The Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) Laboratory is designed for education and for research. The laboratory consists of two Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS) cells:
Cell 1 is an assembly and quality control station, which has one SCORA ER 14 Robot provided by Intelitek. The robot has a pneumatic gripper and works in connection with the peripheral cell devices such as a ball feeder, a gluing station, and a laser-scan micrometer device (Mitutoyo).
Cell 2 is a FMS Machine tending station, which consists of a CNC milling machine (Light Machines) and a SCORBOT-ER 9 (Intelitek), a five-axis vertically articulated robot designed for work in industrial training facilities.
The SCORBOT - ER 9 is integrated with a Linear Slide Base for performing CNC machine loading/unloading tasks as well as material handling within the FMS work cell.
The two robots with multi-tasking controllers that provide real-time control and synchronization of up to 12 axes, 16 inputs and 16 outputs, support both stand-alone applications as well as sophisticated automated work cells.
The students learn to configure, program and operate the SCORBOT-ER 9 and SCORA ER 14 in FMS work cells and CIM systems by integrating the robot with a wide range of peripheral equipment and end effectors.
The whole laboratory is managed by OPEN CIM software system, which is composed of the following:
- Basic CIM software including: CIM management, parts definition, order definition, machine definition, ASRS definition, on-line help, automatic CNC programs downloading for CNC machines.
- Advanced CIM software including: MRP package, 3D graphic animated simulation for on-line tracking of the whole system, reports generator for production reports, CIM scheduler module (GANTT chart).
- Virtual CIM/FMS software providing construction and manipulations of complete CIM system in a virtual environment. (This feature can also be used independently by students for simulation and practice.).
- Automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) with a closed loop pallet conveyor.
The overall system is run with a supervisory host control system consisting of a set of cell work station PC's and a host computer, which allows management of FMS orders and operations via the CIM Manager – OPEN CIM software system architecture.
The possible operations that can be carried out in the overall CIM system are milling of wooden or Plexiglas blocks, gluing and assembly operations for small parts, material handling between stations and the quality control of assembled (or externally fed) parts by dimensional control through the laser scan meter.
The courses currently supported by this lab include the following:
- IENG447 Computer Integrated manufacturing
