Technical Features

July 2015

Click image to enlarge

Figure 1: Fully assembled IMR and the exploded view

By: Yesie Brama, Robotics System Architect, Infineon Technologies AG

Mobile robots are now commonly found in commercial and industrial applications. On a high level, they can be categorized into two main types: Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV): moves along predefined marked paths (e.g., wires, magnetic tapes, lasers/barcodes), guided by external means, and not fully autonomous

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Date:

08/31/2024

Synchronous buck converters for advanced automotive designs

Jeff Gruetter, Linear Technology

As automobiles continue to add an ever increasing number of electronic systems to enhance safety, comfort, efficiency and performance while minimizing harmful exhaust emissions, it comes as no surprise that they require physically smaller power solutions with dramatically higher power levels. Additionally, with th

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Date:

07/03/2015

Next-gen IGBT tech empowers automotive apps

Keiichi Higuchi, Takahiro Koyama, Akio Kitamura, Shin Soyano, Yoshikazu Takamiya, Hiromichi Gohara, Souichi Yoshida, Hideto Kobayashi, Yoshitaka Nishimura, Thomas Heinzel, and Akira Nishiura, Fuji Electric

The automotive industry is under significant societal pressure to address global warming. Electric vehicles (EV) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) are expected to lead the way in CO2 reduction, relying on their internal inverter systems to control high electric power in the limited space available. Due to these sp

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Date:

07/03/2015

Design tools for DC/DC converters

Frederik Dostal, Analog Devices

For many years, engineers have used calculation tools to optimize a switch mode power supply design. In the early years, power supply engineers would program their own tools or use spreadsheets they generated themselves with the required formulas underlying a certain power supply topology. While this helped tr

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Date:

07/03/2015

Choosing the right capacitors for high-power & high-rel apps

M.Weaver, J. Petrzilek, and M. Biler, AVX

Tantalum surface mount capacitors with a solid electrolyte have been the favorite capacitor technology choice in many electronic devices for more than five decades, thanks to their stability, high reliability, and superior volumetric efficiency. The traditional manganese dioxide (MnO2) cathode material provides go

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Date:

07/03/2015

Digital control improves performance and efficiency

Scott Brown, Dialog Semiconductor

Today’s power supply designers must strive to meet increasingly tough environmental legislation governing standby power and average efficiency. On the other hand, they must also ensure designs comply with relevant technical requirements. Wall adapters for charging smartphones, for example, must meet revi

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Date:

07/03/2015

Enterprise labeling: an industry imperative (Part II)*

By Joe Longo, Loftware

The variety of product labeling standards set forth, or under consideration, by organizations such as the Electronics Components Industry Association (ECIA), Electronics Components Association (ECA), Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JDEC), Government Electronics and Information Technology Associa

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Date:

07/03/2015

PSUs boost confidence for EN54-4 fire panel systems

Mike Farrer, Stadium Power

The EN54 specification applies to fire detection and fire alarm systems to ensure that these critical systems have a standardized list of requirements, testing and performance criteria. It is designed to streamline the specification and manufacturing processes, but the definition of component parts, in particular th

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Date:

07/03/2015

Protecting High-Power Automotive Electronics

Philippe Difulvio, TE Circuit Protection

Automotive manufacturers are increasingly incorporating higher-power, higher-inrush current applications – including anti-lock braking system (ABS) modules, glow plugs and engine cooling fans – into their latest-generation cars. A popular trend is to integrate multiple functionalities into one module, which in

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Date:

07/03/2015

Advanced head units demand sophisticated PMICs

Dan Dempsey, Executive Director, Maxim Integrated

There’s a large element of irony in the design of today’s cars. They are increasingly energy efficient, yet they also have many more electrical demands being placed on them. These demands range from an array of safety-related functions to numerous in-cabin convenience, connectivity, and entertainment features, su

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Date:

07/03/2015

Electrification spurs automotive development

Ahad Ahmed Buksh, IHS Technology

The automotive powertrain semiconductor market grew 8.3 percent in 2014, with increasing volumes of new vehicles and the need for fuel-efficient vehicle technologies the main drivers contributing to it. IHS forecasts that revenues related to powertrain semiconductors will increase with a compound annual growth ra

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Date:

07/03/2015