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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!

PCBA: Definition, Types, Material, Manufacturing Process, Price & Applications

Hey Guys! Hope you’re well. I welcome you on board. In this post today, I’ll walk you through PCBA (Printed Circuit Board Assembly) in detail. It's our 4th tutorial in the PCB learning series.

In the 1st tutorial, we studied printed circuit board(PCB) in detail and learned that PCB provides physical support and electrical connection through conductive copper layers for the electronic components placed on the board. We have seen in our previous tutorials that when we place our PCB order on some PCB fabrication house, they provide us with a PCB board without electronic components. We have to solder the electronic components on the board. But now these PCB companies also offer a service to provide finished PCB boards with electronic components attached. Such a finished PCB board with electronic components is called PCB Assembly(PCBA).

You can place these components by yourself, if you know how to solder them on the board or you can outsource it to the PCB company for the smooth insertion of these components on the boards without compromising the quality of the PCB. Curious to know more about PCBA? Keep reading.

PCBA Definition

• PCBA(Printed Circuit Board Assembly) is a complete PCB board, where electronic components are mounted by the PCB company.
• Several steps are involved in the Printed Circuit Board Assembly manufacturing process.
• Each step must be in harmony with the next one to ensure a seamless production process for getting a quality final product.
• A PCBA normally passes through a reflow furnace heating to develop a mechanical connection between the components and the PCB.

Let's have a look at the Manufacturing process of PCBA in detail:

PCBA Manufacturing Process

The PCB undergoes DFM(design for manufacturability) check before the actual PCBA process even starts. The DFM check cross-checks the final PCB structure with the initial blueprint of the design. This check identifies any missing links or potentially redundant and problematic features in the final PCB design.

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If PCB doesn’t undergo this check, the PCBA process can create trouble in properly mounting the components on the board and maintaining a flawless electrical connection between them. DFM checks not only reduce the cost of the manufacturing process but also ensure the overall functionality of the PCB.

PCBA production process comes with the following steps.

1. Solder Paste

Before adding components on the board, a solder paste is added to the areas, where components rest on the finished PCB. The solder paste comes with greyish tiny balls of metals and is mixed with the flux that turns to a chemical composition and should be added in the right amount & in the right areas of the board.

To add the solder paste, a mechanical fixture is used to hold both the PCB and solder stencil in place. An applicator then takes the solder paste in precise amounts and places it on the desired PCB areas. The machine rolls the solder paste evenly on the intended PCB areas. As the stencil is removed, the solder paste sits on the desired areas.

2. SMT Assembly

After properly adding the solder paste on the board, the board is then passed through the pick and place process, where the robotic machine is used to pick the surface mount components from the reels and place them on the intended areas of the board.

The components added remain in the desired areas due to the sticky feature of the solder paste. The solder paste comes with enough bond strength that keeps the components in place.

Earlier this procedure was practiced manually by humans. However, the inception of advanced technology removed the need for this erratic manual process, since the automated process by machines is more accurate and efficient than the traditional manual process.

3. Reflow Soldering

Once the electronic components have been placed in the desired locations, they remain there due to the presence of solder paste. The board then undergoes a Reflow Soldering process that solidifies the solder paste to keep the components at the required positions.

In this process, the finished board is transferred to a conveyor belt that passes through a big reflow oven having a series of heaters; the temperature of these heaters stays around 250^oC which generates gradual heat to bake the board. At this stage, the temperature is high enough to make the solder melt, keeping the components tightly in place.

Once the solder has been melted down, the finished product is then passed through a series of cooler heaters that cools down the melted solder paste, giving it strength and creating a permanent solder joint to firmly connect the surface mount components with the board.

This is the reflow soldering for the one-sided PCB. Know that for two-sided PCB the stenciling and reflowing will be done separately for each side.

4. Inspection

Once the reflow soldering has been done, the assembled board undergoes a proper inspection where the functionality of the board is tested. As the PCB passes through a reflow soldering process, it may result in poor connection quality or in worst cases, the elimination of the entire connection. To check these problematic features and common errors, the assembled board undergoes a careful inspection.

• Optical Inspection: Recognize that, manual inspection is not an option for inspecting hundreds of surface mount components on the boards, instead, automatic optical inspection is exercised to look for the defects and errors in the board. In optical inspection, an automatic optical machine is used that comes with high-powered cameras that are located at different angles to monitor the connections. The solder connections reflect light at high speed with different intensities, allowing the machine to analyze the connections of lower quality.
• X-Ray Inspection: For complex and layered circuit boards, the X-ray inspection method comes into play, where X-rays are used for the inspection. With X-rays, layers become transparent, helping you see through the layers and identify the common problems on the board. These inspections are carried out before the final functional test inspection which involves the steps to make sure the board is fully functional and does the job perfectly.

5. Plated Through Hole Components

Based on the type of PCB board and the components used, the PCB assembly may go beyond the scope of SMT components insertion. In that case, Plated Through Hole(PTH) components insertion is used, where holes are drilled on the board and go completely through the board establishing a conductive path from one side of the board to another. Solder paste is not used in this case because it won’t stick and creeps into the drilled holes. In this PTH process, two types of soldering processes may be used:

• Manual Soldering: This soldering is manually done by humans. In this process, one person at the station is given the task to insert components in the desired PTH area. Once finished, the board is transferred through a conveyer belt to another station where another person is destined to insert another component. The cycle continues until each hole is filled with the desired component.
• Wave Soldering: Wave soldering is an automatic process. Once the PTH components are placed on the desired hole areas, the board is transferred through a conveyer belt that passes through a special oven that smears the layer of melted solder on the bottom of the board, soldering all pins at once.

6. Functional Test

In this process, the finished product undergoes the final inspection called the ‘functional test’ where simulated power signals run through the PCB to analyze the electrical characteristics of the board.  If voltage, current or signal output in these characteristics show sudden fluctuation beyond the permitted range, it means the board has failed the test.

7. Feedback

It is important to investigate any failures to guarantee the functionality of the manufacturing process. The recommended place to monitor the output and the potential errors is the optical inspection stage because errors are detected and rectified at this stage. This saves time ^ & money and avoids PCB production with similar defects.

Where to place PCB Assembly order?

• JLCPCB is an excellent PCB fabrication house that also provides PCBA services.
• From solder paste printing and SMT to reflow soldering and optical inspection, the board goes through every step with careful scrutiny, ensuring top-quality finished PCB assembly with electronic components.
• If you’re looking for reliable and economical PCBA service, you should give JLCPCB Fabrication House a try, you won't regret it.
  

PCBA Pricing Factors

• The price of PCBA is obviously more than the manufacturing of a simple PCB board. In PCBA, electronic components are mounted on the PCB using SMT technology.
• The size of the circuit board and the number of components that need to be mounted on the board plays a key role in defining the overall cost of the assembled circuit boards.
• Moreover, the total number of holes and their sizes are also important factors while defining the price of the board.
• Similarly adding more layers to the board and the type of material used will influence the cost.
• The customization in the manufacturing process will affect the cost; the more custom features you would like to add to the board, the more the cost.

PCBA Applications

PCBs are the backbone of electronic devices used for commercial and domestic purposes. More often big electronic companies don’t spend time in designing the PCB and then separately mounting the electrical components on the circuit boards. They purchase PCBA services, where circuit boards come ready-made installed with the components.

The common PCBA applications include:

• Companies prefer PCBA services for making consumer electronics, calculators, and smart toys.
• PCBA services come in handy in the manufacturing of auto parts.
• Automotive companies buy PCBA services to install circuit board assemblies in the antilock brake system, airbag control, audio-video system, engine timing system, ignition system, and more.
• The circuit board assemblies are used in heart-related applications live developing the pacemakers and heart monitoring devices.
• Military and defense systems prefer PCBA services for making the defense system, aerospace, naval, and aviation applications.

That’s all for today. So far, we have discussed the basics of both PCB and PCBA, now we will have a look at the Top PCB Manufacturers to place your order. Hope you’ve enjoyed reading this article. If you have any questions, you can pop your comments in the section below. I’d love to help you the best way I can. Thank you for reading the article.

Top Printed Circuit Board Manufacturers Online

Hi Guys! I welcome you on board. Happy to see you around. In this post today, I’ll walk you through Top Printed Circuit Board Manufacturers Online. It's our 5th tutorial in the PCB learning series.

Whether you’re a hobbyist working on your electronic project or someone who wants to develop an electronic product, PCB is an integral part of creating electronic units. With scores of PCB manufacturers available online, it’s very challenging to pick one that absolutely resonates with your needs and requirements. So how do you keep up when almost every company claims to be the best on board?

We’ve picked the top printed circuit board manufacturers online that you can select for developing your electronic projects.

Let’s get started.

Top Printed Circuit Board Manufacturers Online

The top printed circuit board manufacturers include:

1. JLCPCB

JLCPCB tops the list for several good reasons. Introduced in 2006, JLCPCB comes with advanced PCB technology that ensures both academic and compact products with fully automated production lines. They offer an easy-to-use online system to order PCB; you just need to fill up your requirements on the online form and upload the Gerber file, and you’ll get a quick quote based on your needs.

Whether you need a single PCB for your project or you want orders in volumes, JLCPCB is a one-stop shop for providing PCB prototype and SMT assembly services. More often, you’ll get PCB delivered to your doorstep within 3-5 business days, however, it also depends on the nature of the PCB and the carrier you choose for delivery.

You can pick different features to be included in the final product i.e. number of copper layers, substrate material, maximum dimensions of the PCB, dimension tolerance, and board thickness, making sure you get exactly what you ordered online.

The commitment of JLCPCB is second to none and we’re not even bragging since the hundreds of thousands of satisfied customers are solid proof of their durable and long-lasting products stuffed with innovation and precision.

Plus, they also offer a PCB Panelization service which suits you best if you want smaller PCBs with unusual shapes in bulk orders. This will not only save money but also ensures an efficient manufacturing process with a durable product.

2. PCBWay

PCBWay is another top-notch PCB prototype and fabrication company. They are committed to satisfying customers around the world with reliable circuit boards where the final product goes through advanced testing and inspecting equipment including an X-ray inspection machine, automated optical inspection machine, and flying probe tester.

They are equipped with online pricing software where you can get a rough estimation of the PCB you want to be manufactured. In addition, they also offer a PCB assembly service for successfully mounting the electrical components on the board.

Know that with PCBway, you’re in direct contact with the company as they are not a broker and you’ll get standard PCBs at an economical price with no extra charges. Moreover, you can monitor order fabrication and processing status online to make sure you’re not left behind in the process.

Different types of circuit boards they produce, include: standard PCB, multi-layer PCB, flexible PCB, rigid-flex PCB, rigid PCB, high-frequency PCB, thick copper PCB, HDI PCB, LED PCB and aluminum PCB.

3. AllPCB

AllPCB is a PCB fabrication company that provides customized integrated solutions to meet your electronic needs. They carry high-precision processing equipment that guarantees flawless operation where every PCB goes through strict 100% AOI testing and ruthless inspection.

If you’re looking for reliable and top-notch PCB fabrication and PCB assembly service, your search is over since AllPCB is there to help you deliver durable PCB exactly meeting your needs and requirements.

Normally, they ship the finished product within 3-5 business days, however, it also depends on the complexity of the order and the shipping cost may vary based on the size, weight and destination of your circuit boards. Furthermore, they also offer PCB Panelization which helps you place an order in bulk for the small-sized PCBs that saves both cost and time for the manufacturing process.

4. PCBgogo

PCBgogo is a highly specialized PCB Prototype Company, providing state-of-the-art medium and small-volume PCB fabrication. They adhere to the strictest standards in manufacture and assembly and also come with ISO 9001:2015 quality management system.

Introduced in 2017, PCBgogo is UL certified which guarantees the product’s reliability with a careful inspection where all circuit boards are thoroughly tested before being delivered. They carry the latest professional production equipment to ensure a seamless PCB and PCBA manufacturing process.

Moreover, you cannot only track your PCB and assembly order status online but also get notified of the manufacturing process and the shipping status of your order. An instant online quote option is available that comes with a transparent price structure making sure you get the final product with the exact features that you ordered online.

PCBgogo believes in 100% customer satisfaction instead of merely meeting financial goals. The fastest fabrication time is 2-3 business days, however, you can expedite the process and make it 12-24 hours on demand.

5. Atechcircuit

Founded in 2003, A-tech Circuit specializes in fast PCB prototypes, PCB manufacturing, and assembly services. A large inventory of stock PCB helps them cover a wide range of industries including telecommunication, aerospace, medical, automotive, and more. The staff contains highly trained experts that go the extra mile to comply with your PCB requirements. Customer satisfaction is their priority and they make sure you come back again and again for what they have to offer.

Their products and services are 100% in compliance with IPC-6012 & IPC-A600F standards and they are ISO9001:2008, ISO14001, TS16949 and UL certified. The types of PCBs that A-tech Circuit manufactures are rigid-flex PCB, flex PCB, FR-4 multilayer PCB, microwave PCB, metal core PCB and HDI PCB, so you don’t have to search for a new manufacturer for your electronic projects.

6. Unimicron

To meet the increasing demands of circuit boards in consumers’ electronics, Unimicron is another leading PCB fabrication company in the club. They are committed to designing customized PCB designs with an additional focus on maintaining the efficiency of the product with an efficient manufacturing process.

Started in 1980 as a small sheet metal and stamping company, Unimicron has not only continually evolved but also welcomed innovative ideas to manufacture and prototype circuit boards and make them align with the customer’s demands.

Moreover, high-end materials and sophisticated advanced technology are always considered in the manufacturing process. Unimicron has recently participated in new product and technology development projects with research institutes including IZM in Germany and Georgia Institute of Technology in the USA.

In November 2020, they received the “National Occupational Safety and Healthy Award” which is a helpful clue on how safe and secure is their production equipment.

7. PCBCart

Established in 2005, PCBCart is a professional PCB production service provider that takes pride in providing outstanding service in more than 80 countries around the world. Apart from high-quality PCB fabrication, they also offer PCB assembly and components sourcing services.

It is a one-stop production solution to your electronic needs serving companies of all sizes. Plus, they also offer an option to order a sample before you order in bulk, making sure you get the exact product meeting your needs and requirements. The manufacturing process is transparent and clear and you’ll never be left in the dark, as you can monitor and track your order in action and the processes it goes through before the final product is ready to deliver at your doorstep.

In PCBCart, the PCB fabrication complies with IPC 2 as quality grade, while PCB assembly is with IPC 3 and they follow strict manufacturing guidelines to ensure the reliability and functionality of products, including ISO9001:2007, TS16949, UL, RoHS, etc.

8. Zhen Ding Tech

Zhen Ding Tech strives to provide multiple customized solutions to customers around the world. The company serves a range of industries and electronic companies including IoT, Artificial Intelligence, 5-G technology, aerospace and military.

Every step in the manufacturing process follows strict guidelines, ensuring the precision and accuracy of the finished product. Use of automated production lines to ensure seamless production and on-time delivery put this company ahead of the curve.

Another aspect you may want to consider before hiring the PCB fabrication company is the qualified and trained staff. Zhen Ding Tech comes with highly skilled professionals that not only help you in the design process but also provide valuable suggestions in picking the right circuit board for your application.

9. Suntak PCB

Founded in Shenzhen in 1995, Suntak PCB is another top-notch PCB manufacturing factory on board. The company adheres to bringing in new trends in PCB design capabilities to stand out from the crowd.

As a full-category PCB manufacturing group, Suntak PCB makes PCBs that are used in communication equipment, smartphones, and automotive electronics. In the last two decades, they have established long-lasting relationships with world-renowned communication equipment manufacturers by providing customer-centric and impeccable service.

We love their mission, value and vision statements that put customers first by providing rugged and firm products using advanced and cutting-edge technology.

10. Kinwong

Kinwong is a PCB fabrication company that works ahead with clients to provide customized circuit boards for the development of the electronic project. Founded in 1993, Kinwong is the world’s leading PCB manufacturer that owns 5 production bases and 11 factories in China. The company is committed to serving its customers with more than 13000 employees worldwide.

With the main focus on incorporating innovation with the latest technology, Kinwong is specialized in producing automated circuit boards to make the electronic device thin, robust and lighter. They are one of the few domestic manufacturers that handle metal base PCB, flexible PCB, rigid PCB and rigid-flex PCB.

They have a dedicated department that is responsible for the systematic management of suppliers, ensuring a quick and automated supply chain for the prompt production of circuit boards.

Conclusion

Not all PCB manufacturers are equal. Some are better than others. We’ve shortlisted the top 10 manufacturers online that you can pick from. Again, it is advised to do your due diligence and gather enough information about the company you want to work with, this will not only save time but keep you from a lot of trouble later.

That’s all for today. In the next tutorial, we will have a look at the Top Circuit Simulators. Hope you’ve enjoyed reading this article. If you have any questions, you can approach me in the section below. I’d love to help you the best way I can. Thank you for reading this article.

What is PCB Panelization & Why do we need it?

Hello Friends! Hope you’re well today. Today, I am going to share the 11th chapter in the PCB learning series. In today’s post, I’ll walk you through PCB Panelization, where we will discuss its definition, types, combinations, manufacturing guidelines etc.

In PCB companies, CNC machines are used for PCB manufacturing and assembly. These CNC machines are capable of designing PCBs of quite large sizes. But normally, small-sized PCBs are used in electronic products. So, in order to fully utilize the power of CNC machines, PCB design is replicated multiple times(let’s say 10) and this final design is then fed to the CNC machine. This process of manufacturing multiple PCBs on a single board is called PCB Panelization and the final board created is called PCB Panel. A PCB Panel containing 6 PCB designs is shown in the below figure:

I hope you must have understood the basic concepts, now let’s have a look at the definition of PCB Panelization:

PCB Panelization Definition

• PCB penalization is a process of manufacturing/assembling multiple PCB boards, by designing them on a single board (called PCB Panel).
• Once PCB Panel is manufactured, it is depenalized and separate PCB boards are plucked out of it.
• PCB Panelization is the most commonly used PCB manufacturing technique, as it saves both time and cost.
• If you have ever ordered any PCB then you must have the idea that as we increase the number of PCBs(to be manufactured), the cost reduces significantly, that’s because of PCB Panelization.

How to order a PCB Panel?

All PCB companies offer PCB Panelization to their customers and the method of placing a PCB Panel order is almost the same. For understanding purposes, I am going to take the example of the JLCPCB Fabrication house.

JLCPCB is the most trusted online PCB fabrication house, providing PCB & PCBA manufacturing services since 2006. JLCPCB has top-notch PCB manufacturing technology and thus always provides the best products to meet their customers' requirements. Moreover, they have a very user-friendly website, and their online support team is always there to guide you through the online PCB ordering process.

• First of all, you need to create an account on the JLCPCB website.
• Now, in order to place the PCB Panel order, you need to click on Quote Now.
• On this page, you will find an option “Panel by JLCPCB”, as shown in the below figure:

• As you can see in the above figure, I have encircled the “Panel By JLCPCB” option.
• If you want to place a PCB Panel order, then first click on the “YES” button.
• After that, I entered 5 in x value and 2 in y value, which means I want to place 5 PCB boards in a single row of PCB Panel(x-direction) and in total I want 2 rows on PCB Panel(y-direction).
• So, overall this setting will place 10 PCB boards on a PCB Panel.
• Lastly, I have selected “YES” for edge rails, which will place a border on the PCB Panel, it's recommended to avoid any damage to PCB designs.

Why need PCB Panelization?

PCB Panelization is the most commonly used manufacturing technique because of its numerous advantages. Let’s have a look at a few scenarios, where PCB Panelization proves helpful:

Small Sized PCB

• If a small-sized PCB is manufactured on these CNC machines, the machine will consume almost the same power as that of a large-sized PCB.

• So, if the PCB design(to be manufactured) is of small size, it is replicated over the panel and with a slight increase in the price, multiple designs are manufactured.

Product Designing

• In product designing, the PCB order normally ranges between 10k - 100k.
• In such cases, PCB Panelization is used to save time and cost.

Combinations of PCB Panelization

In PCB Panelization, we have three types of combinations, termed:

1. AAAA Combination
2. ABAB Combination
3. ABCD Combination

1. AAAA Combination

• In AAAA Combination, PCB Panel has identical PCB designs on it.
• This combination is used when small-sized PCB designs are needed to be manufactured.
• For example, a car locking RF remote has a single PCB in it as it's a very small product.
• So, the company manufacturing this product must be using PCB Panelization in AAAA Combination.

2. ABAB Combination

• This combination is used in designing PCBs for medium-sized electronic products i.e. small toys, calculators, handheld devices etc.
• In such products, around 3 to 5 small PCB designs are used, which are interfaced together in the final product.
• So, for designing multiple PCBs of a single product ABAB combination is used in PCB Panelization.

3. ABCD Panelization

• In ABCD Combination, the PCB Panel has different PCB designs on it.
• This combination is normally used by PCB companies as they combine all single PCB orders on a PCB Panel to save time and cost.
• This combination is a bit tricky as it involves extra care for each PCB design.

Depanelization Methods:

• Depanelization is the method to remove the smaller PCB boards from a PCB Panel.
• Normally, two types of depanelization techniques are used, named:

1. V-Scoring
2. Tab Route

Let’s have a look at these Depanelization methods, one by one:

1. V-Scoring

• V-Scoring, also known as V-grooves, is a method of placing a straight-lined V-shaped groove between the PCB designs.

• While applying the V-grooves, it is important to create a cut of an equal depth i.e. 1/3 on the bottom and 1/3 on the top, making sure the middle part ‘the web’ remains connected.
• This method is useful for boards with regular shapes with sizes over 75mmx75mm.
• It is advised to use machines and fixtures to depanelize the boards, as manual removal can damage the components placed at the edge of the board.
• Know that the V-scoring is a continuous process and cannot be stopped in the panel, however, if you have multiple different boards to be depanelized, it’s better to use the following tab route method.

2. Tab Route

• In this method, small tabs are created between PCB designs on the PCB Panel, these tabs have spacing between them.
• This method is useful for the depanelization of ABCD combinations i.e. different circuit boards.

3. Breakaway Rail

• Breakaway Rail, also called Edge Rail, is simply the marking of the PCB Panel border to avoid any damage to PCB boards at the margins.
• The Edge rail is simply removed during depanelization and both V-scoring or Tab Route could be used.

Types of PCB Panelization:

The four types of PCB Panelization include:

1. Order Panelization

• To order panelization, a single PCB design is replicated all over the PCB Panel.
• This is the most common type of Panelization used in manufacturing industries.
• Though you may come across a few operating difficulties while using this Panelization, it doesn’t compromise the quality of the final product.

2. Rotation Panelization

• In rotation Panelization, the circuit boards are rotated either 90 or 180 degrees, to save material cost.
• This panelization is normally used for designing irregularly shaped PCB designs.
• Suppose you are working on triangular-shaped PCB designs, then it would be the best practice to place the alternative one upside down, as shown in the below figure:

3. Combination Panelization

• Combination Panelization, also called characteristics Panelization, is a special type of Panelization that involves combining different types of circuit boards based on the combination principles.
• It is beneficial for designs containing different circuit board combinations in electronic units like toys and household appliances.
• We have already discussed those combinations i.e. AAAA, ABAB and ABCD.

Things to Consider for PCB Panelization

The following things you must consider during the PCB Panelization:

• Panel Size: Different manufacturers use different panel sizes. The panel size mainly depends on the size of the board you want to be manufactured. It is beneficial to work ahead with your PCB CM (a contract manufacturer) and ask about the Panel size of the manufacturing units. If necessary, you may need to alter the PCB size to accommodate the standard panel size.
• Layer Stackup: Not only multiple PCBs can be laid out on the panel, but Panelization ensures a cost-effective and efficient manufacturing process. And if you want to panelize multiple circuit boards, it is a good idea to keep identical layer stack-ups for all boards.
• Panel Structure: The circuit boards will usually require certain clearances to the edge of the panel and to each other and will generally come up with alignment holes. Again, coordinating with your CM can help you produce a final circuit board that can be effectively panelized.
• Panel Layout: The boards are placed to effectively use the space of the panel and the direction the board will take during the soldering process is a major concern. To effectively panelize the circuit boards, it is a good idea to work ahead with your CM to define the direction of the board through the soldering process.
• Breakouts: The panels are either depanelized with V-groove or with the routing method. The space you require between the components and the edges of the board is mainly dependent on the depanelized method you pick. The routing method requires 0.125 inches of space between the components and board edges while the V-groove method requires 0.075 inches. These board edge clearances keep the solder joints from major damage during depanelization of the board.
• Component Clearances: Components coming out of the board edge may require additional clearances based on the requirements of the manufacturing processes. If the components are large and overhang the edge, the clearances should be more than already defined for the V-groove and routing depanelization method.
• Panel Tooling: The board panels will require their own fiducial marks and tooling holes to resonate with what is on the circuit board.
• Physical Support: Different boards come with different thicknesses and sizes. Sometimes, additional support is required to keep the boards from sagging during the manufacturing process. To achieve this, a brace is included in the panel based on the board layout.

Advantages of PCB Panelization:

PCB Panelization is not only suitable for producing smaller circuit boards but also leads to an efficient production process. The following are common advantages of PCB Panelization:

• PCB Panelization saves both time and money and is the best technique for the mass production of circuit boards.
• It is a faster and more efficient process to handle multiple smaller boards as part of the large sheet.
• Normally, an 18x24 inch panel size with ½ inch perimeter of board edge clearance is used for the standard panels, however, it is advised to ask for the fabricator’s standard panel size before you even start designing the PCB layout. Since the boards produced using the fabricator’s standard size are cost-effective and help you manufacture multiple boards in less time.
• Product safety is important, especially when you are working in an extreme environment your boards may come across vibrations and shocks as you pass them through the assembly line. PCB Panelization saves your boards from those shocks and ensures the safety of the boards.

That’s all for today. With today's lecture, we have completed the second section of the PCB learning series. In the next section, we will have a look at the Types of PCB boards one by one. Hope you find this article helpful. If you have any questions, you can approach me in the section below. I’d love to help you the best way I can. Thank you for reading this article.

Latest Proteus Libraries for Engineering Students V2.0

Hi Friends! Hope you’re well today. Happy to see you around. In this post today, I’ll walk you through Latest Proteus Libraries for Engineering Students V2.0.

We have been designing proteus libraries for our blog readers for quite a while now. You might have visited our Arduino Libraries for Proteus V2.0 and Analog Sensors Libraries for Proteus V2.0. We keep working on those libraries and make sure the bugs are removed and you always get the updated version of those libraries.

We are going to share the most advanced and upgraded version of Proteus Libraries V2.0 we have designed for our readers. These libraries are more robust, fast, and efficient than previous versions. Moreover, we have converted some digital sensors to analog sensors, helping you pick from a wide range of libraries for your projects. If you think some sensors or modules are missing in the Proteus database that should be included, leave your valuable suggestion in the section below. We’ll try our best to design and simulate those in proteus.

Before further ado, let’s jump right in.

Where To Buy?
No.	Components	Distributor	Link To Buy
1	LEDs	Amazon	Buy Now
2	Resistor	Amazon	Buy Now
3	ACS712	Amazon	Buy Now
4	DHT11	Amazon	Buy Now
5	DHT22	Amazon	Buy Now
6	DS18B20	Amazon	Buy Now
7	Flame Sensors	Amazon	Buy Now
8	Arduino Mega 2560	Amazon	Buy Now
9	Arduino Nano	Amazon	Buy Now
10	Arduino Uno	Amazon	Buy Now

Latest Proteus Libraries for Engineering Students V2.0

We’ll be covering both Arduino Libraries for Proteus V2.0 and Analog Sensors Libraries for Proteus V2.0.

Arduino Libraries for Proteus V2.0

Arduino boards are open-source electronic development boards that you can use in your projects. Arduino Libraries for Proteus V2.0 contain the following Arduino boards.

1. Arduino UNO Library for Proteus V2.0

Arduino UNO is a microcontroller board based on the Atmega328 microcontroller. We have designed Arduino UNO Library for Proteus V2.0 which you can download from the link given below. We’ve previously designed the Proteus Library for the Arduino UNO V1.0 board and the below figure shows the comparison of both V1 and V2 Arduino boards. You can see the V2 board is more compact and small-sized compared to the V1 Arduino UNO board.

In this library, we’ve also interfaced LCD with the Arduino UNO. If you find any difficulty in interfacing the board with the LCD, you can approach me in the section below. I’d love to help you the best way I can.

Download the Arduino UNO Library for Proteus V2.0 by clicking the link below:

Download Arduino UNO Library for Proteus V2.0

2. Arduino Mega 1280 Library for Proteus V2.0

Arduino Mega is an electronic board that features an Atmega1280 microcontroller. You can use this board to develop stand-alone electronic projects or you can also incorporate it into embedded projects. Again, the following figure shows a comparison between Arduino Mega 1280 V1 and V2. The V2 board is compact and small-sized compared to the V1 board.

We have developed the Arduino Mega 1280 library for proteus V2.0 which you can download to simulate Arduino Mega 1280 in proteus.

Download the Arduino Mega 1280 Library for Proteus V2.0 by clicking the link below:

Download Arduino Mega 1280 Library for Proteus V2.0

3. Arduino Mega 2560 Library for Proteus V2.0

Arduino Mega 2560 is a sophisticated, application-type microcontroller board that features an Atmega2560 microcontroller. This board comes in handy when you require more input and output pins and more memory space to store the code for your electronic project. We have developed Arduino Mega 2560 Library for Proteus V2.0 to help you simulate this board in the proteus. Moreover, we’ve also interfaced LCD with this board so if you have any questions about it, you can ask me in the section below:

]TEPImg6]

Click the link below and download the Arduino Mega 2560 Library for Proteus V2.0.

Download Arduino Mega 2560 Library for Proteus V2.0

4. Arduino Mini Library for Proteus V2.0

Arduino Mini is a small-sized, powerful open-source microcontroller board based on the Atmega328 microcontroller. The board is 1/6^th of the size of the Arduino UNO board and can easily rest on hard-to-reach places. We have designed Arduino Mini Library for Proteus V2.0 that you can download to simulate Arduino Mini in Proteus.

Click the link below and download the Arduino Mini Library for Proteus V2.0:

Download Arduino Mini Library for Proteus V2.0

5. Arduino Pro Mini Library for Proteus V2.0

Arduino Pro Mini is a small-sized microcontroller board that includes an Atmega328 microcontroller. The Proteus library V2.0 is designed for Arduino Pro Mini, moreover, we have also interfaced the board with the LCD 20x4.

Click the link below and download the Arduino Pro Mini Library for Proteus V2.0.

Download Arduino Pro Mini Library for Proteus V2.0

6. Arduino Nano Library for Proteus V2.0

Arduino Nano is a powerful and bread-board-friendly microcontroller board based on ATmega328p/Atmega168 microcontroller. We have developed the Arduino Nano Library for Proteus V2.0 which you can download to simulate Arduino Nano in the Proteus workspace.

Click the link below and download the Arduino Nano Library for Proteus V2.0:

Download Arduino Nano Library for Proteus V2.0

Analog Sensors Libraries for Proteus V2.0

Analog Sensors Libraries for Proteus V2.0 contain the following Analog Sensors.

Vibration Sensor Library for Proteus V2.0

An analog vibration sensor, also known as a piezoelectric, is mainly employed to detect the vibration of industrial machinery. The sensor gets activated if the vibration of the machines goes above the standard value. Vibration sensors are used to monitor the small changes in temperature, acceleration, pressure, and force.

We have done a little work and designed Analog Vibration Sensor Library for Proteus V2.0. Earlier we designed the proteus library for V1 version analog vibration sensors. The V2 version is more robust, compact, and advanced compared to the V1 version. Four vibration sensors are included in the proteus library and they have both digital and analog output pins which you can interface with Arduino boards or microcontrollers.

You can download the analog vibration sensor library for proteus V2.0 by clicking the link below:

Download Vibration Sensor Library for Proteus V2.0

Sound Detector Sensor Library for Proteus V2.0

A sound detector sensor is used to detect the sound in the environment. This sensor is only used for sound detection, not for sound recognition.

We have designed the Sound Detector Sensor Library for Proteus V2.0 that you can download to simulate this sensor in proteus. An LC filter is used on the analog output of the sensor since we need to convert the peak to peak voltage into Vrms. Know that you don’t require this LC filter in the real sensor circuit. We have simulated two sound detector sensors in proteus as they have different outputs because of different voltages on the test pin.

Click the link below and download the Sound Detector Sensor Library for Proteus V2.0:

Download Sound Detector Library for Proteus V2.0

Analog Flex Sensor Library for Proteus

An Analog flex sensor, also known as a bend sensor, is a special type of sensor used to detect the value of bend in the application. This sensor is mainly employed indoor sensors, robot whisker sensors, and stuffed animal toys.

We have developed an analog flex sensor library for proteus that you can download to simulate this sensor in Proteus. Know that Test Pin is included in the pinout of this sensor in proteus only, you won’t find this pin in the real sensor. This pin will determine the value of the bend. The HIGH value at this pin will give the value of bend and the LOW value at this pin will indicate there is no bend. We have also interfaced the Arduino board with the sensor where the analog input pin of the board is connected with the voltage appearing across the voltmeter.

Click the link below and download the Analog Flex Sensor Library for Proteus:

Download Flex Sensor Library for Proteus

Analog PIR Sensor Library for Proteus

PIR (Passive Infrared) sensor is a small, inexpensive, low-power sensor used to detect heat energy in the surrounding. The sensor monitors if the human body has come in or out of the sensor’s range.

We have designed Analog PIR Sensor Library for Proteus that you can download to simulate this sensor in Proteus. Moreover, we’ve also developed a simulation of this PIR sensor with an Arduino board. Know that, besides Arduino boards, you can also interface this sensor with PIC or Atmel microcontrollers. We’ve added four PIR sensors file in the proteus that are the same in terms of working but they come in a different color. Again, a test pin is added in the pinout of this sensor in proteus only, you won’t find this pin in real. This pin is added to sense the motion in the proteus workspace.

Click the link below and download the Analog PIR Sensor Library for Proteus:

Download PIR Sensor Library for Proteus

Water Sensor Library for Proteus

A water sensor is a sensor used to sense the presence of water. The water’s electrical conductivity is measured using this sensor to sense the presence of water. This sensor is widely used in applications where we need to monitor rainfall, water level, and water leakage.

We have designed the water sensor library for proteus which you can download to simulate this sensor in proteus. The Test pin is added to detect the water in the proteus simulation. We’ve also interfaced this sensor with the Arduino board where we have connected the analog input pin of the Arduino board with the output of the water sensor appearing across the voltmeter.

You can download the water sensor library for Proteus by clicking the link below:

Download Water Sensor Library for Proteus

Soil Moisture Sensor Library for Proteus

A soil moisture sensor is employed to analyze the water content in the soil. The sensor uses capacitance to monitor the dielectric permittivity of the soil which defines the function of the water content.

We have designed the Soil Moisture Sensor Library for Proteus where we have connected the test pin with the variable resistor. This resistor is used to define the soil moisture content in the proteus simulation. The maximum resistance on the test pin shows zero volts across the voltmeter, referring to the zero moisture value of the water content. The sensor is also interfaced with the Arduino board as shown below.

Click the link below and download the Soil Moisture Sensor Library for Proteus:

Download Soil Moisture Library for Proteus

IR Proximity Sensor Library for Proteus

The IR proximity sensor is used in robots to detect obstacles. This sensor is widely used for path navigation and obstacle avoidance in electronic projects.

We have designed the IR Proximity Sensor Library for Proteus which you can download to simulate this sensor in Proteus. The Test pin is used for hurdle detection. HIGH value on this pin means there is an obstacle in front and LOW value on this pin means there is no hurdle.

LC filter is included in the simulation which you don’t require in real. This filter is used to convert the Peak to Peak value we get on Proteus into the Vrms value.

[TEPImg16]

You can download the IR proximity sensor library for proteus by clicking the link below:

Download IR Proximity Sensor Library for Proteus

That’s all for today. Hope you find this article helpful. If you have any questions, you can approach me in the section below. I’d love to help you the best way I can. Thank you for reading this article.

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

Hello friends, I hope you all are happy, healthy and, content. We have been discussing transistors lately, from the basic definition to the types and characteristics of transistors we have covered it all. If you have a brief idea about transistors, you must be aware of the field effect transistor or you might have heard or read about it somewhere, it is one of the earliest known types of transistors which is our topic of discussion today.

Field Effect Transistors were made to cover up the lacking of previously known transistors which occupied large space and produced a lot of noise, another major problem was the low reliability of previous versions. So, let's get started with the FETs.

Definition of Field Effect Transistor

Let us define field effect transistor first,

• "The Field effect transistor is a unipolar transistor made up of semiconductor material, which uses an electric field to control the current flow."

History of Field Effect Transistors

• To know how the field effect transistors evolved throughout the ages, let us have a quick trip to history, the days when we did not have a large amount of resources to materialize our concepts.
• The first attempt to make a field-effect transistor was made by Julius Edgar in 1925, and sadly he failed miserably but he was lucky enough to get the concept patented.
• In 1934, Oscar Heil tried his luck but failed to make a successful attempt.
• In 1945, the Junction field-effect transistor was the first FET device to be constructed by Heinrich Welker.
• In successive years several attempts were made and different types of materials were introduced for making field-effect transistors and their related types. All these successful and unsuccessful attempts led to the formation of the modern-day Field Effect Transistor.

Unipolarity of Field Effect Transistor

Unipolarity of the field effect transistor means that the transistor uses either holes or electrons for working, depending on the type of material being implied for making, unlike the bipolar junction transistors which employ both the electrons and holes for their functioning.

Symbol of Field Effect transistor_ FET

• The following figure shows the symbol of a field effect transistor.
• Three terminals can be seen in the figure namely gate, source, and drain represented by D, G, and S.

• The direction of the arrowhead reflects the direction of the electric field.
• The symbol is slightly different for two different types of field-effect transistors FETs, they can either be N channel FET or P channel FET, you will learn the symbols of different FETs in their respective sections of this article.

Why Field Effect Transistors are named so, or what is the meaning of FET?

Now you must be thinking about how the field effect transistor got its name? What does it mean by a FET? There are multiple assumptions behind it, the one that I felt to be appropriate is the one that, a weak electrical signal entering through an electrode generates a larger electric field through the other parts of the transistor as well, so they are named field-effect transistors. If you know any other reason, why we call them field effect transistor other than this, you can let me know in the comment section below, I'm looking forward to your response!

BJT vs FET

A lot of times, FET is compared with the BJT let's have a brief overview of their peculiarities in this section. These are some of the significant differences between the two of them;

• BJT is a bit noisy than FET.
• BJT has a higher output impedance than FET.
• BJT is current controlled meanwhile FET is voltage controlled device.
• BJT has a lower input impedance than FET.

Working of Field Effect Transistor FET

Basic construction of a field effect transistor FET

Unlike the other types of transistors, the field effect transistors are not made up of typical collector, emitter, and base, although the number of components is the same but the name and functions of each component are entirely different. To understand the working of the field effect transistor, let us first discuss its basic components one by one.

Source

• The source is represented by the symbol S. It acts as an electrode of the field effect transistor through which the charge carriers enter the channel when voltage is applied.
• As the name suggests, the source of a field-effect transistor works as a providing source of charge carriers.

Gate

• It is represented by the letter G, wherever you see a G, immediately assume it's a field effect transistor, in the case of transistors. The conductive story of the field effect transistor begins with applying the voltage to the Gate, which is passed on to the other components.

Drain

• The drain is represented by symbol D. The drain is the electrode of the field effect transistor which provides the channel to charge carriers helping them leave the circuit.

Working of FET

• As you have a brief idea about the main components of a Field Effect Transistor and their function, we are going to discuss the working of FET.
• The current always flows from the source S towards the Drain D.
• A voltage is applied across the Gate and Source terminal which creates a conductive channel between the source S and Gate G.
• The electrons or holes flow from the source S to Drain D in the form of a stream through the channel.
• There are several other things involved in the working and function of a field effect transistor according to their types, which we are about to discuss in respective sections. So, stay tuned!
• Here arises a simple question which is often left unasked and answered too, why the field effect transistors FETs are called voltage-controlled devices?
• The FETs are called voltage-controlled devices because the current in the drain represented as ID depends on the voltage across the gate G, unlike the bipolar junction transistor which is a current-controlled device.
• The gate voltage is very important for the conduction of current towards the Drain.
• There are two phenomena that influence it one is depletion of the channel and the other is the enhanced state of the channel. Let us discuss them one by one.
• Depletion of channel: Consider an N channel FET, it has the majority of electrons as charge carriers, by making the gate more negative we would repel the electrons from the gate and these electrons would saturate the channel increasing its resistance. This makes the gate region thinner because of the minimal traffic of electrons, but the conduction channel is said to be depleted due to increased resistance.

• Again consider the n channel FET, now think yourself, what would happen when you will make the gate G of the FET is more positive? The traffic of electrons would rush towards the gate! It would make the gate region thicker due to greater traffic but on the parallel lines, the conduction channel would be enhanced due to less resistance.

Types of Field Effect Transistor

We can divide the field effect transistor into the following types based on their structure;

• Junction Field-effect transistor JFET
• Metal oxide Field Effect Transistor MOSFET

Junction Field-effect transistor JFET

• Junction field effect is one of the simplest types of field effect transistors.
• They are unipolar in function and either work with electrons and holes, the same thing which is peculiar to the simple field effect transistors.
• The junction field-effect transistor has a very high input impedance level.
• Unlike the bipolar junction field-effect transistor, it makes a little noise or is somehow silent as compared to it.
• The structure of the Junction Field-effect transistor is based on its type, in general, JFET is made up of two n-type and one p-type semiconductor material and vice versa.
• The symbol of the junction field effect transistor is as follows;

Types of JFET

There are further two types of junction field effect transistors

• N Channel Field Effect Transistors
• P Channel Field Effect Transistors

We will now discuss these two types of junction Field Effect Transistors - JFET in detail.

N Channel Field Effect Transistors

Construction of N Channel FET Let's discuss the construction of N channel Field Effect Transistor first,

• A bar of n-type semiconductor material primarily silicone is taken which acts as the substrate.
• The bar is then diffused with two p-type silicone bars which are smaller in size than the n-type silicon bar, on the two extreme ends of the substrate bar. Just imagine you are placing and gluing two small blocks on the extreme right and extreme left sides of a larger block made up of wood or any material you can stick together!
• Now we are done with diffusing the p-type materials into our n-type substrate, the leftover region conducts the current and is labeled as Channel. These channels are responsible for the conductive action of the Field Effect Transistors when voltage is applied.
• After we are done with the formation of the channel, we will now see how the main parts such as Gate, Source, and Drain are formed out of these diffused semiconductor blocks.
• The two diffused p-type silicon bars which have now formed the PN junction with the n-type material are now joined together to form the Gate.
• The two ends of the channel which was formed earlier after the diffusion process are metalized to be converted into source and drain.
• The N channel Field Effect Transistors imply electrons as the majority charge carriers. They are more efficient than the p channel junction Field Effect Transistors because electrons travel faster than the holes.

P channel junction Field Effect Transistors

Construction of P channel FET

• The same process is repeated for the construction of the p channel junction Field Effect Transistor.
• The p-type material substrate is taken in form of a large wafer or bar and then diffused with two smaller n-type bars.
• The channel formed after diffusion is then metalized at both ends to form the source and drain.
• The PN junction formed by the two n-type semiconductor materials is then connected to form the Gate.
• So this is how the p channel junction Field Effect Transistors are constructed.
• The p channel junction Field Effect Transistors imply holes as Majority charge carriers as they are unipolar.

Working of Junction Field Effect Transistor

• The Junction Field Effect Transistor always works in reverse biasing condition, that is why they have a very high input impedance.
• In the case of the Junction Field Effect Transistor, the gate current is Zero which is denoted by; IG=0
• The input voltage which is represented by VGS is the controlling factor for the output current which is represented by ID.

• You must be thinking how we control the width of the channel through which the current is conducted? The answer is simple, we alter the width of the PN junction on both sides of the channel which increases resistance to the flow of current.

As we already know that the Junction Field Effect Transistor only works in reverse biasing conditions let us now discuss a few scenarios to know how the output is generated under different circumstances.

Zero biasing condition of Junction Field Effect Transistor

• When no external voltage VGS is applied to the gate the resulting voltage to the drain would be zero which can be written as VGS = VDS = 0
• The depletion regions would have the same thickness as they had earlier because the voltage is not being applied yet.
• In this zero biased condition the drain current is produced, let me tell you how! The charge carriers in the absence of a potential difference start moving from the source to drain producing a drain current that is opposite to the conventional flow of current.
• So in the zero biased condition, only drain current exists in Junction Field Effect Transistor.

Reverse Biasing condition of Junction Field Effect Transistor

Small Reverse Voltage application scenario

• In the presence of a potential or small voltage the gate-source voltage VGS on which the Drain current ID is dependent, on applying small reverse potential width of the depletion region increases.
• Due to the increase in the width of depletion regions on both sides, the channel finds it difficult to conduct current.
• This difficulty of the channel to conduct current results in voltage drop.
• The width of the depletion region increases more towards the drain terminal, one can think of it as accidental but in science, nothing exists within reasoning and logic, the depletion region increases more towards the drain because the voltage drop is higher at the drain side.
• There is a lesser amount of Drain current ID because of the shrinkage of the conduction channel.

Large reverse voltage application scenario

• In this case we apply a higher negative voltage which is our Gate to Source voltage, represented by VGS
• The depletion regions of both the corresponding PN Junctions, keep on increasing in width.
• Eventually, both the depletion regions meet each other or you can say touch each other.
• Here is a question for you, what would happen when both the depletion regions would meet or diffuse into each other? They would eventually block the conduction of the current!
• The point at which the particular voltage blocks the conduction channel completely is called the cut-off voltage or sometimes pinch-off

MOSFET_  metal-oxide field-effect transistors.

The second type of field-effect transistors is the  MOSFET, metal-oxide field-effect transistors.

Metal-oxide field-effect transistors are one of the most common types of transistors used widely.

Features of MOSFET

• The MOSFET consumes lesser power than other transistors.
• They are exceptionally scalable and if you remember Moore's law, they are the best practical manifestation of it.
• MOSFETs have high switching speeds that is why they are used for generating pulse trains. Do you know what is a pulse train? A pulse train is the square waveform of asymmetrical waves which are periodic but non-sinusoidal in nature.
• .metal oxide field-effect transistors are considered ideal for digital circuits, analog circuits, and linear circuits as well.
• Sometimes metal-oxide field-effect transistors - MOSFETs are also called IGFET, Insulated Gate Field-Effect Transistors.

Basic Structure of MOSFET

• Let us now discuss the basic structure of metal oxide field-effect transistors MOSFET.
• The metal oxide field effect transistor MOSFET has four components, unlike the JFET.
• The components of MOSFET include Source S, drain D, body B, and Gate G.
• The gate is separated by the body of the transistor through the insulating material
• MOSFET is very similar to the JFET, but the main difference lies in the insulation of Gate Electrode from the conduction channel, either P channel or N channel, with the help of a thin layer of primarily SiO2 or Glass.
• The insulation of the Gate terminal with the metal oxide layer helps in increasing the input resistance. The insulation can increase the value of input resistance into Mega Ohms.
• For a detailed outlook on the MOSFET, its construction, working and applications you can refer to the detailed article present on our website.

Symbol of The metal oxide field effect transistor MOSFET

• The following symbol is used to represent MOSFET.

• The Arrowhead indicates the direction of current and I already know that you are aware of this!
• Now you must be thinking, why the symbolic representation is only showing three terminals, please do not search for the fourth one! Because the source is always attached to the body terminal and is represented as one terminal.
• So you can only spot the three terminals naming Gate G, Drain D, and Source S.

Types of MOSFET

Following are the four commonly known types of MOSFET;

• N-Channel Enhancement mode MOSFET
• P-Channel Enhancement mode MOSFET
• N-Channel Depletion mode MOSFET
• P-Channel Depletion mode MOSFET

Detailed outlook on all these types of MOSFET can be found in our article regarding MOSFET.

Characteristics of FET

• The Current Voltage, I-V characteristics of the Field Effect Transistor is plotted between the applied voltage VDS and Drain Current ID.
• The graph for studying the characteristic curve of a field effect transistor_ FET is plotted between the varying values of Drain Current represented by ID along the y-axis, with the varying values of VDS along the x- axis.

The graph shows the following regions;

• Ohmic Region
• Cut off region
• Saturation or Active Region
• Breakdown region

Refer to the graph for better understanding. We will now discuss each of the regions in detail.

Ohmic Region

• This is the extreme left side of the graph which represents the value of Drain Current ID when the applied voltage of the transistor between the source and gate is Zero i.e VGS= 0
• The conductive channel is small but not narrow in this case.
• Depletion regions on the corresponding sides are equal in size and haven't started expanding yet.
• Our Field effect transistor acts as a voltage controlled resistor at this instance of the IV characteristics curve.

Cut-off Region

• This is the second region of our graph represented by purple the purple lines.
• This cut-off region is also called as pinch-off region because the VGS voltage , the one which controls the current of the transistor is terribly high enough to make the circuit work as an open switch.
• At the pinch off region the conductive channel for current is almost closed due to the Increased thickness of depletion regions on both sides.

Saturation Region

• The saturation region is also called the active region of the graph.
• In this region the Field effect transistor acts a good conductor.
• The value of applied Voltage VGS, the voltage between gate and source drives the transistor.
• The Drain Source Voltage VDS has minimal effect on the current ID of the transistor at this very instant.

Breakdown Region

• This is the last and terminal region of characteristics curve for the field effect transistor, you can observe this region on the extreme right corner.
• The Voltage between the source and drain represented by VDS is very high at this point.
• The voltage is high enough that the conductive channel is broken and maximum current passes through the channel into drain.

Applications of Field Effect Transistors

• Field Effect Transistors have revolutionized the electronic world, there is an endless list of uses of field effect transistors, we are going to discuss a few important ones in this section.
• Field Effect Transistors FETs are frequently used in Integrated Circuits because of their smaller size and compactness.
• FETs are used in operational amplifiers as VRs, Voltage Variable Resistors.
• They are also used in tone controls for mixer operations on TV and on FM as well.
• Field Effect Transistors are also used in logic gates.
• Field Effect Transistors are widely used in the production of digital switches as well.

We will now discuss some of the most advanced applications of field effect transistors now,

FET as Buffer Amplifier

• First things first ,let us first discuss what does a buffer do? A buffer makes sure that the signal either digital or analog is successfully transferred to the preceding wave.
• A voltage buffer helps in amplifying the current without disturbing the actual voltage level.
• So, as you are well aware of the function of a buffer, we will discuss how a Field Effect Transistor acts a buffer amplifier.
• A buffer amplifier separates the previous stage of the signal from the next upcoming stage, drain of the Field Effect Transistor works for this purpose.
• Lastly , you must be thinking which characteristic property helps the Field Effect Transistor in achieving this, i have the answer for this question of yours! The high input impedance and low output impedance make a Field Effect Transistor an excellent buffer amplifier.

FET as Analog switch

• We have been discussing the use of Field Effect Transistors in analog and digital switches lately, we will be discussing their use in analog switches now.
• We have discussed it earlier as well in our characteristics curve and operational scenarios of the Field Effect Transistor when the output voltage equals the input voltage making the FET works as a switch.

• When the VGS which is the gate source voltage as you already know is absent, the FET works as a small resistance , although a little bit of drain current is present but its value is almost negligible.
• The mathematical expression can be written as

VOUT = {RDS/ (RD + RDS (ON)}* Vin

• If you remember, the cuttoff region of I-V characteristics curve of our Field Effect Transistor, when the max negative voltage is applied to the Gate source region and eventually the Field Effect Transistor_ FET starts acting as a very high resistance.
• That resistance lies in the range of Mega Ohms.
• In this case the output voltage Vout is nearly equal to the input voltage which was VGS.

FET as Phase shift oscillator

• Field Effect Transistors are ideal to be used as phase shift oscillators.
• Phase shift oscillators are used to generate signals with wide range of frequencies.
• Field Effect Transistors can be used for amplifying as well as for feedback loop operation, that is the reason they are excellent to work as phase shift oscillators.
• Field Effect Transistor_ FETs have high input impedance, so there is a very less loading effect when they are used as phase shift oscillators.
• Most of the times N channel JFETs are used for this purpose.

• You can observe the Field Effect Transistors as phase shift oscillators in GPS units, musical instruments and many other places where audio signals are modulated such as voice synthesis.

FET as Cascode amplifier

• The word case code has been derived from the phrase " Cascade to Cathode".
• Cascode circuits are made up of two components, the first one is the transconductance amplifier and the second one is the buffer amplifier.
• Cascode amplifiers are generally made using Field-Effect Transistors due to their high input resistance.
• We use cascode amplifiers because of their quality of having low input capacitance, otherwise, the normally used common amplifiers have a higher value of input capacitance in general than the cascode amplifiers.
• Although the voltage gain is the same for both the amplifiers which is again a win-win situation for
• Cascode amplifiers using Field-Effect Transistors.

FET in Multiplexer

• Let us first discuss the function of a multiplexer, a multiplexer collects different signals from different sources to present as a single output signal. Imagine a whole year of hard work and the end result is summarized in a single result card after the exam!
• Junction Field-Effect Transistors are used to construct the multiplexer circuit.
• Each Field Effect Transistor act as an SPST.
• In case you don't know about the SPST, let me tell you, it is the single pole single throw switch that generates one output from one input.
• An SPST is used as an on-off switch in circuits.

Consider the circuit diagram given below;

• All input signals get blocked when the control signals are made more negative than the Gate source voltage VGS.
• This condition blocks all the input signals.
• By turning any one of the control voltages V1, V2, or V3 to zero we can obtain a single desired output wave.
• Consider if ye turn V2 to Zero we will obtain a triangular signal.
• If we turn V3 to zero, you can yourself figure out from the circuit diagram, the wave signal you would get, Go! Scroll up!
• So this is how the Field Effect Transistors are used in multiplexers.

FET as Low noise input amplifier

• How you define noise? A sound that is unpleasant to the ears or when talking of signals a disturbance that causes unnecessary turbulence in the desired output making it meager or weak.
• Noise is produced in many mechanical and electrical instruments but sometimes for a few things it is tolerable and sometimes it is not!
• Just imagine disturbing noise when you are streaming a video or audio, a loud signal which blurs out music during your sunny beach day on your radio, nobody wants that! That is why Field effect transistors are used for low noise amplification.
• Noise has nothing to do with signal strength which is why it is always there, even when you have ended your live stream!
• Noise production is a drawback of many electronic devices but the bright side is that our Field effect transistors make a little less noise especially if they are used in the front end of the signal receiver.
• Field-effect transistors are a bit noisy too, but I have a solution for it, MOSFETs are used where even a little bit of noise can't be tolerated, don't worry we would talk about MOSFETs in our next article!
• So, lastly, we can say that, if we use a Field-effect transistor_ FET on the front end, there is lesser amplification of undesirable signal in our generated output.

FET as Current limiter

• Junction Field Effect transistors can be used to make a current limiting circuit.
• By this characteristic and arrangement, constant-current diodes and current regulators are made, let's discuss the process, but firstly refer to the circuit diagram for better understanding.
• When there is an excess of supply voltage due to any discrepancies in the system, the Junction Field Effect transistor immediately starts operating in its active or saturated region, I hope, by now you are well aware of the active region of the Junction Field Effect transistor, if not, refer to the section of I-V characteristics graph and its explanation!
• At this instance, the Junction Field Effect transistor acts as a source of the current itself and prevents any further load current.

So friends, this last segment concludes our discussion on Field Effect Transistors(FET), I hope you have learned something new from this discussion. For any suggestions or constructive criticism or a little bit of appreciation, you can use the comment section below. See you soon with the next topic, have a good day ahead!

What is a 3D Printer? Working, Models, Resins, Software, & Prices

3D Printer is an electronic machine that uses digital data to generate physical 3D models through successive layer printing. A 3D printer can make an object's physical model either scanned by a 3D scanner or designed using a CAD program. 3D Printing is an additive manufacturing technique where successive material layers create a three-dimensional object (Rapid Prototyping). The 3D printing concept is fascinating. Who is not excited about 3D printing? The use of inkjet technology in creating 3D models is a revolutionary method that costs less and saves time by eliminating the designing need for separate model parts. One can use a 3D printer to make a complete model in just a single process.

Several industries use 3D Printers in printing various outputs they need; The industries include footwear, architecture, jewelry, construction and engineering, education, automotive, medical and dental industries, aerospace, and consumer products.

What is a 3D Printer?

• A 3D printer is a computerized machine that allows physical object creation using a three-dimensional digital model (3D); it typically lays down thin material layers in a successive form.
• Three-dimensional printing is an additive manufacturing technique. Thus, it uses digital designs in creating physical objects.
• The process constitutes successively laying down a material's thin layers in powdered plastic or liquid form, cement or metal. Lastly, the layers are fused (Will, 2020).

How a 3D Printer works

According to Woodford (2021), inkjet printers usually spray liquid ink, while a laser printer applies solid powder in its production. Well, a 3D printer does not use any of the two. Instead, it uses plastic in physical object modeling.

• A 3D printer functions by melting a plastic material to a molten state released via a tiny nozzle.
• The nozzle moves accordingly under computer control or automation of the 3D Printer.
• The Printer prints one layer simultaneously; a printed layer has to dry before another is published.
• The end product depends on the Printer and user skills; Mostly, the printed product is usually superb with a 3D model appearance.
• The material used in printing is equally crucial. For example, the plastic material used in the Printer will determine the quality of the object printed.

Advantages of 3D Printer

According to TWI (2021), 3D Printers in production have more benefits than traditional production methods.

Flexible design

• 3D Printers allow the designing and printing of a variety of complex models. 3D Printers have limited restrictions in printing, unlike several traditional processes.

Printing on demand

• 3D Printers require less space in stocking inventory than the traditional processes.
• 3D Printers save costs and a lot of space because printing in bulk is not necessary unless needed.
• The 3D Printer has a virtual library where all the design files are stored.

Rapid Prototyping

• 3D Printers carry out printing very fast; they manufacture many parts within a short time.
• In comparison with machine prototypes, 3D Printers cost less and faster by allowing completion of each design model at a higher speed rate.

Solid and light parts

• Most of the material parts in 3D Printers are plastics and more minor metals.
• Therefore, plastics provide more advantages because they are lighter than metals.
• Industries such as automotive use the lightweight benefit because it gives significant fuel efficiency.
• Also, several parts are made from tailored materials, providing unique properties like higher strength, heat resistance, and water repellency.

Fast design and high production rate

• 3D Printer prints objects in a short time, i.e., an hour, depending on a part's complexity and design.
• In 3D printing, the part's manufacture provides time-saving, and design processes are extremely fast by creating ready CAD or STL files to be printed.

Minimal waste

• The parts’ production process in 3D Printer only needs the materials required for each part, with very minimum material wastage.
• In alternative methods like traditional processes, parts are cut from considerable chunks of materials, especially non-recycled materials.

Cost-effective

• A 3D Printer saves on costs in its operations; partnered with different manufacturing machines.
• The Printer can automatically work on a task if set; it does not need an operator to control its functions.
• Also, the 3D Printers reduce material cost in the manufacturing process since the process only requires the material required.

Ease of access

• A 3D Printer can quickly access more local service providers which offer outsourced services for manufacturing tasks.
• Therefore, it does not require costly transportation, unlike the traditional industrial process.

Environmental friendly

• The technology used in 3D Printers reduces wastage of materials in production processes.
• Also, the 3D Printers benefit the environmental properties like better fuel efficiency than the traditional methods.

Advanced Healthcare

• The 3D Printers are used in hospitals to save lives, especially in surgery sectors. The Printer is used in printing human body organs such as kidneys and livers.

Disadvantages of 3D Printer

No matter how good a 3D Printer may look to have solved the problems of many individuals, it still has drawbacks.

Limited materials

• A 3D Printer is limited in creating items within a selection of metals and plastics; it does not have an exhaustive raw materials selection.
• Not all plastics or metals are temperature controlled to be used in 3D Printers. Furthermore, most of the printable materials are unsafe for food and can not be recycled.

Restricted build size

• A 3D Printer’s print chambers are small. Hence the print chambers restrict the sizes of parts to print.
• Things that are larger than the print chambers are printed in parts separate from the 3D Printer.
• One can join the large and small printed objects after production, but it is much work, costs more, and consumes a lot of work.

Post-processing

• 3D printed parts require clean-up to eliminate supporting materials from the building process and create a smooth surface finishing.

Large Volumes

• The cost of 3D printing is static, unlike conventional methods such as injection molding.
• The 3D printing initial investment is lower than in some manufacturing techniques.
• But, when 3D printing is scaled for mass production of large production volumes, the cost per unit for injection molding reduces more than the 3D Printers.

Part structure

• Certain orientations or stresses can delaminate the layers because of the successive layer production in 3D printing.
• The problem commonly occurs in the production of items using fused deposition modeling (FDM). Also, multijet and polyjet are

3D Printer Models

Three plastic parts 3D Printers are most developed. They include:

• Fused Deposition Modelling 3D Printers (FDM).
• Stereolithography 3D Printers (SLA).
• Selective Laser Sintering 3D Printers (SLS).
• Laser Crystal Display 3D Printers (LCD).
• Digital Laser Printing 3D Printers (DLP).

Stereolithography 3D Printer (SLA)

According to Formlabs (2021), the world's first 3D Printer is stereolithography, invented in the 1980s. Most professionals are still using the SLA technologies in production. The Stereolithography 3D Printer applies the photopolymerization process in its functioning; The process includes using a laser to cure liquid resin into hard plastics.

The Printer is popular because of its production ability of watertight, isotropic, and high-accuracy prototypes or parts. The parts or prototypes have advanced materials range with good quality features and smooth surface finishing. The Stereolithography resin offers vast mechanical, thermal, and optical elements to match the industrial, standard, and engineering thermoplastics properties.

Several industries use stereolithography—for example, dental, engineering, education, modeling, and manufacturing industries.

Stereolithography parts constitute a smooth surface finishing, fewer visible lines, and sharp edges.

Application of stereolithography

• Concept modeling
• Dental application
• Functional Prototyping
• Rapid Prototyping
• Jewelry casting and Prototyping
• Short-run production

Liquid Crystal Display 3D Printer (LCD)

The LCD 3D Printer uses UV LCDs arrays as its light source. The LCD panels produce light that directly shines onto the building area in a parallel fashion. Pixel distortion is not a problem in LCD 3D Printer because its light is not expanded. The printing quality is dependant on the LCD 3D Printer's density; increasing the pixels produces better quality (Leo, 2019).

The LCD 3D Printer has a faster building speed when compared to SLA 3D Printer; it prints parts faster.

Selective Laser Sintering 3D Printer (SLS)

A selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D Printers sinters small polymer powder particles to form a solid structure using a high-power laser. The SLS has unfused powder whose function supports the part when the Printer is printing and removes the need for a dedicated support structure. Hence, the SLS is suitable for complex geometries, including the negative and interior features, thin walls, and undercuts (Formlabs, 2021). The SLS 3D Printer produces parts with superb mechanical characteristics. Furthermore, it has strength that resembles the injection-molded parts' strength.

The SLS’s most common material is nylon. Nylon. Nylon has suitable properties that suit the SLS 3D Printer; the properties of nylon include it is flexible, strong, lightweight, and stable against chemicals, water, impact, UV light, and dirt.

According to Formlabs (2021), The SLS 3D Printer is popular among engineers because it combines high productivity, low cost per part, and established materials. The engineers use it for functional Prototyping. Furthermore, the SLS 3D Printer is cost-effective for bridge manufacturing or limited-run.

The SLS 3D printer parts have faintly rough surface finishing and layer lines that are almost not visible.

Applications of an SLS 3D printer

• End-use parts
• Functional Prototyping
• Custom manufacturing, bridge, or short-run

Fused Deposition Modelling 3D Printer (FDM)

Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) also refers to the Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF). Consumers popularly use FDM 3D Printer. The printer functions by releasing thermoplastic filaments like the Polylactic Acid (PLA) and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) via a heated nozzle, building a platform through heating the material to melt and applying the plastic on successive layers until completion of the part (Formlabs, 2021).

The FDM 3D printer is the most favorable for simple, low-cost Prototyping and basic proof-of-concept models. Compared to SLS and SLA 3D Printers, FDM 3D Printer has the lowest accuracy and resolution; hence, it is advisable not to use the FDM 3D printers in printing designs that are complex or have intricate features. Mechanical and chemical polishing processes are used in obtaining higher-quality surface finishes. An industrial mitigates challenging issues through soluble support and allows a wide variety of engineering thermoplastics, increasing production costs.

FDM parts show visible lines responsible for creating inaccuracies when handling complex features.

Application of FDM 3D printer

• Simple Prototyping
• Basic proof-of-concept models

3D Printer Resins

A resin refers to a highly viscous substance of synthetic or plant origin typically converted into polymers; generally, the resin is a combination of organic compounds (Liqcreate, 2021). Transparent resin is mainly used in 3D printing in a transparent material. Transparent resin is suitable for 3D printing because of its water-resistant property. Also, the transparent resin is an ideal choice for that requires high quality, smooth finish, and fine surface.

According to Liqcreate (2021), several types of resin are used in 3D Printers basing on their functions or purpose. They include the general-purpose, premium, medical, castable, engineering, and creative purpose resin.

General Purpose resins

• General-purpose resins can perform several functions and are not specifically for one task.
• The resin is ideal for a wide range of purposes in Prototyping, consumer applications, and entertainment.
• The resins have the best quality performance and costs in the market and are easy to use.

Premium resin

• Premium resins have perfect quality in LCD 3D Printers, no discoloration, and high opacity.
• The premium resin range comprises flexible and rigid resin for functional objects.
• The premium resins are suitable for in-office printing because they do not release any unpleasant odor.

Medical resins

• Each medical application has unique resin requirements—for example, dental applications or products concerning skin contact.
• Therefore, every medical operation will require a different special resin depending on the type of medical operation.

Castable resins

• Castable resin is the best in jewelry manufacturing, industrial, and dental parts.
• Castable resin is a wax-based material with a reliable casting process.
• Also, it uses a clean burnout to crisp details and provides a smooth surface finish.
• A castable resin can create custom elegant organic geometries.

Engineering resins

• The engineering resins are suitable for applications that need specific mechanical assets.
• The engineering category of resins comprises advanced photopolymers for professionals who expect tough, extreme impact resistance, and tough.

Creative resins

• The creative resin creates the 4^th dimension when used in 3D printers.
• One has beautiful options when selecting the resins.
• The creative resins add feel, scent, sound, or glow to a 3D Printer.

Software for 3D Printing

In the past, people used a lot of resources to study Software about modeling software. Some software is easy to use, and some are free to access. Some software use solid modeling whereby they produce manifold models. While other Software is watertight, a manifold model refers to a model with some thickness in all of its walls (Strikwerda, 2021). Softwares that use polygon modeling create walls with zero thickenings; such walls are suitable for creating graphics for movies and games contrasting with 3D printing. The polygon modeling software makes the manifold models, but it would need a lengthy procedure and more experience. The Software listed in the article generates 3D printable models. Some of the Software is easy to use. At the same time, others are more suitable for professionals rather than for amateurs.

Trinkercad

According to Strikwerda (2021), Trinkercad software is a browser-based app and freely available to all users, and it applies solid modeling in its work. The creation of the Software targets beginners. Trinkercard software is unique because it introduces solid modeling and allows any person to make 3D printable modeling.

The Software applies the block-building concept. Therefore, it allows one to create models from a variety of basic shapes. The Software also provides aid to beginners through its guides and tutorials. Furthermore, the Software has the advantage of exporting or sharing with ease.

Trinkercad has an extensive library that constitutes millions of files that give the users several distinct options for finding the best shapes that will suit their problem requirements best. The Software allows the user to print and have the product instantly at your location through direct integration with other printing services. It is the best platform to learn about 3D modeling and printing.

Blender

According to Strikwerda (2021), Blender software is freely accessible to its users. The Software is not a solid model; it is open-source, rich in features, and constitutes animation, rendering, sculpting, video editing, simulation, and motion tracking. Also, the Software is very friendly since both advanced users and amateurs can use it.

The Blender Software constitutes many 3D creation facets, including simulation, animation, and modeling, e.t.c. The software suits individuals who are ready for transitioning from learning to designing complex 3D models.

One of Blender's exciting features is the photorealistic rendering feature. The feature creates models to reality; only a few free software can have such a feature.

BRL-CAD

According to Strikwerda (2021), the BRL-CAD Software is a type of Open-source Software. Also, it is an advanced solid model system comprising interactive geometry editing. The U.S military uses the BRL-CAD Software in modeling weapons and related systems. This shows the Software is very advanced and quite dependable. The Software serves its users with a precision of high level by using specific coordinates in arranging the geometric shapes.

The Software provides complex and simple shapes to its users to make their designs, having an extensive library of files. The Software allows combining multiple different forms to generate the desired model. BRL-CAD Software performs its tasks fast due to its dense features. Furthermore, it is free and available for access to all users.

Wings3D

According to Strikwerda (2021), Wings3D is an open-source software type; polygon modeling tool and has a broad range of selection and mesh tools regardless of its freeware. The Software is user-friendly, with beginners as the primary target; it has a steady learning curve. Its features, such as the easy-to-use interface and customizable hotkeys, indicate the designing or printing status; hence, the Software suits the starters.

The Software has no shortage of valuable or essential features like the inset or plane cut; thus, it can create impressive models. Moreover, the Software supports a vast range of both import or export file formats.

Modo

According to Strikwerda (2021), Modo 3D Printer software creates a creative 3D polygon modeling tool. Also, it can provide a subdivided surface designing tool that has more flexibilities for creating both the precision meshes and freeform organic designs through the use of the same Software. The Software is strictly used by professionals or advanced 3D printing users. The Software is not user-friendly, and it is costly to operate.

Modo has a wide variety of features and runs its processes smoothly. It has a very high speed in production and modeling. The Software allows extensions of partnering with other Software in production activities.

Price of a 3D Printer

The price of a 3D printer varies based on the type of printer and the needs of the user. If you rank all of the many 3D printers on the market, you'll come up with a price of $400. However, as of April 2021, the price has dropped to $ 200-$500, with some being quite pricey at $ 1500. Professional 3D printers and enthusiast 3D printers, for example, range in price from $ 1,500 to $6,000, depending on the printing capability. Finally, industrial 3D printers are expensive to buy and operate, ranging from $20,000 to $100,000.

So, that was all for today. I hope you have enjoyed today's lecture. If you have any questions, please ask in the comments. Take care.

Workforce Management: Definition, System, Software, Courses & Jobs

Hello people, I hope you all are having a great time. Let us start our discussion with a simple question, how you keep a track of your progress be it daily, monthly, or yearly? Or how your professor for fluid dynamics or any other course keep you on your toes throughout the semester? Definitely by keeping a proper schedule and record or maybe by tracking your progress through an app or anything manual! Have you ever thought about how big companies keep themselves on track? How they manage a huge network of employees by keeping in check their progress individually? Or how the day-to-day or hourly tasks are assigned and kept under check daily for every employee of the company? All these things are done through workforce management. Today, we will be discussing this process of Workforce Management through and through. Let us define Workforce first:

Definition of Workforce

Workforce can be defined as:

• "People duly engaged for performing specific tasks for a company or an individual, through a formal or informal setting are referred as the workforce of that particular individual or company."

You are very well aware of the meaning of workforce, it is time to get back on track and dive into the sea of workforce management.

Definition of Workforce Management

So, we define workforce management as;

• "Workforce management refers to the collection of different processes which keep the performance and progress of employees associated with the organization under check."

Informally, we can say that workforce management is the process through which a company keeps its employees on its toes, calculating every second of their time on the scale of progress! Oops!

Alternate Names for Workforce Management

There are a few alternate names for the workforce management system, I'm listing the possible ones below:

• Workforce Asset Management WAM
• Enterprise Resource Planning ERP
• Human Resource Management System HRM

Moving forward, Have you ever heard, seen, or experienced how established companies like Genesys, Amazon Cloud Services manage their employees or any famously known big company or a small one manages its workforce? let me tell you about Genesys for an overview, They do it through their custom made software specially tailored to keep an eye on the performance and progress of their employees, despite the fact that its employees have to move far away to the sites for installation and other stuff, but still, their system is developed enough to take care of everything.

Ever heard of UKG? Ultimate Kronos Group? Do you know what they do? They provide top-notch workforce management solutions to their clients who are looking for a better way to manage their businesses, Yes! It's a business too. And a highly profitable one, you’ll get to know this later in this article, keep reading!

Workforce Management System

The Workforce Management system is the amalgamation of several processes which keep the workforce or you may say employees of a company under check. That check may be associated with the attendance, performance, and progress of the employees and several other things which are deemed necessary for the well-being of the company.

Importance of Workforce Management

Let us first see why workforce management is important. There are a lot of advantages of workforce management, we will be discussing a few important ones in this section;

First things first, the benefits of workforce management can be summarized in three Rs.

• Right person for the job.
• Right time for the task.
• Right place for the task and the person performing the job.

These three Rs help the company to grow and achieve more.

• Workforce management helps you know the real-time situation of your company i.e. the real ground situation and help you devise a ground strategy accordingly.
• Workforce management results in the maximum use of resources without being heavy on the budget, because the right task is being assigned to the right person so it would lower the hiring cost without compromising the quality and standards of work.
• Companies that lay emphasis on the workforce management have a higher number of happy employees which means they perform well, when your employees are happy their services would ultimately lead to a better experience for your clients as well, leading to the overall growth of the company.

Basics of Workforce Management

There are a few things that are necessary to be taken care of for workforce management. I'm going to list all of them here;

• Data Collection
• Analyzing the workload
• Analyzing your staff
• Staff scheduling
• Analyzing daily performance

Now we will discuss the above-mentioned points in detail.

Data collection

• A record of everything i.e. every task from start to the end is necessary, for example, you are a huge bakery that bakes hundreds of cakes on daily basis, wouldn't it be important to calculate the timing for baking, assembling, and frosting the cake?
• It would help in the following ways;
• In order to make a better estimate of workload, you have at your place no matter how big or small it is or no matter what's the size of the task.
• To divide and assign the tasks in a better way and to schedule them properly.
• Hiring new people whenever needed, divides the workload.

Analyzing the workload

• When you are well aware of the workload at hand, you manage it better, I think we all know this! Don't we?
• For workforce management, it is a necessary prerequisite to know what awaits you in the future and manage it beforehand or at least develop a strategy to cope up.

Analyzing Staff Requirement

• The number of people who are working to get a certain job done must be ample enough to do it easily, accurately, and in time.
• Let's suppose, you have been assigned to write a manuscript of ten thousand words in a day, would it be humanly possible for you to do that in a day? No, it won't be! So, whose fault is this? Obviously, the one who has assigned you the task which is beyond your ability is at fault!
• So, in workforce management, it is necessary to divide the workload among your employees evenly and humanly, if employees are scarce make a room for more to get things done in time with accuracy.

Staff scheduling

• Staff scheduling is a very important thing when it comes to workforce management.
• Scheduling can help you assign tasks in a better way to an employee who can perform a particular task in an efficient way.
• Take an example of the above-mentioned bakery, you would assign frosting to the baker who frosts in time with accuracy meanwhile the person who assembles and decorates well would be scheduled to do that particular task.
• When we schedule our tasks, it helps up know our workforce in a better way, pointing out who is better for a specific task and who isn't!

Analyzing daily performance

• If you are able to assess the daily performance of your workforce, it would help you achieve your milestones in a more organized manner.
• For this purpose set the following criteria for assessment;
• Are the employees really efficiently doing their indicated designated task?
• Is your workforce really achieving the milestones as a team?
• Are the new additions in your team really an asset to the company?
• Are the older employees up to date enough to cope up with the modern times and trends?

Processes and Departments Involved in the Workforce Management System

Let us have a look at the processes involved in a better workforce management one by one;

Human resource management HRM

• There would be hardly anyone on earth who has searched for a job and still doesn't know about the human resource department. The human resource department helps in managing the workforce of the company through and through.
• From scheduling to assigning and paying employees, they are involved in everything.

Real-time Data Collection

• As we have discussed earlier, real-time data collection is important for the workforce management it helps analyze the performance of the employees on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.
• This process is carried out easily through different analytical tools provided by the workforce management software, previously it was done through spreadsheets but now the world has changed its ways!

Performance Management System

• Performance Management makes sure that the performance of the workforce is aligning well with the milestones and long-term goals of the company.
• The outdated practices are replaced, based on low performance with the modern techniques and trends.

Training Management System

• Training management is the process of keeping your workforce up to date with modern trends and technology through proper modules and workshops.

Scheduling and Forecasting

• Scheduling refers to the planning and optimization of the tasks designated to the workforce and hence forecasting is the process of analyzing the future workload of the company on the currently available workforces to manage it efficiently.

Field Service Management

• Field service management refers to the management of off-site and on-site resources such as transportation for machinery and technical staff to the site and delivery of top-notch services to the client on-site.

Budgeting and Financing

• Allocating funds for the projects and employees is one of the most crucial processes in workforce management and needs to be done vigilantly to prevent any loss in terms of talent and resources.

Time Tracking and Attendance

• This is one of the most crucial systems for workforce management, it keeps a track of working hours, off time, paid time off, shift swaps and availability of the employees.
• There are countless available options which can used for developing the time tracking and attendance system of the company, you will get to know a lot of them in our next section about Workforce Management Software

Workforce Management Software

As we are done with the basics of workforce management, the processes and departments involved, let us discuss the software involved in the process of workforce management, the days when everything was done manually are long gone, we live in a modernized society where everything is automated to reduce time and labor cost, workforce management is one of those things as well.

Types of Workforce Management Software

Workforce management software is of different types such as;

• Time and attendance software to track the working hours of the employees.
• Software for absence and leave management of employees.
• Workforce analytics software to keep the check on the performance of employees.
• Workforce scheduling and tasking software to manage workflow.
• Payroll management software to pay according to the working hours and shifts of the employees.

Modern Workforce management software is a combination of one or more above-mentioned software, most of the available options can be tweaked according to the company's demand and culture. We will discuss the qualities and peculiar features of many available options for workforce management system in the market, in this section.

Criteria for Developing a Workforce Management Software

In order to qualify as a proper workforce management software, there is a certain criterion that must be fulfilled by that certain software either it is cloud-based software or web-based software. Let us have a look at the points which are absolutely necessary for this purpose;

• The software must allow the administrators to schedule work for employees, their leave requests, and paid time off.
• The software should be able to develop contingency plans without any delays in the system.
• The software must be able to report labor activities and produce analytics accordingly.
• There must be no technical glitches in tracking the employees' attendance and productivity through the provided app or system.
• The software must allow the users to forecast labor demands.

Famous Software for Workforce Management

So, the above-mentioned points must be kept in mind while developing and buying a software for workforce management, although there are countless available options in the market for this purpose but we will only discuss a few famously known and used ones, or we can say the ones which stood the trials and tests of time are being mentioned below,

ADP Workforce Now

• The first entry on the list of workforce management software is the ADP workforce Now software, it is an all-in-one software based on a single database.
• ADP Workforce Now is a cloud-based software which has the features of human resource management, talent management, payroll management, and time and labor management among many available features.
• It is extremely easy to use and above all, it is configurable as well i.e. you can tweak it according to your needs by contacting the service provider.
• ADP Workforce Now also helps in the management of taxation and other legal formalities without any hassle.
• There is an option of advertising the vacancies in the company to hire the new talent, hiring made easy!
• The cloud-based HR system provided by the ADP workforce Now reduces the paperwork with online document storage and helps develop a better workflow in the company.

Ceridian Dayforce

• Ceridian Dayforce is a Human Capital Management HCM company which provides modern HR solutions.
• Their motto is to "Make Work-Life Better" by providing top-notch business solutions for human capital management to their clients.
• Their software provides a user-friendly solution to the complex HR operational processes to the companies which are loved by their employees.

ADP, LLC

• ADP, LLC is the human resource management software and service which automates the HR Management, tasking and scheduling for small and big businesses.
• Alongside HR management it also manages payroll and taxation of the companies using ADP, LLC services.
• ADP, LLC helps companies achieve productivity at lesser costs and lesser employees to do a task, with best available tools for tasking and scheduling and then analyzing employee’s performance.
• It's a cloud-based software with an efficient mobile app to connect employees at a single platform, reducing paperwork and making hassle-free communication possible.

Paycom

• ADP, LLC, and Paycom are often compared with each other, but the main difference lies within the fact that Paycom is used by big companies i.e. Enterprise level companies meanwhile ADP, LLC is used by small or medium-sized businesses.
• Paycom is a cloud-based solution for HR management and Payroll management.
• Paycom being cloud-based also has a user-friendly mobile app to connect the employees of the company using it, each employee has its own user id and login pin.

Workday

• Workday is also a workforce management software provider which is particularly focused on developing a better Human Resource management solution and Finance management solution for its users.
• It is a cloud-based software that provides a personal id to each and every employee of the company using it, the employee can enter and alter personal information such as emergency contact and address, and employees can also view their work schedules, off time, paid time off and can print the details as well.
• You can download the workday app easily from the play store if you are an employee of the company using it.

Rippling

• Rippling is also a famous workforce management software that helps manages the HR, IT, and Payroll of their client's company.
• Rippling works by collecting and managing the data of employees and the company all in one place on its cloud based system.
• It performs fully automated functions with a single click without any paperwork, easy! Isn't it?

UKG Workforce Central

• UKG Workforce Central is one of the most famously known software for workforce management.
• It was previously known as Kronos workforce central.
• UKG Workforce Central helps in scheduling, attendance, absence management, and a lot of other things associated with this section of managing the working hours of the employees.
• UKG Workforce Central organizes the entire workforce of a company on a single cloud-based software.
• UKG Workforce Central claims that its service is mobile, secure, and efficient.

Deputy

• Deputy is one of that workforce management software, which have received rave reviews from its users.
• It is a web-based solution for workforce management.
• Deputy makes it easier for its clients to manage payroll, scheduling, timesheets any tasking easier with a single click.

APS Core HR Solution

• As the name indicates it is almost clear what does APS Core HR Solution provides to its users?
• It provides HR and payroll solutions.
• It helps automate the complex processes of HR management without any disturbance in the workflow.
• APS Core HR Solution helps process the payroll in hours which is itself an unmatched ability of workforce management software.

EPAY HCM

• EPAY HCM helps in human capital management.
• It considerably reduces the cost of HR management for the company by automation of the workflow.
• EPAY HCM takes responsibility for new recruitments in the company, time and attendance, payroll management, and taxation.
• EPAY HCM also provides its customer support throughout the clock in case of any system failure.
• It provides a highly user-friendly experience to the employees for better workforce management.

Namely

• This workforce management software provides a seamless solution for Payroll management, HR, and Benefits platforms.
• Namely provides an HR software tailored according to the needs of the company using it and above all, it is cloud based and user friendly.

PayloCity

• PayloCity is a very well reputed software that provides customized software for workforce management to its clients.
• It is responsible for HR management, Payroll, and benefits.
• PayloCity is extremely client-oriented and user-friendly which paves a way for better automation of day-to-day tasks.
• You can save a lot of time by using PayloCity for workforce management without having to do a lot of paperwork.

Bamboo HR

• Bamboo HR is a SaaS company which means Software as a service.
• It is usually a preferred choice for companies which are having a larger system or workflow. On the parallel lines, Bamboo HR is used by small businesses as well which are on the road to progress because it is not that much costly.
• Bamboo HR is a cloud-based software and above all, it is fairly reasonable or you may say affordable.
• The Mobile app for Bamboo HR is easy to use and has personalized information stored for each employee in the company. You can easily manage everything with a single click.

Enterprise e TIME

• Enterprise e TIME helps the big and small companies to automate their system.
• They provide help with talent management and analytics along with these two, Enterprise e TIME is also responsible for Payroll management.

Planday

• Planday is an employee scheduling solution, you can easily manage a shift-based business with this platform.
• Planday takes responsibility for scheduling, shift swaps, payroll management, and working hour management of the employees.
• Planday is a web-based system.
• The most amazing feature of Planday is that it is fully integrated employee communication system which enables the authorities to text or email an employee within its designated portal.

Zoomshift

• Zoomshift is a cloud-based software which is responsible for scheduling and tasking.
• You can easily manage and publish work schedules through this software for your employees to check and comply.
• Zoomshift takes responsibility for managing overtime, availability, working hours, and shift conflicts of the employees.
• One of the most amazing features of Zoomshift is sending notifications to employees when a new schedule has been uploaded or an older one has been updated.

When I work

• When I work is an app-based workforce management software.
• It helps in scheduling, payroll, time tracking, and communication for businesses which hire hourly employees.
• When I work can be integrated with the payroll provider of the company and you can pay your employees according to their working hours, without any hassle and with a single click.
• It also manages the scheduling of the employees according to their availability and is amazing in managing shift swaps as well.

Paycor

• Paycor is a human capital management platform that pays attention to the strategic goals of the company.
• It is a core HR solution that provides everything in a single place with a single click without the hassle of switching between different platforms.
• Paycor analytics is one of the most powerful systems available in the market providing enterprise-level insights to the small businesses.

Hireology

• If you are looking for workforce management software that can be used to hire people easily and efficiently then hierology is your best bet.
• Hireology hires the best available team required for your day-to-day tasks according to the culture of your company.

Intradiem

• Intradiem is an AI-powered system that provides solutions for the automation of customer service teams.
• Intradiem manages the call centers with a huge influx of data as they can't manage it on their own efficiently.
• It can effectively determine and manage the activity of every employee in the call center.

So, this last entry concludes our list of software available in the market for workforce management, finally! As I told you earlier there are countless other options as well, but it is another story for another day!

Pricing of Workforce Management Software

Let us talk about the pricing of this software for workforce management, pricing varies from company to company and totally depends on the nature of the contract between the two parties, by two parties I mean the service provider and the company which is buying the service from them, sometimes a third party is also involved in the process which adds to additional costs. Cost is calculated by adding in all the on-site and off-site expenses and charges for using cloud based system. The service provider can charge per user price or it may charge according to the amount of data that is to be handled.

Let us move to the next section of our discussion which involves the detailed account of courses you can get yourself enrolled in if you want to be an efficient workforce manager.

Courses for Workforce Management

Now it's time to know how you can learn workforce management. Read the following section to explore your options.

• Up till now, there is no specific degree particular to workforce management, meanwhile, a separate degree for workforce management is not essentially important too if you want to pursue it as your career, Bachelor's in human resource, finance, and other fields related to social sciences would be enough for this purpose when topped with available online course related to workforce management.
• Workforce management can easily be learned through online available courses present on educational sites such as Udemy, Coursera, and many others.
• Some of these courses are free meanwhile some of them are paid, the cost of each one varies according to the site from which you opt to buy one!
• One of the famously known courses involves the call center school workforce management online courses, it is a paid course available on their website. You can complete the whole course in six months by having video lectures, written notes, and a self-assessment kit provided by them. The call center school has thoroughly explained the whole process of workforce management, its challenges, and everything you need to know and learn about workforce management.
• Icmi Bootcamp is also an available online course for workforce management, you can learn the whole process through different modules dedicated to each step required to learn the workforce management. I'm listing the modules included in this course;
• Workforce management
• Statistics and Excel
• Forecasting
• Long-term staffing
• Weekly staffing and scheduling
• Real-time management
• Report and Data administration

Pricing varies for every intake of their Virtual classroom, it's a four-day-long course and for the rest of the information you can check out their website.

• Oracle workforce management, cloud training, and certification is another important name in the available online course for workforce management. There are several certifications available on their website, you can get yourself the one you think suits you the best.
• Some of the available options include;
• Benchmark portal workforce management certification
• Strategic workforce planning SWP certification
• Society of workforce planning professionals SWWP
• Call center workforce management Bootcamp
• All the above-mentioned online resources are paid and prices vary from course to course, let me be honest, if you are really into something invest in your choice if you have chosen the workforce management as your career path you should take the course keeping up with your pocket.
• No doubt some of the available resources are free as well but they are only basic ones i.e. you would only be able to cover the basic aspects of the job, you can't get full fledge workforce manager or workforce analyst training for free at all!
• I hope this section has cleared everything about the courses available in the market which can help you learn workforce management, now, we will be moving towards the last section of our discussion which involves the jobs related to the workforce management. Let's get started,

Workforce Management Jobs

Talking about jobs related to workforce management, there are two important roles which include;

• Workforce manager
• Workforce Analyst

We will be discussing both the roles in this section one by one.

Workforce Manager

• We talked about the system and courses related to workforce management, role of a workforce manager revolves around that i.e. keeping a check on the performance of employees, tasking, and scheduling and lot of other stuff.
• It is one of the key roles of a workforce Manager to keep the track of employees' performance and assign them due tasks according to their utmost capabilities. In simple words, assign them the task they are best at!
• A workforce Manager must have a problem-solving approach with a higher emotional quotient because it is easy to lose your calm at the end of the day, as everyone is coming with their due problems you need to solve. I would recommend a reading for this, if you have got enough time, read a book titled Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves, it would help you understand how the best workforce manager keeps calm and navigate through his or her day to day work routine.
• The most important of all the things at which a workforce manager must be efficient is tasking and scheduling, timing and the right move is everything in terms of business if you really want to excel! Isn't it?
• A workforce manager is in charge of the overall workflow of the company, the processes that are going on, and their relevant things.
• A workforce manager also takes care of the culture and policies of the company i.e. is everything aligned with the goal and vision of the company or not?
• Workforce manager is responsible for the milestones set for production, if the company is achieving them efficiently or not? If not, then what are the key factors that hindering the growth of the company?
• Good Communication is the key to a better workflow, for this purpose workforce manager is responsible for carrying out meetings with the head of departments and teams involved in the processes to keep everything going or we may say running on the road to progress and success.
• Workforce manager is an important entity that checks the viability and feasibility of a project when the company has to sign any contract with a second or third party.
• The workforce manager must be picky enough to pick the right one for the right job as it falls under the duties of the workforce manager to appoint team heads for the day-to-day tasks of the company.
• Now you must be thinking about how much a workforce manager earns after performing all these jobs? According to an estimate, a workforce manager earns up to $75000 a year.
• It not necessary that the workforce manager would perform all these duties alone, instead, the workforce managers work in collaboration with their team and higher authorities to perform all these duties.

Workforce Analyst

We will now talk about the role of a workforce analyst.

• As the name suggests, workforce analyst works closely with implementation and analysis.
• Workforce Analyst is responsible for gathering real-time information about the procedures going on in the company and implement ways to improve the situation.
• Problem-solving especially the technical ones is also an important job of the Workforce Analyst, gathering information on everything related to the problem and steps to alleviate the situation.
• Workforce Analyst must be aware of the modern trends and requirements of the market and should be confident enough to implement them when needed.
• Workforce Analyst also works closely with the technical teams to assess the requirements for the pieces of equipment required in the off-site and on-site work.
• The most important of all Workforce Analyst is responsible to keep in check the finances of the ongoing projects if they are going well with the budget of the project or there is a need to improve the situation.
• Replacing the outdated practices and trends also falls under the responsibility of Workforce Analyst, important decisions make a brighter future for the companies meanwhile sticking to the old practices yield nothing but loss.
• Workforce Analyst works closely in monitoring the changes implemented in the company to undo a change or make amendments in a decision if it is not working in favor of the company.
• Workforce management jobs are available remotely as well, it is not necessary for a workforce analyst to work from the office they often work on contract on an hourly basis or virtually from anywhere in the world.

I hope this section has cleared everything you need to know about the workforce management jobs, both these roles were a sort of workforce management job description either be it office-based or remote, these roles are the same almost everywhere despite the type of company you are being hired in i.e. either it’s the call center workforce management job or a hospital workforce management job, the roles would only differ according to the culture of your organization.

So, it's a wrap for today! That was all about workforce management and everything you need to know about it, I hope you have learned something new from this discussion, in my opinion learning something new is not a difficult task at all, the most difficult of all is to unlearn the things and concepts that aren't right. I really hope to see you with another discussion real soon, for any suggestions or feedback either positive or negative you can use the comment section below. Have a good day ahead!

Top 20 Workforce Management Software

Hello friends, I hope you all are doing well. Today our topic of discussion is Top 20 Workforce Management Software, software that establishes the foundation of uninterrupted and seamless workflow for companies of varying sizes and industries.

With the automation of day to day tasks, workforce management is a relatively easy process in this era of technological advancement, I hope you have a clear idea about workforce management and how it is done, let us define workforce management for those who don't Know;

Definition of workforce management

Workforce Management can be defined as;

• "Combination of processes that keep the track of employees performance and progress in a company."

Processes in Workforce Management

Following processes are involved in workforce management;

• Human Resource Management
• Payroll management
• Scheduling and tasking
• Time track and attendance
• Finance management
• Benefits

Workforce Management Software

Now let's have a look at what is workforce management software!

We live in a modernized tech-based society, using manual techniques, methods and processes are old school things now. Everything is automated these days to save time and money. Workforce management is also done through workforce management software to a huge extent for managing employees and workflow.

Definition of Workforce Management Software

• "A workforce management software is a designated system which automates the processes such as HR, payroll management, scheduling and tasking in a seamless way for companies using it."

Workforce management software is either cloud-based or web-based, most of them have mobile apps as well, for the convenience of their users. For example, online booking software from companies like SuperSaaS offer automated scheduling capabilities that allow organizations to save time and money. They enable businesses to send automated confirmations, reminders, and follow-ups via SMS or email. Furthermore, they can connect to apps, link to bookable calendars, or can be embedded directly into websites.

Features of a Workforce Management Software

A certain criterion is followed to develop Workforce Management Software, a top-notch Workforce Management Software must have the following features;

• Ability to develop contingency plans.
• Scheduling and tasking
• Security to keep the data of the employees and company safe
• Biometric modalities
• Error-free tools for generating performance analytics
• Time tracking and attendance system
• Can be integrated with other tools and software
• Payroll Management

List of workforce management software

Now it's time to start our list for top 20 workforce management software, let's get started!

Paycom

• The very first entry on our list is Paycom, you might have guessed by its name what does paycom do but here is a brief description of its features;
• Paycom is an American company that offers Human Resource Management and Payroll management to both small and big businesses.
• Paycom is not only used by small, medium, and big businesses, it also helps people who use it according to their roles in different companies such as CEOs and Owners, IT decision-makers, operations executives, Humans resource managers, and payroll managers.
• Paycom claims to be everything you need from hire to retire for an employee.
• From talent acquisition to talent management, labor tasking and scheduling, and then payroll paycom cover everything you need to have.
• Paycom provides a seamless payroll solution to the company which is error-free and less time-consuming and helps with taxation as well.
• Through paycom employees can enter, manage and edit their personal data with ease because of its user-friendly interface.
• Paycom is indeed a good choice for those looking for a one-touch solution to everything.

Paylocity

Paylocity is an extremely versatile workforce management software having everything you need for seamless and easy workforce management in one place. Paylocity provides the following services through their workforce management software by automating the workflow;

• Workforce management through time tracking and scheduling with the help of geofencing parameters and time clocks.
• Talent management through fully automated recruiting software.
• Data insights through highly analyzed reports and surveys to improve the company's performance and productivity.
• A payroll management system that can be configured and can be integrated with different service providers in the niche.

Paylocity is used by small, medium and big businesses depending on their affordability and need, you can easily get a quote for their service through their official website.

Workday

• Workday officially known as workday inc is a single solution to all your HR, talent management, Enterprise management, and payroll management problems.
• Workday being an efficient workforce management software has an excellent time tracking tool with geofencing, the employees get a reminder for check-in and check-out when an employee enters the site of the job.
• Workday workforce management software also provides self-service to employees by giving them the option to enter and edit their personal data through a mobile app, they can view the full schedule and timelines of the project in the company's calendar available to everyone.
• Along with hassle-free payroll, workday also provides an open shift board with a swapping option i.e. employees can mention their availability and take a paid time off.
• With workday, you can get a global labor cost analysis, with this feature you can easily view the global labor trends and ongoing situation of the industry all thanks to the strong analytical tools of the workday helping you make better decisions for the growth and progress of your company.
• Workday doesn't mention the per-user cost for their workforce management software or any other tools, if you are planning to get the service for your company, you can request a quote by filling a form available on their website.

Whosoff

• The name sounds interesting so is the task of this workforce management software.
• Whosoff is super simple and used only for managing the leaves and vacations of the employees and nothing else like those specialized system that automate the whole workflow.
• Employees can apply for annual vacation or simple day leave with this workforce management software.
• The user interface is simple and easy to use the only flaw reported by the users is that you cannot cancel your leave request once you have submitted it! Yeah, there's is no going back!
• Small and medium sized companies that don't want a highly functional workforce management software can go for Whosoff to manage their leave management system easily, it is super simple, convenient and above all it is not heavy on the pocket at all, what else you need!

Sage People

Sage People is a workforce management software dedicated to the seamless provision of HR services. Sage People optimizes the workflow for medium-sized companies. Sage People provides the following features;

• Time tracking and attendance
• PTO
• Compliance
• Benefits
• Customization and internalization of different fields for a project

The only drawback of Sage People is the excess of important documents and files to everyone in the company which can somehow pose threat to sensitive information of the company which must not be disclosed to everyone.

ADP LLC

• ADP LLC is an immensely famous software used by small, medium, and big businesses having en employee range from 1to 50 up to 1000+ employees.
• ADP LLC has up to 80,000 clients who use their workforce management software services.
• ADP LLC significantly reduces the burden of managing the workflow by automating the whole process.

You can also recruit and train new employees through ADP LLC, and above all, you can also keep track of their performance through strong analytics provided by ADP LLC. They have a mobile app for time tracking which is accurate and up to the mark, employees can log in anytime without being surrounded by heaps of timesheets wasting their time. Leave case management is also an easy thing to do with several features provided by ADP LLC. ADP LLC helps you manage the following;

• Payroll
• Taxes according to regulations of federal, state, and local government.
• Human resource management

ADP LLC generously offers a three months trial which isn't provided by most of the big names in the workforce management industry. But wait, Don't be too much excited, terms and conditions do apply! You can also get a quote if you are interested in buying their service for your company, just go to their offical website, fill the form and voila! You are done!

Jiblee

The next workforce management software on our list is jiblee, jiblee provides the following features to its clients;

• HR management
• Time tracking
• Payroll management

Let us talk about time tracking first, jiblee has an efficient mobile app that can easily track time spent by employees on a task, the time they check-in and check-out is also tracked using a geofensing tool.

• Jiblee also provides automated timesheets which significantly help in payroll management, pay your employees within hours according to the tracked time and days without heaps of calculations.
• You can also get a detailed preview of your team's overall performance and productivity through strong analytics provided by jiblee.
• Jiblee can also be Integrated with slack and google teams which would make your workforce management process super easy and on the go!
• As per the reviews of jiblee users, their customer support team is super supportive and responsive, in case you are looking for a one-touch solution to your everyday workforce management problems, jiblee can be your best bet!

Built for teams

• Built for teams is a workforce management software that provides seamless HR management. let us talk about some unique features of this software;
• The org chart and company directory are loved by new recruits of the company letting them understand who is who and what is what!
• Paid time off requests are super simple to make and are really appreciated by the employees as well.
• The companies using built for teams workforce management software really appreciate their customer support team and response to feedback.

Schedule Flex

• Scheduleflex is a workforce management software and is particularly determined by the HR management of the companies using it.
• There is a shift board feature that helps employees comply with their work schedule in a well-oraganized manner.
• Shiftboard is particularly effective for better performance of the employees resulting in lesser labor costs.

Teleopti

• Teleopti WFM provides workforce management solutions to Enterprise Level businesses.
• Teleopti workforce management software is geared towards staffing and scheduling along with customer support.
• The company claims that their software can fully automate your workflow from effectively managing staff to creating automated schedules for the employees and later on analyzing their performance as well.
• Teleopti also provides in-depth and well-analyzed reports to help companies improve the customer service operation of the companies using it.
• Teleopti also provides automated training of employees to cover their lacking, helping them improve their skill and competency.
• One of the most amazing features provided by Teleopti WFM, mobile workforce management software includes the option of internal communication through instant alerts and text notifications during working hours to keep everyone aware and connected throughout the project.
• You can easily get a quote from them through their official website if you are planning to buy their services, good luck!

Namely

Namely provides the following solution for workforce management;

• Payroll management
• HR
• Benefits Platform.

If you are looking for workforce management software that can be tailored according to your company's culture and structure, then namely can definitely be your go to option.

WebHR

WebHR as the name indicates has everything you need for the human resource management of your company. It is an efficient workforce management software that manages everything from hiring to retiring of an employee through an advanced AI-based system. I'm listing some of its features;

• Time tracking and attendance
• Paid time off PTO
• Payroll management
• Benefits
• Employees self-service

CoreHr

• Corehr is dedicated to HR management of medium-sized businesses only, it is not made for big businesses.
• CoreHr helps recruit new employees and track their performance, the clocking system is perfect for check-in and check-out as well and lastly, the fully automated payroll system is a cherry on top.
• The only existing problem with CoreHr is its complicated user interface which isn't liked much by the users and needs to be improved.

Rippling

Rippling is a famous workforce management software that provides the following features to its users in terms of HR management and Payroll management;

• Time tracking and attendance
• PTO
• Performance analytics of employees
• Payroll integration with different service providers
• Tax management
• Self-service portal for employees and benefits dashboard.
• Rippling is loved by HR Managers because of its ease of use, it has an easy-going user interface that doesn't require a training session for employees to be learned.
• Some of the features provided by rippling workforce management software are complex such as payroll management and team management which need further improvement as per the reviews of people using this software.

If you are interested in buying the services of Rippling for workforce management then you can consider rippling as one of the strong candidates in the workforce management software Industry!

BambooHr

• BambooHr is an all-in-one Human Resource Management software having a user-friendly app for this purpose.
• BambooHr gathers, store and analyze employee's data conveniently and efficiently at a cloud-based database.
• BambooHr Mobile app is client-oriented, you can schedule anything on the calendar and publish it for your employees. Announcements can easily be made through the BambooHr app for a project or a single task with a single tap and it reaches everyone within seconds.
• The most unique feature of BambooHr is the time off feature, let me tell you about it in simple words, the time off feature allows the employees to send requests for leave by following a few steps meanwhile the HR Managers can approve it within a single click.
• BambooHr provides the feature of electronic signatures,  employees can sign documents anytime and anywhere without having to use a pen and paper.

EPAY HCM

• EPAY HCM is geared towards human capital management.
• It helps in the cost reduction of HR management for the company by automation of the workflow.
• EPAY HCM automates the following processes;
• recruitments in the company using it
• time and attendance
• payroll management

EPAY HCM app is user-friendly and free of complexities. One of the most appreciated things provided by EPAY HCM is its customer support throughout the clock in case of system failure or any technical glitch.

Skedulo

• All the above-mentioned workforce management software was related to people who work in a typical office setting, except one or two which had the geofencing feature. Skedulo is particularly designed for people who aren't office-based.
• You would be amazed to Know the DHL and American Red Cross along with several other organizations trust skedulo and its deskless productivity cloud to manage their system.

Skedulo provides an efficient solution to companies for managing;

• Tasking and scheduling the employees
• Over job scheduling
• For the employees who are working remotely, skedulo is a blessing because it helps them manage their day-to-day tasks effectively.
• Better management of daily tasks through skedulo helps in cost reduction of operational on-field tasks, all thanks to analytics provided by skedulo workforce management software.

Skedulo has a very user-friendly app that is available for Android as well as iPhone users and has the following features;

• Mobile forms that can be easily filled and submitted
• Scheduling and creating tasks and jobs
• Synchronized calendars and maps
• Photo attachment option
• Electronic Signature option for customers
• Mapping and routing which can be used to locate an employee as well
• Chat option for employees in the same team or job
• Leave submission

Intradiem

• All the above mentioned workforce management systems are not made for a particular industry or niche, the one we are about to discuss is particular to call centers, yes you heard it right! Intradiem is workforce management software for call centers.
• Intradiem can manage the call centers with a high influx of data because it is not humanly possible to manage such an influx without an external system or assistance.
• It is an AI-powered system which helps in the automation of customer service teams.
• Intradiem  can efficiently schedule and manage the activities of every employee in the call center by keeping a track of their performance through strong analytics.

Branch

• Branch Mobile app is particularly used by the people who work on an hourly basis.
• It is used by small-sized businesses as well as big businesses.
• You can easily manage the workflow by tasking and scheduling your employees through the workforce management software of the Branch.
• Branch shows the availability of employees, their Working hours, shift swaps, and shift timings.
• You can even integrate Branch with your desired payroll provider for easy payment based on the working hours of your employees.
• In case you are looking for workforce management software that is effective for shift management, then Branch can be a considerable option.

Nowsta

• Nowsta is the last workforce management software on our list of best 20 workforce management software.
• Nowsta is a one-touch solution that can manage payroll and the work shifts of your staff.
• Nowsta also has an app for the ease of its users, The user interface and scheduling window of the Nowsta app are super simple and convenient and are highly admired by the users.The time tracking service of Nowsta is top-notch as well.
• Nowsta has an incredible activity dashboard in case you want to check out what is going on in the projects at hand, in short, you can easily trace the timeline and project progress side by side.
• The most remarkable of all the features provided by the Nowsta workforce Management system is the payroll system which is hassle-free and time-saving.
• Nowsta Employee's database stores data hence reducing heaps of paperwork for provision of the workflow in the company using it. You can also incorporate many other applications with your Nowsta account for better coordination.
• Nowsta also provides insights and in-depth analytics about the performance of employees in different endeavors of the company.

Pricing of Workforce Management Software

• So, this last entry concludes our list of top 20 workforce management software to use, the other most frequently asked question about the workforce management software is their pricing, in case you want to know the price of a particular software, you can contact the relevant software provider or company through their website to get a quote according to your requirements, you would be getting a customized and tailored proposition!
• Some of workforce management software companies have already provided the per user price on their website but most of them haven't, you can also get a free demo from a few of these companies but again it varies from one company to the other. You can easily find a best match for yourself if you dig a bit deeper into the demo, details and reviews , Good luck!

Its a wrap for today, that's all you need to know about 20 best workforce management software, in case you know a better option; the one you have personally used , you can let us know in the comment section below. I'll see you with another discussion soon, have a good day ahead!

Best Workforce Management Apps for Mobile

Hello friends, I hope you all are doing great. Today, I am here with another discussion related to workforce management, which is all about the Best Workforce Management Apps for Mobile. With the technological revolution of today's world, everything is being controlled from far away places through different software, same is the case with workforce management, many top tier companies have launched workforce management apps that are exclusive to mobile phones for their web-based workforce management software for a convenient and exquisite user experience with the tagline "Manage everything with a single tap".

So, We will explore some of the best available apps which are exclusively designed for mobiles that are used for workforce management, Let's get started:

Definition of Workforce Management

"Workforce management refers to the process of keeping the employees of a company under constant check for performance, productivity and overall wellbeing."

For a detailed outlook on Workforce management and how it works, you can check our previous article covering all the basics, no need to fret, we have got you covered!

• We all know that the days of managing things manually by keeping handheld paperwork, records, and datasheets are long gone. We are living in the era of technology, almost everything is automated for convenience and ease. The same goes for workforce management, managing hundreds of employees is not an easy thing to handle now we have to use cloud-based and web-based software and system for the purpose of convenience and ease.
• In order to understand how the workforce management apps work, you must know about the workforce management software which is specialized to perform certain automated functions they are specialized for, such as payroll, human resource management, benefits, hiring and a lot of other stuff.
• Some apps work Independently i.e. you can use them without having a subscription from a service provider of that software company, meanwhile, others necessarily need a proper contract between the two parties, the company which is to use the software and the company which is providing the service.
• Most of the time, these apps allow only paid users to use their service and features fully. The pricing of each app for workforce management system varies accordingly and can be found easily on their website under the heading of "Pricing" or "Get your Monthly and Yearly Plan".

List of Commonly Used Mobile Apps for Workforce Management

• The main purpose of this discussion is to explore the best available options among apps for workforce management either they are paid or somehow free to a limited number of users. Without any further delay, let us start our list;

Trello

• So the first one on our list is Trello, Trello is an app-based software for workforce management, you cannot manage and integrate everything with this app like payroll, benefits, and some other complex processes but you can easily manage the workflow of your team with Trello app.
• You can easily manage tasks and projects with Trello. Trello board can be used for a timeline review of your project and the calendar can be used to keep a track of days.
• There is another available feature called Trello Cards, you can make a card for a task, share it with your teammates and track it as well.
• You can also integrate Dropbox, Evernote, Google Drive, Slack, and Confluence with your Trello app.
• Above all, Trello is extremely easy to use when you have to create a custom button for building an automated process, there is no need to code anything!
• You can easily set deadlines for your teammates and schedule tasks for them, they would simply pop up on your teammate's account without any hassle.

Asana

• The second entry for the best mobile phone app for workforce management is the Asana app.
• Asana makes workforce management easier by helping you automate your project and day-to-day tasks for your team members without any hassle.
• Asana boards and maps are an amazing option to keep your team updated and focused on the tasks at hand. You can focus on the prioritized task and project and clear it from the row. There is an available option of attaching documents, images and other stuff on the dashboard too.
• You can even create rules for a project or a task to prevent any human or technical errors.
• Asana Templates are also a helping hand in creating custom made project design for your team, you can choose the one which suits your project. Customize your workflow the way you like!
• For better workforce management you can integrate your Asana app with hundreds of other applications such as Google Drive, Slack, Zapier, One drive, and whatnot!
• Asana is not a one place solution to workforce management because of the absence of a true HR functionality, it is more focused on managing the creative teams for certain tasks and nothing else.

Paycom

• workforce management software that eases the process of Human Resource Management and Payroll.
• You might not believe it, but with the help of Paycom, you can manage your payroll process within hours with a single click.
• They have an extremely easy user interface and above all, they claim to be everything you need for workforce management from hiring to retiring!
• Paycom is used by Enterprise level companies for managing their workforce and has a very user-friendly app available on the play store. Every employee has their login id and security pin, employees can quickly clock in and clock out through their app, mentioning their department, location, date, and time.
• There is an amazing feature of the Manager on the go in the paycom app to perform Managerial tasks such as tracking time cards, employees Time off requests, managing schedules and expenses.

Zoho

• Zoho is another famously known workforce management system and an office suite which has countless applications on a single platform.
• Zoho app is an easy-to-use app for maintaining spreadsheets, online video conferencing, tasking, scheduling, customer relationship management, and above all payroll as well.
• To get started with Zoho you need to get its membership plan first, You can easily cancel your membership any time.
• Automating your business workflow is an easy thing now with the zoho app, to know more about it, you can check their website.

Bitrix24

• Bitrix24 definitely sounds like a spell from a Harry Potter movie, but no it's not.
• Bitrix24 is an efficient workforce management app for mobiles, a better workflow is a single tap away!
• It is loved and appreciated by people working remotely because you don't need to bring your laptop everywhere to manage your day-to-day tasks and employees, Bitrix24 has got you covered by integrating everything at a single platform.
• Bitrix24 helps in arranging video conferencing, scheduling, and tasking, you can assign tasks to your teammates anytime, track their time and progress.
• Bitrix24 is free for individual users but it has a complete payment plan for teams and organizations, you can check that out from their website.

Odoo

• The next entry on our list is Odoo, odoo is as unique as its name. It is an open-source suite comprising of a number of apps mainly in thousands for managing the inventory, E-commerce, warehouse, project management, CRM, and whatnot.
• It's basically an ERP software, Enterprise Resource Planning software which is highly used by growing businesses to track and scale their growth.
• The open-source version of odoo is still free and Working well for people using them for workforce management but advanced ones are paid.

Wrike

• The Wrike app is particularly used for project management because of its not-so-complex and easy-to-use user interface.
• Wrike helps you create a workflow for your project and run it in multiple instances, you can easily track the progress of your team members through available options in the Wrike app.
• You can easily streamline processes that need
• Supervision of a high-up through approval option in the app, ask your teammates to submit the work for approval and take it to another step after approval.
• You can schedule your workflow in advance, either be it monthly, weekly or daily.
• Wrike has different payment plans for a number of team members and organizations.

BambooHr

• BambooHr as the name indicates is an all-in-one Human Resource Management software and has a very user-friendly app for this purpose.
• BambooHr collects the information related to employees and everything in between at a single cloud-based database. It helps gather, store and analyze employee's data conveniently and efficiently.
• BambooHr Mobile app solution is user-friendly and client-oriented, you can schedule and task everything and anything on the calendar and publish it for your employees.
• One of the most amazing features of BambooHr is the time off feature, the time off feature allows the employees to send requests for leave within a few steps and on the parallel lines HR Managers can approve it within a single click, isn't it time-saving and easy?
• Announcements can be made anytime through the BambooHr app making it sure that nobody is missing out on anything. Sadly we don't have an option of internal communication in this app, you can't send an instant message to anyone in your team.
• Hiring is also a hassle-free process through the BambooHr app, you can track your application easily through the available key options.
• One of the most astounding features of BambooHr is the electronic signatures, employees can sign documents anytime, anywhere, it is a great way to save the earth by reducing waste indeed! Isn't it?

ADP LLC

• ADP LLC is a versatile and highly efficient system for workforce management.
• You can easily manage HR, payroll, hiring, and benefits through the ADP LLC app.
• ADP LLC can help the users track time and Working hours, balance sheets, transactions, retirement funds, and much more with a single tap.
• The calendar and timeline view of ADP LLC helps users to track their progress and milestones for a certain project they are working on.
• Users can download the app from the play store and log in with their id provided by the company, each employee has his own login id and password to access the account.
• ADP LLC is indeed an advanced solution for workforce management of big businesses.

Slack

• Slack is one of the most famously known apps for workforce management.
• This is particularly effective for internal communication because of its inbuilt instant messaging tool.
• Slack has a remarkable ability to provide a communication channel for off-site and on-site employees of the company, you can leave an instant message or update and nobody misses out on anything.
• Slack can even connect individuals or companies with third parties or service providers to maintain a smooth workflow.
• Slack can be used for video conferencing as well, it is particularly helpful for the coordination of on-site technical team and office-based technical coordinators in problem-solving.
• You can integrate many other software and apps with slack such as Google drive and spreadsheets but sadly it is not a one-step solution to workforce management such as BambooHR, ADP LLC, and Paycom.

Jiblee

• Jiblee is one the best available options present in the competitive market, this is not my personal or biased opinion instead customer reviews say so.
• It is a very responsive workforce management app that manages time sheets i.e. time spent on a project, payroll, attendance, and financing of a project easily without spending hours automating the workflow.
• There is a free version for the app which is highly efficient having the features of facial recognition, personal login ID and password, slack integration, online reports, and analysis, overtime analysis, timesheets automation, and much more, believe it or not, it is free!
• Jiblee is also available in a paid version with a lot of advanced features to manage everything with your phone.
• Jiblee doesn't only have a mobile phone app but it has a desktop version of its app as well.
• In case of any glitches in the system, you can contact the Jiblee support team which is super responsive.

Nowsta

• Nowsta is the last entry on our list of apps for workforce management if you are looking for a solution that can manage payroll and the workshifts of your staff.
• Nowsta has an outstanding activity dashboard to check out what's going on with the projects at hand.
• The user interface of the app and scheduling window is very easy and convenient and is highly appreciated by the users.
• The time tracking service of Nowsta is also impressive but the most amazing of all is the payroll system which is hassle-free, time-saving, and value for money.
• Employee database makes it easier to store and use data hence reducing heaps of paperwork for maintenance of the workflow.
• You can integrate many other applications with your Nowsta account to synchronize everything.
• Nowsta also provides insights and analytics for the performance of employees in different projects, so, if you are looking for something easy, user friendly yet efficient, then Nowsta can be your best bet!

Its a wrap for today, that was all about Best Workforce Management Apps for mobiles, if you know or you have used any other better available options, you can let everyone know in the comment section below. I'll see you soon with another discussion soon. Have a good day ahead!