Engineering TV : Education

LeXsolar Solar Energy Experiment Kit

CurtisEllzey — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:27:00 GMT

Numerous experiments dealing with solar electric systems and optics make the LeXsolar solar energy experiment kit a unique tool for students to learn about photovoltaic technology. The kit consists of a main board and a variety of modules. These modules can be plugged on the main board to make electrical circuits and measurements. The innovative structure of the main board, the modules and explanation book and CD make the system very versatile and extendable. For more information, visit SOLARC.

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Solar Decathlon Refract House - Part 2

CurtisEllzey — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:22:00 GMT
We continue our interview with Preet Anand about the Refract House, which uses a holistic and environmentally conscious design to produce a contemporary architectural solution using highly efficient and sustainable systems and materials. The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2009 combines the latest in home design and energy performance with the innovative spirit of university students from around the world. In the fall of 2009, the teams will transport their homes to the National Mall in Washington, D.C., forming a "solar village", where they will be judged in 10 different categories or challenges. Also watch this episode: Solar Decathlon Refract House - Part 1. For more information, visit Refract House.

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Solar Decathlon Refract House - Part 1

CurtisEllzey — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:05:00 GMT
For three weeks in October 2009, the U.S. Department of Energy will host the Solar Decathlon—a competition in which 20 teams of college and university students compete to design, build, and operate the most attractive, effective, and energy-efficient solar-powered house. Engineering TV talks with Santa Clara University's Preet Anand about the Refract House, made in conjunction with California College of the Arts. The Refract House uses the latest in sustainable, bio-based building materials, cutting-edge thermal efficiencies, and comprehensive controls systems. Also watch this episode: Solar Decathlon Refract House - Part 2. For more information, visit Refract House.

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WKU Architectural and Manufacturing Sciences

CurtisEllzey — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:10:00 GMT
Students of WKU's Department of Architectural and Manufacturing Sciences are training to work in management in the manufacturing business, and for their senior project are asked to come up with a simple task - design a product and build it. Working like a business, the students have to order the parts within a budget and divide into task-driven teams. One student, Joshua Ferriell, the project manager, said one of the greatest challenges was learning the lathe, laser and mill, then programming everything to operate with a push of one button. Students are learning the unique skill of integrating some of the most advanced manufacturing tools in the industry, making the young engineers highly marketable in the job field. Also watch this episode: WKU Advanced Manufacturing Lab. For more information, visit Ogden College of Science & Engineering and FESTO Didactic.

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Integration with FESTO

CurtisEllzey — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:57:00 GMT
When WKU decided to upgrade its manufacturing lab, they turned to FESTO, who had the combination of technical knowledge and experience they were looking for to complete their project, the primary hurdle being integration of newer mechatronic and computer systems with their current batch of machine tools. Dan Blanck, regional manager with FESTO, said the system is one of the most progressive manufacturing labs in the nation at the college level. “At other schools, (mills, lathes and lasers) are not used together,” Blanck said. “I’ve seen stuff in corners, they’re using it, but not integrating it. And integrating it is the hardest part - it’s a tremendous reflection on this program.” Also watch this episode: WKU Architectural and Manufacturing Sciences. For more information, visit Ogden College of Science & Engineering and FESTO Didactic.

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Designing WKU's Advanced Manufacturing Lab

CurtisEllzey — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:05:00 GMT
Ever wonder what goes into setting up a mechatronics lab at a university these days? This episode reveals the process that faculty and students at WKU's advanced manufacturing lab used to set up their system, from choosing the robotics to integrate with their older systems, to the grant process that helped pay for the $1 million computer integrated manufacturing cell. Greg Arbuckle, assistant professor of architectural and manufacturing sciences at WKU, said the lab’s robotics arrived in January and have slowly been installed to consume much of the basement of the Environmental Sciences and Technology Hall. Also watch this episode: Integration with FESTO. For more information, visit Ogden College of Science & Engineering and FESTO Didactic.

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WKU Advanced Manufacturing Lab

CurtisEllzey — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:08:00 GMT
Engineering TV takes a look at Western Kentucky University's advanced manufacturing lab, recently integrated with new automation systems from FESTO. Once programmed, a robotic arm system from FESTO can transport material to a Haas mill, lathe and a 120 watt Epilog Legend 36EXT laser, independent of human interaction. The lab is the capstone of the Architectural and Manufacturing sciences curriculum at WKU's Ogden College of Science and Engineering, and allows the students access to automation systems and tools they would find in industry after graduation. Also watch this episode: Designing WKU's Advanced Manufacturing Lab. For more information, visit Ogden College of Science & Engineering and FESTO Didactic.

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Festo Automation Training - Part 2

CurtisEllzey — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:23:00 GMT
Festo Training and Consulting has over 40 years experience in the area of training and 20 years experience in process optimization. Public or in-house – the focus is always on hands-on experience using actual products in learning factories. Technology training includes: Pneumatics, Hydraulics, Manufacturing Automation, Control Engineering, PLC Technology, Robotics and Sensors. The focus of all activities is on people and technology. From its foundation, Festo has seen itself as a strong partner and an integral component of societies and business worldwide. Also watch this episode: Festo Automation Training - Part 1. For more information, go to: Festo Didactic.

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Festo Automation Training - Part 1

CurtisEllzey — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:00:00 GMT
Innovation and productivity begins with training and consulting. Festo Didactic is a worldwide leader in professional, industry-oriented qualification solutions for process and factory automation. Approximately 42,000 course participants per year attend more than 2,900 courses. Festo offers modular and quality-assured training content in over 39 languages, as well as Industrial Consulting projects in the areas of Product development, Lean production, Procurement and Logistics. Also watch this episode: Festo Automation Training - Part 2. For more information, go to: Festo Didactic.

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Growing Plants on the Moon

CurtisEllzey — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 11:00:00 GMT
What does it take to grow plants on the Moon? Paragon Space Development Corporation CEO Taber MacCallum answers that question from the 25th International Space Symposium. Growing the first plant on another world has enormous symbolic importance as well as important scientific research value for creating self contained lunar outposts and eventual settlements. In addition to leading the design of biological payloads, Paragon’s responsibilities on the Odyssey Moon team include robotic lunar lander design support and the lander’s thermal control system. Also watch this episode: Lunar Oasis: Greenhouse on the Moon. For more information, go to: Paragon Space Development Corporation.

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Lunar Oasis: Greenhouse on the Moon

CurtisEllzey — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:00:00 GMT
The first Moon flower will become a reality when private lunar expedition partners Odyssey Moon and Paragon Space Development Corporation deliver a biological greenhouse to the lunar surface. Google Lunar X PRIZE contender Odyssey Moon partnered with Paragon, a Tucson-based firm and manufacturer of key components for NASA’s Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle. The lunar plant will be another space biology first for Paragon, having bred the first animals through complete life cycles in space, and grown the first aquatic plant in space. Also watch this episode: Growing Plants on the Moon. For more information, go to: Paragon Space Development Corporation.

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MoonOne Robotic Lunar Lander

CurtisEllzey — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:00:00 GMT
Odyssey Moon's partnership with NASA will allow them to develop the "MoonOne" (M-1) lunar lander based on the Common Spacecraft Bus (CSB) developed at the NASA Ames Research Center. The Hover Test Vehicle used for ground testing of the CSB is demonstrating that small teams and rapid prototyping can lead to some game changing innovations. Odyssey Moon is the first of a series of mission opportunities designed to enable low cost, rapid, and frequent access to the Moon for government, academic and commercial customers. Also watch this episode: Odyssey Moon and the Lunar X PRIZE. For more information, go to: Odyssey Moon.

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Odyssey Moon and the Lunar X PRIZE

CurtisEllzey — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 14:00:00 GMT
From the 25th International Space Symposium, Bob Richards, CEO of Odyssey Moon, talks about their commercial space enterprise, their involvement with the Lunar X PRIZE, and some unique payloads they plan on delivering to the surface of the moon. Odyssey Moon was the first team to complete registration for the $30M Google Lunar X PRIZE competition and plans to make history with the first private robotic mission to the surface of the Moon. Also watch this episode: MoonOne Robotic Lunar Lander. For more information, go to: Odyssey Moon.

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Dermasol Thermoplastic Elastomer

CurtisEllzey — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:00:00 GMT
Dermasol is a new thermoplastic elastomer that feels remarkably like real human flesh. It can be made in any color (including clear), any shape and almost any durometer (hardness). It is especially useful for simulating tissue in organs and body structures for practicing operations and medical training. For over 20 years, California Medical Innovations has been formulating and compounding natural rubber latex, plastisols, and thermoplastic elastomers. For more information, go to: California Medical Innovations.

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Inside HERCULES - Part 2

CurtisEllzey — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 15:00:00 GMT
Engineering TV concludes our inside look at the University of Michigan's HERCULES Petawatt laser. Dr. Victor Yanovsky elaborates on their amplification process, the compression of the output pulse using a 4-grating compressor, and the interaction chamber where the super-intense beam is focused by a parabolic mirror. Through projects like HERCULES, the goal of the NSF funded Physics Frontier Center FOCUS is to explore the ultra-relativistic intensity regime of laser-matter interaction, and ultimately reach 1023 W/cm2, by focusing about 15 J at 30 fsec (500 TW) to a diffraction limited focal spot of about 1 micron. Also watch these episodes: HERCULES Petawatt Laser and Inside HERCULES - Part 1. For more information, go to: Center for Ultrafast Optical Science.

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