STEVE MRAZ | Technology Editor What’s the Difference Between Mechatronics and Electromechanics? When chips and programmability began to replace mechanical devices in designs, it opened the door to the more flexible world of mechatronics. he terms electromechanics and mechatronics seem By the late 1960s, Yaskawa was using electronic controls similar, but there are some subtle differences. It also on its electric motors. That’s when an engineer at the firm appears that if and when the newer term, mechatron- coined the term “mechatronics.” It soon became accepted as ics, is fully defined, their differences may very well be the combination of electronic and mechanical engineering, much more significant than they are right now. as well as software. Yaskawa even registered the term as a TThe older term, electromechanics, dates back to at least trademark. 1885, when engineering students at some colleges could take One of the major differences between earlier electrome- courses in it. Basically it’s a combination of electrical and chanical devices and mechatronic versions was that the latter mechanical engineering. Note that classical electrical engi- offered more flexibility in design and operation. A chip could neering does not involve any kind of ICs or semiconductors. replace several mechanical devices and be programmed to Those are in the realm of electronic engineering. (That’s why do different tasks using those same devices. Mechatronics IEEE makes a point of including both electrical and elec- also increases the speed and precision possible with motion tronic engineers in its name.) control. Moreover, it made automated data collection and Prior to about 1950, only a few purely electrical devices reporting possible. were of any use. Maybe the lightbulb and the radio. To get Some engineers believe mechatronics came out of robot- any usefulness out of a motor or magnet, they had to con- ics. They base this belief on the fact that several innovations nect to mechanical devices such as gears, belts, relays, or so- first applied to robots eventually made their way into other lenoids. These components could then be used to construct machines. These include sensory feedback and coordination a range of devices, including electric typewriters, starter of motions. motors, clocks, pinball machines, meters of all kinds, early By the 1990s, mechatronics also included communication televisions, and even digital computers. Electromechanics among machines, such as networked manufacturing equip- quickly became the study and application of combining elec- ment. Soon, information technology, control engineering, trical signals and components with mechanical linkages and and sensors and actuators all fell under mechatronics. assemblies. Two main forces push mechatronics today: It lets design- In 1947, the transistor was invented and shortly thereaf- ers develop new products and processes faster and less ex- ter, the world was on its way to becoming electronic. At first, pensively; and it enables companies to meet global demands engineers were replacing mechanical controls and compo- and keep up with global competition. nents with electronic versions. Electronics were less expen- Still, mechatronics doesn’t have a universally accepted sive, less prone to manufacturing or installation errors, and definition. For example, Purdue University’s engineering with no moving parts, wear was not an issue. Electronics also schools started a mechatronics technology program that unleashed computer technology and its sidekick, software, includes mechanicals design, manufacturing, and electri- with advances happening almost too fast for manufacturers cal control based around packaging machinery. It’s aimed to take advantage of them all. at providing the packaging industry with designers and en- 1 MACHINEDESIGN.COM aterials Processing n |M |Gr atio ee rt n po Te ns ch ra n Control Systems |T o e lo c g a y p Mechanics Electronics s | M o r Digital e Control e d A Control | i Electronics Mechatronics c E Systems a n l e r g | y g | n Computers MECHATRONICS Electronic A i n u i Systems t o Information M m | Technology ts o c ti u ve d Electro- | ro Mechanical M P mechanics an er CAD u m fac su tur on ing ies|C |Building Technolog Mechanical Systems As these Venn diagrams show, many different definitions and expla- nations are applied to the field of mechatronics. gineers, as well as automation specialists and service technicians. This seems rather limited. Mechanical Systems But others want mechatronics to in- Electromechanics Electronic Systems clude anything with a moving part and some form of electronics, which seem too expansive. For now, the generally accepted System Sensors & differences between electromechanics and Analysis Actuators mechatronics are that the former is the combination of electrical and mechani- Mechanical CAD Mechatronics Control Electronics cal components, while the latter includes Micro- chip-based controls, software, and net- System computers Simulation working. & DSP’s Digital Control Systems Computers Control Systems 2 MACHINEDESIGN.COM.