Milan S. Matijevic

A LabVIEW‐based remote laboratory experiments for control engineering education

This paper deals with remote access to a real laboratory equipment using contemporary computer and network technology for creating the environment that will enable a remote user to perform the required laboratory exercises and control the laboratory equipment. Architecture and characteristics of WebLab will be described with special attention to the latest implemented laboratory experiment for control of the coupled water tanks (using LabVIEW). This paper will also give results of researches among student population in order to determine advantages and effects of using web laboratory in control engineering education.

Web-based laboratory for engineering education

Laboratory experiments and practical work by their nature are unavoidable, important, and costly in the engineering education environment. The web laboratory is an educational tool for teaching students the basic principles and methodology in performing a series of experiments on different equipment at any time and from any location through the Internet. In this paper, pre‐requests, architecture, and software realization of the Web Laboratory at University of Kragujevac are presented. Organization, development, goals, and possible demands of the laboratory exercise: The inverted pendulum/gantry crane controls (with the capability to test different control algorithms) are also discussed. The applications of the web lab have been tested with the students enrolled at University of Kragujevac and the initial educational results of the implementation of this laboratory exercise are presented.

The development and implementation of a thermal process trainer for control and measurement via the Internet

In engineering education, it is very important to provide solid knowledge and practice to students in order to deal with architectures, mechanisms, and algorithms for the control of processes. In this article we will present the concept, detailed technical requirements, description, implementation, and verification of a process (thermal) trainer. In addition three possible educational tasks will be presented with a developed software infrastructure for the remote control of a laboratory set‐up via the Internet.

Remote labs and problem oriented engineering education

This paper describes a study case of student production of laboratory model for engineering education and its integration in the local remote laboratory. Students guided by teaching staff are passing through all phases of development and testing of engineering product. In our case, student should produce and test a fan. This part of case study concerning with courses in Hydraulic and Pneumatic Machinery, which incorporates, besides fundamental courses, subjects related to the theory, construction, design and testing of the hydraulic machines (pumps, fans, turbines) and turbo-compressors. After this, students should produce fan and plate system, which is well-known a laboratory model for Control Engineering education. In this paper, are also described procedures and benefits of integration of a laboratory model in Go-Lab Portal as a remote controlled experimental setup with materials for teaching and learning.

ICT industry in Serbia: condition and improvement by QMS

The paper presents current level of the Serbian Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry, global parameters of ICT in Serbia, as well as some economic indicators. Existing problems and suggest actions necessary for improvement of IT in the Serbian industry are also defined. One approach to improvement of Serbian ITC industry is adopting a general framework policy for the integration of the acquis in the field of quality, standards and technical regulations, developing an updated national Quality Plan for the ICT. This paper will also present development and implementation of Quality Management System (QMS) in Serbian ICT sector.

Helicopter Laboratory Model Experiment With Web Access

This paper describes the experiment for learning and investigation of the helicopter laboratory model static and dynamic characteristics. Helicopter model is not the free flying one, as it has the two degrees of freedom â?? up / down movement and rotation with respect to vertical axis of the main propeller. The two basic different kinds of experiments with the helicopter model are possible. In the first group are experiments with the model for measurement of the static and dynamic characteristics that show the basic capabilities and overall performance of the model. Second group of experiments are control experiments for movement of the system to the desired position or for performing some continuous oscillatory movement. All experiments can be performed locally from the lab with the experimental setup and remotely. Remote experiments are performed by using the web user interface for controlling the laboratory equipment and the IP camera for observing the movements of the helicopter model.

Design of WEB Laboratory for Programming and Use of an FPGA Device

This paper covers a topic on design and implementation of web-based laboratory for programming and use of an FPGA device. This web-based laboratory will be used for remote programming and control of an FPGA device designed for use in the course “Introduction to Design and Control of Integrated Circuits for Communication, Sensors and Actuators” in Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac. Because of limited laboratory resources, both human and technical, needed for teaching programming of an FPGA devices on Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac, a web-based laboratory is a viable solution to the problem This approach was proved successful in the past, namely in the course “Measurement and Control” on the Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac, where 190 students have successfully done four laboratory exercises via web-based laboratory on four experimental setups. Experimental setup is consisted of Digilent Nexys2-FPGA development board connected to the USB port for programming, and Arduino Leonardo development board with Firmata firmware for controlling physical inputs of the FPGA board. Software for this web-based laboratory was written using MEAN stack. Outcomes of this work are full implementation of a web-based laboratory for teaching purposes of programming and control of an FPGA device, with all documentation needed for students to successfully pass a course “Introduction to Design and Control of Integrated Circuits for Communication, Sensors and Actuators” in Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac.

Laboratory Model of Coupled Electrical Drives for Supervision and Control via Internet

Servo drives are used in a wide range of industrial applications including metal cutting, packaging, textiles, web-handling, automated assembly and printing. Servomotors in a typical industrial environment are linked to their end effectuators by transmission mechanisms having a finite stiffness. The elastically coupled two-mass motor/load system introduces finite zeros and the pair of conjugate complex poles in the transfer function of the system plant and, thus, brings up the problem of mechanical resonance. The resonance phenomenon may provoke weakly damped oscillations of the link. Vibration suppression and disturbance rejection in torsional systems are important issue in a high performance motion control. For experimental verification of mentioned phenomena at Faculty of Engineering at University of Kragujevac is developed a laboratory model of coupled electrical drives. The paper describes development and potential use of this laboratory model for engineering education and training. This experimental setup is very expensive according to Serbian standards and unique at Faculty of Engineering. In order to enable wider access to the laboratory model, and exemplary teaching/learning materials concerning with the laboratory model, the laboratory model is integrated in WEB laboratory.

Virtual Instrumentation Used in Engineering Education Set-Up of Hydraulic Pump and System

Numerous students attend courses in hydraulic turbo pumps at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering University of Belgrade, as well as from other faculties. They have oral lectures and exercises with numerical tasks, but also laboratory exercises. This easily driven upgraded installation is very convenient for laboratory exercises for various groups of students. In this paper is demonstrated upgrade of the present installation with transducers instead of U-tube analogue manometers, acquisition system and LabVIEW application for hydraulic pump diagnostics and flow meter calibration. Pressure transducers are also previously calibrated. This installation has three regulating valves and two for tanks emptying. In this way students could form two simple and one complex pipeline. Serious and parallel combinations of pipe lines could be demonstrated, as well as pump by-pass regulation. Hydraulic pipe curve could be formed for one position of the valve on the pump pressure side and various pump frequencies. This could be repeated for other valve positions. In addition pump head characteristic for one rotation number is formed by changing the valve position. Good overlapping with manufacturer’s curve is demonstrated. Cavitation and turbulent swirling flow phenomena could be also visualized and demonstrated on this installation with transparent pump housing, as well as partly suction and pressure pipes.

LEGO Web laboratory at University of Kragujevac

This paper describes laboratory infrastructure for LEGO robotics mechanisms controlled via Internet protocol in real time. Description of Web laboratory, existing robotics mechanisms that are in use in Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac, and educational potential of laboratory regardless of the prior programming knowledge are given in this work. Web laboratory is of an open structure, which means that users can realize controllers with an arbitrary structure on the available robotics mechanisms with LEGO sensors and actuators in Python programming language. There is catalogue of digital controller examples solved in Python programming language on the web pages of the WEB Laboratory, as well as subroutines for use of LEGO sensors and actuators via Python programming language. Enhancing LEGO sets by the means of 3D printing is also described in this work. Laboratory software is written with MEAN stack and Python programming language.