Mechatronic design for students: model based on industrial engineering techniques

Abstract

The present paper proposes a methodology for mechatronic design projects based on industrial engineering techniques. Today, in industrial production the reduction of research and development time is one of the most important goals for engineers. This reduction will allow products to enter the market more efficiently, thus increasing profits for organizations. The analysis made on the Product Life Cycle (PLC) reveals the two areas where time is critical: R&D and project construction. The use of Design of Experiments (DOE), supported by Creativity Phase and Project Management techniques, are powerful tools to reduce time in the initial phase of the project. However, students, engineers, and scientists consistently avoid the use of industrial engineering and applied statistical techniques. Many textbooks and courses primarily focus on statistical analysis, thus forgetting planning, design, execution, analysis, and interpretation. The aim of this paper is to change today’s teaching focus in engineering techniques towards new teaching models where scientific concepts and theories are applied to real world problems. To support this intention, students from ITESM Campus Queretaro worked on the development of a robotic project using a new model to design projects rapidly and efficiently. In line with the vision and mission of ITESM, this paper reflects the development of new models and techniques for learning projects oriented towards a methodology for the construction of high performance mechatronics design for students of mechatronic engineering.