Enhancing Mechanical Vibration Education through Virtual Labs: A Focus on Rotor Balancing

Carmen Maria Muller-Karger; Luis U. Medina Uzcategui

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Conference: 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Portland, Oregon
Publication Date: June 23, 2024
Start Date: June 23, 2024
End Date: July 12, 2024
Conference Session: MECH - Technical Session 4: Innovation in Engineering Education Methods
Tagged Division: Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH)
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/47309

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Paper Authors

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Carmen Maria Muller-Karger Florida International University

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Associate Teaching Professor at the Mechanical Engineering Department at Florida International University. Full professor at Simon Bolivar University, Venezuela from 2002 to 2016. With a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, a M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering in the area of Rotodynamics from the University of Virginia, and a Ph.D. in Engineering Science in the area of Biomechanics from the Central University of Venezuela. Main interest in Simulation in Mechanical Engineering, Biomechanics, Motion Analysis, Finite Element Analysis, Mechanical Medical Devices Design. Highly interested in Higher Education Curriculum Design, Academic Leadership, and teaching and classroom innovation. Courses taught: Intro to Engineering, Statics, Dynamics, Mechanics of Materials, Mechanical Vibrations, Intro to CAD (SolidWorks), Senior Design Project, Numerical Methods, Intro to Biomechanics.

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Luis U. Medina Uzcategui Universidad Austral de Chile

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Dr. Medina, a Doctor in Engineering holder, currently serves as an academic at the University of Austral de Chile (UACh), specializing in instrumentation, measurement, and mechanical systems dynamics. He is also the coordinator of the Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Technology Transfer office at UACh. Previously, he held various academic-administrative roles at the Universidad Simón Bolívar (USB) in Venezuela, earning recognition for teaching excellence. With over 10 years of experience as the academic supervisor of the ASME-USB student group, affiliated with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, he spent a sabbatical year as a Visiting Fellow at the University of New South Wales, Australia. Dr. Medina's applied research focuses on mechanical systems identification and vibration control. His expertise extends to providing technical consultancy in vibration analysis for rotating machinery and calibration of industrial transducers used in oil extraction. He has also facilitated professional development courses in mechanical vibration analysis, metrology, and quality control for industrial processes.

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Abstract

Mechanical vibrations is a fundamental topic in mechanical engineering education, and rotor balancing represents an ideal example of understanding the subject of harmonically forced vibrations. The aim of this study is to explore the potential benefits of incorporating a virtual lab for rotor balancing into the mechanical vibration course. The virtual lab provides a simulated environment where students can gain hands-on experience in balancing techniques, without the constraints of physical equipment and real-world operational risks. It includes interactive windows that guide students through the various steps of rotor balancing, from understanding the theoretical foundations to applying practical solutions. The Virtual Rotor Kit (VRK) lab offers several advantages for educational purposes. It allows students to experiment with diverse rotor configurations and different imbalance scenarios. Providing immediate feedback and visualization of results facilitates a deeper understanding of the underlying principles and fosters problem-solving skills. With the Rotor balancing example students will reinforce knowledge of vibration that occurs due to an external, periodic force applied to the rotor, and important concepts such as natural frequency, forcing frequency, frequency ratio, vibration amplitude, phase angle, and resonance. The student will learn a rotor balancing method, in this case, the Influence Coefficient Method, to calculate the amount and location of the correction weights while being exposed to measurement techniques. This study assesses the effectiveness of the virtual lab by evaluating the reports submitted by students for a case study on rotor balancing in two different institutions and evaluating the learning outcomes and students' performance in fundamental concepts on harmonically force vibrations. Student surveys and feedback are also collected to gauge the perceived impact of the virtual lab on their learning experience. The results of this research aim to provide valuable insights into the pedagogical benefits of integrating virtual labs into engineering education, particularly in the context of mechanical vibration courses. In conclusion, the utilization of a virtual lab for rotor balancing as an educational tool in mechanical vibration courses offers a promising avenue for enhancing the quality of education in mechanical engineering. The virtual lab not only supplements traditional teaching methods but also addresses practical challenges by providing a safe, low cost, and interactive platform for students to develop a comprehensive understanding of rotor balancing techniques. This research contributes to the ongoing exploration of innovative approaches to engineering education and underscores the importance of virtual labs in imparting critical engineering skills.

Citation
Format

Muller-Karger, C. M., & Medina Uzcategui, L. U. (2024, June), Enhancing Mechanical Vibration Education through Virtual Labs: A Focus on Rotor Balancing Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/47309

TY - CPAPER
AB - Mechanical vibrations is a fundamental topic in mechanical engineering education, and rotor balancing represents an ideal example of understanding the subject of harmonically forced vibrations. The aim of this study is to explore the potential benefits of incorporating a virtual lab for rotor balancing into the mechanical vibration course. The virtual lab provides a simulated environment where students can gain hands-on experience in balancing techniques, without the constraints of physical equipment and real-world operational risks. It includes interactive windows that guide students through the various steps of rotor balancing, from understanding the theoretical foundations to applying practical solutions.
The Virtual Rotor Kit (VRK) lab offers several advantages for educational purposes. It allows students to experiment with diverse rotor configurations and different imbalance scenarios. Providing immediate feedback and visualization of results facilitates a deeper understanding of the underlying principles and fosters problem-solving skills.
With the Rotor balancing example students will reinforce knowledge of vibration that occurs due to an external, periodic force applied to the rotor, and important concepts such as natural frequency, forcing frequency, frequency ratio, vibration amplitude, phase angle, and resonance. The student will learn a rotor balancing method, in this case, the Influence Coefficient Method, to calculate the amount and location of the correction weights while being exposed to measurement techniques.
This study assesses the effectiveness of the virtual lab by evaluating the reports submitted by students for a case study on rotor balancing in two different institutions and evaluating the learning outcomes and students&#39; performance in fundamental concepts on harmonically force vibrations. Student surveys and feedback are also collected to gauge the perceived impact of the virtual lab on their learning experience. The results of this research aim to provide valuable insights into the pedagogical benefits of integrating virtual labs into engineering education, particularly in the context of mechanical vibration courses.
In conclusion, the utilization of a virtual lab for rotor balancing as an educational tool in mechanical vibration courses offers a promising avenue for enhancing the quality of education in mechanical engineering. The virtual lab not only supplements traditional teaching methods but also addresses practical challenges by providing a safe, low cost, and interactive platform for students to develop a comprehensive understanding of rotor balancing techniques. This research contributes to the ongoing exploration of innovative approaches to engineering education and underscores the importance of virtual labs in imparting critical engineering skills.

AU - Carmen Maria Muller-Karger
AU - Luis U. Medina Uzcategui
CY - Portland, Oregon
DA - 2024/06/23
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Enhancing Mechanical Vibration Education through Virtual Labs: A Focus on Rotor Balancing
UR - https://peer.asee.org/47309
ER -