Mechatronics (Engineering), need help with some questions?

6.) Why is it necessary to have an initialisation stage for the combination lock?

7.)Why is this experimental setup now classed as an embedded mechatronic system? Give three examples of other mechatronic products that contain microcontrollers – what are the advantages of using embedded control in these devices?

Thanks a lot man! You've explained it so much more easily than my teachers! By any chance do you know 'why is delay necessary between each output (4-bit) sequence? And what would happen if the motor stepped too quickly?

No problem.

I'm assuming you mean a 4-bit control word from the microcontroller used to produce the phase current for the motor drive?

The delay is necessary to

a) allow the motor to rotate the tumblers to the commanded position. The digital words change state virtually instantaneously as far as the motor drive is concerned. Since the electro-mechanical parts connected to the motor all have mass and inertia, it takes a finite amount of time for the system to settle to it's new commanded position. Hence the delay allows the systems to settle before it is ready to accept a new commanded position.

b) control the stepping speed of the whole mechanism. Adding a delay, deliberately slows down the stepping action.

If the stepping happens too quickly, the electro-mechanical components cannot respond fast enough or can also overshoot their intended position again because of too much momentum. The system will lose it's known state at any given time and therefore cease to work correctly.