Aksum Institute of Technology

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Course Title: Introduction to Mechatronics

Course Code: MEng5271

By:- Sultan M.nur (MSc)

 Chapter One
Introduction to Mechatronics

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Definition and Application Area of Mechatronics

 “The word, mechatronics is composed of mecha from

mechanics and tronics from electronics.
In other words, technologies and developed products will be
incorporating electronics more and more into mechanisms,
intimately and organically, and making it impossible to tell
where one ends and the other begins.”
T. Mori, “Mechatronics,” Yasakawa Internal Trade mark
Application Memo,21.131.01, July 12, 1969

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 “Integration of electronics, control engineering, and
mechanical engineering.”
W. Bolton, Mechatronics: Electronic Control Systems in
Mechanical Engineering, Longman, 1995

 “Application of complex decision making to the operation of

physical systems.”
D. M. Auslander and C. J. Kempf, Mechatronics: Mechanical
System Interfacing, Prentice-Hall, 1996

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 “Synergistic integration of mechanical engineering with
electronics and intelligent computer control in the design and
manufacturing of industrial products and processes.”
F. Harshama, M. Tomizuka, and T. Fukuda, “Mechatronics-
what is it, why, and how?-and editorial,” IEEE/ASME Trans.
on Mechatronics, 1(1), 1-4, 1996.
 “Synergistic use of precision engineering, control theory,
computer science, and sensor and actuator technology to
design improved products and processes.”
S. Ashley, “Getting a hold on mechatronics,” Mechanical
Engineering, 119(5), 1997. Sultan M.nur
 “Methodology used for the optimal design of
electromechanical products.”
D. Shetty and R. A Kolk, Mechatronics System Design, PWS
Pub. Co., 1997.

 “Field of study involving the analysis, design, synthesis, and

selection of systems that combine electronics and mechanical
components with modern controls and microprocessors.”
D. G. Alciatore and M. B. Histand, Introduction to
Mechatronics and Measurement Systems, McGraw Hill, 1998.
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 Mechatronics is a multidisciplinary field that integrates

mechanical engineering,  control engineering, and

electrical engineering,  computer science
to design smart machines that manage complexity,
uncertainty, and communication in engineering systems.

Fig 1: Definition and application area of mechatronics

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Elements of Mechatronics
 Mechanical Elements
 Mechanical elements refer to
 mechanical structure,  mechanism,  thermo-fluid,
 pneumatic and hydraulic aspects of a mechatronics system.
 Mechanical elements may include static/dynamic
characteristics.
 A mechanical element interacts with its environment
purposefully.
 Mechanical elements require physical power to produce
motion, force, heat, etc.
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 Electromechanical Elements
 Electromechanical elements refer to
 Sensors:
A variety of physical variables can be measured using sensors,
e.g., • light using photo-resistor,
• level and displacement using potentiometer,
• direction/tilt using magnetic sensor,
• sound using microphone,
• stress and pressure using strain gauge,
• touch using micro-switch,
• temperature using thermistor, and
• humidity using conductivity sensor.
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  Actuators:
An actuator is a component of a machine that produces force,
torque, or displacement, usually in a controlled way, when an
electrical, pneumatic, or hydraulic input is supplied to it in a
system.
An actuator converts such an input signal into the required form
of mechanical energy. It is a type of transducer.
E.g. • Speaker, • Solenoid,
• DC servomotor, • Light emitting diode (LED),
• Stepper motor, • Shape memory alloy,
• Electromagnet,
• Pump apply commanded action on the physical
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 Electrical/Electronic Elements
 Electrical elements refer to
 electrical components (e.g. capacitor (C), resistor (R), inductor
(L), transformer, etc.),
 Circuits, and
 analog signals
 Electronic elements refer to
 analog/digital electronics,  transistors,
 operational amplifiers,  thyristors,
 opto-isolators,
 power electronics, and
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 signal conditioning
  The electrical/electronic elements are used to interface
electromechanical sensors and actuators to the control
interface/computing hardware elements.
 Control Interface/Computing Hardware Elements
 Control interface/computing hardware elements refer to
 analog-to-digital converter (A2D),
 digital-to-analog converter (D2A),
 digital input/output (I/O),
 counters,  microprocessor,
 timers,  microcontroller,
 data acquisition and control (DAC) board, and
 digital signal processing (DSP) board.
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  Control interface hardware allows analog/digital
interfacing
Communication of sensor signal to the control computer and
communication of control signal from the control computer to the
actuator.
 Control computing hardware implements a control
algorithm, which uses sensor measurements, to compute
control actions to be applied by the actuator.

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  Computer elements refer to hardware/software utilized to
perform:
 computer-aided dynamic system analysis, optimization,
design, and simulation
 rapid control prototyping
 hardware-in-the-loop simulation
 PC-based data acquisition and control

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Review of Control Systems
 A control system is designed to make a system do what we
want it to do. The control decisions can be made either
 by an analog control circuit, in which case the controller is called
an analog controller, or

 by a digital computer, in which case the controller is called a

digital controller.

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 Digital Control
 In digital control, the control decision rules are coded in
software. This software code implementing the control
decisions is called the digital control algorithm.

In digital control the sensor signals must be converted to digital form,

and the digital control decisions must be converted to analog signals
to send to the actuation system. Sultan M.nur
 Discrete event control refers to the control logic based on
sensors and uses actuators which have only two level states,
ON/OFF, (i.e., pneumatic cylinders controlled by an ON/OFF
solenoid, relays).
The sequence controllers use sensors and actuators which
have only an ON/OFF state, and the control algorithm is a
logic between the sensors and ON/OFF actuators. Such
controls are generally implemented using
 programmable logic controllers (PLC) and
 microcontrollers in the automation industry.
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 Microcontroller: Integrated electronic computing device that
includes three major components on a single chip
• Microprocessor (MPU)
• Memory
• I/O (Input/Output) ports

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 The main advantages of digital control over analog control
are as follows:
1. Increased flexibility:
changing the control algorithm is a matter of changing
the software.
2. Increased level of decision making capability:
implementing nonlinear control functions, logical
decision functions, conditional actions to be taken, and
learning from experience can all be programmed in
software.
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 Analog Control
 In analog control, all of the signals are continuous,

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 There are two basic forms of control system
 open-loop control system and
 closed-loop control system.

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 Open-loop Control System
 If the control decisions do not take any sensor signal of the
controlled variables (i.e. output) into account and decisions
are made based on some pre-defined sequence or operator
commands, such a control system is called open loop.

 Open-loop control systems have the advantage of being relatively

simple and consequently low cost with generally good reliability.
 However, there are disadvantages like inaccuracy since there is no
correction for error.
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 Closed-loop Control System
 Closed loop control system means control decisions are made
based on the measurements of the actual system response (i.e.
output).

The actual response is fed back to the controller, and the control
decision is made based on this feedback signal and the desired
response. Sultan M.nur
 In comparison, we will take the real-world issues into
consideration, namely, disturbances, changes in process
dynamics, and sensor noise.
It has been long recognized that using feedback information
(sensor signals) about the controlled variable in determining
the control action provides robustness against changing
conditions and disturbances.
 . Closed-loop control systems have the advantage of being relatively
accurate in matching the actual to the required values.
 They are, however, having disadvantages like, more complex and
so more costly and a greater chance of breakdown as a
consequence of the greater number of components. Sultan M.nur
 Comparison of Open-Loop and Close-Loop Control Systems

Open-loop Control System Closed-loop Control System

No feedback. Hence feedback element is Feedback exists. Hence feedback elements
absent. are exists.
No error detector. Error detector is present.
It is inaccurate. It is accurate.
Highly sensitive to parameter changes. less sensitive to parameter changes.
Stable. May become unstable.
Economical. Costly.
Examples: Coffee maker, hair drier Examples: Guided missile, servo system

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 Basic Elements of a Closed-loop Control System
 Comparison Element:
This compares the reference value of the variable condition
being controlled with the measured value of what is being
achieved, and produces an error signal.
The feedback is said to be negative feedback when the signal
which is fed back subtracts from the input value.
Error signal = reference value signal - measured value signal

Positive feedback occurs when the signal fed back adds to the
input signal.
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 Control Element:
It decides what action to take when it receives an error signal
E.g. a signal to operate a switch or open a valve.

 Correction Element:
Produces a change in the process to correct or change the
controlled condition.
E.g. a switch on a heater to increase the temperature of the process or
a valve which opens and allows more liquid to enter the process.

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 Process/Plant Element:
The process that is being controlled.
E.g. room whose temperature is being controlled, or tank whose level
is being controlled.

 Measurement Element:
Produces a signal related to the variable condition of the
process/plant that is being controlled.
E.g. a switch which is switched on when a particular position (or
level) is reached or a thermocouple which gives an emf related to the
temperature. Sultan M.nur
 Modeling control systems and identifying their responses
to various input

Modeling a control system involves representing the

dynamics of the system and the controller using transfer
functions or state-space equations.

By applying different reference signals or disturbances as

inputs, we can study the response of the controlled system in
terms of stability, transient response, and steady-state error.

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Therefore, there are three major
analysis and design criteria for
control system:
• stability,
• transient response, and
• steady-state error.

In all these cases, understanding the input-output behavior of the

system is crucial for designing and optimizing its performance.
Mathematical modeling and simulation tools such as MATLAB,
Simulink, or Python can be used to analyze the responses of these
systems to various inputs. Sultan M.nur
 Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) Control
 Despite the great variety and richness of control theory, more
than 90% of the feedback controllers in practice are of the
PID type.
Due to its wide usage in practice, PID control is considered a
fundamental controller type.
 . The first way is the P of PID, the proportional, term. This
term represents the control action made in proportion to the
error.
In other words, the bigger the error, the bigger the
correction. Sultan M.nur
  The I in PID is for the integral of the error over time. The
integral term produces a correction that considers the time
the error has been present.
Stated in other words, the longer the error continues, the
bigger the correction.

 Lastly, the D in PID stands for derivative. In the derivative

term, the corrective action is related to the derivative or
change of the error with respect to time.
Stated in other words, the faster the error is changing, the
bigger the correction.
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 Control systems can use P, PI, PD, or PID in creating
corrective actions.
The problem generally is “tuning” the system by selecting the
proper values in the terms.

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Controlling Electromechanical Systems using simple
passive circuits or PLC
 Electromechanical systems in mechatronics refer to devices or
systems that combine electrical and mechanical components,
bridging the worlds of electricity and motion to create
integrated system to achieve specific functions.
These systems typically involve the conversion of electrical
energy into mechanical motion, or vice versa, and often
incorporate sensors, actuators, motors, and control systems to
accomplish tasks such as motion control, sensing, and
actuation. Sultan M.nur
 Controlling electromechanical systems using simple passive
circuits or PLC involves using electrical signals to activate
and control various components of the system.
 Controlling Electromechanical Systems using Simple
Passive Circuits
 Controlling electromechanical systems using simple passive
circuits involves using basic electrical components such as
resistors, capacitors, inductors, and switches to create control
logic and manage the operation of electromechanical devices.
 Here are some ways in which simple passive circuits can be
used to control electromechanical systems: Sultan M.nur
1. Relay Control:
Relays are simple electromechanical switches that can be controlled
by low-power electrical signals.
By using relays in combination with passive components, such as
resistors and capacitors, it is possible to create control circuits that
can turn on or off motors (lights, or other electrical devices) based on
specific input conditions.
2. Timer Circuits:
Passive circuits can be used to create simple timer circuits that control
the timing of electromechanical system operations.
For example, a combination of resistors and capacitors can be used to
create a time delay circuit that controls the activation of a motor or a
valve after a specific period. Sultan M.nur
3. Voltage Regulators:
Passive voltage regulation circuits can be used to control the voltage
supplied to electromechanical devices, ensuring that they operate
within specified voltage limits.
This can be crucial for protecting sensitive components from
overvoltage conditions.
4. Filter Circuits:
Passive filter circuits, such as RC (resistor-capacitor) or LC
(inductor-capacitor) filters, can be used to condition electrical signals
before they are used to control electromechanical systems.
For example, a filter circuit can be used to remove unwanted noise
from a sensor signal before it is used to trigger an action in the system.
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5. Control Signal Conditioning:
Passive circuits can be used to condition control signals from sensors
or other input devices before they are used to control
electromechanical devices.
For instance, voltage dividers or level shifters can be used to adapt the
voltage levels of control signals to match the requirements of the
devices being controlled.
Note:
 simple passive circuits can be effective for basic control applications,
 more complex systems may require the use of active components such as
transistors, operational amplifiers, and integrated circuits to achieve the
desired level of control and automation.
 additionally, microcontrollers and programmable logic devices offer more
advanced and flexible control options for electromechanical systems. Sultan M.nur
 Key features and functions of simple passive circuits in
mechatronics include:
 Simplicity: Passive circuits, such as relays and basic control circuits,
offer a simple approach to controlling electromechanical systems. They
are straightforward to design and implement for basic control tasks.
 Cost-Effectiveness: For simple control tasks, passive circuits can be
cost-effective in comparison to the hardware and programming
investments required for PLCs.
 Low Complexity: Passive circuits are less complex than PLCs and
may be more accessible for individuals or small-scale operations with
basic control requirements.
 Reliability: In certain applications, where the operational requirements
are not complex, passive circuits can provide a reliable solution with
minimal components and points of failure. Sultan M.nur
 Controlling Electromechanical Systems using PLC
 Modern control systems include some form of computer, most
often an embedded computer or programmable logic
controller (PLC).
 An embedded computer is a microprocessor or microcontroller
based system used for a specific task rather than general-purpose
computing. It is normally hidden from the user, except for a
control interface.
 A PLC is a form of embedded controller that has been designed
for the control of industrial machinery.

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 In the field of mechatronics, a PLC is a specialized industrial
computer (digital electronic device) that uses a programmable
memory to store instructions and to implement
functions such as logic, sequencing, timing, counting and
arithmetic in order to control electromechanical processes
and machinery in manufacturing and automation
environments.
 PLC is a microprocessor-based controller with multiple input
and output interfaces to connect to sensors, actuators, motors,
and other devices to facilitate precise control, monitoring, and
automation of industrial machinery, manufacturing systems,
and other complex mechanical and mechatronic systems. Sultan M.nur
 With hard-wired relay logic panels, if there is a need to
change the automation logic and functions of a line, the logic
wiring between the input and output signals in the panel had
to be physically changed.
This is a time consuming and costly process. PLC performs
the logic functions of relays, timers, counters and sequencers
and it allows the logic be soft-wired instead of hard-wired
which simplifies manipulation.

Sultan M.nur Hardwired control system PLC system

 Key features and functions of PLCs in mechatronics include:
 Versatility: PLCs are highly versatile and can be programmed to
control a wide range of electromechanical systems, from simple
conveyor belts to complex manufacturing processes.
Also, this can involve simple tasks such as turning on a motor when a sensor
detects an object, or more complex tasks such as coordinating the operation of
multiple devices in a manufacturing process.
 Flexibility: PLCs are designed to be easily reprogrammed and
reconfigured to adapt to changing production requirements or
process improvements.
This flexibility allows for efficient modifications and upgrades without the need for
extensive rewiring or hardware changes.

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 Communication: PLCs often have communication capabilities to
interface with other control systems (such as Human Machine
Interface (HMIs), sensors and actuators), supervisory control and
data acquisition (SCADA) systems, and higher-level enterprise
systems for data exchange, remote monitoring and control which
is beneficial for large-scale industrial applications.
 Safety: PLCs can be used to implement safety functions, such as
emergency stop circuits and safety interlocks, to ensure the safe
operation of machinery and equipment.

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 Typically, a PC is used as an offline program development, as
well as an online debugging and monitoring tool (e.g, using
the RS-232 serial interface).
The memory can be ROM (read only memory), EPROM
(electrically programmable ROM), EEPROM (erasable
electrically programmable ROM), or battery backed RAM
(random access memory) type.

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 Simple Passive Circuits PLC
(Hard wired control )

 The functions are determined  The functions are determined

using physical wiring using programs stored in a
memory
 Changing function means,  The control function can be
changing wiring changed simply by changing
the program
 Can be contact making type  Consist of control device to
(relays, contactors…) or which all sensors and
electronics type (logic circuit) actuators are connected
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Advantage and Disadvantage of Mechatronic Systems
Advantages: Disadvantage:
 High degree of flexibility to modify or  High initial cost.
redesign  Multi-disciplinary engineering
 Cost effective and good quality background required to design and
products implementation.
 Very good performance characteristics  Need of highly trained workers.
 Wide area of application  Complexity in identification and
 Greater productivity in case of correction of problems in the
manufacturing organization systems.
 Greater extend of machine utilization
 User and environment friendly
 Smaller geometry
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Design Project Proposal

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 End
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