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A piece of paper has many useful characteristics; it is affordable, lightweight, thin, strong, and highly absorbent. These features allow inexpensive and flexible devices to be fabricated easily and rapidly. We have proposed a new field, “paper mechatronics,” which merges printed robotics and paper electronics, and to realize electronic and mechanical systems by printing. Herein, we develop a method to print an actuator and a structure on a sheet of paper. A trilayer electrothermal actuator is printed to activate a printed robot. The paper self-folds along the printed pattern to form the three-dimensional (3-D) structure of the robot body. We also investigate important factors necessary to develop a printed robot. Experiments, including finite element analysis (FEA), confirm our bimetal modeling assumption for the printed actuator and improve the locomotive ability. The key factors in self-folding are paper thickness and humidity. Our findings can improve the reliability of printed robot designs. A self-folding A7-sized paper robot demonstrates locomotion at 10 mm per step.

Recently, there has been strong interest in printed robots and paper electronics. Printing is an adequate manufacturing method for the mass production; robots manufactured by printing can be low cost, rapidly creatable and easy to design. Paper is one of smart materials with high water absorbency and strength; it is easily mass-produced at low cost. Many inexpensive and flexible devices were created in paper electronics. Therefore, we propose paper mechatronics that merges printed robots and paper electronics. We used a commercial ink jet printer with water-based ink for self-folding of paper; the paper was folded automatically along the printed line to make the robot body. The paper robot was equipped with a printed electrothermal actuator that consists of epoxy resin covered by conductive ink. The epoxy resin was heated by Joule heat of the conductive ink under a driving voltage of 8 V. The self-folding of experimental paper robot took 15 minutes to construct the body and the robot demonstrated a locomotion at 6.5 mm per step. I. INTRODUCTION

The electric parking brake (EPB) system as the complex mechatronic system consists of the actuators that generate the clamping force necessary to hold the vehicle safe, the conventional calipers that convert clamp force into brake torque, electronic hardware with the Electronic Control Unit (ECU), cable harness and switches and especially the control software providing the functions that the driver will experience. Like most of the modern automotive components, the EPB is equipped with embedded electronic systems that include ECU, electronic sensors, signals, bus systems, and coding. Due to the complex application in electrical, electronics and programmable electronics, the need to carry out detailed safety analyses that are focused on the potential risk of malfunction is crucial for automotive systems. This paper describes a possible division of the EPB sub-functions between the supplier the wheel brakes and the supplier which supplying the ECU. Functional safety must be a guarantee with concerning the overall vehicle system. Functional safety is according to the requirements of the ISO 26262 standard and in the context of this paper relates solely to the E/E components (electrical and/or electronic) of the EPB. This paper covers the hazard analysis and risk assessment relevant to the EPB control software, and the derived allocation of ASIL risk levels to the EPB software elements of the functional architecture of the EPB.

Precision mechatronics and nanotechnology communities can both benefit from a course centered around an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). Developing an AFM can provide precision mechatronics engineers with a valuable multidisciplinary hands-on training experience. In return, such expertise can be applied to the design and implementation of new precision instruments, which helps nanotechnology researchers make new scientific discoveries. However, existing AFMs are not suitable for mechatronics education due to their different original design intentions. Therefore, we address this challenge by developing an AFM intended for precision mechatronics education. This paper presents the design and implementation of an educational AFM and its corresponding precision mechatronics class. The modular educational AFM is low-cost ( ≤ $ 4,000) and easy to operate. The cost reduction is enabled by new subsystem development of a buzzer-actuated scanner and demodulation electronics designed to interface with a myRIO data acquisition system. Moreover, the use of an active cantilever probe with piezoresistive sensing and thermomechanical actuation significantly reduced experiment setup overhead with improved operational safety. In the end, the developed AFM capabilities are demonstrated with imaging results. The paper also showcases the course design centered around selected subsystems. The new AFM design allows scientific-method-based learning, maximizes utilization of existing resources, and offers potential subsystem upgrades for high-end research applications. The presented instrument and course can help connect members of both the AFM and the mechatronics communities to further develop advanced techniques for new applications.

Elastomers are used as construction materials in numerous industries, and in particular the biomedical industry, mechatronics, electronics, the automotive industry, and chemical devices. The paper presents the results of tests involving the effects of microprocessing of elastomeric materials using a UV laser emitting picosecond pulses. In particular, it presents an analysis of the influence of the parameters of processing on its efficiency. The paper provides a recommendation of the most advantageous processing parameters for materials such as polyurethane and silicone (MVQ). The authors see prospects for the use of the developed technology in the techniques of sealing and microfluidisation. The final part of the paper presents examples of surface structures generated on elements made of artificial materials and the results of tests involving reduction of friction resistance of sealing rings in a pneumatic actuator.

Additive manufacturing (AM) has the potential to lead significant changes in the present state-of-the-art production processes. This provides tool-free and direct manufacturing of complex geometries simultaneously integrating various functions into components. Though AM techniques are widely used in various sectors, the applicability into electronics production has been not yet explored. In this paper, the results of the investigations towards additive manufacturing technology namely ‘Selective Laser Melting (SLM)’ used to produce ceramic substrates for high temperature electronic applications are summarized. This paper introduces a new substrate production technology consisting of a ceramic base with additively constructed metal conductive patterns through SLM. The process flow and the influential factors are discussed. Preliminary results in the development of demonstrator and soldering of electronics components are also summarized.

This paper presents a teaching experiment that explores the levitation of a disc of ferromagnetic material in the presence of the magnetic field produced by a single electromagnet. In comparison to the classical experiment of the levitation of a sphere, the main advantage of the proposed laboratory bench is that the uniform magnetic field distribution in the air gap allows analytical calculations to be performed. This paper illustrates the important connection between theory, mathematical modeling, design, simulation, and experimental verification and emphasizes the educational opportunities that this experiment brings to subjects such as control, magnetic circuits, power electronics, and electromechanical energy conversion. The proposal can be seen as an introduction to the main issues of mechatronics and is being used as example to raise the interest of undergraduate electrical engineering students.

Over the last twenty to thirty years, railway vehicle dynamics has changed from being an essentially mechanical engineering discipline to one that is increasingly starting to include sensors, electronics and computer processing. This paper surveys the application of these technologies to suspensions and running gear, focused upon the complementary issues of control (which has been reviewed within Vehicle System Dynamics previously) and monitoring (which has not previously been reviewed). The theory, concepts and implementation status are assessed in each case, from which the paper identifies the key trends and concludes with a forward look at what is likely to develop over the next years.

Since no universal friction model exists and the practical measurement of friction is not straightforward, this paper presents an experimental method of identifying friction in mechatronic systems. Friction is perhaps the most important nonlinearity that is found in any mechatronic system of moving parts and influences the system in all regimes of operation. For the purpose of improving the performance of mechatronic systems and solving their servo problem, a better understanding of friction behavior in its two basic regimes is needed. In this paper, the two basic friction regimes, viz., presliding with its hysteresis behavior, which is predominantly position dependent, and gross sliding, which is predominantly velocity dependent, are well exposed and identified.

SUMMARYThis paper presents the first part of a systems approach for the control of rail wheelset dynamics and traction, which studies interactions between the two sub-systems and explores potential benefits of integrated approaches in terms of the wheelset stability, curving performance and effect of tractive effort. The study is carried out based on a two-axle vehicle configuration developed in a study of the mechatronic approach for rail vehicles. A passively-stabilised vehicle with powered axles is used as a basis for performance comparison, but this paper concentrates upon active control solutions and their effect on the provision of traction.

Integrated optimization design of mechanics and electronics for the high performance reflector antenna is considered in this paper and an efficient synthetic method is developed. A general mathematical expression of the phase centre for reflector antenna feeds is given. A very useful formula of a mathematical relationship between the electromagnetic field and the structural deformation of the antenna is then described, which provides a good complement for Rutz's formula. Moreover, the paper submits three typically mathematical models for synthetic optimization design of mechanics and electronics (SODME) for the antenna structural system, on which a good foundation is laid for the realization of SODME in practical engineering. As a demonstration, research work is applied to the design of an 8 m antenna used in a satellite-earth station and useful results have been achieved.

High precision roll-to-roll processes are believed to be one of the most promising technologies for manufacturing flexible and large-area thin film electronics. However, broadband frictional disturbances caused by the guiding ball bearings affect the precision of the processing roller in the roll-to-roll system, severely hampering the quality of the manufactured products. Conventional feedback control techniques encounter difficulties in mitigating the broadband frictional disturbances. This paper presents a novel rotary system for high-precision roll-to-roll manufacturing process. Friction isolator (FI), a robust and cost-effective mechatronics method, is implemented in the system to mitigate the undesirable effects of friction during continuous printing processes. Frequency domain analysis shows that the proposed rotary system with FI achieves significantly improved attenuation of frictional disturbance, compared to the case without it. A rotary FI is designed and optimized to minimize the adverse effects of bearing friction without overly sacrificing the high rigidity of the machine. A precision rotary system is then built using the designed FI prototype. Experiments carried out on the prototype friction-isolated rotary system demonstrate up to 61% reduction in root-mean-square tracking error during constant velocity motion, compared to a conventional roll-to-roll system without FI.

The paper refers on a polyvalent oil-hydraulic testbench, designed and realized in order to develop a wide and diversified range of static and dynamic tests on mechanical components and structural elements. The testbench is an experimental mechatronic unit, integrating mechanical equipment, electronic devices and elaboration and control systems, aided by virtual instrumentation. In order to describe the main features and potentialities of the proposed testbench, the paper refers on tests of specific mechanical devices (shock absorbers) and of samples of structural elements (glued junctions). The possible and potential applications of the proposed workbench are very wide and oriented to validation, experimental identification, advanced testing and diagnostics in mechanical field.

Mechatronic design implies the consideration of integrated mechanical, electrical, and local control characteristics in electromechanical device design. In this paper, mechatronic development of actuation device concepts for active aircraft aerodynamic flow control are presented and discussed. The devices are intended to be embedded in aircraft aerodynamic surfaces to provide zero-net-momentum jets or additional flow-vorticity to control boundary layers and flow- separation. Two synthetic jet device prototypes and one vorticity-on-demand prototype currently in development are described in the paper. The aspects of actuation materials, design approaches to generating jets and vorticity, and the integration of miniaturized electronics are stressed.

This paper describes a method for the technical engineering of threedimensional mechatronic interconnect devices. The technology is based on the conventional production of film insert molding components. As part of a research project, the high pressure forming is considered more precisely. The forming process is simulated with a software tool and the results are compared to the forming results of the real components. In further steps the assembled polymer films are stabilized by a backmolding proccess. The influence of the polymer melt on the electrical behavior is investigated by simulation and in backmolding experiments.

Automobiles evolved from primarily mechanical to electro-mechanical, or mechatronic, vehicles. For example, carburetors have been replaced by fuel injection and air-fuel ratio control, leading to order of magnitude improvements in fuel economy and emissions. Mechatronic systems are pervasive in modern automobiles and represent a synergistic integration of mechanics, electronics and computer science. They are smart systems, whose design is more challenging than the separate design of their mechanical, electronic and computer/control components.In this review paper, two recent methods for the design of mechatronic components are summarized and their applications to problems in automotive control are highlighted. First, the combined design, or co-design, of a smart artifact and its controller is considered. It is shownthat the combined design of an artifact and its controller can lead to improved performance compared to sequential design. The coupling between the artifact and controller design problems is quantified, and methods for co-design are presented. The control proxy function method, which provides ease of design as in the sequential approach and approximates the performance of the co-design approach, is highlighted with application to the design of a passive/ active automotive suspension. Second, the design for component swapping modularity (CSM) of a distributed controller for a smart product is discussed. CSM is realized by employing distributed controllers residing in networked smart components, with bidirectional communication over the network. Approaches to CSM design are presented, as well as applications of the method to a variable-cam-timing engine, and to enable battery swapping in a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.

Starting from the 1990s, the mini/micro-satellites around 50–200 kg become one of the research focuses of space industry. Different from the mini-satellites developed at early ages, modern mini/micro-satellites widely incorporate micro-electronics and micro-mechanisms, emphasizing multi-functionality and system integration. As a result, they have relatively high power/volume ratio. Also, to reduce the fuel consumption, the application of micro-electrical propulsion systems on mini/micro-satellites is increasing, which pushes the requirement for electrical power even higher. It is hard for the surface mounted solar cells and stationary solar arrays which were widely used by micro-satellites at early ages to satisfy these elevating power requirements of modern mini/micro-satellites. In response to these requirements, Solar Array Drive Assemblies (SADA) which used to be standard equipments of large spacecrafts have gradually been incorporated in the mini/micro-satellites to rotate the solar arrays for maximum sunlight acquisition, and tremendously reduce the size and mass of the solar arrays. Lately, a new micro-SADA with integrated mechanisms and electronics has been developed by Beijing Institute of Control Engineering. This SADA features: • Mechanisms and electronics integrated in one capsule instead of the separate mechanisms and electronic boxes as in large spacecrafts. • High torque/weight ratio stepper motor & high precision mini-transmission. • Long life high power/weight ratio multi-channel slip ring. • High reliability measures against severe mechanical, electrical and thermal conditions. This SADA has gone through functional test, mechanical tests (vibration, acceleration, and shock, etc.), thermal-vacuum cycling test, and electromagnetic compatibility test, and demonstrated excellent functionality. The design as well as the development and test processes is summarized in this paper.

The development of modern science and technology has promoted the overlapping and mutual penetration among different disciplines, which led to the technological innovations in the field of mechanical engineering. The mechatronics technology conforms to the law of development of science and technology in today, and combines the mechanical technology and electronic technology together to integrate the logistics, energy flow and information flow. This paper briefly describes the concept of mechatronics and the elements of mechatronics technology, and elaborates on the application of mechatronics technology in three different areas of the Machinery Industry in the form of living examples, finally introduces the future developing direction of mechatronics technology.

This paper presents a novel approach for guiding mobile robots inside greenhouses demonstrated by promising preliminary physical experiments. It represents a comprehensive attempt to use the successful principles of AGVs (auto-guided vehicles) inside greenhouses, but avoiding the necessity of modifying the crop layout, and avoiding having to bury metallic pipes in the greenhouse floor. The designed vehicle can operate different tools, e.g., a spray system for applying plant-protection product, a lifting platform to reach the top part of the plants to perform pruning and harvesting tasks, and a trailer to transport fruits, plants, and crop waste. Regarding autonomous navigation, it follows the idea of AGVs, but now laser emitters are used to mark the desired route. The vehicle development is analyzed from a mechatronic standpoint (mechanics, electronics, and autonomous control).

Bond graphs are suitable tools for modeling many types of dynamical systems and can model these systems consisting of mechanical, electrical, fluidic, and pneumatic sub-systems. The advantage of a bond graph is that it can model non-linear systems and combinational systems. In this paper, the authors utilize bond graphs for modeling mechatronics systems. Mechatronics systems consist of mechanics, electronics, and intelligent software. Many of these systems have digital sections that are constructed by logical circuits (hardware by transistors and now mostly by chips). The authors present a methodology to implement these mechatronics systems by bond graphs.

With the continuous innovation and development of China's science and technology, as a set of information across many disciplines , mechanics , electronics and other technology for the integration of mechanical and electrical integration has been an unprecedented development , this technology has also been widely used in the engineering machinery. It makes reference to the technology of mechanical engineering automation or semi-automated as possible , thereby greatly increasing the accuracy and precision mechanical engineering jobs.This paper describes the key technologies and applications in mechatronics engineering machinery.

In order to restore the ability of accommodation of the human eye, a lens implant manufactured by micro system technology can be used. This highly integrated Artificial Accommodation System contains sensitive electronics as well as moving components in order to adapt its refractive power. One challenge of the production of this system is the encapsulation. It has to be a biocompatible and long-term reliable package. In this paper the advantages of a hermetic glass package over other approaches of encapsulation are introduced. Concepts of production for a glass package are presented. The package is thereby optimised to be placed in the optical path of the eye, but it can also be used for the encapsulation of other implants.

In recent times, multilayer printed circuit boards (PCBs) have been extensively applied in the electronics industry owing to their high capacities for complex and densely packed circuit layouts arranged in a limited space. The inspection of fabricated multilayer PCBs is thus important in order to ensure quality control and improve the fabrication process. In this paper, an automated X-ray machine vision system was developed exclusively for the inspection of the layer-to-layer misalignment of laminated multilayer PCBs. Based on a mechatronics system and X-ray image processing techniques, an automated misalignment inspection process was established. Experiments meant to inspect three critical layer-to-layer misalignment modes, expansion, contraction, and offset, found within ten-layer PCB samples, were conducted to test the feasibility of the developed machine inspection system. The experimental results show that the developed X-ray machine vision system, combined with the automated misalignment inspection process, was able to undertake misalignment inspection of certain multilayer PCBs.

This paper presents a literature overview of factors, both internal and external, modelled for improving the shift-quality in automobiles through the development of a robust electronic transmission control unit (TCU). Such robustness, designed with considerations of internal and external factors, are essential for safety and driving comfort. As automobiles are becoming more sophisticated, the application of electronics and embedded systems is increasing for different functional control system designs, including the gear-shifting mechanism. An automotive transmission system equipped with electronic or electrohydraulic actuators, controlled by an electronic control unit, provides clutch-less driving experience to the driver for the shifting operation. TCU is used for automatic speed and torque control in different driving situations, and reduces the human error in gear selection for facilitating safe and comfortable driving. In the development of such a mechatronic controller, it is critical to find a robust control strategy in the context of semi-autonomous vehicles.

Micromanipulation is a hot topic in the rapidly emerging area of micromechatronics and particularly in the manufacturing and assembling of micromechatronic products. This paper introduces an integrated mechatronic approach for the systematic design and operation of flexible, sensorless, automated micromanipulation for a variety of microparts on microactuation arrays. This approach is a mechatronic synthesis of methods from different engineering areas such as solid modeling, electronics design, software for control and programming of mechanical actuation. It involves designing of programmable force fields for manipulation of convex or non-convex polygonal microparts on an array, hardware programmable circuitry for the activation of the array and a software algorithmic procedure for the programming. A detailed analysis is given, as well as several simulated experiments performed using the introduced approach on a cilia microactuator array for a variety of polygonal asymmetric and non-convex microparts and the results are presented and discussed. Finally, the advantages and limitations of this approach are analyzed and points for further research are raised.

This paper integrated multi-domain knowledge of electronics, optics, control as well as precision measurement, and proposing a high resolution subdividing electronics module to the sinusoidal encoder output of a positioning motor, such that the module can not only be used as a counter for linear and/or angular measurements, but also subdivide the periods of the sinusoidal encoder signals up to 1600 times. From the results of experiment test it can be seen that the whole module is suitable for those applications requiring high-resolution encoder, nanometer measurement as well as fast data acquisition with phase tolerance of ± 45°.

This paper explains the concept of mechatronics and tries to resolve problem of leadership. It consists of four overlapping circles: mechanical systems, electronic systems, control systems, and computers. Their overlaps form digital control systems, control electronics, electromechanics, and mechanical computer-aided design. The question of who owns mechatronics—who will lead the development of next-generation electromechanical systems—often depends on where engineers work. Companies that make mechanical systems tend to let mechanical engineers lead; those that make electronics assign the lead to software and electrical engineers. In the future, though, the issue may be decided by how colleges train the next generation of mechanical engineers. Right now, most schools teach controls, basic electronics, and programming as part of the mechanical engineering curriculum. Universities are introducing courses with a goal to integrate courses so that electrical, control, and mechanical engineers learn how different disciplines use the same core knowledge to achieve different results.

“Geomechatronics” is a technical field in which “Geotechniques” is fused with “Mechatronics” that is the technical field to promote the automatic control of machines by using the electronics. In the field of “Geomechatronics”, a construction machine, which treats geotechnical materials such as soil and rock, automatically evaluates the properties and conditions of the ground and determines the optimum controlling method of itself for the ground with the base of the machine–ground interaction. Some researches for practical use in the field of geomechatronics are introduced, and then the progressing view of this research and technical filed is explained in this paper.

The development within the engineering industry is ever more in the direction of an integration of electronics both on the component level and the system level. This implies improved and more intelligent components with increased functionality at the same time as the variant creation is made in the electronics and software. On the system level the component only constitutes part of the functionality and must be adaptable to different systems. This makes heavy calls on the specification of the concept. In this context control engineering plays a central role, whose well-established methods forms very powerful techniques both in analysis and in synthesis of hydraulic systems. Before control engineering techniques can be applied it is required that hydraulic components and systems can be described in terms compatible with the language used in control engineering, thus, modelling and simulation are needed. The objective of this paper is to show how modelling and simulation and control can be used for ...

The integration of electronics, sensors, actuators, and microprocessor technology into manufacturing processes and consumer products is requiring engineers to possess greater mechatronics knowledge. Students must be encouraged to embrace a mechatronics perspective through combined classroom and "hands-on" laboratory activities to develop critical systems skills for multidisciplinary teams. In this paper, laboratory experiments and their accompanying learning objectives are introduced and discussed which highlight key industrial technologies and establish a foundation for skill achievement.

This paper describes some recent (initial) developments in laboratory scale cake filtration technology which may ultimately lead to the production of standard equipment for assessing filtration performance. The principles of mechatronics, which integrates electronics, computers, process control and mechanical systems, have been used to provide a state-of-the-art pressure filtration apparatus capable of performing repeatable experiments over a range of pressure/flow regimes commonly encountered in industrial filtrations. Data obtained at constant pressure and proportionally controlled variable pressure are presented to illustrate the scope of the apparatus and the benefits of removing operator interference and damaging pumping operations from filtration experiments. It is shown how scale-up parameters (obtained for aqueous mineral suspensions) can be used to successfully predict constant pressure filtration performance and the problems which can arise when predictions of more compressible variable pressure filtrations are made using data obtained at constant pressure.

Mechatronics has enabled “intelligent” machinery such as car antiskid braking systems to be created. Any new automotive development has to incorporate a large number of mechanical servo functions, and the range of functions and requirements in servo technology is growing apace. New actuator technologies, therefore, give fresh impetus to product development and accelerate progress. Piezoelectric actuators represent a new technology that offers a host of advantages. In combination with signal-processing electronics, the good mechanical and electrical integratability of piezoelectric actuators make these devices key elements in innovative, intelligent systems. This paper presents prototype applications. Particular attention is focused on powerful large-displacement piezoelectric actuators. The article also includes concrete characterization of piezoelectric actuator elements. To this end specific static and dynamic measurement methods were developed to characterize the elements under temperature and load influences.

This paper investigates the application of a mechatronic controller to a novel wheel configuration, called the wheel-pair. Mechatronic integration allows traction and guidance forces to be transmitted through hub-mounted traction motors. Normal operation of the system is considered and shown to be acceptable. A special condition is also considered where the tractive effort is limited. The mechatronic controller is demonstrated to overcome this condition by momentarily reducing the overall tractive effort. For the covering abstract see ITRD E117109.

This paper presents an overview of several European projects whose common activity is the development of simulation tools and design methodologies for mechatronic systems in automotive and railway industry. It also covers some standardisation efforts taking place in these projects to provide with common languages, data formats and environments to develop mechatronic systems. For the covering abstract see ITRD E117109.

The paper deals with the overview of software tools for the design of mechatronic vchicles based on the approach of design through modelling and simulation. This design methodology is based on the assembly of the simulation model and the following control synthesis and/or parameter optimisation within design iterations by simulation runs. Therefore the software tools are mainly covering the simulation systems. The key problem is the way how to assemble the simulation model of the complete mechatronic system. Two approaches are described and analysed: interfacing of specialised simulation tools for particular components and uniform modelling by uniform language of the complete system. The main result of this study is the overview (certainly being uncomplete) of software tools which enable to create the simulation model of the complete mechatronic vehicle either by interconnecting or uniform modelling. For the covering abstract see ITRD E117109.

This paper discusses the implementation of a concurrent-engineering view of microsystem design. The proposed concurrent-engineering or mechatronic approach to the design of hybrid microsystems is illustrated by three case studies. First, the design of an advanced computer writing tool is discussed. The design of this consumer product requires a mechatronic approach at different functional levels and at different levels of miniaturization. Another illustration of this approach is the design of an implantable drug delivery device. A device for solid drug delivery, as well as a device for liquid drug delivery, are presented. It is demonstrated that miniaturization can be obtained by a combination of functions in a single component. The multiplication of functions in a single component automatically leads to a concurrent-engineering approach far the design. Finally, the micromanufacturing of silicon parts by electrodischarge machining is described. It is demonstrated that electrodischarge machining of silicon is not only feasible, but forms an interesting and complementary technology to traditional silicon micromachining. Therefore, this powerful manufacturing technique opens the way for concurrent engineering of real three-dimensional micromechanical sensors and actuators with integrated processing electronics on the same wafer.

The widening recognition of the need to educate mechanical and other non-electrical engineers in the application of electronics, microprocessors and software to the design of products has led to the creation of Mechatronics courses at many universities. These courses aim to produce engineers capable of successfully employing all of these technologies in the design of electromechanical, or Mechatronic systems. This paper describes a set of heuristic guidelines that have been developed and employed to aid in the design and review of laboratory experiments and open-ended design projects for use in Mechatronics courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The context of the courses in which these guidelines were developed is described and some examples of the experiments and projects that have resulted are presented.

In this research work severe environment electronic packaging for mechatronic applications was developed. The control of intelligent cylinder electronics was designed on a rigid-flexible pc-board using surface-mounted technology and minimizing separate connections. The unit was placed inside the actuator structure considering the machine surrounding requirements. The reliability of the electronics was investigated experimentally using temperature cycling ( −40 °C … +85 °C ) and vibration tests. The results indicate the feasilibility of PCB-technology in very demanding applications. Component placement and detailed planning of the vibration isolation has become important. The knowledge was applied in the development of a commercial product: an intelligent paper roll clamp in a truck. The test results of electronics and the function in actual work indicate the similarity to theoretical calculations and the product is today commercially available. Also a short explanation of the space vibration design problem is given.

This paper deals with the complete design and implementation of a small unmanned air vehicle (UAV) in the framework of a project course for engineers. This project takes place within an international contest organised by the french defence and aerospace agency. The objective is to design an autonomous air vehicle that will be able to be operated by soldiers on the battlefield, with embedded sensors and camera, which will be able to explore an urban environment, and detect targets or threads such as snipers. Our team won the first edition of the contest two year ago and is again selected with eleven other teams to take part in the new challenge next year. Our way of running this project is quite unusual on the education point of view for several reasons. In the challenging scientific area of aerospace engineering, an entire vehicle (mechanical parts as well as electronic parts) is designed, manufactured, tested and operated by students, thus involving a lot of students of different background. For instance, mechatronics students are coordinating the project, helped by students in mechanical engineering, fluid mechanics, composite structures, manufacturing, topography, physics and electronics. The main challenge is to coordinate large groups of students of different faculties and different levels, as there are more than 40 students working on the same project at the same time. The group of students studying mechatronics is currently working on this project since September 2006 and will go on until they graduate in june 2009. The aerodynamics structure is an elliptic wing within a 70 cm diameter sphere. The UAV should take of and land vertically and then fly horizontally. This challenging transition between vertical and horizontal flight is currently under study and has been carried out successfully by another team operating a more classical airplane. Moreover, the project organisation and design process is currently analysed and deals as a case study for researchers in the area of engineering design. This is also interesting as it is generally not possible to analyse the entire design process in an industrial environment. The technical aspects of the project as well as the project organisation, collaborative design tools and project management tools will be presented. The success and failures of the project organisation will be explained and the analysis from problem base learning point of view commented.Copyright © 2008 by ASME

The conceivable development of information technology will enable mechatronic systems with inherent partial intelligence. We call this kind of systems self-optimizing. Self-optimizing systems are able to react autonomously and flexibly to changing environmental conditions. They are capable of learning and optimizing their behavior at run-time. This paper presents the paradigm of self-optimization and shows, in which way the principle solution of these systems, the result of the conceptual design phase, should be specified. This will be demonstrated by means of a complex component assembly, the spring and tilt module of a railway system. It is obvious that the principle solution of an intelligent mechatronic system has to be specified in a cross-domain way, before the single domains - such as mechanical engineering, electronics, control engineering and software engineering - start to concretize the concept in parallel. This contribution was developed in the course of the Collaborative Research Center 614 "Self-Optimizing Concepts and Structures in Mechanical Engineefing" (Speaker: Prof. Gausemeier) funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) under grant number SFB 614.

Mechatronics is the synergistic integration of precision mechanical engineering, electronics, computational hardware and software in the design of products and processes. Mechatronics, the term coined in Japan in the '70s, has evolved to symbolize what mechanical design engineers do today worldwide. The revolutionary introduction of the microprocessor (or microcontroller) in the early '80s and ever increasing performance-cost ratio has changed the paradigm of mechanical design forever, and has broadened the original definition of mechatronics to include intelligent control and autonomous decision-making. Today, increasing number of new products is being developed at the intersection between traditional disciplines of Engineering, and Computer and Material Sciences. New developments in these traditional disciplines are being absorbed into mechatronics design at an ever-increasing pace. In this paper, a brief history of mechatronics, and several examples of this rapid adaptation of technologies into product design is presented. With the ongoing information technology revolution, especially in wireless communication, smart sensors design (enabled by MEMS technology), and embedded systems engineering, mechatronics design is going through another step change in capabilities and scope. The implications of these developments in mechatronics design in the near future are discussed. Finally, deficiencies in our engineering curriculum to address the needs of the industry to cope up with these rapid changes, and proposed remedies, will also be discussed.

The inventions of Kenotron (the thermionic valve diode, 1904) by John A. Fleming and Audion (the thermionic valve triode, 1906) by Lee De Forest started the revolution of electronics, that merged with mechanics, automation, and computer science around the mid-1950, generating present-day industrial robots and eventually mechatronics. A brief look at the history of automation before mechatronics came is given in this paper.

We perform fundamental and applied research in design of electromagnetic mechatronic systems to reposition an electromagnetically-suspended moving mass in three dimensions. Analysis, dynamic optimisation, hardware designs and other tasks are accomplished. Optimal minimal-complexity performance-seeking control laws are synthesised and experimentally verified using a proof-of-concept system. Accurate, fast and frictionless electromagnetically-steered repositioning of the suspended mass is achieved. This paper further enables a concept of path control of flight and underwater vehicles by changing the centre of gravity or centre of mass by varying the position of the moving mass. The proposed minimal-complexity performance-seeking control guarantees significant advantages in the design of closed-loop multi-input/multi-output electromechanical and mechatronic systems. The concept enables engineering solutions, provides new inroads in design of practical control schemes, advances technologies, fosters modular hardware organisations, relaxes algorithmic drawbacks, and results in high technology readiness levels. Our findings are applicable in various aerospace, automotive, naval and robotic applications.

During the past years, ultrasonic wedgebonding has attracted much attention because it is one of the keystones of the Chip-On-Board technology, which allows to considerably increase the packaging density of complex electronic devices. In order to achieve high quality and productivity, fully automated ultrasonic wedgebonding machines with small cycle time are required. In the process of product development, special attention must be paid to meet the demands of very accurate high speed positioning in combination with the delicate handling of the bonding wire. In this paper a mechatronic design approach is described which is based on functional modelling of the main components of a bonding machine in terms of so called mechatronic function modules. In particular the modelling of a piezoelectric bimorph actuator is studied in detail.