Computer based robot training in a virtual environment

As more market segments are welcoming automation, the robotic field continues to expand. With the accepted breadth of viable industrial robotic applications increasing, the need for flexible robotic training also grows. In the area of simulation and offline programming there have been innovative developments to Computer Aided Robotics (CAR) Systems. New and notable releases have been introduced to the public, especially among the small, affordable, and easy to use systems. These CAR-Systems are mainly aimed at system integrators in general industry business fields to whom the complex, powerful software tools used by the automotive industry (and its suppliers) are oversized. In general, CAR-Systems are used to design robot cells and to create the offline programs necessary to reduce start-up time and to achieve a considerable degree of planning reliability. Another potential yet to be fully considered, is the use of such CAR-Systems as an inexpensive and user-friendly tool for robotics training. This paper will show the educational potential and possibility inherent in simulation and introduce a successful example of this new method of training. Finally, this presentation should be seen as an attempt to outline novel methods for future education in an industrial environment characterized by the increased occurrence and implementation of the virtual factory.