Engineering Institute of Technology

52872WA Advanced Diploma of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering

Remote Engineering, also referred to as Online Engineering, is a recent development in Engineering and Science. Its aim is to facilitate the shared use of equipment, resources, and specialized software such as simulators.

The International Association of Online Engineering (IAOE) is an international non-profit organization. Its objective is to encourage the wider development, distribution and application of Online Engineering (OE). The main forum of the OE community is the annual International Conference on Remote Engineering and Virtual Instrumentation ('REV').

Mechatronics, on the other hand, is an interdisciplinary field of engineering and integrates several technologies or subsystems. Mechatronics is the key to modern video and CD disk drives, camcorders, avionics, aircraft fly-by-wire, computerized fuel injection for motor vehicles, anti-lock braking systems, smart (autonomous) vehicles and smart weapons such as military drones used for aerial reconnaissance purposes. In the process automation field Mechatronics is also present in systems such as smart conveyer lines and assembly robots.

A Mechatronics engineer or technician has to view a system as a whole, and offer solutions to problems with multiple variables. As explained above, modern systems do not only combine several fundamental disciplines such as control theory, electronic systems, mechanical systems and computers, but they often require hybrid technologies where these basic disciplines overlap, such as electro-mechanics and Programmable Logic Controllers. It is therefore mandatory for the engineer to transcend the traditional barriers between these disciplines, and acquire skills such as developing microprocessor software, designing and implementing sophisticated PID control schemes, developing mathematical models of processes (for simulation purposes), selecting appropriate drives (linear, rotary, electrical, hydraulic, etc), selecting appropriate sensors and signal conditioning, and designing or integrating mechanical components.

Just like Ethernet networking and IEEE 802.11 wireless (Wi-Fi), the integration of technologies in engineering applications as embodied in Remote Engineering, Mechatronics and Robotics is upon us, and it is here to stay. And, what’s more, it is evolving at an exponential rate that will, in 10 years’ time, make some of today’s technology look like museum artifacts. This makes it almost mandatory for everyone in the Engineering world to become familiar with relevant technology or face obsolescence.

Course start dates

• 2nd April 2024
• 6th August 2024