Mechatronics

Mechatronics is a natural stage in the evolutionary process of modern engineering design.

Microcomputer

Embedded computer

Bio-electro-mechanical systems,

Quantum computers,

Nano- and pico-systems,

Definition

Electrical
Engineering

Tele- Electronics
communication Engineering

Mechatronics

Computer Mechanical
Science Engineering

Control
Systems

1. Yasakawa Electric Company - The word, mechatronics, is composed of “mecha” from

mechanism and the “tronics” from electronics.
2. Harashima, Tomizuka, and Fukada in 1996 – Mechatronics is the synergistic integration of
mechanical engineering, with electronics and intelligent computer control in the design and
manufacturing of industrial products and processes.
3. Shetty and Kolk appeared in 1997 - Mechatronics is the methodology used for the optimal
design of electromechanical products.
4. W. Bolton - A mechatronic system is not just a marriage of electrical and mechanical
systems and is more than just a control system; it is a complete integration of all of them.
All of these definitions and statements about mechatronics are accurate and informative,
yet each one in and of itself fails to capture the totality of mechatronics. Despite continuing
efforts to define mechatronics, to classify mechatronic products, and to develop a standard
mechatronics curriculum, a consensus opinion on an all-encompassing description of “what is
mechatronics” eludes us. This lack of consensus is a healthy sign. It says that the field is alive,
that it is a youthful subject. Even without an unarguably definitive description of mechatronics,
engineers understand from the definitions given above and from their own personal experiences
the essence of the philosophy of mechatronics.

Key Elements of Mechatronics

The key elements of mechatronics system can be categorized as follows

1. Physical Systems Modeling

2. Sensors and Actuators

3. Signals and Systems

4. Computers and Logic Systems

5. Software and Data Acquisition

1. Physical Systems Modeling

 Component modeling, which is the derivation of mathematical equations suitable for
computer simulation, plays a critical role during the design stages of a mechatronic system. For
all but the simplest systems, the performance aspects of components (such as sensors, actuators,
and mechanical geometry) and their effect on system performance can only be evaluated by
simulation. The modeling in mechatronics system deals with the integrated modeling of
mechanical systems and its embedded control system. Thus the mechatronics system is
required to be modeled with system approach by considering following aspects of different
fields.

i) Mechanics of Solids
ii) Translational and Rotational Systems
iii) Fluid Systems
iv) Electrical Systems
v) Thermal Systems
vi) Micro- and Nano-Systems
vii) Rotational Electromagnetic MEMS
viii) Physical System Analogies

2. Sensors and Actuators

Sensors

Sensor is a device that when exposed to a physical phenomenon produces a proportional

output signal. The sensors are crucial in mechatronics system as they imparts intelligence to
system so that it can monitor the performance of machines and processes. According to the
application requirement different sensors are incorporated in the system and some of these
sensors are listed below.

i) Linear and rotational sensors

ii) Acceleration sensors
iii) Force, torque, and pressure sensors
iv) Flow sensors
v) Temperature measurements
vi) Ranging and proximity sensing
vii) Light detection, image, and vision systems
viii) Fiber optic devices
ix) Micro- and Nano- sensors

Actuators

Actuators are basically the muscle behind a mechatronics system that accepts a control
command and produces a change in physical system by generating force, motion, heat, flow,
etc. There are the different actuators are used in various application according to the actuating
signal.

i) Electro-mechanical actuators
ii) Motors: DC motors, AC motors, and stepper motors
iii) Piezoelectric actuators
iv) Pneumatic and hydraulic actuators
v) Micro- and Nano- actuators

3. Signals and Systems

Signals

Signals are physical variables or quantities measured at various parts of a system, which
when processed yield the desired information. A wide variety of signals are often encountered
in describing many practical systems. Electrical signal, in form of current and voltage, is the
most easily measured quantity, hence the need to use sensors and transducers to transform other
non-electrical quantity into electrical signals.

Systems

4. Computers and Logic Systems

The computers and logic system act as brain of mechatronics system and they supposed to
play variety of roles includes,

1. Computers are used to model, analyze, and simulate mechatronic systems and
mechatronic system components and, as such, are useful for control design.
2. Computers, as part of measurement systems, are used to measure the performance of
mechatronic systems, to determine the value of component parameters, and to
experimentally validate models.
3. Computers or microcomputers form the central component in digital control systems
for mechatronic designs.
5. Software and Data Acquisition

Data Acquisition

The purpose of a data acquisition system is to capture and analyze some sort of physical
phenomenon from the real world. Light, temperature, pressure, and torque are a few of the
many different types of signals that can interface to a data acquisition system. A data
acquisition system may also produce electrical signals simultaneously. These signals can either
intelligently control mechanical systems or provide a stimulus so that the data acquisition
system can measure the response. A data acquisition system provides a way to empirically test
designs, theories, and real world systems for validation or research.

Software

The software lies at the heart of computer based instrumentation systems. Software is
the embodiment of logical processes, whether in support of business functions or control of
physical devices. They provide the flexibility and interoperability to provide custom solutions
for each application.

Historical Perspective

The word mechatronics originated in Japanese-English and was created by Tetsuro

Mori, an engineer of Yaskawa Electric Corporation. The word mechatronics was derived from
“mecha” mechanics and “tronics” electronics. However, as the complexity of technical systems
continued to evolve, the definition had been broadened to include more technical areas.

Before the 1960s, most of the industrial products and equipment were based on
mechanical principles. The evolution of mechatronics started in the 1960s with the progress in
the fields of electronics, development of semiconductors, and integrated circuits,
microprocessors, and microcontrollers. Gradually, there was a change in the technology of
products and equipment with incorporation of electronic components within the mechanical
systems. In that sense, its origin can be traced to early 1950s when a numerical control (NC)
machine tool was developed at MIT, USA in 1952. However, research continued as there were
certain disadvantages with the conventional NC machines. The new inventions of electronics,
viz. miniature electronic tubes, solid-state circuits, and integrated circuits were gradually used
in NC machines making it better, smaller, and more reliable. In 1957, the first computer
numerical control (CNC) machine tool was developed at MIT. The control units with punched
cards in the NC machines were replaced by the computers in the CNC machines. Computerized
machine control unit led to software based control in the machine which is very flexible.
Different programming languages like G-code were developed for CNC machines. In 1961,
the part programming language Automatically Programmed Tool (APT) was released for CNC
machines. CNC technology has paved the way for computer aided design (CAD) and computer
aided manufacturing (CAM) thus contributing to the growth of mechatronics.

Since late 1950s, the progress in the field of robotics started. Planet Corporation
incorporated the first commercial robot based on limit switches and cams in 1959.
Mechatronics played a pivotal role in development of robotics in the 1960s and 1970s.
Extensive research were carried out in robotics in MIT, Stanford Research Institute, IBM, and
General Motors resulting in building robots possessing various degrees of automation,
movement, intelligence, degrees of freedom, and motion control. Robotics was first introduced
in the 1970s in the manufacturing industry to perform different tasks such as moving materials,
parts, and tools, and for welding, machining, and assembly work.

Other than manufacturing, application of mechatronics is diverse, e.g., in defense,

medical, automobile, consumer products, and many more. For example, unmanned vehicles
such as Drone, radar technology, jet engines, robotic surgery, active human implant devices,
antilock braking system, cruise control and air bags in automobiles, and intelligent highways.
Gradually through 1970s and 1980s, the advances in control theory, computation technology,
servo technology, microprocessors, and integrated circuits enabled design of products such as
auto-focus camera, automatic door opener, vending machine, sewing machine, digital watch,
push button telephones, electronic type-writer, photocopiers, automatic washers and dryers,
automatic ovens, and home security. Controlling and functioning of machines became much
easier by the use of computer hardware and software enabling manufacturing of a product with
high accuracy.

Finally, since the 1990s, there has been tremendous progress in the field of
mechatronics and its applications extended to flexible manufacturing systems (FMS),
CAD/CAM, data communication systems, multi-point fuel ignition and digital engine control
in automobiles, smart phones, microwave ovens, dish washers, vacuum cleaners, televisions,
cameras and camcorders, video recorders, central heating controls, bar coding machines,
automatic teller machines (ATM) and many more.

The latest addition to the list is biometrics, automatic climate control, automatic
unmanned vehicles, domestic and social robots, microbots, etc. Future of mechatronics has
extreme potential as the application area of mechatronics encompasses all spheres of human
lifestyle.

It is the proof that mechatronics has evolved as a field which promoted new products
development at the intersection of traditional disciplines of engineering, computer science, and
the natural sciences. New developments in these traditional disciplines are being absorbed into
mechatronics design at an ever increasing pace. The ongoing information technology
revolution, advances in wireless communication, smart sensors design (enabled by MEMS
technology), and embedded systems engineering ensures that the engineering design paradigm
will continue to evolve.
state variable system, weaving looms – feed forward systems and evolution of NC controlled
machines, Control theories, time and frequency domain and role in today’s systems, root locus real
time application in defense equipments,

textile and printing machines, paper converting machinery, and sewing machines – cams