This project is improving the effectiveness of undergraduate instruction in the area of fluid power actuation and control by upgrading the laboratory experience mechanical engineering students receive in this area. It has typically been the case that the laboratory exposure students receive has not fully illustrated concepts or components related to fluid power in sufficient depth and in the context of applications of current interest. This project exposes students to a greater variety of fluid power components and systems, and investigates their behavior in greater depth so that students develop a better appreciation for the capabilities and limitations of fluid power in relation to other forms of actuation such as electromechanical actuation. Applications of current interest are also highlighted to better motivate students to investigate fluid power in greater detail in the context of design projects and elective courses.
