Mechatronics: The Basis for New Industrial Development

This volume covers current developments in mechatronics - the synergistic integration of mechanical engineering with electronics and intelligent computer control in the design and manufacture of products and processes. It points out the importance in mechatronics of making design choices from the entire range of presently available technologies. For example, lasers can provide highly accurate measurements for instrumentation and control; piezzo electric materials can be used to make actuators of miniature size; memory alloys open up the possibilities of constructing "smart" systems which can make intelligent responses to operational situations; and fast cheap microprocessors allow easy implementation of controllers with a complexity unimaginable a few years ago.