A career in robotics is one of the most coveted things for those interested in engineering and automation. Presently, there is an explosion in the number of companies seeking innovative robotics solutions creating unprecedented demand for robotics innovators. Luckily, there is an equal amount of interest in offering easy robotics training courses and guidelines, even to the youngest innovators.
How do you go about learning industrial robotics at home, and where do you even start? To save you from the hustle of learning through trial and error, here are three easy approaches to learn robotics and industrial robotics at home:
1. Baby Steps- Start with A Simple Robotics Kit
Walk into any retail store today, and you will find a dozen or more DIY robotics kits made for all age groups. The easiest entry point into learning robotics starts with these baby steps using a DIY robotics kit from Amazon or your local Walmart store. A good DIY robotics kit comes with all the components you need to understand the basics of:
Basic Robot assembly.
Robot programming fundamentals, such as configuring arm movements.
Arm movement and articulation.
Payloads.
Hand guiding- For collaborative robot kits.
Axis and degrees of movement.
Mobility.
Reach.
Working with end effectors, among others.
Robotics kits take a fun, do-it-yourself approach to learning robotics, making it easy for non-engineers and kids to learn the fundamentals and develop an interest in industrial or any other type of robotics.
2. Graduate to Real World Robot Programming
In your learning journey, your next foray should be trying your hand in real-world robot programming. Contrary to popular belief, programming robots isn't so complicated and hard to learn. You'll be surprised how many lines of code you need to make a real-world industrial robot do what it needs to do to accomplish simple tasks such as picking and placing items.
There are numerous robot programming simulation programs you can use to learn before you transition to programming a real robot. Some industrial robot manufacturers also provide simulation programs as learning resources for those interested in robotics.
Get Your Own Robot Arm and Programming Kit
Just a few years ago, it would have been impossible to or too expensive for an individual to purchase their industrial robot arm for personal use or learning. However, industrial robot arms and end effectors are now more available than ever, thanks to innovations and increasing demand from small businesses.
With this in mind, your next giant step into learning industrial robotics at home is to purchase a cheap industrial robot arm and programming kit. Luckily some robot manufacturers package easy to learn programming guidelines and intuitive programming interfaces with the robotic arm. You can then use it for real-life projects such as picking and placing items, engraving, painting, and other DIY projects at home.
3. Enroll in A Free or Paid Digital Course
There are numerous free and paid online learning resources on robotics for self -learners like you. Sites like Brilliant, Coursera, Linkedin Learning, YouTube, Pluralsight have great courses on robotics topics. If you want a more structured approach that resembles a college degree, then going through MIT's open courseware and Stanford Engineering free video courses on robotics could be ideal for you.
Great resources to learn robotics at home include but are not limited to:
MIT Open courseware
Stanford Engineering free learning resources
Universal Robots Academy
EDx has wonderful courses on robotics such as the one on robot mechanics and control
Coursera
Linkedin learning
Pluralsight
Brilliant.org
QUT Robot Academy
Some of the best resources you can find are free and presented by the best trainers in the industry. Being a specialized engineering topic, it's quite hard to find a low-quality course on robotics.
All in all, learning industrial robotics is probably the best thing you can do for yourself today. It is said that robotics and AI are the drivers of industry 4.0, so positioning yourself as a professional could turn you into a valuable resource now and in the future.
