Development of a Technology Program Laboratory for Automation, Instrumentation, and Process Control at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis

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This project develops a student laboratory for a new Electrical Engineering Technology course which combines three specialty areas: instrumentation, microprocessors, and programmable logic controllers. Equipment in the laboratory includes oscilloscopes, function generators, and personal computers with lEEE 488 bus controller cards to interface with the instrumentation. Programmable logic controllers and software, microcontroller development systems, conveyors, and robots also are provided. The culmination of student experiments in this laboratory is an industrial type project to automatically adjust and test circuit boards. The students configure and program the equipment so that the programmable logic controller positions the robot arm, and the microcontroller adjusts a potentiometer with the robot until a desired voltage is measured, and the personal computer and instrumentation tests the board to verify operation. This project is significant within the curriculum because in no existing course or laboratory are instrumentation, computers, microcontrollers, and programmable logic controllers interfaced together.