Simulation software for HS robotics class?

[oneartist]

Hello,
I'm not an engineer. I teach three classes of High School robotics. We use German Fischertechnik kits with Function block assembly programming(LLWin - Lucky Logic Windows. I plan to have the students build a scale size warehouse and factory out of beams and planks - I used to be a Building Contractor before I became a teacher. We will program our industrial and mobile robots to work together in this atmosphere.
I would like to add robotic simulation software to our curriculum. What do you recommend as a good industrial software High School students could understand? Several students have had C++ and many of their parents work for a Toyota assembly plant.
Thanks for any advice,
Chuck Feathers

 

[ve7brz]

I personally prefer to work with assembly language. I know it's rather slow and laborious work, but the end product is the fastest, most compact and most efficient code possible. Considering the amount of program memory available on most µP's it may be the only way to squeeze all the code you need into the available memory.

My next choice would be FORTH. It's not well supported any more but is vastly superior to any other 'high level' languages for compactness and speed. Most second generation Operating Systems were writen in FORTH. Many of those crude old machines will execute code far faster than current machines in the lazy C++ windows environment.

 

[Engineer6512]

I'd recommend sticking with C++. True it might not be the fastest or most compact, but knowing how to program in C will be much more of an asset for them in university and beyond.

 

[oneartist]

ve7brz and Beazley,
Thanks for the information. We are trying to get a simulation software called "Workspace 2". Their programs simulate most current robots including Kawasaki which are used to assemble Toyotas. I'm in the middle of some interesting things. I should have taken more math classes in school. But, like I tell my students, "do the best you can with the brain you've got." I'm also teaching and learning two classes of Tech Drawing/AutoCAD. I'm 55 and I guess I'll ward off alizheimers(sp) with everything I'm learning.

Thanks again,

Chuck

 

[JayMaechtlen]

Chuck
I don't have time at the moment to do a search, but I'd like to encourage you to keep looking.
I think you're looking for a simulation package, rather than a programming language. I know that a number of very powerful, very expensive simulation packages exist. Perhaps simpler/cheaper ones exist, or perhaps you can get one donated for school use.

good luck!
Jay Jay Maechtlen

 

[SlimGoneFat]

Hi oneartist,

I currently use Workspace 5, so you might find it hard to get hold of WS 2, as your talking about an application designed for DOS systems.

I used WS 4 as part of my robotics curriculum and it proved beneficial.

On the market are alot of simulation packages available, all on various pricing tiers, basically based on 'what you need'. As you come from a educational standpoint, I cannot see you struggling to get an educational copy.

The three I would recommend are: Workspace5 (

http://www.workspace5.com),

Delmias IGRIP (

http://www.delmia.com)

and Technomatix's ROBCAD.

Of course, I think there a few more out there, just depending if you have any robots onsite, and whether your are using OLP (offline programming) or just pure simulation.

Hope this helps.