A set of experimental education modules were developed as tools to be used in instrumentation and other engineering courses. These modules consist of National Instruments data acquisition system, sensors modules and Labview based software for controlling the experiments and acquiring data. The mechanical system, the focus of the experiment, consisted of a structure that is best described as a cantilevered beam, with strain gages to acquire strain signal, LVDT for acquiring deflection, and an eccentric motor to generate excitation of the free end of the beam. The experimental modules were developed with several objectives in mind, but they all use the same mechanical system to study different aspects. One was to have students use ready made Labview programs that acquire, store and display the data, like displacement and strain under either dynamic or static loading. The students would use the data to compare with theoretical bases. Other modules contain more complex requirements such as the students modifying the Labview programs to display and store the data in different formats and post process some of the output through additional programming in order to learn more about Labview programming. In a course like vibration or system dynamics, the students would utilize the same module to extract the damping characteristics of the structure, natural frequencies and steady state vibration characteristics. This educational module is an effective tool to teach instrumentation, programming and to provide data to support theoretical engineering concepts.

Volume Subject Area:
Mechanical Engineering Education
Keywords:
Virtual Instrumentation, Cantilever beam, Labview, Deflection, Stress, LVDT
Topics:
Cantilever beams, Computer programming, Computer software, Damping, Data acquisition systems, Deflection, Displacement, Education, Engineering education, Engineering fundamentals, Engines, Excitation, Instrumentation, Motors, Sensors, Signals, Steady state, Strain gages, Stress, Students, System dynamics, Teaching, Vibration, Virtual instrumentation
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