The Best Reasons to Study Mechatronics Engineering for a Successful Future Career
Have you ever wondered how the door at the shopping mall opens as soon as you stepped in front of it? It is Mechatronics, where there is an infrared sensor that falls on your body and triggers an electronic processor which in turn switches on the mechanical process of opening the door. In addition, when you walk towards an escalator and then it starts moving. That’s a marvel of Mechatronic Engineering. Another example of complex mechatronic systems are where robotic surgical machines which can perform medical operations on human bodies. Automated shops and restaurants, unmanned hotels operating in China and Japan, an increasing number of self-checkout machines at Malaysian supermarkets, self check-in and baggage handling at airports, voice recognition within five metres and interactive communication with Siri, nearly 100% perfection in 3D printing – all these examples are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to telling how far we have come in this digital era.
We are in the age of Industrial Revolution 4.0 where automation will replace millions of jobs as well as create new ones. Automation and robotics are the way of the future, so why not be prepared for it by studying Mechatronic Engineering?
Mechatronics, an interdisciplinary field that combines mechanical engineering, electronics, computer science, and control engineering, has emerged as a pivotal force in the evolution of modern technology. At the intersection of mechanics, electronics, and computing, mechatronics specialists create simpler, smarter systems. Mechatronics is an essential foundation for the expected growth in automation and manufacturing. As we navigate the dynamic landscape of technological advancements, the scope of mechatronics continues to expand, offering exciting possibilities for professionals and enthusiasts alike. In this article, we look at the vast potential and ever expanding opportunities that mechatronics presents for the future of work.
As you step into the future after secondary school, the prospects for mechatronics are both exciting and promising for your career. From revolutionizing industries with automation to improving healthcare and advancing sustainable technologies, mechatronics is a driving force in shaping our technologically advanced world. Students who embrace the interdisciplinary nature of mechatronics in their tertiary studies and stay abreast of emerging technologies will find themselves at the forefront of a dynamic and ever-evolving field, contributing to the transformative impact of mechatronics on society.
Top Reasons to Study Mechatronic Engineering in Malaysia
Vincent Hoy, Graduated from Mechatronic Engineering at Asia Pacific University (APU)
- Integration of Technologies: The future of mechatronics lies in the seamless integration of mechanical, electronic, and computer engineering. With advancements in sensor technologies, artificial intelligence, and connectivity, mechatronic systems are becoming more intelligent and adaptive, leading to the development of sophisticated machines and devices.
- Automation and Robotics: Mechatronics plays a pivotal role in the automation revolution. From manufacturing processes to everyday tasks, the integration of robotics and mechatronic systems is transforming industries. The demand for skilled mechatronics professionals to design, build, and maintain these automated systems is on the rise.
- Internet of Things (IoT) and Industry 4.0: Mechatronics is a key enabler of the IoT and Industry 4.0, where smart devices communicate and collaborate for more efficient and effective processes. As industries embrace these transformative technologies, mechatronics professionals will be essential in creating intelligent systems that optimize production, reduce costs, and enhance overall efficiency.
- Biomechatronics and Healthcare: The convergence of mechatronics and biology has given rise to biomechatronics. This interdisciplinary field focuses on the development of advanced prosthetics, exoskeletons, and medical devices. As healthcare continues to benefit from technological innovations, mechatronics experts will contribute to improving the quality of life for individuals through cutting-edge medical technology.
- Renewable Energy and Sustainability: Mechatronics is at the forefront of the renewable energy sector, contributing to the design and optimization of sustainable technologies. From smart grid systems to energy-efficient machinery, mechatronics professionals are essential in advancing environmentally friendly solutions.
- Education and Research Opportunities: The increasing relevance of mechatronics has spurred a demand for skilled professionals, creating opportunities for education and research. Universities and research institutions are investing in mechatronics programs, providing a platform for aspiring engineers and researchers to contribute to the field’s growth.
- Global Collaboration and Innovation: The interconnected nature of mechatronics encourages global collaboration. As technologies evolve, professionals from diverse backgrounds collaborate to address complex challenges. This collaborative approach fosters innovation and accelerates the development of groundbreaking solutions.
Mechatronics Engineer: A Career of the Future
According to the World Economic Forum’s “The Future of Jobs Report 2020”, by 2025, the robot revolution will actually create 97 million new jobs, many of which will be technology-related. This will pose a challenge to companies and industries, as there is expected to be a skills shortage in the future. The report further states, machines now account for 29% of completed work and by 2022, this number is expected to rise to 42%. By 2025, this figure is expected to rise to 52%. In other words, in approximately 7 years, more than half of work tasks will be completely automated and completed by machines. In order to meet this future trend, many companies or organisations are starting to make adjustments to their future plans, where automation technology is taken into account and more resources invested in this area.
Between 3.3 million and 6 million jobs are expected to be created in Malaysia by 2030, but with the new age of automation Industrial 4.0, preparation and training are fast becoming the critical factor as the new workforce would need new skills.
With the evolution of technology, the current job landscape in Malaysia has changed drastically. Technological forces will fundamentally change work and the economic landscape. In many industries and countries, the current in-demand occupations or specialties did not exist 10 or even 5 years ago. The rise of technology has led to a disruption in the way we work and live. The Digital Era has changed the way we work. Therefore, students must cultivate 21st century skills, capabilities and attributes to adapt to the technologically advanced workplace.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) Future of Jobs Report 2023 has revealed that almost a quarter of jobs, or 23 per cent, are expected to change in the next five years via a 10.2 per cent growth in some jobs, and a 12.3 per cent decline in others as a result of technology and digitalisation. The report said that employers anticipate 69 million new jobs will be created and 83 million eliminated among the 673 million jobs corresponding to the dataset, a net decrease of 14 million jobs, or two per cent of current employment.
McKinsey says its study indicates that by 2030, automation could displace up to 25% of hours (equivalent to about 4.5 million workers) in Malaysia. However, between 3.3 million and 6 million jobs are expected to be created in Malaysia by 2030, but with the new age of automation Industrial 4.0, preparation and training are fast becoming the critical factor as the new workforce would need new skills.
As the digital economy grows, Malaysians must be prepared to choose jobs that will be in demand in the future as well as still exist.
How to Become a Mechatronics Engineer
Students who desire to become a mechatronics engineer in Malaysia can pursue a 4-year Mechatronic Engineering degree. Having some job experience in factory production or automation during your internship will be useful. During your tertiary studies, you should gain a firm grasp of safety protocols, strong verbal and written communication, the ability to work independently to solve a problem, and also a complementary ability to work as part of a team to reach a common goal. A 4-year Mechatronic Engineering degree that’s accredited by the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM) and Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) will lead you to a path to become a globally recognised professional engineer.
What do You Do as a Mechatronics Engineer?
Ignatius, Mechatronic Engineering at Asia Pacific University (APU)
Mechatronics is a multidisciplinary subfield that combines elements of mechanical and electrical engineering, along with control systems and robotics. Mechatronics can also encompass telecommunications, computer and systems engineering.
In other words, a mechatronics engineer is a highly skilled professional who brings together diverse knowledge and skills and applies them to solve complex challenges involving modern machinery and systems. Mechatronics engineers are increasingly valued by employers, as fewer devices and systems these days are either purely mechanical or purely electrical.
Rather, modern products tend to blur those lines (e.g., robotic surgical equipment and Internet-connected window treatments). Because modern systems and machines tend to demand the attention of an engineer with a multidisciplinary, diverse skill set, mechatronics engineering is increasing in popularity.
Mechatronics engineers help design and manufacture new technology, parts, tools, and machine control systems for production manufacturing. Your duties include analyzing and assessing automated production and determining ways to improve productivity and efficiency through the introduction of new tools. You visit assembly lines, observe machinery, and then make suggestions for ways to engineer new machines that will speed up production. You and your team must take into consideration many different elements of the production process in order to build a tool or machine that will be easy to use while also improving assembly-line efficiency.
Mechatronics engineers use a multidisciplinary and systems-based approach to develop the “intelligent” electromechanical devices and integrated systems present in our daily lives including: smartphones, 3D printers, satellite systems, intelligent vehicle systems, wearable devices.
Mechatronics specialists work with massive industrial robots, smaller robots in pick-and-place operations, control systems for bottling or packaging of food and drink products, drones, designing control systems for rides in amusement parks, prototype development.
Some mechatronics specialists are employed in firms where it is necessary to design and maintain automatic equipment. This includes industries such as manufacturing, industrial, IoT, aviation, robotics, drone, electronics, automotive, healthcare and transport. Other mechatronic specialists are employed by large manufacturing companies involved in high-volume production. Many new career opportunities are on the horizon due to technological advances.
Where Do Mechatronics Engineers Work?
Jayden Cheah, Mechatronics Engineering Graduate
Mechatronics is applied in a wide range of industries, such as manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, healthcare, and consumer electronics. Examples include industrial automation, robotics, automated vehicles, smart appliances, and more. Mechatronics has a strong focus on automation and improving the efficiency and performance of systems. It plays a crucial role in enabling advancements in industries by developing smarter and more capable machines and products.
Mechatronics engineers work in a variety of settings. Typically you spend some of your time in a lab or test facility where you design and test versions of your ideas before they are put into production. However, you also have to spend significant time at a production or manufacturing facility both in the initial stages of design and at the production stage. You may also be called upon to help train employees to use the new machinery and perform periodic maintenance. You may have meetings with a variety of departments and management when proposing new ideas.
You can find work in potential areas like in industries and research institutions dealing with mechatronics, smart manufacturing, IoT, bioengineering, or service providers or in electronics and electrical devices manufacturing companies, optometric device manufacturing companies, power/energy industry, healthcare research-based companies, etc.
So, what will be your work be like?
In a nutshell, a mechatronic engineer is responsible for combining the elements of mechanical engineering and electronics engineering to design and develop mechatronic products. Elements of electrical engineering and computer science (in the form of software design and software engineering) play a part in the daily work of mechatronic engineers too.
A Robotic Arm is a prime example of a mechatronics system because it includes aspects of mechanics, electronics, control and soft-computing to do its day-to-day jobs.
Here are some things you might be expected to do in your job:
- Develop new solutions to industrial problems using mechanical and electronic processes and computer technology.
- Design and build completely new products by integrating various technologies, for example, developing robotic vehicles for underwater exploration.
- Build and test factory production lines introducing automation to improve existing processes.
- Maintain and improve previous industrial and manufacturing processes and designs, for example, robotic lawn mowers and robot floor cleaners.
- Design, develop, maintain and manage high technology engineering systems for the automation of industrial tasks.
- Apply mechatronic or automated solutions to the transfer of material, components or finished goods.
- Apply advanced control systems, which are usually computer-driven.
- Apply electronic and mechanical processes and computers to tasks where the use of human labour may be dangerous (like underwater exploration, mining or forestry)
- Study the feasibility, cost implications and performance benefits of new mechatronic equipment.
- Carry out modelling, simulation and analysis of complex mechanical, electronic or other engineering systems using computers.
Is Mechatronics Engineering a Good Career?
A mechatronics career can be a rewarding one. You get to spend your time solving unique and sometimes difficult mechanical and electrical problems, and your suggestions are put into practice, so you can see the physical results of your ideas. You must be prepared to work collaboratively, be able to interview and observe complex human and mechanical systems, and be able to think analytically and creatively to come up with new solutions to problems of efficiency. Although a significant amount of your time is spent creating computer simulations and drafting designs, you are also able to take part in field testing and study.
Mechatronics Engineering Career Opportunities
Graduates can also pursue the following careers:
- Robotics Engineer
- Automation Engineer
- Instrumentation Engineer
- Electronic Engineer
- Maintenance Engineer
- Mechatronics Project Engineer
- Mechatronics, R&D or Systems Engineer
- Industrial Engineer
- Process Control Engineer
- Service Engineer
- Mechanical Design Engineer
- Powertrain Engineer
- QA/QC Engineer
- Sales Engineer
- Support Engineer
- R&D Engineer
- Manufacturing Engineer
- IoT Engineer
- Plant Engineer
- Design Engineer
What are some examples of Mechatronics Engineer’s Job?
As a Mechatronic Engineer depending on your functional field of work, you will be engaged with one or more of the following roles and responsibilities:
- For Functional Research and Design
- You will be developing new solutions for designing and building completely new products by integrating mechanical/electronic/computer processes, for example, developing vehicles for underwater exploration or mobile machines to detect bombs.
- You will be using designing software like CAD and Solid Works to draw your concepts.
- You will be carrying out 3-D modeling to create physical models (called prototypes) of your designs.
- You will be investigating mechanical failures or unexpected maintenance problems in the physical models.
- You will be preparing detailed written or verbal presentations, technical reports and compilations based on research outcomes.
- For Process Development and PrototypeLaunch
- You will be planning, controlling and overseeing all technical issues during the prototype launch process of a product as part of the process development team.
- You will be suggesting solutions after evaluating the technical issues by consulting other teams like manufacturing or laboratory teams.
- You will be following an Engineering Change Procedure to implement the suggested solutions. Generally, most companies have specific policies in place for these technical changes.
- You will also have to prepare documentation/paperwork as well as engineering calculations associated with the changes after they have been implemented.
- For Production Launch, Product Analysis and Quality Control
- You will be actively participating in product launches and overseeing the process of manufacturing.
- You will be responsible for performing visual, mechanical and electrical inspections at subassembly and final assembly levels using engineering drawings/specifications.
- All electrical as well as mechanical parts of a product must be manufactured individually and then attached together at different levels. All those levels must be inspected by you and your team.
- You will have to record all your inspection/test results.
- You will be involved in the interpretation of test results and implementation of necessary modifications.
- You will be conducting internal audits regularly, leading quality-related meetings and coordinating/facilitating the training of employees when required.
- For Field Verification & Services
- You will have to make visits to client locations and vendor offices or their manufacturing plants where you will perform an inspection of installed products as part of the field verification of engineering designs.
- You will be expected to manage and interpret on-site customer requirements and expectations as part of the technical services team.
- You will be responsible for the installation, diagnosis, and repair of mechanical assemblies at their locations.
- You will have to read and understand electrical, and mechanical schematics to perform necessary installation and repair work using standard test instruments, hand tools, or computer software.
- You will have to provide timely, accurate, and detailed service visit reports typically within a day of job completion.
- You will also conduct technical demonstrations and practical training of installed products as part of the Services team at customer sites.
Why Become a Mechatronics Engineer?
As a Mechatronics Engineer, you will be researching, developing, designing, manufacturing, and testing automated machines or machine components or mechanical systems using principles of Mechanics, Mechanical Engineering, Electronics and Computer Sciences.
Overall, Mechatronics Engineering is a rapidly evolving field at the intersection of multiple engineering disciplines, and it plays a vital role in the development of advanced, intelligent systems that make our lives easier and more efficient. Therefore, the future job prospects are excellent for this field and ensures graduates a solid and secure career.
Who Should Study Mechatronics Engineering?
Are you a natural-born problem solver who enjoys tackling new challenges? Perhaps you like working with computers, but also enjoy taking things apart and figuring out how they work. Do you like mechanics, robotics, or production equipment? Do you have a knack for creative problem solving? Do you enjoy technical and engineering activities? Can you work well as a member of a team?
If that sounds like you, a career in mechatronics engineering may be a great fit.
What is the Education Pathway to become a Mechatronics Engineer in Malaysia?
Students need to have credits in Maths & Physics or Science in SPM or IGCSE/O-Levels to go for the mechatronics engineering programme. Students after SPM or IGCSE/O-Levels who are sure of choosing engineering for their degree studies may go for the Foundation in Engineering. If you are still not sure whether you want engineering or other science courses, you may choose the Foundation in Science programme at premier private universities in Malaysia.
Alternatively, students after secondary school with at least 3 credits in Maths and 1 Science subject may enter the Diploma in Mechatronic Engineering or Diploma in Electrical & Electronic Engineering for 2 years. After completing the Diploma, you can then continue into Year 2 of the Mechatronic Engineering degree.
Students after the external Pre-University Programme such as A-Levels, UEC, STPM, CPU, MUFY or AUSMAT may enter directly into the Engineering Degree programme with relevant results. Students can study a 4-year Mechatronics degree at top private universities in Malaysia that are accredited by the Board of Engineers Malaysia
What will you Study in a Mechatronics Engineering degree at a Private University in Malaysia?
Below are some examples of the subjects that you will study in your undergraduate programme:
- Mechanical Engineering: Mechatronics involves the design and analysis of mechanical systems, such as sensors, actuators, and mechanical structures. This can include anything from robotic arms and automated machinery to consumer products like cameras with auto-focus mechanisms.
- Electronics: Electronic components and circuits are used to control and monitor the mechanical aspects of a system. Sensors collect data from the environment, and microcontrollers or microprocessors process this data to make decisions and control actuators. This might involve things like circuit design, PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards), and electronic components.
- Control Systems: Mechatronic systems often rely on control theory to regulate the behavior of mechanical components. This can involve feedback loops and control algorithms to ensure precise and desired system performance. Control engineering is crucial to maintaining stability and optimizing the system’s operation.
- Software and Programming: Mechatronics systems often involve software development to control and coordinate the various components. This can include writing code for microcontrollers, implementing user interfaces, and integrating systems with computer networks.
- Sensors and Actuators: Sensors gather information about the system’s environment, and actuators take action based on this information. Sensors can include things like cameras, accelerometers, temperature sensors, and more. Actuators might be motors, solenoids, or other mechanisms that move, manipulate, or change the state of the system.
Other Subjects would look like:
- Analysis of Circuits
- Instrumentation & Measurement
- Introduction to C Programming
- Programming with Python
- Electromagnetic Field Theory
- Engineering Software & Applications
- Signals and Linear Systems
- Innovation Processes
- Sensors & Actuators
- Fluid Mechanics
- Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer
- Mechanics of Machines
- Industrial Automation
- Robotics Technology
- Engineering Mathematics
- Computer Programming for Engineers
- Circuit Theory
- Engineering Design Fundamentals
- Engineering Materials
- Analogue Electronics
- Dynamics Digital Electronics
- Principles of Microcontroller Systems
- Electric Machines
- Statistics
- Engineering Ethics, Safety and Environment
- Numerical Methods
- Instrumentation and Measurement
- Engineering Thermodynamics
- Control Systems
- Manufacturing Processes
- Automation and Robotics
- Artificial Intelligence
- Power Electronics
- Engineering Project Management
- Strength of Materials
- Component Design
- Computer and Machine Vision
- Computer Aided Engineering
- Principle of Sustainable Engineering
- Computer Aided Manufacturing
- Robotics Kinematics and Control
- Real Time Embedded Systems
- MEMS Sensors and Actuators
- Autonomous Mobile Robots
Where to Study Mechatronics Engineering in Malaysia?
- University of Nottingham Malaysia
- Monash University
- Asia Pacific University (APU)
- Taylor’s University
- University of Wollongong (UOW) Malaysia
- UCSI University
- Curtin University Sarawak
- Swinburne University Sarawak
- Multimedia University (MMU)
- UTAR
