PEC EPE Mechatronics study plan

Solve 40 problems spanning matrix algebra, eigenvalues, and vector calculus, and log every error with its root cause.

Derive the Laplace transform pairs and theorems needed for ODEs and circuit analysis, then solve 15 initial-value problems by partial fractions.

Work 20 first- and second-order ODE problems covering homogeneous, non-homogeneous, and coupled-system cases.

Compress everything you can reproduce from memory into a single-page formula sheet that takes under 60 seconds to recall.

Calculate probabilities, binomial/Poisson/normal distributions, confidence intervals, and hypothesis tests across 25 worked problems.

Apply Newton-Raphson, trapezoidal/Simpson integration, and Euler/Runge-Kutta methods by hand to 10 numerical problems.

Solve 30 DC and AC circuit problems using nodal/mesh analysis, Thevenin-Norton equivalents, and phasors with complex impedance.

Sketch and explain RC, RL, and RLC transient response, including time constants, damping, and resonance conditions.

Analyze diode, BJT, and op-amp circuits - biasing, gain, comparators, active filters - across 25 problems.

Simplify Boolean expressions, design combinational logic with Karnaugh maps, and trace flip-flop and state-machine timing diagrams.

Compare transformer, DC machine, induction, and synchronous motor behavior, and compute torque, slip, and efficiency from nameplate data.

Explain buck, boost, and inverter topologies and justify device selection for a motor-drive application.

Map a representative microcontroller architecture - memory map, GPIO, timers, interrupt vectoring, ADC, PWM - and explain each block's role in a mechatronic system.

Write and debug embedded C that configures GPIO, a timer interrupt, ADC sampling, and UART/I2C/SPI transfer on a low-cost board or simulator.

Derive transfer functions from physical models and reduce block diagrams to a single input-output relation.

Sit a timed half-length mock on Domains 1 and 2 and triage every error as concept gap, formula gap, or careless slip.

Compute rise time, overshoot, settling time, and steady-state error directly from second-order parameters and pole locations.

Sketch root loci and Bode plots by hand, and decide stability using Routh-Hurwitz, gain margin, and phase margin.

Tune P, PI, and PID loops using Ziegler-Nichols and pole placement, and justify when each method is appropriate.

Convert between transfer-function and state-space forms and test controllability and observability.

Select sensors for position, force, temperature, flow, and proximity by specifying range, resolution, and bandwidth against the requirement.

Design signal-conditioning chains covering Wheatstone bridges, instrumentation amplifiers, anti-alias filtering, and ADC quantization error.

Apply Hooke's law, Mohr's circle, beam bending, and torsion to 15 strength-of-materials problems.

Solve 10 kinematics and dynamics problems using work-energy and momentum methods.

Size shafts, bearings, gears, and belts for specified loads, and verify fatigue life with S-N curves and the Goodman criterion.

Assign fits, tolerances, GD&T callouts, and surface finish to a small assembly drawing and defend each choice.

Compute forward and inverse kinematics for 2R and 3R planar manipulators and identify workspace limits and singularities.

Classify casting, forming, machining, joining, and additive processes, and compare cycle-time and cost trade-offs for a given part.

Review engineering ethics, professional codes of conduct, contract types, safety and risk assessment, and CPM/PERT scheduling.

Summarize PLC ladder logic, CNC G-code basics, and lean/quality tools including 5S, FMEA, and SPC control charts.

Sit a full-length timed mock across all five domains and rework every missed question until you can explain the correct reasoning unaided.

Drill the 30 highest-yield formulas and definitions daily with spaced-repetition cards through exam day.