Teaching Mechatronic System Modeling: A Fifteen-Year Journey

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuvra Das
Keyword(s):  
Systems Engineering ◽  
Power Flow ◽  
System Modeling ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Engineering System ◽  
Bond Graphs ◽  
Mechatronic Systems ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Disciplinary Background ◽  
Student Projects

Abstract Most innovations happen at the intersections of disciplines. New products get designed through synergistic integration of multi-disciplinary concepts. For example, in today’s automobiles purely mechanical systems have been replaced by “by-wire” devices that are software controlled, lighter, more efficient, and reliable. While engineering disciplines are merging seamlessly in real world products, academic silos are mostly still intact. At University of Detroit Mercy, we have broken down some silos by launching the Robotics and Mechatronics Systems Engineering major. Mechatronic Systems Modeling is a mandatory course in this major. This course uses a technique of power flow called bond graphs to model mechatronic systems. This technique is not discipline specific and students with different disciplinary background can easily understand and master it. Recently, the use of Simscape, a MATLAB/Simulink tool for physical system modeling has also been added to this course. The use of these two tools in complex system modeling tasks helps students develop an understanding of engineering system behavior by moving beyond the narrow boundaries of individual disciplines. This paper describes the course content and structure, the modeling methods, selected student projects, some of the lessons learned, and several offshoot activities that have resulted from this course.

OPAS: Ontology Processing for Assisted Synthesis of Conceptual Design Solutions

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franc¸ois Christophe ◽  
Raivo Sell ◽  
Alain Bernard ◽  
Eric Coatane´a
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Design ◽  
Systems Engineering ◽  
System Modeling ◽  
Knowledge Bases ◽  
General Purpose ◽  
Synthesis Process ◽  
Modeling Language ◽  
Engineering System ◽  
Modeling Languages ◽  
Knowledge Representations

This article focuses on a key phase of the conceptual design, the synthesis of structural concepts of solution. Several authors have described this phase of Engineering Design. The Function-Behavior-Structure (FBS) is one of these models. This study is based on the combined use of a modified version of Gero’s FBS model and the latest developments of modeling languages for systems engineering. System Modeling Language (SysML) is a general-purpose graphical modeling language for specifying, analyzing, designing, and verifying complex systems. Our development shows how SysML types of diagrams match with our updated vision of the FBS model of conceptual design. The objective of this paper is to present the possibility to use artificial intelligence tools as members of the design team for supporting the synthesis process. The common point of expert systems developed during last decades for the synthesis of conceptual solutions is that their knowledge bases were application dependent. Latest research in the field of Ontology showed the possibility to build knowledge representations in a reusable and shareable manner. This allows the construction of knowledge representation for engineering in a more generic manner and dynamic mapping of the ontology layers. We present here how processing on ontology allows the synthesis of conceptual solutions.

scholarly journals MBSE Testbed for Rapid, Cost-Effective Prototyping and Evaluation of System Modeling Approaches

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 2321
Author(s):  
Azad M. Madni
Keyword(s):  
Systems Engineering ◽  
Autonomous Vehicles ◽  
Comparative Evaluation ◽  
System Modeling ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Adaptive Planning ◽  
Loop Control ◽  
System Models ◽  
Digital Twins

Model-based systems engineering (MBSE) has made significant strides in the last decade and is now beginning to increase coverage of the system life cycle and in the process generating many more digital artifacts. The MBSE community today recognizes the need for a flexible framework to efficiently organize, access, and manage MBSE artifacts; create and use digital twins for verification and validation; facilitate comparative evaluation of system models and algorithms; and assess system performance. This paper presents progress to date in developing a MBSE experimentation testbed that addresses these requirements. The current testbed comprises several components, including a scenario builder, a smart dashboard, a repository of system models and scenarios, connectors, optimization and learning algorithms, and simulation engines, all connected to a private cloud. The testbed has been successfully employed in developing an aircraft perimeter security system and an adaptive planning and decision-making system for autonomous vehicles. The testbed supports experimentation with simulated and physical sensors and with digital twins for verifying system behavior. A simulation-driven smart dashboard is used to visualize and conduct comparative evaluation of autonomous and human-in-the-loop control concepts and architectures. Key findings and lessons learned are presented along with a discussion of future directions.

A SysML-Based Modeling Language for Mechatronic System Architecture

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruirui Chen ◽  
Yusheng Liu ◽  
Yue Cao ◽  
Jing Xu
Keyword(s):  
Systems Engineering ◽  
System Architecture ◽  
Modeling Language ◽  
Mechatronic Systems ◽  
Geometric Information ◽  
Automatic Reasoning ◽  
Control Behavior ◽  
Reasoning System ◽  
And Control ◽  
Model Based Systems Engineering

Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) is the mainstream methodology for the design of complex mechatronic systems. It emphasizes the application of the system architecture, which highly depends on a formalized modeling language. However, such modeling language is less researched in previous studies. This paper proposes a general modeling language for representing the system architecture, aiming for representing function, physical effect, geometric information and control behavior which the system should satisfy. It facilitates the communication of designers from different technological domains and supports a series of applications such as automatic reasoning, system simulation, etc. The language is illustrated and verified with a practical mechatronic device finally.

Development of Data Translators for Interfacing Power-Flow Programs With EMTP-Type Programs: Challenges and Lessons Learned

2013 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 1192-1201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco de Leon ◽  
Dariusz Czarkowski ◽  
Vitaly Spitsa ◽  
Juan A. Martinez ◽  
Taku Noda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Power Flow ◽  
Lessons Learned

scholarly journals THE CHALLENGING COMBINATION OF AGILITY AND CONVERGENCE IN HYBRID PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF STANFORD'S ME310 PROCESS MODEL

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 2991-3000
Author(s):  
Frank Koppenhagen ◽  
Tim Blümel ◽  
Tobias Held ◽  
Christoph Wecht ◽  
Paul Davin Kollmer
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Analysis ◽  
Systems Engineering ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Solution Space ◽  
Problem Formulation ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Development Processes ◽  
Student Projects

AbstractCombining agility and convergence in the development of physical products is a major challenge. Rooted in a design thinking approach, Stanford's ME310 process model attempts to resolve the conflicting priorities of these two design principles. To investigate how successful Stanford's hybrid process model is in doing so, we have used a qualitative case study approach. Our paper begins by outlining this process model's fundamental principles in terms of engineering design methodology. Subsequently, we present the results of our empirical analysis, which tracks the coevolution of problem and solution space by meticulously examining all prototype paths in ten of Stanford's ME310 student projects. We have discovered that convergence during solution finding does not correspond to the process model's theoretical specifications. Even in the phase of the final prototype, both the technical concept and the underlying problem formulation changed frequently. Further research should focus on combining the prototype-based ME310 approach with methods from systems engineering which allow for a more comprehensive theoretical exploration of the solution space. This could lead to improved convergence during solution development.

ROSES: Remote Online Sessions for Emerging Seismologists

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fransiska K. Dannemann Dugick ◽  
Suzan van der Lee ◽  
Germán A. Prieto ◽  
Sydney N. Dybing ◽  
Liam Toney ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
Content Structure ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Technical Requirements ◽  
Online School ◽  
Professional Development Programs ◽  
Advanced Graduate

Abstract In response to a pandemic causing the cancellation of numerous professional development programs for emerging seismologists, we successfully planned, promoted, and executed an 11 week online school for advanced graduate students worldwide during the summer of 2020. Remote Online Sessions for Emerging Seismologists included 11 distinct lessons focused on different topics in seismology. We highlight the course content, structure, technical requirements, and participation statistics. We additionally provide a series of “lessons learned” for those in the community wishing to establish similar programs.

Systems Engineering Design Projects in Freshmen Engineering Courses

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter R. Frise
Keyword(s):  
Systems Engineering ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Engineering Practice ◽  
First Year ◽  
Engineering System ◽  
High Failure Rate ◽  
Design Problems ◽  
Engineering Programs ◽  
Freshmen Students ◽  
System Solution

Abstract The first year of most engineering programs: does not normally include much material in engineering practice or design, nor are professionalism, human factors or the concept of an engineering system solution to design problems emphasized. This lack of engineering content has been found to be a factor in the relatively high failure rate in the first year due to students not becoming interested in, and energized by, their studies. The author has developed a number of open-ended design problems which have been successful in teaching the engineering method to freshmen students while at the same time not over-taxing their relatively undeveloped engineering analysis skills. The projects are described and examples are available upon request from the author to allow interested readers to use them in their own programs. The other benefit of these projects has been in identifying students who have difficulty with written communications. Using the design project reports as a diagnostic tool we have been able to refer these students to assistance with their writing skills from the on-campus writing tutorial service.

A Task Based Approach to Mechatronic Systems Education

Volume 3 ◽  
2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Firth ◽  
Brian Surgenor ◽  
Peter Wild
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Robot ◽  
Mobile Robots ◽  
Systems Engineering ◽  
Educational Tool ◽  
Electronic Components ◽  
Mechatronic Systems ◽  
Student Workload ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Hands On Learning ◽  
Elective Course

This paper describes an elective course in mechatronic systems engineering that is project based and team-oriented with hands-on learning. Working in small teams, students add electronic components to a mobile robot base and write the programs required to make the robot perform a series of tasks. Although the application of mobile robots as an educational tool in a mechatronics course is becoming the norm at many universities, the task based organization of the Queen’s mechatronics course is believed to have a number of novel features. The paper will review the pedagogy of the course, including aspects of the student workload, the interplay between teams, and the task based approach to marking and organization of the laboratories.

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