EGB240 Electronic Design

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Gardens Point, Internal

Overview

EGB240 introduces you to the practical aspects of electronic circuit design that underpins the practice of electrical engineering. You will develop experience and confidence to draw upon theory, literature and CAD tools to synthesise electronic circuit designs to solve real world problems. You will complete two practical projects to design, build, evaluate and document simple electronic circuits. The unit provides an opportunity to apply and extend circuit and electronic theories developed in first year, and the theoretical knowledge gained in EGB120 and EGB242 to real-world engineering problems. As the second of three design units, you will further develop your engineering design and professional communication skills through application to a practical project.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Apply electrical circuit theory to compose, analyse and evaluate electronic circuits, at a developed level.
2. Synthesise electronic circuit designs to a given specification by drawing on circuit theory, literature, existing design examples and stakeholder feedback, at an introductory level.
3. Apply CAD, simulation and instrumentation tools to design, implement, troubleshoot, evaluate and document electronic circuits, at a developed level.
4. Design, porotype and document printed circuit boards (PCBs) for simple electronic circuits using contemporary tools and workflows, at an introductory level.
5. Report details of electronic designs in mode suitable for diverse technical and lay audiences, at a developed level.
6. Demonstrate, through the execution of an independent, self-directed project, initiative and creativity in the solution of engineering design problems, at a developed level.

Content

Learning Approaches

In this unit you can expect to experience the following timetabled activities:
Lectures (2 hours per week). Delivered by experienced electrical engineers, weekly lectures will provide a context for the design projects and assessment items. Content delivered in lectures will assist with the application of general electrical engineering theory to the specific project and assessment tasks. Training will also be provided in the CAD and design tools required throughout the design process.

Studios (2 hours per week). Studios are led by experienced electrical engineers, and will be specifically focused on the practical application of theory to your design project, with the use of software and laboratory equipment modelled for you. Studios are also an opportunity to engage in a dialogue with the teaching team about any and all aspects of your design project. When approaching project deadlines, time will be reserved in studios to seek hands-on support for your project.

Workshops (2 hours per week). Workshops are let by a team of tutors, and are an opportunity for you to seek hands-on technical support, advice and feedback from both the teaching team, and peers. Access is also provided to laboratory space, test equipment and basic electronic components during these sessions. Timetabled workshop sessions are not intended to provide sufficient time for all project work to be completed - you are expected to complete the majority of your project work outside of timetabled classes. A Project Book is provided for each of the two design projects to help guild your activities in workshop sessions throughout the semester.

Soldering practical (single, 2 hour session). Soldering practicals are led by experienced electronics technicians and will provide you with hands-on training in the practice of soldering, to support not only your design projects in this unit, but throughout the remainder of your course.

You are expected to:

• Familiarise yourself with all resources provided to you via Canvas,
• Come prepared to workshops each week by completing design tasks that do not require access to laboratory equipment outside of timetabled class time, and
• Plan and execute your project work to best make use of opportunities for support and feedback that are provided to you (design dialogues during Studios, hands-on support during Workshop sessions, drop-in support sessions).

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Weekly workshops are provided as an opportunity for you to get regular, hands-on feedback from the teaching team regarding your design and progress. Feedback will also be provided in lectures and studios via dialogue regarding design approaches, strategy and best practice. You are encouraged to engage in active questioning during lecture and studio sessions to assist in your learning. You will additionally receive oral feedback during project demonstrations, and written feedback on submitted design artefacts, documentation and reports.

You are encouraged to view your peers as a learning community and to share and discuss emergent ideas over the course of the design process. As laboratory space and equipment will be shared throughout the semesters, feedback from peers will be valuable in informing your design approach and decisions.

Each assessment submission will be marked against criteria and standards which will be shared with you at the beginning of semester through assessment task descriptions and grading rubrics. Graded assessment will include feedback from assessors, against the criteria, with specific reference to the standards of attainment.

Assessment

Overview

Assessment in this units has been designed to give you the opportunity to demonstrate your learning against the unit learning outcomes. Over the course of the unit, you will independently conduct two, self-directed design projects, applying theory and skills developed in both this units, and other units in your course. You will draw upon design approaches and techniques discussed and modeled in lectures and studios to complete your designs. You will also draw on literature and expert advice from the teaching team to inform and justify your design decisions,. You are encouraged to use initiative and creativity in your design projects to deliver a design with distinct advantages, or which is highly optimised.

You will be assessed on both your technical design skills as well as your ability to prototype evaluate, document and effectively communicative your design and design decisions. You will also be examined under timed, invigilated conditions, on your ability to interpret electrical schematics and to take practical measurements of an electronic circuit using laboratory test equipment.

In Assessment 1 you will design a siren using discrete electronic components. In this project you will practice computer-aided design (CAD) techniques, including simulation and PCB design to deliver a functional prototype. You will additionally produce a variety of authentic artefacts which document your design.

In Assessment 2 you will build on the design skills developed in Assessment 1 through the design of analogue input conditioning circuitry for a digital voice recorder. You will draw on feedback from your Assessment 1 submission in documenting this design as part of a formal engineering technical report describing your design process and outcomes.

Finally, in Assessment 3 you will be required to demonstrate both your technical understanding and practical measurement skills gained during execution of your two design projects throughout the semester, during practical examination.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Siren Design

Design and build a siren using discrete electronic components. Demonstrate a working prototype of your design, design a prototype printed circuit board (PCB) and produce documentation for the design, fabrication and evaluation of your prototype.

Assessment: Digital Voice Recorder Design

Design the input conditioning circuitry for a digital voice recorder. Produce a technical report which documents the design process, implementation and evaluation of your design.

Assessment: Practical Examination

Answer technical questions, evaluate experimentally and document, as directed, the performance of an electronic circuit related to your design projects, using laboratory instrumentation equipment.

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Resource Materials

Prescribed text(s)

Horowitz, P., & Hill, W. (2015). The art of electronics (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press

Risk Assessment Statement

You will undertake lectures and studios in the traditional classrooms and lecture theatres. As such, there are no extraordinary workplace health and safety issues associated with these components of the unit.

Any practical sessions in the laboratory must be done under the supervision of the lecturer or technical staff of the School. In any laboratory-based activities you are expected to wear enclosed shoes, and follow any safe working practices outlined by staff member(s) leading the session.

All students are required to complete annually, the Undergraduate Health Safety and Environment Induction. You will not be permitted to enter any laboratory spaces unless your completion record for this induction is up to date.

Standards/Competencies

This unit is designed to support your development of the following standards\competencies.

Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competency Standard for Professional Engineer

1: Knowledge and Skill Base

1. 
   Relates to: Siren Design, Digital Voice Recorder Design, Practical Examination
2. 
   Relates to: Siren Design
3. 
   Relates to: Siren Design
4. 
   Relates to: Siren Design
5. 
   Relates to: Siren Design, Digital Voice Recorder Design

2: Engineering Application Ability

1. 
   Relates to: Siren Design, Digital Voice Recorder Design, Practical Examination
2. 
   Relates to: Siren Design, Digital Voice Recorder Design, Practical Examination
3. 
   Relates to: Siren Design, Digital Voice Recorder Design
4. 
   Relates to: Siren Design, Digital Voice Recorder Design

3: Professional and Personal Attributes

1. 
   Relates to: Siren Design, Digital Voice Recorder Design
2. 
   Relates to: Siren Design, Digital Voice Recorder Design
3. 
   Relates to: Siren Design, Digital Voice Recorder Design
4. 
   Relates to: Siren Design, Digital Voice Recorder Design

Course Learning Outcomes

EN01 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)

1. Engage stakeholders professionally and communicate the outcomes of your work effectively to expert and non-expert audiences using appropriate modes.
   Relates to: Siren Design, Digital Voice Recorder Design
2. Display leadership, creativity, and initiative in both self-directed and collaborative contexts of professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: Siren Design, Digital Voice Recorder Design
3. Manage projects to solve complex engineering problems, using appropriate information, engineering methods, and technologies.
   Relates to: Siren Design, Digital Voice Recorder Design, Practical Examination
4. Deploy appropriate approaches to engineering design and quality.
   Relates to: Siren Design, Digital Voice Recorder Design
5. Demonstrate coherent knowledge and skills of physical, mathematical, statistical, computer, and information sciences that are fundamental to professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: Siren Design, Digital Voice Recorder Design, Practical Examination
6. Demonstrate a thorough understanding of one engineering discipline, its research directions, and its application in contemporary professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: Siren Design

EV01 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)

1. Engage stakeholders professionally and communicate the outcomes of your work effectively to expert and non-expert audiences using appropriate modes.
   Relates to: Siren Design, Digital Voice Recorder Design
2. Display leadership, creativity, and initiative in both self-directed and collaborative contexts of professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: Siren Design, Digital Voice Recorder Design
3. Manage projects to solve complex engineering problems, using appropriate information, engineering methods, and technologies.
   Relates to: Siren Design, Digital Voice Recorder Design, Practical Examination
4. Deploy appropriate approaches to engineering design and quality.
   Relates to: Siren Design, Digital Voice Recorder Design
5. Demonstrate coherent knowledge and skills of physical, mathematical, statistical, computer, and information sciences that are fundamental to professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: Siren Design, Digital Voice Recorder Design, Practical Examination
6. Demonstrate a thorough understanding of one engineering discipline, its research directions, and its application in contemporary professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: Siren Design