Introducing Virtual Reality in an Automated Manufacturing Systems course - First approach

Currently, Information Technologies (IT) are widely used in the automation of manufacturing systems to exchange data between different workstations along the production lines. To manage the information that is handled, software applications are required that understand communications between various industrial equipment such as robots, CNC machines, parts storage systems, programmable logic controllers (PLC), vision systems and materials handling systems. To be able to perform simulations of the manufacturing processes and allow users to be present in a virtual way within the production systems, Virtual Reality (VR) is used. In recent years, the use of VR has become a key element, both in the Industrial area and in the field of Education. For students, they must know the advantages and disadvantages of the different software applications that allow generating production lines through VR; since in this way, they will know the scope of each of these computational tools. Nowadays, most Mechatronics Engineering curricula do not include a subject that involves the use of VR in the different areas of Mechatronics; Therefore, it is necessary to find alternatives for students to learn on their own, the applications that this technology has in their professional field. The above must be achieved without using the time of normal classes since the original syllabus would be neglected. This article shares the experiences obtained by introducing VR in a Manufacturing Systems Automation course through the use of Research-based learning methodology followed by a sequence of activities. To know the students' perception of the use of VR in their course, a survey was applied at the end of the semester.