A new mechatronics laboratory for technology integration

Abstract

While teams and projects tend to be multidomain, the infrastructure required to integrate and build prototypes lags behind to allow an efficient interaction and to offer multi-disciplinary facilities. Hence this paper presents an infrastructure approach developed in a Latin American academic context, where the concept of an Engineering Building is explained in order to support the demands of a 3rd Generation University. A deeper emphasis of this article is placed upon the development of a Technology Integration Laboratory in terms of functionality, capacity, adjacencies, furnishing and, physiologic and psicologic support. The layout design is based on the concepts of Mechatronics and Technical Systems while enhancing a teaching-learningbuilding process. After 5 years of operation the results obtained in terms of prototyping, filed patents and projects with the triad government-industry-academy are discussed. Our experience shows that such hands-on engineering facilities are worth having, especially within a virtual education growing trend, and that openness has influenced an increment of the Intellectual Property results.

Design of laboratories for teaching mechatronics/electrical engineering in the context of manufacturing upgrades

“…16 The study was also conducted in the development of infrastructure of mechatronics laboratory. 17 Individual publications presented internet-based laboratory activities in the field of mechatronics for vocational engineering education. 18,19 Changes in the context of manufacturing upgrading…”