Clever technologies form part of smart manufacturing lab to train the next generation of Australian engineers
A new $3m advanced manufacturing lab is being built by Applied Robotics for TAFE Queensland, funded through the Queensland Government's $100 million Equipping TAFE for our Future program.
The new lab, scheduled for installation in February 2025, will feature several key Rockwell Automation technologies, cleverly designed to train the next generation of Australian engineers, manufacturers, and innovators.
"We've had a long partnership with Rockwell, extending more than 30 years, so when we won the project to deliver this smart manufacturing lab, we knew Rockwell had the expertise and technologies to meet our needs," said Isaac Roach, chief operating officer, Applied Robotics, which is a Silver OEM partner in the Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork™.
"Not many suppliers have all the technologies under one roof, but with Rockwell, we could get IoT [Internet of Things], MES [Manufacturing Execution Systems], logistics technologies, PLCs [Programmable Logic Controllers], digital twin visualisation, and AMRs [Autonomous Mobile Robots] all from the one supplier," he added.
"Applied Robotics is an OEM solutions provider that caters to the more complex end of automation, and Rockwell is one of our preferred suppliers due to its quality product, technical expertise, and customer service."
The new lab, to be installed at TAFE Queensland's Ipswich campus, will focus on training students in areas such as robotics, CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining, machine vision and learning, and automated logistics and storage.
"A key outcome set out by the TAFE was that we needed to be able to train the trainers, so they are well-equipped to teach students in the new lab. Rockwell was instrumental in achieving this, particularly with its Plex software running the entire system with control down to the device level," said Roach.
Plex is a Software as a Service (SaaS) Smart Manufacturing Platform that connects people, systems, machines, and supply chains. It is a digital system of record that automates business processes, tracks data from the shop floor to the top floor, and delivers analytics to improve visibility, quality, and control.
"It's vital to nurture the next generation of manufacturing talent, and advanced labs like this will help train Australia's innovators and entrepreneurs of the future," said Anthony Wong, regional director, South Pacific, Rockwell Automation.
Smart solutions for a smart lab
In addition to providing advanced industrial automation technologies, backed by expertise in the field, Rockwell also tailored its technologies to the educational environment.
"Rockwell is assisting in the design of a twinned PLC System for the room, which means that students could programme and test their skills using one PLC, but it could always be flipped back to the original settings if something didn't work. This is a really clever system for an educational setup, and Rockwell took that challenge on and delivered an ideal result," said Roach.
Another feature of the smart lab will be Rockwell's Emulate3D, a digital twin software that enables a total digital visualisation of plant.
"In workforce applications, Emulate3D allows users to create, fine tune, and test designs before they are built, saving the large costs often associated with redesigning a factory after the fact. In an educational context, students can trial their designs in an environment that accurately mirrors real life," said Roach.
OTTO Motors AMRs
The lab will also feature Rockwell's OTTO Motors AMRs. This is one of the first local installations of OTTO which came as part of Rockwell's acquisition of Clearpath Robotics in 2023.
"AMRs are at the forefront of industrial automation, so it was important to include them in the smart manufacturing lab. OTTO Motors AMRs are respected globally for enhancing productivity for manufacturing facilities, so we were excited to include them in our designs," said Roach.
Future possibilities
With the TAFE Queensland advanced manufacturing lab underway, Applied Robotics is already looking at new opportunities.
"People are impressed with what this industry and education partnership is set to achieve, and we've already had other educational institutions in Australia interested in a similar set up. We are excited about these possibilities, and will look to continue to expand our strong partnership with Rockwell to continue delivering for the Australian education sector," concluded Roach.
About us:
About Applied Robotics
Since 1985, Applied Robotics have met the most demanding industrial challenges for automation, including safety, performance, and reliability. Quality is embedded deep within our values and culture, providing a key framework for us to operate with efficiency and confidence. Our aim is to empower Australian manufacturing businesses with competitive advantage by solving the most complex automation challenges for industry. As a team of innovative experts, we believe collaboration is the key to successful long-term partnerships, through our automation discovery program we uncover the technical and commercial motivators to these challenges to unique industry challenges, we then design, manufacture, deploy, and support tailored automation solutions. About the Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork
