According to Craig Hooker, Director of R&D and Mechatronics at Schaeffler in the Americas, mechatronics can be described as a combination of mechanics, electronics and software.
He said a mechatronics system typically consists of a mechanical transmission system, essentially something creating motion; electronics which usually includes sensing technology; and software for control or added intelligence.
In general, these systems are used to do some type of sensing on a machine or vehicle, or to create motion with the goal of improving efficiency or comfort features for operators. And the applications in which mechatronics are utilized are numerous. “It is almost hard not to find mechatronics products once you’ve defined it [as I have] because there are so many things today that integrate electronics and software into a machine or device,” he said.
Mechatronics can take the form of traditional mechanical components like hydraulics having intelligence added to them or the use of electromechanical devices. “When somebody says mechatronics, my first thought is usually toward electromechanical devices,” said Hooker. “But you can also have mechatronics embedded inside of [hydraulics and pneumatics].
“There are servo control valves, for example, in hydraulics to improve the efficiency of the system; you have electronics doing some type of solenoid control and getting feedback to control the hydraulic loop,” he explained.
In this interview with Power & Motion, Hooker discusses what technologies can be used in a mechatronics system, its benefits to various applications and how he sees these systems continuing to evolve.
