From

a CANVAS Facebook post*******************************************

#Kids Researcher's Log 5/8 Sun #Workshop

"STEAM Workshop: Build Your Own Factory and Try Your Hand at Being the Kawasaki Plant Manager! (Part 2)" (Elementary and Middle School Class) in Takeshiba　

https://www.canvas.ws/ken…/report/2022410steamkawasaki.php

We held the second session of “Let’s Build a Factory System!” (This series is a program jointly developed by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. and CANVAS, consisting of six sessions in total: the first half, “Let’s Design an Original Factory!” and the second half, “Let’s Create Movements for Robots Working in the Factory!”)

In a factory, it is very important to generate profits through efficiency improvements.

How should we position the robots so they can work more efficiently?

Let's do some calculations using 3D models and worksheets.

■ How many joints do humans have? And what about industrial robots?

It all starts with comparing the movements of humans and robots.

After examining the parts of your own body that bend—such as your hands and fingers—(it takes an adult two hours to assemble it!), you’ll use an intricately designed paper craft robot arm to explore the robot’s joints.

Are there any similarities between human arms and robot arms?

There's detailed information about it on the Kawasaki Heavy Industries website, so be sure to check it out (especially the videos!) ^^

https://robotics.kawasaki.com/ja1/xyz/jp/1804-03/

■ 3D Models: Place Miniature Factory Items!

Recalling the last role-playing session, I keep placing things here and there, figuring out where to put each item.

The factory items making their first appearance this time are safety barriers and control panels.

Don't underestimate it just because it's a fence.

Items that are absolutely necessary when installing an industrial robot.

The control panel is the robot's "brain." It must be installed outside the safety fence so that people can operate it.

■The budget is 15 million!! Cut costs! So, what should we do?

Earlier, we were just arranging the items, but this time, with the mission of designing a factory on a tighter budget, each team will use a worksheet to arrange the items.

"You can get a smaller robot arm for less! But it's not as powerful as the bigger one, so…"

"Why not set up the factory line in two tiers so that anything the arm can't pick up just falls down to the lower line?"

"Wait, but is it okay to throw away something that could be sold?"

"Hmm… Then let's make it go round and round like those conveyor belts at the airport where the luggage comes down!"

As we brainstormed ideas together, we worked hands-on to figure out how to design the factory as inexpensively and efficiently as possible.

Once you've created a design, you might have to redesign it, and the process of trial and error continues.

Next month's theme is "Let's Program the Box-Packing Process!"

We will program and operate an actual robotic arm that is currently in use at a factory.

See you next month!

○ Workshops Currently Accepting Registrations

For registration and details, click here or visit the website link in my profile.

https://www.canvas.ws/kenkyujo/