Project based teaching or learning plays an important role in cultivating engineering students with teamwork, innovation and practice abilities. In engineering domain, the complex mechatronics system is one of the best subjects to fulfill project-based learning approach. To date, however, there has been little study on the model-based approach to support engineering students to fulfill projectbased learning strategy to design and develop mechatronics systems. This paper develops a model-based approach for engineering students to innovatively design mechatronics system with focus on teamwork and project-based learning. This approach includes two types of models, i.e. project management model and design object description and management model. A case study is presented to show how to follow the model-based approach to design a fretting tribometer.

MBD  /  complex mechatronics system  /  innovative design  /  project management