Mechatronics Engineering

Autumn Wisdom Programming a Robot donated by Nissan

Mechatronics is a very rigorous program, where students will be enrolled into college as a junior in high school. Students can graduate with anywhere from 18 to 61 college credits and receive 13 industry certifications. See the link on the right for a list of Industry Certifications.

Beginning Junior year, students may enter into the Associates Degree program with Motlow state if they qualify, they will graduate high school with a two year college degree at the same time. Students are not required to be in the associates program, and may just take the mechatronics courses. See bottom of page for how the associates degree from Motlow can transfer.

Due to limited space in the Mechatronics Program, upcoming juniors and seniors must complete this application and receive an acceptance letter to register for Mechatronics. You may be required to interview in order to receive a spot.

Students will be apply engineering theory to hands on, real world equipment.

Freshman Year: Engineering Design

Students learn 3D CAD, including additive manufacturing and assembly using Solidworks along with having the opportunity to earn their CSWA (certified Solidworks Associate certification). Students will also learn to use a ruler, tape measure, slide caliper, depth gauge, dial gauge, micrometer, combination square and protractor for angle measurements. Students will earn a certification for each tool. We have over 20 3D Printers.

Sophomore Year: Digital Electronics

Students will learn ohms laws and apply it to series and parallel circuits. Students will then learn basic logic circuits including AND, OR, Inverter, NAND, NOR, XOR, and XNOR logic design. Students CAD their design using Multisim software, then breadboard their design and lastly program their design into a FPGA board. Students will also build and program robots using microcontrollers to do various autonomous tasks with an array of sensors. Students also learn to solder circuits. Students will be able to use Arduino or Raspberry Pi controllers.

Junior and Senior Year: Mechatronics Dual Enrollment with Motlow State Community College:

MATH1910 - Calculus I

MATH1920 - Calculus II

MECH1310 Electrical Components

Students learn Ohms Law, Watts Law, Series and Parallel combination circuits, Magnetic Fields, Transformers, Signal Analysis, Capacitors, basic wiring and troubleshooting skills. Students build Tesla coils and develop holograms by programming Arduino microcontrollers. Students also learn about various electrical components such as pushbuttons, limit switches, read switches, hall sensors, proximity switches, solenoids, LEDs, inductive sensors and capacitive sensors.

MECH1320 Mechanical Components

Students learn about Gear drives, Belt drives and Chain drives, along with building each one of those systems in a lab. They learn AC/DC Motors and Generators and how they operate. They also 3D print Bolts, Nuts, Gears and other parts.

MECH1330 Fluid Power

Students learn pascal’s laws, flow, velocity, force pressure, directional control valves, meter-in, meter-out, check valves and apply it to cylinders and motors in hands on labs. Labs builds are hydraulic and pneumatics. Students should also have a basic understand of what the different symbols are on a schematic.

MECH1340 PLC Programming

Students program Siemens, Allen Bradley and Mitsubishi PLCs and have them interface with various I/O using ladder logic. Students will gain a basic understanding of I/O addressing, Controls, Memory coils, Timers and Counters. Students can program a pick and place system using industrial components, a stoplight, and various other tasks.

MECH1350 Industrial Robotics

Students learn to program 6 axis industrial FANUC robots in a hands-on situation. Students learn FANUCs basic HandlingTool software and program the robot to do specific tasks. Students can earn their FANUC level 1 certification. There are currently 6 FANUC robots in the classroom for students to practice on. Students also earn 3 additional certifications with Yaskawa robot safety and learn to virtually program a Yaskawa robot using a Yaskawa teach pendant.

MECH2320 Motor Control

Students learn the basics of multiple types of motor starters and various ways to control motors, including VFD’s. Students spend a lot of time wiring up panels, components, PLC’s, Motors, Timers and other components using industrial level components and cabinets.

Students also work on various side projects for each class as well. They learn to use a CNC table, Laser engraving and cutting, welding, and metal design on a plasma table.

Students earn their Siemens Level 1 certification when they complete all the mechatronics courses.

Students who qualify, join the AAS middle college program, which allows them to earn their Associates Degree in Mechatronics by the time they graduate high school. Each year we have a cohort of students that are in the AAS program.

HOW DOES THE MOTLOW AAS DEGREE TRANSFER?

Motlow has articulation agreements with some universities in and around the state. Here is a link on the MTSU site explaining that they accept the AAS degree from Motlow.

https://www.mtsu.edu/university-college/outreach/motlow-dap-aas-mechatronics-technology.php

Here is a list of schools that Motlow has an Articulation agreement with that the AAS degree goes towards a bachelor's degree.

http://catalog.mscc.edu/content.php?catoid=22&navoid=2346

Notable Tennessee schools for this are MTSU, UT Chattanooga and Tennessee Tech. They do the 2+2, meaning 2 years at a community college (Motlow AAS degree) and then 2 years at their university earns students a bachelor degree in that field.

If it's another university, you would have to contact them directly as to how they accept the AAS degree. Normally it is accepted as a transfer student and most, if not all of the general education classes are accepted. The engineering courses may not transfer course for course because the Motlow classes are not Calculus based.

Here is what UT Knoxville has on their site:

https://admissions.utk.edu/apply/first-year/college-admission-requirements/

Here is what the University of Alabama Huntsville has on their site:

https://www.uah.edu/admissions/undergraduate/apply-for-admission/transfer