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Chapter 1 Introduction

1.1 What is Mechatronics ?


The name [Mechatronics] was coined by Ko Kikuchi, Yasakawa Electric Co., Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo. [1969](Martin Philip Bendose 1988) The word, mechatronics, is composed of mecha from mechanism and the 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.

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.. W. Bolton, 1995 Application of complex decision making to the operation of physical systems. D. M. Auslander and C. J. Kempf, Mechatronics: Mechanical System Interfacing, Prentice-Hall, 1996. Synergistic integration of mechanical engineering with electronics and intelligent computer control in the design and manufacturing of industrial products and processes. F. Harshama, M. Tomizuka, and T. Fukuda, Mechatronics-what is it, why, and how?and editorial, IEEE/ASME Trans. on Mechatronics, 1(1), 1-4, 1996. Synergistic use of precision engineering, control theory, computer science, and sensor and actuator technology to design improved products and processes. S. Ashley, Getting a hold on mechatronics, Mechanical Engineering, 119(5), 1997. Methodology used for the optimal design of electromechanical products.

D. Shetty and R. A Kolk, Mechatronics System Design, PWS Pub. Co., 1997. Field of study involving the analysis, design, synthesis, and selection of systems that combine electronics and mechanical components with modern controls and microprocessors. D. G. Alciatore and M. B. Histand, Introduction to Mechatronics and Measurement Systems, McGraw Hill, 1998. 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.

1.2 Key Elements of Mechatronics


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Physical Systems Modeling Sensors and Actuators Signals and Systems Computers and Logic Systems Software and Data Acquisition

1.3

Historical Perspective

1.3.1 Semiconductor Revolution


Led to the creation of integrated circuit (IC) technology. Effective, miniaturized, power electronics could amplify and deliver needed amount of power to actuators. Signal conditioning electronics could filter and encode sensory data in analog/digital format. Hard-wired, on-board, discrete analog/digital ICs provided rudimentary computational and decision-making circuits for control of mechanical devices.

1.3.2 Industrial Revolution


Allowed design of products and processes for energy conversion and transmission thus allowing the use of energy to do useful work. Engineering designs of this era were largely mechanical e.g., operations of motion transmission, sensing, actuation, and computation were performed using mechanical components such as cams, gears, levers, and linkages). Purely mechanical systems suffer from Power amplification inability. Energy losses due to tolerances, inertia, and friction.

1.3.3 Information Revolution


Development of VLSI technology led to the introduction of microprocessor, microcomputer, and microcontroller. Now computing hardware is ubiquitous, cheap, and small. As computing hardware can be effortlessly interfaced with real world electromechanical systems, it is now routinely embedded in engineered products/processes for decision-making. Microcontrollers are replacing precision mechanical components, e.g., precision machined camshaft that in many applications functions as a timing device. Programmability of microcontrollers is providing a versatile and flexible alternative to the hard-wired analog/digital computational hardware. Integrated computer-electrical-mechanical devices are now capable of converting, transmitting, and processing both the physical energy and the virtual energy (information). Result: Highly efficient products and processes are now being developed by judicious selection and integration of sensors, actuators, signal conditioning, power electronics, decision and control algorithms, and computer hardware and software.

Examples Consumer sector CD/DVD players Digital camera Commercial sector ATM Industrial or manufacturing sector CMM FMS Manipulators

Automotive industry ABS Active suspension Security systems Architecture Auto window blinds Staff recognition system Other countless applications

1.4

Classification of Mechatronic Products

1.4.1 In the late 1970s, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Machine Industry (JSPMI) classified mechatronics products into four categories
1.Class I: Primarily mechanical products with electronics incorporated to enhance functionality. Numerically controlled machine tools and variable speed drives in manufacturing machines. 2.Class II: Traditional mechanical systems with significantly updated internal devices incorporating electronics. The external user interfaces are unaltered. Modern sewing machine and automated manufacturing systems. 3.Class III: Systems that retain the functionality of the traditional mechanical system, but the internal mechanisms are replaced by electronics. An example is the digital watch. 4.Class IV: Products designed with mechanical and electronic technologies through synergistic integration. Examples include photocopiers, intelligent washers and dryers, rice cookers, and automatic ovens. a comment Class I products were enabled by servo technology, power electronics, and control theory.

Class II products were enabled by the availability of early computational and memory devices and custom circuit design capabilities. Class III products relied heavily on the microprocessor and integrated circuits to replace mechanical systems. Finally, Class IV products marked the beginning of true mechatronic systems, through integration of mechanical systems and electronics.

1.4.2 Classification of Mechatronics system based on size


Mechatronic systems are classified as: 1. Conventional mechatronic systems, 2. Microelectromechanical-micromechatronic systems (MEMS), and 3. Nanoelectromechanical-nanomechatronic systems (NEMS).

1.5 Disciplinary Foundations of Mechatronics


Mechanical Engineering Electrical Engineering Computer Engineering Computer/Information Systems

A SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system is a system that consists of a number of remote terminal units (RTU) that collect the field data and connected back to the station master through the communication system.

1.6 Mechatronic Design Process

Various Stages in Designing a Mechatronics System 1. Analyze the requirements (overall functions, rated values and cost). 2. Specifications (definition of the product or process, limitations and sources, reliability and safety). 3. System design (partitioning, modules, mechanics versus electronics, synergies). 4. Modeling and simulation (models, behavior, etc.). 5. Component design (mechanics, electronics, control, interface). 6. Prototypes (laboratory solutions, computer algorithms). 7. Mechatronics components (mechanical, electronics, control and interface). 8. Component testing. 9. System integration (hardware and software). 10. System testing. 11. Field testing. 12. Production.

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