Engineering Education with Dr Don Wilcher

The Amp Hour · 20 Feb 2023 · 1h 15m · Episode 620

What this episode covers

Dr. Don Wilcher, an educator at Jefferson State Community College and author of Maydown Research, discusses his career transitioning from automotive electronics to engineering education. He details the design of GM body controller modules using the Motorola 68HC11 and CAN bus, explaining how system integration reduced vehicle weight to meet CAFE standards. Wilcher advocates for hands-on learning, contrasting traditional PLCs with open-source platforms like OpenPLC and Arduino-based controllers, while highlighting the importance of practical skills in modern industrial maintenance.

Mentioned

Companies
Maydown Research, Jefferson State Community College, Wayne State University, Henry Ford Community College, Motorola, ABB, FANUC, Siemens, Rockwell Automation, Omron, Mitsubishi
Products
M5 Stack, Allen Bradley
Chips
68HC11, ESP32
Also
CAN bus, OpenPLC, Arduino

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