Universal Robots has developed online training modules to further lower the automation barrier. The hands-on modules are offered free of charge, open to all, and built to deliver hands-on learning via interactive simulations to maximize user engagement.
Learning how to set up and program a collaborative robot (cobot) no longer depends on real life access to a robot or a training class. Now everybody with a desire to learn the concepts of cobots can log in to the Universal Robots Academy and get the introduction necessary to master basic programming skills.
CTO and founder of Universal Robots, Esben Østergaard, explains that it is unusual in the industry to make robot training curriculum of this kind available for free.
“This is a long-term investment for us. We want to raise the robot literacy and the reason for speeding up the entry of cobots is not only to optimize production here and now,” says Esben Østergaard. “We are facing a looming skills gap in the manufacturing industry that we need to bridge by all means possible. Facilitating knowledge creation and access to our robots is an important step in that direction.”
Grab the ruler, measure the tool flange and enter the data on the next screen.* *The Universal Robots Academy modules are interactive and hands-on.
The online training modules are available in English, Spanish, German, French and Chinese, consists of six e-learning modules that make up the basic programming training for UR robots. This includes configuring end-effectors, connecting I/Os, creating basic programs in addition applying safety features to an application.
The Universal Robots Academy modules take the student through basic tasks such as*
*programming the UR cobot to place parts in a box arriving on a conveyor.
One of the early adopters of the Universal Robots Academy is the Whirlpool Corporation where the online training modules now provide the basic foundation for all UR robot training at the company’s plant in Ohio, USA. Tim Hossler, Controls Engineer at Whirlpool, emphasizes the great convenience of being able to offer this resource to employees in-house:
“Now we don’t have to wait and send them out for basic training elsewhere. The modules can be completed at our own pace and we can even pick and choose which modules we offer different personnel depending on skill sets and their level of interaction with the robots,” says Tim Hossler. “I really like the interactive approach, it makes learning very hands-on and transferable to what we would actually be doing here at our plant. I was also pleasantly surprised that the modules were free of charge for anyone to use. It definitely increases the accessibility of the UR cobots.”
Adding safety zones around the robot application, programming*
*the robot arm to stop or work in reduced mode when entering these,is also taught through the online Universal Robots Academy.
Stefan Stubgaard, Global Product Manager at Universal Robots, says that the academy modules have received positive feedback from users around the world: “This learning resource is now also reaching small and medium-sized manufacturers that up until now regarded robotics as costly and complex, says Stefan Stubgaard. “By simply logging into the Academy they experience first-hand how simple the setup can be and they can easily envision what production tasks could be automated with the cobots. We will definitely be adding more modules to complement our basic offering going forward.”
We believe that collaborative robotic technology can be used to benefit all aspects of task-based businesses – no matter what their size.
We believe that the latest collaborative robot technology should be available to all businesses. The nominal investment cost is quickly recovered as our robotic arms have an average payback period of just six months.