10th Baltic Region Seminar on Engineering Education Szczecin, Poland, 4-6 September, 2006

2006 UICEE

Didactic Equipment for Engineering Education

Thomas Stumpp G.U.N.T. Gertebau GmbH Barsbttel, Germany

ABSTRACT: Quality and expressiveness of an awarded engineering degree is mostly associated with the international reputation acquired by hightech research activities of the concerned technical university. Beside this outstanding criterion there is another important aspect which determines quality: A basic engineering education on high-level throughout the first terms of an engineering student curriculum. This target will be best achieved by implementation of specially designed didactic equipment with a strong focus on working with real hardware. The approach here is definitely hands-on. Properties and requirements of didactic systems differ substantially from those of research equipment. Key characteristics are the ease of setup, the use of industrial components, a clearly pre-defined range of experiments and learning objectives as well as a robust design for long term reliable use. Demands from the industry and EU prove the case for existence of such didactic equipment. Obstacles for a broadly based launch are the lack of available information as well as difficulties to raise capital. Consequently the EU is providing various funds for this purpose especially for the new member states. The methodological concept of G.U.N.T.s didactic equipment will be exemplary visualized by means of a universal material tester. INTRODUCTION The professional education of a student is the ultimate task of a university. In technical universities basic engineering knowledge is normally conveyed to the students within the first four to five semester terms. During this phase practical experience is essential for a future well educated engineer. Now the question arises how this practical approach can be facilitated best in order to attract the student and simultaneously raise his level of understanding the fundamentals. It can be simply done by specially designed didactic equipment. In the new EU member states a lack of knowledge can be observed that such equipment does exist on the market. So far many technical universities find other less efficient solutions like own manufacturing or using research equipment which is by nature more recommended for later semester or even to acquire doctor degree. While many universities in the new EU member states already possess new facilities and sophisticated equipment for research and development, pure didactic equipment for teaching fundamentals in engineering rarely exists. These facts are based on discussions during visits to more than 20 technical universities in Poland and the Baltic States. DIDACTIC EQUIPMENT What are the Characteristics which are typical for Didactic Equipment? The rationale behind didactical equipment is the concept of learning by doing and hands-on training on real hardware.

First of all the students should be encouraged to conduct the experiments, analysis and interpretation as well as calculations by hand. In a second step the students can control their results by means of software support and do more advanced investigations. Emphasis is on working with the equipment while the corresponding software has more of a support function. Therefore didactic systems should spark interest and curiosity. The design must be rigid for rough handling and reliability. Another important aspect concerning design and safety is that didactic equipment must allow for doing mistakes by the student. In-built industrial components ensure the linkage to real applications. Further features are easy installation, low spare part consumption and, if required at all, easy and cost efficient maintenance. The engineering challenge and art is the visualization of technical effects and principles. Modern didactic equipment for engineering education does of course not only include hardware and visualisation software. In fact the product offering is a didactic concept. The hardware comes along with a professional manual which comprises: Unit description Setup and operation instructions Safety instructions Underlying theory Clearly defined experiments with learning objectives and analysis of results Appendices (work sheets for the students)

For more complex systems installation and training courses are provided by specialists of the supplier. On demand project engineers may assist in consulting and laboratory planning.

How can the Didactic Systems getting integrated in the Operation of the Laboratories at the Universities? Usually the didactic equipment is designed for efficient working groups of 2 to 6 students with the following arrangements: Stand Alone Systems Some of these are even independent of laboratory installations (like water, compressed air etc.) with exception of currency which is required for most of the equipments. The voltage is normally 230V, 50Hz, 1 phase, in some cases 400V, 50Hz, 3 phases.

Example 2: Base Condensing Unit ET 915

Base Unit Figures 3, 4 and 5

Modular Systems The modular approach ensures flexibility and enables easy extension of selected experiments. Example 1: Machinery Fault Trainer PT 500

ET 915.02 Double Chamber Refrigerator Module

ET 915.07 Climatisation Module

Equipment Families These are series of stand alone equipment of common concept, function and design, but with different experimental application. Example: Basic Control Systems RT 0X0 Series

Base Unit with Instrumentation Set

Figure 1
RT 010 Level Control

Optional Experiments (Modules)

RT 020 Flow Control

RT 030 Pressure Control

RT 040 Temperature Control

RT 050 Speed Control

RT 060 Position Control

Figure 2

Figure 6

How can Didactic Systems getting adapted to different Levels of Education? The solution is the offering of alternative systems addressing the same topic but at different technical level. Example: Control Systems Basic Level

EXAMPLE OF THE G.U.N.T. DIDACTIC CONCEPT Universal Material Tester WP 300

RT 030 Pressure Control Unit - Software Controller - Investigation of Fundamentals

Figure 7

Advanced Level

Figure 10

RT 532 Trainer Pressure Control - Industrial Controller - Advanced Experiments

Figure 8

Industrial Level

Figure 11

1 Machine base with hand grips, 2 Hand wheel for application of force, 3 Force display, 4 Load frame upper cross-member, 5 Dial gauge for elongation display, 6 Gripping heads for specimens, 7 Support, 8 Load frame lower cross-member, 9 Main cylinder of the hydraulic system

This universal material tester is designed as a table unit. The range of experiments covers tensile and compressive strength tests, as well as Brinell hardness testing. Using the accessories additional bending, shear and cupping tests can be performed. Figure 9 RT 580 Industrial Process Control Rig with (PLC) Industrial Components Pressure, Flow, Level and Temperature Control Cascade Control Open / Closed Loop Circuits Fault Circuits The basic version of the unit does not require any additional sources of power. The test load is generated using a hand operated hydraulic system and is displayed using a large gauge with a trailing pointer. Conducting the tensile test, for example, the students feel the force they apply. They can watch the lateral contraction of the specimen until fracture. The elongation of the test specimen is recorded via a mechanical gauge. Then the students plot different points getting finally the curve force versus elongation. Next they derive significant parameters from the curve (yield points Rp , Re, and the tensile strength Rm). Last not least they are enabled to calculate stresses and strains and derive the Hookes Law: =E Equation 1

WP 300.20 PC Data Acquisition

Figure 12

Figure 13

The European Council announced the ambitious target that in year 2010 Europe should be the world reference in quality of education systems (Lisbon Agenda). Human capital is viewed at as the most important resource of the EU community. Especially for the new EU member states there are EU funds available where didactic equipment fits in. Here we are talking mainly about the Structural Fund (Section ESF - European Social Fund: promotion of human capital). In the second planning phase of 2007 until 2013 totally 10,5 Billion EUR are provided for the Baltic States and 73,5 Billion EUR for Poland. But there are also other special EU programmes concerned with higher education (like SOKRATES / ERAMUS). [1] [2] [3] [4] There is evidence that the key to successful application of EU funds is the compilation of clearly defined projects. These projects should then be forwarded to the ministry being subject to approval. However, the initiative has to come from universities respectively from their faculties or departments. Some universities have already taken the first steps in that process and the expectations look promising. The final funding will become a mixture of capital provided by the EU and a certain proportion of self-financing. Figure 14 CONCLUSION Basic knowledge in the classical engineering disciplines can be successfully reinforced and improved by implementation of didactic equipment especially in the fields of mechanical engineering, theory of machines, mechatronics, fluid mechanics, electrical engineering, thermodynamics and process engineering. The didactical approach is definitely hands-on.

Figure 15

The data acquisition supports all tests which can be performed with the WP 300. The measuring system consists of a pressure transducer for force measurement, a linear potentiometer to measure the displacement and a measuring amplifier including a USB interface for connection to a PC or notebook. The software for data acquisition is based on the visual programming language LabView. Using the software the students are now relieved from hand writing measurements and can plot, for example, curves for different materials and compare them. Diagrams can be recorded, saved and printed. The corresponding data are convertible for export to other software. Load-extension diagrams are displayed in real time. Up to ten load extension curves can be displayed simultaneously. Several calculations are feasible like the elasticity modulus, Brinell hardness etc. FUNDING OF DIDACTIC EQUIPMENT

Modern didactic systems for engineering education exist around the globe since many years. These systems are ready to use, technically mature and have reached a high level of sophistication and quality. They are embedded in a didactic concept. It takes long time experience and development resource to produce such equipment efficiently. Long term cooperation with the buyers of these systems, the universities, is essential and appreciated. Didactic systems are no mass products. They are manufactured on order and can therefore be customised to some extend. There is clear demand from the EU concerning higher education and there is competition among technical universities. Therefore they should seek for opportunities to go for didactic equipment despite of budget constraints. Capital from the EU is available for new EU members, but the initiative has to come definitively from the universities themselves. Some bureaucratically efforts can unfortunately not be avoided. REFERENCES 1. P. Ulbrich, Finanzierung von Gemeinden in Polen IFAT 26.04.2005, HBV Group EU Unternehmensfrderung, Compendium Deutsch-Baltische Handelskammer, February 2005 DIE WELT, Flagge zeigen im Baltikum Press release, published 26th of April 2006 Publishment EU (European Council) paper no 6236/04, Brussels, 12th February 2004, pages 5-22

After presentation of such didactic equipment to universities the need is unquestioned and the systems are much appreciated. However, the comment about financing always emerges. Evidently receiving funds for research purposes seems to be much easier as there are various sources which can be tapped. Industrial companies are very supportive in this respect. For educational didactic equipment public funds are in most cases the only source which remains.

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