Week 14: (16/12/13 - 20/12/13)

Submit The Proposal Report


I find that this project is quite challenging for me in term of skills to implement the project. All the hardware parts and design the PCB layout needs some engineering skill such as soldering, itching, and so on. The software skills are also importance in order to simulate the circuit’s project. This will help me to build the knowledge and apply it to real world.

The expected outcomes for this project are that I should be able to produce a prototype of buck-boost converter. In other words, I am able to regulate the voltage outputs greater or less than the input voltage. These are the key findings in the project. Besides that, I am also able to find or determined the effect of duty cycle of PWM on a buck boost converter. This further study will focus on the voltages and current effects.

As for this project, I hope to accomplish all the objectives and able to finish the task within the time period given. With a help and monitoring from the supervisor Dr Mohd Izhar bin Abu Bakar, this project can be done in time. Although this project it’s just a prototype, it can be useful in the near future. For future plan, with more time and extra resources maybe I will able to make a smaller size and commercial type of buck boost converter.

I plan to submit the proposal report and log book on Friday morning 20 December 2013. This is the link to my proposal report.

• FYP1 Proposal Report

Week 13: (9/12/13 - 13/12/13)

Finish Up The Proposal Report 

For this week, all the FYP1's students should submit the proposal report. However since we have a lot of other assignment, Dr Izhar gave us another week extension. Thanks to his generosity and understanding. Therefore I can finish up my proposal report and also update my log book and blog. The proposal report should have these outlines:-

So far I have done almost 50% of the proposal report. I have done the introduction, problem statement, literature review and half of methodology. I hope I can finish this report by next week.

Week 12: (2/12/13 - 6/12/13)

Main Components

The PWM will act as a switching to the buck-boost converter. The output will be control by an adjustable resistor or variable resistor and the PWM circuit. The main components are LTC3115-1 for buck-boost and 555 Timer for PWM. The PWM have on state and off state modes. The ratio or duty cycle between this two can be control. Therefore, the student will study the effect of PWM in the output voltage magnitude of the buck boost converter. This will make a better understanding on how the buck-boost converter actually works.

The LM555 is a highly stable device for generating accurate time delays or oscillation. Additional terminals are provided for triggering or resetting if desired. In the time delay mode of operation, the time is precisely controlled by one external resistor and capacitor. For astable operation as an oscillator, the free running frequency and duty cycle are accurately controlled with two external resistors and one capacitor. The circuit may be triggered and reset on falling waveforms, and the output circuit can source or sink up to 200mA or drive TTL circuits.

The LTC3115-1 is a high voltage monolithic synchronous buck-boost DC/DC converter. Its wide 2.7V to 40V input and output voltage ranges make it well suited to a wide variety of automotive and industrial applications. A proprietary low noise switching algorithm optimizes efficiency with input voltages that are above, below or even equal to the output voltage and ensures seamless transitions between operational modes.

Below are the datasheet about the main components:-

• LM555
• LTC3115-1