Mechatronics Engineering: Mechatronics is the synergetic integration of mechanical disciplines, electronics, controls, and computers in the design of high-performance systems. Most modern products – automobiles, household appliances, personal transportation devices, digital cameras, printers, scanners, hard-disk drives, surgical tools, to name a few – embody numerous ‘intelligent’ or ‘smart’ features enabled by mechatronics. Mechatronics Engineering is the efficient and effective integration of mechanical systems and electronics, and intelligent control. Mechatronics engineers employ precision engineering, control theory, computer science, and mathematics and sensor technology to design enhanced or ‘smart’ products, processes and systems. The term ‘Mechatronics’ refers to the art and science of combining precision mechanical engineering, electronic control and information systems for the production of intelligent machine systems. Almost everywhere you look you will see a mechatronic system. During the coming decades we will see an explosion of these automated systems further infiltrating our lives. Already, mechatronic systems are utilised in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, communication, transport, medicine, service, energy and smart farming. Robots are widely used to automate manufacturing processes for the benefits of productivity gain, quality consistency and reduction/elimination of labour. Mobile machines, such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) and Autonomous Ground Vehicle (AGV), are deployed to operate in hazardous environments. Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) and components are now as small as a few microns and researchers are investigating nanotechnologies using mechatronic systems for implantation into the human body to repair or replace damaged physiological functions.

Rapid Prototyping: This is a group of techniques used to quickly fabricate a scale model of a physical part or assembly using three-dimensional computer-aided design (CAD) data. Construction of the part or assembly is usually done using 3D printing or “additive layer manufacturing” technology. The Department of Mechanical Engineering has facility for the following Rapid Prototyping facilities:

• The Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) 3D Printing Machine
• SolidWords Education Provided for Computer Aided Design Software
• Autodesk Authorised Training Centre for Engineering 3D CAD and Simulation software

Industry size CNC Machine Centre

The objective of mechatronic design is to deterministically produce higher performance at lower costs, which is critical for the technological sector in today’s economy. The research group will be actively engaged in mechatronics systems research covering micro and nano-positioning systems, biomedical engineering, robotic, haptic devices, bio-inspired compliant systems.

The Research Cluster will be collaborating with international and African institutions as well as Nigerian manufacturing Companies as follows:

Proposed Collaboration – USA

• Sheku Kamara, who is the Dean of Applied Research at Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE). He specialises in 3D printing and investment castings. We shall be working with the Rapid Prototyping Centre. He has been involved in all aspects of the technology over the past 20 years, working with industry through the Rapid Prototyping Center at MSOE.
• Abby Ilumoka, a Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Programme sponsored scholar. Prof Ilumoka is a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering; member, CT USA Academy of Science & Engineering; and is presently seconded to the National Science Foundation (NSF), Washington DC. She will assist as follows:

1. Collaborative curriculum development for mechatronics engineering education and research programme
2. Development of pathways for research of mechatronics engineering in sustainable rural infrastructure.
3. Advice on establishment and running a mechatronics and rapid prototyping research cluster and centre of excellence
4. Assistance in attracting funding for research for the cluster and centre

Proposed Collaboration – Nigeria

• Nigerian Foundries Ltd: This is the foremost private foundries in Nigeria and has been engaged in rural infrastructure development for over 40 years. The Company will provide the manufacturing and testing facilities. We shall be collaborating on 3D Printing and foundries

Proposed Collaboration – South Africa

• Centre for Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing, Central University of Technology, Bloemfontein, South Africa. This is the leading Rapid Prototyping centre in South Africa with several high-end Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) or Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), or Additive Manufacturing, Stereo-lithography Apparatus (SLA) and SLS 3D Printing capacities.

Proposed Collaboration – United Kingdom

• Cranfield University
• Lancaster University – Department of Engineering

We plan to setup and use the following Laboratories:

Quanser Centre of Excellence

Quanser is the world leader in the design and manufacture of systems and solutions for realtime control for robotics, mechatronics, aerospace and structural engineering.

Headquartered in Markham, Ontario, Canada, Quanser is dedicated to advancing engineering education and research through our holistic solutions that include hardware, software and courseware resources. Today, Quanser’s networks include over 2,800 universities and research institutions around the world that rely on Quanser solutions to expand the state of knowledge in critical research areas and to help them educate and graduate a new generation of engineering leaders. This network allows Quanser to actively collaborate with various institutions worldwide to ensure our solutions are in‐line with academic needs, institution visions, global engineering requirements and challenges as well as preparing future ready engineers.

National Instrument Centre of Excellence

National Instruments is committed to enhancing engineering and science education through experiential learning, an approach that helps educators prepare better future engineers and scientists by creating an effective and dynamic learning environment. Using hands-on labs to student design projects, this approach helps bridge the gap between industry requirements and university learning, thereby improving the quality of engineering and science education.

National Instruments facilitates experiential learning by providing flexible software and modular hardware that work with mainstream computer technologies to help integrate theoretical concepts with real-world applications. NI refers to this powerful combination of software and hardware as Virtual Instrumentation, which gives engineers and scientists the ability to capitalise on the ever-increasing performance of PCs and define their own solutions, whether in the classroom or in the research laboratory

Covenant Centre for Additive Manufacturing.

The Laboratory has a MakerBot Z18 3 D Printing machine.

Mechatronic System Design (Sensors & Actuators)

• Solar-Powered charging bay with solar tracking and power management systems for Students’ hostel.
• Energy-saving control system for Department of Mechanical Engineering Building.
• Sensor-controlled water tap for Covenant University restroom systems
• Sensor-controlled urinary flushing system for Covenant University restrooms
• Sensor-controlled water cistern in Covenant University restrooms
• Automatic toilet tissue dispenser for Covenant University restrooms
• Sensor-controlled water tap for Covenant University laboratories

Robotics & Automation

• A simple autonomous robot for floor cleaning or grass mowing.
• Automated two-way traffic light control for School of Applied Engineering/University Guest House junction.
• Automated Gate control and monitoring system for Covenant University Gate.
• A 3D Printer for Mechanical Engineering Department CAD/CAM courses.
• Autonomous Street Sweeper (collaborating with Manufacturing Group)
• Design of NC Controllers and machines
• 5-Axis Numerically Controlled Machining
• Dynamic Seam Tracking for Robotic Welding
• Automated Laser Fabrication
• Product using Computational Intelligence
• Autonomous Navigation Using Artificial Neural Networks

Instrumentation & Biomedical Engineering

• Instrumentation: Student PLC/Electronic Development Workbench
• Automatic temperature measurement and logger for Covenant University Health Centre
• RFID Covenant University staff and students’ attendance logger
• Neuro-Musculo-Skeletal Modeling of Human Locomotion
• Biomedical device design, optical metrology
• Magnetically driven medical microrobots for drug delivery and microsurgery
• Biomedical instrument design, bio-MEMS, imaging, optics, endoscopy, cancer

Autotronics & Avionics

• Simple car engine diagnostics equipment for Mechanical Engineering Auto workshop.
• ECU for vehicle systems
• Seat belt use detector and logger

Micro and Nano Fabrication (MEMS and NEMS)

• Microrobotics – Micro robot arm
• Auto-focusing mechanism for microscopy using electrorestrictive materials
• Physical MEMS/NEMS sensors and devices
• MEMS/NEMS process, packaging and microassembly
• Micropower generation
• Nanomanipulation and nano manufacturing
• Micro/nanomanufacturing, sensor integration, controller integration and implementation
• Production and application of nanostructured materials
• Sustainable manufacturing, vibration control, mechatronics

Rapid Prototyping

• 3D Printing Technology
• 3D Printing and Foundries
• Fused Deposition Modelling
• Stereo-lithography Apparatus (SLA) Technology
• 3D Printing in Biomedical Engineering
• Sintering Technology
• Optimisations in Additive Manufacturing Technology Membership

Membership will be drawn from the following disciplines:

• Mechatronics Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Metallurgical & Materials Engineering
• Computer Engineering
• Electrical/Electronic Engineering
• Information & Communication Engineering
• Industrial Engineering
• Biomedical Engineering
• Physics
• Industrial Chemistry
• Biological Sciences

Professor Christian Amaechi BOLU

Prof. O. Ohunakin

Dr. O. Kilanko

Dr. Philip Babalola

Dr. Abiodun Abioye

Engr. Joseph Azeta

Engr. Peter Anakhu