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MECHATRONICS

The most important feature of mechatronic devices is the ability to process and communicate information accurately in form of different types of signals (mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, optical, chemical biological), with high level of automation of these devices.

Big Data Analytics and IoT’s impact on Mechatronics

Rajesh Angadi rajesh_angadi@hotmail.com

Mechatronics is a synergistic combination of precision engineering, electronic control and mechanicalsystems. It is the science that exists at the interface among the other five disciplines:

1) Mechanics 2) Electronics 3) informatics 4) Automation 5) Robotics

It is one of the most dynamically developing fields of technology and science. The word ‘mechatronics’ appeared for the first time in Japan in 1969.

Mechatronics relates to Mechanics + Electronics + Computing Engineering.

Mechatronics - the genesis

The term mechatronics was introduced to the technical

terminology by the Japanese company Yaskawa Elektric Corporation (a company founded in 1915), since 1971 it has been protected as a trade name. Mechatronics, in the initial period, was understood to be applicable in the design and construction activities involving the inclusion of electronic components and systems to the functional structure of various precision mechanisms. In 1982, Yaskawa Elektric Co. resigned from the patent protection of its trademark and from now on we can all use this term.

Today it means mechatronics engineering activities including designing, testing and operation of machinery and equipment, in which there is a high level of functional integration of mechanical systems with electronics and computer

control. Mechatronics is an interdisciplinary field, combining in a synergistic manner, the classical knowledge of mechanical engineering, hydraulics, pneumatics, electronics, optics and computer science. The aim of mechatronics is to improve the functionality of technical systems and the creation of new concepts of machinery and equipment with built-in ‘artificial intelligence’. In various literature sources, several definitions of mechatronics can be found, almost all of them put the emphasis on the functional integration of mechanical actuators with electronics and computer control.

Mechatronics includes engineering environment of automation and robotics, where the ‘mechanical’ way of solving the design was not

adequate to the expectations and opportunities that provide other areas of technology, particularly electronics, optoelectronics, materials engineering, especially computer science engineering.

Mechatronics engineering may be regarded as a modern approach to automation techniques for the broadly defined needs of engineering and education. It can be assumed that mechatronics is an interdisciplinary field of science and technology, dealing with general problems of mechanics, electronics and informatics. However, it contains too many related mechatronic areas that form the foundation of mechatronics and cover many well-known disciplines such as electrical engineering, power electronics, digital technology, microprocessor technology,

and other techniques. Mechatronics engineering provides an opportunity, not only for humanization of machines, but also changes the mindset and the approach to technological issues and most importantly teachesnew technologies and ways of acquiring knowledge and skills.

The most important feature of mechatronic devices is the ability to process and communicate information accurately in form of different types of signals (mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, optical, chemical, biological), with high level of automation of these devices. The basic assumption for the design of mechatronic devices is the acquisition by the device itself which is responsible for the lower levels of the process (task) to allow the user to focus on higher-order functions. Mechatronic device structure can be considered

at two levels: abstract, consisting of the conjunction of partial functions of the main function device and the specific plane, consisting of the combined structural parts and assemblies, which are natural carriers of various functions involved. The integration of mechatronic device structure is a result of links among ‘smart’ teams which communicate and cooperate. The linking mechanical structure, sensors, actuators and information processing occur as a result of mass flow of streams, of energy and information.

Why does company need Mechatronics?

As companies expand, their respective engineering disciplines find it increasingly tough to coordinate and work in perfect tandem. For instance, in the case of any malfunctioning or technical issue, the electrical

engineer, the mechanical engineer and the software specialist at the company keep passing on the blame and shifting accountability. The answer to this problem is the cross-disciplinary approach of mechatronics, which integrates the work of these engineers and facilitates technological innovation. The use of mechatronics maximizes throughput, reduces lead time, eliminates set up time, enables addition of features and enhances productivity. Leveraging on its increasing relevance, mechatronic engineering finds application across a number of industries such as aerospace, automotive, chemical processing, health care, manufacturing and mining. A number of automotive companies in India are using such integrated manufacturing techniques to enhance production. For instance, a German

automobile MNC plant near Pune extensively uses robots and conveyor belts to increase the effectiveness of routine tasks such as the testing of car frames and component dimensions.

The Indian Government is inviting private participation for developing smart cities using advanced technologies such as mechatronics. It targets creating 100 smart cities, as a part of the Budget 2014. However, systems integration comes with its own unique set of challenges. Companies planning to adopt this practice need to make a high upfront investment and ensure significant power availability. In addition, the methods may not always be economically justifiable for small-scale production. Companies will be required to adopt some best practices to extract the maximum value from their mechatronics investment.

- microelectronics - measurment technology - sensor technology - measuring systems

- systems theory - Informatization engineering - programming - artical intelligence

- mechanical engineering - precision mechanics - technical mechanics - drive technology

Electronics Informatics

Mechanics

Mechatronics

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Modeling Mechatronics

Companies are required to “model” mechatronics as a robust process, rather than considering it just a form of any other engineering. This will require the use of uniform terminology; graphical representation of product structures and architecture; standardized product documentations; identification of interdependencies among functions; effective collaboration; and pre-emption of resolutions to design issues. To make all of this possible, management will need to connect the ultimate project manager to the assembly through line design connecting mechanical, process technology, hardware, software and usability systems. Companies are recommended to use model-based system engineering (MBSE), which is a digital model for system engineering. It is based on software tools and modeling languages such as METUS and SysML. The model defines

correlations among system requirements, functions and structure. It thus facilitates the sharing of all cross-disciplinary information among various engineering disciplines in a convenient manner. A leading machinery and equipment building company recently shifted to this model from its traditional sequential approach.

Creating integrated teams and managing knowledge

The implementation of mechatronics solutions requires strong integration among the mechanical, electronic and software engineering teams that are working toward a common goal. This requires better coordination between specific-discipline teams through effective communication and clear ownership. More often than not, they bring with them natural silos of knowledge that they must overcome, in order to work together. In addition, it is a

good practice for companies to have in place a clear dispute settlement mechanism to help them reach a middle ground. It is very important to define mechatronic system boundaries and establish clarity on the desired end objective. For instance, the scope for designing and producing smartphones will be considerably different from that ofcreating an infotainment system in an automobile. While setting the scope, companies also need to incorporate market intelligence and any previous feedback from customers. Once the scope is set and the boundaries are defined, all of the involved teams should ideally set regular touch points to develop a common understanding and foster collaboration at all stages. One key factor for guaranteeing the success of mechatronics solutions is having system engineers understand what the customer wants and how his or her requirement fits into the

overall product design. Teams are required to be trained to understand how changes in the final product affect customer usage.

Managing iterations

One major limitation of systems engineering is the excessive debug iterations required for its verification. These debug cycles extend development times and push out schedules, having huge cost and time implications. This is because, end user requirements cannot be completely known and frozen early on in the process and they evolve additionaltime. As a result, the product often fails to meetcustomer expectations. Companies are, therefore, advised to have numerous checks in place with end users to ensure that that product is being developed as per their expectations.Rising customer expectation, increasing competition and escalating cost pressures are compelling companies to look for better ways of creating

There are two important features about Internet of Things (IoT’s): mobility & connectivity and the main purpose being to collect live information from anywhere at any time.

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more appealing “intelligent” products

Impact of Big Data Analytics and IoT’s on Mechatronics

Today’s competitive manufacturer knows that looking at individual features and functionality is no longer enough. We also need to focus on experience as well as product benefits. Focusing on experience, we would need to know what customers want to feel, to touch and to see, and how all of these affect their actions and emotions.To stay competitive, we would also need to use big data to discover customers’ preferences, even the ones that were not available before. Then we would need to be able to translate these insights, experiences, and preferences into product attributes, such as energy consumption, usability, capacity and performance.

Once we know what attributes we would want your smart Mechatronics appliance to have, we should be able to communicate these specifications to design teams simultaneously and automatically. This would mean that all of the different design teams for software, mechanical design, electronics and other areas would get the attributes that we need and want at the same time.

We should be able to make trade-off decisions on how our design would be met by each of these design teams. This way, we can transition into a more competitive and high tech manufacturing company by helping to define processes using established systems’ engineering principles.

Internet of Things (IoT’s)

There are two important features about these products: mobility & connectivity. Its main purpose is to collect live information from anywhere at any time. This leads us to the second important element of IoT – data. When we have one device collecting information, the outcome of that process is called data. But when we have billions of connected devices that are collecting all different types of information for us, then it will become Big Data.

In my opinion, Big Data is the derived content of IoT. Its purpose is to be analyzed in order to better understand the behaviors of systems or consumers. Once companies can identify the patterns and interrelations among different behaviors, which seem to be random or disordered, they can anticipate events or activities that will occur in the near future and build an offer to bring additional value to users. The best way to deliver such

additional value is through services. Service is the third important element of IoT. It is also the most profitable and valuable part of the entire IoT value chain.

If product and data are about creating needs, services are usually designed to be the exact solution to satisfy those needs.

The good news is that we can take charge of mechatronic product development by using better processes and using technology to provide integration, traceability and visibility platforms.

How to achieve successful Mechatronics Product Development

1) Set the goal and make sure that everybody is aware of what these goals are, so that they all work towards it. To be effective in setting goals, we should consider what are needed to achieve that goal.

2) What we need is a way to consolidate the requirements, that are drilled down to actionable details. These requirements need to be version-controlled so that it could go through the entire product life-cycle, and become guideline for the product’s design and used for product validation.

3) Regarding Mechatronics requirements, we need to come up with a conceptual design. Getting the conceptual design right would help us to avoid expensive reworks and redesigns.

4) We need to validate our

product with respect to functionality.

5) Design by discipline- If we have products’ requirements, we can have different parts of the product designed simultaneously. The challenge at this stage is that different disciplines usually mean different tools and different design lifecycles. However, parallel design efforts can help us to cut the ‘time to market’.

6) Revise when necessary. Always address errors and bugs in a timely manner, so that we can manage these changes as well.

All of these steps in a mechatronics collaboration platform can help us to make our smart products even more competitive.

References -

1) Mechanical + Electronic + Computing= Why does your company need Mechatronics- Advisory India Blog from EY

2) Google - material on Mechatronics.

The author Rajesh Angadi completed his BE, MBA, PMP and is Hadoop Certified. With 22 years of Information Technology experience he worked on projects for Unisys, Intel, Satyam, Microsoft, Ford, Hartford, Compaq, and Princeton. He is always fascinated by the latest technology coming up in the IT sector and striving to keep pace with it. Interests in Information Technologies research areas like Hadoop Ecosystem, Predictive Analysis, Telematics, Clinical research with Analysis.

The Indian Government is inviting private participation for developing smart cities using advanced technologies such as mechatronics. It targets creating 100 smart cities, as a part of the Budget 2014