Engineering is fun
in the instrumentation laboratory
Angéla Váradi, Tamás Bodolai
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
University of Miskolc, Hungary
elkvsza@uni-miskolc.hu
14 October 2009
Global Colloquium on Engineering Education, Budapest
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Teaching and research areas
of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Electronics
Measurement and Instrumentation
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Analysis of high power network disturbances
Flicker analysis
Efficiency of the electrical energy consumption
Electrical drive diagnostics
Analogue electronics
Power electronics
Car electronics
Development of instrumentation systems for
mechatronic equipment
Remote controlled instrumentation systems
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Teaching activity
of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
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Level
Engineering
Semester
Assistant
Mechanical
Electrical
4
BSc
Electrical
Mechanical
Energetics
Information Technology
Mechatronics
7
MSc
Mechanical
Information Technology
(Electrical is prepared
for accreditation)
4
PhD
6
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Measurement education
Measurement evolution
Two opposing trend
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Curricula
in BSC
Electrical
Engineering
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Metrology
courses
in BSC
Electrical
Eng.
curriculum
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Introductory course
1 hour theory, 2 hours laboratory, 1 hour LabView
Measuring errors, standards
Handling of basic instruments, DMM, FG, Oscilloscope
Soldering practice
LabView basics (1 hour per week)
First steps in LabView learning – student solution – not perfect, but working
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Measurement Science
2 hours theory, 1 hour laboratory
Statistical analysis of measurement errors
Basic theory of computer-aided instrumentation
LabView solutions for data analysis
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Practice in computer-aided instrumentation
3 hour laboratory
Data acquisition
Sensors
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Measurement systems
1 hour theory, 2 hours laboratory
Remote controlled instrumentation
Industrial test methods
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Test and diagnostics
4 hours per week
Project based team work
(optional subject for certain specialisation)
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Laboratory load – Students motivation
200 student per semester – 2 hours per week –
14 students per group in average
(2009-2010 academic year 1st semester: 310 students in 23 groups; 61 hours
laboratory practices per week)
Changing the concept
What we teach?
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How we teach?
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Student attitudes at the laboratory
Your experiences?
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Student attitudes at the laboratory
• 5* students
• „Oh. End of the seminar?
Can I stay a bit?”
Researcher
students
• „The neutral mass”
• „What is the minimum level?”
• „I don’t mind”!
Most of them are not able to connect
or not interested in connecting
the real life and the science
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Student attitudes at the laboratory
What is the ratio in your experiences?
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Student attitudes at the laboratory
• 5* students
2%
• „Oh. End of the seminar?
Can I stay a bit?”
10%
• „The neutral mass”
~40%
• „What is the minimum level?”
30%
• „I don’t mind”!
20%
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Importance of the task definition
•
Build a vibration sensing circuit using xxx type
piezoelectric accelerometer and charge amplifier.
Develop measuring software suitable for continuous
data acquisition and signal display. Using FFT
analysis define frequency spectrum of the vibration
signal.
?
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Importance of the task definition
•
Build a vibration sensing circuit using xxx type
piezoelectric accelerometer and charge amplifier.
Develop measuring software suitable for continuous
data acquisition and signal display. Using FFT
analysis define frequency spectrum of the vibration
signal.
•
Build a sensing circuit and develop measuring and
analyzing software suitable for display your mobile
phone’s vibration-call and define 3 frequency
components with the highest amplitude level.
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Student solution
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Measurements using capacitor microphone
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Student solution
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Test and Diagnostic –
the project based course
• Last semester of the study
• Team work (4 students per team)
• Team leader – the best project proposal
• Realization and presentation
• Self evaluation
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Examples from the students projects
Cooling efficiency diagnostic of different materials used for power LEDs
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Examples from the students projects
Development of light intensity sensor for control of window shutter
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Experiences
• Self-grouping is not successful – rearrangement
• Project proposals include too much work for the
defined time limit
• Students enjoy the work (including electrical and
mechanical tasks)
• Self-evaluation is mostly fair
• Half of the projects is part of the leader’s diploma
work
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Remote controlled laboratory at the DEEE
Specialties:
1. Open for all Internet users (web browser only necessary)
2. The user is an active participant during the operation
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Remote controlled laboratory at the DEEE
Web camera
Compact FielPoint
Linear displacement
sensor ciruit
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DC motor test
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LabView
Power LED test
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http://193.6.7.165/cFPe.html
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Motivation methods
1. Task definition – from the real life
2. Team work – learning by doing
3. Internet based system – playing-doing-learning
?
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Conclusions
Courses in metrology are practice oriented subjects, requiring
activity and creativity of students.
New practical experiments and teaching methods worked out at
our department encourage students, increase their motivation.
Project based course integrates theoretical knowledge and practical
abilities, students solve real-life problems, while they learn to work
in team.
The remote controlled laboratory provides wide range of
educational utilization, particular focus points depend on the
specialization and the year of the study.
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Thank you for your kind attention!
Questions?
Angéla Váradi
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
University of Miskolc, Hungary
elkvsza@uni-miskolc.hu
14 October 2009
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