Virtual reality tool to support fluid power curriculum

Abstract

Remote learning has recently become a crucial need in engineering education. In applied disciplines such as fluid power (FP), hands‐on lab experiences constitute an essential component for educating future engineers at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Physical hydraulic trainers have been developed over the years to expose students to applications of modern FP technology. However, there is a notable absence of virtual tools that can provide students with a realistic feeling of assembling, troubleshooting, and operating an actual hydraulic circuit. This paper describes the effort made to develop an original virtual trainer that fulfills these needs. This virtual trainer is designed to replicate existing physical trainers that were recently designed and implemented for FP education but on a virtual platform. The virtual trainer is implemented in Unity3D software, using CAD drawings of the components from the actual trainer, and provides the user with an interactive environment that reproduces all the aspects of a real lab experience. The tool allows the students to learn by mistake, as in typical activities with a physical trainer and includes realistic operating noise. The core part of the virtual trainer is the object‐oriented simulation model that is behind every hydraulic component. First successfully used in the Fall of 2020, and subsequently utilized in both Spring and Fall 2021 courses, the simulator represents an alternative for hands‐on experiences, and could be a valid option for distance learning students in the future. Details of the implementation approach and some significant cases are covered in the following work.