Mechatronics: A Thread in the Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Curriculum

Abstract Mechatronics is the synergistic combination of mechanical, electrical, and computer technologies in the design of complex products and processes. Recent rapid growth of mechatronics as an area of engineering has given rise to a significant demand for mechatronics engineers. At the university level, engineering programs have emerged that help meet this need by producing engineering graduates who are capable, well-rounded mechatronics designers. One such program is the multi-course guided curriculum in mechatronics that is available to students in their senior year in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Washington. Described in this paper are that mechatronics program as a whole, the curriculum into which it fits, the individual constituent courses, and our observations after offering this program for two years.