A Laboratory for Instruction in Integration of Machines and Controls

我们的长期目标是建立一个新颖的教学工厂，使本科生能够获得实际的动手，多学科的经验，并应用他们在科学，数学和工程方面的知识来解决由工业级自动化制造系统组成的现实环境中出现的问题。我们的愿景是将这种独特的实验室经验贯穿于本科课程，同时有效地捕捉现代生产系统中所有重要方面遇到的丰富问题。作为实现这一愿景的第一步，我们建议建立一个教学实验室，学生将在其中设计和建造能够使用工业级组件进行轻工制造的原型机械。该实验室的独特之处在于，学生将使用开放式架构控制器和仪器从头开始构建这些机器，以确保完全访问这些学生建造的机床、机器人和其他设备的内部。这将消除专有的黑盒子，使学习不受阻碍，同时激发探究和创造力。对于这个项目来说，这是一个特别合适的时机，因为我们将把我们的实验室搬到我们系在莱昂哈德大楼的新家。

Our long-term goal is to develop a novel Teaching Factory which will enable undergraduate students to gain realistic hands-on, multi-disciplinary experience and apply their knowledge in science, mathematics, and engineering to solve problems that arise in a realistic environment consisting of an industrial grade automated manufacturing system. Our vision is to weave this unique laboratory experience throughout the undergraduate curriculum while effectively capturing the richness of the problems encountered in modern production systems in all their important dimensions. As first step in realizing this vision, we propose to develop an instructional laboratory in which students will design and construct prototype machinery capable of light manufacturing using industrial grade components. The unique feature of this laboratory is that students will construct these machines from "scratch" using open architecture controllers and instrumentation to ensure full access to the internals of these student-built machine tools, robots, and other equipment. This will eliminate proprietary black boxes and enable unhindered learning while stimulating inquiry and creativity. This is a particularly appropriate time for this project because we will moving our laboratories to our Department's new home in the Leonhard Building.