Is anything really new in mechatronics education?

Yes, there is something new in the way mechanical engineers are expected to design and in the way professors must now teach design. To illustrate how one institution is helping mechanical engineers to become mechatronics engineers, the article describes the undergraduate program in mechatronics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and in particular, the integration of the theory covered in lectures with the laboratory exercises. The hardware systems used in both courses are described. Also discussed are observations from conducting professional training in mechatronics both in industry and for the ASME Professional Development Program.

Mechatronics: Synergy, Integration, Balance

As Fig. 1 illustrates, mechatronics is the synergistic combination of mechanical engineering, electronics, control systems, and computers. The key element in mechatronics is the integration of these areas through the design process. In order to design and build quality precision consumer products in a timely manner, the present-day mechanical engineer must be knowledgeable (both analytically and practically) in many different areas. The ability to design and implement analog and digital control systems, with their associated analog and digital sensors, actuators, and electronics, is an essential skill of every mechanical engineer, as everything today needs controls! Control design is not just for specialists anymore! Knowledge of mechatronics helps an engineer generate more and better concepts and facilitates communication with team members in other disciplines. Generating outstanding concepts and sweating the details is what design is all about. Figure 1.

Mechatronics: synergism and integration through design.