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Unit 1

Text study: Robots in Industry.

Additional Text: History and Definition of Robots.

Grammar: WISH sentences

I. Pre-reading Exercises

1. Repeat the words in chorus:

Manufacturing operations, material-handling, to require, arrangement, to utilize, to design, satisfactory, suitable, screw, to substitute, cycle, hazardous.

2. While reading the text you will come across a number of international words. Try to guess what Ukrainian words they remind of you:

Robot, operation, category, inspection, machine, conveyor, geometry, to manipulate, automobile, typical, characteristics.

3. Pay attention to some grammatical points:

1) Material-transfer applications require the robot to move materials or work parts from one to another. 2) Machine loading and unloading operations utilize a robot to load and unload parts. 3) This requires the robot to be equipped with a gripper. 4) The use of robots in assembly is expected to increase because of the high cost of manual labour.

II. Reading

Read the text and be ready to find in the text the answers to the following questions:

·         What are the three applications of robots?

·         What operations can robots perform insteard of people?

Robots in Industry

Today most robots are used in manufacturing operations. The applications of robots can be divided into. three categories:

1.              material handling

2.      processing operations

3.      assembly and inspection.

Material-handling is the transfer of material and loading and unloading of machines. Material-transfer applications require the robot to move materials or work parts from one to another. Many of these tasks are relatively simple: robots pick up parts from one conveyor and place them on another. Other transfer operations are more complex, such as placing parts in an arrangement that can be calculated by the robot. Machine loading and unloading operations utilize a robot to load and unload parts. This requires the robot to be equipped with a gripper that can grasp parts. Usually the gripper must be designed specifically for the particular part geometry.

In processing operations robot manipulates a tool to perform a process on the work part. Examples of such applications include spot welding, continuous arc welding and spray painting. Spot welding of automobile bodies is one of the most common applications of industrial robots. The robot positions a spot welder against the automobile panels and frames to join them. Arc welding is a continuous process in which robot moves the welding rod along the welding seam. Spray painting is the manipulation of a spray-painting gun over the surface of the object to be coated. Other operations in this category include grinding and polishing in which a rotating spindle serves as the robot's tool.

The third application area of industrial robots is assembly and inspection. The use of robots in assembly is expected to increase because of the high cost of manual labour. But the design of the product is an important aspect of robotic assembly. Assembly methods that are satisfactory for humans are not always suitable for robots. Screws and nuts are widely used for fastening in manual assembly, but the same operations are extremely difficult for a one-armed robot.

Inspection is another area of factory operations in which the utilization of robots is growing. In a typical inspection job, the robot positions a sensor with respect to the work part and determines whether the part answers the quality specifications. In nearly all industrial robotic applications, the robot provides a substitute for human labour. There are certain characteristics of industrial jobs performed by humans that can be done by robots:

1.      the operation is repetitive, involving the same basic work motions every cycle,

2.      the operation is hazardous or uncomfortable for the human worker (for example: spray painting, spot welding, arc welding, and certain machine loading and unloading tasks),

3.      the workpiece or tool are too heavy and difficult to handle,

4.      the operation allows the robot to be used on two or three shifts.

Vocabulary Notes

handling ['hxndlIN] переробка, обробка

transfer [trxns'fW] — переміщення; переміщати

parts — деталі

utilize ['jHtIlaIz] — використовувати

gripper ['grIpq] — затискач

grasp [grRsp] — затискати

spot welding [spPt  'weldIN] — точечне зварювання

arc welding [Rk  'weldIN] — дугове зварювання

spray painting — фарбування з пульверизатора, аерозольне фарбування

automobile body — кузов автомобіля

frame [freIm] — пристосовувати, збирати, монтувати

welding rod ['weldIN  rPd] — зварювальний стрижень

welding seam ['weldIN  sJm] — зварний шов

spray-painting gun — пістолет-розпилювач (фарби)

coat — покривати шаром (фарби)

grinding [graIndIN] — шліфування

polishing ['pPlISIN] — полірування

spindle ['spIndl] — вісь, вал, шпиндель

tool — інструмент

screw [skrH] — гвинт

nut — гайка

fastening ['fRsnIN] скріплення

 

Comprehension

1. Tell what sentences are true and what are false.

1) The applications of robots can be restricted to thirty categories. 2) Material-handling applications require the robot to move work parts from one to another. 3) Placing parts in an arrangement is a rather complex operation performed by robots. 4) As a rule it’s needless to design the gripper specifically for the particular part geometry. 5) Arc welding is a process in which a machine moves the welding rod along the welding seam. 6) The use of robots in assembly will decrease increase because of the excess of manual labour. 7) A robot can substitute human labour in almost all industrial applications.

2. Choose the right answer:

1) What do material-transfer applications require?

a) they require the robot to substitute human workers;

b) they require the robot to put the work parts on propper places;

c) they require the robot to move materials or work parts from one to another.

2) What do machine loading and unloading operations utilize a robot to do?

a) to transfer the work parts on propper places;

b) to load and unload parts;

c) to inspekt the quality of the work parts.

3) What does robot do in processing operations?

a) it positions a sensor;

b) it manipulates a tool;

c) it elevates heavy loads.

4) What is arc welding?

a) a process in which robot moves the welding rod along the welding seam;

b) a process in which robot covers the work parts with the paint spray;

c) a process in which robot performs grinding and polishing.

5) Why is the use of robots in assembly expected to increase?

a) because of increase of the number of robots in industry;

b) because of decrease of people in the world;

c) because of the high cost of manual labour.

3. Complete the sentences:

1) Most robots are used in … . 2) Material-handling is … . 3) Material-transfer requires … . 4) In processing operations robot manipulates … . 5) The use of robots in assembly is expected to … . 6) In a typical inspection job, the robot … .

4. Answer the questions:

1) What are the three applications of robots in manufacturing processes? 2) What is material-handling? 3) How does a robot perform processing operations? 4) How does a robot fulfill spot welding of automobile bodies? 5) How is arc welding performed by means of a robot? 6) What is spray painting? 7) What is an important aspect of robotic assembly? 8) What does the robot do in a typical inspection job? 9) What characteristics of industrial jobs performed by humans can be done by robots?

5. Find as quickly as possible and read out the sentences containing the following important information:

·        material handling

·    processing operations

·    assembly and inspection.

*6. Try to tell the gist of the text.

Word Study

1. Give Ukrainian equivalents of the following.

manufacturing operations, assembly and inspection, transfer operations  placing in arrangement, gripper, to manipulate a tool, spot welder, welding seam, spray painting, one-armed robot, industrial job.

2. Give English equivalents of the following.

Застосування роботів, відносно простий, операції по навантаженню та розвантаженню, бути обладнаним, бути розробленим для …, операції по обробці, розпилювання фарби, ручна праця, висока вартість, методи складання, надзвичайно важкий, відповідати якісним показникам, небезпечна операція.

3. Match the words in A with their synonyms in B:

A                                 B

comfortable                easy

hazardous                   vehicle

characteristics             difficult

work part                    convenient

utilization                    features

automobile                  detail

perform                       to demand

require                        class

complex                      application

simple                         to do

category                      dangerous

4. Make up sentences from the following words and word-groups:

Model: to use, operations, to be, in, robots, manufacturing. - Robots are used in manufacturing operations.

1) to be, over, spray, the manipulation, of a spray-painting gun, of, painting the surface, the object, to be coated. 2). work parts, robot, or, to move, to another, materials, from one. 3). widely, for, assembly, screws, to be, in, manual, nuts, and, to use, fastening. 4). To place, conveyor, robots, one, to pick up, on, them, parts, another, from, and. 5). operations, to load, machine, and, a robot, loading, parts, to utilize, unloading, and, to unload. 6). human, a substitute, the robot, for, to provide, labour. 7). a process, which, arc, to be, the welding rod, in, welding, continuous, robot, along, to move, the welding seam.

5. Translate sentences into English using words and word combinations from the Vocabulary Notes.

1). Роботи використовуються для виконання важкої та небезпечної праці. 2). Деякі роботи обладнані спеціальними затискачами, щоб утримувати деталі машин. 3). На автомобільних підприємствах роботи фарбують кузови машин, покриваючи їх шаром фарби із пістолетів-розпилювачів. 4). На теперішній час не всі методи складання доступні роботам. 5). Через високу вартість людської праці кількість промислових роботів на підприємствах постійно зростає. 6). Роботи можуть виконувати дугове зварювання, рухаючи зварюальний стрижень вздовжзварювального шову.

Grammar in Use

1. Read the following sentences. What wishes would you make corresponding to the words in bold?

Model: Your scanner has broken down so you have to type the text. – I wish I didn’t have to type the text.

1) You want to use the computer, but you can’t remember the password. 2) You have got some graphical work to do but there isn’t a propper computer program installed in your computer. 3) You didn’t save the file and all the data were lost. 4) You wanted to send e-mail message but you didn’t remember the address. 5) You can’t connect to the Internet because you don’t have a broadband connection.

2. Complete the sentences with two to five words including the word in brackets.

Model: My friend regrets spending so much time playing computer games (had). – My friend wishes he hadn’t spent so much time playing computer games.

1) Why don’t you stop spending your money on useless devices? (wish) I ___________ spending your money on useless devices.

2) You should have the Internet at home because of its huge wealth of knowledge. (wish) I ________ have the Internet at home.

3) Why don’t you install the newest antivirus program? (wish) I ___________ install the newest antivirus program.

3. Correct the mistakes

1) I wish I would get the access to these data now. 2) I wish you will help me with this software. 3) I wish I found this information yesterday. 4) I wish I will buy the newest desk-top in a month.

 

Additional Text

(for individual work)

Read and translate the text.

History and Definition of Robots

Handling operations occur in practically all production processes. At first they were carried out manually, but then the development of hardware components made it possible to relieve people from the necessity of handling heavy loads.

From this standpoint the industrial robot is not something supernatural. It is only the most perfect form of the technique used in handling processes. Their purpose is not only to substitute or imitate manual actions of human beings, but also to perform production processes more quickly and better than a man.

Robots fill the gap between special-purpose automation and human endeavour. They have demonstrated an ability to perform work that requires simple repetitive motions and, therefore, can relieve hirnan operators from hazardous or monotonous tasks.

Terms like "teachable" and "programme-controlled" often are applied to robots. However, robots are best understood in terms of their real capabilities. Essentially, they are "off-the-shelf automation. It's the robot's ability to be easily taught or reprogrammed that distinguishes it from other types of automated handling equipment.

Robot is one of the very few Slav words (in this case Czech) borrowed in the different languages. It comes from the Old Slav word "robu", which means a servant. In modern Slav, the word "robotnik" means workman and is linked to the Russian word for work "robota".

1. Divide the text into the logical parts and give a title to each one.

2. Look through the text again. Give the main points of each passage of the text: Use: ''deals with" + word combinations given below.

E.g. The first (second, third, fourth ...) passage of the text deals with ...

The robot's abilities, the terms applied to robots, the aim of the robot's application, the functions of the robot, the history of the word "robot".

3. Discuss it with your groupmates.