CVEL COURSES

Vehicular Electronics Courses at Clemson

Introduction to Automotive Electronic Systems
This course provides an overview of the primary electronic systems found in automotive designs including critical systems such as power train control, steering and braking as well as emissions control, navigation, driver interface, entertainment and communication systems. The course covers automotive communication networks and protocols, power distribution and hybrid system controls. Students will learn to use on-board diagnostics to communicate with the electronic systems in an automobile and extract essential engine performance information. The course also reviews trends in automotive electronics as well as issues (such as cost, reliability and systems integration) that are driving the industry.

Automotive Electronic Design
The automotive environment presents unique challenges for electronic design engineers. Wide temperature variations, power line transients, cable harness crosstalk, electromagnetic radiation and mechanical vibration are among the many issues that must be considered during the design process. Cost, weight and reliability requirements are also important factors. This course reviews these challenges and discusses techniques for developing low-cost, reliable automotive electronic designs. Topics presented include circuit board layout, component selection, electronic packaging, grounding, filtering, and shielding for automotive applications.

Grounding and Shielding
An introduction to electromagnetic compatibility concepts and techniques for students who will be designing or working with electronic systems when they graduate. Topics include electromagnetic interference and noise control, crosstalk and signal integrity, grounding, filtering, shielding, circuit board layout, lightning and electrostatic discharge protection.

The courses above are part of the new Automotive Engineering graduate degree program at Clemson.

Continuing Education Video Course

EMC Principles Video Course, 2nd ed.
The EMC Principles 2nd Ed. consists of 36 fifty-minute video-taped lectures (total of 9 DVDs), addressing electromagnetic interference and noise control, crosstalk and signal integrity, grounding, filtering, shielding, circuit board layout, lightning and electrostatic discharge protection. The video course is administered by the Department of Distance and Continuing Education at the University of Missouri-Rolla (recently renamed the Missouri University of Science and Technology) and taught by Clemson University's Prof. Todd Hubing.

Continuing Education Short Courses

The following short courses are taught periodically at locations around the world. Follow the links below for more information on dates and places. Arrangements can also be made to bring these courses to specific locations for in-house presentations at companies or events.

Essential Grounding and Shielding Concepts for System Design (1 day)
This one day training session covers proper grounding, filtering and shielding techniques for electronic systems. Students completing the course will be able to develop effective strategies for ensuring the electromagnetic compatibility of new products as well as troubleshoot and fix many problems occurring in existing systems.

Printed Circuit Board Layout for EMC and Signal Integrity (1 day)
This one day training session on the design and layout of high speed printed circuit boards stresses the fundamental concepts that board designers need to be familiar with to avoid electromagnetic compatibility and signal integrity problems. Students completing the course will be able to make good decisions regarding component selection, component placement, and trace routing. In addition, students will be able to design effective power distribution and grounding strategies.

Automotive Printed Circuit Board Layout (1/2 day)
This course focuses on board design and layout issues that are of particular importance to the automotive electronics industry. Component placement, trace routing, power distribution and grounding are discussed with an emphasis on automotive applications. Particular emphasis is placed on effective design strategies that comply with requirements to isolate digital and chassis grounds.

Signal Integrity in High-Speed Digital Systems (1 day)
This course introduces fundamental signal integrity concepts. Students will develop the basic skills necessary to design and analyze high-speed digital circuits. Topics include, time/frequency domain representations of digital signals, parasitic inductance and capacitance, crosstalk, properties of digital logic, component packaging, circuit board layout, transmission lines, high-frequency measurement techniques, differential signaling, simultaneous switching noise, power bus decoupling, dispersion, jitter, signal termination strategies and grounding for mixed-signal applications.

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