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Recycled Robot Inspires Students
Thanks to Honda, students at Marysville Early College High School in Ohio will have inspiration right outside their door.
A bright yellow robot now sits in the front of the school that offers technical training and college credits, offering students a possible glimpse of their future. The out-of-service robot hails from Honda Engineering North America (EGA). Reddy Brown, staff engineer, EGA Robotics, said during the July and December plant shut downs a few robots are removed, replaced and recycled. “Every time we put in new lines there would be upwards of 50 robots,” he said. “Honda probably scraps a few hundred robots every 15 years.”
While robots are recycled as much as possible, one robot’s retirement will serve to inspire students with technical interests. Brown didn’t want to throw the robot in the trash and was himself inspired when he saw a robot statue outside RAMTech, a robotics and advanced manufacturing school in Marion, Ohio. “When I saw that statue outside of the Marion RAMTech building I wondered who could benefit from this,” he said.
Brown, who has two sons with the special Eagle Scout ranking, called the local Boy Scout council and was put in contact with AJ Fisher, a member of Marysville Boy Scout Troop 634 and senior at Marysville Early College High School.
Brown teamed up with fellow associate Steve Terry to plan the storage, installation, and preparation of the robot. Steve was the onsite manager of the final installation. Terry also has two sons who earned the Eagle Scout achievement.
“Scouting is an organization near and dear to my heart,” Brown said.
From there Fisher ran with the project, putting engineering skills to use as he figured specifications for a concrete pad for the heavy robot, taking into consideration drainage and even the frost line. “He had to get the right thickness and do a lot of engineering for the base,” Brown said. “He had to physically dig the hole, pour gravel and make it level. He did a great job.”
Brown also helped connect Fisher with Honda contractor Atlas Industrial Contractors. The company donated lots of time on the project, helping to install the statue last month on a snowy Saturday morning.
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