EMC311:Mechatronics

(2014/15)
CourseOutcomes

1.Abletodescribeatypicalmechatronicsystem.2.Abletoformulatelogic
functiondigitally.3.AbletooperatePLCandprogramladderdiagram.4.Able
tooperateraspberrypiandprogrampython.5.Abletodesignpneumaticand
hydrauliccircuitsusingvariousactuationandcontrolelements.6.Ableto
identifythebasicelementusedinanelectricalactuationsystemandexplain
theirunderlyingprinciplesofoperation.7.Abletointegratethevarioussensor
andactuationsystemsusingPLCindevelopingatypicalmechatronicsystem

LearningOutcomes:
Attheendofthistopic,youshouldbeableto:
oAbletodescribeatypicalmechatronicsystem.
o Explainthetermmechatronics
o Abletodescribeatypicalmechatronicsystem.
o Identifythebasicelementsofaclosedloopsystem

Understandthisslides
Bolttexts:Topic/subtopics(e.g.,Whatismechatronics)
oPoint:informationaboutthetopic/subtopic
Pointstoponder
Blueitalictext:Emphasizedpoints
:activities
Green text : Answers

Disclaimer:Theslidesavailableintheelearningwebsitemayhavelimitedcontents
(e.g.,somemissingslides,missingactivitiesandanswers)whichwillbefullyshownduring
thelecture.

Whatismechatronics?
oThetermmechatronicsisusedfortheintegrationof
microprocessorcontrolsystems,electricalsystemsand
mechanicalsystems:
Mechanical
systems

Mechatronics

Electrical
systems

Microprocessorcontrol
systems

o "Mechatronicsrepresentsmorethanmechanicalandelectronics,
accordingtoCraig,aprofessorofmechanicalengineeringatMarquette
University.
o "Mechatronicsisreallyallaboutdesignofanyphysicalsystem,where
youintegratecontrols,electronics,andcomputersfromtheverystartof
thedesignprocess."

Mechatronics

Mechanical
systems

Electronic
systems

Electro
mechanics

Control
systems

Control
electronics

Mechanical
CAD

Computers

Digital
control
systems

Mechatronics

Mechanical
systems

Electronic
systems

Electromechanics

Control
electronics

Mechanical
CAD

Control
systems

Computers

Digital
control
systems

Mechatronicsintegratesotherareas,suchas:
o Sensorsandmeasurementsystems
o MEMs
o Driveandactuationsystems
o Microprocessorsystems
o Controlsystems

Examplesofmechatronicssystems

Hard disk drive*

http://www.memagazine.org/contents/
current/features/rightthe/rightthe.html

Washing machine

Autofocus camera

o Letsseehowautofocuscameraworks

o LegoMindstorms

Complex mechatronics enable the Nexans Spider remotely

operated underwater vehicle to prepare the sea floor for
pipelines running 3,000 feet under the ocean.
http://www.memagazine.org/contents/
current/features/rightthe/rightthe.html

Embeddedsystems
Embeddedsystemwheremicroprocessorsare
embeddedintosystems
Microprocessorcanbeconsideredasbeinga
collectionoflogicgatesandmemoryelementswhose
logicfunctionsareimplementedbymeansofa
software.
Microcontrollersmicroprocessorsusedincontrol
systemthatisequippedwithadditionalchipsfordata
storageandinput/outputports

 Whatisthedifferencebetweena
microprocessorandamicrocontroller?
(Selfreading)

Systems
oAsystemcanbeconsideredasaboxwhichhasan
inputandanoutput:

MeasurementSystems
oAmeasurementsystemcanbeconsideredasablack
boxusedformakingmeasurements.

o Measurementsystemscanbeconsideredtobemade
upofthreeelements:

Display
system

Signal
conditioner
Sensor

Pleaseidentifythreemainelementsofanaltitude
measurementsystems?
Pleaseidentifythethreemainelementsofatensile
measurementsystems?

ControlSystems
oAcontrolsystemcanbeconsideredasablackboxthat
usestheinputtoregulatethetheoutput.

Controlsystemsuseto:
o Controlsomevariabletosomeparticularvalues.
o Controlthesequenceofevents.
o Controlthelogics.
o Infeedbackcontrol,signalsarefedbackfromthe
outputandcomparedtowhatisrequired,andthe
outputisadjustedaccordingly.

o Twobasicformsofcontrolsystem:Openloopand
closedloop.Exampleofanopenloopsystem:A
manuallycontrolledheatingsystem:
o Openloopsystems:Relatively
simple,lowcostbutinaccurate,
nocorrectionforerror
Controller
(person)

Hand
activated

o Closedloopsystems:Accurateinmatchingtheactualto
therequiredvalues,butmorecomplex,morecostly,
greaterchanceofbreakdown.

Controller
(person)

Automatically controlled heating system:

o Basicelementsofaclosedloopsystem

o Comparison element: Compares the required or

reference value of the variable condition being
controlled with the measured value of what is being
achievedandproducesanerrorsignal.

o Controlelement:Decideswhatactiontotakewhenit
receives an error signal. Control plans may be hard
wiredsystemsorprogrammablesystems

o Correction element: Produces a change in the

process to correct or change the controlled
condition.

o Processelement:Whatisbeingcontrolled.
o Measurementelement:Producesasignalrelatedto
the variable condition of the process that is being
controlled.

Identifyalltheelementsofthefeedbackcontrolsystem
shownintheblockdiagram.
?
?

?
?

?
?

o Exampleofasimplecontrolsystemusedtomaintainaconstant
waterlevelinatank:
Identifythevariouselementsoftheclosedloopsystemshown

o A simple automatic control system for the speed of rotation

of a shaft:

Controlled variable:
Reference value:
Comparison element:
Error signal:
Control unit:
Correction unit:
Process:
Measuring device:

Learningpoints
1.NametheFIVEbasicelementsofacontrolsystem

2.Drawtheblockdiagramofaclosedloopcontrolsystemand

labelalltheelements.

Analoganddigitalcontrolsystems
o Basicelementsofadigitalclosedloopcontrolsystem.

Sequentialcontrollers
o Thetermsequentialcontrolisusedwhencontrolissuchthat
actionsarestrictlyorderedinatimeoreventdrivensequence.
o Suchcontrolcouldbeobtainedbyanelectricalcircuitwithsets
ofrelaysorcamoperatedswitcheswhicharewiredupinsucha
wayastogivetherequiredsequence.

o Sequentialcontrolexample:considerdomestic
washingmachine:

Programmablelogiccontroller(PLC)
o PLCmicroprocessorbasedcontrollerwhichuses
programmablememorytostoreinstructionsandto
implementfunctionssuchaslogic,sequence,timing
countingandarithmetictocontrolevents.

ExampleofcontrolsequenceusingPLC:
o Switchonpumptomoveliquidintotank.
o Switchoffpumpwhenaleveldetectorgivestheonsignal.
o Switchontheheater.
o Switchofftheheaterwhentemperaturesensorgiventheon
signaltoindicaterequiredtemperatureisreached.
o Switchonpumptoemptyliquidfromcontainer.
o Switchoffpumpwhenleveldetectorgivesonsignal.

Examplesofmechatronicsystems
o Thedigitalcameraandautofocus.

o No feedback control

Examplesofmechatronicsystems
o Thedigitalcameraandautofocus

o With feedback control:

Theenginemanagementsystem

o Synchronized by Hard-wired system via a timing belt

An engine control unit (ECU), also known as power-train control module

(PCM), or engine control module (ECM) is a type of electronic control unit
that determines the amount of fuel, ignition timing and other parameters an
internal combustion engine needs to keep running. It does this by reading
values from multidimensional performance maps (so called LUTs), using
input values (e.g. engine speed) calculated from signals coming from sensor
devices monitoring the engine. Before ECU's, air/fuel mixture, ignition timing,
and idle speed were directly controlled by mechanical and pneumatic
sensors and actuators.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engine_control_unit

LEARNINGPOINTS
o NamethefourmaincomponentsofMechatronics.
o Whatismeantbyanembeddedsystem?
o Namethethreemainelementsofameasurementsystem.
o Whatisthemaindifferencebetweenopenloopand
closedloopsystems?
o Listthefivebasicelementsofaclosedloopsystem.

LEARNINGPOINTS
1. NamethefourmaincomponentsofMechatronics.
2. Whatismeantbyanembeddedsystem?
3.Namethethreemainelementsofameasurement
system.

4.Whatisthemaindifferencebetweenopenloopand
closedloopsystems?
5.Listthefivebasicelementsofaclosedloopsystem.

 Replacethemechanicalcontrolsystemwithan
electrical/electroniccontrolsystemforthetank
fillingsystemshown: