Mechatronics moves the world

As devices become smarter and connected, the engineering behind it is also getting more complex. The traditional divisions bet-ween various streams of learning disciplines are blurring, merging and mixing to create new categories. 

Mechatronics is now the most important field of engineering that is creating devices, machines and systems that are not just connected but smart enough to create and capture activity data. 

The fields of mechanical and electronics engineering have come together as mechatronics with applications in everything from coffee makers to robotic systems. The term was created more than 40 years ago but has gained immense importance in the world of internet of things. 

In an earlier age mechanical devices were operated mostly by humans. Now it is the electronics that run the devices without a lot of human intervention. A key part is the role of control systems that govern mechanical performance. Take, for example, a CCTV camera. In its simplest form it is a mechanical device that captures images. Now add motion sensors, sound sensors with a software to manage its movement, capture and analyse data. With these, the camera is almost a human who watches, records analyses and interprets. 

Such a system that runs a camera is the result of blended engineering that mechatronics represents. 

Product makers are now changing the way they design and create. Earlier the mechanical and electronic parts were designed separately and made to fit for working together. In the connected era, the design includes all elements to deliver a final product where hardware and software were created for each other. 

A smart TV is another good example of mechatronics being used for a consumer product. A simple TV just beamed images. Now it has a software that allows us to choose between various sources of content. The software TV can help you choose between internet, streaming video service, cable connection and USB videos. Many such TVs are voice operated too. Most importantly its software can generate data about the usage which can be important for both the consumer and the service operator. 

For academia and the industry the investment in mechatronics engineering has become critical. Domestic manufacturing of smart machines in India can’t grow without a big shift away from traditional engineering to merged disciplines like mechatronics. Mechatronics is needed in almost every field of manufacturing —from consumer products to aerospace. 

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) is trying to guide engineering colleges to new fields. Traditional disciplines are not getting the response from students with just 40 per cent capacity utilisation. Many traditional engineering colleges are shutting down as students are seeking new fields. AICTE is now stopping the registration of new engineering colleges from 2020. The objective is to review courses and change the direction of engineering education in India towards emerging fields like mechatronics. 

A key need is in the automotive industry which has been training students in mechatronics. Mahindra Group, Mercedes, Siemens have been running courses in mechatronics for a while now to meet their own needs in manufacturing.  A large scale shift in engineering however will require a coordinated effort between the industry, academia and policy makers. The traditional silos between engineering fields can’t serve the needs of modern manufacturing. 

India should be ahead of the curve to meet the needs of smart manufacturing. A concerted effort that identifies new fields of learning is essential today. Wisely AICTE is planning to review courses every two years to ensure colleges are relevant for the future. Teachers will need to update their skills too. With technology evolving every six months, an agile and flexible approach to learning will do India good.