Faculty of Engineering and IT.

Al Azhar University – Gaza.

Mechatronics Engineering Department.

End of Semester Exam

Date: 24-June-2010. Course Title: Mechatronics Design (2)
Duration: 2 Hours Course Code: ITME 5311
Examiner: Dr. Ahmed Issa

NOTE: Question #4 is ONLY for students who did NOT sit for the mid term exam.

Q1 ***For All Students*** [20 points]

A) What goals of mechatronics design do the following design features
realise?
1- Vision-assisted parking systems in automobiles. [2]
2- Auto-focusing lens assemblies in cameras. [2]

B) You were hired by a company to design a “drinks vending machine”. The

company’s design requirements were (quick vending times, robustness,
safety of operation, ease of maintenance and auto alert in cases of
malfunction). Answer the following:
1- Add three important design requirements to the above design concept? [3]
3- List the categories of expected users to interact with the machine? [2]
4- Draw a diagram to summarise all users’ interactions with the machine? [2]
5- What do you call the diagram described in part 4? [1]
6- Select one interaction case and draw a diagram to describe it in detail? [2]
7- What do you call the diagram described in part 6? [1]

C) 1- Which of the following diagrams represents control prototyping

simulation? (Blocks that have a bold boundary are real components). [1]

(1) (2) (3)

2- In your own words, briefly, describe control prototyping simulation? [1]
3- List three advantages of control prototyping simulation? [3]

Q2 ***For All Students*** [13 points]

A) 1- What are the engineering fields that intersect to produce mechatronics
engineering? [1]
2- Using the engineering fields, named in part 1, define “Mechatronics”? [2]
3- List two disadvantages of mechatronics solutions development? [2]
4- Give practical examples of the disadvantages named in part 3? [2]

B) 1- Describe the stage of detailed design? [2]

2- List four points to show the importance of design documentation? [2]

C) 1- Briefly describe, how modelling helps mechatronics engineers to

identify their ignorance of some engineering design problems? [2]
Q3 ***For All Students*** [17 points]
A) 1- Analogue signals can be either random or deterministic. Define these
two types of signals? [3]

A deterministic signal can be further subdivided in two types. Answer the

following:
2- What are those two types of deterministic signals? [1]
3- Define the two types of signals named in part 2? [3]

B) 1- What advantages are achieved by designing computer-based

instrumentation systems? [2]
2- What are the three levels of software used for developing computer-
based instruments? [1.5]
3- Describe, in some details, the three software levels named in part 2? [3]

C) 1- What is a data acquisition device and what is it used for? [2]

2- List three methods for interfacing a data acquisition device with the
control PC? [1.5]

Q4 ***For Students Who Did Not Sit for the Mid Term Exam*** [20 points]
A) 1- Why is synchronisation an important issue in designing mechatronics
systems that have ADC and DAC requirements? [1]
2- Name two methods used for achieving synchronisation? [2]
3- Describe, in details, one method used for achieving synchronisation? [3]

B) 1- Define the “quantisation error” and the “offset error” of a data

acquisition device? [2]
2- What are the two main characteristics of the counter of a data
acquisition device? [1]
3- Define the two counter characteristics named in part 2? [3]

C) During the design process of an autonomous helicopter, two ADC’s are

suggested to convert a 0-10 V sensor signal. The first is an 8-bit ADC and
the second is a 10-bit ADC. Answer the following:
1- What is the expected resolution of 1-bit change in each ADC? [2]
2- If the simplicity of the system design is the major issue, which ADC
would you select for the design? [3]
3- Explain the reason for your ADC selection in part 2? [3]