Mechatronic Systems Design

MEC301

Asst. Prof. Dr.Ing.

Mohammed Ahmed
mnahmed@eng.zu.edu.eg
goo.gl/GHZZio

Lecture 2: Mechatronic Design Process

Copyright ©2016 Dr.Ing. Mohammed Nour Abdelgwad Ahmed as part of the course work
and learning material. All Rights Reserved.
Where otherwise noted, this work is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Zagazig University | Faculty of Engineering | Computer and Systems Engineering Department | Zagazig, Egypt
 Mechatronics:
Synergetic Integration of Different Disciplines
Mechanical and Information Processing
Conventional vs. Mechatronic Design
Mechatronic System Integration
 Multi-Level Control Architecture

 Level 1
 low level control (feedforward, feedback for damping,
stabilization, linearization)
 Level 2
 high level control (advanced feedback control strategies)

 Level 3
 supervision, including fault diagnosis

 Level 4
 optimization, coordination (of processes)

 Level 5
 general process management
 Mathematical Models

 Mathematical process models for static and dynamic

behavior are required for various steps in the design
of mechatronic systems, such as simulation, control
design, and reconstruction of variables.

 There are two ways to obtain these models:

 Theoretical modeling based on first (physical) principles

 Experimental modeling (identification) with measured input

and output variables
Simulation Methods
Real-Time Simulation
 Hardware-In-the-Loop (HIL)

 The hardware-in-the-loop simulation (HIL) is

characterized by operating real components in
connection with real-time simulated components.

 Usually, the control system hardware and software is

the real system, as used for series production. The
controlled process (consisting of actuators, physical
processes, and sensors) can either comprise
simulated components or real components,
PC-Based Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation
 Control Prototyping

 For the design and testing of complex control

systems and their algorithms under real-time
constraints, a real-time controller simulation
(emulation) with hardware (e.g., off-the-shelf signal
processor) other than the final series production
hardware (e.g., special ASICS) may be performed.

 The process, the actuators, and sensors can then be

real. This is called control prototyping
Real-Time Simulation
 Integrated Design Issues

 Concurrent engineering of the mechatronics

approach relies heavily on the use of system
modeling and simulation throughout the design and
prototyping stages.

 It is especially important that it be programmed in a

visually intuitive environment.
 block diagrams, flow charts, state transition diagrams, and
bond graphs.
 Integrated Design Issues

 Mechatronics is a design philosophy: an integrating

approach to engineering design.

 Mechatronics makes the combination of actuators,

sensors, control systems, and computers in the
design process possible.

 Starting with basic design and progressing through

the manufacturing phase, mechatronic design
optimizes the parameters at each phase to produce a
quality product in a short-cycle time
Modeling vs. Experimental Validation
Hardware and Software Integration
 Concurrent Engineering

 Concurrent engineering is a design approach in which

the design and manufacture of a product are merged in a
special way.
 It is necessary that the knowledge and necessary information be
coordinated amongst different expert groups.

 The characteristics of concurrent engineering are

 Better definition of the product without late changes.
 Design for manufacturing and assembly undertaken in the early
design stage.
 Process on how the product development is well defined.
 Better cost estimates.
 Decrease in the barriers between design and manufacturing.
Concurrent Engineering
 Mechatronic System Design (MSD)

 Design is an engineering philosophy that can vary

between different schools of thought.

 MSD should follow a well-defined iterative design

steps that incorporate synergetic design. It should
include the following operations:
1. User and system requirements analysis
2. Conceptual Design
3. Mechanical, software, electronics, and interface design
4. System modeling and simulation
5. Prototyping and testing
Mechatronic System Block Diagram
 Design Stages

• Stage 1: Define the Objective and Specifications

• Stage 2: Analyze and Design

• Stage 3: Build and Test

 Stage 1: Define the Objectives & Specifications

1. Identify the problem.

2. Research and literature review

3. Set the initial system specifications.

 Design Stage 2: Analyze and Design

4. Establish a general block diagram and a flow chart

 Specify system I/O
 Specify control algorithm to use
5. Choose appropriate components
 Sensors and actuators; Controller
 Drive and signal conditioning circuits
6. Concurrent/Synergistic Design
 Mechanical structure; Electronic system;
Software/controller; Interface
7. Model and simulate the system
 Stage 3: Build and Test

8. Emulate the controller hardware

9. Build prototype, test, and evaluate (modify if

needed)
Synergistic Design
Mechatronic Design Process
 Computer-Aided Systems: Important Features

 Modeling:
 Block diagrams for working with understandable multi-disciplinary
models that represent a physical phenomenon.

 Simulation:
 Numerical methods for solving models containing differential, discrete,
linear, and nonlinear equations.

 Project Management:
 Database for maintaining project information and subsystem models
for eventual reuse.

 Design:
 Numerical methods for constrained optimization of performance
functions based on model parameters and signals.
 Computer-Aided Systems: Important Features

 Analysis:
 Frequency-domain and time-domain tools

 Real-Time Interface:
 A plug-in card is used to replace part of the model with actual hardware
by interfacing to it with actuators and sensors.

 Code Generator:
 Produces efficient high-level source code (such as C/C++) from the block
diagram. The control code will be compiled and used on the embedded
processor.

 Embedded Processor Interface:

 Communication between the process and the computer-aided
prototyping environment.
 Mechatronic Key Elements

 Information Systems
 Modeling and Simulation

 Optimization

 Mechanical Systems
 Electrical Systems
 DC and AC Analysis

 Power

 Sensors and actuators

 Real-Time Interfacing
 Information Systems

 Information systems include all aspects for

information exchange
 Signal processing, control systems, and analysis techniques

 The following are essential for mechatronics

applications
 Modeling and Simulation
 Automatic control
 Numerical methods for optimization.
 Information Systems: Modeling

 Modeling is the process of representing the behavior of a real

system by a collection of mathematical equations and logic.
 Models can be static or dynamic
 Static models produce no motion, heat transfer, fluid flow, traveling
waves, or any other changes.
 Dynamic models have energy transfer which results in power flow. This
causes motion, heat transfer, and other phenomena that change in time.
 Models are cause-and-effect structures—they accept external
information and process it with their logic and equations to
produce one or more outputs.
 Parameter is a fixed-value unit of information
 Signal is a changing-unit of information
 Models can be text-based programming or block diagrams
 Information Systems: Simulation

 Simulation is the process of solving the model and is

performed on a computer.

 Simulation process can be divided into three

sections:
 Initialization
 Iteration,
 Termination.
 Mechanical Systems

 Mechanical systems are concerned with the behavior of

matter under the action of forces.
 Such systems are categorized as rigid, deformable, or
fluid in nature.
 Rigid-bodies assume all bodies and connections in the system to be
perfectly rigid. (i.e. do not deform)
 Fluid mechanics consists of compressible and incompressible fluids.
 Newtonian mechanics provides the basis for most
mechanical systems and consists of three independent
and absolute concepts:
 Space, Time, and Mass.
 Force, is also present but is not independent of the other three
 Electrical Systems

 Electrical systems are concerned with the behavior of three

fundamental quantities:
 Charge, current, and voltage

 Electrical systems consist of two categories:

 Power systems and Communication systems

 An electric circuit is a closed network of paths through which

current flows.

 Circuit analysis is the process of calculating all voltages and

currents in a circuit given as is based on two fundamental laws :
 Kirchhoff ’s current law: The sum of all currents entering a node is zero.
 Kirchhoff ’s voltage law: The sum of all voltage drops around a closed loop is
zero.
 Electrical Systems: Power

 Energy is the capacity to do work various

 Potential, kinetic, electrical, heat, chemical, nuclear, and
radiant.
 Power is the rate of energy transfer, and in the SI
unit system, the unit of energy is the joule and the
unit of power is the watt (1 watt 1 joule per second).
 Sensors

 Sensors are required to monitor the performance of machines and

processes

 Common variables in mechatronic systems are temperature, speed,

position, force, torque, and acceleration.
 Important characteristics: the dynamics of the sensor, stability, resolution,
precision, robustness, size, and signal processing.

 Intelligent sensors are available that not only sense information but
process it well
 Progress in semiconductor manufacturing technology has made it possible to
integrate sensor and the signal processing on one chip
 Sensors are able to ascertain conditions instantaneously and accurately
 These sensors facilitate operations normally performed by the control algorithm,
which include automatic noise filtering, linearization sensitivity, and self-
calibration.
 Actuators

 Actuation involves a physical action on a machine or

process. They can transform electrical inputs into
mechanical outputs such as force, angle, and
position.

 Actuators can be classified into three general groups.

1. Electromagnetic actuators, (e.g., AC and DC electrical
motors, stepper motors, electromagnets)
2. Fluid power actuators, (e.g., hydraulics, pneumatics)
3. Unconventional actuators (e.g., piezoelectric,
magnetostrictive, memory metal)
 Real-Time Interfacing

 Real-time interface provides data acquisition and control

functions for the computer.

 Reconstruct a sensor waveform as a digital sequence and

make it available to the computer software for processing.

 The control function produces an analog approximation as a

series of small steps.

 Real-time interfacing includes:

 A/D and D/A conversions
 Analog signal conditioning circuits
 Sampling theory.
MECHATRONIC APPLICATIONS
 Automotive Industry

 Vehicle diagnostics and monitoring. Sensors to detect the environment; monitor

engine coolant, temperature and quality; Engine oil pressure, level, and quality; tire
pressure; brake pressure.

 Pressure, temperature sensing in various engine and power locations; exhaust gas
analysis and control; Crankshaft positioning; Fuel pump pressure and fuel injection
control; Transmission force and pressure control.

 Airbag safety deployment system. Micro-accelerometers and inertia sensors

mounted on the chassis of the car measures car deceleration in x or y directions can
assist in airbag deployment.

 Antilock brake system, cruise control. Position sensors to facilitate antilock braking
system; Displacement and position sensors in suspension systems.

 Seat control for comfort and convenience. Displacement sensors and micro
actuators for seat control; Sensors for air quality, temperature and humidity,
Sensors for defogging of windshields.
Robots
 Aerospace Industry

 Landing gear systems; Cockpit instrumentation; Pressure

sensors for oil, fuel, transmission; Air speed monitor; Altitude
determination and control systems.

 Fuel efficiency and safety systems; Propulsion control with

pressure sensors; Chemical leak detectors; Thermal
monitoring and control systems.

 Inertial guidance systems; Accelerometers; Fiber-optic

gyroscopes for guidance and monitoring.

 Automatic guided vehicles, space application; Use of

automated navigation system for NASA projects; Use of
automated systems in under water monitoring and control
Consumer Products
 Consumer Industry

 Consumer products such as auto focus camera,

video, and CD players; Consumer electronic products
such as washing machines and dish washers.

 Video game entertainment systems; Virtual

instrumentation in home entertainment.

 Home support systems; Garage door opener; Sensors

with heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning
system; Home security systems.
Production Machines
 Industrial Systems and Products

 Monitoring and control of the manufacturing process;

CNC machine tools; Advanced high speed machining and
quality monitoring.

 Rapid prototyping; Manufacturing cost saving by rapid

creation of models done by CAD/CAM integration and
rapid prototyping equipment.

 Specialized manufacturing process such as the use of

welding robots; Procedure for automatically
programming and controlling a robot from CAD data.
3D Printing
 Health Care Industry

 Medical diagnostic systems, non-invasive probes such as

ultrasonic probe. Disposable blood pressure transducer;

 Pressure sensors in several diagnostic probes. Systems to

control the intravenous fluids and drug flow;

 Endoscopic and orthopedic surgery. Angioplasty

pressure sensor; Respirators; Lung capacity meters.

 Other products such as Kidney dialysis equipment; MRI

equipment.
Mechatronic System Example: DC Motor
 Conclusion

 Mechatronics design can lead to high quality and cost

effective products
 Traditional sequential manner do not possess optimum design
capabilities.

 Concurrent design results in the development of

intelligent and flexible mechatronic system

 Increasing demands on the productivity of machine tools

and their growing technological complexity call for
improved methods in future product development
processes.
Thanks for your attention.
Questions?

Asst. Prof. Dr.Ing.

Mohammed Ahmed
mnahmed@eng.zu.edu.eg
goo.gl/GHZZio Robotics Research Interest Group (zuR2 IG)
Zagazig University | Faculty of Engineering | Computer
and Systems Engineering Department | Zagazig, Egypt

Copyright ©2016 Dr.Ing. Mohammed Nour Abdelgwad Ahmed as part of the course work and learning material. All Rights Reserved.
Where otherwise noted, this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Mohammed Ahmed (Asst. Prof. Dr.Ing.) Mechatronic Systems Design 2/1