Wireless Networking Laboratory - This laboratory consists of four Local Area Network (LAN) sites simulating a multi-national company Wide-Area Network (WAN). Each of the four sites contains four workstations, a dual-processor server with a variety of storage systems - RAID array, CD-RW, DVD, and backup drives, a laser printer pool, and a network infrastructure rack cabinet containing patch panels, an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and power conditioning, a Cisco 100 Megabit switch, and a Cisco multi-port router with high-speed serial (T1), Fast Ethernet, and fiber optic links to the other sites. The routers are also equipped with Voice over IP (VoIP) modules that allow them to provide long-distance telephone service between the sites utilizing available data communications bandwidth. Two small-office telephone PBX systems provide for simulation of inter-office and intra-office communications, help-desk and customer support systems, remote network management, and Internet Service Provider (ISP) applications.
Advanced Networking Laboratory - This laboratory consists of four Local Area Network (LAN) sites simulating a multi-national company Wide-Area Network (WAN). Each of the four sites contains four workstations, a dual-processor server with a variety of storage systems - RAID array, CD-RW, DVD, and backup drives, a laser printer pool, and a network infrastructure rack cabinet containing patch panels, an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and power conditioning, a Cisco 100 Megabit switch, and a Cisco multi-port router with high-speed serial (T1), Fast Ethernet, and fiber optic links to the other sites. When used as a computer hardware laboratory, removable hard drives allow students to replace the workstation drive with their own drive to practice operating system and application software installation and configuration. Additional computer systems and network infrastructure equipment such as modems, hubs, and switches are available for use in hands-on assembly and disassembly exercises to gain experience in hardware installation and configuration.
Analog and Digital Electronics Laboratory - This laboratory contains multiuse work areas. When used as an introductory electrical circuits and a digital electronics laboratory, students bring in their breadboard notebook constructed in the fabrication lab and use it to build and test simple circuits to develop an understanding of the fundamentals of circuit theory and digital electronics. Other test equipment such as oscilloscopes, meters, power supplies, and signal generators are available as needed. This laboratory is also equipped with eight matched sets of AC and DC fractional horsepower machines and the test equipment necessary to analyze their performance. Stepper motors, servo motors, programmable logic controllers (PLC), transformers, rectifiers, synchronous machines, loading devices, variable frequency drives, and a simulated transmission line relay demonstrator are available and used for laboratory experiments.
Electronic Fabrication Laboratory - This is a freshman "skills" laboratory covering a wide range of basic electronic fabrication techniques. It introduces the student to layout and design software tools for sheet metal chassis and printed circuit boards (PCBs) designs, electronic component identification, the proper use of soldering/de-soldering tools, wire-wrapping, schematic layout, and PCB design and fabrication techniques, as well as familiarization with a wide range of hand and power tools and proper safety practices. The laboratory is equipped with a kick-shear, punch press, bending brake, drill presses, Pace solder stations, CNC rapid prototype machine, ultra-violet light table, and PCB developer and etching system. These facilities are also used to support development and fabrication activities for other course areas and student projects as well.
Advanced Electronics Laboratory - Each workstation in this laboratory has a computer that controls automated test equipment stations with a waveform generator, digitizing oscilloscope, multi-meter, and power supplies. Students can capture the oscilloscope display, run automatic frequency response, or measure device characteristics and insert these results into their laboratory reports. The workstations have programs for data analysis and circuit simulation such as Excel, MATLAB, PSpice, and MultiSIM. Internet connections allow quick reference to manufacturer's data sheets. In addition to the general-purpose and automated test equipment, the laboratory also contains radio frequency (RF) test equipment and data communications test equipment to investigate modulation and transmission of RF and fiber-optic communications and data communications systems. The laboratory also has digital signal processing (DSP) trainers that interface with the workstations to develop hardware/software solutions for signal processing as used in a variety of telecommunications equipment.
Electronics and Optical Communications Laboratory - Each workstation in this laboratory has a computer that controls automated test equipment stations with a waveform generator, digitizing oscilloscope, multi-meter, and power supplies. Students can capture the oscilloscope display, run automatic frequency response, or measure device characteristics and insert these results into their laboratory reports. The workstations have programs for data analysis and circuit simulation such as Excel, MATLAB, PSpice, and MultiSIM. Internet connections allow quick reference to manufacturers' data sheets. In addition to the general-purpose and automated test equipment, the laboratory also contains radio frequency (RF) test equipment and data communications test equipment to investigate modulation and transmission of RF and fiber-optic communications and data communications systems. The laboratory also has digital signal processing (DSP) trainers that interface with the workstations to develop hardware/software solutions for signal processing as used in a variety of telecommunications equipment.
Robotics & Mechatronics Automation Laboratory - This laboratory provides an integrated engineering systems approach toward understanding automation principles with emphasis on embedded microcontrollers. Exposure to electrical, mechanical, and process control areas is integrated into this laboratory allowing for evaluation of various systems using robotics, motion control, and programmable logic controller (PLC) devices along with single-chip and single-board microcontroller systems and peripheral devices such as LCD displays, matrix keypads, D/A and A/D converters, and RF (radio frequency) and IR (Infrared) interface links. In addition, this laboratory introduces the student to general characteristics of electromechanical sensors and transducers, electrical measurement systems, electronic signal conditioning, data acquisition systems, and response characteristics of instruments. Industrial equipment, such as a punch press, drill press, and metal lathe, are equipped with sensors that are configured to measure physical quantities such as force, strain, displacement, velocity, and acceleration. Data acquisition and real-time software applications using LabVIEW are applied in a laboratory environment.
Microelectronics Laboratory - This laboratory gives the student a realistic experience in semiconductor manufacturing process. In industry, the nature of the integrated circuit (IC) fabrication process is highly complex and absolutely intolerant of mistakes. Complex ICs have a multitude of transistors, capacitors, and resistors. Fabrication of these devices is rather simple in theory - deposit, pattern, etch, and repeat. However, the actual fabrication process is unbelievably detailed at every step. For very complex ICs there can be 500 or more individual process steps! The slightest mistake at any of these steps can render the entire device useless. Through a recent grant opportunity, this laboratory will be equipped with Modu-Lab semiconductor device manufacturing equipment and a clean-room facility. Oxidation/diffusion, photolithography (spin/bake/expose/develop), etch, and vapor deposition stations allow the students the opportunity to design, build, and test their own simple solid-state devices, while gaining experience in clean room operations.