Installation Construction Works Prepared by KAHF Consultancy

Installation
Construction Works
Prepared by KAHF
Consultancy
November 2018
1
Table of contents
Definitions of Electrical Terms You Should Know.................................................................................................................................. 1

Electrical Terms For Circuits................................................................................................................................................................ 2
Electrical Terms for Components ......................................................................................................................................................... 4
Electrical Terms for Mathematical Calculations .................................................................................................................................. 6
Electrical Terms For Conduit Bending ................................................................................................................................................. 8
Random Electrical Terms That You Should Be Familiar With ............................................................................................................ 9
This unit covers the knowledge, skills and attitudes on installing electrical metallic conduit, wire ways and cable clamp, telephone
terminal cabinet and distribution frame used in roughing-in based on the required performance standards .......................................... 30
Element ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 52
Performance Criteria ................................................................................................................................................................... 52
It may include: .................................................................................................................................................................................. 52
2.1. Information documentation procedures........................................................................................................................... 52
Self check Home Electrical Concepts and Components ......................................................................................................................... 60
Glossary - All Terms and Definitions Listed Alphabetically.................................................................................................................. 68
References ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 167
ACRONYMS ......................................................................................
PART 1 ..............................................................................................
1. Introduction ..............................................................................
1.1. Scope of the Manual:.........................................................
1.2. How to use the manual: .....................................................
1.3. Who shall use the manual .................................................
1.4. Organization of the manual................................................
PART II ..............................................................................................
2. Operation and Maintenance-Basics .........................................
2.1. What is Operation..............................................................
2.2. What is Maintenance? .......................................................
2.3. Types of Maintenance .......................................................
2.4. Importance of O&M to Prisons...........................................
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2.5. O&M Challenges in Ethiopian Regional Prisons................
PART III .............................................................................................
3. Basic Hand Tools and Safety Tips ...........................................
3.1. General Electrical Tools.....................................................
3.3. Safety Tips.........................................................................
PART IV Installation Accessories.......................................................
4. Conductor/Cable ......................................................................
4.1. STRIPPING ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR……………………………………………….
4.1.1. RATTAIL OR PIG TAIL SPLICE…………………………………………………………….
4.1.2. WESTERN UNION SHORT TIE 17…………………………………………………………
4.1.3. PLAIN TAP JOINT …………………………………………………………………………
4.2 Electrical Switches....................................................................
4.2.1.Single Switch
4.2.2. Two-way Switch
4.2.3 three-way switch
4.2.4 4-way switch
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4.3 ELECTRICAL PROTECTION DEVICES
4.3.1 Fuses
4.3.2 Circuit breaker
4.4Electrical/Electro-mechanical Appliances......................................
4.4.1. Fluorescent Lamp..............................................................
4.4.2. Socket Out let ....................................................................
4.4.3. Circuit Breaker...................................................................
4.4.4. Electric Mitad .....................................................................
4.4.5. Surface Mounted Pump .....................................................
4.4.6. Flour Mill ............................................................................
4.4.7 Diesel Generator……………………………………………..
ACRONYMS
O&M: Operation and Maintenance
ICRC: International Committee of the Red Cross
SNNPRS: Southern Nation, Nationalities and Peoples Regional State
PM: Preventive Maintenance
AC: Alternating Current
Some common terminologies in Electrical installation systems

. Voltage, V
- A measurement of the potential of electrical energy that can drive electrons from one position to the other.
Sometimes called as the potential difference.
- SI unit of measurement, V- VOLTS, or KV – kilovolts
. Current, I
- The flow of electron inside any conducting medium. i.e., It is electricity flowing in a conductor.
- SI unit of measurement, A, amp or amps
. Power, P
- The amount of electrical energy. Or the rate of energy conversion
- SI unit of measurement, W - watts, or KW – kilowatts.
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Together all the parts of a Unit of Competence guide
1. Introduction the assessor in determining whether the candidate is
PART 1 competent.
The ensuing sections of this EOS document comprise

a description of the respective occupation with all the
key components of a Unit of Competence:
Introduction
 chart with an overview of all Units of Competence
for the respective level (Unit of Competence Chart)
Our country Ethiopia has embarked on a
including the Unit Codes and the Unit titles
process of reforming its TVET-System.
Within the policies and strategies of the  contents of each Unit of Competence (competence
Ethiopian Government, technology standard)
transformation – by using international
 occupational map providing the technical and
standards and international best practices
vocational education and training (TVET) providers
as the basis, and, adopting, adapting and
with information and important requirements to
verifying them in the Ethiopian context – is
consider when designing training programs for this
a pivotal element. TVET is given an
standards and for the individual, a career path
important role with regard to technology
transfer. The new paradigm in the
outcome-based TVET system is the
orientation at the current and anticipated 2. Operation and Maintenance-Basics
future demand of the economy and the 2.1. What is Operation
labor market.
The Ethiopian Occupational Standards

(EOS) are - a core element of the
Ethiopian National TVET-Strategy and an
important factor within the context of the
National TVET-Qualification Framework
(NTQF).They are national Ethiopia
standards, which define the occupational
requirements and expected outcome
related to a specific occupation without
taking TVET delivery into account.
This document details the mandatory

format, sequencing, wording and layout
for the Ethiopian Occupational Standard
comprised of Units of Competence.
A Unit of Competence describes a distinct

work activity. It is documented in a
standard format that comprises:
 Occupational title, NTQF level
 Unit code
 Unit title
 Unit descriptor
 Unit of Competence
 Elements and performance criteria
 Variables and Range statement
 Evidence guide
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PART II
Operation of a facility includes all the activities related to the normal performance of the functions
for which the facility or item is intended to be used.
Put another way, operation can be represented by the process flow of a system trying to achieve
its objectives such as serving customers, selling a product, diagnosing a patient.
In prisons operation of facilities include open/close taps, open/close showers, operating

generators, operating kitchen appliances and the likes.
Proper Operation always requires following operational procedures or sequences-
Operation of prison facilities for example requires the strict following of the operation sequences
as recommended by the manufacturer or engineers.
2.2. What is Maintenance?
Maintenance includes all actions necessary for retaining an item, or restoring to its serviceable
condition, such as servicing, repair, modification, overhaul, inspection and.condition verification.
Maintenance of prison facilities include all the day to day care of detention blocks, cleaning,
removal of solid waste,desludging,toilet cleaning and sanitizing, lawn mowing, cleaning gutters,
cleaning drainages, repairing leaking pipes, changing generator oils, repairing broken taps etc.
2.3. Types of Maintenance
Maintenance can be classified in general into two categories as Preventive and Reactive
Preventive Maintenance (PM)
Maintenance activities undertaken before failure occurs. For example, checking the oil level in
generators, cleaning water tanks.
Preventive maintenance is highly recommended for prison facilities as it promotes the smooth
operation of prison facilities all the times and is also cost effective.
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Reactive Maintenance:
Reactive Maintenance tasks are performed when equipment is actually broken down or fails to
operate properly. All emergency, all urgent jobs are reactive maintenance.
This type of maintenance is not recommended for prison facilities for the following major reasons.
 Breakdown generally occurs during inappropriate times leading to poor and hurried
maintenance
 Faster deterioration of prison infrastructures
 Increases chances of accidents and less safety for both detainees and staff
2.4. Importance of O&M to Prisons
Implementation of proper Operation and Maintenance system in prison institutes ensures the
following benefits in the short or longer periods
 The facilities are available to provide their intended services all the times
 Facilities and their sub-systems are in working order all the times
 The useful life of facilities increases
 Reduced cost of replacement and repair of prison facilities
 Creates safe, comfortable and efficiently-operating prisons
 Provides healthy and hygienic conditions for the detainees, staff and local community
 Improved security due to structural integrity and detainee satisfaction;
2.5. O&M Challenges in Ethiopian Regional Prisons
Regional prisons assessment and discussion results with prison authorities show that,
maintenance of prison facilities lack due consideration. Most of Ethiopian regional prisons struggle
with their O&M systems. The major challenges include but not limited to the following:
 Lack of management attention towards maintenance

 Difficulties in applying quantitative analysis
 Difficulties in obtaining time and cost estimates for maintenance works
 Difficulties in measuring performance of maintenance works
 Absence of cost reports to aid maintenance planning and control system
 Failure to develop written objectives and policy that is derived from the mission statement of
the prison institutes
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PART III
3. Basic Hand Tools and Safety Tips
This section presents the basic hand tools and safety tips that are required for performing
Operation and Maintenance activities in prisons.
The hand tools and safety tips discussed in this section though represent only the minimum
requirement, however the types, quantity and quality of the items depends on the complexity of the
prison infrastructures.
3.1. General Electrical Tools
Pliers are available with both insulated and uninsulated handles, which are used in handling
and twisting wires. The handle insulation is not considered sufficient protection alone. Other
safety precaution must be observed. Common types of pliers are:
Slip joint Diagonal cutting Side cutting
Retainer ring Long nose Snap ring
Screw drivers come in various sizes and shapes. They are used to drive and pull out screws.
They are made of insulated handles with either sharp andsquare tips. The width of the
screw driver should match the width of the screw slot. Common types of screw drivers are:
Standard type Phillips Offset
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TEST LIGHT
A Test Light is a simple piece of electronic test equipment used to determine the presence or
absence of AC voltage in a piece of equipment under test.
MULTIMETER
Multimeter is an electronicmeasuring instrument that combines several measurement functions in
one
Unit.Multimeters can measure voltage, current, and resistance ce

CONTINUITY TESTER
A continuity tester is an item of electrical test equipment used to determine if an electrical path can
be established between two points.
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INSULATION RESISTANCE TESTER
An electronic diagnostic tool used to identify aging, insulation breakdown or integrity of the
insulation system in electrical equipment.
CLAMPMETER
Clampmeter is an electrical device with jaws which open to allow clamping around an electrical
conductor. This allows measurement of the current in a conductor without the need to make
physical contact with it.
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HAND ELECTRIC DRILL
Hand Electr ic Drill is electric ally

operated tool to drill parts.
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3.2. Safety Tips
While performing any Operation and Maintenance tasks in prisons, technicians or detainees
responsible for the work should strictly follow the following occupational safety tips.
I. PERSONAL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
 Use proper closing for the work, overall and safety shoes
 Wear goggles when required
 Wear gloves and helmet
 Avoid wearing jewelries
CORRECT USE OF TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
Safe care and use of hand tools
1. Check for defects:
 Hammers – handles tight, no mushrooming of heads.

 Files – handles fitted, sharpness.
 Screwdrivers – Tips square and correctly shaped, not worn, handles in good condition,
insulated and secured.
 Chisels and punches – heads not mushroomed and burred.
 Spanners – not rounded.
2. Apply general safety rules:
 Use correct tool for the job.

 Use correct size tool for the job.
 Report and replace broken tools.
 Use tools correctly.
 Store tools away after use.
3. Use hand tools safely:
 Screwdrivers – work secured, must fit the screw, use drill or awl to start the screw.
 Hammers – keep eyes on nail or chisel etc., wear gloves or use foam rubber discs. Wear
goggles if necessary.
 Files – keep clean and harp, ensure handle is fitted and tight, never hit with a hammer or
use as a lever, do not put in pocket.
4. Portable electrical equipment
1.1 Examine before use:
 Make sure it is earthed (if not double insulated)
 earth wire to centre pin and line conductor to correct live pin on plug top.
 Check cord for cracks or weakness – replace, do not patch.
 Check switches for correct on/off operation.
 Check for damage or cracks in housing.
5. Operate safely:
 Place cord safely – away from heat, water and oil, out of the way of persons walking or
vehicles crossing.
 Stop tools before adjusting.
 Secure work piece.
 Work at correct speed – do not force.
 Wear PPE when appropriate.
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6. Safe use of ladders
3.1 Examine before use:
 Keep ladders clean – dirt hides defects, grease or oil cause people to slip.
 Check for defects, cracks etc. – repair or replace.
 Check safety feet where fitted.
 Check hinges on step ladder.
3.2 Use ladders safely:
 Use correct ladder for the job (type and size).
 No metal ladders or metal-reinforced ladders when working on electrical apparatus
 Do not bring into contact with power conductors.
 Place at correct angle
 Unless ladder is securely tied at the top, it must be held by another person.
 Lock hinges when using a step ladder.
 Lock doors before placing ladder over door.
 Do not lean ladder against windows or doors.

 Haul tools up using a bucket or basket, and remove after use.
 Store out of the way and safely after use – either lying on its side or suspended from
several wall brackets to prevent warping.
2. OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
 understand the SOP of the work
 Clean up any oil leakage
 After completion of the work, clean the bench and the area around
 Do not smoke around the work area
3. ACCESSORIES SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
 Place the different electrical and plumbing accessories in a rack based on their type
 Proper and efficient use of accessories
 Avoid unnecessary byproducts of the work from the work in progress
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Part IV
Some common terminologies in Electrical installation systems

. Voltage, V
- A measurement of the potential of electrical energy that can drive electrons from one position to the
other. Sometimes called as the potential difference.
- SI unit of measurement, V- VOLTS, or KV – kilovolts
. Current, I
- The flow of electron inside any conducting medium. i.e., It is electricity flowing in a conductor.
- SI unit of measurement, A, amp or amps
. Power, P
- The amount of electrical energy. Or the rate of energy conversion
- SI unit of measurement, W - watts, or KW – kilowatts.
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14
15
Example how to interpreting a given diagram
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4. Installation Accessories
4.1 CONDUCTORS
Stranded copper conductors
PVC
PVC
Wire armouring
PVC
PVC insulated cable

Definition
A conductor is any wire, bar or tube intended for conducting electric current.
Most of the conductors used today are made of either copper or aluminium, as
electricity flows through these materials more easily than it does through most others.
Silver is the best conductor known but copper and aluminium are much cheaper. The
following list shows how other conductors compare with silver.
 Diameters and cross-sectional areas of conductors
Where more than one strand are used to manufacture a conductor, these strands
should all have the same diameters.
The cross-sectional area of the conductor can be obtained by using the formula –
D 2
x No. of strands, where D = diameter of the strand
4
Conductors are stranded to increase their flexibility. The larger the cable cross-sectional
area, the more strands it will have.
All conductors of rated area exceeding 1,5 mm2 shall be stranded (Regulation of the
EBCS Wiring Code). The total area of the conductor is determined by the magnitude of
the current (amps) that it will be required to carry.
Acceptable conductor sizes for wiring circuits
The conductors that have been discussed in these notes are those that are used for
wiring domestic houses, shops and blocks of flats. Each municipality has its own by-
laws, but the following sizes are generally accepted for the wiring of the given circuits:
Bell circuits 1 mm2
Light circuits 1,5 mm2
Plug (socket outlet) circuit 2,5 mm2
Geyser circuits 4 mm2
Electric stove circuits 6 mm2
Distribution board wiring 10 mm2
Supply from meter to distribution Board 16 mm2
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4.2 INSULATORS
Definition
 An insulator is a material, which offers a very high resistance to the flow of
electric current.
 Insulators are used to prevent the flow of electric current where a potential
difference exist between two points, e.g. between two parallel conductors in an
electrical flex conductor of a reading lamp.
Properties
The higher the voltage at which a piece of equipment works, the more complex becomes the
problem of insulation.
In order to assess the usefulness of a material for the purpose of insulation it should be
examined with reference to the following factors:
 Electrical
The resistivity, electric strength, flash over value, permittivity and dielectric loss of
the material must be considered.
 Mechanical
The tensile, compressive, shear and impact strengths of the material as well as its
machinability must be considered.
 Physical
The effects of moisture and temperature on the insulation material must be
considered.
 Chemical
The possibility of chemicals and oils coming into contact with the insulating material,
and the effect they will have on it, must be taken into consideration.
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4.1.1 STRIPPING ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR
I. PURPOSE: To strip the insulator of an electrical conductor

II. CONDITION/SITUATIONS
Given a 50 mm length of 2.5 mm2 solid wire, knife and diagonal side cutter plier. From
the tools and materials mentioned you are given a task to strip the insulator of an
electrical conductor.
III. EQUIPMENT TOOLS AND MATERIALS
a. TOOLS
 Knife
 Long nose Plier
 Diagonal Side Cutter Plier
 Electrician Plier
b. MATERIALS
 12 cm of 2.5 mm2 TWG wire, solid
IV. PROCEDURE:
Step 1. In preparing insulated conductors for making joints or splices, the insulation
must first be removed from each conductor a proper distance depending upon the type of joint
or splice to be made
Step 2
For smaller size of wires a wire stripper can beuse to remove the insulation
Step 3
A stripping knife or electrician plier can be
use to
remove insulation of bigger conductors.
NOTE: Don’t stretch the insulation when you are stripping

the conductors otherwise the stretched part will be thinner and give less insulation protection.
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The stripped conductor should look like this.
=
V. PRECAUTIONS
Don’t take too much force in twisting the wire.
VI. QUALITY CRITERIA
 Use appropriate tools
 The length of spliced wire
4.1.2 RATTAIL OR PIG TAIL SPLICE
I. PURPOSE: To make a Rat Tail or Pig Tail joint
Given a 120 mm length of 2.5 mm2 solid wire, knife, long nose plier, diagonal
side cutter plier and electrician plier. From the tools and materials mentioned you
are given a task to make Rat Tail or Pig Tail splice.
III. EQUIMENT TOOLS AND MATERIALS

c. TOOLS
 Knife
 Long nose Plier
d. MATERIALS
IV. PROCEDURE:
Step 1. Remove at least 30 mm of insulation from the end of the conductor and clean
Step 2. Cross the pair of the conductors to be joined. Hold the conductors near the insulated by
long nose pliers for only types of pliers that will serve the purpose and twist them together from 6
to 8 twists using a lineman’s pliers.
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NOTE: The conductors should not be held tightly during
twisting, let the jaw of the lineman’s Pliers slips on the conductor while twisting.
Step 3. If the twists are completed. Holds the end of the joint tightly, and then make a final twist to
tighten the joint.
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Step 4. Cut off the excess wire
Your Rat Tail/Pig Tail should be like this
V. PRECAUTIONS

 Use solid or stranded TWG wire
 The length of spliced wire
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4.1.3 WESTERN UNION SHORT TIE
I. PURPOSE: To make a Western Union Short Tie
Given a 200 mm length of 2.5 mm2 solid wire, knife, long nose plier, diagonal side cutter
plier and electrician plier. From the tools and materials mentioned you are given a task to
make Western Union Short Tie splice.

a. TOOLS
 Knife
 Long nose Plier
b. MATERIALS
IV. PROCEDURE:
Step 1: Remove at least 70 mm of insulation from the end of the two conductors and clean.
Note:
1. Before you go further, determine first the difference between twist and turn,
because the Bell Hanger’s joint employs twists and turns.
2. In making twist, each wire is wrapped around the other wire, whereas in making
turns, one remains straight, the other wire being wrapped straight, the other wire
being wrapped around the straight wire.
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Step 2. Cross the wires as shown in the picture
Step 3. Hold first wire using long nose pliers
Step 4. Turn one end of the wire using lineman;s pliers as shown in the figure.
Step 5. Make at least 5 turns.
Step 6. Do the same on the other side.
Step 7. Make sure that turns are tight.
This is the completed Bell Hanger’s Joint or Western Union short

tie joint.
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V. PRECAUTIONS

 Length of spliced wire
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4.1.4 PLAIN TAP JOINT
I. PURPOSE: To make a Plain Tap joint
Given a 200 mm length of 2.5 mm2 solid wire, knife, long nose plier, diagonal side cutter
plier and electrician plier. From the tools and materials mentioned you are given a task to
make Plain Tapjoint.

a. TOOLS
 Knife
 Long nose Plier
b. MATERIALS
IV. PROCEDURES
Step 1. Remove about 30 mm of the insulation along the run wire and about 75 mm at the end of
the tap wire.
Step 2 Cross the wire about 7 mm from insulation and make a hook.
V. PRECAUTIONS
 Length of spliced wire
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4.2 Electrical Switches
1. Single Switch
2. Two way switch
Three-way switches are useful in large rooms,

hallways or staircases where a light can be
controlled from multiple positions. For instance, a
three-way switch can control a light in a stairwell
from both the top and bottom positions on the
stairs.
3. Three-way switch is part of a circuit involving an electrical fixture, be it a light or fan,

and two switches. The switch itself has three posts to connect wires. One is for the
electrical current and the other two are for control, or traveler wires. One wire provides
current to the fixture. The other wire works in conjunction with the second switch to
control whether the light can be turned on or off.
Figure 5 – Wiring diagram of two bulbs controlled by two three-way switches
The basic design of the three-way circuit is that one traveler wires connect to each switch
and the other traveler links to the fixture. Each switch must be grounded and only one
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switch needs a wire carrying a current. The second switch does not need a current and can
be tied off to the box.
4. 4-way switch
L1
Figure 7 - Schematic Diagram of one bulb controlled in 3 location
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4.3 ELECTRICAL PROTECTION DEVICES
1. Introduction
 It is assumed that a 220 V AC supply was used in the previous diagrams. Therefore,
some form of protection must be incorporated to protect persons, equipment, cables
and wires. Fuses and circuit breakers are used for this purpose.
2. Fuses
 Fuses  are used to disconnect a circuit when the current exceeds a certain
value
3. Circuit breaker
 Circuit breakers are used for disconnecting a load when the current exceeds a
certain value.
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PART V
5. Operation and Maintenance of Prison Facilities
5.1 Fluorescent Lamp
Fluorescent Lamp –is a form of electric discharge light source. It consists of a glass tube
containing mercury vapor at a low pressure and inert gas like argon and krypton. The interior is
coated with phosphor, which glows or fluoresces when exposed to ultraviolet light.
Ballast is an induction coil, which produces high voltage to start the lamp into operation. It
also limits the flow of current during the operation of the lamp. Ballast consumes power,
which is between 10-20% of power
Starter is a glow switch that opens and closes the circuit so as to produce a high voltage or
inductive kick across the bulb at the filament during the starting period
Repair and Assembling Open - type 20 watts
Fluorescent Lamp Tools, Materials Needed
Material:
 Fluorescent Lamp (20 watts) - 1 set
Tools:
 Philip Screw driver - 1 pc
 Flat Screw driver - 1 pc
 Side cutting pliers - 1 pc
 Long nose pliers - 1 pc
Personal Protective Equipment:
 Gloves - 1 pair
 Goggles - 1 pc
30
Procedures:
1. Prepare the necessary tools, materials.
2. Wear appropriate PPE.
3. Check all the parts of the fluorescent fixture.
4. Assemble and wire a 20-w fluorescent fixture using Normal or Medium Power Factor ballast
(M.P.P)
Use bolt and nut in fixing the ballast to the frame
5. Mount the starter socket to the frame. Make sure it is attached securely.
31
6. Mount the connection terminal socket to the frame. Make sure that it is fixed not too loose
or too tight.
7. Make the necessary connections of the fluorescent fixture by referring to the schematic
wiring diagram.
Schematic Diagram, Preheat Fluorescent Lamp.

1. Test the circuit for ground short or open wiring. If fault is found, repair it.
2. Perform housekeeping
Frequent Problems:
 Ballast damage
 Starter damage
Operation and Maintenance Tips
 Check all the parts of the fluorescent fixture.

 Assemble and wire a 20-w fluorescent fixture using Normal or Medium Power Factor
ballast
 Use bolt and nut in fixing the ballast to the frame
 Mount the starter socket to the frame.
 Make sure it is attached securely.
 Mount the connection terminal socket to the frame. Make sure that it is fixed not too
loose or too tight.
Tools and Materials. (Fluorescent Lamp, Philip Screw driver Flat Screw driver, Side cutting pliers,
Long nose pliers, Gloves, Goggles)
32
5.2 Electrical outlet
An electrical outlet or receptacle is a socket that connects an electrical device to an electricity supply. In
buildings, electrical outlets are usually installed in the wall, although they can also be installed in the floor.
Occasionally, they are found in the ceiling for powering devices such as garage door openers or neon signs
in storefront windows. Different countries often have different outlet types and voltages. Adapters are
available to convert between the different types.
How to Replace an Electrical Outlet
Required Tools
- Small Flat Head Screwdriver
- Phillips Screwdriver
- Wire Cutters
- Non Contact Voltage Tester or a Multimeter
NOTE: Electricity is inherently dangerous. Do not attempt to work on a live (powered) circuit. Adult
supervision is recommended.
Step 1: Turn Off the Power to the Outlet
1. Locate the circuit breaker for the desired outlet.*

2. Switch the breaker to the OFF position
3. Place a piece of tape over the breaker switch to notify others that that breaker should not be switched
back on.
*Hint: If the breakers are unlabeled, try this:
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Plug a small, working lamp into the outlet you want to replace and turn the light on. Then turn off one
breaker. Check to see if the lamp turned off. If it did not, flip the breaker back on and then try another
breaker. Repeat this process until the appropriate breaker is found. Leave the correct breaker turned OFF.
Step 2: Ensure the Power Is OFF to the Outlet
Use a Non Contact Voltage Tester or a Multimeter (Pictured) to ensure that the power is OFF to the outlet.
Important: Check all of the plugs in the outlet you are working on and ensure none of them have power at
this point. If any of them are still live (Hot) find the additional breaker(s) and turn them off before continuing.
You never know what kind of crazy wiring could be going on inside the wall.
Step 3: Remove the Face Plate and Outlet
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1. Use the flat head screwdriver to remove the screw(s) that hold the face plate to the wall.
2. Use the appropriate screwdriver to unscrew the screws that hold the outlet to the box.
3. Gently pull the outlet out of the wall.
4. Note how the wires attached to the outlet.
Note: If the wire colors are not discernible, use tape and a marker to label them according to how they are
attached to the outlet.
5. Use the wire cutters to cut the wires free from the outlet.
Step 4: Install the New Outlet
1. Strip 1/2 inch (~1.5 cm) of insulation off the end of each wire.
2. Make a U shaped loop out of the stripped portion of each wire.
3. Loosen the White or Silver screw and loop the White wire clockwise around the shaft of the screw.
Tighten the screw to secure the wire between the screw head and the outlet being careful not to catch the
insulation between the screw and outlet.
4. Attach the Black Wire to the Brass screw in the same manner.
5. Attach the Green or bare Copper wire to the green screw in the same manner.
6. Firmly tug on each wire to ensure that they are secured to the outlet. Improperly installed or loose wires
can cause the outlet to arc or catch fire.
Step 5: Mount the New Outlet in the Wall.
35
1. Gently push the outlet and the connected wires back into the box in the wall.
2. Attach the outlet using the two screws: one near the top and one near the bottom. Tighten the screws
until the face of the outlet is almost flush with the wall. It should stick out no more than 1/8 inch (1-2mm).
3. Re-install the Face Plate. Only tighten the screw until it is snug to prevent cracking the face plate.
Step 6: Turn on the Power
1. Remove the tape covering the flipped breaker.

2. Switch the breaker to the ON position.
3. To finish the process, use a Non-Contact Voltage tester or Multimeter to confirm that the outlet is working
correctly.
36
5.3 Circuit Breaker
Electrical circuit breaker is a switching device which can be operated manually as well as
automatically for controlling and protection of electrical power system respectively. As the modern
power system deals with huge currents, the special attention should be given during designing of
circuit breaker to safe interruption of arc produced during the operation of circuit breaker. This was
the basic definition of circuit breaker.
How to Test if a Breaker Is Working
Circuit breakers are installed in breaker boxes.
Circuit breakers either stop or allow the flow of electricity to the circuit it is connected to, and in the
case of a short or problem with an appliance plugged into the circuit, the breaker will turn off
automatically to stop potential electrical shock. Each circuit breaker is installed in the home's
breaker box, and fits onto a metal strip called a bus bar. The breaker also has an on/off manual
switch, so that if the breaker has switched itself of, it can be turned back on by hand. Testing the
breaker requires the use of a circuit tester.
37
Steps to Find a Bad Circuit Breaker
So, you're sitting there with friends watching your favorite show or sports game on the boob tube
when WHAM! The circuit controlling the television goes out. Again. If the same circuit breaker
keeps tripping repeatedly, chances are it's overloaded or gone bad, and it's time to find and
replace the culprit so you can find out who hooked up with whom--or which player threw the
winning pass--the next time you have your friends over for some quality TV time.
1. First Things First

o The first and most obvious step to take is to check the circuit breaker panel in your home
to see if one of the circuit breakers has tripped, or flipped. Make sure both your hands and
the floor in front of the breaker panel are dry. If you see bare wires or any signs of burning
(such as charred materials, smoke or sparks), do NOT touch the panel--call a professional
electrician immediately. However, if you don't find any signs of burning, open the panel
and try resetting any tripped circuit breakers you find.
What Can a Bad Breaker Do to Electricity?
Circuit breakers guard against shorts and power surges.
Circuit breakers are installed in a home's breaker box, with each breaker serving an individual
circuit. The breakers come in different sizes, rated in amps. Common amperage sizes are 15, 20
and 30 amps. When electrical current flows into the breaker box, it first travels through each
breaker before reaching the household circuits. If the circuit breakers are faulty, various dangers
may ensue.
Power Surge
o Circuit breakers are designed to automatically switch off if there is a fluctuation or surge in
the electrical supply. If more power enters the circuit than the gauge of the electrical wires
can hold, the cable will heat up and potentially cause a fire. This will ultimately break the
circuit, but not before an electrical fire has possibly endangered lives and property.
Short
o An electrical short is when the flow of electrical current in a circuit takes an unintended
route to ground, instead of traveling back through the neutral wire. This can happen when
a terminal screw loosens and the live wire touches the metal switch or outlet box. If a
person touches the box, the electricity takes the path of least resistance through the
person's body, giving him a shock. A circuit breaker is designed to switch off in this
38
instance, but if it malfunctions, a person touching a shorted outlet or switch is potentially at
risk.
Overheated Circuit
o As each circuit breaker is rated with the maximum number of amps it will allow the circuit
to use at any one time, if it malfunctions more amps may be used than the gauge of the
electrical wire can handle. As with the power surge, the wire heats up and may cause a
fire. Ultimately the electricity will cease when the wire melts, but prior to this it could
endanger lives.
Shocks
o Circuit breakers are constructed to automatically switch off when a foreign object touches
a live wire. If the breaker is faulty, the wire will remain live, causing an electric shock to
anyone touching the wire or a metal implement like a knife that is touching the wire.
39
How to Determine If Circuit Breaker Is Bad?
Testing for faulty circuit breakers is a relatively simple task.
Like all electrical and mechanical components, circuit breakers do sometimes go bad. Circuit
breakers are found in your home's electrical panel box. These breakers help to safely regulate the
flow of electricity throughout the circuits of your home. A malfunctioning circuit breaker should be
replaced immediately to avoid serious damage or fire. Knowing how to test a circuit breaker can
save you some major electrician fees. This can be done easily with a little time and the right
equipment.
Procedures
1.Ensure that you are wearing rubber-soled shoes or standing on a rubber mat.
2.Remove the cover on your electrical service panel using a screwdriver.
3.Touch one of the tester's terminal probes to the ground bar inside the service panel. The
ground bar holds all of the green ground wires inside the service panel.
4.Touch the other tester's terminal probe to the terminal screw on the breaker. The terminal
screw clamps the hot wire to the breaker.
5.Visually examine your tester to see if it lights up. No light means there is no power and the
breaker is faulty.
6.Replace the faulty breaker as needed.
40
How to Replace a Circuit Breaker
Replace a Circuit Breaker
Circuit breakers are designed to interrupt the power to a circuit and protect your wiring. If your
circuit breaker keeps tripping, the steps below will show you the right--and safe--way to fix it.
Instructions
A. Determine Whether You Have a Problem
1. Plug a radio into an outlet on the circuit you're dealing with. Make sure that the
volume is turned up so you can hear it when it comes on.
2. Find your panel box. It's usually in the basement or utility room.
3. Turn off the main power, if possible. Most panel boxes have a main on/off switch.
4. Press the tripped breaker toward "off" to reset it, then to "on." If it trips immediately,
you either have a bad breaker or a short somewhere in the circuit.
1. Replace the Circuit Breaker
a. Purchase a new circuit breaker from a hardware store/electrical supply.

b. Take the panel cover off the panel box by unscrewing the face plate.
c. Notice the two wires feeding into the side of the breaker. Remember which one is
in which position.
d. Loosen the screw holding the white wire first just enough to get the wire out.
e. Put a wire nut on the end of the white wire and bend it out of the way.
f. Loosen the other screw and do the same thing with the colored wire.
g. Pull the old circuit breaker out and snap a new one into place.
h. Replace the wires in the same positions as they were on the old breaker - colored
one first, white one second.
i. Tighten the screws holding the wires.
j. Replace the face plate.
k. Turn the power to the panel on, if necessary.
l. Turn the breaker on. You should hear your radio. If it trips, call an electrician
since you most likely have a potentially dangerous short circuit.
41
Frequent Problem:
 Loose connection
 Worn out
 Keep spare circuit breaker on stock all the times

 Take the panel cover off the panel box by unscrewing the face plate.
 Notice the two wires feeding into the side of the breaker. Remember which one is in
which position.
 Loosen the screw holding the white wire first just enough to get the wire out.
 Put a wire nut on the end of the white wire and bend it out of the way.
 Loosen the other screw and do the same thing with the colored wire.
 Pull the old circuit breaker out and snap a new one into place.
 Replace the wires in the same positions as they were on the old breaker - colored
one first, white one second.
 Tighten the screws holding the wires.
 Replace the face plate.
 Turn the breaker on. You should hear your radio. If it trips, call an electrician since
you most likely have a potentially dangerous short circuit.
Tools and Materials:(Spare Circuit Breaker, Philip Screw driver Flat Screw driver, Side cutting
pliers, Long nose pliers, Gloves, Goggles)
42
5.4 Electric Mitad
Frequent Problems
 Broken gypsum and clay

 Switch problem, breaker problem,
 burn out resistor, problem in electrical system
 Feel the electric mitad for excessive heat. Since electric mitads are not equipped with
temperature regulator.
 Check the overall electrical system for any loose or open circuits
 Switch of electricity from the main breaker
 Properly dismantle the mitad by using flat screw
 Remove the resister from clay
 Measure the circular grove in the clay by using rope
 Replace the same size of new resister in to the grove
 Cover the exposed resister carefully with gypsum
 Replace back the mitad on the top of the
Tools and Materials
(Philip Screw driver Flat Screw driver, Side cutting pliers, Long nose pliers, Gloves, Goggles
gypsum ,clay, resistor, rope)
43
5.6 Electrical/Electro-mechanical Appliances
Surface Mounted Pump
Pumps which are installed on the surface of the earth to pump water from reservoir to the required
elevated water tank
Frequent
Problems:
 Little or no water delivered on starting

 Loss of delivery after successful pumping
 Excessive power absorbed
 Prime the pump before starting
 Never turn the pump dry
 Because ,sometimes foot valves are not water tight so after a period of shutdown a pump
may need to be primed
 Close the valve when starting and open it slowly.
Flour Mill
Frequent Problems:
 Broken belt, melting of winding, damage of electric motor
 scheduled routine inspection and service of the flour mill
 Wipe, brush, vacuum or blow accumulated dirt from the frame and air passages of the
motor.
 Feel for air being discharged from the cooling airports of the motor of the flour mill
 If the flow is weak or unsteady, internal air passages are probably clogged. Remove the
motor from the mill and clean.
 Check for signs of corrosion. Serious corrosion may indicate internal deterioration and/or a
need for external repainting.
 Schedule the removal of the motor from service for complete inspection and possible
rebuilding
 Lubricate the bearings only when scheduled or if they are noisy or running hot.
 Feel the motor frame and bearings for excessive heat or vibration. Listen for abnormal
noise. All indicate a possible system failure. Promptly identify and eliminate the source of
the heat, noise or vibration.
 When records indicate a tendency toward periodic winding failures in the application, check
the condition of the insulation with an insulation resistance test.
44
Diesel Generator
Frequent Problems
 Engine not starting

Battery, Starter Motor, Alternator, Pump
 Check battery, tighten connections

 Check water levels in the battery cells, use only distilled water to refill the
cells
 Check starter motor and alternator, starter problems cause
difficulty in starting the generator and alternator problem causes
difficulty in charging the battery
 If unit runs out of fuel ordoesn’t want to start, try pressing the pump plunger
anumber of
times to prime
thefuel system.
Engine oil and
Filters
 Change engine oil, oil filter and fuel filters according to the
interval indicated in manufacturer’s manual. Use only the oil
recommended for the generator
 After changing the fuel filter, prime the fuel system by using the priming
pump
 Dry blow the air filter regularly, if used in dusty areas. Replace air filter every
year.
Cooling System
 Check the radiator for any leakage

 Remove the lid of the radiator to check the level of coolant inside, Top up
 Clean the radiator with water jet every year
Tools and Materials
(Wrenches, filter wrench, different size sockets, screw driver,

multi-meter, dip stick, hammer)
Definitions of Electrical Terms You Should Know

Alex M March 17, 2016ElectricalLeave a comment19,856 Views
As you progress in the electrical trade you’ll hear a bunch of electrical terms being tossed
around like their common knowledge. It takes years to get firm understanding of what they
all mean.
Fortunately for you I’ve grouped them together to help you become a better
electrician. Below you’ll find over XX definitions of electrical terms.
If it’s slang terms you’re looking for, than look no further: American Job Site Slang
Ethiopian Occupational Standard

Page 1 of 54 Prepared by Installation Construction Works short Sept 2011
term and (L- I)
Electrical Terms For Circuits
AC (Alternating Current) — An electric current that reverses its direction many times a
second at regular intervals.
DC (Direct Current) — An electric current that flows in only one direction.
Feeder – All circuit conductors between the service equipment, the source of a separately
derived system, or other power supply source and the final branch-circuit overcurrent device.
Fuse — A circuit interrupting device consisting of a strip of wire that melts and breaks an
electric circuit if the current exceeds a safe level. To restore service, the fuse must be
replaced using a similar fuse with the same size and rating after correcting the cause of
failure.
Ground or Earth — The reference point in an electrical circuit from which voltages are
measured, a common return path for electric current, or a direct physical connection to the
Earth.
Ground Fault – An unintentional, electrically conductive connection between an

ungrounded conductor of an electrical circuit and the normally non–current-carrying
conductors, metallic enclosures, metallic raceways, metallic equipment, or earth.
GroundedConductor – A system or circuit conductor that is intentionally grounded.
Grounded (Grounding) – Connected (connecting) to ground or to a conductive body that

extends the ground connection.

term and (L- I)
Ground-Fault Current Path – An electrically conductive path from the point of a ground
fault on a wiring system through normally non–current-carrying conductors, equipment, or
the earth to the electrical supply source.
Load — Anything which consumes electrical energy, such as lights, transformers, heaters
and electric motors.
Neutral Conductor – The conductor connected to the neutral point of a system that is
intended to carry current under normal conditions.
Overload– Operation of equipment in excess of normal, full-load rating, or of a conductor in

excess of rated ampacity that, when it persists for a sufficient length of time, would cause
damage or dangerous overheating. A fault, such as a short circuit or ground fault, is not an
overload.
Parallel Circuit — A circuit in which there are multiple paths for electricity to flow. Each
load connected in a separate path receives the full circuit voltage, and the total circuit current
is equal to the sum of the individual branch currents.Rectifier — An electrical device that
converts an alternating current into a direct one by allowing a current to flow through it in
one direction only.
Series Circuit — A circuit in which there is only one path for electricity to flow. All of the
current in the circuit must flow through all of the loads completing its path to the source of
supply.
Series Parallel Circuit — An electric current containing groups of parallel connected

receptive devices, the groups being arranged in the circuit in series; a series multiple circuit.
Short Circuit — A fault in an electric circuit or apparatus due usually to imperfect

insulation, such that the current follows a by-path and inflicts damage or is wasted.

term and (L- I)
Electrical Terms for Components
Ammeter — Measures the current flow in amperes in a circuit. An ammeter is connected in

series in the circuit (unless using a clamp-on ammeter)
AFCI (Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter) – An arc fault circuit interrupter is a special type of
receptacle or circuit breaker that opens the circuit when it detects a dangerous electrical
arc. It’s used to prevent electrical fires.
Capacitor – A passive two-terminal electrical component used to store electrical energy

temporarily in an electric field.
Circuit — A closed path in which electrons from a voltage or current source flow. Circuits
can be in series, parallel, or in any combination of the two.
Circuit Breaker — An automatic device for stopping the flow of current in an electric
circuit. To restore service, the circuit breaker must be reset (closed) after correcting the cause
of the overload or failure.
Conductor — Any material where electric current can flow freely. Conductive materials,
such as metals, have a relatively low resistance. Copper and aluminum wire are the most
common conductors used in the electrical trade.
DMM (Digital Multimeter)– A DMM is an electronic measurement tool that can measure
voltage, current, resistance, capacitance, temperature, frequency

term and (L- I)
Diode — A semiconductor device with two terminals, typically allowing the flow of current
in one direction only.
Generator – A device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy for use in an
external circuit. The source of mechanical energy may vary widely from a hand crank to an
internal combustion engine. Generators provide nearly all of the power for electric power
grids.
GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters) — A device intended for the protection of
personnel that functions to de-energize a circuit or portion thereof within an established
period of time when a current to ground exceeds some predetermined value that is less than
that required to operate the overcurrent protective device of the supply circuit.
Inverter — An apparatus that converts direct current into alternating current.
Insulator — Any material where electric current does not flow freely. Insulating materials,
such as glass, rubber, air, and many plastics have a relatively high resistance. Insulators
protect equipment and life from electric shock.
Service — The conductors and equipment used to deliver energy from the electrical supply
system to the system being served.
Service Lateral – The underground service conductors between the street main – including
risers – and the first point of connection to the service-entrance conductors in a terminal box,
meter, or other enclosure.
Semiconductor — A solid substance that has a conductivity between that of an insulator and
that of most metals, either due to the addition of an impurity or because of temperature
effects. Devices made of semiconductors, notably silicon, are essential components of most
electronic circuits.
SCR (Solid State Relay) – An electronic switching device that switches on or off when a
small external voltage is applied across its control terminals. The switching action happens
extremely fast.
Solenoid and how it

works.

term and (L- I)
Solenoid — A spiral of conducting wire, would so that when an electric current passes
through it, its turns are nearly equivalent to a succession of parallel circuits, and it acquires
magnetic properties similar to those of a bar magnet.
Switch — A device for making, breaking, or changing the connections in an electric current.
Switchgear – The combination of electrical disconnect switches, fuses or circuit breakers

used to control, protect and isolate electrical equipment. Switchgear is used both to de-
energize equipment to allow work to be done and to clear faults downstream.
Transistor — A semiconductor device with three connections, capable of amplification in

addition to rectification.
Electrical Terms for Mathematical Calculations
Apparent Power — Measured in volt-ampers (VA). Apparent power is the product of the
rms voltage and the rms current.
Ampere (A) — A unit of measure for the intensity of an electric current flowing in a
circuit. One ampere is equal to a current flow of one coulomb per second.
Capacitance — The ability of a body to store an electrical charge. Measured in farads as the
ratio of the electric charge of the object (Q, measured in coulombs) to the voltage across the
object (V, measured in volts).

term and (L- I)
Current (I) — The flow of an electric charge through a conductor. An electric current can be
compared to the flow of water in a pipe. Measured in amperes.
Demand — The average value of power or related quantity over a specified period of time.
Farad — A unit of measure for capacitance. One farad is equal to one coulomb per volt.
Frequency — The number of cycles per second. Measured in Hertz. If a current completes
one cycle per second, then the frequency is 1 Hz; 60 cycles per second equals 60 Hz.
Henry — A unit of measure for inductance. If the rate of change of current in a circuit is one
ampere per second and the resulting electromotive force is one volt, then the inductance of
the circuit is one henry.
Hertz — A unit of measure for frequency.Replacing the earlier term of cycle per second
(cps).
Impedance (Z) – The effective resistance of an electric circuit or component to alternating

current (AC), rising from the combined effects of ohmic resistance and reactance.
Inductance (H) — The property of a conductor by which a change in current flowing

through it induces (creates) a voltage (electromotive force) in both the conductor itself (self-
inductance) and in any nearby conductors (mutual inductance). Measured in henry (H).
Kilowatt-hour (kWh) — The product of power in kW and time in hours. Equal to 1000
Watt-hours. For example, if a 100W light bulb is used for 4 hours, 0.4kWhs of energy will be
used (100W x 1kW / 1000 Watts x 4 hours). Electrical energy is sold in units of kWh.
Kilowatt-hour Meter — A device used to measure electrical energy use.
Kilowatt (kW) — Equal to 1000 watts.
Ohm — (Ω) A unit of measure of resistance. One ohm is equivilant to the resistance in a
circuit transmitting a current of one ampere when subjected to a potential difference of one
volt.
Ohm’s Law — The mathematical equation that explains the relationship between current,
voltage, and resistance (V=IR).
Power — The rate at which electrical energy is transferred by an electric circuit. Measured in
Watts.
Reactive Power — The portion of electricity that establishes and sustains the electric and
magnetic fields of AC equipment. Exists in an AC circuit when the current and voltage are
not in phase.Measured in VARS.
Resistance (Ω Ohms) — The opposition to the passage of an electric current. Electrical

resistance can be compared to the friction experienced by water when flowing through a pipe.
Measured in ohms.
term and (L- I)
True Power — Measured in Watts. The power manifested in tangible form such as
electromagnetic radiation, acoustic waves, or mechanical phenomena. In a direct current
(DC) circuit, or in an alternating current (AC) circuit whose impedance is a pure resistance,
the voltage and current are in phase.
VARS — A unit of measure of reactive power.Vars may be considered as either the

imaginary part of apparent power, or the power flowing into a reactive load, where voltage
and current are specified in volts and amperes.
Volt-Ampere (VA) — A unit of measure of apparent power. It is the product of the rms
voltage and the rms current.
Volt (V) — A unit measure of voltage. One volt is equal to the difference of potential that
would drive one ampere of current against one ohm resistance.
Voltage (E) — An electromotive force or “pressure” that causes electrons to flow and can be
compared to water pressure which causes water to flow in a pipe. Measured in volts.
Watt-hour (Wh) — A unit of electrical energy equivalent to a power consumption of one

watt for one hour.
Watt (W) — A unit of electrical power. One watt is equivalent to one joule per second,
corresponding to the power in an electric circuit in which the potential difference is one volt
and the current one ampere.
Electrical Terms For Conduit Bending

term and (L- I)
Hand Bender – A tool used for bending EMT (electrical metal tubing), IMC (intermediate
metal conduit), and RMC (rigid metal conduit).HAnd benders come in sizes: 1/2″, 3/4″, 1″,
and 1-1/4″
Four Bend Saddle – Four bends in a piece of conduit that clears and obstacle by saddling it.
Offset – A bend in conduit to clear an obstacle. Typically only two bends.
Three Bend Saddle – Three bends in a piece of conduit – one in the center and two side
bends that clear an obstacle by “saddling” it.
Gain – The difference between the sum of the straight distances and the actual length of
conduit (how much the conduit will grow after being bent).
Shrink – The amount the conduit will “shrink” because of bending around an obstruction –
picture an inch worm and how it shrinks when it moves. Shrink is added to the over all
distance to the obstruction to compensate before bending.
Multiplier – Used to calculate the distance between bends using “multiplier X offset”
Random Electrical Terms That You Should Be Familiar With

Arc Flash – An arc flash is light and heat and is a type of electrical explosion or discharge
that results from a low-impedance connection through air to ground or another voltage phase
in an electrical system. Arc flash temperatures can reach or exceed 35,000 °F
Arc Blast – The intense heat from an arc causes sudden expansion of air resulting in a blast.
Copper expands during an arc flash event at a factor of 67000 times within a few
milliseconds.
Calorie — The French heat unit. Used to measure energy levels for Arc Flash boundaries and
proper PPE when working on energized electrical equipment.
CE (Construction Electrician) – Construction electricians can perform those basic tasks with
little or no supervision, though they can’t act as a foreman or supervise other workers.
UNIT OF COMPETENCE CHART
Occupational Standard: Installation Construction Works
Occupational Code: CON ICW
NTQF Level I

term and (L- I)
CON ICW1 01 0910 CON ICW1 02 0910 CON ICW1 03 0910
Carry-Out Measurements Use Construction Hand and Read and Interpret Plans
and Simple Calculations Power Tools and Working Drawings

Perform Bench Work Prepare Surfaces for Set out /Level Vertical and
Construction Works Horizontal Angles

Perform Roughing-In Install Wiring Systems Using Install Communication
Activities for Communication PVC and Flexible conduits Cables
and Distribution Systems

Install, Service and maintain Provide Water Drainage Apply Quality Standards
Water Supply System and
Components

Work with Others Receive & Respond to Demonstrate Work Values
Workplace Communication
CON ICW1 16 0910

Develop Understanding of
Entrepreneurship
Occupational Standard: Installation Construction Work Level I
Unit Title Carry-Out Measurements and Simple Calculations

Unit Code CON ICW1 01 0910
Unit Descriptor This unit covers the knowledge, skills and attitudes on identifying and
measuring objects based on the required performance standards.
Elements Performance Criteria

term and (L- I)
1. Select measuring 1.1 Object or component to be measured is identified, classified and
instruments interpreted according to the appropriate regular geometric shape
1.2 Measuring tools are selected/identified as per object to be measured or
job requirements
1.3 Correct specifications are obtained from relevant sources
1.4 Appropriate measuring instruments are selected according to job
requirements
1.5 Alternative measuring tools are used without sacrificing cost and quality
of work
2. Carry out 2.1 Accurate measurements and calculation are obtained according to
measurements job requirements
and calculations 2.2 Alternative measuring tools are used without sacrificing cost and quality
of work
2.3 Calculation needed to complete work tasks are performed using the
four basic process of addition (+), subtraction (-), multiplication (x) and
division (/) including but not limited to: trigonometric functions, algebraic
computations
2.4 Calculations involving fractions, percentages and mixed numbers are
used to complete workplace tasks
2.5 Numerical computation is self-checked and corrected for accuracy
2.6 Instruments are read to the limit of accuracy of the tool
2.7 Systems of measurement identified and converted according to job
requirements/ISO
2.8 Work pieces are measured according to job requirements
Variable Range
Geometric shape Including but is not limited to:
 Round
 Square
 Rectangular
 Triangle
 Sphere
 Conical
Measuring Including but not limited to:
instruments  Vernier caliper (out, inside)
 Straight edge
 Thickness gauge
 Try-square
 Protractor
 Combination gauge
 Steel rule
 Measuring tape
 Sprit level

term and (L- I)
Measurements and  Linear
calculations  Volume
 Area
Evidence Guide
Critical Aspects of Assessment requires evidence that the candidate:
Competence  Selected and prepared appropriate measuring instruments in
accordance with job requirements
 Performed measurements and calculations according to job
requirements
Underpinning Demonstrates knowledge of:
Knowledge and  Trade mathematics / Mensuration
Attitudes  Four fundamental operation
 Linear measurement
 Dimensions
 Unit conversion
 Ratio and proportion
 Trigonometric functions
 Algebraic equations
 Tolerances
Underpinning Skills Demonstrates skills to:
 Performing measurements
 Performing calculation by addition, subtraction, multiplication and
division; trigonometric functions and algebraic equations
 Visualizing objects and shapes
 Interpreting formulas for volume, areas, perimeters of plane and
geometric figures
 Proper handling of measuring instruments
Resource The following resources should be provided:
Implications  Workplace location
 Problems to solve
 Measuring instrument appropriate to carry out tasks
 Instructional materials relevant to the propose activity
Methods of Competency should be assessed through:
Assessment  Interview/Written Test
 Demonstration/Observation with Oral Questioning
Context of Competency assessment may occur in workplace or any appropriate
Assessment simulated environment

term and (L- I)
Unit Title Use Construction Hand and Power Tools

Unit Descriptor This unit specifies the competency required to use hand and
power tools in construction work applications
1. Identify hand and 1.1 OH&S requirements associated with the use of construction hand and
power tools power tools, and the workplace environment, are adhered to throughout
the work
1.2 Quality assurance requirements for company operations are identified
and adhered to
1.3 Types of hand and power tools and their functions are identified
1.4 Power source(s), and access to power supply is recognized
2. Select 2.1 Hand tools are selected consistent with the needs of the job
appropriate hand
tools 2.2 Hand tools are checked for serviceability and safety and any faults
reported to supervisor in accordance with workplace requirements
2.3 Equipment is selected to hold, position or support material for hand
tools application
3. Use appropriate 3.1 Material is located and held in position for hand tool application
hand tools
3.2 Hand tools are safely and effectively used according to their intended
use
3.3 Hand tools are safely located when not in immediate use
4. Select 4.1 Appropriate personal protective equipment is selected, correctly fitted

appropriate and used
power tools
4.2 Power tools are selected consistent with the needs of the job in
accordance with conventional work practice
4.3 Power tools are visually checked for tags, serviceability/safety in
accordance with OH&S requirements and any faults reported to
supervisor in accordance with enterprise procedures
4.4 Equipment is selected to hold, position or support materials for power
tool application
5. Use appropriate 5.1 Material is located and held in position for power tool application
power tools
5.2 Power tools are safely and effectively used in application processes
5.3 Power tools are safely switched and located when not in use
6. Clean up work 6.1 Work area is cleared in accordance with workplace procedures
area and tools
6.2 Tools and equipment are cleaned, checked, maintained and stored in
accordance with manufacturers' recommendations and workplace
procedures
6.3 Documentation is completed in accordance with workplace

term and (L- I)
requirements
Variable Range
OH&S  OH&S requirements are to be in accordance with Federal/regional
legislation and regulations and may include protective clothing and
equipment, use of tools and equipment, workplace environment and
safety, handling of materials, use of fire fighting equipment, use of
first aid equipment, hazard control and hazardous materials and
substances
 Personal protective equipment is to include that prescribed under
legislation, regulation and workplace policies and practices
Hand tools May include but not limited to:
 hacksaw
 pipe cutters
 cutting snips
 screwdrivers
 pipe wrenches
 tube flaring tools
 battery operated and manual drills
 pipe bender
 files and rasps
 spirit levels
 try squares
 ladders
 silicon gun and pipe dies
 Various types of brushes, sprayers, rollers, scraper and rasckets
 circular saw
 hammer
 brushing
 punches
 scrapers
 chisels
 sockets
 wrenches
 Gouges
 Boring tools - auger, brace, grin let, hand drill
 Holding tools - vise grip, C-clamp, bench vice
 Threading tools - die and stock, taps
Power tools May include but not limited to:
 electric drills
 power saw
 cutter
 grinder
 electric nibbler
 electric dies (up to 100mm)
 PE and PPR welding machine
 compressed air and hydraulic tools and equipment
Evidence Guide
Competence  Demonstrated compliance with Occupational Health and Safety
regulations applicable to work place operations
 Adopted and carried out correct procedures prior to, during and after
term and (L- I)
use of hand and power tools
 Followed work instructions, operating procedures and inspection
practices to use the listed construction hand and power tools for their
appropriate application ensuring:
o there is no damage to materials, tools or equipment
o all work is completed to specification
o compliance with regulations, standards and organizational
quality procedures and processes
o Communicate and work effectively and safely with others
Underpinning Demonstrate knowledge of:
Knowledge and  workplace safety requirements and OH&S legislation
Attitudes  function and purpose of hand and power tools used in construction
applications
Underpinning Demonstrates skills to:
Skills  Select appropriate hand tools and power tools for the specific job
 Use of appropriate hand tools and power tools
 Clean and store hand tools and power tools
Resource The following resources must be provided:
Implications  Workplace: Real or simulated work area
 Appropriate Tools & equipment
 Materials relevant to the activity

 Interview/Written Test
Assessment  Demonstration/Observation with Oral Questioning
Context of Competency assessment may occur in workplace or any appropriate simulated
environment
Assessment

term and (L- I)
Unit Title Read and Interpret Plans and Working Drawing

Unit Descriptor This unit specifies the outcomes required to read and interpret plans and
specifications in order to perform the work as per the drawings.
1. Identify types of 1.1 The purpose and advantage of different types of drawing are identified.
drawings and 1.2 Different aspects of drawings are identified.
their purposes.
2. Apply commonly 2.1 Commonly used symbols and abbreviations on drawings are identified,
used symbols understood and applied.
and 2.2 Common building and construction terms used on drawings are
abbreviations. identified, understood and applied.
3. Locate and 3.1 The building site is identified from location drawings.
identify key 3.2 True north and building orientation are identified from details provided
features on a site on the site plan. The key features of the site plan are identified.
plan.
4. Identify and 4.1 The key features of plans, elevations and sections are identified.
locate key 4.2 Client requested variations to standard plans are identified on drawings.
features on
drawings.
5. Correctly read 5.1 Customer variations to standard specifications are identified.
and interpret 5.2 Correct interpretations of essential elements are applied to estimation,
specifications. planning and supervisory tasks and communicated.
5.3 Building codes or standards affecting the work to be undertaken are
identified, including references to Ethiopian standards and the Building
Code of Ethiopia.
Variable Range
Types of drawing  sketch plans
 working drawings
 presentation drawings
 CAD drawings
 initial sketches
 preliminary and final drawings and plans however produced

term and (L- I)
 detailed amendment drawings
 construction information
 service details such as wiring, piping, ducts and waste disposal
 details of roads, pathways, parking areas, boundaries and
landscaping
Aspects of drawings  plans
 elevations
 sections
 views in isometric projection and perspective
Key features of the  location and situation
site plan  access and egress
 contours and slopes
 existing dwellings, buildings or other structures
 retaining walls
 drainage lines
 paving
 set backs
 service connection points
 easements
 storm water disposal
 trees and vegetation
Specifications  materials lists
 schedules of quantities
 performance data and material technical data
 levels and survey information
 stress, load and bearing calculations
Evidence Guide
Competence  read and interpreted plans and specifications, including identification
of key features, levels, contours, sections, service entry points, site
features to be removed or retained and other details pertinent to the
construction process
 identified the characteristics and features of sites and structures
pertinent to a construction project, including:
 the correct orientation of structures on site
 establishing the location of key on-site features in relation to
building or other structures
 identifying and incorporating customer variations to agreed plans
and specifications
 effectively communicating changes to specifications to
organizational personnel and confirming variations with the client

term and (L- I)
knowledge and  building and construction practices
Attitudes  internal documentation systems
 regulatory approvals processes and timeframes
 relevant federal/regional building construction codes, standards and
regulations
 types of building construction drawings and drawing perspectives
Underpinning Demonstrates skills to:

 communication skills to interact effectively by telephone, facsimile,
Skills email and in writing with clients, organizational personnel and
appropriate local authorities
 translation of documented requirements into on-site activities and site
and structural features from two dimensional to three dimensional
formats
Implications  Workplace: Real or simulated work area
 Appropriate site plan and working drawing
 Manuals and drawing to the specific job

Context of Competency assessment may occur in workplace or any
Assessment appropriate simulated environment

term and (L- I)
Unit Title Perform Benchwork

Unit Descriptor This unit covers the required knowledge, skills and attitude to perform basic
benchwork operations (i.e. layout; cutting, threading; bending; reaming; etc…)
and check the components for conformance to specifications.
1. Layout and mark 1.1 Materials are selected according to the requirements specified in the
dimensions/ drawing.
features on work 1.2 Dimensions/features are laid out and marked in accordance with
piece drawing specifications using benchwork tools and equipment.
1.3 Lay outing and marking are performed applying knowledge
on safety procedures and using personal protective
devices.
2. Perform 2.1. Pipes are cut, reamed and threaded within tolerance
necessary specified in the drawing.
operation
2.2. Pipe cutter are used properly to avoid damage and
accident
2.3. Rectangular or round blocks are cut, chipped or filed within
tolerance specified in the drawing.
2.4. Broken or dull hacksaw blades are replaced according to
requirements.
2.5. Benchwork operations are performed applying
knowledge on safety procedures and using personal
protective devices.
3. Drill and lap holes 3.1 Hole is drilled, reamed, spot-faced and lapped to drawing
specification.
3.2 Drilling, reaming or lapping holes are performed according
to recommended sequence.
3.3 Operations are performed applying knowledge on safety
procedures and using personal protective devices.
4. Bend PVC/ Metal 3.1. Type of conduit is selected according to requirement
Conduit specified in the drawing
3.2. Uniform radius of angles are performed with tolerable
material condition
3.3. Vertical and horizontal positioning of conduit on 90 degree
bending is performed according to given tolerance
3.4. Conduit bending is performed applying knowledge on 5’S,
safety procedure and the use of PPE

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3.5. Operations are performed applying knowledge on safety
procedures and using personal protective devices.
5. Off –set 4.1. Materials are selected according to requirement specified in the
PVC/Metal drawing
conduit
4.2. Conduit off-setting is performed within tolerable material condition
applying knowledge on 5’S, safety procedure and the use of PPE
4.3. Uniform off-set is performed according to requirement specified in the
drawing
6. Splice wires and 5.1 Splicing and joining is performed according to the type of conductors
joining specified in the drawing
5.2 Correct splicing, joining is performed according to industry standard
5.3 Wire splicing and joining is performed without damage on the wire ,
applying knowledge on 5’S, safety procedure and use of PPE
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Materials Materials used in bench work operations include
 PVC conduit and accessories
 Metal conduit and accessories
Bench work tools and May include but not limited to:
Equipment  Pipe vise/clamp
 Reamer
 Meter tape
 Layout and marking tools
 Cutting tools (hacksaw, pipe cutter)
 Drills, reamers,
 Pipe threaded
 Hydraulic/manual pipe bender
 Heat gun
5’ S  Sort
 Stabilize
 Shine
 Standardize
 Sustain
Evidence Guide
Critical aspects of Assessment requires evidence that the candidate:
Competency  Laid-out and marked dimensions according to given drawing
 Bending is performed properly and without damage to PVC/metal

term and (L- I)
conduit
 Angle is formed according to dimensions required in the drawing
 Pipes are threaded without damage to conduits
 Wires are spliced and jointed according to industry standard
 5’ S is observed in the workplace
knowledge and  Shop safety practices
attitude
 Safe working habits
 Identification of hazardous areas
 Protective clothing and devices
 Proper and safe handling of tools, equipment and materials
 Housekeeping
 First-aid
 Fire extinguishers
 Drawing/Plans
 Standard drawing symbols
 Schematic diagram
 Orthographic and isometric drawings
 Project drawing
 Shop mathematics
 Linear Measurement
 Basic arithmetic operations
 Fractions and decimals
 Percentages and ratios
 Conversion of units (English to metric)
 Trigonometric functions
 Geometric Tolerances
 Measurements
 Materials
 Properties and specifications of construction materials
 Bench work
 Tools and Equipment
 Lay-outing and marking tools
 Bench work tools and equipment
 Layout and marking tools
 Sawing, cutting, reaming operations
 Pipe threading
 Bending/angle forming
Underpinning Demonstrate skills in:
Skills  Performing bench work operations
 Using bench work tools
 Using measuring instruments
 Using operating manual and hydraulic equipment

term and (L- I)
Implications  Materials, tools, equipment and facilities appropriate to proposed activity
 Materials relevant to the proposed activity
 Drawings, sketches or blueprint
Method of Competency should be accessed through:
 Using bench work tools and equipment
Skills  Using measuring instruments
 Operating drill press and grinders
 Tools, equipment and facilities appropriate to processes or activity
Implications  Materials relevant to the proposed activity
Methods of Competency should be accessed through:


term and (L- I)
Unit Title Prepare Surfaces for Construction Works

Unit Descriptor This unit covers the required knowledge, skill and attitude to work effectively
to prepare surface for masonry, concrete, tilling and plastering works.
1. Plan and 1.1 Work instructions, including plans, specifications, quality requirements
prepare and operational details are obtained, confirmed and applied
1.2 Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) are followed in accordance
with safety plans and policies
1.3 Signage/barricade requirements are identified and implemented
1.4 Plant, tools and equipment selected to carry out tasks are
consistent with the requirements of the job, checked for serviceability
and any faults are rectified or reported prior to commencement
1.5 Material quantity requirements are calculated in accordance with
plans and/or specifications
1.6 Materials appropriate to the work application are identified, obtained,
prepared, safely handled and located ready for use
1.7 Environmental protection requirements are identified for the project in
accordance with environmental plans and regulatory obligations and
applied
2. Prepare 2.1 Floor and wall tiling materials are checked for product suitability,
materials for conformity to specification and compatibility with surface material,
tiling application preparation and installation technique
2.2 Activities for material preparation are identified from specifications,
manufacturers’ or supervisor’s instructions
2.3 Material preparation is carried out to satisfy the requirements of the
application process
3. Prepare surface 3.1 Preparation requirements are identified from site inspection and
plans/specifications
3.2 Hazards, obstructions and attachments are removed, or
arrangements made for their removal
3.3 Surface preparation tools are selected and set up in accordance with
surface condition and job requirements
3.4 Tools are used to prepare surface in accordance with manufacturers’
specifications and job requirements
3.5 All loose or protruding material is removed by sander/grinder and
brush so that surface is prepared to specification
4. Prepare 4.1 Assistance with underlay preparation is provided under instructions
underlay and and supervision
sheeting
substrate 4.2 Substrate surface is finished to approved surface standards with
joints flush and sealed

term and (L- I)
4.3 underlay and sheeting substrate are prepared
5. Prepare render 5.1 Surface mounted construction units and attachments are safely
substrate detached, removed or arranged for removal from area and stored
surface
5.2 Substrate structure is identified and surfaces are cleaned to remove
all contaminants and loose material in accordance with supervisor’s
instructions
5.3 Materials for splash coat are proportioned and mixed to instructions
ready for application to wet surface
5.4 Horizontal/vertical surrounds are prepared for tiling process in
accordance with type of tile and specified finish
5.5 Materials for render coat are proportioned and mixed to instructions
ready for application
5.6 Surface is scratched, rendered, cured and dried to instructions in
accordance with specifications for tile application
6. Patch and fill 6.1 Patching method of hole is determined from type of material surface,
holes and size of hole, compatibility of materials and planned finish
depressions
6.2 Patching materials are selected to suit material surface and mixed to
manufacturers’ specifications
6.3 Material is applied to manufacturers’ specifications using appropriate
application method
6.4 Surface is brushed/washed/scraped clean of surplus material in
accordance with type of patching material and material surface
6.5 Patched areas are sealed by application of prime or sealing coat, to
suit requirements of specified finishes
7. Clean up Work 7.1 Work area is cleared and materials disposed of, reused or recycled in
area accordance with legislation/regulations/ codes of practice and job
specification
7.2 Plant, tools and equipment are cleaned, checked, maintained and
stored in accordance with manufacturers’ recommendations and
standard work practices
Variables Range
Occupational Health  OH&S requirements are to be in accordance with
& Safety (OH&S) legislation/regulations/codes of practice, organizational safety policies
and procedures and project safety plan. This may include:
 protective clothing and equipment,
 use of tools and equipment,
 workplace environment and safety,
 handling of materials,
 use of fire fighting equipment,
 organizational first aid,
 hazard control and hazardous materials and substances

term and (L- I)
Tools and equipment Are to include but are not limited to:
 hammers, saws, wet and dry diamond saws,
 power drills and screwdrivers, measuring tapes/rules,
 cement sheet cutters, straight edges, leveling equipment,
 concrete mixers, mortar boards, string lines, scrapers,
 brushes, wire brushes, brooms, sanding blocks, spatulas,
 wheelbarrows, shovels, wooden floats, trowels,
 spacers/wedges, squares, buckets, power sanders,
 power grinders, electrical leads, ladders, work platforms,
 hose and water sprays, sponges, rags, rubber mallets,
 lump hammers, caulking guns, nippers,
 squeegees and pointed grouters
Materials Are to include:
 adhesives,
 cement mortar (with and without additives),
 fixings and fasteners (plasterboard nails, clouts, soft sheet nails, self
tapping screws, wall board adhesive)
 patching materials (sand and cement, cornice adhesive,
 fillers – pre-mixed and mixed and caulking compound)
 acoustic underlay material and crack suppression membrane
Underlay  may be acoustic, in sheet or liquid form and provide for crack
suppression (in membrane form)
Surface mounted may include, but are not limited to:
construction units  curtain walling fixing,
and attachments  fitment units,
 brick or block walls or abutments,
 timber partition walls,
 light steel partition walls,
 formwork/false work construction,
 stair installations,
 attachment of steel brackets or fabricated units and aluminum
framework fixing
 Release agents on concrete tilt-up slabs are to be removed prior to tiling
Substrate preparation  may include use of underlay material, rendering to provide a flat surface
and both chemical and mechanical preparation of surfaces
Patching materials are to include but are not limited to:
 cellulose/plaster proprietary fillers, plaster, sand and cement, lime putty,
caulking compounds and sheet material

term and (L- I)
Evidence Guide
Competence  Demonstrated compliance with Occupational Health and
 Applied Safety regulations to work place operations
 Carried out correct procedures prior to and during the
 Applied construction processes
 Demonstrated safe and effective operational use of tools and equipment
 Given particular attention to specified finish of surfaces ready for tiling
 communicated Interactively with others to ensure safe and effective
workplace operations
 Planned and prepared work area
 Patched and filled holes and depressions
 Prepared materials for tiling, plastering, and masonry application
 Prepared underlay and sheeting substrate
 Prepared render substrate surface
 Applied OH & safety
 Plastered wall and ceiling
 Applied quality requirements

Knowledge and  Workplace and equipment safety requirements
Attitudes  Quality requirements
 General masonry, concrete, tiling, Plastering terminology
 Plant, tools and equipment types, characteristics, uses and limitations
 Surface preparation techniques sanding, planning, levelling, packing,
patching and filling
 Surface preparation materials, tools and equipment types,
characteristics, uses and limitations
 Processes for the calculation of material requirements
 Material Safety Data Sheets
 Plans, drawings and specifications
 Materials handling, storage and environmentally friendly waste
management
 Safe work methods
 Plastering and wall and ceiling terminology
 Types, uses and limitations of surface preparation materials
 Processes for the calculation of material requirements

term and (L- I)
 Planning and preparing work area
 Preparing surface
 Patching and filling holes and depressions
 Preparing materials for tiling, plastering, and masonry application
 Preparing underlay and sheeting substrate
 Preparing render substrate surface
 Applying OH & safety
 Plastering wall and ceiling
 Applying quality requirements
Implications  Workplace or fully equipped assessment location with necessary tools
and equipment as well as consumable materials
 Approved assessment tools
Methods of Competency may be assessed through:
Context of
Competency may be assessed in the work place or in a simulated work
Assessment
place setting

term and (L- I)
Occupational Standard: Installation Construction Works Level I
Unit Title Setout/ Level Vertical and Horizontal Angles

Unit Descriptor This unit specifies the competency required to identify site boundaries and
survey indicators, establishing, measuring and setting up of profiled set outs
for buildings and structural components of building work. The unit includes
the positioning of a building and associated structures on a site.
1. Plan and prepare 1.1 Work instructions, including plans, specifications, quality requirements
and operational details are obtained, confirmed and applied
1.2 Safety requirements are followed in accordance with safety plans
and policies
1.3 Signage/barricade requirements are identified and implemented
1.4 Tools and equipment selected to carry out tasks are consistent with
the requirements of the job, checked for serviceability and any faults
are rectified or reported prior to commencement
1.5 Material quantity requirements are calculated in accordance with
plans and/or specifications
1.6 Materials appropriate to the work application are identified, obtained,
1.7 Environmental protection requirements are identified for the project in
applied
2. Identify and 2.1 Survey pegs at corners of site are located and identified in
indicate site accordance with job drawings and specifications
boundaries
2.2 String lines are set accurately into position to identify boundaries of
site in accordance with site plan and survey pegs
3. Set out right 3.1 Corner of building is determined on set building line to true
angled corners measurement from adjacent boundary and marked with peg in
accordance with job drawings and specifications
3.2 Right angle is set up to line from corner peg using triangulation
principles
3.3 Hurdles/profiles are installed to approximate level of other hurdles
and line set taut to right angled alignment
4. Building lines 4.1 Diagonal measurements are checked for square and lines adjusted to
are checked for provide square relationship within 5 mm tolerance over minimum
square diagonal length of 15 m
4.2 Measurements are checked for accuracy
5. Clean up 5.1 Work area is cleared and materials disposed of, reused or recycled in
accordance with legislation/regulations/codes of practice and job
specification
accordance with manufacturers' recommendations and standard work
term and (L- I)
practices
Variables Range
Occupational Health This may include:
and Safety (OHS)  protective clothing and equipment, use of tools and equipment,
workplace environment and safety, handling of materials, use of fire
fighting equipment, organisational first aid, hazard control and
hazardous materials and substances
 Safe operating procedures are to include but not be limited to the
conduct of operational risk assessment and treatments associated with
power cables (including overhead service trays, cables and conduits),
lighting, earth leakage boxes, trip hazards, working with dangerous
materials, working in confined spaces, surrounding structures,
restricted access barriers, traffic control, working at heights, working in
proximity to others,
 worksite visitors and the public
Tools and equipment Tools and equipment are to include:
 measuring tapes/rules,
 straight edges, sledge hammers/lump hammers,
 hammers, hand saws,
 nail bags, string lines, marking equipment,
 spirit levels, saw stools,
 automatic levels, laser levels,
 calculators
May include but not be limited to power saws and optical levels
Materials Materials may include but not limited to nails, timber and
Pegs
Evidence Guide
Competence  Location, interpretation and application of relevant
information, standards and specifications
 Compliance with site safety plan, OH&S regulations and
State/Territory legislation applicable to workplace
operations
 Compliance with organisational policies and procedures
including quality requirements
 Safe and effective operational use of tools and equipment
 Communication and working effectively and safely with
others
 Set out a full size L shape building on a relatively level

term and (L- I)
Knowledge and  Basic General Construction processes
Attitudes  General Construction plan, symbols and construction terminology
 Setting out device types, characteristics, technical capabilities and
limitations
 Site and equipment safety requirements
 Site isolation and traffic control responsibilities and authorities
 Project quality requirements
 General Construction terminology
 Line, level and plumb

 Processes for setting out
 Setting out techniques
 Basic mathematical techniques associated with setting out
 Processes for interpreting engineering drawings and sketches
Context of
Assessment
place setting

Perform Roughing-In Activities for Communication and Distribution
Unit Title
Systems
Unit Descriptor This unit covers the knowledge, skills and attitudes on installing
electrical metallic conduit, wire ways and cable clamp, telephone
terminal cabinet and distribution frame used in roughing-in based
on the required performance standards
1. Install electrical 1.1 Correct drawings are interpreted based on job requirements
metallic conduit 1.2 Correct quantities of metallic conduit and accessories are
determined as per job requirements
1.3 Tools and equipment are selected as per job requirements
1.4 Conduit is assembled ensuring that fittings are fully inserted and
tightened as per job requirements
1.5 Conduit is bent with bends not exceeding 90° as per job
requirements

term and (L- I)
1.6 Conduit couplings and elbows are installed as per job requirements
1.7 Conduit is threaded in line with job requirements
1.8 Safety procedures are followed in line with standard operating
procedures (SOPs)
2. Install wire ways 2.1 Correct drawings are interpreted to determine job requirements
and cable tray 2.2 Correct quantities of materials are selected as per job requirements
2.4 Wire ways and cable trays are installed as per job requirements
2.5 Safety procedures are followed in line with SOPs
3. Install telephone 3.1 Correct drawings are interpreted to determine job requirements
terminal cabinet 3.2 Correct quantities of materials are selected as per job requirements
and distribution
frame
3.4 Telephone terminal cabinet is installed as per job requirements
3.5 Telephone main distribution is installed as per job requirements
3.6 Safety procedures are followed during installation in line with SOPs
4. Install cable 4.1 Correct drawings are interpreted based on job requirements
bridge 4.2 Correct quantities of materials are selected as per job requirements
4.4 Cable bridge is installed as per job requirements
4.5 Safety procedures are followed in line with SOPs
5. Notify 5.1 Final checks are made to ensure that work conforms with instructions
completion of and job requirements
work 5.2 Supervisor is notified upon completion of work
5.3 Tools, equipment and any surplus resources and materials are,
where appropriate, cleaned, checked and returned to storage in
accordance with established procedures
5.4 Work area is cleaned up and made safe according to OH&S
regulations
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Metallic conduits  Rigid Steel Conduits (RSC)
 Intermediate Metallic Conduit (IMC)
 Electrical Metallic Tubing (EMT)
Accessories  Entrance cap
 Hack nut and bushing, metal strap
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Tools and Equipment  Spirit level, hack saw, pipe cutter, plumb bob, pipe reamer,
pipe threaded, pipe bender, bolt cutter
Installation  Electrical Metallic conduit
 Fitting/coupling fully inserted and tightened
 Elbows with clamps/supports for mounting
 Conduit rigidly anchored to building structure
 Smooth field off-set bends
 Conduit bend not to exceed 90°
 Standard distance between supports
 Conduit ends reamed and without sharp edges
 Conduit cut to length requirement
 Wire ways and cable tray
 Boxes plumb to ground and rigidly anchored to walls
building structure
 Conduit rigidly clamp to building structure
 Couplings fully inserted
 Telephone terminal cabinet and distribution frame
 Conduit ends reamed and cleaned of burrs and rough
edges
 Fitting fully inserted and applied with adhesive solvent
 Conduit cut to length requirement
 PVC coupling with adhesive solvent
 Cable bridge
 Install at location indicated in plans
 With support as shown in shop drawings
 Horizontally and vertically aligned
Evidence Guide
Competence  Identified and interpreted drawings as per job requirements
 Tools, equipment and electrical metallic conduits selected in line with
job requirements
 Installed electrical metallic conduit, wire ways, cable trays, telephone
terminal cabinet and distribution framework and cable bridge as per
drawings and job requirements
 Demonstrated compliance with safety regulations applicable to worksite
operations
 Work area cleaned up and made safe
 Communicated effectively with others to ensure safe and effective work
operations
Knowledge and  Materials used in rough-in
Attitudes  Hand tool safety
 Safe use of adhesives
 Understand economic use of material
 Knowledge on minor welding work
 Ethiopians Electrical Code (PEC) related to rough in
 Reading and interpreting electrical drawings
 Preparing materials, tools and equipment
 Installing electrical metallic conduits, wire ways, cable tray, telephone
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terminal cabinet and distribution frame and cable bridge
 Lay-outing conduits
 Bending electrical metallic conduits
 Cutting conduits
 Pulling of conductors
 Terminating wires

Skills  Install electrical metallic conduit
 Install wire ways and cable tray
 Install telephone terminal cabinet and distribution frame
 Install cable bridge

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Occupational Standard : Installation Construction Works Level I
Unit Title Install Wiring Systems Using PVC and Flexible Conduits
Unit Descriptor This unit covers the competencies needed for Installation of
electrical wiring systems, wiring systems using PVC and
Flexible Conduits.

1. Plan and prepare
1.1 The existing electrical supply is confirmed in accordance with laid
down procedure
1.2 Agreed procedures are followed to ensure the co-ordination of site
services and the activities of other trades
1.3 The means of electrical isolation is identified accurately prior to
commencing installation when required s
1.4 Isolation procedures are carried out to ensure a safe installation in
accordance with electrical regulations and approved procedures
1.5 All locations are measured and marked out for wiring systems, wiring
enclosures, tools and equipment in accordance with electrical
regulations and to meet an agreed specification
1.6 The planned locations are checked for their sensitivity, visually
acceptable and are in accordance with other site services
2. Install wiring system
2.1 The wiring systems, using PVC and Flexible Conduits are fixed safely
and in accordance with relevant regulations and manufacturers’
instructions
2.2 Test data is recorded in the format required by the job specifications
and quality assurance procedures
3.1 Report is done to relevant people those necessary variations to the
3. Inspect and notify
planned programme of work
completion of work
3.2 The appropriate action is sought from the relevant people.
Variables Ranges
Tools and equipment Electrical hand tools (pliers, screwdrivers, wrenched, wire
splices, knives)
Testing instruments (multi-tester, mugger, high potential tester,
earth resistance tester)
Labelling machine, ladders etc.
Evidence Guide
Competence  Installed wiring system using PVC and Flexible Conduits
 Had sufficient knowledge and skill to install electrical wiring
systems, wiring enclosures and equipment
Underpinning Knowledge and  Organizational procedures for reporting variations to work
Attitudes schedules
 Health and Safety: the correct procedures for a safe isolation
with regard to:

term and (L- I)
 an assessment of safe working practice,
 correct identification of circuits to be isolated,
 correct test and proving instruments selected,
 use of correct testing methods, and
 correct selection of devises for securing isolation.
 The implications for relevant parties of carrying out
 The importance of using personal protective equipment and
safe appropriate tools for specific jobs
 The hazards associated with using electrical equipment and
plant including their lifting, handling and fixing
 IEE wiring regulations as specified in the latest. National
Standard for Electrical Installations relevant to types and uses
of wiring systems, wiring enclosures and equipment all Pos
 Finding out about the principles of electrical theory which allow
for the safe installation of electrical wiring systems, wiring
enclosures and equipment.
Underpinning Skills  Installing electrical wiring systems, wiring enclosures and
equipment .
 The most effective methods of measuring, cutting to length and
installing wiring systems and wiring enclosures.
 The most effective methods of fabricating wiring enclosures. The
authority issuing procedures for co-coordinating data on site
services
 Interpret diagrams and drawings to find site services and the
planned location of the wiring systems, wiring enclosures and
equipment
Resources Implication The following resources must be provided
 Tools, equipment and facilities appropriate to processes or
activities
 Materials relevant to the proposed activity
Methods of Assessment Competency may be assessed through:

 Observation/Demonstration with Oral Questioning
Context of Assessment Competency may be assessed in the work place or in a simulated
work place setting

term and (L- I)
Unit Title Install Communication Cables

Unit Descriptor This unit covers the required knowledge, skills and attitude to install
communication cables (telephone, fax, computer, security).
1. Plan and 1.1 Installation is planned and prepared to ensure OH&S policies and
prepare work procedures are followed, the work is appropriately sequenced in
accordance with requirements
1.2 .Appropriate personnel are consulted to ensure the work is coordinated
effectively with others involved on the work site
1.3 Components necessary for undertaking installation are checked against
job requirements
1.4 Accessories are obtained in accordance with established procedures
and to comply with requirements
1.5 Location in which specific items of accessories, apparatus and circuits
are to be installed is determined from job requirements
1.6 Materials necessary to complete the work are obtained in accordance
with established procedures and checked against job requirements
1.7 Tools, equipment and testing devices needed to carry out the
installation work are obtained in accordance with established
procedures and checked for correct operation and safety
1.8 Preparatory work is checked to ensure no unnecessary damage has
occurred and complies with requirements
2. Perform 2.1 Safety procedures are followed
installation of 2.2 Correct procedures for installation of communication cables are
communication performed in line with job requirements
cables.
2.3 Schedule of work is followed to ensure work is completed in an agreed
time, to a quality standard and with a minimum waste
2.4 Further instructions are sought from a supervisor if unplanned events or
conditions occur
2.5 On-going checks of quality of work are done in accordance with
instructions and Requirements
3. Inspect and 3.1 Final inspections are undertaken to ensure the installed wiring systems
notify completion conforms to requirements
of work 3.2 Work completion is notified in accordance with established procedures

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Tools and equipment May include but not limited to:
 Electrical hand tools (pliers, screwdrivers, wrenches, wires,
splicer, knife, wire stripper)
 Multi-testers, mega-ohmmeter, clamp ammeter
Safety Procedure May include but not limited to:
 Ethiopian Electrical Code (EEC)
 Industrial safety
 Electrical safety
Evidence Guide
Competence  Inspected and notified completion of work
 installed of communication cables
Knowledge and  Specification of communication cables
Attitudes  Communication cables installation techniques and procedures.

Skills  installing communication cables


term and (L- I)
Unit Title Install, Service and Maintain Water Supply System and Components
Unit Descriptor This unit specifies the competency required to install, service and maintain
water supply systems
1 Prepare for work 1.1 Drawings and specifications are obtained

1.2 OH&S requirements associated with setting out and installing water
services, and the workplace environment, are adhered to throughout
the work
1.3 Quality assurance requirements are identified and adhered to in
accordance with workplace requirements
1.4 Tasks are planned and sequenced in conjunction with others
involved in or affected by the work
1.5 Tools and equipment for setting out and installing water piping
systems, including personal safety equipment, are selected and
checked for serviceability
1.6 Work area is prepared to support the efficient setting out and
installation of water services
2 Identify 2.1 Quantity and type of materials required are calculated from drawings
installation and specifications or site inspection and comply with standards
requirements 2.2 Materials and equipment are identified and ordered/collected in
accordance with workplace procedures
2.3 Materials and equipment are checked for compliance with standards,
docket/order form and for acceptable condition
3 Install and test 3.1 Pipe lines and fixture connection points are set out in accordance
pipe system with drawings and specifications or job instructions, with
consideration to the location of existing services
3.2 Trenches are excavated in accordance with standards and
authorities' requirements
3.3 Installation of supports and clips are checked for compliance with the
job specification, authorities' requirements and manufacturers'
specifications
3.4 Pipes are installed and jointed in accordance with job specifications,
design layout and standards without damage or distortion to pipe
work, or surrounding environment and other services
3.5 Installation is tested to comply with standards, and authorities'
requirements and adjusted
4 Repair defective 4.1 Defective pipes and fittings are identified, disconnected and
pipes and fittings replaced with the same model
4.2 Replacements are checked to ensure they are free from defects and
in accordance with standard specification or as required
4.3 Joints are tightly secured and leak free in accordance with the job
requirements
4.4 Damaged areas are restored or repaired according to work
procedures
4.5 Clogged pipes are cleared using appropriate method
4.6 Correct usage of tools and equipment is observed in accordance with
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job requirements
4.7 Appropriate PPE are used in accordance with job requirements
5 Clean up 5.1 Work area is cleared and materials disposed of or recycled in

accordance with State or Territory legislation and workplace
procedures
accordance with manufacturers' recommendations and workplace
procedures
5.3 Documentation is completed in accordance with workplace
requirements
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OH&S  OH&S requirements are to be in accordance with Federal/regional
legislation and regulations and may include protective clothing and
equipment, use of tools and equipment, workplace environment and
safety, handling of materials, use of fire fighting equipment, use of
first aid equipment, hazard control and hazardous materials and
substances
 Safe operating procedures are to include but not be limited to
recognizing and preventing hazards associated with the use of tools
and equipment, uneven/unstable terrain, trees, trip hazards,
underground services, surrounding structure and facilities, hazardous
materials, other machines, working at heights, working in proximity to
others, worksite visitors, the public and may include working in
confined spaces
Quality assurance Quality assurance requirements include International

 Standards Organization, internal company quality assurance policy
and risk management strategy
 Environment Protection Authority (EPA)
 site safety plan and workplace operations and procedures
Tools and equipment Tools and equipment are to include
 hand and power tools, hand excavation equipment, measuring
equipment, silver brazing equipment, flaring tools, crimping tools,
pressure testing equipment and bending equipment
Tools and equipment including
 lifting/load shifting equipment may also include mechanical
excavation equipment, trench shoring equipment, scaffolding,
elevated work platforms, hand trolleys, rollers, forklifts, chain blocks,
hoists and jacks
Materials  Materials may include those authorized for use
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 Factors influencing choice of materials include type of usage, nature
of water conveyed, condition of ground, characteristics of materials
and products and environmental factors
Pipes and fittings Includes but not limited to:
 PVC/PE
 PP pipes and fittings
 G.I. pipes and fittings
 C.I. pipes and fittings
 Tank fittings
 Flush tank fittings
Evidence Guide
Competence  Located, interpreted and applied relevant information, standards and
specifications to set out and install water services
 Applied safety requirements throughout the work sequence, including
the use of personal protective clothing and equipment
 As a minimum, planed, sized, set out, installed and tested water
services:
 ensuring:
 correct identification of location, design and details of proposed
installations
 correct selection and use of appropriate processes,
 tools and equipment
 completing all work to specification
 compliance with regulations, standards and
 organizational quality procedures and processes
 Communicate and work effectively and safely with others

term and (L- I)
Knowledge and  the SI system of measurements
Attitudes  workplace and equipment safety requirements
 properties of water including pressure and flow rates
 the relevant statutory and authority requirements related to the
installation of water piping systems
 the standards applicable to the installation
 characteristics and application of different pipes and fittings including
fixing and joining techniques and methods
 leveling and alignment processes
 use of test equipment and procedures
 the sources of information and the processes for the calculation of
material requirements
 the process of installing water piping systems
 Safe work method statements
 Blueprint reading
 Materials use and specification
 Knowledge of plumbing processes
 Proper use of drawing tools and equipment
 Understand economic use of material
 Plumbing code

 Read and interpret working drawing
Skills  Identify plumbing materials
 Perform measuring, cutting, treading and welding materials mate
 Install Maintain and service plumbing system components Replacing
broken/defective pipes
 Clearing clogged pipes and drainage
 Workplace: Real or simulated work area
Implications  Appropriate site plan and working drawing
 Drawing to the specific job


term and (L- I)
Unit Title Provide Water Drainage

Unit Descriptor This unit covers knowledge, skills and attitudes to work effectively to prepare
and position drainage for tiled surface. This unit is about interpreting
information, adopting safe and healthy working practices, selecting materials,
components and equipment, and mix sand and cement mortar
1. Plan and 1.1. Work instructions, including plans, specifications, quality requirements
prepare and operational details are obtained, confirmed and applied
1.2. Safety requirements are followed in accordance with safety plans and
policies
1.3. Signage/barricade requirements are identified and implemented
1.4. Plant, tools and equipment selected to carry out tasks that are
consistent with the requirements of the job, checked for serviceability
and any faults are rectified or reported prior to commencement
1.5. Material quantity requirements are calculated in accordance with plans
and/or specifications
1.6. Materials appropriate to the work application are identified, obtained,
1.7. Environmental protection requirements are identified for the project in
applied
2. Install drainage 2.1 Drainage channels and outlets are prepared and positioned to the
for tiled surface drainage system for tiled floors
2.2 Tiled floor surface drainage channel and drainage outlets are fixed to
specification
2.3 The drainage system is installed as core task of the plumber.
3. Complete work 3.1 Work area is cleared and materials disposed of, reused or recycled in
operations and accordance with legislation/regulations/ codes of practice and job
clean up specification
3.2 Plant, tools and equipment are cleaned, checked, maintained and
stored in accordance with manufacturers’ recommendations and
standard work practices
Variables Range

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Occupational Health  OH&S requirements are to be in accordance with
& Safety (OHS) legislation/regulations/codes of practice, organizational safety
policies and procedures and project safety plan. This may include :
 protective clothing and equipment,
 use of tools and equipment,
 workplace environment and safety,
 handling of materials,
 use of fire fighting equipment,
 organizational first aid,
 hazard control and hazardous materials and substances
Tools and equipment  May include but are not limited to:
 measuring tape/rule, hammer,
 bolster, shovel, wheelbarrow spirit level,
 trowels, jointing tools, screed boards, angle grinder
Materials  Components and equipment relating to:
 types, quantity, quality and sizes of standard and/or specialist
 channels, outlets,
 cement, sand, fixings,
 fittings – hand and/or powered tools and equipment
Evidence Guide

term and (L- I)
Competence  Demonstrate compliance with Occupational Health and Safety
regulations applicable to work place operations
 carried out correct procedures prior to and during the application of
the construction processes
 Demonstrated safe and effective operational use of tools and
equipment
 Given particular attention to specified finish of surfaces ready for tiling
 Communicated Interactively with others to ensure safe and effective
workplace operations
 Demonstrated accuracy to measure, mark out, cut, fit, finish, position
and secure.
 Used and maintained hand tools, portable power tools and ancillary
equipment.
 Installed tiled floor surface drainage channels, tiled floor surface
drainage outlets and outlets to drainage system.
 Inserted and positioned drainage outlets to drainage
systems
 used hand tools, power tools and equipment
 Applied workplace and equipment safety requirements
 Described properties of water including pressure and flow rates
 Described characteristics and the application of different pipe fittings
and fixture supports, including fixing and jointing techniques
 Performed leveling and alignment processes
 Described and applied relevant statutory and authority requirements
related surface drainage systems
Knowledge and  Application of workplace and equipment safety requirements
Attitudes  Properties of water including pressure and flow rates
 Characteristics and the application of different pipe fittings and fixture
supports, including fixing and jointing techniques
 Performing leveling and alignment processes
 The relevant statutory and authority requirements related surface
drainage systems
 The standards applicable to the installation
 The si system of measurements
 the sources of information and the processes for the calculation of
material requirements
 Water and air test systems and procedures
 The process of installing surface drainage systems
 Safe work methods
 Methods of work relating to the area of work, and material used to: –
install tiled floor surface drainage channel and drainage outlets
Skills  Work skills to measure, mark out, cut, fit, finish, position and secure.
 Use and maintain hand tools, portable power tools and ancillary
equipment.
 Installing tiled floor surface drainage channels, tiled floor surface
drainage outlets and outlets to drainage system.
 Inserting and positioning drainage outlets to drainage systems
 use hand tools, power tools and equipment

term and (L- I)
Context of
Assessment
place setting

term and (L- I)
Unit Title Apply Quality Standards
Unit Descriptor This unit covers the skills and knowledge required in applying quality
standards in construction work.
1. Assess own work 1.1 Completed work is checked against workplace standards
relevant to the operations being undertaken
1.2 An understanding is demonstrated on how the work
activities and completed work relate to the next construction
process and to the final appearance of the construction
1.3 Faulty pieces or final construction are identified and isolated
in accordance with company policies and procedures
1.4 Faults and any identified causes are recorded and reported
in accordance with workplace procedures
2. Assess quality of 2.1 Received materials, articles, component parts or final construction are
received articles checked against workplace standards and specifications for such
things as size, color, fabric, alignment and finish
2.2 Materials, articles or constructions are measured using the appropriate
measuring instruments in accordance with workplace procedures
2.3 An understanding is demonstrated of how the received materials or
component parts relate to the current operation and how they contribute
to the final appearance of the construction
2.4 Faulty material or component parts related to the operator’s work are
identified and isolated
2.5 Where required, the faults and any identified causes are recorded
and/or reported to the supervisor concerned in accordance with
workplace procedures
2.6 Causes of any identified faults are identified and corrective actions are
taken in accordance with workplace procedures
3. Record 3.1 Materials, component parts or constructions are measured, as required,

information using the appropriate measuring instruments in accordance with
workplace procedures
3.2 Basic information on the quality performance is recorded in accordance
with workplace procedures
3.3 Records of work quality are maintained according to the requirements
of the company
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4. Study causes of 4.1 Causes of deviations from specified final construction quality standards
quality deviations for materials, component parts or final construction are investigated and
reported, as required, using the appropriate measuring techniques in
accordance with workplace procedures
4.2 Suitable preventive action is recommended based on workplace quality
standards and identified causes of deviation from specified quality
standards and parameters of materials or final construction
5. Complete 5.1 Information on quality and other indicators of construction performance

documentation is recorded.
5.2 All construction processes and outcomes are recorded.
Variables Range
Quality check  Visual inspection
 Physical measurements
 Check against design/specifications
Quality standards  Materials

 Component parts
 Final construction
 Production processes
Quality parameters  Finish
 Size
 Durability
 construction variations
 Materials
 Alignment
 Color
 Damage and imperfections
Sources of May include but not limited to:

information/  quality and Ethiopian standards and procedures
documents  work instructions, patterns and designs
 organization work procedures
 manufacturer’s instructions for materials and equipment
 organizational or external personnel
 customer/s requirements
Evidence Guide

Competence  Checked completed work continuously against workplace standard
 Identified faulty pieces or final construction
 Checked received materials, component parts or final construction
against workplace standards
 Identified and applied corrective actions on the causes of identified
faults
 Measured materials, component parts or construction
 Recorded basic information regarding quality performance
term and (L- I)
 Investigated causes of deviations of materials against standard
 Recommended suitable preventive actions
 Assessment must confirm appropriate knowledge and skills to:
 interpret, relevant work instructions, standards and
specifications appropriate to the assessee’s work
 check and measure the relevant quality parameters
 interpret the results of quality checks in terms of specifications,
patterns and work standards
 take required action where standards of materials, component
parts, final construction or work processes are found to be
unacceptable
 maintain accurate records
Knowledge and  Relevant quality standards, policies and procedures
Attitudes  relevant construction processes, materials and products
 Characteristics of materials used
 Safety environment aspects of construction processes
 Relevant measurement techniques and quality checking
procedures
 Workplace procedures
 Reporting procedures
Underpinning Skills Demonstrate skills in:
 Interpret work instructions, specifications, standards and patterns
appropriate to the required work
 Carry out relevant visual inspections of materials, component parts
and final construction
 Carry out relevant physical measurements
 Maintain accurate work records in accordance with procedures
 Meet work specifications
 Communicate effectively within defined workplace procedures
 carry out work in accordance with OH&S policies and procedures
 interpret and apply defined procedures
Resource Implications The following resources should be provided:
 Access to real or appropriately simulated leather garment
production situations including areas, materials, equipment, and
information on work specifications/patterns, relevant safety
procedures and regulations, quality standards, organization
procedures and customer requirements
 Skilled assessors
Methods of Competence may be assessed through:
Context for Competence may be assessed in the work place or in a simulated work
Assessment place setting

term and (L- I)
Unit Title Work With Others

Unit Descriptor This unit covers the skills, knowledge and attitudes required to develop
workplace relationship and contribute in workplace activities.
Element Performance Criteria
1. Develop 1.1 Duties and responsibilities are done in a positive manner to promote
effective cooperation and good relationship
workplace 1.2 Assistance is sought from workgroup when difficulties arise and
relationship addressed through discussions
1.3 Feedback provided by others in the team is encouraged, acknowledged
and acted upon
1.4 Differences in personal values and beliefs are respected and
acknowledged in the development
2. Contribute to 2.1 Support is provided to team members to ensure workgroup goals are
work group met
activities 2.2 Constructive contributions to workgroup goals and tasks are made
according to organizational requirements
2.3 Information relevant to work is shared with team members to ensure
designated goals are met
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Duties and  Job description and employment arrangements
responsibilities  Organization’s policy relevant to work role
 Organizational structures
 Supervision and accountability requirements including OHS
 Code of conduct
Work group  Supervisor or manager
 Peers/work colleagues
 Other members of the organization
Feedback on  Formal/Informal performance appraisal
performance  Obtaining feedback from supervisors and colleagues and clients
 Personal, reflective behavior strategies
 Routine organizational methods for monitoring service delivery
Providing support to  Explaining/clarifying
team members  Helping colleagues
term and (L- I)
 Providing encouragement
 Providing feedback to another team member
 Undertaking extra tasks if necessary
Organizational  Goals, objectives, plans, system and processes
requirements  Legal and organization policy/guidelines
 OHS policies, procedures and programs
 Ethical standards
 Defined resources parameters
 Quality and continuous improvement processes and standards
Evidence Guide

Competence  Provided support to team members to ensure goals are met
 Acted on feedback from clients and colleagues
 Accessed learning opportunities to extend own personal
work competencies to enhance team goals and outcomes
Knowledge and
Attitudes
 The relevant legislation that affects operations, especially with regards
to safety
 Reasons why cooperation and good relationships are important
 Knowledge of the organization’s policies, plans and procedures
 Understanding how to elicit and interpret feedback
 Knowledge of workgroup member’s responsibilities and duties
 Importance of demonstrating respect and empathy in dealings with
colleagues
 Understanding of how to identify and prioritize personal development
opportunities and options

 Ability to read and understand the organization’s policies and work
procedures
 Write simple instructions for particular routine tasks
 Interpret information gained from correspondence
 Communication skills to request advice, receive feedback and work with
a team
 Planning skills to organized work priorities and arrangement
 Technology skills including the ability to select and use technology
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appropriate to a task
 Ability to relate to people from a range of social, cultural and ethnic
backgrounds.
Resource The following resources MUST be provided:
Implications
 Access to relevant workplace or appropriately simulated environment
where assessment can take place
 Materials relevant to the proposed activity or task
Methods of Competency may be
Assessment assessed
through:
Context for  Competency assessment may occur in workplace or any appropriately
Assessment simulated environment
 Assessment shall be observed while task are being undertaken whether
individually or in group

term and (L- I)
Unit Title Receive and Respond To Workplace Communication

Unit Descriptor This unit covers the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to receive,
respond and act on verbal and written communication.
Element Performance Criteria

1. Follow routine 1.1. Required information is gathered by listening attentively and
spoken correctly interpreting or understanding information/instructions
messages 1.2. Instructions/information are properly recorded
1.3. Instructions are acted upon immediately in accordance with
information received
1.4. Clarification is sought from workplace supervisor on all occasions
when any instruction/information is not clear
2. Perform 2.1 Written notices and instructions are read and interpreted
workplace duties correctly in accordance with organizational guidelines
following written 2.2 Routine written instruction are followed in sequence
notices
2.3 Feedback is given to workplace supervisor based on the
instructions/information received
Variable Range
1. Written notices It refers to :
and instructions 1.1. Handwritten and printed material
1.2. Internal memos
1.3. External communications
1.4. Electronic mail
1.5. Briefing notes
1.6. General correspondence
1.7. Marketing materials
1.8. Journal articles
2. Organizational It may include:
Guidelines
2.1. Information documentation procedures
2.2. Company policies and procedures
2.3. Organization manuals
2.4. Service manual

term and (L- I)
Evidence Guide Evidence Guide
Competence
 Demonstrated knowledge of organizational procedures for
handling verbal and written communications
 Received and acted on verbal messages and instructions
 Demonstrated competency in recording instructions/information

Knowledge and  Knowledge of organizational policies/guidelines in regard to
Attitudes processing internal/external information
 Ethical work practices in handling communications
 Communication process

 Conciseness in receiving and clarifying
messages/information/communication
 Accuracy in recording messages/information
Resource The following resources MUST be provided:

Implications  Pens
 Note pads

Context of  Competency may be assessed individually in the actual

Assessment workplace or simulation environment in TVET accredited
institutions

term and (L- I)
Unit Title Demonstrate Work Values

Unit Descriptor This unit covers the knowledge, skills, and attitude in demonstrating proper
work values.
1. Define the 1.1 One’s unique sense of purpose for working and the ‘whys’ of work are
purpose of identified, reflected on and clearly defined for one’s development as a
work person and as a member of society.
1.2 Personal mission is in harmony with company’s values
2. Apply work 2.1 Work values/ethics/concepts are classified and reaffirmed in
values/ethics accordance with the transparent company ethical standards, policies and
guidelines.
2.2 Work practices are undertaken in compliance with industry work ethical
standards, organizational policy and guidelines
2.3 Personal behavior and relationships with co-workers and/or clients are
conducted in accordance with ethical standards, policy and guidelines.
2.4 Company resources are used in accordance with transparent company
ethical standard, policies and guidelines.
3. Deal with ethical 3.1 Company ethical standards, organizational policy and guidelines on the
problems prevention and reporting of unethical conduct are accessed and applied
in accordance with transparent company ethical standard, policies and
guidelines.
3.2 Work incidents/situations are reported and/or resolved in accordance
with company protocol/guidelines.
3.3 Resolution and/or referral of ethical problems identified are used as
learning opportunities.
4. Maintain integrity 4.1 Personal work practices and values are demonstrated
of conduct in the consistently with acceptable ethical conduct and company’s
workplace
core values.
4.2 Instructions to co-workers are provided based on ethical, lawful and
reasonable directives.
4.3 Company values/practices are shared with co-workers using appropriate
behavior and language.
Variables Range

term and (L- I)
Work May include but are not limited to:
values/ethics/  Commitment/ Dedication
concepts  Sense of urgency
 Sense of purpose
 Love for work
 High motivation
 Orderliness
 Reliability and Dependability
 Competence
 Goal-oriented
 Sense of responsibility
 Being knowledgeable
 Loyalty to work/company
 Sensitivity to others
 Compassion/Caring attitude
 Balancing between family and work
 Sense of nationalism
Work practices  Quality of work
 Punctuality
 Efficiency
 Effectiveness
 Productivity
 Resourcefulness
 Innovativeness/Creativity
 Cost consciousness
 5S
 Attention to details
 Violent/intense dispute or argument
Incidents/situations  Gambling
 Use of prohibited substances
 Pilferages
 Damage to person or property
 Vandalism
 Falsification
 Bribery
 Sexual Harassment
 Blackmail
Company  Consumable materials
resources  Equipment/Machineries
 Human
 Time
 Financial resources
Instructions  Verbal
 Written

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Evidence Guide
Competence
 Defined one’s unique sense of purpose for working
 Clarified and affirmed work values/ethics/concepts consistently in the
workplace
 Demonstrated work practices satisfactorily and consistently in
compliance with industry work ethical standards, organizational policy
and guidelines
 Demonstrated personal behavior and relationships with co-workers
and/or clients consistent with ethical standards, policy and guidelines
 Used company resources in accordance with company
ethical standard, policies and guidelines.
 Followed company ethical standards, organizational policy and
guidelines on the prevention and reporting of unethical
conduct/behavior

Knowledge and  Occupational health and safety
Attitudes  Work values and ethics
 Company performance and ethical standards
 Company policies and guidelines
 Fundamental rights at work including gender sensitivity
 Work responsibilities/job functions
 Corporate social responsibilities
 Company code of conduct/values
 Balancing work and family responsibilities
 Interpersonal skills
 Communication skills
 Self awareness, understanding and acceptance
 3.4 Application of good manners and right conduct
Implications  Workplace or assessment location
 Case studies/Scenarios

Context of
Assessment
place setting

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Unit Title Develop Understanding of Entrepreneurship
Unit Descriptor This unit covers skills, knowledge and attitude required to understand the
principles, functions, strategies and methods of entrepreneurship. It also
covers identifying and developing the major entrepreneurial competences.
1. Describe and 1.1 The principles, concept and terminology of entrepreneurship are
explain the analyzed and discussed
principles, concept 1.2 The different / various forms of enterprises in the community are
and scope of identified and their roles understood
entrepreneurship
1.3 The identified enterprises are categorized and classified
1.4 The terms and elements involved in the concept of enterprising, both
on a personal level and in the context of being enterprising in business
are identified and interpreted
1.5 Functions of entrepreneurship in business and how the entrepreneurs
improved business and economic environment are explained
2. Discuss how to 2.1 Self-employment as an alternative option for an individual
become economic independence and personal growth is discussed
entrepreneur
and analyzed
2.2 Advantages and disadvantages of self-employment are
discussed and explained
2.3 Entrepreneurial characteristics and traits are identified and
discussed
2.4 Self-potential is assessed to determine if qualified to
become future entrepreneur
2.5 Major competences of successful entrepreneurship are
identified and explained
3. Discuss how to 3.1 The importance and role of business entrepreneurship in
organize an the society are discussed and correlated to the operations
enterprise
of the economy
3.2 Facts about small and medium enterprises are discussed,
clarified and understood
3.3 Key success factor in setting up small and medium
business are identified and explained
3.4 Business opportunities are identified and assessed
3.5 Business ideas are generated using appropriate tools,
techniques and steps
3.6 Procedures for identifying suitable market for business are
discussed and understood
3.7 Major factors to consider in selecting a location for a
business are identified and discussed
3.8 Basic types of business ownership are identified and
explained
3.9 Amount of money needed to start an enterprise estimated
and distinction between pre operations and initial operation
payments clarified
3.10 Advantages and disadvantages of using various sources of
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capital to start an enterprise are identified
4. Discuss how to 4.1 Disadvantages and advantages of three alternative means

operate an of becoming an entrepreneur are identified and understood
enterprise
4.2 Process of hiring and managing people is discussed and
explained
4.3 The importance and techniques of managing time are
discussed and understood
4.4 The techniques and procedures of managing sales are
discussed and explained
4.5 Factors to consider in selecting suppliers and the steps to
follow when doing business with them are identified and
discussed
4.6 Awareness of how new technologies can affect small and
medium business are developed
4.7 Characteristics of appropriate technology for use in small
and medium business are identified and explained
4.8 Different types of cost that occur in a business and how to
manage them are discussed and understood
4.9 Factors and procedures in knowing the cost of the
enterprise are discussed and understood
4.10 Importance of financial record keeping and preparing
simple financial statement are explained and understood
4.11 The application of self-management skills and negotiation
skills are discussed in operating a business
4.12 Risk assessment and management of business enterprise
are performed
5. Develop one’s own 5.1 Process of preparing/ writing a business plan is discussed
business plan and applied
5.2 Standard structure and format are applied in preparing
business plan
5.3 Findings of the business plan are interpreted, assessed
and analyzed
5.4 Feasibility of the business idea is made clear and
understandable
5.5 Problems that may arise or encounter when starting a
business are identified and understand
5.6 Techniques and procedures in obtaining and sourcing
information are discussed and understood
Variables Range
Classification  Private vs public
 Profit vs non-profit
 Formal vs Non-formal
 Individual vs Community
 Local vs Foreign
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 Business vs Social
 Small vs Large
 Manufacturing vs Service
 Consumer vs Industrial
Major factors  Economics (local economy)
 Population
 competition
Three alternative  Buying an existing business
 Starting a new business
 Operating a franchising business
Evidence Guide

Competence  explained principles and concept of entrepreneurship
 discussed how to become entrepreneur
 discussed how to organize an enterprise
 discussed how to operate an enterprise
 develop business plan
Knowledge and  Entrepreneurship principles, concepts and terminologies
 Entrepreneurial competence
Attitudes
 Entrepreneurial motivation
 Risk assessment and evaluation
 Principles and process of negotiations
 Self-management and self-employment
 Managing sales, people and time
 Factors in setting up small and medium business
 Small and Medium Enterprise
 Business plan development
 Discussion techniques and procedures
Underpinning Skills Demonstrate skills in:
 Planning and Leading
 Presentation skills
 Using technology
 Managing money
 Preparing simple financial statement
 Selecting suppliers

Implications  Tools, equipment and facilities appropriate to the proposed activities
 Materials relevant to the proposed activities
Methods of Competence may be assessed through:
 Demonstration/ Direct Observation with Oral Questioning
Context of Assessment Competency may be assessed in the work place or in a simulated work
place setting

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Self check Home Electrical Concepts and Components
What is electricity, what is a GFI, what is a ground fault, what is meant by a
circuit? I think I am using electrical terms in this website according to their
usual meanings by both electricians and homeowners. Still, there is quite a
variety in how people use terms, and even more variety between countries. If
nothing else, the following definitions will at least let you see what I mean by
them. See my Electrical as a second language article. Here then is a glossary of
home electrical terms related to troubleshooting:
110220ApplianceArcingAFCIBreakerBusbarCableCircuitCommonCurrentDeviceDimmerEle
ctricityFixtureFuseFuseboxGangGFI/GFCIGroundGrd-
faultHotJumperJunctionLine/loadNeutralOpenOutletOverloadPanelPhantomPigtailRecept.Sh
ortSocketSpliceSwitchTerminal3-wayTravelerVoltageWattageWire
What is 110?? An older term for the nominal voltage for lights and portable appliances in
homes. "120" would be a more accurate and up-to-date identification of this voltage. What is
220? An older term for the nominal voltage in a home for running some major appliances.
"240" would be a more accurate and up-to-date identification of this voltage. To understand
the dual voltage available to homes (120/240), see Your system and Double circuit. What is
an Appliance? A non-lighting item that, by its resistance, consumes electricity rather than
just passing it on. So an appliance is not a fixture (for lighting) nor a device (for passing on).
Examples: fax machine, garbage disposal, even a wired-in smoke alarm perhaps. What is
Arcing? Current passing (through air) across a gap, that is, using the air itself like a wire.
What is an Arc-fault interrupter? A circuit breaker that can also trip for line-to-neutral
arcing (which would not soon trip a standard breaker).Required for new bedroom circuits
since 2002 and most rooms since 2008. See AFCI. What is a Breaker? An automatic
switching device that disconnects power to a circuit when current or heat exceeds a certain
level for a certain amount of time. It clips on to one or two live busbars in a panel box and
passes this liveness through itself to the circuit wire attached to it, normally by means of a
screw. Its handle is generally in one of three positions: on, tripped (the middle position), and
off. What is a Busbar? A piece of rigid metal within a panel or fusebox which distributes
electricity to the various circuits by means of their connection to it. What is a Cable?

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Compare "Wire". A cable is a set of wires, usually encased in an outer protective sheath. A
"cord" would be a cable by this definition so far, but a cable is part of a permanent
installation; a cord is more flexible and often has a plug end for a portable appliance or lamp.
"2-wire cable," such as 14-2 and 12-2 (which indicate wire size) refers to a cable with two
insulated wires, not counting any ground wire. Likewise 3-wire cable has three insulated
wires, with any ground being additional. What is a Circuit? The actual or intended path of
current between points of differing voltage. In the case of a household 120 volt circuit, the
path is between a hot wire at the breaker and a neutral wire connected to the grounded neutral
bar in the panel. In a sense each loop that current makes (through a single light, for instance)
is a circuit, but the most common meaning is the "branch circuit", defined as everything fed
(or interrupted) by a given breaker or fuse. What is the Common? The terminal of a three-
way switch (or the wire attached to it) which makes internal contact with one or the other of
the traveler terminals, depending on the position the switch is moved to.What is
Current?The flow of electrons in a wire (or other conductor). This is measured in amps
(amperes). Because a house is provided with alternating current, the terms "positive" and
"negative" do not apply as they do to direct current in batteries, cars, and such. Instead, in the
case of 120-volt power, we tend to say that the power company is providing electricity that
will flow "to" their neutral wire "from" hot wire. This directional talk can be misleading,
since the actual electrons are moving back and forth sixty times per second. It is a way of
speaking that is needed, however, in order to trace the paths of this kind of current in a wiring
system. It is similar to how I may say that a highway goes "from" my hometown to the next
town, even though the highway simply goes between them and doesn't really start at one or
the other. What is a Device? As distinct from a fixture or appliance, an item which does not
itself consume significant electricity, but interrupts or passes it on in a particular fashion. For
example, a switch, a receptacle, a thermostat, a breaker, a fuse. What is a Dimmer? Also
rheostat. A switch able to dim its lights by altering the voltage it passes on. A dimmer
normally gets warm when operating but will overheat if running more wattage than it is
designed for. What is Electricity?(That is, "tame" electricity, not The big stuff.) A force
generated onto loops of conductive material, transferred through their electrons, and applied
as useful energy at parts of these loops. What is a Fixture? Or "luminaire". A non-portable
electrically-produced-light assembly. Distinguished from appliance or device. What is a
Fuse? A device that interrupts current to its circuit by melting apart. It must then be replaced.
What is a Fusebox? Like a panel, a usual main source of the circuits in a home. It contains
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fuses rather than breakers. What is a Gang? A combining of more than one device side-by-
side, as, a "three-gang" switch box. What is a GFI or GFCI? A ground-fault interrupter. A
device to prevent electrocution, which serves also as a receptacle or (less commonly) as a
breaker. I consider the letters "GFCI" confusing because they stand for "ground-fault circuit
interrupter" and the word "circuit" is vague and distracting. "GFI" clearly states the function
it performs: "ground-fault interrupter". Since 1973 Code has required GFI protection for more
and more receptacle locations in homes. If connected to properly, a GFI receptacle is also
able to sense and disrupt ground-faults at any standard receptacles wired on from it. Learn
More about GFIs. What is Ground? The common reference point for the voltage of a home's
electrical system. It refers to an intended or unintended connectedness to the earth. The
neutral wires of circuits and of the system are grounded, but a "ground wire" means a
separate "grounding" wire keeping metal parts of devices, fixtures, or appliances from staying
accidentally energized and endangering people or equipment. Installed in homes since the
1960's, these wires are to be either bare or green-covered. The ground wire is not connected
so as to be part of the normal path of the circuit, as a neutral is. When a ground wire does
carry current, it is taking care of an otherwise dangerous situation; in fact, it is supposed to
carry so much flow suddenly, that it causes the breaker of the circuit to trip, thereby also
alerting us that a problem needs attention. If things were not grounded, people's bodies would
more often be a path for current from a hot wire touching the metal to get to ground (without
our having enough conductivity to trip a normal breaker!).What is a Ground-fault? Any
short circuit finding at least some of its path to the earth by way of something other than the
neutral wire. It is a "leaking" of current off of the intended path. Most shocks are an example.
What is "Hot"?Or "live." (As an adjective:) Having electrical force (voltage) in relation to
ground/earth, especially 120 volts. "Hot" is the termed used because anything even slightly
connected to ground (like us!) could get agitated as a path this force uses toward ground. (As
a noun:) The wire/terminal/contact that is to be hot, especially the wire from a breaker to
lights/appliances. What is Hotness? Having voltage in relation to ground, especially 120
volts. What is a Jumper? A short piece of wire within a box, going between two wirenuts or
between two devices' terminals. It passes a function (hot, switched, neutral) from the one
place to the other. A pigtail does this too, but only goes from a wirenut to a device or fixture
wire. What is a Junction box? As distinguished from any electrical box, a box used only for
making connections, not for also supporting a switch, receptacle, or light. The boxes for these
others usually also have connections and splices in them in addition. What is Line and
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Load? These are relative terms. In relation to a given switch or device, line refers to wires or
voltage being "supplied" to it from "upstream" or from the direction of the main service
panel. With regard to the same device, load refers to wires (or terminals) that are
"downstream" from or controlled by it. So wires from a switch or GFI might be load wires
with respect to that switch but line wires with respect to another switch downstream from it.
Another use of the term "load" is to refer to the energy "user(s)" along the circuit's path, such
as a light or appliance. By providing resistance, these items limit current and, in the process,
do useful things with that current. What is a Neutral? The wires of a circuit connected
ultimately to the earth to receive flow "back" from a light or appliance. They are always
supposed to be white. Contact with them should not normally shock you because they are
normally connected to ground much better than you can be. What is an Open? (noun:) A
physical discontinuity at some point along the path of some part of a circuit. Unlike an
overload or short, an open involves current no longer being able to flow. This might be
intentional, as when we turn a switch off, but in regard to troubleshooting an open is typically
a break, gap, or deterioration. For instance, a wire has become too loose at the terminals on a
receptacle or at a wire connector. It is hard to think of a gap like this as "opening" the circuit,
since it seems like it has the effect of closing it down. I agree that the technical term "open,"
and its opposite "close" are a poor choice of words. They seem to come from the original use
of "knife" switches; those had the physical appearance of an open door when they interrupted
a circuit and a closed door when they let current through. But we are stuck with the terms.
What is an Outlet? Technically, any point along a circuit where a light or appliance receives
its final connections to the hot and neutral of the circuit. The outlet may consist of a
receptacle for a cord to plug into, or it may be a box at which the item using the electricity is
"hard-wired". In practice, however, we usually mean a receptacle. The following are not
outlets: switch, breaker, junction box. What is an Overload? When in its normal operation a
circuit has carried a little too much flow a little too long, so that the wires will be getting too
hot to be safe, the breaker will trip off. This is called an overload -- you were trying to run a
bit too much at once on that circuit. You can now change your habits, plug one of those
things into another circuit, let it happen again some other month, or have a new circuit
installed for some of those things. So long as breakers do their job, overloading is not
dangerous, just inconvenient. Safety people often warn us not to overload outlets or power
strips, as if we know how to judge that. The two cases of this kind of "overloading" that need
a little attention are light sockets and extension cords; just don't exceed their stated wattage or
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amperage. Compare "Short". What is a Panel? Or "panel box" or "breaker box". The large
metal box containing breakers for circuits. The "main" panel or "service" panel would be the
central source for the home and would be receiving its power from the power company.
There can be subpanels in a home, fed from the main panel and containing some of the
home's circuit breakers. Some people still use the term "fusebox" to refer to a panel, but that
term should relate to something having fuses. I suggest the term "panel" could refer to either
a breaker box or a fusebox.What is a Pigtail?To provide circuit connection to a fixture,
appliance, or device by means of a single wire (the pigtail) getting its own connection out of a
connector (wire "nut") that contains other wires of the circuit. One illustration and another.
Compare "Jumper". Other ways of connecting would be for incoming and outgoing circuit
wires to connect directly to the device's terminals or the fixture's wires. What is Phantom
voltage? An inconsequential voltage many testers will detect. It may register as a lower or a
full voltage found on a wire that is connected neither to hot nor to neutral/ground. It seems to
come about by means of capacitance or inductance from a hot wire that is near the
unconnected wire over a good distance in the same cable. See this explanation. ...Do not
confuse phantom voltage with "phantom load," which is the consumption of electricity by a
TV when it is plugged in but not turned on, or a charger when it is plugged in but not
charging anything. What is a Receptacle? Also "plug-in"; or, loosely, "outlet" or "plug". A
device that serves as the outlet for lights or appliances to connect to a circuit by means of a
cord with a "plug" on the end. What is a Short? A short circuit. I am including ground-faults
here. A short is basically, an unintended continuity from a hot wire to something of different
voltage. In a 240-volt circuit a possible short would involve both hot wires touching (rare).
All other shorts in a home will tend to be from the hot to ground by way of the neutral wire or
(less technically) the ground wire or anything else providing a path to the earth. A short will
not trip a breaker if its path has quite a bit of resistance. A short is something other than an
overload that can trip a breaker, and for quite a different reason. With a short the flow of
current is not due to the intended, limited use of electricity through lights and appliances, but
is due to a potentially huge flow of electric power by way of an unintended and (often) very
conductive path. Current still flows around from the ungrounded starting point to the
grounded end point, and so it is still technically going in a "circuit". But it is not the intended
circuit, which would be limited and safe by design. So it is called a "short" circuit. An
example would be if the hot wire at a light fixture made contact with the metal of the fixture,
which, being grounded by a ground wire, sends a lot of current through the circuit, tripping
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the breaker. Although this example is technically a ground-fault, in common parlance, "short"
is understood to refer to either hot-to-neutral or hot-to-ground faults. There are at least as
many ways a short can come about as there are outlets and lights on a circuit. Also a nail for
hanging a picture or a screw in a remodel project will occasionally find a cable in the wall
and short across its wires. What is a Socket? Also "lamp holder". The part of a light fixture
that receives the bulb or tube. It is understandable that some people use "socket" to mean the
receptacles we plug cords into, because in both cases the one thing is receiving the other
thing that actually "uses up" electricity. What is a Splice? An unanchored electrical
connector joining two or more wires directly. Compare "Terminal". What is a Submain
breaker? One of up to six (double) circuit breakers allowed till 1985 to be the means for
disconnecting all power to a home's circuits. Since then a single "main breaker" has been the
required means. This has provided a confusion, because submains were commonly labeled
"Main". When a submain has trouble passing current through one of its six points of contact
(at its busbars, at its wires, or at its internal contacts), it will arc, overheat, possibly trip, and
eventually fail to pass current any longer through that half. The result of this is that about half
of the 120-volt circuits of the house (fed by that half) will be dead. If any 240-volt loads are
fed from the submain breaker, they will not work and may enable the non-working 120-volt
items to operate weakly and sporadically. This is similar to what happens when a true main
breaker has a similar problem, called a main hot open. What is a Switch? A device used to
interrupt continuity and current to part of a circuit. What is a Terminal? A screw or other
pressure-device to which one or more wires are connected for passing electrical continuity
and current along. Like a "Splice", but a terminal is anchored to a larger structure, whereas a
splice is "free floating". What is Three-way? Although there is a type of light bulb and
socket by this name, here we mean a switching system in which a light(s) is controllable from
more than one location by two or more switches. The name comes from the usual number of
terminals on or contact points within the switches involved. See How 3-way switches work,
and Read more about 3-ways, including diagrams. For several ways that 3-way systems are
wired, see my Tour of a Circuit. What are Travelers? The pair of wires in a three-way
switch system that are run (within the same cable) from one switch device to the next,
attaching at each. What is Voltage? The forcefulness with which electricity is ready to flow;
also, the measurable relation of this force between two points ("volts"). Voltage can be
present or fail to be present, and this is not identical with whether current is flowing or not.
The relation is: current cannot flow if voltage is lacking, but even with voltage available,
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current will only flow if a continuous and somewhat conductive path is provided.
Mathematically voltage is the "product" of current (amps) and resistance (ohms), but in
practice current is the product, that is, the result, of a provided voltage acting on a given
resistance. What is Wattage? Rate of electric energy used by lights or appliances. When
applied to devices, it indicates the maximum watts the device is designed to deliver or control
(rather than use). Wattage is directly proportional to current and to voltage and is
mathematically the product of them (amps times volts). 120 volts driving 15 amps through a
resistance means 1800 watts is being used. What is a Wire? A wire is bendable metal for
carrying electric current. Except when used as a grounding wire, it is coated with insulative
material. In homes, wires that run to outlet and switch locations are mostly within cables;
their sizes (gauges: "AWG") are (from smallest) 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, etc., with larger wires at
the meter and panel using a different numbering system. To understand the function that
different wires on a circuit play, see Hot or Neutral or Ground above, or see Background. The
functioning of each of these wires is not assured if they were not installed correctly or if they
come apart at a connection or if they touch each other unintentionally. And it is not just the
hot wire's connections that can interrupt power along a circuit. If the neutral loses its
continuity back to the main panel, the parts of the circuit that depend on that connection will
no longer work.

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CONSTRUCTION SECTOR
OCCUPATIONAL MAP: CONSTRUCTION SUB-SECTOR
Level V Construction Management
On-Site Construction Management

Level IV
Building Electrical Sanitary Bar Bending

Installation Masonry and Carpentry Plastering and Tiling
Level III Installation
Concreting Painting
Building Electrical Sanitary Bar Bending Finishing Construction Works

Level II Masonry Carpentry
Installation Installation and
Concreting
Level I
Installation Construction Works Structural Construction Works Finishing Construction Works

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Glossary - All Terms and Definitions Listed Alphabetically
1-Wire A single-wire (plus ground) communications protocol.
More info:
 1-Wire Memory Products

 1-Wire Interface Solutions
 1-Wire SW Tools
1-Wire Master A 1-Wire interface master controller.
10GbE 10-Gigabit Ethernet
3G Third-generation mobile telephone protocols that support higher data

rates, for non-voice communications such as multimedia and Internet
access.
3GPP Third Generation Partnership Project, a collaboration of cell phone

technology standards bodies. www.3gpp.org/.
802.11 IEEE standard that specifies medium-access and physical-layer

specifications for 1Mbps and 2Mbps wireless connectivity between
fixed, portable, and moving stations within a local area.
802.11a The IEEE standard that governs the deployment of 5GHz OFDM
systems. It specifies the implementation of the physical layer for
wireless UNII b.
802.11b An international IEEE standard for WLAN networks, operating at

2.4GHz and providing a maximum data transfer rate of 11Mbps.
802.11g A proposed standard that describes a wireless networking method for a

WLAN that operates in the 2.4GHz radio band (ISM: Industrial
Scientific Medical frequency band). It transfers data at up to 54Mbps.
A-Weighting A-weighting is a standard weighting curve applied to audio

measurements, designed to reflect the response of the human ear.
Sound-pressure levels derived using A-weighting are denoted by "dBA,"

or A-weighted dB levels.
A/D Converter Analog to digital. Specifically: A/D converter, a circuit that converts
analog signals into a stream of digital data.
Accelerometer A sensor or transducer for measuring acceleration.
ACPI Advanced Configuration and Power Interface: An industry-standard

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specification (co-developed by Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Microsoft,
Phoenix, and Toshiba) for operating-system-directed power management
for laptop, desktop, and server computers. A replacement for APM.
ACPR Adjacent (alternate)-channel power ratio
ACR Accumulated current register
ADM Add/Drop Multiplexer: A synchronous transmission network (SDH or

Sonet) can carry multiple channels. An Add/Drop Multiplexer is a
device that adds (inserts) or drops (removes) lower-data-rate channel
traffic from the higher-rate aggregated channel.
ADPCM Adaptive Differential Pulse Code Modulation: A compression technique

that encodes only the difference between sequential samples.
ADS Analog design system
ADSL Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line: A method for moving data over
regular phone lines. An ADSL circuit carries much more data than a
modem can encode on a regular phone connection. ADSL rides on the
regular phone wires coming into the subscriber's premises (twisted pair
copper).
AEC-Q100 A qualification test sequence for integrated circuits developed by the

AIAG automotive organization.
AFE Analog Front End: The analog portion of a circuit which precedes A/D
conversion.
AGC Automatic Gain Control: A circuit that modulates an amplifier's gain, in

response to the relative strength of the input signal, in order to maintain
the output power.
Ah Ampere-hour(s): A measure of battery capacity. A 4Ah battery could, for

instance, deliver 1A for 4 hours, 1/2A for 8 hours, etc.
Air Discharge A method for testing ESD-protection structures in which the ESD
generator is discharged through an air gap between the generator and the
device under test (DUT).
AIS Alarm indication system
AISG The Antenna Interface Standards Group (AISG) creates open

specifications for antenna-line control and monitoring for 3G systems.
Source: AISG website
Aliasing In A/D conversion, the Nyquist principle states that the sampling rate
must be at least twice the maximum bandwidth of the analog signal. If
the sampling rate is insufficient, then higher-frequency components are

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"undersampled" and appear shifted to lower-frequencies. These
frequency-shifted components are called aliases.
The frequencies that shift are sometimes called "folded" frequencies

because a spectral plot looks like it was folded to superimpose the higher
frequency components over the sub-Nyquist portion of the band.
Also see:
 Application Note/Tutorial: Filter Basics: Anti-Aliasing

 The Basics of Anti-Aliasing: Using Switched-Capacitor Filters
 Mathematical Basics of Band-Limited Sampling and Aliasing
 Folded-Frequency Calculator
Alternator An electromechanical device that converts mechanical power into AC

electrical power.
Typically, a magnet spins inside a coil, inducing alternating current in

the windings. The magnet can be a permanent magnet, an iron rotor in
which a magnetic field is induced, or an electromagnet powered by an
externally applied current.
AM Amplitude Modulation: A modulation method in which the carrier

amplitude changes with the input signal amplitude.
Ambient Temperature of the air surrounding a component.

Temperature
Ambient Temperature sensor used to measure the temperature of the air that
Temperature surrounds a component (the ambient temperature).
Sensor
AMLCD Active-matrix liquid-crystal display
Amp 1. Ampere
2. Amplifier
Ampacity The amount of current a conductor can carry without exceeding its
specified temperature, in amperes.
Ampere Ampere(s), the unit of electrical current. Current is defined as the

amount of charge that flows past a give point, per unit of time.
The symbol I is used for current in equations and A is the abbreviation

for ampere.
Ampere-hour A measure of charge (or current flow over time).

term and (L- I)
 One ampere-hour (or amp-hour or Ah) is a current of one ampere
flowing for one hour. The amount of charge transferred in that
hour is 3,600 coulombs (ampere-seconds).
 A milliampere-hour (mAh or milliamp-hour) is a thousandth of
an amp-hour.
 An ampere-second (A-s or amp-second) is an amp supplied for
one second.
A common use of the term is rating energy storage device capacity,

especially rechargeable batteries. For example, a 12-volt, 7Ah
rechargeable battery used in an alarm system will supply an amp at the
rated voltage range for seven hours, 2 amps for 3.5 hours, etc. If my
alarm consumes 250mA, this battery would operate the system for 28
hours.
See:
 Battery Considerations for Today's Low-Power, Long-Life Solid

State Devices
 Evaluating Accuracy of Coulomb-Counting Fuel-Gauging
Systems
Amplifier An electrical circuit that produces an output that is a replica of the input.
The output may be scaled or have increased drive, or it may provide
isolation (so changes in output conditions do not affect the input or other
outputs). It may perform other transformations (e.g., filtering or
logarithmic drive).
Amplifier Class Amplifier circuit types are divided into "classes" which describe whether
the amplifier operates in a linear or switching mode, and any techniques
used to restore linearity of output.
AMPS Advanced Mobile Phone System: An analog only, 1G standard that

operates in the 800MHz to 900MHz frequency band. It is still widely
used in the United States.
AMR Automatic Meter Reading: A system installed to read a utility meter

remotely.
Analog A system in which an electrical value (usually voltage or current, but

sometimes frequency, phase, etc.) represents something in the physical
world. The electrical signal can then be processed, transmitted,
amplified, and finally, transformed back into a physical quality.
For example: A microphone produces a current that is proportional to

sound pressure. Various stages amplify, process, modulate, etc.
Ultimately, a varying voltage is presented to a speaker which converts it

term and (L- I)
back to sound waves.
By contrast, a digital system handles a signal as a stream of numbers.
Analog Switch An analog switch (sometimes just called a "switch") is a switching

device capable of switching or routing analog signals (meaning signals
that can have any level within a specified legal range), based on the level
of a digital control signal. Commonly implemented using a
"transmission gate," an analog switch performs a function similar to that
of a relay.
For example, an analog switch can turn an audio signal on or off based
on a MUTE signal; or analog switches could send one of two signals to a
headphone amplifier.
Most commonly implemented using CMOS technology integrated

circuits. Maxim makes hundreds of examples. See the Analog Switch
and Multiplexer Product Line page.
Also see What is a Transmission Gate (Analog Switch)?.
Analog Temperature sensor with a continuous analog voltage or current output

Temperature that is related, usually linearly, to the measured temperature.
Sensor
AND Combining two signals so that the output is on if both signals are
present. This can be accomplished by an AND logic gate (two inputs,
one output which is high if both inputs are).
ANSI American National Standards Institute
Anti-Aliasing An anti-aliasing filter is used before A/D conversion. It is a lowpass

filter that removes signal components above the Nyquist frequency,
thereby eliminating their sampled replicas (aliases) in the baseband.
Also see:

APC Automatic Power Control: Feature in laser drivers (such as the

MAX3669) that uses feedback from the laser to adjust the drive, to keep
the laser's output constant.
APD Avalanche Photo Diode: A photodiode designed to take advantage of

avalanche multiplication of photocurrent to provide gain. As the reverse-
bias voltage approaches the break-down voltage, hole-electron pairs
created by absorbed photons acquire sufficient energy to create
additional hole-electron pairs when they collide with ions. Thus a

term and (L- I)
multiplication or signal gain is achieved.
API Application program interface: A software layer that allows a system to

be programmed via a defined set of commands.
APM Advanced Power Management: Power management standard for

computers that provides five power states: Ready, Stand-by, Suspended,
Hibernation, Off.
APON ATM (-based) passive optical network
APQP Advanced Product Quality Planning. System developed by the AIAG

automotive organization to communicate common product quality
planning and control plan guidelines for suppliers to the automotive
industry.
ASCII American Standard Codes for Information Interchange
ASIC Application-specific integrated circuit.
See: Maxim ASIC services.
ATE Automatic test equipment; automated test equipment. See: "Maxim ATE
Solutions."
ATM Asynchronous transfer mode
Auto Shutdown A feature in EIA-232 interface devices which puts the IC into a low-
power shutdown mode when no signal is present on the EIA-232 bus.
Autoshutdown A feature in EIA-232 interface devices which puts the IC into a low-
Plus power shutdown mode when no signal is present on the bus or the
transmitter inputs.
Autotransformer An autotransformer is a transformer that uses a common winding for

both the primary and secondary windings. Essentially an inductor with a
center-tap, an autotransformer is often used in power-supply boost-
converter applications to achieve a higher output voltage, while limiting
the peak flyback voltage seen by the power switch.
AWG 1. Arbitrary waveform generator
2. American Wire Gauge: A measure of wire thickness (which also

dictates cross-sectional area, and for a given material, ampacity).
Example: 24 AWG wire has a nominal diameter of 0.0201in or
0.511mm. Also called the Brown and Sharpe Wire Gauge.
Note that steel wire is measured by a different gauge. AWG only applies
to wire used to conduct electricity.
B 1. Bel: Measurement of a signal's power compared to a reference; also,

term and (L- I)
measurement of sound pressure. See the more commonly used term,
"decibel," or, "dB."
2. Symbol for magnetic flux density or magnetic field, as in "B-field."
Backup Step-Up Step-up, switching-regulator power supply with a backup battery

switchover.
Bandwidth 1. Bandwidth (BW) is a range of frequencies, or information, that a

circuit can handle or the range of frequencies that a signal contains or
occupies.
Example: An AM broadcast radio channel in the US has a bandwidth of

10kHz, meaning that it occupies a 10kHz-wide band, such as the
frequencies from 760kHz to 770kHz.
2. The amount of data a digital channel or line can handle, expressed in

bits per second (bps), kilobits per second (kbps), baud, or a similar
measure.
Base Station A base station (or basestation) is a wireless transceiver at a fixed location
(e.g. atop a telephone pole) which is part of a wireless communications
network, e.g. the cell phone network. Typically, the base station
connects to any cell phones in its area and relays the calls to the wired
network.
A femto base station is a smaller, personal base station which might

cover a home or building and connect via a DSL Internet connection.
Baseline The electrical signal from a sensor when no measured variable is present.
Often referred to the output at no-load condition.
Bass Boost Circuitry that boosts the bass response of the amplifier, improving audio
reproduction, especially when using inexpensive headphones.
Battery Backup A feature of microprocessor supervisory circuits and some power

supplies to switch between a main power source and a battery.
Battery Freshness A feature in microprocessor supervisory circuits which disconnects a

Seal backup battery from any down-stream circuitry until VCC is applied the
first time. This keeps a backup battery from discharging until the first
time a board is plugged in and used, and thus preserves the battery life.
Battery Fuel A feature or device that measures the accumulated energy added to and
Gauge removed from a battery, allowing accurate estimates of battery charge
level.
Battery Monitor A feature that monitors the voltage on a battery and indicates when the
battery is low. It is usually implemented using a comparator to compare
the battery voltage to a specified level. May also include functions such

term and (L- I)
as charging, remaining capacity estimation, safety monitoring, unique
ID, temperature measurement, and nonvolatile (NV) parametric storage.
Battery A circuit that switches between the higher of a main supply and a backup
Switchover battery.
BCD Binary-coded decimal: Representation of a number in which each

decimal digit (0-9) is encoded in binary, with four bits per decimal digit.
BER Bit Error Rate: A measure of the number of erroneous bits which can be
expected in a specified number of bits in a serial stream.
BERT Bit Error Rate (BER) Tester: A piece of test equipment which
determines the bit error rate for a device under test (DUT).
Beyond-the- Maxim's name for a feature of an IC that can process inputs and provide
Rails™ output voltages that exceed the supply rails. The feature is achieved
through on-chip integration of necessary supply rails.
BGA Ball grid array: A packaging technology.
Bidirectional The device accommodates signals traveling either direction though a

single channel.
Bipolar Inputs An input which accommodates signals both above and below ground.
Bipolar Junction A Bipolar Junction Transistor, or BJT, is a solid-state device in which

Transistor the current flow between two terminals (the collector and the emitter) is
controlled by the amount of current that flows through a third terminal
(the base).
Contrast to the other main transistor type, the FET, in which the ouput
current is controlled by input voltage (rather than by input current).
BIST Built-in self-test.
Bit Banging A technique which uses the general-purpose ports of a microcontroller to

emulate a serial interface standard (I2C, SPI, etc).
Bit Error Ratio The number of erroneous bits divided by the total number of bits
transmitted, received, or processed over some stipulated period.
Blade Server A blade server is a computer system on a motherboard, which includes

processor(s), memory, a network connection, and sometimes storage.
The blade idea is intended to address the needs of large-scale computing
centers to reduce space requirements for application servers and lower
costs.
Blink Control Controls the display segment blink rate.
BLM Ball limiting metal

term and (L- I)
Bluetooth A technology that allows voice and data connections between a wide
range of mobile and stationary devices through short-range digital two-
way radio. For instance, it specifies how mobile phones, Wireless
Information Devices (WIDs), computers and PDAs interconnect with
each other, with computers, and with office or home phones.
BLVDS Bus low-voltage differential signal
BOC Bit-oriented code
Boost Converter A power supply that steps an input voltage up (boosts it) to a higher,
regulated voltage.
Bootstrap Often refers to using the output of a step-up converter to drive the main
power FET switch, providing more gate drive than the input can supply
alone. Also refers to using a switched capacitor to boost the voltage of a
node.
BPON Broadband passive optical network
BPSK Binary phase-shift keying
BRD Band-rate divisor
Break-Before- Break-Before-Make: A switch that is configured to break (open) the first

Make set of contacts before engaging (closing) the new contacts. This prevents
the momentary connection of the old and new signal paths.
Applies to mechanical systems (e.g. that use relays or manual switches)

and to solid-state analog multiplexers and switches.
BRI Bit-rate interface
Bridge Battery A battery intended to provide power to system memory while the main
battery is replaced.
Bridge-Tied Load Used in audio applications, the load (a speaker in this case) is connected
between two audio amplifier outputs (it "bridges" the two output
terminals).
This can double the voltage swing at the speaker, compared to a speaker
that is connected to ground. The ground-tied speaker can have a swing
from zero to the amplifier's supply voltage. A BTL-driven speaker can
see twice this swing because the amplifier can drive either the + terminal
of the speaker or the — terminal, effectively doubling the voltage swing.
Since twice the voltage means four times the power, this is a major
improvement, especially in applications where battery size dictates a
lower supply voltage — e.g. automotive or handheld applications.
Brightness Although the terms "brightness" and "luminance" are often used

term and (L- I)
interchangeably, they are different. Luminance is the light intensity;
brightness is how it is perceived by the human eye.
Broadband A transmission medium with enough bandwidth to carry multiple voice,

video, or data channels simultaneously.
This technique is used, for example, to provide fifty CATV channels on

one coaxial cable; or to provide Internet access over cable TV; or to add
DSL to a voice-grade telephone line.
A common technique is frequency-division. Each channel is modulated

to a different frequency band and combined in the transmission medium.
It is demodulated to its original frequency at the receiving end. Channels
are separated by guardbands (empty spaces) to ensure that each channel
will not interfere with its neighboring channels.
Brownout A condition where the voltage supplied to the system falls below the
specified operating range, but above 0V.
BSC BSC (Basic Spacing between Centers) is a term that appears on IC

package drawings in reference to dimensions between pins.
"Basic" spacing is nominal and can change with conditions. For

example, the distance between the rows of pins on a DIP (dual inline
package) is BSC because it changes when the auto insertion machine
grabs the part, and again when the part is inserted. The BSC dimension,
in this case, is the dimension of the hole spacing that the part will fit
into, rather than the dimensions of the part itself.
BSLF Best-straight-line fit
BT Butterworth (filter)
BTS Base Transceiver Station: The stationary component of a cellphone

system includes transmit-receive units and one or more antennae. The
combined systems (often including multiple co-located systems and
ganged directional antennae) is called a cell-site, a base station, or a base
transceiver station (BTS).
Buck A "buck" or "step-down" switch-mode voltage regulator is one in which

the output voltage is lower than its input voltage.
Note: A customer asked the origin of the term and no one seems to know!
A buck regulator is a step-down regulator, as opposed to boost. We think
it's an American term — in England it was always "step-down."
Buck means to resist or reduce (as in "buck the trend"), and hence was
used to denote a step-down. Conveniently, it alliterates with the
opposite, a boost regulator.

term and (L- I)
See application note 660, "Regulator topologies for battery-powered
systems."
Buck-Boost A switch-mode voltage regulator in which output voltage can be above

or below the input voltage.

systems."
Burst Dimming Burst Dimming is a method of controlling the brightness of cold cathode
fluorescent lamps (CCFL) by turning the lamps on and off at a rate faster
than the human eye can detect. The on/off rate is nominally 100Hz to
300Hz. The higher the ratio of on-time to off-time, the brighter the lamps
will be. Because of CCFL response times, on-time to off-time ratios of
less than 1% are not practical.
Burst Mode 1) A temporary high-speed data-transfer mode that can transfer data at
significantly higher rates than would normally be achieved with nonburst
technology.
2) The maximum short-term throughput which a device is capable of

transferring data.
Bus Data path that connects to a number of devices. A typical example is the
bus a computer's circuit board or backplane. Memory, processor, and I/O
devices may all share the bus to send data from one to another. A bus
acts as a shared highway and is in lieu of the many devoted connections
it would take to hook every device to every other device.
Often misspelled "buss."
BWLS Bandwidth, Large Signal
BWSS Bandwidth, Small Signal
C 1. Capacitance, capacitor
2. Coulomb
3. Color portion of a video signal (see "Y/C" definition)
C/N Carrier-to-noise
CA Common anode
CAD Computer-aided design
CAN Controller Area Network. The CAN protocol is an international standard

defined by ISO 11898.
Capacitive A phenomenon where a signal on one line/trace is capacitively coupled

term and (L- I)
Crosstalk to an adjacent line/trace.
Capacitor A capacitor is a passive electronic component that consists of two

conductive plates separated by an insulating dielectric. A voltage applied
to the plates develops an electric field across the dielectric and causes the
plates to accumulate a charge. When the voltage source is removed, the
field and the charge remain until discharged, storing energy.
Capacitance (or C, measured in farads), dictates the amount of charge

that can be stored at a given voltage (a one-farad capacitor charged to
one volt will hold one Coulomb of charge).
CardBus 32-bit version of the PC card (formerly PCMCIA) standard
CAS Column-Address-Strobe: The signal that tells the DRAM to accept the
given address as a column-address; used with RAS and a row-address to
select a bit within the DRAM
CAT3 Category 3: Refers to Ethernet cabling that satisfies the criteria for the
EIA/TIA-568 standard's Category 3, which allows data transfers up to
10Mbps.
CAT5 Category 5: Refers to Ethernet cabling that satisfies the criteria for the
EIA/TIA-568 standard's Category 5, which allows data transfers up to
100Mbps.
CATV Originally "Community Antenna Television," a term which now refers to

any community television system distributed by cable.
CBR Constant bit rate
CC/CV Charger Constant Current/Constant Voltage battery charger
CCCv Constant current/constant voltage
CCD Charge Coupled Device: One of the two main types of image sensors
used in digital cameras. When a picture is taken, the CCD is struck by
light coming through the camera's lens. Each of the thousands or
millions of tiny pixels that make up the CCD convert this light into
electrons. The accumulated charge at each pixel is measured, then
converted to a digital value. This last step occurs outside the CCD, in an
analog-to-digital converter (ADC).
CCFL Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lighting: Often used as a backlight for LCD
displays.
CCFT Cold Cathode Fluorescent Tube: Often used as a backlight for LCD
displays.
CCK Complementary code keying

term and (L- I)
CCM Continuous-conduction mode; crossconnect module
CDC Clock distribution circuit
CDD Clock Distribution Device or Clock Distribution Driver
CDMA Code Division Multiple Access: A digital cellular technology that uses
spread-spectrum techniques. Unlike GSM and other competing systems
that use TDMA, CDMA does not assign a specific frequency to each
user. Instead, every channel uses the full available spectrum. Individual
conversations are encoded with a pseudo-random digital sequence.
CDR Clock/data recovery. Clock/data recovery is a function or circuit that

extracts a clock signal from an incoming data stream.
CE Control Chip enable control
CH Chebyshev (filter)
Ch. to Ch. Skew Channel-to-channel skew. A signal on one channel has a different phase
(Ps Max) than the same signal on another channel (delayed/skewed). This is
measured in picoseconds, max.
Channel Channel Associated Signaling (CAS): Some communications protocols

Associated include "signaling" functions along with data. Channel Associated
Signaling Signaling protocols include signaling in the data channel (as opposed to
a dedicated signaling channel).
Also called Robbed Bit Signaling.
Chans. Channels
Charge Injection A parameter pertinent to analog switches. As an analog switch turns on

and off, a small amount of charge can be capacitively coupled (injected)
from the digital control line to the analog signal path.
Charge Pump A power supply which uses capacitors to store and transfer energy to the
output, often stepping the voltage up or down. Charge is transferred from
one capacitor to another under control of regulator and switching
circuitry.
Maxim offers both regulated and non-regulated charge pumps, as well as

ICs with on-board charge pumps to boost internal voltages.
See application note 2031, "DC-DC Converter Tutorial" and application

note 660, "Regulator topologies for battery-powered systems."
Charge Method the battery charger uses to determine when to terminate the
Termination charging cycle.
Method

term and (L- I)
CHATEAU CHAnnelizedT1 and E1 And Universal HDLC controller
Chip 1. Integrated circuit: A semiconductor device that combines multiple

transistors and other components and interconnects on a single piece of
semiconductor material.
2. Encoding element, in Direct-Sequence Spread Spectrum systems.
Chip-Enable A feature in microprocessor supervisory circuits which prevents the

Gating writing of erroneous data when power falls outside of spec. When the
main power-supply voltage is below the minimum safe-operating limit,
the feature disconnects the chip-enable signal path from the host
microprocessor or microcontroller.
Chrominance The color portion portion of a composite video signal. Forms a complete
picture once combined with the luminance component.
CID Consecutive identical digit(s)
CIM Cable integrity monitor
CISC Complex instruction set computer (CISC): Computer hardware designed

to support complex instructions, as opposed to RISC (reduced instruction
set computer) architecture.
Class A The simplest type of amplifier, class A amplifiers are those in which the
output transistors conduct (i.e. do not fully turn off) irrespective of the
output signal waveform. This type of amplifier is typically associated
with high linearity but low efficiency.
Class AB Class AB amplifiers combine Class A and Class B to achieve an

amplifier with more efficiency than Class A but with lower distortion
than class B.
This is achieved by biasing both transistors so they conduct when the

signal is close to zero (the point where class B amplifiers introduce non-
linearities). The transistors transition to class B operation for large
excursions.
So, for small signals both transistors are active, acting like a class A
amplifier. For large signal excursions, only one transistor is active for
each half of the waveform, acting like a class B amplifier.
Class B Class B amplifiers are those in which the output transistors only conduct
during half (180 degrees) of the signal waveform. To amplify the entire
signal two transistors are used, one conducting for positive output
signals and the other conducting for negative outputs.
Class B amplifiers are much more efficient than class A amplifiers, but
have high distortion due to the crossover point when the two transistors

term and (L- I)
transition from on to off.
Class C A class C amplifier is a form of switching amplifier in which the

transistors are on for less than a half cycle (less than 180 degrees) --
often, much less. For instance, the transistor may be on only during the
top 10% of the signal excursion, delivering just a pulse.
Class C amps are very efficient because the transistors are off most of
the time and when they are on, they are in full conduction. They deliver
high distortion and are often used in RF circuits, where tuning circuits
restore some of the original signal and reduce distortion. They are also
used in low-fidelity applications where the distortion is not important,
such as a siren speaker driver.
Class D Class D amplifiers are those that output a switching waveform, at a

frequency far higher than the highest audio signal that needs to be
reproduced. The low-pass filtered, average value of this waveform
corresponds to the actual required audio waveform.
Class D amplifiers are highly efficient (often up to 90% or higher) since

the output transistors are either fully turned on or off during operation.
This completely eliminates the use of the linear region of the transistor
which is responsible for the inefficiency of other amplifier types.
Modern Class D amplifiers achieve fidelity comparable to class AB.
Class G Class G amplifiers are similar to class AB amplifiers except they use two
or more supply voltages. When operating at low signal levels, the
amplifier uses a lower supply voltage. As the signal level increases, the
amplifier automatically picks the appropriate supply voltage.
Class G amplifiers are more efficient than class AB amplifiers since they
use the maximum supply voltage only when required, while a class AB
amplifier always uses the maximum supply voltage.
Class H Class H amplifiers modulate the supply voltage to the amplifier output
devices so that it is never higher than necessary to support the signal
swing. This reduces dissipation across the output devices connected to
that supply and allows the amplifier to operate with an optimized class
AB efficiency regardless of output power level.
Class H amplifiers are generally more complex than other designs, with
extra control circuitry required to predict and control the supply voltage.
Click-and-Pop Click-and-pop refers to the unwanted transient signals in the audio band
that are reproduced by the headphone and/or speaker when the audio
device driving it is either:
 powered up (power applied)

 powered down (power removed)
 brought out of shutdown (power applied previously)

term and (L- I)
 forced into shutdown (power still applied)
Click/Pop A feature that eliminates "clicks" and "pops" — unwanted transient

Reduction noise signals during power-up, shutdown, connection, etc.
Clock and Data The process of extracting and reconstructing clock and data information
Recovery from a single-wire/channel, serial data stream.
Clock Jitter A periodic waveform (especially a clock) is expected to cross certain

thresholds at precisely timed moments. Variations from this ideal are
called jitter.
For more information and illustrations, see:
 "Jitter Overview" in HFAN-04.3.0: Jitter Specifications Made

Easy: A Heuristic Discussion of Fibre Channel and Gigabit
Ethernet Methods
 An Introduction to Jitter in Communications Systems
Clock Throttling Reducing the frequency or duty-cycling the clock of an integrated circuit
usually for the purpose of reducing heat generation.
cm Centimeter: 1/100 of a meter, 0.39 inches.
CMF Current-mode feedback
CMI Code matrix insertion
CML Current-mode logic
CMOS Complementary metal-oxide semiconductor technology in which p- and

n-channel MOS transistors are used in tandem.
CMRR Common Mode Rejection Ratio: The ability of a differential amplifier to

not pass (reject) the portion of the signal common to both the + and -
inputs.
See the tutorial, Understanding Common-Mode Signals.
CNC Computer numeric control
CO Coarse offset
CODEC Short for compressor/decompressor, a codec is any technology for

compressing and decompressing data. Codecs can be implemented in
software, hardware, or a combination of both.
COG Chip-on-glass

term and (L- I)
Coherent Describes the sampling of a periodic signal, where an integer number of
Sampling its cycles fits into a predefined sampling window.
COLC Correction loop capacitor
Color Subcarrier A modulated carrier, added to a television signal, to carry the color
components.
Examples: In NTSC television, a 3.579545MHz color subcarrier is

quadrature-modulated by two color-difference signals and added to the
luminance signal. The PAL television standard uses a subcarrier
frequency of 4.43362MHz.
See: Video Basics
Common-Mode Common-mode signals are identical signal components on both the +

Signals and - inputs of a differential amplifier or instrumentation amplifier. A
common example is in a balanced pair, where a noise voltage is induced
in both conductors. Another example is where a DC component is added
(e.g. due to a difference in ground between the signal source and the
receiver).
In an ideal differential amp, the common-mode element is cancelled out,

since the differential (+ and -) inputs should subtract out the identical
components. A measurement of the actual ability to do this is called the
Common Mode Rejection Ratio, or CMRR.
See the tutorial, Understanding Common-Mode Signals.
Comp. Prop. Comparator propagation delay. This is the lag between the input crossing
Delay the comparator threshold, and the output changing states.
compander Signal processing technique which uses both compression and expansion
to improve dynamic range and signal-to-noise ratio.
A signal is passed through a non-linear transformation prior to

transmission. A reverse of this transformation occurs at reception. The
transformation is such that quiet portions are boosted and loud portions
reduced. Noise is reduced because the quiet signals are louder, compared
to the noise in the transmission channel.
Used in digital, PCM, transmissions as well as analog applications.

Dolby is a common example of a compander-based noise reduction
system.
Comparator A comparator is a device that accepts two analog inputs, compares the
inputs, and produces a binary output that is a function of which input is
higher. If the non-inverting (+) input is greater than the inverting (-)
input, then the output goes high. If the inverting (-) input is greater than
the non-inverting (+) input, then the output goes low.

term and (L- I)
When described that way, the comparator resembles a 1-bit ADC.
A simple comparator can be achieved using an op amp without negative

feedback. Its high voltage gain enables it to resolve very small
differences in input voltage. But op amps used this way are generally
slower than comparators and lack special features, such as hysteresis and
internal references.
Application Note 886: Selecting the Right Comparator goes into more
details on how comparators work, their specifications, common
comparator features, and how to select a comparator that best fits your
needs.
Complete Central Central Office Line: telephone line

Office Line
Interface
CompoNet CompoNet is a four-wire, industrial, bus with a master-slave

architecture. It is used at the lower network levels to transmit bit or word
information, such as for use in sensors and actuators. Up to 256 slaves
are supported on a bus. Data rates of 93.75kbps to 4Mbps and network
lengths up to 1500 meters with repeaters are possible. CIP is used as the
underlying protocol.
Contact Bounce When a mechanical switch or relay closes, the switch elements will often
bounce, even if only briefly, before making final contact. This is of
consequence if downstream elements are sensitive to the switching
transients. A contact debouncing circuit is often used to remove the
transients.
Contact An ESD test method where the ESD generator makes direct contact with
Discharge the device under test (DUT).
Coplanar Line A line which is in the same plane as another line. Any two intersecting
lines must lie in the same plane, and therefore be coplanar.
Coulomb Coulomb (abbreviated C) is the standard measure of electrical charge.
Named after Charles-Augustin de Coulomb, it is the amount of charge

accumulated on a one-farad capacitor charged to one volt; or the amount
of charge transported by a one ampere current in one second.
CP Comparable part
CPGA Ceramic pin grid array, an IC packaging technology.
CRC Cyclic Redundancy Check: A check value calculated from the data, to
catch most transmission errors. A decoder calculates the CRC for the
received data and compares it to the CRC that the encoder calculated,

term and (L- I)
which is appended to the data. A mismatch indicates that the data was
corrupted in transit. Depending on the algorithm and number of CRC
bits, come CRCs contain enough redundant information that they can be
used to correct the data.
CRIL Command register and interface logic
Crossover In an output stage (or similar amplifying stage which uses one device to
pull the signal up and another to pull the signal down), the region in
which the high-side device is turning on and the low-side device is
turning off, or vice versa.
Crowbar Circuit A crowbar circuit is a power supply protection circuit that rapidly short-
circuits ("crowbars") the supply line if the voltage and/or current exceeds
defined limits. In practice, the resulting short blows a fuse or triggers
other protection, effectively shutting down the supply.
It is usually achieved by an SCR or other silicon device, or by a

mechanical shorting device.
Probably named for the concept of using a big metal bar to mechanically
provide the short circuit, as might be used done in a high-current
application; or from the appearance of a crowbar circuit's I-V curve.
See: Protection and Isolation products.
CRT A cathode ray tube (CRT) is a display device which uses an electron
beam to energize a phosphorescent coating. The beam is generated at
one end of an evacuated glass tube and controlled by electrostatic and/or
electromagnetic fields to strike the coating at the other end, where light
emitted when electrons strike the phosphor constitute the display.
Cryptanalysis The art and science of breaking encryption or any form of cryptography.
CS Chip select
CSP Chip Scale Package: An IC packaging technology in which solder balls

take the place of pins, making the smallest package available. When
heated, the solder balls alloy to matching pads on the circuit board.
CTIM Retry timeout capacitor
CTON Startup timer capacitor
Current Mode An alternative op amp topology usually used in high-speed amplifiers. It

Feedback is sensitive to feedback impedance, and cannot be used as an integrator.
Current-Mode A DC-DC switching regulator which regulates its output voltage by

Controller varying the peak inductor current on a cycle-by-cycle basis to output a
regulated voltage despite variations in load-current and input-voltage.

term and (L- I)
Current-Sense An amplifier that measures current by measuring the voltage drop across
Amplifier a resistor placed in the current path. The current sense amp outputs either
a voltage or a current that is proportional to the current through the
measured path.
D/A Converter Digital-to-analog converter (DAC): A data converter, or DAC, that

receives digital data (a stream of numbers) and outputs a voltage or
current proportional to the value of the digital data.
Daisy Chain A method of propagating signals along a bus in which the devices are
connected in series and the signal passed from one device to the next.
The daisy chain scheme permits assignment of device priorities based on
the electrical position of the device on the bus.
Dallastat Trademark for Dallas Semiconductor's line of digital rheostats (digital

potentiometers). (Dallas Semiconductor is a subsidiary of Maxim
Integrated.)
Data Acquisition System which acquires data, generally by digitizing analog channels and
System storing the data in digital form. These systems can be standalone or
married to a computer and can acquire multiple channels of data.
Data Converter A/D or D/A converter: An electronic circuit that converts analog signals
to digital, or vice-versa.
An analog signal is a continuously varying voltage or current. Its digital

counterpart is a stream of digital numbers, each representing the
amplitude of the analog signal at a moment in time.
Also see:
 A Simple ADC Comparison Matrix

 Understanding SAR ADCs
 Understanding Flash ADCs
dB Decibels: A method for specifying the ratio of two signals.
dB = 10 times the log of the ratio of the power of the two signals. This is
equal to 20 times the ratio of their voltages, if the signals are driving
equal impedances.
Decibels are also used to describe a signal level by comparing it to a

reference level. The reference is usually defined as 0dB and the dB value
of the signal is 10 times the log of the signal's power over that of the
reference. A letter is sometimes added to signify the reference. For
instance, dBm is relative to 0 dBm = 1mW.
dBm A unit that defines a signal level by comparing it to a reference level.

The reference level of 0dBm is defined as 1mW. The signal level in dBm

term and (L- I)
is 10 times the log of the signal's power over that of the 0dBm reference.
DBS Direct Broadcast Satellite: A system which broadcasts directly from

satellite to the subscriber (end user). Prominent examples in the US are
DirecTV and Dish network.
DC Direct current
DC-DC Any of the family of switch-mode voltage regulators, these devices use
an inductor to store and transfer energy to the output in discrete packets,
resulting in highly efficient power conversion.
See application note 2031, "DC-DC Converter Tutorial" and application

note 660, "Regulator topologies for battery-powered systems."
DC-DC A DC-DC converter (switch-mode power supply) in which the power

Controller switch (usually a power MOSFET) is external to the IC.
DCE Data communications equipment; interchangeable with DTE
DCM Discontinuous-conduction mode
DCR Direct conversion receiver
DCS Digital Cellular System: Any cellular phone system that uses digital (e.g.
TDMA, GSM, CDMA).
DDI Digital data input
DDJ Data-dependent jitter
DDR Memory Double Data Rate Synchronous DRAM: A clock is used to read data
from a DRAM. DDR memory reads data on both the rising and falling
edge of the clock, achieving a faster data rate. Often used in notebook
computers because it also consumes less power.
DDRD Data direction register D
DDS DDS (direct digital synthesis) is a method for digitally generating analog
waveforms, such as sine waves (modulated or not) or arbitrary
waveforms.
In the most straightforward realization, a digitized sample of the

waveform is stored and the values are clocked out to a D/A converter.
Varying the clock rate changes the frequency. Variations in rate and
changes to a gain factor can modulate the signal.
Debounce Electrical contacts in mechanical pushbutton switches often make and

break contact several times when the button is first pushed. A
debouncing circuit removes the resulting ripple signal, and provides a
clean transition at its output.

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More: Switch Bounce and Other Dirty Little Secrets
DECT Digital European cordless telephone
DeepCover DeepCover® is a registered trademark for three families of embedded

security products that offer advanced physical security to provide the
most secure key storage possible. It includes secure authenticators,
security managers, and secure microcontrollers.
DeepCover Secure Microcontrollers integrate advanced physical security

to offer the highest level of protection against physical tampering and
reverse engineering.
DeepCover Security Managers combine advanced physical security with

on-chip, nonimprinting memory to safeguard sensitive data from the
slightest physical or environmental tampering.
DeepCover Secure Authenticators implement advanced physical security

to provide the ultimate in low-cost IP protection, clone prevention, and
peripheral authentication.
DeepCover is a registered trademark of Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
Delta-Sigma An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) architecture consisting of a 1-bit

ADC and filtering circuitry which over-samples the input signal and
performs noise-shaping to achieve a high-resolution digital output. The
architecture is relatively inexpensive compared to other ADC
architectures.
Sometimes called a "sigma-delta" converter.
Design for Design For Testability (or Design for Test, or DFT) refers to design
Testability techniques that make products easier to test. Examples include the
addition of test points, parametric measurement devices, self-test
diagnotics, test modes, and scan design.
Deterministic Reproducible jitter within a given system, under controlled conditions.

Jitter Also known as bounded jitter.

Ethernet Methods
DFE Decision feedback equalization

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DFMEA Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA) is a method for
evaluating a design for robustness against potential failures.
DG Differential gain
Differential Uses a Kelvin connection at a remote location to sense the output voltage
Remote Output and better control the voltage at that point.
Sensing
Differential Most electrical signals are single-ended, comprised of a single wire and
Signaling ground. Differential signals use two wires which are the inverse of each
other -- when one swings positive, the other swings negative in equal
magnitude. The receiving circuit looks only at the difference between the
two, ignoring any common-mode voltage. This "push-pull" arrangement
reduces the impact of electrical interference because external noise will
affect both wires equally and the common-mode rejection will ignore the
noise.
Examples: RS-422, RS-485, professional audio signal standards

(especially for microphones), the signal lines employed by Ethernet, and
the standard twisted-pair analog telephone (POTS) line.
Also see the tutorial, Understanding Common-Mode Signals.
Digital Log Pot Digital logarithmic potentiometer.
Digital Pot Digital potentiometer: A solid-state device that emulates a mechanical

potentiometer, it is usually controlled via a simple interface.
Digital Signal A Digital Signal Processor, or DSP, is a special-purpose digital circuit

Processor that acts on digitized signals, such as audio. DSP circuits can replace
traditional analog functions, such as filtering and more complex
functions that are difficult to accomplish in the analog domain.
A Digital Audio Signal Processor is a DSP for audio applications.
DIO Data input/output
Diode A two-terminal device that rectifies signals (passes current in only one
direction). Most commonly, a semiconductor consisting of a P-N
junction, but dioides can also be realized using vacuum tube, point-
contact, metal-semiconductor junction (Schottky), and other
technologies.
DIP DIP (Dual Inline Package) is an integrated circuit package with two rows
of pins.
PDIP (Plastic Dual Inline Package) is a DIP package with a molded

plastic body.

term and (L- I)
CDIP (Ceramic Dual Inline Package) is a DIP package with a ceramic
body.
Distortion In systems that handle electrical signals, distortion is a generally

unwanted change in the signal.
Not all signal alterations are considered distortion. For instance, a

uniform delay or a linear attenuation or amplification would generally
not be considered distortion.
Dithering A common technique to improve digitizing when quantization noise

(quantization error/noise) can no longer be treated as random. A small
amount of random noise is added to the analog input signal. This added
noise causes the digital output to randomly toggle between two adjacent
codes, thereby avoiding thresholding effect.
DIU Digital interface unit
Diversity In radio systems, diversity is a method of improving the reliability and

capacity by using multiple communication channels to carry each signal.
DLC Double-layer capacitor
DMA Direct Memory Access: A scheme which reads or writes data directly to
memory, bypassing the processor and the processor bus.
DML Data Manipulation Language (or Data Management Language): A

language that allows data to be manipulated in a database. In SQL,
commands such as DELETE and INSERT are DML commands.
DMM Digital Multimeter: Measuring instrument or VOM (e.g. voltage,

resistance, current) with a digital display.
DMR Digital microwave radio
DMT Discrete multitone data transmission
DNL Differential Nonlinearity: A specification that appears in data-converter

datasheets. In an ideal D/A converter, incrementing the digital code by 1
changes the output voltage by an amount that does not vary across the
device's permitted range. Similarly, in an A/D, the digital value ramps
smoothly as the input is linearly swept across its entire range. DNL
measures the deviation from the ideal. An ideal converter has the code
exactly the same size, and a DNL of 0 (zero).
DOCSIS Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification: A standard for

delivering data over cable TV systems, typically for subscriber Internet
access services.
Down Converters A device which provides frequency conversion to a lower frequency, e.g.
in digital broadcast satellite applications.

term and (L- I)
DP Differential phase; also decimal place
DPAK Discrete packaging
DPD Digital phase detector
DPDT Double-pole/double-throw
DPH Data pointer high
DPL Data pointer low
DPM Digital panel meter
DPS Data pointer select
DPST Double-pole/single-throw
DPWM Digitally adjusted pulse-width modulation
DQPSK Differential quadrature phase-shift keying
Drain One of the three terminals that comprise a FET. A voltage on the gate
controls the current flow between the source and drain.
DRAM Dynamic RAM: Random-Access Memory that uses a continuous clock.

Unlike SRAM, when DRAM is no longer clocked, its data is lost.
DRC Design-rule checking
DRL Daytime Running Lamps (DRLs) are white lights mounted on the front
of an automobile. Mandated in many countries, they automatically
switch on when the key is turned and are intended for daytime use, to
increase the visibility of the automobile. They are typically built with
LEDs.
See: High-Brightness LED Drivers
Drypack Drypack is a method for packing integrated circuits in a moisture-free

environment. The device is baked and immediately sealed in a vacuum-
sealed bag.
This process is reserved for package types which are especially

susceptible to moisture intrusion. Maxim devices with MSL (Moisture
Sensitivity Level) of 2 or higher require drypack. A part-number suffix
of -D, +D, or #D at the end of the part number denotes products which
ship with drypack. There is no price adder associated with drypacking
products with MSL 2 or above.
DSL A mechanism for providing high-speed digital communications (e.g.

Internet access) over a standard phone line.

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DSLAM Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer: a device which takes a
number of ADSL subscriber lines and concentrates these to a single
ATM line.
DSSP Digital-sensor signal processor
DSSS Direct-Sequence Spread Spectrum: A transmission technology used in

WLAN (wireless LAN) transmissions where a data signal at the sending
station is combined with a higher data-rate bit sequence, or chipping
code, that divides the user data according to a spreading ratio.
See: "An Introduction to Direct-Sequence Spread-Spectrum

Communications".
DTB Digital terrestrial broadcasting
DTE Data terminal equipment; interchangeable with DCE
DTMF Dual Tone Multiple Frequency (DTMF) is a signaling method developed

by Bell Labs for sending telephone dialing information over the same
analog, voice-quality phones lines that carry voice.
Each digit is encoded as the sum of two sine wave bursts, of different
frequencies. The two-tone method was chosen because it can be reliably
distinguished from voice and normal phone conversations are highly
unlikely to falsely trigger the DTMF receiver.
DTMF was the basis for "TouchTone" (a former trademark of AT&T),

the pushbutton system that replaced mechanical rotary dial telephones.
Dual Mode Two modes of operation. Examples: In power circuits, the IC can deliver
either a fixed 5V or an adjustable 1.3V to 16V source. In cellular phones,
the IC operates in FM or CDMA mode, AMPS or TDMA mode, etc.
(Maxim Integrated trademarked term.)
Dual Phase Switching regulator that employs dual-phase technique to reduce output
Controller noise and boost output current capability.
Dual-Band Dual-band refers to the capability of GSM network infrastructure and

handsets to operate across two frequency bands.
Dual-Modulus A Dual-Modulus Prescaler (DMP) is an important circuit block used in

Prescaler frequency synthesizers to divide the high-frequency signal from the
voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) to a low-frequency signal by a
predetermined divide ratio, either (N+1) or N, which is controlled by a
swallow counter.
This low-frequency signal is then further divided by the main counter to

the desired channel-spacing frequency which is then fed to the phase

term and (L- I)
detector to form the closed feedback loop in frequency synthesizers.
DVB Digital Video Broadcast is a name for digital TV.
DVM Digital voltmeter
DWDM Dense Wave Division Multiplexing: The technology by which the

frequencies of light carried on a single optical fiber are subdivided into
discrete wavelengths, allowing for the greater transmission of data.
DXC Digital cross-connect
Dynamic Range The range, in dB, between the noise floor of a device and its defined
maximum output level.
E1 Wide-area, digital transmission scheme, used predominantly in Europe,

that carries data at a rate of 2.048Mbps. E1 lines can be leased for
private use from common carriers.
E2 A line that carries four multiplexed E1 signals with a data rate of

8.448Mbps.
E3 Wide-area, digital transmission scheme used predominantly in Europe

that carries data at a rate of 34.368Mbps. E3 lines can be leased for
private use from common carriers.
EAM Electro-Absorption Modulators: Chip-level modulation devices often

integrated into hybrid transponder devices, alongside lasers.
ECB Electrically controlled birefringence
ECL Emitter-coupled logic
ECM Electret capacitor microphone
EconoReset The simplest form of microprocessor supervisory circuit, it monitors the

power supply for the microprocessor and provides only a power-on reset
function.
EconOscillator Low-cost, surface-mount, CMOS oscillator family from Maxim.

EconOscillators replace crystal-based oscillators. They need no external
crystals or timing components.
See: EconOscillator product index for additional descriptions, features,

etc.
EconOscillator is a trademark of Maxim Integrated
EDFA Erbium-doped fiber-optical amplifier
EDGE Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution: An enhanced modulation

term and (L- I)
technique designed to increase network capacity and data rates in GSM
networks. EDGE should provide data rates up to 384Kbps.
EEPROM Electrically erasable programmable read-only memory
EFT Electrical fast transient
EIA Electronic Industries Alliance: Among other things, the EIA sponsors
electrical and electronic standards.
EIA-JEDEC Electronic Industries Association/Joint Electron Device Engineering

Council
Embedded A system in which the computer (generally a microcontroller or

System microprocessor) is included as an integral part of the system.
Often, the computer is relatively invisible to the user, without obvious

applications, files, or operating systems. Examples of products with
invisible embedded systems are the controller that runs a microwave
oven or the engine control system of a modern automobile.
EMC Electromagnetic Compatibility: The ability of electronic equipment to be

a "good electromagnetic neighbor": It neither causes, nor is susceptible
to, electromagnetic interference (within the limits of applicable
standards).
EMI Electromagnetic Interference: Unwanted noise from electromagnetic

radiation.
See: EMI Reduction Solutions page.
End Point Behavior of the device at the limit of temperature or voltage.
ENDEC Encoder/Decoder
Energy Energy harvesting (also known as power harvesting or energy

Harvesting scavenging) is the process in which energy is captured from a system's
environment and converted into usable electric power. Energy harvesting
allows electronics to operate where there's no conventional power
source, eliminating the need to run wires or make frequent visits to
replace batteries.
An energy harvesting system generally includes circuitry to charge an

energy storage cell, and manage the power, providing regulation and
protection.
Energy source examples include light (captured by photovoltaic cells),

vibration or pressure (captured by a piezoelectric element), temperature
differentials (captured by a thermo-electric generator) radio energy
(captured by an antenna); and even biochemically produced energy (such

term and (L- I)
as cells that extract energy from blood sugar).
More: Application note 5259, "Energy Harvesting Systems Power the

Powerless"
ENOB Effective Number of Bits: An indication of the quality of an analog-to-

digital converter (ADC). The measurement is related to the test
frequency and the signal-to-noise ratio.
EPON Ethernet (-based) passive optical network
EPROM Erasable programmable read-only memory
ERC Extinction ratio control
ESBGA Enhanced Super Ball-Grid Array (trademark of Amkor/Anam)
ESD Electrostatic Discharge: Release of stored static electricity. Most

commonly: The potentially damaging discharge of many thousands of
volts that occurs when an electronic device is touched by a charged
body.
See the following application notes that describe how ESD is generated,
how it damages electronic systems, human body and machine models for
testing, IEC compliance levels, and design approaches.
 App note: Maxim Leads the Way in ESD Protection

 App note: ESD Protection for I/O Ports
 App note: Switch Bounce and Other Dirty Little Secrets
ESD Protection Devices added to input and output pins on an IC to protect the internal
circuitry from the damaging effect of electrostatic discharge.
See: ESD Overview.
ESF Extended Superframe: A DS1 framing format in which 24 DS0 times

lots, plus a coded framing bit are organized into a frame which is
repeated 24 times to form a superframe.
ESL Effective/Equivalent Series Inductance is the parasitic inductance in a

capacitor or resistor.
ESP Extended stack pointer
ESR Effective Series Resistance (or Equivalent Series Resistance or ESR) is

the resistive component of a capacitor's equivalent circuit.
A capacitor can be modeled as an ideal capacitor in series with a resistor

and an inductor. The resistor's value is the ESR.

term and (L- I)
Ethernet A family of network protocols based on asynchronous frames. The
Ethernet framing structure provides a flexible payload container with
basic addressing and error detection mechanisms.
EV 1. Electric Vehicle.
2. Evaluation, as in "EV Kit."
Evaluation Kit Evaluation Kit (EV Kit, Development Kit): A printed circuit board with
an integrated circuit and support components to produce a working
circuit for evaluation and development. Most Evaluation Kits are fully
assembled and tested.
EVKIT: Part number suffix used for Maxim Evaluation Kits.
Dallas Semiconductor, now owned by Maxim, used the term

"development kit."
See the list of Maxim Evaluation Kits and EVKit software.
EVM Error Vector Magnitude: A measure of the difference between the (ideal)
waveform and the measured waveform. The difference is called the error
vector, usually referred to with regard to M-ary I/Q modulation schemes
like QPSK, and shown on an I/Q "constellation" plot of the demodulated
symbols. Also see: "Phase Noise and TD-SCDMA UE Receiver,"
www.maximintegrated.com/an1824
EVSE EVSE is an abbreviation for Electric Vehicle Service Equipment,

referring to a charging station.
See: Application Note 5348: G3-PLC Technology Finally Makes

Charging an Electric Vehicle Smart
EVSYS Evaluation System: Evaluation kits that also include an interface board
for connecting to a personal computer and Windows-based EVKit
software.
EVSYS: Suffix used for Maxim Evaluation System part numbers.
Exposed Pad Offered in some packages to improve thermal dissipation or lower the
impedance of the ground connection. Normally not electrically isolated,
it typically needs to be connected to a ground or power plane, depending
on the device.
F 1. Farad(s): Unit of capacitance.
2. f in lower case is the standard abbreviation for femto, a metric prefix

for 10 to the -15.
3. Fahrenheit temperature scale.

term and (L- I)
fA Femtoampere(s): 10 to the -15 Ampere; a millionth a nanoampere.
Fail-Safe A technique used in RS-485 interface transceivers which forces the

output to a predefined state in the event of a line short or open circuit.
Fan Controller - An integrated circuit that varies the speed and airflow of a cooling fan
Linear using a variable voltage in response to temperature or system commands.
Fan Controller - An integrated circuit that varies the speed and airflow of a cooling fan
PWM using a pulse-width-modulated (PWM) voltage in response to
temperature or system commands.
Fault Blanking A function that ignores a fault for a predetermined period. This is done
to eliminate nuisance fault indication.
Fault Tolerant Will tolerate excessive voltage during a fault condition.
FB Feedback
FCD Fan count divisor
FCR Fan conversion rate
FDD Frequency-division duplex
FDDI Fiber Distributed Data Interface: A standard for transmitting data on

optical fiber cables at a rate of around 100,000,000 bits-per-second (10
times as fast as 10 Base-T Ethernet; about twice as fast as T-3).
FDL Facility data link: Embedded communications channel in ESF DS1

framing. Used to convey both bit-oriented and message-oriented signals.
FDM A method for carrying multiple channels of information on one channel

by dividing the available bandwidth among the channels.
FE Functional equivalent (in component cross-reference data); also field

engineer; also framing error
FEC Forward Error Correction: A technique for detecting and correcting

errors from imperfect transmission by adding a small number of extra
bits. FEC allows optical transmission over longer distances by correcting
errors that can happen as the signal-to-noise ratio decreases with
distance.
Femto Base A femto base station (also called an Access Point Base Station,
Station femtocell, femtobasestation or femtobasestation) is an in-home base
station. Like a standard base station, it connects cell phone voice and
data to the cell phone network, but it serves a smaller area (the home).
A femto base station benefits the service provider because it offloads cell
tower traffic. Subscribers benefit from superior signal strength, due to

term and (L- I)
the proximity of the unit -- especially where a cellular signal is weak or
not available.
Femto base stations augment the normal network and replicates the usual
telecommunications infrastructure. Connection to the cell phone network
is provided by VoIP over the Internet.
More on femto base stations and information on Maxim's femto base

station chipsets.
FET Field-Effect Transistor: A transistor in which the voltage on one terminal

(the gate) creates a field that allows or disallows conduction between the
other two terminals (the source and drain).
There are three varieties: The JFET (Junction Field-Effect Transistor);

the MOSFET (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor); and
the MESFET (Metal-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor).
The FET is one of two major kinds of transistor, the other being the
Bipolar Junction Transistor.
FFT A Fourier transform (FT) converts a signal from the time domain (signal
strength as a function of time) to the frequency domain (signal strength
as a function of frequency). It shows the signal's spectral content,
divided into discrete bins (frequency bands).
The Fast Fourier Transform is a common algorithm for Fourier

transforms. It is more efficient (faster) than the DFT, Discrete Fourier
Transform.
FG Fan gain
FHSS Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum: A transmission technology in

which the data signal is modulated by a narrowband carrier signal which
changes frequency ("hops") over a wide band of frequencies. The
hopping seems random but is prescribed by an algorithm known to the
receiving system.
Fibre Channel A highly-reliable, gigabit interconnect technology that allows concurrent

communications among workstations, mainframes, servers, data storage
systems, and other peripherals using SCSI and IP protocols. It provides
interconnect systems for multiple topologies that can scale to a total
system bandwidth on the order of a terabit per second. (The standardized
spelling is "fibre channel" but often misspelled as "fiber channel.")
FIFO First-In First Out: A type of memory that stores data serially, where the
first bit read is the first bit that was stored.
FireWire Apple Computer trademarked name for the IEEE 1394 serial interface
standard: A high-speed interface between computers and peripherals

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such as external disk drives, cameras, and camcorders. Also referred to
by Sony trademarked name, "I-Link."
FIT Failures in time: See FIT calculator:

/tools/calculators/index.cfm/path/qa/calc_id/qafits
Flash ADCs An analog-to-digital converter that uses a series of comparators with

different threshold voltages to convert an analog signal to a digital
output.
FlexSound FlexSound describes a set of digital audio signal processing blocks used
in Maxim's products to provide or enhance audio functions such as
compression, limiting, or equalization.
FlexSound® processor is a fully programmable digital audio signal

processing system that includes a programmable DSP core, hard-wired
digital macros, and an associated memory architecture.
FlexSound is a registered trademark of Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
Floating 1. A signal line is said to be "floating" if it is not connected to any

voltage supply, ground, or ground-referenced signal source.
Examples:
o An open-drain, high-impedance (hi-z) output when in the

off (hi-z) mode
o In microcomputer systems, a data or address bus may, at
times, be undriven (floating). This is permissible because
control signals indicate when data is valid, so users of the
bus know when the signal can be ignored.
2. One form of non-volatile memory device is achieved via floating
gates. The gate of a MOSFET has no connection, allowing
charge to remain indefinitely. The gate charge is changed using
Fowler-Nordheim tunneling or hot-carrier injection. EPROM,
EEPROM, and flash memory are examples.
FM Frequency Modulation: A modulation method in which the carrier

frequency changes with the input signal amplitude.
FOC Fields oriented control
Foldback Current A circuit which reduces the current limit once the device enters current-
Limit limited operation. Commonly seen on RS-422/RS-485 drivers and some
power circuits.
Force-Sense Measurement technique in which a voltage (or current) is forced at a

remote point in a circuit; then the resulting current (or voltage) is
measured (sensed).

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Forward A power-supply switching circuit that transfers energy to the transformer
Converter secondary when the switching transistor is on.
FOX Fast-on oscillator
FPBW Full-power bandwidth
FPGA Field Programmable Gate Array: A family of general-purpose logic

devices that can be configured by the end user to perform many,
different, complex logic functions. It is often used for prototyping logic
hardware.
Frame Relay A high-speed, packet-switched data communications service similar to

X.25. Frame relay is a leading contender for LAN-to-LAN interconnect
services, and is well suited to the burst-intensive demands of LAN
environments.
Framer A device used to align/synchronize to an embedded framing pattern in a

serial bit stream. Once synchronized and data fields are properly aligned,
overhead bits for alarms, performance monitoring, embedded signaling,
etc. may be extracted and processed.
Frequency Bin The frequency range and resolution on the frequency axis of a spectrum
graph depends on the sampling rate and the size of the data record (the
number of acquisition points). The number of frequency points or lines
or bands in the power spectrum is NRECORD/2, where NRECORD is the
number of signal points captured in the time domain.
The first frequency line in the power spectrum always represents DC

(frequency=0). The last frequency line can be found at fSAMPLE/2 -
fSAMPLE/NRECORD. Frequency lines are spaced at even intervals of
fSAMPLE/NRECORD. They are commonly referred to as frequency bins or
FFT bins. Bins can also be computed with reference to a data converter's
sampling period:
Bin = fSAMPLE/NRECORD = 1/(NRECORD × ΔtSAMPLE)

Example: We apply a sampling frequency of 82MHz and take 8192
records. The frequency bin is 10kHz.
Frequency In radio systems, Frequency Diversity spreads a signal across multiple

Diversity channels by transmitting multiple versions of the signal on different
frequencies.
Frequency A frequency synthesizer is an electronic circuit that uses an oscillator to

Synthesizer generate a preprogrammed set of stable frequencies with minimal phase
noise. Primary applications include wireless/RF devices such as radios,
set top boxes, and GPS.
FS Full scale; frame sync

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FSC Fan-speed control
FSK Frequency Shift Keying: A method of transmitting digital data by

shifting the frequency of a carrier signal to represent binary 1s and 0s.
FSO Full-span output
FSOTC Full-span output temperature coefficient
FSR Full-scale range
FTC Fan tachometer count
FTCL Fan tachometer count limit
FTTB Fiber-to-the-business
FTTH Fiber-to-the-home: A method for broadband data (voice, Internet,

multimedia, etc.) delivery to the home via optical fiber.
Contrast with FTTN (fiber-to-the-node) which uses fiber up to a node

outside the home and uses copper to bring the data into the home.
FTTN FTTN is "Fiber-to-the-node."
There are two technologies for delivering broadband: Fiber-to-the-node

(FTTN) uses fiber to bring data to a node and uses copper to bring the
data into the home. Fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) brings fiber all the way
into the home.
Full Duplex A channel providing simultaneous transmission in both directions.
G Gram(s)
GaAs Gallium arsenide: A semiconductor material used for optoelectronic

products such as LEDs, and for high-speed electronic devices.
GaAs MESFET A Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) Metal-Semiconductor Field-Effect-

Transistor (MESFET) is a transistor built with gallium arsenide
semiconductor material. The conducting channel is built using a metal-
semiconductor (Schottky) junction.
GaAsFET Gallium arsenide field-effect transistor
GaAsP Gallium Arsenide Phosphide (or, Gallium Arsenic Phosphide): A

semiconductor material used for optoelectronics, including LEDs and
photodiodes.
Gain The amount of amplification accomplished by an amplifier circuit. For

instance, a gain of 2 would mean the output is scaled to twice the
amplitude of the input.

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Gain Error The gain error of a data converter indicates how well the slope of an
actual transfer function matches the slope of the ideal transfer function.
Gain error is usually expressed in LSB or as a percent of full-scale range.

Gain error can be calibrated out with hardware or in software. Gain error
is the full-scale error minus the offset error.
See: Application Note 641: ADC and DAC Glossary
Galvanic Galvanic isolation is a design technique that separates electrical circuits

Isolation to eliminate stray currents. Signals can pass between galvanically
isolated circuits, but stray currents, such as differences in ground
potential or currents induced by AC power, are blocked.
See: Maxim's isolated RS-485/RS-422 transceivers.
Gamma The application of a function that transforms brightness or luminance

Correction values. Gamma functions are usually nonlinear but monotonic and
designed to affect the highlights (whitest values), midtones (grayscale),
and shadows (dark areas) separately.
Most commonly applied to make a light-emitting device, such as a

display, match the human eye's brightness curve. In other terms: A
gamma correction function can be used to alter the luminance (light
intensity) of a display such that its brightness (the human-perceived
values) looks correct.
Gate 1. The controlling terminal of a FET. A voltage on the gate controls the
current flow between the source and drain.
2. A basic logic element (e.g. AND, OR, NOT, NAND, NOR, XOR,
etc.).
GbE Gigabit Ethernet
GBIC Gigabit Interface Converter: A removable transceiver module permitting

Fibre-Channel and Gigabit-Ethernet physical-layer transport.
GBW Gain bandwidth
Generator An electromechanical device that converts mechanical power into

electrical power.
GFSK Gaussian frequency-shift keying: A type of FSK modulation which uses

a Gaussian filter to shape the pulses before they are modulated. This
reduces the spectral bandwidth and out-of-band spectrum, to meet
adjacent-channel power rejection requirements.
Bluetooth uses GFSK.

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GHz Gigahertz
Gigabit 1 billion bits-per-second.
Glitch General term used to describe an undesirable, momentary pulse or

unexpected input or output.
Glitch Immunity A term used in microprocessor supervisory circuit datasheets to describe

the maximum magnitude and duration of a negative-going VCC supply-
voltage pulse without causing the reset output to assert.
GLONASS The Russian Global Navigation Satellite System
GMSK Gaussian minimum shift keying (GMSK) is a form of frequency shift

keying (FSK) used in GSM systems. The tone frequencies are separated
by exactly half the bit rate. It has high spectral efficiency.
GMSL Gigabit Multimedia Serial Link. This is a Maxim-specific category name

for a range of products that serialize, deserialize, and buffer high-speed
digital data streams for communications over short distances.
GPIB General Purpose Interface Bus: A standard bus for controlling electronic
instruments with a computer. Also called IEEE-488 bus because it is
defined by ANSI/IEEE Standards 488-1978, and 488.2-1987. Also
called HP-IB, a trademarked term of Hewlett-Packard, which invented
the protocol.
GPIO General Purpose I/O: A flexible parallel interface that allows a variety of
custom connections.
GPON Gigabit passive optical network
GPRS General Packet Radio Service: A radio technology for GSM networks
that adds packet-switching protocols and shorter set-up time for ISP
connections; it offers the possibility to charge by amount of data sent
rather than connect time.
GPS Global Positioning System: A satellite- based navigation system in

which two or more signals, received from satellites, are used to
determine the receiver's position on the globe.
GSM Global System for Mobile Communications: A land, mobile, pan-

European, digital, cellular radio-communications system.
GSM900 GSM network operating in the 900MHz band, as used by BT Cellnet and
Vodafone in the UK, and by more than one hundred countries around the
world.
GUI Graphical user interface
H Henry(ries): The unit of inductance.

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H-Bridge A circuit diagram which resembles the letter "H." The load is the
horizontal line, connected between two pairs of intersecting lines. It is
very common in DC motor-drive applications where switches are used in
the "vertical" branches of the "H" to control the direction of current flow,
and thus the rotational direction of the motor.
Half-Duplex Data transmission over a circuit capable of transmitting in either

direction, but not simultaneously.
Half-Flash An ADC architecture which uses a bank of comparators first to digitize

the upper half bits, then uses a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to
subtract that voltage from the input, and then digitizes what remains of
the input signal to get the lower half bits. Also see application note 748,
"The ABCs of ADCs."
Handover Switching an on-going call to a different channel or cell in a wireless

cellular network. Also known as "handoff."
Harmonic The presence of frequencies in the output of a device that are not present
Distortion in the input signal, and are multiples of components of the input signal.
Clipping is a common cause but other nonlinearities can also introduce
harmonics.
HART Highway Addressable Remote Transducer (HART) communication is a

commonly used mode of transmission for digital signals that are
superimposed on the analog signal of a 4–20mA current loop.
The HART protocol is based on the phase continuous frequency shift

keying (FSK) technique. Bit 0 is modulated to a 2200Hz sinusoidal
signal, and bit 1 is modulated to a 1200Hz sinusoidal signal with a baud
rate of 1200bps. These two frequencies can easily be superimposed on
the analog current-loop signal, which is in the range of DC to 10Hz,
without affecting either signal. This unique nature of the HART protocol
enables simultaneous analog and digital communication on the same
wire.
HAST Highly accelerated stress test; highly accelerated steam and temperature
HB LED High-Brightness LEDs are any of a new generation of LEDs bright

enough for illumination applications such as automotive interior,
exterior, and display; room and architectural illumination; task and
general lighting; projection display; display backlights; and signage.
See: High-Brightness LED Drivers and Solutions
HBT Heterojunction bipolar transistor
HD Harmonic distortion
HDLC High Level Data Link Control: An ITU-TSS link layer protocol standard

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for point-to-point and multi-point communications.
HDSL High bit-rate Digital Subscriber Line: The oldest of the DSL
technologies, it continues to be used by telephone companies deploying
T1 lines at 1.5Mbps and requires two twisted pairs.
HDTV High-definition television: an all-digital system for transmitting a TV

signal with far greater resolution than the analog standards (PAL, NTSC,
and SECAM). A high-definition television set can display several
resolutions, (up to two million pixels versus a common television set's
360,000). HDTV offers other advantages such as greatly improved color
encoding and the loss-free reproduction inherent in digital technologies.
Heat Sink Mechanical device that is thermally-connected to a heat-producing

electronic component, designed to conduct heat away from the device.
Most heat sinks are aluminum and employ fins to increase surface area
and encourage the transfer of heat to the ambient environment.
HEMT High-electron-mobility transistor
HF High frequency
HGLL High gain, low linearity
Hi-Z Hi-Z (or High-Z or high impedance) refers to an output signal state in
which the signal is not being driven. The signal is left open, so that
another output pin (e.g. elsewhere on a bus) can drive the signal or the
signal level can be determined by a passive device (typically, a pull-up
resistor).
High-Side An element connected between the supply and the load. High-side
current sensing applications measure current by looking at the voltage
drop across a resistor placed between the supply and the load.
Home RF Trademarked name for Home Radio Frequency, a networking

technology which uses antennae and transmitters to provide wireless
home networking via transmitted radio signals.
HomePlug HomePlug (Powerline) is an industry-standard method for transmitting

data via the power lines. It can transmit audio, video, control signals, etc.
HomePlug is a trademark of the HomePlugPowerline Alliance;
Powerline is the generic term for the method.
See our Powerline product page.
PLC is an acronym for Powerline Communications.
Hot-Swap A power supply line controller which allows circuit boards or other
devices to be removed and replaced while the system remains powered
up. Hotswap devices typically protect against overvoltage, undervoltage,
and inrush current that can cause faults, errors, and hardware damage.

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HR High reliability
HSDPA High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) is a 3G radio interface

standard in the HSPA family for wireless and cellular handsets or
datacards that increase the datarate and improve the traffic handling of
existing UMTS standards.
HSPA High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) is a collection of radio interface

standards for wireless and cellular handsets or datacards that increase the
datarate and improve the traffic handling of existing UMTS standards.
HSSI High-Speed Serial Interface: A short-distance communications standard

for data rates from 2Mbps to 52Mbps.
HSUPA High-Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA) is a 3G radio interface

standard in the HSPA family for wireless and cellular handsets or
datacards that increase the datarate and improve the traffic handling of
existing UMTS standards.
HTML Hyper Text Markup Language: Coding language used to create web
pages.
HTS High-temperature semiconductor
HTTP Hyper Text Transport/transfer Protocol
Human Body An ESD test method where the ESD generator consists of a 100pF
Model capacitor and a 1.5kohm series resistor.
See the following application notes that describe how ESD is generated,
how it damages electronic systems, human body and machine models for
testing, IEC compliance levels, and design approaches.
 App note: Maxim Leads the Way in ESD Protection

 App note: ESD Protection for I/O Ports
HVAC Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning: Industry term for the
systems and technology responsible for the heating, ventilation, and air
conditioning in buildings. HVAC systems regulate comfort (temperature
and humidity), energy efficiency, and air quality.
See: Maxim Solutions for HVAC designers.
Hz Hertz: A measure of frequency. An older term is cycles per second, or

cps.
I²C I²C (pronounced "I-squared-C" and typeset as I²C but often typed as I2C)
is short for "inter-IC bus." I²C is a two-wire, low-speed, serial data
connection IC bus used to run signals between integrated circuits,
generally on the same board.
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SMBus™ is electrically similar—see Comparing the I²C Bus to the
SMBus.
For more information, do a site search for I²C to find other I²C articles
and products.
I²S Inter-IC Sound (I²S) is an electrical bus interface standard used for
connecting digital audio devices. The I²S bus separates clock and data
signals, resulting in a very low-jitter connection. The bus consists of
three lines: a clock line, a word-select line, and a multiplexed-data line.
I/O Input/output
I/Q 1. I/Q modulation is a method for combining two channels of

information into one signal so that they can be separated at a later stage.
Two quadrature carriers, 90 degrees out of phase, are modulated, then
combined.
Abbreviated from "in-phase/quadrature-phase" which refers to the two

carrier signals' phase relationship.
2. IQ (Q should be subscripted but sometimes printed as "IQ" without

subscripting): Quiescent current: The current consumed when a circuit is
in a quiet state, driving no load and if appropriate, with its inputs not
cycling.
3. Intelligence quotient, a measure in which electrical engineers

invariably excel.
IBO Input Back-Off: In a power amplifier, a measure of how far you must
reduce the input power in order to receive the desired output linearity
and power. Stated differently, the ratio between the input power that
delivers maximum power to the input power that delivers the desired
linearity.
IC 1. Integrated circuit: A semiconductor device that combines multiple

transistors and other components and interconnects on a single piece of
semiconductor material.
2. Internally Connected
ICA Integrated circuit accumulator
ICR Internal calibration register
Ideality Factor A constant adjustment factor used to correct for discrepancies between
an ideal PN junction equation and a measured device.
Idle Mode™ A method for improving the efficiency of switching regulators by

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skipping pulses when the circuit is lightly loaded.
This variation in PWM (pulse-width modulation) combines the

efficiency at low loads afforded by PFM (Pulse-Frequency Modulation)
with PWM's efficiency and low-noise characteristics at higher loads. At
light loads the circuit skips pulses as necessary (acting like a PFM
circuit). At higher loads it acts like PWM. The net result is the maximum
efficiency over the widest possible load range.
Learn more: "DC-DC Converter Tutorial" (see the paragraphs around

Figure 14).
IEC 1. IEC stands for the International Electrotechnical Commission: An

"organization that prepares and publishes international standards for all
electrical, electronic and related technologies."
2. Commonly used to refer to one of the 13 power connectors described

by specification IEC 60320. Most commonly refers to the C13 and C14
connectors used by most computers and many AC-powered electronic
devices to connect the AC power.
3. Integrated electronic component.
IEEE From www.ieee.org: "The IEEE (Eye-triple-E) is a non-profit, technical

professional association of more than 360,000 individual members in
approximately 175 countries. The full name is the Institute of Electrical
and Electronics Engineers, Inc., although the organization is most
popularly known and referred to by the letters I-E-E-E." IEEE also
sponsors many electrical and electronic standards.
IERC International Electronic Research Corp
IF Intermediate Frequency: Radio communications systems modulate a

carrier frequency with a baseband signal in order to achieve radio
transmission. In many cases, the carrier is not modulated directly.
Instead, a lower IF signal is modulated and processed. At a later circuit
stage, the IF signal is converted up to the transmission frequency band.
IFM ISDN file manager
IFT Intermediate-frequency transform
IIP3 Third Order Input Intercept Point: The point at which the power in the
third-order product and the fundamental tone intersect, when the
amplifier is assumed to be linear. IIP3 is a very useful parameter to
predict low-level intermodulation effects.
IMA Inverse Multiplexing over ATM, an MGX card module that supports T3
or E3 inverse multiplexing on up to eight T1 or E1 lines.

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Image Frequency Receivers typically convert RF signals to a lower Intermediate
Frequency (IF) for demodulation. In addition to the IF, a second signal,
called the "image frequency" is often generated and filtered out.
Image Rejection The measure of a receiver's ability to reject signals at its image
frequency. It is normally expressed as the ratio, in dB, of the receiver's
sensitivity at the desired frequency versus the sensitivity at the image
frequency.
IMD Intermodulation Distortion (IMD): When two signals mix in non-linear

circuits or devices, new frequency components are created that are not in
the original signal. The resulting signal error is called intermodulation
distortion, or IMD.
Impedance Impedance, represented by the symbol Z, is a measure of the opposition

to electrical flow. It is measured in ohms.
For DC systems, impedance and resistance are the same, defined as the
voltage across an element divided by the current (R = V/I).
In AC systems, the "reactance" enters the equation due to the frequency-

dependent contributions of capacitance and inductance. Impedance in an
AC system is still measured in ohms and represented by the equation Z =
V/I, but V and I are frequency-dependent.
IMVP Intel Mobile Voltage Positioning: A technology in which the processor

voltage (VCC) is dynamically adjusted, based on the processor activity,
to reduce processor power. It allows higher processor clock speed at a
given power consumption; or lower consumption at a given clock
frequency.
Inductive The very rapid change in voltage across an inductor when current flow is
Kickback interrupted. Snubber diodes are often used to channel this energy in
relays, and other inductive loads. Kickback can be a problem (causing
EMI and component failure); or it can be used in power supply circuits
to develop higher or opposite-polarity voltages from a single supply.
InfiniBand InfiniBand architecture is an industry standard, channel-based, switched-

fabric, interconnect architecture for servers. InfiniBand architecture
changes the way servers are built, deployed, and managed.
InGaAs Indium gallium arsenide
Ingress Protection An Ingress Protection (IP) rating indicates how well an enclosure is
protected from penetration by contaminants such as dust or fluids (such
as water). IP ratings are defined in the IEC standard 60529.
See also:
 iButton Certifications.

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 Understanding the IP (Ingress Protection) Ratings of iButton
Data Loggers and Capsule
INL Integral nonlinearity
Input CMVR (V) Common-mode voltage range (CMVR) or Input Voltage Range (IVR):
For signal processing devices with differential inputs, such as an op amp,
CMVR is the range of common mode signal for which the amplifier's
operation remains linear.
If we let the voltage present on the "-" input equal V1, and the voltage on
the "+" input equal V2, then the common mode voltage is VCM =
(V1+V2)/2.
Some op amps, for instance, will only allow the common mode voltage
of a signal to come within a diode drop or so of the power supply rails.
Many of Maxim's op amps will allow the common mode input voltage to
go all the way to one or both supply rails. Some even allow inputs
beyond the supply rails (Beyond-The-Rails™).
Inrush Current A momentary input current surge, measured during the initial turn-on of
the power supply. This current reduces to a lower steady-state current
once the input capacitors charge. Hotswap controllers or other forms of
protection are often used to limit inrush current, because uncontrolled
inrush can damage components, lower the available supply voltage to
other circuits, and cause system errors.
Int. Ref. Internal Reference. An on-chip voltage reference.
Integral A measure of a data converter's ability to adhere to an ideal slope in its

Nonlinearity transfer function. It can be specified using end-point or best-straight-line
fit. Each of these approaches can yield very different numbers for the
same data converter.
Integrated Heat An Integrated Heat Spreader (IHS) is the surface used to make contact
Spreader between a heatsink or other thermal solution and a CPU or GPU
processor.
Intellectual Intellectual Property: Creations of the intellect such as trade knowledge,

Property technical information, and literary or artistic work, including patents,
copyrights, and trademarks.
Interleave To organize the data sectors on a computer hard disk, so the read/write
heads can access information faster.
Intermodulation A process whereby signals mix together in a circuit and nonlinearities in

the circuit create undesired output frequencies that are not present at the
input.

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Internet Protocol Standard method for data transfer used on the Internet. Also known as IP
or TCP/IP.
Inverting A switch-mode voltage regulator in which output voltage is negative

Switching with respect to its input voltage.
Regulator
systems."
IO-Link IO-Link is a 24-volt, three-wire, half-duplex, point-to-point sensor and

actuator communication interface. Remote configuration, diagnostics,
event triggering and process data readout are made possible from a PLC
via a three layer protocol stack. IO-Link can be used for simple binary
sensors and smart sensors.
IP3 Third-order intercept point
IR Infrared: Light that has a frequency below the visible light spectrum,
used for remote controls, line-of-sight wireless data, and night vision
applications, among others.
IrDA Infrared Data Association: A group of device manufacturers that

developed a standard for transmitting data via infrared light waves.
IRE Institute of Radio Engineers; IREs are units of measurement dividing the
area from the bottom of sync to peak white level into 140 equal units.
140 IRE = 1VP-P
IRO Input-referred offset
IRS Interface register set
IRSA Interface register set address
IRSD Interface register set data
IS IN SEL (control bit)
ISA Industry-standard architecture
ISI Inter-Symbol Interference: A form of interference that occurs when

echoes of a radio-signal interfere with the original signal. ISI can reduce
the effective data rate of wireless LAN transceivers.
ISM Industrial, Scientific and Medical: Radio frequency bands made

available for use by communication equipment without license, within
certain maximum emitted power limits. Equipment which uses the ISM
band must tolerate interference from other such equipment. Common
uses include WiFi (802.11a, b, and g) and cordless phones.
ISO International Standards Organization

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ISP Internet Service Provider: Company that offers connection to the
Internet.
ITU International Telecommunication Union: An international organization

under the UN that is concerned with telecommunications.
JALT Jitter attentuator limit trip
JBOD Just a Bunch of Disks: An array of hard disks without a controller.
JEDEC Joint Electron Device Engineering Council
JFET A JFET, or junction field-effect transistor, or JUGFET, is a FET in

which the gate is created by reverse-biased junction (as opposed to the
MOSFET which creates a junction via a field generated by conductive
gate, separated from the gate region by a thin insulator).
For example: A p-channel JFET would consist of a bar of p-type silicon

with the "drain" at one end and the "source" at the other. Between these
two terminals is some n-type material connected to a "gate". A positive
voltage applied to the gate creates a "depletion field" which restricts
current flow between the source and drain.
JITT Just-in-time tester
Jitter The slight movement of a transmission signal in time or phase that can
introduce errors and loss of synchronization. More jitter will be
encountered with longer cables, cables with higher attenuation, and
signals at higher data rates. Also, called phase jitter, timing distortion, or
intersymbol interference.

Ethernet Methods
Joule Joule (abbreviated J): A measurement of energy or work. In mechanical

systems, it's the a force of one newton, moving an object a distance of
one meter.
In electronics, it's the same amount of energy, in electrical units. One

joule is one watt of power, applied for one second (a watt-second); or a
coulomb of electrical charge raised to a potential of one volt.
JPEG Joint Photography Experts Group; more commonly, files that are
compressed using the JPEG standard.

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Junction Diode The use of a PN junction on a silicon die for determining die
Sensor temperature.
JVM Java virtual machine.
k 1. Kilo: Metric unit representing 1000. E.g.: 1kHz is a 1 kilohertz (1000

Hertz). Note that the k is always lowercase.
In digital systems, "K" or "k" is often used to mean 210, that is, 1024.
This is not well-standardized but it's usually apparent from context. On
the Maxim site, we use upper-case K to mean 1024 and lower-case k to
mean 1000. This standard is applied to new documents but older
documents may use "k".
2. Kelvin: Temperature scale. Zero K is defined as absolute zero.

273.15K is 0 degrees C.
Note that temperatures on the kelvin scale are called kelvins, not
"degrees kelvin." The K symbol is uppercase and used without a degree
symbol. The word "kelvin" in this context is not capitalized.
Kanal+ Kanal+ support allows a VCR to record audio and video signals captured
by both the set top box (STB) and the television, without changing
SCART connections on the back of the TV, STB, and VCR.
See: Application note 4522, "Low-Cost, Dual SCART Solution for Set-
Top Boxes Also Has Optional Kanal+ Support."
kb Kilobit(s)
Keep-Out Zone The area on or near a CPU or GPU processor that the circuit board
layout design can not use, due to thermal management components,
cooling, and mounting constraints.
kg Kilogram(s)
kHz Kilohertz
km Kilometer(s)
kVM Keyboard Video Mouse: Defacto standard for the three cables used on a
typical cpr: One for the keyboard; one for the monitor (video); one for
the mouse. Also: A KVM switch is a switch box used to connect one
KVM to multiple computers.
kW Kilowatt (or kilowatts): 1000 watts.
kWh Kilowatt hour(s)
L-Band The group of radio frequencies extending from 390MHz to 1550MHz.

The GPS carrier frequencies (1227.6MHz and 1575.42MHz) are in the

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L-band.
LAN Local Area Network: A computer network, usually within one building,
that connects computers, file and mail servers, storage, peripherals, and
other devices in a way that permits data interchange and sharing of
resources. Ethernet and WiFi (802.11) are common examples.
Laser Driver An IC that supplies modulated current to a laser diode in response to an

input serial-data stream.
LCC 1. Leadless Ceramic Chip Carrier or Leadless Chip Carrier: An IC

package, usually ceramic, that has no leads (pins). It instead uses metal
pads at its outer edge to make contact with the printed circuit board.
Example: Maxim 20-pin LCC diagram (PDF)
2. Leaded Chip Carrier, also called PLCC or Plastic Leaded Chip

Carrier: A square surface mount chip package in plastic with leads (pins)
on all four sides. Example: Maxim 20-pin PLCC diagram (PDF)
LCD Liquid-crystal display
LDO Low Drop Out: A linear voltage regulator that will operate even when
the input voltage barely exceeds the desired output voltage.
Leakage Leakage inductance in a transformer is an inductive component that

Inductance results from the imperfect magnetic linking of one winding to another.
In an ideal transformer, 100% of the energy is magnetically coupled

from the primary to the secondary windings. Imperfect coupling reduces
the signal induced in the secondary windings. The electrical equivalent is
some self-inductance in series with the primary windings that are
properly coupled. This series inductance is the "leakage inductance."
LED Light-Emitting Diode: A semiconductor device that emits light (usually

visible or infrared) when forward-biased.
The application note, "Driving LEDs in Battery-Operated Applications:

Controlling Brightness Power Efficiently" has a good explanation of
how LEDs work, especially with regard to current vs. LED brightness
and schemes for matching brightness when driving multiple LEDs.
Level Translator A device which translates a logic signal from one type to another, for
example, ECL to TTL.
LFSR Linear Feedback Shift Register: A shift register in which some of its
outputs are connected to the input through some logic gates (typically, an
exclusive-or (XOR). A wide variety of bit patterns can be generated
inexpensively, including pseudo-random sequences. Can be used as a
noise generator.

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Some application notes that include an LFSR:
 DC-to-DC Converter Combats EMI: Figure 2 shows how a

random noise generator randomly shifts the frequency to reduce
EMI.
 Pseudo-Random Number Generation Routine for the MAX765x
Microprocessor
LGHL Low gain, high linearity
LIN Local Interconnect Network (LIN): Defined by the LIN-BUS

consortium, a LIN is a low data-rate, single-wire communications
system, used in automotive and heavy vehicle applications.
Line Regulation The ability of a power-supply voltage regulator to maintain its output
voltage despite variations in its input voltage.
Linear 1. Having the property that the output is proportional to the input. E.g.:
VOUT = k*VIN
where k is a constant.
2. Analog; as in a "linear" circuit (as opposed to digital).
Linear Mode Uses a linear-pass element (BJT or FET) to control/regulate the charging
voltage/current.
Linear Regulator A voltage regulator that is placed between a supply and the load and
provides a constant voltage by varying its effective resistance.

systems."
Lithium batteries Lithium batteries for low-power, high-reliability, long-life applications

such as non-volatile memory and timekeeping (typically in coin-shaped
cells) use a variety of lithium-based chemistries (as differentiated from
lithium-ion).
Maxim NV SRAM and timekeeping products use mostly BR chemistry

(poly-carbonmonofluoride) primary (non-rechargeable) lithium coin
cells. We use CR chemistry (manganese dioxide) primary lithium coin
cells in microcontroller and touch products. Some new products use
"manganese lithium" (ML) chemistry, which is chemically close to the
CR, but is a secondary (rechargeable) lithium coin cell.
Lithium-ion Lithium and lithium-ion: A number of battery chemistries are based on

batteries the element lithium, a highly-reactive metallic element. Lithium-based

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batteries are common in two applications: Power for portable equipment
such as cell phones, laptops, and MP3 players; and low-power, long-life
applications such as powering memory elements and clocks.
Lithium-ion (Li+, Li-Ion, Lion) cells are generally used as power sources
for portable equipment. They are usually rechargeable. Lithium-ion and
nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) have displaced nickel-cadmium (NiCd or
nicad) as the dominant rechargeable chemistry for portable applications.
Maxim makes a wide range of battery management products for all these
families, including chargers, fuel gauges, and smart battery components.
Lithium batteries are typically coin-shaped and are used to power items
such as Maxim's non-volatile static RAM (NV SRAM) and timekeeping
circuits (such as real-time clocks).
Also see:
 ModelGauge Battery Fuel Gauge Technology
LL Local loopback
Lm Lumen(s)
Lm/W Lumen(s) per watt
LMDS Local Multipoint Distribution Service: A broadband radio service,

located in the 28GHz and 31GHz bands, designed to provide two-way
transmission of voice, high-speed data and video (wireless cable TV). In
the U.S., FCC rules prohibit incumbent local exchange carriers and
cable-TV companies from offering in-region LMDS.
LNA Low noise amplifier. Typical use: The first stage of a satellite receiver.
LO Local oscillator
Load Regulation Load regulation refers to circuitry that compensates for changes in load.
Most commonly: Circuits that keep voltage constant as load varies.
Local The temperature measured on the die of the temperature-measuring

Temperature integrated circuit.
Local An element or function of an integrated circuit that measures its own die
Temperature temperature.
Sensor
LOL Loss of lock
Long Haul A network that spans distances larger than a local area network (LAN).
Because electrical and optical transmissions fade over distance, long-
haul networks are difficult and expensive to implement.
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Long Term LTE (Long Term Evolution) is a high-speed mobile communications
Evolution cellular standard developed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project
(3GPP). LTE is an evolution of GSM/UMTS standards.
LOP Loss of power
LOS Loss of signal
Low Batt. Det. Low battery detector
Low Line O/P Low line output
Low-Side An element connected between the load and ground. Low-side current
sensing applications measure current by looking at the voltage drop
across a resistor placed between the load and ground.
LSB Least-significant bit. In a binary number, the LSB is the least weighted
bit in the number. Typically, binary numbers are written with the MSB
in the left-most position; the LSB is the furthest-right bit.
LSI Large-scale integration (LSI). See VLSI.
Luminance 1. The emitted light, projected per unit area, measured in cd/m2 (candela
per square meter). Often incorrectly equated with "brightness".
2. The black and white portion of a video signal, also referred to as the
"Y" component. A composite, Y/C, or Y/Pb/Pr video signal combines a
luminance signal with color components.
LVC Lowest voltage clamp
LVDS Low Voltage Differential Signaling
LVECL Low Voltage Emitter Coupled Logic
LVPECL Low Voltage Positive Emitter Coupled Logic
LVS Layout versus schematic
LVTTL Low Voltage Transistor-Transistor Logic
M2M Machine-to-machine or machine-to-mobile communications, via

wireless technologies such as cell phone network technologies, WLAN,
Bluetooth, and RFID (radio frequency identification). Applications
include automatic meter reading, fleet management, vending, monitoring
and control, security and alarms, and telemedicine.
mA Milliampere, or milliamp: 1/1000 of an Ampere. Ampere is the basic

unit for measuring electrical current.
MAC Address Media Access Control Address (maca, MAC): A hardware address that

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uniquely identifies each node of a network, as in IEEE-802 (Ethernet)
networks. The MAC layer interfaces directly with the network medium.
Manchester Data Manchester encoding is a form of binary phase-shift keying (BPSK) that
Encoding has gained wide acceptance as a modulation scheme for low-cost radio-
frequency (RF) transmission of digital data. Its key characteristic is that
it encodes data in a way that insures there will never be long strings of
continuous zeros or ones. The guaranteed transitions means that the
clock can be derived from the transmitted data, allowing the link to
function with variable signal strengths from transmitters with imprecise,
low-cost, data-rate clocks.
Details: See the application note, Manchester Data Encoding for Radio
Communications.
MAP Manifold absolute pressure
Margining Margining is a test procedure that determines the "safety margin." A

parameter is varied to determine the device's sensitivity or ability to
perform given a range of inputs. A large number of parts can be
characterized to determine a safe range for the specification, to guarantee
performance and yield.
Max. DNL (LSB) Maximum differential nonlinearly expressed in least significant bit(s).
Max. Hold Step When switching between sample mode and hold mode, charge injection
(MV) from stray capacitance causes the maximum voltage of the hold
capacitor to change.
Max. INL as "Max. INL (±%FSR)" is the maximum integral nonlinearity, expressed
percent FSR as a percentage of full-scale range.
MAXTON Maximum time-on
MBB Make-before-break: In a switching device, a configuration in which the

new connection path is established before the previous contacts are
opened. This prevents the switched path from ever seeing an open
circuit.
Applies to mechanical systems (e.g. that use relays or manual switches)

and to solid-state analog multiplexers and switches.
MBC Main booster converter
MC Multicommunicator
MCM 1. Multi-Chip Module (MCM): An integrated circuit package that

contains two or more interconnected chips.
2. MCM is an abbreviation for thousands of circular mils, an old
measurement of wire gauge. 1 MCM = 1 kcmil = 0.5067 square
milimeters. A mil is 1/1000 inch. A wire 200 mils in diameter is

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40 MCM.
MCM is generally used for very large-diameter wire. Most wire

uses AWG.
3. MCM is also used for "million cubic meters."
Mcps 1. Megacycles per second (obsolete): Megahertz
2. Megachips per Second (Mcps): In a Direct-Sequence Spread Spectrum

signal, a "chip" is an encoding element. Mcps is a measure of the speed
at which chips can be generated by a circuit.
See: "An Introduction to Spread-Spectrum Communications."
MDAC Multiplying digital-to-analog converter
Media A parallel digital bus used for 10Mbps and 100Mbps Ethernet.
Independent
Interface
MegaBaud RS-232 logic-level compatible data rates that are 1Mbps or higher.
MEMS Acronym for "Micro Electronic Mechanical Systems," or

microelectromechanical systems: Systems that combine mechanical and
electrical components and are fabricated using semiconductor fabrication
techniques. Common examples are pressure and acceleration sensors
which combine the sensor and amplification or conditioning circuitry.
Other applications include switches, valves, and waveguides.
MESFET A Metal-Semiconductor Field-Effect-Transistor uses a metal-

semiconductor (Schottky) junction to create the conductive channel,
rather than using a p-n junction as a JFET does; or a metal-oxide-
semiconductor layer as a MOSFET uses.
Metal Oxide A Metal Oxide Varistor (MOV, or surge-suppressor) is a discrete

Varistor electronic component that diverts excessive voltage to the ground and/or
neutral lines.
MFSK Multiple frequency-shift keying
MHz Megahertz (MHz): Measurement of frequency -- million cycles per

second.
Micro Energy A Micro Energy Cell (MEC) is a small, rechargeable, very long life,
Cell energy storage device used in energy harvesting applications.
An example is the THINERGY® MEC from Infinite Power Solutions.
MicroLAN A 1-Wire network. A low-cost network in which PCs or microcontrollers

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communicate digitally over twisted-pair cable using 1-Wire components.
MicroMonitor™ A device that monitors three conditions vital to processor-controlled

systems: power supply, software execution, and external override.
Microprocessor A device that monitors a host microprocessor or microcontroller's supply

Supervisor voltage and, in some cases, its activity. It monitors for a fault condition
and takes appropriate action, usually issuing a reset to the
microprocessor.
MIMO A Multiple Input, Multiple Output (MIMO) system has multiple

antennas and multiple radios. It takes advantage of multipath effects,
where a transmitted signal arrives at the receiver through a number of
different paths. Each path can have a different time delay, and the result
is that multiple instances of a single transmitted symbol arrive at the
receiver at different times.
Usually multipath is a source of interference, but MIMO systems use the

fact that data will arrive at the receiver at different times through
different paths to improve the quality of the data link. For example,
rather than relying on a single antenna path to receive an entire message,
the message can be pieced together based on fragments received at the
various antennas. This can act to either increase the data rate at a given
range, or increase system range for a given data rate.
MIMO is used in the implementation of the 802.11n standard.
Min LOS Sens. The minimum sensitivity attainable with a programmable loss-of-signal
feature.
Min Stable The minimum closed-loop gain for which the amplifier is stable.
Closed Loop
Gain
MISI Master-in, slave-out isolated input
MISO Master-in, slave-out isolated output
mm Millimeter(s)
MMI Man-machine interface
Monotonic A sequence increases monotonically if for every n, Pn + 1 is greater than

or equal to Pn. Similarly, a sequence decreases monotonically if for
every n, Pn + 1 is less than or equal to Pn.
In plain language, the value rises and never falls; or it falls and never
rises.
MOSFET Metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor; metal-oxide silicon

field-effect transmitter.
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In a MOSFET, the conductive channel between the drain and source
contacts is controlled by a metal gate separated from the channel by a
very thin insulating layer of oxide. The gate voltage establishes a field
that allows or blocks current flow.
Compare to a JFET, in which a p-n junction controls the channel; or a

MESFET, which uses a metal-semiconductor (Schottky) junction.
MOSI Master Out Slave In: One of the four Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI)
pins.
MPU Microprocessing unit
MPW Multiproject wafer
MQFP Metric quad flat pack
mrad Milliradian(s)
ms Millisecond(s)
MSA Measurement Systems Analysis is a method for ensuring product test

measurements are reliable, robust, and of good statistical merit.
MSB Most-significant bit. In a binary number, the MSB is the most weighted
bit in the number. Typically, binary numbers are written with the MSB
in the left-most position; the LSB is the furthest-right bit.
Msps Megasamples per second: A measure of speed in digitizing systems,

samples per second dictates the maximum frequencies that can be
accurately captured.
MTIMD Multitone intermodulation distortion
MTPR Multitone power ratio
Multipath In radio transmission, multipath refers to the simultaneous reception of

two copies of the signal, that arrive via separate paths with different
delays.
A common example is when a signal bounces off a building or other

object and is received along with the direct (unbounced) signal. In
television reception, this causes "ghosting" -- one sees a faded echo on
the screen horizontally displaced from the main image.
Another common example is in radio (especially AM radio), where the

signal bounces off the ionosphere and one receives that delayed signal
along with the directly transmitted signal.
Usually, multipath is an undesired effect but in MIMO systems, separate

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antennas deliberately send replicas and sophisticated receivers piece
together the fragments to improve performance.
Multiplex 1. Combining two signals (which can be analog or a digital stream) into
one in such a way that they can later be separated. Examples are OFDM;
standard FM stereo broadcast (in which left and right are multiplexed
onto one baseband signal); standard television in which video and
several audio signals shared the channel; and time-division multiplexing
which gives each signal a separate time-slice.
2. An array of analog switches, usually on a single CMOS chip, that

allows one input signal to be routed to any of several output lines,
depending on the value of a set of digital control lines.
A multiplexer can also be used in the opposite direction, allowing the

array to connect one of several input lines to the output, depending on
the control lines.
Several of these can be implemented on one chip to make a multi-

channel version.
Maxim makes hundreds of these parts. See the Analog Switch and
Multiplexer Product Line page.
Murphy's Law Anything that can go wrong, will.
mV A millivolt (mV) is 1/1000 of a volt.
mW Milliwatt(s)
MW Megawatt(s)
MxTNI MxTNI™ (Maxim Tiny Network Interface, formerly called TINI) is

Maxim's trademark for the industry's smallest web server. The MxTNI
platform consists of a microcontroller that includes the facilities
necessary to connect to the Internet. The platform is a combination of
broad based I/O, a full TCP/IP stack and an extensible Java runtime
environment that simplifies development of network-connected
equipment.
nA Nanoampere(s)
Nanovolt Nanovolt (nV): Unit of measure. A billionth of a volt.
NC Normally closed (switch contacts)
NF Noise figure
NIC Network interface card
NiMH Nickel metal hydride: A rechargeable-battery technology.

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NMI Nonmaskable interrupt
nMOS An n-channel metal-oxide semiconductor (nMOS) transistor is one in

which n-type dopants are used in the gate region (the "channel"). A
positive voltage on the gate turns the device on.
NO Normally open (Switch contact)
Nonvolatile Nonvolatile (NV) RAM is memory which retains its stored value when
power is removed.
Noxious Fumes A combination of inert and corrosive gases usually associated with
exhaust fumes or industrial by-products gases which can cause corrosive
effects on temperature and pressure sensors when exposed.
NPR Noise-power ratio
NRD Nonradiative dielectric
NRE Nonrecurring engineering — one-time engineering costs associated with

a project.
NRZ Non Return to Zero: A binary encoding scheme in which ones and
zeroes are represented by opposite and alternating high and low voltages,
and where there is no return to a zero (reference) voltage between
encoded bits. That is, the stream has only two values: low and high.
ns Nanosecond(s)
NTC Negative temperature coefficient
nth A tiny, tiny amount. Pronounced "enth." From 1/n, which is one "nth."
NTSC NTSC is the color television standard established by the National

Television Standards Committee in the United States in 1953. The
NTSC standard's distinguishing feature was that it added color to the
original 1941 black and white television standard in such a way that
black and white TVs continued to work.
(Another distinguishing characteristic was that NTSC's dependency on

accurate phase meant that it was difficult to maintain the color as the
signal was transmitted and processed. Television engineers often joke
that NTSC stands for "Never Twice the Same Color.")
The NTSC standard adds a color subcarrier which is quadrature-

modulated by two color-difference signals and added to the luminance
signal. The genius of the system is that black and white TVs ignore the
color components, which are beyond the black and white signal's
bandwidth.
The NTSC color subcarrier reference is 3.579545MHz. The horizontal

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sync rate (H) was adjusted slightly from the black and white standard's
15.750kHz such that the color subcarrier is 455/2 times H. The vertical
rate is Fv = Fh x 2/525.
See: Video Basics.
NV-S Nanovolt seconds
nW Nanowatt(s)
Nyquist In A/D conversion, the Nyquist principle (derived from the Nyquist-
Shannon sampling theorem) states that the sampling rate must be at least
twice the maximum bandwidth of the analog signal in order to allow the
signal to be reproduced. The maximum bandwidth of the signal (half the
sampling rate) is commonly called the Nyquist frequency (or Shannon
sampling frequency).
In real life, sampling rate must be higher than that (because filters are not
perfect). As an example, the bandwidth of a standard audio CD is a bit
shy of the theoretical maximum of 22.05kHz (based on the sample rate
of 44.1kHz).
Also see:

OC Overcurrent
OC-48 A fiber-optic line capable of 2400 megabits per second.
OEM Original equipment manufacturer
OFC Open fiber control
OFDM Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing: A method for

multiplexing signals which divides the available bandwidth into a series
of frequencies known as tones. Flarion uses the 5GHz channel and
divides each channel into 400 discrete tones (each at slightly different
frequency). Orthogonal tones do not interfere with each other when the
peak of one tone corresponds with the null. All frequencies fade but the
rapid switching, frequency-hopping technique is intended to allow more
robust data service.
OLED Organic Light-Emitting Diode: An LED made with organic materials.

The diodes in displays made with OLEDs emit light when a voltage is
applied to them. The pixel diodes are selectively turned on or off to form
images on the screen. This kind of display can be brighter and more
efficient than current LCD displays.

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OLT Optical line transmission
ONU ONT (Optical Network Termination), also called ONU (Optical Network
Unit), refer to the consumer end equipment in an optical Fiber to the
Home (FTTH) link. The ONT/ONU receives downstream data from the
OLT (Optical Line Termination) through the passive optical splitters and
provides video, voice, and broadband services to the consumer.
Op amp Operational amplifier: The ideal op amp is an amplifier with infinite

input impedance, infinite open-loop gain, zero output impedance, infinite
bandwidth, and zero noise. It has positive and negative inputs which
allow circuits that use feedback to achieve a wide range of functions.
Using op amps, it's easy to make amplifiers, comparators, log amps,

filters, oscillators, data converters, level translators, references, and
more. Mathematical functions like addition, subtraction, multiplication,
and integration can be easily accomplished.
Practical, real-world op amps have finite characteristics but in most

applications, are close enough to the ideal to make a huge range of
inexpensive, high-performance analog applications possible. They are
the building block for analog design.
One key to op amp design is nodal analysis. Since the input impedance is
infinite, the current in and out of the + and - input nodes defines the
circuit's behavior.
See: Nodal Analysis of Op Amp Circuits for a good tutorial on this topic.
Also see other amplifier tutorials at: Amplifier Tutorials.
Maxim has hundreds of op amps (and other amplifiers).
Open-drain An open-drain or open-collector output pin is driven by a single

transistor, which pulls the pin to only one voltage (generally, to ground).
When the output device is off, the pin is left floating (open, or hi-z). A
common example is an n-channel transistor which pulls the signal to
ground when the transistor is on or leaves it open when the transistor is
off.
Open-drain refers to such a circuit implemented in FET technologies

because the transistor's drain terminal is connected to the output; open-
collector means a bipolar transistor's collector is performing the function.
When the transistor is off, the signal can be driven by another device or
it can be pulled up or down by a resistor. The resistor prevents an
undefined, floating state. (See the related term, hi-z.)
OR Combining two signals so that the output is on if either signal is present.

This can be accomplished by an OR logic gate (two inputs, one output

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which is high if either input is).
It can also be done with a "wired-OR" connection in which two signals

are simply wired together and either one of them can raise the level. This
works when the signals are driven by a source that only pulls up or only
pulls down, with a resistive load (e.g. an "open collector" output).
Output to Input The ratio between the sensed current and the output current of the
Ratio amplifier.
Overvoltage Overvoltage Protector (OVP) refers to a circuit that protects downstream

Protection circuitry from damage due to excessive voltage. An OVP monitors the
DC voltage coming from an external power source, such as an off-line
power supply or a battery, and protects the rest of the connected circuitry
using one of two methods: a crowbar clamp circuit or a series-connected
switch.
The crowbar short-circuits or clamps the supply line to limit the voltage,
possibly triggering other forms of protection such as a fuse. See
Crowbar.
The series-connected switch uses a MOSFET or transistor connected as a

switch in series with the supply line. During an overvoltage condition,
the OVP circuit rapidly shuts off the MOSFET and disconnects the
downstream circuit.
P-P Peak-to-peak
pA Picoampere(s)
PA Power amplifier: An amplifier used to drive significant power levels. An

audio amplifier that drives a loudspeaker and the final stage of a
transmitter are common examples.
PAE Power-added efficiency
PAL Phase alternate line: A television standard used in most of Europe.

Similar to NTSC, but uses subcarrier phase alternation to reduce the
sensitivity to phase errors that would be displayed as color errors.
Commonly used with 626-line, 50Hz scanning systems, with a subcarrier
frequency of 4.43362MHz.
See: Video Basics
Parallel Interface A parallel interface (as distinguished from a serial interface) is one in
which data is sent on several wires (or several wireless channels) at
once. Examples: GPIB, byte-wide parallel interfaces to data converters,
memory and data buses on computer boards and backplanes.

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In contrast, a serial interface uses one wire or wire-pair or wireless
channel (or one in each direction).
Parasite Power The device derives its supply power directly from the serial interface (1-
Wire).
Partition Locking The ability to lockout writes and/or reads to certain sections of the
memory.
PBC Port bypass circuit
pC 1. pC: Picocoulomb(s), a unit of electrical charge.
2. PC: Printed circuit (see: Printed Circuit Board).
3. PC: Personal Computer.
PC Card Add-in cards that conform to the PC Card specification (formerly called
PCMCIA). A PC Card is a removable device, approximately the size of a
credit card, designed to plug into a matching slot.
PCI Peripheral Component Interconnect: A standard interface used primarily

on computer backplanes to connect interface cards and peripheral
devices to the processor bus. PCI is often used for video display cards,
network interfaces (e.g. Ethernet), and peripheral interfaces such as SCSI
or USB.
PCI buses typically also support the older Industry Standard Architecture
(ISA) standard.
PCI Express PCI Express® (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express), officially

abbreviated as PCIe®, is a computer expansion card standard designed
to replace the older PCI, PCI-X, and AGP standards. It is used to link
motherboard-mounted peripherals and as an expansion card interface for
add-in boards.
The PCIe electrical interface is also used in a variety of other standards,

most notably the ExpressCard laptop expansion card interface.
Source: Wikipedia
PCM Pulse-Code Modulation (PCM) is the conversion of an analog signal

(e.g. audio) into digital, binary (0 or 1), coded pulses, decreasing noise
susceptibility. PAM, PFM and PWM are examples of PCM methods.
PCMCIA Personal Computer Memory Card International Association: A standard

for miniaturized laptop expansion cards for modems, storage, and other
devices. The standard was officially renamed "PC card."

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PCS Personal Communications Service: An American generic term for a
mass-market mobile phone service, emphasizing personal
communication, independent of the technology used to provide it. PCS
includes such digital cellular technologies as GSM 1900, CDMA and
TDMA IS-136. 2G, CDMA, Digital, GSM, TDMA.
PDA Personal digital assistant. See: "PDA Solutions."
PDC Personal Digital Cellular: The digital wireless standard used in Japan.
PDC uses TDMA air interface.
PDI Phase-detector input
PDJ Pattern-dependent jitter
PDM Pulse density modulation
PDO Phase-detector output
Peak Inverse Peak Inverse Voltage (PIV) or Peak Reverse Voltage (PRV) refer to the
Voltage maximum voltage a diode or other device can withstand in the reverse-
biased direction before breakdown. Also may be called Reverse
Breakdown Voltage.
Note that PIV is also an abbreviation for FIPS 201 Personal Identity
Verification.
PECL Positive-referenced emitter-coupled logic
pF Picofarad. A Farad is the unit of capacitance. A pF is 10-12 of a Farad.

(1000pF = 1nF, 1000nF = 1 microfarad).
PFD Phase/frequency detector
PFI Power-fail input
PFM Pulse-Frequency Modulation: A pulse modulation technique in which

the frequency is varied with the input signal amplitude. The duty cycle
of the modulated signal does not change. Because it is always a square
wave with changing frequency, PFM is also referred to as square-wave
FM.
PFMEA Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (PFMEA): A methodology

for assessing the weaknesses of production processes and the potential
effects of process failures on the product being produced.
PFO Power-fail output
PG Power-good; power gain
PGA Programmable Gain Amplifier: An amplifier whose gain can be varied

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by a separate input (usually a digital value).
See: Programmable-Gain Amplifier, Using the MAX532 DAC
Pin Electronics Electronic circuitry in an automated tester (ATE system) that connects to
the device under test.
Pin electronics can deliver signals, power, or precise voltages and

currents, and can measure the pin's response, drive, and electrical
characteristics.
PKI Public Key Infrastructure: A combination of standards, protocols, and

software that creates, edits, and revokes digital public key certificates.
PLA Programmable logic array
PLC A Programmable Logic Controller (PLC, or Programmable Controller) is

a ruggedized, microprocessor-based system which provides factory or
plant automation by monitoring sensors and controlling actuators in real
time.
See: Maxim Solutions for PLCs.
PLC is also used as an acronym for Powerline Communications

(HomePlug).
PLCC Leaded Chip Carrier, also called PLCC or Plastic Leaded Chip Carrier:
A square surface mount chip package in plastic with leads (pins) on all
four sides. Example: Maxim 20-pin LCC diagram (PDF)
Plesiochronous The time-division multiplexed network used by telecommunications

Digital Hierarchy companies to transport phone calls and data over copper cabling. The
entire network shares a common frequency throughout it's tree-like
structure, although phase and time delay variations exists at various
points along the edge of the network.
PLL A phase-locked loop (PLL, or phase lock loop) is a control system that
generates a signal that has a fixed relation to the phase of a "reference"
signal. A phase-locked loop circuit responds to both the frequency and
the phase of the input signals, automatically raising or lowering the
frequency of a controlled oscillator until it is matched to the reference in
both frequency and phase.
Phase-locked loops are widely used in radio, telecommunications,

computers and other electronic applications. They may generate stable
frequencies, recover a signal from a noisy communication channel, or
distribute clock timing pulses in digital logic designs such as
microprocessors.
From Wikipedia.

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PLM Pad limiting metal
PMIC Power Management Integrated Circuit: Circuits used to regulate and

control power.
PMM Power-management mode
Pmod Pmods™ are small I/O interface boards used to extend the capabilities of
FPGA/CPLD and embedded control boards. Pmods communicate with
system boards using 6- or 12-pin connectors.
Pmod is the trademark of Digilent Inc.
pMOS A p-channel metal-oxide semiconductor (pMOS) transistor is one in

which p-type dopants are used in the gate region (the "channel"). A
negative voltage on the gate turns the device on.
PMR Private Mobile Radio: Radio bands generally for use within a defined
user group, such as the emergency services or by the employees of a
mining project.
PoE Power-over-Ethernet: A means for delivering power to a remote device

using the same cable lines used to deliver Ethernet data.
Point-of-Load Point-of-load (POL) power supplies solve the challenge of high peak
current demands and low noise margins, required by high-performance
semiconductors such as microcontrollers or ASICs, by placing individual
power supply regulators (linear or DC-DC) close to their point of use.
More:
 Point-of-Load DC-DC Conversion

 POLs with integrated MOSFETs
POK Power-OK
PON Passive optical network: A cost-effective way to provide high

performance Fiber to the Home (FTTH) connectivity via shared optical
fiber. PON connects up to 32 (or more) homes on the same network
using passive optical components (splitters).
POP Analysis Periodic Operating Point (POP) Analysis is a simulation technique (used
by EE-Sim) to find the steady state operation condition of a switching
power supply design.
One conversion cycle is run in the time domain. The inductor currents
and capacitor voltages at the beginning of that cycle are compared to the
inductor currents and capacitor voltages at the end of that cycle. When
the difference has been driven below 10-9, the steady state conditions are
identified and POP Anaylsis ends.
POR Power-on reset

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Potentiometer Variable resistor in which a wiper sweeps from one end of the resistive
element to the other, resulting in resistance that is proportional to the
wiper's position.
Power Added In an RF power amplifier, power added efficiency (PAE) is defined as

Efficiency the ratio of the difference of the output and input signal power to the DC
power consumed. In other words:
PAE = (PRFOUT - PRFIN)/PDC = (PRFOUT - PRFIN)/(VDC*IDC)
Power Fail A feature in a microprocessor supervisory circuit that provides early

warning to the microprocessor of imminent power failure.
PowerCap A special surface-mount package with access to the internal cavity via an
openable top. This packaging scheme allows easy upgrade of NV RAMs
without having to change the PCB hardware layout. The user can simply
open the lid and swap out the IC.
PPAP Production Part Approval Process. Used by automotive industry for

acceptance of new products for release and use on automobiles.
PRBS Pseudorandom binary (bit) sequence
PRC Parasitic resistance cancellation
PRCM Parasitic resistance cancellation mode
Pre-Bias Soft A power-supply feature that prevents discharging of the output capacitor
Start when the power supply starts up. Discharging the output capacitor could
create either start up oscillation problems at cold start or large voltage
disturbances on the output voltage bus at hot plug-in. Pre-bias soft start
is an important feature in redundant power-supply systems, parallel
power supply modules, battery back-up voltage buses, and other
applications where multiple power sources supply one node.
See the application note: MAX1917 Provides Pre-Bias Soft Start for
Redundant Supply
Preemphasis In some transmission and recording systems (e.g. vinyl records, FM

radio, analog magnetic tape), there is more noise at higher frequencies.
To offset this, the audio signal is "preemphasized" at the transmitter --
filtered with a high-pass filter to boost the higher audio frequencies. A
matching low-pass filter is used at the receiver to return to an overall flat
audio-frequency response. The filter at the receiver reduces the high-
frequency noise introduced by the transmission process.
Pressure Cooker A Pressure Cooker Test (PCT) tests a part under high temperature,
Test humidity, and pressure conditions. Also called an Autoclave Test or
Pressure Pot Test (PPOT).
Printed Circuit A printed circuit board, or PC board, or PCB, is a non-conductive

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Board material with conductive lines printed or etched. Electronic components
are mounted on the board and the traces connect the components
together to form a working circuit or assembly.
A PC board can have conductors on one side or two sides and can be
multi-layer — a sandwich with many layers of conductors, each
separated by insulating layers.
The most common circuit boards are made of plastic or glass-fiber and
resin composites and use copper traces, but a wide variety of other
materials may be used. Most PCBs are flat and rigid but flexible
substrates can allow boards to fit in convoluted spaces.
Components are mounted via SMD (surface-mount) or through-hole

methods.
PRM Performance report message
PROCHOT# Digital output pin on Intel's Pentium 4 processors that indicates the
internal Thermal Control Circuit has activated. This occurs when the
processor has reached its maximum safe operating temperature.
PROFIBUS Vendor-independent open fieldbus standard used in manufacturing,

building automation, and process control. Utilizes a nonpowered two-
wire (RS-485) network. PROFIBUS is standardized under the European
Fieldbus Standard EN 50 170. It includes three versions: FMS, DP, and
PA. Visit www.profibus.com for more information.
PROM Programmable read-only memory
PRT Platinum Resistance Thermometer, a resistance temperature device

(RTD).
PS Power sense
PSD Preamble-switched diversity
PSK Phase-shift keying (PSK): A modulation technique in which the phase of

the carrier conveys the input signal's information.
PSR Power-supply rejection
PSRR Power Supply Rejection Ratio (PSRR) is the ability of an amplifier to

maintain its output voltage as its DC power-supply voltage is varied.
PSRR = (change in Vcc)/(change in Vout)
See also: Ripple rejection, which is degree of immunity from AC in the

power supply.
PSW Program status word

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PTC Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC): When the resistance of a
component rises with temperature, it is said to have a positive
temperature coefficient.
Example: Hewlett-Packard's first commercial product, an audio

oscillator, used a common light bulb as a PTC element in the feedback
circuit to maintain constant output amplitude regardless of frequency.
Pulse-Amplitude Pulse-Amplitude Modulation (PAM) is a pulse modulation technique in

Modulation which the amplitude of the pulse is varied with the input signal
amplitude.
Push-Pull An output structure which uses one active device to source current and a
second device to sink current. Common examples are: a CMOS stage in
which an n-channel device pulls toward ground or a negative supply and
a p-channel device pushes current to bring the output up; an output stage
in an audio amplifier with an NPN and PNP device in totem-pole
configuration.

systems."
PV-S Picovolt second(s)
PVR Personal video recorder
PWD Pulse-width distortion
PWM 1. A method for using pulse width to encode or modulate a signal. The
width of each pulse is a function of the amplitude of the signal.
2. A technique used to modulate the power delivered to a load.
In DC-DC switching regulators, the pulse width driving the main power
switch (and hence, the duty cycle) is varied to maintain the desired
output voltage. In DC motor-control applications, pulse width is used to
vary motor speed.
PWM Temperature sensor with digital, logic-level output. The output has a
Temperature fixed frequency and the duty cycle varies with the measured
Sensor temperature.
Q Factor A measure of the quality of a resonant (tank) circuit. A "high-Q" circuit

has mostly reactive components (inductive and capacitive), with low
resistance. It resonates strongly, with little damping (low loss). A high-Q
circuit will have low bandwidth relative to its center frequency (that is, it
will have a narrow bandwidth vs frequency curve).
Q = 2 π * (Energy stored / Energy dissipated per cycle)

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QAM Quadrature Amplitude Modulation: A modulation method in which two
signals are used to amplitude-modulate two carriers that are in
quadrature (90 degrees out of phase with each other). The two modulated
signals are combined.
A common application is in PAL and NTSC color television

transmission. Color is encoded into two analog signals (called I and Q),
which modulate quadrature color carriers.
Modems also use this approach, to increase the data bandwidth they can
carry (or, more accurately, to trade bandwidth for error rate or noise
immunity).
QFN "Quad, flat, no-lead" package.
QFP Quad flat pack, a package type.
QPSK Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) is a form of

Phase Shift Keying in which two bits are modulated at
once, selecting one of four possible carrier phase shifts QPSK Symbol
(0, 90, 180, or 270 degrees). QPSK allows the signal to Constellation
carry twice as much information as ordinary PSK using
the same bandwidth. QPSK is used for satellite transmission of MPEG2
video, cable modems, videoconferencing, cellular phone systems, and
other forms of digital communication over an RF carrier.
See our QPSK tutorial: QPSK Modulation Demystified.
QRSS Quasi-random signal source
QS-9000 QS-9000 is the automotive quality standard surperseded by

ISO/TS16949:2002 specification for component suppliers to the
automotive industry.
QSOP Quarter small-outline package
Quadrature The relation between two waves of the same frequency, but one-quarter
of a cycle (90°) out of phase.
Quantization A process whereby the continuous range of input-signal values is divided

into nonoverlappingsubranges. Each of these subranges has a discrete
value of the output uniquely assigned. Once a signal value falls within a
given subrange, the output provides the corresponding discrete value.
QuERC Software that examines bias and transient simulation output and flags
devices operating above limits. Querc is supplied by Maxim to ASIC
customers.
Quiescent For an electronic circuit, a quiet state in which the circuit is driving no
load and its inputs are not cycling. Most commonly used for the

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specification "quiescent current," the current consumed by a circuit when
it in a quiescent state.
R-2R 1. Short for R-2R ladder: A method for D/A conversion which employs a
ladder-shaped resistor array composed of two resistor values: R and 2R.
Each bit in the digital input switches a ladder's rungs in and out of the
network to change the output voltage by an amount proportional to the
significance of the bit.
2. Rail-to-rail
RAC Remaining absolute capacity (mA-hr)
RAID Redundant Array of Independent Disks: A redundant array of

inexpensive disks. RAID is a performance-enhancing method of storing
the same data in different places on multiple hard disks to achieve speed
and/or data redundancy.
Rail-to-Rail Input The allowable input signal range includes the supply voltages.
Rail-to-Rail Input The allowable input and output voltage ranges include the power-supply
or Output rails.
RAM Random access memory
Random Jitter Random jitter (RJ) includes all jitter components not defined as
deterministic jitter (i.e., the jitter that is not related to the signal and
known noise sources).
See:
 Jitter Overview in HFAN-04.3.0: Jitter Specifications Made

Ethernet Methods
 HFAN-04.5.1: Measuring Random Jitter on a Digital Sampling
Oscilloscope
RAR Remaining active runtime (min)
RC Resistance-capacitance; resistor-capacitor. In particular, an RC network

is a network composed of resistors and capacitors in a series-parallel
combination, usually to filter or delay a signal.
RE Remaining energy (joules)
Receiver A circuit that accepts signals from a transmission medium (which can be
wireless or wired) and decodes or translates them into a form that can
drive local circuits.

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Examples:
 A radio receiver that detects and demodulates the signal from the
airwaves
 An ultrasonic receiver that turns ultrasound signals into electrical
signals
 A line receiver that receives signals from a wire or backplane
 A standard interface receiver (e.g., USB, serial, LVDS)
 A fiber optic device that translates light pulses into electrical
signals
Recovery Time The time for a sensor to return to baseline value after the step removal of
the measured variable. Usually specified as time to fall to 10% of final
value after step removal of measured variable.
REF REF is a term that appears on IC package drawings in reference to

dimensions. It stands for REFERENCE and indicates that this is a
reference dimension, calculated or based on another dimension.
For example, the dimension from the first pin to the last pin in the row of
a DIP (dual inline package) usually is tagged as REF because it is a
multiple of the distance from pin-to-pin. In the case of a 16-pin DIP, the
first pin to last pin dimension is 7 times the pin-to-pin dimension (7
spaces between 8 pins).
Relay A relay is an electromagnetic switching device consisting of an armature

which is moved by an electromagnet to operate one or more switch
contacts.
Some advantages of relays are that they provide amplification and

isolation and are straightforward. They can switch difficult voltages (e.g.
RF or high-powered AC) with complete isolation and no worries about
level translation.
Relay disadvantages, compared to solid-state switching, include power

efficiency, noise (both mechanical and electrical, including "contact
bounce"), size, speed, and reliability. Analog switches are commonly
used instead of relays in signal switching applications.
Driving a relay can be tricky because it's an inductive load. Special relay
drivers are often used. Contact bounce is another issue. Search the
Maxim site for the term "relay" to see application notes on relay driving
and for relay driving products.
Remote Diode A diode or diode-connected bipolar transistor used as a temperature-

sensing element, often integrated onto an integrated circuit whose
temperature is to be measured.

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Remote Temperature at a location other than at the die of the temperature-
Temperature measuring integrated circuit.
Remote A remotely located PN junction used as a temperature sensing device,

Temperature usually located on an integrated circuit other than the one doing the
Sensor measurement.
Resistance Resistance, represented by the symbol R and measured in ohms, is a

measure of the opposition to electrical flow in DC systems. Resistance is
the voltage across an element divided by the current (R = V/I).
Resonant Circuit A resonant, or tuned, circuit combines an inductor and capacitor (or
mechanical equivalents such as a crystal or MEMS oscillator) to make a
circuit that is responsive to a frequency. Depending on the configuration,
the circuit can have a high or low impedance at the resonant frequency
and operate as bandpass or band stop filter, or an oscillator.
It may be called an LC or LRC circuit because of the inductive (L),

resistive (R), and capacitive (C) components used.
An older name is "tank circuit," because its operation is analogous to a

tank in a fluid system, in which the dimensions of the tank define the
natural frequency observed when fluid is pulsed through the tank.
Response Time The time for a sensor to respond from no load to a step change in load.
Usually specified as time to rise to 90% of final value, measured from
onset of step input change in measured variable.
Reverse When switching from the conducting to the blocking state, a diode or
Recovery Time rectifier has stored charge that must first be discharged before the diode
blocks reverse current. This discharge takes a finite amount of time
known as the Reverse Recovery Time, or trr. During this time, diode
current may flow in the reverse direction.
RF Radio Frequency: An AC signal of high enough frequency to be used for

wireless communications.
RFDS Radio frequency design system
RFI Radio Frequency Interference: Unwanted noise from RF sources.
RFID Radio Frequency Identification: A method for uniquely identifying an

object using a tag or module that carries a unique ID number, or code.
Identification can be made using wireless (RF, or radio-wave)
connection, meaning no line-of-sight or physical contact is needed.
There are many different ways to achieve RFID and many applications
including pet ID, identification of parts on an assembly line, tracking
goods in manufacturing or retail settings, etc.
Also see: NFC/RFID Products

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RFPF Positive reference
RH Relative humidity
RI Reference input; ring indicate
RIAA Recording Industry Association of America
Ripple Rejection Ripple Rejection is the ability of an amplifier to maintain accurate output
voltage despite AC fluctuations in the power supply.
RISC Reduced instruction set computer (RISC): Computer hardware designed

to support a short list of simple instructions. This makes the hardware
simpler and faster, since it does not need to accommodate complex
instructions.
Although more instructions must be executed for some operations, a

RISC architecture can be faster, depending on the instruction mix, the
design of the instruction set, and how effective the compilers and support
software are in translating operations into optimized instructions.
RMS Root mean square
RNPF Negative reference
ROM Read-only memory
RRC Remaining relative capacity: The percent of the full charge that remains
in a power cell.
RS-232 A serial interface published by the EIA for asynchronous data

communication over distances up to a few hundred feet. Characterized
by a single-ended (not differential) physical layer, it uses one signal wire
for transmission, another for reception, and a common wire (ground),
plus some timing and control signals. Its specifications are rooted in
electromechanical equipment signaling (Teletype machines). Still a very
common interface but largely replaced by USB in recent years.
The term "serial" interface is often used for an RS-232 interface. The
usage is not quite accurate—while RS-232 is a serial interface, there are
other serial interfaces in addition to RS-232.
When it was introduced in 1987, the MAX232 rapidly became the most
common way to implement RS-232 because it required only a single 5-
volt supply. On-board DC-DC converters developed the odd voltages
required by the official spec.
(Maxim still manufacturers the MAX232 and makes a wide range of
newer products as well.)
See Selecting and Using RS-232, RS-422, and RS-485 Serial Data
Standards to learn about the differences between RS-232, RS-422, and
RS-485.
See RS-232 Transceiver Products.

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RS-422/RS-485 RS-485 and RS-422 are serial interface standards in which data is sent in
a differential pair (two wires, or twisted pair cable), which allows greater
distances and higher data rates than non-differential serial schemes such
as RS-232. See: Differential Signaling.
RS-485 and RS-422 can be configured for full-duplex or half-duplex bus

systems.
See Selecting and Using RS-232, RS-422, and RS-485 Serial Data
Standards to learn about the differences between RS-232, RS-422, and
RS-485.
RSA A public key cryptographic algorithm named after its inventors (Rivest,
Shamir, and Adelman). It is used for encryption and digital signatures.
RSA was developed in 1977 and is today the most commonly used
encryption and authentication algorithm.
RSR Remaining standby runtime (min)
RSSI Received Signal Strength Indicator (or Indication): A signal or circuit

that indicates the strength of the incoming (received) signal in a receiver.
(The signal strength indicator on a cell phone display is a common
example).
RSSI is often done in the IF stage before the IF amplifier. In zero-IF

systems, it is done in the baseband signal chain, before the baseband
amplifier.
RSSI output is often a DC analog level. It can also be sampled by an

internal ADC and the resulting codes available directly or via peripheral
or internal processor bus.
RTCs Real-time clock: Integrated circuit that contains a timer that supplies the
time of day (and often, the date). An RTC generally contains a long-life
battery to allow it to keep track of the time even when there is no power
applied.
See the Real Time Clocks page for much more information.
RTD A Resistance Temperature Detector (RTD) is a device with a significant

temperature coefficient (that is, its resistance varies with temperature). It
is used as a temperature measurement device, usually by passing a low-
level current through it and measuring the voltage drop. A thermistor is a
common type of RTD.
RTS Request to send: A data communications signal (e.g. RS-232)
Rx Receive
RZ Return to Zero: A binary bitstream encoding scheme in which the signal

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returns to zero voltage in between the data bits. The signal has three
valid levels: High, Low, and the return to zero volts after each bit.
S 1. Siemen(s), standard unit for conductance
2. Lower case s is the standard abbreviation for seconds.
S-Parameters The reflection and transmission coefficients used in impedance matching

between high-speed (RF) devices and transmission lines/traces.
S-UMTS Satellite-universal mobile telecommunications system
S/S Single supply
Samples per 1. sps: Samples per second. In data conversion, an analog signal is
Second converted to a stream of numbers, each representing the analog signal's
amplitude at a moment in time. Each number is called a "sample." The
number sample per second is called the sampling rate, measured in
samples per second.
2. ksps: Kilosample(s) per second (thousands of samples per second)
3. Msps: Megasamples per second (millions of samples per second)
Also see:
 A Simple ADC Comparison Matrix

 Understanding SAR ADCs
 Understanding Flash ADCs
Sampling Rate An A/D converter converts an analog signal into a stream of digital
numbers, each representing the analog signal's amplitude at a moment in
time. Each number is called a "sample." The number sample per second
is called the sampling rate, measured in samples per second.
SAN Storage Area Network: A network infrastructure of shared multihost

storage, linking all storage devices and interconnecting remote sites.
SAR Successive Approximation Register: Used to perform the analog-to-

digital conversion in successive steps in many analog-to-digital (ADC)
converters.
SAW Surface Acoustic Wave: A sound wave that propagates along the surface
of a solid and is contained within the solid. SAW devices typically
combine compressional and shear components. In Wireless applications,
SAW refers to a Surface Acoustic Wave band-pass filter, which exhibits
much better out-of-band rejection, but has higher passband ripple and
insertion loss.

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SB Side braze
SBGA Super ball-grid array, a packaging technology.
SBS Smart Battery Specification: A specification developed by Duracell.
Scan Design A design technique in which the internal registers or flip-flops of a

circuit can be chained, to allow an external circuit to easily read and
write their contents.
When internal memory elements are not directly accessible from the
circuit's outside pins, testing is difficult because their state is unknown.
With scan design, a signal reconfigures the elements into a "scan chain"
and their contents can be read and if desired, altered.
SCART Also known as Euroconnector or Peritel, a 21-pin connector commonly

used in Europe to interconnect satellite receivers, television sets, and
other audiovisual equipment (e.g. videocassette recorders). A single
connector combines audio and video signals. The name comes from
"Syndicat des Constructeursd'AppareilsRadiorécepteurs et Téléviseurs."
Peritel is an abbreviation for "péritélévision." Peri is a prefix that means

around or surrounding — in this case, it suggests the connection between
the television and its electronic environment.
SCF Switched-capacitor filter
Schottky Diode A diode realized via a "Schottky-barrier junction" -- a metal-

semiconductor junction -- rather than the P-N junction used by
conventional semiconductor diodes. Schottky diodes are often chosen for
their high switching speed and low forward voltage drop.
SCL Serial clock line
SCLK Serial clock
SCR Silicon-controlled rectifier
SCSI Small Computer System Interface (pronounced "scuzzy"), an interface

standard for connecting peripheral devices to computers. Hardware
components for implementing a SCSI interface include connector ports
on computers and cables for connecting peripheral devices to the
computer. SCSI is gradually being supplanted by the newer USB and
IEEE 1341 standards.
SCT Single Chip Transceivers: A single IC that includes data communication

transmitter and receiver functions.
SD 1. Signal detect: An output that indicates when a signal is present. A

form of Signal Strength Indicator.

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2. Secure Digital, a media format for nonvolatile external memory. The
successor to the "MultiMedia Card" format, or MMC, SD card memories
typically operate from 3.3V supplies with modest current requirements.
SD memory cards are best known as storage for digital cameras, smart
phones, and other consumer electronic devices.
SDA Serial data access
SDO Serial data out
SDTV Standard Definition Television: Digital formats that do not achieve the
video quality of HDTV, but are at least equal, or superior to, NTSC
pictures. SDTV may have either 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratios, and includes
surround sound. Variations of fps (frames per second), lines of
resolution, and other factors of 480p and 480i make up the 12 SDTV
formats in the ATSC standard.
Second Harmonic Second harmonic distortion (HD2): Ratio of second-order harmonic to

Distortion the input signal (carrier). Often measured as dBc.
Secure Hash This standard specifies a Secure Hash Algorithm, SHA-1, for computing
Standard a condensed representation of a message or a data file.
Semiconductor 1. A substance that can act as an electrical conductor or insulator

depending on chemical alterations or external conditions. Examples are
silicon, germanium, and gallium arsenide.
Also called "III-V" materials since semiconductor elements are in groups

III and V of the periodic table of chemical elements.
2. An electronic device (e.g. a transistor, diode, or integrated circuit)

manufactured from semiconductor materials.
Semiconductor devices control and amplify because a small voltage or

current, or a physical stimulus (such as light or pressure), allows the
semiconductor to pass or block electrical current. Devices can be
fabricated with other capabilities such as passing electric current in only
one direction, emitting light, mixing and transforming signals, etc.
Sense Resistor A resistor placed in a current path to allow the current to be measured.
The voltage across the sense resistor is proportional to the current that is
being measured and an amplifier produces a voltage or current that
drives the measurement.
SEPIC Single Ended Primary Inductor Converter: A DC-DC converter topology

that acts both as a boost and a buck converter (that is, will step up or
down, depending on the input voltage).
SerDes Serialization/deserialization

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Serial Interface A serial interface (as distinguished from a parallel interface) is one in
which data is sent in a single stream of bits, usually on a single wire-
plus-ground, wire-pair, or single wireless channel (or two sets, one for
each direction). Examples include USB, RS-232, I2C, and 1-Wire.
By contrast, a parallel interface sends several bits at once, on separate

wires.
SFDR Spurious-Free Dynamic Range: A term used to specify A/D and D/A
converters (ADCs and DACs).
In ADCs, Spurious-Free Dynamic Range (SFDR) is the ratio of the RMS

amplitude of the carrier frequency (maximum signal component) to the
RMS value of the next largest noise or harmonic distortion component.
SFDR is usually measured in dBc (with respect to the carrier frequency
amplitude) or in dBFS (with respect to the ADC's full-scale range).
In DACs, Spurious-Free Dynamic Range (SFDR) is the ratio of the RMS

amplitude of the carrier frequency (maximum signal components) to the
RMS value of their next largest distortion component. SFDR is usually
measured in dBc (with respect to the carrier frequency amplitude) or in
dBFS (with respect to the DAC's full-scale range). Depending on the test
condition, SFDR is observed within a pre-defined window or to Nyquist.
Also see the Maxim Data Conversion Calculator.
SFF Small Form Factor: An optical module.
SFF-8472 Small Form Factor: Specification for optical modules.
SFP Small Form Factor Pluggable
SFR Special-function register
SHA Secure Hash Algorithm: A message digest algorithm developed by the

NSA for use in the Digital Signature standard, FIPS number 186 from
NIST. SHA is an improved variant of MD4 producing a 160-bit hash.
SHA is one of two message digest algorithms available in IPSEC.
SHDN Shutdown. Low-power standby mode.
Shift Register Two or more bistable elements (flip-flops) connected in series. With
each tick of the clock, the output of stage n is shifted to stage n+1.
Applications include clock or signal delays, delay lines, linear-feedback
shift registers.
Shock Sensor An acceleration sensor, generally a piezoelectric type, that can measure
high acceleration but cannot measure static g forces.
Shoot-Through In a push-pull amplifier stage, one transistor pushes current to the output

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Current to drive it toward a positive voltage; a second device pulls down. These
are designed so both devices are never fully on, which would effectively
short the power supply.
The rush of current that occurs while both devices are on is called the
shoot-through current. Events that allow both devices to be on (e.g.
circuit faults or a brief moment in the switching cycle) are said to
"crowbar" the circuit because of its similarity to a power supply
protection circuit of that name.
Shutdown A feature of many Maxim ICs, typically controlled via a logic-level

input, which dramatically reduces power consumption when the device
is not in use.
SI Sampled input
SiGe Silicon Germanium process
Signal-Invalid Signal invalid output. Indicates when all RS-232 signals to the IC are in
O/P the invalid range.
Signal-to-Noise Signal-to-Noise Ratio, the ratio of the amplitude of the desired signal to
Ratio the amplitude of noise signals at a given point in time. The larger the
number, the better. Usually expressed in dB.
SIM Subscriber identity module
SINAD Signal-to-noise and distortion ratio: The RMS value of the sine wave
f(IN) (input sine wave for an ADC, reconstructed output sine wave for a
DAC) to the RMS value of the converter noise from DC to the Nyquist
frequency, including harmonic content. It is typically expressed in dB
(decibels).
SLBI System loopback input
SLIC Subscriber-Loop-Interface-Circuit: A telephone line interface.
Smart Battery A battery with internal circuitry that provides level of charge status to
the host system.
Smart Phone A phone with a microprocessor, memory, screen, and built-in modem.
The smart phone combines some of the capabilities of a PC in a handset
device and typically include Internet connectivity.
Smart Signal Signal conditioner that is programmable or has a flexible architecture to

Conditioner allow it to accomplish sophisticated signal transformations and
corrections.
SMBus System Management Bus: A 2-wire serial-interface standard developed

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by Intel.
SMD 1. Surface Mount Device (SMD): An electronic component that mounts

on the surface of a printed circuit board (as opposed to "through-hole"
components which have pins that are inserted into holes). SMDs
typically allow more components per square centimeter of PC board, but
their scale is such that hand assembly and prototyping may be difficult.
2. Standard Military Drawing (SMD): A U.S. government program for

standardized MIL-STD-883 product specifications, to simplify military
procurement. Sponsored by the DSCC (Defense Supply Center,
Columbus).
SMPS Switch-Mode Power Supply
SMR Specialized Mobile Radio: Indicates the 896MHz to 901MHz band

(800MHz band), which uses two paired 25kHz channels, and the
935MHz to 940MHz band (900 MHz band), which uses two paired
12.5kHz channels. Ten 20-channel blocks have been allocated in these
frequency bands by the FCC. 900MHz SMR is primarily used for radio
dispatch, paging, and wireless data communications.
Snubber A device which suppresses voltage transients.
SO Small outline (a package type).
SOC State of change
Also see:
 ModelGauge Battery Fuel Gauge Technology
Soft Start A feature in some switching power supplies that limits the startup inrush
current at initial startup.
SOHO Small Office/Home Office: Businesses that are either run from home or
a from a small office. Software and hardware companies sometimes
promote products as suitable for the SOHO market.
SOIC Small outline integrated circuit, a packaging technology.
Solid State A solid state device or circuit is one that relies on semiconductors rather
than mechanical or vacuum tube circuits.
SONET Synchronous Optical Network: A North American standard for

transmission in synchronous optical networks. It defines a family of
rates, formats, interfaces, transport options, and maintenance
capabilities. The minimum rate for SDH is 155Mbps.
SOT Small outline transistor

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Space Diversity In radio systems, Space Diversity transmits a signal on multiple
propagation paths.
SPC Statistical process control
SPCR Service Control Peripheral Register
SPDR Service Control Data Register
SPDT Single-pole/double-throw switch

A switch with three leads, one of which is common. The common lead
can connect to one or the other leads exclusively.
SPFP Signal power functional part
SPI Serial Peripheral Interface. A 3-wire serial interface developed by

Motorola.
SPICE Simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis
Spread Spectrum A technology that modulates a signal over many carrier frequencies at
once. This method can be used to make transmissions more secure,
reduce interference, and improve bandwidth-sharing.
Spread-spectrum techniques can also be used to reduce electromagnetic

interference by dithering the clock frequency so emissions are no longer
concentrated at one frequency.
See:
 An Introduction to Spread-Spectrum Communications

 Low-EMI, Class D Audio Power Amplifiers with Spread-
Spectrum Modulation
 About Spread-Spectrum Oscillators
SPST Single-pole/single-throw switch
Spurious-Free Unwanted frequencies are not present.
SQC Statistical quality control: Use of statistical methods to measure and

improve the quality of manufacturing processes and products. The term
"statistical process control" is often used interchangably.
SR Slew rate
SRAM Static RAM: RAM that does not require a clock to retain its contents.
SRF Self-resonant frequency
SS Soft-start; sample size

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SSC Smart signal conditioning
SSOP Shrink small-outline package
Star Ground A pcb layout technique in which all components connect to ground at a
single point. The traces make in a "star" pattern, emanating from the
central ground.
Star Point A point from which all traces leave in a "star" pattern in pcb layout.
STB A "set top box," or STB, is a generic name for an electronic interface
between a cable television or satellite signal and video display and
recording devices. Typically a box that can be placed atop the television
set (hence the name), it can have many functions, including acting as a
tuner, decoding digital or analog television signals, removing encryption,
and allowing the purchase of pay-per-view channels.
Maxim offers a range of products for STB designers. See: Set-Top Box
Solutions page.
STC 1. Silicon Timed Circuit: A circuit that produces a delayed version of the
input signal. Also known as a delay line.
Also See: Silicon Timed Circuits: Frequently Asked Questions
2. System Timing and Control: Clock generation and distribution

systems and components. May include the means for clock control such
as spread-spectrum clock generation for EMI reduction, skew rate
control, rate dividers, rate control, width, delay, and phase adjustment.
Also See: System Timing & Control Design Guide (PDF) and the Clock
Generation and Distribution product line page.
Step-Up DC-DC A switch-mode voltage regulator in which output voltage is higher than
its input voltage.

systems."
Strobe A pulse used for timing and synchronization.
Superheterodyne A radio receiver that combines a locally generated frequency with the
Receiver carrier frequency to produce a lower-frequency signal (IF, or
intermediate frequency) that is easier to demodulate than the original
modulated carrier.
Swallow Counter The Swallow Counter is one of the three building blocks (swallow
counter, main counter, and dual-modulus prescaler) that constitute the
programmable divider commonly used in modern frequency
synthesizers.

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The swallow counter is used to control the dual-modulus prescaler which
is set to either N or (N+1). At the initial reset state, the prescaler is set to
a divide ratio of (N+1), but the swallow counter will change this divide
ratio to N when it finishes counting S number of cycles.
The Swallow Counter gets its name from the idea that it "swallows" 1
from (N+1) of the dual-modulus prescaler.
SWAP Shared wireless access protocol
Switch Mode Uses a switching transistor and inductor to control/regulate the charging
voltage/current.
Switched A circuit methodology, typically implemented in CMOS integrated

Capacitor Circuit circuits, that uses clocked switches and capacitors to transfer charge
from node to node such that a resistor function is realized. The effective
resistance is governed by capacitor size and switching clock frequency.
Switching A voltage regulator that uses a switching element to transform the supply
Regulator into an alternating current, which is then converted to a different voltage
using capacitors, inductors, and other elements, then converted back to
DC. The circuit includes regulation and filtering components to insure a
steady output. Advantages include the ability to generate voltages
beyond the input supply range and efficiency; disadvantages include
complexity.
See: Switching Regulator Applications
See: DC-DC Converter Tutorial
SWT Set watchdog timeout
Synchronous Synchronous Digital Hierarchy, SDH: The ITU-TSS International

Digital Hierarchy standard for transmitting information over optical fiber.
Synchronous In switch-mode power supplies, the "steering" diode is replaced or

Rectification paralleled with a FET switch to reduce losses and thereby increase
efficiency. The FET is off during the inductor charge cycle, and then
turned on as the inductor discharges into the load.
System on a Chip A System on a Chip (SoC) integrates most of a system's elements on a

single integrated circuit (chip). It typically combines a microprocessor
core along with interface elements and analog and mixed signal
functions.
T/H Track/hold
T/R Transmit/receive
T1 T1 is standard for digital transmission in the United States. It is a digital

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transmission link with a capacity of 1.544Mbps. T1 uses two pairs of
normal twisted wires, the same as found in most residences. T1 normally
handles 24 voice conversations, each one digitized at 64kbps. With more
advanced digital voice encoding techniques, T1 can handle more voice
channels.
T3 A type of data connection capable of transmitting a digital signal at

44Mbps. T3 lines are often used to link large computer networks, such as
those that comprise the Internet.
Tachometer A transducer used for measuring the rate of revolution of a shaft.
TAD Total accumulated discharge (mA-hr)
Taper In a potentiometer, taper refers to how the resistance varies as the pot's
armature is rotated (or, for a slide pot, as its wiper slides; or for a solid
state pot like the DS1802, as its input voltage is varied).
For a pot with a linear taper, the resistance varies linearly as the wiper
moves.
For a pot with a logarithmic (log) taper, the resistance varies

logarithmically with the wiper's motion. When used in an amplifier
circuit, the output varies slowly as the pot is operated at the low end and
varies more and more rapidly as the pot is operated toward the high end.
This is also called an audio taper because it is most commonly used for
audio volume controls. The ear responds logarithmically (each doubling
in signal is perceived as an equal step in volume). The ear is more
sensitive to changes at lower volumes, so an audio volume control varies
the signal slowly at lower settings and more rapidly at higher settings.
The net effect is that the sound seems to vary smoothly through the pot's
range.
The perceived volume is subjective and fairly imprecise, so an

approximation may be used instead of a true log pot. Example: See
application notes AN 3996, AN 838, AN 1828.
TC Temperature coefficient; thermocouple; TURBOCHARGE (control bit)
TCP/IP Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol: The protocols or

conventions that computers use to communicate over the Internet.
TCXO Temperature Compensated Crystal Oscillator: A crystal oscillator that

includes circuitry that compensates for temperature variations, to
maintain a more constant frequency.
TDD Time Division Duplex, the second variation of WCDMA especially

suited to indoor environments where there is a need for high traffic
density.

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TDM Time Division Multiplexing, a scheme in which numerous signals are
combined for transmission on a single communications line or channel.
Each signal is broken into many segments, each having very short
duration.
TDMA Time Division Multiple Access: A method of digital wireless-

communications transmission. TDMA allows many users to access (in
sequence) a single radio-frequency channel without interference, because
it allocates unique time slots to each user within each channel.
TDMoP TDMoP (TDM over Packets), or TDMoIP (TDM over IP), is the
implementation of TDM over a packet-switching network. TDMoIP is a
trademark of RAD Communications.
See:
 Maxim's TDM over Packet (TDMoP)

 Application Note 4896: General questions and answers on
Maxim's TDMoP Techniques
 TDMoP Application Notes
TDR Time-delay relay

Time-domain reflectometry
TDSCDMA Chinese Third Generation (3G) telecommunications standard. China's

government allocated three frequency bands: 1880MHZ to ~1920MHz,
2010MHz to ~2025MHz, and 2300MHz to ~2400MHz.
TEC A thermoelectric cooler (TEC) is a small cooling device that relies on a

Peltier junction. Composed of two conductors made of different
materials, a Peltier junction (discovered in 1833 by J.C. Peltier) acts as a
heat pump which can cool or warm when current is passed through it.
The small size of the TEC allows precision thermal control of individual
components such as fiber optic laser drivers, precision voltage
references, or any other temperature critical device. Temperature-critical
components are integrated with a TEC and a temperature monitor into a
single thermally-engineered module.
A "thermoelectric controller" (also abbreviated TEC) is an electronic

circuit that controls the current that drives the junction. These can be
quite sophisticated. Many can drive a positive or negative current (so
they can heat or cool), use PWM for efficiency, and incorporate control
to regulate the amount of current. Examples of such circuits are linked
below.
See: App Note 3318, HFAN-08.2.0: Thermoelectric Cooler (TEC)

Control.

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Television A system for transmitting picture and sound over a distance, primarily
via the standards for NTSC, PAL, or HDTV.
See: Video Basics
Tempco Temperature coefficient
Temperature The average kinetic energy of the atoms or molecules of a body or

substance, perceived as warmth or coldness. Measured in degrees
Fahrenheit, Celsius, or Kelvin.
See: Maxim's full line of thermal management integrated circuits.
Temperature An integrated circuit with a digital output that indicates whether a

Comparator measured temperature is above or below a predetermined threshold.
Temperature Temperature sensor that uses an external diode-connected transistor as

Sensor the sensing element to measure temperatures external to the sensor (for
example, on a circuit board or on the die of a CPU). Generally produces
a digital output.
Temperature A circuit that opens and closes a conductive path based on temperature.
Switch
Tesla Tesla (abbreviated T) is a measure of magnetic flux density (B-field),

named for engineer and inventor Nikola Tesla.
TFT Thin-film transistor
THB Temperature/humidity bias
THD Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): A measure of signal distortion which

assesses the energy that occurs on harmonics of the original signal. It is
specified as a percentage of the signal amplitude.
As an example, if a 12kHz signal is applied to the input, THD would

look at energy on the output occurring at 24kHz, 36kHz, 48kHz, etc. and
compare it to the energy occurring at 12kHz.
THD+N Total Harmonic Distortion Plus Noise (THD+N) is the sum of the two
most important distortion components. THD is the distortion that occurs
on harmonics of the original signal -- it is correlated with the signal.
Noise is the more random, uncorrelated distortion. THD+N is their sum.
Thermal Control Circuit to monitor and control the temperature of something. For
Circuit example the integrated temperature controller in Intel's processors.
Thermal The use of various temperature monitoring devices and cooling methods,
Management such as forced air flow, within a processor or FPGA-based system, to
control overall temperature of ICs and internal cabinet temperatures.

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Thermal Monitor The integrated thermal control system used in Intel's processor devices.
Thermal Deactivating a circuit when a measured temperature is beyond a

Shutdown predetermined value.
THERMDA Thermal Diode Anode pin on AMD and Intel processors.
THERMDC Thermal Diode Cathode pin on AMD and Intel processors.
Thermistor A temperature-dependent resistor with a high temperature coefficient,

usually composed of sintered semiconductor material.
Thermochron A Thermochron device measures and records (logs) temperature.

(Thermochron is a trademark of Maxim Integrated.)
Thermocouple A temperature sensor formed by the junction of two dissimilar metals. A

thermocouple produces a voltage proportional to the difference in
temperature between the hot junction and the lead wire (cold) junction.
Thermostat Circuit that indicates whether a measured temperature is above or below

a particular temperature threshold or trip point. Used for thermal
protection and simple temperature control systems.
THERMTRIP# Pin name of the Thermal Trip digital output on Intel Pentium processors.
The pin is asserted at a nominal die temperature of 135 degrees-C.
THERMTRIP_L Pin name of the thermal trip output pin of AMD processors. The pin is
asserted at a nominal die temperature of 125°C.
Three-State A three-state, or Tri-State™, output has three electrical states: One, zero,
and "Hi-Z," or "open." The hi-Z state is a high-impedance state in which
the output is disconnected, leaving the signal open, to be driven by
another device (or to be pulled up or down by a resistor provided to
prevent an undefined state).
High-impedance schemes such as three-state are commonly used for a

bus, in which several devices can be selected to drive the bus.
Tri-State™ is a trademark of National Semiconductor.
Through-Hole A method for mounting components on a printed circuit board (PCB) in

which pins on the component are inserted into holes in the board and
soldered in place.
Time Diversity In radio systems, Time Diversity spreads a signal across multiple
channels by placing multiple versions of the signal in different time
slots.
Tin Whiskers Tin whiskers (also called Sn whiskers or metal whiskers) are
microscopic, conductive, hair-like crystals that emanate spontaneously
from pure tin (especially electroplated tin) surfaces. Whiskers form

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primarily on elemental metals, but have also been found on alloys.
Crystals can form in any environment. The actual mechanism for their
formation is not well understood.
Tin-lead (SnPb) finishes prevent tin whiskers. Maxim offers a SnPb

solution for customers requiring a non-RoHS finish. It is available for
virtually all lead-free products.
Tin whiskers are not dendrites. Dendrites are fern-like and grow on the
surface of the metal in an environment with moisture present. Tin
whiskers tend to grow orthogonally from the surface.
See:
 Tin Whisker Data

 Tutorial 5250, "Tin Whiskers Are Real and Complex"
TINI TINI® is Maxim's trademark for its family of highly integrated solutions
for the consumer electronics market. The family includes ICs which
integrate disparate functions to achieve advantages in board space.
Examples include:
 TINI Power SoCs integrate all the functional blocks needed to

power applications and baseband processors, along with mixed-
signal functions like audio, battery management, and touch-
screen control. These Power SoCs allow mobile platform system
designers to cut their analog footprint in half.
 TINI Audio Codecs (MAX98089, MAX98095) combine multiple
high-performance audio blocks with Maxim's proprietary
FlexSound® processor. These audio codecs let designers
overcome integration challenges in mobile products while
delivering the best audio experience.
 TINI Touch-Screen Controller SoCs (MAX11871) integrate the
industry's highest SNR capacitive-touch analog front-end (AFE),
a MAXQ® CPU for full backend processing, and a custom DSP
coprocessor. The integration of a super-narrowband AFE
provides breakthrough immunity to AC charger and LCD noise
without any external components.
TINI is a registered trademark of Maxim Integrated

Note: Tiny Network Interface circuits are now called MxTNI™.
TLA Three-Letter Acronym.
Totem Pole A standard CMOS output structure where a P-channel MOSFET is

connected in series with an N-Channel MOSFET and the connection
point between the two is the output. The P-FET sits on top of the N-FET
like a "totem pole." Both gates are driven by the same signal. When the

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signal is low, the P-FET is on; when the signal is high, the N-FET is on.
This creates a push-pull output using just two transistors.
TQFN Thin version of the QFN package (the JEDEC "W" option) 0.8mm thick.
TQFP Thin quad flat pack
Transceiver A device that contains both a transmitter and receiver.
Common misspellings: Transciever, Tranceiver, Transeiver, Transiever,

Tranciever, Transcever.
Examples:
 Interface devices (such as line drivers and receivers, RS-232, RS-

485, RS-422, CAN, LVDS, or USB)
 Wired communications ICs, such as T1/E1/J1 Transceivers (LIU
and Framer) and T3/E3 Transceivers
 Wireless communications such as IF and RF transceivers
Transconductance The gain of a transconductance amplifier (an amp in which a change in

input voltage causes a linear change in output current). The basic gain of
vacuum tubes and FETs is expressed as transconductance. It is
represented with the symbol gm.
The term derives from "transfer conductance" and is measured in

siemens (S), where 1 siemens = 1 ampere per volt. It was formerly
measured as "mho" (ohm spelled backwards).
Transconductance An amplifier that converts a voltage to a current. Also known by several

Amplifier other terms (see synonym list). One synonym is OTA, or operational
transconductance amplifier, a term that marries the terms
transconductance amplifier and operational amplifier.
The term derives from "transfer conductance" and is measured in

siemens (S), where 1 siemens = 1 ampere per volt. It is represented with
the symbol gm. The basic gain of vacuum tubes and FETs is expressed as
transconductance.
See: Transimpedance Amplifier Buffers Current Transformer
Transducer A Transducer Electronic Data Sheet, or TEDS, is a method for plug-and-

Electronic Data play sensor and transducer hook-up in which the sensor's calibration
Sheet information is stored within the device and downloaded to the master
controller when requested. A standardized TEDS specification is being
developed by the IEEE, as IEEE P 1451.4.
Transfer Transfer refers to the amount of data transferred across a digital

interface, exclusive of any extra bits used to encode the data.

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The number of data transfers is less than the number of bits transmitted
when encoded data has more bits than the raw data. As an example, a
PCIe serial bus uses 10 bits to encode eight data bits. (Extra bit space
may be used to encode a clock, error-detection redundancy, etc.)
Data rates are commonly expressed in transfers per second, gigatransfers

per second (GT/s) and megatransfers per second (MT/s).
Transformer An inductive electrical device for changing the voltage of alternating

current.
A transformer consists of two magnetically coupled coils. Alternating

current in one (called the "primary") creates a changing magnetic field
which induces a current in the second coil (the "secondary"). A core
made of iron or ferrite generally connects the two coils, but higher
frequency devices can work without a ferrous core.
Transformers have two primary functions: Voltage transformation and

isolation:
 The voltage of the secondary can be higher or lower than the

voltage that drives the primary and is determined by the ratio of
turns of wire in the two coils.
 Isolation refers to the fact that the coils are connected only by a
magnetic field, so they can be independent of a common ground.
Primary applications are for power and for signal isolation / impedance
transformation.
An autotransformer is a transformer with a single coil with intermediate

"taps" to effect the changed outgoing voltages. They do not provide
isolation.
Transformer capacity is rated in kilovolt-amps (KVA): The volts x amps

/ 1000.
Transient Transient intermodulation distortion, or TIM, occurs in amplifiers that

Intermodulation employ negative feedback when signal delays make the amplifier
Distortion incapable of correcting distortion when exposed to fast, transient signals.
Transimpedance An amplifier which converts a current to a voltage. It is a familiar

Amplifier component in fiber-communications modules.
The unit for transresistance is the ohm.
See: Transimpedance Amplifier Buffers Current Transformer
Transistor A basic solid-state control device which allows or disallows current flow
between two terminals, based on the voltage or current delivered to a

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third terminal.
Usually built from silicon but can be constructed from other

semiconductor materials. There are two major types: The FET (field-
effect transistor) and the bipolar junction transistor (BJT).
The first transistor was invented in 1947 at Bell Labs by Michael John
Bardeen, Walter Brattain and William Shockley.
Transmitter A circuit that accepts signals or data in and translates them into a form
that can be sent across a medium (transmitted), usually over a distance.
The medium can be wireless or wired.
Examples:
 A radio transmitter that modulates the signal on a carrier and

transmits it over the airwaves
 An ultrasonic transducer that sends the signal over ultrasound
frequencies
 A line driver that drives a backplane
 A circuit that drives an interface (e.g., USB, serial, LVDS)
 A fiber optic device that emits light pulses
TS 16949 TS 16949 is an ISO Technical Specification that aligns previous

American (QS-9000), German (VDA6.1), French (EAQF) and Italian
(AVSQ) automotive quality systems standards within the global
automotive industry. Together with ISO 9001:2000, ISO/TS 16949:2002
specifies the quality system requirements for the design/development,
production, installation and servicing of automotive related products.
TSOC Thin small-outline C-lead
TSOP Thin small-outline package
TSSM Temperature sensor and system monitor
TSSOP Thin shrink small-outline package
TTC Temperature conversion sample time
TTFC Time remaining to full charge
TTIMD Two-tone intermodulation distortion
TTL Transistor-to-transistor logic
Tubular Motor A tubular motor is an electric motor embedded in a cylindrical form

factor. They are typically used for window shades and blinds, projection
screens, awnings, roller doors, etc.

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TUE Total unadjusted error
TVM Test vector monitor
TVS Transient Voltage Suppressor: Semiconductor device designed to protect

a circuit from voltage and current transients. Typically implemented as a
large silicon diode operating in avalanche mode to absorb large currents
quickly.
Tweak Tweak (or sometimes, "tweek") means to make small adjustments to a

system to improve its performance.
Tx Transmit
uA Microampere, or microamp: A millionth of an Ampere. Ampere is the

basic unit for measuring electrical current.
Often written as uA, but the u is a plain-text substitute for the Greek
letter mu.
UART Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter: An IC that converts

parallel data to serial, for transmission; and converts received serial data
to parallel data.
See: UART-related application notes
UBM Underbump metal
UHF Filter Ultra High Frequency filter
UI Unit interval (used to describe jitter generation); user information; user

interface
ULTRA160 A SCSI interface label, where 160 refers to the maximum reliable
throughput in megabits per second.
UMTS UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) is a third-

generation cellular standard based on the GSM standard and developed
by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP).
Uninterruptible An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is a device that maintains power

Power Supply in the event of a failure. A UPS commonly includes a battery that is kept
charged and ready. When power fails, the battery supplies power, as long
as it lasts. When the battery fails, a UPS may contain circuitry that
triggers an orderly shutdown.
An uninterruptible power supply may also provide line regulation,

protecting against voltage variations.
UniqueWare A unique identification technique

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UniqueWare A factory-programming service for 1-Wire EPROM chips with
Serialized customer-specified data. Service provides one serialization file for
customers to create identifiers in silicon.
Upconverters A device which provides frequency conversion to a higher frequency,

e.g., in digital broadcast-satellite applications.
URL Uniform/universal resource locator — web address,

eghttp://www.maximintegrated.com
USB Universal Serial Bus (USB): A standard port that enables you to connect
external devices (such as digital cameras, scanners, keyboards, and mice)
to computers. The USB standard supports data transfer at three rates: low
speed (1.5MBps), full speed (12Mbps) and high speed (480 MBps).
Mbps=million bits per second.
UV Ultraviolet
UVLO Undervoltage lockout
UWB Ultra-Wideband (UWB) is a communications technology that employs a

wide bandwidth (typically defined as greater than 20% of the center
frequency or 500MHz). UWB is usually used in short-range wireless
applications but can be sent over wires. Ultra-Wideband advantages are
that it can carry high data rates with low power and little interference.
UWB is the modern version of older "impulse" technologies which are

generated by very short pulses (impulse waveforms). They were called
"carrier-free" or "baseband" because the energy is so widespread in the
frequency domain that there is no discernible carrier frequency.
For a crude example, connect a metal file to one terminal of a battery

and a wire to the other terminal. Brush the wire across the teeth of the
file and note that the electrical noise can be heard on a radio tuned to just
about any frequency.
The FCC authorizes UWB between 3.1 and 10.6GHz (but is not likely to
approve devices that rely on a file and a wire.)
V-s Volt-second(s)
V/F Voltage-to-frequency
VA Volt ampere(s)
Vcc The supply voltage for a circuit is often given as V plus a double-letter
suffix. The double letter is usually related to the lead of the transistors
that are commonly connected to that supply or to a resistor that connects
to that supply.

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Examples: VCC is a positive-voltage supply and the collector terminal of
bipolar transistors is connected to the VCC supply or to a load which
connects to VCC. VSS connects to the source terminal of a FET, etc.
V+ and V- are also common ways to refer to a supply voltage.
VCO Voltage-Controlled Oscillator: An oscillator device in which output

frequency is proportional to its input voltage.
VCSEL Vertical cavity-surface emitting laser
VCTCXO Voltage Controlled, Temperature Compensated Crystal Oscillator: A

TCXO which offers the ability to control the oscillation frequency with
an analog voltage
VCXO Voltage Controlled Crystal Oscillator: An oscillator that uses a crystal to

establish its frequency but will vary its frequency as an analog control
voltage varies.
VDSL Very High Data-Rate Digital Subscriber Line: A method for delivering
high-speed digital services on the standard twisted pair used for voice
phone lines. VDSH operates at data rates from 12.9Mbps to 52.8Mbps.
VFD Vacuum Fluorescent Display
VFO Variable-frequency oscillator
VGA Variable-gain amplifier
VLF Very-low frequency
VLIF Very-low intermediate frequency
VLSI Very large-scale integration (VLSI) refers to an IC or technology with

many devices on one chip. The question, of course, is how one defines
"many."
The term originated in the 1970s along with "SSI" (small-scale

integration), "LSI" (large-scale), and several others, defined by the
number of transistors or gates per IC. It was all a bit silly since
improving technology obviously makes numerical definitions
meaningless over time. And it varies by industry -- a VLSI analog part is
quite different from a VLSI digital logic part or a VLSI memory part.
Eventually, the pundits began trying terms like "ULSI" (ultra-large-

scale). Engineers, meanwhile, ignored it all and spent their time building
better devices instead of making up new words for them.
The terms LSI and VLSI are now usually used as general terms,
referring to a product or technology that subjectively has more devices
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than typical products in the category. Maxim has observed a technical
trend in analog and mixed signal toward increasing complexity. Many of
our parts include complex control, such as the MAXQ microcontroller
core, with many times more devices than most analog parts.
VME VERSAmoduleEurocard, or VMEBus, a microcomputer bus.

Standardized in IEC 821, IEEE 1014-1987 and ANSI/VITA 1-1994.
VoIP Voice over Internet Protocol: Method for transmission of voice (or fax)
calls over the Internet.
Volt Volt (or Volts): Unit of measure for electromotive force (EMF), the
electrical potential between two points. An electrical potential of 1 volt
will push 1 ampere of current through a 1-ohm resistive load.
Using a common plumbing analogy, voltage is similar to water pressure

and current is analogous to flow (e.g. liters per minute).
In equations, the symbol E is often used (as in: E = IR). V is the symbol
for the unit of measure, Volt.
Volt-Ampere A volt-ampere (VA) is the voltage times the current feeding an electrical
load. A kilovolt-ampere (kVA) is 1000 volt-amperes.
Electrical power is measured in watts (W): The voltage times the current
measured each instant. In a direct current system or for resistive loads,
the wattage and VA measurements will be identical. But for reactive
loads, the voltage and current are out of phase and the volt-ampere spec
will be greater than the wattage.
For determining power, watts are appropriate. For determining capacity

for the driving circuits (circuit breakers, wiring, and uninterruptible
power supplies, for instance), VA is appropriate.
Voltage Doubler A capacitor charge pump circuit which produces an output voltage which
is twice the input voltage.
Voltage Voltage Identification Digital, or VID, is a circuit concept developed to

Identification provide the central processing unit (CPU) of a computer with the
Digital appropriate supply voltage. Instead of having a power supply unit
generate some fixed voltage, the CPU uses a small set of digital signals,
the VID lines, to instruct an on-board power converter of the desired
voltage level.
Voltage A circuit which is connected between the power source and a load,
Regulator which provides a constant voltage despite variations in input voltage or
output load.
VOM Volt-Ohm meter

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Vp-p Peak-to-peak voltage
VPU VPU is a symbol for the pull-up voltage specification (or "Pullup Supply
Voltage").
VRD Voltage Regulator Down, an Intel standard for voltage regulators which
are "down" on the mother board.
VRM Voltage Regulator Module: An Intel Standard for switching regulator

modules.
VS VCO_SEL (control bit)
VSIA Virtual Socket Interface Alliance
VSWR VSWR (Voltage Standing Wave Ratio), is a measure of how efficiently

radio-frequency power is transmitted from a power source, through a
transmission line, into a load (for example, from a power amplifier
through a transmission line, to an antenna).
In an ideal system, 100% of the energy is transmitted. This requires an

exact match between the source impedance, the characteristic impedance
of the transmission line and all its connectors, and the load's impedance.
The signal's AC voltage will be the same from end to end since it runs
through without interference.
In real systems, mismatched impedances cause some of the power to be

reflected back toward the source (like an echo). Reflections cause
destructive interference, leading to peaks and valleys in the voltage at
various times and distances along the line.
VSWR measures these voltage variances. It is the ratio of the highest

voltage anywhere along the transmission line to the lowest. Since the
voltage doesn't vary in an ideal system, its VSWR is 1.0 (or, as
commonly expressed, 1:1). When reflections occur, the voltages vary
and VSWR is higher -- 1.2 (or 1.2:1), for instance.
Mathematically:
VSWR is the voltage ratio of the signal on the transmission line:
VSWR = |V(max)| / |V(min)|
where V(max) is the maximum voltage of the signal along the line, and
V(min) is the minimum voltage along the line.
It can also be derived from the impedances:
VSWR = (1+ )/(1- )

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where (gamma) is the voltage reflection coefficient near the load,
derived from the load impeadance (ZL) and the source impedance (Zo):
= (ZL-Zo)/(ZL+Zo)
If the load and transmission line are matched, = 0, and VSWR = 1.0 (or
1:1).
VU Volume unit
W Watt (W) is the unit for measuring power. In physics terms, one watt is
one Joule of energy transferred or dissipated in one second. Electrical
power is calculated as:
Watts = Volts x Amps x Power Factor
The power factor can be disregarded for DC circuits or for AC circuits

with a resistive load (it is 1 in those situations).
W/Dog O/P Flag Watchdog output flag
Wafer Semiconductor manufacturing begins with a thin disk of semiconductor

material, called a "wafer." A series of processes defines transistors and
other structures, interconnected by conductors to build the desired
circuit.
The wafer is then sliced into "dice" which are mounted in packages,
creating the IC.
Wafer Fab Semiconductor processing facility which turns wafers into integrated
circuits. A typical wafer fab employs a series of complex steps to define
conductors, transistors, resistors, and other electronic components on the
the semiconductor wafer. Imaging steps define what areas will be
affected by subsequent physical and chemical processes.
WAN Wide Area Network: Any Internet or network that covers an area larger
than a single building.
Watchdog A feature of a microprocessor supervisory circuit that monitors software

execution in a microprocessor or microcontroller. It takes appropriate
action (assert a reset or nonmaskable interrupt) if the processor gets
stuck in an infinite execution loop.
Wb Weber: A measure of magnetic flux.
WB-CDMA Wideband Code Division Multiple Access, a standard derived from the
original CDMA. WB-CDMA is the third-generation (3G) mobile
wireless technology capable of supporting voice, video, and data
communications up to 2Mbps.

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WDI Watchdog input
WDPO Watchdog pulse output
WE Write enable
WHDI WHDI (Wireless Home Digital Interface) is a standard that enables

wireless delivery of uncompressed HDTV throughout the home with
video rates of up to 1080p in the 5GHz unlicensed band.
The WHDI group claims consistent picture quality equivalent to wired

HDMI, low latency, multiroom availability, and low power
consumption.
See: WHDI Products Overview.
Wideband A classification of the information capacity or bandwidth of a

communication channel. Wideband is generally understood to mean a
bandwidth between 64kbits/s and 2Mbit/s.
WiMax WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is a "last

mile," broadband, wireless access mechanism which can potentially
replace DSL and Cable Modem. Defined by the IEEE 802.16 standards.
While Wi-Fi (802.11) covers a small area with a radius of a few hundred
meters, WiMax (802.16) can cover up to 6 miles with only one base
station.
Also known as WirelessMAN, for "Wireless Metropolitan Area

Networks."
Window A device, usually consisting of a pair of voltage comparators, in which

Comparator output indicates whether the measured signal is within the voltage range
bounded by two different thresholds (an "upper" threshold and a "lower"
threshold).
Window A special subset of the watchdog timer feature found on microprocessor

Watchdog supervisory circuits. It is used to monitor software execution and assert a
reset or an NMI if the processor gets stuck in a loop. This feature not
only looks for periodic transitions on its input within a preprogrammed
timeout period, but it also looks to see if there are "too many" transitions
within its timeout period (window).
Wired-And When multiple high-impedance (open-collector or open-drain) output

pins are connected to a signal line (e.g. a bus) and the system is designed
so no more than one is on, a wired-and signal is achieved. This achieves
the equivalent of a logical AND function. (Depending on the signal
sense, the function could be seen as a OR, so the term "wired-OR" is
sometimes used.)

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Wireless Radio-frequency devices, circuits, or communications methods.
Wireless Sensor Wireless Sensor Network, or WSN, is a network of RF transceivers,

Network sensors, machine controllers, microcontrollers, and user interface devices
with at least two nodes communicating by means of wireless
transmissions.
WLAN Wireless Local Area Network
WLL Wireless Local Loop: Any method of using wireless communication in

place of a wired connection to provide subscribers with standard
telephone service.
WR-RD Write-read
Write Protect Any method that keeps data from being over-written. It may be a
physical obstacle or a file attribute choice that prevents overwriting.
WTA Wireless Telephony Application: A collection of telephony-specific

extensions for call- and feature-control mechanisms that make advanced
mobile network services available to end users. WTA essentially merges
the features and services of data networks with the services of voice
networks.
XAUI Innovation of the 10 Gigabit Ethernet Task Force. XAUI (pronounced

"Zowie") is a ten Gigabit/second interface. The "AUI" portion is
borrowed from the Ethernet Attachment Unit Interface. The "X"
represents the Roman numeral for ten and implies ten gigabits per
second. The XAUI is designed as an interface extender, and the interface
which it extends is the XGMII, the ten Gigabit Media Independent
Interface.
XCO Crystal clock oscillator (XCO): An oscillator that relies on a crystal for
its frequency reference. A piezoelectric crystal oscillates at a very stable
frequency.
Y/C Y, C, YUV, Y-Pb-Pr, YCbCr, and Y/C (also known as S-video) are
terms that refer to video signal components. The black and white
(luminance) portion of the video signal is the "Y" component which,
when combined with color components, form a complete picture.
The different nomenclatures for the color components reflect different

color encoding schemes.
See: Video Basics;
YIG Yttrium-iron-garnet (YIG) is a ferrimagnetic material used for solid-state

lasers and for microwave and optical communications devices.
Zener Diode A zener diode is a diode manufactured to have a specific reverse-

breakdown voltage. Its most common use is as a voltage reference.

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When reverse biased through a resistor, a zener diode will allow enough
current to establish its specified voltage.
ZIF Zero Insertion Force: A class of IC sockets which clamp the IC pins (via
a small lever on the side of the socket) after insertion, and thus require
no downward force on the IC or its pins to insert it into the socket.
Especially useful in applications in which repeated insertions subjects
the IC or the socket to wear and breakage.
ZIGBEE A standard for short-distance, low-data-rate communications using the

frequencies and physical and data layers of the IEEE 802.15.4 PHY
specification. Created and maintained by the ZIGBEE Alliance Group.
ZS Zero scale
ZVC Zero voltage crossing
ZVS Zero voltage switching

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References
"Aluminum Building Wire Installation & Terminations"(PDF). IAEI News
(January/February 2006). "Ideal Noalox Antioxidant Material Safety Data Sheet"(PDF).
Andrew R Hickey (15 May 2008). "'Crazy' Ant Invasion Frying Computer Equipment".
Ball, P. W. ed., (1985) ‘The Guide to Reducing Human Error in Process Operations’, HFRG,
The SRD Association, AEA Technology.
C22.1-15—Canadian Electrical Code, Part I: Safety Standard for Electrical Installations
(23rd ed.). Canadian Standards Association. 2015. Rules 4-038, 24-208(c). ISBN 978-1-
77139-718-6.
Cauldwell, Rex (2002). Wiring a House (For Pros By Pros). Newtown, Connecticut, US:
Taunton Press. ISBN 1-56158-527-0. "Color Coding Chart". Conwire.Retrieved 4 January 2016.
Croft, Terrel (1915) Wiring of Finished Buildings, McGraw Hill, New York.
EEA (2005) ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION IN BUILDINGS Published by the Ethiopian

Electric Agency Canadian Electrical Code - Sixteenth Edition (CSA C22.1:1992), the UK
Requirements for Electrical Installations - IEE Wiring Regulations - Sixteenth Edition
(BS7671:1992) and the USA National Electrical Code (NFPA 70:1986). All of these
standards have been updated or amended since the publication of EBCS-10.
For connection information, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEMA_connector
"Generating Power to Your House - How Power Grids Work - HowStuffWorks".

HowStuffWorks.Retrieved 21 February 2016.
"Guide to Safe Removal". Squirrels in the Attic.Retrieved 19 April 2012.
Kirwan, B. and Ainsworth, L. K. eds., (1993) ‘A Guide to Task Analysis’, Taylor and
Francis, London.
Litchfield, Michael; McAlister, Michael (2008). Taunton's wiring complete : expert advice
from start to finish (Revised ed.). Newtown, Connecticut, US: Taunton Press. ISBN 978-1-
60085-256-5
ILO, (1988) PIACT, Major Hazard Control: A practical manual.
ILO, (1992) Conditions of work digest, Preventing Stress at Work.
Lees, F.P., (1996) 'Loss Prevention in the Process Industries: Hazard Identification,
Assessment and Control', Second Edition.
Section 6.5 provides guidance on Systems and Procedures;
Section 13 provides guidance on Control System Design;
Section 14 provides guidance on Human Factors and Human Error;
Section 19 provides guidance on Plant Commissioning and Inspection;
Section 20 provides guidance on Plant Operation;
Section 24 provides guidance on Emergency Planning.

Page 167 of
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"National Electrical Code". National Electrical Manufacturers Association.Retrieved 4
January 2016.
National Electrical Code 2011 (2011 ed.), Quincy, Massachusetts: National Fire Protection
Association, 2010. — periodically re-issued every 3 years National Electrical Code — Basis of
most US electrical codes. Choose NFPA 70 (general purpose) or NFPA 70A (one and two
family dwellings). Free registration required.
"New Cable Colour Code for Electrical Installations". Energy Market Authority.Retrieved 4
January 2016.
Noel Williams, Jeffrey S. Sargen. "NEC Q and A: Questions and Answers on the National
Electrical Code". p. 117.Retrieved 4 January 2016.
"Wiring Color Codes Infographic". All About Circuits. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
Joseph, Günter, 1999, Copper: Its Trade, Manufacture, Use, and Environmental Status,
Kundig, Konrad J.A. (ed.), ASM International, ISBN 0871706563, pp. 141–192, 331–375
Pops, Horace (June 2008). "Processing of wire from antiquity to the future". Wire Journal
International: 58–66. The Metallurgy of Copper Wire. litz-wire.com
Robert M. Black, The History of Electric Wires and Cable, Peter Pergrinus Ltd. London,
1983 ISBN 0-86341-001-4, pp. 155–158
"The Evolution of Aluminum Conductors Used for Building Wire and Cable"(PDF). NEMA.
2012.
Schneider, Norman H., Wiring houses for the electric light; together with special references
to low voltage battery systems, Spon and Chamberlain, New York 1916, pp. 93–98
University of Illinois Extension. "Tree Squirrels > Damage Prevention and Control
Measures".Living with Wildlife in Illinois.University of Illinois Board of Trustees.Retrieved
12 March 2013.
.
ADDITIONAL READING REFERENCES
(1) The following normative references contain provisions, which through reference in this
text constitute provisions of the Ethiopian Building Code Standards on Electrical Installation
of Buildings.
a) IEC 60364-1:2001 Electrical installations of buildings - Part 1: Fundamental
principles, assessment of general characteristics, definitions.
b) IEC 60050-0:1979 International Electrotechnical Vocabulary General Index.
NORMATIVE REFERENCES
(2) The following references contain provisions which, through reference in this text
constitute provisions of the Ethiopian Building Code Standards on Electrical Installation of
Buildings
BS 8206: Part 1 – Lighting for Building.
DIN 5035 : 1990 Part 1 – Artificial Lighting, Terminology and General Requirements
Page 168 of
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DIN 5035 : 1990 Part 2 – Artificial lighting Recommended Values for lagging
Parameters for indoor and Outdoor Workplaces.
DIN 5035 : 1988 part 3 – Artificial Lighting of Interiors, Hospital Lighting
DIN 5035 : 1983 part 4 – Artificial Lighting of Interiors, Special Recommendations for
Lighting Educational establishments
DIN 5035 : 1987 Part 5 – Artificial Lighting of Interiors, Emergency Lighting
DIN 5035 : 1988 Part 7 Artificial Lighting of Interiors, Lighting of Rooms with VDU
Workstation or VDU Assisted Workplaces.
of Buildings.
(a) BS 6360:1991 Specification for Conductors in Isolated Cables and Cords.
(b) IEC 60228:1978 Conductors of Insulated Cables.
(c) IEC 60050-461:1984 International Electrotechnical Vocabulary. Part 461:Electric
cables
(d) IEC 60364-5-52:2001 Electrical installations of buildings. Part 5-52: Selection and
erection of electrical equipment; Wiring systems
(e) BS 7671:2001 Appendix 4 UK Requirements for Electrical Installations - IEE
Wiring Regulations - Sixteenth Edition
(4) The following informative references contain provisions, which through reference in this
of Buildings.
(a) CSA C22.1:2002 Canadian Electrical Code - Nineteenth Edition
(b) NFPA 70 / NEC:1999 National Fire Protection Association / American National
Electrical Code
(c) BS 7671:2001 Requirements for Electrical Installations, IEE Wiring Regulations,
Sixteenth Edition.
of Buildings.
(a) IEC 61024-1:1990 Protection of structures against lighting; part 1: general principles
(b) IEC 61024-1-1:1993 Protection of structures against lightning; part 1: general
principles; section 1: guide A: selection of protection levels for lightning protection systems
(c) IEC 61024-1-2:1998 Protection of structures against lightning - Part 1-2: General
principles - Guide B - Design, installation, maintenance and inspection of lightning protection
systems
of Buildings.
(a) ISO 8995:2002 Lighting of Indoor Work Places
(b) EN 12665:2002 Light and lighting - Basic terms and criteria for specifying
lighting requirements
(c) EN 1838:1999 Emergency lighting
d) EN 40-1:1991 Lightning columns; part 1: definitions and terms
of Buildings.
(a) CSA C22.1:2002 Canadian Electrical Code - Nineteenth Edition
(b) NFPA 70 / NEC:1999 National Fire Protection Association / American National
Electrical Code

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(c) BS 7671:2001 Requirements for Electrical Installations, IEE Wiring Regulations,
Sixteenth Edition.
of Buildings.
(a) IEC 60529:1989 Degree of protection provided by enclosures (IP Code).
(b) IEC 60617:2001 Graphical symbols for diagrams
(c) IEC 60417-1:2002 Graphical symbols for use on equipment - Part 1: Overview and
application
(d) ISO 14617-1:2002 Graphical symbols for diagrams - Part 1: General information
and indexes
(e) IEC 60598-1:1999 Luminaires - Part 1: General requirements and tests
List of Participants
GLELE TVET OFFICE WITH THE PROJECT OF KAHF CONSULTANCY SUPPORT OF REVITALIZATION OF
TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION (TVET) IN GULELE PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS
S/No. NAME DESIGNATION Address
1 BerhanuTadesse Gulele Sub-city Project Coordinator, Gulele Sub-city

Curriculum designer and Executive assistant office
2 Tesfaye Habte Sanitary installation construction work Shuro Meda TVET

(Plumbing) Instructor
3 Tesfaye Cary Installation construction work TVET Deane Shuro Meda TVET
Instructor
4 Aberham Wodaje Installation construction work TVET assistant Shuro Meda TVET
Deane Instructor

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Installation

Definitions of Electrical Terms You Should Know.................................................................................................................................. 1

ICRC: International Committee of the Red Cross

SNNPRS: Southern Nation, Nationalities and Peoples Regional State

PM: Preventive Maintenance

AC: Alternating Current

Some common terminologies in Electrical installation systems

- SI unit of measurement, V- VOLTS, or KV – kilovolts

- SI unit of measurement, A, amp or amps

- The amount of electrical energy. Or the rate of energy conversion

- SI unit of measurement, W - watts, or KW – kilowatts.

The ensuing sections of this EOS document comprise

The Ethiopian Occupational Standards

This document details the mandatory

A Unit of Competence describes a distinct

In prisons operation of facilities include open/close taps, open/close showers, operating

Proper Operation always requires following operational procedures or sequences-

Preventive Maintenance (PM)

 Lack of management attention towards maintenance

3.1. General Electrical Tools

Slip joint Diagonal cutting Side cutting

Retainer ring Long nose Snap ring

Standard type Phillips Offset

Unit.Multimeters can measure voltage, current, and resistance ce

Hand Electr ic Drill is electric ally

 Hammers – handles tight, no mushrooming of heads.

 Use correct tool for the job.

 Check for defects, cracks etc. – repair or replace.

 Check safety feet where fitted.

 Check hinges on step ladder.

3.2 Use ladders safely:

 Use correct ladder for the job (type and size).

 No metal ladders or metal-reinforced ladders when working on electrical apparatus

 Do not bring into contact with power conductors.

 Place at correct angle

 Lock hinges when using a step ladder.

 Lock doors before placing ladder over door.

 Do not lean ladder against windows or doors.

Some common terminologies in Electrical installation systems

- SI unit of measurement, V- VOLTS, or KV – kilovolts

- SI unit of measurement, A, amp or amps

- The amount of electrical energy. Or the rate of energy conversion

- SI unit of measurement, W - watts, or KW – kilowatts.

Stranded copper conductors

PVC insulated cable

 Diameters and cross-sectional areas of conductors

I. PURPOSE: To strip the insulator of an electrical conductor

NOTE: Don’t stretch the insulation when you are stripping

III. EQUIMENT TOOLS AND MATERIALS

Your Rat Tail/Pig Tail should be like this

VI. QUALITY CRITERIA

III. EQUIPMENT TOOLS AND MATERIALS

Step 3. Hold first wire using long nose pliers

Step 5. Make at least 5 turns.

Step 6. Do the same on the other side.

Step 7. Make sure that turns are tight.

This is the completed Bell Hanger’s Joint or Western Union short

VI. QUALITY CRITERIA