Module aims: To provide learners with: • an understanding of the role of a Mechatronics Engineer in engineering design, business, and society. • a comprehensive overview of information management within Mechatronics Engineering. • an introduction to the planning and development of an integrated information system to facilitate monitoring and management of enterprise resources in a Mechatronics setting. • exposure to industry standard enterprise resource planning tools. • hands on experience in implementing a mechatronics based data management system and its integration into an enterprise wide information management system.
The Role of a Mechatronics Engineer
Mechatronics: a historical perspective; Mechatronics evolution & design culture; Bridging the engineering communication gap; Product realisation paradigm.
Organisations, Business Process & Information Systems: The modern global business environment; Functional organisation structure; Importance of Information Systems in business & Mechatronic Engineering; Data and Information in Mechatronic Engineering; Flows in Business & Engineering Processes; Enterprise Systems in Mechatronic Engineering, Project Management techniques and their applications
Enterprise Resource Planning: ERP Systems introduction & overview. Evolution of ERP in Engineering; ERP infrastructure and components; ERP Core business processes; Business process re-engineering (BPR); Enterprise model and organisation structure; Integrated business operations
Data Management & Information Systems: Data protection legislation; The importance of ethics in information systems; Ethical issues specific to electronic information systems including artificial intelligence What is a database; Types of Database Systems: Object Oriented, Relational, Hierarchical; Database Management Systems (DBMS); Databases in manufacturing; Data analysis; Decision support systems; DSS architecture styles; Online analytical processing (OLAP).
Information Management Planning & Analysis: Deriving the Information Systems Architecture; Four stage lifecycle; Information strategy planning; Critical Success factor Analysis; Technology impact analysis; Metadata; Hierarchies; E-R Diagrams
Data Modelling Concepts: A logical view of data – entities/attributes; Relations and their characteristics; Entity relationship modelling; Connectivity and cardinality; Relationship strength and participation; Weak entities; Development of an ER diagram; Table normalisation 1NF, 2NF, 3NF BCNF, Higher level normal forms, De-normalization.
Physical Database Design & ERP Integration: Implementing the data model; Stages in Database Design; Introduction to DBMS: MySQL, Access; Introduction to SQL; Data manipulation commands; Queries; Partial listing and logical operators; Advanced data management commands; ERP Integration considerations & tools.
