Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2026

Mechatronics Lab (Face-to-Face)

ME 3325-02

Course: ME 3325-02
Credits: 1
Term: Fall Semester 2026
Department: Engineering and Technology
CRN: 30788

Course Description

This lab accompanies ME 3320. Lab activities include the analysis, computer simulation, design, implementation, and measurement of electromechanical systems.

Required Texts

W. Bolton, Mechatronics: Electronic Control Systems in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, 7th ed., Pearson Education, 2018.
Note: Students are required to have a print version (i.e., hardcopy) of the textbook.

Recommended Texts:
N. C. Braga, Mechatronic Sourcebook, Thomson, 2003.
N. C. Braga, Robotics, Mechatronics, and Artificial Intelligence, Newnes, 2002.
G. F. Franklin, J. D. Powell, A. Emami-Naeini, Feedback Control of Dynamic Systems, 8th ed., Pearson, 2018.
G. F. Franklin, J. D. Powell, M. Workman, Digital Control of Dynamic Systems, 3rd ed., Pearson Education, 1997.

Learning Outcomes

Lab activities are an extension or application of principles learned in the classroom. As such, course outcomes should be seen as complementary to those of the class, but with a focus on application. These objectives include:
1. Demonstrate understanding of mechatronic sensor inputs and basic signal processing techniques.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of signals that can be output by microcontrollers, such as high/low voltages, digital logic, proportional voltage, proportional current, etc.
3. Show an understanding of mechatronic system outputs, such as relays, solenoids, motors, hydraulic valves, etc.
4. Develop an understanding of programming principles and common applications such as ladder logic for PLCs and C/C++ based programming for microcontrollers (like Arduino).
5. Develop an understanding of how microcontrollers are used to implement digital control in mechatronic systems.
6. Demonstrate an understanding of basic control system theories and practices, such as proportional, PD, and PID control.
7. Communicate engineering technical expertise through problem solving methods and calculations.

Course Requirements

Course Policies and Procedures

1.      Course Format: The class meets for one 150-minute lab each week. Class time will consist of:

i.       Introduce the laboratory activity
ii.      Experimentation and hands-on lab work
iii.      Preparing artifacts to report on lab work

2.      Grades: Due to the experiential nature of this course, lab grades will be based on participation in the various lab activities and the overall quality of work done in lab sessions. Students are required to keep a lab notebook, or captain’s log of all activities completed during lab.
 
3.      Homework: Lab activities will primarily take place during lab time. Students are requested to submit a short report for every lab activity (experiment performed) via Canvas by the due date assigned in canvas. File names for the lab report be named as Lab report-01-your last name. A template will be provided and posted on canvas.

4.      Attendance and Late Assignments: Laboratory activities are primarily experience, rather than knowledge-based. Students do, of course, learn from conducting lab activities, but the simple fact that they have completed these activities is a significant component of earning a passing lab grade. Thus, students who do not attend even a single lab activity will fail the course, unless arrangements are made with the instructor to complete the lab activity either in advance or at a later date. In any case, it should be clear that all lab activities must be completed before a student can earn a passing grade in the lab course, regardless of the calculated grade earned based on submitted documents.
 

5.      Exams: Although students may be required to demonstrate competence in using lab equipment and completing activities, there will be no exams associated with the lab portion of this course.
 

6.      Grading: Students will be graded based on the level of active participation in lab, and on the completion of their regular documentation as recorded in their lab notebook. The mapping between course scores and grades is given as follows.
 

 A     100%  to 93%
 A-   < 93% to  90%
 B+  < 90% to  87%
 B    < 87% to  83%
 B-   < 83% to  80%
 C+  < 80% to  77%
 C    < 77% to  73%
 C-   < 73% to  70%
 D+  < 70% to  67%
 D    < 67% to  63%
 D-   < 63% to  60%
 F     < 60% to    0%      

Course Outline

We will have lab activities on the following topics
  1. Sensors
  2. Actuators
  3. Logic & Control

    In the process, the students are expected to gain leaning and experience in programming concepts with microcontrollers, communication protocols, and data acquisition systems.

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

 
Homework: Lab activities will primarily take place during lab time. Students are requested to submit a short report for every lab activity (experiment performed) via Canvas by the due date assigned in canvas. File names for the lab report be named as Lab report-01-your last name. A template will be provided and posted on canvas.

Attendance and Late Assignments: Laboratory activities are primarily experience, rather than knowledge-based. Students do, of course, learn from conducting lab activities, but the simple fact that they have completed these activities is a significant component of earning a passing lab grade. Thus, students who do not attend even a single lab activity will fail the course, unless arrangements are made with the instructor to complete the lab activity either in advance or at a later date. In any case, it should be clear that all lab activities must be completed before a student can earn a passing grade in the lab course, regardless of the calculated grade earned based on submitted documents.

Lab activities often build on topics covered in previous labs. If a student misses a lab and cannot make it up before the next lab is scheduled, they are responsible for getting prepared for the next lab. They can do this by discussing the topics of the previous lab with fellow classmates or the instructor.

Attendance Policy

Students must complete all lab activities posted on canvas. Missing any single lab activity and not making it up, will result in a failing grade for the class. If you know you will miss a lab due to a valid reason, you need to schedule with me in advance for a time to make up the lab. The sooner we schedule it in advance, the better.

For those that are absent for a lab without scheduling a time to make up the lab in advance, I will still try to provide reasonable accommodations for you to make up the lab but I cannot guarantee it will be possible. Especially if it is near the end of the semester. Repeated requests to reschedule labs may be denied.

In case of any medical emergency, students must inform at their earliest convenience. Accommodations will be granted based on the evidence for the emergency provided by the students. However, the students must complete the lab activities at a later date after informing the instructor by email about the schedule for conducting the lab activity. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Classmates

We have an additional student in the class this year. He/she goes by several names: "ChatGPT", "Bard", "Gemini", and there are others. These are the AI bots you all know. How does AI fit into the classroom? The same way every other student does. You are welcome to ask him/her any questions you like, just as you would any other student in the course, as you work and study for this course. However, when it comes to turning in your assignments, you are representing the work you submit as YOUR WORK. In light of this, I have just two policies, that if violated, constitute grounds of academic dishonesty:

  1. ABSOLUTELY NO copying and pasting of any work from any other student (including AI). This means you cannot use AI to write any portion of your lab reports, just like you cannot use other classmates or other external resources to write any portion of your lab reports. You can however use AI to check your reports for spelling and grammar mistakes. You can also use AI to check for factual inaccuracies of anything you may have written. If you have any questions on how to do this, I can give you some AI prompting tips for this use case.
  2. If you decide to use AI to help with a lab report, you MUST include a section/paragraph disclosing your use of AI. Be thorough is describing your use of AI tools: did you use multiple different AI tools?, which specific AI tools were used?, how many prompts did you make with each AI tool used?, what were they used for?, and to what extent has using AI affected the final version from your original draft (which should be completely AI free. see policy 1). 

If you can follow these two policies, we'll be in a good position to have a fantastic semester, with AI as a friend in the classroom.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Religious / Conscience Belief Accommodation

RELIGIOUS / CONSCIENCE BELIEF ACCOMMODATION: In accordance with SUU Policy 6.7 Student Belief Accommodation, students may request, in writing, that their faculty accommodate their sincerely held religious or conscience beliefs. Students should provide their faculty with sufficient advanced notice, if possible within the first five (5) business days of the semester or session, or thereafter with good cause for requesting an accommodation after the first five (5) business days.

Faculty must provide a schedule accommodation or excuse an absence, in any course, for students to observe or participate in religious holidays or an organized activity conducted under the auspices of the student’s religious tradition or religious organization.

In courses that are required for graduation or for an academic major, a faculty member may accommodate a religious or conscience belief by modifying an assignment or examination if its content conflicts with the student’s belief. Faculty may decline the accommodation if it would fundamentally alter the course requirements. If declined, the student may request review by a neutral arbiter using the Belief Accommodation Request Form: https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv&layout_id=5

Questions go to Assistant Provost Jake Johnson at johnsonj@suu.edu.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.