Multi-disciplinary Design-and-Build Projects in Mechatronic Engineering Degree Courses

Abstract

The School of Engineering and Technology at Deakin University has been delivering an eight-semester degree course in mechatronics for over five years. The engineering students are given a design-and-build project as a 2 credit core unit over their final two semesters. This project can be very broadly based and may not necessarily be founded in mechatronic system design. Hence, a core unit was developed that embedded the tools required for mechatronic system design. The lecture component of this unit as it was implemented presents a general summary of mechatronic design. The laboratory component of the unit requires students to apply these tools in the construction of a small mechatronic system. Previously a small autonomous mobile robot capable of performing a reasonably complex series of tasks has been specified. The success of the student's designs in the completion of their tasks and the student's feedback has shown that the unit makes a genuine contribution to their learning process.