ECN-Electronic Component News back issues from November 2008:
Fear itself.(Editor's View)
Nov 01, 2008; ... Everyone is worried about the global economy, and many are afraid that the U.S. electronic design and manufacturing industry is facing dire straights. To those who worry, I say that the primary American electronic markets are amongst the most economically stable places in this crisis, and ...
Synchronous switching buck controllers provide output current up to 12 A.(Leading Off)
Nov 01, 2008 ... National Semiconductor introduced a family of Simple Switcher synchronous buck controllers. The new Power Wise Simple Switcher controller family includes four synchronous buck controllers for communications and industrial systems. The LM3150 features an adjustable switching frequency and ...
Servo drive delivers 4.8 KW continuously.(Leading Off)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Using SimpIIQ core motion control technology, Elmo Motion Control's Solo Guitar guitar servo drive supplies up to 4.8 kW of continuous power or 5.4 kW of peak power. The 46.70 mm x 61 mm x 80 mm (1.84" x 2.40" x 3.15") device operates from a DC power source in current, velocity, position, ...
Compact MEMS microphones tout crystal clear recording in portables.(Leading Off)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Wolfson Microelectronics' WM7110 and WM7120 silicon MEMS-based analog microphones feature a compact size and high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). They are suited for use in consumer applications requiring low power consumption. The company's CMOS/MEMS membrane technology allows the devices to ...
Sensors developed for highly accurate medical thermometers.(Leading Off)
Nov 01, 2008 ... New disposable thermometers from Epcos are characterized by accuracy of up to [+ or -] 0.1 K and a short response time of 7s for fast, easy measurement of a patient's body temperature. These disposable sensors are based on proven ceramic technology for NTC thermistors on a chip basis; the ...
High-CV switch mode power supply capacitors offer high capacitance, reduced form factor.(Leading Off)
Nov 01, 2008 ... AVX developed a stackable multilayer capacitor series that features a reduced footprint, increasing printed circuit board (PCB) space. Offering high capacitance values with low ESR, the TurboCap MLCs are designed to handle high ripple current at high frequencies and high power levels. The ...
PCIe Gen2 switches support multicast and multi-root partitioning.(Leading Off)
Nov 01, 2008 ... IDT announced a series of PCI Express (PCIe) system interconnect switches that provide high levels of performance, availability and optimal resource use in enterprise applications. The switches support multicast and multi-root partitioning. The company asserts it is enabling the adoption ...
Switches & relays; From solid state to toggles, tactiles and slides, manufacturers continue to offer a wide selection of switches. This section presents, side-by-side, some recently introduced switch products.(PRODUCT TECHNOLOGY REVIEW)
Nov 01, 2008 ... STMicroelectronics' STCC 08 is positioned as the first solid-state AC-switch driver to integrate switch-supervision, allowing designers to save board space and reduce workload for mains-powered devices designed to meet IEC 60335-1 and IEC 60730-1 safety standards. In ...
Kits for kids: future engineers can jump into kits at many levels.
Nov 01, 2008; ... I'll begin this column with a recommendation: start kids with a set of basic hand tools. When my son went to college, he had tools to hang pictures, connect TV sets and CD players, and tighten desks and shelves. As a result, he met most of the people on his co-ed floor. When our daughter ...
Integrated drivers optimize stepper motor controller design: stepper motor system designers demand increased value such as reduced BOM costs with higher performance, which is helping stepper motors gain popularity in many applications historically reserved for DC motors.(Motor Drivers & Controllers)
Nov 01, 2008; ... Stepper motor system designers today require more than simple drivers. They demand increased value such as reduced BOM costs with higher performance, which is helping stepper motors gain popularity in many applications historically reserved for DC motors. Stepper motors are ...
Touchscreens press deep into consumer electronics: a look at how the various touchscreen technologies fit into the consumer electronics world.(Consumer Electronics)
Nov 01, 2008; ... Touchscreen technology has become more prominent in recent years, especially in the consumer and kiosk markets. PDAs, ATM machines, supermarket check-outs, and Apple's iPhone are among the most well-known uses of touchscreen technology. Some touchscreen technologies have found a ...
DDS ICs and IP make waves: DDS techniques generate solid sine waves, but pay attention to tradeoffs and error sources.(Signal Sources)
Nov 01, 2008; ... You can think of direct digital synthesis (DDS) as a technique that lets a digital value control the frequency of a sine wave. At its simplest, a DDS circuit involves a binary counter, a ROM programmed with equally spaced sine values for one full wave, and a digital-to-analog converter to ...
Test challenges when integrating high speed serial links in RF-IC.(The New Face of Test)
Nov 01, 2008; ... The purpose of this article is to review technical design and test challenges associated with the integration of high speed serial links in mobile RF-IC. It will describe how to set up a combination of DigRF protocol analyzer/exerciser with spectrum analyzer and sources to address these ...
Test is ultimately an issue of quality.(Street Talk)
Nov 01, 2008; ... Test is ultimately an issue of quality. Production departments collect test statistics to determine production quality, but the tests themselves might fail. For example, Type I errors are false positives--calling good products bad. Type II errors are false negatives--calling bad products ...
The LXI standard: it's about your time.(The New Face of Test)
Nov 01, 2008; ... The LXI Standard is currently the fastest growing test and measurement platform. By leveraging the versatility and accessibility of Ethernet and the web, the LXI Standard lets engineers quickly build powerful, intuitive test systems. By standardizing and extending LAN, the LXI Standard ...
ATCA blade employs dual processors.(BOARDS, MODULES & EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Coupling with the Intel 5100 memory controller hub (MCH) chipset operating with up to 1,333 MHz front side bus, JumpGen Systems' PRA-200 Advanced TCA (ATCA) node blade supports dual quad-core processors. The board can be deployed with one or two Intel Xeon L5408 processors running at up to ...
Video capture board compresses for 16 inputs.(BOARDS, MODULES & EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
Nov 01, 2008 ... The Picolo V16 H.264 from Euresys is a one-lane video capture board with audio capability uses H. 264 on-board compression to handle up to 16 video inputs. Each video input delivers simultaneously a raw and compressed video stream to allow simultaneous capture and preview Both streams are ...
Frame grabber supports gigabit Ethernet vision.(BOARDS, MODULES & EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Performing alignment, measurement, and identification in vision applications, ADLINK Technology's PCIe-GIE62 PCI Express frame grabber demonstrates support for Gigabit Ethernet Vision. The card uses the bandwidth of a PCI Express x4 lane for up to 1,000 Mbps image acquisition rates and two ...
Hard disk drives hold 120 GB per platter.(BOARDS, MODULES & EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Integrating into portable media players, camcorders, and mobile PCs, Toshiba Storage Device Division's dual-platter MK2431GAH and single-platter MKxx3lGAL Series 1.8" HDDs exhibit 120 GB per platter. The parallel ATA-interfaced components offer an areal density of 344 Gb/in. (2), media ...
AMC card supplies MIL-STD-1553 and ARINC 429 channels.(BOARDS, MODULES & EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Uniting multiple protocols onto one card, Data Device Corporation's BU-65590A multi-I/O AMC card provides up to four dual redundant MIL-STD-1553 channels operating in BC,RT, MT or RT/MT modes; eight ARINC 429 receive channels; and four ARINC 429 transmit channels. The component maintains ...
Smaller SSDs replace traditional drives.(BOARDS, MODULES & EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Available in densities of 8 GB, 16 GB, and 32 GB, low-density solid state drives (SSDs) from Samsung are 30 percent smaller than 2.5" SSDs and use the SATA II controller technology being used on Samsung's MLC-based 128 GB SSD. The SSD at 32 GB capacity will sequentially read data at 90 ...
Relay yields 5 A current.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Measuring 0.62" x 0.43" X 0.44", Hasco Components International's SPDT Hasco relay switches a current of 5 A with a less expensive 2 A option. The device exhibits a coil voltage range from 3 V DC to 48 V DC with a sensitive version for drawing less current. The relay ...
Gearmotors possess fail-safe disc brakes.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Functioning on the power-"off" brake-"on" principle, Bison Gear & Engineering's VWDIR08 and VWDIR88 fractional horsepower parallel shaft AC gearmotors work with fail-safe disc brakes. The instruments include gear ratios from 27:1 to 750:1, fixed output speeds from 2 rpm to 60 rpm, and ...
Brushless fans supply 417 cfm.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Having an impeller design, Jaro Thermal's Air-Mover Series brushless fans deliver 417 cfm (5,300 rpm) of high-flowing air. The 172 mm X 150 mm x 51 mm instruments operate with a static pressure of 1.690" of [H.sub.2]O and a voltage from 24 V DC to 56 V DC. The fans are appropriate for ...
Brushless DC motor operates at 120 W.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Combining with 32 mm planetary gearheads, Maxon Motor's EC-pow-ermax 22 brushless DC motor operates between 90 W and 120 W. The existing rotor comprising two pole pairs is fitted with magnetic material. For electronic commutation, the magnetic field is sensed through ...
Heaters target hazardous areas.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Having a NEMA 4 rating, Omega Engineering's CREX020 Series hazardous area convection heaters perform in areas with explosion hazards. The devices prevent the formation of condensation and temperature fluctuations, and protect against frost ...
Stepper motor/driver/controller offers USB interface.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Coming in a NEMA 17 package, Arcus Technology's DMX-J-SA stepper motor/driver/controller integrates a built-in USB 2.0 interface for communication and programming tasks. The single-axis solution exhibits a current rating of 2 A max at 24 V, and supports 16 micro-step operation. The USB ...
Pressure switches implement magnetic sensing.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
Nov 01, 2008 ... The CSS Series and CSC Series of current pressure switches from Setra Systems use magnetic current sensing technology. They are intended for HVAC/R, industrial, and lighting applications that use electric motors to drive fans, pumps, and blowers, and for sensing the status of heating coils ...
DC/DC regulators integrate buck control ICs and trench technology MOSFETs.(INTEGRATED CIRCUITS)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Coming in a 5 mm x 6 mm x 0.9 mm Power QFN package. International Rectifier's SupIRBuck family point-of-load (POL) DC/DC voltage regulators integrates synchronous buck control ICs and benchmark HEXFET trench technology MOSFETs. The components exhibit 4 A, 7 A, or 12 A of output current ...
Recovery rectifier yields high switching speed.(INTEGRATED CIRCUITS)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Coming in the GPR-4AM voidless glass-bead axial-leaded case, Central Semiconductor's CPR5U-040 5 A 400 V recovery rectifier exhibits a switching speed of 25 ns. The 660[degrees]C metallurgical bonded component operates in commercial, industrial, entertainment, avionics, and automotive ...
LED lamp consumes under 8 mA.(OPTOELECTRONICS & DISPLAYS)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Designed to replace 120 MB incandescent bulbs, DDP's 120MBLS-X-CX 120 V AC line voltage wide-angle LED lamp draws <8 mA of power while operating at 130 V AC. The light uses a shunt resistor to eliminate transient current and prevent a false positive indication by the LED ....
LCD module displays high luminance.(OPTOELECTRONICS & DISPLAYS)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Viewing with a horizontal and vertical angle of 176[degrees], NEC LCD Technologies' NL804BC24-04 9" amorphous-silicon TFT LCD module demonstrates a luminance of 530 cd/[m.sup.2]. The unit operates with a contrast ratio of 800:1 using UA-SFT (super-fine TFT) technology, which reduces the ...
Laser diode offers 6 W.(OPTOELECTRONICS & DISPLAYS)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Providing power for pumping amplifiers in cable and FTTx networks, Bookham's Telcordia GR-468-CORE un-cooled fiber-coupled multimode laser diode delivers up to 6 W of power in a 105 [mu]m multimode fiber with a 0.22 NA. The component extends triple play service delivery to customers ...
Receptacle connector functions at 20 Gbps per lane.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Meeting SFF-8470/8473 requirements, Meritec and Cinch Connectors' NX+ PCB SMT multilane receptacle connector maintains 20 Gbps per lane performance (80 Gbps for entire 4x connector). The IEEE-802.3ap KR-specified product shows backward compatibility with the Ethernet IEEE-802.3ak CX-4 ...
Audio connectors demonstrate one-touch connect/disconnect.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Accommodating cable and panel-mount applications, ITT Interconnect Solutions' Mini-XL Series male and female audio connectors exhibit one-touch connect/disconnect with availability in three- to six-pin contact arrangements. The RoHS-compliant devices are suitable for TV cameras, ...
Enclosure exhibits EMC protection.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Presenting a height of 1U, Elma Electronic's SlimKit 19" EMC enclosure provides EMC protection via EMC contacts integrated into the sheet metal and enclosure sidewalls with punched and formed EMC "spoons." The device offers fewer screws, depths of 240 mm and 360 mm, and optional grounding ...
Film performs in medical devices.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Allowing for Z-axis conductivity, Adhesive Research's ARcare 95000 4 mil (0.10 mm) electrically conductive polymer film suits biosensors, defibrillators, medical monitoring devices, electrodes and electrical interconnections. The self-supported product can be coated with pressure-sensitive ...
Ethernet connectors perform at 10GIG.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Terminating four to eight wires, Weidmuller's RJ45 Ethernet connectors offer a performance rating of 10 GIG with full eight-wire termination of 22 to 26 AWG conductors, as well as having 10/100 and GigE performance ratings. The devices require no cable stripping or crimping, and need a ...
Connectors target MicroTCA applications.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Meeting PICMIG specifications, Conec's MicroTCA connector program suits MicroTCA applications. The MTCA.0-specified series consists of AMC backplane connectors in press-fit technology (Part # 47-000001), and power output connectors in press-fit technology for backplane (Part # 47-100001) ...
Connectors yield 40 A DC current.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Offering over-molded cut-to-length cable assemblies or field-wired-on-site versions, Wieland's PST 40il pluggable connectors carry 40 A of DC current in a temperature range from -40[degrees]C to 85[degrees]C. The IP 68-rated interconnects include a rated voltage of 1,000 V, wire size of 16 ...
OCXOs suit microwave signal sources.(PASSIVE & DISCRETE COMPONENTS)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Bliley Technologies' NV26AJ Series oven-controlled crystal oscillators (OCXOs) are appropriate for radar, communications, and test system applications from 30 MHz to 130 MHz. The components demonstrate output up to 15 dBm, typical power consumption of 1 W at 25[degrees]C, and noise ...
Attenuators offer four attenuation values.(PASSIVE & DISCRETE COMPONENTS)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Measuring 0.125" x 0.250" x 0.015", State of the Art's MTA1225 Series multi-tap attenuators offer standard attenuation values of 1 dB, 3 dB, 6 dB and 10 dB on a single chip. VSWR for all four values is < 1.500:1 with attenuation tolerance of [+ or -]0.500 dB or 10 percent, whichever is ...
Capacitors target high voltage bus apps.(PASSIVE & DISCRETE COMPONENTS)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Presenting voltage ratings from 100 V DC to 500 VDC, ITW Paktron's RA Series MLP film capacitors perform in high voltage bus applications. The devices show capacitance values from 0.1 [mu]F to 10 [mu]F in commercial and military infrastructure ...
Silicon carbide power transistors offer improved performance.(PASSIVE & DISCRETE COMPONENTS)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Operating in motor drives, DC/DC conversion, welding systems and power electronics, TranSiC's BITSIC-1220 and BITSIC-1206 NPN power bipolar junction transistors are made from silicon carbide. The components demonstrate chip operation at 225[degrees]C, negligible storage time delay, ...
VCO delivers 9 dBm output power.(PASSIVE & DISCRETE COMPONENTS)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Operating from 75 MHz to 85 MHz with a control voltage from 0.5 V to ~4.5 V, Crystek's CVCO55FL-0075-0085 VCO displays a typical output power of 9 dBm. The 0.5" x 0.5" SMT-packaged oscillator has a typical phase noise of -123 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz offset, input voltage of 5 V, and a maximum ...
Coupling chip antenna geared to micro communication products.(PASSIVE & DISCRETE COMPONENTS)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Featuring sensitivity to environmental interference, the 5320 coupling chip antenna from Yageo Corporation is intended for micro communication products including Bluetooth headsets and smart phones. Requiring from 3 mm to 5 mm in clearance on motherboards, the antenna ...
AC/DC power modules accept universal input voltage.(POWER SOURCES)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Coming in a 1.46" x 0.91" x 0.59" package, V-Infinity's VSK-S3 line of 3 W AC/DC power modules yield a universal input voltage in a range from 85 V AC to 264 V AC or 110 V DC to 370 V DC. The UL 60950-approved devices come in six models with output voltages ranging from 3.3 V to 24 V with ...
Circuit breakers achieve high voltage ratings.(POWER SOURCES)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Enabling service entrance, feeder, or branch circuit protection, Altech's UL489 DC molded-case circuit breakers possess voltage ratings of 125 V in one pole and 250 V from two to four poles at up to 63 A. The 17.5 mm per pole tools present a disconnect function, DIN rail mounting, ...
UPSes include circuit protection.(POWER SOURCES)
Nov 01, 2008 ... POWERVAR's 2.2 kVA and 3 kVA UPSes include surge diverter, noise filter, and low-impedance isolation transformer. When on battery, the UPM models provide power for eight to 10 minutes, depending on load. Other features include user hot swappable batteries, casters, ...
Power supplies deliver 240 w continuously.(POWER SOURCES)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Offering output voltages from 3.3 V to 48 V in 0.1 V increments, GlobTek's GT (M) 9110P Series medical and ITE open-frame power supplies provide up to 240 W of continuous output power with 20 cfm of airflow and 150 W while convection cooled. The 3" x 5" x 1.7" PBC mount-style devices ...
DC/DC converters target board-level applications.(POWER SOURCES)
Nov 01, 2008 ... The FED20W Series of modular packaged DC/DC converters from Astrodyne are designed to meet power conversion requirements in board-level product applications such as data acquisition, communications and industrial I/O. The FED20W Series provides output power of 20 W, and accepts 4:1 wide ...
Fuses rate up to 25 A.(POWER SOURCES)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Complying with characteristics according to UL 248-14 complements, Schurter's UST 1206 Series 1206 chip fuses exhibit current ratings from 7 A to 25 A. The cURus-approved components offer voltage ratings of up to 63 V DC and 32 V AC, a breaking capacity of up to 400 A and a rated operating ...
PFC controller offers 500 W power factor.(POWER SOURCES)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Operating at a constant frequency in continuous and discontinuous conduction modes, Power Factor One's PF8803 power factor correction (PFC) controller helps designers gain near unity power factor from 75 W to 500 W. The eight-lead SOIC- and DIP-packaged component exhibits a 0.99 typical ...
Power supplies meet industrial safety standards.(POWER SOURCES)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Measuring 3"x 5" x 1.3", the ECM140 Series of compact open frame single-output AC/DC power supplies from XP Power meets the electrical safety standards of both IEC 60601-1/EN 60601-1 for medical equipment and IEC 60950-1/En 60950-1 for industrial and IT equipment. It offers a power density ...
Battery chargers use MOSFET circuitry.(POWER SOURCES)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Converting AC power to usable DC power, AMETEK Prestolite Power's Prestolite Advanced Charger (PAC) Eclipse Series high-frequency battery chargers use MOSFET power conversion circuitry. The devices recharge any 100 percent discharged flooded or sealed lead-acid batteries and NiCad ...
UPS supports green initiatives.(POWER SOURCES)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Intended to support green initiatives, the Eaton 9130 UPS can operate in a high-efficiency mode of greater than 95 percent when power conditions are within acceptable limits. Available in versions rated from 700 VA to 3,000 VA with a 0.9 output power factor, the 2U-high UPS offers back ...
AC/DC supplies satisfy low and medium applications.(POWER SOURCES)
Nov 01, 2008 ... The Mean Well GS Series of miniature external 18 W to 90 W AC/DC power supplies from PowerGate is designed for low and medium power applications with 18 W, 25 W, 40 W, 60 W, and 90 W platforms. Consisting of 57 single-output models with outputs ranging from 3.3 V DC to 48 V DC, the GS ...
Wireless data loggers record with four inputs.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Using the ZigBee wireless protocol, Fourier Systems' DataNet wireless data loggers offer four recording inputs for direct measurement and recording of PT-100 thermocouple (J, K, and T), voltage, current, frequency, and pulse. The devices come with internal temperature sensors, a ...
Oscilloscopes utilize SDA II.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Predicting bit error rates directly on the eye visually, LeCroy's SDA 7xxZi Series oscilloscopes integrate SDA II with IsoBER to determine the minimum eye opening, and detecting cross-talk by analyzing the vertical eye closure. The instruments use X-Stream II architecture to decompose ...
Test instrument combines DSO/DMM and data logging.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Storing data logging memory to 17,000 points, Protek Test and Measurement's Model S2505 integrates a battery-operated dual-channel 5 MHz bandwidth DSO providing 50 Ms/s sampling rate and a 10,000-count true rms DMM. The DSO section performs with [+ or -]3 percent vertical accuracy, 512 B ...
Tool suite verifies software development aspects.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Covering the DO-178B certification in the avionics sector, LDRA Technology's LDRA tool suite v7.7 uses the LDRA Testbed foundation to verify aspects of software development from requirements through run time. It integrates TBvision to show how the source code performs against security ...
The CellScope.(ON THE LIGHT SIDE)
Nov 01, 2008; ... Somewhere in Africa, a traveling health worker arrives at a remote village and finds a patient who may have malaria. The nearest health clinic is hundreds of miles away, and it will take days to get there. Diagnosis requires a trained clinician to examine a blood sample under a microscope, ...
Brainstorm.(Energy Star)
Nov 01, 2008 ... On June 2, 2008 the EPA released a "technical amendment" to their Energy Star solid state lighting criteria and declared it effective immediately, without consulting industry. Further, their amendment gives credence to certain older technologies provided they're equipped with motion ...
Embedded power conference strives to fill power vacuum.(efficiency Zone)(Conference news)
Nov 01, 2008 ... On September 17-18, the Marriott Hotel in San Jose hosted the first annual Embedded Power Conference, focusing on "increasing power-management issues." I attended this inaugural event, and it was well worth the price of admission (press get in free). Seriously though, it was a great first ...
Electric bike sports revolutionary half-hour recharge time.(efficiency Zone)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Bicycling is generally considered one of the most efficient forms of transportation. In many countries (particularly ones where the average income precludes weekly gasoline fill-ups), the bike is the primary mode of transport. Yet for a variety of reasons, the bike has yet to catch on in ...