Supporting STEM knowledge and skills in engineering education – PELARS project

In this paper we present our proposal for improving education with hands-on, project-based and experimental scenarios for engineering students with the use of learning analytics. We accomplish this through teacher and learner engagement, user studies and evaluated trials, performed at UCV (University of Craiova, Romania) and DTU (Technical University of Denmark). The PELARS project (Practice-based Experiential Learning Analytics Research And Support) provides technological tools and ICT-based methods for collecting activity data (moving image-based and embedded sensing) for learning analytics (data-mining and reasoning) of practice-based and experiential STEM. This data is used to create analytics support tools for teachers, learners and administrators, providing frameworks for evidence-based curriculum design and learning systems. The PELARS project creates behavioral recording inputs, proving a new learning analytic that is scalable in application, and bridge qualitative and quantitative methods through reasoning and feedback from input data. The project serves to better understand learners' knowledge in physical activities in laboratory and workshop environments, as well as informal learning scenarios. PELARS traces and helps assess learner progress through technology enhancement, in novel ways building upon current research. The project results in learning analytics tools for practice-based STEM learning that are appropriate for real-world learning environments

The Geometry Optimisation of a Triple Branch Pipe Using Finite Element Method

The paper presents the geometrical optimization of a triple branch pipesubmitted to an internal pressure. The goal of the optimization was todetermine the optimum thickness of piping and branch pipe ribs, in thecondition of reaching admissible values of the stress and displacement.The resistance calculus was realized with Cosmos DesignStar softwareand the geometry was modeled with Microstation Modeler software

Cavitation Erosion Tests Performed by Indirect Vibratory Method on Stainless Steel Welded Samples with Hardened Surface

The paper presents the results of cavitation erosion tests performed on two types of samples. The materials of the samples are frequently used for manufacturing and repairs of the hydro turbines components submitted to cavitation. The first sample was made by welding of an austenitic stainless steel on austenito-feritic base material. The second sample was made similarly with the first but with a martensitic base material. After the welding processes, on both samples was applied a hardening treatment by surface peening. The cavitation erosion tests were performed on vibratory equipment using the indirect method with stationary specimen. The results show a good cavitation erosion resistance on both samples

Boundary Control by Boundary Observer for Hyper-redundant Robots

The control problem of a class of hyper-redundant arms with continuum elements, with boundary measuring and control is discussed. First, the dynamic model of the continuum arm is presented. The measuring systems are based on the film sensors that are placed at the terminal sub-regions of the arm. The observers are proposed in order to reconstruct the full state of the arm. A back-stepping method is used to design a boundary control algorithm. Numerical simulations of the arm motion toward an imposed position are presented. An experimental platform shows the effectiveness of the proposed methods

Impact Behavior of a Rotating Rigid Body with Impact and Viscous Friction

The impact between a rotating link and a solid flat surface is considered. For the impact, we consider three distinct periods: elastic period, elastoplastic period, and restitution period. A Hertzian contact force is considered for the elastic period. Nonlinear contact forces developed from finite element analysis are used for the remaining two phases. The tangential effect is taken into account considering a friction force that combines the Coulomb dry friction model and a viscous friction function of velocity. Simulations results are obtained for different friction parameters. An experimental setup was designed to measure the contact time during impact. The experimental and simulation results are compared for different lengths of the link