when it comes to shop facilities, at least on the west coast.

[mman1506]

Originally Posted by akoscielski3

What would the robotic arms be used for in a highschool robotics room? Or is this a class for the hogh school programming classes?

American high schools have so much more then here in Canada. Im jealous, but at the same time wondering why you need to have all the extras, especially when your government has no money... But I don't know

They are used in our 11 and 12 robotics class. They spend most of there time sword fighting and playing checkers. Unfortunately they are highly proprietary making them a pain to program and we cannot afford to break anything.

We are a public school in Toronto, Canada. The arms were graciously donated to us (there's a rumour that it was in someone's will). We are the main robotics school in the district so we get a fairly large amount of funding but not every robotics program in are district gets adequate funding (cough..1310). We will be running them during a open shop day next year if you want to check them out.

[DanUeda]

We get zero funding from public sources and we are a public school. All of our funding has come from extreme efforts by our students, parents, and community. In a big fundraising push last year before worlds, we raised $39k in 7 days. Our goal for this new shop is $200k.

Referring back to another post that Daisy made a couple months ago, we used to be a team that cried about our lack of funding, until we decided to get proactive. There are definitely teams that are handed the money without much effort, but if we can make it happen in a city that is facing major budget problems, anyone can.

But still, we probably won't go with robotic arms. I really am just looking for recommendations for machines, storage, tools, space layout, safety, etc.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by DanUeda

But still, we probably won't go with robotic arms. I really am just looking for recommendations for machines, storage, tools, space layout, safety, etc.

Start by figuring out what you have and are taking with you rather than getting rid of, and how you're going to fit that in with room to access and work around it. Then add in your half-field, and other areas you want to have.



I would HIGHLY suggest getting a "paper scale" model put together. What I mean by that is, you take a piece of paper and turn it into a scale drawing of the room, maybe something on the order of 1" on paper = 1' in real life. Then you make cutouts of your toolboxes, large tools, old robots, and probably a couple of "humans" at the same scale. Arrange the cutouts on the drawing to see how stuff fits in, "lock" the plan when you find one that works, and you're ready to move.

[CENTURION]

Originally Posted by EricH

I would HIGHLY suggest getting a "paper scale" model put together. What I mean by that is, you take a piece of paper and turn it into a scale drawing of the room, maybe something on the order of 1" on paper = 1' in real life. Then you make cutouts of your toolboxes, large tools, old robots, and probably a couple of "humans" at the same scale. Arrange the cutouts on the drawing to see how stuff fits in, "lock" the plan when you find one that works, and you're ready to move.

This is exactly the way to do it. Have scale paper cutouts of your machine's work envelopes (including space for the operator!) too.

[mman1506]

Originally Posted by DanUeda

But still, we probably won't go with robotic arms. I really am just looking for recommendations for machines, storage, tools, space layout, safety, etc.

Sorry, I didn't mean to diverge the thread. I was recommending the aluminum extrusion machining envelopes that we used to surround the arms. It makes everything look very safe and professional.

[DanUeda]

Awesome suggestions Carl!