Laboratories
Lab Facilities
College of Engineering and Computer Science students use the local area network of over two hundred Pentium PCs and Unix computers as well as the large Sun workstation network and the computer-aided design laboratories. Students have remote access to selected computer facilities 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. Additional laboratories used by students as part of their undergraduate CECS course work include the manufacturing process laboratory and the facilities design, human factors/ergonomics, materials testing, metrology, robotics, and rapid prototyping laboratories.
The facilities of the Manufacturing Systems Engineering Laboratory Building include the computer vision, computer automation, and 3-D imaging laboratories; the manufacturing simulation center; and the computer-integrated manufacturing system. These labs are also used in appropriate upper-level classes and for research.
Purpose: The primary purpose of this laboratory is to conduct laboratory exercises related to (1) Human anthropometry; (2) Human physiological, psychophysical and biomechanical capabilities; (3) Human work capacity with consideration of age and obesity; (4) Occupational safety; (5) Ergonomic design and evaluation of work and product. The laboratory is used for ergonomic research and for supporting team projects in IMSE 4425, Human Factors and Ergonomics; IMSE 501, Human Factors and Ergonomics; IMSE 548, Human Factors; IMSE 546 Safety Engineering; IMSE 593, Vehicle Packaging; and AE 545, Vehicle Ergonomics I.
The major equipment available in the laboratory is listed below according to the categories of specialized topics:
Anthropometry--automotive engineering
SAE 3-Dimensional H-Point Machine ("Oscar"). This is the standard three-dimensional, anthropometric, physical model used throughout the automotive industry for occupant packaging design. Because of its cost, this is an unusual piece of equipment for engineering education laboratory. Oscar is used specifically for IMSE 593 (Vehicle Packaging Engineering) and AE 545 (Vehicle Ergonomics I). It also can be used for anthropometric applications in other courses.
Anthropometry--general
Precision anthropometer (1), medium quality anthropometers (2 large, 1 small), elbow angle measurement, goniometer set, weight and stature measurement device, anthropometric mannequins.
Biomechanics
Force plate (1), Hand dynamometers (6), back strength dynamometer (2), force measurement gauges (2), models and charts of human spinal column and hands, one 16-channel wireless electromyography (EMG) data acquisition system, and one 6-camera BTS motion capture and analysis system.
Vision and illumination:
Portable photometers (2) for luminance and illuminance measurement, vision testers (2), flicker fusion test unit (1), light discrimination device (1), contrast sensitivity measurement device (1), color blindness test (1), a model of the human eye and charts.
Hearing and sound:
Precision sound level meters, a sound generator for a demonstration of frequencies and loudness (1), audiometers (2), a model of the human ear and charts, hearing protectors and earplugs.
Methods and task analysis:
Parts of various assembly tasks, large inventory of Tinker-toy components to simulate assembly lines and cellular workstation arrangements, digital stopwatches (12), electronic clocks/timers (3), video equipment for task recording and slow-motion analysis (available on request from audio-visual department), plastic and wooden boxes for parts layout and storage.
Reaction time/performance measurement:
- E-prime experiment builder for reaction time measurement
- Simulation of dual-task conditions: Ballas task and ISO LCD low-fidelity driving simulator
Neurological and physiological measurements:
- One 64-channel electroencephalogram (EEG) data acquisition system
- One portable eye-tracking system
Purpose: The primary purpose of this laboratory is to conduct driving related research. The laboratory is also partly used for projects carried out by students enrolled in IMSE 4425, Human Factors and Ergonomics; IMSE 548, Human Factors; and AE 545, Vehicle Ergonomics I, courses.
Equipment:
The major equipment available in the laboratory is listed below:
- FAAC motion-base driving simulator
- STI fixed-base driving simulator with reconfigurable buck
- SIMURIDE driving simulator with in-house driving performance data acquisition software.
Purpose: This laboratory is used for teaching and research. This lab is utilized for conducting laboratory exercises, course projects, and demonstrations in IMSE 382 (Manufacturing Processes I), IMSE 4815 (Manufacturing Processes II) and IMSE 488 (Metal Forming Processes). It is also used for conducting experiments for senior design projects as needed. It has been used for Master thesis projects for students in Automotive Systems Engineering and Manufacturing Systems Engineering.
Equipment:
- Interlaken ServoPress 075
- Blanking tool set
- Erichsen formability test tool
- Combined loading testing tool (independently controlled tension and shear)
- Hole expansion tool
- Limiting dome height tool
- Limiting drawing ratio tool
- Tube hydroforming dies
- Two Visioplastic extruders
- Lectroetch electrochemical etching equipment
Purpose: This laboratory is used for conducting projects for IMSE/CIS 381, Industrial Robots. Students work on group projects involving the use of robots and prepare demonstrations which are presented to the entire class at the end of the semester. This laboratory is also used for IMSE 4825, Industrial Controls class and for demonstrations in IMSE 4835, Computer Aided Process Design and Manufacturing.
Equipment: The lab has two Fanuc LR Mate 200iD robots and one Fanuc M1iA robot on portable carts. Two of the robots are equipped with 2D vision sensors. The lab also includes two conveyors and various switches and fixtures for students’ projects. There are four computers that are used with the robots for vision programming and Roboguide simulations.
The lab also has MakerBot 3-D desktop Digitizer (scanner); Two Allen-Bradley programmable logic controllers and accessories; Electric motors, controllers, and amplifiers; and White-light interference noncontact profilometer.
Supporting Software: Fanuc’s Roboguide simulation software for simulation and programming of robot workcells; CATIA; MakerBot Desktop; and Two Rockwell Automation Software Toolkits