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UNIT V

ACTUATORS AND MECHATRONIC SYSTEM DESIGN

Types of Stepper and Servo motors – Construction – Working Principle – Advantages and
Disadvantages. Design process-stages of design process – Traditional and Mechatronics
design concepts – Case studies of Mechatronics systems – Pick and place Robot – Engine
Management system – Automatic car park barrier.

5.1 Introduction:

❖ Steppers are used when incremental motion is required.

❖ A stepper motor possesses the ability to move a specified number of revolutions or fraction of
a revolution in order to achieve a fixed and consistent angular movement.
❖ Movement is achieved when power is applied for short periods to successive magnets

Advantages
• High accuracy of motion possible
• Cheaper and effective in open loop systems
• Brushless construction

Disadvantages
• Low torque capacity compared to DC motors
• Limited speed
• High vibrational levels
• Large errors and vibrations if a pulse is missed

5.2 The types of stepper motor are

i) Variable Reluctance Stepper motor

ii) Permanent Magnet stepper motor

iii) Hybrid Stepper motor.

1. Variable reluctance stepper

Construction
• The rotor is made up of soft steel and it is cylindrical in shape with four poles.
• Usually the number of poles on the rotor is less than number of poles on the stator. The stator
poles have winding s and its switched by means of electronic switching device.
• The function of the switching device is to switch the control winding in the stator of stepper
motor.

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Working

VR motors are characterized as having a soft iron multiple rotors and a wound stator. They
generally operate with step angles from 5 degrees to 15 degrees at relatively high step rates, and have
no detent torque (detent torque is the holding torque when no current is flowing in the motor). when
phase A is energized, four rotor teeth line up with the four stator teeth of phase A by magnetic
attraction. The next step is taken when A is turned off and phase B is energized, rotating the rotor
clockwise 15 degrees; Continuing the sequence, C is turned on next and then A again. Counter
clockwise rotation is achieved when the phase order is reversed.

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2. Permanent magnet stepper

Construction
• The stator has four poles. Each pole is wound with a field winding the coils on opposite pair
of poles being in series.
• The rotor is a permanent magnet and the current is switched to a pair of stator poles , the rotor
will move to line up with it.

Working
PM motors differ from VR's by having permanent magnet rotors with no teeth, and are
magnetized perpendicular to the axis. In energizing the four phases in sequence, the rotor rotates as it
is attracted to the magnetic poles. The motor shown in Figure (18) will take 90 degree steps as the
windings are energized in sequence ABCD. PM's generally have step angles of 45 or 90 degrees and
step at relatively low rates, but they exhibit high torque and good damping characteristics.

5.3 Hybrid stepper motor:

Hybrid - Combining the qualities of the VR and the PM, the

hybrid motor has some of the desirable features of each. They have high
detent torque and excellent holding and dynamic torque, and they can
operate at high stepping speeds. Normally, they exhibit step angles of
0.9 to 5 degrees. Bi-filer windings are generally supplied as depicted in
Figure, so that a single-source power supply can be used. If the phases
are energized one at a time, in the order indicated, the rotor would rotate
in increments of 1.8 degrees. This motor can also be driven two phases
at a time to yield more torque, or alternately one then two then one
phase, to produce half steps or 0.9 degree increments.

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5.4 SERVO MOTOR

A servo motor is an electrical device which can push or rotate an object with great precision.
If you want to rotate and object at some specific angles or distance, then you use servo motor. It is
just made up of simple motor which run through servo mechanism. If motor is used is DC powered
then it is called DC servo motor, and if it is AC powered motor then it is called AC servo motor. We
can get a very high torque servo motor in a small and light weight packages. Doe to these features
they are being used in many applications like toy car, RC helicopters and planes, Robotics, Machine
etc.

Servo Mechanism

It consists of three parts:

• Controlled device
• Output sensor
• Feedback system

It is a closed loop system where it uses positive feedback system to control motion and final
position of the shaft. Here the device is controlled by a feedback signal generated by comparing
output signal and reference input signal.

Here reference input signal is compared to reference output signal and the third signal is
produces by feedback system. And this third signal acts as input signal to control device. This signal
is present as long as feedback signal is generated or there is difference between reference input signal
and reference output signal. So the main task of servomechanism is to maintain output of a system at
desired value at presence of noises.

Working principle of Servo Motors

` A servo consists of a Motor (DC or AC), a potentiometer, gear assembly and a controlling
circuit. First of all we use gear assembly to reduce RPM and to increase torque of motor. Say at initial
position of servo motor shaft, the position of the potentiometer knob is such that there is no electrical
signal generated at the output port of the potentiometer. Now an electrical signal is given to another
input terminal of the error detector amplifier. Now difference between these two signals, one comes
from potentiometer and another comes from other source, will be processed in feedback mechanism
and output will be provided in term of error signal. This error signal acts as the input for motor and
motor starts rotating. Now motor shaft is connected with potentiometer and as motor rotates so the
potentiometer and it will generate a signal. So as the potentiometer’s angular position changes, its
output feedback signal changes. After sometime the position of potentiometer reaches at a position
that the output of potentiometer is same as external signal provided. At this condition, there will be no
output signal from the amplifier to the motor input as there is no difference between external applied
signal and the signal generated at potentiometer, and in this situation motor stops rotating.

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5.4.1 Applications of Servo Motor

The servo motor is small and efficient, but serious to use in some applications like precise
position control.This motor is controlled by a pulse width modulator signal. The applications of servo
motors mainly involve in computers, robotics, toys, CD/DVD players, etc. These motors are
extensively used in those applications where a particular task is to be done frequently in an exact
manner.

• The servo motor is used in robotics to activate movements, giving the arm to its precise angle.
• The Servo motor is used to start, move and stop conveyor belts carrying the product along
with many stages. For instance, product labeling, bottling and packaging
• The servo motor is built into the camera to correct a lens of the camera to improve out of
focus images.
• The servo motor is used in robotic vehicle to control the robot wheels, producing plenty
torque to move, start and stop the vehicle and control its speed.
• The servo motor is used in solar tracking system to correct the angle of the panel so that
each solar panel stays to face the sun
The Servo motor is used in metal forming and cutting machines to provide specific motion
control for milling machines
• The Servo motor is used in Textiles to control spinning and weaving machines, knitting
machines and looms
• The Servo motor is used in automatic door openers to control the door in public places like
supermarkets, hospitals and theatres

5.5 STAGES IN DESIGNING MECHATRONIC SYSTEMS:

The design of mechatronics systems can be divided into a number of stages.

The Need:
• The design process starts with the need of a customer.
• By adequate market research and knowledge, the potential needs of a customer can be clearly
identified.
• In some cases, company may create a market need but failures are more in this area.
• Hence, market research technology is necessary.

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Analysis of the Problem:
• This is the first stage and also the critical stage in the design process.
• After knowing the customer need, analysis should be done to know the true nature of the
problem.
• To define the problem accurately, analysis should be done carefully

Preparation of a Specification:
• The second stage of the mechatronics process involves in the preparation of a specification
• The specification must be given to understand the requirements and the functions to be met.
• The specification gives mass dimensions, types, accuracy, power requirements, load, praying
environments, velocity, speed, life etc.

Conceptualization:
The possible solution should be generated for each of the functions required
•It is generated by verifying the old problems or some newly developed techniques may be
used
Optimization:
• This stage involves in a selection of a best solution for the problem
• Optimization is defined as a technique in which a best solution is selected among a group of
solutions to solve a problem.
• The various possible solutions are evaluated and the most suitable solution is selected.

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Detail Design:
• Once optimizing a solution is completed, the detail design of that solution is developed.
• This may require a production of prototype etc.
• Mechanical layout is to be made whether physically all component can be accommodated.
• Also whether components are accessible for replacement / maintenance are to be checked.
Production of working Drawings:
• The selected design or solution is then translated into working drawings, circuit diagrams, etc.
So that the item can be made.
• Drawings also include the manufacturing tolerances for each component.

5.6 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRADITIONAL AND MECHATRONIC APPORACH

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5.7 CASE STUDIES IN MECHATRONIC SYSTEMS:
5.7.1 A Pick and Place Robot:

The robot has three axes and about these three axes only motion occurs.
• The following movements are required for this robot
• Clockwise and Anti-clockwise rotation of the robot unit on its base
• Horizontal Linear movement of the arm to extend or contraction
• Up and down movement of the arm and
• Open or close movement of the gripper
• The above movements are accomplished by the use of pneumatic cylinders operated by
solenoid controlled values with limit switches.

• The limit switches are used to indicate when a motion is completed.

• The clockwise rotation of the robot unit can be obtained from a piston and cylinder
arrangement during its extension and that of counter clockwise during its retraction.
• The upward and downward movement of the arm can be obtained from a piston and cylinder
arrangement during the extension and retraction of a piston respectively.
• Similarly, the gripper can be opened or closed by the piston in a linear cylinder during its
extension.

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• The micro controller used to control the solenoid values and hence the movements of the
robot unit.
• The type of microcontroller used in M68C11.
• A software program is used to control the robot.
• Eight C port lies PC0 – PC7, are used to sense the position of eight separate limit switches
used for eight different robotic movements.
• Also one line from port D is used to start or stop the robot operation.
• The switch in its one position will provide +5V (a logic high signal), to the corresponding port
lines and the switch in another position will provide 0V (a logic low signal), to the port lines.
• So the two positions of a switch will provide either a logic high or logic low to the
corresponding PC0 – PC7, and PD, lines.
• Eight part B lines (PB0 – PB7) are used to control eight different movement. These are Base
CW, Base CEW, Arm extends, Arm retract, Arm up, Arm down Gripper close and Gripper
open of the robot.
• PB0, is connected to the Triac optoisolator through a resistor.

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• TRIAC isolator consists of LED and TRIAC.
• For example, when the base has to rotate in clockwise direction, a high signal is sent through
line PB0
• The diode is forward biased and the TRIAC optoisolation operates, regulating the supply to
the solenoid value which in turn operated the piston rod of the pneumatic cylinder.
• The base clockwise continues the rotation till it reader the position of second limit switch

5.7.2 Automatic Car Park System:

• Consider the coin-operated car park system with barriers.
• The main requirement of the system is that, the in-barrier is to be opened to allow the car
inside if correct money (coin) is inserted in the collection box.
• The out barrier is to be opened to allow the car outside, if the car is detected at the car park
side of the barrier.
• The automatic car park barrier along with the mechanism to lift and lower it

• When the current flows through the solenoid A & the piston in the cylinder extends to move
upward and causes the barrier to rotate about its pivot and thus the barrier raises to allow the
car inside.
• When the current flows through the solenoid A ceases, the spring on the solenoid valve makes
the contacts to open and thus makes the valve to its original position.
• When the current flows through solenoid B, the piston in the cylinder moves downward end
causes the barrier to get down.
• Limit switches are used to detect when the barrier is down and also when fully up.
• This control can be controlled by PLC

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X400 – coin operated switch at entrance to car park
X401 – switch activated when entrance barrier is out
X402 – switch activated when entrance barrier is down
X403 – switch activated when car at exit barrier
X404 – switch activated when exit barrier is -up
X405 – switch activated when exit barrier is down
Y430 – solenoid on valve A for entrance barrier
Y431 – solenoid on valve B for entrance barrier
Y432 – solenoid on valve A for exit barrier
Y433 – solenoid on valve B for exit barrier

• Six inputs (X400 to X405) is required for the PLC to sense the six limit switch position
namely coin-operated switch, entrance barrier up switch, down switch, car at exit barrier
switch, exit barrier up switch, Exit barrier down switch
• Whenever, a switch is operated, 0V signal is provided to the corresponding inputs and
otherwise +24v signal is provided to the inputs. Four outputs (Y430 to Y433) are required to
operate the two solenoid valves A and B.

• Assume a 10 sec delay for the car is to come inside the barrier and to go outside the barrier.
• These time delays provided by T450 and T451 energising their Internal relays respectively.
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5.7.3 Engine Management System:

• Engine management system is now-a-days, used in many of the modem cars

• This car includes many electronic control systems such as microcontrollers for the control of
various engine factors.
• The main objective of the system is to ensure that the engine is operated at its optimum
settings.
• The engine management system of a car is responsible for managing the ignition and fuelling
requirements of the engine.
• The power and speed of the engine are controlled by varying the ignition timing and the Air
fue1 mixture.
• In modern cars, this is done by microprocessor.
• To control the ignition delay, the crank shaft drives a distribution which makes electrical
contacts for each spark plug in turn and a timing wheel.
• This timing wheel generates pulses - to indicate the crankshaft position.
• The microprocessor then adjusts the timing at which high voltage pulses are sent to the
distributor so that they occur at right moments of time.
• To control the amount of air-fuel mixture entering into a cylinder during the suction stroke,
the microprocessor varies the time for which a solenoid is activated to the inlet valve on the
basis of inputs received by the engine temperature and the throttle position.
• The amount of fuel to be injected into the air stream can be determined on input from a sensor
of the mass rate of air, or computed from other measurements.
• The microprocessor then gives as output to control of fuel inject valve.
• The system hence consists of number of sensor for observing vehicle speed, Engine
temperature, oil and fuel pressure, air flow etc.,
• These sensors supplies input signals to the microprocessor after suitable signal conditioning
and provides output signals via drivers to actuate corresponding actuators.

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Engine Speed Sensors:

• The Engine speed sensor is an inductive type sensor used to measure or sense the engine
speed.
• It consists of a coil and a sensor wheel.
• When the teeth of the wheel pass through the sensor, the inductance of the coil changes.
• This change in inductance produces an oscillating voltage.

Engine Temperature Sensor:

• The engine temperature sensor is used to sense the temperature of the engine.
• It is usually a thermistor or a thermocouple.
• The thermocouple consists of a bimetallic strip or a thermistor whose resistance changes when
there is a variation in temperature of the engine.

Hot wire Anemometer:

• Hot wire anemometer is used as amass airflow rate sensor in which a heated wire gets cooled
when air passes across it.
• The amount of coding depends on the mass flow rate.

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Oxygen Sensor:
• The oxygen sensor is usually a closed end tube made of zirconium oxide with porous platinum
electrodes on the inner and outer surfaces.
• When the temperature is above 300˚C the sensor become permeable to oxygen ions so that
melt age will be produced between the electrodes.
• The various drivers such as fuel injection drivers, ignition coil driver’s solenoid drivers and
are used to actuate actuators according to the signal by various sensors.
• Analog signals are converted into digital signals by using ADC and are sensed by various
sensors which in turn sent to the microcontroller.
• The microcontroller compares these input values with the set points stored in its memory and
it issues control signals to the corresponding our drivers.
• The output signals are converted into analogue signal by using ADC.
• The transient protection circuit prevents any sudden surge a rise or far in the power supply in
the power supply to the micro controller.
• A+12V voltage regulator is used to supply the dc voltage required for the microcontroller
operation.
Wireless Surveillance Balloon:
• Surveillance generally refers to monitoring or observing a person or a group of people h m a
certain distance, frequently.
• Surveillance equipment is typically used in warfare and/or in counter-insurgency operations to
monitor the activities of an enemy from a distance.
• Surveillance equipment may also be used to monitor hazardous situations from a distance,
such as for example, as may be associated with chemical hazards, explosive hazards, and the
like, so as to provide advance information to personnel responsible for controlling the hazards.
• Other applications may include search and rescue missions, police operations, and homeland
security activities.

5.7.4 Elements of Wireless Surveillance Balloon:

Various essential elements of a wireless surveillance balloon are listed below:

• Sensors:
• Image sensors
• Thermal sensors
• Audio sensors
• Location sensors
• Altitude sensors
• A compass
• Motion sensors
• Communication modules:
• Located in the housing
• Communication modules transmit data collected by the sensors
• An anchor line which may be adapted to anchor the deployable surveillance balloon to the
housing after deployment
• A lighter-than-air (LTA) gas source which may be adapted to provide lighter than- air gas for
inflation of the surveillance balloon during and / or after deployment

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• Ancillary components which may facilitate the operation of the system, such as power
sources, gas lines, wires, control circuitry, databases, displays, regulators, latches, springs,
levers, gaskets, etc.

Applications of Wireless Surveillance Balloon

Wireless surveillance balloon have been used for various applications like:
• Border security (TARS) in military,
• Enhancing battlefield situational awareness.
• Coastal surveillance,
• Platform for mounting telecommunication, television. radio transmitters and Broadband
equipment
• Aerial platform for scientific instrument testing,
• Aerial platform for weather prediction instruments,
• Terrestrial mapping
• For holding up large-array radio- telescopes.

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Part-A
1.What is steeper motor?
A stepper motor is a device which transforms electrical pulses into equal increments of rotary
shaft motion called step.
2. What are the types of stepper motors?

The types of stepper motor are

i)Variable Reluctance Stepper motor

ii) Permanent Magnet stepper motor

iii) Hybrid Stepper motor.

3. What is servo motor?
The motor used in automatic control system or in servo mechanism are called servo motors.
They are used to convert electrical signal to angular motion.

4.List down the various stages in Mechatronics system design.(May 2013,May 2014)
• Analysis of the Problem:
• Preparation of a Specification:
• Conceptualization:
• Optimization:
• Detail Design:
• Production of working Drawings

5 .Compare Mechatronics and Traditional system.(May 2013,May 2014 , Nov 2013)

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7 .List the drawbacks of traditional design approach.(Nov 2012)
• Bulky system
• Complex mechanisms
• Less flexibility
• Less accuracy
• Consist of more components
8. The design of Mechatronics system is different from that of traditional system. Justify.
• It allows to integrate the Mechanical systems with micro elements
• It ensures the higher efficiency and reliability for the quality of products.
9. Identify the sensors in a pick and place robot. (May 2012) (May 2015)
• Pressure sensor
• Proximity sensor
• Load sensor
• Limit switches
• Velocity sensor
• Position sensor
10. What is the role of opto isolator in robot control? (Nov 2012)
optoisolation operates, regulating the supply to the solenoid value which in turn operated the
piston rod of the pneumatic cylinder.
11. What is meant by wireless surveillance balloon?
Surveillance generally refers to monitoring or observing a person or a group of people from
certain distance, frequently.
12. List down various applications of the wireless surveillance balloon.
Surveillance equipment may also be used to monitor hazardous situations from a distance,
such as for example, as may be associated with chemical hazards, explosive hazards, and the
like, so as to provide advance information to personnel responsible for controlling the hazards.
13. What are the essential requirements of an autonomous mobile robot?
Locomotion
Sensory perception
Knowledge representation
Planning
Autonomy

14. Compare traditional and Mechatronics approaches of engine management system.(Nov

2014)
S.No Traditional system Mechatronics Approach
1 Fuel injection, air intake all the process Fuel injection, air intake all the process is
is controlled by manually. controlled by microprocessor
2 There is no sensors used Sensors are used for the various processes

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15. Automatic camera is a Mechatronics system – Justify.

The Microprocessor based controller which uses Programmable memory to store instructions
and to implement functions such as logic , sequence , timing , counting and arithmetic to
control events and can be readily reprogrammed for different tasks. The modern camera is likely
to have automatic focusing and exposure.
16. What are the uses of sensors in engine management system?
• The system hence consists of number of sensor for observing vehicle speed, Engine
temperature, oil and fuel pressure, air flow etc.,
• These sensors supplies input signals to the microprocessor after suitable signal conditioning
and provides output signals via drivers to actuate corresponding actuators.

PART-B

1. Explain the various stages in Mechatronics design approach and state how it differs from the
traditional approach.(16) (Nov 2012)
2. Discuss in detail the Mechatronics application of automatic washing machine. Write the
programming
Sequence for its operation.(16)(May 2015)(NOV-16)
3. (i)What are the advantages of using a microprocessor in the place of a mechanical controller
for a carburetor of an automobile?(4) (Nov 2014)
(ii) Explain the Mechatronics system used in an automatic camera with a neat block
diagram.(10)
4. Discuss the design aspects of pick and place robot in terms of various Mechatronics element
involved.(16)(Nov 2013)
5. Explain about the various functional components in wireless Surveillance Balloon
System.(16) (May 2014 , May 2013 ,Nov 2012 )
6. Discuss in detail the Mechatronics application of automatic car parking barrier system.
Mention the
sensors and actuators used for each control.(16)(May 2015)
(or)
Explain about the mechanical system design of an automatic car park barrier.(16)(May
2014,May 2013)

7. (i)Explain the role of sensors in car engine management system? Explain with block
diagram.(10)
(ii) Explain the various Mechatronics elements required to design an automated guided
vehicle.(6)(Nov 2014)
8. Explain the design of a Mechatronics system used in a engine management system.(16) (Nov
2013) (NOV-16)

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