Training for Manufacturing Jobs: What is Mechatronics?

Currently, the market scene is characterized by increased expectations by consumers, stiff and intense competition, and the ever-rising costs of doing business. As a result, companies are in a constant bid to design products that are not only of high quality but also affordable. This has led to the need for mechatronics engineering.

Good becomes better when mechanical electronic, software, and computer engineering are integrated to design, process, and manufacture products. Mechatronics usually combines these disciplines to design a smart product, which is superior to the sum of its parts.

What is Mechatronics?

This is the multidisciplinary field of engineering, which combines mechanical engineering, systems engineering, telecommunications engineering, electrical engineering, computer engineering, and a bit of computer science. As such, sectors such as artificial engineering, robotics and others, which are based on automation of processes, borrow heavily from mechatronics.

What are the Pros of Pursuing Mechatronics?

Versatility

Being well versed in both electrical and mechanical engineering diversifies your options when it comes to choosing the industries you can venture into. You are able to take on practical mechanical work, programming, and wiring, which are core skills that are highly appreciated, particularly if you are good at them.

Automation & Robotics Specialty

Mechatronics is dedicated to the studying and learning of Automation and Robotics which are key growth sectors in the upcoming years. This specialty is what makes you the prime person that companies and manufacturers need.

Growth Potential

Mechatronics is still relatively green as compared to other disciplines in spite of the progress it has brought about in automation and manufacturing. This means that there are many opportunities to make an impact in the body of knowledge.

Why Do Companies need Mechatronics?

As industries continue to expand, their respective engineering fields are finding it increasingly difficult to coordinate and work synchronously. For example, in the event of any malfunctioning or technical problem, the mechanical engineer, the software specialist, and the electrical engineer at the enterprise keep shifting accountability and passing on the blame.

The solution to this issue is the cross-disciplinary approach taken by mechatronics, which fuses the work of these engineers thereby facilitating technological innovation. The success of following this approach is already being evidenced by the development of products such as CD players and camcorders. Mechatronics is efficient in how it eliminates set up time, reduces lead-time, enables the addition of features and thus enhances productivity.

Using its growing relevance, mechatronics finds its applications across various industries such as automotive, aerospace, healthcare, chemical processing, mining, and manufacturing. A good number of automakers are utilizing integrated manufacturing methods to enhance production. They make use of conveyor belts and robots to increase the efficiency of routine processes such as the testing of component dimensions and car frames.

What Are some Common Mechatronics Practices?

Modeling Mechatronics

This involves considering mechatronics as a robust process instead of just another form of engineering. The enterprise is required to use uniform terminology, graphically represent the product architecture and structure, identify the interdependencies among functions, standardize product documentation, preempt the resolutions to design issues, and effectively collaborate. For this to happen, the administration needs to connect the project supervisor to the assembly through lone design, which connects software, hardware, process technology, and usability systems.

Creating integrated teams

Implementing a mechatronic solution usually requires that the software, electronic, and mechanical teams are well integrated and are working towards the same goal. This will require effective communication as each team delivers its silo of knowledge thus there needs to be a dispute settlement mechanism in place to help them reach a middle ground.

Managing consumer expectations

Mechatronic systems need clear boundaries, which will establish the desired objectives. Typically, the scope used for designing an infotainment system is considerably different from that for producing smartphones. Thus, before setting the scope, companies should incorporate market intelligence and use feedback from customers. This data is incorporated into the scope design, and the boundaries are set thus, the overall product design is exactly or comes close to the customers’ wants.

Are you interested in a future in advanced manufacturing? If you want to earn a Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering Technology with a concentration in Mechatronics, ECPI University offers this program at an accelerated course of study. For more information, connect with a helpful admissions advisor today.

It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

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