Aim
The development of the products of today and tomorrow is more and more often demanding an optimised combination of electromechanical solutions and embedded systems (integrated electronics and software). The course is aiming at giving such skills and also giving basic understanding of the necessary competences, ie:

• deeper competence/detailed knowledge within specific fields as mechanical engineering (including mechanical design, choice of materials, and machine parts), electromechanical energy conversion, electronics, and software engineering,

• understanding of the problems of adjacent disciplines, ie what can and cannot be achieved and what kind of expertise is demanded for solving various types of problems,

• ability to cooperate over and within borders of engineering fields including knowledge of industrial product design methodology (from demand to concept, considering the entire product life cycle),

• insightful respect for what is demanded to accomplish a robustly functioning system including key components as well as overall system aspects.

Knowledge and understanding
For a passing grade the student must

• be able to recognize the various phases in a product development project and apply the principles for product development to mechatronic development projects, machines, and electronics,

• understand the principles for programming embedded systems and communication in integrated control systems,

• have insight into the basic principles and methods of mechatronics including the combination of computer science, electrical engineering and mechanics that is needed to design working and effective products.

Skills and abilities
For a passing grade the student must

• use applicable methods for product development in a mechatronic team,

• formulate and judge real-time requirements for integrated control systems,

• make a specification for suitable materials, production methods, control electronics, and the power electronics and electromagnetic energy converters of a certain product,

• conceive, build and debug a complete mechatronic system, comprehending feedback via a micro processor that is connected to a mechanical system with electrical sensors and actuators,

• systematically debug the system of one's own design and its parts and by individual work be able to restore the functionality.

Judgement and approach
For a passing grade the student must

• have the understanding and judgement to respect and demand all the various competences that are necessary for mechatronic constructive design,

• have the confidence to debug and operate a mechatronic system.

Contents
Introduction to the prerequisites of the participants from other engineering programmes than one's own, e.g. real time programming and product design methodology, followed by deeper theory of: Product development and design methodology. Practical automatic control. Analogue electronics. Simulation of electronics and mechanics. Debugging. EMC, protection and security. Environmentally friendly electronic prototype development. Microprocessors and programming of embedded systems. Interface to PC. Device drivers. Computer communication. Sensors. Actuators. Electromechanical energy conversion. Mechanical prototype development. Search/interpretation of technical documentation.

Literature
Literature is encompassed in the set of tools and material that will be sold by the Department.

Code: 0110. Name: Concept Development.
Higher education credits: 4. Grading scale: UG. Assessment: Approved report on concept development gives the grade G.

Code: 0210. Name: Project Work.
Higher education credits: 5. Grading scale: UG. Assessment: Approved practical project work gives the grade G.

Code: 0310. Name: Assignments.
Higher education credits: 1. Grading scale: UG. Assessment: Approved assignments give the grade G.