Addis Ababa Science and Technology University

Electromechanical Engineering Department

Design of Mechatronics system

Target Group: UG EMEG students

Lecturer: Bereket W.
Introduction
• Even though development of automated mechanical systems
occurred long before, the term automation was not popular since
1940s.

• The term automation was introduced by Ford Motor Company to

denote a process in which a machine transferred a sub-assembly
item from one station to another and then positioned the item
precisely for additional assembly operations.

• But the early applications of automatic control systems appeared

in Greece from 300to1 B.C.

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Int…
• Technical systems may be small consumer or medical devices or
large production processes, increasingly employ electronics and
computers to give the final product or system the desired
properties.

• The driving factors for design of mechatronics systems are

functional and quality demands, energy utilization, environmental
demands, or cost reductions.

• A striking example of this development can be found in the

automotive area – the modern passenger car depends on the
integration of the car’s mechanical subsystems with a substantial
amount of embedded computers, sensors, actuators, and
communication devices.

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Definition of Mechatronics
• The word "mechatronics" was registered as trademark by the Yaskawa
Electric Corporation company in Japan with the registration number of
in 1971.
• However, afterward the company released the right of using the word to
public, and the word "mechatronics" spread to the rest of the world.
• The word, mechatronics, is composed of Mecha from Mechanism and
the tronics from electronics.
• Mechatronics is the integration of electronics, control engineering, and
mechanical engineering
• Mechatronics is the application of complex decision making to the
operation of physical systems.
• Mechatronics is a methodology used for the optimal design of
electromechanical products.

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Def. Mecha…
• 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.

• Mechatronics is a multidisciplinary field of science that includes a

combination of mechanical engineering, electronics, computer
engineering, telecommunications engineering, systems
engineering and control engineering.

• Mechatronics is 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.

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Def. Mecha…

• Synergistic use of precision engineering, control theory, computer

science, and sensor and actuator technology to design improved
products and processes.
• Methodology used for the optimal design of electromechanical
products.
• 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.
More generally we can define as:
• Mechatronics is the synergistic integration of sensors,
actuators, signal conditioning, power electronics, decision and
control algorithms, and computer hardware and software to
manage complexity, uncertainty, and communication to develop
optimized engineered systems.

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Disciplinary Foundations of Mechatronics
• Mechatronics is the real integration of mechanical
Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering,
Computer/Information Systems.

Figure: Mechatronics: a multi-disciplinary approach

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Disciplinary…

Figure: Conventional and mechatronics design approaches.

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Key Elements of Mechatronics
• The study of mechatronic systems can be divided into the
following areas of specialty:
1. Physical Systems Modeling
2. Sensors and Actuators
3. Signals and Systems
4. Computers and Logic Systems
5. Software and Data Acquisition

• The key elements of mechatronics are illustrated in Figure bellow

As the field of mechatronics continues to mature, the list of
relevant topics associated with the area will most certainly expand
and evolve.

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Key…

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Applications of Mechatronics
Mechatronics has a wide range of applications
1. Design and Modelling
• Design and modelling are simplified to a large extent by the use of
mechatronic systems.
• Basically, design involves drawing, analysis, and documentation.
• The computer is used to complete processes of design faster.
• The virtual modelling of a manufacturing plant gives an idea of
the time taken for a particular component to be manufactured and
also shows virtually how the operations will be performed.
• The mechatronic systems Digitizers, drum plotter, x-y plotter,
printer, CD drives etc. give complete documentation of design
drawings.

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Appli….
2. Software Integration
• Different kinds of real time application and system soft wares are
used in manufacturing industry for designing, testing, monitoring,
and control of the manufacturing process.
• Examples of such software include computer aided design (CAD),
computer aided testing (CAT), computer aided engineering
(CAE), and computer aided processing planning (CAPP).
• The integration of the packets of software leads to computer
integrated manufacturing (CIM) or just-in-time (JIT)
manufacturing.
• Software integration is not only used for manufacturing but also
for communication networks, economic analysis, etc.

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Appli…
3. Actuators and Sensors
• Mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic actuators are
widely used in the industry.
• Toggle linkage and quick return mechanics are typical examples of
mechanical actuators. Switching devices, solenoid-type devices,
ac/dc motors can be used as electrical actuators.
• The term sensor is used for an element which produces a signal
relating to the quantity being measured. For example, an electrical
resistance temperature device transforms the input of temperature
into change in resistance

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Appli…
4. Intelligent Control
• Feedback control systems are widespread not only in nature and
the home but also in industry.
• There are many industrial processes and machines which control
many variables automatically.
• Temperature, liquid level, fluid flow, pressure, speed, etc. are
maintained constant by process controllers.
• Adaptive control and intelligent manufacturing are the areas where
mechatronic systems are used for decision making and controlling
the manufacturing environment.

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Appli…
5. Robotics
• Robot technology uses mechanical, electronic, and computer
systems.
• A robot is a multifunctional reprogrammable machine used to
handle materials, tools, or any special items to perform a particular
task.
• Manipulation robots are capable of performing operations,
assembly, spot welding, spray painting, etc.
• Service robots such as mail service robots, household servant
robots, nursing robots in hospitals are being used nowadays.

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Appli…
6. Manufacturing
• In the domain of factory automation, mechatronics has had far-
reaching effects in manufacturing.
• Major constituents of factory automation include computer
numerically controlled (CNC) machines, robots, automation
systems, and computer integration of all functions of
manufacturing.
• Low volume, more variety, higher levels of flexibility, reduced
lead time in manufacture, and automation in manufacturing and
assembly are likely to be the future needs of customers, and
mechatronic systems will play an important role in this context.

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Appli…
7. Motion Control
• Motion control is important in many industrial applications such
as robots, automated guided vehicles, NC machines, etc.
• If the robot arm cannot reach a particular location, then the
movements of workpiece have to be analyzed further.
• Any body has six degrees of freedom, three translations and three
rotations. A point has only three translations.
• In a machine tool, the work piece has six degrees of freedom and
the tools also have six degrees of freedom.
• Thus, a machine tool with twelve degrees of freedom can be
manufactured.
• Such a tool can perform a complicated machining operation.

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Appli…
8.Vibration and Noise Control
• When a machine member is subjected to a periodic dynamic force,
it will vibrate.
• If the vibration level ranges from a frequency of 20 Hz to 20,000
Hz, it produces noise.
• Vibration and noise isolation are important in industry.
• Vibration isolation can be achieved by passive, semi-active, or
active dampers.
• In passive dampers the structure is mounted on damping materials
with initial spring loading.
• In semi-active dampers, both passive and active damping elements
are used.

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Appli…
8. Vibration…
• Different types of shock absorbers are used to reduce the shock
amplitude.
• In active damping, extra energy is used to damp the structure.
• When a structure is subjected to a pulse input, a shock is
produced.
• Noise isolation is equally important in industry since noise is
harmful to human beings.
• Adaptive control techniques are used for noise isolation.
• In this method, the system predicts the noise level in each interval
of time and noise is introduced through the speaker in phase
opposition.
• This adaptive control system reduces the noise level.

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Appli…
9. Microsystems
• It is fair to say that microsystems are a major step towards the ultimate
miniaturization of machines and devices such as dust-size computers and
needle type robots.
• The advancement of nanotechnology will certainly result in the
realization of super miniaturized machinery.
• The need for miniaturization has increased manifold in recent years, and
engineering systems and devices have become more and more complex
and sophisticated.
• Pico satellites, space crafts, table-top manufacturing units, and micro
electromechanical systems will become a reality in the future.
• The knowledge of mechatronics is very useful for microsystems.

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Applications Examples
• Smart consumer products:
home security, camera, microwave oven, toaster, dish washer,
laundry washer-dryer, climate control units, etc.
• Medical: implant-devices, assisted surgery, haptic, etc.
• Defense: unmanned air, ground, and underwater vehicles, smart
munitions, jet engines, etc.
• Manufacturing: robotics, machines, processes, etc.
• Automotive: climate control, antilock brake, active suspension,
cruise control, air bags, engine management, safety, etc.

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Appli…
The objectives of mechatronics are the following.
1. To improve products and processes
2. To develop novel mechanisms
3. To design new products
4. To create new technology using novel concepts
• Earlier the domestic washing machine used cam-operated
switches in order to control the washing cycle.
• Such mechanical switches have now been replaced by
microprocessors.
• A microprocessor is a collection of logic gates and memory
elements whose logical functions are implemented by means of
software.

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Appli…
• The application of mechatronics has helped to improve many
mass-produced products such as the domestic washing machine,
dishwasher, microwave oven, cameras, watches, and so on.
• Mechatronic systems are also used in cars for active suspension,
antiskid brakes, engine control, speedometers, etc.
• Large-scale improvements have been made using mechatronic
systems in flexible manufacturing engineering systems (FMS)
involving computer controlled machines, robots, automatic
material conveying and, overall supervisory control.

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Appli…
• Mechatronic systems are also used in cars for active suspension,
antiskid brakes, engine control, speedometers, ABS,TCS, vehicle
collision avoidance systems etc.

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Appli…
Design and Manufacturing gets easier and fast with the help of mechatronics devices.

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Advantages of Mechatronics
There are many advantages of mechatronic systems:
• Mechatronic systems have made it very easy to design processes
and products.
• Application of mechatronics facilitates rapid setting up and cost
effective operation of manufacturing facilities.
• Mechatronic systems help in optimizing performance and quality.
• These can be adopted to changing needs.
• Mechatronic systems are not without their disadvantages.

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Disadvantage of Mechatronics system
• It is that the field of mechatronics requires a knowledge of
different disciplines.
• The design cannot be finalized and safety issues are complicated
in mechatronic systems.
• Such systems also require more parts than others, and involve a
greater risk of component failure.
Quiz:
1. Identify a mechatronics system being used by you in
your daily routine. Analyze its elements and state its
importance in the functioning of that system.

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 The End Of Chapter I

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