Common Parts
Many common discrete components such as resisters, capacitors, inductors, op amps, diodes, transistors, etc., and some special parts such as sensors, op amps, microcontrollers, power converters, etc., are available from the EE Department shop (MWAH 189). The Department will also stock up enclosures, pre-drilled boards, wire-wrap sockets, switches, connectors, wires, etc. Please check all available parts.
Students are required to write a Bill-of-Material (BOM) spreadsheet for their project and identify the parts that are available from the EE Department and not available. If the parts are available from the EE shop, please bring your project BOM and request the parts to EE Lab Coordinator, Xiaogang Chen. If some parts are not available from the EE shop, you should follow the procurement steps described next.
Procurement of Special Parts
Funding can come from several sources. If your project is joint with the MIE department, it is likely the funding will come from the company that is working with the team, and most purchasing is done by the MIE department methods. Students may request funds for their project through the Arrowhead IEEE Branch up to $500. A description of the project and a budget are required as part of the presentation to the meeting. The Roy LaBounty grant, through the SCSE, may be found on the SCSE web page - https://scse.d.umn.edu/students/scholarships-awards - and is for $1000. A business plan is required.
Students can get department support as well, please make sure your parts list (which are not available form EE shop) has approval of your faculty project advisor as well as the Department Head. A detailed email is sufficient, starting with your advisor and forwarded to the Department Head. Please make sure to first check and obtain all available parts from the EE shop by consulting with Xiaogang Chen, then ask procurement through the EE Department. Please consult with Shey Peterson in the EE Office or Todd Kochmann, EE Accountant to make purchases. It should be noted that your out-of-pocket purchases will not be reimbursed by the department due to tax issues.