Design Project

This course provides the student with a significant experience in self-directed learning. Project topics are provided from which the students select a topic. The topic selection information search, designs and component sourcing are completed as part of the Fall term. The students will research the topic, design, implement and make operational a design of currency in the fields of Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering. Professional guidance is provided by faculty on a weekly basis in the laboratory. The completed project must be demonstrated operational by the last week of the term. The students must demonstrate their working project at an Open House in April

Labs: ENG 306, ENG 307

Engineering Support: Jim Koch ENG418 ex 556118

General information:

  • You have probably noticed that there are no test leads in ENG306 and ENG307, this is because in past years attempts to keep leads in the lab have met with theft and damage of the leads.  If you need a test lead or scope probe, they may be borrowed from ENG418, note supplies are limited.
  • Access to power tools, we have a small work shop where students have use of tools,  drill press,  shear,  bending break, chassis punches, and table saw. The shop is available from 1 to 6 on Fridays. Other times by appointment only.
  • 3D Printing, The department has a MakerBot Replicator+ which uses PLA Plastic, students may request prints. Please see Instructions on how to submit a request and printing limits.
  • Circuit Boards for your Capstone project, the department has a program called Eagle, a schematic capture and PCB layout tool, files from this program can be used to mill a circuit board on the department's circuit board milling machine (A small fee is charged for supplies). A side note, if you have never used a circuit board cad package before I would suggest you hard wire your circuit on proto-board, learning this package will take a couple of weeks which you really don't have.
  • Purchasing parts, go by the “Buy 3 rule and buy early”, why buy 3 because you burn the first one out the first time you try it because you didn't read the data sheet properly , the second one gets burned out the night before it's due because you are dead tired and not paying attention to what you are doing. Leaving you one left to hopefully get you through the demo and show at open house. Buy early, some parts can take several weeks to arrive. Also double check the package style you are ordering, most devices now come as surface mount, which can be hard to work with and may require adapter boards etc.
  • Donated parts, from time to time we receive electronic parts, some have been placed in the green drawers in ENG306/7, others are with Jim Koch in ENG418.
  • After the winter break you will start receiving emails detailing steps you must take to reserve space and equipment for the open house.

Safety Note: Scope Ground and Power circuits.

  • When measuring the outputs of a power circuit (IGBT module, motor driver circuit, H bridge etc.) on an oscilloscope one should always use a differential scope probe. The ground of the scope is connected to earth ground, which means it is also connected to the ground of the Function Generator's outputs and the serial/USB/printer cable of the PC, and any device that you plug in that has a 3 pin grounded line cord (eg. your laptop), that is connected to your circuit. Placing the ground of a regular scope probe in the circuit any where other than ground causes a short circuit which will damage the test equipment and your circuit. Differential scope probes are available for loan from my office ENG418.

Safety - Biomedical.

Hints and Tips, Circuit Board Info, 3D Printing Info, Work Shop Info

Capstone lists:

Capstone project reports from 2013 and back can be found in the library.
Reports from 2014 and on are in soft copy format and will be available for viewing some time in the future.

GENERAL LAB RULES

The following rules apply to all labs:

  • No food or drink allowed in the lab.
  • No offensive computer screens.
  • No tampering with wires or network cables.
  • No use of illegal software.
  • No attempting to compromise network security.
  • Don't share your password.
  • Report any unsafe conditions to Engineering Support or your Lab Instructor immediately.

Further lab safety information can be found at: https://www.ee.ryerson.ca/guides/labsafety/