Providing practical experiences for students

Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences has been using Automation Studio^TM for almost 10 years in its labs for agricultural engineering and mobile work machines. The software is used mainly to support lectures and labs offered to engineering students. Currently, the university has 23 Network licenses, which allow students to use Automation Studio^TM on their own and 24/7 from any given computer room. It is also possible for a student to borrow an individual license to work from home on a given project.

In order for students to gain more practical experience, Professor Bernd Johanning lets them simulate smaller projects using Automation Studio^TM in groups of 5 people. “Automation Studio^TM is great to explain basic hydraulic concepts”, says Professor Johanning. “With this tool, I am able to build hydraulic drive trains very quickly and integrate the created simulation into my lectures. This lets me explain functionalities and hydraulic operating variables to students in a very vivid way, which helps ease the lecture.”

Supporting Project Work

Professor Johanning’s research assistant, Maximilian Kleingräber, offers to his students the opportunity to use Automation Studio^TM for their project work included in the curriculum of the 4th and 5th semester. “The students have to accomplish their projects in one semester and they are using the tool independently during that time, working directly from the university or from home”, explains Maximilian Kleingräber.

One example of such a project is the conceptual design of a hydraulic brake van for lab usage.

A 5th semester student of mechanical engineering who is currently part of the project group describes his experience with Automation Studio^TM: “I was happy when offered to use Automation Studio^TM for my project. I first sized the pumps and motors of the system and then recreated the schematics using the software. When I compared the values obtained in simulation, using the measuring instruments integrated in Automation Studio^TM, with my hand calculated values, I found that they were almost identical. Generally, everything fitted quite well. In our next semester, we will be building the braking system based on our design.”

Maximum Usage

“By using Automation Studio^TM we, as lecturers, save a lot of time and are able to offer higher-quality and entertaining classes to our students. By working with the software, students have more opportunities to exercise their understanding for hydraulics and system design”, says Maximilian Kleingräber. “During the next summer semester, we are looking to integrate Automation Studio^TM to our drives’ lab. Our goal is to have all students use the software during their bachelor engineering studies, to help reinforce their practical training. The students will be required to measure real values from the hydraulic systems present in the laboratory, calculate these values by hand and simulate the system in Automation Studio^TM. Furthermore, we will try to integrate the Kinematic part of Automation Studio^TM in the practical training.”

Synergies with the Regional Agricultural Engineering Industry

“By using a design and simulation software at our university, which is also being used by well-known agricultural and construction engineering companies in the area, we are preparing our students in the best of ways for a position in these companies”, adds Maximilian Kleingräber.

Professor Dr.-Ing. Bernd Johanning / Maximilian Kleingräber M.Sc.
Laboratory of Agricultural Engineering and Mobile Machinery
University of Osnabrück, Germany
www.hs-osnabrueck.de