Mechatronics in Action: Case Studies in Mechatronics - Applications and Education / Edition 1

by David Bradley, David W. Russell

Overview

Mechatronics in Action’s case-study approach provides the most effective means of illustrating how mechatronics can make products and systems more flexible, more responsive and possess higher levels of functionality than would otherwise be possible. The series of case studies serves to illustrate how a mechatronic approach has been used to achieve enhanced performance through the transfer of functionality from the mechanical domain to electronics and software.

Mechatronics in Action not only provides readers with access to a range of case studies, and the experts’ view of these, but also offers case studies in course design and development to support tutors in making the best and most effective use of the technical coverage provided. It provides, in an easily accessible form, a means of increasing the understanding of the mechatronic concept, while giving both students and tutors substantial technical insight into how this concept has been developed and used.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781849960793
Publisher:	Springer London
Publication date:	04/07/2010
Edition description:	2010
Pages:	263
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

One of the founders of the Mechatronics Forum, David Bradley has been involved in research and education in mechatronics since the mid-1980s when he was at Lancaster University.

Professor Bradley’s current research includes the design of intelligent and mechatronic systems, system modelling, automated systems for physiotherapy and applications in telecare and telehealth. At the time of writing, he is Professorial Consultant in Mechatronic Systems at the University of Abertay Dundee, a visiting professor at Sheffield University and a member of the Mechatronics Forum Committee, as well as being a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).

He is the co-author of two textbooks on mechatronics, as well as many papers on its underlying philosophy, the nature of mechatronics education, and technical issues such as construction robotics and telecare systems.

David Russell is currently Professor of Electrical Engineering at the School of Graduate Professional Studies at Penn State Great Valley (USA). His current research interests include the measurement of automation effectiveness, intelligent control of non-linear dynamics and the application of systems engineering principles to the medical domain.

Professor Russell is Editor for the Americas for the Springer International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology and has organised several international conferences. He is also a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineering, a Fellow of the IET, a Fellow of the British Computer Society in the UK, a member of the Mechatronics Forum Committee and a senior member of the IEEE. He also serves as the Americas Forum Chair and is a member of the International Strategy Board of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

Table of Contents

1 Introduction David Bradley David W. Russell 1

1.1 Background 1

1.2 What is Mechatronics? 1

1.2.1 Mechatronics and Design Innovation 4

1.2.2 Mechatronics and Manufacturing 5

1.2.3 Mechatronics and Education 7

1.3 Mechatronics and a Sustainable Future 9

1.3.1 Sustainability 9

1.3.2 Mechatronics and Sustainability 11

1.4 The Book 13

References 14

2 Consumption to Contribution: Sustainable Technological Development Through Innovation John H. Millbank 19

2.1 Introduction 19

2.2 The Interpretation of Meaning for Sustainability and Innovation 20

2.3 Desconstructing Technological Innovation as a Driving Force for Sustainable Engineered Systems 21

2.4 Forecasting, Foresight and Technology Assesment 23

2.5 The Influence and Impact of Information and Communication Technologies 24

2.6 Consumption, Obsolescence and Moves Towards Future Proofing 26

2.7 Complexity Paradigms within a Sustainability Context 28

2.8 Rationalising Material Selection and Processing 29

2.9 Conclusion - From Responsible Design to Resource Recovery 31

References 34

3 The "Revolution": a Small Company Revived David Dawson 43

3.1 Some History of the UK Industry-Academic Link, the "KTP" 43

3.2 Some Observations on the Acceptance of Computer-aided Engineering (CAE) in Smaller Companies 44

3.3 The Ducker Engineering Case Study 45

3.3.1 Problem or Opportunity? 45

3.3.2 The "Revolution" 49

3.3.3 Futher Benefits Demonstrated in the CAE Application 51

3.4 Conclusions 53

References 54

4 A Mechatronic Design Process and its Application Xiu-Tian Yan Rémi Zante 55

4.1 Introduction to Mechatronic Design 55

4.2 Mechatronic Design Process Model 55

4.3 A Mechatronic Case Study 59

4.3.1 Mechatronic System Design Problem Description 59

4.3.2 Design Concept Development 59

4.3.3 Detailed Design 61

4.3.4 Electronic Control Unit 67

4.4 Conclusions 69

References 70

5 A Mechatronic Design of a Circular Warp Knitting Machine Memiş Acar 71

5.1 Introduction 71

5.2 Warp Knitting Cycle 72

5.3 Circular Warp Knitting Machine Concept 73

5.4 The Needle Reciprocating Mechanism 75

5.5 The Patterning Mechanism 75

5.5.1 Servo Motor Selection 76

5.6 The Prototype 78

5.6.1 Servo-controlled Needle Motion 79

5.6.2 The Yarn Feed Mechanism 80

5.6.3 Truncated-cone Optimisation 80

5.7 Conclusions 80

Acknowledgements 81

References 81

6 Mechatronics and the Motor Car Derek Seward 83

6.1 Background 83

6.1.1 Vehicle Mechatronic Systems 83

6.1.2 Drivers for Change 86

6.2 Engine Basics 88

6.3 The Mechanical Solution for Ignition Timing and Fuel Delivery 89

6.3.1 Traditional Mechanical Ignition Timing 89

6.3.2 Fuel Delivery - the Carburettor 90

6.4 The Mechatronic Solution to Engine Management 92

6.4.1 Sensors 92

6.4.2 Actuators 93

6.4.3 Processing 94

6.5 Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) 97

6.5.1 Background to the Theory of Braking 97

6.5.2 ABS Components 99

6.5.3 ABS Diagnostics 101

6.6 Conclusions 101

References 101

7 Multi-mode Operations Marine Robotic Vehicle - a Mechatronics Case Study Daniel Toal Edin Omerdic James Riordan Sean Nolan 103

7.1 Introduction 104

7.2 MPPT Ring System Overview 105

7.2.1 Main Features 105

7.2.2 The Virtual Underwater Laboratory 107

7.2.3 Architecture and Implementation 108

7.2.4 Imaging Sonar Simulator 110

7.2.5 Laboratory Configuration 111

7.3 University of Limerick (UL) Thrusted Pontoon/ROV 112

7.3.1 Base Vehicle 112

7.3.2 High-resolution Imaging Tool Skid 114

7.3.3 Onboard Electronics and Computer Control 114

7.3.4 Fault Tolerant Thruster Control 115

7.3.5 Autotuning of Low-level Controllers 116

7.3.6 High Frequency Sonar Enabling at Seabed Operation 117

7.3.7 Interchangeable Inshore and Deep Water Winch System 118

7.4 System Testing 118

7.5 Conclusions 118

References 119

8 Wireless Communication Technology for Modular Mechatronic Controllers Glen Bright Nkgatho S. Tlale Christopher M. Kumile 121

8.1 Introduction 121

8.2 Modular Mechatronic Controllers 122

8.3 Communications Technology 124

8.4 Model-based Mechatronic Controllers 125

8.5 Wireless Mechatronic Controller for the Camera Platform 128

8.5.1 Requirements for the Wireless Mechatronic Controller 129

8.6 Modelling of the Camera Platform 130

8.7 Results 132

8.7.1 Performance of the System 133

8.8 Conclusions 134

References 134

9 The Utility Function Method for Behaviour Selection in Autonomous Robots Mattias Wahde 135

9.1 Introduction 135

9.2 Behaviour Selection 136

9.3 The Concept of Utility 137

9.3.1 A Biological Example 139

9.4 The Utility Function Method 141

9.4.1 Motivation 141

9.4.2 Method 141

9.4.3 Optimisation Procedure 146

9.4.4 Application Example - a Transportation Task 151

9.5 Ongoing Work 154

9.5.1 Extended UF Method 154

9.5.2 Data Preprocessing and Artificial Emotions 154

References 155

10 Force Sensing in Medical Robotics Kaspar Althoefer Hongbin Liu Pinyo Puangmali Dinusha Zbyszewski David Noonan Lakmal D Seneviratne 157

10.1 Background 157

10.2 Force Sensing Techniques in Medical Robotics 159

10.3 The Use of Force Sensing in Medical Robotics 163

10.3.1 Haptic Feedback During Robotic Surgery 163

10.3.2 Soft Tissue Diagnosis Through Tissue Mechanical Property Identification 164

References 171

11 Intelligent Prostheses - a Biomechatronics Approach Abbas Dehghani 173

11.1 Introduction 173

11.2 Biomechatronics and Biological Systems 174

11.2.1 Biomechatronics 174

11.2.2 The Human Body 175

11.3 Prosthetics 175

11.3.1 Human Locomotion 177

11.3.2 Current Prosthetics 179

11.3.3 Future Prosthetics 191

11.4 Conclusions 193

References 193

12 Education in Mechatronics Vladimir V. Vantsevich 197

12.1 Introduction and Background 197

12.2 The Development of the Master of Science in Mechatronics Systems Engineering at Lawrence Technological University 203

12.2.1 Rational for Course Development 203

12.2.2 Programme Structure and Implementation 206

12.3 Summary 216

References 217

13 Mechatronics Education Job van Amerongen 219

13.1 Introduction 219

13.2 Historical Context 220

13.3 Curriculum 222

13.3.1 Mechatronic Designer Programme 223

13.3.2 BSc Curriculum 224

13.3.3 MSc Curriculum 228

13.4 Modelling of Mechatronic Systems 229

13.4 Conclusions 231

References 232

14 A Personal View of the Early Days of Mechatronics in Relation to Aerospace Bill Scarfe 235

15 Mechatronic Futures David Russell David Bradley 241

15.1 Introduction 241

15.2 Challenges 242

15.3 Home Based Technologies 243

15.4 Medicine and eHealth 244

15.5 Transportation 245

15.6 Manufacturing, Automation and Robotics 246

15.7 Communications 247

15.8 Nanotechnologies 247

15.9 Advanced Algorithms 248

15.10 Artificial Intelligence 248

15.11 Conclusions 249

References 249

Authors 251