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A Desktop Satellite with the ESP32-C3: 21 Grams of Telemetry
A desktop satellite never leaves the desk, but it behaves as if it were about to launch. The prototype collects and logs environmental and motion data, exactly as it would on a suborbital flight. The result is a compact electronic platform that shows how far a sensing system can be shrunk without losing any functions.
The heart of the system is an ESP32-C3 Mini, which acts as the main controller. Two sensors are entrusted to it: a BME680 for temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure and gas resistance, and a BMI323 that adds a 3-axis accelerometer and gyroscope. The sensors talk to the ESP32 over an I²C interface, a choice that keeps the number of wires low and simplifies the wiring.
Record-breaking weight and sizeThe numbers tell the story of the project’s philosophy well. The prototype weighs 21 grams, below the initial target of 30 grams. Its dimensions are 28 × 28 × 33 mm, a volume that fits in the palm of a hand. To reach this result, connectors, PCB material, wiring and mechanical structure were all reduced, while the sensing and computing functions were kept intact.
Every gram saved counts, because in a future real launch weight translates directly into cost and complexity. Miniaturisation is not just an aesthetic matter: it is proof that a complete telemetry system can fit in a minimal volume.
Dashboard and flight data managementA software dashboard monitors and stores the measurements collected by the sensors. The system organises the recorded flight data into files that can be viewed, downloaded or deleted. This structure makes it possible to analyse the readings after a test session, without having to keep the satellite connected to a computer during acquisition.
The workflow is simple: start the collection, the satellite logs the data, then download the files for analysis. Having a dashboard also makes the system suitable for anyone who wants to experiment with long acquisitions or with changing conditions.
- ESP32-C3 Mini as the main controller
- BME680 for temperature, humidity, pressure and gas
- BMI323 for acceleration and rotational motion
- I²C bus to connect the sensors to the controller
- Software dashboard to monitor and archive the data
The project shows how an electronics platform inspired by satellites can be built from easily available components. Those who want to dig deeper can look at the maker’s site, where the details of the system are available. The development board used is a compact solution for IoT projects, suitable for anyone who wants to replicate the prototype or start from a similar base.
The desktop satellite is not meant for space, but to prepare the ground for those who will go there. The combination of environmental and inertial sensors covers the basic needs of a flight experiment: pressure, temperature, humidity, gas, acceleration and rotation. At 21 grams, the system leaves room for larger payloads or bigger batteries in a possible future launch.
Source: https://circuitdigest.com/news/barely-21-grams-this-satellite-prototype-tracks-the-environment
Related productsThe post A Desktop Satellite with the ESP32-C3: 21 Grams of Telemetry appeared first on Open Electronics.
Tiny RACK-Wall power supply from 230V AC
 | I made a Power supply board to get more experience with ecad. It connects directly to 230VAC main via the plug on the bottom left. The plugs on the right output 48/24/12/5/3.3/1.6V DC with a small webinterface via ESP32-S2 for switching and checking voltage and current. PCB & schematic files are avalable here (Altium files): https://github.com/Timo-Hauser/POWERPANEL-HW I will use the PCB in my Mini Rack with my Raspberry Pi inside. I cheated a bit by stepping down the ac with a LRS-150-24 module so its DC-DC only. I would love to get some feedback on the Schematics as well as the PCB layout. I choose the parts mainly based on availability at JLCPCB and tried to avoid any tht parts. I'm aware I could buy this premade for cheaper but it was fun so far.
Also for those that care I did work with AI on the project. [link] [comments] |
Not all diodes use electrons
Sometimes thinking like a geek pays off. Especially when you’re dealing with overheated Judge Judy fanatics.
A recurring problem at the transmitter site of the television station I worked at was the cause of no small amount of labor and expense. Periodically the building’s cooling system failed, which is a bit of an emergency during hot weather, especially as it could cause the transmitter to overheat and shut down. Lots of Judge Judy fans out there wouldn’t be happy. And they could be brutal with their criticism.
Do you have a memorable experience solving an engineering problem at work or in your spare time? Tell us your Tale
The HVAC system used a two-stage heat exchanger, with three fans. The fans draw air past the hot condenser coils and fins and exhaust the heated air out of the top of the unit. When the cooling load is light, the outer two fans run, and the center fan is turned off. When the load is heavy, or the outside air temperature is high, all three fans run.
Every year or so the center motor would burn out, shorting one phase of 480V to the motor’s case. Fortunately, the transmitter site was wired as 480 volts delta. A delta system can withstand a short of a single phase to ground, something a wye system cannot do. As Figure 1 shows, the main electrical panel at the site had lamps from each phase to ground. If a phase was shorted, its lamp would go out and we’d know we had a problem.
Figure 1 A delta system can withstand a short of a single phase to ground, something a wye system cannot do.
The cause of the burnouts was well-known. When the HVAC system has only two fans running, the two outer fans are pulling air not only through the fins, but down through the center fan as well (Figure 2). This causes the idle motor and fan to run backwards as the air flow is reversed. The fan could get up a pretty good head of steam in a short time.
Figure 2 This HVAC system doesn’t include a damper.
Then, when the center motor is called to start, it has more than its usual start-up inertia to overcome, and in fighting the reversed magnetic field, produces a high back EMF. This increases the voltage stress across the motor’s windings as well as the current through them. After enough of this abuse, one of the windings will give up the ghost and short to the motor’s case.
Over the years we replaced a good number of motors, before and during my time at the station. On one of these occasions, I was up on the roof with our HVAC contractor, discussing the problem (and the Red Sox, as this was Boston and such conversation is mandatory). One thought was to install sheet-metal walls to divide the interior into thirds, isolating the center section, but this was not at all an easy project.
Then my inner geek kicked in. Just as a carpenter might think there’s no problem that can’t be solved with a good sized hammer and nails, or a handyman with duct tape, I tend to think in terms of electronics. So it occurred to me that what we needed was an “air-diode.” Let the air flow up and out, but not down and in.
Believe me, I felt like an idiot a moment later when I realized that such a thing already exists in a very simple device: a damper. It’s just a group of hinged sheet metal plates that, when mounted horizontally, will open when the fan is blowing and allow air to flow, and close via gravity when the fan is not blowing, blocking the air flow (Figure 3). Lucky for me our HVAC man hadn’t thought of it either, so I didn’t feel so bad. And he agreed that it was a good idea. He got a damper of the right size, installed it, and never had to return to replace a burned out motor again.
Figure 3 This HVAC system includes a damper, which can be either open or closed.
Incidentally, I’ve never understood the reasoning behind the wide-open cavity in the fan units. Drawing outside air down through the idle fan means an equivalent amount of air is not being drawn through the fins, which greatly reduces cooling efficiency. I know this from unfortunate experience, when I once accidentally left an access panel open on a heat exchanger (at a different TV station). The result was an overheated and shut down TV transmitter (see earlier mention of Judge Judy fans).
Robert Yankowitz retired as Chief Engineer at a television station in Boston, Massachusetts, where he had worked for 23 years. Prior to that, he worked for 15 years at a station in Providence, Rhode Island.
Related Content
- Zig-zag transformers
- Back EMF and electric motors: From fundamentals to real-world applications
- Analog TV transmitter—analog problem
- TV transmitter trouble
The post Not all diodes use electrons appeared first on EDN.
NAS upgrades: Proprietary lockouts and surmounts
A speedier LAN “freeway” is of no benefit if “vehicles” on it are still molasses slow. Fortunately, this engineer’s curiosity is matched by upgrades both available used and already in inventory.
As part of my pending infrastructure upgrade, one of the key LAN clients that I want to make sure is accessible as speedily as possible, as well as generally performing as optimally as possible, is my longstanding-use quad-HDD QNAP TS-453Be NAS:
The TS-453Be has dual integrated 1 GbE wired interfaces, only one of which I’m currently using due to my current switch’s available port count limitations.
That said, I’ve long been tempted to add an active splitter to the mix, as the NAS’s Linux O/S foundation supports two different multi-LAN interface merging options: specialized Port Trunking, i.e., LACP (Link Aggregation Control Protocol), which necessitates the use of a high-end managed switch, and the more general-purpose SMB Multichannel alternative approach.
However, since I was planning on more broadly moving to a primary switch that included multiple 10G SFP+ cages, each optionally configurable as a 10 GbE port via an Ethernet adapter module, I decided to instead “go for the gusto” and use a PCIe add-in board to upgrade the TS-453Be to use a single 10 GbE interface. QNAP sells such a card, the QXG10G1T, which has a $139 MSRP although, due to supply constraints, many retailers currently sell it for $200 or more (AQUANTIA, the board’s network controller supplier, was acquired by Marvell seven years ago).
Instead, however, and after stumbling across an encouraging Reddit thread, I (at least initially) decided to alternatively go with a much less expensive generic AQUANTIA AQC107-based add-in card sourced from Walmart’s website.
The Reddit thread discussion suggested that there was no difference between ones like it and the pricier branded card, at least from a software driver standpoint. QNAP hadn’t hard-coded a specific identifier code into the card’s firmware, for example, and therefore hadn’t customized the Linux build it was using to recognize only that code as valid. This was a refreshing change from the usual norm taken by some SFP-supportive networking equipment suppliers, for example.
But when the board arrived, I realized that I still couldn’t let QNAP off the “proprietary” hook scot-free. The earlier QXG10G1T stock photos showed the board with only its preinstalled low-profile bracket, variants of which I’d also come across in the past with low-profile graphics cards, for example.
The QNAP product page also mentioned the inclusion of a full-height conventional bracket. And it further referenced an also-bundled “specialized (for selected QNAP NAS) bracket”, photos of all of which I happened to find included with a used-board eBay listing I came across.
The latter bracket, unfortunately, is the one that the QNAP TS-453Be calls for. Unsurprisingly, it was not included with the generic AQC107-based add-in card I’d bought, or any other I could find.
I also couldn’t find any means of purchasing the proprietary flat low-profile bracket from QNAP directly. Perhaps obviously, I assume that the company would prefer that I instead buy the entire kit from it.
Investigation prior to capitulationI could hack away at the standard low-profile bracket to jerry-rig it into place, as I belatedly realized upon re-read that the original Reddit thread originator had done (I’d originally misinterpreted that he’d only had the full-height bracket in his possession). Or, I suppose, I could 3D-print one. What I confess I just ended up doing instead was bailing and buying that used board I’d found on eBay, which thankfully works fine and still saved me a notable amount of coin versus the MSRP, not to mention the subsequent (and current) further marked-up prices (the screenshot still reports 1 GbE connectivity because of the legacy switch on the other cable end).
I’ve kept the generic add-in card, too, for use in adding 10 GbE support to future Macs, Hackintoshes and/or PCs, along with any more amenable NASs that might come into my possession in the future. And, prior to settling on the used QNAP-branded card, I temporarily installed the generic one in the NAS after first removing its mounting bracket entirely, to personally confirm what I’d already read re its claimed software compatibility.
Here’s where the add-in card goes.
Cue irony; the dimple on the included standard low-profile bracket’s 90° bent end exactly matches the location of the drilled hole in the (flat) cover plate, suggestive of a likely chassis location match were I to drill a hole at the dimple, too. The problem, of course, is that even if I could cleanly un-bend that end, it’d still protrude beyond the remainder of the bracket’s edge. It wouldn’t fit in the chassis unless I also hacksawed or otherwise dealt with the bracket excess.
Absent the bracket, the add-in card is fully functional, albeit tenuously so from a mechanical stability (therefore also electrical connectivity) perspective.
The only quirk I came across, which ironically also affects the QNAP-branded board, is that the front panel LED only activity-illuminates when the integrated 1 GbE facilities are in use, not those of the 10 GbE add-in card.
What about the NAS’s five integrated USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) ports (one front, four back)? Instead of using a full-blown add-in card, could I instead connect up one or even a few (for multi-LAN interface merging purposes) 2.5 GbE or 5 GbE USB adapters? Yes, it turns out, but with some qualifiers. QNAP once sold a branded 5 GbE adapter, the QNA-UC5G1T, based on an AQUANTIA-now-Marvell AQC111U controller.
But per the QNAP website, it’s discontinued, with retailer stock also depleted. It also only works with Intel x86-based QNAP NASs, not Arm-based models such as my TS-231K and TS-328 (as a backup plan, they both at least also have dual integrated 1 GbE ports). There’s no O/S support for Port Trunking multi-port merging, only for SMB Multichannel. And the only third-party AQC111U-based adapters I’ve come across, from Sabrent, Startech and TRENDnet, are also discontinued.
Things are a bit more encouraging on the 2.5 GbE front, however. QNAP doesn’t (and as far as I can tell, never did) sell a branded one, but I’ve successfully tested several third-party adapters based on Realtek RTL8156 network controllers (LAN-disconnected in the following image, albeit still system-recognized, which was my point in including the screenshot in the first place).
Again, the compatibility is x86-only; whatever Arm-compiled Linux build QNAP is using doesn’t seem to bundle the necessary driver support. And per Reddit chatter, it seems to be somewhat hit-and-miss as to whether a given adapter can be reliably powered from a given NAS directly versus requiring a powered-hub intermediary. But for those of you out there with x86-based NASs (or potentially even Arm-based NASs from other manufacturers using other operating system foundations) that don’t have add-in card support, it’s potentially better than nothing.
Volatile and nonvolatile memory enhancementsAnother TS-453Be update I’ve recently done wasn’t motivated by network upgrades, per se. Instead, it was predominantly fueled by fundamental curiosity. As I’d mentioned back in late 2020, the NAS arrived with 2 GBytes of DDR3 SDRAM installed as a single SoDIMM, which I promptly updated to 8 GBytes total, albeit not at the highest possible hardware-supported speed bin given that I’d used two spare SoDIMMs I already had on-hand versus buying others.
I mentioned at the time that “some users report being able to run up to 16 GBytes total, but success is seemingly hit-and-miss, as is longevity, and since I don’t want to deal with stored data corruption I “passed” on this experiment.” Well, even though the Celeron J3455 isn’t (officially, at least) Windows 11-compatible, not to mention the lack of a system TPM (trusted platform module), Microsoft has now extended Windows 10 support for a second straight year, so far.
I suspect this may not be the final end-of support postponement, considering stubbornly high replacement-system building block prices. I’m already running Roon Server using Docker, with other containerized apps possible in the future. And with support extended, I may put virtualized Win10 back on the TS-453Be, too. My earlier test-drive had been successful albeit slow; I later uninstalled it due to the sizeable necessary HDD “footprint”. Doubling onboard memory should help performance in all these cases, due to resultant decreased virtual memory thrash. So while the NAS was open, I also dropped two 8 GByte SoDIMMs in. All’s stable so far, I’m happy to say.
And speaking of overall performance, while the four HDDs inside the NAS are enterprise 7,200 RPM variants (Hitachi Global Storage Technologies’, now Western Digital’s, Ultrastar 7K4000 HUS724040ALE640), they are HDDs. Even configured as RAID 5, I suspect their inherent random access latencies will become increasingly intolerable once the network-access latency between them and the LAN client(s) they’re communicating with are diminished as potential bottlenecks.
To wit, I have another QNAP add-in card on order, which I plan to at least temporarily in-system exchange for the currently installed QXG10G1T. It’s the QM2-2P10G1TB, which also comes with three bracket options (at least I hope this used one does, otherwise I’ll ship it back posthaste).
Versus the QM2-2P-244A I’d mentioned back in late 2020, this one includes support for dual M.2 NVMe SSDs and 10 GbE connectivity, as noted in the following conceptual cutaway.
To clarify upfront, I won’t be using the flash memory modules as “raw” storage. Instead, I’ll leverage QTier to harness them as a read/write cache. You can tell that the associated QNAP technology page is dated because it claims you can “take advantage of declining SSD prices.” Fortunately, I still have a few M.2 NVMe spares lying around from the pre-constraint days.
To be clear upfront, I’m not expecting anything dramatic improvement-wise from a performance perspective. Although the add-in card has a PCIe Gen3 x8 interface, the NAS connector I’ll be plugging it into only implements PCIe Gen2 x2, traffic-shared between the network controller and two SSDs, all factors leading to yet another potential bottleneck. Still, the comparative results should be interesting.
Once I get both the QNAP NAS and its supportive LAN infrastructure upgraded, I’ll run some benchmark tests and report back the results. Until then, I as-always welcome your thoughts in the comments on what I’ve discussed thus far!
—Brian Dipert is the associate editor, as well as a contributing editor, at EDN.
Related Content
- The multi-gig migration: Motivations and implementations
- An x86 foundation supports robust NAS virtualization
- SFP: Add-in module delivers diminutive performance, flexibility
- USB: Deciphering the signaling, connector, and power delivery differences
- NAS successors add notable features
The post NAS upgrades: Proprietary lockouts and surmounts appeared first on EDN.
Active and passive buzzer modules: KY-006 and KY-012 with Arduino
A buzzer module emits a sound to signal a danger or the end of a set time. It also serves to confirm a command. There are two types: passive, such as the KY-006 and Ks0019, and active, such as the KY-012 and Ks0018. AdriRobot tested them with an Arduino UNO, with a Multi Test Shield and with the micro:bit board.
Active and passive buzzer module: the difference
Loose buzzers and buzzer modules used in the tests (photo: AdriRobot)
The buzzer is an audio signalling device. It can be mechanical, electromechanical or piezoelectric. In the active module there is an internal oscillator: you just power it and the sound starts. The passive module has none, so the control circuit must supply it with a square wave between 2 and 5 kHz.
The piezoelectric buzzer is based on a ceramic disc with a metallic layer. It is robust and cheap. That is why it is used for narrow-band alarm signals, for example in household appliances and in medical technology. Electromagnetic buzzers, on the other hand, have a metal diaphragm set vibrating by an electromagnetic circuit, with the electronics already integrated.
The four modules comparedThe KY-006 and KY-012 have the same circuit, made up of a connector and the buzzer. Only the type of buzzer changes, passive in the first and active in the second. Of the connector only GND and signal are used, so the current comes from the Arduino pin. Each module also measures 15 × 19 × 9 mm and weighs 2.4 g.
The Keyestudio Ks0018 (active) and Ks0019 (passive) modules are more elaborate. An NPN S8050 transistor acts as a switch between the control pin and the buzzer. There are two resistors: one on the base and one in series with the power supply. This way the control pin only supplies the current for the transistor. The connector therefore has three connections: GND, signal and 3.3 or 5 V power. Finally, these modules measure 30 × 20 × 10 mm and weigh 3 g.
The NPN S8050 transistor acts as a switch on the Keyestudio module (schematic: AdriRobot)
The KY-006 module connected to an Arduino UNO for the basic test (schematic: AdriRobot)
To test a passive module you need an Arduino UNO, some Dupont jumpers and the KY-006 or the Ks0019. In the first sketch digital pin 3 goes from high to low with short pauses. This way the square wave is built by hand. Alternatively you use tone(pin, frequency, duration), which generates a square wave with a 50% duty cycle.
The command also produces only one tone at a time. If another pin is already playing, the call has no effect, while on the same pin it changes the frequency. To stop the sound you use noTone(pin). In AdriRobot’s example the buzzer sounds at 500 Hz and at 1000 Hz for one second each. Then it stays silent for five seconds.
The active module is simpler. With the KY-012 or Ks0018 a signal pin at high level makes the buzzer sound. At low level it stops it.
Multi Test Shield and micro:bitThe Multi Test Shield is a shield built by AdriRobot, compatible with the Arduino UNO R3. It is used to test the sensors of the 37-in-1 kit. The KY-012 is inserted on the JP2 connector. This way the sketch alternates sound and silence and shows the various phases on a small OLED display.
The Ks0018 and Ks0019 modules can also be connected to a micro:bit board. You need the Keyestudio Micro:bit Sensor V2 shield and three female-female Dupont cables. The program is also written with the MakeCode block editor and saved directly onto the board.
Where to find the modulesThe individual modules are in the catalogue: the passive buzzer module KY-006 and the active buzzer module KY-012. Both are also part of the box of 37 sensors for Arduino, Raspberry Pi and robotics.
Source: the original article by AdriRobot includes the complete sketches, the MakeCode programs and other examples of buzzer use in projects.
Related products- Passive Buzzer Module, 3.5V to 5.5V Operating Voltage
- Active Buzzer Module with 3.5V to 5.5V Operating Voltage
- Box of 37 sensors for Arduino/Raspberry Pi/robotics
The post Active and passive buzzer modules: KY-006 and KY-012 with Arduino appeared first on Open Electronics.
onsemi’s EliteSiC hybrid power module technology used in Sungrow’s PowerTitan 3.0 energy storage platform
Стипендіатки Верховної Ради України 2026 року з КПІ
Завершився конкурс на отримання стипендій Верховної Ради України імені Бориса Патона. Ця адресна фінансова підтримка молодих учених України має на меті створення додаткових можливостей і стимулів для проведення ними актуальних фундаментальних і прикладних наукових досліджень, підвищення престижу наукового працівника та його ролі у суспільстві, збереження наукового потенціалу держави.
Microchip adds radiation-tolerant GaN point-of-load converter to space power portfolio
Perfect Paul ][: Michael Wessel’s DECtalk Emulator for the Apple ][
Perfect Paul ][ is a drop-in DECtalk emulator card for the Apple ][, designed by Michael Wessel. It brings the high-level speech synthesis of the DECtalk, historically expensive and out of reach, to an ordinary 8-bit computer. Operation is straightforward: you write DECtalk commands to the card’s memory addresses using POKE, and the Apple ][ starts talking. No software rewrite is needed, because the card presents itself to the bus as just another peripheral.
The heart of the project is a Raspberry Pi Zero based on the RP2040. Around it sit an I2S DAC, an amplifier, a speaker and the bus interface logic. So the complete chain runs from the command written to memory all the way to the sound coming out of the speaker, with no external stages. Michael Wessel’s repository collects the project code, and it is the starting point for understanding how DECtalk commands are translated into audio.
The Apple ][ bus and the interface logicThe card presents itself at a set of memory addresses on the Apple ][. This is the key point of the project: interfacing happens by writing DECtalk commands to those addresses using POKE. Existing software therefore needs to know nothing about the card; it just has to address the commands in the right place. The bus interface logic acts as a bridge between the 8-bit world of the computer and the RP2040, which receives the commands and turns them into speech synthesis.
- Raspberry Pi Zero based on RP2040, the core that generates the synthesis
- I2S DAC to convert the digital signal to analog
- Amplifier to bring the signal up to speaker level
- Speaker for the final audio output
- Bus interface logic toward the Apple ][ memory addresses
The flow is linear. The Apple ][ writes a DECtalk command to an address on the card. The interface logic delivers it to the RP2040. The Raspberry Pi Zero processes the command and produces the digital audio stream. The I2S DAC converts it, the amplifier raises its level and the speaker makes it audible. What’s more, the same chain can be adapted: according to the author, it would be easy to port the card to other 8-bit machines as well, changing only the bus interface part.
What you need to rebuild the cardAnyone wanting to try the build starts from a short list. At the centre is the module with the RP2040, then the audio board with I2S DAC and amplifier, then the speaker and the interface logic toward the Apple ][ bus. For the audio output you can use a 2 W, 8 ohm speaker with a diameter of 66 mm, which covers the 400-4,500 Hz band with 86 dB of sensitivity: more than enough figures for synthetic voice. The delicate part remains the bus interface, because compatibility with the computer depends on it.
The project does not publish power consumption or cost figures, so none are invented here. What matters is the choice of a software emulator instead of the original DECtalk hardware: this way, high-level speech synthesis becomes accessible to anyone with an Apple ][ at home. In particular, the fact that commands go through memory addresses means that even programs written decades ago can find their voice again, without patches.
For those who want to see the card in action, the author has published a demonstration video. Those who prefer to get their hands on the code will find the material to start replicating or adapting the project in Michael Wessel’s repository. The path to porting it to other 8-bit machines, after all, goes right through there: change the interface logic and keep the audio chain intact.
Source: https://github.com/lambdamikel/perfect-paul-ii
The post Perfect Paul ][: Michael Wessel’s DECtalk Emulator for the Apple ][ appeared first on Open Electronics.
Vacuum tube high-speed AD converter
 | submitted by /u/VEC7OR [link] [comments] |
Interview | Sanjay Wadhwa, Chairman & Managing Director, NASH Group of Companies
The rapid expansion of AI and its multifaceted applications have opened myriad avenues, while posing critical challenges that must be addressed in real time. Anwesh Koley of ELE Times, caught up with Sanjay Wadhwa, Chairman & Managing Director, NASH Group of Companies, to decode the latest technological advancements and India’s role in this growth story.
ELE Times: Share your thoughts on the increasing role of Smart Vision technologies in quality inspection, predictive maintenance, and operational efficiency.
Sanjay Wadhwa: Smart Vision is becoming central to the next phase of industrial transformation because it addresses four priorities that every manufacturer is focused on today: consistency, repeatability, speed, and traceability. As production environments become more complex and volumes rise, manual inspection alone cannot deliver the level of repeatability and real-time assurance that modern manufacturing demands.
AI-enabled vision systems bring intelligence directly into the production process. They can analyse visual data in real time, identify defects, recognise deviations, and support faster corrective action. More importantly, they provide a highly repeatable method of inspection, reducing the dependence on individual inspector judgement, fatigue, or differences in interpretation. This creates a much more consistent quality standard across shifts, operators, and production lines.
At NASH, we see Smart Vision not simply as an inspection tool, but as a broader capability across quality, security, monitoring and process intelligence. The ability to capture and analyse the same parameters consistently over time also creates a valuable digital record that can be used for traceability and continuous improvement.
Its value also extends beyond defect detection. When visual data is integrated with machine, process, and enterprise systems, it helps leadership identify weak points, understand recurring issues, and improve decision-making. In predictive maintenance, continuous monitoring can reveal early signs of deterioration, enabling teams to intervene before failures affect productivity.
The larger opportunity is to convert visual information into repeatable, reliable, and actionable intelligence. That is where Smart Vision will play a defining role – not only in improving operational efficiency but also in strengthening quality systems enabling predictive intervention, reducing process variation and ultimately building more efficient and resilient manufacturing operations.
ELE Times: How are Indian engineering and manufacturing companies building globally competitive Industry 4.0 solutions?
SW: Indian engineering and manufacturing companies are steadily moving from being execution-led partners to becoming creators of globally relevant industrial technology. This shift is being driven by strong engineering talent, deeper manufacturing experience, and growing collaboration with global technology ecosystems. The real transition is from “Make in India” to “Engineer in India, Innovate in India & Scale for the World.”
At NASH, our focus has been to build capability across the full product lifecycle — from design and engineering to embedded systems, Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT), Smart Vision, industrial computing and advanced manufacturing. This end-to-end capability allows us to develop solutions that are relevant to Indian operating conditions while meeting global expectations on quality, reliability, repeatability and scalability.
A strong example is the development of India’s first Industrial Motherboard, which reflects how Indian engineering strengths can translate into specialised platforms for industrial applications. Alongside this, our vertically integrated Design-to-Manufacturing approach enables us to customise solutions for specific customer needs without compromising robustness, repeatability, or scale.
For Indian companies, the opportunity is much larger than manufacturing for the world. India has the engineering depth, industrial base and entrepreneurial mindset to design, develop and manufacture competitive technology solutions for global markets. The ability to combine cost-effective engineering with global standards, interoperability, and long-term lifecycle support can become an important competitive advantage.
The next phase will depend on how effectively organisations combine engineering excellence, technology innovation, manufacturing discipline, and customer understanding. Equally important will be the ability to build solutions that are repeatable, scalable, secure, and capable of integrating with global industrial ecosystems. Companies that bring these together will be well positioned to shape Industry 4.0 solutions not only for India, but for global industry.
ELE Times: What are the existing opportunities and key challenges for manufacturers adopting AI-led industrial technologies at scale?
SW: The opportunity for AI-led industrial technologies is significant because manufacturers are under pressure to improve uptime, quality, productivity, and planning accuracy at the same time. AI can help organisations make sense of large volumes of operational data and convert that data into faster, more informed decisions. Predictive maintenance can shift teams from reacting to breakdowns to preventing them. AI-led vision systems can improve inspection consistency, and intelligent planning tools can support capacity decisions during new program ramp-ups.
However, scaling AI is not only a technology deployment exercise. The real challenge is moving from successful pilots to solutions that can be deployed repeatedly and economically across machines, lines, and plants. The challenge lies in the foundation. Data must be reliable, standardised and available at the right level of detail. Machines must be connected, processes must be consistent, and teams must have the ability to interpret insights and act on them quickly.
Cybersecurity is another critical consideration. As operational technology, enterprise systems and external ecosystems become increasingly connected, manufacturers must ensure that digital transformation does not compromise operational resilience or data security.
Therefore, the core challenge is not access to AI tools. It is building the digital, organisational, and engineering maturity required to move from pilot to scale and implement AI sustainably, securely and with measurable business value.
ELE Times: How do you foresee the future of intelligent factories? What are the technologies that will define the next decade of industrial innovation?
SW: The intelligent factory of the future will be connected, adaptive, and increasingly self-aware. We will see AIoT, Smart Vision, edge computing, advanced automation, and intelligent analytics working together as one integrated operating layer rather than isolated technology investments.
AIoT will provide real-time visibility across machines, utilities and production lines. Smart Vision will support autonomous quality inspection, safety monitoring, and process intelligence. Edge computing will enable faster decisions at the point where data is generated, while Digital Twins will enable manufacturers to simulate and optimise processes, capacity and changes before implementing them in the physical factory. AI will help manufacturers move from monitoring operations to predicting, optimising and continuously improving them.
The next evolution will be from connected factories to learning and increasingly autonomous factories. Digital twins and simulation will allow manufacturers to test changes before implementing them, while AI will increasingly move from providing insights to recommending and, within defined boundaries, executing decisions. The ability of different systems to communicate and learn from each other will be critical to achieving this at scale.
ELE Times: How is the “Make in India” initiative progressing and what role is NASH playing in this initiative?
SW: The Make in India initiative has evolved from a manufacturing-led movement into a larger national capability-building programme, and NASH is proud to be contributing to that transition. For us, Make in India is not only about assembling products locally; it is about creating end-to-end ownership across design, engineering, embedded electronics, software, testing, validation and manufacturing.
This is where NASH has become a preferred partner for customers who are looking for long-term value, reliability, and technology depth. We continue to evolve with industry requirements and have built strong capabilities to support sectors that demand high-quality, mission-critical hardware. A significant example is the movement of complete banking hardware programmes from China to India, where NASH has enabled local design-to-manufacture execution with the required scale, quality and responsiveness.
Our strength lies in combining product engineering, embedded systems, AIoT, industrial computing, smart vision, and advanced manufacturing under one integrated ecosystem. With a strong R&D foundation and over 180+ engineers, we are able to innovate faster, customise solutions for Indian and global customers, and add value at every stage of the product life cycle.
As the country builds deeper capabilities in electronics, industrial technology, EV, renewable energy and automation, NASH is focused on strengthening indigenous technology creation rather than depending on external ecosystems. Our work on industrial motherboards, LFP battery technology, and embedded platforms reflects this commitment. We believe the next phase of Make in India will be driven by companies that can design in India, manufacture in India and deliver globally competitive products. NASH is aligned to that vision, and we see our role as enabling customers to localise critical technologies while maintaining global standards of performance, quality and innovation.
ELE Times: Brief us about the current state of Lithium-ion technology for EVs in India and how NASH Energy is poised to deliver the required technology.
SW: Lithium-ion technology today is at an important inflection point in India’s EV journey. While the initial phase of adoption was largely driven by battery availability and cost, the market is now maturing towards a stronger focus on safety, reliability, lifecycle performance, thermal stability and localisation of critical materials & technologies. For Indian operating conditions, especially in mobility and energy storage applications, LFP chemistry is gaining strong relevance because of its inherent safety, durability and suitability for long-term use. At the same time, as applications evolve, there is a need to remain chemistry-agnostic and continuously evaluate other cell chemistries that can serve specific performance, energy density and use-case requirements.
At NASH Energy, our focus is to build deep technology and manufacturing capabilities across the battery value chain. We are working on LFP cell manufacturing along with advanced battery packs, battery management systems, power electronics and integrated energy storage solutions, while also exploring adjacent chemistries that may be relevant for future mobility and energy storage applications. This approach allows us to address not just the cell requirement, but the complete technology stack needed for reliable and scalable EV and industrial applications.
India has a significant opportunity to move beyond battery assembly and establish itself as a strong hub for cell technology, engineering and manufacturing. NASH Energy is well-positioned to contribute to this transition by combining technology expertise, manufacturing capability and application-level understanding to deliver safe, dependable and Made-in-India energy solutions for the evolving EV ecosystem.
ELE Times: How are AIoT, edge computing and intelligent automation reshaping modern manufacturing techniques?
SW: The convergence of the Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT), edge computing, and intelligent automation is transforming manufacturing from rigid, centrally scheduled assembly lines into adaptive, decentralised, and autonomous production ecosystems. This is possible by moving intelligence closer to machines, processes, and operators, instead of delayed action/analysis.
Primary decision drivers for the transformations on the Factory Floor:
- Ultra-Low Latency Quality Control
- Condition-Based & Prescriptive Maintenance
- Dynamic Shop-Floor Orchestration
- Live Digital Twins & Closed-Loop Tuning
- Adaptive Resource & Energy Optimisation
At NASH, we see these technologies as the foundation of smarter, more responsive industrial ecosystems. By integrating embedded electronics, industrial computing, AI and software, our solutions support applications such as predictive maintenance, process monitoring, machine vision, OEE analysis and industrial automation. These capabilities also help similar manufacturers reduce downtime, improve quality consistency, enhance traceability, and optimise resource utilisation.
For us, the value of AIoT and automation lies in solving real operational challenges, not in adopting technology for its own sake. When implemented with the right hardware, software and manufacturing expertise, these technologies enable faster decision-making, higher reliability, and more flexible production. This is how modern manufacturing is evolving from reactive operations to intelligent, data-driven and future-ready factories.
The post Interview | Sanjay Wadhwa, Chairman & Managing Director, NASH Group of Companies appeared first on ELE Times.
DigiKey Commits $100 Million Investment Over Next 18 Months to Expand Global Distribution Operations
DigiKey, the global distribution leader of electronic components and automation products, today announced a $100 million investment over the next 18 months to expand its global product distribution centre in Thief River Falls, Minn., and its order management system. This escalation of capacity and automation is designed to support sustained growth in demand for its industry-leading same-day fulfilment model.
Expansion at record-growth paceThe investment funds the next phases of DigiKey’s product distribution centre (PDC) expansion, adding high-volume picking capacity and advanced automated packing operations. The first new automated packing system is already on site and will be in use this year, with additional multi-line packing automation phased in as part of the investment program.
The announcement follows a year of extraordinary growth for the company. DigiKey is on pace to grow more than 50 percent in 2026, and projects continued double-digit growth in the year ahead.
“Our customers choose DigiKey because they know we’re fast and they know we’ll be fast tomorrow,” said DigiKey CEO Dave Doherty. “A $100 million commitment says exactly that: we’re expanding capacity and automating where it counts to keep same-day fulfillment the standard, not the exception.”
Building for future scaleThe expansion continues the design philosophy behind the company’s purpose-built product distribution centre: building in capacity ahead of demand. DigiKey’s state-of-the-art, 2.2 million-square-foot product distribution centre expansion project opened in Aug. 2022 and was designed for scalable growth, with many open spaces and much of the fourth floor left empty for future expansion.
New picking bays, order retrieval automation and expanded packing operations will process a growing share of order volume across multiple product form factors with higher speed and efficiency. Every investment in DigiKey is focused on the ultimate goal of sustainable growth.
“Simplification creates capacity, and capacity creates growth,” said Doherty. “We’re redirecting resources from legacy work to future capabilities and investing in where we’re going, not just where we’ve been.”
The investment reinforces DigiKey’s position as a global leader in electronic component distribution, serving one million customers annually with more than 1.9 million products in stock and ready to ship the same day from the product distribution centre.
The post DigiKey Commits $100 Million Investment Over Next 18 Months to Expand Global Distribution Operations appeared first on ELE Times.
Integrated FEMs ease 2.4-GHz RF design
pSemi offers the PE566212 and PE566213 2.4-GHz SOI front-end modules (FEMs) for Bluetooth, Zigbee, and Thread applications. Each module integrates a power amplifier, low-noise amplifier, and RF switch in a compact 1.8×1.8×0.63-mm LGA package, simplifying RF design. Applications include smart home devices, wireless audio, wearables, and sensing systems.
The FEMs provide transmit output power up to +20 dBm, a receive noise figure of 1.8 dB at 13 dB of gain, and typical bypass-path loss of 0.8 dB. According to pSemi, the FEMs offer 5 to 10 times the range of a standalone SoC. Based on pSemi’s UltraCMOS+ SOI process, they offer a highly integrated silicon-based alternative to GaAs- and SiGe-based front ends.
The PE566212 supports Bluetooth Basic Data Rate (BDR) and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), with 22.5 dB of transmit digital gain control in 1.5-dB steps. The PE566213 adds Bluetooth Enhanced Data Rate (EDR) support at up to +11.5 dBm and offers 15 dB of transmit digital gain control in 1-dB steps. Applications include smart home devices, wireless audio, wearables, and sensing systems.
The front-end modules are available now, along with corresponding evaluation boards.
The post Integrated FEMs ease 2.4-GHz RF design appeared first on EDN.
Diamond spreader tames AI GPU hotspots
A liquid-cooling cold plate, Frore’s LiquidJet Diamond integrates a diamond heat spreader to cool hotspots in high-power-density AI GPUs. Its 3D, short-loop, multistage cooling architecture can be customized to match a GPU’s power map, directing coolant to the hottest areas before cooling the rest of the GPU die, high-bandwidth memory (HBM), and other SoC chiplets.
Compared with conventional skived cold plates, LiquidJet Diamond achieves up to 75% higher heat-transfer efficiency and more than 150% higher maximum power density. Frore also claims 16–22°C lower GPU temperatures and 30–35% higher AI tokens-per-watt efficiency.
Beyond thermal performance and hotspot management, LiquidJet Diamond offers a seamless drop-in upgrade for hyperscale data centers. Frore says its manufacturing process combines semiconductor-fabrication precision with the production capacity needed to meet the quality and volume requirements of AI data center deployments.
LiquidJet Diamond product page
The post Diamond spreader tames AI GPU hotspots appeared first on EDN.
Systems reduce latency in edge AI automation
Aetina’s AIE-KT78/68 edge AI systems are powered by NVIDIA Jetson Thor platforms featuring the Blackwell GPU architecture for deterministic industrial control. Targeting collaborative robots (cobots), humanoid robots, and autonomous machines, these compact systems run multimodal AI models locally, reducing reliance on cloud processing and associated latency. Supported workloads include generative AI, large language models (LLMs), vision-language models (VLMs), and vision-language-action models (VLAs).
The AIE-KT78 uses the Jetson T5000 system-on-module, with 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory on a 256-bit interface and up to 2,070 FP4 TFLOPS of AI compute performance. The AIE-KT68 features the Jetson T4000 system-on-module, with 64 GB of LPDDR5X memory on the same interface and up to 1,200 FP4 TFLOPS.
Each system provides QSFP28 connectivity with up to 4×25-Gbps bandwidth, dual 10GbE RJ45 ports, and support for up to eight GMSL2 camera inputs to handle data from cameras, LiDAR, radar, and other sensors. A dedicated 1GbE RJ45 EtherCAT port operates as an independent EtherCAT master, synchronizing motors, joints, sensors, and actuators for deterministic control.
Both edge AI platforms run Linux with the full NVIDIA AI software stack.
The post Systems reduce latency in edge AI automation appeared first on EDN.
100-V GaN FETs lower switching FOM
Renesas Electronics has launched its first family of 100-V enhancement-mode (E-mode) discrete GaN power transistors. The company says the RTP100E005G1FL, RTP100E2P6G1FL, RTP100E1P8G1FL-DSC and RTP100E1P2G1FL-DSC low-voltage GaN FETs achieve industry-leading hard- and soft-switching figure-of-merit (FOM). They deliver up to 35% lower hard-switching FOM and up to 63% lower soft-switching FOM than comparable GaN devices.
Offered in FCLGA packages that maintain a silicon-compatible footprint, the GaN FETs let designers migrate from silicon MOSFET layouts without significant PCB rework. The RTP100E005G1FL and RTP100E2P6G1FL have typical on-resistance of 5 mΩ and 2.6 mΩ, respectively. The dual-side-cooled RTP100E1P8G1FL-DSC and RTP100E1P2G1FL-DSC have on-resistance of 1.8 mΩ and 1.2 mΩ, respectively. Depending on application requirements and power-conversion architecture, the transistors can achieve up to 40–70% lower switching losses and up to twice the power density at the system level.
The 100-V family targets high-power-density applications, including AI data centers, humanoid robotics, and factory automation. Package options and a wide range of on-resistance values allow the transistors to address different power levels and applications, including synchronous rectification, multiphase buck conversion, and industrial motor drives.
The new low-voltage GaN power transistors are available now, along with corresponding evaluation boards.
The post 100-V GaN FETs lower switching FOM appeared first on EDN.
Updated rack enclosures offer flexible design options
METCASE has redesigned its COMBIMET 19-in. rack-mount enclosures to provide greater rigidity and more usable panel space. The aluminum cases are suitable for networking and communications equipment, industrial computers, sound and studio systems, laboratory instruments, and industrial control applications.
The COMBIMET range now offers 68 standard model, size, and color permutations. Improved tabs create stronger, more reliable connections between enclosure components, while enlarged hidden apertures behind the front and rear panels allow more room for displays, controls, switches, connectors, and ventilation. Standard case heights range from 1U to 6U, with depths of 10.43 in., 14.37 in., and 24.00 in.
Enclosures have removable top, base, and rear panels for easy access to electronics. Both the top and base come with or without vents as standard. Units are available in black or light gray. COMBIMET enclosures can also be customized in size, panel design, color, finish, and graphics to meet specific application requirements.
Sales inquiries can be directed to sales@metcaseusa.com.
The post Updated rack enclosures offer flexible design options appeared first on EDN.
Making 1,750 programmable PCB badges for Canada's biggest hackathon
 | submitted by /u/WIZNERDCS [link] [comments] |
Driving a Bluetooth Thermal Printer with the ESP32-C3
Driving a portable Bluetooth thermal printer from an ESP32-C3 microcontroller, without going through the vendor’s smartphone app. That is what Bas BotBerg does, and the result is that reports on sensor data end up on thermal paper with no phone involved at all. The method is not the usual Bluetooth log capture on Android: the author queries the device directly and reconstructs its communication protocol.
The interesting part is the underlying choice. Instead of relying on the manufacturer’s app, the project uses an application that lists the printer’s Bluetooth Low Energy services and characteristics. That way the work shifts away from the encrypted traffic of a closed app and towards the services the device exposes, which stay visible and queryable.
Identifying the writable services and sending the first payloadsThe next step is to separate the services marked as writable from all the others. On those, the author starts sending data and observes how the printer responds. It is a process of trial and error, but every response narrows the field. The discovery phase is therefore done in Python with the Bleak library, which makes it possible to iterate and adapt the code in seconds.
- Query the device and read the list of Bluetooth Low Energy services.
- Isolate the characteristics marked as writable.
- Send test payloads and observe how the printer reacts.
- Adapt the Python code with the Bleak library at every attempt.
- Map commands and endpoints once you understand what triggers them.
The first milestone comes when the printer’s motor starts and feeds the paper. That movement confirms that the command identified is the right one and that the approach is the correct one. From there the work becomes more orderly: payloads are noted down, the endpoints to send them to are noted down, and the protocol map takes shape.
Moving the payloads into the C++ firmware on the ESP32-C3Once the data to send and the endpoints to send it to have been mapped in Python, the same payloads move into the C++ code on the ESP32-C3. The microcontroller then becomes the printer’s only counterpart. The Adafruit GFX library is also used to produce icons and to format the output more easily, so the report is not just raw text but has a readable structure.
For anyone who wants to rebuild the project, the starting board is compact and has the radio built in: the ESP32-C3 module in SuperMini format covers both the Bluetooth Low Energy side and sensor control. The rest of the work is in the firmware, not the hardware.
Anyone who has already taken apart a portable thermal printer knows that the critical point is not the mechanics. The critical point is the protocol, and that is exactly what the project tackles. The method used is an alternative to Bluetooth log capture on Android, and in some ways more direct: you talk to the device instead of spying on an app. Bas BotBerg’s project page on Hackaday.io collects the work done on this Bluetooth thermal printer.
The case is a good reference for anyone who needs to control, from a microcontroller, peripherals that the manufacturer makes accessible only through proprietary applications. The sequence is always the same: list the services, find the writable ones, send data, observe the responses, map the payloads. The device changes, not the method.
Source: https://hackaday.io/contests
Related productsThe post Driving a Bluetooth Thermal Printer with the ESP32-C3 appeared first on Open Electronics.
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