The integration of robotics, conveyors, sensors, and programmable logic controllers into manufacturing and material handling processes
requires engineers with technical skills and expertise in these systems. The coordination of assembly operations and supervisory
control demands familiarity with mechanical and electrical design, instrumentation, actuators, and computer programming for successful
system development. This paper presents an educational mechatronics laboratory that encourages multi-disciplinary hands-on engineering
discovery within team settings. Three focused progressive experiments are reviewed that allow students to program and operate a
programmable logic controller, a traditional conveyor system, and a distributed servo-motor based conveyor. The students also program
and implement two robotic arms for material handling applications. The equipment, learning objectives, and experimental methodology
for each laboratory are discussed to offer insight. A collaborative design project case study is presented in which student teams create a
smart material handling system. Overall, engineering graduates have generally been required to learn material handling and other multidisciplinary
concepts in the field, and therefore, a well-rounded engineering curriculum should incorporate mechatronics in both the
classroom and laboratory