Design of a curriculum-spanning mechanical engineering laboratory experiment

Abstract

This paper describes a laboratory experiment that was designed to facilitate education in material science, instrumentation and controls, and thermal sciences. The laboratory module is part of a broader effort to enhance mechanical engineering laboratory curriculum to incorporate modern pedagogical methods and to improve a defined set of student outcomes. The laboratory experiment focuses on a low-cost toaster oven that has been modified to allow students to control temperature and fan operation through either LabVIEW or Arduino systems. The oven experiment has been designed to facilitate long-term testing in the material science laboratory, sensing and control of the temperature in the oven during the mechanical systems laboratory, and precise heating of specimens during the senior level thermal systems laboratory. To assess the effectiveness of the laboratory experiment a student survey was administered and results indicate the new laboratory experiment has been successful in improving student engagement.