About Book: 

     A consequence of this approach is the need for engineers and technicians to adopt an interdisciplinary and integrated approach to engineering. Thus engineers and technicians need skills and knowledge that are not confined to a single subject area. They need to be to be capable of operating and communicating across a range of engineering disciplines and linking with whose having more specialized skills. This book is an attempt to provide a basic background to mechatronics and provide links through to more specialized skills.

     The first edition was designed to cover the Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) Mechatronics units for Higher National Certificate/Diploma courses for technicians and designed to fit alongside more specialist units such as those for design, manufacture and maintenance determined by the application area of the course. The book was widely used for such course and has also found use in undergraduate courses in both Britain and the United States. Following feedback from lecturers in both Britain and the United States, the second edition was considerably extended and with its extra depth it was not only still relevant for its original readership but also suitable for undergraduate courses. The third edition involved refinements of some explanations, more discussion of microcontrollers and programming, increased use of models for mechatronic systems, and the grouping together of key facts in the Appendices. The  fourth edition is a complete reconsideration of all aspects of the text, both layout and content, with some regrouping of topics, movement of more material into Appendices to avoid disrupting the flow of the text, new material-in particular an introduction to artificial intelligence – more case studies and a refinement of some topics to improve clarity. Also, objectives and key point summaries have been included with each chapter.