2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Development of Design, Control, and Data Acquisition Modules for Fluid Power Education

Presented at Hands-On Learning in ET II

In preparing the next generation of engineering workforce, fluid power courses aim to provide students in applied engineering technology with the technical abilities industry professionals require. Within fluid power, understanding the fundamentals of pneumatic systems constitutes a core area of study due to its various applications in construction, automotive, and manufacturing. Nevertheless, traditional curricula entail limited implementation of practical knowledge in applied disciplines such as fluid power, which does not meet the expectations of a technical college or university. Consequently, students not only tend to face challenges in assimilating core fluid power concepts but are also later confronted with a lack of hands-on skills in industry. Despite the efforts to incorporate interactive tools and methods into fluid power labs, the challenge remains in training students on the control and data acquisition of fluid power systems using flexible methods that foster learning and critical thinking. Therefore, this paper presents a set of laboratory modules designed to introduce pneumatic systems design and control to fluid power college and university courses following a practical and inexpensive approach. In particular, it investigates the control of a pneumatic manipulator through an air pump and the data acquisition of a pressure transducer using an Arduino Microcontroller to measure the pressure exhibited in the system. The laboratory modules are proposed with their respective mechanical and electrical designs, hardware components, codes, and testing results.

Authors

Ms. Helene Jabbour Purdue University [biography]

Helene Jabbour is a visiting research scholar at Purdue University's Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology. She received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and applied mathematics from the American University of Beirut. Her current appointment as a scholar consists of researching and developing mechanical systems modules for some university courses within engineering technology.
Israa Azzam Purdue University [biography]

Israa is a Ph.D. student at Purdue University, specializing in digital technologies and control systems. She received her B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Beirut Arab University (BAU) in 2019 and her M.E. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the American University of Beirut (AUB) in 2021, specializing in Robust Control.

Israa is a Research Assistant on the National Science Foundation-funded Project "Research Initiation: Developing Spatial Visualization and Understanding of Complex Systems via Interactive Mixed Reality Modules”. Israa leads research endeavors focusing on improving cognitive skills through extended reality (XR). Additionally, Israa’s contributions extend to integrating control system analysis and design into XR, where she has developed and implemented multiple interactive Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) modules and platforms. These modules have been effectively utilized in mechanical design, training, remote operation, and engineering education. Israa has received recognition for her contributions, including the best poster and presentation awards for her work, the 2024 Bravo Award for Employee Recognition, and induction into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, placing her among the top 10% of Purdue Graduate students. Her academic journey reflects a commitment to advancing knowledge and contributing to technological innovation in XR control systems.

Her professional aspirations include applying for an Assistant Professor position upon completing her Ph.D. This career trajectory aligns with her desire to leverage her accumulated experience and knowledge to mentor and guide emerging talents. A central component of her vision is inspiring and supporting aspiring scholars in pursuing academic and professional excellence, facilitating impactful change within our field.
Ms. Isaac Elí Lago Tecnologico de Monterrey [biography]

7th Semester Undergraduate Student for a Bachelor of Science in Mechatronics Engineering, at Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores De Monterrey, CEM. Visiting Student Intern at Purdue University, IN.
Dr. Farid Breidi http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4959-3292 Purdue University [biography]

Dr. Farid Breidi joined the School of Engineering Technology at Purdue University as an Assistant Professor in Aug 2020. Farid received his B.E. in Mechanical Engineering degree from the American University of Beirut in 2010, his M.S. in Mechanical Engine
Dr. Jose M. Garcia http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3017-3354 Purdue University [biography]

Biography
Dr. Jose M. Garcia-Bravo is currently an Associate Professor for the Mechanical Engineering Technology program where he has a special focus on fluid power (hydraulic systems) research and instruction, additive manufacturing and smart manufacturing using Industrial Internet of Things technologies. Garcia-Bravo received his B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Universidad de Los Andes, Bogota in 2002, His M.Sc. in 2006 and Ph.D. in 2011 from Purdue University.

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