New equipment in the Applied Fluid Power Lab, purchased with support from the Parker-Hannifin Foundation, was set up and operational by the start of classes in January 2021. In addition, grant funds from the National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) were used to develop a revised curriculum.
“Our new hydraulic equipment includes an additional set of basic and advanced modules for our existing double-sided trainer (donated by Parker in 2019), plus a new double-sided trainer, pump, basic and advanced modules to equip both sides,” Irwin explains. “We immediately put this new equipment to good use.”
In the MMET Applied Fluid Power course, students perform all the labs in the basic and advanced Parker manuals during a two-hour lab session. They use Automation Studio software for the simulation and analysis of hydraulic circuits.
One brand-new 3-credit graduate course, Advanced Hydraulics: Electrohydraulic Components and Systems was offered for the first time in fall 2021 for students pursuing an MS in Mechatronics. The curriculum for the course was developed this past spring and summer.
Mechatronics MS student Namratha Karanam was hired to set up and test the electrohydraulic system components–an Electrohydraulic Module and an Electrohydraulic Expansion Module, both donated by Parker in 2019.
“In addition, Donald Engineering President, Mark Gauthier, generously donated a Pump Test Stand to supplement our course learning objectives,” says Irwin. “Their donation enables MMET faculty and students to evaluate flow rate and temperature change in and out of the cooling unit for the hydraulic pump.”