What is Mechatronics Engineering?

Engineering is an exciting profession for men and women who want to be involved in the processes of building, developing and caring for our world. You will be involved with managing people, ideas and material resources to get things done.

Mechatronics engineering is strongly based on Mechanical Engineering, but is a distinctly different discipline.

Mechatronics engineers work with the electronic and computer control systems which nearly all machinery relies on for efficient and reliable operation. We take it for granted that automatic systems monitor process plants for leaks and faults, and keep the plant operating all the year round. Mechatronics engineers build and design these systems and need expertise in computing and electronics, core Mechanical engineering knowledge, and the ability to bring these together to make working systems which meet the safety and reliability levels we take for granted.

Remember that most engineers do many different kinds of work in their careers. The initial qualification is just a starting point. For example, you may graduate as a Mechatronics engineer, work for an offshore construction company building control and monitoring systems for gas platforms, and then move on to cryogenics: the technology of extremely cold refrigeration plants needed to liquefy natural gas for transport. What you learn as an undergraduate is just a start to a lifetime of learning which opens up new opportunities and experiences at every step.

What's special about mechatronics at UWA?

Engineers are increasingly relying on complex computer-based control and monitoring systems interacting with existing mechanical plant or equipment, particularly in the Indian Ocean region. Mechatronics engineers are needed to make these systems work.

In many other Mechatronics Engineering courses, the emphasis is on the design and manufacture of consumer goods (cameras, videos, washing machines etc.) with embedded computers to control their automatic features.

We offer a high quality mechatronics program without the heavy emphasis on low level electronics, integrated circuits, computer hardware, and assembly language found in some other mechatronics courses. This differentiates our course from others and, we think, better prepares graduates for the roles they will play in regional industries (ie West Australia, SE Asia, Indian Ocean Region).

As a Mechatronics graduate from UWA you will have a broader technical background which, we think, better prepares you for your future and offers a broad range of employment and further study opportunities.

What do you study?

The School of Mechanical Engineering offers a four year degree course in Mechatronics Engineering. There are plans to provide combined degree courses in future.

The Mechatronics course can lead to an Honours degree, and all will qualify you for membership of the Institution of Engineers Australia, the professional engineering body in Australia.

When you start your Mechatronics engineering course at UWA, you will do a first year common with Mechanical, Materials, Civil, Environmental and Resource Engineering students. You will be introduced to engineering dynamics, statics, electrical fundamentals and computer technology, as well as improving your skills in maths and physics.

In your second year, still in common the Mechanical students (and Civil students for many subjects) you will be building your knowledge in a variety of engineering subjects and mathematics. You will get practical experience in our laboratories, including computer-aided design (CAD), and the opportunity to dismantle, re-assemble and run an engine in one afternoon!

In third year you specialise in Mechatronics by building a solid foundation in electronics and object-oriented programming and undertaking practical projects with working mechatronics systems such as robots and process plant. You will also be increasing your knowledge and skills in a number of professional areas, including design and manufacture, and developing communication skills in seminars. You can choose some optional specialised courses. If you do a CEED project, you will also commence your major project, completing it as your fourth year project.

In you final year, you will study the environment and engineering ethics in common with all engineering streams, a substantial mechatronics engineering project, and select from a variety of more specialised topics. As in third year, you will be improving your communication skills in class seminars.

Course Outline - BE (Mechatronics Engineering)

• First Year
  • Engineering
  • Computing
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  
  
• Second Year
  • Design and Manufacture (how to design and make machinery)
  • Machine Dynamics (machinery in motion)
  • Applied Thermodynamics (engines, refrigerators, combustion etc.)
  • Computer Applications
  • Materials Engineering
  • Fluid Mechanics
  • Solid Mechanics
  • Mathematics
  
  
• Third Year
  • Object Oriented Programming
  • Electronics
  • Electric Machines
  • Instrumentation Engineering
  • Risk and Probability in Engineering
  • Control and Mechatronics
  • Mechanisms
  • options in Robotics or Computer Vision.
  
  
• Fourth Year
  • Engineering and Society (ethics, environmental and social impact of engineering)
  • a research or development project
  • advanced mechanical/mechatronics engineering
  • computer science or electrical engineering topics chosen from a list of options.

Who Teaches Mechatronics?

The staff who present this programme have international reputations for their contributions to mechatronics over the last 20 years, including:

• A/Prof. James Trevelyan - Robotic sheep shearing, internet telerobotics, computer vision and robot calibration - Mechanical & Materials Engineering - Mechatronics Programme Coordinator.
• A/Prof. Robyn Owens - Robotic sheep shearing, computer vision, on-line measurement of anatomical shapes - Dept. Computer Science.
• Assoc. Prof. J. Pan - Active control of noise and vibration in industry, the "ear defender" - Dept. Mechanical & Materials Engineering - deputy Mechatronics Programme Coordinator.
• Dr. Peter Kovesi - Robotic sheep shearing, computer vision - Dept. Computer Science
• Dr. B. Kirk - On-line control of confocal microscope imaging sensors - Dept. Mechanical & Materials Engineering
• Dr. K. Miller - Full dynamic control of world's fastest robot "Delta" - Dept. Mechanical & Materials Engineering

The UWA Environment

At UWA, we have an exciting environment for students to develop the skills necessary to be in the forefront of engineering anywhere in the world. Many of our academics have established international reputations and are well known at leading universities across the world.

While studying mechatronics engineering at UWA, you will be in contact with research teams which are recognised internationally as being at the forefront of technology. You will have access to well equipped computer laboratories for general computing and specialised computer-aid engineering. You will have opportunities to be involved in helping industry solve real problems from your third year onwards through project work, the optional "CEED Programme" of industrial projects, and final year Honours or Pass degree projects.

The School has excellent contact with industry, and external lecturers add variety to a number of courses. You will have opportunities to visit industrial sites of particular interest to enable you to see mechanical and mechatronics engineering in action.

What do you get out of it?

An engineering degree is harder than most when studying, but the rewards are great. Mechanical and Mechatronics engineers are in demand all around the world, as well as here in Western Australia. Our graduates are employed in all kinds of companies throughout Australia, and in many overseas countries.

Over the years, our engineering graduates from UWA have developed an excellent reputation, and are in great demand by employers across the world, not just in Australia. Many companies interview engineering students on campus and offer jobs up to seven months before the end of final year because students from UWA are so highly sought after.

The main reason we have started our mechatronics programme is that many companies keep asking for students with a mechatronics qualification. In the past, they have taken mechanical engineering graduates who have developed an interest in computing or electronics outside their formal coursework.