Electronics Technology
Electronics Technology
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Electronics.pdfProgram Description
Program Description
Pathfinder's Electronics/Robotics Technology Program is based on the exposure, comprehension, and application of engineering and technical principles fundamental to electronics technology in industry. Students are provided the opportunity and motivation to prepare for entry level employment and post-secondary education in the dynamic and challenging field of Electronics. Students will develop both theoretical and practical skills through a planned sequence of topics. Students work in a contemporary technical shop area/lab facility complete with powered work benches, computer work stations, and state-of-the art testing and measuring equipment.
In addition, students receive instruction in robotic principles, including, but not limited to the conceptualizing and application of gears, sensors, and programmable controllers. VEX robotic components are utilized to not only learn and apply these skills in the shop area, but students will also have the opportunity to join our extra-curricular robotics club. The club is comprised of multiple teams that design, build, and program a robot to enter and compete in local and regional VEX competitions.
Grade Focus
Grade Focus
9th Grade:
- Electronics assembly skills focused on soldering & de-soldering, Protoboarding, wire crimping, and mechanical assembly/dis-assembly using basic hand tools.
- Introduction to electronics theory and laws such as Ohms law, Kirchoffs law and Watts law.
- Component identification, resistor color code, schematic diagram reading and creating.
- Basic DC circuits. Series, parallel and combination circuits, capacitors.
- Magnetism theory and how it applies to electronics through electric motors and relays.
10th Grade:
- Review of all DC circuit basics and introduction to AC theory. Sine waves - calculate amplitude and frequency. Oscilloscope use. Inductors, capacitors, transformers.
- Introduction to semiconductor theory and devices. Diodes, voltage regulators, bipolar transistors, silicon controlled rectifiers. Electro-static dissipation (ESD).
- Power supply fundamentals. Half wave, full wave, and bridge rectifiers. Filter and voltage regulator circuits. Thermal management of semi-conductors (heat sinks).
- Capstone project consisting of constructing a fully functional, lab quality power supply.
11th Grade:
- Transistor biasing configurations. Small and large signal amplifiers. Field effect transistors (FETs)
- Basic logic gates, timers, flip flops, and counters. Introduction to Arduino micro-controllers
- Surface mount technology. Hand soldering of components, re-work, inspection criteria, component numbering codes.
- Operational amplifiers, fiber optics, oscillators, programmable logic controllers (PLCs)
- Radio basics and AM/FM radio construction.
12th Grade:
- Advanced digital logic circuits. Shift registers, adders, subtractors, arithmetic logic units, multiplexors, analog to digital (ADC) and digital to analog (DAC) converters.
- Advanced Arduino micro-controller circuits and programming.
- Advanced Op Amp circuits. Inverting, Non-inverting, Intigrators, differentiators, summing, active filters, high pass, low pass, band pass, band reject.
- Senior design project. Students select a subject of their choice in September and create a project and report that is presented in May.
Hands on Projects
Hands on Projects
- Analog Multimeter
- Regulated variable DC power supply
- Wireless Bluetooth amplified stereo speaker
- LED color organ
- Fiber optic communicator
- Programmable 3D LED cube
- AM/FM radio
- Digital Multimeter
- Junior project of students choice
- Senior project of students choice
Electronics Faculty
Electronics Faculty
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