73055 MECHATRONIC PRACTICE

Year	No.	Offer	Mode	Description			Cred. Pts
01	73055 	S12 	D 	MECHATRONIC PRACTICE      	    

Contents

• Staffing
• Synopsis
• Objectives
• Topics
• Reference Materials
• Student Workload
• Assessment Details
• Other Requirements

STAFFING:

SYNOPSIS:

In  mechatronics,  mechanical, electrical and computing  elements  are
combined  to  form  an  integrated whole.  This  unit  draws  together
mechanical,  electrical,  software  and  interfacing  aspects   of   a
mechtronic  system  through a progressive sequence of  experiments.  A
motor  is  connected  to a computer through a power  amplifier,  while
another motor in tandem is monitored through an analogue interface  to
determine  its  speed.  A  line or two of  code  makes  speed  control
possible. A belt drives a 'trolley' of which the position is monitored
and some more effort including some nonlinear strategies results in  a
'crisp'  position  controller of an industrial standard.  An  inverted
pendulum  is  added to the trolley and the student devises  a  control
scheme  to  keep it balanced. Several further, brief experiments  give
familiarity with pneumatic positioning, simple vision interfacing  and
a  hydraulic  robot.  This unit will round  off  the  formation  of  a
mechatronics engineer.

OBJECTIVES:

On successful completion of this unit students will be able
to:

1. devise or select sensors for measuring the motion of a dynamic
   system;
   
2. describe and be familiar with the operation of an analogue
   interface;
   
3. select sensors for system control and interface them;
   
4. understand and write programs for the application of on-line
   digital control;
   
5. analyse a dynamic system in terms of discrete time equations;
   
6. devise and apply on-line control algorithms and test them.
   

TOPICS:

 Description                                                    Weighting(%)

Analogue to digital interfacing                                       20.00

Computer controlled velocity                                          20.00

Nonlinear computer position control                                   20.00

Computer control of an inverted pendulum                              20.00

Familiarisation  with  pneumatic control,  simple  vision             20.00
systems  and a multi-axis hydraulic robot. (See  Practice
Book for further details for all topics listed.)

REFERENCE MATERIALS:

Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the unit and enrich their learning experience.

70520 Computer Controlled Systems, External Study Package, USQ
Publication.

70650 Design of Machine Elements, External Study Package, USQ
Publication.

70920 Robotics and Machine Vision, External Study Package, USQ
Publication.

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS:

	ACTIVITY				HOURS
Laboratory or Practical Classes               	24
Directed Study                                	9
Private Study                                 	17

ASSESSMENT DETAILS:

No  *F/S Marks     Due        Description                              Wtg(%)    LBL WWW
1   S    500.00    08/10/01  INDIVIDUAL SKILLS COMPETENCY              50.00     N   N
2   S    500.00    08/10/01  GROUP SKILLS COMPETENCY                   50.00     N   N

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

1    Attendance  at  a minimum of 80% of practical and/or  residential
     school  sessions is compulsory for a passing grade to be  awarded
     in this unit.
2    The  only final grades awarded in this unit are Pass (P) or  Fail
     (F) grades.
3    Students  are  to  retain a verbatim copy of all assignment  work
     submitted, for submission in the event that the original is  lost
     or damaged.
4    If  students submit assignments after the due date without  prior
     approval  then  a  penalty of up to 20% of the  assignment  total
     marks will apply for each working day late.
5    A  minimum  standard of communication skills must be demonstrated
     in order for a passing grade to be achieved.