Fanuc Robotics America, Inc. (www. fanucrobotics.com) has developed a certified education robot training program that it is making available to qualified high schools, community colleges and universities.

The program certifies instructors at educational institutions to train their students to program Fanuc robots.

To accompany the program, an eligible school can purchase a new innovative educational tooling package that includes an industrial robot, integrated vision system, programmable logic controller, and RoboGuide simulation software.

“With this package, students can learn fundamental through advanced engineering and manufacturing concepts while learning math and science,” said Kevin Ostby, vice president, Customer Resource Center, Fanuc Robotics. “Students will work with the same robots, software and applications that are used in industry.”

Schools can use the new package to integrate robot training into their programs and initiatives. Some of the successful approaches used by educational institutions are:

• Add robotic automation facilitated learning to Career Technical Education programs.

• Integration of robotic automation to teach design and manufacturing concepts.

• Creation of new courses and project-based activities to prepare students to work with robotic automation.

• Integrate CERT program with career cluster curriculum.

• Apply industrial robot training to engineering technology curriculum.

• And, add CERT program to community workforce retraining initiatives/

“ We feel this is a very effective program for educational institutions to train today’s young people to be qualified for successful careers in tomorrow’s high-tech manufacturing environment. In addition, it provides a flexible platform that can be directly integrated into the growing career technical education programs across the country.” said Ostby.