EEEN10034 - Microcontroller Project

Requisites

Aims

This programme unit aims to:

Provide an introduction to the practical issues associated with the design, electronic assembly, mechanical fabrication and testing of electrical systems. The PIC18LF4520 microcontroller development system used as a teaching vehicle in other course units is assembled and tested.

Brief Description

This unit will cover the following:

Lectures:

Introduction: an overview of the integrated role of the Microcontroller Project in the School's degree programmes; industrial applications of microcontrollers (industrial lecture); market forces driving the design of microcontrollers.

Health and Safety: The use of risk assessments in undergraduate laboratories and workshops.

Practical resistors and capacitors: Electrical and mechanical specifications; manufacturing techniques and technologies; packaging (through-hole and surface mount); component tolerances and stability; and preferred values.

Digital circuits: representation of binary states; logic families; compatibility between logic families; simple models of MOS logic inputs and outputs (I-V characteristics); and Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) handling precautions.

Electronic assembly: Circuit prototyping construction techniques; and Printed Circuit Board (PCB) design and fabrication.

Electronic circuit testing: Circuit testing and fault finding using voltage, current and resistance measurements.

PIC18LF4520 Microcontroller Development System: A brief tour of the Microcontroller board and an in-depth review of the digital and analogue interface circuits on the Input/Output board.

Legislative and professional issues: Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive; Introduction to Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC).

Laboratories / Workshops:

Electronic assembly: component identification; interpretation of Printed Circuit Board (PCB) layout diagrams; mounting and soldering of components; and visual inspection of work.

Mechanical fabrication: interpretation of mechanical drawings; marking out; drilling; punching; and the use of hand tools to fabricate an aluminium mounting panel and an ABS plastic base.

Board-level electrical testing: interpretation of circuit schematic diagrams; systematic testing of sub-systems using voltage, current and resistance measurements; and comparison of measured parameters with published specifications.

Board-level fault finding: using voltage, current and resistance measurements to locate assembly and manufacturing faults.

PCB design exercise: using Altium DXP to design a microcontroller-based Printed Circuit Board (PCB).

Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

Knowledge and Understanding:

• Appreciate the role of microcontrollers within industry.
• Understand the factors that govern the choice of microcontroller.
• Describe the components and operation of a typical microcontroller architecture, and the specifics of a PIC18LF4520
• Intellectual Skills:
• Make informed judgements in determining whether parameters measured during a test meet the published specification.
• Practical Skills:
• Identify where a given signal is to be physically found in a system from information provided in its documentation.
• Transferable skills and personal quantities:
• Populate a printed circuit board with components.
• Make reliable soldered joints.
• Adopt a good working practice when handling components with regard to Electrostatic Discharge (ESD).
• Execute a systematic approach to the testing and the fault finding of electronic systems using voltage, current and resistance measurements.
• Apply basic skills in mechanical dimensioning and fabrication.
• Use an industry standard PCB design tool for schematic capture and basic component placement and routing.

Teaching & Learning Process (Hours Allocated To)

Assessments

All six elements, the examination and the five pieces of coursework, must achieve a Pass status to gain an overall Pass in this unit.

Unseen Written Examination:

Fiften multiple choice questions, answer all questions.

Correct answers score 2 marks, incorrect answers score 0 marks.

Duration: 1 hour.

Calculators are permitted.

This examination is Pass/Fail.

Coursework:

Nine laboratory sessions.

Laboratory duration: 3 hours.

In laboratory assessment (Pass/Fail).

Coursework (1) Electronic Assembly 2 laboratories

Coursework (2) Mechanical Fabrication 2 laboratories

Coursework (3) Board-level Fault Finding 1 laboratory

Coursework (4) Board-level Electrical Testing 1 laboratory

Coursework (5) Printed Circuit Board Design 3 laboratories

Unit Assessment:

All courseworks (1) to (5) must achieve Pass status and the examination must also achieve Pass status for the unit to be passed overall.

Staff Involved