ELECTRONICS+301


 * Assignment due Oct 27 Thursday (1st week Term 4) **

** Project due Oct 31 Monday (2nd Week Term 4) **


 * US 19745 Signals and Transmission **


 * US 19746 Electronic Product Quality and Reliability **


 * US 19744 Analogue and Digital Circuits **


 * US 19743 Semiconductor Notes **


 * US 19747 Microcontroller **


 * Project (Element 2)**

Feasibility Study A Feasibility Study determines whether: - an idea is workable or not and - the cost of development and manufacture is likely to be covered by sales revenue by evaluating, ranking, costing, optimising and shortlisting possible products.

Information required to prepare a Feasibility Study includes: - concept and design details with drawings - production cost analysis - market research - technical research Market research and technical research are brought together in the final document.

** Business Case ** A Business Case is a profile that examines the product development proposal in the light of a number of key factors including investment after the Feasibility Study has taken place. It is developed from any concept that survives the Feasibility Study and is chosen as one of the handful of project that are approved. It contains all the information required by the Board and the Feasibility Study in order to allow them to make an informed decision as to whether the idea is a ‘goer’ or not. The information from the Feasibility Study is used to name key factors and goes into considerable detail on these.

A Business Case includes: - an analysis of business process performance and associated needs or problems - proposed alternative solutions <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">- assumptions <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">- constraints <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">- a risk-adjusted cost-benefit analysis

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">The group of people involved in preparing a Business Case includes: <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">- Engineers <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">- Marketers / Accountants <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">- the Board

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">The development of a full Business Case can be roughly divided into six stages. Each stage is described below:

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Stage 1 - good product ideas are listed (after testing prototypes to prove the ideas will work). <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Stage 2 - detailed information is collected about each idea e.g. technical, marketing, costing information. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Stage 3 - the product ideas are compared and their advantages and disadvantages identified using the information. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Stage 4 - proposals for the best ideas are short-listed and the other product ideas are discarded. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Stage 5 - a full Business Case to the Board for each product proposal is prepared. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Stage 6 - the Board decides which proposals will go on from here to be developed and manufactured.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Sample Build (Prototype) <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">The Sample Build, or Sample Run, refines and tests the prototype and establishes the manufacturing needs such as: <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">- the jigs and tooling <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">- the machinery and automation <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">- control requirements <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Around 10 ~ 30 units are built and tested in the sample build. The final product should be of a saleable standard and is often used to demonstrate the product. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Translating the manuals (into up to 13 languages) can take up to three months, which is a huge part of the available time for developing the product. This is why the writing of the technical manuals has to commence as soon as possible.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">The development of a prototype can be divided into three stages. Each stage is described below:

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Stage 1 - Get the prototype to work properly (a Working Solution). The prototype may be messy and have an unfinished look or layout. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Stage 2 - Improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the prototype. Minimise the number of leaded-through components. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Stage 3 - Improve the layout of the prototype; eliminate loose wires etc, so that manufacture can be automated as much as possible.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">__**Manufacturing**__

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Manufacturing process can be divided into five stages. Each stage is described below:

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Stage 1- The PCB is made and screened with solder paste. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Stage 2 - SMT (surface mount) components are placed and soldered in a reflow oven. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Stage 3 - The board is populated with leaded-through components and soldered. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Stage 4 - Boards are tested in special jigs and faulty ones repaired or discarded. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Stage 5 - The user interface is connected, the casing is fitted and final testing done.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">__** Testing **__

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Testing of the circuit (solder joints, correct component function and correct function of whole areas of the circuit board) is carried out in specialised test bed jigs. One type uses accurately placed contacts (‘nails’) to provide multiple test points on the board. Specially written software programmes assess the board and report on the results. Visual and manual testing is also carried out. Testing may occur at several stages during the manufacturing process. Compliance testing (e.g. EMC screening) may also be undertaken.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">__**Marketing & Advertising**__

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Marketing is a complete activity that occurs over the whole process from design to manufacturing. It usually applies to information provided to and received from regular clients. Market research is needed to support the Business Case right at the beginning, to check if a product will actually sell. Marketing of the product under development occurs at International Trade Fairs, where a mock-up may be prepared to demonstrate what the final product will look like. Marketing includes designing the whole look and feel of the product to suit the target audience.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Advertising is a more specific process that aims to reach new customers outside the regular market. Advertising is an expensive process and a successful company may not advertise much. Trade magazines may carry ads, specialist stores may have brochures and the media may run featured articles.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">**__Navman iCN630 In-Car Navigation Unit (first released in June 2003)__**

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">The product comes with one year warranty which covers failure of the screen and the mechanical and electronic parts. Servicing is usually limited to replacement of whole parts of the unit (e.g. screen, PCB etc) as repair of boards and circuits is too fiddly and uneconomic, given the complexity and small size of components. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">The comprehensive manual (available on the Navman website) for the iCN630 covers installation, operation and simple troubleshooting adequately. Servicing and warranty are covered through the sales outlet the customer bought the product from. Company reps and /or the staff at the point of sale can assist the customer face to face with all aspects of installation and use of the product. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">The casing of the iCN630 is made to minimise electromagnetic interference from outside and also to ensure that its user interface suits people best. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">However iCN630 is rated against the following international compliance standards: <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">- BSA (bluetooth) approval rating <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">- EMC: Electromagnetic Compatibility and Microwave Radiation Emission <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">- Intellectual Property Laws (patents and trademarks)

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">**__Navman Employees (last update: 2003)__**

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Matt Newby, software engineer (team leader) does the application level software, buys in mapping data and develops the navigational software to put it all up on the screen, a challenging job for him (he enjoys it!) but flexible hours, did Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Technical subjects at school, then a Science degree at Auckland University (Physics and Computer Science),

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Grant Ottaway, mechanical engineer, took Chemistry, Physics, Calculus, Statistics and Graphics at school. He did his Bachelor of Engineering at Auckland University of Technology, going on to his Masters degree. He works with other mechanical engineers and teams on a wide variety of designs, including circuit boards, product casings, brackets and accessories. He gets out on the water to test his equipment: enjoys that.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Adam Baker, test technician. He studied Science and Physics, Diploma of Electrotechnology at Auckland University of Technology. He makes electronics test jigs, loves sailing (was offered four jobs relating to the water), always working on something new, loves it, his summer job at Navman turned into something permanent.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Paul Butterworth, electrical engineer who works in the marine division of Navman. He loves his work, which combines his electronics and marine interests (he is a small boat sailor).He is working on developing a colour fish-finder and a marine auto-navigation device. He studied Science and Mathematics at school. Then he got an Electrical Engineering degree.