Nearly any consumer product on the market today, from cars to airplanes and printers to smart phones, combines electronic and mechanical components. In addition, production of many products has become highly automated. Mechanical assembly lines now include complex controls, sensors, and automated inspection. Electromechanical engineering is a hybrid engineering discipline that has evolved in the 20th century to meet these needs. Electromechanical engineering is also referred to as mechatronics, and the terms are interchangeable.
Electromechanical engineering in the university setting has generally grown out of specialties in mechanical engineering departments, specifically those with a manufacturing focus, and collaborations in electrical engineering. However, many schools now offer specific accredited electromechanical engineering degrees.
Electromechanical Engineering Focus Areas
The discipline of electromechanical engineering can be applied in several different areas:
- Automotive – Just about every mechanical system in an automobile today is coupled with electronic systems, from the engine itself to windshield wipers and door locks.
- Aircraft – The “fly by wire” control systems used in aircraft are electromechanical systems. Inputs from the pilot are converted to electrical signals, which then trigger mechanical responses throughout the aircraft, from throttling the engine to dropping the flaps for a landing. Electromechanical engineers in the aircraft industry combine mechanical linkages, hydraulic systems, and computer controls with a variety of sensors to keep aircraft flying safely.
- Robotics – Engineers in this area design and construct robots and robotic systems for a wide variety of applications, from manufacturing systems to cutting edge research. Some electromechanical engineers in this field may focus on closed-loop feedback systems, where the robot reacts to stimulus around it or its own movement without separate operator control.
- Manufacturing – While electromechanical engineers that focus on manufacturing may have experience in robotics, they may also focus on control of automated production lines, including automating complex machining tasks, moving parts from one workstation to another, and computer-controlled inspection processes.
- Micro-electrical Mechanical Systems (MEMS) - This area includes the design and fabrication of micron-scale machines and mechanisms.
Many mechanical products incorporate electronic control, and engineers are required to understand both the mechanical and electronic requirements when developing a product.
Electromechanical Engineering Education
The basis of a bachelor’s degree coursework for this discipline will generally include a foundation in mathematics and physics. The intermediate coursework will often include a hybrid of mechanical and electrical engineering classes, such as kinematics, material science, logic theory, and electronics. Depending on the student’s ultimate focus, senior level courses will generally focus on a specific area within electromechanical engineering, such as robotics design, manufacturing engineering, and control.
Electromechanical Engineering Professional Societies
There is no single professional engineering society that focuses solely on electromechanical engineering. However, many other societies include chapters and technical areas specifically for electromechanical engineers, including the American Society for Mechaical Engineers (ASME), the Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), the Society for Manufacturing Engineering (SME). Other specialty engineering societies, such as the Society for Automotive Engineers (SAE), also have divisions focused on electromechanical engineering niches.
Susan Kristoff - Susan Kristoff is mechanical engineer by trade, but has a diverse set of professional and personal interests. The glue that binds all of ...
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