Practical Teaching Case Study on Industrial Automation
Training Services 2025-06-23 41
I. Background
With the continuous development of science and technology, industrial automation technology has been widely applied across various industries worldwide. To cultivate high-quality technical talents meeting the demands of the new era, universities and colleges in China have successively established industrial automation-related majors. However, due to the disconnect between theoretical knowledge and practical operation, many graduates struggle to adapt to real work environments. To address this issue, this paper takes an industrial automation major at a university as an example and designs a practical teaching case aimed at enhancing students’ practical abilities and employability.
II. Teaching Objectives
- Enable students to master the fundamental theoretical knowledge of industrial automation, such as PLCs, frequency converters, sensors, etc.
- Cultivate students’ hands-on practical abilities and improve their skills in fault diagnosis and maintenance.
- Foster students’ teamwork spirit and enhance their communication and collaboration skills.
- Help students understand the development trends in the industrial automation industry, laying a foundation for their future careers.
III. Teaching Content
- Fundamental Theoretical Knowledge of Industrial Automation: Introduce the working principles and applications of commonly used equipment such as PLCs, frequency converters, sensors, and actuators.
- Industrial Automation Practical Operation: Based on an enterprise production line scenario, involve students in the installation, debugging, operation, and maintenance of production line equipment.
- Industrial Automation Project Training: Using an actual enterprise project as a case, have students work in groups to conduct project design, implementation, and summarization.
IV. Teaching Process
- Theoretical Teaching: Utilize multimedia teaching methods combined with practical cases to explain fundamental theoretical knowledge of industrial automation.
- Practical Teaching: Organize students to visit enterprise production lines to understand actual production processes. Simultaneously, conduct equipment installation, debugging, operation, and maintenance operations in the laboratory.
- Project Training: Using an actual enterprise project as a case, have students work in groups to conduct project design, implementation, and summarization.
V. Teaching Case
- Case Background
An enterprise production line uses PLC control, including equipment such as conveyor belts, sorting devices, and packaging machines. To improve production efficiency, the enterprise aims to optimize the production line control strategy and reduce the failure rate. - Teaching Objectives
(1) Enable students to master PLC programming methods to achieve production line control.
(2) Cultivate students’ fault diagnosis and maintenance skills to improve production efficiency.
(3) Enhance students’ teamwork spirit and foster communication and collaboration skills. - Teaching Content
(1) PLC Programming: Explain PLC programming methods, including programming languages like ladder diagrams and instruction lists.
(2) Equipment Installation and Debugging: Guide students in installing and debugging equipment such as conveyor belts, sorting devices, and packaging machines.
(3) Fault Diagnosis and Maintenance: Explain fault diagnosis methods and guide students through fault troubleshooting and maintenance. - Teaching Process
(1) Theoretical Teaching: Explain PLC programming methods and introduce programming languages like ladder diagrams and instruction lists.
(2) Practical Operation: Organize students to practice PLC programming to achieve production line control.
(3) Equipment Installation and Debugging: Guide students in installing and debugging conveyor belts, sorting devices, and packaging machines.
(4) Fault Diagnosis and Maintenance: Explain fault diagnosis methods and guide students through fault troubleshooting and maintenance. - Teaching Summary
Through this case teaching, students mastered skills such as PLC programming, equipment installation and debugging, and fault diagnosis and maintenance, while improving their teamwork spirit. Additionally, students gained an understanding of development trends in the industrial automation industry, laying a foundation for their future careers.
VI. Summary
This paper designed a practical teaching case using an industrial automation major at a university as an example. By combining theoretical teaching, practical teaching, and project training, students mastered the fundamental theoretical knowledge of industrial automation and improved their practical abilities and employability. In actual teaching, instructors should continuously optimize teaching content and methods based on students’ actual situations and industry demands to contribute to the cultivation of high-quality technical talents.
Case Study 2
I. Case Background
With the rapid development of China’s economy, industrial automation technology is being applied increasingly widely across various industries. To cultivate industrial automation talents that meet the developmental needs of the times, universities and colleges in China have successively established industrial automation majors. However, due to the complex content and strong practical nature of industrial automation courses, students often find learning difficult. Therefore, this paper takes an industrial automation major at a university as an example and designs a practical teaching case aimed at enhancing students’ learning interest and practical abilities.
II. Teaching Objectives
- Understand the basic concepts and components of industrial automation.
- Master the fundamental methods of industrial automation system design.
- Cultivate students’ hands-on abilities and teamwork spirit.
- Enhance students’ application capabilities in industrial automation technology.
III. Teaching Case Design
- Case Background
First-year students majoring in Industrial Automation at a university need to complete a simple industrial automation system design project while studying the “Industrial Automation System Design” course. The system is primarily used for the automated control of a robotic arm, including functions such as movement, grasping, and placing. - Teaching Content
(1) Basic Concepts and Components of Industrial Automation:
First, the teacher introduces the basic concepts of industrial automation, such as automation, automation systems, and automation technology. Then, the components of an industrial automation system are explained, including sensors, actuators, controllers, computers, etc.
(2) Industrial Automation System Design Methods:
The teacher guides students to analyze the requirements of the robotic arm automation control system, including motion trajectory, speed, accuracy, etc. Based on this, fundamental methods of industrial automation system design are explained, such as system analysis, solution design, and equipment selection.
(3) Practical Operation:
The teacher guides students through practical operations, including the following steps:
① Sensor Selection: Select appropriate sensors based on the robotic arm’s motion requirements, such as position sensors, force sensors, etc.
② Actuator Selection: Select appropriate actuators based on the robotic arm’s motion requirements, such as servo motors, stepper motors, etc.
③ Controller Selection: Select an appropriate controller based on system requirements, such as PLCs, microcontrollers, etc.
④ Programming and Debugging: Use programming software to write control programs and debug the system. - Teaching Process
(1) Classroom Lecture:
The teacher first explains the basic concepts and components of industrial automation, then introduces industrial automation system design methods. During the explanation, the teacher incorporates practical cases to help students better understand the relevant theoretical knowledge.
(2) Group Discussion:
Students are divided into several groups, each completing the design of a robotic arm automation control system. During the discussion, the teacher moves around to provide guidance and answer questions.
(3) Practical Operation:
Students conduct practical operations under the teacher’s guidance. The teacher provides on-site answers to problems encountered during the operation.
(4) Results Presentation:
After completing their designs, each group presents their results. The teacher evaluates each group’s work and summarizes the gains from this teaching case.
IV. Teaching Effectiveness Evaluation
- Students’ understanding of the basic concepts and components of industrial automation significantly improved.
- Students mastered the fundamental methods of industrial automation system design.
- Students’ hands-on abilities and teamwork spirit were exercised.
- Students’ application abilities were enhanced.
V. Summary
This case guides students in designing industrial automation systems by combining practical projects, enabling them to integrate theoretical knowledge with practical operations, thereby enhancing their learning interest and practical abilities. In actual teaching, instructors can design more similar practical teaching cases based on course content and students’ actual situations to cultivate industrial automation talents who meet the developmental needs of the times.