understanding schematics

[Nirav Chokshi]

I am an EE and I need some assistance. I get lost when I look at the
schematics of some circuit board. I have a general knowledge of how
each components work but putting them together..that's where I get
lost. Also, I don't have any experience in starting a design from a
scratch as well.


Can you suggest me a good way to start learning design? any references
or recommended books...how can I get better reading schematics??
(I have a bunch of tools at my disposable.)

Thanks!

 

[Jim Thompson]

hmm, and you have a EE degree ?

I wasn't going to say anything... but that's a good question.

Unfortunately the university system is failing... those that can,
do... those that can't, teach :-(

...Jim Thompson

 

[Pooh Bear]

I am an EE and I need some assistance. I get lost when I look at the
schematics of some circuit board. I have a general knowledge of how
each components work but putting them together..that's where I get
lost. Also, I don't have any experience in starting a design from a
scratch as well.

So in what way do you practice electronic engineering without this skill ?

Can you suggest me a good way to start learning design? any references
or recommended books...how can I get better reading schematics??
(I have a bunch of tools at my disposable.)

Most ppl who are good at electronics start as a hobby when teenagers. There are
still some decent magazines. Here's a couple of UK ones.
http://www.elektor-electronics.co.uk/
http://www.ewmag.co.uk/electronicsworld/default.asp

You could examine manufacturers' application notes too. Some give good examles
of complete circuits.
There's a few 'cook books' around too.

Best of all IMHO is to design your own project.

Graham

 

[Joerg]

Hello Jim,

Unfortunately the university system is failing... those that can,
do... those that can't, teach :-(

I wouldn't say that. I know a really good engineer who is switching
careers. He is going to become a teacher in a large city where that kind
of job certainly is not for the faint of heart. One reason he does it is
that he thinks kids need a good education. Wants to do his share. He is
even learning Spanish to be able to communicate with folks whose English
is limited. Needless to say, this decision will come with a sigificantly
lower income.

To Nirav: Get the book "The Art of Electronics". Should have gotten it
well before your degree but it's never too late.

 

[Bob]

I wasn't going to say anything... but that's a good question.

Unfortunately the university system is failing... those that can,
do... those that can't, teach :-(

...Jim Thompson
--

I agree. The system needs improvement.

Just before I graduated, there was a guy in one of my labs that truly did
not understand the difference between an input and an output. This guy *did*
graduate, too. Unbelievable!

It's my opinion that an EE degree should take 8 years to complete. Each year
would be 6 months of study and then 6 months of hands-on internship.


Bob

 

[Jamie]

I am an EE and I need some assistance. I get lost when I look at the
schematics of some circuit board. I have a general knowledge of how
each components work but putting them together..that's where I get
lost. Also, I don't have any experience in starting a design from a
scratch as well.


Can you suggest me a good way to start learning design? any references
or recommended books...how can I get better reading schematics??
(I have a bunch of tools at my disposable.)

Thanks!

hmm, and you have a EE degree ?

 

[scilent-project]

ust before I graduated, there was a guy in one of my labs that truly
did

not understand the difference between an input and an output. This guy *did*
graduate, too. Unbelievable!

Yes, true. I know some female EE who fall into this category. sigh !
they even cant to use basic measuring tool but completed the degree.

 

[Terry Given]

ust before I graduated, there was a guy in one of my labs that truly
did



Yes, true. I know some female EE who fall into this category. sigh !
they even cant to use basic measuring tool but completed the degree.

years ago when I was enrolling for my ME, I was talking to a chinese
lady who had a BE and ME from China, and was doing an ME in NZ because
nobody would hire her; she worked as a PCB stuffer. She reckoned it was
racism (partly true, kiwis dont like people who cant speak english). So
I gave her one of my interview questions:

"Using anything you like, make a 0V off, 5V on logic signal control an
LED whose anode is connected to a +24V supply"

She couldnt draw the symbols for resistors, LEDs, transistors....bloody
hopeless. I refrained from pointing out that the job interview would be
over at that point.

I was given that question in my first real job interview. My first cut
involved a 5V buzzer, a resistor, a bench power supply and a TO-220 SCR
with a long wire attached to the led. hook the buzzer to the 5V signal
so 5V = on. place the resistor in series with the led, across the bench
+24V psu. slide the TO-220 mounting hole over the bench psu toggle
switch. When the buzzer goes off, pull on the wire soldered to the SCR,
the switch toggles and the LED will light. My soon-to-be boss liked it,
then clarified the question somewhat. So I did it with an emitter
switched BC547 - base to +5V, resistor from E to logic, LED from +24V to
C. my boss liked that even more. Then he started asking really tricky
questions. 2 hours later I felt like a wrung-out dishrag. but he gave me
the job. And changed the job title from software engineer to design
engineer.

Cheers
Terry

 

[Bob]

[snip]

She reckoned it was racism (partly true, kiwis dont like people who cant
speak english).

Cheers
Terry

Since when do New Zealanders speak English?

8~|

Bob

 

[David L. Jones]

I agree. The system needs improvement.

Just before I graduated, there was a guy in one of my labs that truly did
not understand the difference between an input and an output. This guy *did*
graduate, too. Unbelievable!

Sadly this is very common place here in Australia.
Most grads and many supposedly experienced people I've interviewed
can't pass my basic interview questions. Real easy stuff like "what's
the beta of a transistor", "calculate a LED dropper resistor value",
"draw an op-amp voltage follower", "what's the input impedance of a
CRO" etc.

One supposedly experienced "microcontroller expert" couldn't even name
me two brands of microcontrollers.

One thing I like doing is giving them a PCB and get them to tell me
anything about it at all. No right or wrong answers, and I find out
what they know about design, construction, layout, components, testing,
repair etc

Another guy bought in his thesis project documentation, so I opened it
up and asked him to explain what this chip in his design did. He
couldn't tell me, even though it was written in the "theory of
operation" text underneath which he couldn't figure out. Clueless.

It's amazing what a few simple questions at an interview brings out.

It's my opinion that an EE degree should take 8 years to complete. Each year
would be 6 months of study and then 6 months of hands-on internship.

A degree counts for almost nothing when I look through Resume's, I'd
rather hire a cluey hobbyist than a clueless EE grad any day!

There should be an "electronics design" degree course that has 80%
individual projects and lab work and 20% theory!

Dave

 

[Clifford Heath]

"Using anything you like, make a 0V off, 5V on logic signal control an
LED whose anode is connected to a +24V supply"
She couldnt draw the symbols for resistors, LEDs, transistors....
I was given that question in my first real job interview.
...I did it with an emitter
switched BC547 - base to +5V, resistor from E to logic, LED from +24V to
C.

You got the polarity wrong somewhere - 0V will turn the LED ON.

 

[Terry Given]

You got the polarity wrong somewhere - 0V will turn the LED ON.

LOL.

You're right, it was the other way round, just to make the problem more
interesting.

Cheers
Terry

 

[Terry Given]

Sadly this is very common place here in Australia.
Most grads and many supposedly experienced people I've interviewed
can't pass my basic interview questions. Real easy stuff like "what's
the beta of a transistor", "calculate a LED dropper resistor value",
"draw an op-amp voltage follower", "what's the input impedance of a
CRO" etc.

One supposedly experienced "microcontroller expert" couldn't even name
me two brands of microcontrollers.

One thing I like doing is giving them a PCB and get them to tell me
anything about it at all. No right or wrong answers, and I find out
what they know about design, construction, layout, components, testing,
repair etc

Another guy bought in his thesis project documentation, so I opened it
up and asked him to explain what this chip in his design did. He
couldn't tell me, even though it was written in the "theory of
operation" text underneath which he couldn't figure out. Clueless.

It's amazing what a few simple questions at an interview brings out.




A degree counts for almost nothing when I look through Resume's, I'd
rather hire a cluey hobbyist than a clueless EE grad any day!

There should be an "electronics design" degree course that has 80%
individual projects and lab work and 20% theory!

Dave

all a degree really proves is that you have a degree. and have met at
least the minimum requirements to get said degree.

which is why employers are usually far more interested in the last X jobs.

Still, declining uni standards are good for business

Cheers
Terry

 

[Jim Thompson]

ust before I graduated, there was a guy in one of my labs that truly
did

Yes, true. I know some female EE who fall into this category. sigh !
they even cant to use basic measuring tool but completed the degree.

[snip]

Not to be sexist, but you certainly missed the opportunity to
demonstrate to her that outputs plug into inputs ;-)

...Jim Thompson