03/08/2026
"The machine didn't have a problem... we did."
Well... maybe not we specifically 😅.
The real problem was that this incredible industrial automation system had been sitting quietly in a laboratory for years, waiting for someone to ask a simple question:
"Can we get it working again?"
That question led the Robotics Club CBU into one of the most exciting projects we've taken on so far.
A few weeks ago, we were entrusted with the responsibility of rehabilitating the FESTO ABS Process Control and Instrumentation training system in the Mechanical Engineering Laboratory at the Copperbelt University.
For context, this wasn't a machine that simply needed a reset button.
It had been dormant for a long time.
Our first meeting was less about fixing anything and more about understanding what we were dealing with. We received a walkthrough of how the entire process line operates and, by the end of the session, we managed to power up the system but that was about as far as we got.
To be honest...
We walked away with more questions than answers.
And that's where the real engineering began.
Between that first and second meeting, our team buried ourselves in manuals, wiring diagrams, technical documentation, YouTube videos, and countless discussions. Every member contributed in one way or another, building enough understanding to return with confidence.
The photos here are from that second session.
This time, things started moving.
Some members focused on troubleshooting different stations across the production line.
Others were tracing electrical faults and verifying signals.
One of my favourite moments was seeing the Mitsubishi industrial robotic arm being operated in manual mode. Watching an industrial robot respond to your commands isn't something you forget easily especially when you've spent days learning how all the pieces fit together.
Moments like these remind me why I fell in love with robotics in the first place.
Not because robots are "cool" (although they definitely are).
But because they represent something bigger.
They represent what engineering can do when knowledge meets curiosity.
One thought has stayed with me throughout this project.
How many universities, companies, and institutions have equipment like this sitting idle?
Equipment worth thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, of dollars.
Machines designed to prepare students for Industry 4.0.
Yet many of them end up becoming backgrounds for graduation photos instead of platforms for innovation.
I've seen students proudly pose beside these machines, and there's nothing wrong with that.
But imagine if, instead, we became known for bringing them back to life.
Imagine if every graduating engineer left university having repaired, programmed, calibrated, or improved a real industrial system.
Imagine the confidence we'd carry into industry.
So here's a question I'd like to leave with fellow engineers, educators, innovators, and industry leaders:
Are we producing graduates who know about advanced technology... or graduates who know how to use it to solve real problems?
There's an important difference.
As engineering students, I believe we have a responsibility to be intentional about our growth.
Our goal shouldn't just be to earn a degree.
It should be to become engineers who build industries, solve local challenges, create jobs, and leave systems better than we found them.
That's the kind of engineering I want to be part of.
I'd like to sincerely thank Prof. Ganesan senthil kumaran, Dean of the School of Engineering, for initiating this rehabilitation project and giving students the opportunity to learn through meaningful, hands-on work rather than theory alone.
A special thank you also goes to our club patron Mr. Chola Mailoni
, whose guidance, encouragement, and technical support have been invaluable throughout this project. Your willingness to invest your time in us is something we deeply appreciate.
And to every member of the Robotics Club CBU, thank you for the countless hours of research, problem-solving, and teamwork. Projects like these remind us that engineering is rarely a solo effort.
This is only the beginning.
The best part about bringing a machine back to life...
..is discovering what it can teach you once it starts moving again. 🤖⚙️
