Mechatronics
Mechatronics engineers develop systems by combining a number of different disciplines from the design stage: mechanics, electronics, computer science and automatic control engineering. They are involved throughout the life cycle of industrial products: research and development, preliminary design, development, industrialization, operation.
Mechatronics is present in all sectors of industry: transport, consumer goods, capital goods, etc. Robots, autonomous vehicles and components such as active suspensions are examples of products resulting from mechatronic product development. Mechatronics engineers may therefore work in a very wide range of different branches.
INSA Strasbourg was the first higher education institution in France to award diplomas in mechatronics, as early as 1994.
Training
The aim is to train engineers capable of proposing innovative solutions, of leading a multi-disciplinary team and being involved at every level of an integrated production system. They will be able to analyze problems in different fields, propose a complete architecture of the systems developed and produce the related prototypes.
Mechatronics engineers will have a solid basic grounding in mechanics, in mechanical, and electrical engineering (scientific and technological skills), as well as in foreign languages and management.
During their training, students taking the mechatronics specialization join the mechanical engineering students for mechanics, construction and mechanical product manufacturing classes. They attend digital and analog electronics, automatic controls, signal processing and electrotechnics classes alongside electrical engineering students. In addition they receive specific teaching in robotics, modeling and mechatronic system design, industrial data processing and, of course, mechatronics projects.
Projects
Starting in Year 2, the students start to address mechatronic design by developing simple mobile robots. Mechanics, electronics and programming are then combined to produce prototypes. In Years 3 to 5, they work in groups on more complex developments. Examples of devices developed include drones, self-balancing personal transporters and electric vehicles with driver assistance.
Drone project
The drone project is an example of an interdisciplinary project. Since 2002 this project has brought together students from the mechatronics and electrical engineering specializations, and when needed, students in other fields such as mechanical engineering and surveying engineering.
You can find more information on the drone project on two INSA Strasbourg blogs: blog mécatronique-rubrique drone and blog génie électrique.
Teaching resources
The mechanical engineering platform makes advanced industrial equipment available to the students enabling them to work on designing advanced mechatronic systems. They have access to specialist mechanical design, electronic design and digital simulation software. Production facilities are available to produce mechanical components by machining of additive manufacturing and PCB etching. Finally, industrial robot systems, including cobots, are available so that students can learn and practice robotics programming. Students also use the resources offered by the electrical engineering platform and the materials science resource center.
Apprenticeship scheme
This specialization can be taken as a sandwich course.
Internships and final course project
- At the end of Year 1: a mandatory “discovery” placement in a company (4 weeks minimum)
- At the end of Year 3: a mandatory “application” placement in a company (4 weeks minimum)
- At the end of Year 4: a mandatory “technician” placement in a company (8 weeks minimum)
- During semester 9: a technological research project (PRT)
- In year 5, the final course project (PFE) is an in-depth study intended to make an original contribution to the development of techniques in mechatronics-related fields
Research
During the final year of the engineering course, the students can gain an insight into the research world by preparing a simultaneous research master.
Students in the “Design for Robotics” track can prepare the Master’s degree in Imaging, robotics and biomedical engineering, Automatic Controls and Robotics strand.
Students in the “Advanced numerical modeling” program can prepare the Master’s degree in in Applied Physics and Physical Engineering.
They all have the possibility of completing internships in different laboratories, ICube in particular, with the Robotics, Data Science et Healthcare Technologies team, on subjects relating to medical robotics.
Double degree
Double degrees exist with institutions in Germany, the United States, and there is the possibility of a master’s in the United Kingdom and in Switzerland.
Openings
Graduates find work in sectors including transport (aeronautics, automotive, railways), robotics, energy, medical, home automation, etc. They can occupy positions in research and development, project management, design, service and automation.
Contacts
Pierre Renaud, specialization coordinator
03 88 14 48 51
Odile Wolff, secretary of the mechanical engineering department
03 88 14 47 06