UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS / ECE DESIGN COURSE

ECE 345-SENIOR DESIGN PROJECT LABORATORY

(https://courses.ece.uiuc.edu/ece345/overview.htm)

Table of Contents

1. Getting Started …………………………….. 12. Team Work ………………………………... 63. Lab Notebook ……………………………... 74. Detailed Description of Project Proposal …. 95. Evaluation Sheet for Proposal …………….. 116. Evaluation Sheet for Design Review ……… 127. Evaluation Sheet for Demo ………………... 138. Evaluation Sheet for Presentation …………. 149. General Outline of Written Report ………… 1510. Evaluation Sheet for Final Written Report … 1611. Evaluation Sheet for Teamwork …………… 1712. Grading Scheme …………………………… 1813. Checkout Form …………………………….. 19

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COURSE OVERVIEW (pages 1-5)

Getting Started:

Welcome to ECE 345! If you've looked at the course Calendar, you've probably already noticed that this class is quite different from most other classes in the department. The class only meets as a whole for the first three weeks of the semester. During these class periods you will meet the instructors, get a quick summary of what the class is about, and have a chance to meet other students to share ideas and pick teams. These are three of the most important weeks for the class since the decisions you make then will determine what you'll get out of this class and how much you'll enjoy it.

On the first Wednesday, you will meet the instructors. They will go over the Calendar and discuss some of the resources available to you in this class. You'll also get a chance to hear project ideas from visiting faculty members, industry contacts, and your own classmates. Time is left at the end for dividing up into smaller groups of people with similar interests, where project ideas can be shared and potential partners can be found.

Throughout the following week, take advantage of the Discussion Board to find teammates and share ideas.

Forming Teams / BrainstormingDuring the second Wednesday class session, additional resources will be discussed, new project opportunities may be presented, and the Project Proposal will be described in more detail. Plenty of time will be left at the end for forming your teams of 2-3 people and discussing your project idea with teammates and the instructors if you haven't already done so. By the end of this class, you should have a team and a reasonable idea of what you want to do for a project.

Submitting an Initial IdeaBy the end of the second week of class, you will need to submit a Request For Approval (RFA) for your team's initial project idea. This is done on the Discussion Board, and should include the following information:

NAMES and NETIDs of all team members The letters "RFA:" at the beginning of the Subject line (so the instructor knows which ideas are posted for final approval) A TITLE for your project A brief (< 250 words) DESCRIPTION of your project idea and why it is worth doing

Getting ApprovalIf the Instructor thinks your idea is reasonable and hasn't been done previously in the class, your project will be approved. The Instructor may provide feedback on your idea, or suggested changes in the scope of the project and ask you to re-submit an RFA. Once the Instructor has approved the project idea, you will be assigned a project number in the Projects list, a TA and a locker in the lab. Once you're approved, please go to the Projects page, log into the PACE system, and update your Project Information with your

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name, your project info, and any other useful information. This will earn your first points in the class!

Week ThreeThe third Wednesday will provide a broader overview of the class. The Design Review will be discussed in detail, and the engineering process will be presented. By this point, everyone should have a project approved, and should be ready to get working! At this time, you'll need to log into PACE and submit your schedule for the semester. NOTE: Please be sure to make this as accurate as possible since once it's submitted, it can't be changed!

Meeting with Your TAOnce each person on your team has submitted his or her schedule, your TA will be able to easily check for available times to schedule a weekly meeting. Your TA should contact you, usually by the fourth week, via email, to set up a weekly meeting schedule at mutual convenience. These meetings will continue throughout the entire semester until demonstrations are completed.

Your TA is your project manager. The "homework" of the course consists of preparing for the weekly meetings. Preparation is evaluated through the Teamwork [page 6]and Lab Notebook[page 7,8] scores. Your TA will evaluate your lab notebook each week, provide feedback, and recommend improvements. Questions will be answered or else referred to someone who can help. At the meetings you will discuss work completed the previous week, planned work for the upcoming week, questions about course procedures or technical problems, or obtaining parts. If you can't make it to a particular weekly meeting, it is your responsibility to inform your TA and set up an alternative time.

The Project ProposalThe basic purpose of the Project Proposal is to "sell" your idea to your manager, or in this case, your instructors. It should outline the product features and benefits to the end customer, and give a general design overview, including the performance specifications the project will meet and your plan for meeting these objectives. It is also important to provide a schedule showing the division of labor between team members and the sequence in which work will be completed. This Proposal will be the first major deliverable for your project, and should be uploaded to your Project Page using PACE before the deadline.

Detailed Description of Project Proposal [page 9,10] Evaluation sheet for Proposal [page 11]

Ordering PartsAs soon as you know which parts you'll need for your design, it's a good idea to start acquiring them. There are a few ways to do this, depending on what you need.

The ECE Parts Shop maintains a stock of around 8000 basic electronic parts, including standard resistors, capacitors, small switches, IC sockets, and many IC's. These are supplied free of charge. We also have a miscellaneous inventory of parts in the lab, available for use. Additionally, a limited number of special purchases can be made by

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your TA on behalf of a project. Finally, external parties sometimes provide parts or funds for individual projects through grants and the Partners Program. If available, these will be announced at the first class meeting. It also doesn't hurt to ask companies for free samples of parts, as many are willing to give parts to help poor college students finish their senior projects!

If the team purchases the major parts for a project with their own funds they may keep the project as personal property.

NOTE: It is not necessary to purchase anything personally, if the project is not to be kept as personal property. This way financial resources of individuals do not become an obstacle to choice of projects or opportunity for a good grade.

The Design ReviewThe Design Review, held in the sixth week of the semester, is the paper creation of the project. By this point, the entire project should be planned out in enough detail that it could be passed on to another engineer for implementation. There is no single written document needed for the Design Review: Instead, it is led as a board meeting with fellow engineers (in this case, faculty, staff and a student peer review team). The following should be brought to the Design Review:

Detailed design schematics with part numbers (flow charts for software) Preliminary simulation results (preliminary testing or user interface for software) Detailed Schedule, clearly showing the division of labor Parts list with data sheets Ordering status of parts (many should be in hand already, with the rest in transit) (Note for Power projects: No simulations are necessary; instead, bring thorough calculations supporting your design)

Other useful things to bring, if applicable, are mechanical drawings with measurements, mathematical calculations, and samples of unusual parts.

The Design Review is not a demo: We are looking for an understanding of the design. There is no need to bring written text to the Design Review. It is an informal event where you will briefly overview your project and then engage in an open discussion. We are looking for as many pictures as possible to quickly illustrate your design. Many of these pictures can be reused later in the semester with the Demo, Presentation, and Final Paper.

Sign-up for the Design Review is handled through the PACE system, and will be opened approximately one week in advance of the reviews. Please also remember to sign up for a peer review of another group.

Evaluation Sheet for the Design Review [page 12]

Mock-up DemosThe Mock-up demo is an informal event held with your TA during your weekly meeting. No score is directly attached to this demo, but adequate progress is critical if the project

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is to be completed on time. At this point, the major sub-systems should have been constructed, but perhaps not yet integrated or tested. These sub-systems correspond to the blocks outlined in the Project Proposal. Progress on the project is recorded by the TA with students' input. This record serves as a safety net in case the project stops functioning shortly before the demo, so it is in your best interests to have as much to show as possible.

The Final DemoThe Final Demonstration is the single most important measure of your project. Test results outlined in the Proposal should be documented and available for inspection. The design team should be ready to justify their design decisions and discuss any technical aspect of the project or its performance. Quantitative results are expected wherever applicable.

The evaluation is much like for the Design Review, but here there is more weight on the issue of completion, testing, and reliable operation.

For a full score on the Final Demo, show the following:

Completion: The project has been entirely completed. Thoroughness: Care and attention to detail are evident in construction and layout. Performance: Performance is completely verified, and operation is reliable. Understanding: Everyone on the project team must must be able to demonstrate understanding of their technical work and show that all members have contributed significantly. Sign-up for a demo time is handled through the PACE system, much like the Design Review. Again, remember to sign up for a peer review.

Evaluation Sheet for the Demo [page 13]

The PresentationPresentations of the projects are given a few days after the Final Demo to an audience of fellow student reviewers, the lab instructors, and occasional faculty who are following up a project of personal interest to them.

Each project has 25 minutes for a Powerpoint presentation and questions. All group members must speak and be ready to answer questions. Individual grades are given, and everyone in the audience participates in the grading. Talks are judged on the basis of presentation technique and of technical organization and content.

Points of technique include dress, use of display materials and their design for readability, clarity of speech, absence of annoying mannerisms, proper eye contact with audience and smooth transitions between speakers. Content is judged on use of a proper introduction, orderly and connected development of ideas, absence of unnecessary details, proper pacing to stay within the allotted time, and an adequate summary at the close of the talk. Quantitative results are expected whenever applicable. Here is a general outline to follow:

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Introduction Objective Review Original Design Describe project build and functional tests Discuss successes and challenges Other tests Recommendations Sign-up is just like that for the Design Review and Demo.

Evaluation Sheet for the Presentation [page 14]

The Written ReportThe Final Report is held to professional standards of language and format, and is evaluated by the people who check Master's Theses for the Department. It is also evaluated for technical content and organization by your instructors. Quantitative results are expected wherever applicable. The Final Written Report is submitted to the web site through PACE, just like the Project Proposals. Check the links below for detailed instructions on how to write it and what to include:

General Outline of Written Report [page 15] Final Report Guidelines (PDF file) Microsoft Word template file (DOT file) General Department Writing Guidelines Fall 1998 (PDF file) Evaluation Sheet for Final Written Report [page 16]

Teamwork Evaluation Sheet [page 17]

Grading Scheme [page 18]

Checkout / PizzaCheckout Day usually follows a day or two after Final Reports and Lab Notebooks have been turned in. You'll need to return all your major parts to your TA and make sure nothing is missing from your lab kit before you can get a grade in the class. After Checkout, a short Awards ceremony will be held to honor those who, in the instructors' opinions, have managed to do exemplary projects during the semester. Immediately afterwards, you're all welcome to celebrate your project completion with free pizza and pop with the rest of you classmates!

Checkout Form [page 19](to be signed by TA before grade will be awarded)

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TEAMWORK

The teamwork grade is a subjective score that will be awarded at the end of the semester according the criteria below. Partner evaluations may be emailed at the end of the semester to help determine this score.

Contributed to design, implementation, and debugging of project Participated equally with teammates in Design Review, Demo, and Presentation Regularly made contact with TA Conducted his or her self in a professional manner Participated in Class Discussion Completed Checkout procedures (checkout form)

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LAB NOTEBOOK

OverviewThe Lab Notebook is a session-by-session record of what individuals do as a member of the project team at each step of the design, construction, and testing of the project, and it is updated whenever project work is done. Most research and development work in industry will require keeping a similar log. It enables you and/or others to pick up the thread of your past work and carry it forward and serves as a legal record supporting patent claims.

The book should show entries made at or shortly after every working session.

In the context of this course, the notebook additionally serves as documentation of progress. It is often referred to when project demos are not successful. Finally, past students that have attempted to obtain patents find that this notebook is the crucial piece of information for proving their work.

Instructors should see that each partner is individually carrying an important part of the design effort. Freely referring to the work of team mates is encouraged, but identical notebooks should not be turned in.

To stress the importance of keeping track of your progress, your TA will be checking your notebook at every weekly meeting, and notebook grades will be determined on a weekly basis.

The BookAny notebook with permanent bindings designed for laboratory record-keeping is acceptable. Those with pre-numbered pages are preferred. Ideally, it should have graph rulings on alternate pages, or else quarter-inch square grid on all pages. For the purposes of this class, we will accept normal spiral-bound notebooks, but keep in mind that these are not permissible in court since pages can be easily replaced.

We will allow you to keep your notebook on a computer, but entries will still need to be printed out and attached to a physical notebook for weekly meetings. Keep in mind also that it may be easier in the long run to scratch out rough graphs and equations on paper, so try to plan ahead. If you know you'll have a lot of graphs, equations, etc., don't make more work for yourself than you need to. Do NOT email your notebook entries to your TA unless he or she specifically requests that you do so.

Notebook entriesEach complete entry should include:

1) Date 2) Brief statement of objectives for that session 3) Record of what was done

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The record will include equations, diagrams, and figures. These should be numbered for reference in the narrative portion of the book. Written entries and equations should appear on the right-hand page of each pair.

Drawn figures, diagrams, and photocopies extracted from published sources should be placed on the left-hand side, which is graph-ruled. All separate documents should be permanently attached to the notebook.

Overall, the book should contain a record that is clear and complete, so that someone else can follow progress, understand problems, and understand decisions that were made in designing and executing the project.

What to include A copy of your project proposal. Bibliographic references for any materials that are used as sources. Many of these references will be needed in the written report, later. Diagrams, schematic and/or block, for any hardware which is to be tested. There should be an accompanying discussion explaining the principle design problems and decisions. Proposed tests should be mentioned here, too. Equations and formulas used in the design process, along with a reference to their sources. If derived by you, sketch enough of the development so that someone can follow the idea from your notes. Documentation of the testing and debugging process. I.e., notes of what is being checked, test set-up diagrams, and non-routine results. Difficulties should be noted with particular care. It is wise to note anything of any conceivable importance when dealing with debugging problems. Test-signal amplitudes, waveforms, frequencies, modulation types and amounts, test connections, meter scale settings and readings, sketches or printouts of waveforms from precisely identified points in the circuit, and power supply values, are examples. Analysis of, and proposed solutions for, any debugging problems. Include all revisions of diagrams and test setups and any new equations, etc. Documentation of the new tests, as before. Documentation of final performance tests and design verification. Topic outlines for oral and/or written reports can reasonably be included.

There is always something to record:

Suppose you are only 'kicking around' design ideas for the project with someone, or scanning library sources. Your objective is what you're hoping to find. The record shows what you found or what you decided and why, even if it isn't final.

One of the most common errors is to fail to record these seemingly 'unimportant' activities.

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THE PROJECT PROPOSAL

The proposal outlines the product's benefit to the end customer, the product features, a design overview, the performance specifications the project will meet, and your plan for meeting these project objectives. The plan will show the sequence in which work will be completed, and it will show how work will be shared between the team members.

Below are the items that should be discussed. An appropriate length is approximately five pages.

I. Introduction

Title: Include the project title, and a statement describing why you've selected the project you have, and why you're excited about doing it. Objectives: Describe the project goals and intended functions. Include a bulleted list of benefits to the end customer (e.g. "able to stay in touch with friends and co-workers through email access from anywhere in the world"), and a bulleted list of product features (e.g. "email sending / receiving, email forwarding, 10 MB storage, fetches email from a POP account, sends attachments). II. Design

Block Diagram: Draw a general block diagram of the design ("general" means probably around 5 blocks). Each block should be as modular as possible. In other words, they can be implemented independently and re-assembled later. Block Descriptions: Describe the function of each block briefly, and explain how it contributes to the overall design and feature list above. Include a discussion of the interface with other blocks. Performance Requirement: Specify a performance requirement of the finished project based on the benefits and features listed above (e.g. 100 ft transmitter range, < 100ms response delay, etc.) Special Circuit: If your project does not contain hardware, indicate that you will be performing design of the special circuit. III. Verification

Testing Procedures: Outline the test procedures and the resulting tables, graphs, and measured values that will assess the project's performance (e.g. "will determine transmission distance by moving transmitter away from receiver until S/N ratio reaches x", show graph or table of S/N vs. distance). Tolerance Analysis: As part of your project, describe one engineering component or sub-system that most affects the performance of the project. Later on, you will test this component at extremes and include the results in your notebook and final report. For example: "To perform within a clock frequency specification, Resistor A must be 5K ohms, ±10%, in order for the circuit to perform within specification." Then demonstrate by testing the circuit at the resistor extremes and recording these results in your notebook. You are to choose any condition in your circuit that has an affect on this signal. Determine the tolerance of this input that maintains operation of your device or causes the affected signal to remain within tolerance. Be sure to include both tolerance extremes

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in your report, as well as any insights you may have gained while performing this analysis.

Include the results as part of your final written report, although it can be done at any point in the semester. Early in the semester, start determining which signals are most important to your design, as it will help later on in your design cycle.

IV. Cost and Schedule

Cost Analysis: Include a cost analysis of the project by following the outline below. Include a list of any non-standard parts, lab equipment, shop services, etc., which will be needed with an estimated cost for each.

COST:(LABOR) For each partner in the project:Assume your dream salary ($/hour) x 2.5 x hours to complete = TOTALThen total Labor for all partners.

(PARTS)Sum planned (Engineering Estimate) parts cost

GRAND TOTAL = LABOR + PARTS

Schedule: Include a time-table showing when each step in the expected sequence of design and construction work will be completed (general, by week), and how the tasks will be shared between the team members. (i.e. Select architecture, Design this, Design that, Buy parts, Assemble this, Assemble that, Prepare mock-up, Integrate prototype, Refine prototype, Test integrated system). NOTE: Actual COSTS and SCHEDULE will be part of your Final Report. Keep a log of cost and schedule in your notebook.

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ECE345 Design Review Semester ________ Project No._________

Students Presenting_________________________________________________

Student Review Team No. ________Person Reviewing__________________________________________________

30 Point Total Available for Presenting Team, (Reviewers-Please comment and score the presenting team below, and give to the TA present)

Detailed design schematic & preliminary simulation results(Total Possible – 12) _______

Status of parts and detailed schedule(Total Possible – 8) _______

Team’s knowledge of design(Total Possible – 10) _______

Total points (Total Possible – 30) _______

The following should be brought to the Design Review:

1. Detailed schematic with part numbers (or detailed flow diagrams for software projects)

2. Preliminary simulation results (or mock-up user interface for software projects)3. Parts list with data sheets and ordering status4. Detailed project schedule, showing the division of labor

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ECE345 Demonstration Review Semester _________ Project No. ____

Students Presenting: 1 ________________, 2 ________________, 3 _______________

Student Review Team No. ________Person Reviewing _______________________________________________________

Reviewers: Please comment and score the presenting team and give to the TA present.

1) Functionality- Project worked as specified in the Design Review.- If it didn't work, was there a good engineering explanation?

(Maximum - 15) __________2) Tests/MeasurementsList the tests/measurements specified in this Demo.(Such as: 1. SNR, 2. Efficiency, 3. Temperature, 4. EMI., 5. Gain, etc.)

(Maximum - 15) __________

3) Teams knowledge of project, problems, solutions Excellent Good Fair Very poor

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

(Maximum - 10) __________

4) Complexity of project?Complex Simple

5 4 3 2 1(Maximum - 5) __________

5) Clarity/professionalism of demoClear/Professional Chaotic/Confusing

5 4 3 2 1(Maximum - 5) __________

Total Points (Maximum - 50) __________

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ECE 345 Formal Presentation Evaluation

Presenting Team #

Speaker’s Name 1

2

3

Instructions: Score each speaker separately Score all seven categories Attire is for reference only, do not include in the total

Presentation Scoring Criteria Max Possible

Speaker 1

Speaker 2

Speaker 3

Attire Professional 4

Manner Voice, eye contact, gestures, believability 4

Planning Introduction, summary, relevance, transitions 4

Engineering Explanation of design and fabrication 7

Test Testing procedures and input test data 4

Performance Results - plots, charts and analysis 7

Questions Relevance of answers, clarity, competence 4

Total 30

Comments

1

2

3

Reviewer’s Name:________________________________ Reviewer Team # ________

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General Outline - Final Report:

Final Written ReportThe Final Report is held to professional standards of language and format, and is evaluated by the people who check Master's Theses for the Department. It is also evaluated for technical content and organization by the lab instructors. Quantitative results are expected wherever applicable. Below is an outline of content to include. More detailed instructions can also be found in the following files:

Final Report Guidelines (PDF file – attachment #6) General Department Writing Guidelines Fall 1998 (PDF file – not included) Microsoft Word Template File (DOT file – not included)

General OutlineI. Introduction

Purpose / usefulness of project Project functions Blocks / Subprojects II. Design

General design alternatives Equations / Simulations / General Circuits Detailed description of design Schematics with components / Drawings / Flow diagrams III. Verification

Testing procedure Functional testing Quantitative results / Graphs / Measurements IV. Costs

List of parts and equipment needed Parts + (ideal salary (hourly rate) ´ actual hours spent ´ 2.5) V. Conclusion

Accomplishments Uncertainties Future Work / Alternatives

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Project# _______________ Semester _________________

Final Report Evaluation Sheet

Introduction

Purpose / usefulness of project _____ / 1

Project functions _____ / 1

Blocks / Subprojects _____ / 3

Design

General design alternatives _____ / 1

Equations / Simulations / General Circuits _____ / 1

Detailed description of design _____ / 2

Schematics with components / Diagrams _____ / 2

Verification

Testing procedure _____ / 1

Functional testing _____ / 2

Quantitative Results / Graphs / Measurements _____ / 2

Costs

Parts + (ideal salary (hourly rate) actual hours spent 2.5) _____ / 1

Conclusion

Accomplishments _____ / 1

Uncertainties _____ / 1

Future Work / Alternatives _____ / 1

Total _____ / 20

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Project# _________ Partner Name: ________________________

Teamwork Evaluation Sheet

Involved in design, implementation, and debugging of project _____ / 10

Balanced participation in Design Review, Demo, and Presentation _____ / 4

Regularly made contact with TA _____ / 4

Professional conduct _____ / 4

Class Participation _____ / 4

Checkout Form submitted _____ / 4

Total _____ / 30

Project# _________ Partner Name: ________________________

Teamwork Evaluation Sheet

Involved in design, implementation, and debugging of project _____ / 10

Balanced participation in Design Review, Demo, and Presentation _____ / 4

Regularly made contact with TA _____ / 4

Professional conduct _____ / 4

Class Participation _____ / 4

Checkout Form submitted _____ / 4

Total _____ / 30

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Grading SchemeSee the above links for detailed descriptions of the Proposal, Final Report, Lab Notebooks, and Teamwork.Note: There is a 25% penalty for any late submissions.

Item Team / Individual Score Points Evaluation

Sheet**

Initial Idea/Project Page Team 5 N/AProposal Team 25 WordDesign Review* Team 30 WordDemonstration (Informal)* Team 50 WordPresentation (Formal)* Individual 30 WordLab Notebook Individual 20 WordFinal Report : Technical

English/FormatTeamTeam

2020

WordWord

Teamwork Individual 30 WordCheckout Team N/A Word

----Total ~2/3 Team, ~1/3 Individual 230* Note: Grades for these will be the average of the TA and Instructor grades; peer review grades will be used to provide feedback.** Evaluation Sheets are subject to minor changes.

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ECE345 Check-out Form

Clean out LockerReturn kit in same condition as receivedRemove bent wiresMark bad breadboards

Return Equipment (if applicable)

Extra breadboardsPower breadboardsMicrocontrollersDSP boardsGPS kitsLinx setsSolar panelsRC cars

Return Parts (if applicable)

Working IcsElectrolytic capacitorsRF connectors

Update Project Page

NamesSummaryProposalPresentation slidesFinal PaperProject Picture (optional)Video (optional)Appendix – Include code, board layouts, etc.Delete extra files

___________________________ _________________________Project #Project Title TA Signature

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