TEACHING ENVIRONMENT FOR SIMULATION AND CONTROL OF MECHATRONICS SYSTEMS

This work presents a design and control methodology in real time using low cost hardware, working on a real robot as well as on a simulation, in a coordinated way. The methodology starts in the design phase using a CAD tool and generates the model of the robot in Matlab and Simulink as integration platforms, which are widely used tools in design and control engineering. The integration of hardware and software for the robot’s control is proposed, including the use of low cost solutions with powerful performances.

The hardware control is managed by Simulink, with is able to operate both the simulation and the real robot. As a robotic prototype, a 2 degrees of freedom robot arm has been used, designed as a service robot. In this platform the authors show an example of the proposed methodology, from the CAD design to the final control test both in simulation and with the real platform.

The proposed environment is applied for teaching mechatronics, where the learning of assistance robotics encompasses concepts from different fields, such as control, Kinematic analysis and dynamic analysis. Student practices can be focused to study Kinematic and dynamic robotic aspects, the study and analysis of its responses and perform initial control approximations. The platform uses low cost hardware and as analysis and control software, Matlab and Simulink are used, which is has wide usage in university life.