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The differences between courses offered agricultural and mechanical engineers are examined. The topics in the courses are reviewed in some detail. The students start with a review of basic fluid mechanics followed by an introduction to bulk modulus. Governing equations for pumps motors and valves are introduced next. Course emphasis then diverges. The agricultural engineers cover the basics of control theory to cover a deficiency in their undergraduate curriculum. The mechanical engineers embark on more rigorous examination of the simulation of fluid power components. Students in both departments may elect to take a 1 cr. laboratory course. The laboratory exercises are discussed.

European and American suspension systems are described for improving the operator ride comfort on off-road vehicles. Analytical methods are then described to predict the dynamic behavior of a vehicle and human ride response criteria. The approach includes the selection of a terrain input to excite the vehicle model formulated by the generalized mechanical system simulation programs. An example involving an agricultural tractor-plow system is presented to illustrate the techniques.

Engineers and technicians have used mathematical analysis, in the design of fluid power machinery, for as long as this art has been known. As the machinery became more complex, analysis methods have had difficulty in meeting design needs. Some equation sets appropriate for fluid power devices are very difficult to solve with general mathematical methods. Electronic computers now make it possible to solve complex mathematical models. As fluid power analysis has evolved, software has been produced that is appropriate for fluid power analysis. The question then arises, as to how reliable and accurate this software may be. Some previous studies indicate that different types of software produce results that are quite similar in quality, however, quantitative answers may vary slightly (1, 2)*. This study compares the design analysis results for a fluid power attenuator obtained with the HYSAN** software and a previous study reported in the SAE Transactions (3).