Industrial Mechatronics Experimentation Lab

Lab Objectives

This lab is designed to introduce students and technicians to the simulation and control of industrial processes using virtual and real systems that can be interfaced with the main PLCs and microcontrollers (e.g. Siemens S7-1500, LOGO! 8, Easy). The specific objectives are:

• Develop skills in interfacing industrial hardware with virtual simulation, using the tec2SKILL® Connect board.
• Enable the programming and testing of complex PLC applications (lighting, traffic lights, alarms, mixing plants, conveyor belts, etc.) in safe environments, without the need for real physical plant.
• Introduce the use of immersive and mobile technologies through integration with smart devices (tablets, smartphones, AR headsets) and dedicated AR apps.
• Develop the ability to read and write real data (analogue and digital) on standard SUB-D interfaces for multichannel simulations.

Educational Aims

The teaching package aims to train technical profiles able to design, simulate, control and diagnose automatic and semi-automatic processes using advanced simulation systems. 1. Experiential and immersive learning

• Using augmented reality to visualise processes in real time and understand how their logic works.
• Developing practical skills through dedicated simulation sets: lighting, conveyor systems, liquid handling, machining stations, etc. 2. Industrial automation skills
• Programming with TIA Portal and LOGO! Soft Comfort to create logic projects and manage signals.
• Acquiring skills in handling digital and analogue inputs and outputs, reading/writing data and communicating via Ethernet or Bluetooth. 3. Interdisciplinarity and modernised teaching
• Integration of computing, electronics, automation and telecommunications, with a focus on Industry 4.0 and human-machine interconnection.
• A flexible approach: using universal interfaces to simulate processes with different controllers, regardless of brand. 4. Developing technical soft skills
• The ability to analyse, debug and optimise PLC logic through advance simulation.
• Practice in using professional tools to develop and verify operating sequences and safety protocols.

Conclusion

The “Virtual process simulation with tec2SKILL® Connect” lab is an ideal bridge between theory and practice, allowing students to practise, visualise and correct complex industrial processes in fully simulated environments that nonetheless follow realistic logic. The adoption of: