This project is developing a state-of-the-art, interdisciplinary undergraduate laboratory component for an existing three-credit course, "Design and Manufacture of Printed Circuit Assemblies." Previously, student hands-on experiences had been limited to simulations with APTOS software, without a more meaningful laboratory experience needed for students to be better prepared for careers in this area. The course, with its new lab component, is intended for seniors in electrical engineering and mechanical engineering, and design projects are formulated so that students are able to focus on aspects that are commensurate with their major. Students fabricate their designs immediately at the Electronic Manufacturing Productivity Facility and test and evaluate their products in the new laboratory. Major equipment purchased for this laboratory includes six Sun SPARCstations, a networkable PADS-PERFORM CAD system for UNIX-based workstations, and a color plotter. This equipment is used for the layout design and analysis of surface mount printed circuit assemblies. Additional equipment includes two function generators, two digital storage oscilloscopes, and two logic analyzers used for testing the final products. This project is significant because it brings the theoretical study, laboratory design, and real product manufacturing of surface-mount printed circuit assemblies as a whole to undergraduate education. In addition, it provides a model for the cooperation of educational institutions and manufacturing companies to provide state-of-the-art technical training for senior students, and emphasizes interdisciplinary group work for students from different disciplines.
