Exciting insights into vocational training at Güdel

15 sep 2015

At this year's exhibition for information and communication technology (ICT), ICTskills2015, the organisers offer extensive insights into the exciting practice of this profession. Güdel exhibits a robot that was constructed by its trainees especially for this event.

In a group project, Güdel trainees demonstrated their skills by independently realising a robot named Tic Tac Toe. The future specialists from the fields of design, mechanical engineering and control engineering cooperated in its production. Visitors may test their skills by either challenging the robot directly or by competing with another player. The aim of the robot-based game of skill is to be the quickest in positioning three game pieces in a row on a playing field of nine cells.

First the two-axis robot moves from the start position over the challenger's magazine, picking up the first playing piece with a pneumatic cylinder. This is lifted up using vacuum grippers, transported to the selected field and deposited. Now it's the opponent's turn to prevent the first player completing a row of three and to try and line up three of their own pieces first. The robot is controlled by a PLC, the necessary program was written by the trainees themselves. This is shown live on a screen above the robot so the audience can follow the action. To ensure the operator's safety, light barriers and sensors have been added that will stop the robot immediately in case of an emergency. The winner is rewarded with a small gift, naturally handed over fully automatically by the robot.

Timo Müller, responsible for vocational training with Güdel AG, is delighted with the great interest shown by visitors and the popularity of the exhibited robot. "As an attractive employer with diverse possibilities and a variety of professional fields, Güdel has exceptionally much to offer to potential trainees," he said. Particularly impressive in this regard is the production depth as well as the non sector-specific fields of application for Güdel products that undergo continual development in house and are distributed globally.

The event offers a comprehensive overview of the complex and multifaceted world of ICT. At the same time, the Swiss championships in the professional fields of web design, systems engineering, mediamatics and application development are being held. Between 8th and 10th December, the venue will be the central and conveniently located Zurich main station for the first time.