As much as math is the foundation of engineering, it is equally so for mechatronic design. In fact, we might even say mechatronic design is an expression of math — analytical, intuitive, physical, and logical — extending from the mind of the designer to the framework and functionality of the design itself.

One of the key qualities of this mechatronic math is its multi-variable nature, accounting for the combined influence of mechanical and computational functions. In its highest form, it is also non-linear, meaning the result of the components working together exceeds the sum of the results of each component working alone. Don’t bother trying to use superposition to analyze mechatronic systems; it doesn’t work.

Perhaps the best way to analyze a mechatronic system is at the signal level. It is here where the mechanical and computational worlds overlap and where the math universally applies, especially in terms of software. One of the best definitions I’ve heard on mechatronics hits at this point. “Mechatronics,” says Dr. Jim Trouchard, founder of National Instruments, “is anything that brings machine functions closer to the software level,” the domain of math.

My advice to anyone who wants to be a master of mechatronics is brush up on applied math, signal dynamics, and actuator and sensor physics. After that, figure out how to bring it all to the software level — from design and test to implementation and control — and you will have a competitive edge that will serve you well for some time.