Sheridan Course Outlines

Land Acknowledgement

First Nations peoples have lived on this part of Turtle Island for millennia, stewarding the land, the water and all that contributes to life in this region. Today, the culture and presence of First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples enrich the lands and people of this territory.

Over two centuries ago, the Mississauga people welcomed settlers to this territory, providing sustenance and engaging in trade and commerce. Between 1781 to 1820, eight treaties were signed with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation who opened their territory to settlement. Today, Sheridan campuses are located on Treaty 14, also known as the Head of the Lake Purchase of 1806 and Treaty 22 and 23 of 1820.

Treaty history is foundational, and it is our collective responsibility to honour the land, as we honour and respect those who have gone before us, those who are here and those who have yet to come. We are grateful for the opportunity to be learning, working and thriving on this land, and we commit to learn the truth and be active in the process of reconciliation.

Section I: Administrative Information

Total hours: 42.0
Credit Value: 3.0
Credit Value Notes: N/A
Effective: Winter 2026
Prerequisites: N/A
Corequisites: N/A
Equivalents: N/A
Pre/Co/Equiv Notes: N/A

Program(s): Electromechanical Eng Technic, Electromechanical Engi Technol
Program Coordinator(s): Andy Alubaidy
Course Leader or Contact: Srinivas Ganapathyraju
Version: 20260105_00
Status: Approved (APPR)

Section I Notes: N/A

Section II: Course Details

Detailed Description
This course is designed to be an introduction to robotics. The scope will be that of an introduction and familiarizing of robotic fundamentals. This will include the history and present day use of robots in industry. The Participant will be able to identify many types of robots and applications that they can be assigned to perform. Students will be introduced to the operation and basic programming of a robot system.

Program Context

Electromechanical Eng Technic	Program Coordinator(s): Andy Alubaidy
This course is designed to be an introduction to robotics. The scope will be that of an introduction and familiarizing of robotic fundamentals. This will include the history and present day use of robots in industry. The Participant will be able to identify many types of robots and applications that they can be assigned to perform. Students will be introduced to the operation and basic programming of a robot system.
Electromechanical Engi Technol	Program Coordinator(s): Andy Alubaidy
This course is designed to be an introduction to robotics. The scope will be that of an introduction and familiarizing of robotic fundamentals. This will include the history and present day use of robots in industry. The Participant will be able to identify many types of robots and applications that they can be assigned to perform. Students will be introduced to the operation and basic programming of a robot system.

Course Critical Performance and Learning Outcomes

	Critical Performance:
	By the end of this course, students will have demonstrated the ability to understand the concepts and technologies of robotic systems, the history and present day use of robots in industry, as well as carry out basic programming of a robot system. Safety issues concerning robotics and automation will be discussed.

Learning Outcomes:

To achieve the critical performance, students will have demonstrated the ability to:

Identify five uses for a robot in industry.
Describe the history of robotic development.
Describe the basic elements of a robot program.
Identify the many types of robots and the advantages - disadvantages of each one.
Understand the fundamentals of robotics programming and operation.
Identify the different types of end effectors used in industry today.
Confidently create different types of robot programs.
Identify and describe the different types of control sytem used in robots today.
Understand the use of Robots in Computer Integrated Manufacturing.
Define the Safety issues concerning Robotics and Automation.
Identify Key factors the effect the acceptance of Automation by Management and Organization Labor forces.

Evaluation Plan
Students demonstrate their learning in the following ways:

Evaluation Plan: IN-CLASS

	Midterm Exam	35.0%
	Final Exam	35.0%
	Assignment	5.0%
	Lab Projects (5 @ 5% each)	25.0%
	Total	100.0%

Evaluation Notes and Academic Missed Work Procedure:

(The School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering & Technology is abbreviated as MEET in this outline.) 

MEET MISSED EVALUATIONS PROCESS:
Please refer to the supporting documents posted in the Student Success in Engineering Virtual Community on SLATE.

MEET LATE ASSIGNMENT POLICY:
Assignments and Lab Reports are due as advised by the instructor.  Late submission will attract a 10% deduction per day, to a maximum of 30%.  Assignments submitted after 3 days late will be awarded a grade of zero.

Provincial Context
The course meets the following Ministry of Colleges and Universities requirements:

Essential Employability Skills
Essential Employability Skills emphasized in the course:

Communication Skills - Communicate clearly, concisely and correctly in the written, spoken, visual form that fulfills the purpose and meets the needs of the audience.
Communication Skills - Respond to written, spoken, or visual messages in a manner that ensures effective communication.
Numeracy - Execute mathematical operations accurately.
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving Skills - Use a variety of thinking skills to anticipate and solve problems.
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving - Apply a systematic approach to solve problems.
Information Management Skills - Analyze, evaluate, and apply relevant information from a variety of sources.
Information Management - Locate, select, organize and document information using appropriate technology and information systems.
Interpersonal Skills - Show respect for the diverse opinions, values, belief systems, and contributions of others.
Personal Skills - Manage the use of time and other resources to complete projects.
Personal Skills - Take responsibility for one's own actions, decisions, and consequences.

Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition
PLAR Contact (if course is PLAR-eligible) - Office of the Registrar

Not Eligible for PLAR

Section III: Topical Outline

Some details of this outline may change as a result of circumstances such as weather cancellations, College and student activities, and class timetabling.
Instruction Mode: In-Class
Professor: Multiple Professors
Resource(s):
Course material costs can be found through the Sheridan Bookstore

	Type	Description
Optional	Other	Reference will be provided by instructor: Lab manual for the Fanuc, Asea, Nachi Robotic Sytems

Applicable student group(s): Electromechanical Engineering Technician/Technology
Course Details:

Module 1:Present the history of robotic systems
- Cite an example from history to show that some elements of robot technology were present in Manufacturing more than 100 years ago.
- Identify and describe the reasons why robots did not appear in large numbers in manufacturing until the late 1970s.
- St ate the Robot Industries Association's definition of an industrial robot
- Explain, and give an example of, how industrial robots are used in mass-production manufacturing systems that utilize transfer lines
- Describe how industrial robots are used in batch production systems that utilize the traditional job shop and flexible manufacturing systems
- Name and describe the basic building blocks of an industrial robot
- Name and describe the additional components that make up a robot system
- Define the following robot terms: degree of freedom, position axes, orientation axes, work envelope, and tool center point (TCP).
- D fine and give an example of the following specifications for industrial robots: payload, repeatability, accuracy, memory capacity, and environmental requirements
- Introduction to robot safety and proper use of teach mode and automatic mode
- Setup software
- Basic functions and workspace manipulation
- Create a simple cell, with a robot, the control unit
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,10

Module 2:Present different ways in which robots are classified
- Identify the six groups into which industrial robots can be classified
- Explain the distinction between robots with closed-loop control and open-loop control
- Describe the techniques used in closed- and open-loop systems to move the end-of-arm tooling to the programmed point
- List the advantages and disadvantages of open and closed-loop control in robot systems
- Distinguish between assembly and non-assembly robots according to the applications for which they were designed
- Classify robots by arm geometry, power source, and path control technique
- Identify different types of robot work envelopes and name the arm geometry that produces them
- Name the three power sources used for robot motion and their advantages and disadvantages
- Identify the different path-control techniques and describe their characteristics
- Use software to jog the robot
- Create a new program using the teach pendent in the software
- Create a simple program using Joint interpolation and Linear interpolation
- Understand the structure of the program
(Learning Outcomes: 3,4,5,6,7,10)

Module 3: Introduction to End of Arm Tooling
- Name the five general requirements that all tooling must satisfy
- Identify and describe briefly the four basic tooling power sources
- Identify the six categories of end-of-arm tooling used in robot applications
- Identify and describe examples of the end-of-arm tooling included in the following categories: standard grippers, vacuum devices, magnetic devices, flexible pneumatic devices, special-purpose tools, and special-purpose devices
- Identify and describe the basic robotic system mechanical unit, controller, teach pendant, and servo motor control system for robots in the lab.
- Identify and describe the Safety procedure for the proper use of the robot
- Basic operation of the robot system: Power up and down, motion of the arm, teach pendant
- Software menu system robot teach pendant
- Move the robot using the teach pendant functions
- Learn the joystick control for jogging the different axis
- Control the speed of the joint axis
Learning Outcomes: 3,5,6,7,10
Assignment #1 due (5%)

Midterm Exam (35%)

Module 4:Introduction to teach pendent functions
- Describe the function of all the teach pendant buttons
- Describe the term Tool Center point and Identify the reasons for the need to set up a tool center point
- Describe the differences between the following manual motion control command function: Individual Joint Motion and coordinated motion as it relates to the base of the robot or tool plate.
- List the advantages and disadvantages of joint, base, tool coordinated motions
- Define the tool center point (TCP) for the end effector for the robot
- Create a program using joint and linear interpolation
Learning Outcomes: 3,5,6,7,10
Lab #1 (5%)

Module 5: Robot Teaching Techniques
- List and describe the four basic functions of the computers controlling an automated work cell
- Explain the two fundamental elements of all industrial robot programs
- Describe mainline and supporting sequences in a robot program and give an example of a conditional branching command
- Name and describe two basic methods of robot teaching
- Define on-line programming and explain how its chief disadvantage can be reduced by some programming methods.
- Create a program using joint, linear, and circular interpolation
Learning Outcomes: 3,5,6,7,10
Lab #2 (5%)

Module 6: Work-Cell Sensors
- List the two types of interfaces and three groups of sensors used in industrial robot systems
- Identify and explain the operation of the two simple noncontact sensors used in industrial robot installations
- Explain the difference between the simple sensor interface and the complex sensor interface
- Identify and describe visual and tactile sensors and the systems required to support them
- Create new sub-routines
- Create new programs within the subroutines using joint, linear, and circular interpolation
- Call the sub-routines within the main function
(Learning Outcomes 3,5,6,7,8,10)
Lab #3 (5%)

Module 7: CIM Overview
- Write down the definition of CIM
- Identify the main areas of The CIM wheel
- Identify where Robotics fits into CIM
- Describe the different types of Work cell architecture and how robots are used in each one
- Understand digital input commands
- Understand the IF-ELSE statement
- Create new programs within the subroutines using joint, linear, and circular interpolation, digital input, and IF-ELSE statement
Learning Outcomes: 3,5,6,7,9,10
Lab #4 (5%)

Module 8: Robot Safety
- Define the standards by which robotic systems must adhere to
- List what devices can be used for safeguarding a work cell's defined areas of intrusion
- List the definitions of the following terms Awareness barriers, Awareness Signals, Emergency Stops, Robot Stops, Interlocks, Limiting Devices
- Understand digital output commands
- Create new programs within the subroutines using joint, linear, and circular interpolation, digital input, digital output, and IF-ELSE statement
Learning Outcomes: 3,5,6,7,10
Lab #5 (5%)

Module 9: The Acceptance of Robots by Industry Management and Labor
- List the Major Elements of an operator training programming
- Describe how to reduce the resistance to automation
- Identify the key factors or concerns that both sides of a company organization have towards automation and robotics.
- Identify the items that complicate maintenance training of automated equipment
Learning Outcome: 11

Final Exam (35%)

Sheridan Policies

It is recommended that students read the following policies in relation to course outlines:

Academic Integrity
Copyright
Intellectual Property
Respectful Behaviour
Accessible Learning

All Sheridan policies can be viewed on the Sheridan policy website.

Appropriate use of generative Artificial Intelligence tools: In alignment with Sheridan's Academic Integrity Policy, students should consult with their professors and/or refer to evaluation instructions regarding the appropriate use, or prohibition, of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools for coursework. Turnitin AI detection software may be used by faculty members to screen assignment submissions or exams for unauthorized use of artificial intelligence. Students are encouraged to engage with generative AI in teaching and learning contexts thoughtfully. Please review the Guidelines for the Responsible Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence at Sheridan College.

Course Outline Changes: The information contained in this Course Outline including but not limited to faculty and program information and course description is subject to change without notice. Any changes to course curriculum and/or assessment shall adhere to approved Sheridan protocol. Nothing in this Course Outline should be viewed as a representation, offer and/or warranty. Students are responsible for reading the Important Notice and Disclaimer which applies to Programs and Courses.

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