NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center at Edwards, Calif., is bringing a fabrication shop on wheels to national student robotics competitions beginning in March. It will give robotics teams the ability to quickly modify or fix their robots.
The mobile shop allows a technician to weld, machine, or perform sheet metal repairs to a damaged robot and send it back into action. Equipment onboard includes a mill, lathe, drill press, metal saw, air compressor, generator, belt sander, arbor press, metal work tooling, and welding equipment.
“It is an awesome opportunity for the students,” said Alan Crocker, NASA Armstrong Fabrication branch chief. “We hope in addition to fixing the robots that we will inspire the kids. Some of them might want to be technicians with the potential of building components that will go to outer space. They are so motivated, and that reinvigorates me.”
How it works is students will file a work order detailing what part they need, or what needs to be fixed. Then NASA Armstrong staff will help replace and fix student robots.
The center received the mobile fabrication shop on Feb. 7, thanks to the Robotics Alliance Project based at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The robotics alliance is dedicated to increasing interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, and inspiring students in the United States to pursue professions in those fields to create an inspired, experienced, and technical workforce for the aerospace community.
A key element of that goal is to support high school robotics teams at national robotics competitions with engineering and technical professionals from government, industry, and universities to gain hands-on experience and mentoring.
“The interactions with NASA engineering technicians at these events are an excellent opportunity for students to gain insights into career paths for NASA that are vital to our success,” said David Voracek, NASA Armstrong chief technologist and NASA Armstrong project manager for the Robotics Alliance Project.
The NASA Armstrong mobile fabrication shop is set to roll in March and April to Monterey, Fresno, and Lancaster to support For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology robotics competitions. NASA Armstrong’s Fabrication branch will provide two technicians (three during training) to staff the portable shop during the national events. Staff includes Jason Nelson, Alex Zamora, German Escobar, and Jose Vasquez.
While the primary focus of the trailer is to assist students, Voracek added, “the fabrication shop is also available for NASA Armstrong projects and could be used to assist with emergency response efforts.” For example, NASA Goddard used a similar trailer in Florida during hurricanes for sharpening tools used to clear debris and to form fire breaks, Crocker said.
Regardless of its use for students, center projects or to assist with an emergency response, the mobile fabrication shop provides an agile capability.
