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Left: 1974 (Matsushita Electric) Right: 2021 (Rubycon) Both 16V 1,000μF. Same voltage rating and capacitance, but shrunk this much in about 50 years. submitted by /u/NEET_FACT0RY [link] [comments]

For a biochemical project of mine I needed a very precise scale. The ones I bought were underwhelming, so I decided to just solder one myself. The sensitivity is kind of ridiculous. Sitting near the scale, I can see my heartbeat in the signal when streamed to a PC. Someone walking on a different floor makes the reading jump — and I live in a concrete building. The coil can lift about 20 g. With different coils, you could trade off dynamic range vs. precision. For my purposes, the precision is already overkill. Components were about $100 total. The most expensive part was the neodymium magnet. The principle is electromagnetic force restoration. A 110 Ω coil suspended on a lever lever sits above a neodymium ring magnet. The lever height is held constant by a feedback loop that uses an IR photointerrupter. The current required to hold the weight is directly proportional to the mass. For current sensing I used a 10 Ω shunt resistor (RJ711, 5 ppm/°C TCR) and a 24-bit ADC (ADS1232). The signal is read by an Arduino Nano and displayed on a small LCD (SLC0801B). The photointerrupter is built from a generic IR LED and IR photodiode. The LED is driven with a constant current source (using a 2N7000 MOSFET), while the photodiode is reverse-biased for fast response. The circuit runs from a low-drift 2.0 V reference (REF5020), which provides a stable reference for the ADC. After dividing it to 0.5 V, it also biases the photodiode stage and provides the ADC’s negative input. The coil current is controlled with an N-channel power MOSFET (IRF540N) acting as a low-side driver, operated in its ohmic region. Its gate is driven by the photointerrupter circuit. Zero-drift op-amps (OPA187) buffer the reference voltages, drive the photointerrupter, and control the coil current. I also added a capacitive touch button for tare, so you don’t have to touch the scale directly — that’s surprisingly important at this sensitivity. The schematic looks a bit op-amp heavy, but it’s actually pretty straightforward. Challenges and possible improvements - The lever tends to oscillate, so the feedback loop has to be very fast. A lighter lever with a higher resonant frequency would help, and might require a lower-gate-capacitance MOSFET. - All components in the feedback path need low temperature coefficients to minimize drift. - To fully eliminate drift, one would need to monitor and compensate for coil temperature, photointerrupter temperature, as well as ambient air temperature, humidity, and pressure (for buoyancy effects). - A parallel guide system will eventually be needed so measurements are independent of where the weight is placed on the lever. This build definitely requires some electronics background, so it’s not a first-project type of thing. But if you’re comfortable with soldering and op-amps, it’s very doable. Hope you like it 🙂 submitted by /u/sir_alahp [link] [comments]

This was a brain fart moment upon finding out they were .25 watt, we needed 9 watt capable. This is a lovely bundle of 36 that has next to no resistance now 🤦 .... 20ohm submitted by /u/No-Release3675 [link] [comments]

Miss the old micro SD upgrade days submitted by /u/Nerfarean [link] [comments]

I've had an obsession with rockets/flight controllers and decided to make an open source flight controller from scratch (nicknamed Athena). I've added the Github repo/design files if anyone wants to take a closer look. 👉Github repo / Design files Features Triple MCU: STM32H753VIT6 (MPU), STM32H743VIT6 (TPU), STM32G474RET6 (SPU) 6 Pyro Channels: Direct 12V battery connection with fuse protection 6 PWM Channels: 2 for TVC (Thrust Vector Control), 4 for fin control Sensors: Triple ICM-45686 IMUs, LIS2MDLTR magnetometer, ICP-20100 & BMP388 barometers GNSS & Communication: NEO-M8U-06B GPS, LoRa RA-02 telemetry, Bluetooth DA14531MOD Storage: SD Card + Winbond W25Q256JV flash memory Power Management: 7.4-12V LiPo battery with BQ25703ARSNR charger, USB-C PD support 6-Layer PCB: Signal/GND/Power/Signal/GND/Signal submitted by /u/MinecraftPhd [link] [comments]

Built for battery-operated devices, the new CMOS op amp enables ultra-efficient signal conditioning in wearables, IoT, and compact sensing applications.

🎥 Знакове підписання між КПІ ім. Ігоря Сікорського і МАГАТЕ kpi пт, 09/19/2025 - 22:46

КПІ ім. Ігоря Сікорського взяв участь в Українському форумі якості освіти UQAF-2025 KPI4U-2 пт, 09/19/2025 - 22:42

Зустріч представників КПІ ім. Ігоря Сікорського з Українською науковою діаспорою у Австрії kpi пт, 09/19/2025 - 22:37

Are you a first year electronics engineering student? Or maybe working on a second or third degree in this field? All About Circuits has the resources you need: comprehensive textbooks, technical articles, calculators, videos, and more for your EE studies.

Solar thermoelectric generators (STEGs) are used for direct conversion of impinging solar and thermal energy into electricity. It can be an alternative to photovoltaic cells in some cases, which can only make use of sunlight. STEGs consist of a hot side and a cold side separated by semiconductor materials, and the temperature difference between them generates electricity through the well-known Seebeck effect, Figure 1.

Figure 1 New, high-efficiency STEGs were engineered with three strategies: black metal technology on the hot side, covering the black metal with a piece of plastic to make a mini-greenhouse, and laser-etched heat sinks on the cold side. Source: University of Rochester / J. Adam Fenster

However, widespread use of STEGs has been limited by their extremely low efficiency, typically under 1 percent; in contrast, standard consumer-grade solar panels have an energy-conversion rate of roughly 20 percent.

A team at the University of Rochester has focused on this low-efficiency challenge, but not by seeking to develop more advanced or esoteric materials. Instead, they used enhanced spectral engineering and thermal management methods in three ways to create a STEG device that generates 15 times more power than previous devices, Figure 2.

Figure 2 Theoretical design of spectral engineering and thermal management strategies for the STEG hot and cold sides: a) Schematic of enhancing STEG output power through hot- and cold-side thermal management. The hot-side thermal management system consists of a W-SSA and a greenhouse chamber to reduce heat loss. The cold-side thermal management system consists of a μ-dissipator, which enhances the cold-side heat dissipation. b) Four cases of STEG with (I) no thermal management, (II) hot-side thermal management, (III) cold-side thermal management, and (IV) both sides thermal management. c) Simulated STEGs’ peak output power with different thermal management strategies. d) Simulated energy flows in the four STEGs. The blue bars represent the energy flow through the STEG. Source: University of Rochester / J. Adam Fenster

By focusing on the hot and cold sides of the device, and by combining better solar energy absorption and heat trapping at the hot side with better heat dissipation at the cold side, they improved efficiency to about 15%.

First, they applied a specialized black metal technology developed in their lab to the hot side of the device, by modifying ordinary tungsten to selectively absorb light at solar wavelengths. They did this by using intense femtosecond laser pulses to etch nanoscale structures into the metal’s surface, which increased its ability to capture energy from sunlight while limiting heat loss at other wavelengths.

Second, the researchers covered the black metal with a piece of plastic to make a mini greenhouse. This minimized the convection and conduction to trap more heat, increasing the temperature on the hot side.

Third, on the cold side of the STEG, they once again used femtosecond laser pulses, but this time on regular aluminum. This created a heat sink with tiny structures that improved the heat dissipation through both radiation and convection, Figure 3. Doing so doubles the cooling performance of a typical aluminum heat dissipator.

Figure 3 A close-up of laser-etched nanostructures on the surface of a solar thermoelectric generator. Source: University of Rochester / J. Adam Fenster

Their tests and analysis separated the three improvement changes they implemented, so they could confirm the impact of each individual enhancement and compare it to their simulations, Figure 4.

Figure 4 Synergistic effect of STEG hot- and cold-side spectral and thermal management: a) Schematics of four cases of STEG with different thermal management strategies. b) STEG weight increases when adding the μ-dissipator, W-SSA, and greenhouse chamber to the TEG. c) STEG power-current curves under 3 suns. d) STEG peak output power under 1–5× solar concentrations. e) STEG power enhancement and TEG average temperatures under 1–5× solar concentrations by applying spectral and thermal management on both sides. f) Photos of LED illumination when powered by the four STEGs in (a). Source: University of Rochester / J. Adam Fenster

It’s obviously not possible to say how successful or practical this STEG approach will be. Nonetheless, it’s interesting to see their focused approach to the weaknesses of STEGs and how they avoided working on the materials-science aspects, but instead concentrated on design improvements. The work is detailed in their paper “15-Fold increase in solar thermoelectric generator performance through femtosecond-laser spectral engineering and thermal management” published in Light: Science & Applications.

Bill Schweber is an EE who has written three textbooks, hundreds of technical articles, opinion columns, and product features.

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• TEG energy harvesting: hype or hope?

The post Solar-driven TEG advances via fabrication, not materials appeared first on EDN.

The growth of IoT depends on billions of sensor nodes that must operate reliably without frequent maintenance. Powering them through traditional batteries alone is costly and unsustainable, especially when replacements are required at scale. Energy harvesting offers an attractive path toward self-sustaining devices, enabling sensors to draw power from their surrounding environment light, motion, heat, sound, or even radio waves.

Yet, deploying energy harvesting systems is not without hurdles. Limited standards, variable energy sources, and integration complexity raise questions around long-term reliability and return on investment. Selecting the right harvester technology depends heavily on the environment in which the sensor will operate.

Choosing the right energy source

Energy harvesters have infrastructure-specific physical phenomena, and their utility strongly depends on the situation:

• Photovoltaic (PV): Good in the presence of light, including new-generation indoor PV cells capable of producing electricity at just 50 lux.
• Vibration/kinetic: Good where there is some regular motion involved-type actions on the roads, or in machinery environments.
• Thermoelectrics (TEG): How does this generate power? Temperature difference, obviously, which is why it finds use in industries or on the wearer.
• Acoustic: Uses sound waves. Probably better in a noisy industrial setup.
• RF energy harvesting: From Wi-Fi sources, cellular, or even dedicated transmitters, they usually provide very low powers, just enough to wake a device.

Therefore, to power devices capable of some form of heavy industrial application, it is generally necessary to instrument several harvesters acting simultaneously, depending on conditions of daylight, silence, and noise-this, in fact, introduces added complexity to design.

Building blocks of self-sustaining IoT nodes

An energy-harvesting IoT node contains:

1. Harvester/s- for gathering ambient energies.
2. PMIC- to regulate, store, and distribute energy.
3. Energy storage- battery or capacitor to buffer power.
4. Sensor, MCU/SoC and wireless interface- for low-power operation.

The new PMICs have become increasingly versatile now, supporting a variety of harvester types and enabling their dynamic optimization. When complemented with features such as the Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT), ultra-low quiescent currents (sub-100 nA), and adaptive duty cycling, the nodes are able to effectively optimize performance with respect to erratic energy input.

Choosing storage depends on the application’s requirements:

• Batteries: High energy density, therefore, good for sustained powering, but lifespan in terms of charge cycles is limited.
• Capacitors (including supercapacitors): They can charge and discharge quickly and have a very long lifecycle, but low energy storage.

Leakage currents, environmental condition, and duty cycle also decide which is the best option. Real testing is a must, as datasheet specifications can never accurately predict real operating environments.

Energy management in action

Moving beyond the hardware, there is a rise in advanced software techniques. Reinforcement learning (RL) allows energy allocation to be optimized by teaching sensor nodes when to send data, when to go into sleep mode, and how to adjust power depending on the energy available. Machine learning merges with the efficiency of hardware to make IoT systems more autonomous, thus improving resilience.

Toward a sustainable IoT ecosystem

Energy harvesting could potentially eliminate its frequent replacement, reduce environmental damages, and thus extend the lifetime of the device. Success lies in an all-encompassing design approach that involves choices such as ultra-low-power components, energy-efficient communication protocols, and adaptive power management capable of handling the variability of real-world conditions.

Any IoT device that is to become truly self-sustaining needs just the right harvesters working along with smart PMICs and optimized storage.

(This article has been adapted and modified from content on Avnet.)

The post Energy Harvesting for IoT: Powering Self-Sustaining Sensors appeared first on ELE Times.

Bosch Sensortec, which shipped more than 1 billion MEMS sensors in 2024, is now a 20-year-old outfit with an ambitious goal of making MEMS sensing as essential to consumer electronics as the microprocessor.

Market research firm Yole Group has acknowledged Bosch Sensortec as the global market leader in MEMS sensors for the fourth consecutive year. “Bosch Sensortec has been one of the main driving forces in the MEMS industry,” said Jean-Christophe Eloy, president and founder of Yole Group. “The company has evolved from a startup with a strong technical vision into a global leader in intelligent sensing for consumer electronics.”

The timing of Bosch Sensortec’s inception in 2005 was impeccable; the smartphone revolution would arrive a couple of years later, transforming the MEMS sensor world by bringing sensor technology into real-world impact. “As smartphones began to change the world, we brought deep technical expertise,” said Stefan Finkbeiner, CEO of Bosch Sensortec.

He recalls the early days when a handful of engineers would all fit in a single meeting room. “I remember us playing early mobile phone games in that room just to understand how a gyroscope might enhance the user experience.” Over the years, miniaturization became the key driving force by combining MEMS and ASIC layers through advanced packaging technologies such as through-silicon vias and buried bonding.

It reduced the sensor footprint and enabled AI computation directly on the chip. “Twenty years ago, our first MEMS accelerometer was 15 times larger in package volume than today’s ultra-compact sensors,” Finkbeiner said. “Today, you can hardly see these sensors; they’re only slightly bigger than a grain of sand.”

Figure 1 Miniaturization transformed MEMS sensors in the past two decades. Source: Bosch Sensortec

First and foremost, this miniaturization opened the door to new applications in space-constrained environments, spanning from true wireless stereo earbuds and wearables to smart home devices. Moreover, instead of redesigning hardware, design engineers can update software to adapt functionality, speeding up time-to-market and enabling broader use cases.

MEMS sensors in the AI era

The next tectonic shift in the MEMS sensor space is related to artificial intelligence (AI). Bosch Sensortec describes itself as a supplier of intelligent sensing systems that integrate MEMS technology, embedded software and edge AI.

Consumer electronics products—from smartphones and wearables to smart homes and hearables—are connected devices that require more than raw data. They demand context and energy-efficient intelligence. Here, AI-powered sensors that process data directly on the sensor itself ensure privacy, extend battery life, and enable new features like activity recognition, gesture control, and indoor navigation.

Figure 2 The AI-powered sensors transform raw data into actionable signals for smartphones, wearables, hearables, and smart homes. Source: Bosch Sensortec

Bosch Sensortec claims that 90% of its products will feature on-sensor intelligence by 2027. Furthermore, its long-term goal is to deliver over 10 billion intelligent sensors in total by 2030. “From silicon to system, we’re building sensor solutions that shape tomorrow’s connected, sustainable technologies,” Finkbeiner said.

He concludes by saying that while the company’s startup phase may be over, the spirit of experimentation remains. That’s a vital premise for AI‑driven sensor systems in a connected world.

Related Content

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• MEMS ready to lead component revolution
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• MEMS sensors add machine-learning core, electrostatic sensing

The post 20-year-old Bosch Sensortec eyes AI inside MEMS sensors appeared first on EDN.

Energy efficiency is a must for India’s manufacturing sector. Increasing energy costs, intermittent grid disruptions, and maintaining operational integrity are being cited as pressure points leading industry to rethink its energy strategies. UPS systems came up as one of the solutions supporting efficiency and sustainability.

According to the India UPS Market Report by Astute Analytica, the Indian UPS market was valued at USD 8.79 billion in 2024 and is purportedly expected to more than double to USD 18.28 billion by 2033, therefore, growing at a CAGR of 8.61%. Growth can be attributed mainly to the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies, which require stable power supply without interruptions for automation, robotics, and real-time data-driven operations.

Mission-Critical Power for Industry 4.0

In modern manufacturing operations, sensors, robots, and smart controllers work in an integrated manner. A slight power interruption can either allow predictive maintenance systems to cease working, delay robotic operations, or even halt production lines altogether. The UPS now offers a good 95 percent or better efficiency reduction in energy wastage and operating costs with lithium-ion batteries.

Backup power is just one of the many interesting ways that today’s UPSs are providing energy-conservation services. Transformer-less designs, modular architectures, and an ECO mode help optimize plant-wide performance by minimizing heat generation, cooling load requirements, and some of the energy wastes in static operations, while also preserving stability and resilience.

Supporting Resilience and Efficiency

Most modern UPS are meant for dynamic industrial loads such as heavy motors and stamping equipment and provide protection against surges, overcurrent fault conditions, and voltage sags. Also, in their modular construction and scalable nature, manufacturers can increase capacity only when needed, so as to reduce wastes and maximize uptime.

IP4X+ UPS systems are also becoming of utmost importance in the aspects of powerifiers in industrial environments that deal with dust, high temperature, and moisture on a daily basis.

UPS as Part of Energy Management Strategy

UPS are starting to play a more active role in broader energy management schemes. Real-time monitoring, predictive fault analysis, load sharing, and peak shaving facilities place UPS manufacturers in a position to integrate the UPS with a smart grid or automation platform.

This is also inline with India’s drive towards intelligent energy infrastructure. The smart grid market of India is forecasted to reach USD 19.33 billion by 2033 with the government providing a 20 billion USD opportunity for grid modernization through a plan of 250 million smart meter rollouts by 2027.

Facilitating Renewable and Sustainable Manufacturing

UPS are crucial for renewable energy endeavors in the Indian context. By interfacing with solar power and battery storage, and regenerative loads such as CNC machines, UPS solutions assist in providing clean backup power while unleashing the ability to recapture energy for downstream use, thus further reducing carbon footprints and operational costs.

January 2025 saw India’s renewable energy capacity at 217.62 GW and holds a promising view of 500 GW by 2030 with the backing of 50 GW of energy storage. UPS integration with these initiatives ensures uninterrupted, green, and scalable industrial power.

Innovations and Emerging Trends

An industry UPS evolving fast:

• Lithium-ion is becoming popular nowadays as it offers the advantage of a longer life, more efficiency, and less maintenance cost compared to lead-acid batteries.
• Modular UPS solutions are now common since manufacturers may benefit from scalability and versatility being paramount in a dynamic manufacturing environment.
• AI-powered systems are now being used for maintenance scheduling and asset optimization.

Challenges Ahead

Whilst having numerous pros, the implementation poses certain challenges. SMEs are raised with issues, from the exceptionally high upfront costs to the lack of expertise regarding installation and upkeep. Other barriers to implementation include battery lifecycle management, constant need for component replacement, and skilled manpower shortage.

Conclusion

From being an emergency backup, UPS has now evolved to become a strategic asset for energy-efficient, resilient, and sustainable manufacturing in India. They are shaping the evolution towards Industry 4.0 and beyond through their interfacing with smart grids, renewable sources, and automation systems.

While cost and complexity may deter smaller enterprises initially, the long-term benefits greater operational continuity, reduced energy costs, and compliance with sustainability goals make UPS adoption indispensable for India’s industrial growth journey.

(This article has been adapted and modified from content by Pankaj Singh, Head of Data Center & Telecom Business Solutions, Delta Electronics India.)

The post Powering Sustainable Manufacturing: How UPS Systems Drive Energy Efficiency appeared first on ELE Times.

Designed to combine precision and speed in a scalable platform, the R&S ZNB3000 vector network analyzer from Rohde & Schwarz helps engineers and researchers accelerate innovation in high-performance RF applications and signal integrity testing. By extending the maximum frequencies up to 32 GHz, 43.5 GHz and 54 GHz, Rohde & Schwarz addresses even more applications with the R&S ZNB3000, from RF component testing for 5G, 6G and Wi-Fi applications to advanced high-speed interconnect testing for AI data centers and next-generation RF component testing for satellite communications in the Ka band and V band.

Optimized for high-speed interconnect testing for AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) applications in data centers demand ultra-fast, high-bandwidth interconnects to efficiently handle massive data loads. Technologies such as high-speed Ethernet (IEEE 802.3ck) require testing solutions that can operate at frequencies up to 50 GHz to ensure optimal signal integrity. The new PCIe 7.0, Peripheral Component Interconnect Express, currently under development, will double the supported data rates up to 128.0 GT/s. This requires testing at higher frequencies, as well.

Covering up to 54 GHz, the R&S ZNB3000 is designed to meet these requirements, enabling precise characterization of high-speed PCBs, cables, and interconnects used in AI data center infrastructure. At EuMW 2025, Rohde & Schwarz demonstrates the new 54 GHz model of the R&S ZNB3000 for the first time in public. The setup, which includes a PCIe cable as the device under test (DUT), showcases how to ensure the reliability of high-speed interconnects for AI-driven workloads.

Industry-leading performance and flexibility

The R&S ZNB3000 family offers best-in-class RF performance with a high dynamic range of up to 150 dB, high output power, and low trace noise of less than 0.0015 dB RMS. These attributes ensure highly accurate and fast measurements, even at higher frequencies. The new models retain the series’ characteristic features, including:

• Ultra-fast measurement speed:Maximizes throughput and reduces the cost of testing.
• Low start frequency of 9 kHz:Enables precise time-domain analysis for signal integrity and high-speed testing.
• Flexible frequency upgrade concept:Customers can start with a base unit and expand the maximum frequency later by purchasing upgrade options, ensuring a targeted investment approach.

Expanding to new RF applications

The new high-frequency models also support advanced RF component testing for SatCom applications in the Ka and V bands, such as filters, mixers, amplifiers, switches and beamformers, which operate at these high frequencies. It also enables RF component testing for 5G, 6G and Wi-Fi applications. This makes the R&S ZNB3000 an ideal choice for both production environments and research labs working on next-generation technologies.

The post Rohde & Schwarz announces new frequency models up to 54 GHz for R&S ZNB3000 vector network analyzer appeared first on ELE Times.

Infineon Technologies AG and Goldwind Science & Technology Co., Ltd. expand their collaboration, enabling a stable and reliable flow of electricity in wind power generation. Infineon will supply Goldwind with its XHP 2 1700 V IGBT5 power modules with .XT technology that will enhance energy efficiency in Goldwind’s grid-forming GW 155 – 4.5 MW wind turbines. Infineon’s power modules deliver high power density, reliability, and robustness, ensuring a long operational lifetime for wind energy systems. By optimizing energy efficiency, they help to reduce energy costs and enhance the profitability of Goldwind’s wind turbines.

Grid-forming wind turbines act as stabilizers within the energy grid. Unlike conventional turbines that passively follow the grid, the grid-forming technology allows wind farms to mimic the stabilizing properties of traditional rotating generators. By using power electronics, grid-forming wind turbines can generate a stable frequency and maintain grid voltage, even when the load in the power grid changes. The International Energy Agency estimates that renewables will account for almost half of global electricity generation by the end of the decade, with the share of wind and solar photovoltaics doubling to 30 percent. Grid-forming capabilities will therefore become essential to ensure a stable and reliable flow of electricity despite fluctuations in energy generation.

“The emergence of grid-forming wind turbines enables wind farms to evolve from simple power suppliers into stabilizing pillars of the energy grid.” said Ye Jiqiang, Vice President of the Wind Power Industry Group and General Manager of the Supply Chain Center at Goldwind. “We look forward to further deepening our long-term collaboration with Infineon, leveraging efficient and reliable cutting-edge technology to advance renewable energy systems.”

“Collaborating with Goldwind to support their grid-forming wind turbines underscores Infineon’s commitment to strengthening global energy systems and further advancing renewable energy integration,” said Dominik Bilo, Executive Vice President and Chief Sales Officer Industrial & Infrastructure at Infineon. “Together, Infineon and Goldwind are driving decarbonization by enhancing the reliability and efficiency of wind power generation.”

Infineon’s XHP 2 1700 V IGBT5 power modules use the .XT interconnection technology. This technology is characterized by improved wire bonding, reliable chip attachment, and high-reliability system-soldering, enabling power modules to support increased cycling loads at higher temperatures compared to standard joining technology. The power modules feature low stray inductance and a design well-suited for paralleling, simplifying development for customers and enabling greater flexibility for platform upgrades. They provide exceptional lifetime even under challenging operating conditions such as those in wind turbines. As a result, they minimize unplanned downtimes and maximize wind energy harvested. Today, Infineon products are used in every second newly installed wind turbine worldwide.

Infineon and Goldwind have been collaborating since 2007 to advance more compact, highly reliable, and grid-friendly wind power converters. Infineon has already supplied Goldwind with its fifth-generation PrimePACK IGBT modules. Thanks to their high power density and exceptional cycling performance, these solutions have enabled Goldwind’s 6 MW full-power wind turbine models to meet stringent global standards for reliability, energy efficiency, and safety, while reducing operational and maintenance costs.

The post Infineon power modules enhance energy efficiency in Goldwind’s grid-forming wind turbines appeared first on ELE Times.

Microchip’s next generation LAN9645xF and LAN9645xS GbE switches are highly configurable with multiple ports and advanced features

Ethernet technology provides the high-speed, reliable communication needed to connect and control industrial devices in real time. Its scalability and flexibility to support protocols such as TSN ensures seamless integration for demanding industrial environments. Microchip Technology announced the launch of its next generation of LAN9645xF and LAN9645xS Gigabit Ethernet Switches with multi-port configurations and feature options for maximum reliability and flexibility.

The LAN9645xF/S switches offer multiple configurations for specific application needs and are available in 5-, 7-, and 9-port options with up to 5 integrated 10/100/1000BASE-T PHYs. This flexibility is further enhanced by the ability to operate in either stand-alone unmanaged system configurations or in managed mode with full Linux Distributed Switch Architecture (DSA) support on a connected host.

The LAN9645xF device supports advanced features such as Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) and Audio Video Bridging (AVB) in managed mode of operation. This variant enhances network reliability with hardware-assisted redundancy that meet IEC 62439-3 standard for Parallel Redundancy Protocol (PRP) and High-availability Seamless Redundancy (HSR), enabling seamless failover and zero packet loss during faults. While the LAN9645xS device supports standard Ethernet switching with some Precision Time Protocol (PTP) support and is intended to be used as a low-cost unmanaged switch.

“Our LAN9645x F/S devices help our customers lower their system costs while implementing advanced TSN and redundancy features by combining many features into a single solution,” said Charlie Forni, corporate vice president of Microchip’s networking and communications business unit. “We back our products with global technical support and a full suite of development tools to make it easier for our customers to design and deploy their industrial networks.”

Microchip’s LAN9645xF/S delivers adaptable, high-performance networking solutions for industrial Ethernet applications, as well as for markets like aerospace and defense, data centers and sustainability. Additionally, the Ethernet devices seamlessly integrate with Microchip’s ecosystem including MCUs, memory and timing solutions, enabling reliable and scalable networks for demanding environments.

The post Microchip Introduces Flexible New Family of Gigabit Ethernet Switches with TSN/AVB and Redundancy For Industrial Applications appeared first on ELE Times.

A New Approach to Component Selection

Designing reliable electronic applications starts with choosing the right semiconductor components. However, even if the best part has been chosen, supply issues, growing costs, or discontinued products may result in upset causes. In such moments, being capable of developing quick alternative identification will prove paramount.

Cross-reference tools come into play here. By cross-matching components fitting the same usage from two different manufacturers, this tool has enabled engineers and non-engineers alike to make informed substitutions, be it for sustainability, design flexibility, or supply chain risk mitigation.

Making Cross-Reference Searches Easier

The idea of comparing electrical characteristic values, package sizes, and performance parameters involved first going through datasheets and catalogs. That drudgery is something ROHM’s cross-reference tool completely abolishes, providing side-by-side comparisons at a glance.

Unlike generic listings found on distributor websites, the ROHM tool displays key specifications in a well-structured table, so the user can effectively cut down on wasted time and uncertainty.

Understanding the Limits

While convenient, no cross-reference tool is perfect. Compatibility suggestions can sometimes focus only on physical fit, not functional equivalence. That’s why verification of performance, certification, and long-term availability remains essential. ROHM addresses this by ranking alternatives based on performance similarity and supporting industrial and long-life applications through its Product Longevity Program, updated annually with estimated supply periods.

Real-World Success Stories

Case 1: Got Faster Selection- Engineers used ROHM’s clear comparison tables to cut down selection time and even directly incorporated these tables into internal reports.

Case 2: Usable for Non-Engineers- Non-technical staff members used it to suggest alternatives after simply searching with part numbers.

Case 3: Reliable During Shortages- Urgent replacements were sorted with ranked lists from ROHM, supplemented by pictures and specifications.

Conclusion

Cross-reference search tools are transforming how engineers and businesses handle component selection. By combining speed, accuracy, and reliability, ROHM’s proprietary cross-reference tool developed from customer feedback empowers users to make smarter, faster, and more confident decisions.

(This article has been adapted and modified from content on Rohm Semiconductor.)

The post Cross-Reference Search Made Simple: Smarter Alternatives for Semiconductor Selection appeared first on ELE Times.