A Preliminary Assessment Of An Msc.Adams Control Design Project In Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering

The required undergraduate controls sequence at the University of Texas El Paso consists of a lecture and laboratory. To supplement the hardware laboratory a design project was assigned. The project used simulation software to visually model the hardware. This format differed from traditional projects that use software such as Simulink because the students could see the hardware moving on their computer screens not just a “scope” output. The anticipated benefits of the project are: • Reduced hardware maintenance costs – the students cannot damage the equipment. • Enhanced learning experience – the visual simulator can be programmed to exclude or include complicating factors (friction and saturation) as required for the learning experience. • Enhanced safety – the students cannot be injured by a controller malfunction. This paper describes a control design project that uses an MSC.ADAMS simulation of a mechanical device. The students must design and implement a controller for the device then test the response. Students can see the simulated device moving on the computer screen and more easily relate scope output signals to the device’s motion. Student attitudes about the activity were assessed to ascertain whether the visual nature of the project helps them better understand the control design process and if the design they perform helps make the theory more understandable. The hypothesis was that a “visual” model that students see being controlled will enable them to explain why theoretical design processes covered in lecture are important.