Recent trends in mechatronics

Answer 1

Mechatronics is a technology feild created by the marriage of mechanically operated equipment and electronically controlled equipment (computer controls) in manufacturing. The introduction of Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) machinery in the 1970's and the introduction of robot controlled equipment in the late 1980's to the late 1990's is what created mechatronics. The last link in the chain was the introduction of Programmable Logic Contols (PLC) in the mid to late 1990's. By joining all three of these technologies together, manufacturing from raw materials to finished and assembled product was possible through automation with minimal human in process labor.