The mecatronic is the synergistic combination and Systémique of the Mécanique, the electronic and the Informatique real-time. The interest of this field of interdisciplinary Ingénierie is to conceive powerful automatic systems and to allow the hybrid control of systems S complexes.

The term mechatronics was introduced by an engineer of the Japanese company “Yaskawa” in 1969. The term appeared officially in France in the Larousse 2005.

Description

The engineering of such systems mecatronic requires the simultaneous and multidisciplinary design of 3 subsystems:
  • an operative part (skeleton and muscle of the system with dominant Mechanics and Electromechanics),
  • a part orders (embarked intelligence of the system with dominant Electronique and Data-processing Real-time),
  • a part interfaces Homme/machine (form geometrical and dialog of the Ergonomique system dominant and Esthetic).

An comprehensive approach also makes it possible to reduce the costs, to increase reliability and the modularity.

reliability

The devices mecatronic are used to control systems and to retroact to adapt to the variable conditions of operation, to supervise their state (request, tiredness…), to carry out their maintenance… This very wide field remains complex (access to information, competences in electronics and mechanics, distribution of the functions, Fiabilité and safety…) and requires important means and high costs.

The integration of these techniques began in the Aéronautique, followed by transport and currently the car. In the future, this topic will interest of the sectors of mechanics like the machines, lifting, etc the industrial applications will have in the long term to belong to the specific know-how of the company, the integration of the Capteur S remaining always the problem of the mechanic. The tendency is with the technological partnership; only certain large interior designers regard this technology as completely strategic.

Although the reliability and the safety of electronics improved, a total reflection on the system or the process is necessary before integrating technology and specificities “trade”. The apparatuses and systems must resist the electromagnetic interferences in environments increasingly more disturbed and them electromagnetic Compatibilité must be studied then validated to ensure the safety and the reliability of operation. Methods of checking of the software system or user must be developed to make sure that the order meets the needs well and does not involve dangerous situations.

The tools of simulation of systems and automatisms belong to the solutions making it possible to define a strategy of order independent of the mechanical, electronic failures or of the user.

The future developments move towards the neural networks and the loops of Asservissement in fuzzy Logique.

constraints of implementation

concept of transversality

The mécatronique one requires to think the products and the processes in a transverse way. The mécatronique one makes “burst the walls”. Piloting with the more high level of the company is within this essential framework.

The design must be done in a sequential way: the mecatronic step requires to not think the product as a whole and by separating the mechanical part, then electronics, then the sensor-actuators then data processing with the risk to reach crippling overcosts.

The project manager must control the various fields, and not the expert of one of technologies mecatronic: It is absolutely necessary to avoid looking at the project with an eye of mechanic or electronics specialist. Piloting is here, more than elsewhere, the role of a leader and not of a virtuoso.

The phases of integrations are delicate, for example those of an electronic assembly in a workshop of mechanics (or reciprocally).

Finality

It can be cost reduction, the development of new functions customers or the means of protecting itself from the counterfeit. It should not be only the electronicization of functions.

Phase of preliminary draft

This phase is more important than in a traditional project because the number of possibilities offered is very large. The listening of the customer need (present and future) is quite as important as technology employed.

Marketing

A product mecatronic has important potentialities from its “embarked intelligence”. The creation of options can be done at marginal cost. As much to benefit from it to gain new markets, subject to have informed the commercial ones well on these products of a new kind.

Applications

Like examples of systems mecatronic, one can quote:
  • an Automobile vehicle modern,
  • a Plane of hunting,
  • the ABS, ESP,
  • the Direction assisted,
  • a Machine tool with Numerical control,
  • the Autofocus,
  • the hard drives,
  • the bearing S with balls instrumented,
  • the “intelligent” washing machines,
  • … etc

Industrial projects

THESAME

THESAME is a French association which federates the companies, the formations and research in the field of the mécatronique one.

Every year is thus organized the European meetings of mecatronic (EMM): Annecy in 2003 and 2005, Paris in 2004 and Saint-Etienne in 2006.

Eumecha-pro

The Eumecha-pro European project was given in particular for spot to prepare the roadmaps ( roadmaps ) for industry and research. The industrial roadmaps will provide a sight structured on waitings and of the needs for industry and will be established for the various sectors of equipment of production. The roadmaps for research will reflect the visions and the capacities of European research into mecatronic. At the conclusion of this work, the roadmaps research and industry will be integrated in a common vision.

Emergent technologies and the integrated approaches of design resulting from the roadmaps research will be confronted with the needs for industry and will indicate the new industrial development appropriatenesses. In addition, the industrial needs will come to feed research so that it can meet the market needs as well as possible. Moreover, the roadmaps research will provide a common framework for an effective coordination of the resources of research in Europe.

Eumecha-pro will promote and diffuse the practice in the industry of the new paradigm which is the mecatronic design. The best practices in mecatronic design will be identified, promoted and diffused through workshops with industrial calling.

Eumecha-pro will reinforce the structure and the educational framework to form the Engineer S into mecatronic which industry needs. The requirements and the approaches in Mécatronique formation will be analyzed, with for result a European vision on the way in which the formation can be improved with a much better coherence at the European level.

The diffusion and the exchange of information will be done in particular on Internet, by publications like by meetings of network. Moreover, Eumecha-pro largely will improve the coordination of the various finance mechanisms of the R & D, in particular while inserting his deliverables in the platform " Eureka Factory" and the initiative " MANUFUTURE" European commission

Notes and references of the article

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