The Engineering Projects

How to Become a Licensed Residential Architect?

Designing homes and landscapes is a dream job for many individuals, but the challenges of becoming a licensed architect often stand in the way of this dream. To become a licensed architect, you’ll need to be willing to put in a lot of hard work throughout the education and apprenticeship stages of certification and study extensively for the ARE accreditation exam. Once certified, many individuals choose to work for a residential architectural firm to design custom homes and assist with planning remodeling projects.

There are many education and experience requirements involved with qualifying for the ARE exam and becoming a residential architect. In this article, we’ll go over the details for each of these requirements and answer some of your questions regarding this profession. To successfully complete these requirements and receive accreditation, prospective architects will need dedication, attention to detail, and advanced problem-solving skills.

What Does a Residential Architect Do?

A residential architect plans and designs buildings that will serve as residences. The assistance of a residential architect is a necessity for building new homes, condominiums, and apartment buildings. Individuals interested in custom homes will often consult with a residential architect directly, to discuss how their new space will accommodate their needs and lifestyle.  However, the property owner or construction company will reach out to or directly hire a residential architect for many projects. Most residential architects work with a team in a firm or dedicated office within a construction company.

What Level of Salary is Available as an Architect?

Becoming a licensed architect requires many years of experience and education, which means architects are generally in frequent demand. According to learn.org, the median salary for residential architects is approximately $80,000 a year. This salary varies based on the hiring company and the type of consultation for which the architect is available. Many architects are self-employed therefore will have a fluctuating yearly income.

What Skills Do I Need To Work as an Architect?

Drawing and CADD (Computer-Aided Drawing and Drafting) are essential technical skills for working as an architect. However, a considerable portion of this career lies away from the drafting table. Meeting with clients and project managers is essential throughout the lifespan of a project and so requires strong interpersonal and communication skills. Many architects also spend a great deal of time traveling to project sites and overseeing construction or meeting with vendors.

Education Requirements

Beginning a career in architecture requires completing a bachelor’s or master’s degree in architecture accredited by the NAAB (National Architectural Accrediting Board). There are many degree programs available through liberal arts and design schools that are notably not accredited- it’s important to check in with the university or school to ask about their accreditation beforehand. The educational institution hosting the degree must maintain its NAAB certification throughout the duration of your studies.

Accredited bachelor’s degree programs typically span five years and cover all aspects of project management, environmental planning, and design technology. Throughout these programs, students will assemble portfolios and present projects for professional review to showcase their work. Architecture master’s degree programs cover many of the same topics as the bachelor’s degree and work well for students who picked a different undergraduate major. However, many architecture bachelor’s degree students will choose to take on the master’s degree in addition to their prior education.

Students wishing to proceed with a career in architecture will ultimately need to complete either the accredited bachelor’s degree program or the accredited master’s degree program. Doctorate-level studies are available but focus more on the academic field associated with architecture rather than the licensing process.

Experience Requirements

After completing the educational requirements associated with becoming a licensed architect, you’ll need to gather architectural experience through NCARB (National Council of Architectural Registration Boards). The NCARB organizes a program called the AXP, which stands for Architectural Experience Program.

The AXP targets a number of specific proficiencies (96, to be exact) and requires a total of 3,740 hours across all disciplines. The experience component of earning your architectural license will take, at a minimum, around two years. Previously, this hours requirement was much higher- 5,600 hours were required through the IDP (Intern Development Program), which typically needed an extra year or two of work to complete.

Architects will need to log their hours for the experience component according to specific AXP guidelines. Non-licensed architects can bypass part of this component with a portfolio displaying architectural competencies across the 96 AXP task areas. You can read more about AXP guidelines here. The experience required for an architectural license is essentially an apprenticeship or internship that will give candidates a look into how architectural firms and offices operate.

Exam Requirements

Once a licensed architect candidate has completed an accredited education program and the AXP experience requirements, they will be eligible to take the ARE (Architect Registration Examination). The exam is divided into six parts, each of which focuses on a specific architectural discipline. These exam portions are as follows: Practice Management, Project Management, Programming and Analysis, Project Planning and Design, Project Development and Documentation, and Construction and Evaluation.

Prospective candidates for licensure will need to study extensively for several months before the exam, which typically occurs in the fall. Many architects will need to take the exam several times, though it is important to know that each full exam attempt currently costs around $1500. Examination is the final step in becoming an officially licensed architect. You will need to renew your license every few years, though you won’t need to take the ARE again once you’ve passed.

Conclusion

Becoming a licensed architect requires many years of hard work and determination but can lead to a fulfilling career with many opportunities to build residential and commercial spaces. The residential architecture field is growing steadily as many cities and urban areas expand to accommodate a growing population. To learn more about this field of work, speak with an experienced residential architect today and ask about their journey towards designing homes and commercial spaces.

Do You Need a Dedicated Server? 

If you’re hosting a website, eCommerce business, or even just the latest online game with your friends, you know that performance, reliability, and security matter. To take your web hosting to the next level, consider what a dedicated server could do for you. With full access to your own web server, you’ll have more control and better performance from your hosting service. What’s not to love about that?

But how do you know when you really need a dedicated server? Many smaller websites can perform just fine without one, but for larger sites and businesses, the benefits quickly become apparent. Here, we’re taking a closer look at dedicated servers and what they can offer for your online experience. We provide some key information about dedicated servers to help you determine if you need one for your hosting.

What is a Dedicated Server?

If you’ve just started a website or an eCommerce company, you probably went with a cheaper web hosting option. This just makes sense. For smaller websites and online businesses, you most likely don’t need the power and capabilities of a dedicated server or the more costly hosting options out there. However, as your site grows in terms of traffic, bandwidth, and storage requirements, you may find that your previous hosting methods simply aren’t cutting it anymore for what you need.

This is when you should look into a dedicated server. When you’re hosted from a dedicated server, this essentially means that you have an entire server to yourself, enabling you to take advantage of the server’s full capacities and power. At this point, some might opt for a virtual private server (VPS). A VPS is still an upgrade from a shared server, but it doesn’t give you your own server. Rather, a VPS provides you exclusive space on a server that may still be shared with other web owners. While this option may come at a cheaper cost, it simply can’t match the benefits, security, and full capability of having your own dedicated server.

Benefits of a Dedicated Server

In comparison to traditional hosting options, there are quite a few benefits to hosting your site, eCommerce business, or online gaming experience from a dedicated server. Here’s a look at some of the top benefits that might convince you that you need to make the upgrade to a dedicated server.

1. Exclusive server usage: when you really break it down, do any of us want to share our server capabilities? Exclusive server access is one of the primary benefits of using a dedicated server for your hosting needs. You’ll receive all the disk space, bandwidth, RAM, and storage for your website and hosting needs. A dedicated server also offers root access. This can be incredibly important because it allows you to configure specific settings and add or remove access for other users. If you want complete control over your web hosting, a dedicated server is a way to achieve this.
2. Better security: especially true for those hosting an eCommerce site, web security is critical to ensure customers will shop with you again. With web hacking on the rise, the security of your site needs to be a top priority to protect yourself and the personal information of your customers. The infrastructure of a dedicated server incorporates 24/7 web monitoring and firewalls so that you can rest easy knowing your data and information are secure. Dedicated servers also offer an unmatched level of customization so that you can find the security measures you need.
3. Better performance: when it comes to web hosting, you shouldn’t ever have to sacrifice performance. Even if you’re just online gaming with friends, slow load times and lag can quickly ruin your favorite game and your entire online experience. For eCommerce companies, poor performance translates to fewer sales. Dedicated servers provide access to the best performance in the industry with unmatched RAM, memory, and faster page loading speeds. Take your web hosting to the next level with the power of a dedicated server.
4. Reliable web hosting: whether you’re hosting a website or an online game, there’s nothing worse than a sudden server crash. A server crash can keep your site down for an extended period of time, and if this becomes a frequent occurrence, hurt the overall reputation of your site and your business. Reliability is one of the most important benefits of using a dedicated server. With a dedicated server at your disposal, crashes become far less likely, and with additional resources available for your hosting needs, the server will perform even during times of high traffic. More bandwidth also gives you more capabilities to expand the potential of your online gameplay and your site.

Do you need a Dedicated Server?

While the benefits of a dedicated server are quite clear by now, this doesn’t mean this technology is necessary for everyone. A dedicated server, as expected, comes with higher costs, which means that you may not want to make this upgrade unless you actually need it. But as your website or eCommerce business grows, you should also factor in the risks of having a website that fails to perform. In the long run, this could hurt more than the upfront costs of having your own dedicated server.

Conclusion

The right web hosting is essential for the success of any website or eCommerce company. Web hosting is essentially the engine behind your site, providing RAM, memory, speed, and performance for all your users. While shared hosting may work fine for smaller sites, as you grow you may find that you simply need more. If this sounds like your situation, a dedicated server could be the answer for you.

Dedicated servers provide exclusive access to a server for your site or online gaming experience. With better performance, faster loading speed, enhanced security, and customizable options, a dedicated server can transform your hosting experience and take your website to the next level. To make the jump, check out a dedicated server provider today.

Top Reasons to Leave Technical Tasks Like House Painting to the Professionals 

When the time comes to commence house renovations, one of the first things you might ask yourself is whether you should undertake some of the tasks on your own. While you might save money on some jobs, it can sometimes be at the detriment of a high-quality finish. This holds true when it comes to interior and exterior painting and decorating. When your property is in need of a fresh lick of paint, here are just a few of the many reasons why calling in the experts can be the best option for you.

They Boast Years of Experience

When you entrust painting and decorating experts like Dublin Painters with the task of refreshing your home’s interior and exterior, you can rest assured that they have the necessary experience to do the job to a high standard.

Even though it might seem like anyone can decorate if they have a tin of paint and a paintbrush, it can be quite a complex process that requires a certain level of skill. Decorators with years of experience can be relied upon to understand the intricacies of their trade and make the right decisions regarding your property.

You Can Save Time

Picture: Lukas Blazek

Between watching hours of tutorial videos, learning the technical details of different decorating products, and going on a shopping spree to purchase all the tools you need, you can spend a great deal of time preparing to decorate.

A painting job that may take professionals a few days to complete could take you much longer, especially if you have a household to run and a job to go to. Save time, effort, and stress by paying someone to give their complete focus to the task and have it completed to a professional standard.

They Have the Right Tools for the Job

If you have never undertaken any home renovation projects before, there is likely no need for you to own tools for those very jobs. Painting and decorating projects can require a large number of tools and equipment, which can come at a high cost if you were to purchase them brand new for your refurbishment project.

The amount you spend to make sure you’re as well-equipped as a professional painter could be what you spend on hiring one in the first place. Save your money and time by outsourcing this project instead.

They Are Insured

Picture: Oli2020

As unlikely as it is for anything to go wrong during a painting and decorating project, things can happen. When they do, you’ll want peace of mind that any financial implications will be limited.

That can often be the case when you hire professionals. Most, if not all, high-quality painting and decorating businesses carry insurance. If anything goes wrong, they will be able to correct the problem and do their best to ensure you’re not impacted by the problem. If you were to undertake to decorate yourself with what little knowledge you have, you might be spending more money than you planned if anything goes wrong.

A Focus On Perfection

When an experienced painter decorator is being paid to provide a service, they will go above and beyond to make sure it’s one you can be satisfied with. They understand that a core part of successful advertising and engagement is word of mouth. Any business owner can expect to enjoy more business when they boast an excellent reputation.

They Take Care of Cleaning for You

Picture: Sven Brandsma

If you have ever had the displeasure of cleaning a paintbrush or roller after dabbling in a DIY paint job, you are likely familiar with how frustrating and time-consuming this task can be. Cleaning tools and a work area after a decorating project can be arduous, and it can save you both time and frustration to let professionals handle this process.

You can also enjoy much-needed peace of mind knowing that some of the best painters go above and beyond to ensure their workspace is clean at all times, both before and after the job is done. They lay ground sheets and put protection measures in place to ensure no other parts of your home are affected by their tools of the trade.

For Expert Advice

Even though you may have a renovation project more than once in your lifetime of homeownership, that doesn’t mean you’ll always know the best ways to embark on specific projects. You may not even understand if some colors will work better than others, or if you should be choosing one product type over another.

Even though a painter decorator’s primary task is to decorate to your specifications, they will be more than happy to offer their advice if they believe there are better options available for your unique needs.

Task Efficiency

Painters have all parts of the painting and decorating process down to fine art. They understand the importance of productivity and want to keep as much profit in each job as possible. Their years of experience also equate to a high level of speed and efficiency in everything from masking skirting boards to rolling paint on walls. Without those years of experiencing yourself, you may not understand the most efficient way to complete each task.

Product Knowledge

If there’s one thing you will learn when researching your renovation options, it’s that there are many products to help you along the way. Unfortunately, you may not always know whether some products are better than others for your home’s construction materials and whether some have a better reputation.

Professional painters have a wealth of industry knowledge to make informed decisions. Rather than relying on guesswork or the help of a sales assistant, they rely on their own knowledge and past experiences. As a result, you can enjoy knowing that the products they use are going to be highly regarded in the industry and suitable for your home or business.

It’s only natural to want to save money when undertaking home renovations. However, there can certainly be value in relying on experts, as well. Their product knowledge, task efficiency, and overall project experience can give you complete confidence that their services are money well spent. 

Why Should You Back Up Your Business Files and Data?

Almost everyone has experienced losing data that is very important to them. Have you experienced this too? Some people have lost personal data. For example, there may be some videos and images of a special event that can never be retrieved again.

People who have started their businesses may have created data that will help them improve their business. Then, they can lose it just like that. Without backup data, they need to start from scratch. This will take a lot of time, money, and effort to do.

You have important data, and you need to make an effort to ensure that you will get to keep them. You can look into people who can do business process outsourcing to help you gather and keep your data safe. You need your data to help your business grow and flourish.

Advantages of Having Backup Data

Data backup is having a backup copy of your data on another device. This means that you have created your information. You will be storing the information in a safe place aside from the main place where you may store it. Just remember that you should not forget where you have stored your data. Better yet, the help of the business process master can make a lot of difference with how well you will store your backup data.

These are some of the advantages that you should know:

1. Data backup is affordable. This is a misconception of a lot of people. They assume that backing up their data will require a lot of money. You can store your backup data in the cloud. It can be accessed and improved by a business specialist. You can find a business specialist soon.
2. You can access the data anytime. It doesn't matter where you are or what time it is. The moment that you have to access data, you will be able to do it. Just make sure that you are connected to the internet. It will make a lot of difference that way.
3. Keep the data backup off-site. There are always going to be people who will try to get your data. Having data backup can be very helpful, especially when it needs to be accessed outside the office.
4. There are many places where data can be stored that do not require people to be very techy. They are usually simple and easy to understand. A few clicks of your mouse will allow you to access your data immediately.
5. Automatic backups are available. It can be problematic for some people to manually backup the data all the time. You can just set the data to update automatically, and you will not have this problem.

Tips to Backup Data Properly

You need to figure out some things that you cannot do on your own. You can outsource your business. Let other people do what needs to be done correctly. You can focus on your expertise, and the people you hire can focus on what they need to do.

There are some simple tips to remember so that data backup can be done properly:

• Regularly update the data. Nothing can be more frustrating than realizing that your data backup is outdated. This means that you still have to do some work when you access it to be up-to-date.
• The backups should be done in reliable media. Some companies would prefer placing their data in the cloud. This will be up to you. You can also ask people who do IT outsourcing for more details.
• If you need to place the data on a device, make sure to keep it out of the office. There are so many things that can happen in an actual office. The device can get wet. It can also be ravaged in a fire. There are so many things that can happen. Remember to always keep the gadget in a place where it will not get affected.
• Always identify the data that needs to be backed up. There is some data that you may not need now, while others are crucial. If backing up needs to be done fast, figure out which data you would need more.
• You can set up automatic data backing. This will lessen the chances of manually thinking about when you will be backing up the needed data. Remember that you need to backup everything from the many files you have up to the emails you may keep.

Apps or Services Where You Can Keep Data

Image from: Mobilunity

You do not want to waste valuable space on your PC or your device anymore. You want to make sure that you will have a safe place where you can keep your data. Some of these apps and services are the following:

IDrive

If you want an online backup service that will provide all of the features you want, this is your best bet. This is easy to use with an interface to help you understand what you have to do next. There may be some minor drawbacks, but the pros will outweigh the cons.

Microsoft One Drive

Many people are familiar with this, and for a good reason: this will offer many powerful features that are better than the competitors. People are familiar with this because of Windows 10 and Office 365. This may be one of the best ones that you can check.

Dropbox

This is one of the simplest apps you can use to keep your data safe and secure. It comes with a simple interface so you know that using it will not be hard. Some collaboration features too will make it ideal if you need to share data with other officemates. Remember that this will be more expensive than the other apps and services included in this list.

Google Drive

Most people think of Google Drive as an online version of Microsoft Office. They may have some similarities, but with Google Drive, you know that your data will be stored in the cloud rather than your device. This is slick, and it comes with a lot of fun and creative features that will help you work better. You do not have to worry about accessing your data as well.

CertainSafe Digital Safety Deposit Box

Not many people are familiar with this, but it can be one of the top ones you should check now. Security is its top priority, so if you are anxious about your data getting lost or stolen, this can be the best choice. It can be used easily, too, unlike other apps wherein it would take time before figuring out how to use it.

Take note that there are still a lot of other apps and services that you can check out. Always be open to trying out the different available choices. Just make sure that customers have given these apps and services great reviews.

Conclusion

Editing and viewing your files will feel more natural when you have to access your backup data from the cloud. If you are checking it from a device, make sure that your device will handle the data and be able to keep it safe. Business outsourcing can help you make some sound decisions that will make a lot of difference.

Challenges Every HR Manager Is Likely To Face

Irrespective of the size and nature of your business, managing human resources is a herculean task. Enforcing your company policies and handling grievances while keeping the workforce motivated and engaged demands a lot of communication and cooperation. In addition to this, your human resources department also needs to identify the skill gaps that exist in the workforce and hire the right candidates to fill them. Thus, HR managers can be considered as both the heart and brain of your organisation. They ensure a smooth workflow by keeping a check on company standards and needs.

However, in the last few years, the role of an HR manager has extended beyond the traditional hiring and firing activities. It has now become more focused on areas like employee engagement, training and development, etc. While this has offered HR professionals an opportunity to develop new skills, it has also posed new challenges for them.

Therefore, if you are planning to develop a career in this field, you must prepare yourself to overcome all of these challenges. And to help you in doing so, we have listed the top 5 challenges that every HR manager is likely to face. Read and develop your skills accordingly!

1. Employee training and development

One of the biggest challenges for an HR manager is to train and develop his workforce. While everybody wants to learn new skills, nobody wants to put in the hard work that it demands. Employees hate sitting in classrooms for long hours and going through the lengthy course material. Such negative feelings make learning a stressful experience for them and they fail to retain the information that they received during the session. This defies the whole motive of organising the employee training programme. In addition to this, shortage of money, time and other resources can also make it difficult for small businesses to train their employees.

Fortunately, technology has the solution for all these problems. Big or small, every business can implement learning management systems, to integrate the benefits of eLearning into their training programmes. These systems are not only cost-effective but also make learning an interactive and engaging activity by gamifying the courses.

2. Recruiting new talent

With the ever-increasing size of businesses and new operational areas surfacing every day, attracting and hiring new talent has become one of the biggest challenges of human resource managers. They need to analyse the existing skills inventory to identify the gaps. Then, they are required to choose the right tool to attract potential candidates. It is after this point that the real struggle begins. The main task is to dig through all the applications and conduct n number of interviews to find out the right man for the job. This demands a lot of time as well as great attention to detail. After all, their decision defines the future of the organisation.

3. Ensuring mental and emotional wellbeing of the employees

Gone are the days where all employees needed was their organisations to pay them correctly and on time. Today, ensuring the mental and emotional wellbeing of the employees has become crucial for every organisation around the world. This means that HR managers are now required to motivate employees not only to perform better but also to share their feelings freely. This is a tough feat to achieve as it involves understanding the attitude of every employee and then devising an approach that meets their emotional needs in the best way possible.

4. Managing remote workforce

The COVID 19 pandemic has given birth to a fairly new and tough challenge for HR professionals. With employees working remotely, keeping them engaged and motivated is a different task altogether. While they could previously use tools like office parties, gaming nights, etc to give employees some space to relax, the online mode of working has forced them to develop innovative ways to achieve this goal.

Conclusion

Managing human resources is never easy. From ensuring compliance with statutory laws to developing and implementing training, recruitment and wellbeing programmes for employees, it requires you to address many issues. Thus, if you wish to create a successful career in this field, you should be ready to face unique challenges every day.

BJT: Definition, Symbol, Working, Characteristics, Types & Applications

Hello friends, I hope this article finds you happy, healthy, and content. Today, we are about to discuss one of the most commonly known types of transistors which you might have heard of many times when reading about transistors, the transistor under study is none other than the “Bipolar Junction Transistor’’, also known as BJT . In this article, we will go through the basics of the bipolar junction transistor including its meaning ,definition, types, characteristics, and applications. So, let's get started.

Definition of BJT

A BJT in its full form is written as bipolar junction transistor and we can define it as, "A bipolar junction transistor is a three-terminal semiconductor device which is made up of two PN junctions within its structure and is mainly used to amplify current"

History of the bipolar junction transistor_ BJT

• Prior to the bipolar junction transistors, vacuum tubes were used in electronic circuits which were highly expensive, those too were available in the form of a triode which was a three terminal device like a transistor back then.
• The vacuum tube triodes remained a hyped-up thing for almost half of a century, but they occupied large space and were less reliable in terms of usage, the other major drawback was the increase in complications related to current, voltage and whatnot just by increasing the number of vacuum triodes in the circuit.
• So when scientists were done with controlling electrons inside a vacuum tube and its unruly behavior, they started devising other ways to run and control circuits.
• Finally, in 1947 the efforts of john Walter and Bardeen a rough two-point contact device was made which was nowhere near to the modern of a bipolar junction transistor but it laid the foundation for the construction of a solid-state transistor when previously everything was vacuum!
• After this not-so-recognized venture, William Shockley made a successful attempt of making a bipolar junction transistor by pressing together the wafers of semiconductor materials.
• And guess what? William Shockley, John Walter, and Bardeen were awarded with the Noble Prize for their achievements in 1956.
• The invention of bipolar junction transistors revolutionized the world of electronics beyond imagination.
• Until the last decades of the 19th century, bipolar junction transistors were manufactured individually as separate components and individual devices but later on, with the invention of integrated circuits, the world saw another electronic revolution.

Features of BJT

Here are some of the peculiar features of bipolar junction transistors;

• BJT by which we mean bipolar junction transistor is a current-controlled device, you will, later on, get to know how it works. Keep reading!
• As the name indicates BJT is a bipolar device, which means it uses both the electrons and holes as charge carriers to perform its function.

Symbol of BJT

Bipolar junction Transistor shortly known as BJT has the following three components;

• Base
• Emitter
• Collector
• All of the three components are represented in the symbol given below as B, E, and E.

Refer to the diagram given below showing the symbol of NPN and PNP Bipolar Junction Transistors;

• The direction of flow of current is indicated by the direction of Arrowhead.
• Symbols for different types of BJTs differ accordingly, do not confuse yourself when you see two or more slightly different ones!

Working Principle of a Bipolar Junction Transistor

• The working principle of both the NPN and PNP transistor is almost the same, both of them differ in the conduction of current through charge carriers based on the majority and minority of charge carriers.
• The NPN Bipolar junction Transistor has the majority of charge carriers as electrons.
• The PNP Bipolar junction Transistor has the majority of charge carriers as holes.
• The current flow is not the result of majority charge carriers despite their quantity, the current flow is due to minority charge carriers in a bipolar junction transistor that is why they are also named as minority carrier devices.
• The emitter-base junction is always forward biased.
• The collector-base junction represented by CB is always reverse biased.
• The Emitter current is written as IE=IB + IC
• If we consider base current to be very small in actual measurement then we can say that; IE~IC

Types of Bipolar Junction Transistor

As we already know the basic components of the bipolar junction transistor, we would now discuss its type. Bipolar junction Transistor has the following two types;

• NPN bipolar junction transistor
• PNP bipolar junction transistor

The image given below shows the types of BJT along with their usage for different purposes; Now we will discuss both of these types in detail.

1. NPN Bipolar Junction Transistor

As the name indicates, in an NPN Bipolar junction Transistor a p-type semiconductor is sandwiched between the two n-type semiconductors just as a cheese slice between two sides of a bun. Refer to the diagram given below for a better understanding; According to the conventional rules when the current moves into a certain component of the transistor it is labeled as positive meanwhile when it leaves the component it is labeled as negative. As we already know, the NPN transistor consists of two PN junctions, made by fusing the two n semiconductors with one p-type semiconductor. The n-type emitter region is heavily doped because it has to pass on charge carriers to the base. The base is not heavily doped and is very thin as compared to the emitter and collector, imagine the size of the cheese slice as compared to the buns! It transfers charge carriers to the corresponding collector. The collector of the NPN transistor is moderately doped and as the name indicates, it collects the charge carriers from the base. Working of NPN Bipolar Junction Transistor

• Consider the following circuit diagram to understand how an NPN Bipolar junction Transistor works.

• As already told, the NPN Bipolar Junction Transistor has two PN junctions, so for forward biasing we connect the base-emitter junction with the power supply VBE.
• The collector-base junction represented by the CE Junction is reverse biased by applying the voltage VCB.
• The depletion region of the two PN junctions varies in size, do you remember what a depletion region is? In simple words depletion region opposes the flow of current, it acts like a barrier or a block to current flow and is the area where mobile electrons are not present. Have a look at the diagram given below,

• You must be thinking about why the emitter-base region has a smaller depletion region, meanwhile, the collector-emitter junction has a wider one? Let me solve it for you, It is due to the reason that the base-emitter region is forward-biased!
• NPN-type Bipolar junction Transistor has a majority of electrons, when the emitter-base junction is forward biased, the electrons start flowing towards the base which is lightly doped, only a few of the electrons would combine with the base holes and the rest of them would then travel to the collector. The current is due to minority charge carriers as we discussed earlier.
• The current flowing through the emitter-base junction is the emitter current IB, meanwhile, the current flowing through the base is called base current and is represented by IB.
• Base current IB is very limited as compared to the other types of current present in the circuit.
• The remaining electrons that missed the recombination pass through the collector-base region to the collector which produces the collector current IC.
• The emitter current is written as; IE = IB+ IC

PNP bipolar junction transistor

• PNP bipolar junction transistor is made up of two layers of p-type semiconductor which sandwich the n-type semiconductor layer in between.
• The entrance for the current is the emitter terminal in the PNP Bipolar Junction Transistor.
• The emitter-base junction represented by EB is forward-biased in this case.
• On the parallel lines collector base junction represented by CB is reverse-biased.
• The emitter current IE is positive meanwhile base current IB and collector current IC are negative.
• When we talk about the voltage, VEB the emitter-base voltage is positive meanwhile VCB and VCE are negative.
• NPN and PNP bipolar junction transistors work on the same principle, the only difference they have is of the majority and minority charge carriers. Can you figure out the current flow in a PNP transistor from the image given below?

I-V Characteristics of Bipolar Junction Transistor

To study the input characteristics, output characteristics, and common current characteristics we need to understand the different configurations of bipolar junction transistors. There are three types of configurations for bipolar junction transistors, let's list all three:

• Common Base configuration
• Common emitter configuration
• Common collector configuration
• First things first, do you have any idea about the characteristics of a Bipolar Junction Transistor, or what are they? And how we determine them? Putting it straight, The I-V characteristics of Bipolar Junction Transistor is simply the graphical manifestation of the current and voltage of a transistor.
• To study the characteristics cover of the bipolar junction transistor, we will go through the different modes of a Bipolar Junction Transistor which you would be seeing in the curves.

Working Modes of a Bipolar Junction Transistor

There are three dominant regions in which a bipolar junction transistor works;

• Active region
• Saturated region
• Cut off region

Active Region of a Bipolar Junction Transistor

• In The active region of a bipolar junction transistor in which the collector base region is forward biased meanwhile the emitter base junction is reverse biased.
• In the active region of a bipolar junction transistor, the transistor works as an amplifier.

Saturated Region of a Bipolar Junction Transistor

In the saturated region the Bipolar Junction Transistor passes a saturated current after reaching a maximal value of threshold voltage. In the saturated region, our bipolar junction transistor works as a switch, an ON switch, and the collector current is fairly equal to the emitter current.

Cut Off Region of a Bipolar Junction Transistor

As the name indicates there is no collector current in the circuit in this region. The transistor is off and the collector is in a reverse-biased state. The image given below reflects the overall voltage story of BJT in different regions; As we are done with the regions and modes in which our Bipolar Junction Transistor works, let us discuss different configurations and their input and output characteristics

Common Base Configuration of a Bipolar Junction Transistor

In the common-base configuration, the base terminal of Bipolar Junction Transistor is connected within the input and output terminals of the transistor.

Input characteristics Common Base Configuration of a Bipolar Junction Transistor

• The input characteristics are plotted between the emitter current IE and the emitter-base voltage VEB for the varying values of collector-base voltage VCB.

• We can clearly observe the trend from the graph that, The Emitter base junction is forward biased so the emitter current IE increases with the increasing values of VEB as the collector base Voltage VCB increases.

Output characteristics Common Base Configuration of a Bipolar Junction Transistor

• The output characteristics of Common Base Configuration of a Bipolar Junction Transistor are plotted between the output voltage VCB and output current IC, follow the graph given below for better understanding;

• Change in the emitter current IE results in the changing values of collector current IC.
• The Emitter current IE and Emitter Base Voltage VEB are positive because the region is forward biased.
• You can observe the active region in the graph, the phase in which the transistor operates at its maximal potential.

Common emitter configuration of a bipolar junction transistor

In the common-emitter configuration of a bipolar junction transistor, the emitter terminal is connected between both the input and output terminals, the thing you already know! Don’t you?

Input characteristics Common emitter configuration of a bipolar junction transistor

• The graph for the Common emitter configuration of a bipolar junction transistor is plotted between the base current IB and the Base emitter voltage of VBE, for the increasing values of Collector-Emitter voltage, as you can see in the graph plotted below;

• We can clearly observe from the plotted graph, that the value of base current increases with the increasing value of base-emitter voltage.

Output characteristics Common emitter configuration of a bipolar junction transistor

• For the common emitter configuration, the output characteristics are plotted between the collector current IC with the varying values of collector-emitter voltage VCE.
• The graph represents the working of the bipolar junction transistor in three regions namely saturated region, active region, cut off region.
• The active region is the region in which the current increases with the voltage but it has not reached its maximal value.
• The saturated region represents the saturated current when the voltage has reached its maximal value. Can you spot all the mentioned regions in the graph given above?

• In the cut-off region, the emitter region is reverse biased with a minimal amount of current.

Early effect in Bipolar Junction Transistor

• Here is another important term to be discussed when we are discussing the output characteristics of the bipolar junction transistor which is known as The Early Effect of a bipolar junction transistor, this phenomenon holds an important place when we talk about the I-V characteristics of a bipolar junction transistor. So, without any further delay let's see what is Early Effect in a BJT?
• As some of you might have presumed Early effect is one of the earlier manifestations of the collector current or anything like this, let me burst your bubble, it is definitely not true! Early effect in the Bipolar Junction Transistor is named after the scientist James M Early.
• Early effect in the bipolar junction transistor is the change in the effective width of the base region by applying the collector-base voltage VCB.
• The circuit diagram given below represents the early effect in a bipolar junction transistor;

• It causes the increase in reverse bias condition of the collector-base junction or in simple words it amplifies the reverse biasing of the collector-base junction causing a considerable decrease in the width of the Base region of the Bipolar junction Transistor.
• The early effect is fairly important in the output characteristics of common emitter and common collector configuration.
• Due to the Early Effect in bipolar junction transistor, the Collector Current represented by IC increases by the increasing the Collector-Emitter Voltage VCE.
• Consider the following graph for better understanding;

Common Collector Configuration of a Bipolar Junction Transistor

You might go through the following names of common collector configuration, we all have nick names and alternate names, and same goes for this configuration;

• Grounded collector configuration
• Voltage follower circuit
• Emitter follower circuit

• In Common Collector Configuration of a Bipolar Junction Transistor, The collector terminal is kept common within the input and output terminal of the circuit, as we are at the end of our discussion, can you tell which is the input terminal and which one is the output terminal?
• The input terminal is the place where the input signal for the base is given meanwhile the output terminal is the point where the Output signal is obtained between the collector and the emitter.
• An important thing to note is that the common collector configuration has very high input impedance.

Input characteristics Common Collector Configuration of a Bipolar Junction Transistor

• The input characteristics for Common Collector Configuration of a Bipolar Junction Transistor are plotted between the base current IB and Base collector voltage VBC. Refer to the following graph for better understanding,

• The base current IB is presented on the y axis meanwhile the collector-base voltage VCB is presented on the x-axis.
• The output voltage VBC increases with the increasing value of IB, you can follow the graph for better understanding.

Output characteristics of Common Collector Configuration of a Bipolar Junction Transistor

• The output characteristics of the common collector configuration are plotted between the emitter current IE and emitter-collector voltage VCE. Follow the graph for better understanding;

• The output for the voltage VCE is plotted for different values from zero to the maximal range.
• You can observe different regions for the output values, such as the Saturation region, Active region, and cut-off region of the graph, I hope by now you have a clear idea what these regions represent. These are the same corresponding values as we studied earlier in the emitter-collector configuration.

Comparison of bipolar junction transistor with other transistors

As we have been discussing the transistors lately, Let us compare bipolar junction transistors with other types of available transistors such as Field-effect transistor FET and MOSFET, metal oxide semiconductor Field-effect transistor. The following section would help you find clear difference between the BJT and FET.

 BJT vs FET/JFET

• First things first, both of these transistors belong to two different families of the transistor.
• The bipolar junction transistor as the name clearly indicates is bipolar and JFET/FET is unipolar. If you don't have any idea about the unipolar and bipolar transistors, let me tell you, they are named after the conduction process which involves only one type of charge carriers taking the name of unipolar transistors and the one requiring both types of the charge carriers electrons as well as holes, they are named bipolar transistors.
• Bipolar Junction Transistor is a current-controlled device meanwhile FET is a voltage-controlled device.
• Bipolar junction transistors are a bit noisy than FETs.
• Bipolar junction transistors have higher input impedance than the Field-Effect Transistors.
• Bipolar junction transistors have lesser thermal stability than the FETs
• There are three functional components of a bipolar junction transistor named as base, emitter, and collector, meanwhile, FET has different components named as the base, source and drain.
• Bipolar junction transistors are larger in size than the JFETs.
•  Bipolar junction transistors is less expensive than the Field effect transistor.

As you might already know that Junction Field Effect Transistors are a type of Field Effect Transistors so I haven’t made a separate heading for the comparison of BJT first with FETs overall and then individually with JFET and MOSFET. Comparison is the thief of joy so this upcoming section about the comparisons of BJTs would be the last one for the Bipolar Junction Transistors, Let’s begin;

 BJT vs MOSFET

Let us now compare bipolar junction transistors with MOSFET;

• BJT stands for bipolar junction Transistor meanwhile MOSFET stands for Metal Oxide Field-Effect Transistors.
• A bipolar junction Transistor is a current controlled device meanwhile MOSFET is a Voltage Controlled Device.
• A bipolar junction Transistor has three components named as emitter-collector and a base, meanwhile, a MOSFET has four components being the body, source, drain, and gate.
• The output of a Bipolar junction Transistor can be controlled by controlling Base current meanwhile output of a MOSFET can be controlled by controlling Gate voltage.
• Bipolar junction Transistor has a negative temperature coefficient meanwhile MOSFET has a positive temperature coefficient.
• Both Bipolar junction transistors and MOSFET are used for switching but the bipolar junction Transistor has a low switching frequency meanwhile MOSFET high switching frequency.
• Bipolar junction transistor is a bipolar device meanwhile MOSFET is a unipolar device.
• Bipolar junction Transistor has a high input impedance meanwhile MOSFET has a low input impedance.
• Bipolar junction Transistors are a bit noisy than MOSFETs.
• Bipolar junction Transistors are used in low current applications meanwhile MOSFETs are used in high power applications.
• MOSFETs are preferred for industrial use as compared to bipolar junction transistors because of their higher efficiency.

In case you want a detailed overview on the MOSFET, you can read our detailed article on this topic including definition, types, working and applications.

Applications of the Bipolar Junction Transistor

As we are done with our discussion on the basics and types of bipolar junction transistors let us discuss some of their applications. We already know the bipolar junction transistors are simple and cheaper to manufacture with lesser efficiency than other modern transistors such as MOSFET, there are still some areas where only BJTs are used because as they say old is gold! Let's move to the last segment of our discussion BJTs have countless uses, but here is a brief list for you to go through before we study the detailed applications of Bipolar Junction Transistors through and through;

• BJT can be used in clipping circuits, for a detailed outlook on this you can read our article on transistors.
• Bipolar Junction Transistors are used for signal demodulation.
• We use BJT for amplifying current due to its current gain characteristics.
• High-frequency applications such as radio frequency also involve Bipolar Junction Transistors.
• Bipolar Junction Transistors are used for discrete circuit designs because of their easy availability and low-cost manufacturing.
• Bipolar Junction Transistors are frequently used in analog circuits.

Now it's time to have a detailed discussion on the applications of a bipolar junction transistor;

1. BJT as a Switch

• You can easily guess how a BJT can work as a switch as we have already discussed its working in detail. Let us go through a brief breakdown of the process;
• When we have to use a Bipolar Junction Transistor as a switch, we need to keep our circuit on the toes, i.e. we have to constantly alter the current between the saturation phase and the cut off phase of a bipolar junction transistor. Can you recall both the phases? In case you can’t scroll up and read it again.
• In the cut off phase there is reverse biasing of collector base junction and we do not get any current.
• Meanwhile in the saturation phase of the Bipolar Junction Transistor it is working on its maximal potential.
• When the Bipolar Junction Transistor is operational in its Saturation region, there is no voltage drop across the circuit and it is carrying maximal current according to its definite capacity, in this condition we take it as a closed switch.
• On the parallel lines, in the cut off region, there is no conduction of current due to reverse biasing so we can say that our Bipolar Junction Transistor is working as an open switch.
• Now you know, how our Bipolar Junction Transistor also known as BJT works as a switch.

2. Bipolar Junction Transistor as Amplifiers

• If you can recall the characteristics of the bipolar junction transistor you might remember that a BJT acts as an amplifier when it is operated in its saturated region.
• The current gain of the bipolar junction transistors depends upon the alpha and beta characteristics of the transistor.
• Due to a huge current gain, the bipolar junction transistor is used in amplifiers in different configurations we have already discussed in detail, can you recall any of them? No worries, I'm listing the three of them again;
• Common-base configuration
• Common-emitter configuration
• Common-collector configuration

3. Bipolar Junction Transistors in Logic Gates

• Who has not been through the world of logic gates if he or she is somehow related to the world of electronics! I was always in a love-hate relationship with the logic gates.

Emitter Coupled Logic

• Bipolar junction transistors are a significant part of ECL, emitter-coupled logic.
• The ECLs are never ever operated in saturated mode, they have a high input impedance and low output impedance.
• The current keeps on rolling between the ECL pair hence each gate constantly keeps on drawing current, can you think of any of the disadvantages it may cause? Let me solve it for you, The ECL dissipates more energy than the other families of transistors.
• The Emitter Coupled logic is also named as;

• Current mode logic CML
• Current switch emitter follower logic CSEMFL
• Current Mode logic CML

Fusion of MOSFET and BJT

• The other new hyped-up thing is the fusion of MOSFET and BJT making a BiCMOS, a bipolar CMOS which reaps the benefits of both, the bipolar junction transistor and MOSFET.
• In case you are trying to figure out the meaning of that C in BiCMOS, please don't open a new tab, I'll let you know, it stands for Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor, thank me later!

4. Bipolar junction transistors as logarithmic converter

• The changes in the junctions of the BJT are logarithmic as we already know that the voltage of our base-emitter changes with the change in the algorithm of our current in the collector-emitter and base-emitter current during different biasing modes.
• So due to this specialty and predictability in the nature of bipolar junction transistors, we can easily make a BJT to calculate logarithms and anti-logarithms in any circuit.
• You must be thinking that we can render a diode for this purpose as well, why are we not using a diode instead? The answer lies in the high circuit flexibility and stability of a Bipolar Junction transistor, which a diode can’t provide.

5. Bipolar junction transistors in Temperature Sensors

• In our previous section, we discussed that the temperature coefficient for the Bipolar Junction transistors is small, so due to this property they can be used as temperature sensors.
• Now you must be thinking how we can do that practically, there is a simple method to measure the temperature.
• The base-emitter junction of a BJT has a very stable and predictable current transfer function which depends on temperature, which is why Bipolar Junction transistors are used in Temperature sensors.
• Following relationships exists between the current and voltage of the two junctions at different temperatures;

In the above-mentioned equation;

• K is the Boltzmann constant
• T is the temperature in Calvin
• VBE is the Base emitter current
• IC1 and IC2 are the output current at the same temperature on two different junctions.

So friends, this last segment on the applications of BJT concludes our discussion on Bipolar Junction Transistor. I presume you have learned something new from the article, I know some of the portions are a bit difficult to grasp as well especially if you are reading it for the very first time, but don't worry it is not humanly possible to understand everything at once, give it another chance even if it is the bipolar junction transistor or anything else in your life, a second turn never hurts anyone! I'll see you soon with another discussion, Have a good day ahead!

7 Things Companies Get Wrong When Choosing a Cloud Storage Provider

Cloud storage providers are important for companies to keep their files organized, share files with others, and back up their information in case of an attack or disaster. But there are many ways to approach this decision incorrectly or inefficiently, especially considering the hundreds of providers you have to choose from.

What are the most common mistakes companies make when choosing a cloud storage provider, and how can you avoid them?

The Importance of Cloud Storage

The importance of cloud storage software is hard to overstate. Your decision will have an effect on:

• File storage. How can you be sure that your files are stored fully and reliably? With an unreliable or untested provider, you’ll never feel 100 percent confident that your materials are being properly held.
• File security. You’ll also need to consider the security of your files. If something happens to the storage provider’s main data center, is there a backup that will keep your files safe? Will your content be defended against would-be cybercriminals? Can you share your files safely and reliably?
• Collaboration, sharing, and productivity. Most companies use their cloud storage provider’s services as a way to conveniently collaborate, share, and work together within the organization. Accordingly, your choice will have a significant impact on your bottom-line productivity – and therefore your profitability.
• Organization and management. Cloud storage providers also dictate the tools available to help you organize and manage your files. With the wrong software or an unreliable system, it’s going to be hard to keep all your individual files (and versions) straight, leading to bureaucratic messes and massive time delays – not to mention potentially lost files.

What Most Companies Get Wrong

So where do companies go wrong with this decision?

1. Going with the first available option. There are hundreds of cloud storage apps and solutions to choose from, so it’s not always the best idea to go with the first name that comes to mind. You might be familiar with a specific brand because it’s mentioned frequently or because you’ve seen an ad from them in the past, but this is no indication of quality or reliability. Most of the time, it’s better to research and try many different cloud storage solutions to see which one will work best for your organization.
2. Underestimating storage needs. How much data will you need to store? Depending on your needs, you may require a higher service tier or a different product altogether. Fortunately, many cloud storage providers offer “unlimited” data storage at certain subscription levels, allowing you infinite flexibility. But if you’re going with a finite cap, make sure you give yourself plenty of room to grow.
3. Neglecting security. While most cloud storage providers take security very seriously, you can’t take it as a given. The security of your files is your responsibility, so it’s on you to research the security standards of your chosen supplier and adequately prepare your own measures. How is this company backing up and protecting your information? What measures will you need to take to ensure your accounts remain secure? Even simple measures, like choosing a strong password, can help you boost your security here.
4. Opting for the cheapest app. Most businesses operate with tight budgets in mind – especially if they’re new or are working with limited revenue. It’s certainly acceptable to search for a cloud storage solution with your budget in mind, but it’s inadvisable to go with the cheapest possible solution. You’ll be missing out on a number of features – and you might not get the best service or the best fit for your organization.
5. Choosing something totally out-of-the-box. Your organization likely needs at least some flexibility and customizability when it comes to a cloud storage solution. It’s not always the best choice to go with something out-of-the-box. Consider building your own solution from scratch or going with a solution that can be tailored to your exact needs.
6. Assuming good software will fix every issue. Your cloud storage solution should solve a number of problems in your organization – but even the best software won’t solve all those issues. You’ll still need to practice good habits and polish your workflows if you want to remain productive, cost-efficient, and secure in your file management.
7. Planning for today instead of the future. When buying a cloud storage platform, it’s important to think about the short-term and long-term future. Buying a platform that serves you today, but may not serve you in a year or two, is a bad move.

As long as you’re making this decision seriously and keeping all your top priorities in mind, you’ll be in a good position to avoid most of these pitfalls. With a better cloud storage provider, your organization will be well poised to succeed.

Setup Arduino Environment for NodeMCU Programming

In the previous tutorial, we have discussed the basics of ESP8266 modules and have also had a look at the different WiFi modules based on ESP8266. In today's tutorial, we are going to set up Arduino Environment for NodeMCU Programming. Today we will prepare the development environment and build code to blink an LED and report status on the Serial Port (to validate the configuration). We will use the Arduino IDE for coding and the NodeMCU board (a module that works with an ESP8266). Simple integration. Zero hardware complexity.

The ESP8266 is an extremely robust and versatile microcontroller, which has proven to be a powerful tool in building Internet of Things solutions. What makes the ESP8266 such a popular tool is the perfect integration between a robust 32-bit processor and a fully functional WIFI module that already includes Internet Protocols.

A simple target, but the goal here is to prepare and test the development environment and introduce the programming mode.

Material

• 1x Computer/notebook with the minimum requirements to install Arduino IDE;
• 1x Mini-USB cable;
• 1x NodeMCU

Arduino IDE Install

•  Our first step is to download the Arduino IDE installer. It is available at this URL (https://www.arduino.cc/en/software).
• Figure 2 shows the latest stable version 1.8.15.
• It is recommended that you always have the most current version.
• So, if there’s a newer version when you download it, it’s the right for you. The Arduino community provides constant improvements to the IDE.

• On the right side, you can find the correct version for each Operating System and download the correct installer.
• We will not go into details here about how to install from the file. The Arduino page itself features an excellent manual on Getting Started.

• If this is your first contact with Arduino, I recommend checking out the Learn Arduino section as well.

Arduino IDE Presentation

• So, IDE installed, let's get to know the interface before making some important settings.
• If everything is ok, you should get the following result when running Arduino.

 

Text Editor

• The first thing that should catch your attention is that the code has already started with two functions.
• The “void setup()” and the “void loop()”.
• Arduino maintains a bootloader in the microcontroller, which is an initiator program responsible for preparing the hardware for correct operation.
• When we turn the module on power or press the reset button, the bootloader is the first program to run.

One of the bootloader's main responsibilities is to receive the code we send and write it to the microcontroller's memory. And when the code plays, the bootloader asks two questions:

1– What do I do first?

Answer: What does the “setup()” function say to do.

2– What do I do after “setup()”?

Answer: Repeatedly execute whatever the “loop()” function tells you to do.

• By default, we use the “setup()” function to inform whether a pin will operate as input or output, set the initial state of each pin used, set serial port Baud Rate, initialize additional configuration functions.

Verify and Upload Buttons

• Once our code is done, we need to check if everything is right and write the code in the microcontroller.
• The check button does a code check to identify syntax or library integration errors. Attention: logic errors are not checked; these are up to the programmer.
• The Upload button also performs the verification and then sends the code to the microcontroller via the Serial port.

Feedback Interface

• Perhaps the most important snippet of the IDE, here it reports the status of testing and recording. This is where you see if everything is ok.

Serial Monitor

• The Arduino IDE has a tool called Serial Monitor that allows direct communication with the microcontroller from the Serial port.
• It is possible to follow what is being sent by the module and send commands directly to it.

Two points of attention

1. The Communication Port (in the example COM3) must be selected in the Tools
2. The Baud Rate (in this case, 115200) must be entered correctly, otherwise, the data may become illegible or simply not appear.
3. Baud Rate can be set in the “setup()” function when preparing the recording

Boards Manager

• Each Arduino module has its peculiarities. Amount of memory, available pins, etc.
• Just as important as making a well-built code is telling the IDE which card model will be used.
• IDE Arduino already brings in its basic installation, the installation of boards that use ATMEGA microcontrollers.
• If you are going to use another type of board, it needs to be installed in Boards Manager (tools -> Boards Manager...).

•  Once installed, the board will be available and must be selected from the Tools -> Board menu.

Attention point

• Until Arduino version 1.8.15, modules using the ESP8266 do not appear available in Boards Manager.
• This is because it is not yet included in the official Arduino repository.
• For it to appear, it is necessary to add the path of a new repository.
• Do this by going to the File -> preferences menu and add http://arduino.esp8266.com/stable/package_esp8266com_index.json in the Additional Boards Manager URLs field.
• Press OK, close Arduino, and open it again.
• In Boards Manager the ESP8266 option will be available. Click install.

Once this step is completed, the main modules using the ESP8266 will be available. For our application, we will use nodeMCU 1.0.

Coding NodeMCU with Arduino IDE

• After choosing the board, choosing the port (note, the port will only appear when you connect the board to the USB), it's time to make our first code.
• The nodeMCU Module has a built-in LED and we will make it blink every 1 second.

• For this sketch, we don't need to include any additional libraries.
• When we inform Arduino that we are using the NodeMCU board, it already knows who the LED_BUILTIN is and which pin it is connected to.
• We use #define LED LED_BUILTIN just to give a more practical name to our LED, it could be used to name an external pin, for example, #define LED 13, alternatively, the original name could be used in the code.
• pinMode(LED, OUTPUT) and pinMode(13, OUTPUT) would have the same effect.
• The pinMode(LED, OUTPUT), by the way, is used to inform that this pin will operate as output. Note that this configuration was done inside the setup() function, so the pin will be prepared before being used in another function.
• Serial.begin(115200) initializes communication with the serial port at baud rate 115200. In our Loop function we will follow the sequence:
• Turn off the LED, write the pin status to the serial, wait for 1 second, turn the LED on, write the pin reading to the serial, wait for 1 second and start all over again.
• Here's the video demonstration of LED Blinking with NodeMCU:

So, that was all for today. I hope you guys have enjoyed today's tutorial on LED Blinking with NodeMCU. In the next tutorial, we will have a look at How to connect NodeMCU with webserver. Stay Tunned. Thanks !!! :)

ESP8266 based WiFi Modules for IoT Projects

The Internet of Things (IoT) and the Industry 4.0. Distinct technological revolutions but with a common goal: To integrate equipment (digital or analog) to a computer network.

And to be part of this revolution, the developer goes out of its way to include wired ethernet modules or WIFI modules in its circuits. Which increases complexity, circuit size and development cost.

What if I told you that already has a built-in WIFI microcontroller? And that it fits in the palm of your hand? For just 1 US dollar?

Today I’m going to introduce you to the ESP8266 microcontroller, from Espressif. And for those of you who already program in 8Bit microcontrollers like the Atmega328 (one of the most common on Arduino) and struggle to build your code in the modic SRAM’s 2KB and Flash memory’s 32KB… The ESP8266 offers 32KB to RAM and 512KB to Flash Memory … expandable up to 4MB.

 Did I get your attention? So, let’s go to a summary of the specs, provided by the manufacturer itself:

• 32-bit RISC architecture;
• 80MHz processor (can be expanded up to 160MHz);
• Operating Voltage of 3V;
• 32KB of RAM memory for instructions;
• 96KB of RAM memory for data;
• 64KB of ROM memory to boot;
• Flash memory preview by SPI (512KB to 4MB);
• Wireless 11 b/g/n standard;
• Operating modes: STA/AP/STA+AP;
• WEP, WPA, TKIP, AES security;
• Built-in TCP/IP protocol;
• QFN encapsulation with 32 pins;
• Main Peripherals: UART, GPIO, I2C, I2S, SDIO, PWM, ADC and SPI;
• Architecture with prediction of operation in energy saving

At this point you may have noticed that I stated that the ESP8266 has a 512KB Flash memory, extendable up to 4MB, but then I said that the module only provides this memory per SPI. Before explaining this, I want to draw your attention to another important point: The ESP8266 has a WIFI module inside a QFN package. WIFI is radio frequency! And how does it work without an antenna? The answer is: It doesn’t work!

The ESP8266Ex chip (this is its full name) needs an antenna to be connected to your antenna’s specific pins as well as a FLASH memory IC.

Started to get complicated? Don’t worry. With the idea of making the chip more accessible, several modules were developed that already include an antenna and a memory chip.

Understanding the need to include an antenna for the WIFI, a memory IC in the SPI and making pins more accessible, several manufacturers started working on ore “friendly” ESP8266’s versions. Among the best known are the ESP-01, ESP-03, ESP-05, ESP-07, ESP-12E, ESP-12F and NodeMCU. All of them have the esp8266 microcontroller in common, but they vary in size, antenna availability, memory size and pin availability. There are others, but today we’ll talk a little about them.

Where To Buy?
No.	Components	Distributor	Link To Buy
1	ESP8266	Amazon	Buy Now

ESP-01

It is the most common module in the ESP8266 range. It is compact (24.8 x 14.3 mm), the WIFI antenna is built in the board itself and has two GPIO pins that can be controlled according to programming. There are two significant drawbacks to this card:

• The pins are not intended for connection to a breadboard. Although they fit well, they end up shorting So, they necessarily need wires to extend the pins.
• The two available GPIOs play an important role in the board So it is necessary to pay attention to the level (high/low) when the board is initialized, or the board may mistakenly enter in programming mode. So, pins are safer operating as Outputs than as Inputs.

ESP-03

 

This version comes with a ceramic antenna, 7 GPIOs (two are those of the ESP-01 that require attention), a pair for UART, in size 17.4 x 12.2 mm. Smaller than 01? Yes! But that comes at a price: The encapsulation is another.

ESP-05

• No GPIOs available, it actually doesn’t even have a built-in antenna.
• This version was thought to incorporate WIFI to some other microcontroller (with the smallest possible size: 14.2 x 14.2 mm), so it has an external connector and UART pins to be manipulated by AT commands.

ESP-07

• The ESP-07 has both a ceramic antenna and an external connector. Looks a lot like the ESP-03, but leaves the meager analog pin available.
• In addition to incorporating a metallic cover that protects the circuit against magnetic interference.

ESP-12E and ESP-12F

Built-in antenna, 11 GPIOs, UART available, SPI available (not exactly, it’s still being used by the flash memory CI, but now you get the option to disable the memory and associate a larger one), an ADC pin (pause here to explain because it’s not that useful, The board operates with 3.3V, but the ADC is 0 – 1V. Low resolution, plus the big risk of damaging everything.).

The ESP-12E would be icing on the cake for the ESP8266’s boards, but the ESP-12F version handled an improvement in the antenna design and a little more pin protection.

NodeMCU

The NodeMCU module is to the ESP-12s as the Arduino UNO is to ATMEGA328s. A board with a protoboard compatible pinbus, all ESP-12 pins available, a 3.3V regulator to power the module (the VIN pin can receive 5V) and a UART – USB interface that turn the nodeMCU into a plug an play module.

There are versions with the ESP-12E (increasingly rare) and with the ESP-12F.

Now that we know a little more about the hardware, let’s take a look at how to program it.

There are different ways to programming the ESP8266. Different methods, different languages, among the most common, we have the ESP-IDF (manufacturer’s official. C programming) and others recommended, also, by the manufacturer: NodeMCU (Lua Script), Arduino (C++), MicroPython (you get one candy if you guess the language). It is possible to work with it in PlatformIO as well.

ESP-IDF

The ESP-IDF is the official Espressif solution. The SDK has a number of precompiled libraries and works with the Xtensa GCC compiler.

For a long time, the company has released RTOS and NON-OS versions in parallel. But since 2020 no NON-OS versions have been released (except minor bug fixes). Other modules from Espressif were born exclusive to RTOS versions, probably this was already part of the decision to bury the NON-OS. IN 2019, the company released a note stating that it would keep the main version, but that it would only operate in the correction of critical bugs. It even released some new features after that, but it doesn’t compare in quantity to the RTOS version.

This is without any doubt the most specialized tool that allows for the greatest customization at a low level. Drivers and libraries are customized for company modules. And specialization directly reflects on performance.

But the ESP-IDF lacks in complexity and size of the active community. Which ends up making the solution’s development a little slower. How does this happen? The programming is done in C- ANSI, in some cases with the directly treatment of registers, creating a more verbose code. More verbose? More chances for bugs. Also, active community is something that needs to be looked at when using any technology. Whether for creating new libraries or for sharing issues and solutions. The ESP-IDF user community exists, but it is much smaller than the others that will be presented here.

NodeMCU

The NodeMCU is an ambiguous term, it can either be used to indicate the NodeMCU module (hardware) or the NodeMCU development environment (software), both can be used together. But not necessarily. Let’s go to the software one.

The NodeMCU is a Lua-based firmware specific to the ESP8266 and uses a SPIFF (SPI Flash File System) based file system. This firmware is installed directly in FLASH memory, which allows the code’s execution in real time, without the need for compilation.

It offers a library structure for native functionality and for sensor’s integration, such DS18B20 or BME280, which make programming more dynamic.

The NodeMCU has been popular for quite some time. But it has three serious problems that have started to reduce its use.

• The Firmware NodeMCU, installed in FLASH, takes up a lot of Especially if the full version is included.
• It was developed based on the NON-OS version, so, firmware bugs started to get more complex to
• The memory management is quite complex in some cases. Because it didn’t compile, some memory overflow issues could only be noticed at runtime. (This was the reason I stopped using this method).

Arduino

The Arduino platform, undoubtedly the best known in the world when it comes to microcontrollers, is also on the manufacturer’s list of nominees.

The Arduino was built as software-hardware relationship that makes microcontroller’s development more accessible to non-specialists. The hardware complexity was minimal (in some cases none) and the software started to be treated in a high-level language (C++), allowing even object orientation.

Because it is so accessible, some members of the software’s community have started to be collaborators in building libraries (Only to control LCD displays, I know four), some sensor’s manufacturers offer official versions as well. Constantly updated material. Etc. Etc.

The Arduino architecture started with the Arduino Uno board (which uses an ATMEGA328), expanded support to other boards and… for some time now, it has support for ESP8266 in different modalities. There is good compatibility with standard Arduino libraries and it has its own.

MicroPython

I Don’t know the MicroPython in practice (yet), but as the name advertises, it allows programming in Python. Like NodeMcu, it deploys a firmware to FLASH memory and has well- defined libraries for hardware usage.

The space occupied in Flash is well optimized (not even compared to NodeMCU chaos). It seams to have a very active community. As for programming complexity I don’t have much information. But if you program in Python, I think it’s worth the experience.

PlatformIO

The PlatformIO is not really a development platform, but it allows an integration with other platforms to simulate the board. If you don’t have an ESP8266 on dang yet, it might be a good choice for your first steps.

However, there is a natural limitation when simulating a module whose flagship is WIFI.

Don’t you know where to start?

Personally, I think that the Arduino environment is perfect for prototyping. It’s easy to get results pretty quickly to validate a proof of concept. But in some cases you can go beyond that. If your project doesn’t demand maximum performance from the ESP8266, even the production version can be built here.

For a project that requires a lot of hardware precision, I don’t recommend intermediaries. Nothing will perform better than IDF.

For educational purposes, our next articles will use the NodeMCU board programmed on the Arduino platform.

What is JLCPCB Parts Pre-order Service?

Parts Pre-order  Service provides customers order components and saves them for their JLCPCB SMT service. Consumers prepay for the parts and buy the required components in advance to ensure sufficient components are ready anytime. Meanwhile, they can immediately arrange the supply of parts through the advance sale for their electronic products. The parts save in their own library, safe and easy.

Pre-order service accumulates different demands from people all around the world, is making parts need more clear and easier, therefore JLCPCB cooperates with customers to help complete orders, the order in large quantities, help win more discounts, and create maximum value and benefits for customers.

JLCPCB Parts Pre-order build up supply amid a global shortage

The shortage of components caused panic purchases,and the result of panic buying is the continuous soar in component prices. Since 2020, the production capacity of components has been insufficient due to the epidemic for all the world. Hardware companies in various countries around the world have joined in races for component resources. Meanwhile, the epidemic has caused more companies to arrange for employees to work from home, which indirectly promotes the demand for electronic consumer products has increased sharply. Consumer electronic products are the most suitable products for work and personal entertainment at home.

Strategy Analytics reported global consumer electronics market revenues to increase by 7% in 2020 News on February 4th, Strategy Analytics' latest research report "2014-2024 Global Consumer Electronics Market Forecast" pointed out that in 2020, strong consumer demand for home computers, tablets, and game consoles will promote consumer electronics Trade gains reached 358.5 billion dollars, an increase of 7% over 2019.

Therefore from this point of view, the production capacity of components is insufficient, and the demand for terminal electronic products has increased day by day, which has increased component consumption. Due to insufficient production capacity but increasing consumer demand is continuing, leading many technology companies or the consumer electronics industry to start a global search for components to ensure stable production and operation. Coupled with the rise of the online education industry in 2020, many schools arrange students to study at home, and the demand for educational electronic products has also grown sharply. Components are downstream products. The insufficient supply of terminal products has caused many consumer electronics companies to directly join the ranks of competing for components. The lack of supply has caused global electronic businesses to panic, and components have also risen due to the situation, and prices have continued to rise. Many merchants are facing the same difficulties that they are pouring more money, but cannot buy it, so the emergence of component pre-order services can reduce the insecurity, help to solve the global shortage.

JLCPCB ensures Stable Parts Supply

A good PCB Supplier is expected to have a stable supply foundation: replenishing goods in time when demand increases; inventory prepared even demand decreases.

We are facing a global component supply shortage, although every PCB manufacturer makes every effort to ensure that its SMT service is not affected in any way, things are always out of control. Global production capacity cannot keep up when the world is unstable, the reasons many from the global economy, the global political situation, the epidemic, etc. The shortage of components will continue. What should we do?

Therefore, pre-determining components and ensuring a stable supply is one of the ways to solve the problem. As a PCB manufacturer, it is impossible to estimate or correctly understand the component needs of each customer. It is difficult to guarantee that there will be no shortage of materials. When there are many parts in stock, and a customer may order a lot at a time. It seems parts pre-order service make everything go easily. Customers request parts in their account, it is a private library. requesting and saving parts in the personal account, just take them out when you have SMT order needs.

For JLCPCB, when they receive the requests, they can understand which kinds of parts people demand. Meanwhile, when JLCPCB accumulates many orders from parts, they can have more negotiable advantages when they help to buy the parts from other parts suppliers, which has a large discount for the entire purchase. This is equivalent to a joint collaboration to complete a task. The component reservation can inform JLCPCB customers' component requirements, accurate to the model and quantity. JLCPCB conducts global collection and purchase, and the entire purchase is highly discounted and easy.

JLCPCB reduce parts cost

Price discount is one of the advantages of component pre-order service. Since it is purchased online, all prices are open and fair.

Customers have a choice for whether to buy after confirming the price of the components. JLCPCB also implements a policy of more refunds and less replenishment for the pre-ordered components, so it's worry less about payment is gone because pre-order service failed cause. As we know, the global PCB company has good service for both price and quality. They are able to gain more low-cost but high-quality parts from global components suppliers. And also we know the components from component agents or original manufacturers, there will be a corresponding purchase price. In order to protect their own interests, MOQ is a common method to components suppliers. Generally speaking, different purchase quantities have a corresponding purchase price. Only when the purchased quantity reaches the corresponding standard line will the price change. Component vendors will naturally give larger customers more favorable prices, while SMEs or individual customers bear greater cost prices. Therefore, JLCPCB is equivalent to providing a platform for the collection of component requirements. When it reaches the larger MOQ of component vendors, the preferential strength will be even greater. Therefore, it is not difficult for us to see that the pre-order service prices of JLCPCB components are more favorable.

How to use JLCPCB parts pre-order service

Step 1: Log in to JLCPCB

3 essential functions in your Parts Manager

• My Parts Lib.
• Order Parts.
• New parts request.

Step 2: Check the guidelines to determine if there is a need to use the pre-order service My Parts Lib Instruction

• Customer can build their own parts lib for JLCPCB assembly service via pre-ordering parts, there is no inventroy cost when using for assembly orders.
• Inventory loss equals 0.03% of minimum package each year.
• Please consider the minimum required quantity and attraction quantity during assembly process.
• Currently, the pickup service is not available, the parts you store in JLCPCB can only used for assembly orders.

Step 3: confirm whether the component can be pre-ordered before placing an order

• Basic parts can be pre-ordered, minimum quantity required.
• In-stock extended parts can be pre-ordered, no minimum quantity required.
• Non-stock extended parts recommended to pre-order, minimum quantity required.

Step 4: Order Parts

• JLCPCB (80k+ in-stock components) +LCSC  parts provided.

• Instruction for the minimum and maximum quantity.

• Pre-order parts at LCSC
  • The components purchased in the LCSC mall need to be quoted and purchased.
  • There is a minimum order quantity requirement.

Step 5: Payment

After the purchase is completed, you can view the corresponding record and delivery description on the shopping cart, click secure checkout to pay.

• JLCPCB will email the pre-order customers when the quote is ready to check the price, leading time, etc.

• The order is kept in the shopping cart for 1 hour, and the payment will be automatically canceled if the payment is overdue; when the customer is added to the shopping cart and has not paid, the system will have an email reminder (the link in the email will go to the private library page)

• Please note that those parts are only used for your SMT orders, so they won't be shipped separately.
• Please complete the payment within one hour, or the order will be canceled automatically because the parts' inventory may change each second.

Step 6: Confirmation

• Check the status of the ordered parts in the " Parts Order History " page.
• For in-stock items, the parts will usually be shown in your own library immediately after you make the payment.
• For the pre-order items, the exact price will be confirmed within 48 hours after the initial payment is done. Money will be refunded or will need to be refilled, depending on the final quotation.

Step 7: Cancellation

• After the customer canceled the order, the refund record and actual effect can be viewed on the part order history page.

Step 8: Making new parts request

• Making a new part request is a little bit different from the pre-order service, which needs to submit a request, once the “new parts request” is approved, then you can pre-order them.

 Notes:

1. Click "Submit a Request" to request adding new parts for assembly.
2. Working hours: Mon. - Sat. 9 am - 6 pm GTM+8
3. The review will be completed in 2 hours when working hours.
4. The approved parts will be available the next business day.

Approved

• You can apply for the new parts request, when the new parts request is approved, you can pre-order the parts you requested.

Unapproved

• If your request is not approved, go to the page to make a personal request in detail, the information needed as follow(must require):
• MFR PART= Original model
• Footprint = footprint
• MFR# = brand
• PACKAGE=Packing method (tape, pallet, bag, tube, box)
• Datasheet = Package Manual