There have been a fair number of articles lately touching on the increased use of robots and AI in various industries and what that future means for the job market. In the fabrication industry, we’ve long known about the value of robots in the workplace. CNC is a form of robotics, and it only exemplifies the value in automation. Beyond the workplace, though, robots serve an entirely different purpose.

With their size and approachable design, Tormach machines have found their way into a number of classrooms at high schools and colleges around the nation. While the uses for a CNC mill or lathe in the classroom may seem obvious – teaching kids to machine parts – you may be surprised at how many teachers are doing much more than just teaching machining.

Robots are cool. When I was a kid R2-D2 and Rosie were fabrications of a fantastic, future-like world. Now, BB-8 and Beamo are incredibly close to reality.

The premiere of a new Star Wars movie (and perhaps a new generation of fans) will be here in just a few months. While the intergalactic story has always held a special place with me, I was one of the many fans that felt let down by George Lucas’ butchering of the first three episodes of the saga. Since my childhood (when the CGI-ridden prequels were in full swing), I have hoped for the return of animatronics and puppeteers to Star Wars, and add a sense of gritty realism back into the story.

Robotics is hard, especially when you want to build something new and have to rely on outside shops or vendors for components.

FIRST Robotics is a quickly-growing STEM initiative, founded by Dean Kamen, that pits kids against each other in robotic contests while promoting a fine combination of cooperation and competition. Teenagers stew over various engineering issues, component failures, and efficiency quotas all while coordinating their teams like a start-up engineering business – in essence, this is one of the truest forms of STEM education out there.