Tom Sels Belgium Academic Village Barcelona May 2003 Multimedia Programmes to Teach Practical and Industrial Experience during the Education Tom Sels, Pieter Vermeyen, Michel Machiels, Daniel Van Dommelen, Ronnie Belmans Katholieke Universiteit Leuven - Belgium Dept. Electrical Engineering ESAT/ELECTA Electrical Energy & Computer Architecture

Tom Sels Belgium Academic Village Barcelona May Overview Introduction Target groups of Maxwell Maxwell: Who or What ? Structure of Maxwell  Interactive training module Conclusions - Final remarks  Some examples  Feedback from the students

Tom Sels Belgium Academic Village Barcelona May Introduction In practice, engineers must do a diversification of tasks:  Selecting & Implementing electrical systems  Integrate them in the industrial environment They need theoretical, technical and practical experience Ex-cathedra coursesLaboratory sessions & computer based simulations Advantage : Well established routes BUT : the system is no longer more compatible with the needs of the today’s society  Modern energy application are operated using aspects of different skills and need engineers with a widespread practical experience and knowledge

Tom Sels Belgium Academic Village Barcelona May Introduction Drawbacks of the classical laboratory sessions:  Impossible to combine aspects of several courses Requires a lot of expensive equipment a lot place Practical limitations for laboratory sessions (small groups of students) Need a lot of man power and time for supervising the sessions  Students: restricted in the hands-on experiments Are not able to repeat the experiments Are not able to explore the final limits of the systems Need for a powerful software environment - the students can repeat an execute the experiments at any time and any place Maxwell:  Computer-supported laboratory  A joint working project of 1 univ. & 3 polytechnicals

Tom Sels Belgium Academic Village Barcelona May Maxwell: Who or What ? Maxwell: Software environment to simulate laboratory experiments in an interactive way, on your own level, speed and in a familiar place  Using Maxwell it is possible to: Repeat individual laboratory experiments Combine several aspects of different courses Prepare the real hands-on experiments Prepare the final examination  Similar approach as in industry Using prototyping as less as possible First simulate, then prototyping and finaly implementation  This individual learning method will improve: Self-confidence of all-round engineers of the future Enhance the understanding of complex problems and the link between different courses

Tom Sels Belgium Academic Village Barcelona May Target groups of Maxwell The main target groups are:  Bachelor and master students  Students from universities and polytechnicals Because there are differences in basic needs:  Theoretical knowledge at the universities  More practical knowledge at the polytechnicals Maxwell can by-pass the differences in basic knowledge  Not only restricted to electrical engineers, but Maxwell covers also the other engineering departments Creates opportunities for master students  They can integrate their final master thesis into Maxwell Usable in adult education due to its open structure

Tom Sels Belgium Academic Village Barcelona May Structure: Main opening screen Until now - 6 related topics from different courses:  Physical Principles  Energy  Sensors  Controllers  Electronics  Composed Systems  All topics have the same structure throughout the prg Example: Energy systems

Tom Sels Belgium Academic Village Barcelona May Structure: Main screen Energy Topic concerning ENERGY  Measurement devices  List of measurement devices  Transformers  DC-machines  Induction machines  Servo drives  Electroheating Example: Transformers

Tom Sels Belgium Academic Village Barcelona May Structure: Main screen Transformers Subtopic concerning TRANSFORMERS  Principles  Formulae  Simulations  Technology  Expert  Questions  Principles  Formulae  Simulations  Technology  Expert  Questions Simulations:  Like in real practice  User: select testobject and measurement devices  Slide bars - Buttons  Interactive Fields  Auto parameter variation Example: Load test of Transformers

Tom Sels Belgium Academic Village Barcelona May Structure: Example - Transformer Simulation of the load test of a single phase transformer  User can select: Transformer Measurements Loads  Simulation results Listed in a table Saved in a.txt Can be manipulated Generally:  Hot buttons to Navigate throught the program Jump to other screens Interactive participation of user

Tom Sels Belgium Academic Village Barcelona May Feedback from the students Maxwell supports us while repeating the theory after attending the labs (to prepare the examinations) 31% is not convinced 69% are satisfied

Tom Sels Belgium Academic Village Barcelona May Feedback from the students Using Maxwell to prepare the lab sessions reduces the danger & risks, and improves the safelty 63% is not convinced 37% are satisfied

Tom Sels Belgium Academic Village Barcelona May Conclusions - Final remarks An educational computer program is developed  Interactive environment covering several topics of EE  Can be used by bachelor and master students  Helpfull to prepare and repeat practical laboratory sessions  Can be used to become familiar with analyzing complex systems covering several related technical courses A survey among the students points that:  The students are pleased with Maxwell  > 60% - It is a support during studying the theorie and preparing the final examination  BUT: does not provide a higher safety level during the labs BUT: Real laboratory experiments are still necessary Need for the real physical contact & Create a feeling for real dimenions

Tom Sels Belgium Academic Village Barcelona May Contact information T. Sels, P. Vermeyen D. Van Dommelen, R. Belmans K.U.Leuven - Belgium M. Machiels U.I.E. - France Play with Maxwell on-line: …electa/teaching/maxwell