Introduction of New Technologies in the Engineering Technology Curriculum

Closed-loop feedback control system is an important component of a well-rounded engineering technology program. However, since feedback control systems tends to be a rather complex topic, students react positively to hands-on experiments that assist them visualize control systems in practical situations, and, in today’s technology, utilizing and integrating computers within the control loop is essential. An innovative feedback control laboratory has been developed in the school of engineering technology at Daytona State College to fill this need. The laboratory is equipped with some of the most frequently used control systems in engineering and industry. It is designed to bridge the gap between theory and real-life problems, and to give the students valuable hands-on experience to help them better prepared for their careers. A number of practical feedback control system experiments are being developed that will allow students an opportunity to develop appropriate transfer functions and control programs for closed-loop system with a computer in the loop.