Module Code - Title:
DM4016
-
PRODUCT AUTOMATION
Year Last Offered:
2025/6
Hours Per Week:
Grading Type:
Prerequisite Modules:
Rationale and Purpose of the Module:
To inform the student of the various automated components contained within typical industrial products.
To provide the student with an understanding of pneumatic and hydraulic systems used within the production of products.
To establish how product design can impact on industrial robotics.
To illustrate how product design can impact on production line feeding mechanisms.
Syllabus:
Mechanics
Velocity, displacement, angular velocity, torque, power, work etc.
Circuitry:
DC Circuits, AC Circuits, - involve making simple circuits, PCB manufacturing etc
Motors
DC, AC, Stepper motors, how they work, picking the correct type, sizing the motor.
Industrial Robotics
Robot anatomy, joints and links, drive systems, control systems, grippers, sensors, applications - material handling, assembly - linked to product design - design for manufacture. Numeric Control, features of CNC, applications of CNC, Robot programming, CNC programming.
Pneumatics & Hydraulics
Sizing systems, control of systems, design of systems, electro-pneumatics.
Automated Assembly
Linked to the DFM module, tools techniques, quality requirements, tolerances, feeding mechanisms, magazines feeders, vibratory bowl systems.
Vision Systems
Operating principles, industrial applications, advantages, disadvantages.
Learning Outcomes:
Cognitive (Knowledge, Understanding, Application, Analysis, Evaluation, Synthesis)
On successful completion of this module students will be able to:
1. Calculate the power, work, torque, displacement etc required to ensure a product performs as the design intended.
2. Specify and Design Pneumatic/electro pneumatic/hydraulic circuits.
3. Using forces, pressures and pipe lengths, calculate the dimensions of cylinders, pipes, valves and receivers for pneumatics/hydraulics.
4. Design and construct electronic circuits using Printed Circuit Board technology.
5. Programme and control industrial robots and complete reliability and repeatability studies associated with industrial equipment.
6. Understand the operating principles and industrial applications of vision systems in terms of quality control and speed of inspection.
Affective (Attitudes and Values)
N/A
Psychomotor (Physical Skills)
On successful completion of this module students will be able to:
1. Piping of pneumatic systems, soldering of Printed Circuit Boards, programming of robots.
How the Module will be Taught and what will be the Learning Experiences of the Students:
The module will be delivered in a formal lecture setting complimented with laboratory practical sessions.
Research Findings Incorporated in to the Syllabus (If Relevant):
Prime Texts:
Mikell Groover (2007)
Automation, Production Systems, and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing
, Prentice Hall
Festo Didatic ()
Fundamentals of Pneumatic Control Engineering
, Festo
Fraser, C. and J. Milne (1994)
Integrated Electrical and Electronic Engineering for Mechanical Engineers
, McGraw Hill
Other Relevant Texts:
Mikell P. Groover (2010)
Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing
, Wiley
Barney, G. C. ()
Intelligent Instrumentation
, Prentice Hall
Programme(s) in which this Module is Offered:
Semester(s) Module is Offered:
Module Leader:
Gerard.Dooly@ul.ie