MECHATRONICS

MECHATRONICS

ABSTRACT


Mechatronics involves the bringing together of a no. Of technologies: mechanical engg., electronic engg., electrical engg.,computer technology , and control egg. This can be considered to be the application of computer based digital control techniques, through electronic and electric interfaces, to mechanical engg. Problem mechatronics provides an opportunity to take a new look at problems with mechanical engg. Not just seeing problems in terms of mechanical principles but having to see it in terms range of technologies. The electronics etc. should not be seen as a bolt on item to existing mechanical hard work. A mechatronics approach needs to be adopted right from the design phase. There needs to be a complete rethink of the requirements in terms of what an item is required to do.
The integration across the traditional boundaries of mechanical engg.,electrical engg, electronics and control engg. has to occur at the earlier stages of to design process if cheaper, more reliable, more flexible systems ate to be develped. Mechatronics has to involve a concurrent approach to these discipline rather than a sequential approach of developing a mechanical systems than designing the electrical part and the microprocessers part.
          There are many application of mechatronics in the mass produced products used in the home. Microprocessors based controllers are to be found in domestic washing machines, dish washers, microwave ovens, cameras, watches and video recorders systems, central heating controllers, sawing machines etc. They are to be found in cars in the active suspension, antiskid brakes engine control, speedometer display, transmission etc.
A large scale application of mechatronics is a flexible manufacturing engg. Systems involving computer control machines robots, atomic material conveying and overall supervisory control.