Get certified · 3 courses
From bare board to orbit.
Learn how electronics are built, how defects are kept out of every solder joint, and how a CubeSat is engineered. Three certification courses, one path.
Suggested path
Build it. Check it. Launch it.
Each course stands on its own. Taken in this order, they follow a board from the factory floor to a spacecraft.
Foundation · Electronics manufacturing
Introduction to Electronics Manufacturing Process
See how a bare circuit board becomes a working product, from solder paste and pick and place to reflow, inspection and test.
One board, six stations
- Solder paste printing
- Pick and place
- Reflow soldering
- Automated inspection
- Through-hole and wave
- Test and pack
The board travels left to right on the conveyor
- PCB fabrication basicsLayers, materials, copper, solder mask and how bare boards are made.
- Components and packagesPassive and active parts, package styles and size codes.
- Solder paste and stencilsPaste types, stencil design and print quality control.
- Pick and placeFeeders, nozzles, placement accuracy and line speed.
- Reflow and wave solderingTemperature profiles, zones and through-hole soldering.
- Inspection, test and qualityAutomated inspection, functional test, bridging and tombstoning.
Solder melts 217 °C0402 part 1.0 × 0.5 mm
Go deeper · Surface mount quality
Introduction to Surface Mount Technology: Process and Quality
Learn how surface mount boards are built and how to keep defects out, from solder paste printing to inspection and yield.
Quality gates along the line
- Solder paste printing
- Paste inspection
- Pick and place
- Reflow soldering
- Optical inspection
- X-ray and test
Defects you learn to trace
- Tombstoning
- Bridging
- Insufficient solder
- Voids
- SMT process overviewThe full flow from bare board to soldered assembly.
- Paste and stencil printingPaste behaviour, stencil design and print settings.
- Placement and reflowPlacement accuracy, reflow zones and how profiles shape joints.
- Inspection methodsWhen to use SPI, AOI and X-ray.
- Defects and root causesSpot each defect and fix what caused it.
- Quality metricsDefect rates, first-pass yield and standards for judging a joint.
Inspection SPI, AOI, X-rayKey metric First-pass yield
Go further · Small satellite engineering
CubeSat Architecture and Engineering Fundamentals
Learn how a small satellite is put together, from the 10 cm structure to the radio link back to Earth, and finish with a certificate you can add to your profile.
Built from 10 cm units, same scale
Idea to orbit
- Concept
- Requirements
- Design
- Integration
- Test
- Launch
- The CubeSat standardUnit sizes, deployers and the design rules behind every mission.
- System architectureTurn objectives into requirements, budgets and a block diagram.
- Power and computingSolar panels, batteries, power budgets and the flight computer.
- CommunicationsRadio links, antennas, link budgets and ground segment basics.
- Attitude, orbit, thermalHow a CubeSat points, orbits and handles temperature swings.
- Integration and testingAssembly, environmental testing and preparing for flight.
One unit about 10 cmPer orbit 90 to 95 min
Where to start
Pick the question you are asking.
Free with every course
Calculators for the bench.
Use these AeroTronicsLab tools while you study, or on your next design.
Get certified. Pick your launch pad.
Enroll on Udemy and finish with a certificate you can add to your profile.