MEng Mechatronic Engineering with Industrial Experience / Course details

This unit will cover the following:

Background review on dynamics: free-body diagrams, equations of motion for linear and rotational motion. Vibrations in mechanical systems. Overview and comparison between different actuator systems; hydraulic, pneumatic and electrical. Dynamics of drive systems, power transmission, inertia matching, basic gearbox designs. Electrical actuators (stepper motors, PM and DC motors, PM materials) and sensors (position and velocity sensing devices). Modelling of mechatronic systems in Matlab-Simulink.

The course unit aims to:

The course unit is aimed at providing fundamental concepts about the dynamics of drive systems and to introduce the main families of actuators with special emphasis to electrical motors and sensors currently used in mechatronic systems. The course is also intended to develop basic skills for the simulation of mechatronic systems.

On the successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

ILO 1 - Describe and Apply the principles of operation and choice criteria of typical mechatronic actuators

ILO 2 - Illustrate the operation principles of position and velocity measuring devices used in mechatronic systems.

ILO 3 - Formulate fundamental dynamic models of mechatronic systems

ILO 4 - Create MATLAB-SIMULINK models of basic mechatronic systems

ILO 5 - Analyse dynamics of mechanical systems to determine mechatronic system requirements

Lectures, tutorials, practical work, computer based modelling exercise, revision tutorial.

Some interactive animations used in lectures to illustrate principles of operation of actuator devices.

Coursework:

Two separate laboratory reports 20% (10% each)

.

• W. T. Thompson, “Theory of vibrations with applications”, Chapman and Hall
• S. Timoshenko, “Vibration problems in engineering”, Van Nostrand
• J. Mazurkiewicz, Feedback devices, Baldor electric, available online at www.motioncontrolonline.org
• R. M. Crowder, Electric Drives and their Controls, Oxford Science Publications, 1995, ISBN 0 19 859371 6