Robotics and Industrial Automation

Objectives

On the basis that the automotive industry represents the highest levels of application of automation and robotics trends globally, in this course you can enter the exciting world of these technologies, without losing sight of the new trends included in what we call Industry 4.0.

The main objectives of the subject are, fundamentally, to know extensively the concepts of industrial and robotics automation in its most industrial application, to know the reality existing on Industry 4.0, and to know the industrial and robotics automation systems currently used at industrial level.

Learning outcomes

• Knows the main industrial detectors and actuators, programmable controllers and robots that are applied in the automotive industry.
• Designs, develops and solves control automatisms for industrial vehicle manufacturing processes.
• Identifies and knows the basic control techniques that are applied in the automotive sector.
• Knows the basic automatisms, industrial detectors and actuators, programmable automatons, sequential, concurrent applications and automation techniques.
• Identifies and uses terminology, notation and automation control methods.
• Poses and solves problems in team.
• Critically analyses the results obtained.
• Applies procedures of scientific research in the development of training and professional activity.
• Understands the theoretical and practical aspects of the work methodology in your field of study.

Competencies

General skills

• Combine scientific knowledge with technical skill and technological resources to solve the difficulties of professional practice.
• Desire to take part in lifelong learning, innovate, create value and acquire new knowledge.

Specific skills

• Understand the principles of programmable machines and control methods, and the principles of robotic systems, and apply them in the design of control systems, industrial automation and complex robotic systems to enhance processes and end products in the automotive industry.

Basic skills

• Students can apply their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional manner and have competencies typically demonstrated through drafting and defending arguments and solving problems in their field of study.
• Students can communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialists and non-specialists.

Core skills

• Interact in international and worldwide contexts to identify needs and and new contexts for knowledge transfer to current and emerging fields of professional development, with the ability to adapt to and independently manage professional and research processes.
• Use oral, written and audiovisual forms of communication, in one's own language and in foreign languages, with a high standard of use, form and content.

Content

1. Industrial automation structure. Industry 4.0
2. Concepts of electronics and control for automation
3. Introduction to industrial automation
4. Industrial detectors
5. Industrial actuators
6. Programmable logic controller (PLC)
7. PLC programming
8. Robotics basics
9. Robot simulation/programming

Evaluation

• Midterm exam (20%) (recoverable)
• Participation (5%) and homework (5%)
• Work performance on robotics practices reports (20%)
• Work performance on automation practices reports (20%)
• Final exam (30%) (recoverable)

Methodology

• Master classes, to learn main concepts
• Practices and projects

Bibliography

Key references

• Balcells, J.; Romeral, J. L. (1997). Autómatas programables. Editorial Marcombo S.A.
• Barrientos Peñín L.F., Balaguer C., Aracil R. (2010). Fundamentos de Robótica (2 ed.). Ed. McGrawHill.
• Creus, A. (1997). Instrumentación industrial. Editorial Marcombo Boixareu Editores.
• International Federation of Automatic Control. (1963). Automatica: Automatica. Retrieved from https://ucercatot.uvic-ucc.cat/permalink/34CSUC_UVIC/1nl2ep/alma991001156359606718
• Ubieto, P.; Ibáñez, P. (1996). Diseño básico de automatismos eléctricos. Editorial Paraninfo S.A.

Further reading

Teachers will provide complementary bibliography and compulsory reading throughout the course via the Virtual Campus.