Unit 5

Introduction to Mechatronics
 Mechatronics
• The word, mechatronics is composed of mecha from mechanics and
tronics from electronics.
• In other words, technologies and developed products will be
incorporating electronics more and more into mechanisms, intimately
and organically, and making it impossible to tell where one ends and
the other begins
• Mechatronics basically refers to
mechanical electronic systems
and normally described as a
synergistic combination of
mechanics, electrical,
electronics, computer and
control which, when combined,
make possible the generation of
simple, more economic, and
reliable systems. “

The term "mechatronics" was first assigned by Mr. Tetsuro Mori, a

senior engineer of the Japanese company Yaskawa, in 1969
Physically, a mechatronic system is composed of four prime components.
They are sensors, actuators, controllers and mechanical components.
Figure shows a schematic diagram of a mechatronic system integrated with
all the above components.
Mechatronics: Working Definition for us
• 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 in engineered systems.
Disciplinary Foundations of Mechatronics
• Mechanical Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Computer Engineering
• Electrical Systems
Examples of Mechatronics system
• Robot

• Motion and Force Control of an Indirect Drive Robot

• A computer disk drive is an example of a rotary mechatronic

system
• Washing Machine
• Autonomous flight control system
• Subsea Vehicle
• Cargo handling
 Evolution Level of Mechatronics
• Primary Level Mechatronics: This level incorporates I/O devices such as
sensors and actuators that integrates electrical signals with mechanical
action at the basic control levels. Examples: Electrically controlled fluid
valves and relays.
• Secondary Level Mechatronics: This level integrates microelectronics
into electrically controlled devices. Examples: Cassette players
• Third Level Mechatronics: This level incorporates advanced feedback
functions into control strategy thereby enhancing the quality in terms of
sophistication called smart system. 
The control strategy includes microelectronics, microprocessor and other ‘
Application Specific Integrated Circuits’ (ASIC)
Example: Control of Electrical motor used to activate industrial robots, hard
disk, CD drives and automatic washing machines
Fourth Level Mechatronics: This level incorporates intelligent control in
mechatronics system. It introduces intelligence and fault detection and
isolation (FDI) capability systems.
Evolution of Mechatronics as a
Contemporary Design Paradigm
Technological advances in design, manufacturing, and operation of
engineered products/devices/processes can be traced through: –
Industrial revolution-Allowed design of products and processes for
energy conversion and transmission thus allowing the use of energy to
do useful work
Semiconductor revolution-Led to the creation of integrated circuit (IC)
technology.
Information revolution-Development of VLSI technology led to the
introduction of microprocessor, microcomputer, and microcontroller
Advantages of Mechatronics
• It is cost effective and it can produce high quality products.
• Production of parts and products of international standards gives
better reputation and return.
• It serves effectively for high dimensional accuracy requirements.
• It provides high degree of flexibility to modify or redesign the
systems.
• It provides excellent performance characteristics.
• It Results in automation in production, assembly and quality control.
Advantages of Mechatronics
• Mechatronic systems provide the increased productivity in
manufacturing organization.
• Reconfiguration feature by pre supplied programs facilitate the low
volume production.
• It provides higher level of flexibility required for small product cycles.
• It provides the possibility of remote controlling as well as centralized
monitoring and control. .
• It has greater extend of machine utilization.
• Higher life is expected by proper maintenance and timely diagnosis of
the fault.
Disadvantages of Mechatronics
• The initial cost is high.
• Maintenance and repair may workout costly.
• Multi-disciplinary engineering background is required to design and
implementation.
• It needs highly trained workers to operate.
• Techno-economic estimation has to be done carefully in the selection
of mechatronic system.
• It has complexity in identification and correction of problems in the
systems.
 Industrial Application of Mechatronics
Mechatronics has a wide range of applications, as discussed in the
following subsections:
1) Design & Modelling:
• Design and modelling are simplified to a large extent by the use of
mechatronic systems.
• Design involves drawing, analysis, and documentation.
• There are many designing tools such as AUTOCAD, IDEAS, and
PROENGG, through which 2D or 3D drawings can be made.
• The virtual modelling of a manufacturing plant gives an idea of the
time taken for a particular component to be manufactured
2. Software Integration
• Different kinds of software are used in manufacturing, design, 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).
• Software integration is not only used for manufacturing but also for communication
networks, economic analysis, etc.
3. Actuator & Sensor:
• 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, and drives such as alternative current (ac) and
direct current (dc) motors can be used as electrical actuators.
• Hydraulic and pneumatic drives use linear cylinders and rotary motors as actuators
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.
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.
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
7. Motion control
• A rigid body can have a very complex motion which might seem difficult to describe.
However, the motion of any rigid body can be considered to be combinations of
translational and rotational motions.
• By considering a three dimensional space, a translational movement can be
considered to be one which can be resolved into components along one or more of
three axes.
• The rotation of a rigid body has rotating components about one or more of the axes.
A complex motion may be a combination of translational and rotational motion.
• 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 work
piece 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.