MECHATRONICS

Introduction to Mechatronics
• What is Mechatronics?
• The word mechatronics is composed of “mecha”
from mechanical and the “tronics” from
electronics.
• Mechanical + Electronics = Mechatronics
“Mecha” + “tronics” = Mechatronics
• The term “Mechatronics” was coined by Tetsuro
Mori, a senior Japanese engineer at Yasakawa
Company in 1969.
• Mechatronics is synergistic integration of
mechanical engineering, electronics
engineering, control engineering and
computer science.
• Mechatronics engineering is the design of
computer controlled electromechanical systems.
• A mechatronic system is a computer controlled
mechanical system.
Model of a Typical Mechatronic
System
 Modules of a Mechatronic System
1. Sensing
I. Sensors
II. Signal Conditioning
III. Analog-to-Digital and Digital-to-Analog
Conversion
2. Control
I. Open Loop and Closed Loop Control
3. Action
I. Drive Circuits
II. Actuators
III. Motors
Components of a Mechatronic System
• Mechanical
• Electronics
• Sensors
• Actuators
• Control
• Computing
• Evolution of automated systems:
1. Completely mechanical automatic systems
(before and early 1900s)
2. Automatic devices with electronic
components such as relays, transistors, op-amps
(early 1900s to 1970s)
3. Computer controlled automatic systems
(1970s–present)
• Early automatic control systems performed
their automated function solely through
mechanical means.
• For instance, a water level regulator for a
water tank uses a float connected to a valve via
a linkage.
• The desired water level in the tank is set by
the adjustment of the float height or the linkage
arm length connecting it to the valve.
• The float opens and closes the valve in order
to maintain the desired water level.
• A mechatronic system has at its core a mechanical
system which needs to be commanded or
controlled by a controller.
• The controller needs information about the state
of the system. This information is obtained from
sensors.
• In many cases, the signals produced by the sensors
are not in a form ready to be read by the controller
and need some signal conditioning operations
performed on them.
• The conditioned, sensed signals are then converted
to a digital form by Analog-to-Digital Convertor (ADC)
and are then sent to the controller.
• The controller is the ‘mind’ of the mechatronic
system, which processes user commands and
sensed signals to generate command signals
to be sent to the actuators in the system.
Actuators are devices that can convert
electrical energy to mechanical energy
• The user commands are obtained from a
variety of devices, including command buttons,
graphical user interfaces (GUIs), touch screens,
or pads
• In some cases, the command signals are sent
to the actuators without utilizing any feedback
information from the sensors. This is called
open-loop system, and for it to work, this
requires a good calibration between the input
and output of the system.
• The more common mode of operation is the
closed-loop mode in which the command signals
sent to the actuators utilize the feedback
information from the sensors. This mode of
operation does not require calibration
information.
• Every computer controlled system has four
basic functional blocks:
1. A process to be controlled
2. Sensors
3. Actuators
4. Controller
 Examples of Mechatronic Systems
• Antilock Brake System (ABS)
• Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI)
• Traction Control System (TCS)
• Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
• Automatic Camera
• Scanner
• Hard Disk Drive
• Industrial Robots
• Mobile Robots (Wheeled Robots, Legged Robots)
 SENSOR AND TRANSDUCERS
• Sensor
A Device that receives and respond to a signal or
stimulus
• Transducer – a device that converts a primary
form of energy into a corresponding signal with
a different energy form
• Primary Energy Forms: mechanical, thermal,
electromagnetic, optical, chemical, etc. – take
form of a sensor or an actuator
• Sensor (e.g., thermometer) – a device that
detects/measures a signal or stimulus – acquires
information from the “real world”
• Actuator (e.g., heater) – a device that
generates a signal or stimulus
 Sensor Classification
• Passive
• Doesn’t need any additional energy source
• Directly generate an electric signal in response to
an external stimuli
• E.g. Thermocouple, photodiode, Piezoelectric
sensor
• Active
• Require external power called excitation signal
• Sensor modify excitation signal to provide output
• E.g. thermistor, resistive strain gauge
 Sensor characteristics
• Span or Full scale input
– A dynamic range of stimuli which may be converted by a
sensor
– represents the highest possible input value that can be
applied to the sensor without causing an unacceptably large
inaccuracy
– g for accelerometer
• Full scale output
– algebraic difference between the electrical output signals
measured with maximum input stimulus and the lowest input
stimulus applied
– E.g. LM35
• Accuracy
– Accuracy is measured as a highest deviation of a
value represented by the sensor from the ideal or
true value at its input
– accuracy limits generally are used in the worst-
case analysis to determine the worst possible
performance of the system
– The inaccuracy rating may be represented in a
number of forms:
• Directly in terms of measured value
• In percent of input span (full scale)
• In terms of output signal
• Calibration
– determination of specific variables that describe
the overall transfer function
• Overall means of the entire circuit, including the
sensor, the interface circuit, and the A/D converter
– E.g. use of forward biased diode for temperature
measurement
• Transfer function v=a+bt
• Take measurement at two T’s and solve and
determine a and b – V1=a+bt1 and V2=a+bt2
– For Non-linear function more than one point can
be required depending on the transfer function –
Another way is to use a piecewise approximation
• Calibration error – inaccuracy permitted by a
manufacturer when a sensor is calibrated in
the factory
• Error is systematic in nature
• Hysteresis – deviation of the sensor’s output
at a specified point of the input signal when it
is approached from the opposite directions
• Non-linearity error – specified for sensors
whose transfer function may be approximated
by a straight line
• Repeatability
– caused by the inability of a sensor to represent
the same value under identical conditions
– It is expressed as the maximum difference
between output readings as determined by two
calibrating cycles
– It is usually represented as % of FS
• Resolution
– the smallest increments of stimulus which can be
sensed
• Output impedance
– The output impedance Zout is important to know to
better interface a sensor with the electronic circuit
– For a current generating sensor should have an output
impedance as high as possible and the circuit’s input
impedance should be low
– For the voltage connection, a sensor is preferable with
lower Zout and the circuit should have Zin as high as
practical
• Displacement sensors are concerned with the
measurement of the amount by which some
object has been moved.
• Position sensors are concerned with the
determination of the position of some object in
relation to some reference point.
• Proximity sensors are a form of position
sensor and are used to determine when an
object has moved to within some particular
critical distance of the sensor. They are
essentially devices which give on/off outputs.
 Potentiometer Sensor
• Potentiometer is one of the common sensors
for position measurements.
• It relates the change in position (linear or
rotary) into the change in resistance, as shown
in Figure a and b
• The resistance change is then converted to a
proportional voltage change in the electrical
circuit of the sensor.
• Hence, the relationship between the measured
physical variable, translational displacement x or
rotary displacement θ, and the output voltage for a
ideal potentiometer is

• where the sensitivity, (k * Vr ) , of the

potentiometer is a function of the winding
resistance and physical shape of the winding.
 Strain Gauge
• Strain gauge: it is an electrical conductor
whose resistance changes as it is strained.
• Structure of Strain Gauges
• There are many types of strain gauges. Among
them, a universal strain gage has a structure
such that a grid-shaped sensing element of
thin metallic resistive foil (3 to 6μm thick) is
put on a base of thin plastic film (15 to 16μm
• thick) and is laminated with a thin film.
 Principle of Strain Gages
• The strain gage is tightly bonded to a measuring object so that the
sensing element (metallic resistive foil) may elongate or contract
according to the strain borne by the measuring object.
• When bearing mechanical elongation or contraction, most metals
undergo a change in electric resistance.
• The strain gage applies this principle to strain measurement through
the resistance change. Generally, the sensing element of the strain
gage is made of a copper-nickel alloy foil.
• The alloy foil has a rate of resist-ance change proportional to strain
with a certain constant.
Let’s express the principle as follows:

• where, R: Original resistance of strain gage, Ω (ohm)

• ΔR: Elongation- or contraction-initiated resistance change, Ω (ohm)
• K: Proportional constant (called gage factor)
• ε: Strain
 Linear Variable Differential
Transformer(LVDT)
• Principle of LVDT:
• LVDT works under the principle of mutual
induction, and the displacement which is a
non-electrical energy iconverted into an
electrical energy.
• And the way how the energy is getting
converted is described in working of LVDT in a
detailed manner.
Construction of LVDT:
• LVDT consists of a
cylindrical former
where it is surrounded
byone primary winding
in the centre of the
former and the two
secondary windings at
the sides.
• On applying an external force which is the
displacement, if the core reminds in the null
position itself without providing any
movement then the voltage induced in both
the secondary windings are equal which
results in net output is equal to zero
• When an external force is applied and if the
steel iron core tends to move in the left hand
side direction thenthe emf voltage induced in
the secondary coil 1 is greater when
compared to the emf induced in the
secondary coil 2.
• Therefore the net output will be
• Esec1-Esec2
• When an external force is applied and if the
steel iron core moves in the right hand side
direction then the emf induced in the
secondary coil 2 is greater when compared to
the emf voltage induced in the secondary coil
1.
• The net output voltage will be Esec2-Esec1
Advantages of LVDT:
1)Infinite resolution is present in LVDT
2)High output
3)LVDT gives High sensitivity
4)Very good linearity
5)Ruggedness
6)LVDT Provides Less friction
7)Low hysteresis
8)LVDT gives Low power consumption
• Applications of LVDT:
1)LVDT is used to measure displacement ranging
from fraction millimeter to centimeter.
2)Acting as a secondary transducer, LVDT can be
used as a device to measure force, weight and
pressure, etc..
DIRECTION CONTROL VALVES
• Check valves.
• Shuttle valves.
• 2 Position Two-way valves.
• 2 position Four-way valves.
• Three positon Four-way valves
Three positon Four-way valves
 Actuating Devices
• Actuation is the method of moving the valve
element from one position to another.
• Manually operated: In manually operated
DCVs, the spool is shifted manually by moving
a handle pushing a button or stepping on a
foot pedal. When the handle is not operated,
the spool returns to its original position by
means of a spring.
• Pilot-Actuated Valves
This type of valves is to be shifted by applying
air pressure against a piston at either end of the
valve spool.
• Solenoid operated: When an electric coil or a
solenoid is energized, it creates a magnetic
force that pulls the armature into the coil. This
causes the armature to push the spool of the
valve.
 Shuttle Valves
• A shuttle valve allows two alternate flow
sources to be connected in a one-branch
circuit. The valve has two inlets P1 and P2 and
one outlet A. Outlet A receives flow from an
inlet that is at a higher pressure.
If the pressure at P1 is greater than that at P2,
the ball slides to the right and allows P1 to send
flow to outlet A. If the pressure at P2 is greater
than that at P1, the ball slides to the left and P2
supplies flow to outlet A.
• A shuttle valve is called an “OR” valve because
receiving a pressure input signal from either
P1 or P2 causes a pressure output signal to be
sent to A.
• Graphical symbol of shuttle valve is
 PRESSURE CONTROL VALVES
• Maintains the required pressure level by diverting
high pressure fluid to a low pressure area and hence
controlling the pressure in the high pressure area.
Pressure-relief valve.
Pressure-reducing valve.
Unloading valve
Counterbalance valve.
Pressure-sequence valve.
Brake valve.
 Pressure-relief valve.
• A closed valve is to limit the pressure in to
prescribed maximum by diverting some or all
output of pump to tank.
• The pressure can rise in a hydraulic system if:
1. The flow rate from the pump is larger than
the flow rate through the actuator
2. The hydraulic resistance of the system rises.
3. The pressure relief value are normally closed.
• construction
• It consists of a valve body, poppet, spring and
adjusting screw ,Poppet held on valve seat by
spring compression, which is adjusted by
screw.
 Pressure-Reducing Valve
• Open pressure control valves
• Used to maintain reduced pressure in the
required portion.
• done by increasing the area where the oil
could release the pressure.
• A pressure-reducing valve uses a spring-loaded
spool to control the downstream pressure.
• If the downstream pressure is below the valve
setting, the fluid flows freely from the inlet to the
outlet.
• When the outlet (downstream) pressure
increases to the valve setting, the spool moves to
the right to partially block the outlet port.
• Just enough flow is passed to the outlet to
maintain its preset pressure level.
• If the valve closes completely, leakage past the
spool causes downstream pressure to build up
above the valve setting.
Unloading Valves
• The high-flow poppet is controlled
by the spring-loaded ball and the
pressure applied lo port A.
• Flow entering at port A is blocked
in the poppet at low pressures.
• The pressure signal from A passes
through the orifice in the main
poppet to the topside area and on
to the ball.
• There is no flow through these
sections of the valve until the
pressure rises to the maximum
permitted by the adjustably set
spring-loaded ball.
• When that occurs, the poppet
lifts and flow goes from port A to
port B, which is typically
connected to the tank.
• The pressure signal to port X
(sustained by another part of the
system) acts against the solid
control piston and forces the ball
farther off the seat.
• This causes the topside pressure
on the main poppet to go to a
very low value and allows flow
from A to B with a very low
pressure drop as long as signal
pressure at X is maintained.
• The ball reseats, and the main
poppet closes with a snap action
when the pressure at X falls to
approximately 90% of the
maximum pressure setting of the
spring-loaded ball