Due: Wednesday, March 11 at 11:50 AM
Location: ALIC @ Bessemer (FANUC CRX Educational Cell)
- Overview
- Learning Outcomes
- Team Structure
- Hardware and Software
- Project Structure
- Part 1: Safety, Startup, and Manual Operation
- Part 2: Create and Run a Movement Program
- Part 3: Pick-and-Place Program
- Assessment
- Team Evaluation Process
- Resources
- Submission Instructions
- Academic Integrity
In this project, you will work with a FANUC CRX collaborative robot and its Tablet TP. You have already covered the introductory slides and completed a simulated preparation activity. This project begins with a brief orientation — safe startup, jogging, and manual guided movement — then moves quickly into programming, testing, and pick-and-place.
Because we have 19 students and 5 robots, teams will be larger than usual, so this project includes explicit role rotation and peer/self-evaluation to keep everyone engaged and accountable.
By completing this project, you will be able to:
- Identify major components of a FANUC collaborative robot cell and explain their roles
Fulfills Course Learning Outcome 1 - Operate the robot safely in teach mode (TP enabled) using the Tablet TP, jogging controls, and manual guided movement
Fulfills Course Learning Outcome 4 - Create, test, and revise a basic robot program using taught positions and motion commands
Fulfills Course Learning Outcome 2 - Implement a simple pick-and-place task using a gripper and approach/retreat logic
Fulfills Course Learning Outcome 2 - Debug robot motion by adjusting points, speeds, and sequencing during program verification
Fulfills Course Learning Outcome 2 - Explain how collaborative robot safety differs from ordinary manual or non-collaborative automation
Fulfills Course Learning Outcome 5 - Document robot behavior, team decisions, and testing results in a clear engineering record
Fulfills Course Learning Outcome 2
- Team Size: approximately 4 students per robot
- Team Formation: teams are assigned by the instructor
- Shared Constraint: only one student can actively manipulate the pendant at a time, so turn-taking is required
- Individual Accountability: every student must complete hands-on robot actions and document their contributions
- Evaluation: team product, peer/self-evaluation, and documented contributions determine the final grade
Since only one person can operate the Tablet TP at a time, your team must rotate roles every 10–15 minutes during each session. Use a timer or let the Safety Monitor call switches.
Roles (rotate through all of them each session):
| Role | Responsibilities |
|---|---|
| Pendant Operator | Holds and operates the Tablet TP; performs jogging, touch-up, and program execution |
| Safety Monitor | Watches robot motion, workspace clearance, and team positioning; has authority to call stop immediately |
| Recorder | Takes notes on taught points, parameter choices, errors, and successes; captures photos/video |
| Spotter / Analyst | Reads the program timeline and checks whether planned motion matches actual behavior; suggests edits |
If your team has only three members, combine Recorder and Spotter. With four members, all roles should be distinct.
Tip: In your reflection, record who held which role and when. This is how individual contribution is verified.
Each student must personally do all of the following at least once:
- Observe all three movement methods and personally perform at least one during Part 1
- Touch up or record at least one robot position during Part 2 or Part 3
- Operate the pendant during at least one program test run
- Contribute to the written reflection
Students who do not participate hands-on should expect a grade penalty even if the team program works.
- FANUC CRX 10iA collaborative robot (max payload 10 kg, reach 1249 mm)
- CRX Controller: R30iB Mini Plus
- Tablet Teach Pendant (Tablet TP): Android-based touch-screen controller
- SCHUNK EGP 64 Gripper: Fully electronic gripper — max gripping weight 1.25 kg, 10 mm stroke per jaw, standard opening 44 mm. 3D-printed gripper fingers.
- Welded steel table with payload and palletizing board (pickup spots and circular placement spots)
- Trace board for shape-tracing programs
- 3D-printed pointer and pointer holder (used for tracing exercises)
- Pick-and-place objects provided in lab
- FANUC Tablet Teach Pendant interface (timeline-based programming)
- Existing Home program available on the robot
- Gripper plugin (Android-based, compatible with CRX Tablet TP)
You will complete three parts. Each part builds on the previous one — Part 1 is orientation, Part 2 is movement programming, and Part 3 adds pick-and-place using the gripper.
See part1-manual-operation.md for full details, including startup steps, visual references, required evidence, and checkpoint questions.
See part2-movement.md for full details, including minimum requirements, recommended sequence, visual references, required evidence, and checkpoint questions.
See part3-pick-and-place.md for full details, including minimum requirements, programming ideas, design advice, visual references, required evidence, and success threshold.
Total: 10 points (part of 40 points for all projects)
Your grade = Team Product Score − Contribution Penalty
All team members start with the same team product score.
- Each member observed all three movement methods; each member personally performed at least one
- Reflection questions for Part 1 answered clearly
- At least two shape programs created and tested (straight-edged + circle)
- Loop modification implemented and team can explain the choice
- Reflection describes positions, revisions, loop design, and design choices
- Program performs a pick-and-place cycle (or reaches substantial partial completion)
- Payload changes handled correctly
- Reflection describes approach/retreat strategy, gripper settings, and what was adjusted
- Reflection completed thoroughly with all sections filled in
- Role rotation log filled in for each session
After calculating the team product score, a penalty may be applied based on peer evaluations and contribution evidence.
Penalty determined by:
- Peer evaluation feedback (hands-on participation, collaboration, reliability)
- Role rotation log in the reflection (did you actually take turns?)
- Self-reflection quality and alignment with peer feedback
Penalty levels:
| Peer Review Avg | Penalty | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 4.5–5.0 | None (0 pts) | Excellent participation and peer reviews |
| 3.5–4.4 | −0.5 to −1 | Good reviews, minor concerns |
| 2.5–3.4 | −1.5 to −3 | Adequate reviews, limited hands-on work |
| 1.5–2.4 | −4 to −7 | Poor reviews, minimal participation |
| < 1.5 | −8 to −10 | Very poor reviews, non-participation |
Each student will individually complete the Self & Team Evaluation Form.
For each teammate (including yourself), rate on a scale of 1–5:
- Hands-on Participation: Did they actively operate the robot, or just observe?
- Work Quality: Did they put genuine effort into understanding and completing each part?
- Collaboration: Were they engaged in discussion, willing to help debug, and supportive?
- Contribution: Did they contribute a fair share of programming, testing, and documentation?
- Reliability: Did they attend all sessions and follow through on commitments?
- List which parts you personally operated the pendant for
- List which roles you held and when (reference your role rotation log)
- Rate your own participation honestly (1–5)
- Note any circumstances that affected your ability to contribute
- Introduction to Collaborative Robot Setup and Programming (slides)
- FANUC CRX Operator Manual
- FANUC CRX program creation tutorial (provided in class)
- FANUC CRX curved motion / loops tutorial (provided in class)
- FANUC CRX pick-and-place / gripper tutorial (provided in class)
Submit via your team GitHub repository by Wednesday, March 11 at 11:50 AM.
Each team member must also complete the peer and self-evaluation form by the same deadline.
-
Reflection
writing/reflection.md— completed with all sections
-
Part 2 evidence
- Video of each shape program running (one per shape — two total), or live in-class demo
- Video of your loop modification running, or live in-class demo
- Screenshot of each program timeline
-
Part 3 evidence
- Video of pick-and-place program running, or live in-class demo
- Screenshot of program timeline
-
Peer and self-evaluation (each student individually)
- Complete the Self & Team Evaluation Form
- Collaboration: Work within your team, but do not copy another team's robot program or documentation
- External resources: If you use online tutorials or documentation, cite them in the reflection
- LLM usage: If you use ChatGPT, Copilot, or another AI tool, describe what you asked and how you used the response
- Responsibility: You must understand and be able to explain any program structure, motion plan, or terminology included in your submission