[contingencies]

IMHO it's sort of a schizophrenic field. You could start by dissecting the parts lists from factory automation supplier catalogs, but then you'd likely miss custom mechanical component design, be stuck with fat form factors and have no idea about custom control systems. You could go oldschool machinist like timepiece design and repair stuff, but then you'd miss modern mechatronics entirely. You could go kit/hobby projects but then you'd likely miss industrial standard pneumatics, while you'd gain enough electronics insights for custom mechatronic control. Each area's boundaries have their commercial and historical reasons but there's no clear map of the whole landscape that I've seen, and I'm not an authority.