ANALOGY IN MODELLING MECHATRONIC SYSTEMS

The mechatronic systems integrate electronics and information technologies in constructing advanced mechanical systems capable of new functions. They include one or more of the following energy domains: electrical, mechanical, magnetic and thermo-fluidic. The systemic approach of each component requires a unitary methodoloy regardless of the components physical nature. The authors outlined common features of these elements and studied several possibilities of homogeneously analyzing mechatronic systems and components: using the transfer function, the energy ports, the object-oriented paradigm and/ or the principles of the analytical mechanics. Examples and results obtained in modelling and simulation processes of mechatronic systems, detail the considered aspects. The main conclusion on finding analogies between different physical subsystems that compose a mechatronic system and on defining a broad approaching methodology leads to the inevitability of applying analytical mechanics. This result has a practical interest, for team working, and a theoretical relevance, for the mechatronic design philosophy.