Test & Measurement
August 2017
Linear Regulators are integrated circuits that step a voltage down from a higher voltage to a lower voltage without the need of an inductor. The low dropout linear regulator (LDO) is a special type of linear regulator in which the dropout voltage – the differential between the input-to-output voltages needed to
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Date:
08/21/2017
When Li-ion batteries age, their performance drops. Current methods still require complex instrumented laboratory-based tests to determine how quickly and to which degree this occurs. In contrast, a procedure developed by Chemnitz University of Technology now enables quick and precise diagnosis. It ensures the re
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Date:
08/21/2017
Welcome to the September issue of Power Systems Design, and it is a special issue. As well as the normal features and special focus, we have an in-depth look at the presentations by the "Architects of Modern Power" (The AMP Group) organization, from the podium session at PCIM in Nuremberg. The section fe
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Date:
08/21/2017
Every design must invariably go through a testing phase, which makes Test & Measurement a universal industry concern. It also makes T&M an extremely diverse topic, and the September “Special Report” series covers a wide array of subjects, including digital PWM control technology, high-power test eq
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Date:
08/21/2017
Mouser Electronics, Inc., is now stocking the LMX2594 wideband PLLatinum radio frequency (RF) synthesizer from Texas Instruments (TI). Part of TI’s PLLatinum series, the LMX2594 enables designers to easily synchronize the output of all onboard PLLs, saving design time for multiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO), b
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Date:
08/17/2017
Just like every aspect of the electronics industry, rampant M&A activity has resulted in consolidation in the organizations offering test and measurement equipment. This is a sign of commoditization – the remaining players are operating in thinner margins. One of my good friends always says that in order to
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Date:
08/15/2017
MILPITAS, CA & NORWOOD, MA - Analog Devices, Inc., which recently acquired Linear Technology Corporation, announces the LTC5552, a double balanced mixer that features best-in-class wideband matching from 3GHz to 20GHz. The mixer can be used as an up- or downconverter. The LTC5552 is especially useful in up
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Date:
08/15/2017
Figure 1. A brushed DC motor in its very simplest form, using a permanent magnet for the stator field, safety pins as the brushes and a wire coil as the armature winding. It draws its power straight from a battery.
A brushed DC motor will start turning when you apply a DC power source to its brushes. These make contact with the commutator (part of the moving rotor) and cause a current to flow through it. The fixed part of the motor – the stator – provides the constant magnetic field that interacts with the current fl
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Date:
08/11/2017
Figure 1. Demorad 24 GHz radar platform solution.
24 GHz, silicon-based millimeter wave radar technology is enabling a new generation of real-world, no contact smart sensors that are increasingly being used in mass market applications such as automotive, UAVs/ drones, broad industrial, and consumer.
These radar sensors provide real-time information such as an
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Date:
08/11/2017
Figure 1. Structure of a fire alarm system whose network for the fire detectors is based on a double ring topology. The audible alarms (sounders), on the other hand, operate in a star network topology.
Office blocks, hotels, airports, shopping malls: Buildings designed for large numbers of people must be equipped with automatic fire alarm systems. These are complex systems consisting of sensors, actuators, power supplies and data transmission units. The individual fire detectors are generally linked over a ne
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Date:
08/11/2017
Kevin Parmenter, PSD Contributor
Opening Statements by Panel Moderator:
Kevin Parmenter, PSD Contributor
It was my distinct pleasure to chair a podium session at PCIM in Nuremburg Germany in May. The subject of the session was enabling next generation power and the panelists were from the AMP, or Architects of Modern Power, organization. The
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Date:
08/11/2017
Figure 1. LT3045 Typical Application Schematic & Features
Linear regulators are integrated circuits that step a voltage down from a higher voltage to a lower voltage without the need of an inductor. The low dropout linear regulator (LDO) is a special type of linear regulator in which the dropout voltage – the differential between the input-to-output voltages needed to
. . . Learn More
Date:
08/10/2017
Figure 1. Power rail voltages and tolerances required by ICs continue to decrease. These dynamics challenge traditional oscilloscope measurement approaches as the noise of the scope and probe system impairs the ability to make accurate measurements of small signals.
Development teams face increasing power integrity challenges. FPGAs, ASICs, and standard components semiconductor devices continue to increase in gate count. Each of the millions of gates on an integrated circuit requires current to switch. As devices can consume tens of amps and total power must be managed, DC
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Date:
08/09/2017
Figure 1. Extending the frequency and voltage range of a probe requires a front-end network of resistors and capacitors.
Low-power circuits combine high speed and low-power consumption in a single component, presenting a number of probing and testing challenges. Since many low-power devices are also high-speed systems, there is a need to test and verify their performance. Testing the low-power components for compliance with industry st
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Date:
08/09/2017
When Li-ion batteries age, their performance drops. Current methods still require complex instrumented laboratory-based tests to determine how quickly and to which degree this occurs. In contrast, a procedure developed by Chemnitz University of Technology now enables quick and precise diagnosis. It ensures the re
. . . Learn More
Date:
08/09/2017
In response to pressures to optimise energy efficiency throughout industry, a number of trends are emerging across the power landscape:
· In the automotive sector, we are seeing increased electrification of the power train and the growing adoption of hybrid, electric, plug-in and fuel-cell based transportation
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Date:
08/09/2017
Programmable AC and DC power sources have been widely used to implement and support a wide range of development and test applications where an engineer needs the ability to fully control voltage, frequency and current to the unit under test. These programmable sources are used to simulate various power co
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Date:
08/08/2017
Recent developments in electric vehicle designs are pushing power test equipment levels ever higher. To overcome range anxiety on the part of potential EV buyers, manufacturers are looking to increase battery capacity while at the same time improving electric drive train efficiencies. Both tactics require the ne
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Date:
08/08/2017
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