Production & Automation
Learning Objects
Dive into Wisc-Online’s rich collection of learning objects — bite-sized, interactive, and designed for real learning. These modular digital tools include animations, drag-and-drop exercises, quizzes, videos, and more. You can explore topics across STEM, arts, humanities, career skills, and beyond. Each learning object is crafted to help learners actively engage with content—reviewing, applying, self-checking—in a way that’s flexible and self-paced.
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Learning Object
Steel Rule Types
In this learning activity you'll review different types of steel rules used in manufacturing.
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how do I use steel rules, rule, rules, steel, types, what are steel rules
Steel Rules Test
In this learning activity you'll test your knowledge of the different types of steel rules as well as how to use and read them correctly.
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linear, measurement, rule, steel, types
Steel Rules Types and Usage
In this learning activity you'll review steel rule measurement.
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how do I measure using a steel rule, measurement, rule, rules, steel, what is steel rule measurement
Surface Finish
Learners review surface finish basics and read how to calculate the roughness average.
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average, finish, flaw, height, lay, marks, plate, profilometer, roughness, scratch, surface, tool, waviness
Surface Texture Symbols
Learners examine the symbols and values that control surface roughness, waviness, and lay. A brief quiz completes the object.
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aided, average, blueprint, computer, design, dimensional, drafting, drawings, engineering, flat, front, isometric, lay, machine, material, object, parallel, perpendicular, pictorial, polish, profile, reading, removal, roughness, side, sketch, symbols, texture, three, top, two, view, waviness
Synchronous Motors
In this animated object, learners study how the internal parts of an AC synchronous motor interact with magnetic fields to cause rotation. A short quiz completes the activity.
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ac, ac synchronous motor, electricity, magnetic field, motor, stem
Tap and Dies Review
This review assesses the student's ability to use taps and dies.
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dies, review, tap
Teamwork Outside the Box
The learner will examine strategies for evaluating new ideas and accepting change that will enhance teamwork.
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accepting change, adaptable teams, collaboration, creative teams, creative thinking, employability essentials, listening in a team, open-minded team members, positive teams, soft skills, team problem-solving, withholding judgment
The 8 Wastes of the Lean Production System
The learner identifies ways to eliminate or minimize wastes found in business processes. A quiz completes the activity.
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3 rs, defects, downtime, excess processing, inventory, lean, motion, non-utilized skills, overproduction, transportation waste, waiting
The Absolute Rotary Encoder
The learner will gain an understanding of robot motion control by comprehending the fundamentals of the encoder.
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encoder, led transmitter, optical absolute encoder, photo sensor, robot, robot motion control
The Basics of Welding Electricity
Explore welding electricity fundamentals including electron theory, parts of a circuit, welding power sources, and types of current.
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amperage, electricity fundamentals, parts of a circuit, resistance, voltage, welding input power
The Current Limiting Circuit
Learners examine the circuitry in a DC variable speed drive that protects the rectifier diodes and motor windings from being damaged due to excessive current.
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DC Drive, DC variable speed, electrical machines, electrical motors
The Cycloidal Gear Drive
The learner will gain an understanding of the inner workings of the cycloidal gear drive while watching a video and listening to an explanation of its features.
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cycloidal, cycloidal gear box, planetary gear drive, robotics, robots, welding gear drives
The DC Shunt Motor
Learners examine the operation of a DC Shunt motor and its characteristics. A quiz completes the activity.
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dc, electrical, motor, motors, shunt, STEM, the
The Firing Circuit of a DC Drive
In this animated activity, learners examine the firing circuits in a DC variable speed drive. The circuits cause the current flow through the armature and rpm to vary. This activity has audio content.
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circuits, DC Drive, electrical motor, industrial automation, motor speed
The Frequency of an AC Generator
Learners study the factors that determine the frequency of an AC generator, such as the rotational speed of the armature or the number of stator poles.
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ac, frequency, generator, generators
The Hydraulic Pressure Switch
This animated lesson shows several ways that a hydraulic pressure switch, connected in a ladder circuit, causes the cylinder of a hydraulic circuit to perform various applications.
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hydraulics, hysteresis, pressure switch, setpoint
The Hydraulic System
Examine the components of a hydraulic system.
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cylinder, flow, hydraulics, pressure gauge, prime mover, reservoir
The IR Comp Network
In this animated activity, learners examine the circuitry in a DC variable speed drive that keeps the motor running at a constant speed as the load varies.
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electric machines, electric motors, IR Compensation, motor loading, potentiometer, speed drive
The Induction Motor Slip
In this animated object, learners examine how the rotation of an induction AC motor's armature slips behind the synchronous rotational speed of the stator's field to create magnetic fields. These fields interact and produce torque. A quiz completes the activity.
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armature, induction ac motor, stator, stem
The Multiplication of Force by a Hydraulic System
In this animated and interactive object, learners examine a depiction of how force is multiplied by a larger cylinder when pressure from a pump is applied to a smaller cylinder. A short quiz completes the activity.
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cylinder, ff0001, hydraulic, hydraulics, piston
The Planetary Gear Drive
The learner will understand the design of a planetary gear drive and its advantages and disadvantages.
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epicyclic gear train, gear backlash, gear ratio reduction drive train, planetary gear drive, ptolemy, ring gear, robotic drive systems, robotics, sun gear
The Reflected Load in a Transformer (Screencast)
Learners examine how the load resistance connected to the secondary coil of a transformer affects the primary current. A brief quiz completes the activity.
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down, load, reflected, step, tranformer, transformer, transformers, up
The Six-Axis Robot
The learner will view videos showing the movements of each axis of the six-axis robot.
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bending of wrist movement, industrial robots, radial traverse, robot, rotational traverse, rotational upper arm, six-axis robot, twisting of wrist movement, vertical traverse, welding
The Solenoid
In this interactive lesson, students view the operation of a solenoid and read about its application. A brief assessment concludes the activity.
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cc0008, field, magnetic, magnetism, reluctance, solenoid
The Strain Wave Gear Principle
The learner will understand the inner workings of the strain wave gear principle.
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advanced robotics, circular spline, flex spline, gearing systems, industrial motion control, wave generator
The Thevenin Theorem
This animated object allows students to examine the four steps used to reduce a complex circuit to a simple series circuit.
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dc, electronics, thevenin
The Three-Phase AC Generator
In this 3D animated object, learners examine the way in which a three-phase generator produces three sine waves with three armature coils. A quiz completes the activity.
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ac, electrical, generator, generators, phase, three
The Time Proportioning Operational Amplifier (Screencast)
In this animated object, learners see how a time proportioning operational amplifier varies an average DC voltage. A brief quiz completes the activity.
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amp, amplifier, op, operational, proportioning, rr0005, time
The Time-of-Flight Flowmeter (Screencast)
Learners view animations showing how a time-of-flight flowmeter uses ultrasonic sound waves to measure the flow of a liquid.
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flight, flow, flowmeter, flowmeters, meter, meters, time
The Torque of an Induction Motor
The learner will examine how torque is developed in an induction motor.
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conductor bar, developing torque in an induction motor, motor slip, rotor bar, rotor field, stator fields
The Variable Reluctance Stepper Motor (Screencast)
Learners view colorful animations showing the operation of a VR stepper motor.
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electrical, motor, motors, reluctance, stepper, variable
The Zener Diode: Practice Problems
Students complete 10 practice problems. These deal with the determination of series current, zener current, and load current, and if the zener diode is operating in the breakdown region.
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ac, diode, rr0002, zener
Thread Cutting on a Drill Press
In this document you'll review thread cutting using a drill press.
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cutting, speeds, tapping
Three-Wire Sensors
The learner will understand how to correctly wire a three-wire sinking and sourcing sensor.
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european sensor color code standard, output, proximity sensor, sensor, sinking, sourcing, wire
Through Arc Seam Tracking (TAST)
Robotic welding is revolutionizing welder safety, efficiency, and technique. Knowing how to program a robotic welder is key in this ever-changing industry. In this module you’ll explore what Through-Arc Seam Tracking (TAST) is, discover how it works, and see it applied on the job.
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robot, robotic, welding
Tilting the Head on a Manual Mill
This video will demonstrate the process or tilting the head on a Bridgeport manual milling machine.
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Bridgeport, Manual Mill, Milling Machine
Tool and Cutter Grinder Construction Review
This review assesses the student's knowledge of the tool and cutter grinder and of the tool and cutter grinding process.
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cutter, grinder, grinding, sharpening, tool
Total Resistance in a DC Parallel Circuit
In this learning activity you'll determine the total resistance in a DC parallel circuit.
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cc0005, dc, electronics, parallel, resistance, resistors
Total Resistance in a Parallel Circuit
The learner will apply the three formulas used to find the total resistance of three types of parallel resistor circuit configurations.
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cc0005, circuits, over, parallel, product, reciprocal, resistance, sum, total
Total Resistance of a Series Circuit
In this learning activity you'll review the process of solving for the total resistance in a series DC circuit.
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cc0004, dc, electronics, resistance, resistors, series
Total Resistance of a Series-Parallel Circuit: Practice Problems 2
Learners work practice problems to calculate the total resistance of a circuit. Feedback is provided.
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dc, electronics, parallel, resistance, series, total
Touch Sensing
You’ll explore how to use Touch Sensing to do a one directional search with a Fanuc Robot and offset of the robot’s programmed path.We’ll explore touch sense fundamentals, touch sense commands, and break down a touch sense program.
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1D search, Fanuc, robotic welding, weld, welding
Transformer Practice Problems
Students solve practice problems on voltage, current, and impedance matching. Examples precede the problems.
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aa0005, ac, ee0001, transformer, xfmr
Turning Between Centers
Video Overview of turning between centers on a lathe.
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lathe, Machine Tool, shop
Types of Drill Materials Used When Drilling
In this document you'll review photos of different types of drilling tools.
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bits, drill, types of drills
Types of Motion Instructions
The learner will identify the types of motion instructions used for programming a robot.
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circular, joint, linear, motion instructions, robot, robotic, robots, torch, weld, welding
Understanding Circular Robotic Motions
The learner will learn the programming steps that are used to create circular motions with robots.
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circular motion, manufacturing, programming robots, robotic motion, robots
Unloading Valves (Screencast)
In this screencast, learners examine the internal structure of an unloading valve. This learning object includes a video clip demonstrating the use of an unloading valve in a metal stamping application.
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hydraulic, hydraulics, unloading, valve, valves
Up/Down-Counter Application
In this animated object, learners examine how PLC up/down-counters are used to control an automated parking lot gate.
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application, controller, controllers, counter, counters, logic, plc, plcs, programmable, up/down
Using a Depth Micrometer
Learners will test their ability to read a depth micrometer in this interactive quiz.
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depth, inspection, machine tool measurements, measurement, micrometer
Using a Steady Rest
In this video, you’ll learn how to set up a long piece of tubing using a steady rest, so that you can bore the ends for a bearing.
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bedways, gearbox, headstock, Lathe, Machine Tool, Steady rest
Value-Added vs. Non-Value-Added Activities
In this interactive object, learners read a description of value-added and non-value-added activities and then place various work duties into these two categories.
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activities, added, customer, lean, manufacturing, non, nva, value
Voltage Divider Rule (VDR)
Students review the Voltage Divider Rule and work practice problems.
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dc, divider, STEM, vdr, voltage
Voltage Divider Rule Practice Problems
Learners review the VDR and work six problems. Immediate feedback is given.
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dc, divider, rule, vdr, voltage
Voltage Dividers
In this learning activity you'll determine the voltages that can be topped off of a multi-resistor voltage divider that has one main power source.
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cc0004, dividers, voltage
Voltage Drops in a Series Circuit
Students study the concept that the voltage drop across a series circuit resistor is proportional to its resistance. They then complete a brief quiz.
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cc0004, circuit, drop, proportional, resistance, series, voltage
Voltage Regulation
In this animated activity, learners examine how the speed of a motor may change if the voltage from the power source fluctuates due to power line irregularities. This lesson has audio content.
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electric motor, junction voltage, motor contol, motor speed, power, power line, transistor, voltage fluctuation
Voltage Sources in Parallel
The effect of connecting voltage sources in parallel to increase amperage to a load is presented.
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batteries, cc0005, circuits, parallel, sources, voltage
Voltage Sources in Series
In this learning activity you'll explore the effect of connecting voltage sources in series to increase voltage applied to a load.
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aiding, batteries, cc0004, circuits, opposing, series, sources, voltage
Weaving Terms
Robotic welding allows welders to create more consistent and higher quality welds. But, it requires you to understand the terminology associated with its programs. Watch this module to review terminology associated with robotic arc welding and the weaving process.
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correctly set the values, create a proper weave, goal of the weld, weld amplitude, weld dwell, weld frequency, weld pattern, welding terms
What Is Current?
Learners study an animation that shows how a battery charge reduces over time and when varying resistance values are placed in a series circuit. Ten review questions complete the activity.
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batteries, battery, circuit, current, is, life, series, what
What Is Torque? (Screencast)
Learners read a description of torque and study the factors that cause its magnitude to change.
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feet, mechanics, pound, torque
Wheatstone Bridge
Students follow step-by-step directions on how to make mathematical calculations for a Wheatstone bridge.
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bridge, cc0007, network, wheatstone
Ziegler-Nichols Reaction Curve Process Identification Procedure (Screencast)
Learners follow the steps required to perform the Ziegler-Nichols reaction curve process identification procedure.
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curve, method, methods, nichols, pid, reaction, tuning, ziegler
Ziegler-Nichols Reaction Curve Tuning Calculations (Screencast)
Learners study the mathematical calculations used to determine the proper PID values to be entered into a controller using the Ziegler-Nichols Reaction Curve.
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control, curve, nichols, pid, reaction, tuning, ziegler