MECHATRONICS

Definition»
Mechatronics is, "simply the application of the
latest techniques in precision mechanical
engineering, controls theory, computer science,
and electronics to the design process to create
more functional and adaptable products."
Mechatronics:
The interdisciplinary field of engineering for designing a product relies on the
integration of mechanical and electronic component co-ordinate by software
and control system.

Mechatronics is the application of mechanical, electronics, computer and

control system for improving product and process.

Mechatronics implementation element such as logic feed back and

computation to simulate human thinking process.

Areas of application:
▪Auto focus cameras
▪Robotics
▪Washing machines
▪Engine management system

▪Micro wave oven

▪Camcorder

▪Aircraft flight control

▪Navigation system

▪Numerically controlled machine tool

▪Photo copy machine

▪Bar coder

Measurement system:
It is the process of determining the value of quantity
The objective of measurement system to gives under a numerical value
corresponding variable being measured.
Examples:
▪Weighing system of measuring weight

▪Thermometer use for measuring temperature

Functional element of measurement

A measurement system consists of following blocks.

▪Sensor

▪Signal conditioner

▪Data representation/Display

Sensor:
This is the element of measurement system which is continuously in contact
with the process for which variable measured and gives output
correspondingly. Sensor receives information from variable (I/P) and changes
this information in suitable form that can be measured and display. It converts
non-electrical quantity (temperature, pressure) into electrical quantity (power,
voltage, current).

Examples:
▪Stain gage

▪Borden tube

▪Load cell

Signal conditioner:
The signal conditioner changes the information received from sensor into
suitable form so that easy to display.

▪Wheat stone bridge convert resistance into voltage (If R changes then V will also
change).
▪Amplifier that transform energy from the signal's magnitude

▪Oscillator that convert impedance into variable frequency signal processing element
such as ADC and filter circuit are used.

Data representation/Display:
The measured value must be display so that an observer recognizes it easily. This is
done by display (e.g. by pointer in analog system & digital read out display in digital
system).

Measurement systems have an ability to transmit the output to another control

system, so that it can be compare with required value.

Characteristics of measurement system:

In an industrial process, measuring devices sensor various parameters under
observation

It is necessary that the device must measure that parameter accurately, to

obtain better performance from any measuring device. A number of its
Characteristics must consider.

Types of Characteristics:
The performance of a measuring device can be divided into Characteristics.

▪Static Characteristics

▪Dynamic Characteristics

Static Characteristics:
In some application measuring quantities are constant or varying quit slowly,
the set of characteristics that define the performance of device or instrument
or system under such condition is known as static characteristics of device.
Descriptions:
It desired the performance at room temperature condition with very slow
change in measurement system. These characteristics describe the
relationship between specified points when system variables are not change.

Examples:
▪Accuracy

▪Lag

▪Zero drift

▪Sensitivity

(1)Accuracy:
It is define as the degree of correctness. It describes the value of measured
that how much it closes with true value.

Factor Depends upon:

▪Non-linearity

▪Hysteresis

▪Temperature

▪Vibrations

▪Drift

(2)Precision:
It is the difference between a measured variable and best estimated or true value of
that measured variable.

Precision is the measured of repeatability.

A minimum change in input quantity when measured then its precision is high.

But if a system is highly précised then it is not necessary that is accurate also.
 If am-meter having a precision of 1/150 but having zero adjustment problem, so
when we take reading it measure 1/150 part of current but due to non-zero
adjustment it is not accurate.

So that, if an instrument is precise then it may be or may not be accurate

(3) Threshold:
The minimum value of any device that can detect is called threshold. It is the
minimum input for which there be an output, below that minimum point instrument
will reads zero, (SI diode has 0.7threshold volts).

For example:
Silicon diode has 0.7 threshold voltages. So at 0.7 voltage diode passes current and
activates so, 0.7 is the threshold voltage for silicon diode.

TTL and CMOS IC's both have a defined or specified for it’s high and low logic.

It is called threshold

(4)Resolution/Discrimination:
It is define as the smallest change in the measureable quantity that a system or
measurement can show on their display. It may be analog in the form of pointer
movement and digital in the form of digital display or numeric form.

In the case of analog instrument resolution depends upon the observer ability.

In case of digital instrument it depends upon the no of display i.e. seven segment
display or no of neon blub which represent the data.

e.g. If a voltage meter man reading 999 then its resolution is 1 i.e. minimum change
of 1 can be measure by the device or instrument . It also effect upon the accuracy.

(5)Drift:
It is the variable in output of instrument when there is no change in input
quantity.

Factor depends upon:

▪Temperature

▪Environment

▪Wear and tear

▪Effect of electric & magnetic field

▪Mechanical vibration

(6)Hysteresis:
It is main difference or deviation in output, at any measured value within the
specified range, when the value is approaches first with increasing & then decreasing
value of the parameter.

Factor depends upon:

▪Back lash of gear

▪Friction

▪Elasticity of material
It can not be finished can be minimized by selecting suitable mechanical
components.
Elastic hysteresis of an idealized rubber band, the area in the centre of the
hysteresis loop is the energy dissipated due to material plasticity.

Electric hysteresis loop of a ferroelectric material

(7)Linearity:
It describes the maximum deviation of the output of the device from a best
fitting straight line through the calibration data.

Most devices are designed such that the output is linear function of input I.e.
its sensitivity is constant at all value of measured linearity is the ability of device
reproduce the input characteristics symmetrically. It is expressed as the percentage
of deviation from the liner value.

(8)Sensitivity:
It is the ratio of the change in magnitude in instrument out corresponding change in
the magnitude of the measured value,

It describe about the smallest change in the measured variable inverse of sensitivity
is called deflection factor. Since sensitivity is the ratio change in the output due to in
the input, so called gain amplification factor and also called transfer function.

(9)Dead zone:
When change in input is very large then instrument does not respond for
certain level this level or pointer is called dead zone.

(10)Dead time:
The time before the instrument start to response on change in input is called
dead time, due to

▪Friction

▪Back lash

▪Hysteresis

(11)Back lash:
It is the maximum distance or angle through which any part of mechanical
system moved in one direction without applying any appreciable force or
motion to the meant part in mechanical sequence.

Dynamic characteristics:
If a measuring device is used for measuring any rapidly varying quantity the
relation between input and output should be different then static
characteristics, this kind of response is called dynamic response these
characteristics are called as dynamic characteristics. It depends upon the
order of differential equation.

1) Ty+Y=X (t) (First order equation)

2) y/Wn² +2∂y/Wn +y=x(t)seconded order equation

Examples:

▪Speed

▪fidelity
▪Lag

▪Dynamic error

Error:
Accuracy is the degree of correction; a system is more accurate when
difference between its true values is nearly zero. The accuracy of any
measurement system is measured in term of its error. Every system has some
percentage of error, some systems has less error (nearly zero), or some
systems has large error may be slightly greater then zero or large than zero.

Static error:
The difference between the best measured value and the true value of the
quantity is known as static error.

Relative Static Error:

The ratio of the absolute static error to the true value of the quantity is under
the measurement.

Let;

Vm =Measured value of the quantity

Vt =True value

Es =static (absolute) error of measurement

Er =Relative static error

Then;

Es = Vm - Vt (01)

And also,

Er = Relative static error

Es = static (absolute) error of measurement

Vt =True value

Then;

Er = Es / Vt (02)

Er * 100 = Percentage relative error

Hear;

Es = Vm - Vt Then;

Vt = Vm - Es As we know (Er = Es / Vt) Then (Es = Er * Vt) and

Vt = Vm - (Er * Vt)

Vm = Vt (1+ER) Getting Vt is common

Vt = Vm / (1 + Er) (03) which is true value

Above equations show that when:

Er = 0 then we have no error

I.e. Vt = Vm / (1 + 0) = Vm

Vm = Vt

Error may be either positive or negative

For positive error, instrument reads high value then true value

For negative error, instrument reads low value then true value

Correction:
The difference between the true value and measured value of the quantity is
called static correction.
Es = Vm - Vt

Es = - Vm + Vm

Es = - (Vt – Vm)

Es = - Cs And

Cs = Vt - Vm

Cs= - Es

Types of noise:
Generally we have three types of error as under

1) Gross Error
2) Systematic Error
3) Random Error

Gross Error:
Gross error is very common in electrical and electronic system and especially
in analog system. These errors occur due to human mistake in reading,
recording and calculating result of measurement. It is probably impossible to
eliminate the gross error but can be minimize by special care to the related
system.

Precaution:
The observer should show great interest to take the reading of system.No of
reading always repeat one or for times if possible, designee of instrument
keep some extent to avoid little amount of gross error.

Systemic Error:
These errors are due to system environment and condition. These errors are
caused by the following reasons:

▪Sensitivity

▪Zero offset

▪Non linearity

We have three sub types of systemic error

 1) Instrumental Error
2) Environmental Error
3) Observational Error

Instrumental Error:
These errors due to internal condition of instrument, Like

▪Inherent

▪Miss use of the instrument

▪Loading effect of instrument

Due to these errors instrument measured the quantity and give reading too
low or too high. It is due to internal construction of instrument like frication,
back lash, hysteresis And moving part when coupling are not good and also
due to poor maintenances.

Miss use of instrument:

A good instrument in any unintelligent way may give erroneous result. When
proper Solution of ranges

Environmental Error:

The environmental errors are due to the external condition to the measuring
device, controlling device or operated devices.

For Example:

▪Pressure

▪Temperature

▪Humidity

▪Dust

▪Vibration

▪External magnetic or electrostatic field

These errors create much more trouble then assembly errors.

Precaution:
These errors can be eliminated by the following measure.
1) Use the system or device in the controlled pressure, temperature &
humidity in which it was originally calibrated.

2) In the presence of electro static or electromagnetic field use of proper

shielding.

After some passage of time (one to four months take calibration).

Observational Errors:

These errors occur due to carelessness of operator, When instrument have

properly selected, installed & faithfully calibrated.

Parallax:

When the scale division is not on the same plan then parallax will be
generated.

▪Wrong scale reading & recording

▪In correct estimation of average reading & due to lack of ability to calculate
deviation & incorrect conversion of units

Precaution:

Take full concentration on work & use digital instrument of digital display can
be eliminated by these kinds of errors.

Random Errors:

The random errors are small & independent. They vary in unpredictable
manner. The magnitude & the direction of these Errors cannot be predicted by
knowledge of measurer, however the error assumed to follow the law of
probability.

Cause:

▪Fabrication in moving parts

▪Back lash in the movement

▪Parallax error in scale & pointer

▪Hysteresis

▪ Mechanical vibration

Sensors:
It senses the input variable.

Description:

The primary element is the first & foremost requirement of any measurement
& automatic control system.

The sensor senses the condition, the state or the value of process variable &
produces the output which reflects this condition of state or value.

Transducer:

It converts non electrical energy into electrical energy or vice versa.

Description:

The transducer transform the energy of process variable to an output of some

other types of energy which is operate some control device. Some time a
secondary transform the output of primary sensor to still another types of
energy.

Transducer capability:

When we want to choose the transducer then the following factor must be
keep in mind which is the capability of any transducer

▪Linearity

▪Resolution

▪Repeatability

▪Reliability

Classification of Transducers:

Transducers are broadly used in two types according to their power usages,
which are as under,

ACTIVE TRANSDUCER

Active transducers are self-generating type. They do not require electric

energy for their operation as they develop their own voltage or current as the
output signal. Principle of conservation of energy is maintained as the energy
required for production of output being measured. Examples of active
transducer are thermocouple, moving coil generators, piezoelectric signal is

obtained from the physical phenomenon transducers, photoelectric cell etc.

Examples:

▪ Thermocouple

▪ Piezoelectric pick up

▪ Photo electric cell

PASSIVE TRANSDUCER

Passive transducers are based on the principle of energy controlling and they
require a secondary electrical source for operation, for example, resistance
gauge, resistance thermometer, LVDT, photo emissive cells etc.

Examples:

▪Resistance thermometer

▪Thermistor

▪Differential transformer

▪Photo emission

Noise:
It is an unwanted signal due to which original signal (information, text, data,
audio, video etc) is some time slightly change or totally change, depends upon
the disturbance. Noise are occur in almost every engineering field (like
mechanical, electronics, electrical, telecom & mechatronics etc devices control
and computer fields.

Due to the noise the original information may slightly or some time totally
change depends upon the concentration of noise signal, e.g.

▪Fan noise when on

▪Tube light noise when gives light

▪T.V. transmission when snow appears on the screen

▪When audio amplifier sound is not clear

▪When flickering on monitor LDD or T.V. screen

▪When mobile or land line sound is not clear during sound conservation

▪When supply head due to harmonics present in supply system

▪When an address of person is not clear in a crowd due to people noise

We have three types of noises as under

1) Generated noise

2) Conducted noise

3) Radiated noise

Generated Noise:
These type of noise generated by the component of system like when current
flow through resistor, then generate some sort of noise in the form of I²R, this
is called Jonson noise, because the idea was given by sir Johnson.

Thermocouple:

It is a temperature sensor, used to measure temperature at its input side.

A thermocouple circuit is formed when two dissimilar metals are joined at both
ends and there is a difference in temperature between the two ends. This
difference in temperature creates a small current and is called the See beck
effect after Thomas See beck that discovered this phenomenon.
A thermocouple measuring circuit with a heat source, cold junction and a measuring
instrument

Description:
Every material has some properties some material, when heated from one of
its side current will flow from its cold side to wards heat, Similarly, some
material when heated current will flow from its hot side to wards cold side.
When we use two different types of metal two forms a thermocouple when
both of its one side joint together to form a junction & heat apply on this
junction voltages can be measured on other ends by the help of voltmeter.

Span:
It is a difference of higher value to lower value of any instrument, for example
an instrument can measure from -50 to +50 then its span will be as under:

Span = Lower value - Higher value

Span = [50-(-50)]
Span = 100

Range:
It is the value of any instrument from its lower mean value to higher mean
value, for example an instrument can measure from -50 to +50then its range
will be as under:

Range= ﴾-50 → +50 ﴿