UR cobots pioneer collaborative classrooms

PSG College of Technology

In short

Founded in 1951, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, is one of India's leading engineering colleges. Their BE Robotics and Automation program started in 2011 and was the first of its kind in the state of Tamil Nadu.

It is the vision and mission of PSG College to ensure that students have access to the latest technology. Funded by a Government of India initiative, the college decided to invest in the UR5 from Universal Robots to create an enriching experience in the classroom, incorporating collaborative robots in their robotics program and encouraging students to become industry-ready by working with this Industry 4.0 technology. In order to also spur the growth of surrounding manufacturers in Coimbatore, PSG College also offers courses to local industry professionals to train them in collaborative robot technology.

PSG College already had traditional industrial robots in their lab. However, as they are large and unsafe, they are kept inside cages, and students were unable to work with them. Additionally, programming these traditional robots was difficult for students to learn, and customization was also cumbersome. In line with their mission to have the latest technology and create a reputable robotics lab available to their students, the PSG team was looking for something that would create a stimulating classroom environment where students could truly become industry-ready by the time they graduated.

PSG College of Technology
Industry Education and Science
Country Asia
Number of Employees 1000+
Cobots used UR5

Video — UR5 collaborative robot deployed, PSG Institute, India

Safe and portable

PSG College of Technology deployed the UR5 cobot, and incorporated collaborative robot technology in the curriculum for their BE Robotics and Automation Engineering program. Unlike the other traditional robots at PSG’s robotics lab, the UR5 operates without any safety cages, allowing students to carry out hands-on work and experiment with industrial applications. Being flexible and portable, the cobot is easily transported across the campus on trolleys between classrooms and robot labs. This ensures that teachers can demonstrate features of robots in real-time to students, making for an engaging and interactive educational experience.

An ideal teaching partner

Additionally, the UR5 enables customisation with its open source platform, making it ideal for students to experiment with different programs, and even create their own applications. The compliance with Robotic Operating System (ROS) further enables an easy understanding of industrial uses. The Department of Heavy Industry, part of the Government of India, funded PSG College’s Center of Excellence to not only educate the students, but also to benefit surrounding manufacturers in Coimbatore, a prominent industrial area in India. To this end, the professors and project engineers at PSG College also conduct certified courses and workshops for industry professionals to receive training in collaborative robot technology.

Instilling practical knowledge

The PSG research team even carries out projects using the UR5 to test its efficiency in various applications, and then relay this information to local manufacturers to help them make an informed choice about their automation needs. The cobot is especially used for Research & Development in PSG College’s Center of Excellence in Welding Engineering and Technology. As Human Robot Collaboration is one of the key drivers of Industry 4.0, PSG College feels it is imperative to become well-versed in collaborative robot technology. The UR5 cobot has contributed to the practical knowledge of students, helping them become industry-ready for their future ventures.

It is important to have all the ingredients when creating a robotics lab of international repute. When we were considering a collaborative robot, we knew it had to be from Universal Robots. After buying a UR5, we felt it is very user friendly, easy to set-up and simple to customize. It is a robot that works on an open source platform, allowing students to conduct their own experiments.

Dr. B. Vinod, Professor & Head of Department Robotics & Automation Engineering