MECHATRINO & MEGAMECHA
Versatile Mechatronics Control Boards

Executive Summary

The Mechatrino and MegaMecha boards are a highly versatile and very convenient hardware/software solution that allows engineers, enthusiasts and students to rapidly and economically create mechatronic devices that perform useful tasks in the real world. These boards provide capabilities comparable to Programmable Logic Controllers costing more than 10 times as much. When combined with the Mechatronics Education Kit, they form a complete ecosystem for learning, prototyping and deploying automation solutions.

The Mechatrino

The Mechatrino is built around an Arduino microcontroller and includes an integrated, very stable switch-mode power supply that accepts an input ranging from 7 to 36 VDC. It is designed to be rugged, easy to use and highly expandable.

Key Features

• Integrated regulated power supply (7–36 VDC input) with high efficiency and low heat
• 4 analogue inputs with pull-up and pull-down jumpers
• 3 optically isolated digital inputs
• 6 MOSFET switched outputs (up to 3 A each at supply voltage) with PWM capability
• LEDs on each MOSFET to indicate status
• 2 × I²C connectors on the same bus
• 1 × UART connector (TTL level)
• Dual-row terminal blocks for easy, secure connections

The MegaMecha Expansion Board

The MegaMecha is very similar to the Mechatrino but without the Arduino. It connects to a Mechatrino via the I²C bus and can be chained (up to 8 MegaMechas per Mechatrino). Each MegaMecha adds 6 more MOSFET PWM outputs and 6 digital inputs. In the largest configuration (1 Mechatrino + 8 MegaMechas) you can control 54 separate MOSFET outputs, each capable of switching up to 3 amperes.

Mechatronics Education Kit

The Mechatronics Education Kit contains everything needed to learn mechatronics and automation using the Mechatrino platform. All components are securely mounted in a sturdy case so nothing gets lost.

Why Choose Mechatrino?

These boards are ideal for automation projects, industrial control, education, prototyping and small-scale manufacturing. They combine the flexibility of open-source Arduino programming with industrial-grade inputs, outputs and protection — all at a fraction of the cost of traditional PLCs.

About Automating Anything (Australia) Pty Ltd

Automating Anything (Australia) was a company I created to pursue projects in Automation. One such project was the development of a labelling machine to be used by workers at the Intellectual Disability Foundation of St George in Rockdale, Sydney. I have now closed that company and gone into semi-retirement, pursuing my interests in politics. We were a team of degree-qualified engineers and computer scientists specialising in mechanical & electrical engineering, computers, software, communications and open-source systems (especially Linux). We designed, built, tested, integrated and maintained complete automation solutions. Our motto was, "We love to create IT — you’ll love to own it." Great days and fond memories working with some truly exceptional engineers and friends.