Catalog copy
EE126. Electrical Engineering Hardware Design II.  Second of
 two-course sequence in engineering design; students fully implement
 and test hardware projects designed during first course.  Concentrates
 on experimental laboratory work. Formal written report and oral
 presentation of each project is required at end of quarter.  Students
 are billed a materials fee. 
Prerequisite(s): course 125.  Enrollment limited to 30.

Explanation of prerequisites 
This is the second class of a capstone design course spread over two
 quarters meant to enable students to engage a worthy engineering
 design project where students seamlessly continue with team projects
 started in EE125. Work from these two courses will necessarily
 overlap.

Required skills to pass the course.
1. Ability to apply the fundamentals of system design to a particular
   project, including:
   a. exercising judgement and independence in conceiving viable
      solutions to necessary modifications of a design project
      following the iterative design cycle;
   b. defining a reasonable time-line with target milestones;
   c. ability to do independent research and assess suitable resources
      like application notes, data sheets, etc.;
   d. participate in peer-group design reviews of one's own work as
      well as others;
   e. keep technical engineering notes consistent with current
      industrial practice;
   f. delivering satisfactory interactive oral presentations before
      the class.
2. Demonstrate independence in self-motivated learning to master new
   topics necessary to successfully complete a project's design.
3. Demonstrate technical competence in related hands-on experimental
   laboratory work.  This would include competence using all
   applicable laboratory test equipment for prototype concept
   evaluations, such as the oscilloscope; spectrum analyzer, RF
   network analyzer, noise- figure meter; dvm; arbitrary waveform
   generator; etc.
4. Demonstrate technical competence in mastering necessary EDA and CAD
   tools required for specific designs, including but not necessarily
   limited to:
   a. Simulation tools like Pspice, Numerical Electromagnetics Code, etc.
   b. PCB schematic capture and layout tools, like Cadence or Orcad.
5. Present a complete written and oral summary of project work,
   individually and as a group.

Core topics (must be taught)
1. Engineering design cycle. This should include:
   a. product design for manufacturability.
   b. cost analysis.
   c. prototypes vs. final designs.
   d. solicit outside speakers from industry to present on topics
      related engineering design and manufacturing.
2. Apply principles of interactive project management and teamwork in
   engineering.  Coverage is based on topics from the cited text
   developed in EE125.
3. Basic professional documentation skills, including:
   a. keeping a good technical engineering notebook;
   b. interim reports of project work;
   c. final summary reporting.
4. Information search tools:
   a. Library tools for science and engineering literature search, e.g.
      use of INSPEC data base
   b. Internet search tools
5. Standards of good laboratory (experimental) engineering practice,
   to include:
   a. Respect and setup of instrumentation quality equipment.
   b. Basic and advanced uses of standard laboratory equipment, including the 
      oscilloscope, dvm, signal generator, power supplies, etc.
   c. Understand measurement limitations, accuracy and applicable use
      of all equipment.
   d. Measurement interpretation. 

Text
Smith, Karl A., "Project Management and Teamwork", McGraw Hill 2000.
 This short book skillfully covers, from an applied perspective,
 salient topics necessary to developing an appreciation for the
 purpose, value, applicability and benefits of working in teams in
 engineering project.

Prepared by Stephen Petersen, 11/02