Programmable Automation Technologies ─ An Introduction to CNC, Robotics, and PLCs

This comprehensive textbook covers in detail the principal programmable automation technologies used in industry - the building blocks from which all automated manufacturing is developed. It is a one-stop source for developing CNC, robotics, and PLC programming skills, is replete with numerous examples, and it identifies and discusses readily available simulation software to experiment with. The text is primarily intended for undergraduate engineering technology students. Besides, anyone with a technical background and a general understanding of manufacturing and manufacturing processes will find this text useful, as well as to those who wish, simply, to study and understand the use of these technologies

The text is organized into four sections. Section One is introductory: Chapter 1 provides some background on manu-facturing and defines programmable automation. Chapter 2 explains calculation methods used to justify automation expenditures, as motivated by productivity concepts. Section Two covers computer numerical control: Chapter Chapter 3 introduces CNC technology, Chapter 4 discusses CNC programming, and Chapter 5 addresses CNC simulation. Robotics is covered in Section Three: Chapter 6 introduces robotics technology and Chapter 7 goes over both robotics programming and simulation. Section Four addresses PLCs: Chapter 8 introduces PLCs and Chapter 9 covers programming and simulation of PLCs. Finally, Chapter 10 concludes the text with a discussion of how all three technologies are brought together to create programmable automated workstations and work cells.

Dan Kandray is registered professional engineer in the State of Ohio and currently is Assistant Professor at The University of Akron, teaching in the Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology programs. He has a B. S. in Mechanical Engineering from Youngstown State University and M. S. in Technology from Kent State University. Professor Kandray has long provided consulting services to industry, including machine, part, and tooling design. He has over 20 years experience as a Mechanical Engineer, much of this time in the rubber and plastics industry. The products he has designed range from submarine machinery to helicopter bearings to complete automated machines.