An electronics manufacturing minor in engineering with emphasis on rapid prototyping

This paper describes an Electronics Manufacturing curriculum development project at Penn State. This pilot project is intended to enhance the design and practical experiences of undergraduate engineering students by combining the resources of the Electrical Engineering Department, the Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering Department, and the Center for Electronic Design, Communications, and Computing (CEDCC). The EE Department curriculum and laboratories support electronic circuit design and microelectronic processing, while the IE Department has significant expertise and laboratory facilities in printed circuit board assembly with a strong emphasis on surface mount technology processes. The Center for Electronic Design, Communications, and Compacting (CEDCC) has in place a supporting infrastructure for rapid electronic system design and prototyping which complements both the EE and IE department programs.