Page 27 - The Mechatronics Handbook

2

Mechatronic Design

Approach

2.1 Historical Development and Definition
of Mechatronic Systems
2.2 Functions of Mechatronic Systems
Division of Functions Between Mechanics and
Electronics • Improvement of Operating
Properties • Addition of New Functions
2.3 Ways of Integration
Integration of Components (Hardware) • Integration of
Information Processing (Software)
2.4 Information Processing Systems (Basic
Architecture and HW/SW Trade-offs)
Multilevel Control Architecture • Special Signal
Processing • Model-based and Adaptive Control
Systems • Supervision and Fault Detection • Intelligent
Systems (Basic Tasks)
2.5 Concurrent Design Procedure
for Mechatronic Systems
Design Steps • Required CAD/CAE Tools • Modeling
Rolf Isermann Procedure • Real-Time Simulation • Hardware-in-the-Loop
Darmstadt University of Technology Simulation • Control Prototyping

2.1 Historical Development and Definition
of Mechatronic Systems

In several technical areas the integration of products or processes and electronics can be observed. This
is especially true for mechanical systems which developed since about 1980. These systems changed from
electro-mechanical systems with discrete electrical and mechanical parts to integrated electronic-mechanical
systems with sensors, actuators, and digital microelectronics. These integrated systems, as seen in Table 2.1,
are called mechatronic systems, with the connection of MECHAnics and elecTRONICS.
The word “mechatronics” was probably first created by a Japanese engineer in 1969 [1], with earlier
definitions given by [2] and [3]. In [4], a preliminary definition is given: “Mechatronics is the synergetic
integration of mechanical engineering with electronics and intelligent computer control in the design
and manufacturing of industrial products and processes” [5].
All these definitions agree that mechatronics is an interdisciplinary field, in which the following disci-
plines act together (see Fig. 2.1):
• mechanical systems (mechanical elements, machines, precision mechanics);
• electronic systems (microelectronics, power electronics, sensor and actuator technology); and
• information technology (systems theory, automation, software engineering, artificial intelligence).

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