Automatic quality control and inspection systems
Supply of a good quality product or a system to the market is the basic aim of the manufacturing industry. The product should satisfy the needs of the customers and it must be reliable. To achieve this important product-parameter during a short lead time is really a challenge to the manufacturing industry. This can be achieved by building up the ‘quality’ right from the product design stage; and maintaining the standards during the ‘production stages’ till the product-delivery to…
Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM)
we have seen that a number of activities and operations viz. designing, analyzing, testing, manufacturing, packaging, quality control, etc. are involved in the life cycle of a product or a system (see Figure 1.1.4). Application of principles of automation to each of these activities enhances the productivity only at the individual level. These are termed as ‘islands of automation’. Integrating all these…
Computer numerical control (CNC) machines
CNC machine is the best and basic example of application of Mechatronics in manufacturing automation. Efficient operation of conventional machine tools such as Lathes, milling machines, drilling machine is dependent on operator skill and training. Also a lot of time is consumed inwork part setting, tool setting and controlling the process parameters viz. feed, speed, depth of cut. Thus conventional machining is slow and expensive to meet the challenges of frequently changing product/part shape and size.…
Mechatronics: products and systems in manufacturing
Mechatronics has a variety of applications as products and systems in the area of ‘Manufacturing automation’. Some of these applications are as follows: 1. Computer numerical control (CNC) machines 2. Tool monitoring systems 3. Advanced manufacturing systems a. Flexible manufacturing system (FMS) b. Computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) 4. Industrial robots 5. Automatic inspection systems: machine vision systems 6. Automatic packaging systems…
Importance of Mechatronics in automation
Figure 1.1.3 Operations involved in design and manufacturing of a product Today’s customers are demanding more variety and higher levels of flexibility in the products. Due to these demands and competition in the market, manufacturers are thriving to launch new/modified products to survive. It is reducing the product life as well as lead-time tomanufacture…
The Development of the Automobile as a Mechatronic System
The evolution of modern mechatronics can be illustrated with the example of…
Key Elements of Mechatronics
The study of mechatronic systems can be divided into the following areas…
What is Mechatronics
Mechatronics is a concept of Japanese origin (1970’s) and can be defined as the application of electronics and computer technology to control the motions of mechanical systems (figure 1.1.1). Figure 1.1.1 Definition of Mechatronics It is a multidisciplinary approach to product and manufacturing system design (Figure 1.1.2). It involves application of electrical, mechanical, control and computer engineering to develop products, processes and systems with greater flexibility, ease in redesign and ability of reprogramming. It concurrently includes all these disciplines. Figure 1.1.2 Mechatronics: a multi-disciplinary approach Mechatronics can also be termed as replacement of…
