Mechatronics

The atmosphere with my fellow students is always fun. Everybody can find their own friend group of people they connect with, and the teachers truly try to do everything they can to help you understand the topics.

Kristian

Mechatronics student in Eindhoven

I’m in my second year of the Mechatronics programme at Fontys and I really enjoy studying here. I think the atmosphere with my fellow students is great and always fun. Everyone can find their own friend group of people they connect with, and the teachers truly try to do everything they can to help you understand the topics. The Mechatronics programme is a mix of a lot of different subjects like electrical, mechanical, software and math. There are also classes for learning how to work as a team. 

I chose to study Mechatronics because I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to do in the future. Mechatronics is a very broad programme, so I hope that during my studies I will know what I want to expertise in. I ended up studying abroad at Fontys in Eindhoven with hopes of making a lot of international connections.  

Currently I’m working on a project where I need to program and build a sorting machine. This is a robot that is able to sort four different colours autonomously. I am also thinking about what I want to do in the future of my Mechatronics programme. I know that in the upcoming years I will have to do an internship, and I would love to do an internship for VDL, which is a company that develops and produces a wide variety of industrial products.

I decided to study Mechatronics because I liked the idea of Mechatronics being a ‘jack of all trades’ in the engineering world. It allows me to speak the language of mechanical, electrical and software engineers.

Ibrahim

Mechatronics student in Eindhoven

I decided to study Mechatronics because I liked the idea of Mechatronics being a ‘jack of all trades’ in the engineering world. It allows me to speak the language of mechanical, electrical and software engineers. After doing some research on different universities of applied sciences that offer a Mechatronics degree, I found Fontys in Eindhoven. With Eindhoven’s reputation as a technology city, it was natural for me to choose to study here! If I had to describe the programme, I would definitely use the word exciting. You get to learn topics from multiple engineering disciplines and employ your knowledge in projects. 

I especially enjoy programming subjects, which provide you with knowledge that you can use immediately and see the results of. For example, you can write your own programme, or implement your own software solution for a real-life problem. It’s very gratifying! The project that I’m currently working on is designing a prosthetic hand for amputees. I’m responsible for the electrical side of the project, such as researching ways to control the prosthesis, researching electrical components that fit the requirements set by us, performing electrical circuit simulations, and much more.  

I think the atmosphere at Fontys is very friendly and relaxed. However, it is important to always stay on top of your studies. The teachers assume that you’re responsible enough to meet deadlines and perform well in exams without them checking up on you.

I chose to study Mechatronics because it’s a very broad programme. It’s really a mix of Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and even a bit of ICT.

Stijn

Mechatronics student in Eindhoven

I am a second-year Mechatronics student, currently working on my ExPo project. ExPo is a big project where you get to collaborate with students from other programmes. My team and I are working on a wind turbine that needs to generate 50 Watts of power. This wind turbine should be able to charge a phone, and we have to build it ourselves. It must meet various requirements, such as being resistant to all weather conditions and the windmill must be completely waterproof. It’s a fun but challenging project because you have to consider a lot of factors. Sometimes, you encounter issues that you didn’t anticipate beforehand. You can’t prepare for everything in advance, so you have to keep coming up with new solutions to challenges you encounter along the way.  

During the ExPo project, you work with all kinds of Engineering students, including students from international programmes. Working in English can be challenging at times, but it’s something you’ll also encounter later in the professional world. Fortunately, we’re well-prepared for this during our classes. It’s also great to work with different areas of expertise. Sometimes, I have no idea how to tackle a problem, but a Mechanical Engineering student might be doing tasks each week with which you can solve it. This way, you learn a lot from other students. 

I chose Mechatronics because it’s a very broad field. It’s really a combination of Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and even some ICT – all combined into one programme. I find it a really fun studies. Mechatronics is not easy, but if you’re willing to put in the effort, you’ll get there! Although there’s a lot of independence in university-level studies, there’s always someone willing to help.