Traditional courses in the area of instrumentation, measurement and control of electrical and electronic engineering technology (EET) and mechanical engineering technology (MET) programs have been developed as a single three-semester hour course with fifty percent theory and fifty percent laboratory content. In this laboratory-based project, students are able to measure process variables, study characteristics of the instruments and processes, learn computerized data acquisition and use the data to control the processes. Using the software-based control system, students are also able to create virtual instrumentation and study its behavior before implementation of actual process. Further, more complex processes may be created by combining individual processes and used to train industrial personnel in modern instrumentation and process control technology. Development of the laboratory using LabVolt process stations, National Instrument data acquisition hardware, and an IBM PC platform with a LabView system is a cost-effective way to deliver control experiences to students.
