True love in the Plastics Lab

It is a real eye catcher during the open days of Mechanical Engineering in Emmen: the high-tech robotic arm Kuka in the Plastics Lab. Fourth-year students Mechanical Engineering Ilse de Veen (20) and Max van Broekhoven (24) had been looking forward to the Control Systems subject for quite some time, in which they were allowed to programme the robot. “It has definitely sparked something in us.”

Grabbing blocks, making a drawing, or ‘welding’ two pieces of plastic together; it is a piece of cake for robot arm Kuka. Or rather: a piece of high-tech equipment. “During the Control Systems subject, you learn how to make a robot do exactly what you want it to do,” Ilse says enthusiastically. “By having the arm pick up and move rods, pens and blocks, you create a movement which you can make it repeat in exactly the same way countless times. Simply put, it is programming.”

During the Control Systems subject, you learn how to make a robot do exactly what you want it to do.

Dawn of the robots

All Mechanical Engineering students briefly get acquainted with programming during their studies. It is a specialism that is becoming increasingly important in their field, Ilse notices. “Nine out of ten companies where you would end up as a Mechanical Engineering student, have a robot. So, it pays for a technician to have some knowledge of ICT. I am not an expert, but because of Kuka, I do know the basics.” The same holds true for Max. He has become more interested in programming because of robot Kuka. “It is unbelievably cool to make a robot behave according to your wishes. Whenever I would tell friends and family about Kuka, they’d be surprised by its versatility and the things it can do. I notice that automation and robots are around us more and more. It is hard to imagine business without them.”

A look into the futur

It goes without saying that both students are truly proud of the robotic arm in the Plastics Lab. “I am mostly impressed by the power and speed of this robot,” Ilse nods. “Kuka is enclosed by a cage with security sensors for safety reasons. When someone enters, the arm automatically shuts down.” Max also has respect for the robot, which harbours quite a bit of power. “And we have not even seen it work at full speed. Imagine the things that are possible. It offers a sort of look into the future.”