White Goods

    April 2015
    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:
    04/30/2015
    Electric motors collectively consume a substantial portion of global electricity. According to the research firm IHS Technology, 96% of a motor’s lifetime costs are represented by pure electricity costs.  Regulators have imposed more stringent energy standards for them, and manufacturers are scrutinizing th
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    Date:
    04/30/2015
    The use of power diodes and Thyristors in applications such as small and large appliances, such as UPS systems, AC/DC rectifiers, and variable speed motor drives is the primary source of harmonic distortion in AC grid or mains current. Due to the source impedance of the mains power, the harmonic load current cau
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    Date:
    04/30/2015
    Standex-Meder Electronics offers planar magnetics design guide

    Planar Magnetics Design Guide for Transformers & Inductors

    Standex-Meder Electronics, a manufacturer of precise, reliable, and long-lasting miniature switches, sensors and relays, announced the availability of its new Planar Magnetics Design Guide for Transformers & Inductors. Under its “custom is standard” pledge, the new guide showcases a variety of standard si
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    Date:
    04/29/2015
    Power is sexy again

    Alix Paultre, Editorial Director, PSD

    Once upon a time electricity was magic in every sense of the word. From its humble yet fascinating triboelectric origins, where Thales of Miletus first noted amber can acquire an electric charge by rubbing with a material like wool. Many of America’s founders were also famous scientists and engineers (Benjamin Fr
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    Date:
    04/29/2015
    GaN FET apps are growing rapidly

    Alex Lidow, Efficient Power Conversion

    Enhancement-mode gallium nitride transistors have been commercially available for over five years.  Commercially available gallium nitride (GaN) FETs are designed to be both higher performance and lower cost than state-of-the-art silicon-based power MOSFETs.  This achievement marks the first time in 60
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    Date:
    04/29/2015
    Software is playing an increasingly prominent role in networking at a system architecture level, but it also has growing importance in the future in the delivery of power. Digital control, the use of power-optimization software algorithms and the concept of the Software Defined Power Architecture are all being se
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    Date:
    04/29/2015
    Advances in multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) technology now offer designers a high-capacitance alternative to traditional electrolytic capacitors. New high-value MLCCs provide the advantages of lower equivalent series resistance (ESR) and inductance (ESL) than electrolytics, and demonstrated mean time to fa
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    Date:
    04/29/2015
    The technique of paralleling power converters and phase shifting their outputs is not new, and “interleaving” (as it is known) has been used in a number of applications to reduce the size of input and output capacitors. These include the 42V/14V DC-DC converters found in dual-voltage vehicle electrical systems and
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    Date:
    04/29/2015
    Imagination Technologies announced a innovative offering as part of its Imagination University Programme (IUP) called MIPSfpga. Through MIPSfpga, Imagination is transforming CPU architecture education in universities around the globe by offering them free and open access to a fully-validated, current generation MI
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    Date:
    04/27/2015
    Silicon Motion Technology, a global leader in NAND flash controllers for solid state storage devices, announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Shannon Systems1 ("Shannon"), a leading supplier of enterprise-class PCIe SSD and storage array solutions to China's intern
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    Date:
    04/24/2015
    Morgan Advanced Materials offers multi-layer ceramic piezoelectric actuators

    Morgan’s piezoelectric ceramic multi-layer actuator

    Morgan Advanced Materials is helping meet the growing global demand for precise, controllable and repeatable displacement devices in the micrometer and sub-micrometer range with its co-fired multi-layer ceramic piezoelectric actuators. The actuators multi-layer structure allows devices to generate large mechanical st
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    Date:
    04/24/2015
    Keysight adds capabilities to their fastest power supplies

    The Keysight 1kW (1U) and 2kW (2U) N6900 Series Advanced Power System models adds performance options to boost test-system versatility

    Keysight Technologies introduced four performance options for its small, flexible and market-leading-fast Advanced Power System (APS) N6900 Series DC power supplies. In conjunction with the power supply’s VersaPower architecture, the new options boost test-system versatility and make it easy for test engineers to
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    Date:
    04/24/2015
    Renesas' latest MCUs improve efficiency with precision control

    RX23T MCUs

    Renesas Electronics, a premier provider of advanced semiconductor solutions, continues to develop embedded solutions that contribute to a reduced energy footprint. The company introduced the RX23T Group of microcontrollers (MCUs), designed to enable highly precise control of inverter circuits employed in energy-efficient el
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    Date:
    04/24/2015
    UltraSoC, a pioneering provider of advanced debugging and analytic technology for embedded systems, announced the availability of USB-based debugging capabilities within its flagship UltraDebug product. This novel technology allows a single high-speed chip interface – in this case USB 2.0 – to be used simultaneously fo
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    Date:
    04/21/2015
    ON Semiconductor to showcase their latest tech at PCIM 2015

    ON Semiconducto will be showcasing some of its latest advances at PCIM 2015

    ON Semiconductor, driving energy efficient innovations, will be showcasing some of its latest advances in power management technology at PCIM 2015, including compact IPM, significant developments in GaN, and a sensor-less motor driver controller. Featured demonstrations include:   · Current-Mode LLC Power S
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    Date:
    04/20/2015
    Micrel, a leader in high-performance embedded solutions, introduced the MICRF229 and the MICRF230, low-power, 400MHz to 450MHz, super-heterodyne, image reject, OOK/ASK receivers. Both devices feature -112dBm sensitivity at a data rate of 1kbps and operate from 3.5V to 5.5V. They consume less than 6mA of current whe
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    Date:
    04/20/2015
    Novel paper insulation approach offers untapped potential for transformer efficiency

    By tailoring the properties of the paper to the differing insulation requirements of windings within the transformer, significant gains can be made in both cost and efficiency

    A seminar at the forthcoming CWIEME Berlin exhibition will reveal how cellulose paper and mineral oil insulating systems in distribution transformers can still meet today’s ever-tightening cost and efficiency restrictions – thanks to a few smart modifications. Proven and reliable, mineral oil-impregnated paper has
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    Date:
    04/16/2015
    Linear Technology announced the LTC3892, a high-voltage dual-output synchronous step-down DC/DC controller that draws only 29µA when one output is active and 34µA when both outputs are enabled. The 4.5V to 60V input supply range is designed to protect against high voltage transients, ensuring continuous operation dur
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    Date:
    04/15/2015
    The IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS) announces a Call for Papers for the COBEP/SPEC conference to be held 29 November to 2 December 2015 at the Hotel Praia Centro, Fortaleza, Brazil. The 1st SPEC will be held from November 29th to December 2nd, 2015, along with the 13th Brazilian Power Electronics Conference –
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    Date:
    04/15/2015
    Thermal interface materials market set to grow to $3.7bn by 2025

    Market forecasts for thermal interface materials 2015-2025 - see the report for a full breakdown by applications and type

    Recent research conducted by analysts IDTechEx finds that the thermal interface materials (TIM) market - including tapes, adhesives, greases, gels, pastes, elastomeric pads, phase change materials, graphite, solders, compressible materials and liquid metals - will grow from $1.7 billion in 2015 to $3.7 billion in
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    Date:
    04/15/2015
    Allegro's A1369 Hall-effect current sensor IC touts integration ease

    The A1369 from Allegro MicroSystems

    The A1369 from Allegro MicroSystems is a customer-programmable, high-accuracy linear Hall-effect-based current sensor IC packaged in a slimline 3-pin single-inline package which allows for easy integration with a magnetic core to create a highly accurate current sensing module. The A1369 is designed for use w
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    Date:
    04/14/2015
    Atmel, a leader in microcontroller and touch technology solutions, announced the company is the first to receive the PRIME (PoweRline Intelligent Metering Evolution) v1.4 Profile 2 certification for the Atmel | SMART SAM4CP16B and ATPL230A smart metering solutions. The certification extends Atmel’s leadership an
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    Date:
    04/14/2015
    Industry 4.0 specialist IntelliSense.io will showcase the latest upgrades to their Intelligent Factory solution at Hannover Messe. IntelliSense.io specialises in delivering 'Optimisation as a Service' with rapid ROI and no upfront capital investment for process industries. IntelliSense.io solutions are used by E
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    Date:
    04/14/2015
    TE Connectivity adds wire-to-board headers to Its Power Triple Lock connector family

    Power Triple Lock connector

    TE Connectivity introduced new wire-to-board headers as part of its Power Triple Lock connector product line; thereby expanding the family of connectors targeting appliances into a growing number of HVAC, automation and control, and automotive designs. The connectors’ combined attributes of higher-current ra
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    Date:
    04/08/2015
    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) are honoring 128 businesses and organizations in 33 states with the Energy Star’s Partner of the Year award for their commitment to saving energy and protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency achievements. Aw
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    Date:
    04/08/2015
    In this episode of PSDtv Texas Instruments shows their new buck-boost controller IC to Power Systems Design at APEC 2015. The LM5175 manages input voltages from 3.5 V to 42 V and regulates output voltages from 0.8 V to 55 V. This flexibility enables the controller to deliver high-performance designs for in
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    Date:
    04/03/2015
    In this episode of PSDtv Fairchild details their latest lighting solutions at APEC 2015 for Power Systems Design. The FL7733A single-stage primary-side-regulated (PSR) flyback LED driver delivers constant brightness and instant flicker-free turn-on for a variety of indoor and outdoor LED applications, and the
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    Date:
    04/01/2015
    Archive

    Power Systems Design

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    Power Systems Design

    Power Systems Design is a leading global media platform serving the power electronics design engineering community. It delivers in-depth technical content, industry news, and product insights to engineers and decision-makers developing advanced power systems and technologies.

    Published 12× per year across North America and Europe, Power Systems Design is distributed through online and fully digital editions, complemented by eNewsletters, webinars, and multimedia content. The platform covers key areas including power conversion, semiconductors, renewable energy, automotive electrification, AI power systems, and industrial applications—supporting innovation across the global electronics industry.