Applied Mechatronics
Tillämpad Mekatronik

EIEN45F, 10 credits

Valid from: Autumn 2021
Decided by: Professor Thomas Johansson
Date of establishment: 2021-06-24

General Information

Division: Industrial Electrical Engineering and Automation
Course type: Course given jointly for second and third cycle
The course is also given at second-cycle level with course code: EIEN45
Teaching languages: English, Swedish

Aim

The development of today’s and tomorrow’s products demands, all the more often, an optimised combination of electromechanical solutions and embedded systems (integrated electronics and software). The aim of the course is for the student to use the knowledge and skills obtained from previous courses and independently identify solutions for complex mechatronic assignments. The course consists of two parts. The first one is the development of a concept, based on technical specifications originating from a real industrial problem (the concept will be implemented into a working industrial prototype in another optional course). This concept development is carried out by a “Mechatronics” team with mixed competences covering all relevant areas, including at least one Electrical Engineering student and one Mechanical Engineering student. The second part of the course consists on an individual assignment to construct a complete mechatronic system to control a DC motor from a PC, including the communication with the PC, design and assembly of the necessary circuit boards, programming of microcontrollers, sensor technology and automatic control strategies. The system is built in a lab open 24/7 where cooperation is encouraged, although the final examination is on an individual basis. The course aims at giving deeper competence / detailed knowledge within specific fields as mechanical engineering (including mechanical design, choice of materials and machine parts), electromechanical energy conversion, electronics and software, understanding of the problems and possibilities in adjacent disciplines (other than your own) – what can and cannot be achieved, and what kind of expertise is required depending on the problem at hand-, ability to cooperate both within a certain discipline and cross-disciplinary, including knowledge of industrial product design methodology (from demand to concept, considering the entire product life cycle), insightful respect fo what is demanded to accomplish a robust system, including key components as well as overall system aspects.

Goals

Knowledge and Understanding

For a passing grade the doctoral student must

• be able to recognize the various phases in a product development project and apply the principles for product development to mechatronic development projects, machines, and electronics,
• understand the principles for programming embedded systems and communication in integrated control systems,
• have insight into the basic principles and methods of mechatronics including the combination of computer science, electrical engineering and mechanics that is needed to design working and effective products.

Competences and Skills

For a passing grade the doctoral student must

• use applicable methods for product development in a mechatronic team,
• formulate and judge real-time requirements for integrated control systems,
• make a specification for suitable materials, production methods, control electronics, and the power electronics and electromagnetic energy converters of a certain product,
• independently conceive, build and debug a complete mechatronic system, with given components, data sheets and other information search,
• independently describe the structure and subfunctions in a complex mechatronic system of one's own design with regard to hardware and software,
• systematically debug the system of one's own design and its parts and by individual work be able to restore the functionality.

Judgement and Approach

For a passing grade the doctoral student must

• have the understanding and judgement to respect and demand all the various competences that are necessary for mechatronic constructive design,
• have the confidence to debug and operate a mechatronic system.

Course Contents

Introduction to the prerequisites of the participants from other engineering programmes than one's own, e.g. real time programming and product design methodology, followed by deeper theory of: Product development and design methodology. Practical automatic control. Analogue electronics. Simulation of electronics and mechanics. Debugging. EMC, protection and security. Environmentally friendly electronic prototype development. Microprocessors and programming of embedded systems. Interface to PC. Device drivers. Computer communication. Sensors. Actuators. Electromechanical energy conversion. Mechanical prototype development. Search/interpretation of technical documentation.

Course Literature

Litteratur ingår i kurssatsen av verktyg och material som tillhandahålls av institutionen.

Instruction Details

Types of instruction: Lectures, project

Examination Details

Examination formats: Oral exam, written report, written assignments. Examination is done in two steps, for a project group of students and indiviually: For the project group examination, the approved assignments, an approved written report and an approved oral presentation of the industrial concept evaluation are needed, For the individual examination, the student shall explain and run her/his selfmade mechatronic system, the teacher will then introduce a number of faults which need to be detected and repaired by the student for approval. Both examinations should be approved to get the grade G.
Grading scale: Failed, pass
Examiner:

Admission Details

Assumed prior knowledge: Approved first course in programming and electronics/electrical engineering.

Course Occasion Information

Contact and Other Information

Course coordinator: Fran Marquez <fran.marquez@iea.lth.se>
Web page: http://www.iea.lth.se/