A proposed approach to mechatronics design education: Integrating design methodology,simulation with projects

Mechatronics engineering graduates are expected to design mechatronics products with higher performance and lower costs. The success of a mechatronics engineering program is directly related to the structural design methodology, modeling and simulation, and the practical implementation of fully integrated physical systems. In this paper a mechatronics design education-oriented V-model was proposed to fulfill these requirements. The main idea behind our proposed approach aims to integrate various stages such as design, simulation and physical implementations in development of mechatronics product or system. Students are asked to first follow the structural design methodology to do the conceptual and further detail design for an open-ended problem, then to do appropriate simulation to verify the feasibility of the design, and at last to integrate all components and subsystems into a complete physical product or system. The V-model-related courses and structures were explained in detail, and project implementation experiences were described and discussed with the help of example student projects.     

Model-driven engineering of Manufacturing Automation Software Projects – A SysML-based approach

This paper comprises a SysML-based approach to support the model-driven engineering (MDE) of Manufacturing Automation Software Projects (MASP). The Systems Modeling Language (SysML) is adapted to define the SysML-AT (SysML for automation), a specialized language profile that covers (non-)functional requirements, corresponding software applications and properties of proprietary hardware components. Furthermore, SysML-AT supports an automated software generation for run-time environments conforming to IEC 61131-3. A prototypical tool support was realized for adapted SysML Parametric Diagrams (PD) inside an industrial automation software development tool. Coupling the model editor and online data from the provided run-time environment enables direct debugging inside the model. The approach was evaluated by several case studies and additional usability experiments. With the latter, the suitability of the MDE approach for future users was proven.     

Mechatronics education at CDHAW of Tongji University: Laboratory guidelines,framework, implementations and improvements

Engineering education is facing unprecedented challenges and exciting opportunities, particularly in the mechatronics engineering education area. Due to the highly applied nature of mechatronics engineering, mechatronics students need a focused laboratory environment which is as close as possible to the real-world situation to apply and absorb mechatronics concepts, and to assist them in the development of “hands-on” skills. The Chinese–German School of Applied Sciences (Chinesisch-Deutsche Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften, CDHAW) is an educational project of the Chinese Ministry of Education and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, implemented by the Tongji University and a consortium of German Universities of Applied Sciences. In a previous paper – mechatronics education at CDHAW of Tongji University: structure, orientation and curriculum, which was published in Journal Mechatronics 2008;18:172–7, the authors presented the orientation and curriculum design of mechatronics education at CDHAW. In this paper, we will discuss systematically the guidelines, framework, implementations and improvements of our mechatronics laboratory corresponding to our orientation and curriculum design.     

Engineering education for mechatronics

This paper defines mechatronics, explains mechatronics philosophy, and describes characteristics of mechatronics products and systems. It reviews aspects of education and training for mechatronics and compares the two different approaches to engineering education: generalist engineering versus specialist engineering. It also examines the Japanese approach to product development strategies and mechatronics education and training. It also gives an overview of mechatronics education in higher education institutions across the world with a specific reference to a typical mechatronics engineering degree program. Finally it concludes that there will be an increasing need in the future for discipline-based mechatronics engineers     

基于几何和纹理混合的工业产品三维建模

基于风格化的特征形状或外观样式的三维建模是产品设计客观需求,为此本研究提出了一种基于程序化建模方法的工业产品三维建模软件设计。所述建模方法首先将产品三维模型分割为基础功能模型和样式特征模型,其次搜索基础模型和样式模型的所有可能组合,最后通过采用变形技术将模型在纹理和几何水平上组合。评估结果表明,该建模软件能够输出满足用户感官需求的风格化设计产品,且具有良好的系统性能。     

悬挂物管理功能仿真通用技术应用研究

随着技术发展,武器悬挂物的种类日趋多样化,由于作战仿真和嵌入式训练要求的不断提高,武器悬挂物管理功能通用仿真技术要求也相对提高.在分析当前仿真需求的基础上,根据武器悬挂物管理系统(SMS)的功能特点,结合HLA建模方法和模式设计思想,提出一套非硬编码(Hard-Coding)的仿真软件设计思路,建立悬挂物管理系统功能仿...     

The role of bond graph modeling and simulation in mechatronics systems: An integrated software tool: CAMP-G, MATLAB–SIMULINK

One of the main and most challenging steps in the design and analysis of a mechatronics system is to generate a computer model. This paper explores the fundamental theory, the methodology and the process from conceptual ideas to practical realization. Using a multienergetic approach that allows the modeling of interdisciplinary models, it explores the theory and method to automate the process of the generation of the differential equations and how to automate the derivation of transfer functions. The approach is discussed for linear and non-linear systems. The generation of a computer model takes new dimensions when that model contains mixed energy domains such as electromechanical, electrohydraulic, thermo-fluid, and electronic control systems all together. These are typical of mechatronics applications. This paper explores the bond graph technique as a modeling tool to generate state space models or non-linear models together with software tools. CAMP-G (Computer Aided Modeling Program with Graphical input) has been developed in order to generate computer models automatically and have them integrated with MATLAB–SIMULINK as simulation tools. Several aspects of mechatronics systems design have been investigated in order to focus on which areas the bond graph modeling technique can help engineers in the process of creating mechatronics systems from scratch. Towards this end, the paper deals with computer-generated models of sensors, actuators, and multidisciplinary complex physical systems.     

Mechatronics curriculum development at Philadelphia University in Jordan

Mechatronics system engineering has gained global interest in the past decade from the educational and industrial sectors. Several universities in the middle east have introduced mechatronics engineering for undergraduate studies. One of those pioneers is Philadelphia University (PU) in Jordan. This paper presents the mechatronics curriculum developed at Philadelphia University with emphasis on regional needs. The paper also includes comparisons among local and global curricula. It is concluded that there is a rising demand of mechatronics engineering studies in the middle east. Local mechatronics programs must establish strong ties to the local industry and cooperate with global partner universities in order to overcome obstacles such as lack of funded research and design centers.     

一种综合射频系统SCA软件平台的设计与实现

针对机载综合射频开放式系统架构,为了在软件综合层面上实现波形应用软件与具体平台的解耦,设计并实现了一种基于软件通信架构(Software Communication Architecture, SCA)的软件平台及其环境工具,解决了机载平台软件的分布式通信、资源调度管理、系统建模等技术问题,从而实现功能、应用和波形的组件化与动态重构。测试验证与工程应用情况表明,软件平台能够满足机载领域信号、信息处理强实时、高可用的应用需求,可有效提升综合射频系统软件开发质量与集成联试效率。     

基于AADL和SCADE的模型驱动软件设计

模型驱动开发逐渐应用于嵌入式系统的软件设计,在软件设计阶段重点关注的是软件的架构模型和详细功能模型。用于嵌入式系统软件建模的语言和工具很多,其中结构分析与设计语言(AADL)模型可以构建嵌入式软件的架构,高安全性应用开发环境(SCADE)模型可以描述嵌入式软件的逻辑功能,将两者统一使用可以满足嵌入式软件概要设计和详细设计的建模需求。针对某飞行器控制系统,本文分别使用AADL和SCADE对飞行器控制系统软件架构和功能进行建模,利用KCG工具从SCADE模型自动生成C代码,通过手工代码和自动生成代码的集成完成控制系统部分软件设计。实际应用表明,采用AADL和SCADE相结合的建模方法适用于模型驱动开发在嵌入式软件设计中应用。     

Software testing for safety critical applications

Software quality indicates how well the software product complies with the user requirements. Safety-critical applications in industrial automation such as industrial measurement and instrument software pose unique concerns for software quality due to its demanding requirements on system performance. Effective software testing can ensure the software quality as well as help the developer garner customer kudos for high-quality software. In this article, various issues on industrial measurement and instrument software testing are discussed. (Code inspections and audits are complementary activities to software testing and are very effective. This article addresses only testing; it does not address code inspections and review).     

反射式需求工程过程演化建模

用反射机制为软件系统需求工程过程演化建模,将需求工程过程的开发活动作为反射系统的基层,实现软件系统的功能需求,将软件系统的非功能需求作为反射系统的元层,对需求工程过程的开发活动进行调节、控制,并将非功能需求的性质反射到功能需求.定义了有色Petri网及其范畴,并用有色Petri网范畴描述软件系统非功能需求性质的模拟、保持和反射机制;用有色Petri网建立反射式需求工程过程演化形式化模型,模拟了软件系统需求工程过程中功能需求和非功能需求的迭代、增量、演化,为软件系统需求工程过程演化建模提出了一种新的方法.     

JTIDS传输符号产生模块的FPGA设计

根据公开的关于Link16数据链的信息标准并结合对战术数据链的具体要求,设计 了一种JTIDS传输符号产生模块,该模块包含RS编码、交织、CCSK软扩频、CCSK码字加密等 若干子模块。首先介绍了Link16数据链传输符号的产生原理,对其各个子处理模块进行了设 计并提出了硬件实现方案,然后在Quartus II环境下选择Cyclone II系列的EP2C8Q208C8 FP GA芯片进行了JTIDS传输符号产生模块的系统级综合与仿真,并在该芯片的开发板上进行了 验证,硬件成品可用于JTIDS终端功能测试与评估等多种场合。     

基于Qt的航电仿真系统记录回放模块设计

针对航电仿真系统对仿真数据进行事后分析的应用需求,结合模块化设计思想,提出了一种基于Qt的航电仿真系统记录回放模块的设计方案。利用Qt的信号与槽机制,简化设计思路、精简代码量的同时,增强了该模块的功能性与可重用性。Qt的跨平台特性,为该模块搭载到其他领域的类似工程应用提供了可能。经过仿真平台的验证,该模块符合用户需求,...     

Open-Source SCA-Based Core Framework and Rapid Development Tools Enable Software-Defined Radio Education and Research

This article describes the Open Source SCA Implementation::Embedded project, an open source software development kit designed for rapid prototyping of software defined radios consistent with the software communications architecture. The SCA is a product of the American military's SDR acquisition program and has played a large role in SDR development in the military and in the wireless industry. OSSIE was designed for use in wireless communications curricula and research efforts, so it is easy to learn and illustrative of software engineering, programming, and communications engineering concepts important in industrial practice today. OSSIE includes a core framework (i.e., common services enumerated in the SCA). It also includes graphical user interface-oriented tools that are easily learned and free to download and use. The tools auto-generate SCA-specific component source code and supporting files, leaving the developer to provide signal processing functionality. In addition, visualization tools for debugging and a growing library of SDR software components are available. Discussed herein are examples of SDRs designed using OSSIE, including embedded applications. OSSIE enables easy transition from concepts to practice in SDR design for communications engineers who may not have a strong software background.     

Mechatronics-an industrial perspective

The term "mechatronics" is defined to provide a framework for technical and practical considerations. Within this framework, the importance of "intimate and organic" integration in mechatronics product designs is raised. Several issues pertaining to attaining this ideal integration of mechanical, electronic controls, and system engineering in mechatronics product designs are cited. To further advance the current mechatronics products, areas of improvement are also presented.     

Can agile methods enhance mechatronics design education?

This paper presents a study of the integration of agile methods into mechatronics design education, as performed at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. The chosen method, Scrum, and the context of the studied capstone course are presented.With the integration of Scrum into the capstone projects, an educational favorable alternative is identified, to previously used design methodologies such as more traditional stage-gate methods as the Waterfall or method or the V-model. This is due to the emphasis on early prototyping, quick feedback and incremental development. It still might not be the favorable method for use in large scale industrial development projects where formal procedures might still be preferred, but the pedagogical advantages in mechatronics education are valuable. Incremental development and rapid prototyping for example gives many opportunities for students to reflect and improve. The Scrum focus on self-organizing teams also provides a platform to practice project organization, by empowering students to take responsibility for the product development process.Among the results of this study, it is shown that it is possible and favorable to integrate Scrum in a mechatronics capstone course and that this can enhance student preparation for a future career as mechatronics designers or product developers. It is also shown that this prepares the students with a larger flexibility to handle the increased complexity in mechatronics product development and thereby enabling the project teams to deliver results faster, more reliable and with higher quality.     

Modeling, design, and control integration: a necessary step in mechatronics

Future products require more sophistication and flexibility from both the hardware and software points of view. In particular, these products involve several energy domains, which is one reason for the new requirements for system design and the integration of design and control. These are important aspects not only for industrial research and development personnel but also for academicians. In this paper, a modeling and control system perspective relevant to the systems approach and fast adaptive control systems is first presented. Specifically, some of the important aspects are properties from graphical system representation, achievable performance, and fast control algorithms. A few applications are then presented to illustrate some system design requirements and control system characteristics. These applications emphasize the demand for high performance systems which has introduced an increasingly challenging system design problem. The applications discussed include high-speed robot manipulators, high-speed and high-precision magnetic bearing systems, atomic resolution systems, and their control using digital signal processing boards. Experimental results pertaining to the control of a five-axis magnetically levitated turbopump are presented.