IT 548

Catalog Data:548. Mechatronics. (3:2:3) F Prerequisite: IT 444 or instructor's consent. Synergistic application of mechanical devices, electronic controls, and system principles in design of products and manufacturing processes. Advanced applications of electronic instrumentation, control, and automation in manufacturing systems.

 Textbook(s):

• Bolton W. Mechatronics 3rd ed. Addison Wesley 2003

Lab Textbook(s):

Recommended Book(s):

 Reference Book(s):

Class website: http://www.et.byu.edu/groups/it548/

Class Coordinator: Richard Helps

Goals:

• Mechatronics is the discipline of combining Electronic/Computer/Mechanical modules into systems. Students should evaluate technical needs and design appropriate combinations of Electronic/Computer/Mechanical systems to meet those needs
• Students will understand and be able to analyze and implement solutions to problems in different technical domains. The will be able to evaluate the relative value of the solutions in the different domains.

Prerequisites by topic:

• Programming skills in a high level computer language
• Familiarity with industrial sensors and instrumentation.

Outcomes :

Students will be able to:

1. Explain what disciplines comprise Mechatronics. Explain how the discipline of mechatronics is an integration of ideas and technologies from the contributing disciplines.
2. Be able to describe and do basic design with standard mechatronic component technologies including:
1. Mechanical systems
• Levers
• Mechanisms
• Gear trains
2. Mechanical actuation and control systems
• Pneumatics and hydraulics (control valves, actuators, pistons etc.)
3. Standard digital electronic gates
• AND, OR, NAND, NOR, flip-flops, timer-counters etc.
4. PLC systems
• Ladder or Boolean logic for relays (coils) and contacts.
• Timers and counters
• Standard simple circuits such start-lock-on, emergency stop etc.
• Drum sequencers
• Relay, AC, DC IO interfacing
5. Motors, basic characteristics of AC and DC motors
• PWM speed control of motors
• Servo motors
• Stepper motors
6. Computer-controlled systems including
• High-level software
• Assembly software
7. Sensors, including but not limited to
• Proximity sensors
• Hall-effect and other magnetic sensors
• Optical sensors, encoders
• Temperature sensing (thermocouples, thermisters)
• Flow
• Other current sensing technologies
• Signal conditioning and frequency response
• Key parameters for sensor selection
3. Explain and analyze closed Loop feedback control systems, including PID principles
4. Understand and use in specifications Analog to digital principles:
1. Resolution, sample-rate, aliasing, delays etc.
2. Sigma-delta conversion.
5. Propose designs for mechatronic problems using or emphasizing different technologies.
1. System modeling (transfer function concepts)
6. Explain design issues related to various types of mechatronic systems
1. Autonomous vs. remote control vs. telecontrol
2. Mobile vs. fixed
• Power-consumption issues for mobile systems.
3. Mechanization vs. automation (degree of “intelligence”)
7. Artificial intelligence techniques as applied to mechatronic problems
1. Basic foundation concepts of AI: Definitions of “Intelligence”, strong AI vs. weak AI
2. Learning systems: Neural network principles and application domains.
3. Fuzzy logic principles and application domains
8. Apply mechatronic principles by developing working mechatronic systems.
9. Describe current developments in mechatronic technologies
1. MEMS
10. Design, develop and demonstrate a complete mechatronic project using a variety of mechatronic technologies. Analyze and report on the rational choice of the various technologies for their intended purpose.
11. Competitive and cooperative aspects: Working in teams
12. Find information using previous class documentation and other resources (eg Internet)
13. Technical writing – describe your project explaining design decisions, results achieved and analyze it from a mechatronics perspective.

Laboratory projects: A few formal laboratories introduce students to sensors, actuators, mechanisms and electronic systems (depending on students’ background) The remainder of the labs are used for the students to develop the various sub-sections of their projects.

Laboratory assignments:

• Hall-Effect sensors
• Introduction to the computer control subsystem
• Multiplexing and debouncing
• Serial I/O
• Mechanisms and mechanical Design
• Multi-tasking
• Interrupts
• Development of autonomous robotic system

Laboratory equipment:

• Miniature robot competition track.
• Robot Kit: (One kit per student team). Kit includes: Computer control subsystem, sensors (light, vision, hall-effect etc.), actuators (motors, etc.), mechanical components.

Computer Equipment used: PC104 development systems with Linux OS, Linux/Win workstations for software development

Written and oral communication requirements: Complete, formal technical report of completed project submitted electronically and posted to web page.

Math Analysis:

• Integral and differential Calculus used in discussion of PID control.
• Control systems theory (S-domain plots and stability analysis) used in discussion of controller design.

Library or other Research Projects:

Life-long learning experiences: Students are required to develop and implement their own control strategies. In order to do this they are required to explore (on their own) strategies that have been implemented in the past (prior art). They implement what they find in their design and also report on it in their final reports.

Prepared By: R. Helps

Date Revised: May 2005