ProServicem a g a z i n e

[webedition]The Journal of NESDA and ISCET Vol. XXXIV, No. 6 • Dec. 2008

...From Your NESDA & ISCET Staff!THIS ISSUE INCLUDES:

messages from, NESDA President — Dave Thomas, CSM/MST pg. 3Industry Legend Walt Herrin EHF Retires pg. 4Passing Parade - by Ed Clingman pgs. 10-11

Understanding OP-AMP Circuitry - by Andre Smalling CET pg. 16-17

ProService - December 2008 2

This Month:

Calendar:

Corporate Members:

Advertisers:

ProServiceAn official journal of the

National Electronics Service Dealers Association and The International Society of Cer-tified Electronics Technicians.

Purpose:ProService Magazine is

published by the National Electronics Service Dealers Assn., 3608 Pershing Ave., Ft. Worth, TX 76107. It is intended for the enlighten-ment, education and en-tertainment of members of NESDA and ISCET.

With the exception of official announcements, the statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the associations.

Business & Editorial Offices:

3608 Pershing Ave., Ft. Worth, TX 76107

817.921.9061Fax 817.921.3741www.nesda.comwww.iscet.org

Executive Director: Mack BlakelyDirector of

Communications: Sheila Fredricksonsheila@nesda.comGraphic Designer/Associate Editor:

James Keeslerjames@nesda.com

Submit articles to:Editor@nesda.com

Copyright:Copyright © 2008 by NESDA, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be repro-duced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from NESDA.

ATTENTION READERS:ProService Magazine is

now an ONLINE publication that can be found only at www.nesda.com, except for the April and August issues.

ACME Enterprises of OrlandoAFFINA Amtrust

Asset GenieB&D Enterprises

Best Buy Company, Inc.Blue Raven Technology

CE Interactive, Inc.Choice Electronics

Computer Systems Integrators, Inc. DBL Distributing

Discount-Merchant.comDLPLampSource

Eagle Distributors, LLCElectrified Discounters

ElectronicycleEncompass Group Affiliates Inc

Euras Technologies, LLC Federal Warranty Corporation

Funai CorporationGlobal Consumer ConnexionsGlobal Electronic Supplies Inc.

Global Warranty Group HCT Korea Co., LTD Herman Electronics

Hitachi America, LTD/Home Electronics Division

Howard ElectronicsHong Video Technology

IMR Sector Council International Light Technologies JVC Service & Engineering Co.

KeyPrestige, Inc.Lighting Technologies International

Marsh ConsumerConnexionsMCM Electronics

MIT-Andrews ElectronicsMicro Product

Distributors, Inc.Mitsubishi Digital Electronics

MPCNational Service Alliance

N.E.W.NVC Direct

Onkyo U.S.A. Corporation PacParts

Partsearch Technologies Philips Consumer ElectronicsPhilips Lighting TechnologiesPioneer Electronics Svc. Inc.

PlusOne SolutionsPrelco Electronics USA, Inc.Prism Pointe TechnologiesProfessional Lamps, Inc.

Professional Service Solutions, LLC PTS Electronics

QualxservSams Technical Publishing

SamsungSanyo Fisher

Service CompanySencore, Inc. ServiceBenchServiceNet

ServicePower FieldService Solutions Service Software

Sharp Electronics, Inc.ShopJimmy.comSignal Holdings

Sony Service CompanyTeleDynamics

The Warranty GroupThomson Inc.

Toshiba AmericaConsumer Products, LLC Tri-State Module, Inc.

Tritronics, Inc.TVRepairMan.comUnion Electronics

WarrantechWarranty Corporation of America

(WaCA) ZSL, Inc.

Send your calendar items to: Editor@nesda.com

2009 International Consumer Electronics ShowLas Vegas Convention CenterLas Vegas, NV January 8-11, 2009NESDA Winter Meetings January 12-13 OPEA’s 49th Western Regional ConventionHood River Inn, Hood River, Oregon (Thursday-Sunday)The Inn is on the banks of the Columbia River in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge at the northern foot of Mount Hood.503-284-4279March 12-15, 2009 2009 National Professional Service Convention& Professional Service Trade ShowHyatt Regency Union StationSt. Louis, MO Convention: August 3-7, 2009Trade Show: August 5-6, 2009

More Flat Panels, Better Profits?NESDA President’s Message,by Dave Thomas, CSM/MST ............................ 3

Industry Legend Walt Herrin EHF Retiresby Sheila Fredrickson ..................................... 4

New NESDA Members ................................ 6

Encompass Group Affiliates Inc News Release ............................................. 7

The Passing Paradeby Ed Clingman .......................................10-11

The Future Belongs To Those Who Prepareby Dan Mundy CET/CSM/MST ..................11, 14

Count That Day Lost Whose Low Descending Sun Finds Prices Shot To Hell And Business Done For Fun!by Ed Clingman ............................................15

Understanding OP-AMP Circuitryby Andre Smalling CET .............................16-17

ISCET’s Quest For Improvementby David J. Bates CET, A+ .............................18

To contact YOUR NESDA Board of Directors, use one of the following: 1. If you are a NESDAnet subscriber, send an e-mail to the Discuss List (discuss@nesdanetmail.com) from your subscribed e-mail address 2. Brief contact information available on page 6 of ProService Directory & Yearbook 3. Complete contact information at www.nesda.com under the drop down heading “Servicers” then “Board Of Directors”

CDA Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Cyber Cove Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Encompass Group Affiliates Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Back CoverMTI-Andrews. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5PAC Parts, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Partsearch Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Philips Lighting Technologies Intl. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Projector Doctor Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6PTS Electronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8ShopJimmy.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13The Buying Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

3 ProService - December 2008

Dave Thomas, CSM/MST • NESDA President

NESDA President’s Message

MORE FLAT PANELS, BETTER PROFITS?

“The Spare Parts Data-base is a great oppor-tunity to sell out these parts and potentially help another mem-ber save a repair that might have otherwise been lost. The process to list the part into the database takes less than 30 seconds.”

“One way we can im-prove our productiv-ity is to challenge our-selves to improve our skills. This could in-clude technical training available at regional events held at various times of the year or at the NESDA conven-tion held this July in St. Louis, Missouri.”

f the economy predictions hold true for 2009 and the economy weakens, the ser-vice business should prosper. Generally in a

weak economy, the trend is that most people will elect to repair their products rather than replace them. Our members should prosper during this time and should take advantage of every tool and resource available from NESDA to optimize this opportunity. NESDA members enjoy many benefits from membership, but most members do not utilize enough of them. NESDAnet and TechMate are commonly used, but so many other programs are overlooked.

One of our newest programs is the NESDA Spare Parts Database. This program allows members to list any new or used part in their inventory that is no longer needed. This could be excess inventory or parts used in product types that you are not seeing for service any-more. The Spare Parts Database is a great op-portunity to sell out these parts and potentially help another member save a repair that might have otherwise been lost. The process to list the part into the database takes less than 30 seconds. If you have the parts listed in an Ex-cel spreadsheet, the NESDA office can down-load them into the program for you. Right now is a great time to look at the Members Only section of the NESDA website and see what programs are available that will enable you to increase your profits for 2009.

One of the most important things you can do to maintain a healthy and profitable business is to take the time to evaluate your policies and pro-cedures to see if they still make sense servicing today’s products. We cannot conduct our busi-ness based on what worked for us in the past. It is important today to be very productive and service only those products that pay enough to cover your cost of doing business and re-turn a reasonable return on your investment. Taking the time to evaluate your procedures and product lines can lead to big returns. We have to be profitable today servicing COD, third party contract, and warranty repairs. All

service centers, regardless of size, have a lim-ited amount of resources to offer. It is critical to the success of your business to maximize the full potential of those resources. This is why it is so important to evaluate your policies and business practices to be sure that what you are doing still makes good sense in today’s marketplace.

The market is being flooded with flat panel televisions. The good news is that manufac-turers who have been good industry partners over the years are finding ways to compete for their share of the market. These partners will help provide the independent service center with ample work in the future. I believe what we need to do on our part is to continue to find ways to cut our cost and increase our produc-tivity. We will need to accomplish these goals in order to profitably repair the new lower cost products that our customers will own in the fu-ture. One way we can improve our productivity is to challenge ourselves to improve our skills. This could include technical training available at regional events held at various times of the year or at the NESDA convention held this July in St. Louis, Missouri. NESDA and ISCET of-fer various certifications such as Certified Elec-tronics Technician, Certified Service Manager, and Multimedia Systems Technician. Because of this, NESDA members are some of the best in the industry, many holding several of these certifications.

Make 2009 the year you invest in yourself and your business, and take the time to plug into all the rewards of NESDA membership.

Respectfully submitted,

Dave Thomas CSM, MSTNESDA President

I

ProService - December 2008 4

alt Herrin EHF, National Service Di-rector of the Hitachi America Home Electronics Division, recently retired

from Hitachi and has moved to the Phoenix, AZ area.

Walt has been a well-known advocate for inde-pendent service and friend of NESDA for many years.

Starting as a service technician, he served as a Philco Field Representative and advanced over 30 years to serve in management for Mitsubishi until he came to Hitachi.

Herrin is probably best known to NESDA mem-bers for the “Hitachi Year 2000 Program.” Af-ter observing repeated declines in the numbers of consumer electronics service facilities from a national perspective over a five-year period, and understanding that these services were necessary to increase after-sales support for the many new products, an informal survey at the grassroots level was begun. Contrary to what other manufacturers were doing at the time, Hitachi’s warranty network began profit-able reimbursement rates for both authorized and non-authorized, free service literature, free tech assistance during extended working hours, repair jigs and overlays free on a loan basis, and priority follow-up on park backorders for critical customer repairs.

Among his awards are NESDA’s Person of the Year Award in 2000, and the M. L. Finneburgh Award of Excellence in 2001. He was one of the first NESDA Advisory Board Members.

In 2004, Walt was inducted into the Na-tional Electronics Industry Hall of Fame in the “Business and Indus-try” category.

There are other sides to Walt Herrin … author/hu-morist, good friend, and human being.

In 2000, Walt pub-lished a delightful ac-

count of growing up in the south called “Sea-sons: A Celebration of Everyday Living.” If you haven’t read it, you can get a copy at Amazon.com. One reviewer commented, “This book will lift your spirits, recall memories that allow you to revisit your past. It will cause you to cry, laugh, get angry, smile. The words bring pic-tures to your mind that are clear and distinct. Oh for a time when simplicity was the norm and the modern day decline in human values wasn’t even thought, much less acted upon.”

The very visible antics between Walt and NESDA Board member Clancy Harms were the subject of a lot of laughter between 2003 and 2005.

If you attended a NESDA convention dur-ing those years, you may remember that Walt “raffled” Clancy off in 2003. That year, Clancy was won by George Brownyard CET. The follow-ing year, 2004, Joe Sopko CET “won” Clancy. In 2005 in Orlando, Walt took Clancy back during the Hitachi Breakfast on Saturday morning, al-though Clancy was unable to attend that con-vention. Not long after that, Walt told the story of his friendship with Clancy in “A Promise Is A Promise,” a tribute article that appeared in ProService. (Account begins on page 16 of Oc-tober 2005 issue of ProService Magazine, online at both NESDA.com and ISCET.org.)

Walt … Best wishes on your retirement. Thanks for the many years you gave to the

service industry, and to NESDA. We will miss you, but hope to see you at a future NPSC.

INDUSTRY LEGEND WALT HERRIN EHF RETIRES

by Sheila Fredrickson

W

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ProService - December 2008 6

MEMBERS

Charles Bangert, White Marsh TV, 11543 Philadelphia Rd, White Marsh, MD 21162, (410) 529-6230, , whitemarshtv1@juno.com

Mark Bryant, American TV & Video, 106 E First Ave., La Habra, CA 90631, (562) 697-0707, mark@amtvservice.com

Clive Duke, CircuitsLive, 168 Monroe Street, Brooklyn, NY 11216, (718) 623-0427, alphacitem@yahoo.com

Felipe Hernandez, 10555 Spice Lane #1908, Houston, TX 77072, (713) 553-0285, fhmoreno66@yahoo.com

Tom Sekiguchi, Bigston Corporation, 1590 Touhy Avenue, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007, (847) 439-3500, tsekiguchi@bigston.com

Dick Snyder, Snyder & Sons TV, 63D E Main St., Dallastown, PA 17313, (717) 244-1747, (717) 417-1397, dicksnydersontv@aol.com

Ernesto Taylor, Midway TV Repair, 6352 S Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL 60629, (773) 582-2042, Er7358

Barry Williams, TechKnowledge, 2299 Camden Dr SW, Marrietta, GA 30064, (770) 298-1218, barrywilliams993@gmail.com

CORPORATE MEMBERS

Steve Miller, Encompass Group Affiliates, 420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 2738, New York, NY 10170, (703) 622-6516, (407) 260-5555,

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New NESDA Members thru 10/24/08 - 12/31/08

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7 ProService - December 2008

December 22, 2008

Dear Valued Customer: It is with great pleasure that we announce Tritronics and Vance Baldwin will be combining resources to offer our valued customers the best technology, inventory, and customer service the industry has to offer. Effective January 2, 2009, our new website address will be www.encompassparts.com. When you log into www.tritronicsinc.com after January 2, you will be provided with a link to create a new log in ID and password. You will immediately have access to new services such as on line return authorizations, core management, online return label downloads, and the single largest multi-vendor inventory in the country. As an affiliate company of Encompass, Tritronics can now realize our goal of providing world class service so we can improve our valued customers’ ef-ficiency, profitability, and turnaround time. However, you will still have the same terms on your account and you will still be speaking to the same people who have supported your business for almost 34 years. As we move with this transition, The Encompass Parts Group will be able to concentrate our resources on providing the largest inventory, best customer service and the best technology in the industry. We value our relationship with you, the independent service industry. Your support and suggestions over the years have been invaluable. As we continue to add new features to our web-based services, we welcome your suggestions and look forward to continuing our longstanding relationship.

Warmest regards,

Kim WagnerPresident/CEOTritronics, Inc. An Encompass Group Affiliate Company

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ProService - December 2008 10

The Passing ParadeISCET NEWS & VIEWS

December 2008Ed Clingman • ISCET Administrator

A Around and About – There’s no doubt that the major development of the past few months has been the American econ-

omy – or better said – the demise of the Ameri-can economy. Now that may seem a bit strong for some of you, but, in my opinion, these de-velopments will leave their mark on the future of America more profoundly than that of 9/11. The national election of 2008 provided more fuel, and will be a catalyst for far sweeping changes in how Americans work and live. Edu-cation will not escape these changes, nor will the American workplace. There are only a few things that seem certain at this juncture:

Career & Technology education will be seen in a more favorable light than be-fore due to the large numbers of students wanting education, and the inability of our society to afford educations at Universities and Colleges for these kinds of numbers, not to mention the escalating costs. New education programs, which will certainly be forthcoming in the next several years, will be forced to see the advantages of C&T in developing workers for the workplaces of tomorrow, where technology will reign.

Beginning in 2009 there will be a large re-alignment of the American workforce. It is hoped to be a more streamlined structure, where competition with foreign companies is better equipped than before. This will doubtlessly involve more government par-ticipation, both State and Federal to make better platforms for American products in the world market.

ISCET recognizes this as evident, and is prepar-ing plans for more intense education measures (See Dan Mundy’s article on page 11 and 14 of this same publication, which will detail some of these steps. Dan is ISCET’s Vice-President and is very actively engaged in the Consumer Electronics Industry with Norman’s Electronics in Atlanta, Ga.)

David Bates’s article “ISCET’s Quest For Im-provment”, also found in this same publication on page 18 will give a good review of what ISCET was up to in 2008. David is the ISCET Secretary and chairs the New Certifications Committee of the ISCET Board of Directors.

A Brief Look at 2008 – for 2008 ISCET turned in a performance that was better than 2007, and exceeded budget forecasts. This was due to a number of factors where income centers performed better than expected, and a close watch on expenditures.

ESA, the program introduced in 2004 that allows students to achieve the Associate CET one part at a time (of the 4 part program), with obvious improvements over a capstone program such as the Associate CET.

The Associate CET outpaced itself in 2008, and proved that it was still quite popular with the educators.

Sales in the Online Store, www.iscet.org, were up decisively, with online learn-ing courses leading the way, both in on-line and CD versions. Several students have earned their Associate CET through the ESA program for self-study as well as classroom.

In the waning months of 2008, ISCET intro-duced the new NCEE Program that works with schools, Advisory boards to construct electronics programs that will prepare students for both pursuit of degrees and for specific certifications that are needed in their local areas, as well as nationally required job specifications. This program known as the “Job Ready” and “Evolution” programs will bring back the popularity of electronics in the Secondary schools, and feed more students to Post Secondary in-stitutions. You will hear more about this in times to come.

11 ProService - December 2008

“The current eco-nomic situation will give rise to a large group of dislocated workers looking for new skills.”

“...these develop-ments will leave their mark on the future of America more pro-found than that of 9/11.”

“Beginning in 2009 there will be a large re-align-ment of the American workforce. It is hoped to be a more streamlined structure, where competi-tion with foreign compa-nies is better equipped than before.”

FCC, MST, Journeyman and Appliance Certifications and licenses all did well in 2008.

As time goes by it becomes more and more evident that ISCET has a calling to fill a definite gap within electronics certification and educa-tion. We hope to do this with creditability and professionalism. Let us know if you think we are deviating from this. Contact is just a phone call away – 1-800-946-0201, Ext 118 or e-mail ed@iscet.org. Your comments will be appreci-ated, and you will receive an answer by phone or e-mail if you give us the information to do so.

http://www.physorg.com/news147082411.html - Are you destroying your ears?

http://www.physorg.com/news146139643.html - Micro Fuel Cells Get Closer to Replacing Batteries

AS A MATTER OF FACT...

hese words were never truer than they are today. New industries are being in-vented that only a few years ago were the

stuff of science fiction. ISCET is now poised to be a leader in both the training and certifica-tion in these new industries. Over the past several years, through some very lean times, ISCET has been reinventing itself from solely a testing center to a knowledge center with test-ing and certification abilities.

This means that ISCET must seize opportunities that arise when new certifications are needed and remain vigilant when it’s current test start to become outdated.

In this next year ISCET, with the help of many dedicated volunteers, will review and update Computer, Industrial, Bio-Medical, and com-mence reviews of – Associate 1203, Audio, Video, All NASTeC (4 exams).

We will be putting the finishing touches on complete new Customer Service Representa-tive (CSR) test.

Develop New Certifications. Those being con-sidered - Stored Energy in several categories, Photonics, Add Endorsement to Consumer

Electronics for Flat Screens and home theatre systems aimed at trouble shooting, leaving Installation to the Multimedia Systems Techni-cians (MST) certification..

ESA, the program developed by ISCET, is be-ing accepted very well. This 5 part course will take a student from basic electronics through AC and semiconductors and test equipment and end up with Boolean Algebra. Each part is tested individually and instructors can draw on the course competency laid out.

They are free to use their own course material or draw on the graphics prepared by ISCET. Students successfully exiting these classes with credit for ESA-1 through ESA-4 will automati-cally be awarded the Associate CET, and ready to move on to electrical engineering or pursue careers in servicing electronics in industrial, bio medical, and of course consumer.

Programs: The Evolution in Electronics pro-gram “Job Ready”, as developed by NCEE. This program involves the partnering of NCEE and ISCET with any school teaching electron-ics and their Advisory Boards (consists of lo-cal technician employers, staffing companies, etc.) to develop a competency for those jobs

T

THE FUTURE BELONGS TO THOSE WHO PREPARE

Dan Mundy, CET/CSM/MST • ISCET Vice President

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ProService - December 2008 14

MULTIMEDIA SYSTEMS TECHNICIANMEET THE NEWEST MEMBER OF TODAYS SERVICE CENTER TECHS!

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that are unique to the area … as well as those for national organizations. These will carry a certification relative to the SOC number of the Department of Labor. NCEE will operate a “Job Ready” Clearing House for all graduates of those classes by SOC number from which employers nationwide can pick.

Marketing will be dual pronged at both of the above programs. Activities will include all possible presentations at meetings, con-ventions, etc where career education is the prime interest.

The current economic situation will give rise to a large group of dislocated workers looking for new skills. In order to take advantage of this need, it is intended to:

Increase the price of the Virtual Classroom offerings so that the perceived value is in line with the actual value. This means that instead of requiring a minimum classroom of 10 people, they will be priced based on from 3 to 5 people, depending on the length of the course.

Adding audio to the Self-Study courses, both online and disc, and increasing the price for the same reason as above – to match real value to perceived value.

Re-design the online store to make pre-sentation and selling of materials easier for the customer.

Provide a new framework for ISCET Stu-dent Chapters that will provide more help for the Advisors & Sponsors … as well as competition to entice the student members to develop their electronics skills.

This is an ambitious program for 2009 but one that we must undertake to remain a strong center for learning and certification well into the future.

Editor’s Note: Dan Mundy, CET, MST, CSM, CA is the ISCET Vice President, and is considered to be among the top Electronics Tech-nicians in Consumer Electronics. The ISCET Board of Directors will meet January 21 by telephone conference to discuss and approve a plan for 2009. If you have any comments or information to share, please address them to info@iscet.org, or call 1-800-946-0201 Ext 118.(available 24/7).

15 ProService - December 2008

hat’s not a very pretty sight … but it defines the Christmas buying season just ended. Many retailers, wholesalers, jobbers and the

like were all in the business of ridding themselves of inventories even if pricing below cost was nec-essary. That’s not news; it was obvious in print and in other media that this was the case. That being said, what does it mean to the Electronics Technician that is employed in the many faceted industries of Electronics?

For sure, the labor market place has and will be-come more competitive than just a few months ago. As Tim Lawrence, Executive Director of SKILLS, USA, points out in his article in “Cham-pions” magazine, winter 2009 edition “ask Tim,” “the best career opportunities will go to those who are prepared with excellent technical, pro-fessional and academic skills.”

Translate this to your situation. Say that your position should be targeted in a staff reduction program. Your skills will be pitted in competitive struggle against any others out there also seeking the same jobs you will be seeking. Experience is a key advantage, but more than likely those with long tenures will not be selected for reduc-tion. For the most part experiences amongst those searching for employment will be pretty much the same. Sure, there will be some tech-nicians caught in the downsizing that have long tenures who were selected because of the wage scale they are receiving versus the younger who are working at a lesser scale, but this will not be the norm. Here’s the key – Go to work on your education again.

If you are degreed, go for some certifications that will either broaden your knowledge base, or at least compliment your current abilities, showing that you are in the upper 30% of your field … and that you are keeping abreast of the advancing technologies … setting you aside from the others, even degreed without certification.

If you are not degreed, look into getting back into the grind of earning college credits toward a specific goal. Visit with a counselor at the local university or college … or perhaps contact the lo-cal Technology school to see what they can do in so far as preparing you for an Associate Degree, seeking some type of certification in the mean-time to bridge the gap. Hard? You bet! It’s only for winners! Aren’t you a winner?

Whether you are caught in the highly competitive job search or not, start thinking of bettering your position if the unwanted job search becomes a fact. In the world of today – and most certainly in the world of tomorrow, education and technol-ogy will walk hand in hand to help you meet the future and its certain requirements.

Editor’s note: Contact ISCET 24/7 by calling 800-946-0201 Ext 118 for information on ways you can improve your resume by adding certifications and credits to your skills.

T

COUNT THAT DAY LOSTWHOSE LOW DESCENDING SUNFINDS PRICES SHOT TO HELL

AND BUSINESS DONE FOR FUN!Ed Clingman • ISCET Administrator

“the best career op-portunities will go to those who are pre-pared with excellent technical, profes-sional and academic skills.”

“Here’s the key – Go to work on your education again.”

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ProService - December 2008 16

he operational amplifier is a widely used integrated circuit. Its circuit analysis re-quired simple algebra. “Op-Amp,” as it is

called, has made designs of many electronic circuits simpler than they were a few decades ago when design was limited only to discrete components like tubes and transistors. In this “Boot Camp” series, we will review the design and operation of basic operational amplifier circuits, linear amplifiers, voltage and current converters, comparators, rectifiers, oscilla-tors, active filters and instrumentation ampli-fiers, which are useful for the amplification of low level signals and are very popular in many kinds of medical equipment.

The op-amp is basically a differential amplifier having a large voltage gain, very high input im-pedance and low output impedance. The op-amp has an “inverting” or (-) input and “nonin-verting” or (+) input and a single output.

Op-amps are useful because they follow simple rules. The basic equation for a non-inverting amplifier shown in figure 1 is

Eq 1. Vout =Vin (1 +Rf/Ri)

This equation shows that the voltage gain Av of a non-inverting amplifier is always greater than unity no matter how large we make R1. Since the input signal is applied to the op-amp’s noninverting input, the output voltage will always be in phase with the input. Consequently the only difference between the input and the output is that the output voltage is always 1 + R2/R1 times larger than the input.

This is probably one of the simplest guiding rules you will find in the analog realm. How-ever, its simplicity is derived from 5 basic as-sumptions.

(1) Infinite input impedance(2) Zero input current(3) Zero offset voltage(4) Zero noise voltage(5) Zero noise current

In some applications, errors due to these assumptions are of no consequence. However as today’s industrial world requires increasingly higher precision, you will find many applica-tions require amplifiers to push these limits closer and closer to the ideal.

In the ideal sense an op-amp output voltage is zero when the input voltage is also zero. However all commercial op-amps have a small, DC output voltage call an output offset volt-age, even through the input may be grounded. This DC output offset voltage is a result of three sources:

(1) Input offset current(2) Input bias current(3) Input offset voltage

The method commonly used to correct for the output offset due to the input bias current is to place an additional resistor R3 between the inverting input and ground. The value of this resistor must equal the parallel combination of R1 and R2.

Eq 2. R3 = (R1R2)/(R1+R2)

This will make the voltage developed across R3 equal and opposite the voltage across the parallel combination of R1 and R2. Since the two voltages are equal and opposite, they cancel each other. However, this idea assumes that the bias currents flowing into both inputs are equal. Unfortunately, in a typical op-amp, both bias current are not exactly equal. The value of Ib that you will get from the op-amp data sheet is only an average of the two input bias currents.

Since there will almost always be a difference in the two bias currents, call the input offset current, Ios, there will still exist a small but finite DC output offset voltage, equal to:

Eq 3. Vos = IosR2

UNDERSTANDING OP-AMP CIRCUITRY

By Andre Smalling CET

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Fig. 1

The circuit in figure 2 is a basic op-amp differentiator. It is similar to the basic invert-ing amplifier except that the input element is a capacitor.

Eq 4. Vo = -RfC (dVi/dt)

The quantity dVi/dt is the change in input voltage over a specified time interval. The quantity is often referred to as the slope of the line.

Fig. 2

One problem with this design is that the capacitor reactance varies inversely with frequency. As a result, the output voltage of the differentiator increases with frequency, making the circuit susceptible to high frequency noise. A more practical circuit is the circuit of figure 3. Here a resistor is placed in series with the capacitor. Consequently this decreases the high frequency gain to the ratio of Rf/Rs. Be aware that the output voltage as a function of time by the equation

Eq 5. Vo = -RfC (dVi/dt)

However the circuit function as a differentiator only for frequencies less than:

Eq 6. Fc =1/(2πRsC)

For input frequencies greater than the above equation the circuit approaches an inverting amplifier with a voltage gain of:

Vo/Vi = -Rf/Rs

Fig. 3

Finally for this circuit, the time constant should be approximately equal to the period of the input signal to be differentiated.

In figure 4, a standard op-amp is used as a difference amplifier. For a low-level signal from a living organism, for example, we would like to have high gain and high input impedance.

Vo = (R2/R1)(V2 – V1) In a practical situation, however, you would naturally expect that there will also be a volt-age signal (Vcm), such as a 60 Hz noise, that is usually simultaneously present as both inputs. To that end this common-mode voltage adds an “error” term to the equation resulting in.

Vo = (R2/R1)(V2 – V1)+ R2/R1(Vcm)/(CMRR) Here the common mode rejection ratio must be large enough to make this error negligible. Sometimes beginning electronics students get confused with the design conflicting con-straints of simultaneously having a high gain and high input impedance. Based on previous study, to have a high gain the input resistor R1 must be very small. On the other hand, R1 must be large for high input impedance. In practice, however, instrument amplifiers are used to eliminate the above paradox associ-ated with standard op-amps particularly when used as a difference amplifier. The instrument amplifier (IA) responds only to the difference between the two input signals. The IA also has an extremely high input impedance to ground for each input. Thus the IA uses a single resis-tor to set the gain. This does not affect the input impedance, but only the CMRR.

Fig. 4

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ProService - December 2008 18

ver the past several years ISCET has had to meet several challenges, not the least of which was the task of bringing its infrastructure to an acceptable

level. This meant:

• Developing an online testing system that would enable international, as well as North American testing. • In addition, there had to be changes in the available certifications that would satisfy the needs of the “day.” Also, these certifications must provide a steady march into the needs of tomorrow.• Existing certifications must be reviewed regularly to remain current and meaningful. The realization was that if any organization was to be successful in certifying skills in today’s career and technology environment, it would have to do more toward education and classroom assistance in those disciplines.

One of the most important needs was to develop a pro-gram that would help bring electronics education back to schools, where it has been abandoned in favor of com-puter training. It was no fault of the educational com-munity that consumer electronics has fallen victim to the flood of “throw-away” electronics, which had provided the backbone of work for that industry. This meant:

• That the program had to recognize that needs of in-dustry were changing, and that the impact of the word “electronics” did not hold the appeal and “bang!” it once did. Computers had now occupied that space.• That the electronics classes, while drawing many gift-ed students, did not attract the great quantity of such students as it once did.• That no longer could a single industry absorb the flow of graduate electronics technicians that it once did.

Certification and testing, which had been fairly straight-forward prior to 1990, had now become more and more convoluted. Many aspiring technicians and educators did not find that the existing certification structure met their needs. It wasn’t until 2001 that this need was actu-ally recognized and addressed by:

• Planning for and developing the web based online test-ing system that was put online in 2003. This has grown in usage to 49% of examinations given.• Addition of the new certifications:

1. Electronics Systems Associate, ESA-1 through ESA-5, which created the ESA and the Associate CET Senior Programs.2. Certified Telecommunications Technicians-1 (2 and 3 are planned).3. Multimedia Systems Technician (MST), a Journey-man level certification that does not require the Associ-ate CET as a foundation … intended to equip install-ers of flat screen and home theater technicians with the ability to understand the intra- relationship of the equipment involved.4. Associate CET 1209-Millennium, a certification com-panion to 1203, 1205 and 1207 for situations requiring a 70% passing score to comply with existing standards in some areas.

• Creation and implementation of an exam review pro-tocol utilized to review existing certifications. To this point we have:

1. Associate CET 1203 & 1205 have been reviewed.2. Journeyman Computer Electronics and Industrial Electronics are currently under review.3. All ISCET certifications will be reviewed on a definite schedule.

• New Programs to work with educators and attract stu-dents for electronics education in both secondary and post secondary institutions that was introduced in 2006 and has been a success for all concerned.

1. The ESA program which consists of ESA-1 through ESA-4 is designed as a way in which to achieve the Asso-ciate CET certification with better passing grades, better morale and provide a student that leaves the class be-fore finishing to have certifications relating to knowledge and skills attained.2. The ESA program also provides for articulation be-tween secondary and post secondary institutions.

• The “Job Ready” program developed by NCEE, and adopted by ISCET has just been introduced at the 2008 ACTE convention in the ISCET presentation of the cur-rent version of “The Changing Face of Electronics Educa-tion.” As with all programs, “tweaking” will be neces-sary. The plan, with its “Electronics Technician Clearing House,” will provide the names of all graduates of class-es in schools using the program to industry employers of the particular job description taught by the course. NCEE will develop any job description that is adopted by NCEE after consultation with each school and its ad-visory board industry members to satisfy needs of the geographical areas of the schools involved.

• Development of material to fulfill our obligation to educators and students alike to develop educational ma-terial that goes further than Study Guides and Practice Tests has been well received by both. ISCET now of-fers a host of graphical, online material for both edu-cators and students. The ESA program contains both materials for classroom augmentation as well as match-ing learning courses. Many CDs are available for self study. Virtual classrooms are being offered that gather students at a common time to attend a net based class by a live instructor. These classes meet at various times and for various lengths of courses depending on the course itself.

While the space available for this topic limits what can be reported, it is safe to say that ISCET is meeting the needs of today, and has definite plans for tomorrow, considering the budget limitations of today’s economy. As is always the case when striving for improvement, the process discovers new topics that can be addressed. It is a never ending exercise that ultimately provides work-able gains.

ISCET’S QUEST FOR IMPROVEMENTDavid J. Bates CET, A+ • ISCET Secretary & New Certifications Chair

EDITORS NOTE: Mr. Bates is the Instructor/Program Head Electronic & Computer Engi-neering Technology at Western Wisconsin Technical College, La Crosse WI, ISCET Secretary and New Certifications Chair.

O

“While the space avail-able for this topic limits what can be reported, it is safe to say that ISCET is meeting the needs of today, and has definite plans for tomorrow, considering the budget limitations of today’s economy.”

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