Lab for Mechatronics III – Automotive Electronics and Simulation

GELab practical test “Model design and simulation using MATLAB Simulink”

• Understanding the differential equations of motion at the example of a flying ball.
• Converting the differential equations of motion into a Matlab/Simulink model.
• Extending the model by non-linear effects like floor contact and air friction.

GELab practical test “About Segway”

• Getting to know the architecture and essential components of a Segway.
• Understanding how a gyroscope and acceleration sensor works.
• Programming simple control commands for the present experimental Segway model.

GELab practical test “3D printing”

• Getting to know all currently available 3D printing technologies.
• Developing areas of application / pros and cons of individual 3D printing technologies
• Production of a 3D-printed object at the example of a customised shopping cart coin.

GELab practical test “Automotive engine controllers”

• Getting to know the architecture and essential components of a modern passenger car engine
• Understanding how a modern common rail diesel injection system works 
• Naming and locating the components in a real engine
• Understanding the basic concepts of chip-tuning an engine

GELab practical test “State control”

• Simulating an un-controlled system in Matlab Simulink as state-space model
• Implementing a classic PID controller in Matlab Simulink for this system
• Designing, implementing, and evaluating a capable state control for this system

3D printing technology

All available 3D printing technology and 3D gantry milling machines are optimised in detail, and new fields of application are discovered and tested The focus of research here lies in a combination of different 3D printing methods and materials in one and the same object.

Autonomous robot navigation based on LIDAR sensors

A multi-functional wheelchair for application in retirement homes, based an omni-wheel robot platform. It shall navigate autonomously and then offer specified sitting and lying positions for patients. Following the current trend in passenger car development, the navigation uses the data collected form a LIDAR scanner as its main source of information. The focus of development lies on navigation that is both robust and safe, and on a simple and intuitive human-machine interface adjusted to the user.

Automotive common rail engine

We are researching possible applications of freely-programmable engine control units in passenger car engines from serial production for special fields of application outside of cars: e.g. for efficient boat drives, drives for small aircrafts, high-performance fans etc.

Among other equipment, the lab currently offers

• a single extruder, FDM 3D printer (Ultimaker 2)
• a dual extruder, FDM 3D printer (Renkforce 2000)
• an SLA 3D printer (Liquid Crystal Hi-Res by Photocentric 3D)
• a highly efficient brine/water heat pump (SI8TU by Dimplex)
• an automotive common rail diesel engine (Ford DV6TD) with racing control unit (Trijekt)
• a Segway based on the Wheelie model by the Elektor publishing company
• an autonomously navigating all-wheel drive robot platform with Mecanum wheels and LIDAR sensors
• a 3D gantry milling machine
• further standard devices like oscilloscopes, function generators, power supply units, Arduinos, etc.