Conference Session

Instrumentation Technical Session I

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kenneth E. Dudeck, Pennsylvania State University, Hazleton Campus; Wieslaw Grebski, Pennsylvania State University, Hazleton Campus

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

programs, especially those who have the interest to deal with energyissues. Many teachers are working to integrate energy related topics into their curriculums andinvolve students in “a community based sustainable energy project that will give them theopportunity to make a difference in their local community and the world”.[2]At the university level, various “Energy Engineering” programs have begun to emerge to addressthe anticipated shortage of energy engineers. In a 2009 industry survey by the Center forEnergy Workforce Development [3], it was found that over half of engineers engaged in powergeneration could leave their jobs by 2015, due to retirements and other attrition. This anticipatedshortage of traditional energy engineers, along with the

Conference Session

Instrumentation Technical Session

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Thiruparan Balachandran, Middle Tennessee State University; Saleh M. Sbenaty, Middle Tennessee State University; Jeffrey Walck, Middle Tennessee State University

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

Middle Tennessee State Univer- sity. He received the B.S. degree in E.E. from Damascus University and the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in E.E. from Tennessee Technological University. He is actively engaged in curriculum development for technological education. He has authored and co-authored several industry-based case studies. He is also conducting research in the area of mass spectrometry, power electronics, lasers, instrumentation, digital forensics, and microcontroller applications.Dr. Jeffrey Walck, Middle Tennessee State University Jeffrey Walck is a Professor of Biology at Middle Tennessee State University. His research interests focus on the ecology of seed germination and on the conservation biology of the cedar

Conference Session

Instrumentation Technical Session III

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Wesley B. Williams P.E., University of North Carolina, Charlotte

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

USB-6009 multifunction DAQ were chosen as astarting platform given the graphical programming environment, readily available tutorials, andintegration with the hardware. Students were shown demonstrations involving simplebreadboard circuits before the students worked in small groups to replicate and extend theLabVIEW code and breadboard wiring to include both measurements and control circuits. Aftercompleting the breadboard exercises with LabVIEW and the USB DAQ, students wereintroduced to the Arduino 1.0 Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and an Arduino Unomicrocontroller. As a high level programming language, students viewed the Arduino sketchesas easy to follow given a limited introduction in lecture and access to the Arduino website

Conference Session

Instrumentation Technical Session II

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Akram Hossain, Purdue University, Calumet (Tech); Tanima Zaman, Ivy Tech Community College, Northwest

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

the figure below2: Page 23.1275.4 Figure 3: Single-Board Reconfigurable IO Components.The ultrasonic sensor integrated with the Robotic Starter Kit acquires data about obstacles bytransmitting a short pulse of ultrasonic energy (typically for 200µs with 40kHz)1. The sensorthen stops transmitting energy and waits for a reflected signal from the obstacle in front of it.Once the sensor receives the transmitted signal it provides an output pulse to the real-timeprocessor. Below the ultrasonic sensor with transmitted and reflected energy is shown: Figure 4: Ping ))) Ultrasonic Sensor.Based on the

Conference Session

Instrumentation Technical Session III

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Asad Yousuf, Savannah State University; Alex Wong, Digilent Inc.; Derek W. Edens

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

student not only an edge in solving circuit problems but will also Page 23.1033.4provide the background to solve advanced design problems in Electrical Circuits II classes.Laboratory EquipmentTypically, development tools and laboratory equipment needed for Electrical Circuits sequencecourse fall into two different categories: software and hardware. Software tools includeMultisim, PSPICE, ELVIS, and systems integration environments to implement solutions.Although software solutions can be installed on personal computers and some handheld devices,hardware tools including Power Supplies (DC/AC), Digital Multi-meters, Function Generators,Oscilloscopes

Conference Session

Instrumentation Technical Session I

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Rafic Bachnak, Texas A&M International University; Sofía Carolina Maldonado, Texas A&M International University; Fernando Garcia Gonzalez, Texas A&M International University

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and Vice-President and Treasurer of the Society of Engineering at TAMIU. In addition, Sof´ıa was a Research Assistant for the project ”Topography of an Object: Detection and Display (Software and Hardware)” and was team leader of the Engineering Senior Project Design entitled ”New Classroom Propulsion Demonstrator.”Dr. Fernando Garcia Gonzalez, Texas A&M International University Dr. Fernando Gonzalez is an Assistant Professor in the Engineering Math and Physics Department at Texas A&M International University in Laredo, Texas. He is currently involved in implementing a new undergraduate Systems Engineering degree program which includes selecting the curriculum

Conference Session

Instrumentation Technical Session II

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Marshall, University of Southern Maine

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

: Manufacturing Industry; TravelIndustry; Aerospace; Printing Industry; Food Industry; Textile Industry; HospitalsFilm Industry; Corrugating; Plastics Industry; Agriculture; Foundry; and Leisure.1PLCs can be programmed with graphical ladder logic and are unlike a general-purposecomputer in that they are environmentally hardened to survive on a manufacturing plantfloor.2 Couple this with the ease of interface to hydraulic, pneumatic, and electronicpower systems make PLCs an essential skill for Engineering Technologist.To achieve this level of familiarization, PLCs can be a dedicated process control courseor integrated into an existing course such as fluid power or industrial automation.Budget is often a concern and some programs are choosing to purchase