Page 38 - spaces4learning, January/February 2020

spaces4learning K-12 BUILDING BLUEPRINTS
DESIGNING ROBOTICS LABS
Robotics education is among the most relevant workforce development training a school can provide. However, these specialized labs require specific design strategies to optimize real-world learning.
By Douglas Rich, AIA, and Brandon Biniker
A RAPID INCREASE IN AUTOMATION IS CHANGING the skills students need to succeed during the fourth industrial revolution. Today, robotics education is among the most relevant workforce development training a school can provide. However, these specialized labs require specific design strategies to opti- mize real-world learning.
Determining Your Space Needs
When it comes to robotics labs, the size of your equipment determines your space needs. A typical lab includes space for small demonstration robots and an adjacent classroom. There is no difference between learning to program a demonstration robot or a full-size robotics arm; so many schools choose the smaller robots to save space and money.
If you do have access to full-size robotics equipment, you will need more space. At the new Tri Star Career Compact in Celina,
Ohio, the school received a generous donation of multiple full- size robotics arms. The larger equipment required more space. As a result, the new school has a 3,037-square-foot high bay lab with ample room for 10 full-size robotics stations, two demon- stration stations, equipment storage and security fencing.
The need for security fencing is one of the biggest differences between demonstration robotics equipment and real-world robotics equipment. Industrial robots are incredibly powerful machines, and security fencing is critical to ensure student and teacher safety.
If you have the space and the resources, investing in full- size robotics equipment provides an additional layer of educa- tion. Not only do students learn about programming, but they gain experience with real-world safety protocols. However, if you are planning to have one or more full-size robots, be pre- pared to invest in additional space and equipment.
Maximize Flexibility
Mobility isn’t the first word that comes to mind when think- ing of robots, but flexible design strategies are an important part of any robotics lab. At Tri Star, flexibility was the number one design criteria. Inspired by a visit to the Honda North Ameri- can Training Center in Marysville, Ohio, the lab space includes ceiling-mounted bus duct with movable electrical disconnects for power drops. All utilities are located in the ceiling, including power and compressed air. This allows the school to reconfigure robots anywhere along the bus duct line. In fact, the design is
so flexible that Tri Star’s robotics instructor reconfigured the room layout during construction and implemented a different configuration on the first day of school. These flexible strate- gies are applicable to both demonstration and full-size robotics
Brain Work. Well-designed workstations help students learn the ins and outs of electronics and programming.
Photos by William Manning Photography / courtesy of Fanning Howey
equipment.
Focus on Instruction
While the robotics lab will receive all the publicity, the adjacent classroom is where students spend most of their time. It is important to create a strong connection between the classroom and the lab. It is also critical to provide op- timal workstations for students. At Tri Star, students start their year by build- ing their own computers, which they later use in learning to program the in- dustrial robots. Their workstations are custom-designed based on the input from Tri Star’s robotics director. Each workstation includes LED lighting, coding stations, soldering equipment and overhead tool storage. The larger classroom area includes desks with computer monitors that raise and lower via remote control. The configuration gives the teacher the ability to move from lecture to project-based learning
38 JAN/FEB 2020