AJAY KUMAR GARG ENGINEERING COLLEGE

SCROLLS 2011
TECHNICAL PAPER ON

MECHATRONICS
SUBMITTED BY: TEAM NAME: INNVOTROX TEAM ID: AKG00346 Akshaya Aggarwal B.TECH, IV YEAR, AKGEC, Ghaziabad Contact no. 7503737400 Email id: mindsparkk@gmail.com Ankush Dhingra B.TECH, IV YEAR, AKGEC, Ghaziabad Contact no. 9711906646 Email id: dhingra.ankush@gmail.com

Guneet Singh Bhatia B.TECH, IV YEAR, AKGEC, Ghaziabad Contact no. 9811312556 Email id: gs_bhatia1990@yahoo.co.in

INTRODUCTION
Mechatronics is a natural stage in the evolutionary process of modern engineering design. The development of the computer, and then the microcomputer, embedded computers, and associated information technologies and software advances, made mechatronics an imperative in the latter part of the twentieth century. Standing at the threshold of the twentyfirst century, with expected advances in integrated bioelectro- mechanical systems, quantum computers, nano- and pico-systems, and other unforeseen developments,the future of mechatronics is full of potential and bright possibilities.

Basic definition
The definition of mechatronics has evolved since the original definition by the Yasakawa Electric Company. In trademark application documents, Yasakawa defined mechatronics in this way .The word, mechatronics, is composed of mecha from mechanism and the tronics from electronics. In other words, technologies and developed products will be incorporating electronics more and more into mechanisms, intimately and organically, and making it impossible to tell where one ends and the other begins. From above definition it appears, that modern concurrent engineering design practices, now formally viewed as part of the mechatronics specialty, are natural design processes. What is evident is that the study of mechatronics provides a mechanism for scholars interested in understanding and explaining the engineering design process to define, classify, organize, and integrate many aspects of product design into a coherent package. As the historical divisions between mechanical, electrical, aerospace, chemical, civil, and computer engineering become less clearly defined, we should take comfort in the existence of mechatronics as a field of study in academia. The mechatronics specialty provides an educational path, that is, a roadmap, for engineering students studying within the traditional structure of most engineering colleges. Mechatronics is generally recognized worldwide as a vibrant area of study. Systems engineering ensures that the engineering design paradigm will continue to evolve in the early twenty-first century.

Historical Development and Definition of Mechatronic Systems

In several technical areas the integration of products or processes and electronics can be observed. This is especially true for mechanical systems which developed since about 1980. These systems changed from electro-mechanical systems with discrete electrical and mechanical parts to integrated electronic-mechanical systems with sensors, actuators, and digital microelectronics. These integrated systems are called mechatronic systems with the connection of MECHAnics and elecTRONICS.

All these definitions agree that mechatronics is an interdisciplinary field, in which the following disciplines act together: Mechanical systems (mechanical elements, machines, precision mechanics) Electronic systems (microelectronics, power electronics, sensor and actuator technology); Information technology (systems theory, automation, software engineering, artificial intelligence).

Key Elements of Mechatronics

The study of mechatronic systems can be divided into the following areas of specialty: 1. Physical Systems Modeling 2. Sensors and Actuators 3. Signals and Systems 4. Computers and Logic Systems 5. Software and Data Acquisition

Interrelationship of the key elements

Actuators
Most mechatronic systems involve motion or action of some sort. Actuators are the devices used to produce this motion or action. This motion or action can be applied to any thing from a single atom to a large articulated structure. It is created by a force or torque that results in acceleration and displacement. Actuators produce physical changes such as linear and angular displacement. They also modulate the rate and power associated with these changes. An important aspect of mechatronic system design is selecting the appropriate type of actuator.

Types of actuation systems

Pneumatic and hydraulic actuation systems Mechanical actuation systems Electrical actuation systems

Sensors
A sensor is an element in a mechtronic or measurement system that acquires a physical parameter and changes it into a signal that can be processed by the system. Often the active element of a sensor is referred to as a transducer.

Transducers are grouped according to what they are being used to measure Displacement position and proximity Velocity and motion sensors Force Fluid pressure Liquid flow Liquid level Temperature Light sensors

Necessity for Input Signal Conditioning

The transducers which converts physical quantities like temperature, displacement etc., into currents or voltages and gives them in the form of analog signals, which are continuous and time varying. Often the signal from the traducers may be Too small (in milli volts) Too noisy (due to electromagnetic interference) Containing wrong information (due to poor transducer design) Having DC offset (due to transducer and instrumentation design) Many of these these problems can be remedied and the desired signal information can be extracted through appropriate analog signal processing. The simplest and the most common form of signal processing is amplification, where the magnitude of the signal is increased.

Need for digital signal

Analog signal are continuous and time varying, whereas digital signals have only two stages: high and low. Since computers and microprocessors require digital signals, any application involving computer measurement or control requires analog to digital conversion.

Control Architectures
To obtain completeness in the integration of mechanical devices sensors signal and power electronics into the most advanced mechatronic systems, microprocessor based control systems must be included.

Hierarchy of basic control approaches

Analog circuits Digital Circuits PLCs Microcontroller Single Board Computer Personal Computer.

Copy Machine A typical example of a Mechatronic System

An office copy machine consists of analog and digital circuits, sensors, actuators and microprocessors. Analog circuits control the lamp, heater and other power circuits in the machine. Digital circuits controls the digital displays, indicator lights, buttons and switches forming the user interface. Optical sensors and micro switches detects the presence or absence of the paper, its proper positioning and whether or not doors and latches are in their correct positions. Other sensors include encoders used to track the motor rotation. Actuators include servo and stepper motors that load and transport the paper, turn the drum and index the sorter. Microprocessors coordinate all the functions in the Machine.

DESIGN OF MECHATRONIC SYSTEMS

STAGES IN DESIGN PROCESS
The need: Analysis of problem Preparation of Specification Generation of possible solutions Selection of a suitable solution Production of a detailed design Production of working drawings

TRADITIONAL DESIGN VS MECHATRONICS DESIGN

TRADITIONAL DESIGN: The temperature control for a domestic central heating
system has been the bi-metallic thermostat of a closed loop control system. The bending of bi-metallic strip changes as the temperature changes and is used to operate an on/off switch for the heating system. The bi-metallic thermostat is comparatively crude and the temperature is not accurately controlled; also devising a method for having different temperatures at different times of the day is complex and not easily achieved. MECHATRONIC DESIGN: A mechatronic solution to the problem might be to use a microprocessor controlled system employing perhaps a thermo-diode as the sensor. The microprocessor-controlled system can, however, cope easily with giving precision and programmed control. The system is much more flexible. This improvement in flexibility is a common characteristic of mechotronics systems when compared with traditional systems.

ADVANTAGES OF MECHATRONICS DESIGN

High resolution and accuracy Reduces house hold heating cost Self Calibrating Flexible design Environmental friendly

MECHATRONIC SYSTEMS CASE STUDY: A PICK-AND-PLACE ROBOT

The basic form of a Pick-and-Place robot unit is shown in the Figure (a). The robot has three axes, about which the motion can occur i.e. rotation in a clockwise or counter clockwise direction of the unit on its base, arm extension or contraction and arm up and down; also the gripper can open and close. These movements can be actuated by the use of pneumatic cylinders operated by solenoid-controlled valves with limit switches to indicate when a motion is completed. Thus the clockwise rotation of the unit might result from the piston in a linear cylinder being extended and the counter clockwise direction by its retraction. Likewise the upward movement of the arm might result from the piston in a linear cylinder being extended and the downward motion from it retracting; the extension of the arm by the piston in another cylinder extending and its return movement by the piston retracting. The gripper can be opened or closed by the piston in a linear cylinder extending or retracting. Figure (b) shows a basic mechanism that could be used

MECHATRONICS SOLUTION
Figure below shows how a micro controller could be used to control the solenoid valves and hence the movements of the robot unit

Mechatronics and a Sustainable Future

It is clear that the future development of mechatronics will need to be integrated with the need to meet and respond to a range of challenges in areas including energy systems, transport, health care, medicine and manufacturing. Indeed, it can be argued that the achievement of sustainable systems in these and other areas will depend on the ability to integrate a mechatronic approach to system design and development into corresponding developments in areas such as material technology. This will impact not only on specific products, but on the ways they are made. This will in turn cause present considerations of design for manufacture and assembly which are often in conflict with the requirements of design for disassembly or maintenance to be brought into question. Consider, for instance, the use of snap assembly methods for joining components. These are easy to assemble but can make access problematic without the destruction of the item in question.

Mechatronics and Sustainability

As suggested, mechatronics should have a considerable role in achieving sustainable products and systems. Some of the potential areas where mechatronics is likely to have a major impact are outlined below

Design
In relation to developments mechatronics and the design process, approaches such as EcoDesign6 encompass a wide range of issues which will impact upon the general mechatronic concept, particularly the means of achieving sustainable outcomes in ways which support trade-offs between system elements. Thus, the adoption of a manufacturing process which has associated with it slightly increased levels of waste may support actions elsewhere in the product lifecycle which lead to an overall reduction in waste production.

Transport
This is likely to be an area where mechatronics will significantly influence design, development and operation. For instance: Rail The further development of tilting trains, active suspensions, driven and steered wheelsets and traction and braking control are all likely to feature to some degree in future train systems, along with enhanced drive technologies and controller strategies. Other potential areas of development include high-speed trains and the use of maglev technologies. Road Transport The move towards hybrid vehicles and the use of fuel cell technology as well as on-board systems for driver assistance and management support a wide range of potential developments. Developments at the vehicle level would then be supplemented and supported by enhanced traffic management and routing systems that would look at route loading and capacity to optimise journey times and minimise pollution. Aircraft Aircraft, the growth of air transport and the impact on the environment is undoubtedly one of the most contentious areas in which mechatronics is likely to play a role. Issues include the design of aircraft that are quieter, more fuel efficient and have a lower environmental impact than those currently in use. This shift is seen with the introduction of the Airbus A380 and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. More radical developments and concepts include the blended wing and enhanced engine technologies.

Energy Technologies
The deployment and use of alternative energy sources such as wind and wave power, the introduction into the home of micro combined heat and power (micro CHP) systems, heat pumps and fuel cells as well as new generations of appliances and energy management options within the home will all be influenced by mechatronic approaches to their design, operation and control.

Manufacturing
Mechatronics will continue to support the development of advanced manufacturing systems involving autonomously reconfigurable machine tools and dynamic decision making as an integral part of the process. Such developments will in turn support the implementation of production facilities that are more energy efficient and have lower environmental impact than those currently in use.