ENGINEERING RESOURCE CENTRE

Engineering education is perfect combination of theoretical and practical knowledge of the relevant field. Perfect cohesion of both the aspects is of paramount importance. Lab infrastructure of any Engineering institute/department requires constant evaluation process of development and modernization. Keeping this very important aspect in view, the Director CUI Abbottabad campus envisaged the idea of creating Engineering Resource Centre (ERC) and implemented it in January 2008.

ERC’s aim is a creation of comprehensive infrastructure consisting of the team of highly talented, devoted and visionary engineers, associate engineers and technicians to provide engineering support to all the labs of CUI Abbottabad campus in general and labs of Electrical and Computer Engineering Department (ECE) in particular. It also assists the ECE Department in imparting quality education and conducting state of the art research. The main objectives of ERC are operation and maintenance of labs, development of new engineering lab equipment, commercial projects, reverse engineering, optimal utilization of Labs, working on industrial / engineering academic initiatives, organizing and managing engineering-based trainings.

ERC LABS

• Electric Circuit Analysis Lab
• Electronics Lab
• Power Electronics / Industrial Electronics Lab
• Physics Lab
• Machine Lab
• Power System Lab
• VLSI Lab
• Control / EM&I Lab
• Communication Lab
• DLD / Microprocessor Lab
• High Voltage Lab
• Project Lab
• Digital Signals Processing Lab
• Hardware Development Lab

ELECTRIC CIRCUIT ANALYSIS LAB

Enables students to develop skills to solve any complex linear circuits, first order circuits, design filters and AC/DC analysis. Develop, analyze and model circuit performance using modern tools such as Proteus & PSpice and compare with measurements. Circuit analysis and design using discrete R, L, and C components is a fundamental skill for electrical engineers. This laboratory covers the courses of Electric Circuit Analysis-I and Electric Circuit Analysis-II. Each workstation in laboratory is fully equipped with Dual channel DC power supply, Oscilloscope, Function generator, Proto-board, Digital multi-meter and RLC-meter. This lab also allows final year students working on different projects to make use of these facilities for testing and validation of their projects.

ELECTRONICS LAB

Enables students to develop skills to solve complex engineering problems by designing, simulating, implementing and analyzing any analog electronics circuits. The Electronics Lab is a modern electronics laboratory which is used for teaching and research purposes in all engineering degree disciplines. The objective of this laboratory is to link the theoretical concepts of different Analog Electronics circuits with practical feasibility. The courses being offered in this laboratory are Electronics-I and Electronics-II. Each workstation is fully equipped with Digital Oscilloscope, Function Generator, Experimental Trainer and Dual Power Supply. Electronics lab not only possesses latest laboratory equipment and trainings but also enables the students to perform semester projects on topics of practical relevance. This lab also allows final year BS electrical engineering and MS students to design, develop and test electronic circuits and inculcate circuit design skills.

POWER / INDUSTRIAL ELECTRONICS LAB

This laboratory provide students the opportunity to learn and understand the concepts of Electronic and Power Engineering and constructively transform them to practical use. In addition to theory lectures, Electrical Engineering students are given extensive lab/practical hours in their curriculum.  Power/ Industrial Electronics lab provide opportunities and resources to achieve excellence in engineering education domain, expertise and research in the field of power electronics, industrial electronics, power converters and industrial automation with an exclusive training on hardware and software components. This lab supports the practical experiments of the multiple courses including Power Electronics Engineering and Electrical Measurements and Instrumentation. Currently the lab is equipped with 10 workstations with the technologically advanced equipment including temperature and flow measurement tools along with advanced Pneumatic and Hydraulic Trainer, Oscilloscopes, High Frequency Function generators, Dual Channel Digital Power Supplies and Digital Multimeters. The laboratory is dedicated to provide hand on training on power electronics trainer including single phase cyclo converter (WST-2310), three phase Inverter board (WST-2309), Speed control of AC motor (ST-2715) and SCIENTECH 2700 series. The laboratory and equipment support power electronics and industrial electronics projects for undergraduate students and graduate students. The lab facilitates faculty and students in their Final Year Projects and industry sponsored projects in industrial automation, power electronic converters and electric drives in particular and electrical energy conversion in general. The Power/Industrial electronics lab encompasses a variety of test and measurement equipment’s for characterizing and developing power electronic converters, power semiconductor components, drives along with  common automation equipment’s  used in characterization, design and troubleshooting of modern industrial automation systems commonly used in the process and manufacturing industry. The Power/Industrial electronics lab also meets adequately the computing and research needs of all undergraduate and graduate students of Electrical and Computer Engineering Department with an inventory of high performance modern computers. The software available in this lab includes Matlab, PSpice and ModelSim. In addition, the lab has been used to accommodate for technical workshop in Power/Industrial electronics and drive applications .In terms of research activity, the lab has drawn interest from both  power electronic and industrial electronics research group of CUI Abbottabad in the form of either student projects or consulting projects that make use of the Power/Industrial electronics lab.

PHYSICS LAB

Physics laboratory is designed to provide an observation on practical perspectives to the theories and models studied in the course and Research. To aid a student in setting up the relevance of the theory, it brings clarity in the mind of students about basic concepts of how to acquire skill & confidence in their art of experiment, experimental & analytical skills, conceptual learning, understanding the basis of knowledge in physics and developing collaborative learning skills. The physics lab supports practical experiments of following courses offered in the electrical & computer engineering department including Applied Physics for Engineers, Modern Physics and Electricity Magnetism & Optics. The lab is equipped with 15 workstations to provide hands-on training with technologically advanced equipment including E/M Ratio, Polarimeter, Newton Rings Apparatus, Plank Constant, Spectrometer, Half Effect, Meld’s Apparatus, BIOT Severt Law Apparatus, Photocell Apparatus, Laser Beam Receiver, DC Power Supply, Rheostat, Mercury Lamp, Digital Multimeter, Analog Multimeter and LCR Meter.

ELECTRIC MACHINES LAB

This Laboratory aims to equip students with knowledge and skills in electric power technology that can be applied directly in industry by engaging them in tasks like open-ended labs and complex engineering problem (CEP). Mission of this lab is to make the students capable of earning some leading positions in industry or to prepare them to win fully funded international scholarships for their further studies. The scope of electric machines lab is to provide hands on experience to under graduate students by providing a platform to operate different machines by starting learning from observing motor starting method and effect of load to complex problems like fault detection and electric machines condition monitoring. This laboratory covers the core subjects of Electric Machines and Electric Machines Design. The main facilities include Single-phase transformer Trainer, AC machine set, DC machine set, speed control apparatus, single phase and three phase supply, watt-meters and tachometer. This laboratory can be utilized by Electrical and Mechanical Engineering final year students working on different projects for designing, development, testing and analysis like linear induction machine, vernier generator, and thermal analysis of machines. Graduate students are provided with paid platforms in the field of electric machines and electric machines design. They implement their innovative ideas to improve efficiency or cost of the system. Reliability and size are other optimization parameters which may be improved by implementing their unique ideas using different software’s like MATLAB, SOLIDWORKS and JMAG.

POWER SYSTEM LAB

This Laboratory aims to equip students with knowledge and skills in electric power technology that can be applied directly in power sector and produce globally competent electrical power engineers. This is the state-of-art laboratory that stresses student’s familiarity and experience with electrically-operated equipment and devices with aim to give knowledge and understanding of Power Generation, Transmission, Utilization, Protection, Distribution and Electrical Fault Analysis. Students will also develop understanding of power system analysis through simulations and design real power systems so they have fully knowledge when they enter in the power market after graduation. This laboratory covers the core subject of Power Transmission. The main facilities include EGU Generator Control & Synchronizing Circuit Modules, EUG2 Automatic Synchronizing Circuit, EUG3 Automatic Power Control, EUL Power Transmission Lines Module, Electric Power Distribution Module, EPD1/2 Manual and Automatic Bus Bar, Complex Load Modules, EUC ½ Manually Operated & Automatic Reactive Power Compensator. This laboratory can be utilized by final year students working on different projects for simulating, testing and validation of their projects. Graduate students are also provided with paid platforms in the field of Electrical Power Engineering to implement their innovative ideas using different software’s like DIgSILENT and PSCAD and validate their results on hardware set up.

VLSI LAB

Very Large Scale Integrated circuits (VLSI) provides the necessary background to design circuits and systems. These circuits are required to provide very high performance while working under size, area and power constraints. The design of such electronic circuits is also complex owing to the high clock speeds, high logic density and problems in layout, simulation and fabrication. The course covers different design and architecture approaches for CMOS digital circuits while also giving hands-on experience of design, verification and simulation of an integrated circuit using state-of-the-art CAD tools. In VLSI lab following four different digital circuits based courses are offered, Very Large Scale Integrated circuits (VLSI), Digital system Design (DSD), embedded system and Analog IC. The electric VLSI software is used to give concepts and techniques of modern integrated circuit design and testing. Modelsim software’s are computer-aided design tools for simulation and synthesis of Digital System modules and able to analyze implementation results with respect to parameters such as area and maximum operating frequency. FPGA Spartan/ SpartanE prototyping boards are available to implement a Digital System Design.  Launch pad, Adriano and Raspberry Pi boards are used for embedded system. In VLSI lab vertex II Pro development system FPGA board, power PC and micro blaze development kit Virtex-4Fx12 boards, Digital Signal Processing (DSP) kit and Logic analyzer is also used for research/project purpose. Provide hands on knowledge and skills in digital systems that can be used in industry. Students learn and investigate various aspects of digital circuits and systems design of energy efficient circuits for nano-CMOS and beyond, VLSI architectures.

CONTROL/ EM&I LAB

Developing specialist engineers capable of providing excellent service to the community while also contributing to technological advancement. This lab aims to deliver the most up-to-date, practical knowledge in the disciplines of control systems, industrial electronics, and electrical measurement & instrumentation. The control system lab has a variety of laboratory equipment that provides a hands-on learning environment which is critical for students to grasp theoretical ideas related to different subjects. Courses offered in Control System Lab are control system engineering, industrial electronics and electrical measurement & instrumentation. MATLAB is used for the analysis and design of the systems. Different demonstration units are also available in the lab to generate the aspect of critical thinking and visualization of control theory principles. These equipment are 3 DOF helicopter model, DC servo motor, ball and beam system, 2 DOF robotic arm, inverted pendulum and magnetic levitation system. For the industrial electronics lab, PLC ED-4260 with different modules is available. PLC is the main part of the industry so students in this lab know how to program PLC for a different environment. GMWIN software is used for the programming of PLC. For research in the field of control systems, platforms are available which are interfaced via PCI for system analysis and design in the time and frequency domain using both classical and modern control techniques. PLC is also available for undergraduate students to perform different industrial control and automation projects. The equipment available in the control lab is delicate and it is for educational and research purposes. This equipment could help both the research and industrial community in performing their theoretical models on different units available in the control lab in a constrained environment.

TELECOMMUNICATION LAB

This lab is designed as one of the leading labs in the field of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering by imparting quality education, developing highly skilled work force resources and building the culture of research and development in the enhancement of advance technology. To impart knowledge required for recent and advanced engineering & technology process. To expose students with a multidisciplinary technology spectrum in order to prepare them for diverse and competitive career paths. To develop innovative & simple instructional materials to drive the concepts into the minds of students. To promote research culture by infusing scientific temper in the students and guiding them towards R&D activities. To empower practicing engineers with the state-of-art technology to meet the growing challenges of the industry. The Telecommunication Systems Laboratory is the research and applied arm of the Electronics, Power and Computer Engineering Programs. Telecommunication lab at CUI provides students to do hands-on work in testing, simulations and research. Course offered in Telecommunication Laboratory are Microwave Engineering, Principle of Communication and Antenna Design. Major Equipment used in Telecommunication Laboratory are Analog and Digital Communication Trainers, Transmission Line and Microwave Trainers, Microstrip Antenna Trainers, Oscilloscopes, Function Generators, Spectrum Analyzer and Network Analyzer. 

MICROPROCESSOR / DLD LAB

Microprocessor technology is an exciting, challenging and growing field which will pervade industry for decades to come. Ever since the invent of first microprocessor to the latest microprocessors have been used in different applications. Microprocessor / DLD Lab is adequate size laboratory where students can work on projects in particular when programming microcontrollers. It supports projects that students are required to work on in Courses of Microprocessor Systems and Interfacing and Digital Logic Design. This facility has 15 work stations, HP PCs with MS Office, device programming software and technical software like MPLAB, mikroC PRO, Keil µvision. Lab is equipped with modern and sophisticated equipment mainly Microprocessor/Microcontroller trainers MTS 86C, digital logic design Lab, digital & analog IC testers, Arduino, other prototyping boards, chip programmers and digital multimeters. The mission of this lab is to provide undergraduate electrical power, electronic and computer engineering students with real world evaluation, design and test experience. This laboratory experience supports and augments the theoretical knowledge that students receive. At the end of each semester students have to complete a project which gives strength to their theoretical knowledge thus laying a strong foundation for the students to gain hands-on knowledge and then perform to their best in the corporate world. The lab focuses research work for industries manufacturing electronic appliances, kid toys, automation modules, automobiles (automobile computers) and other type of industries where automation is being used. 

HIGH VOLTAGE LAB

The purpose of the HV lab is to provide opportunities for engineering students to observe and enhance their understanding of the mechanisms of high voltage phenomena in a controlled testing environment. It covers on hand practices in the lab, high voltage safety, breakdown in gas, liquids and solids, material ageing, flashover & corona discharge and partial discharge in wide band gap power electronics based motor drives. The courses being offered in this laboratory are High Voltage (HV) Engineering and Advance High Voltage (HV) Engineering. Lab is fully equipped with controlled desk, testing transformer, measuring resistors and measuring capacitors, different types of electrodes, moving spare gap and vacuum vessel.  This laboratory provides the most research-intensive facilities to BS (final year project) FYP, MS and PHD students.

PROJECT LAB

This lab is used to provide students with a platform where they can bring life to their ideas and upgrade them for start-up competitions, hands-on experience is the priority of any degree and this skill set is provided in this lab which makes them capable for leading jobs in industry and they gain national and international scholarships with high confidence. Engineering students use this lab for their ongoing work on the semester or final year projects. Basic equipment available in the project lab are Core i7 PCs, DC power supplies, digital oscilloscopes, multi-meters, soldering station, breadboards, digital trainers, three-phase AC supply, drilling machine and grinder etc. Undergraduate students can use this lab for semester projects or final year projects and graduates / researchers are working on hardware projects can utilize this lab for project building and testing.

DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSING LAB

Digital Signal Processors (DSP) take real-world signals like voice, audio, video, temperature, pressure or positions that have been digitized and then mathematically manipulated. A DSP is designed for performing mathematical functions like “add”, “subtract”, “multiply” and “divide” very quickly. DSP is one of the fastest emerging fields in modern electronics being used in many areas where information is handled in digital form or controlled by a digital processor. The application areas include are speech / audio processing, instrumentation / control, Image processing, military, telecommunications, biomedical and consumer applications. In CUI Abbottabad campus there are eight computer labs for implementation of DSP on software like Matlab and Labview. The TMS320C6713 DSP is used for evaluating DSP practically.

HARDWARE DEVELOPMENT LAB

Main objective of this lab is repairing and maintenance of electrical & electronics systems of CUI Abbottabad campus, reverse engineering, designing and development of different trainers for electrical engineering labs and development of commercial products.