Automotive & Transportation

December 2018
The Power and Evolution of GaN – Part 4

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Figure 1: Brushless DC (BLDC) motor

(Source: Globalsources.com)

Bringing Precision Control to Surgical Robots with eGaN® FETs and ICs In this series, how the superior switching speed of gallium nitride (GaN)-on-silicon low voltage power devices have enabled many new applications is being discussed.  These applications are transforming industries such as lig
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Date:
12/31/2018
Making 'Smart' Safe -- When Every Millisecond Matters

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"We're enriching the toolbox of CPS architects and engineers and making it possible for them to rigorously develop networked cyber physical systems with hard-real-time performance guarantees for applications in which every millisecond matters," says Dr. Liang Cheng, an associate professor of computer science and engineering at Lehigh University's P.C Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science. Cheng, who is a member of the Leadership Council of Lehigh's new Institute for Cyber Physical Infrastructure and Energy (I-CPIE), was recently awarded nearly $500,000 in funding from the National Science Foundation's Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) program.

A driver behind the wheel of a luxury sedan spills a cup of hot coffee and, in a moment of distraction, suddenly faces a life-shattering crash. But in a split second--cue the dramatic pause--the vehicle's automatic breaking or crash avoidance technology engages the car's brakes. A time-critical intervention that av
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Date:
12/27/2018
Surface-Mount Fuse Tech. Steps Up to EV Reliability Demands

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Figure 1: Damage resulting from two conventional wire-in-are fuses subjected to extreme overload conditions - simulating a catastrophic EV battery short circuit

Electronic systems for automotive applications are subjected to among the harshest of environments – wide temperature variations, shock and vibration, exposure to humidity, water chemicals and salt. Traditionally, blade-type automotive fuses have provided the necessary fault protection, but as cars get “smart” an
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Date:
12/23/2018
Challenges for EV’s Growth

Kevin Parmenter, Field Applications Manger, Taiwan Semiconductor

The Last model year sales of new electric vehicles passed a milestone of one million units.  According to McKinsey's Electric Vehicle Index at the current growth trajectory, "EV producers could almost quadruple that achievement by 2020, moving 4.5 million units or around 5 percent of the overall global lig
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Date:
12/22/2018
Active Balancing Solutions for Series - Connected Batteries

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Figure 1. Stack capacity loss examples due to cell to cell mismatch

Large, high voltage rechargeable battery systems are now common sources of power in applications ranging from electric vehicles to power grid load leveling systems. These large battery stacks are typically comprised of series / parallel arrays of lithium polymer or LiFePO4 cells due to their high energy density and
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Date:
12/22/2018
IPM, Battery Chemistry & Charging Algorithms for Wearables

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Figure 1: A block diagram for Microchip’s PIC16F18446, which features high resolution Intelligent Analog peripherals such as an integrated 12-bit ADC2

The greatest challenge faced by both new battery chemistry and charging algorithm developers is obtaining an Application-specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) design.  Without silicon, new batteries and new charging algorithms have no way to acquire customers, and without customers – or at least potential cu
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Date:
12/22/2018
Omron launches ultra subminiature 5A switch
Andries De Bruin, Senior European Product Marketing Manager, Omron said, “The D2F-5 microswitch will push designers to minimize their application size. With a rating of 5A, these subminiature switches are ideal for high current applications and have a minimum durability of 10,000 actions.” The new D2F-5 switch o
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Date:
12/19/2018
UnitedSiC introduces Kelvin connection parts into UF3C “FAST” FET series
Based on an efficient cascode configuration, this new series provides designers with very fast switching, high-power devices in a package capable of high-power dissipation. The Kelvin package avoids gate ringing and false triggering which would otherwise require slowing of switching speeds to manage the large co
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Date:
12/19/2018
Low profile buck-boost regulator with six-sided shielding
The converter is ideal for equipment such as USB voltage regenerators, 3.3V-to-5V converters, and supercapacitor or Li-Ion battery regulators. The all-round shielding enhances thermal performance as well as preventing electromagnetic interference. This non-isolated power module can supply up to 4A at 5V nominal output vo
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Date:
12/19/2018
THN 15/20/30WI new model extension

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THN 15/20/30WI new model extension

The latest 5 VDC model additions to the THN 15/20/30WI series enable an optimal operation of any 5 Vout LDO (Low Drop-out) linear regulator. This is achieved by an extended trim function up to 6 VDC ensuring it’s correct operation. The LDO will then eliminate almost all ripple & noise components and provide a cl
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Date:
12/19/2018
RS Components stocks high-density capacitors from Vishay
Designed for energy storage in industrial, renewable energy and automotive environments, MAL2225 polarised electrostatic double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) combine high capacity and energy density with fast charge and discharge rates. MAL2225 capacitors are the industry’s first to offer a useful life of 2000 ho
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Date:
12/19/2018
3.00mm Pitch Power Connectors with 10A Current Capacity
The units can be accompanied by a variety of cable assembly options (with lengths from 150mm to 450mm supplied). Thanks to the patented 4-finger contact design employed, which relies on a Beryllium Copper alloy construction, connection integrity is always maintained – even when these connectors are subjected
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Date:
12/19/2018
RS Components adds signal transformers for battery monitoring

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The Bourns SM91501AL and SM91502AL are shipping from RS in the EMEA and Asia Pacific regions.

The new SM91501AL and SM91502AL are dual- and single-channel isolation transformer modules, respectively, with both devices offering common-mode chokes for noise rejection in BMS applications. Offering compliance with the AEC-Q200 standard for automotive applications, the modules are also implemented in reference de
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Date:
12/19/2018
Drop-in Replacements for Obsolete Power Supplies
A recent example involved the recommissioning of an ion implant system used in semiconductor device fabrication. Replacing the over 20-year-old power supplies without the need to modify the system chassis or control systems required a custom designed power supply. The replacement product supplied made use of a moder
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Date:
12/19/2018
Custom Capabilities Catalog Features New Packages
This catalog offers customers over 110 packages as the foundation for a custom design. Five new bobbin packages, including extended rail RM6 and RM10 packages, in addition to EPQ13, EPW15, and EE20/10/6 packages, are featured this year. This catalog also includes two new toroid headers, TOR-6P-HT4-SFTY and TOR-9P
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Date:
12/19/2018
Flex Servo-Drive for Direct Control of Electric Motors
PLANO, TX – Rutronik has announced that TDK-Micronas’ HVC 4223F Flex Servo-Drive for direct control of electric motors is available at www.Rutronik24.com. The flex servo-drive from TDK-Micronas, a TDK group company and leading German manufacturer of magnetic Hall-effect sensors, enables cost-effective real
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Date:
12/19/2018
Class-leading isolated DC-DC converter
The new BMR481 DC-DC converter has an input range of 40-60V targeting 48-54V nominal supplies, and a programmable 0.5-1.35V output. The 12 x 27.7mm footprint ‘main’ module provides a maximum output current of 70A and also incorporates a digital interface for monitoring, configuration and control purposes.
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Date:
12/18/2018
HARTING and Haug Group supply connector for StreetScooter
The project was successfully completed within a few short weeks by the Haug Group, an electronic component solution provider, and HARTING, one of the leading providers of electronic connectors. The two companies involved recently met at the "electronica" trade fair in Munich to exchange experiences.
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Date:
12/18/2018
USB Type-C/PD Controller IC Enables 3A Current Delivery
The FT4233H is an advanced bridge IC with USB Type-C connectivity and USB power delivery (PD) Rev. 3.0 controller capabilities - supporting applications up to 100W. Through use of the FT4233H, it will be possible for currents of reaching 3A to be provided to connected hardware (power tools, lights, household appl
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Date:
12/18/2018
98.5%-Efficient High Voltage BLDC Motor Driver IC Family
BridgeSwitch ICs feature high- and low-side advanced FREDFETs (Fast Recovery Diode Field Effect Transistors) with integrated lossless current sensing, resulting in inverter conversion efficiency of up to 98.5% in brushless DC (BLDC) motor drive applications to 300 W. Superior efficiency along with the distri
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Date:
12/18/2018
New 1700V SiC Power Module
The module is optimized for outdoor power generation systems, such as inverters for solar power and converters for industrial high-power supplies. In recent years, due to its energy-saving benefits, SiC is seeing greater adoption in 1200V applications such as electric vehicles and industrial equipment. The
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Date:
12/18/2018
Energy Harvesting Bluetooth Low Energy Switch
The platform demonstrates how the RSL10 System-in-Package (SIP) can enable Bluetooth 5 devices that are battery-less and entirely self-powered, requiring no additional energy source. Application examples include wall and lighting control, building automation, and asset tracking. The Energy Harvesting Blueto
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Date:
12/18/2018
Low-Power SOTB Process Technology Eliminates Batteries
Renesas unveiled an innovative energy-harvesting embedded controller that can eliminate the need to use or replace batteries in IoT devices. Developed based on Renesas' breakthrough SOTB (silicon-on-thin-buried-oxide) process technology, the new embedded controller achieves extreme reduction in both active and standby
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Date:
12/18/2018
New 2-channel isolated gate-driver IC family from Infineon
The new gate-driver IC family is ideally suited for high-voltage PFC and DC-DC stages as well as for synchronous rectification stages in server, telco and industrial switching mode power supplies (SMPS). Further applications are 48 V to 12 V DC-DC converters, battery and electrical vehicle charging stations as well
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Date:
12/18/2018
3D position Hall sensor series with stray field compensation
TDK Corporation expands its Micronas position sensor portfolio with the Hall-sensor family HAL 39xy featuring stray-field compensation capability. The series is built on the highly flexible architecture for multidimensional magnetic-field measurements marketed under the trademark masterHAL. The sensors
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Date:
12/18/2018
TI’s LMG3410R070 GaN Power Stage, Now at Mouser
Boasting ultra-low input and output capacitance, the LMG3410R070 supports new requirements for high-power-density electric motor applications, including industrial and consumer power supplies. The high-performance GaN power stage supports higher currents, temperatures, voltages, and switching frequencies than silicon
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Date:
12/18/2018
Space-saving DIN-Rail power supplies
The slim fitting enclosure sizes range from 22.5mm to 60mm with optional brackets for panel mounting. All models are CE marked, have UL and TUV safety approvals and are RoHS compliant. Key features include 5 Year Warranty, spring up connection terminals, 6 mounting orientation options, operating temperatur
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Date:
12/18/2018
Smallest 3 phase Book Style EMC filter
These innovative filters are not only optimised to best serve the requirements of machine tool and machinery equipment but will find wider application areas. Small is not just beautiful, but also very powerful. When developed with appropriately sized EMC filters during the start of the design-in phase, machines and
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Date:
12/18/2018
AEC-Qualified Circuit Protection Components
TEMPE, Ariz. – ProTek Devices introduced two automotive circuit protection devices that are AEC-Q101 qualified to guard against electrostatic discharge and electrical fast transients in critical automotive systems. The PAM1IVN27 and PAM2IVN24 devices are ideal for CANBus, LINBus, FlexRay, and SENT in-vehicl
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Date:
12/17/2018
PSDcast - EcoCAR and the Future of Automotive Technology
In this episode of the PSDcast, we're discussing one of the coolest platforms for alternative energy vehicles ...
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Date:
12/17/2018
EPC to Display GaN-Enabled Wireless Systems at CES 2019
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — EPC will be demonstrating the power of eGaN technology to enhance two game-changing consumer applications – wireless power and LiDAR for self-driving cars – at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, January 8th through the 11th.   In the EPC Palazzo hospitalit
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Date:
12/14/2018
Maximizing the Effectiveness of Platinum in Fuel Cells

Argonne chemist Lina Chong (foreground) holds a sample catalyst while Argonne chemist Di-Jia Liu looks on.

In the journal Science, Argonne chemists have identified a new catalyst that maximizes the effectiveness of platinum. Platinum is a precious metal more rare than silver or gold. Renowned in the fuel cell community for its effectiveness in converting hydrogen and oxygen into water and electricity, plati
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Date:
12/14/2018
MALVERN, Pa. — The Optoelectronics group of Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. introduced a new fully integrated automotive-grade proximity and ambient light sensor with four different slave address options. Featuring Filtron technology, the Vishay Semiconductors VCNL4030X01 combines photo detectors for proximity and a
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Date:
12/12/2018
An Alternative to the Alternator

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Figure 1. The Bel Power Solutions 350DNC40 is a 4 kW DC/DC Converter that creates DC voltages in hybrid and electric vehicles suitable to power low voltage accessories. Features include very high efficiency, high reliability, low output voltage noise and excellent dynamic response to load/input changes.

With innovative manufacturers developing and expanding their range of solutions, engineers have more reasons than ever to replace alternators with DC-DC converters in road transport applications. Today’s eMobility and hybrid and electric vehicle manufacturers emphasize the efficiency, reliability and pract
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Date:
12/11/2018
Simple Battery Charger ICs for Any Chemistry

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Figure 1. Typical Application Circuit for the LTC4162-L

It is common for many battery-powered devices to require a wide variety of charging sources, battery chemistries, voltages and currents. For example, industrial, high-end feature-rich consumer, medical and automotive battery charger circuits demand higher voltages and currents as newer large-battery packs are em
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Date:
12/11/2018
Surface-Mount Fuse Tech Steps up to EV Reliability Demands

Figure 1: Damage resulting from two conventional wire-in-are fuses subjected to extreme overload conditions - simulating a catastrophic EV battery short circuit

Electronic systems for automotive applications are subjected to among the harshest of environments – wide temperature variations, shock and vibration, exposure to humidity, water chemicals and salt. Traditionally, blade-type automotive fuses have provided the necessary fault protection, but as cars get “smart” an
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Date:
12/11/2018
Challenges of SiC for Automotive Applications

Figure 1. IGBT’s and Discrete Diodes

(Be sure to check out our PSDcast with ROHM on the same topic here: https://www.powersystemsdesign.com/articles/psdcast-the-formula-e-electric-racing-series/35/13290) Two of the biggest challenges that are preventing widespread adoption of Silicon Carbide (SiC) diodes and MOSFET devices for traction inverters ar
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Date:
12/11/2018
Powering, Protecting, and Augmenting EVs and HEVs
It’s fitting that last month covered the Internet of Things, since the greatest beneficiary of a functional IoT is the automotive sector, which is the topic du jour for December. And a voluminous topic it is, with subsets ranging from replacing alternators with DC-DC converters to battery charger ICs, surface-mount fu
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Date:
12/11/2018
Mild Hybrid Vehicle Solutions Address Emissions Challenge

Figure 1. A Typical 48V Mild Hybrid System Electrical Topology

With the very recent reassertion by scientists that the current trajectory for reducing the rate of global temperature increases is simply not good enough, there is now even greater pressure to reduce vehicle emissions of CO2 gasses. The best way of achieving this is through a reduction of the average vehicle’s f
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Date:
12/10/2018
Overcoming Poor Power Quality in Small Spaces
For years, the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) has been marred by a slow diffusion of innovation among consumers. Probably the most obvious problem is that buyers have been apprehensive of the high initial cost of buying EVs, as well as the total cost of owning an electric vehicle over the course of its li
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Date:
12/10/2018
Ultra-Compact Secondary Automotive Buck DC/DC Converters

Figure 1: Example System Configuration

ROHM has recently launched the BD9S series of secondary synchronous Buck DC/DC converters qualified to AEC-Q100 for automotive applications. These offer high reliability and low power consumption in a compact form factor. This makes them very suitable for applications like radars, cameras and sensors which can be
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Date:
12/10/2018
Enhancing EV Ecosystems Through Efficient Power Conversion

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EV charging

Today’s hybrid and fully electric vehicles (EVs) are still in the early stages of the iterative process of innovation. Several generations of hybrid vehicles have been introduced to market and improved through a combination of technology advances and user feedback. A number of vendors now market competent EV
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Date:
12/10/2018
On the Road to Success for Electric Vehicles
This year seems to have gone faster than a Tesla in ludicrous mode. We all wondered when the year started if this would be the year that SiC and GaN technologies made the breakthrough into the mainstream, and turned out that, yes it was. GaN especially looks to have taken a major leap forward and we’ll hopefully se
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Date:
12/10/2018
Trump Wants to Pump the Brakes on Auto Emissions Standards
President Trump wants to freeze Obama-era CAFE standards, potentially setting up a major clash for the 2020 elections. Obama’s Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, enacted in 2012, mandated fleetwide fuel efficiencies of 39 MPG by 2020 and 50 MPG in 2025. The Trump administration wants to pump
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Date:
12/10/2018
SMT Inductors Feature Temperature Rating up to 155°C
SAN DIEGO ― Pulse Electronics’ Power Business Unit has introduced the new PM220X Series SMT Inductors.  Designed for automotive and industrial applications, the PM220X series offers the same quality performance as the recently released PA500X series for commercial applications with the addition of
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Date:
12/07/2018
VALENCIA, CA - H2scan announced the Gen 5 System, a first of its kind hydrogen sensor package that offers the high accuracy, small size, and low cost needed to help utilities monitor and protect their distribution transformers. Electronics for the Gen 5 System are consolidated onto a 4.7 x 4.7 1.2-million-tr
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Date:
12/07/2018
Montreal, Canada – December 5, 2018 – Future Electronics, a global leading distributor of electronic components, is featuring Liquid Tight Strain Reliefs from Altech in the latest edition of THE EDGE. Altech’s full line of Liquid Tight Strain Reliefs (Cord Grips) are used to seal cable entries, keep contaminants from entering enclosures, provide strain relief and thus reduce stress on componen
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Date:
12/07/2018
The Power and Evolution of GaN - Part 3

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Figure 1: Overview of a typical LIDAR system

How to Build an Ultra-Fast High-Power Laser Driver using eGaN® FETs - That Sees Farther, Better, and at a Lower Cost! In the first article in this series, how gallium nitride (GaN)-on-silicon low voltage power devices have enabled many new applications, such as light detection and ranging (Li
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Date:
12/02/2018
Precision Power Analysis

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Figure 1: Measuring power-train efficiency in an electric vehicle, showing four DC measurements (1 to 4) with the corresponding mechanical power measurements (M1 to M4)



In the rapidly evolving area of power electronics, the need for reliable testing to enhance safety, efficiency and performance has never been greater. In sectors as diverse as renewable energy, electric vehicles and energy-efficient technologies, changing application needs and evolving industry standards call fo
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Date:
12/01/2018
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