Compact Function Generator Function generators are expensive instruments used in many technical laboratories to generate input signal

to circuits under test. Specialized types are quite expensive and the special functions they provide not usually needed in basic testing. So, we decided to feature this no-nonsense compact function generator intended for basic circuit tests at a reasonably lower cost. This featured function generator is stripped-down version based on popular XR2206IC. In fact, the circuit does not use any other IC. The only other components used in the circuit are the support components needed in make in the IC operational. Circuit Description The complete schematic diagram is illustrated figure 1. Obviously, the heart of the circuit is the XR2206 function generator IC. The circuit operates from 9V to 18V. However a 9-volt battery used here to make the circuit compact. You can use a regulated power supply if you prefer. AC-DC adapters also work but keep in mind that is ripple content should be quite low to keep it from affecting the circuits output. The XR2206 in its basic configuration can provide three different signal outputs. These include the sine, triangle and square waves. The sine and triangle signals are generated at its pin 2. The square wave output is available at its pin 11. Resistor R7 and R8 form a voltage divider to limit the square wave peak-to-peak voltage to approximately 5 volts. You can easily change the output level of the square wave signal by replacing these resistor with appropriate replacement. Use the voltage divider formula Vout = (Vsupply)R8(R7 + R8). SW2 is the sine/triangle wave selector switch. When set to generate a sine wave peak-to-peak , notice that VR3 is connected across pins 13 and 14. These pin provide access to the ICs sine shaper circuitry. VR3 allows the wave to be adjusted for the least amount of distortion. The amplitude of the output sine or triangle wave can be adjusted from zero to maximum through potentiometer VR1. The maximum peak-to-peak sine wave output is around 3V. The output frequency is determined by the timing capacitors and resistors. The timing capacitor is selected through SW3. Notice that this circuit provides three different

LARGE SCALE IC FUNCTION GENERATOR (XR2206) ICs are categorized by the number of gates (simple digital circuits) inside them. Small Scale Integration (SSI) is generally defined as IC with up to 12 gates. MSI has 12 to 100 gates; Large Scale Integration (LSI) has 100 to 1000 gates; Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) has more than 1000 gates. Typical ICs such as 555 and 741 are SSI device. Microprocessors are the heart of small computers, called the personal computer, and video games. Typical microprocessor has 40 pins and is considered as to be LSI, although some are VLSI devices. The function generator chip is usually referred to as an MSI circuit. FUNCTION GENERATOR IC The XR 2206 has the ability to produce sine, triangle, and square wave outputs. The outputs can be amplitude modulated and frequency modulated by an external voltage. The Frequency of operation can be externally selected from 0.01 hertz to more than 1megahertz. Only a few external components are necessary to allow IC to generate its full complement of outputs. The XR 2206 is one of several such circuits. It has excellent temperature stability, a wide frequency change, and a low sensitivity to power supply variation. It operates from a supply voltage of up to 26 volts or from split supply of positive/negative 13 volts. The supply current is a maximum of 20 milliamperes and device power dissipation is low at 625 milliwatts. The circuit is consisted of four functional block; a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), an analog multiplier, a unity gain buffer amplifier, and a set of current switches. The current switches transfer the oscillator current to either of the two external timing resistors. With different value timing resistors, two discrete oscillator frequencies can be selected by the logic level 1 or 0 on the frequency shift keyer (FSK) input at pin 9. FREQUENCY OF OPERATION The frequency of operation is determined by the external timing capacitor C3 across pin5 and pin6 by the timing resistor R4 and R5 and connected to either pin7 or pin8. Frequency of operation is given by: