V is for Volt

is for Volt







The Volt is a unit of measure for electromotive force, electric potential and potential difference and so is a very important part of electronic manufacture. It is usually represented by the symbol V. The name comes from Alessandro Volta who is widely regarded as the inventor of the first chemical battery.

In trying to explain what a volt is, voltage difference is usually compared to water pressure difference in water filled pipes.

U is for Unijunction Transistor

is for Unijunction Transistor






As the name suggests a unijunction transistor is a transistor with just one junction. It was a very popular component used in hobbyist electronic design in the 60s and 70s because it allowed for the easy construction of oscillators. When used of part of a PCB assembly they usually use surface mount construction.

T is for Technology

is for Technology






When it comes to electronic design and engineering the way that technology moves is very important. Advances in the manufacture process of electrical components helps technology evolve. We're beginning to see things that we never would've dreamt of a few years ago making an appearance in electronic design and the sky really is the limit.

S is for Switch

is for Switch

Where electronic design is concerned a switch is a component that can be used to make or break a circuit. A switch may be used to power on or power off a device or divert power elsewhere. They can be manually activated or can be controlled by the level or power flow amongst other automated causes.

R is for Robotics

is for Robotics






A robot is a mechanical or sometimes virtual entity that can perform a set of given tasks independently or with guidance. They are usually mechanical and are driven by belts, hydraulics, DC motors and many other electronic components. They can be programmed to work autonomously or be guided by human intervention.

Today they are used in many industries and there is a concern that as time goes on they could replace humans in many key employment sectors. As well as being tools for industry robots have been created to be helpful in the home, entertaining or to compete in robotics competitions.

Q is for Quality Control

is for Quality Control







Quality control is an important process in many different disciplines, none more so than engineering. Monitoring the quality of the production during the entire electronic manufacture process can ensure a good outcome.

Quality control is more focussed and testing products to check for potential defects rather than quality assurance which is used to rule out these potential problems.

P is for PCB

is for PCB







A PCB (printed circuit board) is a component of electrical engineering that is used to both support and connect other electronic components. They use conductive pathways etched from copper sheets on a non-conductive substrate to pass electricity between components and create circuits.

The methods used in PCBs have been around since the early 20th century and manufacturing process keep improving to make them smaller and more useful.