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INTRODUCTION & PREVIEW: ANALOGUE DEVICES LABORATORY MANUALS
Introduction
Analogue electronics form part of all undergraduate courses in electronic engineering. Although a major focus has been placed on digital electronics as the recent advances and developments have originated from this domain, analogue topics will always form the foundation in the understanding of electronic devices. RS Components’ University Programme aims to assist students in obtaining both analytical and intuitive skills in the understanding of analogue devices and their usage in circuits, by introducing practical laboratory manuals with circuit simulation exercises in related topics. The RS Components’ free DesignSpark PCB schematic capture and PCB design package - in conjunction with the well-known LTspice IV SPICE simulation software (from Linear Technology) - form the foundation of this analogue devices learning curve.
About the Author
The topics were selected in chronological order, which relate directly to undergraduate courses in analogue electronics as presented by the author (Llewellyn van Zyl, Edu Prep Centre) during his lecturing career. His vast experience ranges from a full-time development engineer to part-time lecturing at the two biggest engineering universities in South Africa; University of Pretoria and Tshwane University of Technology where he has presented more than 18 different subjects. He has presented courses on Analogue circuits, Digital circuits, Microcontrollers, Embedded C Programming, FPGAs and VHDL, Numerical solutions, PC Board design, RF Principles and Test Methods etc, to students as well as engineering professionals. In his experience of bridging the gap between theory and practice, all students have shown a much better understanding of analogue electronics once they have completed simulation exercises in each relevant topic.
Overview
Lecturers who register with the RS University Programme will get access to the solutions manuals, working example files as well as Power Point slides. Lecturers can then either use the lab manuals as is, or can extract and combine different exercises to produce their own lab manuals to maybe suit their unique course requirements. Lecturers are also welcome to suggest additional exercises which can be included in the subsequent laboratory manuals’ revision updates.
The following is a list of the manuals including a brief summary of the related content:
Lab Manual 1 – Basic Semiconductors (Diodes, Rectifiers, Clippers, Clamps, Voltage Doublers, Zener Regulation, BJT & FET Self-biasing)
Lab Manual 2 – Semiconductor Amplifiers (Emitter Biasing, Voltage Divider Biasing, Collector Biasing, Common Emitter, Common Collector, Common Base, Common Source, Common Drain, Class A Amplifier, Class B Amplifier, Low Frequency Response)
Lab Manual 3 - Special Semiconductors (Inverting Op-Amp, Non-Inverting Op-Amp, Slew Rate, Common Mode Rejection, Comparator, Differentiator, Integrator, Linear Regulators, Silicon Controlled Rectifiers, Switching Regulators)
Lab Manual 4 – Circuit Applications (Low Pass Filter, High Pass Filter, Band Pass Filter, Band Stop Filter, BJT Multi-vibrator Oscillator, Phase Shift Oscillator, 555 Oscillator, Instrument Amplifier).
To access the teaching material you must be an RS University member.