What Are the Real-World Applications and Career Prospects in Mechatronics?

[ThorX89]

Hi. I'm 21 year old and I'm currently changing colleges. (I quit Managerial Physics after 1.5 years)
The field of mechatronics seems very attractive to me in regard to its curriculum and the wide range of applications they say it has.
I was wondering: Does anybody here have any real-life experience with Mechatronics?
Where can you get employed? Does it pay off? Are there any promotion possibilities? (i.e.: Can you advance to managing projects, for instance?)

I really like physics but not the research cloud-nine type of physics but rather the applied, engineering kind of physics. I would love to make it the core of my career but first I'd like to be sure it'll pay off and that it'll give me the chance to actually contribute and see my contribution being utilized by people around me.

I applied for computer engineering (software) and was accepted (got all the points in the admission exam, as a matter of fact ), however, I then realized I'm more the nature oriented kind of guy and that I mostly just did it for money. Now it seems I could change it to Mechatronics if I act real fast.
Any advice appreciated

Petr

 

[Astronuc]

Mechatronics, as an engineering discipline, is the synergistic combination of mechanical engineering, electronics, control engineering, and computer science, all integrated through the design process.

Ref - http://www.rpi.edu/ewp/distance/courses/mane/mane_adv_mechatronics.html

Probably most people interact with some system invovling mechatronics everyday.

Anti-lock breaks, auto-drive systems or anti-collision systems, even automatic garage door systems would be examples. Remote control systems, such as the Mars rovers, are another example.

This company offers various examples of mechatronic components.
http://www.cedrat.com/en/publications/categories/device-systems/systems/mechatronics.html

The wikipedia article - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechatronics - seems reasonable.

So if one is interested in applied physics vis-a-vis, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and programming, the mechatronics offers many opportunities.

 

[Integral]

The local CC here has a 2yr Mechatronics program which is sponsored by the local industry. In the past HP played a big part in the program, graduates who completed the program and landed a job with HP as a technician received very good pay. It was not uncommon for a experienced off shift tech to make a 6 figure annual income. Of course over time was a significant portion of that. If you are willing to move to the bay area, Texas, or maybe North Carolina, where significant wafer fabs are in operation that sort of technician jobs are most likely still available.

If you land one of those jobs, then the pay off for a mechatronics degree is very high.

In this area HP is no longer a factor the local Freezedry plant is now the main contributor to the program, I am not familar with their pay structure but I am sure they do not pay like HP did.

 

[ThorX89]

Integral:
Thanks a lot. That was very helpful. :-)