Mechatronics

Mechatronics engineering also called mechatronics, is an interdisciplinary branch of engineering that focuses on the integration of mechanical, electrical and electronic engineering systems, and also includes a combination of robotics, electronics, computer science, telecommunications, systems, control, and product engineering.

As technology advances over time, various subfields of engineering have succeeded in both adapting and multiplying. The intention of mechatronics is to produce a design solution that unifies each of these various subfields. Originally, the field of mechatronics was intended to be nothing more than a combination of mechanics, electrical and electronics, hence the name being a portmanteau of the words "mechanics" and "electronics"; however, as the complexity of technical systems continued to evolve, the definition had been broadened to include more technical areas.

The word ''mechatronics'' originated in Japanese-English and was created by Tetsuro Mori, an engineer of Yaskawa Electric Corporation. The word ''mechatronics'' was registered as trademark by the company in Japan with the registration number of "46-32714" in 1971. The company later released the right to use the word to the public, and the word began being used globally. Currently the word is translated into many languages and is considered an essential term for advanced automated industry.

Many people treat ''mechatronics'' as a modern buzzword synonymous with automation, robotics and electromechanical engineering.

French standard NF E 01-010 gives the following definition: "approach aiming at the synergistic integration of mechanics, electronics, control theory, and computer science within product design and manufacturing, in order to improve and/or optimize its functionality".

History

The name "mechatronics" was originated in 1969 by senior engineer Tetsura Mori. He was working for a Japanese company called Yaskawa Electric Corporation that was famous for building mechanical factory equipment. At that time, Yaskawa Electric Corporation was using some electronic features for manufacturing mechanical equipment. Mori wanted to introduce a technical term for that new technology, so he combined the two technical words ‘mechanical’ and ‘electronics’ and created the new word "Mechatronics." The word ''mechatronics'' originated in Japanese-English style.

In 1970, Yaskawa applied to make this word a registered brand and got the rights in 1973. The word ''mechatronics'' was registered as trademark by the company in Japan with the registration number of "46-32714" in 1971. The company later released the right to use the word to the public, and the word began being used globally. But, at that time this term didn’t gain much popularity. After the 1980s, the term started gaining popularity because of its useful features.

During the 1970s, mechatronics focused on servo technology, in which simple implementation aided technologies related to sophisticated control methods such as automatic door openers and auto-focus cameras. Earlier, this term was based on only some electrical and electronic computers, but after the 1980s, the use of computer technology was integrated. The controlling and functioning of machines became much easier by use computer hardware and software. This allowed the start of manufacturing of a variety of products of any size with very high accuracy and comparatively low cost. With the advent of information technology in the 1980s, microprocessors were introduced into mechanical systems, improving performance significantly. By the 1990s, advances in computational intelligence were applied to mechatronics in ways that revolutionized the field.

Finally, in the 1990s and 2000s, mechatronics centered on communication technology to connect products into large networks, including the production of air bags and other related technologies.

Mechatronics, although still a new term as compared to other well established branches of engineering, now seems to be firmly established. Now, individuals and industries around the world use the term freely. Now the application area of mechatronics is extremely broad. This technology is firmly used in the automation of machines, servo-mechanics, industrial goods, biomedical systems, energy and power systems, vehicular systems, data communication systems, computer aided design, CNC and DNC systems, etc.

Description

A mechatronics engineer unites the principles of mechanics, electrical, electronics, and computing to generate a simpler, more economical and reliable system. An industrial robot is a prime example of a mechatronics system; it includes aspects of electronics, mechanics, and computing to do its day-to-day jobs.

Engineering cybernetics deals with the question of control engineering of mechatronic systems. It is used to control or regulate such a system (see control theory). Through collaboration, the mechatronic modules perform the production goals and inherit flexible and agile manufacturing properties in the production scheme. Modern production equipment consists of mechatronic modules that are integrated according to a control architecture. The most known architectures involve hierarchy, polyarchy, heterarchy, and hybrid. The methods for achieving a technical effect are described by control algorithms, which might or might not utilize formal methods in their design. Hybrid systems important to mechatronics include production systems, synergy drives,
exploration rovers, automotive subsystems such as anti-lock braking systems and spin-assist, and everyday equipment such as autofocus cameras, video, hard disks, CD players and phones.

Course structure

Mechatronics students take courses in various fields:

* Engineering Mathematics
*Mechanical engineering
*Electronics engineering
* Electrical engineering
* Materials science and engineering
*Computer engineering
**Computer aided and integrated manufacturing systems
** Computer-aided design
***Electronic design automation
*Computer Science
*Systems engineering
*Control engineering
*Robotics

Applications

* Machine vision
* Automation and robotics
* Servo-mechanics
* Sensing and control systems
* Automotive engineering, automotive equipment in the design of subsystems such as anti-lock braking systems
* Building automation / Home automation
* Computer-machine controls, such as computer driven machines like CNC milling machines, CNC waterjets, and CNC plasma cutters
* Expert systems
* Industrial goods
* Consumer products
* Mechatronics systems
* Medical mechatronics, medical imaging systems
* Structural dynamic systems
* Transportation and vehicular systems
* Mechatronics as the new language of the automobile
* Engineering and manufacturing systems
* Packaging
* Electronics
** Computers
** Microcontrollers / PLCs
** Microprocessors
* Biomechatronics

Physical implementations

Mechanical modeling calls for modeling and simulating physical complex phenomena in the scope of a multi-scale and multi-physical approach. This implies to implement and to manage modeling and optimization methods and tools, which are integrated in a systemic approach.
The specialty is aimed for students in mechanics who want to open their mind to systems engineering, and able to integrate different physics or technologies, as well as students in mechatronics who want to increase their knowledge in optimization and multidisciplinary simulation techniques.
The specialty educates students in robust and/or optimized conception methods for structures or many technological systems, and to the main modeling and simulation tools used in R&D. Special courses are also proposed for original applications (multi-materials composites, innovating transducers and actuators, integrated systems, …) to prepare the students to the coming breakthrough in the domains covering the materials and the systems.
For some mechatronic systems, the main issue is no longer how to implement a control system, but how to implement actuators. Within the mechatronic field, mainly two technologies are used to produce movement/motion.

Variant of the field

An emerging variant of this field is biomechatronics, whose purpose is to integrate mechanical parts with a human being, usually in the form of removable gadgets such as an exoskeleton. This is the "real-life" version of cyberware.

Another variant is Motion control for Advanced Mechatronics, presently recognized as a key technology in mechatronics. The robustness of motion control will be represented as a function of stiffness and a basis for practical realization. Target of motion is parameterized by control stiffness which could be variable according to the task reference. The system robustness of motion always requires very high stiffness in the controller.

Avionics is also considered a variant of mechatronics as it combines several fields such as electronics and telecom with Aerospace engineering.

Mechatronics in the automobile

Mechatronic systems represent a large part of the functions of an automobile. The control loop formed by sensor -- information processing -- actuator -- mechanical (physical) change is found in many systems. The system size can be very different. The Anti-lock braking system (ABS) is a mechatronic system. The brake itself is also one. And the control loop formed by driving control (for example cruise control), engine, vehicle driving speed in the real world and speed measurement is a mechatronic system, too. The great importance of mechatronics for automotive engineering is also evident from the fact that vehicle manufacturers often have development departments with "Mechatronics" in their names.

Internet of things

The Internet of things (IoT) is the inter-networking of physical devices, embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators, and network connectivity which enable these objects to collect and exchange data.

IoT and mechatronics are complementary. Many of the smart components associated with the Internet of Things will be essentially mechatronic. The development of the IoT is forcing mechatronics engineers, designers, practitioners and educators to research the ways in which mechatronic systems and components are perceived, designed and manufactured. This allows them to face up to new issues such as data security, machine ethics and the human-machine interface.

See also

* Cybernetics
* Control theory
* Ecomechatronics
* Electromechanics
* Materials engineering
* Mechanical engineering technology
* Robotics
* Systems engineering
* Biomechatronics

References

Sources

* Bradley, Dawson et al., ''Mechatronics, Electronics in products and processes'', Chapman and Hall Verlag, London, 1991.
* Karnopp, Dean C., Donald L. Margolis, Ronald C. Rosenberg, ''System Dynamics: Modeling and Simulation of Mechatronic Systems'', 4th Edition, Wiley, 2006. Bestselling system dynamics book using bond graph approach.
* Cetinkunt, Sabri, ''Mechatronics'', John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2007
*
*Zhang, Jianhua . ''Mechatronics and Automation Engineering. Proceedings of the International Conference on Mechatronics and Automation Engineering (ICMAE2016). Xiamen, China, 2016.''

Further reading

* Bishop, Robert H.
Mechatronics: an introduction
CRC Press, 2006.
* De Silva, Clarence W.
Mechatronics: an integrated approach
CRC Press, 2005
* Onwubolu, Godfrey C.
Mechatronics: principles and applications
Butterworth-Heinemann, 2005.
* Rankers, Adrian M.
Machine Dynamics in Mechatronic Systems
University Twente, 1997

External links

IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics.Mechatronics Journal
– Elsevier

List of publications concerning examples
Institution of Mechanical Engineers - Mechatronics, Informatics and Control Group (MICG)

* NF E 01-010 2008 – AFNOR
French standard NF E 01-010

* XP E 01-013 2009 – AFNOR (French standard NF E 01-013)

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