A fluid power lab for undergraduate education

This paper presents the development and usage of a unique educational facility housed in the Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. The laboratory described is focused on the general subject area of dynamic systems and controls. The particular technology utilized in the laboratory is fluid power: the transmission and control of energy via pressurized liquids or gas. This paper describes the mechanisms that went into gathering support for the lab as well as a physical description of many of the laboratory components. Sample experiments are given to emphasize the pedagogical value of this type of laboratory activity over other common exercises in the dynamic systems and control educational field. In addition, this work describes the integration of the fluid power lab into the college-wide controls laboratory network at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.