Integrating mechatronics in manufacturing and related engineering curricula

Typical prototypes of manufacturing and related engineering programs are briefly reviewed. For the professionally aligned readers, arguments are presented in favour of orienting the electronics and controls courses towards automation by integrating them all to form a core of the mechatronics program stream. These courses would thus take an obviously common direction, allowing the manufacturing engineers to function better as technology integrators at the machine, workcentre or shopfloor levels of modern manufacturing organisations. This objective is difficult to realise when the electronics, controls and automation subjects are taught in isolation one from another. Paradoxically, it matters little whether the automation course is taught before or after the other two. Critical topics linking all three are usually missing. With different teaching departments involved, the lack of emphasis on the commonality of purpose is near total. Thus, with only disconnected stepping-stones made available, the graduates' ability for professional self-improvement through life-long learning is hampered.