Learning Automation Made Easy through Virtual Labs

Abstract

In the study of engineering, experimentation plays a great role in understanding the concepts. Teaching in engineering is always challenging as theoretical study should be augmented with experiments so that students get a feel of the real life applications of the concepts they study. Automation and control laboratory is an area where students can not verify the ladder diagrams, they develop for various applications, unless they have a Programmable Logic Controller, PLC in the lab. But the new concept of virtual lab has enabled us to teach the concepts of ladder diagrams and development of control systems using PLC very easily. Students could develop ladder diagrams and design digital control systems using the simulation environment given in the virtual lab platform and implement the logics developed by them. Study carried out at institute and the exit surveys shows that the students are more convinced about the results, as they could test them on a platform.