2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

In the Fundamentals of Instrumentation course, junior-level Manufacturing Engineering Technology students gain practical experience with DC and AC circuits, sensors, actuators, digital logic, filters, and discrete semiconductors. A key lab exercise focuses on Ohm’s Law and device characterization, where students measure the current-voltage (I–V) behavior of a resistor and an incandescent light bulb to determine linearity.

Traditionally, this lab required students to manually adjust voltages and record corresponding currents—a process that was both time-consuming and prone to error, particularly for nonlinear devices requiring fine voltage steps. To improve efficiency and allow students to focus more on data analysis, the lab was automated using a Python-based solution developed by the author.

The Python program uses the PyVISA library to control Ethernet-connected Keysight instruments (a power supply and a digital multimeter) using the Virtual Instrument Software Architecture (VISA) and Standard Commands for Programmable Instruments (SCPI) protocols. While similar labs in the literature often rely on USB-connected devices and LabVIEW, this implementation demonstrates the flexibility and effectiveness of a Python-based, networked approach.

The automated system was deployed for the first time during the Fall 2025 semester with a class of sixteen students. The results indicated improved efficiency, more accurate data collection, and greater student engagement with data interpretation and analysis.

This work in progress paper shows how automation using open-source tools can enhance the educational value of traditional electronics labs, and it offers a scalable model for modernizing instrumentation instruction in engineering technology programs.