FANUC Certified Education Robotics Training (CERT)

Robotics and automation are reshaping manufacturing across every industry sector. As companies in aerospace, automotive, pharmaceutical, consumer goods, food and beverage, and advanced manufacturing incorporate industrial robots into their operations, the demand for workers who can program, operate, and maintain those systems continues to grow far faster than the supply. FANUC is the world's most widely deployed industrial robot platform, with more than 25 million products installed worldwide. When students enter the manufacturing workforce, there is a strong chance the robot they work with will be a FANUC robot.

The FANUC Certified Education Robot Training program, known as CERT, gives high schools, trade schools, community colleges, and universities the equipment, curriculum, and instructor certification needed to train students on real FANUC industrial robots in a safe, classroom-appropriate environment. Students work with the same robots, the same software, and the same programming environment they will encounter in industry, building skills and earning certifications that are recognized by manufacturers nationwide.

Klein Educational supplies FANUC CERT robotics training carts and accessories to schools and colleges across California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, and Alaska. We help programs get certified, get equipped, and get students programming real robots.

What is the FANUC CERT program?

The FANUC CERT program certifies instructors at qualifying schools to deliver FANUC robotics training to their students through a combination of online and hands-on training courses. FANUC America provides the instructor training, the curriculum, and the pathway for students to earn industry-recognized certifications upon completion.

Students who complete the CERT program curriculum and hands-on training can earn the FANUC Handling Tool Operations and Programming Certificate through their school, which becomes a FANUC Certified Training Center for Material Handling. Students who achieve this level can then proceed to the FANUC Certified Robot Operator 1 (FRC-01) assessment, a nationally recognized certification exam managed by NOCTI Business Solutions that documents their competency for employers in any industry using FANUC automation.

The CERT program integrates naturally with existing technical programs including industrial and advanced manufacturing, mechanical and digital manufacturing, lean manufacturing, engineering, CNC, inspection and quality control, operations management, CAD, and computer integrated manufacturing. It is a program that adds real robotics competency to any technical curriculum without requiring a standalone robotics course.

FANUC CERT carts

CERT carts are the hardware foundation of the FANUC CERT program. Each cart is a compact, portable, self-contained educational robotics lab that includes a real FANUC industrial robot, color graphic iPendant teach pendant, collision guard, Dual-Check Safety, iRVision, gripper, tooling, 120VAC transformer, compressor, and the CERT training program. Every cart is designed to pass through a standard doorway and run on standard 110V power, making them practical to deploy in any classroom or lab without facility modifications.

The CRX CERT Cart is designed specifically for the FANUC CRX collaborative robot series. CRX cobots are safe, flexible, quick to implement, and easy to program, with FANUC's renowned reliability and up to eight years of maintenance-free operation. The cart provides a convenient workspace for teaching collaborative robot operations with a Swivellink holder for the teach pendant and a customized mounting solution for the FANUC controller and transformer. Side tables fold down for doorway clearance. The CRX platform introduces students to the growing category of collaborative robots that work alongside human operators without traditional safety fencing.

The Fenced CERT Cart with LR Mate 200iD/4S incorporates the compact LR Mate 200iD robot in a self-contained mobile enclosure with traditional perimeter guarding. The lightweight LR Mate is designed for small part handling, high-speed picking, and assembly applications. The fenced configuration provides a straightforward safe robotics training environment for programs introducing students to industrial robot programming for the first time.

The Fenced CERT Cart with M1iA Robot incorporates the compact parallel-link M1iA robot in a self-contained mobile enclosure. The M1iA's parallel-link design is suited for high-speed small part handling and assembly applications and exposes students to a distinct robot architecture with different kinematic properties than the more common serial-link arm design.

The Fenceless CERT Cart with LR Mate combines FANUC DCS Position and Speed Check software with an Allen-Bradley SafeZone Mini Safety Laser Scanner to create a safe robot training environment without traditional perimeter fencing. The fenceless configuration allows a greater work envelope than a fenced cart provides, and introduces students to the integrated safety technology increasingly used in modern manufacturing cells where traditional fencing is not practical.

The Fenceless CERT Cart with CR-7iA Collaborative Robot uses the same DCS and SafeZone safety architecture in a fenceless collaborative robot configuration, introducing students to both collaborative robot technology and modern area-scanning safety systems in a single platform.

Project-based learning packages and accessories

FANUC's project-based learning packages extend the CERT cart program into real-world application contexts that make robot programming skills concrete and relevant.

The iRVision package adds FANUC's iRVision integrated machine vision system to any CERT cart, making all R-30iA controller robots vision-ready. Students connect a camera to the robot controller and use the built-in vision commands to teach the robot vision-guided applications. Setup, calibration, and training are performed through a standard PC connected to the robot controller, covering the integrated vision workflows used in production environments for part location, inspection, and error proofing.

The Conveyor Package adds an iDrive conveyor with V-belt tracking and retro-reflective proximity sensors, giving students experience with inbound and outbound conveyor control on the same equipment used in industry. Students program robot-conveyor integration, learning how industrial robots interact with material handling systems in production cells.

The Battery Package is a project-based learning application for teaching machine vision concepts using FANUC iRVision Error Proofing and iRVision 2D Guidance in a battery inspection and handling context. Students apply vision-guided robot programming to a practical quality assurance scenario that reflects real industrial applications.

The Pill Kit Package applies the same iRVision Error Proofing and iRVision 2D Guidance technology to a pharmaceutical-style pill sorting application, giving students practice with vision-guided part discrimination and sorting in a project context that illustrates robotics use in pharmaceutical and life sciences manufacturing.

What students learn in the FANUC CERT program

The CERT curriculum covers the foundational and intermediate robotics skills that manufacturing employers need in entry-level robotics personnel. Topics include robot safety and safe work practices in a robotics environment, robot axes, coordinate systems, and motion types, teach pendant operation and navigation, robot programming using FANUC's industry-standard programming environment, point registration and program creation, input and output configuration and programming, tool and user frame setup, conditional logic and branching in robot programs, integrated vision system setup and programming using iRVision, and production monitoring and fault recovery. Students who complete the full curriculum and hands-on requirements are prepared to take the FANUC FRC-01 national certification assessment.

Why FANUC certification matters to employers

With over 25 million FANUC products installed worldwide, FANUC is the dominant platform in industrial automation. Graduates who are certified on FANUC robots and familiar with FANUC programming environments have a measurable advantage in the job market compared to those with only general robotics exposure. The FRC-01 national certification provides documented, verifiable evidence of competency that employers in any industry using FANUC automation can rely on when making hiring decisions.

How Klein Educational supports your program

Klein Educational works with CTE directors, engineering department heads, and program administrators from the first conversation through instructor certification, equipment delivery, and ongoing support. We help programs understand the CERT certification pathway, select the right cart configuration for their curriculum and lab space, and navigate the process of becoming a FANUC Certified Training Center.

We have direct access to the FANUC CERT program infrastructure and equipment for programs across our seven-state region.

Frequently asked questions

What is the FANUC CERT program? FANUC CERT is a Certified Education Robot Training program that certifies instructors at qualifying high schools, trade schools, community colleges, and universities to train students to program FANUC robots. Students work with real FANUC industrial robots and earn industry-recognized certifications upon course completion.

What certifications can students earn through the FANUC CERT program? Students who complete the curriculum and hands-on requirements earn a FANUC Handling Tool Operations and Programming Certificate through their school as a FANUC Certified Training Center. Students can then take the FANUC Certified Robot Operator 1 (FRC-01) national certification exam managed by NOCTI Business Solutions.

What CERT cart configurations are available? CERT carts are available with the FANUC CRX collaborative robot, the LR Mate 200iD/4S in fenced and fenceless configurations, the M1iA in a fenced configuration, and the CR-7iA collaborative robot in a fenceless configuration.

Can the CERT cart be used in a standard classroom? Yes. CERT carts are designed to pass through a standard doorway and run on 110V power with no special facility requirements, making them deployable in any classroom or lab.

What accessories are available for CERT carts? Available accessories include the iRVision machine vision package, the conveyor package with iDrive conveyor, the Battery Package for vision error proofing and 2D guidance training, and the Pill Kit Package for vision-guided sorting applications.

What programs does the FANUC CERT integrate with? FANUC CERT integrates with industrial manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, engineering, CNC, CAD, computer integrated manufacturing, lean manufacturing, operations management, and quality control programs.

What states does Klein Educational serve? We serve California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, and Alaska.

Ready to Bring FANUC Certified Robotics Training to Your Program?

Whether you are launching a new robotics program or adding FANUC certification capability to an existing manufacturing curriculum, our team will help you select the right CERT cart configuration, guide your instructor certification process, and get your program running.