Projects

Innovatia projects are accessible by Innovatia Assistants who voluntarily collaborate with Innovatia on development and design. Projects are categorized as follows.

Series

Program

200

Measurement Instruments

400

Power Conversion

600

Motion Systems

800

Robotics

Build a low-cost curve tracer, the TPA202

The TPA202 prototype (shown above) has been completed and meets specifications. Join the project by requesting a copy of the TPA202 Manual showing how to build one, and measure transistor beta and other parameters. This is a simple non-microcontroller instrument with only one trimpot adjustment. It has an accuracy of 1 to 3 %, depending on your choice of op-amps. It has INPut and OUTput ports and a DVM that measures the voltages and currents at each port. Output-port voltage (VCE) is 35 V full-scale and the current (IB) range of both ports is 100nA fs to 100 mA fs.

The TPA202 is a good introduction to two-port analyzer (TPA) circuits and design considerations. It results in a quite useful bench measurement instrument. Assistants, make a request if you want a circuit-board and you will be notified when they are available.

Build a Floating Differential Source: a dual source unit

Measures amplifier common-mode rejection 

Floating source offset by grounded source

  

The Floating Differential Source (FDS) consists of two voltage sources and a current source. They can be configured in the two modes, as shown above or made independent. The FDS is a single-board instrument, uses an Atmel AVR microcontroller, and has two custom magnetic transductors in its power supply. The supply is like that of other kinds of two-port analyzers, with multiple floating sources. The FDS has a built-in 4-digit (12500 count) DVM that is used to set output voltages from the common-mode (grounded) and floating sources. The FDS can also be controlled through its serial port. It has a typical common-mode rejection of over 4 decades (80 dB). FDS construction cost is about $100 US. Input power is 12 V dc, 1 A. 

The FDS is the forerunner of the dual SMU TPA, the TPA204, which adds current-sense circuits to the FDS.

Assistants, join the project to build your own FDS; request FDS or TPA204 "manual", or both. The TPA204 is still in development and the latest circuit diagram is available. Assistants interested in the TPA204 should request both FDS and TPA204 (counted as one project) and compare circuits.

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