Mechatronics Course Research Articles

Two projects for undergraduate mechatronics class: success and failure

The vast majority of mechatronics courses currently offered in Mechanical Engineering programs across the country have a substantial project experiences as a central part of the course. The proper design of the project experience is crucial for the success of the educational experience. In this paper, two particular mechatronics projects that were actually used in a senior-level elective mechatronics course at Penn State will be examined. While they are very similar in basic design, they were extremely different in practice: one being a huge success, the other a dismal failure. The features that contributed to the success and failure of the projects will be addressed as will the overall structure of Penn State's mechatronics program so that the paper can be given the proper perspective.

Mechatronics education at the University of Minho: a summary of the present; perspectives for the future

The paper describes the topics on Mechatronics related subjects currently taught at the School of Engineering of Minho University and refers to the respective courses. The aims and syllabuses of undergraduate and postgraduate subjects, laboratory facilities and project topics are presented and discussed, together with a sequence of laboratory coursework aimed at improving the theoretical understanding of subjects and the development of practical skills. A general structure is proposed for a postgraduate course in Mechatronics to be taught in three blocks: the first two giving access to a diploma, the third being a laboratory project and dissertation leading to an M.Sc. degree.

Asynchronous hands-on experiments for Mechatronics education

There has been great interest and effort at many engineering educational institutions to introduce on-line, or “asynchronous” courses. However, at the present time, the vast majority of on-line or distance education courses lack any hands-on activities that require the manipulation of physical artifacts or physical experimentation. This paper describes a series of hands-on Mechatronics experiments associated with an introductory Mechatronics course that could be done “anytime, anywhere” (asynchronously). The experiments are based on a relatively inexpensive “kit” of components and a single-board microcontroller.

Multi-tiered control for undergraduate mechatronics

As mechatronics has gained popularity, the use of more sophisticated control in the design of computer controlled systems has also increased. It is reasonable to teach mechatronics using a gradually increasing complexity in control approach, beginning with discrete and combinational logic and progressing to error feedback control. This work presents an overview of the controls taught in the mechatronics course at Iowa State University and focuses on the introduction of control concepts appropriate for undergraduate mechanical engineers.

Mechatronics education in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Utah

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Utah has three approaches to mechatronics education. First, a basic course that is a required class for all mechanical engineering students has been developed. Second, a Certificate of Mechatronics which provides a recognition for the student with more advanced work in the area is offered. Third, an outreach program to provide mechatronic courses to working engineers is being developed.

Mechatronics: Opportunities and Challenges for Tertiary Education

There is an increasing demand to produce Mechatronics Engineers to cope with the modern day intelligent products. Universities around the world are wasting no time in responding to industry's demands for a new breed of engineers. Due to the growing awareness of the importance of Mechatronics training in developing countries, AusAID* has sponsored a program to help in the development of six Mechatronics courses in six different Thai Universities. Also, Monash University, Australia has recently developed a new course in Mechatronics.This paper presents the experience gained from Mechatronics course development in both Australia and Thailand. It also presents the educational philosophy adopted to produce a new generation of engineers. This is to meet the new Millennium's demands for more intelligent and smarter products.

European Collaboration for the Development of Training Courses in Mechatronics

European Collaboration for the Development of Training Courses in Mechatronics

Laboratory Experiments and Projects for Teaching Mechatronics to Mechanical Engineers

This paper describes the set of courses and laboratory experiments that have been employed by the authors to teach mechatronics courses at the Université de Sherbrooke. Authors present how both the laboratory experiments and Internet play an important role in supporting student learning.

Preparing for the next century: the state of mechatronics education

The paper is based on a series of special events focusing on mechatronics education at the 1999 DEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics. The series consisted of two invited-paper sessions on Teaching of and a conference-wide roundtable discussion concerned with Infrastructure for Mechatronics Education. In the paper, a framework is presented for comparing various aspects of mechatronics courses based on these events.

The design of laboratory experiments and projects for mechatronics courses

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.

Innovative communications oriented design projects in mechatronics courses

Microprocessors are fast becoming essential components for the design of communication oriented products. The design of such products is illustrated by projects drawn from microprocessor design courses taught at the George Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, USA. The courses' emphasis is on an integrated, multidisciplinary, concurrent design philosophy: group oriented working and communication skills; independent investigations of new material; and a viewpoint of practical, hands-on instruction. The projects emphasize a concurrent design philosophy where hardware and software design are simultaneously developed. The projects also emphasize low-cost components and user-friendly interfaces suitable for consumer product design.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>