Motor Drives, Robotics & Controls

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
New Hydraulic Actuator Will Make Robots Tougher

This figure shows a seven-axis hydraulic robot arm breaking concrete slabs, each 30 mm thick. This is a prototype for comparison with a four-legged robot also being developed in this project by Waseda University, Meiji University, and others, produced at approximately the same size. It consists of seven of the new hydraulic motors.

Researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) have developed a hydraulic actuator[1] that will allow tough robots to operate in disaster sites and other harsh environments. Tokyo Tech Venture H-MUSCLE Corporation?has been established to pursue applications for the actuator, and shipping of product sa
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Date:
12/27/2018
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
Screwless Terminal Block Reduces Maintenance by up to 40%
DOWNERS GROVE, ILLINOIS -- Hirose has developed a screwless terminal block series that significantly reduces the electrical wiring time and maintenance workload compared to conventional terminal blocks. The Zero ScrewTM EF2 Series features a unique single-action connection design that requires the user to simply pu
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Date:
12/20/2018
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
Ultra slim, low cost DIN rail power supplies from XP Power
These versatile supplies provide reliable power with a 150% peak load capability in a slimline DIN rail mount metal case. Competitively priced, the DSR’s ultra slim, space saving design features a width of just 1.26” for 75W and 120W models, and 1.77” for 240W models, making them the slimmest profiles
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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
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
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
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
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
TTI Stocks TT Electronics Surface-Mount Infrared LED Emitter
Fort Worth, Texas – TTI, Inc. introduces TT Electronics Surface-Mount Infrared LED Emitters (OP207CL) for encoder applications, industrial automation, robotics, and more. The compact, infrared LED emitter features the industry’s largest spot diameter of 7mm for reliable optical sensing and position encoder a
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Date:
12/14/2018
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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