Shuvra Das

A 10-Year Mechatronics Curriculum Development Initiative: Relevance, Content, and Results—Part II

This paper describes the second and third phases of a comprehensive mechatronics curriculum development effort. They encompass the development of two advanced mechatronics courses (¿Simulation and Modeling of Mechatronic Systems¿ and ¿Sensors and Actuators for Mechatronic Systems¿), the formulation of a Mechatronics concentration, and offshoot research activities in the mechatronics area. The first phase involved the design of an ¿Introduction to Mechatronics¿ course and the infusion of mechatronic activities throughout the curriculum and in outreach activities and has been described in a companion paper ¿A 10-Year Mechatronics Curriculum Development Initiative: Relevance, Content, and Results-Part I¿ (IEEE Transactions on Education, vol. 53, no. 2, May 2010).

Team-oriented, project-based instruction in a new mechatronics course

The design of a new course in mechatronics is described, which will serve as the focal point of a wider curriculum development effort to integrate the teaching of mechatronic principles throughout the relevant engineering curricula at the University of Detroit Mercy, USA. The course has a balanced combination of theory and application and seeks to impart competencies that are in great demand in the automotive industry, as well as in other engineering sectors. One of the prominent and innovative features of the course is that it is structured around instructional activities that are predominantly team-oriented and project-based.

Mechatronics: a comprehensive, interdisciplinary curriculum development initiative

This paper describes an effort in progress to achieve the integration of mechatronics principles throughout the engineering curriculum at the University of Detroit Mercy. This is done in the context of team-oriented, project-based design activities. The project also includes a hands-on outreach component for pre-college students.

Effective use of Web-based communication tools in a team-oriented, project-based, multi-disciplinary course

The Internet has become a powerful tool for information exchange and communication. Modern day engineering graduates are expected to be adept at using the internet. In a new multi-disciplinary course on mechatronics, effort has been made to integrate the use of Web-based communication tools with in-class and out-of-class activities. Goals of this effort were to teach the use of these tools and to implement effective and efficient communication among all parties involved. In this paper, features of the tools used, their effectiveness (or ineffectiveness) and the lessons that were learned are discussed in the context of a multi-disciplinary course.

Outcomes-based assessment for comprehensive curriculum development in mechatronics

The paper describes a comprehensive assessment plan that was carried out as part of an NSF-funded effort to integrate principles of mechatronics throughout the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering curricula at the University of Detroit Mercy. The project team consists of faculty members from three departments: Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Education. The focus of the article is a description of how the assessment results have been used to refine one curricular component of the project: the senior-level course in mechatronics. We present an overview of the project, a summary of the assessment framework, initial results of the formative assessment of the mechatronics course, and an evolving model of outcome based curriculum development.

One-dimensional mathematical model for selecting plasma spray process parameters

A simple, unified, one-dimensional model has been developed to relate the effects of plasma spray parameters on the temperature and velocity of the plasma and particles and on the void content in the coating. The torch, spray, and substrate regions in a plasma spray process were first modeled independently and then coupled so that the plasma and particle characteristics calculated in one region served as inputs for the subsequent region. Comparison of the model predictions with experimental data showed reasonable agreement. Deviations from the measured data were attributable to the simplifying assumptions used in modeling the different regions of the process. A parametric analysis of the unified one- dimensional model showed that, despite its simplicity, the model is well suited for optimizing process parameters in terms of particle type and size to obtain high- integrity coatings.

Work in progress - description of a service learning project to design assistive technologies to aid the visually-impaired in India

Cultural practices in India that dictate that individuals remove their footwear before entering homes and places of worship creates a challenge for visually-impaired people in identifying and collecting their footwear as they leave. This paper describes an interdisciplinary service-learning project, involving students in Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE) and the Mechanical Engineering (ME) programs, whose goal is to design and develop assistive technologies to help ameliorate this situation. The paper outlines the relevant technological issues in this project, and discusses how this research might be incorporated into the existing pedagogical structure of both programs.

Modeling MEMS Devices for Automotive Applications

Applications of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) in automobiles are fairly recent. The two most common examples of MEMS use in automobiles are in crash sensing for airbag deployment, and in manifold absolute pressure sensing. There are, however, several other areas where MEMS devices are expected to replace more traditional technologies within the next few years. MEMS devices/systems (e.g. sensors and actuators) have several vital advantages over more traditional technologies. Because of highly reliable batch processing techniques, large volumes of highly uniform devices can be produced at relatively low unit cost. Since MEMS have virtually no moving parts to wear out, they are extremely reliable and long lasting. With the advent of microprocessor compatibility imposed on many automotive sensor/actuator applications, silicon based MEMS sensors will have a very efficient interaction with the controlling microprocessors. With increasing use of MEMS devices in automotive applications, modeling and simulation of these devices will become more and more important. Although CAE has a very important place in the development cycle of the automobile, the CAE needed for MEMS has some significant differences. Because of the much smaller dimensions of MEMS devices, forces that are normally neglected in macro-structural CAE cannot be neglected any more. Behavior of material in bulk form is quite different from that in thin film form. MEMS devices exhibit the interaction of mechanical, electrical, magnetic, thermal, and other physical phenomena, and therefore simulation of these devices has to be able to capture this multi-physical interaction. This paper will discuss all these important issues that need to be addressed in MEMS modeling and illustrate them through actual simulation cases of MEMS devices.

Overhaul of an undergraduate mechanical measurements laboratory

The undergraduate mechanical engineering program at the University of Detroit Mercy (UDM) includes a required laboratory course in mechanical measurements. An NSF ILI grant made it possible to modernize ME361 by procuring four personal computers, data acquisition cards, Labview software, and many transducers and other needed items. All of the ME361 lab experiences were modernized as described in this paper.

Bond Graph Modeling and Simulation of a Closed-Loop Feed Drive System for a CNC Machine

The feeddrive of a CNC machine is a mechatronic system consisting of motor, mechanical transmission devices and the worktable. The accuracy and precision of the feeddrive system determines the final part quality. Hence closed control of the drive system is very important. Accurate modeling of this system and its simulation helps in system design and parametric optimization. In this paper, bond graph based approach has been used to model the feeddrive of a CNC machine. This technique is based on power flow and uses a basic component types to develop models for complex multi-physics systems. The governing equations can be algorithmically derived from a visual representation of the system. In this model all linear and nonlinear effects such as backlash, stick-slip friction and cutting forces have been accounted for. The model is also enhanced through the addition of a control loop for position and velocity.