Main Page

The Northwestern University mechatronics design wiki provides reference material on the theory and applications of electronics, sensors, actuators, etc., for use in mechatronics-related research and projects. Practical applications often refer to equipment and supplies available in the Northwestern Mechatronics Design Lab.

Important: Please be sure to read the Rules for Using the Mechatronics Design Lab.

Design Competition 2008

Wiki pages on sensors, actuators, programming, and microcontrollers: use pages below

• Parts in the DC2008 quick start pack
• PIC C intro slides, as presented 2008/01/24 (pdf)
• PIC interfacing slides, as presented 2008/01/28 (pdf)

Sensors and actuators for DC

• Solderless Breadboard & wiring that works
• Using LEDs & IREDs
• Using a laser
• Infrared reflectivity
  • Using phototransistors
  • Sensing optical tape
• Comparators : the analog digital interface
• Driving a DC Motor using PWM
• Faulhaber MiniMotor SA gearmotor with encoder, as well as the local wiki page
• Adding a magnetic encoder to a GM3 Gearmotor
  • Using magnetic switches (Hall Effect)
• Driving a DC motor using a single MOSFET
• Driving high-current devices: several options
• Driving a Stepper Motor
• Driving an RC Servo
• Accelerometers
• Strain gauges
• Basic Stamp Microcontroller Not recommended for DC2008
• NiMH rechargable batteries and chargers

PIC 18F4520 prototyping board

• Prototyping board intro
• Assembling the 18F4520 prototyping board, circuit, parts
• Using the 18F4520 prototyping board

Programming with CCS C

• The C language
• CCS C, specifically for the 18F4520
• Embedded Programming Tips for CCS C
• Using the CCS development environment
• Debugging C on a PIC
• More debugging tips
• CCS user forum

Interfacing and skeleton code for the PIC 18F4520

These topics have wiki pages and sample code available
Link to all sample code here.

• Digital inputs & outputs (filename: DigitalIO)
• Analog Input (filename: AnalogInput)
  • reading a trimpot
  • reading a phototransistor
  • amplified phototransistor, and IRED strobing
  • using an instrumentation amp (example: for a strain gauge)
• Analog Output, and the I2C bus (filename: AnalogOutput)
• Waveform Generation with AD9833, and SPI (filename: AD9833)
• Pulse width modulation (PWM) for driving motors or other high current devices (filename: MotorPWM)
  • using H-bridges
• Interrupts
• Quadrature decoding in software (filename: QuadratureSoft)
• Quadrature decoding in hardware, or just counters (filename: QuadratureHard)
• Running RC servos (filename: RCservoSoft & RCservoHard)
• Watchdog timer (filename: Watchdog)
• RS-232 serial communication between a PC and a PIC (filename: RS232)
• Text output to a serial LCD display
• Text output to a parallel LCD display
• Servo skeleton with fast & slow interrupts
• XBee radio communication between PICs (and between a PC and a PIC)
• I2C communication between PICs
• Serial communication with Matlab
• SPI communication between PICs (Note: this function has not been successfully tested)
• Microphones
• Ambient light color sensing
• Controlling a seven segment display
• Storing constant data in program memory
• PIC computation time benchmarks
• Stepper motor control with the PIC
• Global Positioning System
• IR communication between PICs (Note: this function has not been successfully tested)
• Interfacing to External EEPROM
• I2C Motor Controller
• Interfacing with a Photodiode Array

These topics have sample code available, but no wiki pages yet
Link to all sample code here.

• Counter0 - Counting pulses with Timer0]
• Counter1 - Counting pulses with Timer1]
• Interrupt0 - Periodic servo cycles using interrupt routines, 10mS & slower; Timer 0]
• Interrupt2 - Periodic servo cycles using interrupt routines; 10mS & faster; Timer 2]
• InterruptExternal - Interrupts generated by an external pulse]

These topics need more development
Link to all sample code here.

• AnalogOutputParallel - Analog output using 8 digital lines]
• PIC-to-PIC communication
• Zigbee radio communication
• Modulated IR communication
• Strobing LEDs or IREDs for better range and immunity to background light
• I2C communication
• CAN bus
• Capturing data to Matlab
• Running stepper motors

PIC Microcontrollers

• PIC Microcontrollers with CCS Compiler, for DC, 333, etc, using the CCS ICD-U40 device [this section has been replaced by the material above]
• PIC Microcontrollers with C18 Compiler, for e-puck, or using the Microchip ICD device or

e-puck Mobile Robot

• e-puck Mobile Robot

Basic Electronics

• Electronics

Analog and Digital chips

• Comparators: the analog to digital interface
• Filtering with the LMF100
• Opamps : building blocks of analog computation
• Instrumentation amps, and NU circuit board for them

Sensors

• Angle, Linear Position: Potentiometers
• Beam Breaker: Optointerrupter
• Proximity: Optoreflector
• Infrared reflectivity : Sensing optical tape
• Proximity: Reed Switch
• Proximity, Angle: Hall Effect Sensor
• Angle: Rotary Encoder
• Angular Velocity: Tachometer
• Light: Photodiodes and Phototransistors
• Ambient Light: Photocell
• Temperature: Thermistor
• Temperature: Thermotransistor IC
• Audio: Microphones
• Tilt, Acceleration: Accelerometers
• Force: Strain Gauge
• Current: Current Sense Resistor
• Contact: Microswitch (Limit Switch)
• Ambient light color sensing
• Global Positioning System
• Optics
• Optical Locating
• Lateral-Effect Photodiode

Actuators

Available Actuators

• Brushed DC Motors
  • Choosing a Motor and Gearing Combination
  • Driving Using a Linear Amplifier
  • Driving using a single MOSFET
  • Driving Using Pulse Width Modulation
  • PIC PWM Motor Driver
  • Gear Motor
    • Adding a rotation encoder to a gearmotor
• Brushless DC Motors
  • Driving Brushless DC Motors
• Stepper Motors
  • Driving Stepper Motors
  • Unipolar Stepper Motor Driver Circuit
  • Bipolar Stepper Motor Driver Circuit
• RC Servos
  • Driving Your Servo Using a 555 Timer
• Solenoids
  • Practice: Driving Your Solenoid
• AC Motors
  • Using the Yaskawa Motors
• Actuators Available in the Mechatronics Lab

Mechanical Design

• Mechanics of Materials
  • Beam Mechanics
  • Mohr's Circle
• Failure Theories
  • Static Loading
  • Variable Loading and Fatigue
• Fastening
  • Nuts and Bolts
  • Keys and Keyways
  • Press-fits
  • Set Screws
• Support
  • Housings
  • Shafts
  • Bearings
• Transmission
  • Rigid: Gears
  • Flexible: Belts, Chains
  • Motion Connection/Separation: Clutches, Brakes, Couplings
• Linkages
  • Serial Chains
  • Parallel and Closed-Loop Chains
• Other: springs/dampers, cams, etc.

The PC/104 Stack

File:Img0174.jpg

The PC104 Stack

• Overview
• The PC/104 Lab Kit
• Hardware:
  • Advantech CPU Card
  • Sensoray 526 Data Aquisition Card

• • [Power Components]
  • [I/O Electronics: Analog I/O, Digital I/O, Encoder Connections]
• Advanced: Creating a Working Stack from Parts
  • [Building the Breakout Board]
  • [Breakout Board Ribbon Cables]
  • [Assembling the PC104 Stack]
  • Creating an xPC Flash Boot Disk <- when new version of MATLAB
• Custom Boards
  • Dual PWM Motor Controller
  • Dual Linear Amplifier Motor Controller

xPC Target Real-Time Operating System

• Overview of Real-Time Programming with Simulink and xPC Target
• Configuring xPC Host/Target PC
• Quickstart:Creating a simple xPC Program
• Commonly Used Blocks
• Using the Host Scope
• Advanced
  • Model Properties
  • M-file communication
  • Using outside of the lab
  • Standalone Mode
  • Stateflow
• Code Examples
  • Controlling a DC Motor with an Encoder
  • Something With State Machine
  • Using RS-232 and Printing to LCD
  • UDP Communications between Target and Host PC
  • M-functions and S-functions
  • xPC Code From Student Projects

QNX Real-Time Operating System

• QNX Control Program with Interrupts

Lab Supplies and Data Sheets

• Generally stocked lab inventory

Other Software

• List of Useful Software for Download
• Circuit Schematics and PCB Layout
• LaTex Document Preparation
  • Mathematical Formulae
  • Document Formatting
  • Software Setup
  • IEEE Styles

Other Lab Equipment

• Prototyping Tools
  • Tektronix TDS220 Oscilloscope
  • Tektronix CFG253 Function Generator
  • Mastech Power Supply
  • Fluke III Multimeter
  • Benchtop Multimeter
  • Powered Breadboard
  • Soldering Iron
• High Performance Neuromechatronics Benches
• The Sensoray 626 DAQ Card

Course Material

• ME 224 Experimental Engineering
• ME 333 Introduction to Mechatronics
  • Lab 5
  • Suggested final projects
  • ME 333 final projects
• ME 433 Advanced Mechatronics

Miscellaneous

• Swarm Robot Project
  • Swarm Robot Project Links

• Indoor Localization System
• Robot Helicopter Project
• E-Puck Color Sensing Project
• Guitar Tunning Project