Page 250 - Mechatronic Components Roadmap to Design

Chapter 16

Case Studies

When classic engineering education is considered, education is given by teach-
ing the theory of the subjects followed by projects and hands on experience. The
fundamental problem in mechatronics education is that the field covers mechan-
ical, electrical, and computer engineering fields and it is too broad. Moreover,
the real problem lies in the fact that the systems to be designed are complex and
a decision made in one part of the system effects the other parts. In order to
overcome this difficulty, this book can be used to understand and compare
the advantages and disadvantages of the subsystems. The following examples
show how this book can be used for mechatronic system design.

Case 1: Flow of material inside 3D printer nozzle

The importance of 3D printers in engineering design is increasing remarkably.
Some of the methods a decade ago were impossible to do because of the cost but
now are both affordable and relatively easy.
During a nose surgery the doctors use a suction system to drain the bleeding.
In this project, the team was asked to design a plastic pipe to be put inside the
nasal cavity to drain the blood. First of all a mold is made and by using silicon a
pipe is manufactured. It would be very difficult to make a mold without a three-
dimensional (3D) printer.
In the second stage of the project the team realized that it would be very
advantageous to make a 3D printer, which can use a biomaterial. Even though
the earlier pipe could be used in the surgery, some patients might have an aller-
gic reaction to silicon.
When the 3D bioprinter is being designed, the team faced the problem of the
material flowing inside the extruder. In Chapter 3, Reynolds number is
explained, which defines if the flow is laminar or turbulent. Since the material
is heated from outside of the nozzle, mixing of the material is desired for better
heat distribution. In order to increase the turbulence, the Reynolds number
should be bigger than 4000. There are different ways to increase the Reynolds
number, based on head drop, pressure drop, and flow coefficient. By using these
different formulas the designer can change the extruder design to ensure
turbulent flow.

Mechatronic Components. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-814126-7.00016-5
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