8. Electronics design

This is the documentation of week 8 activity Computer-Controlled Machining by Ahmad Tijjani Ishaq and Muhammad Jidda.

This weeks activity focusses on the Design of electronic circuits as well as testing them.

As for our individual Assignment it can be found here Jidda and Ahmed

The group task for this weeks activity is to use the test equipment in your lab to observe the operation of a microcontroller circuit board

Electronic Design

Electronic design encompasses a broad range of activities involved in creating electronic systems and devices. From initial concept to final product, electronic design engineers work through a series of steps to bring ideas to life. Here’s an overview of the electronic design process:

1. Requirements Gathering: The process begins with understanding the requirements of the electronic system or device.

2. Conceptual Design: Once the requirements are clear, engineers brainstorm and develop conceptual designs..

3. Schematic Design: In this phase, engineers create detailed schematics that represent the circuitry of the electronic system.

4. PCB Layout: After the schematic design is complete, engineers lay out the printed circuit board (PCB).

5. Simulation and Analysis: Engineers perform simulations to verify the performance of the electronic system.

6. Prototyping: Once the design is validated through simulation, engineers build prototypes for testing. Prototyping may involve fabricating PCBs, assembling components, and integrating software if applicable.

7. Iterative Refinement: Based on feedback from testing, engineers refine the design iteratively. This may involve making adjustments to the circuitry, modifying component selections, optimizing the layout for better performance or manufacturability, and addressing any issues that arise.

8. Compliance Testing: Before finalizing the design for production, engineers ensure that it complies with relevant industry standards and regulations.

9. Production Preparation: Once the design is fully validated and compliant, engineers prepare for production. This may involve creating documentation such as assembly instructions, bill of materials (BOM), and manufacturing specifications, as well as coordinating with suppliers for component procurement.

10. Manufacturing and Quality Assurance: The final step involves manufacturing the electronic system or device according to the finalized design.

Throughout the electronic design process, engineers must also consider factors such as cost-effectiveness, time-to-market, and scalability to ensure that the final product meets the needs of users and stakeholders while remaining competitive in the market. Collaboration among multidisciplinary teams, including electrical engineers, mechanical engineers, software developers, and industrial designers, is often essential for success in electronic design projects.

Group tasks

We used multimeter and oscilloscope to test the already available xiao seed board made by Muhammad Jidda.

Multimeter

A multimeter, short for “multiple meter,” is a versatile electronic device used to measure various electrical properties in a circuit. It typically combines several measurement functions into one compact tool, making it indispensable for electricians, engineers, hobbyists, and anyone working with electrical systems.

Key Features

1. Voltage Measurement: Multimeters can measure both AC (Alternating Current) and DC (Direct Current) voltages. This is useful for checking battery voltage, outlet voltage, or voltage across components in a circuit.

2. Current Measurement: They can measure current flow in a circuit, either AC or DC. This helps in troubleshooting circuits and determining if components are functioning correctly.

3. Resistance Measurement: Multimeters can measure the resistance of components in a circuit. This is crucial for checking continuity, diagnosing faults, and identifying damaged components.

4. Continuity Testing: Multimeters often include a continuity test function, which emits a beep when there is a complete path for current flow, indicating continuity between two points.

5. Diode Testing: Some multimeters also have the capability to test diodes, allowing users to check their functionality and identify faulty diodes.

6. Capacitance Measurement: Advanced multimeters can measure capacitance, which is useful for testing capacitors and assessing their health in a circuit.

7. Temperature Measurement: Certain multimeters come with a temperature measurement feature, enabling users to measure the temperature of components or environments using a thermocouple probe.

Multimeters come in various types, including analog and digital, with digital multimeters (DMMs) being more common today due to their accuracy, reliability, and ease of use. They are indispensable tools for diagnosing electrical problems, verifying circuit integrity, and ensuring safety in electrical work.

Testing

We used the Unit T multimeter to test power supply to our board and as expected we got 5v. We used it to carry out continuity test and our board turns out to be fine.

Oscilloscope

{:width=”400px”} An oscilloscope is a vital electronic instrument used for visualizing and analyzing the waveform of electronic signals. It displays a graph of voltage signals over time, allowing users to observe the behavior of electrical signals in real-time.

Key Features

1. Waveform Display: The primary function of an oscilloscope is to display voltage signals as a waveform on a graphical screen. This waveform represents how the voltage changes over time.

2. Voltage Measurement: Oscilloscopes can accurately measure voltage levels, including peak-to-peak voltage, peak voltage, RMS voltage, and more. This is essential for analyzing signal characteristics.

3. Timebase Control: Users can adjust the timebase to control the horizontal scale of the waveform display, allowing them to zoom in or out to observe signals at different time intervals.

4. Triggering: Oscilloscopes include triggering functionality, which enables users to stabilize and synchronize the waveform display by triggering the display based on specific voltage levels or patterns.

5. Channel Inputs: Most oscilloscopes have multiple input channels, allowing users to simultaneously monitor and compare different signals or components within a circuit.

6. Frequency Analysis: Advanced oscilloscopes can perform frequency analysis, allowing users to determine the frequency components present in a signal through FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) analysis.

7. Automatic Measurements: Many modern oscilloscopes offer automatic measurement functions, such as peak-to-peak voltage, frequency, rise time, and more, making waveform analysis quicker and easier.

Oscilloscopes come in various types and configurations, including analog and digital oscilloscopes, handheld oscilloscopes, and PC-based oscilloscopes. They are indispensable tools for electronics engineers, technicians, and hobbyists for troubleshooting circuits, analyzing signals, and testing electronic devices.

Testing

We used The Hintech Oscilloscope to see waves of our board performance when we uploaded a simple basic blink program with a delay of 2 seconds.

As we can see, the wave shoots between 0 and 3.3v coreesponding to the HIGH and LOW of our code.

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Last update: March 21, 2024