Mechatronics is an interdisciplinary field of engineering that brings a design focus to planning mechanical processes.
Rexroth follows six basic principles of mechatronics:
- Intelligent integration
- Energy efficiency
- Modular design
- Intelligence
- Precision
- Load appropriateness
As you’re thinking about the best design for your factory, it makes sense to explore a range of different options. The Rexroth video above reminds us not to choose the most familiar technology automatically. We also get a reminder to use machinery with the capacity we need, not to go for the maximum capability every time.
This is something we often see when we’re working with legacy Rexroth machinery. Sometimes a committee will decide that it’s time to upgrade… just because. Bringing in newer, more powerful motors may do nothing more than increase energy usage and decrease precision, rather than increasing throughput, which was probably the plan.
Systems thinking, which is key to mechatronics, helps avoid these problems. You’ll often find that you can combine legacy machines with newer units when you approach design problems in this way.