Mechatronic Design: A Port-Based Approach

In this paper we consider the integrated design of a mechatronic system. After considering the different design steps it is shown that a port-based approach during all phases of the design supports a true mechatronic design philosophy. Port-based design enables use of consistent models of the system throughout the design process, multiple views in different domains and reusability of plant models, controller components and software processes. The ideas are illustrated with the conceptual and detailed design of a mobile robot

Transforming Multidisciplinary Customer Requirements to Product Design Specifications

With the increasing of complexity of complex mechatronic products, it is necessary to involve multidisciplinary design teams, thus, the traditional customer requirements modeling for a single discipline team becomes difficult to be applied in a multidisciplinary team and project since team members with various disciplinary backgrounds may have different interpretations of the customers’ requirements. A new synthesized multidisciplinary customer requirements modeling method is provided for obtaining and describing the common understanding of customer requirements (CRs) and more importantly transferring them into a detailed and accurate product design specifications (PDS) to interact with different team members effectively. A case study of designing a high speed train verifies the rationality and feasibility of the proposed multidisciplinary requirement modeling method for complex mechatronic product development. This proposed research offersthe instruction to realize the customer-driven personalized customization of complex mechatronic product

New motion control machine elements representation for mechatronic education

The paper presents a new proposal for representing machine designs involving motion control. The new mechatronic approach for machine design is moving from a mechanic concept where mechanical transmissions, mechanical gears and coupling etc. are being implemented by electronic coupling, gears, etc. New concepts such as electronic virtual axis are also being employed very often. This brings that, in regards with machine design communication, mechanic elements represented in the past by mechanical drawings are being replaced by new electronic concepts. However, these new electronic motion control concepts should be also represented for a full understanding of the machine behaviors. Drawings are a fundamental tool to communicate preliminary designs, both in an academic and education environments as in professional ones. The new mechatronic elements graphical representation presented in the paper has the objective of bringing the gap between a pure mechanical machine design view and an automated one, including new electronic motion control concepts, and remarking the relevant “mechanic” information from the electronic motion control point of view. All this should facilitate the presentation and explanation of system-based mechatronic designs both in the classroom and at the professional level

Development and Implementation of Mechatronics Education at Kettering University

The Mechanical Engineering Department at Kettering University has completed development of a significant new component of education in mechatronics. The work began in the fall of 1997 as the principal part of an award for “Instrumentation and Laboratory Improvement” by the Division of Undergraduate Education of the National Science Foundation. It has culminated with the successful implementation of two undergraduate courses in mechatronics, two mechatronics laboratories and a website to support the educational endeavors of the mechatronics students. As will be described in this paper, the first course and its laboratory exercises are designed specifically to provide the students with meaningful experiences in the applications of mechatronics design principles. The knowledge gained in this first course will be applied in the second course, where the fundamental focus is to provide a complete experience in the innovation, design and fabrication of a new mechatronic product. This is all done in a team environment. The long-term goal is to integrate business management students into the product development team to provide marketing support

Design, modelling, simulation and integration of cyber physical systems: Methods and applications

The main drivers for the development and evolution of Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) are the reduction of development costs and time along with the enhancement of the designed products. The aim of this survey paper is to provide an overview of different types of system and the associated transition process from mechatronics to CPS and cloud-based (IoT) systems. It will further consider the requirement that methodologies for CPS-design should be part of a multi-disciplinary development process within which designers should focus not only on the separate physical and computational components, but also on their integration and interaction. Challenges related to CPS-design are therefore considered in the paper from the perspectives of the physical processes, computation and integration respectively. Illustrative case studies are selected from different system levels starting with the description of the overlaying concept of Cyber Physical Production Systems (CPPSs). The analysis and evaluation of the specific properties of a sub-system using a condition monitoring system, important for the maintenance purposes, is then given for a wind turbine