Feed aggregator

BluGlass Ltd of Silverwater, Australia — which develops and manufactures gallium nitride (GaN) blue laser diodes based on its proprietary low-temperature, low-hydrogen remote-plasma chemical vapor deposition (RPCVD) technology — is now an approved supplier and has received its first order from the Indian Ministry of Defence’s Solid State Physics Laboratory (SSPL), valued at $230,000. The order is for development services for benchmarking the fabrication process of GaN-based laser diodes...

Pick and place equipment is instrumental in many facilities for raising overall output and reducing errors. However, electronics design engineers know that standardization and modularization are among the top requests from decision-makers who use or might soon use this equipment.

Here’s how design professionals can address those standards in pick and place equipment.

After failed efforts to standardize or modularize existing pick and place robots, people may think they should start from scratch to get things right. However, that is not necessarily the case if designers, engineers, and others involved with these projects focus on the most pressing issues and prioritize solving them.

That was the approach for a federal initiative working to improve the Department of Veterans Affairs prescription-fulfillment project. The initial aim was to use 20 modular units, each designed for a specific task.

However, those machines failed numerous tests, and the entity first involved in designing and installing them never finished the project. After assessing matters and implementing solutions, a robotics vendor improved the suction methods that allowed robots to pick up pills and installed funnels around each one to catch dropped pills.

The vendor also implemented technology to train the system to recognize new pill types and shapes, making it future proof. This example shows how electronics design engineers, who identify the most significant issues and determine the best solutions, can get meaningful results and save time and money.

Standard recommendations for training and maintenance

Industrial decision-makers can lengthen the usefulness of pick and place equipment by keeping it well-maintained and ensuring operators know how to use it. These assets are similar to other specialty machines that need ongoing oversight to perform reliably. For example, many laser cutters have auto-focus features and real-time monitoring. Those capabilities tighten quality control but do not remove the need for supervision.

Standardization occurs when managers create training processes, checklists, operator certifications, and other mechanisms to prevent costly mistakes. However, electronics design engineers can influence those resources by suggesting the content of the manuals, warranties, and materials people receive when purchasing pick and place machines.

These engineers can also create guidelines about when to perform specific maintenance measures and stipulate the conditions that may require more frequent maintenance. Those insights can help people standardize internal processes to optimize their equipment.

Traditional standardization opportunities come from purchasing equipment that meets specific industrial standards, such as those associated with pharmaceutical clean rooms. However, some companies purchase automated equipment from a single brand. Although that approach allows standardization, it limits future flexibility.

For instance, recent microelectronics shortages have required creativity to fulfill industrial automation plans. Challenges like this mean standardizing industrial processes may be the best option.

Pursue modularization to enable growth

Electronics design engineers may work for clients who want specific pick and place integrations that address current needs while anticipating future requirements. In those cases, standardization may become limiting, but modularization could create the flexibility required to meet new needs as they emerge.

S&S Activewear’s distribution center is a real-life application of that option. The company uses hundreds of autonomous mobile robots to bring items from shelves to workers. The upgrade saves the employees from time-consuming tasks, like walking up and down aisles to find the desired products.

Executives also recognized how pick and place equipment fit into their automation goals. Although picking was once largely manual, specialty equipment has optimized the task and boosted productivity. The company now has 50 modular picker workstations, increasing its initial amount by over 50%. Workers do all their picking there after robots bring them the goods. Additionally, workers place all the picked goods directly into shippable cartons, shortening the process.

This example shows the positive results that can happen when clients, designers, and other concerned parties focus on expansion potential from the beginning. Even if decision-makers are unsure how much their operations might grow, modular installations give them numerous options to implement later.

Increase pick and place equipment adoption

These suggestions can help electronics design engineers use their expertise and problem-solving strategies to encourage industrial leaders to bring pick and place machines into their facilities for the first time. The more decision-makers view automated equipment as aligned with their processes, the likelier they will be to use it.

Ellie Gabel is a freelance writer as well as an associate editor at Revolutionized.

Related Content

• Exploring the Future of Industrial Automation
• Different Sensor Technologies Behind Autonomous Mobile Robots
• Autonomous mobile robot (AMR) design revisited with AI algorithms
• Future of Manufacturing: How to Select Mobile Robots for Heavy Loads
• ‘Wi-Fi on Steroids’ Technology Allows Manufacturing Industry to Finally Cut the Cord

The post Standardization and modularization in pick and place equipment appeared first on EDN.

Devices Offer Industry-Leading 150 kV/μs CMTI, 400 kHz Bandwidth, and Low Minimum Gain Error of ± 0.3 %

Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. announced the release of its latest isolation amplifiers, the VIA0050DD, VIA0250DD, and VIA2000SD. These new devices offer enhanced performance for a wide range of industrial, automotive, and medical applications, where high precision, reliability, and compact size are critical.

The VIA series of isolation amplifiers are designed to deliver exceptional thermal stability and precise measurement capabilities. With a typical common-mode transient immunity (CMTI) of 150 kV/μs, these amplifiers provide robust performance even in harsh environments, such as heavy-duty motor applications. The low typical gain error of ± 0.05 % and minimal gain drift of 15 ppm/°C typical ensure calibration-free, precise measurements over time and temperature. Additionally, these devices offer a high bandwidth of 400 kHz, enabling faster measurements compared to traditional opto-based isolation amplifiers.

Each amplifier in this series also features low offset error and drift, reinforced isolation, and inbuilt diagnostics for simplified precision current and voltage measurements. The inbuilt common mode voltage detection prevents failures in current and voltage measurement applications, making these amplifiers particularly suited for demanding applications where reliability is paramount. This series is designed to be compatible with Vishay’s WSBE low TCR, high power shunts, ensuring superior performance across a wide temperature range from -40°C to +125°C.

The VIA0050DD is a capacitive isolation amplifier optimized for environments where space is at a premium and low power consumption is essential. It features a high common-mode transient immunity (CMTI) of 100 kV/μs minimum, ensuring reliable performance even in noisy environments. Its low differential input voltage of ± 50 mV makes it ideal for precision isolated current measurements in space-constrained applications, such as power inverters, battery energy storage systems, motor phase current sensing, and industrial motor controls. Similarly, with its wide differential input voltage of ± 250 mV, the VIA0250DD allows for isolated current as well as voltage measurements.

The VIA2000SD offers the highest signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and bandwidth among the three models, making it the best choice for high-fidelity signal transmission in complex environments. Its linear differential input voltage in the range of 0.02 V to 2 V allows for precise isolated voltage measurements for applications such as bus voltage monitoring and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS).

The VIA series isolation amplifiers are designed to provide reliable, accurate performance across a variety of applications, including bus voltage monitoring, AC motor controls, power and solar inverters, and UPS. These amplifiers ensure accurate measurements across high voltage potential dividers and precision shunts, provide ease in monitoring of industrial motor drives, deliver robust performance in renewable energy systems, and maintain signal integrity in critical power systems.

The post Vishay Intertechnology Introduces New High-Reliability Isolation Amplifiers With Industry-Leading CMTI for Precision Applications appeared first on ELE Times.

I built this soundmaker from an old kid's electronics kit. It's based on "Experiment #32: The Space Gun" from: https://www.elenco.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/EP50-2.pdf it's an oscillator using resistors, capacitors and a transformer. submitted by /u/Useful-Bullfrog-730 [link] [comments]

The R&S UDS series of digital multimeters (DMMs) offers 5.5-digit and 6.5-digit resolution, with the 6.5-digit model delivering a basic DC accuracy of 0.0075%. Replacing the HMC8012, the UDS DMMs provide higher accuracy and an updated user interface to simplify testing.

Streamlining test workflows, UDS models can display up to three measurements simultaneously—such as DC, AC, and statistical data—on a 3.5-inch OVGA color display. They support voltage ranges up to 1000 VDC and 750 VAC, with a current capacity of 10 A.

With a wide range of measurement functions and remote-control interfaces, the multimeters are well-suited for troubleshooting, component testing, and system validation. They also fit well in teaching labs and production environments. In addition to 12 standard measurement functions, the units offer statistical and math capabilities. Interfaces include USB, Ethernet LAN, and IEEE 488 (GPIB) for SCPI-based control.

Configure and request a quote for the UDS digital multimeter using the product page link below.

UDS series product page

Rohde & Schwarz 

The post DMMs improve accuracy and usability appeared first on EDN.

Infineon’s radiation-hardened GaN HEMT is the first in-house manufactured device qualified to the Joint Army Navy Space (JANS) MIL-PRF-19500/794 specification—the highest quality certification issued by the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). The company’s new family of radiation-hardened CoolGaN transistors is designed for mission-critical applications in on-orbit spacecraft, manned missions, and deep space probes.

The first three devices in the GaN lineup are 100-V, 52-A transistors with a typical RDS(on) of 4 mΩ and a total gate charge of 8.8 nC. Housed in hermetically sealed ceramic surface-mount packages, they are hardened against Single Event Effects (SEE) up to a Linear Energy Transfer (LET) of 70 MeV·cm²/mg using gold (Au) ions. Two of the devices, while not JANS certified, are screened to Total Ionizing Dose (TID) levels of 100 krad and 500 krad. The third device, also screened to 500 krad, meets the rigorous JANS MIL-PRF-19500/794 qualification.

Engineering samples and evaluation boards are available now, with the final JANS-qualified device set for release in summer 2025. Additional JANS parts will launch soon, expanding the range of available voltage and current ratings. For more information on Infineon’s rad-hard GaN transistors, click here.

Infineon Technologies 

The post GaN HEMT earns DLA-JANS certification appeared first on EDN.

The EA-BIM 20005 battery impedance meter from Tektronix uses electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) across 20 channels to characterize Li-Ion battery cells. With industry-standard interfaces and a compact 19-in., 3U form factor, it integrates easily into automated battery test systems.

EIS testing provides deep insight into cell quality. Offering broad-frequency capabilities from 1 mHz to 10 kHz and AC stimulus up to 10 A (peak-to-peak), the EA-BIM-20005 supports comprehensive analysis of battery cell behavior under varying conditions. It is well-suited for cylindrical, pouch, and prismatic cells.

Each of the meter’s 20 EIS channels is paired with a 4-wire PT100 temperature channel, enabling simultaneous tracking of impedance and cell temperature. An integrated DC power supply delivers up to ±1 A at 5 V for EIS measurements during cell charging and discharging. Included PC software offers built-in visualizations and analysis tools, while connectivity is provided via a USB port and two CAN bus interfaces.

Access the datasheet and request a quote for the EA-BIM 20005 battery impedance meter using the product page link below.

EA-BIM 20005 product page 

Tektronix

The post Multichannel impedance meter analyzes Li-Ion cells appeared first on EDN.

Two integrated gate drivers from ST provide programmable current control for driving three-phase brushless motors in consumer and industrial equipment. Operating from 6 V to 50 V, the STDRIVE102H supports single-shunt control, while the STDRIVE102BH handles three-shunt control—both configured via two analog pins. Each device can source up to 1 A and sink up to 2 A.

A simple resistor divider programs the gate-drive current, allowing the triple half-bridge drivers to control six external N-channel MOSFETs. This helps optimize power stage performance, including control of switching slew rate, without the need for discrete gate resistors. An integrated charge pump powers the three high-side drivers, enabling continuous on-time for the high-side MOSFETs.

To accelerate development with the STDRIVE102H and STDRIVE102BH gate drivers, the EVLDRIVE102H and EVLDRIVE102BH evaluation boards support field-oriented and six-step control, featuring onboard back-EMF sensing and inputs for position sensors. Standard headers connect to STM32 Nucleo boards, and the X-CUBE-MCSDK toolkit provides the necessary software and code.

The STDRIVE102H and STDRIVE102BH are available in 5×5-mm or 6×6mm QFN packages, priced from $1.20 each in lots of 1000 units.

STDRIVE102H product page 

STDRIVE102BH product page

STMicroelectronics

The post Motor gate drivers enable flexible current control appeared first on EDN.

Comtrend’s PM-1540 powerline data module uses MaxLinear’s G.hn (data-over-powerline) chips to support backend communication in EV charging stations. It transmits data from power meters over existing electrical wiring, eliminating the need for dedicated communication cables, and can also extend connectivity to backend systems in data centers or smart parking environments.

By leveraging existing electrical wiring, the PM-1540 delivers lower latency, higher speeds, and more stable performance than conventional methods. It enables real-time connectivity while reducing costs compared to LAN, Wi-Fi, or 4G systems. The module supports up to 250 nodes within the same powerline domain and transmits signals over distances up to 700 meters, with up to 16 levels of signal repetition for extended reach.

MaxLinear’s G.hn baseband processors and analog front-end chipsets provide reliable, low-latency connectivity over existing wiring, delivering physical data rates up to 2 Gbps with full ITU compliance. Their support for Quality of Service (QoS) and broad media compatibility—including powerline—makes them well-suited for EV charging infrastructure, enabling seamless interoperability and cost-effective deployment.

For detailed information on Comtrend’s PM-1540 G.hn powerline module, click here. An overview of MaxLinear’s G.hn solutions can be found here.

Comtrend

MaxLinear

The post Powerline module enables EV charger data links appeared first on EDN.

Пам’яті Старостіна Максима Олександровича KPI4U-1 чт, 06/05/2025 - 16:50

📰 Газета "Київський політехнік" № 23-24 за 2025 (.pdf) Інформація КП чт, 06/05/2025 - 16:40

КПІ ім. Ігоря Сікорського — Почесний освітній партнер Huawei kpi чт, 06/05/2025 - 15:18

According to a report by Nikkei, Renesas Electronics Corp of Tokyo, Japan is abandoning its plans to produce silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductors for electric vehicles (EVs), due to slowing growth in the EV market — coupled with a supply glut driven by increased production from Chinese manufacturers — that has led to falling prices...

На війні загинув випускник нашого університету Листопад Володимир Анатолійович kpi чт, 06/05/2025 - 14:36

Swansea University has signed a deal that makes Space Forge Ltd of Cardiff, South Wales, UK (which is pioneering space-based advanced materials manufacturing via fully returnable satellites) the first firm to be physically hosted in the Centre for Integrative Semiconductor Materials (CISM), where it will undertake work on manufacturing in micro-gravity. Space Forge will be CISM’s first incubation client with a dedicated cleanroom incubation bay and access to a full suite of semiconductor processing and characterization tools...

USB Power Delivery (USB-PD) now offers faster, more efficient, and more versatile power handling solutions. As we can all see, it’s an exciting advancement that significantly enhances the capabilities of USB connections.

This mechanism uses the USB configuration channel (CC) to allow a device to request a specific voltage. While this might seem complex at first, it’s pretty easy to utilize in practice.

Figure 1 The module has several jumpers to set the DC output voltage at multiple levels. Source: Author

What makes it easy nowadays is that we can buy compact USB-PD Trigger/Decoy modules that do the complicated background tasks for us (Figure 1). You can see such a module has a number of jumpers to set the DC output voltage to 5 V, 9V, 12 V, 15 V or 20 V.

This module acts as a trigger or decoy to request specific power profiles from USB-PD power sources such as USB-C chargers, power banks, and adapters. So, with this module, you can trigger USB-PD protocols and thus, for example, charge your laptop via a PD-capable USB-C power supply.

Note at this point that a USB-PD Trigger, sometimes called a USB-PD Decoy, is a small but clever circuitry that handles the USB-PD negotiation and simply outputs a predefined DC voltage.

Some USB-PD Trigger/Decoy modules are adjustable with a selector switch, or cycle among voltages with a pushbutton press, while others deliver a fixed voltage, or will have solder jumpers (or solder pads to install a fixed resistor) to select an output voltage. The output connection points on these modules are typically just two bare solder pads, or small screw terminals in certain cases (Figure 2).

Figure 2 The output connection points are shown on the modules. Source: Author

For just a few bucks each, these smaller and slenderer USB-PD Trigger/Decoy modules are useful to have in your tool chest, both for individual projects and for use in a pinch. In my view, for most applications, the fixed voltage type power provider is preferable, as this prevents accidental slips that could destruct the power consumer.

I recently bought a set of these fixed voltage modules. As you can see, the core part of these single-chip modules is the IP2721 USB Type-C physical layer protocol IC for USB Type-C input interfaces.

Figure 3 IP2721 is a USB Type-C PD protocol IC for USB input port that supports USB Type-C/PD2.0/PD3.0 protocols. Source: Author

The USB Type-C device plug-in and plug-out process is automatically detected based on CC1/CC2 pins. The chip has an integrated power delivery protocol analyzer to get the voltage capabilities and request the matched voltage.

Figure 4 The schematics shows a design use case built around the USB Type-C PD protocol IC. Source: Injoinic Technology

Surprisingly, the newly arrived module—designed for a single, fixed-voltage output—features the IP2721 controller in a bare minimum configuration without the power-pass element.

Figure 5 The module features the IP2721 controller in a bare minimum configuration. Source: Author

Hence, the output voltage will be whatever VBUS is, and this could be 5 V during initial enumeration or stay at this voltage in case negotiations failed. Luckily, for many applications, this will not be much of an issue. But on paper, to comply with the USB power delivery specifications, the device is supposed to have a high-side power MOSFET as the power-pass element to disconnect the load until a suitable power contract has been negotiated.

For this writing, I needed to test the output of my module. So, below you can see a little snap taken during the first test of my IP2721 USB-PD trigger 9-V module; nothing but the process of testing the module with a compatible power source and a DC voltmeter.

Figure 6 DV voltmeter shows the output of the IP2721-based USB-PD module. Source: Author

Here are some final notes on the power delivery.

• USB-PD is a convenient way of replacing power supply modules in many electronics projects and systems. Although USB-PD demands specialized controller chips to be utilized properly, easily available single-purpose USB-PD Trigger/Decoy modules can be used in standalone systems to provide USB-PD functionality.
• Interestingly, legacy USB can only provide a 5-V power supply, but USB-PD defines prescriptive voltages such as 9 V, 15 V, and 20 V in addition to 5 V.
• Until recently, the USB-PD specification allowed for up to 100 W (5 A@20 V) of power, called Standard Power Range (SPR), to flow in both directions. The latest USB-PD specification increases the power range to 240 W (5 A@48 V), called Extended Power Range (EPR), through a USB-C cable. So, if a device supports EPR expansion commands, it can use 28 V, 36 V, and 48 V.
• Since the most recent USB-PD specification allows to realize up to 240 W power delivery through a single cable, it’s possible to provide ample power over USB to multiple circuit segments or devices simultaneously.
• Electronic marking is needed in a Type-C cable when VBUS current of more than 3 A is required. An electronically marked (E-Marked) cable assembly (EMCA) is a USB Type-C cable that uses a marker chip to provide the cable’s characteristics to the Downstream Facing Port (DFP). It’s accomplished by embedding a USB PD controller chip into the plug at one or both ends of the cable.
• The USB-PD Programmable Power Supply (PPS) was implemented with USB PD3.0. With PPS, devices can gradually adjust the current (50-mA steps) and voltage (20-mV steps) in the range from 5 V to 20 V. PPS can directly charge a battery, bypassing the battery charger in a connected device.
• Adjustable Voltage Supply (AVS) was implemented with USB PD3.1 and extended with PD3.2, allowing it to work within SPR below 100 W, down to a minimum of 9 V. AVS is similar to PPS in terms of function, but the difference is that it does not support current-limit operation, and the output voltage is adjusted in 100-mV steps in the range from 9 V to 48 V.

Note that USB-PD, which is combined with USB-C, takes full advantage of the power supply and multi-protocol functions over USB-C. Implementing USB-C for portable battery-powered devices enables them to both charge from the USB-C port as well as supply power to a connected device using the same port.

So, devices using a single or multicell battery charger can now be paired with a USB-C or USB PD controller, which enables the applications to source and sink power from the USB-C port. Below is an application circuit based on MP2722, a USB Type-C 1.3 compliant, highly integrated, 5-A, switch-mode battery management device for a single cell Li-ion or Li-polymer battery.

Figure 7 The application circuit is built around a 5 A, single-cell buck charger with integrated USB Type-C detection. Source: Monolithic Power Systems (MPS)

In the final analysis, it’s important to recall that the USB-PD is not just about the power delivery-related negotiations. Feel free to comment if you can help add to this post or point out issues and solutions you have found.

T. K. Hareendran is a technical author, hardware beta tester, and product reviewer.

Related Content

• Understanding USB Power Delivery 3.2
• USB Type-C PD 3.0 Specification, Charging and Design
• Providing USB Type-C connectivity – What you need to know
• USB Power Delivery: incompatibility-derived foibles and failures
• USB-C PD 3.1 EPR: A Full System Design Solution, Wall to Battery

The post A quick and practical view of USB Power Delivery (USB-PD) design appeared first on EDN.

Mouser Electronics, Inc. announced that it has been named 2024 Distributor of the Year by Bulgin, a leading manufacturer of environmentally sealed connectors and components for various industries, including automotive, industrial, medical and more. Representatives for Bulgin cited Mouser’s strategic support of new product launches and customer growth in 2024.

“Mouser is a valued partner, and we congratulate the Mouser team on this well-deserved award, which celebrates Mouser’s customer service, effective communication, and commitment to meeting our business needs and goals,” said Eric Smith, Vice President of Global Distribution Channel with Bulgin. “Mouser played a key role in contributing to our overall success in 2024, and we look forward to continuing the momentum in 2025 and beyond.”

“We’d like to thank Bulgin for this great honor. This award recognizes our continued efforts to be the industry’s New Product Introduction (NPI) leader, with the latest products from forward-thinking companies like Bulgin,” said Krystal Jackson, Vice President of Supplier Management at Mouser. “We have an outstanding business relationship with Bulgin and anticipate great success together in the future.”

The post Mouser Electronics Named 2024 Distributor of the Year by Bulgin appeared first on ELE Times.

Doing my masters in EE while working full time as a flight software engineer. Always something to keep me busy submitted by /u/new_account_19999 [link] [comments]

This is my second version of a fully analog modular Grid-Tie solar power inverter. Video of testing and building the inverter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP2KDP2ekxw BEWARE, this design still uses the Buck-Boost topology, which means there is no galvanic isolation between the input and the output, touching any terminal of the solar panels WILL hurt you. Keep this in mind. Since my Last Version that I also posted here on Reddit I've took many of the helpful comments and warnings into consideration when designing this new version. Links to OSHW Lab projects: Main Board: https://oshwlab.com/radiohonza/1200wgridtiebasev1_copy_copy_copy Power conversion module: https://oshwlab.com/radiohonza/9910gridtiebuckboostv1_copy_copy Polarity switcher module: https://oshwlab.com/radiohonza/4q-rectifier-v1_copy Control module: https://oshwlab.com/radiohonza/gridtiecontrolv1_copy_copy MPPT module: https://oshwlab.com/radiohonza/gridtiempptv1_copy_copy_copy Main improvements include: Independent thermal protection on each power conversion module implemented as a CV sensitivity decrease at high temperatures (automatic power balancing between modules, second to last image shows worst case scenario behaviour) Power conversion modules are controlled via an external CV, output current shaping etc is all contained on the module offering up to 125 W continuous output power with 91 % efficiency when delivering into 230 VAC power grid. Grid overvoltage protections, both peak and mean value sensing Grid frequency sensing to prevent islanding (parasitic grid forming) Power modules are built using an aluminum core PCB, which greatly improves cooling Power module CV distribution optimization to improve efficiency at low powers by diving modules into 3 groups and first ramping each group to roughly 30 % power (peak module efficiency) after which all groups continue the rest of the way Improved polarity switcher/4Q rectifier/unfolding stage modules, each capable of delivering up to 2.5 Arms continuously into the power grid or serve 4x power conversion modules (4x125W = 500 W each) Non-resettable thermal fuse for each polarity switcher module disconnecting the power grid in case of overtemperature Improved MPPT module with thermal compensation of the wattmeter section (tracking performance can be seen on last image showing a screenshot of an oscilloscope sensing input voltage ripple and input power ripple to draw the solar panel PV diagram, symetric concave curve indicates basically perfect tracking) Input and output common mode noise filtering Input and output passive overvoltage protections, MOVs and GDT+fast fuse on the input Optional control current input for limiting inverter power (eg. to prevent outflow of energy etc.) No exotic ICs or custom wound inductors are used, EVERYTHING is off-the-shelf and usually available from mutiple different manufacturers Everything is modular, so only the Main board determines the maximum power capability. Feel free to ask any questions or offer suggestions. submitted by /u/MrSlehofer [link] [comments]