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No. 15 Autumn 1996 CONTENTS From the Forum Chair.......................................................... 1 Event Reports The Industrial Benefits of Mechatronics - The Scandinavian Experience.................................................. 2 1996 Mechatronics Forum Prestige Lecture .................... 3 Mechatronics in Automated Handling .............................. 3 Mechatronics ’96 with M2VIP ’96, Portugal ................... 3 EFAM-ViCAM Euroconference ........................................ 4 1 st European Conference on Disabilty, V-R & Associated Technologies ..................................................................... 6 University News Hull’s First MEng Graduates ........................................... 7 WDA Award for UWCN .................................................... 7 International Collaboration at De Montfort ..................... 8 UWCN gets European Funding ........................................ 8 Personalities in Mechatronics ............................................... 8 SKF Linear Motion Design Awards 1997 ............................. 9 Mechatronics in Education Bytronic International ...................................................... 9 Feedback Instruments ..................................................... 11 Industrial Support for Hull Course ................................. 12 Mechatronics Resources Free Information Sheet ................................................... 12 Books .............................................................................. 12 Calls for Papers Industrial Inspection ....................................................... 13 Shoe and Garment Manufacture ..................................... 13 M 2 VIP ’97 ....................................................................... 13 30 th ISATA ....................................................................... 13 41 st International Symposium.......................................... 14 EFAM-CCAM Euroconference ....................................... 14 Smart Structures and Machines & MIMR....................... 14 Real Time Visual Monitoring and Inspection ................. 14 Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM ’97) ............... 14 SOCO ’97 and IIA ’97 ................................................... 15 CAD CAM, Robotics and Factories of the Future .......... 15 Research Opportunities ....................................................... 16 Forthcoming Events Visit to Mitsubishi Electric.............................................. 16 Visit to Renishaw Metrology ........................................... 16 Caption Competition............................................................ 16 From the Forum Chair Professor Phil Moore, De Montfort University The Mechatronics Forum continues to grow and develop in its role in promoting and advancing the Mechatronics discipline both within the UK and Internationally. The Mechatronics Forum Committee are unanimous in the view that we will continue through our best endeavours to provide a means to strengthen the understanding, awareness and best practice of Mechatronics through appropriate events and activities. The Forum will continue to cooperate with other Professional bodies and interest groups where appropriate to ensure the maximum success for such activities. The Forum, in its unique position as an organisation jointly sponsored by the Institution of Electrical Engineers and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in the UK, is very well placed to service the Mechatronics community. The Forum will continue in organising events such as specialist industrial visits, seminars, conferences, and to provide regular information and news through the Newsletter (available on the web). Professor Tim King our Editor is always pleased to receive contributions and suggestions. The AGM in April took place at BUSM Leicester following a very successful technical visit where a range of highly sophisticated mechatronics machine systems for shoe manufacture were demonstrated. David Reedman (Technical Manager) and Chris Price (Technical Director and President of the IMechE) hosted our visit. In May the Forum in association with the IEE PGI6 organised a one day colloquium at Savoy Place in London, ‘Mechatronics: the Scandinavian Experience’ at which three eminent guest speakers (Lars Hein, Denmark; Jan Wikander, Sweden; Vesa Salminen, Finland) gave their perspectives on Mechatronics and participated in follow-up discussions. Lars Hein (centre), is keen to read his Mechatronics Forum Newsletter, whilst Vesa Salminen (left) and Jan Wikander prepare to take questions. The Annual Mechatronics Forum Prestige Lecture was delivered by Vesa Salminen an eminent Mechatronics specialist from Finland representing FIMET. The lecture ‘Mechatronics: future developments’ was given at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, London on 28 th May 1996. The UK Mechatronics Forum Conference Mechatronics ’96 was hosted by the University of Minho, Guimaraes, Portugal in September. This turned out to be probably the largest and most successful Mechatronics Conference held to-date world Mechatronics Forum Newsletter

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  • No. 15 Autumn 1996

    CONTENTSFrom the Forum Chair..........................................................1Event Reports

    The Industrial Benefits of Mechatronics - TheScandinavian Experience..................................................21996 Mechatronics Forum Prestige Lecture ....................3Mechatronics in Automated Handling ..............................3Mechatronics ’96 with M2VIP ’96, Portugal ...................3EFAM-ViCAM Euroconference ........................................41st European Conference on Disabilty, V-R & AssociatedTechnologies.....................................................................6

    University NewsHull’s First MEng Graduates ...........................................7WDA Award for UWCN....................................................7International Collaboration at De Montfort.....................8UWCN gets European Funding ........................................8

    Personalities in Mechatronics...............................................8SKF Linear Motion Design Awards 1997.............................9Mechatronics in Education

    Bytronic International ......................................................9Feedback Instruments.....................................................11Industrial Support for Hull Course.................................12

    Mechatronics ResourcesFree Information Sheet ...................................................12Books ..............................................................................12

    Calls for PapersIndustrial Inspection.......................................................13Shoe and Garment Manufacture.....................................13M2VIP ’97 .......................................................................1330th ISATA .......................................................................1341st International Symposium..........................................14EFAM-CCAM Euroconference.......................................14Smart Structures and Machines & MIMR.......................14Real Time Visual Monitoring and Inspection .................14Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM ’97) ...............14 SOCO ’97 and IIA ’97 ...................................................15CAD CAM, Robotics and Factories of the Future ..........15

    Research Opportunities .......................................................16Forthcoming Events

    Visit to Mitsubishi Electric..............................................16Visit to Renishaw Metrology...........................................16

    Caption Competition............................................................16

    From the Forum ChairProfessor Phil Moore, De Montfort University

    The Mechatronics Forum continues to grow and develop in itsrole in promoting and advancing the Mechatronics disciplineboth within the UK and Internationally. The MechatronicsForum Committee are unanimous in the view that we willcontinue through our best endeavours to provide a means tostrengthen the understanding, awareness and best practice ofMechatronics through appropriate events and activities. TheForum will continue to cooperate with other Professional

    bodies and interest groups where appropriate to ensure themaximum success for such activities. The Forum, in its uniqueposition as an organisation jointly sponsored by the Institutionof Electrical Engineers and the Institution of MechanicalEngineers in the UK, is very well placed to service theMechatronics community. The Forum will continue inorganising events such as specialist industrial visits, seminars,conferences, and to provide regular information and newsthrough the Newsletter (available on the web). Professor TimKing our Editor is always pleased to receive contributions andsuggestions.

    The AGM in April took place at BUSM Leicester following avery successful technical visit where a range of highlysophisticated mechatronics machine systems for shoemanufacture were demonstrated. David Reedman (TechnicalManager) and Chris Price (Technical Director and Presidentof the IMechE) hosted our visit.

    In May the Forum in association with the IEE PGI6 organiseda one day colloquium at Savoy Place in London,‘Mechatronics: the Scandinavian Experience’ at which threeeminent guest speakers (Lars Hein, Denmark; Jan Wikander,Sweden; Vesa Salminen, Finland) gave their perspectives onMechatronics and participated in follow-up discussions.

    Lars Hein (centre), is keen to read his Mechatronics ForumNewsletter, whilst Vesa Salminen (left) and Jan Wikander prepare totake questions.

    The Annual Mechatronics Forum Prestige Lecture wasdelivered by Vesa Salminen an eminent Mechatronicsspecialist from Finland representing FIMET. The lecture‘Mechatronics: future developments’ was given at theInstitution of Mechanical Engineers, London on 28th May1996.

    The UK Mechatronics Forum Conference Mechatronics ’96was hosted by the University of Minho, Guimaraes, Portugalin September. This turned out to be probably the largest andmost successful Mechatronics Conference held to-date world

    MechatronicsForum Newsletter

  • Mechatronics Forum Newsletter - No. 15, Autumn 1996 2

    wide. The event consisted of over 150 refereed papers beingpresented and was attended by around 220 delegates fromsome 35 countries. A truly international extravaganza! Thefacilities and organisation were first rate and complementedby the beautiful location. Professor Tim King and ProfessorMario Lima the Co-Chairs can be very proud of the event. Onbehalf of the Forum Committee I would like to thank them,the Conference organising / programme committees andauthors for their hard work and contributions in making itsuch a successful Conference. The Conference was run as ajoint event with Mechatronics and Machine Vision in Practice(M2VIP ’96). The supporting Euro-Conference VICAM ’96,organised by Professor Rob Parkin, also contributed greatly tothe success of the overall event.

    The next UK Mechatronics Forum Conference Mechatronics’98 is planned to take place in the beautiful Swedish locationof Mount Billingen , Skovde in the Hotel BillingehusConference Centre, in September 1998. The autumn inSweden comes highly recommended. Please make a note inyour diary! Let us hope the event can build on the successenjoyed by Mechatronics ’96. I only hope the weather iskinder to us. The Forum are looking for members of anorganising committee and international programmecommittee. The event is being sponsored by the University ofSkovde and De Montfort University. Industrial sponsors forthe event would be most welcome.

    I look forward to meeting you at Mechatronics Forum eventsover the next few months.

    Event ReportsThe Industrial Benefits of Mechatronics -

    The Scandinavian ExperienceIEE, Savoy Place, London, 28 May 1996

    The meeting, organised by IEE PG I6 and co-sponsored by theMechatronics Forum was introduced by Prof. John Milne(Univ. of Abertay) who gave the background to mechatronicsin product design, pointing out the reduction in the time takentime to apply discoveries in successive generations ofmachines and products since the industrial revolution, andhighlighting the need for the ‘concept leap’ which lifts aproduct into the next generation whilst linear development justleaves it to grow steadily less competitive. He noted that theScandinavian community had been especially active in thegeneration of mechatronic products, and hence explained thebackground to the organisation of the colloquium.

    Prof. Phil Moore (De Montfort Univ.) then introduced thespeakers, Vesa Salminen, of the Federation of Finnish Metal,Engineering and Electrotechnical Industries (FIMET), LarsHein of the Institute for Product Development, Lyngby,Denmark, and Jan Wikander of the Department of MachineDesign Mechatronics (DAMEK) of the Royal Institute ofTechnology, Stockholm, Sweden.

    Vesa Salminen opened by noting the relatively smallproportion of industrialists in the audience. He commentedthat this was how it had been in Finland ten years ago, but thatmechatronics was now a concept behind all their new machineproducts and processes due to the Finnish MechatronicsProgramme (in which US $ 6.5 Million was invested between1986 and 1990, followed by a further $71M in fivespecifically focused themes between 1991 and 1999). He went

    on to describe the Finnish economic base, with its traditionalindustrial reliance on pulp and paper industries and once large,but now almost insignificant, exports to Russia. This wascontrasted with the successfully developed new areas such astelecomms and advanced heavy machinery. The latter wasimpresssively illustrated by video of a walking machine,initiated under the mechatronics programme, for treeharvesting. This posesses advantages of superiormanouverability, less soil erosion and better ground clearancethan traditional wheeled machines. Other impressive exampleswere given including an autonomous field tractor using fibre-optic gyros to give a 2cm positioning accuracy, and the use ofneural networks in the chemical recovery line of a paperprocessing plant.

    Lars Hein surprised many of us by explaining that inDenmark, industrialists do not use the term ‘mechatronics’seeing it as an academic invention. He highlighted someconfusion over the definition of the term. Is it: automatedmanufacturing; N.C. machines or; products with integratedmechanics and electronics? His definition (and the Danishunderstanding) was the last of these three, and he went on todescribe the Danish Technology Programmes which havefocused on; integrated product development (in the early1980’s); optimising the product development function (in thelate 1980’s) and; operational methodologies to enablecompanies to perform better, in the 1990’s. Thesemethodologies include - Design for Manufacture, Design forQuality, Design for the Environment and so on, a set of designapproaches which Lars Hein described generically as ‘Designfor X’. He emphasised the importance of the re-use ofexperience in the design of new products and put forward theadvantages of highly structured, stepwise procedures whichfacilitate collection and dissemination of experience data inthe Design for X approach. Lars Hein made some illuminatingobservations about Design for Quality - pointing out thedifferences between internal aspects of quality (qualityefficiency - how easy is it to make?) and external ones (asexperienced by the customer - how does it perform, whatdesirable features does it have?). Design for Manufacture wasexemplified by presentation of a case study showing thehighly effective re-design of a power unit for an electronicwelding unit.

    Jan Wikander introduced his talk with a discussion ofrelationships between system complexity and timingrequirements. He suggested that timing requirements weregenerally tight at the lower levels of complexity (the‘actuators level’) but at the high complexity ‘systems level’timing requirements could generally be more relaxed. He gavenumerous example areras of application and expanded onthree of them with case studies, these being: trucks (where 15microprocessors per truck are now commonplace), automationin SMD placement in electronics manufacture and equipmentfor handling bank notes. These examples showed innovationacross a range of Swedish Industry from large companies(Volvo Trucks) to small ones (Inter-Innovation). Oneinteresting application from the truck sector was a dieselengine controller bolted directly to the engine assembly (formaximum modularity) and cooled by the diesel fuel to offsetthe principal disadvantage of this location!

    A lively discussion session, led by Prof. Tim King (Univ.Birmingham), followed the three presentations whichsucceeded in developing some of the themes introduced by thespeakers and which rounded off a thought provoking andeducational colloquium.

  • Mechatronics Forum Newsletter - No. 15, Autumn 1996 3

    1996 Mechatronics Forum Prestige LectureIMechE, Birdcage Walk, London, 28 May 1996

    Following the Colloquium at the IEE, efficiently organisedbuses collected participants from Savoy Place and whiskedthem away through the London rush-hour traffic to IMechEheadquarters to sample IMechE tea and then to listen to VesaSalminen, who described how Finland had addressedmechatronics before moving on to his main theme for theevening, the future of mechatronics. Vesa laid much emphasison ‘mechatronics in the organisation’ and ‘networks ofintelligence’ and gave an interesting review of work on GEN -the Global Engineering Network, with its multi-media productcatalogues and some demonstrator applications available onthe web (http://www.gen.net/). He concluded by showingvideo of Finnish mechatronics projects, including the walkingforestry machine which had so impressed the participants inthe day’s earlier event at the IEE.

    Reports on the ‘Scandinavian Experience’ and PrestigeLecture by Tim King.

    Mechatronics in Automated HandlingRoyal Mail Technology Centre, Swindon

    16th May 1996

    This IEE Manufacturing Division Colloquium was organisedby Professional Group I6 (Machine Systems EngineeringApplications) in conjunction with the Mechatronics Forumand followed the welcome trend of locating Colloquia outsideLondon. The colloquium provided an opportunity to exchangeinformation on a number of challenging automated handlingproblems. Combined with a technical visit to the Royal MailTechnology Centre in Swindon, the Colloquium also provideda fascinating opportunity to see just how mail arrives on ourdoorsteps so reliably every day.

    The Colloquium began with a section devoted to Royal Mail,identifying the problems of efficiently sorting the dailymillions of mail items and distributing them nationally andinternationally. The diversity in shape, size and weight, makesautomating a process to handle and sort mail at speed a highlycomplex task. Some of the amazing machines involved in thesolutions to this task were discussed in this section.

    A succession of diverse presentations followed, includingthose on a novel approach to the automated packing ofirregular objects, a fascinating can production machinecapable of producing up to 1000 cans per minute, the handlingof multiple sheets of material, positioning flexible objects byair jet manipulation and the materials handling aspects of anaerospace FMS.

    The day culminated with a visit to the Royal Mail sortingoffice at the Technology Centre, providing a chance to see themachines described in the first talks of the Colloquium. Sincethe evening mail was being sorted, the whole process could beexplained and demonstrated. Mail was first fed into a sizesorting (segregation or culling) machine to separate thoseitems too fat to be sorted automatically, items passing thiscriterion are then passed straight to a further culling machinewhich removes those items which are too high or wide.

    The mail is then thinned into a single stream for address andstamp examination, by which time the flow rate of mail isaround 30,000 per hour! To achieve this rate, the mail travels

    at around 3.5 metres per second, which gives rise to someproblems when mail containing loose items, like money, issuddenly re-routed or stopped - the coins tend to burst out!After some further orientation, mail is transferred to amachine which analyses the address using machine visiontechniques, with some operator help with those items illegibleto machine OCR, before final sorting into regional bundles fordistribution.

    Overall, the colloquium gave a good opportunity to see anddiscuss work in challenging automation problems with otherMechatronics engineers. The technical visit rounded off apleasant and useful day.

    Report by Alan Davies, Mechatronics Research Group, deMontfort University, Leicester.

    Note - attendance at this event exceeded the number whichcould be accomodated on the mechanised sorting office visit.Another technical visit to the unit can be arranged if there issufficient demand, so please inform Liz Harries at the IMechE(address on page 16) if you are interested.

    Mechatronics ’96 with M2VIP ’96Universidade do Minho, Portugal, 18-20 September 1996

    The Mechatronics Forum’s main event for 1996 was itsInternational Conference, held at the University of Minho’sAzurem campus at Guimarães, in sunny northern Portugal.The conference was organised as a joint event with M2VIP,making this the first time that the latter had been held inEurope.

    The event was a great success, with around 220 delegatesregistering to participate. It was truly international - 35different countries were represented, not only from almost allof the European countries but also from North and SouthAmerica, Japan, China, Singapore, Australia, Lebanon andIran to name but a few.

    142 papers were presented in four parallel sessions. In order toensure that delegates could ‘session hop’ to give maximumflexibility in attending the presentations of their choice, thepresentations were run to a strict time schedule. This workedremarkably well despite one or two problems due to presentersnot turning up, partly due to firm session chairing and co-operative presenters, but also due to the excellent facilitiesavailable at the University do Minho. The University madeavailable its purpose built conference suite whichconveniently included four identical medium-sized rakedlecture theatres and a large theatre, in which the opening andclosing plenary sessions were held.

    Between these facilities was a concourse area with a barserving unlimited free coffee, the registration desk, anexhibition of mechatronic equipment from Festo, SKF linearMotion and Feedback Instruments, and some terminals for e-mail access. Delegates used this area to the full for thenetworking associated with any good conference.

    Further opportunities for making new research contacts wereprovided through the social functions associated with theevent; a drinks reception on the Tuesday evening before theconference, a visit to the Palace of the Dukes of Bragança andGuimarães castle with a walking tour of the historic towncentre on the evening of the 18th, a superb concert in the Ducal

  • Mechatronics Forum Newsletter - No. 15, Autumn 1996 4

    Palace on the 19th and the conference banquet on Friday 20th,served in the beautifully restored Pousada de Santa Marinha,set on a hill overlooking the town. Originally a monastery, itwas given to the Augustine order by the wife of the first Kingof Portugal in 1154 AD.

    Eric Rogers (Southampton Univ.) , Paul Sharkey (Reading Univ.), PaulWhelan (Dublin City Univ.) and John Morris (Dundee Univ.) discussthe proceedings during a coffee break.

    On the Saturday following the conference, two coachloads ofdelegates went on a specially organised tour of Oporto,including a visit to a port cellar and a guided tour of thehistoric and spectacularly decorated Bolsa (Stock Exchange)building.

    Overall, the conference location and its local organisation wasimpeccable. Only the weather could have been improved upon- it rained fairly solidly during most of each day. However, itcleared up in time for social activities in the evenings and afterthe conference, so perhaps the weather helped in keeping thedelegates in the sessions rather than out shopping! Attendanceat the sessions was good - no presenters had to endure theignominy, traditional at parallel-session events, of having topresent to just their session chair and three other authors.Typically at least 30-35 people were present in each of thelecture theatres throughout.

    Thanks are due to the conference sponsors, without whoseearly financial contributions it would have been very difficultto have launched this event. They were: Analogy, BritishUnited Shoe Machinery, Cranfield Precision, EA Technology,Festo Didactic, Feedback Instruments, Machinery TechnologyCentre, NEC, Royal Mail Technology, Rank Taylor Hobsonand SKF Linear Motion. Sponsors in Portugal were the JuntaNacional de Investigação Cíentifica e Tecnologica and theCâmara Municipal de Guimarães. Thanks also to TheUniversity of Birmingham, Universidade do Minho,Loughborough University, IEE and IMechE for their support.EU support under Framework IV for the linked ViCAMEuroconference, which helped to make the whole event asuccess, is gratefully acknowledged.

    Proceedings of Mechatronics ’96 with M2VIP ’96 wereproduced by The University of Minho. The nicely printed andsoft-bound two volume set, 888 pages in total, ISBN 972-8063-08-3, is available at 6000 Escudos per volume (£1 = 230Escudos approximately) from:

    Associate Professor Mario LimaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering

    University of Minho, 4810 Guimaraes, PortugalTel:+351 (0)53 510226 Fax:+351 (0)53 516007E-mail [email protected]

    Editor’s note: it is hoped to feature fuller reports on both thetechnical content and delegates’ impressions of this event inour next issue. If you were present and wish to contribute yourviews, please send them to the Editor.

    EFAM-ViCAM EuroconferenceThe first of two EU funded Euroconferences on FocusedAspects of Mechatronics (EFAM) was held at theUniversidade do Minho between 16 and 21 September 1996,to coincide with the Mechatronics ’96 and M2VIPinternational conferences.

    This event, Vision for Control Aspects of Mechatronics(ViCAM) was attended by fifty young researchers from EUmember states. Twelve eminent mechatronics, control andvision experts presented lecture and case study material.Copies of the the proceedings, Proc. Vision and ControlAspects of Mechatronics: ViCAM, (Eds. Parkin R.M, Lima M.and King T.G.), Guimarães, Portugal, 1996. ISBN 972-8063-07-5, (238pp, soft-bound) are available from Mario Lima atthe address given above for M96 with M2VIP proceedings,price 5000 Escudos.

    As well as the twelve invited contributions, the proceedingsinclude 17 excellent papers from the workshop participants.

    The following report from one of the participants gives aflavour of the event. Dr Lumini has carefully formatted it likea Vicam paper so we have reproduced it as submitted:

    VICAM EUROCONFERENCEa report about this experience

    Dr. A. LuminiComputer Science Department, University of Bologna,ITALYe-mail : [email protected]

    ABSTRACT

    Since this paper is about a Euroconference consisting of aseries of lectures, I’m going to present it as a lecture. Inthis way I hope to keep the attention of the reader and toguide him throughout the principal aspects of ViCAM.Since this work respects the standard of lectures it couldbe published!

    1 INTRODUCTION

    ViCAM is an Euroconference workshop event complementaryto the International Conference Mechatronics 96 with M2Vip[1]. The ViCAM Euroconference is funded by the EuropeanCommunity (Framework IV) permitting the young academicresearchers to attend lessons about Mechatronics and to getaccess to both Mechatronics 96 and M2Vip events. ViCAM(Vision for Control Aspects of Mechatronics) concerns thetechniques of Machine Vision and Advanced Controls, twoparticularly relevant fields in European economy, especially inSmall and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs).

  • Mechatronics Forum Newsletter - No. 15, Autumn 1996 5

    The purpose of this report is to analyse the maincharacteristics and results of ViCAM experience. It isorganised as follows. First the location of the conference willbe presented, I mean Guimarães and the University of Minho.The accommodation of the attendants will be brieflyillustrated in section 3. Section 4 will be a comment ofViCAM lectures. Then there will be a description and acomment of evening events. Finally the conclusions and areference to a list of useful information will be presented.

    2 GUIMARÃES AND THE UNIVERSITY OF MINHO

    Guimarães [2] is a town of about 160.000 inhabitants in thenorth of Portugal. It has a historical background as it is knownas “the cradle of the Portuguese nationality”, and it is situatedin a region full of scenic and historical interest that leads theregion of Minho to became a demarcated tourist area. TheHistorical Centre of Guimarães is very interesting for the greatnumber of old houses and churches, for the Ducal Palace,which is the official house of the Portuguese President in thenorth of Portugal, and the old Castle, built in the middle of the10th century.

    Guimarães is also a “new” town with many recentconstructions, including the University building. TheUniversity of Minho was founded only in 1973 and it isshared between Guimarães and Braga. In Guimarães it islocated in a good position, not far from the centre of the cityand it has a big campus for the student accommodation. As aconclusion I can say that Guimarães could be an interestingtown to visit if the weather is good.

    3 ACCOMMODATION

    The accommodation of ViCAM attendants was in halls ofUniversity Residence, a very recent building (just inconstruction) not far from the University. The rooms were“full optional”, with telephone (ringing in the middle of thenight!), shower, bath and also a refrigerator inside (inside theroom, not inside the bath). Each ViCAM attendant shared hisroom with another person, often from different country. Ithink it’s a good way to “interchange ideas” and becomefriends.

    A modern way of communication is E-mail and twocomputers were available for this service. But I was alwayskeeping one of them busy and so only one computer wasreally free for the other ViCAM attendants: and this wasdefinitively not enough!!

    4 THE LECTURES

    ViCAM programme includes a series of lectures (45 min.duration) given by researchers and professors in Vision andControl for Mechatronics. I’m going to present my point ofview about these lectures by explaining what I expected ofthese lectures and how I experienced them.

    what I expected:1. Some basic courses to permit non-expert people to learn

    about vision and/or control (experts in one of these fieldsget a fresh-up of their knowledge)

    2. Some advanced courses to learn about new techniques invision, control or a combination of them. It’s importantthat these courses are built on the basics learned in thecourses before. These techniques may be followed by anexample.

    how I experienced them:1. I think that only few lectures could be called “basic

    courses” (the one about “Morphological Imageprocessing”, for example), the others were hardlycomprehensible to non-expert people.

    2. Some lectures were very advanced and often interesting,but I couldn’t learn much from them.

    Finally I can say that bringing a group of experts together andlet them talk about their research fields is not the right formulafor such an event; Mechatronic ’96 is well suited for it. Abetter formula could be searching a group of experts in thearea, bringing them together and trying to find a goodsequence of courses linked with each other. Some lectureswere just a little boring, I think, since the bar gave more than100 coffees a day for less than 50 persons (and I didn’t drinkany)!!

    5 EVENING EVENTS

    Another interesting topic of ViCAM Euroconference was thepossibility to attend evening events.

    The first evening we attended the ViCAM reception : at first Ifelt lost among the group of researchers. After a couple ofglasses I felt much better, although people stayed grouped bynationality. The next evening we went to a beautiful Pub,named “Casa do Arco”, where we began to meet each other,to learn about each other and finally, after some more glasses,became friends! I think the Pub was a successful activity, sowe repeated it many times afterwards.

    One of the evenings there was a “terrific” concert, I say“terrific” because I don’t like classical music and I was verysurprised that so many people (everybody minus myself) wereenthusiastic about it.

    6 CONCLUSIONS

    The ViCAM Euroconference, as my first one, is really a goodexperience and to make it better in future, I propose in thispaper some ideas. I believe that the organisation in generalwas very good (except for the weather!), in particular theevening events were well appreciated. Concerning lectures, Isuggest to work on the coherence of the course. I hope thatthis Euroconference will be followed by others in future, sothat a lot of European young researchers can get benefit of it(like I did).

    7 FUTURE WORK

    I plan to attend many other conferences (preferably funded !!).

    8 REFERENCES

    [1] ViCAM proceedings[2] Map of the city of Guimarães

    9 BIOGRAPHY

    Alessandra Lumini received a degree in Computer Sciencefrom the University of Bologna, Italy, in March, 1996. InSeptember 1996 she received, a fellowship with the faculty ofComputer Science of the University of Bologna (Cesena),sponsored by the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Cesenawith the research theme of "Biometric Systems". Her mainresearch area is Pattern recognition and in particularFingerprint Classification.

  • Mechatronics Forum Newsletter - No. 15, Autumn 1996 6

    10 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

    I’m grateful to the listed persons for their contribution to thiswork:1. Professor R. Parkin, he asked me to write this paper.2. Raf Dequeker and Davide Maltoni, they helped me with

    the contents of the paper.3. Matteo Golfarelli, Ion Pappas, Valentina Zamagna, they

    helped me to struggle with English language.4. a Portuguese guy, he told me the exact number of coffees

    served during ViCAM.

    1st European Conference on Disability,V-R and Associated Technologies

    8-10 July, Maidenhead, Berkshire

    Report by Paul Sharkey, Conference Chair

    “It gives me great pleasure, if indeed I can experiencepleasure, to open this first European Conference onDisability, Virtual Reality and Associated Technologies”

    Thus spake the Talking Head, a computer generated visagedeveloped by British Telecom (BT), on the opening day ofECDVRAT ‘96. More than a simple text-to-speech converterwith animated graphics, the complexity of the animated modelenables the hearing impaired to actually lip read the TalkingHead. This demonstration served to show how currenttechnology can be used to help persons with certaindisabilities in focused ways. The conference closed with ademonstration on a different theme: one of the delegatesdeveloped, over the three days of the conference, his idealwheelchair, which included streamlined wheels incorporatingthe distinctive conference logo.

    The idea of holding ECDVRAT came out of a workshopmeeting held at Reading in 1994. Backing came from BT andthe Dept. of Cybernetics and accreditation from the IEE, whileadditional help in publicising the conference was receivedfrom the UK Mechatronics Forum, the Institution of Physicsand Engineering in Medicine and Biology (UK), the EuropeanInstitute for Design and Disability (Europe) and the NationalRehabilitation Board (Ireland).

    The Programme Committee first met in June ‘95 to discuss thefocus of the conference, deciding that this was primarily toprovide a forum for international experts and researchers topresent and review how advances in the general area ofVirtual Reality can be used to assist people with Disability.Rather than limit the conference to Disability and VirtualReality, we adopted a very broad interpretation of ‘VR’ as anall-encompassing umbrella under which many AssociatedTechnologies exist. The need for an unpronounceableabbreviation, in ‘ECDVRAT’, was not top of our priorities!However, the conference title did specifically target the words‘first’ to indicate intended sequels to the event, and‘European’ to broaden the appeal as an international meeting,while complementing similar events held in the USA.

    Each day of the conference started with a Keynote Address,followed by morning and afternoon sessions, punctuated bycoffees and lunches. These breaks were found by delegates tobe extremely useful periods for discussion. Additionalopportunities for enlivened debate were at the ConferenceReception, on the first evening, and at the ConferenceBanquet, on the evening of the 9th.

    Keynote Speakers: The first Keynote Address was given byDr. Harry Murphy, Director of the Centre on Disabilities, atCalifornia State University, Northridge (CSUN), whoreviewed research in the USA in the fields of movementdisorder, anxiety, and the remote treatment of serious injury.

    The second Keynote Speaker was Prof. David Rose, Head ofthe Department of Psychology, University of East London,UK, who presented an very stimulating overview of howvirtual reality relates to current research in neurologicalrehabilitation, including how VR might be used to enhancefunctional recovery following brain damage. He struck achord with delegates in highlighting the need to steer awayfrom the hype surrounding the words ‘virtual reality’, quotingfrom a National Academy of Science report that the“excitement to accomplishment ratio [for VR] remains high”,and concluded by suggesting acceptance for VR might only beachieved through concentration on representing the scienceunderpinning the research rather than fictional representaionof what might be.

    The final Keynote Address was given by Mr. Arthur Zwern,President of General Reality Company, California, whopresented an industry view of how VR may help persons withdisability, focusing his address on those with visualimpairment. He introduced a novel system to enable visuallyimpaired computer users to navigate about a computer screenusing a head-mounted display interface, and showed how thismay be adapted to use in the classroom, where a video cameramay be used to effectively enlarge a blackboard using asimilar technology. Interestingly, Mr. Zwern echoed the viewsof Prof. Rose on the hype of VR by placing health issues ofHead Mounted Displays (HMDs) in context with other formsof visualisation (e.g. computer monitors), providing somesupporting evidence to shown how use of HMDs may, in fact,be less damaging than standard monitor interfaces. He furthersuggested how the research may be taken out of thelaboratory and into the market. The approach, similar to theconcept of mechatronics, is to assemble all team players at theearly stage of the development, including the Academic (withunderstanding of the technological constraints), the Clinician(the application specifications and supporting trials) andIndustry (the market, also acknowledging the profitrequirement).

    Dismissed by one delegate as little more than a marketingplug, this address was actually one of the best received at theconference, reflecting better the focus of his talk. The briefmention of the product within the keynote address wassupported with live demonstrations of the virtual computermonitor throughout the conference.

    Conference Sessions: The initial Call for Papers generatedconsiderable interest, with high-quality contributions fromresearchers in several countries, as far afield as Argentina,Chile and Australia, many from the USA, in addition to thosefrom Europe. The International Programme Committeeselected 30 papers for presentation at the conference, whichwere collected into 6 plenary sessions:

    I. Communications and LanguageII. Virtual and Enhanced EnvironmentsIII. Rehabilitation IIV. TechnologyV. Visual Impairment, Ambisonics, MobilitVI. Rehabilitation II

  • Mechatronics Forum Newsletter - No. 15, Autumn 1996 7

    The papers and attending delegates spanned a wide range ofdisciplines and backgrounds, from Psychology to Engineering,Computer Science to Medicine, Business to General Interest.I was somewhat surprised, therefore, when analysing thefeedback forms, to find that all papers were received well.Indeed, apart from the keynotes, the best paper, presented inSession V, concerned the technicalities behing the generationof virtual acoustic environments, with application for thevisually impaired. Dr. Dave Keating (University of Reading,UK) overviewed the many different acoustic formats availableand how they might be used to generate true ambisonic soundto generate any number of virtual speaker sources for anynumber of listeners in different locations. A fuller version ofthis report is available on the WWW, which describes theother notable presentations.

    All papers and keynote addresses are reproduced in the 260page bound Proceedings (ISBN 0 7049 1140 X).

    Banquet Address: This was given by Heinz Wolff, ProfessorEmeritus, and founder of the Institute of Bioengineering, ofBrunel University, who introduced the notion that all of uswere equipped with ‘tools for living’ and, though some of usmay have a different toolset than others, the focus of researchshould concentrate on the provision of the appropriate toolsfor the individual. He advised all those conducting research todevote some time − consider it a ‘taxation on thought’ − to thesocial implications of that research. These commentsprovoking lively debate afterwards, fuelled no doubt by the‘refreshments’ available at the champagne reception andthroughout the banquet.

    Demonstrations: In addition to the plenary presentations,there was a parallel exhibition giving ongoing access to virtualenvironments, demonstrations of some of the applicationspresented at the conference, access to Web browsers, anddemonstrations from companies and other organisations.

    The Second ECDVRAT: There will be a follow onconference, to be held in July 1998. We are actively seekingan appropriate venue, current suggestions include Stockholm,Vienna, Copenhagen, and Dublin. Other suggestions would bewelcomed.

    Anyone interested in ECDVRAT ‘98 should contact:ECDVRAT, Department of Cybernetics,University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, RG6 6AY, UKE-mail: [email protected] more information, see:http://www.cyber.reading.ac.uk/ecdvrat96/ecdvrat96.html

    Conference Sponsors: Principal sponsors were BT; theDepartment of Cybernetics, University of Reading; and IEE.BT; Dept. of Cybernetics; Virtual Presence; Silicon GraphicsLimited; and the Holiday Inn sponsored a number of delegateswith disabilities and BT; Dept. of Cybernetics; VirtualPresence; Silicon Graphics Limited; Intergraph; and GeneralReality Company provided equipment and demonstrations.

    University NewsHull’s First Mechatronics MEng Graduates

    The first students to complete the Mechatronics MEng degreeprogramme at the University of Hull were awarded theirdegrees this Summer. We wish them every success in theircareers

    WDA award for UWCN Mechatronics Centre

    The University of Wales College Newport has been recentlyrecognised for its academic excellence. The WelshDevelopment Agency (WDA) has announced 13 new Centresof Expertise in Wales and one of these is the University’scentre for Mechatronics Development.

    As a Centre of expertise the unit will make their expertise,facilities and research capabilities available to business. TheCentre of Expertise programme is part of an on-going WDAinitiative to encourage closer working relationships betweenindustry and academia.

    Strong links are well established with industry for whom arange of training courses and consultancies are provided. Thecourses range from a 1 to 2 day management overview of

    Mechatronics to 5 day courses on programmable logiccontrollers (PLC’s) and Power Drives.

    The Centre has an active research group and supports PhDand MPhil students in Mechatronics and ManufacturingSystems using techniques such as Artificial NeuralNetworks, Fuzzy Logic, Genetic Algorithms, TaguchiMethods and Petri-Nets.

    The recognition of the Centre by the WDA as a Centre ofExpertise is an important award for the University andwill help to raise the awareness of the expertise within theCentre, and the potential for establishing closer links withlocal industry. The Centre wishes to expand itsinvolvement with industry through Teaching CompanyProgrammes and other collaborative projects.

    For further information contact :Dr H Rowlands, Head of Mechatronics Centre,University of Wales College Newport,Faculty of Technology, Allt-yr-yn Campus,PO Box 180, Newport NP9 5XR, UKHull’s first MEng Mechatronics graduates with the staff of the

    Electronic Engineering Department. Anticlockwise from the top right:Graduates - Michael Elliott, Adam Reedman, Nicholas Hanson,Charles Wilkinson and Craig Wolloms; Staff - Tony Wilkinson, ChenJie, Steve Owen, Jim Gilbert, Brian Bannister, Don Whitehead (Headof Dept.), Tim King (External Examiner), Klaus Selke (MechatronicsCourse leader) and Paul Taylor.

  • Mechatronics Forum Newsletter - No. 15, Autumn 1996 8

    International Collaboration at De Montfort

    Professor Jury Podurajev from Moscow State TechnologicalUniversity (MSTU) ‘STANKIN’ has joined Professor PhilMoore and the Mechatronics Research Group at De MontfortUniversity to undertake a collaborative research programme in‘Virtual Robotics’ sponsored by the Royal Society under itsEx-Quota Travel Award scheme with the Former SovietUnion.

    Professor Podurajev is one of the most eminent Russianresearchers in field of mechatronics and robotics. Hegraduated with a PhD from MSTU ‘BAUMAN’ beforemoving to STANKIN where he is a Professor of Mechatronicsand Robotics and has recently been promoted to Dean of theFaculty of Mechanics and Control. Professor Podurajev wasresponsible for creating the Russsian National EducationCurriculum / Programme for Mechatronics Education.

    The research programme in ‘Virtual Robotics’ is attempting toextend the role and capabilities of three dimensional graphicalcomputer aided robotics systems towards fully supporting thegeneration of event-driven robot programmes. Such virtualrobotics systems would allow sensor driven robotic / machinesystems to be simulated and fully evaluated.

    UWCN gets European Funding to DevelopMechatronics Training

    The Faculty of Technology at the University of Wales CollegeNewport has been active in promoting the Mechatronicsphilosophy for many years and has recently been awardedESF funding under the ADAPT initiative to develop aEuropean Mechatronics Vocational education and trainingprogramme.

    The University is co-ordinating the project which has partnersin Belgium, France, Greece and Spain. An initial survey ofcompanies in South Wales indicates that they have trainingneeds in the Mechatronics area. Based on the specific areasidentified in the survey, specific training modules will bedeveloped with support from the participating companies. Inconjunction with the European partners, a Europeanqualification to the programmes will be investigated.

    For further information contact :Dr Eifion Breeze, ADAPT Project ManagerUniversity of Wales College Newport, Allt-yr-yn CampusPO Box 180, Newport NP9 5XR, UK

    Personalities in Mechatronics

    Congratulations to Professor Roy Davies, who has recentlybeen awarded awarded a DSc by the University of London forhis work on the Science of Measurement including signalprocessing and machine vision.

    The Mechatronics Forum is sad to lose, temporarily we hope,one of its most efficient and enthusiastic organisers, JeanetteBarlow, who is leaving her job at the IEE to go on a year-longantipodean trip. Setting out in late October she is travelling toNew Zealand by way of Fiji and then on to Australia, where

    she plans to live and work for a while before returning to theUK.

    Jeanette has helped the Mechatronics Forum enormously overthe past couple of years, organising the Colloquia andIndustrial Visits held in conjunction with the IEE and lookingafter PG I6, which has strong links with the Forum. Jeanette isknown to many Forum Members for her role in validatingtheir IEE/IMechE CPD records. How many technical and non-technical PDU’s a year in Australasia is worth we’re not sureyet, but we hope she’ll be back to collect them when shereturns to the UK. Everyone on the Forum Committee and PGI6 wish her the best of luck on her travels.

    Jeanette Barlow attempting to give out CPD PDU’s at the recent‘Mechatronics the Scandinavian Experience’ Colloquium.

    SKF Linear MotionDesign Awards 1997

    As featured in the last issue, these awards are for studentdesign projects which involve linear motion. There are twoawards of £2000 and two of £1000 on offer so please pass onthe message to everyone you know who is eligible to enter.The two categories of entry are for:

    1. The most innovative project which uses linear motion2. The most innovative use of linear motion within a project

    Entrants should register their intention to take part on theapplication forms which have been circulated to Universityand College tutors. Forms can also be obtained directly fromSKF (at the address below).

  • Mechatronics Forum Newsletter - No. 15, Autumn 1996 9

    Since this newsletter is unlikely to reach you before theclosing date for applications, SKF Linear motion have kindlyagreed to keep entries open until 1 December 1996.Registered, entrants will have to supply completed projects by3 May 1997.

    Contact:Lisa Jeffries, SKF Linear Motion, Tanners Drive,Blakelands, Milton Keynes, MK14 5BNTel: 01908 618 666 Fax: 01908 618 717

    Mechatronics in Education

    It is intended to run a series of articles from suppliers ofmechatronics teaching equipment in the next few issues.

    The first in the series illustrates the origins and approach tothe teaching of Mechatronics by Bytronic International Ltd.It was written by Dr. John Wilber - the MD and co-founderof the company:

    Bytronic International is one of the major educationalequipment manufacturers in the UK with over 70% of itsproducts now being exported..

    Looking at the Mechatronics Forum Home Page on the wwwwe see two possible definitions of mechatronics, namely:

    1) Mechatronics is the synergistic integration of mechanicalengineering with electronics and intelligent computercontrol in the design and manufacture of products andprocesses.

    2) Mechatronics is the design and manufacture of productsand systems possessing both a mechanical functionalityand an integrated algorithmic control.

    As an ex mechanical engineer I favour the first byacknowledging that electronics and hence computing havebecome a necessary part of the manufacturing process and wemust provide education which integrates these areas.

    It was through lecturing in this field over a period spanningmore than 25 years that Bytronic International Ltd was bornfrom the joint efforts of a mechanical engineer and anelectronics engineer. In the early days there was virtually noequipment available to facilitate teaching in this area and thusit was necessary to design our own. The first product that weproduced for ourselves was a stepping motor and we quicklyfound that the students were much more interested in writingcode for a Z80 microcomputer when they had a practicalapplication for their efforts - they could actually seesomething moving under the control of a microcomputer! Thisillustrated the well known educational fact that students learnmore and enjoy the learning process more when they actuallycarry out meaningful practical exercises.

    From this early beginning it has become the basic philosophyof the company to provide equipment which captures the

    interest of the student and which generates a desire to achievethe required control. Naturally, ideas from lecturers at severaleducational institutions together with considerable industrialinput now have a significant influence on the product range.

    The majority of Bytronic products have been designed to becontrolled by PC’s or Programmable Logic Controllers toreflect industrial practice. One of the most widely usedproducts from Bytronic is the Industrial Control Trainer asillustrated. This unit is ideal for teaching certain aspects ofmechatronics as it combines the elements of mechanicalengineering, electronics and computer control in a typicalindustrial assembly system. Two components, namely aplastic ring and an aluminum ‘peg’ are sorted on the chainconveyor, assembled, tested using a variety of sensors andfinally accepted or rejected. This realistic application givesstudents experience of sequential actuator control dependentupon sensor feedback.

    The unit also lends itself to System Control and DataAcquisition (SCADA). It has been adopted for the trainingcentres of at least four of the major PLC manufacturers. Inaddition, the latest version of the ICT, which is fitted with avision system, is used by National Instruments in their UKtraining centre and for their seminars throughout the countryillustrating control from Labview and their new SCADApackage called ‘Lookout’.

    Mechatronics is, of course, also used widely for ‘processcontrol’ and it is perhaps in this area where the second of thetwo definitions is more relevant due the algorithmic controlinvolved. A few years ago Bytronic designed a unit forteaching process control for one of the major food companieswho wanted to introduce PLC control in their manufacturingfacilities and consequently needed to educate their engineers,technologists and operators in this area. The unit was calledthe Process Control Unit (PCU).

    The PCU, as illustrated overleaf, has subsequently beendeveloped considerably but it is designed to illustrate veryvisually the use of PID in control. In principle a fluid ispumped round the system and both the flow rate andtemperature can be measured and controlled. Water is used forsimplicity but it could represent beer, milk, coffee orwhatever. The fluid is pumped to the upper of the two tanks,termed the ‘Process Tank’ and here the fluid level andtemperature can also be controlled using PID basedalgorithms. The overall result is a portable ‘bench top’ systemfor teaching control for the process industry. Good education

  • Mechatronics Forum Newsletter - No. 15, Autumn 1996 10

    in this area is very important as high reliability andrepeatability of the manufacturing process can be vital andany inefficiency can be very expensive yet not alwaysapparent.

    In addition, SCADA is, of course, extensively used now inindustry and, to provide the necessary teaching facility in thisarea, Bytronic have formed a close relationship with two ofthe major industrial companies involved in this field, namelyNational Instruments with their ‘Lookout’ package andIconics with their ‘Genesis’ package. In cooperation withthese companies, Bytronic has produced cost effectiveSCADA packages for the PCU. With these, the PCU can becontrolled from a PLC which is receiving instructions from aremote PC displaying the system mimic - emulating industrialpractice.

    While PID control is suitable for the vast majority of industrialcontrol situations, the application of Fuzzy Logic is nowbecoming very widespread. According to a forecast byDatapro, the total revenue world-wide from the Fuzzy Logicindustry is projected to be £4.1 billion by 1997. Fuzzy Logicis now being applied to relatively simple things such asvacuum cleaner control at one end of the control spectrumthrough to complex problems such as engine management orhelicopters at the other end. It is consequentially becomingimportant to educate our future engineers in this subject.

    There are several Fuzzy Logic packages available on themarket but these are normally very expensive and difficult touse. In the current educational climate it is acknowledged thatFuzzy Logic should be covered in control courses but usuallythere is very little time available to devote to the subject.

    To respond to this educational problem, Bytronic hasproduced a Fuzzy Control Package (FCP) that is easy to useand the accompanying teaching notes enables the subject to becovered relatively easily and efficiently. The package haseight internal simulations, four of which are based on standardcontrol equations and four are based on animations whichreflect ‘real life’ situations including cruise control andcoupled tanks.

    To complement the internal simulations, Bytronic have alsoproduced an ‘Inverted Pendulum’ which can be controlled byFuzzy Logic from the PC. The Inverted Pendulum is afrequently used example for teaching this subject and is found

    in many text books. Using a different software package fromBytronic, the Pendulum can also be controlled by direct digitalcontrol or from an integral analogue control system. Thisallows a comparison of the three alternative control methods.The Pendulum can also be inverted and used in the overheadcrane mode - extending the unit’s potential considerably.

    As well as this, FCP can be used to control the ProcessControl Unit thus allowing Fuzzy and PID control of a processto be compared.

    Although space does not permit the ideal discussion of therange of mechatronics products from Bytronic, one other itemis worthy of particular note. This product is a softwarepackage called LADSIM which complements Bytronic’sextensive involvement with teaching in the PLC subject area.This package allows the PC to simulate a PLC to enablegeneric ladder logic programs to be developed to control arange of internal simulations or external devices. The packageprovides a low cost simple to use introduction to the use andapplication of PLCs.

    Further information from:Bytronic International Ltd,The Courtyard, Reddicap Industrial Estate,Sutton Coldfield, B75 7BU.

    WWW: www.bytronic.co.ukemail: [email protected]

    Our second article on mechatronics teaching equipment hasbeen written by David Fletcher of Feedback Instruments Ltd.

    Feedback Instruments Ltd., founded in 1958, is one divisionof the Feedback group of high-technology British Companiesthat together address the international markets in the designand manufacture of electrical, electronic and microprocessorbased equipment for industry and education.

    Feedback maintains close links with the industrial andeducational world and meets a growing demand for ‘hands-on’ equipment required for technical and trainingestablishments throughout the world. All equipment issupported by comprehensive courseware, rigorously tested toensure reliability and built to BS 5750 standards.

  • Mechatronics Forum Newsletter - No. 15, Autumn 1996 11

    Over 75% of Feedback’s products are exported to more than120 countries. A network of agents provides marketing andafter-sales support, co-ordinated from the UK headquarters inCrowborough (East Sussex).

    Mechatronics encompasses essentially three main disciplines,Feedback’s range of educational equipment currentlyaddresses many fundamental principles within these areas,together with a number of devices that exhibit mechatronics intheir design.

    Electronics - We have a range of modular demonstrator kitsto teach basic electricity and electronic principles, includingopto-electronics, fault finding kits and a comprehensiveTransducers kit.

    Logic, Digital systems and Computing - This is a range ofdigital systems and microprocessor trainers designed to takethe student from understanding the connection between simplelogic circuits and microprocessor systems through to thecontrol and monitoring of external devices using amicroprocessor. The trainers, amongst others, include a PLD(Programmable Logic Device) trainer, designed incollaboration with Phillips Electronics and a 68000Microprocessor Applications trainer.

    Control - For servo control we offer a number of trainers,from an instructional modular system allowing the customerto purchase an initial kit and then add to it as required, to aServo Fundamentals Trainer and Digital Servo Workshop withDiscovery software. This software allows assignment work tobe carried out with on-screen theory, background informationand practical screens with built in PC based instrumentation.We also produce a modern version of a classical controlproblem; the Digital Pendulum Control System. This has atwin arm pendulum that pivots from a small cart running onan elevated track. Digital control of the cart position allowstwo modes of operation; pendulum and crane. In pendulummode the system is used to control the pendulum from aninitial position , hanging at rest with cart in the centre of itstravel, along the track to a final position with the pendulumvertically upright and the cart, ideally, restored to its centralposition. In crane mode, the control problem is to allow thecart to move along the track without the pendulum swingingviolently below it. This is typical of controlling a crane gantryso that the load does not swing excessively as the crane ismoved.

    Robotics and CNC - We supply a large range of low costrobotics and CNC training equipment, all supplied withmanuals to get the user started within minutes, but withenough data to support even the most advanced projects. Thesystem is designed to be expandable allowing mutuallycompatible components to be mixed and matched. Thesystems range from a simple five axis robot to comprehensiveFMS demonstration benches produced to customerspecification. All the robotic and CNC systems are controlledvia a PC using WALLI for windows.

    Recent And Future Developments: We have recentlydeveloped two interesting new educational devices:-

    A Magnetic Levitation System - This is a new and effectiveform of the classic magnetic levitation control experiment.The suspended body is a lightweight plastic sphere, 30 mmdiameter, coated with a thin layer of ferrite material. Thecontrol system allows both analogue and digital solutions tobe implemented. In digital mode the unit operates within aMATLAB/SIMULINK environment which, together with theFeedback control toolbox, allows the system parameters to bedetermined and the system to be modelled.

    Twin Rotor MIMO System (Helicopter trainer) - This is ascaled model of a non-linear, unstable, dynamic MIMO(Multiple Input, Multiple Output) system. It simulates themain and tail rotor systems of a helicopter with their verystrong interactions. High resolution optical encoders providevelocity feedback from both rotors, and the spatial position ofthe arm. A selection of rotors is provided to allowmodification of the system dynamics. A complete mathsmodel of the system is also supplied, which consists of twothird order differential equations with strong interactions.

    Both the above units operate under Windows providing agraphical user interface and a true Real-Time Kernel to handleinter-process communication.

    We are currently working to extend our catalogue of productsby providing a new range of devices that are aimedspecifically at the area of Mechatronics, in particular theteaching of Mechatronics through design. The likely nature ofthese products will make them attractive to for the design andproject modules of both Mechatronics courses andMechatronics related modules within mechanical and electro-mechanical engineering courses.

    If you require any further information on current and futureproducts then please contact our sales team or if you wish toexpress your needs for mechatronics based teachingequipment then please contact myself, David Fletcher, at theaddress below or by e-mail to: [email protected]

    Feedback Instruments Ltd., Park Road, CrowboroughEast Sussex, TN6 2QR, England.Tel:: +44 (0) 1892 653322 Fax: +44 (0) 1892 663719E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.fbk.com

    Industrial Support for Hull MechatronicsCourse

    Since its inception in 1992, the undergraduate course inMechatronics at the University of Hull has been able to securea substantial amount of industrial support in cash as well as inkind totalling an amount of well over £45000 over a three yearperiod.

    One of the distinguishing features of the course based in theDepartment of Electronic Engineering is the emphasis givento the practical work. Half the students’ credits are gainedfrom project work in the first two years supported byappropriate academic modules. The centre piece in the firstyear is the building of a walking robot which has produced awinning entry in the Robolympics in Glasgow in March 1996(as reported in the last issue).

  • Mechatronics Forum Newsletter - No. 15, Autumn 1996 12

    In the second year, the problems to be solved have comedirectly out of industry and given to teams of between two andfour students. Tasks have been as diverse as the forming ofstrip metal to provide strengtheners for shoes, cutting rubberstrips for the manufacture of pipes 15m long and 1m indiameter, stamping identifications onto cables for the aircraftindustry and sewing leather in three dimensions. Thus theseare not academically nice projects, but students have to justifytheir proposed solutions to an engineer in the company whoacts as the industrial liaison. The companies have directcontrol over the direction of the project and the amount ofresources devoted to it. So far, companies like USM, BAe,Dunlop Oil and Marine and De Smet Rosedowns haveprovided production machinery and components to anestimated value of over £30000. In addition, they agreed tofund the consumables, and with a total of eight projects attypically £2000 each, the support exceeds £45000.

    However, it is very difficult to put an exact price on theindustrial contribution as the value of the interaction with thecompany, the site visits, the pressure of presenting to theindustrialist and the liaison engineer’s time spent in answeringqueries is difficult to overestimate as to the influence on thelearning outcome for the students.

    The course has been designed from the start to accept asignificant amount of guidance and input from a panel ofindustrialists which currently consists of nine active members.The success of this scheme, however, continues to attractcompanies with approximately another dozen havingexpressed an interest probably joining this coming academicyear.

    According to Dr. Klaus Selke, the Mechatronics course leader,the confidence of industry expressed in this direct way rubsoff directly onto the students. Learning to communicate withpotential clients, they must ensure that their ideas findacceptance in order to secure the resource to continue theproject as well as presenting themselves to their bestadvantage. The companies involved like such close scrutiny ofpotential emplyees as they do not have to rely on a single briefinterview. Whether this will result in direct jobs for thegraduates remains to be seen as the first batch of students onthe four year MEng course graduated only this year.

    Mechatronics ResourcesIn this issue we continue our resources listings with somemore useful information sources. If you have a ‘pet’ list ofbooks, equipment, web sites or whatever, that you are willingto share with the mechatronics community, please send it tothe editor.

    Free Information Sheet!The Professional group I6 of the IEE Manufacturing Divisionare responsible for organising a wide variety of activitiesassociated with ‘Machine Systems Engineering Applications’.This broadly embraces the field of mechatronics.

    One undertaking initiated by the group is the production ofinformation sheets related to various fields of mechatronics.The first shet deals with Electrical Motor Drives forMechatronic Systems and is now freely available in a smallA5 booklet format. Others currently being developed includesuch topics as sensor and actuator technology, the basics ofcomputer control, networking concepts and neural nets.

    The object of these data sheets is basically to providepractising engineers and academics with a broad and up todate overview of the many condstituent elements whichcomprise a mechatronic system. References for more in-depthinformation are included fro people who require more detail.

    Copies of Electric Motor Drives for Mechatronic Systemsare being distributed with this newsletter. Mechatronics Forummembers’ comments on the content, form and style of thisdata sheet, and suitable topics for future publication areinvited to enable PG I6 to assess whether the effort ofproducing such material is worthwhile.

    If you have not received, but would like, a copy please send astamped self-addressed envelope (big enough to hold an A5brochure) to:Electrical Motor Drives Information SheetHeather Wade, IEE (Manufacturing Division - PG I6)Savoy Place, London WC2R 0BLE-mail: [email protected].

    BooksMachine Vision: Theory, Algorithms, Practicalities E. R. Davies, Academic Press, London. 2nd edition (October1996), ISBN 0-12-206092-X., price £32.50 (paperback, 750pp)

    The expanded (but lower priced!) 2nd edition of this this bookembraces the whole subject of machine/computer vision,including image processing, image analysis and automatedvisual inspection. It emphasises the theory underpinningpracticalities such as lighting, real-time hardwareimplementation, and tradeoffs between important parameters,such as speed, implementation cost, accuracy and robustness.

    The second edition incorporates many recent advances in thetheory and practice of machine vision, including:• 3-D and motion interpretation• Invariants• Camera calibration• Artificial neural networks• X-ray inspection and foreign object detection• Mathematical morphology• Robust statistics• An updated and very extensive list of references

    For further details, contact the author on:[email protected] Electro-Mechanical Engineering -an introduction to mechatronicsLawrence J Kamm, IEE Press, 1995, ISBN 0-7803-1031-4 priceUS$ 39.95 (paperback, 416pp). IEEE member price US$ 32.00.

    Calls For PapersColloquium on Industrial Inspection

    Monday 10 February 1997

    The IEE E4 Group on Image Processing and Vision will berunning a Colloquium on Monday 10 February 1997 at SavoyPlace, London (organisers: Prof. Roy Davies and Dr. RayThomas).

    The purpose of the meeting will be to air and discuss issues,methods and the latest techniques which may be applied to theinspection of products during manufacture, with the aim of

  • Mechatronics Forum Newsletter - No. 15, Autumn 1996 13

    guaranteeing/improving quality control. To this end paperswill be presented on automated visual inspection and relatedtopics, such as the appropriate application of X-ray andultrasound technology. It is expected that a component ofreview and overview will be included in the session, and thatthe papers chosen will present an integrated coverage of thesubject, though sufficient variety will be maintained toemphasise the breadth of the subject and the up-and-comingareas that are in need of further attention.

    Prospective authors should express their interest as soon aspossible and submit an extended abstract (~1000 words)describing their contribution by 10 November 1996, to eitherof the organisers:

    Professor E.R. Davies, Royal Holloway, University of Londontel: +44 (0)1784 443 497, email: [email protected]

    Dr. R. Thomas, University of Brightontel: +44 (0)1273 642 200, email: [email protected]

    Advances in Technology for Shoe andGarment Manufacture

    Institute of Measurement and Control: February 1997

    This symposium aims to report and discuss developments inthe application of modern instrumentation and controltechnologies to the manufacture of garments and footwear. Itis intended that the meeting will be of interest to machinerymanufacturers, end users and researchers.

    Contributions are invited covering recent developments andresearch from product manufacture and joining techniques toinspection and packaging. Studies of the influence of materialproperties on machinery behaviour will also be welcomed.

    Organising Committee: Paul Taylor, Tim King, Peter Perkinsand George Stylios.

    Please send titles and summaries of prospective contributions,along with author’s address, telephone, fax and e-mail detailsto:

    Karen Whines, The Institute of Measurement and Control,87 Gower Street, London WC1E 6AA

    M2VIP ’97Toowoomba, Australia, 23-25 September 1997

    Papers are sought in which technical innovation is backed upby evidence of practical implementation, at least to anexperimental stage.

    Topics of interest include:• Vision guidance, including factory & road vehicles• Mobile robotics & telemanipulators• Mechatronics in construction, civil engineering &

    agriculture• Visual recognition in manufacturing processes (including

    quality control and sorting)• Intelligent products - from low cost consumer items to

    automated manufacturing systems• Sensory control of robots, for exploration, security,

    detection, maintenance, hazardous environments,compliant assembly

    • Novel actuator and sensor systems for mechatronicinfrastructure

    • Control strategies and design methodologies of particularrelevance to mechatronics

    • Novel experiments, demonstrations and methods for theteaching of mechatronics.

    Latest information on the web at:http://www.usq.edu.au/users/billings

    Extended abstracts of two pages in length which indicateclearly the scope of the full paper including advances likely tobe made before presentation should be sent, before 31December 1996 to:

    Prof. John Billingsley, Faculty of Engineering & SurveyingUniversity of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba,QLD 4350, Australia.

    Tel: +61 76 312 513, Fax: +61 76 312 256e-mail: [email protected]

    Abstracts should be accompanied by a signed declaration that,if accepted, they will be presented in person by one or more ofthe authors, who will register for the conference at aconcessionary rate. Successful authors will be notified by 31March 97, Full manuscripts, of no more than 6 pages, by 31May 1997 to ensure inclusion in proceedings.

    30th ISATAThe 30th ISATA conference will be held in Florence, Italybetween 16-19 June 1997. The largest European automotiveforum, with international participation, it features 13simultaneous dedicated conferences, one of which is onmechatronics (Chaired by Prof. Dieter Roller of StuttgartUniversity). The mechatronics conference focuses onenhanced computer based methods and new techniques for thedesign and production of the increasingly complexcomponents and systems in vehicles.

    Title and summary (150 words) are required by 31 October1996, draft papers for refereeing by 20 December and finalmanuscripts no later than 15 March 1997 for inclusion in theproceedings.

    Further details are available on the WWW at the ISATA homepage: http://WWW.spincom.com/isata/Alternatively, contact:ISATA, 32A Queen Street, Croydon, CR0 1SY, UKTel: +44 (0)181 681 3069 Fax: +44 (0)181 686 1490email: [email protected]

    41st International SymposiumTechnical University of Illmenau, 23-26 September 1997

    The theme of the International Symposium is: Changes in thefield of mechanical engineering brought about by precisionengineering and microsystems technology - Development,Design and Manufacture.

    Scope includes:• Microengineering• Design technology• Mechatronics• Components of automotive engineering

  • Mechatronics Forum Newsletter - No. 15, Autumn 1996 14

    • Rapid prototyping• Measurement technology• Quality assurance• Production Technology

    Conference Languages: English and German.

    Expected fees: Authors 250DM, others 450DM, (specialstudent rate of 50DM or with conference folder at 70DMextra).

    Deadlines: Abstracts (1 side of A4 paper) by 29 Feb 1997.Notification of acceptance by 15 April 1997.

    Further information from (and abstracts to):Technische Universitaet IllmenauKongressorganisation, Andrea SchneiderPF 0565, D-98684 Illmenau, Germany.Tel: +49 3677 69 2520 Fax: +49 3677 69 1802E-mail: [email protected]

    EFAM-CCAM EuroconferenceThe second in the series of Euroconferences in FocusedAspects of Mechatronics CCAM: Control and Configurationaspects of Mechatronics will be held in conjunction with theIllmenau Symposium. Details in our next issue or contact:

    Rob Parkin, Professor of Mechatronics,Mechanical Engineering, Loughborough University,Loughborough, Leics LE11 3TUTel: + 44 (0)1509 223 747 Fax: + 44 (0)1509 223 934Email [email protected]

    Smart Structures and Machines4th European Conference

    Micromechanics, Intelligent Materialsand Robotics

    2nd International. Conference6-8 July 1997, Harrogate Spa, UK

    Following the success of the 3rd European conference in Lyon(France) 1996 and the 2nd MIMR in Sendai (Japan) in 1995,the University of Sheffield is organising the 1998 combinedconference in the beautiful Roman Spa town of Harrogate inNorth Yorkshire.Main topics are:• Actuators and sensors in engineering components• Integrated systems and industrial/commercial application• Material and devices• MEMS• Smart materials and composites• SMA and adaptive materials• Mathematics, modelling and control• Novel engineering structures based on biometrics or

    biological models/materials• ER and MR fluids• Sensing and intelligent processing/control• Polymers/polymer gels• Active and passive damping

    Further information from:Norma Parkes, Conference Secretariat: CSCDepartment of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Sheffield,

    Mappin Street, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK

    Tel: +44 (0)114 282 5169(+44 (0)114 222 7702 after 6 December 1996)Fax: +44 (0)114 275 3671 E-mail: [email protected]

    Real-Time Visual Monitoring and Inspection

    In 1997, Real-Time Imaging is to run a Special Issue devotedto "Real-Time Visual Monitoring and Inspection". This topicwill be interpreted broadly to include industrial inspection andmonitoring, surveillance, security and access control, medicaland biostatus monitoring, sensors and data fusion, relatedarchitectures, and descriptions of working systems. Potentialcontributors should contact the editor as soon as possible:

    Professor E.R. DaviesMachine Vision Group, Department of PhysicsRoyal Holloway, University of LondonEgham Hill, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, UKTel: +44 (0)1784 443497 Fax: +44 (0)1784 472794E-mail: [email protected]

    Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM ’97)IEEE/ASME International Conference, 16-20 June 1997

    Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan

    Scopes: Industry applications including Modelling and DesignMethodolgy, System Integration, Actuators and Sensors,Intelligent Control, Robotics, Manufacturing, Motion Control,Vibration and Noise Control, Micro Devices and Opto-electronic Systems, Automotive Systems, Intelligent Systemsand Other Applications. New Frontier Fields of IntelligentMechatronics such as a fusion of Mechanical Systems,Communication Technology and Artificial Intelligence, etc.

    Submission procedure: Submit six copies of the manuscriptin full paper style, by business express mail, complete with anabstract, references and illustrations to your nearest contactperson.

    Prof. Ren Luo, Dept of Electrical and Computer Engineering,North Carolina State University, Box 7911, Raleigh NC27695-7911,USA. Fax: +1-919-515-5523

    Prof. Hannes Bleuler, Ecole Polytechnique Federale deLausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, SwitzerlandFax: +41-21-693-3866

    Prof. Kouhei Ohnishi, Department of Sytem DesignEngineering, Keio University, 3-14-1, Hiyoshi, Kohoku,Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. Fax: +81-45-562-7625

    Indicate the corresponding author, whose name, affiliation,address, phone/fax numbers and e-mail address should beclearly indicated on the first page of the manuscript. TheManuscript should consist of no more than 6 pages and bewritten in IEEE format or equivalent (seehttp://www.ieee.org/pubs/authors.html for instructions).

    Submission of full paper: 15 January 1997Notification of acceptance: 15 March 1997Submission of full camera ready m/s: 15 April 1997.

    Latest information from the AIM ’97 home page at:

  • Mechatronics Forum Newsletter - No. 15, Autumn 1996 15

    http://dfs.iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp/AIM97/E-mail: [email protected]

    SOCO ’97 - Soft Computing(Fuzzy Logic, Neural Networks, Genetic Algorithms)

    IIA ’97 - Intelligent Industrial Automation

    SOCO’97 is organised as a parallel conference to IIA’97(Second International ICSC Symposium on IntelligentIndustrial Automation). Both are to be held at the Ecole pourles Etudes et la Recherche en Informatique et Electronique(EERIE) in Nîmes, France in collaboration with the Ecole desMines d’Alès, September 17 - 19, 1997

    Contributions are sought in areas based on the lists below,which are indicative only. Contributions from new applicationareas will be particularly welcome.

    SOCO ’97:• Neural Networks• Fuzzy Logic• Fuzzy Control• Genetic Algorithms• AI and Expert Systems• Probabilistic Reasoning• Machine Learning• Learning Algorithms and Intelligent Control• Distributed Intelligence• Self-Organizing Systems• Educational Aspects of Soft Computing

    IIA ’97:• System Modelling and Verification• Design Automation and Rapid Prototyping• Intelligent Process and Product Design• Concurrent Engineering• Computer Integrated Manufacturing• Intelligent Control Systems• Production Scheduling• Robotics• Autonomous Systems

    It is recommended to submit abstracts by electronic mail(ASCII text) to or else by fax ormail (2 copies) to the following address:ICSC Canada, P.O. Box 279, Millet,Alberta T0C 1Z0, CanadaFax: +1-403-387-4329Email: [email protected]

    Deadlines:Submission of Abstracts January 31, 1997Notification of Acceptance March 31, 1997Delivery of full papers May 15, 1997

    Full registration is estimated at FF 2600 and includesattendance to all SOCO’97 and IIA’97 sessions, buffet-styleluncheons, coffee -breaks, conference banquet/socialprogramme and conference proceedings. Full-time students,who have a valid student ID-card, may register at a reducedrate.

    Full updated information on both conferences (SOCO'97 andIIA'97) is availableon the WWW from:SOCO'97: http://www.compusmart.ab.ca/icsc/soco97.htm

    IIA'97: http://www.compusmart.ab.ca/icsc/iia97.htm

    For further information please contact:ICSC Canada, P.O. Box 279, Millet, Alberta T0C 1Z0,CanadaE-mail: [email protected]:: +1-403-387-3546 Fax: +1-403-387-4329WWW Page: http://www.compusmart.ab.ca/icsc

    CAD CAM, Robotics andFactories of the Future14th International Conference

    Pereira, Columbia, South America, Mid December 1997

    Contributions are invited in the following areas:

    Enterprise Modelling Machine VisionLean Manufacturing Agile ManufacturingTotal Quality Management CAD, CAM, CIM, CAEConcurrent Engineering Cellular ManufactureRapid Prototyping Robotics and AutomationManagement of Change Operations ManagementDesign for Manufacture Design for AssemblyProduction Management LogisticsKnowledge Based Systems Artificial Intelligence

    …and other related fields.

    Interested authors should send two copies of their abstractsusing key words to describe their proposed contributions up toa maximum of three hundred words. The preliminary date forclose of abstract submissions is 30 April 1997. Please includethe title, name(s) of the author(s), affiliations, address,telephone, fax and e-mail. In the case of papers with morethan one author, please underline the name of the lead(corresponding) author. More details will be announced later.

    Postal contributions to:Dr Hirishi BERA, Conference Chair - CARS & FOF ’97,School of Engineering Systems and Design, South BankUniversity, 103 Borough Road, London SE1 0AA.Tel: +44 (0)171 815 7632 Fax: +44 (0)171 815 8155

    E-Mail contributions only to:[email protected] (ref: CARS & FOF ’97)

  • Mechatronics Forum Newsletter - No. 15, Autumn 1996 16

    Research OpportunitiesIntelligent Printing Control at Birmingham

    Dr James Shippen of the School of Manufacturing andMechanical Engineering at the University of Birmingham hasbeen awarded Brite/Euram funding for work into intelligentcontrol methods applied to the printing industry. Operating aspart of a pan-European team, including Philips Electronicsand Lego, this project will provide many opportunities forEurope-wide travel.

    The project will include research into neural networks, fuzzylogic, image analysis and condition monitoring.

    Advertisements for research staff will be posted soon. In themeanwhile, anyone with an interest in this area is invited tocontact Dr Shippen for further information:

    Dr James Shippen, School of Manufacturing andManufacturing Engineering, The University of Birmingham,Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UKTel: +44 (0)121 414 4153E-mail: [email protected]

    Forthcoming EventsTechnical Visit to Mitsubishi Electric

    Thursday 14 November 1996

    The IEE Manufacturing Division’s PG I6 have organised aTechnical Visit, co-sponsored by the Mechatronics Forum, toMitsubishi Electric’s recently opened Customer TechnologyCentre in Hatfield, Hertfordshire.

    Mitsubishi aims to capture 20% of the world’s automationequipment market. The £2 million investment aims to provide24 hour customer support, act as a showcase for thecompany’s products and assist customers with applicationengineering and product development.

    The visit will start at 11.00 am with a video relating to theorigins of the centre and a short presentation on Mitsubishi’sview of the way forward in machine/factory automation.Visitors will then be split into groups for a tour of the Centre.Technical staff will join delegates for lunch, which will befollowed by a question and answer session and a shortpresentation on EMC, the LVD and CE marking from amanufacturer’s perspective.

    The event is free. Due to a limit of 50 places, admission is byticket only available from:

    Simon Garrod, Manufacturing DivisionIEE, Savoy Place, London WC2R 0LBTel: 0171 344 5428 Fax: 0171 497 3633

    Technical Visit to Renishaw MetrologyWednesday 20th November 1996

    The Mechatronics Forum is organising a visit to RenishawMetrology, Wotton-under-Edge. Renishaw, world leader inthe manufacture of touch trigger probes for co-ordinatemeasuring machines, have one of the most advanced computer

    integrated manufacturing facilities in the UK, working for 17hours whilst staffed for only one eight hour shift. Theafternoon visit to their impressive New Mills site will start at1.00pm.

    Numbers are limited to 40 participants. Please contact LizHarries at the IMechE (E-mail: [email protected],postal address at the end of this newsletter) to reserve a place.

    Caption Competition

    The response to the caption competition in our last issue was alittle disapointing. We got just ‘ASCII 48’ entries. Maybe theprize wasn’t attractive enough. Should it have been a weekendin Hull instead of a whole week?

    Rob Parkin, David Hodgson, Vicky Parkin and Mike Jackson (L-R)iinvestigating white port after a tour of Graham’s cellars.

    This time we have a picture of some of the Mechatronics ’96delegates tasting a selection of Port wine as part of the post-conference cultural event. We want to know: What is theespecially effective vintage Vicky Parkin is sampling (andwhere we can all get some)? Answers, written on the label of afull bottle please, to the editor.

    Copy deadline for the next issueFriday 10 January 1997

    Please send items for inclusion to: Professor Tim King,School of Manufacturing and Mechanical EngineeringThe University of Birmingham, Edgbaston,Birmingham B15 2TTTel: 0121 414 4266 Fax: 0121 414 3958E-mail: [email protected]

    Mechatronics Forum membership is free. To register as amember send your address details to Liz Harries,Mechatronics Forum, IMechE (full address below), or E-mailher on [email protected]

    © 1996 The Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Published by theInstitution of Mechanical Engineers, 1 Birdcage Walk, London, SW1H 9JJ,UK. The IMechE is not, as a body, responsible for the views or opinions

    expressed by individual authors.