Course Title: Mechatronics Principles

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Mechatronics Principles

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

MIET2370

City Campus

Undergraduate

115H Aerospace, Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2011,
Sem 1 2012,
Sem 1 2013,
Sem 1 2014,
Sem 1 2015,
Sem 1 2016

MIET2370

City Campus

Undergraduate

172H School of Engineering

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2017,
Sem 1 2018,
Sem 1 2019,
Sem 1 2020,
Sem 1 2021,
Sem 1 2023,
Sem 1 2024

Course Coordinator: Dr Ehsan Asadi

Course Coordinator Phone: +613 9925 4515

Course Coordinator Email: ehsan.asadi@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: B057 F01 R010-1

Course Coordinator Availability: by appointment


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None.


Course Description

This course will introduce you to Mechatronics as a multidisciplinary engineering discipline that includes electronics, electrical, mechanical, computer systems engineering, together with information technology. Theory lectures will introduce the core components of mechatronic systems: electrical and electronic components and circuits, sensors and actuators.
In laboratory work, you will work on putting theory into practice in the context of a challenging project that is at the core of a national design and build competition. This course significantly develops the generic skills of teamwork, planning, leadership, and communication. Lectures will be given on the theoretical aspects of these graduate capabilities. You will then apply these skills in the completion of specific learning activities such as design project, report, testing and prototyping. The dry run testing of the prototype Mechatronics mechanisms will provide an opportunity for you to receive feedback.

        


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course contributes to the following Program Learning Outcomes:
• fluent application of engineering techniques, tools and resources;
• application of systematic engineering synthesis and design processes;
• effective oral and written communication in professional and lay domains;
• creative, innovative and pro-active demeanour; and
• effective team membership and team leadership.
 


On completion of this course you should be able to:

  1. Analyse simple electronic systems with sensors, embedded processors and actuators;
  2. Clarify problem definition based on a client’s needs for a system to achieve a level of autonomy, and devise a layout of locomotion and sensing requirements of the system that would be able to meet the client’s needs in an autonomous manner;
  3. Design a system with sensing, actuating and embedded processing components, required to run the defined task autonomously;
  4. Program the embedded processor of your designed system to gain machine intelligence in terms of perception and actuation; and
  5. Work effectively as part of a team to devise and implement experimental benchmarks to examine the performance of your designed system and the extent of its autonomy, stability and robustness.       


Overview of Learning Activities

You will be exposed to a variety of teaching methods including blended lectures, tutorials and project work. Design projects will be used as the context within which you can develop generic graduate attributes such as communication, teamwork, leadership and planning skills. Lectures will provide a theoretical understanding of both the technical and generic skills and the assessment is geared towards the students applying this information.
All the lectures and other resources you need to complete the project, will be made available online via Canvas. This course will significantly enhance your employability by enriching your technical skills in the context of mechatronics design, and your teamwork, project management and communication skills.


Overview of Learning Resources

You will be able to access course information and learning materials through the online learning system (Canvas) and may be provided with additional materials in class. Lists of relevant reference books and digitalised materials at RMIT libraries will be available as well. You will also use equipment in the laboratory for the project work. During the course, you will be directed to many websites to enhance your knowledge and understanding of difficult concepts.


Overview of Assessment

X This course has no hurdle requirements.
☐ All hurdle requirements for this course are indicated clearly in the assessment regime that follows, against the relevant assessment task(s) and all have been approved by the College Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning & Teaching).

Assessment tasks

Assessment Task 1: Preliminary design report  
Weighting 10% 
This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2 & 3 

 

Assessment Task 2: Comprises three demonstrations
This assessment task supports CLOs 3, 4 & 5 

Demonstration A: Demonstration of robot’s capability to move 
Weighting 10% 

Demonstration B: Demonstration of robot’s capability to lift objects 
Weighting 10% 

Demonstration C: Demonstration of a complete working design  
Weighting 20%   

 

Assessment Task 3: Multiple-choice online quizzes 
This assessment supports CLOs  3, 4 & 5 

Part A: Sensors and Actuators
Weighting 5%

Part B: Microcontroller Programming
Weighting 5%

Part C: Electrical Quantities, Circuits and Digital Electronics
Weighting 5%

 

Assessment Task 4: Final reports
This assessment supports CLOs 1 & 4 

Part A: Project final report
Weighting 20%

Part B: Post-mortem analysis and report
Weighting 15%