Multimedia Programmes to Teach Practical and Industrial Experience during the Education

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Multimedia Programmes to TeachPractical and
IndustrialExperience during the Education

• Tom Sels, Pieter Vermeyen, Michel Machiels,
  Daniel Van Dommelen, Ronnie Belmans
• Katholieke Universiteit Leuven - Belgium
• Dept. Electrical Engineering ESAT/ELECTA
• Electrical Energy Computer Architecture

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Overview

• Introduction

• Maxwell Who or What ?

• Target groups of Maxwell

• Structure of Maxwell
• Interactive training module

• Some examples

• Feedback from the students

• Conclusions - Final remarks

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Introduction

• In practice, engineers must do a diversification
  of tasks
• Selecting Implementing electrical systems
• Integrate them in the industrial environment

They need theoretical, technical and practical
experience
Ex-cathedra courses
Laboratory sessions computer based simulations

• Advantage Well established routes
• BUT the system is no longer more compatible
  with the needs of the todays society
• Modern energy application are operated using
  aspects of different skills and need engineers
  with a widespread practical experience and
  knowledge

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Introduction

• Drawbacks of the classical laboratory sessions
• Impossible to combine aspects of several courses
• Requires a lot of expensive equipment a lot place
• Practical limitations for laboratory sessions
  (small groups of students)
• Need a lot of man power and time for supervising
  the sessions
• Students restricted in the hands-on experiments
• Are not able to repeat the experiments
• Are not able to explore the final limits of the
  systems

Need for a powerful software environment - the
students can repeat an execute the experiments at
any time and any place

• Maxwell
• Computer-supported laboratory
• A joint working project of 1 univ. 3
  polytechnicals

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Maxwell Who or What ?

• Maxwell Software environment to simulate
  laboratory experiments in an interactive way,
  on your own level, speed and in a familiar
  place
• Using Maxwell it is possible to
• Repeat individual laboratory experiments
• Combine several aspects of different courses
• Prepare the real hands-on experiments
• Prepare the final examination
• Similar approach as in industry
• Using prototyping as less as possible
• First simulate, then prototyping and finaly
  implementation
• This individual learning method will improve
• Self-confidence of all-round engineers of the
  future
• Enhance the understanding of complex problems and
  the link between different courses

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Target groups of Maxwell

• The main target groups are
• Bachelor and master students
• Students from universities and polytechnicals
• Because there are differences in basic needs
• Theoretical knowledge at the universities
• More practical knowledge at the polytechnicals
• Maxwell can by-pass the differences in basic
  knowledge
• Not only restricted to electrical engineers, but
  Maxwell covers also the other engineering
  departments
• Creates opportunities for master students
• They can integrate their final master thesis into
  Maxwell
• Usable in adult education due to its open
  structure

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Structure Main opening screen

• Until now - 6 related topics from different
  courses

• Physical Principles
• Energy
• Sensors
• Controllers
• Electronics
• Composed Systems

• All topics have thesame structurethroughout the
  prg

Example Energy systems
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Structure Main screen Energy

• Topic concerning ENERGY
• Measurement devices
• List of measurementdevices
• Transformers
• DC-machines
• Induction machines
• Servo drives
• Electroheating

Example Transformers
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Structure Main screen Transformers

• Subtopic concerning TRANSFORMERS

• Principles
• Formulae
• Simulations
• Technology
• Expert
• Questions

• Principles
• Formulae
• Simulations
• Technology
• Expert
• Questions

• Simulations
• Like in real practice
• User select testobject andmeasurement devices
• Slide bars - Buttons
• Interactive Fields
• Auto parameter variation

Example Load test of Transformers
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Structure Example - Transformer

• Simulation of the load test of a single phase
  transformer
• User can select
• Transformer
• Measurements
• Loads
• Simulation results
• Listed in a table
• Saved in a .txt
• Can be manipulated

• Generally
• Hot buttons to
• Navigate throughtthe program
• Jump to other screens
• Interactive participation of user

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Feedback from the students
Maxwell supports us while repeating the
theory after attending the labs (to prepare the
examinations)
31 is not convinced
31 is not convinced 69 are satisfied
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Feedback from the students
Using Maxwell to prepare the lab sessions reduces
thedanger risks, and improves the safelty
63 is not convinced
63 is not convinced 37 are satisfied
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Conclusions - Final remarks

• An educational computer program is developed
• Interactive environment covering several topics
  of EE
• Can be used by bachelor and master students
• Helpfull to prepare and repeat practical
  laboratory sessions
• Can be used to become familiar with analyzing
  complex systems covering several related
  technical courses
• A survey among the students points that
• The students are pleased with Maxwell
• gt 60 - It is a support during studying the
  theorie and preparing the final examination
• BUT does not provide a higher safety level
  during the labs

BUT Real laboratory experiments are still
necessary Need for the real physical contact
Create a feeling for real dimenions
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Contact information

• T. Sels, P. VermeyenD. Van Dommelen, R.
  BelmansK.U.Leuven - Belgiumtom.sels_at_esat.kuleuve
  n.ac.be
• M. MachielsU.I.E. - Francemichel.machiels_at_electr
  abel.com

Play with Maxwell on-line http//www.esat.kuleuv
en.ac.be/ electa/teaching/maxwell