ICR opens robotics education institute

Industrial Control Repair Inc. (ICR), Warren, Mich., a provider of industrial electronic and mechanical repair services, has opened its Learning Institute for students seeking careers in robotics. The institute offers an accelerated robotics training program that allows students to work in a real-world environment, performing tasks associated with actual work scenarios. Training for a career as an automation controls or robotics service technician, the students are given case studies to perform specific tasks.

The institute offers an automation service technician training program that comprises 320 course contact hours. The program is broken down into many segments that include training on actual workplace equipment. The robotic segments provide programming and troubleshooting skills on robots, including FANUC, ABB, and Motoman; the automation controls segments provide programming and troubleshooting skills on various controls systems, such as Allen-Bradley PLC-5, SLC-500, and PanelViews. During the final week of the program, students learn the skills necessary to program and troubleshoot different types of communication with various robots, control systems, and peripheral devices.

All courses are taught by instructors who are certified and have 12 or more years of field experience programming and troubleshooting various equipment and processes, ICR reports. Additionally, the institute provides training to students who meet the eligibility requirements for Michigan's No Worker Left Behind program. The institute also can customize training programs for corporate clients with new automation cells, devices, and processes at their facilities.

According to ICR, the use of robotics is growing in automotive, medicine, packaging, plastics, hazardous waste removal, and food processing applications.