Computer Integrated Manufacturing with Mr. Yates

My students can find course materials (projects, assignments, homework, etc) via our course page on BCPSS Blackboard.

This course is part of the Project Lead the Way (PLTW) curriculum at Patterson High School. PLTW is a nationally-recognized program in engineering that meets national learning standards for mathematics, science, and technology.

The main idea of CIM is seeing how computer-based technology affects a manufacturing process, from beginning (designing a product with CAD software) to end (machining a product using, for example, a CNC mill or 3D printer). Computer technology is also used on a larger scale in the operation of a manufacturing system: using a robotic arm to move a piece from one location in the system to another; communication between different machines within the system to form a coherent whole.

Big Picture Ideas/Skills in CIM

• Programming to communicate instructions to machines
• Creating a logical, step-by-step procedure
• Communicating ideas, designs, and procedures to others
• Working collaboratively with others
• Using technology in manufacturing processes, from beginning to end
• Using technology to aid communication

The best way to learn is by doing. Students learn the skills in CIM through a series of hands-on projects. These projects allow students to take charge of their own learning and to discover a significant amount of CIM on their own or in cooperative groups. Students then reflect on these projects, the material they have learned, and the skills they have acquired, by writing a technical report or creating a presentation. Here is a brief overview of the major projects for CIM:

CIM Projects

• Factory Cell - Students work together to create a sequence of cells, each of which simulates the performance of one manufacturing operation (e.g. drilling a hole through a piece). The cells are constructed using Fischertechnik parts and connected by a Programmable Logic Controller to a computer running RoboPro. The cells are put together in order, and must have a way of communicating, i.e. sensing when a piece arrives from the previous cell.
  
  
• CNC Initials - Students first sketch their initials within an enclosed coordinate system, noting the coordinates of all important points. Then they write a program that will carve the initials into the surface of a block, using G&M codes. Finally, they use their programs with the CNC Mill to actually carve their initials into a wax block.
  
  
• Jewelry Box - Students design a jewelry box given certain specifications. They then use a CAM software to determine how they are going to machine the jewelry box from a block of wood. The CAM software converts their machining instructions into G&M code, which they then use to make their jewelry boxes on the CNC Mill.
  
  
• Intro to Robotic Arm - Students learn how to use the robotic arm by a sequence of activities, where they program the arm to move blocks from place to place, to create a pyramid, and to palletize several blocks by using variables in the program.
  
  
• Handshaking Project - We began the year with a flexible manufacturing system (FMS) simulated by the Fischertechnik factory cells. We end the year with another FMS, where two parts of a factory system communicate with one another. The robotic arm picks up a piece to be milled from a loading space, places the piece inside the CNC Mill, and communicates with the CNC Mill to tell it it is time to start milling that piece. The CNC Mill closes its shield and clamps its vise around the piece, mills it according to its program, opens up again, and tells the robotic arm to retrieve the piece. This is accomplished with two complementary programs (one for the mill and one for the arm), run simultaneously, that communicate by sending output signals along wires to one another. This project is the culmination of the CIM course, involving most of the skills learned along the way.

During this course, students gain a familiarity with the following softwares: Autodesk Inventor, RoboPro, CNC Base, EdgeCAM, RoboCell, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Powerpoint. Students also gain familiarity with two major machines: a robotic arm and a CNC (Computer Numeric Control) mill.