Mechatronic design integrates all systems of a machine to work optimally together, producing efficient equipment for any task. Design principles vary by industry, but all components are designed to fulfill the overall purpose of the machine. Engineers must be familiar with all aspects of the machine, leading to new solutions to old problems. The demand for multidisciplinary engineers has created new fields in engineering and education.
Mechatronic design is a holistic engineering approach to the design of electromechanical equipment and machinery. Typically, equipment is designed as a series of separate systems, such as mechanical, electrical, electronic and computer systems. Often these systems consist of generic components suitable for any type of similar or even different type of machine. In mechatronic design, systems are not considered separate but part of the whole machine and are integrated into each other with each component designed to work optimally with all other components of that specific machine. In this way, the design of mechatronics can produce very efficient equipment to optimally perform almost any task.
There are many different principles that are attributed to the design of mechatronics and they vary from industry to industry, as the specific equipment needs for each industry vary. A prevailing principle of mechatronic design, however, is the concept of designing all components of a machine with the goal of fulfilling the overall ultimate purpose of the machine rather than just that of the individual component. This way, one component is not compromised in its performance to compensate for another component. For example, all components of a machine designed to operate in or with water would be designed to be waterproof.
Engineer training is also an important factor when conceiving new equipment from a mechatronic design perspective. Most engineers specialize in a single area of expertise or discipline, such as electrical or mechanical engineering. To pursue true mechatronic design, an engineer must be familiar with all aspects of the machine, from the composition of materials it is to be built out of to the computers and programming that will be used to control the machine. With engineers trained in all aspects of building and operating a given machine, with mechatronic design a host of new solutions to old problems becomes available, such as chemical solutions to computer problems or vice versa.
As a direct result of the problems involved in properly designing machines and equipment within the mechatronic design concept, many equipment manufacturers are looking for multidisciplinary engineers with hands-on experience in a number of different fields. There are few such engineers available. This created new fields in engineering and education. Many colleges and universities are now working with various industries to educate and train new types of design engineers. These engineers do not receive degrees in a single traditional discipline but, instead, their degrees reflect their ability to work with all the disciplines required by a given industry.
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