Week

1
(8/26 – 8/30)

Lecture Topic, Lab Exercise

• course introduction
• Project assignment
• mechatronics and measurement systems
• electric circuit fundamentals
• input and output impedance

NO LAB THIS WEEK

Reading and Quiz

Course Policies,
Ch. 1;
App A.1;
2.1 – 2.4

Ch. 1 Smartbook
assignment
due Mon, 9/2

Homework Assignment

watch NI Elvis videos on Lab website

survey sheet
(if group members already chosen, please turn in sheets stacked together)
due Fri, 8/30

1: 2.2 [20 pts], 2.13 [10 pts], 2.18 [10 pts], 2.21 [20 pts], 2.24 [10 pts], 2.36 [10 pts], 2.37 [20 pts]
[100 points total]
due Fri, 9/6

Week

2
(9/2 – 9/6)

Lecture Topic, Lab Exercise

Labor Day (no class on Mon, 9/2)

group assignments announced

• AC circuits introduction
• semiconductors, diodes

Lab:

• Introduction to Lab policies and procedures.
• A group component kit, an NI ELVIS board (must be returned), an Arduino starter kit, and a breadboard will be given to each group. Verify that your group component kit is complete before next week’s Lab.
• NOTE: There will be a quiz covering the basic reading material in both Lab 1 (for info only, skip procedure and questions) and Lab 2.

Lab 2: Instrument familiarization and basic electrical relations

Be sure to watch the NI ELVIS demo video before coming to Lab!

Reading and Quiz

2.6 – 2.7;
Ch. 3

Ch. 2 Smartbook
assignment
due Wed, 9/4

Homework Assignment

2: 3.1 [5 pts], 3.9 [10 pts], 3.18 [5 pts], 3.19 [30 pts]
[50 points total]
due Mon, 9/16

project deliverable 1
purchase a 3-ring binder (1″ or larger) and set up “Deliverable ##” dividers; print, read, and insert the project description
due Week 3

Week

3
(9/9 – 9/13)

Lecture Topic, Lab Exercise

• transistors
• digital electronics
• number codes
• combinational logic

Lab 3: The oscilloscope

Reading and Quiz

6.1 – 6.5

Ch. 3 Smartbook
assignment
due Wed, 9/11

Homework Assignment

project deliverable 2
watch videos of past projects; brainstorm ideas and document with rough sketches and descriptions; show evidence of evaluation (e.g., a decision matrix) based on project grading criteria
due Week 4

Week

4
(9/16 – 9/20)

Lecture Topic, Lab Exercise

• design of logic networks
• sequential logic
• flip-flops
• project info

Lab 5 (not Lab 4): Transistor circuits

Reading and Quiz

6.6 – 6.9

Ch. 6 Smartbook
assignment
due Fri, 9/27

Homework Assignment

3: 6.7 [45 pts], 6.14 [15 pts], 6.27 [15 pts], 6.38 [25 pts], 6.40 [20 pts], 6.51 [15 pts]
[135 points total]
due Fri, 9/27

Week

5
(9/23 – 9/27)

Lecture Topic, Lab Exercise

• flip-flop applications
• counters, timers, oscillators
• Exam I Review
• microcontrollers and the PIC

Lab 7 (not Lab 6): Digital circuits – logic and latching

Reading and Quiz

6.10 – 6.13
7.1 – 7.4

Homework Assignment

project deliverable 3
refine your project idea and set realistic goals; document your selected idea with a detailed sketch of the overall system and with detailed sketches of important actuator/mechanism/hardware elements
due Week 6

Week

6
(9/30 – 10/4)

Lecture Topic, Lab Exercise

• PicBasic Pro

EXAM I – Wednesday, 10/2

• PIC examples

Lab 8: Digital circuits – counter and LED display

Reading and Quiz

7.5 – 7.11

Ch. 7 Smartbook
assignment
due Wed, 10/9

Homework Assignment

project deliverable 4
develop and document project plans (schedule, task assignments), define your problem, draw a functional diagram, list I/O requirements
due Week 7

Week

7
(10/7 – 10/11)

Lecture Topic, Lab Exercise

• PIC examples
• PIC interfacing
• measurement system characteristics
• Fourier series
• frequency response

Lab 9: Programming a PIC microcontroller – Part I

Reading and Quiz

4.1-4.7

Ch. 4 Smartbook
assignment
due Fri, 10/18

Homework Assignment

project proposal
due Wed, 10/16

project deliverable 5
research and order sensors, actuators, and special components (e.g., interface chips), and document this work
due Week 8

prepare the file and wiring diagram for the “alternative design” in Section 10.3 of Lab 10 (see steps 2 and 3 in the Procedure section). Only one printout and diagram is required for each group, and they are due at the beginning of Lab
(in lieu of quiz in Week 8)

Week

8
(10/14 – 10/18)

Lecture Topic, Lab Exercise

• system response (0th, 1st, 2nd order systems)
• 2nd order system response
• modeling analogies

Project proposal due in class, Wednesday, 10/16

• operational amplifier
  • circuit analysis

Lab 10: Programming a PIC microcontroller – Part II

Reading and Quiz

4.8-4.11;
5.1-5.4

Ch. 5 Smartbook
assignment
due Fri, 10/25

Homework Assignment

 4: 4.5 [10 pts], 4.7 [30 pts], 4.10 [10 pts], 4.12 [20 pts], 4.26 [15 pts], 4.33 [15 pts],6.55 (from Ch. 6) [15 pts]
[115 points total]
due Mon, 10/21

midterm group evaluation
due Fri, 10/18

project deliverable 6
finish researching and ordering sensors, actuators, and special components
due Week 9

prepare files for Lab 11 – printouts for group due at the beginning of Lab
(in lieu of quiz in Week 9)

Week

9
(10/21 – 10/25)

Lecture Topic, Lab Exercise

• operational amplifier
  • applications
  • characteristics of real op amps
• data acquisition
• digital to analog, analog to digital conversion
• project info/advice/help
  • batteries
  • relays
  • power

Lab 11: Pulse-Width-Modulation motor speed control with a PIC

Reading and Quiz

5.5-5.14;
Ch. 8;
Lab 15

Ch. 8 Smartbook
assignment
due Mon, 10/28

Homework Assignment

5: 5.5 [20 pts], 5.10 [20 pts], 5.16 [50 pts], 5.21 [10 pts]
[100 points total]
due Fri, 10/25

project deliverable 7
demonstrate a working PIC circuit with basic input and/or output, related to your project if possible
due Week 10

Week

10
(10/28 – 11/1)

Lecture Topic, Lab Exercise

• project advice (continued)
• position measurement
  • switches
  • potentiometer
  • LVDT
  • digital encoder
• Exam II Review

Lab 4 (not Lab 12): Bandwidth, filters, and diodes

Reading and Quiz

9.1, 9.2

Ch. 9 Smartbook
assignment
due Mon, 11/4

Homework Assignment

6: 8.5 [20 pts], 8.8 [15 pts], 8.9 [15 pts]
[50 points total]
due Wed, 10/30

project deliverable 8
start designing and testing circuits and software for additional functional elements (e.g., audio, sensor, actuator), developing your code incrementally
due Week 11

Week

11
(11/4 – 11/8)

Lecture Topic, Lab Exercise

EXAM II – Monday, 11/4

• motor fundamentals
• stepper motor control

Lab 6: Operational amplifier circuits

in Lab, sign up for a 30-minute time slot for your Lab Practical Exam

Reading and Quiz

Ch. 10

Ch. 10 Smartbook
assignment
due Wed, 11/13

Homework Assignment

project deliverable 9
draw detailed wiring diagram showing all components, wires, and pin numbers; work on mechanical components and support hardware.
If you create the wiring diagram by hand, you will need to redo it for the final report, so consider using software now (see final report guidelines for more info).
due Week 12

Week

12
(11/11 – 11/15)

Lecture Topic, Lab Exercise

• stress/strain introduction
• strain gages
• Wheatstone bridge
• strain gage rosette
• Strain Gage Lab analysis
• bearing signature analysis case study
• microcontroller serial communication and loud audio

Lab Practical Exam

• see Course Policies for more info.
• show up at the time scheduled with your TA.
• have one group member bring in your design notebook for the TA to check for the latest project deliverable.

Reading and Quiz

App C;
9.3, 9.5

Homework Assignment

project deliverable 10
continue testing and debugging project circuits, create a complete software flowchart, and continue to develop your code incrementally
due Week 13

Week

13
(11/18 – 11/22)

Lecture Topic, Lab Exercise

Project extra-early-bird award deadline (for +10 points)
(by 5 pm, Tuesday, 11/19)

No class on Fri, 11/22 (unless catch-up day required)

These Labs are for information only, with the TAs showing hardware related to case studies presented in class. There is no exercise or demonstration, and no analysis or summary sheets or questions are required. However, there will still be a quiz as usual.
Lab 13: Strain gage
Lab 14: Vibration measurement with an accelerometer

Project work and help from TAs during remaining Lab time

Reading and Quiz

9.4

Ch. 9 Smartbook
assignment
due Mon, 11/25

Homework Assignment

7: 9.8 [15 pts], 9.16 [30 pts], 9.24 [25 pts], 9.29 [30 pts]
[100 points total]
due Fri, 12/6

project
finish fabricating and programming the entire system and troubleshoot problems

Week

14
(11/25 – 11/29)

Thanksgiving Break (no classes)

Week

15
(12/2 – 12/6)

Lecture Topic, Lab Exercise

Project early-bird award deadline (for +5 points)
(by 5 pm, Tuesday, 12/3)

• comprehensive case study example

Project work, help and functionality checks with TAs during scheduled Lab times

Homework Assignment

project
final testing, troubleshooting, and finishing touches

Week

16
(12/9 – 12/13)

Lecture Topic, Lab Exercise

• comprehensive case study example (continued)
• Final Exam review
• selected Project presentations

project final demonstrations and evaluations during your scheduled Lab section meeting (with top 10 selected for class presentation and video taping)

Turn in your NI ELVIS board during your project presentation, or on Friday if you still need it.

Homework Assignment

final group evaluation
due Fri, 12/13

project
evaluation

Project final report
due in class on Friday, 12/13