Description
Mechatronics engineering technicians collaborate with engineers to develop mechatronic devices and applications through a combination of mechanical engineering, electronic engineering, and computer engineering. They build, test, install, and calibrate mechatronics and solve technical problems.
Duties
Mechatronics engineering technicians typically perform some or all of the following duties:
- Read blueprints, schematics, and diagrams to determine the method and sequence of assembly of a machine or a piece of equipment
- Verify dimensions of parts, using precision measuring instruments
- Operate metalworking machines to make housings, fittings, and fixtures
- Inspect parts for surface defects
- Repair and calibrate hydraulic and pneumatic assemblies
- Use instruments to test the performance of electromechanical assemblies
- Use soldering equipment and handtools to install electronic parts and hardware
- Operate, test, or maintain robotic equipment
- Analyze and record test results
Other titles
The following job titles also refer to mechatronics engineering technician:
mechatronic device technician
mechatronics technician
technologist in mechatronics
technician in mechatronic devices
mechatronic device technologist
technologist in mechatronic devices
technician in mechatronics
mechatronics technologist
Working conditions
Mechatronics engineering technicians work with electrical engineers and mechanical engineers. They work primarily in manufacturing industries, including those of computer and electronic products and of machinery, and in professional, scientific, and technical services. They often work both at production sites and in offices.
Mechatronics engineering technicians are sometimes exposed to hazards from equipment or toxic materials. However, incidents are rare as long as workers follow safety procedures.
Most technicians work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week.
Minimum qualifications
An associate’s degree is generally required to work as a mechatronics engineering technician.
ISCO skill level
ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:
- the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
- the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
- the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.
Mechatronics engineering technician is a Skill level 3 occupation.
Mechatronics engineering technician career path
Similar occupations
These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to mechatronics engineering technician.
automation engineering technician
robotics engineering technician
sensor engineering technician
electromechanical engineering technician
microsystem engineering technician
Long term prospects
These occupations require some skills and knowledge of mechatronics engineering technician. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of mechatronics engineering technician with a significant experience and/or extensive training.
mechatronics engineer
automation engineer
robotics engineer
microsystem engineer
electromechanical engineer
Essential knowledge and skills
Essential knowledge
This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of mechatronics engineering technician.
- Circuit diagrams: Read and comprehend circuit diagrams showing the connections between the devices, such as power and signal connections.
- Design drawings: Understand design drawings detailing the design of products, tools, and engineering systems.
- Electrical engineering: Understand electrical engineering, a field of engineering that deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism.
- Physics: The natural science involving the study of matter, motion, energy, force and related notions.
- Computer engineering: Engineering discipline that combines computer science with electrical engineering to develop computer hardware and software. Computer engineering occupies itself with electronics, software design, and the integration of hardware and software.
- Quality standards: The national and international requirements, specifications and guidelines to ensure that products, services and processes are of good quality and fit for purpose.
- Electronics: The functioning of electronic circuit boards, processors, chips, and computer hardware and software, including programming and applications. Apply this knowledge to ensure electronic equipment runs smoothly.
- Mechanical engineering: Discipline that applies principles of physics, engineering and materials science to design, analyse, manufacture and maintain mechanical systems.
- Control engineering: Subdiscipline of engineering that focuses on controlling the behaviour of systems through the use of sensors and actuators.
- Mechatronics: Multidisciplinary field of engineering that combines principles of electrical engineering, telecommunications engineering, control engineering, computer engineering, and mechanical engineering in the design of products and manufacturing processes. The combination of these areas of engineering allows for the design and development of “smart” devices and the achievement of an optimal balance between mechanical structure and control.
- Robotics: The branch of engineering that involves the design, operation, manufacture, and application of robots. Robotics is part of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science and overlaps with mechatronics and automation engineering.
- Automation technology: Set of technologies that make a process, system, or apparatus operate automatically through the use of control systems.
Essential skills and competences
These skills are necessary for the role of mechatronics engineering technician.
- Inspect quality of products: Use various techniques to ensure the product quality is respecting the quality standards and specifications. Oversee defects, packaging and sendbacks of products to different production departments.
- Read assembly drawings: Read and interpret drawings listing all the parts and subassemblies of a certain product. The drawing identifies the different components and materials and provides instructions on how to assemble a product.
- Record test data: Record data which has been identified specifically during preceding tests in order to verify that outputs of the test produce specific results or to review the reaction of the subject under exceptional or unusual input.
- Adjust engineering designs: Adjust designs of products or parts of products so that they meet requirements.
- Install mechatronic equipment: Install equipment used for the automation of a specific machine or device.
- Perform test run: Perform tests putting a system, machine, tool or other equipment through a series of actions under actual operating conditions in order to assess its reliability and suitability to realise its tasks, and adjust settings accordingly.
- Align components: Align and lay out components in order to put them together correctly according to blueprints and technical plans.
- Test mechatronic units: Test mechatronic units using appropriate equipment. Gather and analyse data. Monitor and evaluate system performance and take action if needed.
- Follow safety standards in industrial contexts: Abide by safety procedures and standards for industrial contexts, mostly where machinery is involved.
- Simulate mechatronic design concepts: Simulate mechatronic design concepts through creating mechanical models and performing tolerance analysis.
- Read engineering drawings: Read the technical drawings of a product made by the engineer in order to suggest improvements, make models of the product or operate it.
- Liaise with engineers: Collaborate with engineers to ensure common understanding and discuss product design, development and improvement.
- Fasten components: Fasten components together according to blueprints and technical plans in order to create subassemblies or finished products.
- Assist scientific research: Assist engineers or scientists with conducting experiments, performing analysis, developing new products or processes, constructing theory, and quality control.
- Assemble mechatronic units: Assemble mechatronic units using mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, electrical, electronic, and information technology systems and components. Manipulate and attach metals through using welding and soldering techniques, glue, screws, and rivets. Install wiring. Install drive systems, sensors, actuators, and transducers. Mount switches, control devices, coverings, and protection.
- Prepare production prototypes: Prepare early models or prototypes in order to test concepts and replicability possibilities. Create prototypes to assess for pre-production tests.
Optional knowledge and skills
Optional knowledge
This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of mechatronics engineering technician. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
- Telecommunications engineering: Discipline that combines computer science with electrical engineering to improve telecommunications systems.
- Electromechanics: The engineering processes that combine electrical and mechanical engineering in the application of electromechanics in devices that need electricity to create mechanical movement or devices that create electricity by mechanical movement.
- Micromechatronic engineering: Cross-disciplinary engineering which focuses on the miniaturisation of mechatronic systems.
- Programmable logic controller: Programmable logic controllers or PLC’s are computer control systems used for the monitoring and control of input and output as well as the automation of electromechanical processes.
- Hydraulics: The power transmission systems that use the force of flowing liquids to transmit power.
- Consumer electronics: The functioning of electronic consumer goods such as TVs, radios, cameras and other audio and video equipment.
- CAE software: The software to perform computer-aided engineering (CAE) analysis tasks such as Finite Element Analysis and Computional Fluid Dynamics.
- CAD software: The computer-aided design (CAD) software for creating, modifying, analysing or optimising a design.
- Optical engineering: Subdiscipline of engineering that deals with the development of optical instruments and applications, such as telescopes, microscopes, lenses, lasers, fibre optic communication, and imaging systems.
- Pneumatics: The application of pressurised gas to produce mechanical motion.
- Optoelectronic devices: Electronic devices, systems, and components that possess optical features. These devices or components may include electrically driven light sources, such as LEDs and laser diodes, components that can convert light into electricity, such as solar or photovoltaic cells, or devices that can electronically manipulate and control light.
- Optoelectronics: Branch of electronics and optics dedicated to the study and use of electronic devices that detect and control light.
Optional skills and competences
These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of mechatronics engineering technician. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
- Keep up with digital transformation of industrial processes: Keep up to date with digital innovations applicable to industrial processes. Integrate these transformations in the company’s processes aiming for competitive and profitable business models.
- Resolve equipment malfunctions: Identify, report and repair equipment damage and malfunctions; communicate with field representatives and manufacturers to obtain repair and replacement components.
- Install hardware: Assemble the necessary hardware components, such as the motherboard, Central Processing Unit (CPU), hard drive, disk drive, power supply unit, RAM, PCI card, mouse, keyboard, cameras and other necessary components to build the computer device. Attach the components manually using screwdrivers or use assembly machines and install the wiring.
- Customise software for drive system: Adapt and customise software to the specific machine or application.
- Calibrate mechatronic instruments: Correct and adjust the reliability of an mechatronic instrument by measuring output and comparing results with the data of a reference device or a set of standardised results. This is done in regular intervals which are set by the manufacturer.
- Use CAM software: Use computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) programmes to control machinery and machine tools in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimisation as part of the manufacturing processes of workpieces.
- Monitor automated machines: Continuously check up on the automated machine’s set-up and execution or make regular control rounds. If necessary, record and interpret data on the operating conditions of installations and equipment in order to identify abnormalities.
- Install automation components: Install the automation components according to the specifications of the circuit diagram.
- Maintain mechatronic equipment: Diagnose and detect malfunctions in mechatronics components and systems and remove, replace, or repair these components when necessary. Execute preventative equipment maintenance tasks, such as storing mechatronics components in clean, dust-free, and non-humid spaces.
- Assemble machines: Assemble machines according to instructions and specifications.
- Integrate new products in manufacturing: Assist with the integration of new systems, products, methods, and components in the production line. Ensure that production workers are properly trained and follow the new requirements.
- Examine engineering principles: Analyse the principles that need to be considered for engineering designs and projects such as functionality, replicability, costs and other principles.
- Write technical reports: Compose technical customer reports understandable for people without technical background.
- Set up machine controls: Set up or adjust machine controls to regulate conditions such as material flow, temperature, or pressure.
- Program a CNC controller: Set up the desired product design in the CNC controller of the CNC machine for product manufacturing.
- Apply technical communication skills: Explain technical details to non-technical customers, stakeholders, or any other interested parties in a clear and concise manner.
- Install software: Install machine-readable instructions, such as computer programs, in order to direct the computer’s processor to perform a certain set of actions.
- Replace machines: Evaluate when to invest in replacing machines or machine tools and take the necessary actions.
- Keep records of work progress: Maintain records of the progress of the work including time, defects, malfunctions, etc.
- Program firmware: Program permanent software with a read-only memory (ROM) on a hardware device, such as an integrated circuit.
- Maintain control systems for automated equipment: Check, maintain and repair electrical and electronic elements. Check and update software of automated equipment.
- Set up automotive robot: Set up and programme an automotive robot working on machine processes and substituting or collaboratively supporting human labour, such as the six-axis automotive robot.
ISCO group and title
3115 – Mechanical engineering technicians
References
- Mechatronics engineering technician – ESCO
- Electro-mechanical and Mechatroncis Technologists and Technicians : Occupational Outlook Handbook – U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Featured image: By JulladaNARIT – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0