International educational project "Synergy".

Mogilnikov, Pavel ; Bagimov, Igor ; Klevakin, Vladimir 等

1. INTRODUCTION

Abstract: Lab equipment in the field of Mechatronics can be very expensive, such all universities are not able to buy complete equipment the way how to solve this problem is to make international network and buy one part of equipment in such way that all network partners have complete equipment. Each partner in network gives own equipment to use to all partners using internet technology and possibilities. This project is one pilot international project which is following this strategy and philosophy.

Key words: international project, lab sharing, distance education

1. INTRODUCTION

Lately the software environment and equipment are being developed faster and faster. Most technical universities turned out unable to follow this accelerating progress lead by companies and other universities. They don't have enough experts, money and time. As time will go situation for the universities will became more and more complicated. One of the ways to solve the problem and to keep abreast of the times is a merger of scientific, technical and financial resources of universities. At such merger each university could elaborate upon the themes where it has the highest potential and could use the results of other university elaborations.

It seems the most difficult component in such merger is amalgamation of laboratories. Students have to receive access to remote equipment via Internet without direct contacts. They and their teachers should change customary ideas about work with the equipment. Beside psychological aspects a special software has to be developed to control the remote equipment and to receive information about results of the control.

The problem of distance interaction with one or another kind of equipment was solved by many universities. In the USA and Mexico this problem was solved in the project Digital Factory University Network, made by three university (Pakkala J.E., Lopez F.J., 2006). In the European Community 11 partners developed the Marvel project, which has a larger scale and was worked out in more details (Muller D., 2005).

But until lately none interuniversity network was created and there was no any laboratory system which would be able to provide regular training of several university students. For the first time such task was accomplished in the framework of the "Synergy" project.

Four Russia and Ukraine universities had created, tested and put into operation an international laboratory network for students training in the field of industry automation.

The network is supposed to be developed both in the number of participating universities and in the variety of the equipment.

2. INFORMATION

Moscow Power Engineering Institute (Moscow, Russia), Baltic Technical State University (Saint-Petersburg, Russia), Omsk State Technical University (Omsk, Russia) and Sevastopol National Technical University (Sevastopol, Ukraine) in close collaboration with the Industrial company Festo have created a laboratory network open for all four universities.

The system is intended to teach students to design automatic control systems and to work through control programs on the virtual and physical models of the industrial equipment.

Authors of the Marvel project have already clearly explained why both virtual and physical models are needed (Bruns F.W., Erbe H.-H, 2005) and why a real equipment cannot be replaced with its virtual model (Clark G., Weir G., 2005). On the other hand in this project the possibility of remote access to real equipment was proven and some problems related to such access were shown (Karlsson P., Hrissagis K., 2005).

In the Marvel project there were several solutions for distance training with different laboratory equipment (robot, solar plant, electronic circuit design, mechatronics). The Synergy project is concentrated on the production area. It has joined laboratories which simulate four widely-spread production processes: pick & place, assembly, testing and storing. Such combination of the laboratory equipment gives an opportunity for students to get a practical experience in solution of the most demanded automation tasks.

The laboratories are based on Festo simulation stations MPS (Modular Production Station). These stations include real actuators, sensors, controllers and physical models of industrial constructions (List of MPS station is shown in the Table 1). For each station a mathematical simulator has been made. These simulators can work with both virtual and real controllers.

In order to show to the students how the designing process should be organized, and to protect real equipment from mistaken actions all trainings are being started from exercises with mathematical simulators. The importance of such sequence was shwn by F.W.Bruns, H.-H. Erbe and Faust M.

All student works are supported with manuals.

Interaction between students and MPS is arranged in the following way. Each university had equipped a mechatronics classroom and an Internet laboratory. The student working places in the classroom have only personal computers joined to each other by a local network. In the personal computers there are virtual models of all MPSs.

The students, using virtual models are preparing control programs for MPS controllers and are sending them via the local network to the main server.

The organizational structure of the system is shown on the Fig.1.

In the main server there is a folder for each student. Access to this folder student receives after having introduced his or her password. The folder has two parts: "Lesson" and "Output". The student program is coming into the part "Lesson".

The structure of folders in the main server is shown on the fig.2.

[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]

[FIGURE 2 OMITTED]

MPSs are installed in the Internet-laboratories. Each laboratory has a local server. This server provides communication between MPS and the main server.

For full production process simulation all MPSs are furnished with models of details which should be processed. Before each student program realization these models must be put on the given initial positions. One technician in each laboratory is working to fulfill this function. After having prepared an MPS he is sending to the local server a sign of readiness.

Example of MPS is shown on the fig.3.

The main server is putting all student programs in a queue and is permanently interacting with the local servers. When a sign of readiness appears it sends the first from the queue program through a local server to the designated MPS controller. Simultaneously it sends a command to switch on a TV-camera which is directed to the MPS.

The program starts to work immediately after being loaded into controller. MPS is working the given time or until one of parameters under control has exceeded a permissible level.

During MPS functioning all sensor signals and TV-signal are being registered in the student folder, the part "Output". Student may get the received information and analyze it just after MPS has been stopped or later on, when it is convenient for the student. Content of his folder will be kept save during the whole period of education.

All student works are supported with manuals.

Now project participants are developing software for remote access to the MPSs in the on-line mode. Such mode of operation will be needed for individual student works. In this case the detail models will not be used, therefore technician participation will not be needed and experiments may follow one after another without breaks. Student will have possibility to start and to stop program on his or her own discretion.

In the on-line mode the main server will make for student an animated image of MPS.

[FIGURE 3 OMITTED]

As a part of the project the universities have installed broadband connection via Internet and this connection gives an opportunity for teachers to lecture for all universities simultaneously using audio and video facilities. Consultations through these channels are also possible.

Further development of this system may give an opportunity to get a full-fledged technical education not only for the university students but for everyone.

3. CONCLUSION

Four universities have united their laboratories via Internet. For that a complex of hardware, software and manuals were created. Students received a possibility to get practice with equipment placed in all universities. The cost of such practice is much lower than at the traditional approach, when each university has full set of its own equipment.

The created structure may be supplemented with new equipment and new participants.

4. REFERENCES

Muller, D. (2005). The MARVEL project, pp. 7-16, 3-88555-769-x, Marvel, 2005, Bremen

Clark, G.; Weir, G. (2005). Remote workshop in mechatronics: course trial and evaluation at West Lothian College, pp. 63-72, 3-88555-769-x, Marvel, 2005, Bremen

Pakkala, J.E.; Lopez, F.J. (2006). Work in progress: Implementing a digital factory university network, 1-4244-0257-3, 36TH ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in education conference, T1A1-2, 2006, San Diego

Bruns, F.W.; Erbe, H.-H.; Faust, M. (2005), Engineering future laboratories, pp. 83-91, 88555-769-x, Marvel, 2005, Bremen

Karlsson, P.; Hrissagis, K. (2005), Remote programming and configuration of a robotic system: a workplace oriented case study, pp. 73-82, 88555-769-x, Marvel, 2005, Bremen

MOGILNIKOV, P[avel]; BAGIMOV, I[gor]; KLEVAKIN, V[ladimir]; MIKHAILOV, M[axim]; ROSLYAKOV, P[avel] *; SHALAI, V[iktor] *; STAZHKOV, S[ergey] *; KRAMAR, V[adym] *; KHOMCHENKO, V[asiliy] *; FUERSINN, G[uenter] * & ELISEEV, A[leksey] **

Table 1. List of MPS Stations

University MPS stations

Baltic State Technical Processing Pick&Place
University station station

Moscow Power Engineering Final Sorting Buffer
Institute (Technical University) station station

Omsk State Technical Robot station Assembly
University station

Sevastopol Nation Technical Distributing Testing
University station station