Mechatronics

Mechatronics includes mechanics, pneumatics, electronically controlled systems, programming, robotics, systems integration and development. It is the job of the mechatronics technician to combine these areas to design, build, maintain, and repair automated equipment, and programme equipment control systems.

As well as factory assembly lines, mechatronics is used in everything from bottling machines to cash dispensers and automated production lines.

This is a practical competition, for a team of two. This will test your understanding of logic circuits, design and fault-finding skills in a challenging environment. To complete the tasks competitors are expected to apply their theoretical knowledge of fundamental principles of automation, pneumatic, electro-pneumatic, sensor and PLC technologies.

Competitors who are age eligible and have achieved the benchmark score will be invited to opt into Squad UK during December 2022 for the WorldSkills Lyon 2024 cycle.

The skills that are tested in the practical competition include:

• Designing, building and testing pneumatic, electro-pneumatic circuits and PLC programmes for sequential and non-sequential tasks; system building and process optimisation
• Mechanically assembling a given set of components and sub-systems to a specification
• Adding new functionality and operations to a given application.
• System integration of multiple modular production systems and optimisation
• Integrating distributed devices using appropriate industrial protocols.