International Journal of Electrical Engineering & Education

To cope with the exponential growth of knowledge in the field of electronics, a broad-based core curriculum with suitable elective is suggested. The structure of electronics courses in regional engineering colleges in India designed to meet this requirement is discussed.

A microprocessor-based digital control laboratory course has been developed at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. The microprocessor acts as a controller in a closed loop system. The plant has been simulated on an analog computer. Some experiments have been realized with the aim of improving the student's understanding of the digital control concepts.

A four-hour second-year experiment at Cambridge University Engineering Department is described in which a small robot arm is controlled by a microprocessor. The experiment is part of a full microprocessor laboratory programme. The aims for students are both to gain understanding of interfacing and stepping motor control, and to do simple arm performance calculations.

A considerable understanding of the nature of sampled-data systems may be gained through experimental exercises. It is shown that CONTROL BASIC II minimises the effort required to write real-time control programs and thus emphasises the practical and theoretical aspects of sampled-data systems. Three experiments of varying difficulty are described.

The Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Coventry (Lanchester) Polytechnic has been teaching computer-aided circuit design as a final-year Honours option for four years. The subject has been well received and forms an important part of the degree course. This paper describes the course and the background to its introduction.

The need for care in designing input graphics programs (preprocessors) for Computer-Aided Circuit Design packages is discussed. A graphics preprocessor and associated algorithm is described whereby a picture presentation by the designer is converted to analysis information by the input graphics program of SPLAP — Sunderland Polytechnic Linear Analysis Program.

Incorporation of general mutual inductance in a purely nodal (admittance) analysis program is facilitated if an uncoupled equivalent inductor array is first generated from the explicit self and mutual inductances in the network. This paper derives an appropriate algorithm and presents a FORTRAN realisation, easily grafted to an existing program.

A laboratory-scale static inverter has been constructed and design details given. Experiments have been developed to demonstrate fundamental concepts in electrical instrumentation, circuit theory, and power electronics, but the unit can also illustrate induction heating and melting which are established industrial processes often neglected in engineering courses.

Application of Miller's theorem to a network produces an apparent decoupling of the input/output feedback component. This aspect of the theorem often leads to errors in solving for the network parameters, particularly calculation of output impedance. The source of this miscalculation is identified and the correct solution presented.

A simple and accurate method, using a search coil and a calibrated fluxmeter, is presented for experimental determination of residual flux of permament magnets of simple geometries. Applied to a small rectangular AlNiCo-VI magnet used variously, the method shows the importance of preventing accidental, or otherwise, demagnetisation of permanent magnets.

Over 750 scripts were analysed to see how the order in which students answered questions could affect their mark. It is suggested that the wrong choice of questions is made on up to about 35% of occasions and that subsequent mark deficiency could be as high as 4.2 marks.