Mechatronics and automation are two areas that overlap at certain stages. However, they have their differences. Here are the definitions of automation and mechatronics, and production benefits.
Table of Contents
Mechatronics
Mechatronics is a combination of mechanical engineering, electronics with electrical circuits, and control and programming engineering. We can also add telecommunications including mechatronics.
Jim Devaprasad, professor of engineering and technology at Lake Superior University, expanded the definition of mechatronics to include manufacturing components. He also showed that mechatronics was once known as "system engineering".
The origins of mechatronics were the discovery of mechanical and electrical interactions, now this field has changed. Mechatronics now includes the study of the effects of electromechanical phenomena on other equipment. Some of these components relate to automation, such as robots.
Mechatronics often build automatic systems, which are more and more often installed in production plants. Mechatronics, however, is not necessarily specific to industrial automation. In the example: if the digital thermostat has a feedback sensor and microprocessor, it would be a mechatronic. But such a thermostat may not have automated components - and digital thermostats aren't just for industrial automation.
When designing systems or products, mechatronics prioritize systems thinking and interdisciplinary problem solving. Systems thinking means that a person takes a holistic view to understand how each part reacts to the other and affects the overall system. The interdisciplinary aspect shows that mechatronics specialists are able to anticipate opportunities to collaborate with people from different fields in order to obtain better results.
The benefits of mechatronics in production
Designing mechatronics takes into account customer or project requirements. It allows you to locate cross-functional problems that may arise if not addressed at an early stage. In addition, mechatronics is conducive to the optimization of high functionality and performance, two features of benefit to progress in production and other industries.
The partnership between Siemens and Festo Didactic aims to directly address shortages of manufacturing skills through mechatronic training. Students undergo training in a simulated smart factory environment that prepares them for a career in a manufacturing environment once certified.
Industrial Automation
Industrial automation is, in a nutshell, the use of technology to perform tasks with minimal human intervention. When discussing this topic, the four-level hierarchy is often brought up.
The first is the field level - sensors and actuators. Sensors collect information about temperature and speed. Conversely, actuators receive electrical or pneumatic signals and convert them into actions.
The second is the control level, which includes the components that control the automation. Programmable logic controllers are very often used in industrial settings and are examples of the types of control that occur at this stage. The controls give operators the ability to program the machine to perform specific functions and automate its operation.
The third level is the supervisory level. It contains physical components such as human-machine interfaces and gadgets that can organize production targets or trigger startup and shutdown commands.
The level of the enterprise itself is the highest level of the hierarchy. He manages the entire industrial automation system, but deals more with commercial topics such as sales and procurement than with technical issues that occur in the background.
The benefits of industrial automation in production
Industrial automation often has cooperating mechanical and electrical components. Here the boundaries between mechatronics and automation are blurring. However, as explained earlier, some mechatronic components do not have automated components. The educational market offers courses that prepare students for mechatronics and industrial automation.
Industrial automation is the main issue of Industry 4.0. The basic topic is connecting computers and drivers with physical hardware for the best results. Therefore, automation companies often look for benefits such as good performance and better scalability.
Due to the fact that industrial automation minimizes or even eliminates human involvement, it can significantly reduce problems related to fatigue or human errors. Certain specific systems can react quickly to changes and adapt as needed. Other options allow operators to avoid breakdowns, downtime, and alert people to the need for maintenance.
As the requirements of production plants increase, industrial automation will become even more important. Moreover, it will undergo a process of evolution - as technology is improved or modified for better suitability for production.
source: manufacuringtomorrow
