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Prashant Verma | Sub-Editor | ELETimes

Modern electronic devices are becoming smart and more efficient with the passage of time. They give high-performance computing power, 5G speed network support, auto pilot mode in EVs like Tesla, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and cloud computing. These features have made human life more comfortable than before because now modern processors can integrate tens of billions of transistors on a single silicon die by using advanced manufacturing nodes. These innovations in semiconductors significantly improve computational performance. However, they also introduce a critical engineering challenge such as managing heat while maintaining a stable power supply throughout the chip.

A single operation in electronic devices can allow billions of transistors to operate simultaneously at frequencies exceeding several gigahertz and thus generate a substantial amount of heat. If the generated heat is not effectively dissipated, the chip’s temperature rises which can cause performance degradation or lagging of a system. Thus, thermal management plays a significant role in maintaining the temperature of semiconductor devices to ensure that the chip’s temperature is constant throughout the operation.

Understanding Heat Generation in Semiconductor Devices​

Heat in semiconductor devices is produced by the flow of electrical current during transistor operation. As electrons move through the semiconductor material, some kinetic energy is converted into heat because of the device’s internal resistance.

Modern digital electronics use CMOS transistors because of their high integration density and low power dissipation. It is used to manufacture nearly all integrated circuits (ICs). Every CMOS transistor consumes power through two primary mechanisms which contribute to heat generation.

• Dynamic Power
• Leakage Power

Dynamic Power: It is the energy consumed when a circuit actively switches between logic states (0 and 1). The primary role of dynamic power is to provide energy for switching the transistor between logic states. The higher the operating frequency and switching activity, the greater will be the consumption of dynamic power which will generate more heat.

Thermal management controls this heat through the following methods:

1. System-Level Active Cooling: It provides cooling through fans or circulating dielectric liquid.
2.  Circuit and Architecture-Level Management: It lowers the supply voltage and clock frequency when there is less workload on the system.
3. Semiconductor and Packaging-Level Dissipation: It includes dummy metals placed below hot CMOS junctions to draw heat away from the microscopic transistor level.

Leakage Power: It is defined as the electrical energy wasted as heat due to continuous current flowing through the semiconductor device even when the device is in idle state. Several physical mechanisms generate leakage in modern transistors such as subthreshold leakage, reverse-bias PN junction, and gate oxide tunneling. It is a major challenging problem in thermal management.

Methods to Manage Leakage Heat

1.   Power Gating: It is a circuit design technique that reduces power consumption by completely shutting off the power supply to idle regions of the chip.
2. Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Scaling: Lowering the supply voltage and clock frequency during tasks that require low computation power to reduce overall power and subsequently lower operating temperature.
3. Thermal Floor planning: It is a chip design technique to minimize leakage heat by strategically arranging different heat generating circuits across the chip.    Thermal Management plays an important role in maintaining the optimal temperature of electronic devices.

What is Power Integrity?

While thermal management focuses on removing heat, power integrity focuses on delivering required stable power to every transistor on the chip. This ensures that the device operates efficiently under all operating conditions.

Why Power Integrity is required in Semiconductor Devices?

The major requirement of power integrity is to prevent voltage fluctuations and noise that can cause logic errors, timing failures, and performance degradation. Following are the list of primary reasons why power integrity is essential in modern semiconductor devices:

• Preventing Voltage Drop: Voltage practically drops when millions of transistors switch simultaneously. Power integrity minimizes voltage drop by minimizing the impedance of the Power Distribution Network (PDN).
• Controlling Clock Jitter: Clock jitter is the unwanted, short-term variation in the clock signal caused by noise sources such as power supply variations and electromagnetic interference.
• Reducing Electromagnetic Interference (EMI): A well-designed Power Distribution Network (PDN) delivers suitable power across the transistors of the chip that reduces electromagnetic interference which eventually reduces power consumption and improves thermal performance.

Major Power Integrity Challenges

Modern semiconductor devices deliver enhanced computational power. However, they also face critical power integrity challenges such as ensuring suitable power delivery across a chip, despite shrinking transistors size and massive current surge. Following are the key challenges in Power Integrity:

1. IR Drop: Current flowing through the resistance (metal interconnects) causes voltage loss. This voltage reduction is known as IR Drop. In semiconductors, a higher current flowing through a resistive interconnect results in a large voltage drop. If the voltage reaching a functional block falls below its required operating level, functional errors may occur. Engineers must therefore optimize​ the power grid to minimize IR drop across the chip.
2. Simultaneous Switching Noise (SSN): It is the voltage fluctuations created within the power delivery network when multiple transistors switch simultaneously creating a sudden surge in current demand. If SSN is not controlled, it can cause timing errors, signal integrity issues, and unreliable operation. Engineers minimize Simultaneous Switching Noise (SSN) by optimizing the Power Delivery Network (PDN) and controlling on-chip switching dynamics.
3. Power Supply Noise: It is defined as an unwanted variation in current and voltage on a DC power line. It includes high frequency spikes and voltage drops caused by switching regulators and high-speed switching of transistors inside the chip.

Power supplies are never perfectly stable. Without sufficient decoupling capacitance and well-designed power distribution network, Power Supply Noise occurs as voltage ripple across the chip. One of the major challenges in modern semiconductor devices occurs due to the simultaneous switching of billions of transistors, lower operating voltages, increasing clock frequencies, and high-power density. Engineers reduce power supply noise by building on-chip decoupling capacitance, using thicker metal power grids to lower resistance, and integrating voltage regulators directly onto the chip.

Conclusion

Thermal management and Power integrity are closely linked to each other. As power delivery losses generate heat and increasing temperature slows down electrical efficiency and increases resistance. To prevent any hindrance in the performance of a system, it is essential to perfectly balance these two disciplines during the design process.

Modern semiconductor companies treat both thermal management and power integrity as a single discipline while evaluating throughout the design process using advanced Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools. This co-optimization approach enables engineers to achieve higher performance, lower power consumption, and improved long-term reliability in advanced semiconductor devices.

The post Thermal Management and Power Integrity in High-Performance Semiconductor Devices appeared first on ELE Times.

З днем народження, Альма-матер! KPI4U-2 пн, 08/31/2026 - 12:00

Cirkit Designer is an AI-powered platform for designing, simulating, and prototyping electronic circuits, supporting popular boards like Arduino, ESP32, and Raspberry Pi with a real-time simulator and a library of over 30,000 components.

What’s new?

Texas Instruments (TI) today introduced the industry’s first multiaxial coreless Hall-effect current sensor designed for all hybrid electric vehicle and electric vehicle (HEV/EV) traction inverter applications. The TMCS2100-Q1 sensor offers a first-of-its-kind approach to current sensing through the combination of multiaxial measurement and a proprietary algorithm, eliminating the trade-off between precision and system size in traction inverter designs.

While existing coreless solutions are limited to single-axis measurements, the TMCS2100-Q1 sensor is the first to measure magnetic fields in both horizontal and vertical directions. This multiaxial measurement is 20 times more accurate than single-axis alternatives, achieving displacement error of less than 1% at 0.4mm movement and as low as 0.25% at 0.1mm. This level- of precision improves the EV powertrain torque control loop, maximizing efficiency and power delivery across varying load and thermal conditions.

“For the first time, engineers have a Hall-effect current sensor that breaks through the limitations of existing solutions, which is especially critical as 800V architectures raise the bar for traction inverter accuracy,” said Jason Cole, vice president and general manager, Sensing Products at TI. “Leveraging advanced research from TI’s Kilby Labs – our advanced R&D engine – the TMCS2100-Q1 was developed to give automakers a tool to build HEVs and EVs where tighter current measurement translates directly into longer range, smoother ride quality and more efficient motor control.”

Why does it matter?

Automakers are continuously looking to make traction inverters lighter and more efficient to extend driving range and enhance vehicle performance. Traditional measurement approaches present designers with a fundamental trade-off:

• Solutions with a magnetic core – or C-core implementations – deliver accuracy but add size and weight.
• Coreless alternatives are smaller but compromise precision due to displacement error and magnetic crosstalk.

TI’s current sensing technology addresses this trade-off by:

• Measuring both axes simultaneously: vibration during vehicle operation creates movement between the sensor and conductor, causing single-axis, differential coreless sensors to lose accuracy. The TMCS2100-Q1 sensor significantly reduces vibration-induced error by measuring magnetic fields in both horizontal and vertical axes at once.
• Maintaining accuracy: reducing error and maintaining accurate current measurement minimizes magnetic crosstalk influence and torque ripple, a cause of jerky acceleration, motor noise and inefficient operation that reduces range.

By eliminating the magnetic core without sacrificing precision, the TMCS2100-Q1 sensor enables smaller, more power-dense traction inverter designs, helping automakers build EVs that are more efficient, longer-range and more enjoyable to drive. This device is the latest innovation in TI’s automotive portfolio, demonstrating our continued investment in addressing customer challenges throughout the entire vehicle.

The post TI Debuts New Approach to Current Sensing for Unprecedented Accuracy in HEV and EV Traction Inverter Designs appeared first on ELE Times.

Rohde & Schwarz has announced the launch of a new AI/ML Design centre, as the technology giant prepares for the next step towards chip design within its existing Bengaluru facility. For the first time, this new design centre will bring dedicated artificial intelligence, machine learning, and future chip design capability to the campus. The announcement was made by Christian Leicher, President & CEO of Rohde & Schwarz.

The expansion will add a specialised space focused on artificial intelligence, machine learning, and advanced chipset design. The company expects to create several new hi-tech roles over the next 2-3 years. Commenting on the development, Leicher said, “India is a key part of our long-term global strategy. With this expansion, we’re investing directly in the country’s exceptional young talent in AI, machine learning, and semiconductor design—talent we believe will shape our technology roadmap for years to come.”

AI/ML Design Centre: Boosting Indigenous Prowess

The centre reflects Rohde & Schwarz’s own ‘Make in India, for the world’ approach to technology development—drawing on the country’s deep pool of AI/ML and semiconductor engineering talent to design AI/ML solutions and chips in India for the company’s global business. Solutions designed by engineers in Bengaluru will support Rohde & Schwarz products across divisions worldwide, positioning India not just as a market the company serves, but as a source of engineering for its global product line. This expansion adds to Rohde & Schwarz India’s growing team of over 500 employees.

The expansion builds on Rohde & Schwarz’s established engineering presence in Bengaluru and is one of the company’s two R&D centres in India alongside New Delhi. Both centres focus on advanced wireless communication, test and measurement, and secure communication solutions. With the new AI/ML Design Center and preparations for chip design activities, Bengaluru adds silicon-level design capability to its existing R&D work, bringing chip development and systems engineering closer together on the same campus. This initiative strengthens a portfolio that already spans Rohde & Schwarz India’s core businesses.

Rohde & Schwarz India: Attaining Technological and Digital Sovereignty

Rohde & Schwarz is striving for a safer and connected world with its Test & Measurement, Technology Systems and Networks & Cybersecurity Divisions. For over nine decades, the global technology supplier has developed cutting-edge technologies, with the company’s leading-edge products and solutions empowering industrial, regulatory and government customers.

Rohde & Schwarz India Pvt. Ltd is a 100% owned subsidiary of Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co KG. The company’s head office is in New Delhi with branch offices in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Mumbai. R&S India has made significant investments to strengthen its local application support, repair, and calibration capabilities, while also establishing state-of-the-art R&D centres in Bengaluru and New Delhi focused on developing advanced solutions in wireless communications, test and measurement, and electronic warfare.

The company operates an ISO 9001:2015-certified Quality Management System and maintains an ISO/IEC 17025 (A2LA) accredited calibration laboratory, demonstrating its strong commitment to quality, technical excellence, and internationally recognised service standards. The company continuously invests in training and development of its personnel, ensuring a high level of technical competence across pre- and post-sales support to its customers. For more information about Rohde & Schwarz India and its innovative solutions, visit https://www.rohde-schwarz.com/in

Press Contacts:

India: Anitha Nambiar (phone: +91 11 42535400; email: anitha.nambiar@rohde-schwarz.com)

Europe (headquarters): Katrin Wehle (phone: +49 89 4129 11378; email: press@rohde-schwarz.com)

Asia Pacific: Sze Ming Ng (phone: +603 5569 0011; email: press.apac@rohde-schwarz.com)

Contact for readers: www.rohde-schwarz.com/contact

The post Rohde & Schwarz Reinforces ‘Make in India, for the World’ Commitment, Announces Launch of AI/ML Design Centre appeared first on ELE Times.

Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. today announced that it has expanded its portfolio of Automotive Grade common mode chokes with four new surface-mount devices designed to improve system efficiency while saving board space. Offered in compact case sizes, the Vishay Dale ICM5050-A, ICM6050-A, IFLN-1210BE-A, and IFLN-1812CZ-A combine low DCR with high current capability and impedance.

Offering high temperature operation up to +150 °C, the AEC-Q200 qualified devices released today provide noise suppression and filtering for DC/DC power supplies, LCD displays, lighting drivers, in-vehicle Ethernet networks, and battery powered devices. While toroidal common mode chokes typically provide DCR of 23 mΩ, the ICM5050-A, ICM6050-A, IFLN-1210BE-A, and IFLN-1812CZ-A offer low DCR from 0.4 mΩ to 12 mΩ to reduce power losses and increase efficiency in these applications.

The ICM5050-A and ICM6050-A are wirewound ferrite common mode chokes that offer high current capabilities up to 11 A in the 5050 case size and 14 A in the 6050 case size. With footprints of 12.0 mm x 11.0 mm x 6.0 mm and 15.0 mm x 13.0 mm x 6.0 mm, respectively, the devices can save board space by replacing larger toroidal common mode chokes, which typically measure 19 mm x 30 mm x 28 mm.

The IFLN-1210BE-A and IFLN-1812CZ-A are ferrite common mode chokes with precision winding. The devices provide excellent common mode impedance up to 11 kΩ at 100 MHz in the compact 1210 and 1812 case sizes, making them ideal for suppressing EMI noise in CAN, LAN, and automotive DC/DC converters.

RoHS-compliant, halogen-free, and Vishay Green, all four devices are suitable for reflow soldering and compatible with automated pick and place assembly.

Device Specification Table:

Part #		ICM5050-A	ICM6050-A	IFLN-1210BE-A	IFLN-1812CZ-A
Common mode impedance typ. (Ω)	@ 10 MHz	160 to 850	40 to 80	550 to 5100	600 to 5800
	@ 100 MHz	500 to 1700	300 to 700	2200 to 11 000	4000 to 5200
Inductance (µH)		—	—	11 to 100	11 to 100
DCR max. (mΩ)		4 to 12	3.5 to 5	0.4 to 1.5	0.6 to 2
Heat rating current typ. (A)		5.5 to 11(¹)	10 to 14(¹)	0.150 to 0.300(²)	0.200 to 0.360(²)
Case size		5050	6050	1210	1812
Dimensions (mm)		12.0 x 11.0 x 6.0	15.0 x 13.0 x 6.0	3.2 x 2.5 x 2.5	4.5 x 3.2 x 3.0
Operating temp. (°C)		-40 to +125	-40 to +125	-55 to +150	-55 to +150

 

(1) DC current (A) that will cause an approximate ΔT of 40 °C

(2) DC current (A) that will cause an approximate ΔT of 20 °C

The post Vishay Intertechnology Automotive Grade Ferrite Common Mode Chokes Save Board Space While Increasing Efficiency appeared first on ELE Times.

Electric linear actuators (ELAs) turn intention into motion—precise, predictable, and quietly powerful. This guide offers elementary notes and practical pointers on their basics and everyday use. Let’s begin with a quick distinction: linear actuators are broadly categorized into integrated, application-specific units and modular, high-performance industrial assemblies.

In its simplest form, an electric linear actuator is a compact device that converts electrical energy into straight-line motion by using a motor to drive a lead screw, ball screw, belt, or gear assembly. This design enables quiet, precise push, pull, lift, or positioning tasks. Unlike hydraulic and pneumatic systems that rely on fluid pressure, electric actuators are valued for their plug-and-play simplicity and self-contained construction.

Moving beyond everyday consumer units brings us to heavy-duty industrial electromechanical actuators. While the underlying physics is identical, industrial-grade assemblies are engineered for demanding environments. They incorporate robust external limit switches to prevent over-travel under massive loads, and precise sensor-driven feedback systems—such as optical encoders or resolvers—that continuously monitor position to enable closed-loop control.

In practice, standard integrated designs are most relevant to consumer automation and light duty cycles, while modular, high-performance systems provide the customizable, feedback-rich precision required for heavy-duty factory automation. By focusing mostly on plug-and-play linear actuators, this guide highlights the approachable designs that make automation not only practical but also empowering for everyday innovators.

Figure 1 Mini electric linear actuators facilitate makers and engineers with a self-contained, ready-to-mount solution for converting rotational motion into linear force. Source: Author

Electric linear actuators: Framing the basics

To appreciate how these actuators empower everyday automation, it helps to start with their core anatomy and working principles. At its heart, an electric linear actuator is a bridge between rotation and translation.

By transforming the circular force of a motor into a steady linear stroke, these devices achieve precise straight-line movement. The primary components of an ELA include an electric motor (the power source), a lead screw or ball screw (the mechanical converter), a drive nut that travels along the shaft, and a gearbox to optimize torque and speed.

Also, most modern electric linear actuators—even the basic models—include a built-in potentiometer. This feature provides precise position feedback, simplifying monitoring and control while ensuring accurate alignment across diverse applications. Together, these elements form a compact system that turns electrical intent into reliable mechanical motion, making automation not only practical but also accessible to routine groundbreakers.

Figure 2 An ELA with an integrated potentiometer enables precise position control by continuously tracking movement across its range. Source: Author

Extending from the actuator’s anatomy, most ELAs incorporate integrated limit switches. These built-in safeguards automatically halt motion at preset travel points, preventing over-extension and protecting both the actuator and the system it serves. In modular or industrial designs, external limit switches may be added for greater flexibility, but in everyday plug-and-play units, their quiet presence ensures dependable, safe operation.

By blending built-in safeguards with straightforward design, electric linear actuators embody the balance of reliability and simplicity that makes everyday automation both safe and accessible.

Internal circuitry and control methods of ELAs

Now let’s look at the basic internal circuitry of a typical ELA equipped with a potentiometer. The potentiometer delivers a resistance or voltage signal as positional feedback, which can be fed into an external controller, such as an Arduino, for precise and reliable motion control.

Within the actuator, two limit switches automatically cut power at the end of the stroke to ensure safe operation. The diodes then allow the actuator to reverse direction, backing away from the engaged limit switch without risk of over-travel.

Figure 3 Here is the basic internal circuitry of an ELA with its integrated potentiometer for feedback and limit switches for stroke-end protection. Source: Author

These ELAs can be driven directly from a suitable DC supply. Applying one polarity extends the actuator, while reversing the polarity retracts it. In simple applications, this can be accomplished with a DPDT switch that manually flips the supply polarity. For more advanced control, an H‑Bridge circuit is used to handle polarity reversal electronically, enabling seamless integration with MCUs and allowing programmable, automated motion sequences.

Beyond the basic designs, advanced ELAs are available with integrated controllers that simplify wiring and expand control possibilities. These models support a variety of industry-standard interfaces, including 0–5 V mode for straightforward analog positioning, 4–20 mA mode for robust industrial signal transmission, RC servo mode for hobbyist and robotics applications, and PWM mode for precise digital control. Such versatility allows these actuators to be tailored to diverse environments, ranging from simple automation tasks to complex, microcontroller-driven systems.

As a practical example, the L12‑I series from Actuonix demonstrates how advanced models integrate internal position controllers. These linear actuators can directly accept position commands, which they then follow without the need for external circuitry. To suit different applications, they support multiple input modes—including 0–5 V analog, 4–20 mA current loop, RC servo signals, and PWM control—offering flexibility across hobbyist, industrial, and embedded system environments.

Figure 4 Demonstrating micro linear actuators with embedded position controllers that accept external commands and follow them precisely. Source: Actuonix

Engineer’s checklist: Design insights for ELA selection

When selecting an electric linear actuator, engineers weigh several key specifications that define performance and suitability for the application. For a start, dynamic force indicates the actuator’s ability to move a load while in motion, while static force reflects its holding capacity when stopped.

Speed (inches/second) determines how quickly the actuator can extend or retract, often balanced against load requirements. The duty cycle specifies how long the actuator can operate relative to rest periods, critical for avoiding overheating. Stroke length defines the maximum travel distance, and the IP rating (for example, IP66) ensures protection against dust and water ingress for harsh environments.

Electrical input—whether DC or AC—and the maximum current draw influence compatibility with power systems. Mechanical details such as clevis-end diameter affect mounting and integration. Finally, limit switches, either internal factory-preset or external, provide end-of-travel control and safeguard against overextension.

Beyond mechanical and electrical parameters, actuator selection also depends on control and interface compatibility. Options include analog signals (0–10 V or 4–20 mA) for proportional control, digital I/O for simple extend/retract commands, and PLC interfaces for automation environments. Advanced models may support bus-based protocols like CANopen or Modbus, enabling precise synchronization and monitoring.

In addition, potentiometer feedback—whether linear type and built-in or external—provides position lookup and monitoring, ensuring precise control and seamless integration with automation systems. Together, these specifications and interface options ensure the actuator not only meets load and speed requirements but also integrates seamlessly into the broader control architecture of the application.

Figure 5 An optical feedback linear actuator datasheet snippet highlights its specifications. Source: Firgelli Automations

Extend–retract: Closing the loop

From factory automation to medical devices to renewable energy systems and even smart home solutions, electric linear actuators prove their versatility in delivering controlled, reliable motion. Their practicality is not just in the datasheet; it’s in the hands of engineers who design systems around them and makers who adapt them to solve real-world challenges, turning specifications into productivity and innovation.

This blog has walked through the essentials, but the field stretches far wider than what I have outlined here. What I have covered is a starting point. If you see an application, parameter, or design cue I missed—fill it in. Your insights will enrich this guide and help shape a more complete, practical resource for the engineering community.

T. K. Hareendran is a self-taught electronics enthusiast with a strong passion for innovative circuit design and hands-on technology. He develops both experimental and practical electronic projects, documenting and sharing his work to support fellow tinkerers and learners. Beyond the workbench, he dedicates time to technical writing and hardware evaluations to contribute meaningfully to the maker community.

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• ALPS: Piezoelectric actuator has very compact dimensions
• Compact electric actuators provide unlimited rotary motion

The post Driving motion: A practical guide to electric linear actuators appeared first on EDN.

⏱️ Графік навчального процесу на 2025-2026 навчальний рік kpi пн, 08/31/2026 - 01:00

Arduino UNO Q pairs a Qualcomm Linux processor with an STM32 real-time microcontroller on the classic UNO form factor, bringing AI and edge computing to the maker community.

Learn how to build a Bluetooth-controlled fire truck using the Arduino UNO R4 Minima board, an HC-05 module, and a water pump. This step-by-step guide covers components, assembly, programming, and testing.

An overview of Arduino's evolution from an open-source maker project to a complete family of single-board computers used in industrial and professional settings, with a look at the main board families and a dedicated white paper.

I know my soldering needs some work, but it works as expected. My gf has this cheap lint remover that was wired directly with a usb A cable. I wanted to make it wireless and also add the option to work while plugged in to charge. I used a TP4056 for charging and an XL3608 to boost to 5v. I added a AO3401 MOSFET to switch between usb and battery power seamlessly. Here is my post asking r/AskElectronics if it will work, it includes a Falstad schematic and a diagram (with visuals) that makes more sense for me. I ended up removing the 1000uf capacitor as it was bogging down the boost converter on startup. Other than that my (With some help from Gemini) design works perfectly. submitted by /u/JJPortal [link] [comments]

submitted by /u/AutoModerator
[link] [comments]

Espressif has announced the ESP32-E22, its first Wi-Fi 6E SoC designed as a radio co-processor for high-performance connected devices, featuring tri-band Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth dual-mode, and a dual-core RISC-V processor.

This article shows how to drive a large WS2812B LED ring with a Raspberry Pi Pico or Pico 2, creating festive light effects and even using the ring as a low-resolution display.

Discover Angelo, an open source portable audio amplifier designed to improve communication with elderly or hearing-impaired people. This project combines simple electronics with a human-centered approach, making it easy to build, customize, and use.

A antenna tuner circuit which incorporates the resistance of the panel meter light into the accuracy of the meter. One must wonder why they would do this. They no longer support this unit so the bulb is hard to find. It is an axial lead bulb much like a axial lead resistor. I could replace the bulb with a resistor that is the same ohms as the bulb, I suppose. No back lit meter then but at least the meter would work again. Dumb design. submitted by /u/RefrigeratorLess9786 [link] [comments]

Чеська компанія RSE відкрила в КПІ ім. Ігоря Сікорського Energy Resilience Lab з обладнанням MWM Київ, 27 серпня 2026 року KPI4U-2 пт, 08/28/2026 - 16:29

submitted by /u/Dr-Double-A [link] [comments]

A zonal power distribution network for cars offers many benefits, but how it affects finding problems is unclear.

In the few years, I’ve been seeing a lot of stories about zonal architecture, the next stage in the evolution of providing power to the many dispersed automotive-electronics functions. This architecture is increasingly being designed into cars for many solid technical reasons.

What is a zonal architecture? I won’t do a deep dive into details, as it has been discussed in detail in EDN and elsewhere. In short, it divides the car’s power distribution network (PDN) along geographic zones, each with a regional power controller, and all supplied by a central power controller and the car batteries. Each of these regional controllers provides power to the local regulators of individual modules in the car – cars now typically have over a hundred of these, permeating and managing every nook and cranny.

On the face of it, zonal makes a lot of sense with respect to weight, cabling complexity, power-systems management, and many other critical factors. This is especially the case as the siting and number of zones can be adjusted to fit the vehicle arrangement (Figure 1).

Figure 1 A zonal architecture assigns a controller (power manager) to different physical areas of the car, and the number and placement of these zones is flexible. (Image source: EV Engineering Online)

It is a radical departure from its predecessor, usually called a domain or centralized architecture (Figure 2). In that classic arrangement which has been used for decades, power distribution is not determined by the physical or spatial location of loads in the car, but rather the function of the module(s) being supported. For example, the four power windows might have a single power unit for all four windows (and maybe the trunk release) with DC rail cabling running to all these locations.

Figure 2 In the widely used domain architecture, controllers are assigned to cover one or more related functions (left); in the zonal approach, the controller division is by physical location the vehicle. (Image source: EETimes Asia)

The domain architecture was the second stage in this evolution. It was the successor to tried-and-true distributed power, which is conceptually the simplest and made a lot of sense in cars when there were relatively few electrical loads.

Distributed power is clear: each load, such as the radio, lights, starter motor, or dashboard, has a direct connection to the battery (regulators were largely non-existent) with a simple on/off switch for that loop (there might be an intermediate relay for higher-current loads). Each loop and load was physically and electrically separate and independent of all the others.

This arrangement made it easy to add loads or disconnect them. Even better, when the car was off – meaning the physical key was out of the ignition – there was zero vampire drain. The only drain on the battery was its self-drain of around a few percent per month.

Why I’m intrigued by the zonal architecture

I’ve been especially interested in the promised benefits of zonal control since I have had a run of electrical problems in my basic ICE 2019 Subaru Outback with 60,000 miles. This car predates zonal distribution, and even uses tangible buttons (networked, of course) for most functions such as A/C; the touch screen is only for secondary functions such as radio, map, and housekeeping (you can drive the car without problem even if that screen blanks out.)

I’ve had these three problems, directly or indirectly related to “vampire drain”:

1. First, the car’s 3G transponder, formally called a Telematics Data Communication Module (TDCM or DCM), kept trying to connect to that service, thus killing the battery. The problem is that 3G is being “sunsetted”, so nearby towers were going dark, and it was trying to link up with a non-existent service (or what if it was in an underground garage?). It kept trying and trying, killing the battery since I didn’t start the car for a few days. The dealer replaced the module free of charge for this known but kept-quiet design flaw.
2. Then, a module that controls power flow to other modules when the car is nominally off malfunctioned and allowed too much vampire current to flow. Again, the module was replaced at no cost to me, but not until I had to jump-start the car.
3. Finally, the door-lock module malfunctioned, and I could only get into the car using the mechanical key that comes with the electronic key fob. While that would be a major annoyance, the added problem was that in this fault mode, the module continued to drain excessive power, again killing the battery.

Yet in all the talk about the zonal architecture, I have seen barely any mention of how it impacts electrical-system troubleshooting. Will it make it easier, harder, or very difficult?

Speaking as a car owner – not as a designer or manufacturer – that’s an important issue.  As cars get more complicated electrically with mandated features, enhanced drive-train control (where ICE, EV, or hybrid), ADAS functions, and more “smarts”, dealing with something that is no longer working can be an impressive challenge leading to quick, easy, and incorrect answers.

How so? When I brought my car to the dealer for each of the three problems with the symptom “dead battery,” the service tech checked the charging system, saw that was good, and so assumed it had to be a bad battery (each time replaced under warranty). Yet the real problems were those load modules drawing vampire current for various reasons.

What’s my user-side concern?

I’m not at all saying that the zonal architecture is a bad thing or a step backwards. I am only observing the extent to which its proponents – all very credible people – have focused almost entirely on its design/build impact and not discussed any in-the-field troubleshooting considerations.

I’ve been burned before by this scenario, and so I get a little worried when proponents of a new architecture or technology talk almost exclusively about its virtues but ignore discussion of any drawbacks. As engineers, we know that nearly every design decision involves pros and cons with respect to overall performance, weight, efficiency, manufacturability, and cost, and these have to be weighed against each other. Nearly every advance also has some downside ranging from trivial to a somewhat bigger deal.

This happened with USB-C and USB-PD (Power Delivery): whatever your requirements within its large power-range “envelope”, USB-C in conjunction with USB-PD is posited as the “universal” solution. Yet experience has shown that such broad, all-encompassing solutions can get a little too clever for themselves, as they try to accommodate so many use cases and scenarios. There are so many power-interconnect arrangements and possibilities, with so many variations, that many cannot be anticipated, tested, or validated despite a detailed standard. USB-C and USB-PD embed the opposite of the engineer’s top rule: keep it simple.

I expressed my concerns about USB-C and USB-PD in a recent EDN blog and received some supporting comments (USB-C and Power Delivery: Too much of a good thing?). As further confirmation, my colleague, EDN’s Associate and Contributing Editor Brian Dipert – who has much more hands-on experience in power interconnects and related – expressed similar concerns along with evidence (USB-C’s lingering incompatibilities and other complexities, part 1: Direct-connect complications and USB-C’s lingering incompatibilities and complexities, part 2: Splitter issues).

My question is simple: what’s the impact of the zonal architecture on troubleshooting? Will service technicians be further confused by its intricacies? Alternatively, is there evidence showing it will actually ease the troubleshooting problem, given the huge number of loads that the vehicle power subsystem must support along with their interconnection via various in-car networks?

I’m not an anti-advances person, but I do sometimes long wistfully for the early days of cars (and other products) when each load was on its own circuit from the battery, and you could troubleshoot most electrical problems with a schematic diagram and multimeter to read voltages, currents, and resistances. There’s a lot to be said for this type of directness and simplicity, that’s for sure, even though I know it’s not coming back.

Do you have any insight or thoughts about zonal architecture and eventual need for troubleshooting?

References:

• 48V zonal architecture made easy using power modules, Vicor Corp
• Zonal Electrical Architectures Cut Vehicle Wiring-System Cost, Complexity, TE Connectivity (via Tech Briefs)
• Zonal Architecture 101: Reducing Vehicle System Development Complexity, On Semiconductor
• Zonal Architecture vs. Domain Architecture: Modular Automotive Infrastructure Face Off, Molex LLC
• SDV Series Episode 2: From Domains to Zones , Keysight Technologies
• Zonal Wiring Architecture Will Make EVs Easier to Assemble, Assembly Magazine/BNP Media
• The hidden car revolution: zonal architecture, ST Microelectronics
• How a Zone Architecture Paves the Way to a Fully Software-Defined Vehicle, Texas Instruments

—Bill Schweber is a degreed senior EE who has written three textbooks, hundreds of technical articles, opinion columns, and product features. Prior to becoming an author and editor, he spent his entire hands-on career on the analog side by working on power supplies, sensors and signal conditioning, and wired and wireless communication links. His work experience includes many years at Analog Devices in applications and marketing, and he also developed significant mechanical-engineering insight while designing control electronics for large materials-testing systems.

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