Better Software Tools

Better Software Tools Help Machine Builders Reap the Benefits of Mechatronics.

Newer software programs intended for machine builders take advantage of mechatronic principles and easily blend the necessary and different engineering disciplines.

By John Pritchard, Global Product Marketing Manager
Kinetix Motion Control, Rockwell Automation

Traditionally, machines have been designed and built using individual mechanical, control, and electrical design teams — that work independently to produce separate pieces of the whole system. Often, the mechanical team will turn the design over to the controls team and hope they can integrate the software and controls before control and programming issues are addressed. The machine might deliver substantial performance and flexibility advantages, but typically the marriage of the mechanical functions with the control system is not optimal; it is merely sufficient. Read more

Integrate Test with Design and Analysis

The common definition of mechatronics does not include testing. Perhaps it should.

By Sugato Deb, Ph.D., MBA & Director Emerging Markets / Partnerships
National Instruments

In the traditional design process of parts and assemblies, engineers produce models, analyze their behaviors under operating conditions, and pass physical prototypes “over the wall” for test engineers to evaluate in a pass-fail mode. Any problems that come to light are “thrown back” for design changes that, though necessary, come at the cost of additional prototypes and development time.

If that wall could be broken down, with analysis and testing working together in a closed-loop cycle, both groups would reap benefits from the use of test-based input values to drive analysis models, the use of analysis results to recommend sensor locations and test scenarios, and faster and better product development cycles. Read more