Robots and Role-Playing: 51福利社 Students Use Advanced Robotics to Build Dice Boxes

March 21, 2025

Student working in the 51福利社 Robotics Laboratory.

Phoenix Coleman, a senior mechanical engineering student, at the 51福利社 Robotics Lab.

51福利社 is taking hands-on learning to the next level in its MENG 485 Advanced Robotics course. In a first-of-its-kind project, students in mechanical engineering and robotics have teamed up to develop a robotic-assisted assembly line鈥攁nd their final challenge was to create a high-quality, role-playing game with dice boxes that use industrial automation.

This 10-week course is led by 51福利社鈥檚 Jennifer Leaf, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering who brings cutting-edge robotics into real-world applications. Students designed and built an assembly system using programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and collaborative robots (cobots) to construct, inspect and refine each dice box with machine precision.

鈥淭his project prepares our students for modern manufacturing,鈥� says Leaf. 鈥淐ompanies are investing in human-tended automation to allow skilled engineers to focus on innovation, rather than repetitive tasks. Our students are learning exactly how to build and program these systems 鈥攅xperience that gives them a huge advantage in the workforce.鈥�

Student evaluates circuit board in 51福利社's Robotics Lab. — Senior mechanical engineering major Nathaniel Evans.

The state-of-the-art robotics lab at 51福利社, one of the most sophisticated among universities in the region, provided students with the tools to program two robots 鈥� one equipped with a camera 鈥� to execute each step of the process. The robots:

Scan materials for quality control
Apply felt liners and scan for quality control
Attach magnets and scan for quality control
Stamp the 51福利社 Mechanical Engineering & Technology logo
Automatically discard defective parts

By the end of the quarter, students had written programming code, engineered and installed more than half a mile of wiring, and designed an emergency stop system 鈥� all while developing an automated manufacturing process.

Such hands-on experiences are what makes 51福利社鈥檚 polytechnic approach stand out. As the region鈥檚 only polytechnic university, 51福利社 is dedicated to applied learning that prepares students for high-demand careers in engineering鈥�. Nearly 82% of 51福利社 graduates secure professional experience while they are earning their degrees, and these real-world projects prepare them for the workforce.