INTRODUCTIONTO MECHATRONICS

By : S. Nazim Mehdi

Mechanical Engineering (3rd yr.)

G.L.B.I.T.M

Mechatronics is the synergistic combination of

mechanical engineering, electronics ,controls engineering, and computers.

Mechatronics is adding intelligence to a mechanical designs. As technology advances, designs that were once purely mechanical are now best done with electronics or a combination of both.

Perhaps the best way to understand mechatronics is to look at example applications where microcontrollers have enhanced or replaced the mechanical and analog components of a design.

Electronic Fuel Injection

Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) works on two major principles. The first is the ability to measure the mass of the air flowing through the intake manifold. The second is the ability to measure the exhaust gas oxygen content.

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Using sensors for the observation of these variables, a properly programmed EFI system can inject a nearly stoichiometric mix of fuel and air into the motor's cylinder and thus obtain the best combustion and fuel economy characteristics.

The system is timed by a cam position sensor and is fine tuned with data from a variety of other sensors including exhaust gas temperature, throttle position, and valve position. Fuel line pressure, motor RPM, fuel jet flow rate, and intake gas pressure with A/F ratio, exhaust gas temperature, throttle position, and mass-air flow.

There are many benefits to a mechatronics solution. These benefits include:

Enhanced features and functionality Incorporating a PIC® microcontroller

More user-friendly

Power windows, power door locks, keyless entry

Precision control

Flow rate, speed, position

More efficientPulse Width Modulation (PWM)

Lower cost Microcontroller-based approach

Flexible design (reprogrammable) Software controlled parameters

More reliable Optical encoder and digital display

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