Portable Water Hydraulic Demonstrator and Curriculum

The goal of this project is to develop a demonstration kit and accompanying  activity-based curriculum that teaches the basics of fluid power in a way that is complex enough to provide challenging learning experiences for teachers and students, yet simple enough to be economical, reliable and portable. The design and construction of the kit is finished and curriculum development for students in grades 8-12 is underway.  The kit includes materials needed to assemble a complete working micro-excavator, using water hydraulics or pneumatics that can be built and implemented in classrooms or hands-on displays. Fabrication instructions for the apparatus have been developed for dissemination throughout CCEFP and its member companies.

[Project Leader: John Lumkes, Purdue]