Introduction to Mechatronics

Marco Castellano
Field Sales Engineer
South Italy

National Instruments Confidential

The Evolution of Machines

Mechanical System Electromechanical System

Gears, cams, and limit switches Electronic controls,
motor drives

2
 Modern Machine Builder’s Diverse Requirements

Sensors and Signal

Logging, Database
Conditioning
HMI
Modern Mechanical
Machine Design

Networking
Discrete and Sequential Logic

Embedded System
Design

Motors and Machine Condition Motion Control Design

Machine Vision
Actuators Monitoring

3
Trends to Reduce Development Time

Sequential Design Concurrent Design

Physical Virtual
First Prototype First Prototype

Separate Design
Integrated Design Tools
Tools

4
Traditional Approach to
Electromechanical Machine Design

•Poor communication between design groups

•Long development time with high risk
•Poorly optimized design

5
Mechatronics

• Mechatronics is a holistic approach to designing

machines that combines mechanical, electrical, control
and embedded software

6
Mechatronics Approach to
Electromechanical Machine Design

• Shorter, lower cost development cycles

• Improved quality, reliability, and performance

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1. Design Tool Integration

Mechanical
Design

Electrical
Design Virtual
Prototype
Control (Simulation)
Design

Embedded
Design

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Level of Design Tool Integration

• Ultimate – One design tool for all disciplines

• Manual – Manually pass data between tools
• Basic – Data transferred via standard file formats
§ Motion profile data as CSV file to CAD
• Advanced – Complete tool automation
§ NI LabVIEW automating SolidWorks through ActiveX

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Open Connectivity to Design Tools
Mathematics Electrical Design Control Design
NI LabVIEW Math NI LabVIEW (Motor Sizing) NI LabVIEW Control Design
The MathWorks, Inc. MATLAB® NI Multisim The MathWorks, Inc. Simulink®
Maplesoft Maple ORCAD PSpice Dynasim Dymola
MathSoft Mathcad Plexim PLECS
Ansoft Designer

Embedded Software Mechanical Design

NI LabVIEW Real-Time/Embedded Virtual SolidWorks SolidWorks
Wind River Workbench Prototyping PTC Pro/Engineer
Analog Devices VisualDSP++ Platform MSC Nastran and Adams
Freescale Code Warrior Autodesk AutoCAD
Xilinx System Generator

MATLAB® and Simulink® are registered trademarks of The MathWorks, Inc.

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LabVIEW: Virtual Prototyping Platform
• Intuitive graphical tools for
domain experts
• Built-in control design and
simulation
• Design tool integration
• Flexible, open architecture
• Ability to target multiple
industrial hardware platforms

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Virtual Machine Prototyping
Design Conceptual
Requirements Design

Customer Virtual Machine Team

Prototype
(Simulation)

Mechanical: Design visualization

Electrical: Motor sizing
Control: Verify control logic
Embedded Software: Easy implementation

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Mechanical Design Challenges

Challenge: Understanding the requirements

Solution: Electromechanical simulation
Benefits: Use control logic to visualize the working machine.
ü Improved customer communication
• Confidence builder: showing proof of concept
• Competitive advantage in the bidding process
ü Improved design team communication
• Refining design specifications
• Evaluating high-level architectural design

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Electromechanical Simulation Steps
1. Determine machine logic
2. Generate profile data with virtual prototyping software
3. Send to 3D design tool
4. Use CAD tool to animate machine functionality

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Software Tools
• SolidWorks Professional
§ COSMOSMotion
• LabVIEW Professional
§ Free SolidWorks/LabVIEW ActiveX Interface VIs
§ NI Motion Assistant

SolidWorks – LabVIEW
Interface Functions

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Demo: LabVIEW Automates Design Visualization
2. Control
1. Mechanical Design

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Electrical Design

Mechanical
Design

Electrical Physical
Design Prototype Support
System Virtual Manu- Sustaining
Prototype and
Specification Manufacturing facturing Engineering
(Simulation) Service
Control Test System
Design Design

Embedded
Design

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Electrical Design Challenges

Challenge: Specifying correct motor size

• Type (AC/DC, brushed, and so on)
• Torque versus speed requirements
• Heat dissipation
Solution: Virtual motor sizing
Benefits:
ü Apply motor sizing principles interactively
ü Virtually test various motors

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Virtual DC Motor Sizing

1. Acquire motor specifications from data sheet

2. Simulate motor response to velocity and torque profile
from CAD

i R L

DO5 + vR = iR di
vL = L
+ dt + dθ
-
Vsup vm
-
ve = K e
dt
id
-

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Control Design

Mechanical
Design

Electrical Physical
Design Prototype Support
System Virtual Manu- Sustaining
Prototype and
Specification Manufacturing facturing Engineering
(Simulation) Service
Control Test System
Design Design

Embedded
Design

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Control Design Challenges

Challenges:
• Software development in critical path
• Physical prototype needed to test control algorithm
Solution: Develop and test control algorithm on virtual model
Benefits:
ü Get head start on control development
ü Refine control strategy before physical prototyping
ü Detect interferences and resonance

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Integrating Control and Mechanical
Design
Control Software Simulation

Command

Feedback

1. Develop machine control logic

2. Animate model and identify potential issues

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Demo: Interference Detection
1. Motion Profile
2. Interference Detection

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Embedded Software Design

Mechanical
Design

Control Physical
Design Prototype Support
System Virtual Manu- Sustaining
Prototype and
Specification Manufacturing facturing Engineering
(Simulation) Service
Electrical Test System
Design Design

Embedded
Design

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Embedded Software Design
Challenges
Challenge: Implementing embedded algorithms
• Rewriting
Solution: codecontrol
Using for hardware platform
design software that runs
• natively
Flexibilityon
to embedded
implement advanced
hardware algorithms

Benefits:
ü Reduced development time and cost
ü Less chance for translation errors

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Algorithm Engineering
It’s the term used to describe this process of designing a control
algorithm and taking it to a prototyping hardware for physical
testing and final deployment.

Design Verify Prototype

Hand Code
Software Algorithm Hardware

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Algorithm Engineering

Design Prototype
Software Hardware

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Prototyping and Deployment Challenges
Challenge: Choosing the right prototyping platform
Solution: Using packaged FPGA-based PAC
hardware platform
Benefits: • Controller speed and memory
• I/O from specialty signals
• Ability to implement advanced control
algorithms
ü Reliably run custom control algorithms
ü Integrate any I/O including machine condition monitoring and
vision
ü Protect IP (Intellectual Property)

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Deployment Hardware

• Desktop PCs
• Industrial PCs
• Programmable automation
controllers (PACs)
• Programmable logic
controllers (PLCs)
• Custom boards

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Programmable Automation Controller (PAC)
• Ruggedness and reliability of PLC
• Software capabilities of PC
• Modular and diverse I/O

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FPGA-Based Programmable
Automation Controller

SBC PLC

Custom

NI CompactRIO

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Additional Design Considerations:
High-Performance Motion Control
• Integral part of all mechatronics systems
• Improves machine productivity
• NI PACs for motion control:
§ PCI and CompactPCI/PXI
§ Custom motion control with FPGA
§ Distributed motion over CANopen

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New for NI Motion
• Two new stepper drives
§ 1-axis, DC-powered: 300 W
§ 1-axis, AC-powered: 525 W
• Range of 30 new stepper motors
§ NEMA 17, 23 and 34 sizes
§ Torque up to 1710 oz-in

• Motor sizing software

• ni.com/motion/stepper

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Additional Design Considerations:
Machine Vision
• Why use machine vision?
§ Increase product throughput
§ Reduce product inspection cost
§ Use infrared, X-ray
• Applications
§ Manufacturing
§ Product testing
§ Product packaging
§ Robot guidance

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Additional Design Considerations:
Machine Condition Monitoring
Data Data Diagnosis and
Acquisition Analysis Control
Gear
Health Unbalance
Loose
Mounting
Alignment

Motor

Mechanical
Resonances

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Conclusion
• Mechatronics concurrent development:
§ Reduces development time and risk
§ Requires design tool integration

• NI offers an easy path to deploy mechatronics

systems

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