Posted by: budin ® 10/17/2007, 04:45:02 Author Profile eMail author Edit

Hello guys.. I'm a mechatronics student and would like to ask a question.. I've been trying to find (through google,yahoo etc.) the applications of mechatronics, unfortunately the results were not satisfying.. does anyone know where I can get the better result or the website that I can use for reference.. Regards.. Modified by Administrator at Wed, Oct 24, 2007, 08:52:59

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Re: Mechatronics Applications
: Mechatronics Applications -- budin	Post Reply	Top of thread	Forum

Posted by: randykimball ® 10/17/2007, 09:23:50 Author Profile eMail author Edit

One word answers your application question..."automation". Any time you use electronics to control any device to improve, automate, or increase productivity you are using mechatronics. It is the science of using electricty, magnetism, mechanics, and other forms of physics in a device to do work. The worst suggestion of your lifetime may be the catalyst to the grandest idea of the century, never let suggestions go unsaid nor fail to listen to them.

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Posted by: budin ® 10/18/2007, 13:47:12 Author Profile eMail author Edit

Thank you randykimball for the response but can you explain more on that and perhaps give me more examples of things that use mechatronics system which involve all the key elements (information system, mech sys; elect sys; and computer systm) .. thank you, budin Modified by budin at Thu, Oct 18, 2007, 13:48:24

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Posted by: jboggs ® 10/18/2007, 15:08:08 Author Profile eMail author Edit

As a mechanical engineer who's been designing machines and systems for 30 years, I find the term "mechatronics" rather redundant. You can have all the fancy mechanical design you want, but nothing moves without control, and typically that means electronics. Its like a row boat; you need both oars (mechanical and electronic) or you don't go anywhere. Check for factory automation. Hundreds of companies offer standard and custom-designed systems for acccomplishing all kinds of industrial tasks, such as manufacturing processes, assembly automation, storage and retrieval systems, material handling, etc., etc. Regardless of the final application, they all use common mechanical and electronic design principles to achieve different goals. You could also look at huge conveyorized warehousing or shipping operations, such as Fedex, UPS, or others.

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Posted by: budin ® 10/19/2007, 02:31:31 Author Profile eMail author Edit

redundant means not necessary right?..do you mean that mechatronics is redundant or just the term?

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Posted by: randykimball ® 10/19/2007, 14:39:08 Author Profile eMail author Edit

The thing is "mechatronics" is an old term coined when machines that used mechanics and electronics were a fresh state of the art field. Now the term has melted into an old fashioned bucket with "digital controled", "telogram", and "wireless message". Mechatronics, as a term or concept, was going out of date as the modern computer chip was still just a simple gate chip on the first intergrated circuits (IC's). It brings to mind big bulky, power gulping machines with banks of relays and reostats. If you are using a text book with mechatronics mentioned in terms of current trends, you may want to step up a few decades in text publications. Even toys are filled with concepts decades beyond the concept of mechatronics. I see mechatronics as a term used by well meaning people whom have no clue as to how modern machines operate. As suggested, it is a term used to make modern equipment sound high tech by those whom can't understand how a simple clock works. To others like themselves it sounds clever, but to anyone with even a modest grip of electronics or mechanical sciences they clearly made it known how knowledgable they are. The worst suggestion of your lifetime may be the catalyst to the grandest idea of the century, never let suggestions go unsaid nor fail to listen to them. Modified by randykimball at Fri, Oct 19, 2007, 15:58:19

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Posted by: jboggs ® 10/19/2007, 11:40:08 Author Profile eMail author Edit

The practice of combining mechanical and electronic design skills to produce a single result has been long established and is certainly important. The term "mechatronics" though seems pointless. It just strikes me as a transparent effort to try to make a long-established process seem more exotic, more high-tech, more mysterious than it really is. In fact, if the term had some widely accepted specific meaning, you would not have had to make your initial inquiry on this forum, right?

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Posted by: budin ® 10/23/2007, 04:44:16 Author Profile eMail author Edit

is that so?..wow..I think I have to make more research on mechatronics..btw, I'm the third semester mechatronics student..Do you think I'm selecting the right course? Thank you

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Posted by: jboggs ® 10/23/2007, 09:56:03 Author Profile eMail author Edit

That is a big question. Only you can make that call. The point is that you have quite a few experienced engineers on this site, none of whom really know for sure what is meant by "mechatronics". In my experience, most engineers can claim to be fully knowledgable and competent in either mechanical or electrical fields, but usually not both. I know some folks have two degrees but in the real world they will end up working as one or the other. You say you are in the third semester. Are you working toward a Bachelor's Degree in an accredited program? If so, is it a Bachelors in Mechatronics? I'm sure the education you are getting will be valuable and useful. Just be prepared for some strange reactions or confusion when you tell people what your degree is in, at least in the U.S. where all my experience has been. And one other thing - you should remember that all my words are those of a fully certfied "old fart".

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Posted by: Marky ® 10/23/2007, 12:16:00 Author Profile eMail author Edit

Shoot!! I thought mechatronics was one of those Disney engineers. You know one of those engineers we all dream of being. J...I'm looking forward to our reunion at OFU..(Old Fart University) I'll kindly pay you Tuesday..for a hamburger today....Whimpy

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Posted by: jboggs ® 10/23/2007, 14:07:58 Author Profile eMail author Edit

Now you're showing your age! I remember a couple of the Disney catch-phrases from the days when Epcot Center was brand new. One was "Imagineers". The other was "Audio-Animatronics". I guess that's why I applied there right after school. (Thankfully it never went anywhere!)

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Posted by: randykimball ® 10/23/2007, 14:33:43 Author Profile eMail author Edit

If there was an OFU, I'd be a shoe in for class president. This is because surely the qualifying criteria would be based on how much information and skill the class presidential candidate has forgoten. Along with the number of times fellow class members must step in and correct him/her to cover for those moments of brain farting. So vote for me because I excel in these areas. If I'm elected we will be allowed to omitt anything we can't remember. We will be allowed to run amuck through the vast emptiness of MIL-SPEC, and ISO double talk. If elected I will see to it that the younger generation is aware engineering members of OFU don't make mistakes, the younger users just don't know how to read our prints. I will explain to the universe the fact that if we don't remember it, then it AIN'T worth remembering anyway. I will even clear all hamburger tabs. The worst suggestion of your lifetime may be the catalyst to the grandest idea of the century, never let suggestions go unsaid nor fail to listen to them. Modified by randykimball at Tue, Oct 23, 2007, 16:05:53

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Posted by: Marky ® 10/23/2007, 16:35:13 Author Profile eMail author Edit

Randy.....Your platform has to be "BRING BACK THE SLIDE RULE AND DRAWING BOARD!!" A POWDER BAG ON EVERY DESK.... Gawd!! I feel friggin' old. I'll kindly pay you Tuesday..for a hamburger today....Whimpy

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Posted by: randykimball ® 10/23/2007, 16:45:20 Author Profile eMail author Edit

Point taken.. "and that'there's funny no matter who you are"... However... I never want to see another drawing board, tee square, slide rule, 30/60, LeorySet, skum bag, ink set w/nasty bottle of India ink, broken/loose/cracked/dented scale on a drafting machine, or light table, as long as I live.... Does that take you back any???? I'll GLADLY keep up to date on the latest version of SolidWorks without even a whimper. The worst suggestion of your lifetime may be the catalyst to the grandest idea of the century, never let suggestions go unsaid nor fail to listen to them.

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Posted by: jboggs ® 10/24/2007, 08:19:27 Author Profile eMail author Edit

Ah yes - I remember well! The joys of living in the same room with an ammonia print machine! The third-degree burns you could get if you touched the glass cylinder inside. Remember that old mylar sepia erasing fluid you applied with a brush? The vapors would knock you out. My officemate here is the proud owner to the last remaining electric eraser, and displays it proudly. These youngsters just don't know what they're missing! (Yes - up hill both ways in the snow.)

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Posted by: randykimball ® 10/24/2007, 08:44:49 Author Profile eMail author Edit

So, .... 'ya think our office in the 60's & 70's would make ISO-14001 ??? Or the modern toxic waste list ?? .. and we lived. The worst suggestion of your lifetime may be the catalyst to the grandest idea of the century, never let suggestions go unsaid nor fail to listen to them.

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Posted by: budin ® 10/24/2007, 12:17:05 Author Profile eMail author Edit

yes it is an accredited Bachelor's Degree program jboggs. Yea, I hope to gain a lot of useful knowledge in this 4 year period. Just wondering what is the "old fart"?

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Posted by: jboggs ® 10/24/2007, 14:09:03 Author Profile eMail author Edit

"Just wondering what is the "old fart"?" OK guys - how would you answer that question? It is an American phrase used to describe a grouchy old man. Probably because he is useless, full of hot air, and stinks. (This reminds me of the time I tried to explain the phrase "piece of cake" to a Japanese co-worker.)

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Posted by: Marky ® 10/24/2007, 14:16:40 Author Profile eMail author Edit

Nice Job....J Couldn't have said it better. OFU is for the educated variety. I'll kindly pay you Tuesday..for a hamburger today....Whimpy

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Posted by: randykimball ® 10/25/2007, 09:03:01 Author Profile eMail author Edit

Piece of cake -down hill slide -gravy -gravy train -easy money -no problem -smooth -a drive in the park -done deal -no sweat -life of Riley -easy street -greased trail -just a cruise -got it licked (had to come back and finish up this post because I got distracted and forgot what I was supposed to be doing....) How would you like to be trying to understand instructions being explained using a life time of that stuff if you only had school taught English. For the world tech language, English shure has a mess of worthless baggage and mispelled, mispronounced words. Until the post about explaining "a piece of cake" to a Japanese person, it never seriously occured to me. The worst suggestion of your lifetime may be the catalyst to the grandest idea of the century, never let suggestions go unsaid nor fail to listen to them. Modified by randykimball at Thu, Oct 25, 2007, 14:03:37

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Posted by: JVan ® 10/25/2007, 12:38:24 Author Profile eMail author Edit

You know you are in trouble when you're both an old fart and a Disney Imagineer. I am both. I can tell I'm an old fart because my daughter has been a mechanical engineer longer than many of the people I work with. Engineering here is just like anywhere else, it's just that the end product is a bit more unusual..... 25 foot tall animated Yeti with 20,000 lbs of high speed moving mass. Anyway one of the advantages of old is being closer to retirement.

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Posted by: Marky ® 10/25/2007, 12:56:32 Author Profile eMail author Edit

Let me be the first to tip my hat to you. You are everything that I wanted to do and want to do...Be an imagineer and be near retirement (15yrs away for me). I bow to what you folks do at Disney. Welcome to OFU!! I'll kindly pay you Tuesday..for a hamburger today....Whimpy

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Posted by: JVan ® 10/25/2007, 19:34:26 Author Profile eMail author Edit

Marky, Thanks for the welcome. Bowing is not needed, just spend money at Disney, I have stock and retirement is in 2 or 4 years. Spend enough and it is 2. John VO

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Mechatronics Applications
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Posted by: rohan.hangekar ® 10/27/2007, 12:36:53 Author Profile eMail author Edit

hello everyone.. I have just finished mechanical engineering. I was planning to get admission in National university of Singapore in MS Mechatronics course. Can experienced people tell me.. what are the future prospects of this field..? Apart from automation and robotics, any other applications?? like in automotive and aviation??? -- edited in my moderator: One more question .. What is the future of automation industry from now on?? -- especially in united states?? Should I continue with my plan to go into mechatronics? Pls help. thanx. Modified by randykimball at Sat, Oct 27, 2007, 17:03:17

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: Mechatronics Applications
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Posted by: randykimball ® 10/27/2007, 17:19:39 Author Profile eMail author Edit

The entire meaning behind this thread has been based on the fact that several of the peer engineers on this forum do not acknowledge the existance of a mechatronics decipline of engineering. Mechatronics is an old term for the entire automation industry and the various engineering deciplines involved in the design process. If someone is going to leave school qualified in the entire group of engineering skills or deciplines involved in mechatronics they would need to stay in school for about 8 to 10 years, there is simply too much to cover. To assume that someone can leave a four year school with enough knowledge in the complete spectrum mechatronics is at best going to result in engineers leaving school with a degree in "being poorly qualified" in any of the main engineering deciplines. .... it just ain't going to happen. My advice is to pick one, specialize in a standard engineering decipline! Then continue your education to include additional skill sets Or does the school need to change the name of the program to Manufacturing Engineer? Perhaps they are using Mechatronics to mean Manufacturing Engineer. Or did I miss something? Bye the way, I feel like a Manufacturing Engineering program should take 6 years... being a Masters or nothing. Now to answer the question ask: IF you can leave school WELL qualified and able to perform well with natural talent added to your knowledge base obtained in school, and you can apply your knowledge to actual engineerng situations, you can do well in any of the engineering deciplines. If you are not well qualified and have weak talent levels and are not able to apply your newly obtained knowledge to an actual engineering situation, you will not do well and may be flipping hamburgers for a living in order to eat. It is as simple and real as that! It is my heart felt wish that educators would stop advising students to take an engineering decipline program before they have determined if the student has enough natural talents in the engineering mind set. It is not fair for well meaning students to take a four year program and end up with no hope of doing well in a very fast paced competitive world. Unfortunately, educators, as well meaning as they are, frequently are not the persons best suited to help potential engineering students determine if they have the best talent sets. Purely speaking, only well achieved & acomplished engineers are equiped to reconize the talents in others required to become well achieved & accomplished engineers. Often, the most accomplished engineers do not have all that impressive of an educational background, it is what they did with their edcuation as a tool and how they continued on their own beyond what educators could provide. The worst suggestion of your lifetime may be the catalyst to the grandest idea of the century, never let suggestions go unsaid nor fail to listen to them. Modified by randykimball at Sat, Oct 27, 2007, 17:56:55

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: : Mechatronics Applications
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Posted by: budin ® 10/28/2007, 02:19:40 Author Profile eMail author Edit

wow..I'm the third semester bach. degree in mechatronics right now..I should have found this forum earlier.. :/

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Posted by: jboggs ® 10/28/2007, 16:19:43 Author Profile eMail author Edit

Wow! We've really opened something up here, haven't we? My advice to future "mechatronic engineers": Check with people that graduated from the same program 5 years ago and see what they say. Past graduates might tell you that things are going well for them. Some might not. I have realized reading through this that the term in question is much more widely used outside the U.S. than inside. I also get the feeling that the curriculum gives you some understanding of both the mechanical and the electrical disciplines, but not a fully qualified understanding of either one. Another concern is if you ever plan to offer your services on the open market as an engineer. In the U.S. the only way you can do that is to be a registered professional engineer (details vary from state to state). And the only way you can get that registration is to pass examinations in your chosen discipline. I am not aware of any states that offer registration in "mechatronics" as an engineering discipline. Mechanical Engineering? Yes. Electrical Engineering? Yes. I'm not saying you won't have a full, productive, and rewarding career. Just be aware that some people in the U.S. may not consider you to be a fully qualified "engineer" in the classic sense of the term.

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