Integration of the Data Acquisition and Control Software LabVIEW Throughout the Mechanical Engineering Curriculum at University of the Pacific

增加视觉强化和实践经验促进学习。 此外，研究发现，在多个本科课程中重复使用一套软件，以及使用最先进的商业软件，都有利于提高学习效果。 鉴于这些原则，该项目将数据采集和控制软件LabVIEW的使用集成到整个机械工程课程中。 LabVIEW是最先进的数据采集和控制程序之一，在工业中得到了广泛的应用。 七个精心策划的实验分为六个单独的课程，确保学生在课程的每一年都使用LabVIEW。 这些实验开始于大一和大二的入门实验室。 大三和大四的实验更加复杂，包括控制和数据采集。 此外，实验的软件和硬件可用于仪器仪表，控制和顶点高级设计项目课程的最终项目。 计划在其他几门课程以及向K12学生进行的演示中使用该项目的设备，以提高学生对工程的兴趣。 该项目需要LabVIEW软件、各种数据采集硬件和附加计算机。 七个实验中的每一个都强调了LabVIEW通过其图形编程环境和数据流可视化功能提供的可视化和动手能力。 国家仪器公司（LabVIEW的生产商）已承诺与大学合作，在他们的行业杂志和他们的网页的大学部分发布该项目的结果。 *

Increased visual reinforcement and hands-on experiences promote learning. In addition, it has been found that repetitive use of a software package in a number of undergraduate courses and use of state-of-the-art commercial software is beneficial for enhanced learning. In view of these principles, this project integrates the use of the data acquisition and control software LabVIEW throughout the mechanical engineering curriculum. LabVIEW is one of the most sophisticated data acquisition and control programs available and is heavily used in industry. Implementation of seven carefully planned experiments into six separate courses ensures that students are using LabVIEW during each year of the curriculum. The experiments begin with introductory laboratories in the freshman and sophomore years. Junior- and senior-year experiments are more complex and include control as well as data acquisition. Furthermore, the software and hardware for the experiments can be made available for final projects in courses in instrumentation, controls, and the capstone senior design project. Demonstrations that use the project's equipment are planned in several other courses as well as in presentations given to K 12 students to promote interest in engineering. For this project, LabVIEW software, various data acquisition hardware and additional computers are required. Each of the seven experiments stresses the visualization and hands-on capabilities made available by LabVIEW through its graphical programming environment and data flow visualization capabilities. National Instruments (producer of LabVIEW) has committed to work with the university to publish results of this project both in their trade journal and in the university portion of their Web pages. *