Burford J Furman

Asynchronous Hands-On Experiments for Mechatronics Education

Abstract There has been great interest and effort at many engineering educational institutions to introduce on-line, or “asynchronous” courses. However, at the present time, the vast majority of on-line or distance education courses lack any hands-on activities that require the manipulation of physical artifacts or physical experimentation. This paper describes a series of hands-on Mechatronics experiments associated with an introductory Mechatronics course that could be done “anytime, anywhere” (asynchronously). The experiments are based on a relatively inexpensive “kit” of components and a single-board microcontroller.

A first course in computer programming for mechanical engineers

The first course in computer programming for Mechanical and Aerospace Engineers at San José State University is undergoing substantial renovation to better serve the educational needs of the students in the program. The renovated course emphasizes development of algorithmic problem solving skills and familiarity with the C programming language, Excel, and Matlab. Extensive use is made of Ch, a C interpreter, for learning the C language. A major innovation in the course is the use of a microcontroller with a custom-designed sensor/IO board as an experimental platform that the students use for several laboratory experiments. Student feedback regarding the renovations after the first two course offerings during the 2009–10 academic year has been positive. Further enhancements of the microcontroller-based experiments are expected through the use of a second generation sensor/IO board currently under development.

Battery-Operated Atomic Force Microscope

The design of a battery-operated atomic force microscope (AFM) using a piezoresistive cantilever is described. The AFM is designed so that all power to drive the scanning tube and detection electronics comes from a self-contained battery. The prototype AFM uses a 6 V, Ni–Cd, camcorder battery, however, any battery that supplies between 6 and 12 V may be used. Scanner control and data acquisition are implemented using commercially available software running on an external computer. The prototype AFM achieves a scan area of 53 by 53 μm, consumes 1.8 W of power, and can scan continuously for about 7 h on a single battery charge.

The Un-Lecture: a computer-assisted curriculum delivery approach for the effective teaching of mechanical design

This paper describes efforts to develop a curriculum delivery approach for the classroom that overcomes limitations inherent in the standard blackboard lecture and that more fully integrates the teaching of engineering science with the teaching of concrete engineering practice. Simple, HTML-based modules are under development that incorporate text, still images, and video clips to more closely couple concepts in mechanical engineering design with practical examples of their implementation. Two-dimensional dynamic simulation software will be used to help students visualize and analyze the motion of mechanisms, and mathematical software will be used to go beyond what can easily be presented on the blackboard. Results from preliminary work have been encouraging and suggest that incorporation of practical examples using computer-assisted multimedia will help students build connections between theory and practice.

An Improved Rotary Singulator

ABSTRACT Anew operating approach for a previously existing rotary singulator was developed which improves the versatility of the device. This was accomplished by the implementation of a modular mechanism that performed the basic functions of agitation, gating, pocket formation, and exit, all inherent in this type of singulation device.

Case studies on design of mechatronic products

Two case studies on the design of mechatronic products are presented here. These cases were written by authors of distinct backgrounds. The first case study was developed by Burford Furman, an academician with strong industrial experience. It is related to the design of atomic force microscopes (AFMs) for measuring the topography of surfaces at submicron precision. The case demonstrates the application of the principles of mechanics, e.g., beam theory, use of piezoelectric actuators, high precision motion control, and manufacturing methods which can produce structures that are responsive to minute disturbances yet have sufficiently high resonant frequencies. This case is an example where materials engineering plays a significant role in the design of a mechatronic product. The second case was written by two senior engineers, D. Pinkernell and S. Elgee, from the Hewlett-Packard Company. The ingenuity of integrating mechanical components (motors, gears, belts, shafts, etc.), optoelectronics sensors, microprocessors, power ICs, and computer software to produce this popular mechatronic product is demonstrated.

Electrostatically actuated stylus profiler with capacitive displacement sensing in vertical and lateral directions

A new profiler is under development that uses a commercially available electrostatic device normally used for nanoindentation as its primary sensing element. The new profiler can measure the force applied to the sample and the displacement of the stylus tip in both the vertical (Z) and lateral (X) directions, while the tip is moved in the forward (Y) direction. The sensor has a range of 100 microns and a resolution of 0.2 nm in the Z and X directions. The sensor can measure the force between the tip and the sample with a resolution of 100 nN up to 10 mN. The sensor is normally used to measure indentation force and distance simultaneously during nanoindenting. The instrument allows the force between the stylus tip and the sample to be controlled to a predetermined level and records the displacement of the tip as it scans the sample. Windows based software allows the data to be analyzed for roughness and waviness. The sensor can also move the tip in a lateral (X) direction by applying an electrostatic force to the tip. Lateral motion allows scans to be taken parallel to one another within a 100 micron range. The instrument can be operated in this manner to produce a limited 3D scan of the surface. This instrument offers a low cost device capable of high-resolution profilometry and limited 3D scanning.