Industrial

June 2019
10 Watt DC/DC Converter in Ultra-Compact DIP-16 Package
San Jose, Calif. - TRACO POWER has announced the release of their TEL10 series of 10 watt DC/DC converters in the DIP-16 package measuring 0.94 x 0.54 x 0.31", the series sets the new standard for 10 watt power density with 3.83 W/cm3. Approved to UL62368-1 & UL60950, the TEL10 are economical solutions for
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Date:
06/28/2019
700V and 600V Super Junction MOSFETs in 300mm Fab
SUNNYVALE, Calif. – Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Limited (AOS) announced the release of700V and 600V αMOS5 Super Junction MOSFET families in 300mm technologies. αMOS5 is AOS’ latest generation of high voltage MOSFET, designed to meet the high efficiency and high-density needs for Quick Charger, Adapter, P
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Date:
06/28/2019
AC-DC Cassette Converters for Rugged Industrial Applications
Santa Clara, CA - Bel Power Solutions announced their Melcher LR Series 300 W AC-DC cassette converters, which are designed for railway and rugged industrial applications. These new LR Series products are an enhancement to Bel Power Solutions’ existing broad range of 19" cassette power supplies, ideal for
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Date:
06/27/2019
Generating more Electricity from Waste Heat

(Left) Schematic of the layered crystal structure of SnSe. (Right) Pressure dependence of thermoelectric power factor at 150 K and 300 K for SnSe. Inset shows the schematic illustration of the corresponding change in valley topology in SnSe.

Osaka, Japan - Researchers at Osaka University have been able to enhance the power factor of a promising thermoelectric material by more than 100% by varying the pressure, paving the way for new materials with improved thermoelectric properties. Thermoelectric materials have the unique ability to generate electricity fr
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Date:
06/27/2019
Varistors Offer Ultra-High Surge Capability to 13 kA
MALVERN, Pa. — Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. introduced a new series of VDR metal oxide varistors (MOV) certified for operation up to +125 °C in accordance with UL 1449 edition 4, VDE/IEC 61051-1/2. Designed to provide overvoltage and transient voltage protection in consumer goods and industrial applications, the
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Date:
06/26/2019
Molex Adds New Mid-Power MultiCat Power Connector Versions
LISLE, IL – Molex introduces 8- and 20-circuit mid-power versions to the MultiCat Power Connector System with Precision-Machined Contacts. This system provides superior durability and can be mated quickly and ensures proper connection via connector position assurance, making it effective in multiple industry c
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Date:
06/26/2019
Data Aggregation Platform for Automotive Industry
Fremont, California – Excelfore announces the eDatX platform for big-data-driven AI (Artificial Intelligence) learning in fields of error detection, predictive analytics, and advanced algorithm development. The eDatX platform seamlessly integrate with eSync Compliant automotive OTA and data gathering pip
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Date:
06/25/2019
A New 'Golden' Age for Electronics?

Samarium sulfide doped with various rare earth elements shrinks as the temperature increases from about minus 175°C to about 40-60°C. Shown here is the relative linear shrinkage compared to the length at about 120°C. For the Cerium (Ce) dopant, the percentage volume decrease is about 2.6%. These samples were produced by an industrially scalable process, paving the way for practical applications of this class of sulfides as thermal-expansion compensators.

One way that heat damages electronic equipment is it makes components expand at different rates, resulting in forces that cause micro-cracking and distortion. Plastic components and circuit boards are particularly prone to damage due to changes in volume during heating and cooling cycles. But if a material could be
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Date:
06/25/2019
A Further Step Towards Reliable Quantum Computation
Quantum computation has been drawing the attention of many scientists because of its potential to outperform the capabilities of standard computers for certain tasks. For the realization of a quantum computer, one of the most essential features is quantum entanglement. This describes an effect in which several qu
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Date:
06/25/2019
Tantalum Nitride Chips Offer Robust Humidity Withstanding
RALEIGH, NC – The RTAN Series from Stackpole withstands biased humidity testing at 85 degree C, 85% relative humidity, 10% rated power with very little resistance shift. In addition, the RTAN anti-sulfur materials and design is such that it will pass the rigorous ANSI / EIA-977 (method A) standard sulfur test,
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Date:
06/24/2019
Analog-to-Digital Converters with Data Rates of 153.6 kSPS
CHANDLER, Ariz. — The rapidly growing market of high precision applications require Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs) with faster programmable data rates, higher accuracy and more integrated features to maximize system performance. To meet these needs, Microchip Technology Inc. introduced a family of compact AD
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Date:
06/21/2019
DIN Rail Power Supplies Certified for Hazardous Locations
San Jose, Calif. - TRACO POWER has announced the release of their TIB 480-EX Family of 480 Watt DIN rail power supplies that are designed for harsh environments & hazardous locations with certifications for ATEX II3G and UL HazLoc Class I / Div 2 standards. These products bring a new performance level to i
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Date:
06/20/2019
KIST Gets Robot to Trap Ball Without Coding

This research outcome shows that robots can be intuitively taught to be flexible by humans, as it was not accomplished through numerical calculation or programming of the robot's movements.

Dr. Kee-hoon Kim's team at the Center for Intelligent & Interactive Robotics of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST, President Byung-gwon Lee) developed a way of teaching "impedance-controlled robots" through human demonstrations using surface electromyograms (sEMG)* of muscles and
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Date:
06/20/2019
A Sound Idea: A Step Towards Quantum Computing

Laser pulses.

Tsukuba, Japan - A team at the University of Tsukuba studied a novel process for creating coherent lattice waves inside silicon crystals using ultrashort laser pulses. Using theoretical calculations combined with experimental results that were obtained at the University of Pittsburgh, they were able to show th
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Date:
06/19/2019
A new Manufacturing Process for Aluminum Alloys

PNNL's ShAPE process combined with a unique aluminum alloy produced high-strength, high-ductility rods in one single process.

RICHLAND, WASHINGTON - An advanced manufacturing process to produce nano structured rods and tubes directly from high-performance aluminum alloy powder -- in a single step -- was recently demonstrated by researchers from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Using a novel Solid Phase Processing approach,
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Date:
06/19/2019
TMR-Based Sensor for High-Current Coreless Applications
TDK Corporation is expanding its Micronas magnetic sensor portfolio with the CUR 423x sensors developed for current measurements in automotive and industrial applications. The new sensors, marketed under the trademark curSENS, are the first Micronas branded products based on the TDK TMR technology. This technology ha
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Date:
06/18/2019
Commercial FLA Series Dimming Receptacles
Amphenol Commercial Products FLA Series Dimming Receptacles are designed with power and dimming/signal contacts to provide a connection between dimmable photocell and the luminaire for commercial and utility lighting. The locking type receptacles are compliant with ANSI C136-10 and can be used for lighting applications ins
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Date:
06/18/2019
Emerging Device by the Fusion of IGZO and Ferroelectric-HfO2

(a) Cross-sectional TEM image of a TiN/HfZrO2/IGZO capacitor. Each layer was uniformly formed. HfZrO2 layer is uniformly crystallized having ferroelectric phase. (b) Measured polarization charge versus voltage of a TiN/HfZrO2/IGZO capacitor. Clear ferroelectricity was confirmed.

As a part of JST PRESTO program, Associate professor Masaharu Kobayashi, Institute of Industrial Science, the University of Tokyo, has developed a ferroelectric FET (FeFET) with ferroelectric-HfO2 and ultrathin IGZO channel. Nearly ideal subthreshold swing (SS) and mobility higher than poly-silicon channel have be
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Date:
06/18/2019
800V Bus Converter Module Features 97% Peak Efficiency
The 800V BCM4414 is a 1.6kW, isolated, 1/16 fixed-ratio, bus converter module (BCM), that can operate from a 500V to 800V input voltage, to deliver SELV output voltages with 97% peak efficiency. The new 800V module complements the existing Vicor 700V BCM4414, to create a family of products with reinforced isolation (4,
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Date:
06/18/2019
3W Ultra-thin Isolated Regulated Output DC/DC Converters
The new series URB/VRB-J(M)D/T-3W provides 4:1 and 2:1 ultra wide input range, features 1500VDC isolation voltage, and delivers efficiencies up to 83%. Packages are available in SMD and DIP. In addition to meeting EN62368 standards, protections for input under-voltage, over voltage, over-current, output short cir
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Date:
06/17/2019
Augmented Switching Accelerated Development Kits
Philadelphia, PA — AgileSwitch, LLC introduces the ASDAK (Augmented Switching Accelerated Development Kit) for power electronics engineers working with new SiC MOSFET modules.  Applications for the kit including heavy-duty traction vehicles, auxiliary power units in trains, buses and trolleys, EV char
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Date:
06/17/2019
Frontera Named 5th Fastest Supercomputer in the World

Over 50 miles of network interconnect cabling enable Frontera's compute nodes to communicate to each other and to the network servers.

The Frontera supercomputer at the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) earned the #5 spot on the twice-annual Top500 list , which ranks the world's most powerful non-distributed computer systems. Located at The University of Texas at Austin, the National Science Foundation (NSF)-supported Frontera is the fastest
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Date:
06/17/2019
A new 2D Magnet Draws Future Devices Closer
We are all familiar with the image of electrons zipping around an atom's nucleus and forming chemical bonds in molecules and materials. But what is less known is that electrons have an additional unique property: spin. It is difficult to make an analogy, but one could crudely describe electron spin as a spinning-top rot
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Date:
06/17/2019
Expanded High-Voltage, Low-RDSON Power Platform
MIGDAL HAEMEK, Israel – TowerJazz announced the release of its leading edge 140V low Rdson power platform, providing significant high power efficiency at high voltages. This advanced offering expands the Company’s 90V technology platform, spe
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Date:
06/17/2019
Fuji Electric 7th Generation IGBT Technology Powers Today’s High Efficiency Energy Conversion Systems

Click image to enlarge

Figure 1: IGBT cross sectional structure

Today’s Power Electronic market is driving development of compact, low-loss, and, high-reliability IGBT modules to optimize power conversion systems. In response, Fuji Electric has developed our 7th generation X-Series IGBT technology combining enhanced semiconductor chip characteristics and improved packaging str
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Date:
06/16/2019
PSDcast - Natural Spectrum LEDs at the Grevin Wax Museum

Seoul Semiconductor’s Mark McClear

Most of us intuitively feel that natural sunlight is better than artificial light, whatever the color temperature. And the science backs it up. But today, we're focusing on the aesthetic qualities, and just last month, Seoul Semiconductor  announced that their natural spectrum LEDs had been adopted for use
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Date:
06/14/2019
Development Kits Unlock Full Potential of SiC MOSFET Modules
Philadelphia, PA — AgileSwitch, LLC, introduces the ASDAK (Augmented Switching Accelerated Development Kit) for power electronics engineers working with new SiC MOSFET modules.  Applications for the kit including heavy-duty traction vehicles, auxiliary power units in trains, buses and trolleys, EV charging an
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Date:
06/13/2019
Wire-to-Board Connector Reduces System Size
DOWNERS GROVE, ILLINOIS — Hirose has developed a versatile wire-to-board connector that enables OEMs to reduce the size of end devices. Part of the SignalBee connector family, the 2.0mm pitch DF51 Series connector has a user-friendly positive lock that provides a clear tactile click and secures a reliable co
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Date:
06/13/2019
PSDcast - The World's First Quantum Dot LED

Dr. Juanita Kurtin, Director of Materials Research at OSRAM Opto Semiconductors

At Lightfair 2019, OSRAM showed off the world's first quantum dot LED brought to market. And in this episode of the PSDcast, we're chatting with Dr. Juanita Kurtin, Director of Materials Research at OSRAM Opto Semiconductors about this new development ...  
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Date:
06/13/2019
Lighting Packages Intended for Outdoor Horse Arenas
WORCESTER, Mass -- Access Fixtures has introduced three complete horse arena lighting packages intended for outdoor horse arenas of various sizes. To date, Access Fixtures has provided custom packages based on photometric studies that are specific to the dimensions and needs of each arena. These new packages, based on 190' x 135' outdoor arenas and 150' x 75' outdoor arenas, provide customers with three different prepackaged options meant to throw a lot of light in a designated area. The packages make it simple for consumers to select what they need.  These packages can be used for various different types of equestrian sporting including but not limited to dressage, rodeo, and casual riding. All of these packages include steel poles APTA or A
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Date:
06/12/2019
A Network Without the Internet or Electricity!

The Beekee Box, developed by the Training and Learning Technology Researchers (TECFA) of the UNIGE FPSE.

How can you send documents, watch educational videos or work collaboratively in regions where there is no internet coverage or electricity? These were the challenging questions taken up by researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, who have developed a standalone box, known as the Beekee Box, th
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Date:
06/12/2019
Rectifiers Increase Power Density, Improve Efficiency
MALVERN, Pa. — Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. expanded its offering of FRED Pt Ultrafast recovery rectifiers with eight new 100 V and 200 V devices in the eSMP series SMP (DO-220AA) package, including the industry's first to offer current ratings to 2 A. Measuring 3.85 mm by 2.03 mm with a low 1 mm profile, the
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Date:
06/12/2019
Low-Temp Solder Paste Minimizes Solder Beading Balling
Indium Corporation has released a new low-temperature solder paste specifically developed to minimize solder beading and solder balling. Indium5.7LT-1 is an air reflow, halogen-free, no-clean solder paste designed for low-temperature assembly processes using indium and bismuth alloys. Indium 5.7LT-1 is engine
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Date:
06/11/2019
MEMS Oscillators Designed for Battery-Powered Applications
Abracon's AMJM / AMJD / AMPM / AMPD series of power-optimized MEMS (micro electro-mechanical systems) oscillators are designed for compact, portable and battery-powered applications. MEMS devices present a very small footprint while producing an accurate clock that is robust and immune to shock and vibration.
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Date:
06/11/2019
What’s in Your Healthcare Monitor?

An example of in-home patience monitoring

The pervasiveness of diabetes and obesity, as well as high cholesterol levels due to changes in lifestyle, in conjunction with the proliferation of smartphones and wearable devices, are influencing consumers to adopt various health monitoring applications to assist them to maintain their optimal health. Accordingly, patient c
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Date:
06/10/2019
MCU Innovations Respond to Motor Design and Applications

Click image to enlarge

Figure 1: Permanent Magnet Synchronous (PMS) motors are commonly used in industrial applications because they natively offer higher torque at lower speeds

Motors come in many forms. They range from stepper motors that are often used in precision positioning applications to the large Alternating Current Induction (ACI) motors often employed to deliver high torque for industrial mixing and processing. Very often, the choice of motor is not just determined by the ap
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Date:
06/10/2019
Connecting the World with Everyday Objects
Virtually any ‘thing’ that can provide useful data can become part of the IoT. And that about sums up the Internet of Things, which promises to connect every phone, appliance, watch, auto, and anything else that shares information. Hence the IoT’s nom de plume, the Internet of Everything. The June 2019 issue de
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Date:
06/10/2019
The First Cyber Agility Framework to Measure Attacks

Cyber of the fittest: UTSA develops 1st framework to measure the evolution of cyber attacks.

For more than a year, GozNym, a gang of five Russian cyber criminals, stole login credentials and emptied bank accounts from unaware Americans. To detect and quickly respond to escalating cyber-attacks like these, researchers at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) have developed the first framework to
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Date:
06/10/2019
Graph Networks to Predict Properties of Molecules, Crystals

This is a schematic illustration of MEGNet models.

Nanoengineers at the University of California San Diego have developed new deep learning models that can accurately predict the properties of molecules and crystals. By enabling almost instantaneous property predictions, these deep learning models provide researchers the means to rapidly scan the nearly-infinite un
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Date:
06/10/2019
Qi-Compliant Wireless Transmitter & Receiver Coils
MALVERN, Pa. — Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. expanded its offering of Qi-compliant wireless charging transmitter and receiver coils with the introduction of 14 new products in industry-standard shield sizes. Consisting of eight single-coil transmitters (Tx), three three-coil transmitters (Tx), and three sin
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Date:
06/10/2019
The Challenge of Powering Industrial IoT Applications

Click image to enlarge

Figure 1: Power supplies for IoT application should be designed for ultra-low power consumption in stand-by mode

The hype around IoT devices nowadays is not surprising, as IoT engineering kits and the appropriate technologies are widely available. Consequently, there are no limits for enabling ideas and possible business models based on these technologies. In the industrial environment, there has been rapidly increasin
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Date:
06/07/2019
Ensuring IoT Infrastructure Integrity via Smarter Nodes

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Figure 1: The Texas Instruments MSP430 MCU

IoT infrastructure can potentially be compromised in a number of ways. Firstly, there is the possibility that IoT nodes could be damaged during shipment or transport, prior to their installation. Then they might be exposed to harsh conditions, due to the application environment in which they are located - with extreme heat, high humidity or vibrational forces al
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Date:
06/07/2019
IoT – IioT, IoE and oh da do dah day
Our industry loves acronyms in a big way. I think this is so finance people can sound like technologists and speak in industry jargon that makes them sound like experts in things other than financial analysis of organizations. In this case, IoT (or Internet of things), IIOT (the industrial Internet of things), an
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Date:
06/07/2019
Battery Solutions for IoT Devices

Click image to enlarge

Figure 1: The extended temperature cells remain largely unaffected by long-term storage at elevated temperatures

There is no question that the Internet of Things (IoT) is growing very rapidly, with estimates of nodes deployed in the billions. Many estimates suggest that there are now up to six IoT nodes for every person on the planet – and the growth rate is accelerating. On the other hand, there are those who sugge
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Date:
06/07/2019
PSDcast - LED No-UV lighting

White light visibility using Twister

In this episode of the PSDcast, we're discussing LED no-UV lighting. In our May issue, we published an article with the apt title "The Future of No-UV Lighting is LED", and the author from Access Fixtures mentions some of the intrinsic disadvantages of UV light in a manufacturing environment and why thi
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Date:
06/06/2019
Challenging Times
There is a bit of a dark cloud over the industry at the moment. It may not be too surprising since we are in one of the longest periods of sustained growth since the last downturn in 2008, meaning a market correction is probably relatively close. There have been a lot of indicators, including from market analyst IH
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Date:
06/06/2019
HARTING and HIROSE push infrastructure for Single Pair Ethernet
To make the new connection technology for Single Pair Ethernet a success, the technology partnership is pursuing the systematic expansion of SPE to achieve an end-to-end, complete infrastructure. This infrastructure consists of a portfolio of connectors, sockets, cables and cable sets on the component side. In
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Date:
06/06/2019
Rad-Hard 16-Channel Current Driver with Integrated Decoder
The ISL72814SEH integrates the decoder, input level shifter, and 16 current driver arrays in a single monolithic IC. The device allows satellite manufacturers to significantly increase system capacity and cut solution footprint by 50 percent for their medium Earth orbit (MEO), geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO), h
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Date:
06/06/2019
Encapsulated sixteenth-brick DC-DC converters
The modules are housed in the industry-standard sixteenth-brick form factor (35.3 x 25 x 10.4mm / 1.39 x 0.984 x 0.41 in), with sealed and encapsulated packaging. This ensures their reliability when exposed to dust, moisture, severe vibration and other harsh environmental conditions. There are two variants: the PKU35
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Date:
06/06/2019
Powerbox announces 105 models of DC/DC converters featuring 2xMOPP medical approvals
The PMM15, PMM20 and PMM30 are certified to the 3rd Edition of the IEC/EN/ANSI/AAMI ES 60601-1 medical safety standard and rated for the highest levels of patient protection - 2xMOPP. With a clearance and creepage distance of 8mm, a typical leakage current of 2µA and a 5,000VAC isolation voltage, the modules ensur
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Date:
06/06/2019
New angled locking cable for IEC C14 Power Connectors
The newest connector in the IL13 family sets a benchmark in space limited locking situations. Due to its angled construction the connector can be beneficially used with devices standing next to a wall or in table-top applications. The connector comes in four different orientations to cater for any assem
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Date:
06/06/2019
Now at Mouser: Maxim’s MAX77860 Switch-Mode Buck Charger
The MAX77860 is ideal for USB Type-C charging for single-cell (1S) lithium-ion or lithium-polymer applications, portable medical equipment, portable industrial equipment, and mobile point-of-sale devices, as well as smartphones and Internet of Things (IoT) applications. The Maxim MAX77860 step-down charger, available from
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Date:
06/06/2019
10W reed relay suits high-PCB-density applications
Series 122 relays measure 12.5mm in height and are rated with a switching current of 0.5A at 10W. 3V and 5V coils are available.   Fast operate and release times, typically 150 μs or less, make Series 122 relays ideal for high speed test systems such as A.T.E. switching matrices or multiplexers.
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Date:
06/06/2019
Worldwide Semiconductor Billings Drop 19% Year-Over-Year
MILPITAS, Calif. — SEMI, the global industry association representing the electronics manufacturing and design supply chain, reported that worldwide semiconductor manufacturing equipment billings for the first quarter of 2019 dropped 8 percent from the previous quarter and 19 percent from the same quarter in
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Date:
06/04/2019
PSDcast - Wireless Power with Infrared Light

Wi-Charge Chief Marketing Officer Yuval Boger

In this episode of the PSDcast, we're discussing a unique approach to wireless power - Israeli start-up Wi-Charge uses infrared light to transmit usable energy ...
Date:
06/04/2019
Product Suite Addresses 5G RF Power Amplification Needs
BOSTON, MA – NXP Semiconductors N.V. unveiled one of the industry’s most integrated portfolio of  RF solutions for 5G cellular infrastructure, industrial and commercial markets.  Building on its strong legacy, disruptive R&D, world class manufacturing and global presence, NXP’s comprehensive suite
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Date:
06/04/2019
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