STEM Education Using Emulation Software for Hydraulic Fluid Power Applications

摘要

STEM education is an indispensable method to prepare students for future careers in engineering and manufacturing. Tools such as simulation software provide one way to explore and expand high school students’ knowledge of hydraulic fluid power systems. Traditionally, hydraulic fluid power college courses have used a physical trainer equipped with cylinders, valves and hoses that demonstrate various circuits important to the understanding of fluid flow and system characteristics. Using Simumatik3D, a free downloadable emulation software developed in Sweden, a group of high school students were able to assemble an emulated environment where they can create new hydraulic circuits, allowing them to learn outside of the classroom and preparing them for classroom activities with a real physical trainer. The software system was selected as the platform to emulate the trainer because of the ease of use, its 3D environment and the potential for future expansion into electromechanical emulations that leverage the use of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) and Robotics. Preliminary results of a small sample of high school students show that students were responsive to the Simumatik3D software and that the project met several best practices for engineering STEM applications.