Figure 2 is the MULTISIM simulation of the total currents for the circuit of Figure 1. In Figure 1, currents that would have resulted if each power source were applied individually are displayed. Students practiced this technique with circuits similar to the one shown in Figure 1. When a circuit has more than one power source, the technique that can best be initially understood by students is to find the currents from each power source independent of all other sources and then adding them up algebraically. Actual lab instructions and theoretical descriptions provided to students are far more detailed than the summaries presented in the article presented here. Highlights of techniques related to Superposition, Thevenin and Norton techniques used in both lectures and labs follow. A more detailed use of MULTISIM is an effective educational tool for verifying the accuracy of the various reduction techniques at every step of the process. The various Series-Parallel circuit analysis techniques consist of reducing circuits until basic Ohm’s law can be applied. Combining Hand Calculations and MULTISIM to enhance understanding There are other software (for example MATLAB) that can extensively be used as replacing/supplementing Electronics and Controls laboratories 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.
For example, there are numerous possible Controls Engineering applications using MULTISIM 10, 11. Hall confirms the conclusion reached at Northwestern that computer simulation is a suitable replacement/addition to traditional hardware based laboratories 8.Įxtensive attempts have been made to include computer simulation as a part of the students’ laboratory experiments and these attempts are not limited to electronics laboratories 9. This is critical since accreditation of an Engineering Technology program requires laboratory components associated with most subject matters 7.
The approach described in the article presented here is more detailed and unique from a teaching point of view by using the software as an aid in verifying and if necessary correcting the hand calculation steps when using Superposition, Thevenin and Norton techniques.Ī case study was performed at Northwestern University that showed there were no significant differences in student understanding between a simulated introductory electrical engineering technology laboratory and a traditional hardware based laboratory. However, they only demonstrate the final result of a circuit analysis using MULTISIM. Textbooks and conference articles have numerous examples of using MULTISIM software for circuit analysis 1 2 3 4 5 6. The added student self-reliance is especially useful in a Distance Learning course. By using the mixed approach of using a hand calculation technique and MULTISIM, the students have the opportunity to verify the accuracy of every step of the process which will improve their learning and will allow them to find and correct their own errors. However, the article presented here discusses using the software as an aid to check the intermediate steps of hand calculation techniques that must be used if no computer software were being used. The traditional textbooks only demonstrate the final result of a circuit analysis using MULTISIM. The article presented here demonstrates using MULTISIM as an educational tool to enhance student learning process by discussing the use of MULTISIM for teaching basic electrical circuits consisting of analysis of Series-Parallel Circuits, Superposition Theory, Thevenin Theory and Norton Theory.
MULTISIM is a computer simulation software that among other things simulates the performance of electric circuits.
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