Year 1 Labs

The Design Skills unit offers a comprehensive insight into foundational engineering concepts. This includes lectures on a range of topics such as programming Arduinos, Computer Aided Design (CAD), PCB design, MATLAB, digital communication, and more. Beyond technical knowledge, the module also integrates vital skills like time management, project management, risk assessment, and proficiency in reading and writing datasheets. To assess understanding and skill acquisition, you will be required to curate a portfolio using Mahara.

Design Skills Moodle Page Mahara e-Portfolio

Circuits and Instrumentation
Software
Mechanical Design
Electronic Systems
PCB Assembly and Design

Welcome to the Design Skills Lab Space

This website is the home for the lab scripts and exercises that you will complete while studying EE12001 Design Skills. Please use the links above to navigate to the appropriate labs. You will find a breakdown for each week below, along with any additional information.

  • Please ensure that you arrive promptly for the start of each session as you may be given important introductory instructions.

  • Lecturers and lab demonstrators will be on hand to help you, but we expect you to use your common sense.

  • For most of the labs you will be in groups of 2 or 3; one group per computer and equipment.
    • However, for some of the computer programming labs, it would be beneficial for you to be carrying out the tasks individually.
    • Therefore, we would encourage you to bring a laptop, if you have one.

Week 1 - Tuesday 3rd October

Lab Timetable

Todays lab will be split into three different sessions. There is 15 minutes between each session to give you time to put away any equipment.

Session Times Topic
1 09:15 – 11:15 DC Circuit Simulation
2 Part A 11:30 – 12:30 Introduction to MATLAB
  12:30 - 13:30 Lunch Break
2 Part B 13:30 - 14:30 Introduction to MATLAB
3 14:45 – 17:00 Introduction to instrumentation

General information for this weeks labs:

  • During session 2 you will be following an online course which includes some embedded video.
    • You will be able to view the subtitles, but since we do not have speakers on our computers, if you want to hear the content, please would you bring wired headphones. Optional

Week 2 - Tuesday 10th October

Lab Timetable

Todays lab will be split into three different sessions. There is 15 minutes between each session to give you time to put away any equipment.

Session Times Topic
1 09:15 – 11:15 DC-Sweep Analysis Using ORCAD
2 Part A 11:30 – 12:30 Getting Started with Mahara
  12:30 - 13:30 Lunch Break
2 Part B 13:30 - 14:30 Getting Started with Mahara
3 14:45 – 17:00 Creating a simple part with CAD

General information for this weeks labs:

  • During session 3 you will be following an online course which includes some embedded video.
    • You will be able to view the subtitles, but since we do not have speakers on our computers, if you want to hear the content, please would you bring wired headphones. Optional

Week 3 - Tuesday 17th October

Lab Timetable

Todays lab will be split into three different sessions. There is 15 minutes between each session to give you time to put away any equipment.

Session Times Topic
1 09:15 – 11:15 Circuits and Instrumentation- Testing Op-Amp Circuits on a Breadboard
2 Part A 11:30 – 12:30 Electronic Systems - Component familiarization and testing
  12:30 - 13:30 Lunch Break
2 Part B 13:30 - 14:30 Electronic Systems - Component familiarization and testing
3 14:45 – 17:00 Mechanical Design- Modifying a simple part with CAD

Week 4 - Tuesday 24th October

Lab Timetable

Session Times Topic
1 09:15 – 11:15 Circuits and Instrumentation- Op-amp Interface Circuit Design
2 Part A 11:30 – 12:30 Electronic Systems - Components & Arduino
  12:30 - 13:30 Lunch Break
2 Part B 13:30 - 14:30 Electronic Systems - Components & Arduino
3 14:45 – 17:00 Frequency Response Measurement

Week 7 - Tuesday 14th November

Lab Timetable

In todays lab, you will have to rotate your tasks based on which group you are in. This is to ensure that there is enough equipment for everyone. Please make sure that you double check what you should be doing in each time slot below.

Lab Times Topic
1 09:15 – 11:15 C1.06 - Transient Analysis of RC and RL Circuits
Groups Lab 2 (11:30-14:30) Lab 3 (14:45- 17:00)
1-25 E1.03 – Application lab tasks P1.01 - Through-Hole Soldering
26-50 P1.01 - Through-Hole Soldering E1.03 – Application lab tasks
51-75 E1.03 – Application lab tasks P1.02 - Surface-Mount Soldering
76-100 P1.02 - Surface-Mount Soldering E1.03 – Application lab tasks

Week 8 - Tuesday 21st November

Lab Timetable

In todays lab, you will have to rotate your tasks based on which group you are in. This is to ensure that there is enough equipment for everyone. Please make sure that you double check what you should be doing in each time slot below.

Lab Times Topic
1 09:15 – 11:15 C1.07 - Oscillator and AC Waveform Measurements
Groups Lab 2 (11:30-14:30) Lab 3 (14:45- 17:00)
1-25 E1.03 – Application lab tasks P1.02 - Surface-Mount Soldering
26-50 P1.02 - Surface-Mount Soldering E1.03 – Application lab tasks
51-75 E1.03 – Application lab tasks P1.01 - Through-Hole Soldering
76-100 P1.01 - Through-Hole Soldering E1.03 – Application lab tasks

Week 9 - Tuesday 28th November

Lab Timetable

Session Times Topic
1 09:15 – 11:15 C1.08 Transient and Steady-state AC circuit simulation
2 Part A 11:30 – 12:30 E1.03 – Application lab tasks
  12:30 - 13:30 Lunch Break
2 Part B 13:30 - 14:30 E1.03 – Application lab tasks
3 14:45 – 17:00 C 2.02 Diode IV lab

Week 10 - Tuesday 5th December

Lab Timetable

Session Times Topic
1 09:15 – 11:15 C1.09 - Frequency Response Measurements
2 Part A 11:30 – 12:30 E1.03 – Application lab tasks
  12:30 - 13:30 Lunch Break
2 Part B 13:30 - 14:30 E1.03 – Application lab tasks
3 14:45 – 17:00 M1.03 - Creating an Assembly with CAD

Week 11 - Tuesday 11th December

Lab Timetable

Session Times Topic
1 09:15 – 11:15 C1.10 - AC Sweep Analysis and Filter Design
2 Part A 11:30 – 12:30 E1.03 – Application lab tasks & Portfolio drop in session
  12:30 - 13:30 Lunch Break
2 Part B 13:30 - 14:30 E1.03 – Application lab tasks & Portfolio drop in session
3 14:45 – 17:00 M1.04 - Engineering Drawings

Week 19 - Tuesday 6th February

Lab Timetable

Session Times Topic
1 09:15 – 11:15 (EEE,CSE,EESST) Stopwatch Lab (E2.02)
    (IMEE,RE) Mechanism Design Lab (M2.00 and M2.01)
2 Part A 11:30 – 12:30 MATLAB Problems (S1.02 The Zeller Congruence)
  12:30 - 13:30 Lunch Break
2 Part B 13:30 - 14:30 MATLAB Problems (S1.02 The Zeller Congruence)
(If finished early, start S1.03 Green Screens)
3 14:45 – 17:00 C2.03 - Electromagnetic Interference

Week 20 - Tuesday 12th February

Lab Timetable

Session Times Topic
1 09:15 – 11:15 (EEE,CSE,EESST) Introduction to Assembly Programming (E2.02)
    (IMEE,RE) Mechanism Design Lab- Motor Selection (M2.02)
2 Part A 11:30 – 12:30 MATLAB Problems (S1.03 Green Screens)
  12:30 - 13:30 Lunch Break
2 Part B 13:30 - 14:30 MATLAB Problems (S1.03 Green Screens)
3 14:45 – 17:00 P2.01 - PCB Circuit Simulation

Week 21 - Tuesday 20th February

Lab Timetable

Session Times Topic
1 09:15 – 11:15 (EEE,CSE,EESST) Creating a Stopwatch (E2.03)
    (IMEE,RE) Mechanism Design Lab- Bimetallic Strip (M2.03)
2 Part A 11:30 – 12:30 MATLAB Problems (Your choice: S1.03 Green Screens/S1.04 Decoding Data/S1.05 QR code)
  12:30 - 13:30 Lunch Break
2 Part B 13:30 - 14:30 MATLAB Problems (Your choice: S1.03 Green Screens/S1.04 Decoding Data/S1.05 QR code)
3 14:45 – 17:00 P2.02 - PCB Layout

Week 22 - Tuesday 27th February

Lab Timetable

Session Times Topic
1 09:15 – 11:15 (EEE,CSE,EESST) Creating a Stopwatch (E2.03)
    (IMEE,RE) Mechanism Design Lab- Finalising the design (M2.04)
2 Part A 11:30 – 12:30 Optimising code (S1.06)
  12:30 - 13:30 Lunch Break
2 Part B 13:30 - 14:30 Optimising code (S1.06)
3 14:45 – 17:00 Modular Display Project P3.00 & P3.01

Citations