Diagnostics, Fault Isolation and Board-Level Troubleshooting

This Anode Technical Institute course teaches a structured approach to diagnosing Philips EPIQ ultrasound system problems using publicly available information and general engineering knowledge. Students learn to document symptoms, interpret accessible system logs, and build fault-isolation plans that distinguish configuration, peripheral, power, signal-path, and board-related causes. Image artifacts serve as diagnostic clues, with emphasis on separating acquisition conditions and transducer issues from suspected electronic faults. Guided exercises address electrical safety, electrostatic discharge precautions, power-supply assessment, and board-level isolation without assuming access to proprietary service tools. Repair-versus-replace decisions consider documentation, technician qualifications, component traceability, patient safety, and required post-service verification, and students are instructed to follow the manufacturer's service documentation for all system-specific procedures. Anode Technical Institute is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by Philips or Medtronic, and this course is not factory training.

InstructorJacob Calhoun

Prerequisites

EPQ 120

Course outline

Lectures, virtual labs, and graded assignments — completed in your browser.

01Lesson 1: Diagnostic Workflow, Service Boundaries, and Manufacturer Documentationlecture

02Lesson 2: Electrical Safety, Stored Energy, and Electrostatic Discharge Controlslecture

03Lesson 3: Accessible System Logs, Event Timing, and Symptom Correlationlecture

04Lesson 4: Hands-on Lab: Building a Fault Timeline from Sample Logslab

05Lesson 5: Symptom-to-Fault Methods and Hypothesis-Driven Testinglecture

06Lesson 6: Power-Supply Fundamentals, Load Behavior, and Safe Measurement Planninglecture

07Lesson 7: Startup, Intermittent, and Thermal Fault Isolationlecture

08Lesson 8: Hands-on Lab: Power-Fault Isolation on a Training Circuit & Midterm Reviewlab

09Lesson 9: Image Artifacts as Clues to Acquisition, Transducer, and Signal-Path Faultslecture

10Lesson 10: Board-Level Isolation Using Functional Blocks and Documented Test Pointslecture

11Lesson 11: Hands-on Lab: Localizing a Simulated Board Fault on a Training Assemblylab

12Lesson 12: Board Repair Versus Replacement: Risk, Feasibility, and Traceabilitylecture

13Lesson 13: Post-Service Safety Checks, Image-Quality Verification, and Documentationlecture

14Lesson 14: Capstone Project: Evidence-Based Diagnosis and Repair-or-Replace Recommendationassignment

Syllabus

["Week 1: Lesson 1: Diagnostic Workflow, Service Boundaries, and Manufacturer Documentation", "Week 2: Lesson 2: Electrical Safety, Stored Energy, and Electrostatic Discharge Controls", "Week 3: Lesson 3: Accessible System Logs, Event Timing, and Symptom Correlation", "Week 4: Lesson 4: Hands-on Lab: Building a Fault Timeline from Sample Logs", "Week 5: Lesson 5: Symptom-to-Fault Methods and Hypothesis-Driven Testing", "Week 6: Lesson 6: Power-Supply Fundamentals, Load Behavior, and Safe Measurement Planning", "Week 7: Lesson 7: Startup, Intermittent, and Thermal Fault Isolation", "Week 8: Lesson 8: Hands-on Lab: Power-Fault Isolation on a Training Circuit & Midterm Review", "Week 9: Lesson 9: Image Artifacts as Clues to Acquisition, Transducer, and Signal-Path Faults", "Week 10: Lesson 10: Board-Level Isolation Using Functional Blocks and Documented Test Points", "Week 11: Lesson 11: Hands-on Lab: Localizing a Simulated Board Fault on a Training Assembly", "Week 12: Lesson 12: Board Repair Versus Replacement: Risk, Feasibility, and Traceability", "Week 13: Lesson 13: Post-Service Safety Checks, Image-Quality Verification, and Documentation", "Week 14: Lesson 14: Capstone Project: Evidence-Based Diagnosis and Repair-or-Replace Recommendation"]