The objective of this project is to establish an interdisciplinary undergraduate instructional laboratory. This laboratory will feature equipment and processes typical of applications in chemical, electrical, and mechanical engineering, e.g. heat transfer, motor speed and servomechanisms position control robots, pressure control, phase-lock loop, hydraulic actuator, and temperature and level control. Resources are provided for new experimental equipment and instrumentation and also to upgrade and provide modern instrumentation for existing experiments. A unique feature of this laboratory is the makeup of the student teams. Three students, one from each of the three disciplines, will work together on a series of six experiments that expose the students to a broad range of industrial control applications beyond that which is possible in an individual departmental laboratory. In addition, the students will have the opportunity to work on a team whose members have different backgrounds. These shared laboratory experiences will result in cross fertilization of ideas and mutual understanding for other disciplines.
