Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE MEC4100

 
TITLE Robotics

 
UM LEVEL 04 - Years 4, 5 in Modular UG or PG Cert Course

 
ECTS CREDITS 5

 
DEPARTMENT Mechanical Engineering

 
DESCRIPTION The study-unit first gives an introduction to Robotics and to Industrial Robotics. This is followed by an overview of applications, performance measures, benefits, and drawbacks of robots. The constituents and classification of industrial robots are described. The study unit then focuses on robot programming and use of the Melfa Basic IV programming language. This is followed by an overview of the design and analysis of robotic end effectors.

The study-unit then focuses on kinematic transformations and the forward kinematics problem in robotics. This is followed by an introduction to the inverse and differential kinematics problems in robotics. An overview of actuators, transmission systems, and sensors used in robots is then given. Finally, the study-unit addresses safety, economic, ethical and social issues in robotics.

Study-unit Aims:

The aim of this study-unit is to give the students an understanding of the various fields of application of robots in the modern world, including of concomitant technologies and areas of study, in both the industrial and the service sectors; to give a detailed understanding of the methods of selection and of the use of robots in industry; as well as to give an introduction to the principles of robot design.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Describe the role of robots in present and future society;
- Describe the approaches that are used to program industrial robots;
- Describe and apply the principles of end effector selection, design and evaluation;
- Describe and illustrate the basic mathematics of kinematic analysis as applied to robots;
- Apply the Denavit-Hartenberg formulation towards solving the forward kinematics problem for any open-kinematic-chain robot;
- Discuss the application of actuators, transmissions and sensors in robot projects;
- Describe the safety, economic, ethical and social issues/implications of robots.

2. Skills:
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Select and evaluate robots and accessories for various applications;
- Analyze the technical and economic feasibility of implementing a robot to an industrial problem;
- Program an industrial robot;
- Select or design an end effector for a robot;
- Solve the forward kinematics problem for any open-kinematic-chain robot;
- Address confidently the challenge as part of a team, to design a robotic solution to an industrial or service problem.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Reference texts:

- J. J. Craig, “Introduction to Robotics: Mechanics and Control”, 3rd Edition, Pearson, 2014.
- L. Sciavicco and B. Siciliano, “Modeling and Control of Robot Manipulators”, McGraw-Hill, 1996.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Assignment SEM1 Yes 10%
Practical SEM1 Yes 10%
Examination (2 Hours) SEM1 Yes 80%

 
LECTURER/S Michael Angelo Saliba

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit