Robotics and Automation
This workshop series will be focusing on the robotics and automation of a mining environment.
Workshop Outline:
The workshop will be divided into several sections that will build up to the final robotics and automation project.
We will be introducing the hardware and software components that are necessary to complete the workshop. The concepts that will be taught are as follows:
Day 1:
Theory: What is Automation?
What is Robotics ?
What is the 4IR ?
Applications of Robotics and Automation in the mining sector (Video).
Introduction to Electronics.
Electrical Circuits.
Introduction to Arduino (microcontroller).
Arduino IDE platform.
Basic circuit and programming: simulate traffic lights.
Day 2:
Introduction to Sensors.
Demonstrate the Light-dependent resistor (LDR) sensor.
Demonstrate the gas sensor.
Explain how this can be used as part of automation.
Day 3:
Fundamentals of robotics.
Introduction to the robot arm.
Explain all the components of the robot: The elbow, the wrist, the grabber (hand), the servo motor, microcontroller.
Day 4:
Programming the robot arm to pick up and pack objects.
Day 5:
Continue with the programming.
Demonstration and presentation.
Objectives:
Day 1:
Explain what automation and robotics is.
Explain how does automation play a role in the fourth industrial revolution.
Explain how robotics and automation is applied to the mining sector.
Explain how basic electrical circuits work.
Introduce the Arduino Uno micro-controller: Explain its individual components - digital pins, analog pins, micro-controller, LEDs, USB COM port, e.t.c.
Introduce the Arduino IDE software - how to install it on your computer; The different sections (boards, port, libraries, e.t.c.).
Simulate the traffic lights: - Introduce and explain the breadboard. - Introduce and explain how an LED work. - Introduce and explain how resistors work (color code). - Power distribution. - Connect the circuit for the traffic lights. - The Code - explain the fundamentals: pin setup (void setup function), pinMode, digitalWrite, time delay. - The Arduino IDE - setting up (configuring) the board and the port; Verifying and uploading the code.
Day 2:
Introducing and explaining how the light-dependent resistor (LDR) work.
Setup the circuit to demonstrate how the LDR work.
Write the code to serial print the LDR sensor values: Use a flash light and see how that changes.
Serial print the values of the LDR sensor.
Introduce and explain the LP gas sensor.
Connect the circuit for the LP gas sensor.
Write the code to serial print the LP gas sensor readings.
Use a lighter to see any changes on the sensor readings.
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