Apprenticesdevelop robotic arm

Apprentices bring robotics to the trade fair

In a digital world, apprentices trade fairs often seem like a relic from a long-forgotten past.  Before you know where you are, you are inundated with masses of unsolicited brochures and flyers. Two apprentices from TKMS were convinced that there was a better way and immersed themselves in robotics to give their employer's presence at the trade fair a decisive boost.

The two apprentices, Finn-Oliver and Thore, came up with the idea to develop a user-friendly, 3D-printed robotic arm designed to attract attention to the trade fair booth and actively support those working on the booth. The plan: Visitors to the trade fair would be able to use an interface to control the different axes of the robot and grab hold of the goodies that take their interest.

Initial models with state-of-the-art CAD programmes

The initial concept was quickly finalised and, just as quickly, the two apprentices were able to win over their Head of apprentices Cem, who continued to give them free reign. “We started with a 3D model and we poured a great deal of work as well as a great deal of our own time into this,” reveals Finn-Oliver, who has been studying for an integrated degree in mechatronics at TKMS since completing his apprenticeship as an industrial mechanic. However, the real challenges only began once the model had been developed using the CAD programmes SolidWorks and Autodesk.

“Because that’s where the electronics came in,” Finn recalls. “Once we had wired everything up and assembled the motors, we started trying to programme the robotic arm.” But programming was only part of the challenge. The electronics for the robotic arm created persistent problems in the form of a robot that didn’t want to work, so Finn and Thore had to take everything apart again and – more or less – work patiently to get to the root of the problem. They did eventually find out what was causing the issue. A small cause with a huge impact: a trivial cabling error had thrown a spanner in the works.

An unexpectedly complex project

And it wasn’t the only one. The plastic arm, or rather a plug socket, broke when we brought the robot into operation. “A design error,” as Finn reports. “The cross-section was too small.” When another part broke during transport, the pair decided to switch things up: Switching to steel as the material for the robotic arm finally solved the strength problems.

However, this quickly made the project – and the drawings – a whole lot more complex. There was only one point that the pair had initially underestimated and that was how easy it would be to assemble. “It’s not just about imagining what the product should look like. It’s also about working out how to assemble it in the first place,” says Finn. “Our drawings, which we created and revised throughout the project, now look pretty wild,” laughs Finn.

Finn and Thore were always able to count on their employer to help them with all the challenges. "Our specialist trainers advised and helped us with individual functions," says Finn. "My specialist trainer Stefan was always a great help, as was Oliver when it came to electronics. We were always able to develop a solution to any questions we had."

Robot arm in action

The robot arm is now finished and is used at trainee fairs to interact with interested visitors. They will then operate the robot via six axes and choose the trade fair goodies they find exciting. Further developments are also already planned: The robot arm will soon have an ultrasonic sensor and a manual control system. You just grow with your tasks.

Although Finn smiles and admits: "An important learning for us was that things rarely work immediately as planned. But the project has definitely helped us move forward." And that's exactly what the trainee projects are all about, as training manager Cem emphasizes.