IC348 Report - Manufact­uring processe­s of a robotic insect

IC348 - Report

Programme: 43078-2

Introduction

This project aims at developing students’ understanding on the principles and operations of common manufacturing processes, and the properties and application of common materials. In this project, our group has to make a robotic insect by using different raw materials such as metals with different manufacturing processes.

The manufacturing processes include 11 parts, which are hot metal, machining, quality control, NCM, CAM, plastics, sheet metal, welding, PCM, surface finish and assembly.

The followings are the components we made in different manufacturing processes:

Manufacturing Processes

Here is the flow of the whole project:

Introduction à Machining àQuality Control à Sheet metal à WeldingàHot metal à NCM à CAM àMachining àCAM àPlastic à PCM àPlastic à CAM à Machining àSurface finishà Assembly

In my opinion, the ideal process flow for the project should be as follow:

Introduction à Machining àSheet metal à WeldingàHot metal à NCM à CAM àMachining àCAM àPlastic à PCM àPlastic à CAM à Machining àSurface finishà Quality Control à Assembly

First of all, machining is a skillful process which needs a lot of practices to perform well. As a result, it is good for machining to be the first process for the whole project so that students can use their free time to practice more after the first trial.

On the other hand, QC should be put at the end of the project as its aim is to check if the components are in good dimensions and within the tolerance. If possible, QC should be performed twice. The first one should be before the last machining and the second one should be perf.....

For example, we can use different color plastics, or we can stick different pattern on the cover more easily.

For making the robotic insects, we have to manufacture gears. We used milling machine in machining workshop to make them. I think that it is much more convenient to make it by CAM. It is much more easier to write a program and use CAM to manufacture gears.

Firstly, it is more accurate by using CAM instead of milling machine as milling machine is performed by hand. Also, the time used will be much shorter if we use CAM.

Conclusion

To conclude, our group has successfully made the whole robotic insect within the time set by the IC center. Since it is our first time to make a robot and it is also our first time to go through different kinds of manufacturing processes, we did feel hard at the beginning of the project.

Luckily, all tutors in IC center helped us a lot. They taught us different skills step by step so that we could learn them in a very efficient way. Although we had face many difficulties during the project, we could solve all of them and finally made the robotic insect.

For example, in the process of making gears by machining, we have failed many times due to wrong dimensions and cracking of the gears. However, we used our free time to go to IC center and made those gears again. And we finally made them. It was really a great and impressive experience.

I have learnt how to work as a team to do a project. I am sure if only one person performs the whole project, the robotic insect would not be able to be made in such a short period of time. When I look back now, I think that those hard works did pay off as we successfully made a roboti.....

And I think that is why we have different IC project during our study in PolyU. If we never did this kind of manufacturing processes, our theory learnt in the lesson cannot be applied to the real situation. It is really great and useful to have IC projects in out university study.

Personally, I think that the training has organized in a good way. It is suitable to have one whole day training once a week. The workload will not be too heavy. Also, the number of students in a group is suitable for practicing.

If too many people in a group, then some of the students may not be able to practice more. However, as there are too many students, different groups had their training in different paths. It is not good for students as some of the workshops should be put far behind other workshops.

For instance, some groups had their quality control workshop at the beginning of the project, which is not suitable as their parts and components have not yet been made. I recommend the training to be organized in the same path for all groups so that students can have their training more efficiently.

Overall, it is worthwhile to have IC training as it helps as to put those theories we learn in lessons to practice. It is really important for our future career as we cannot only talk about the theories but know nothing about the real situation.

To me, the workload of the training is suitable. I do not find it too heavy or too light. The arrangement of the training, which is once a week, is great. Beside, the staff of IC center is very helpful and nice. They have taught us many skills and I like having training there.

Although I am not good at those manufacturing processes as it was my first time to do, I did feel interested in those processes. I hope to have more training in the future to practice .....