MEANING + MAKING

Modern industry relies on highly complex production systems to produce high-quality, economical products for an ever more competitive world. A process known as Mechatronics teaches the “systems thinking” that is required to effectively operate, program, trouble-shoot, and problem-solve in this complex environment.

With the rapid proliferation of automation, mechatronics has become one of the fastest growing technical education programs in the world. Many technologies are integrated to create sophisticated production line systems including robotics, conveyor systems, mechanical operations, electrical, electronics, and software - all components that are typical of what students will see in real-world applications. By recreating the industrial environments in the classroom, students will be job-ready when they enter the workforce. Curriculum can be structured in a way that gives instructors the flexibility to teach using either self-directed activities, or traditional lecture-lab-formats.

In order to teach these new managerial skills, mechatronics is scalable, and can be understood by using either full scale tools, or with miniaturized systems. Companies such as Amatrol have developed small scale mechatronics lines comprised of learning modules and a portable tabletop mechatronics learning system.

Each of these systems comprises individual stations that can be purchased separately to accommodate limited budgets, or altogether to form a total learning experience. This training experience can apply to various careers such as trouble-shooting, mechatronics engineer/technician, automation engineer/technician, and systems engineer/technician.