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Jump to navigationJump to searchThe 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 Resources
(Articles of particular relevance to DC2007)
PIC Microcontrollers
Basic Electronics
Analog and Digital chips
- Comparators : the analog digital interface
- 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: Microphone
- Tilt, Acceleration: Accelerometer
- Force: Strain Gauge
- Current: Current Sense Resistor
- Contact: Microswitch (Limit Switch)
Actuators
- Brushed DC Motors
- Brushless DC Motors
- Stepper Motors
- RC Servos
- Solenoids
- Practice: Driving Your Solenoid
- AC 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
- 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
Lab Supplies and Data Sheets
Vendors
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
