Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges

College of Engineering
Electronics Engineering Department

Name: Kyle N. Eligoyo

Section: BSECE-1B
Instructor: Engr. Mark B. Buena
Course Code/Description: MS 111 – Mechatronics Servicing NCII (Basic & Common Competency)

INTRODUCTION TO MECHATRONICS

I. Definition – What is Mechatronics?

The term ‘Mechatronics’ was coined by engineer Tetsuro Mori combining the words
“mechanical" and "electronic" to describe the electronic control systems that Yaskawa Electric Corp. was
building for mechanical factory equipment.

Definition – Mechatronics is a field in which physical/mechanical systems incorporate electronics

for enhanced functionality and acquire a wider range of capabilities through the integration of
intelligent computer control systems. This interpretation is derived from the different definitions of
mechatronics as stated by various researchers below:

Harashima & Tomizuka - Mechatronics is defined as the synergistic integration of mechanical

engineering, with electronics and intelligent computer control in the design and manufacturing
of industrial products and processes.

Auslander and Kempf - Mechatronics is the application of complex decision making to the
operation of physical systems.

Shetty and Kolk - Mechatronics is a methodology used for the optimal design of
electromechanical products.

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.

II. Disciplinary foundations:

Mechatronics is a combination of different fields integrated to produce much simpler but more
feasible and reliable systems. These fields include electrical, electronics, computer control and
mechanics.

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III. Evolution of Mechatronics:

Before the 1970s, most household products utilized mechanical systems alone in their designs.
Examples of such products are Typewriters and Mechanical watches/clocks. However, engineers in the
early 1970s made innovations by incorporating electrical power with the mechanical tools and
machines. This gave birth to the concept of electromechanical products such as electric motors and
solenoids that made an even further leap with the development of microprocessors by the 1980s. The
field of mechatronics began to incorporate aspects of computer science and programming in the 90s,
creating almost endless possibilities to the usefulness of mechatronics engineering. Cars, Jets, Automatic
air conditioners, Rice Cookers, and the automated robotics used in industries are only few of the many
powerful products that mechatronics engineers have created until today.

IV. Key elements of Mechatronics:

Physical systems modeling – Modeling is the process of representing the behavior of a real
system by a collection of mathematical equations and logic.
It can be either Static or Dynamic:
a. Static – A type of model in which the output of the system at a given instant is only
dependent on the current input at that instant.
b. Dynamic – A type of model in which the output not only depends on the current input
but also involves past inputs and/or outputs. This means dynamic system models have
memory or inertia and tends to evolve over time.

1. Actuators and Sensors – Actuators and Sensors provide communication between Mechanical and
Electrical Systems.
a. Actuators – Converts electrical signals or other sources of power (hydraulic fluid, air, etc.)
into useful mechanical movements or actions.
b. Sensors – Sensors detect events/changes in specific types of input from the physical
environment and send the information as signals to other electronics (mostly computer
processors) that in turn facilitate responses to such changes/events.

2. Input/Output signal conditioning and interfacing

Before any input can be sent to the Digital Control Architectures or any output can be
displayed or sent to feedback systems, it mostly needs to initially undergo
refining/conditioning/interfacing. This can be through filters, amplifiers, analog to digital
converters (and vice versa), etc.

3. Digital Control Architectures

These are often referred to as the brain of a mechatronic system. They control the
overall system operation. The various logic system used are logic circuits, programmable logic
controllers, microcontrollers, sequencing and timing controls, and control algorithms.

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4. Data Acquisition Systems
The data acquisition system acquires the output signals from sensors in the form of
voltage, frequency, resistance, etc. and is inputted into the microprocessor or computer for
further processing or storage.

5. Graphical Displays
Graphical display devices are used to give visual feedback to the user. The various
display devices used in the mechatronic system are LEDs, CRT, LCD, digital displays, etc.

BLOCK DIAGRAM:

V. Applications of Mechatronics:

Mechatronic products can be found in many households and industries. They can be applied for
space explorations, production of goods, healthcare, transportation, robotics and even in tools that can
make our lives easier in our day to day basis.

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 References

Ambadekar, P., 2021. INTRODUCTION TO MECHATRONICS. [ebook] Available at:

<http://ultrabird.weebly.com/uploads/9/5/2/2/9522101/module_1-_part1.pdf> [Accessed 20
August 2021].

Brown, A. S. (2011, August 12). Mechatronics and the Role of Engineers. Retrieved August 20, 2021,
from https://www.asme.org/topics-resources/content/mechatronics-and-the-role-of-engineers

Capitol Technology University. (2018, September 21). The Evolution of Mechatronics Engineering.
Retrieved August 20, 2021, from https://www.captechu.edu/blog/evolution-of-mechatronics-
engineering

Soudagar, Manzoore Elahi. (2015). Mechatronics : A Multidisciplinary Field of Engineering. IJARMET. 1.

27-29.

Thorat, S. (2020, September 12). What are the basic Elements of Mechatronics System. Learn
Mechanical Engineering. https://learnmech.com/what-are-the-basic-elements-of-mechatronics-
system/

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