Mechatronics Project

B Eng Mechatronics

Project
Project is done in Year 2 of the B Eng in
Mechatronics online.

Early in Year 2 you will be

allocated a project
supervisor who will advise
you on your choice of
project, provide guidance
throughout the year and,
in consultation with a
colleague, assess your
finished project and
report
Many resources can be found on the L7
Mechatronics Project page in Moodle
One important document to read on this page is
the Project Handbook.
The project can be undertaken at your place of
work…
…or it can be done at home.
If you are doing your project at work then
someone (e.g. your boss) will be needed to verify
that the project is your own work.
If your workplace project is part of a larger team
project then it must be clear which part is your
own work.
Your supervisor will advise you on your choice of
project. If you want advice at an earlier state any
of your lecturers will be able to help.
Whether your project is in the workplace or built
at home if needs to contain three elements…
Visual Interface: e.g. Computer screen, mimic
panel,..etc

A digital indicator is not enough

Data Acquisition: Measurement using
appropriate sensors.
Control: Maintaining a measured parameter
within defined limits and coping with small
disturbances. Or sorting objects using a plc.
Your project needs to be sufficiently complex

e.g. Controlling temperature in a chamber using a

PID control strategy is fine but controlling
temperature using a thermostat is too simple.

A conveyor sorting project should include parallel

and alternative branching and/or the use of shift
registers.
If you are considering a home-build project you
will need to consider obvious constraints e.g.
pneumatic systems are not usually feasible.

Power hydraulics projects are usually too

expensive.
Some projects are constructed and assembled
from scratch.

Control is carried out using, e.g. a plc or LabVIEW

Conveyors and small motors can be sourced from
model suppliers. Other components e.g. fans,
pumps, heating elements, can be found in
domestic appliances or at car dismantlers.
Others use a prebuilt device with specialised
software.

It is important to demonstrate that the finished

project has a significant content of your own
work.
Project Assessment

Project Build 50%

Project Report 30%

Time Management/Planning 10%

Final project presentation: 10%

Guidelines for report writing are given on the
project support Moodle page.

The finished
report which is
typically 30-40
pages long
should be comb-
bound
Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I want advice on an idea that I have for a

project but I haven’t yet been allocated a
supervisor. Who can I ask?

A: Any of the mechatronics lecturers will be glad

to advise you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When is the deadline for completion of the
project?

A: Project assessment takes place approximately

during the week between the end of lectures
(~7th May) and the beginning of exams (~14th
May).
By the start of exams you should have done your
demonstration and submitted your report.
Exact dates and arrangements should be made
with your supervisor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where does the project demonstration take
place?

A: Options include:

Transporting the project to IT Sligo for

demonstration.
Demonstration the project live using Skype or a
similar technology.
Lecturers can travel to see an industrial project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I am building a project at work but it has been
delayed or cancelled due to circumstances
beyond my control. What course of action should
I take?

A: Get in touch with your supervisor at once. If

there is enough time left in the academic year
(e.g. before the beginning of semester 2 lectures)
then you may be able to complete an alternative
project. Otherwise you will need to defer your
project until September
Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the procedure for project deferral?

A: You need to complete a Request for Deferral

form, it is located on the student support page on
Moodle.
Frequently Asked Questions

Q: My project doesn’t function as intended and I

have run out of time.

A: This is not always as bad as it sounds. You will

need to demonstrate the project as best you can,
describing if necessary how it should operate. You
will need to indicate the problems that you
encountered and what action you would take to
rectify them if time allowed.
Ideas for projects

Auto-sensing clothes dryer

Level Control Project
Regulate the level of a liquid in a tube or other
container, over a range from 0 to 500 mm

The level must be adjustable via an extern set-

point with an accuracy of +1 %.

The system will require a DC controlled variable

speed pump, level sensor and control valve
together with LabVIEWand USB 6008/myDAQ.
Level Control Project
Air temperature controller
Regulate the temp of the air in a tube over a
range from room temperature to 70deg.

The temp must be adjustable via an extern set-

point with an accuracy of +1 %.

System to comprise of DC controlled variable

speed fan , heating element configured in-line in
a clear plastic tube with a safety cut-out. Temp
sensors & LabVIEWw/ USB 6008.
Air temperature controller
Motor Speed Control
Control the speed of a dc motor with load applied
The speed must be adjustable via an extern set-
point with an accuracy of +2%.
Must be able to maintain speed despite load
fluctuations

System to comprise of DC motor, speed sensor,

MOSFET for switching DAQ output to drive the
motor LabVIEWw/ USB 6008.
Motor Speed Control
Other Project Ideas

Car cruise control

Noise cancelling headphones
Ball and beam mechanism
Ball magnetic levitation system
Window cleaning robot
Petrol filling robot
Wireless stage curtain opening system
Automatic rain-operated windscreen wiper
Other Project Ideas

Solar powered mobile device charger

Draughts (checkers)-playing robot
Night vision system
Thermal imaging system
Ideas for projects-websites

Build a robot http://www.letsmakerobots.com/

Digital vision system http://briandorey.com/

http://arduino.cc/
General interactive projects
https://www.raspberrypi.org/
Examples of Past Projects

Carousel device.
Examples of Past Projects

Component sorter.
Examples of Past Projects

Clean room positive-pressure simulator

Examples of Past Projects

Humidity and
Temperature control
Examples of Past Projects

Speed and noise monitoring for

predictive maintenance
Examples of Past Projects

Parts assembly
Examples of Past Projects

Crane swing motion compensation