Development of a Global Web-Based Industrial Process Control Laboratory for Undergraduate and Graduate Engineering Technology Education

Abstract

Web technology provides powerful, online, educational tools for teaching and demonstration of automated processes. This paper describes a fundamental global initiative to establish laboratory cooperation based upon integrated web-based process control for engineering technology education. This initiative is a collaboration between Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas, USA and AlBalqa’ Applied University in Amman, Jordan. This treatment outlines the motivation and the need for this initiative and the approaches taken to develop the process. A case study of multi-variable coupled tanks level control process is proposed and the application of networking and control methods to allow remotely situated students from both universities to control and monitor the process parameters is described. Future steps are also discussed with the motivation of using this technology in real industrial applications for better industrial engagement with engineering education and to facilitate the sharing of expensive and inaccessible instruments and equipment, which is an essential step in remote distance engineering study.