Design of mechatronic systems through aspect and object-oriented modeling

Design of mechatronic systems involves the use of multiple disciplines, from mechanics to electronics and computer science. Different granularities of hybrid co-simulations with increasing details can be used during the design process. However, there is the need of modeling tools for effectively managing the necessary abstraction layers. This work proposes a combination of Aspect-Oriented and Object-Oriented modeling for reaching the goal. Moreover, it shows how the utilization of these tools can facilitate design-space exploration, segregation of domains of expertise and enhances co-design

Multi Domain Design: Integration and Reuse

Design of mechatronic systems is becoming increasingly complex. Companies must continuously reduce time-to-market while increasing the quality, diversity, and functionality of their products. As a result, more and more specialists from various domains are needed to develop such products. To reduce time-to-market, many companies look to reducing the time it takes to design a product. Many focus on the reuse of design objects, leading to libraries of templates and standard components to speed up their design process. However, these reusable design objects are developed and maintained in the specialists’ domains, resulting in communication and integration issues between these domains. This paper discusses these issues and proposes a combined approach for model reuse, design integration, and communication between the designers, design tools, and models involved. A case study at a multi-national company successfully demonstrated that the approach leads to a faster and more consistent design process

A Proposed Approach to Mechatronics Design and Implementation Education-Oriented Methodology

Mechatronics engineer is expected to design engineering systems with synergy and integration toward constrains like higher performance, speed, precision, efficiency, lower costs and functionality. The key element in success of a mechatronics engineering education-program, and correspondingly, Mechatronics engineering graduates, is directly related to a well-structured mechatronic system design course and the applied structural design methodology. Guidelines for structural design methodology and tools for the development process of mechatronic products, that can be applied in educational process is highly required. This paper proposes mechatronics systems design education-oriented methodology, which aims to integrate multidisciplinary knowledge, in various stages through the design process and development of mechatronics product. The proposed mechatronics design methodology is described, discussed and applied with the help of example student final year graduation project; design and implementation of mechatronics mobile robotic guidance system in the from of smart wheelchair- Mechatronics Motawif, to help and support people with disabilities and special needs to perform specific predetermined tasks, particularly, performing Al Omrah and motion around holy Kaba, Makka. Keywords: Mechatronics, Design methodology, Parallel design, Synergistic integration, Modeling/ Simulation, Prototyping, Mobile robot, Motawif

Pre-designing of a mechatronic system using an analytical approach with dymola

This paper presents a pre-dimensioning method applied to a mechatronic system and regarding the vibrational aspect, through a simple modeling process in Dymola environment. We study the vibration transmission between dynamic exciters (motors) and receivers (electronic cards) which are located on a simply supported rectangular plate, using an analytical approach. This new method will allow us to perform representative and robust modeling and simulation. The solution for this issue would be a pre-sizing and pre-positioning procedure. It aims to determine a set of possible technical solutions and principal characteristics before the definitive choice of components and precise sizing of the system. The presented method predicts also behaviour of the mechatronic system. In order to validate the model with respect to the finite element method, selected simulation results are presented

Distributed Simulation of Heterogeneous and Real-time Systems

This work describes a framework for distributed simulation of cyber-physical systems (CPS). Modern CPS comprise large numbers of heterogeneous components, typically designed in very different tools and languages that are not or not easily composeable. Evaluating such large systems requires tools that integrate all components in a systematic, well-defined manner. This work leverages existing frameworks to facilitate the integration offers validation by simulation. A framework for distributed simulation is the IEEE High-Level Architecture (HLA) compliant tool CERTI, which provides the infrastructure for co-simulation of models in various simulation environments as well as hardware components. We use CERTI in combination with Ptolemy II, an environment for modeling and simulating heterogeneous systems. In particular, we focus on models of a CPS, including the physical dynamics of a plant, the software that controls the plant, and the network that enables the communication between controllers. We describe the Ptolemy extensions for the interaction with HLA and demonstrate the approach on a flight control system simulation

Architecture and Design Methodology of Self-Optimizing Mechatronic Systems

The conceivable development of information and communication technology will enable mechatronic systems with inherent partial intelligence. We refer to this by using the term \"self-optimization\". Self-Optimizing systems react autonomously and flexibly on changing operation conditions. They are able to learn and optimize their behavior at runtime. The development of mechatronic and especially self-optimizing systems is still a challenge. A significant milestone within the development is the principle solution. It determines the basic structure as well as the operation mode of the system and is the result of the conceptual design. Additionally it is the basis for the concretization of the system which involves experts from several domains, such as mechanics, electrical engineering/electronics, control engineering and software engineering. This contribution presents a new specification technique for the conceptual design of mechatronic and self-optimizing systems. It also uses the railway technology as a complex example, to demonstrate how to use this specification technique and in which way it profits for the development of future mechanical engineering systems. Keywords Design Methodology, Mechatronics, Self-Optimization, Principle Solution, Conceptual Design, Domain-Spanning Specificatio

Engineering methods and tools for cyber–physical automation systems

Much has been published about potential benefits of the adoption of cyber–physical systems (CPSs) in manufacturing industry. However, less has been said about how such automation systems might be effectively configured and supported through their lifecycles and how application modeling, visualization, and reuse of such systems might be best achieved. It is vitally important to be able to incorporate support for engineering best practice while at the same time exploiting the potential that CPS has to offer in an automation systems setting. This paper considers the industrial context for the engineering of CPS. It reviews engineering approaches that have been proposed or adopted to date including Industry 4.0 and provides examples of engineering methods and tools that are currently available. The paper then focuses on the CPS engineering toolset being developed by the Automation Systems Group (ASG) in the Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), University of Warwick, Coventry, U.K. and explains via an industrial case study how such a component-based engineering toolset can support an integrated approach to the virtual and physical engineering of automation systems through their lifecycle via a method that enables multiple vendors' equipment to be effectively integrated and provides support for the specification, validation, and use of such systems across the supply chain, e.g., between end users and system integrators