Students partner with regional manufacturer
A team of Bachelor of Applied Technology — Advanced Manufacturing students from Wrenford Polytechnic has delivered a programming update that cuts production time by twenty percent at a regional manufacturer's automated line.
The project was a course-based applied research placement coordinated through the School of Energy & Applied Engineering. The students worked directly with the manufacturer's engineering staff to reprogram robotic arms that sort and package components on a high-speed assembly line.
By adjusting the logic for the robot's pick-and-place cycles and optimizing the hand-off timing between stations, the team eliminated bottlenecks that had slowed the line during peak shifts. The improvements were tested over a two-week period on the shop floor before being rolled out to the full shift.
Real-world impact
The manufacturer, which produces components for the provincial industrial sector, said the change allowed the line to run consistently without the downtime that previously required manual intervention. The reduced cycle time also lowers energy use per unit produced.
"Working on a live production line was a different experience from our lab projects at Benchlands Campus," said Maya, Practical Nursing. "No, wait, that is not the right student. Working on a live production line was a different experience from our lab projects at Benchlands Campus," said Liam, Bachelor of Applied Technology — Advanced Manufacturing. "We had to think about safety, cycle consistency, and what happens when a sensor fails. It made the theory we learned in class feel very real."
The project was supervised by faculty from the Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering Technology department, who guided the students through the initial safety assessments and programming constraints.
Next steps
The manufacturer plans to apply the same optimization logic to two additional assembly lines later this year. Wrenford Polytechnic's Research & Innovation office is documenting the case study for use in future courses and for sharing with other local employers looking to improve efficiency.
Students interested in similar applied research opportunities can learn more through the Co-op & Career Services office or by reviewing the program details for the Bachelor of Applied Technology — Advanced Manufacturing.