Новини світу мікро- та наноелектроніки

Spanning a frequency band of 380 MHz to 6 GHz, the BBA300 family of RF amplifiers from Rohde & Schwarz now includes 90-W models in the CDE and DE series. The instruments can be used for EMC and OTA coexistence testing, as well as component testing during development and production.

The BBA300-CDE offers a continuous frequency range from 380 MHz to 6 GHz, while the BBA300-DE operates from 1 GHz to 6 GHz. Both models offer a choice of 15-W, 25-W, 50-W, 90-W, and 180-W P1dB power classes and software-adjustable saturation power up to 250 W.

The broadband amplifiers support amplitude, frequency, phase, pulse, and complex OFDM modulation modes. According to the manufacturer, units are very robust under all mismatch conditions, providing valid test results in every scenario.

Software options for the BBA300 amplifiers allow users to optimize transmission characteristics for specific applications. For example, it is possible to shift the operating point of transistors between Class A and Class AB to adjust amplifier performance for different types of input signals. By changing the tolerance to mismatch at the output, the BBA300 can generate more RF power under well-matched conditions.

Request a price quote using the link to the product page below.

BBA300 product page

Rohde & Schwarz 

Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.

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Qorvo is offering its 750-V, 5.4-Ω SiC FETs in TO-leadless (TOLL) packages for use in space-constrained applications such as AC/DC power supplies. The TOLL package is 30% smaller in footprint and, at 2.3 mm, half the height of comparable alternative D2PAK surface-mount offerings. Additionally, in the TOLL package, the 5.4-mΩ devices have 4x to 10x lower on-resistance than competing best-in-class Si MOSFETs, SiC MOSFETs and GaN transistors.

Despite the size reduction of the TOLL package, the devices achieve a thermal resistance of 0.1°C/W from junction to case. The DC current rating is 120 A up to case temperatures of 144°C, and the pulsed current rating is 588 A for up to 0.5 ms. A Kelvin source connection is also provided to ensure reliable high-speed switching.

The TOLL-packaged 750-V, 5.4-mΩ SiC FET is included in Qorvo’s FET-Jet free-to-use online calculator. The calculator enables instant evaluation of efficiency, component losses, and junction temperature rise for parts used in AC/DC and isolated/non-isolated DC/DC converter topologies.

Gen4 SiC FET product page

Qorvo

Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.

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The Renesas RZ/T2L microprocessor employs the EtherCAT communication protocol to provide high-speed real-time control for industrial systems. Based on a 32-bit Arm Cortex-R52 core operating at a maximum frequency of 800 MHz, the RZ/T2L provides up to 1 Mbyte of tightly coupled SRAM with error correction code (ECC). Its three-port EtherCAT slave controller, designed by Beckhoff Automation, is joined by an Ethernet MAC and CAN-FD module.

The RZ/T2L leverages the same hardware architecture as the higher-end RZ/T2M, while reducing chip size by up to 50%. Software compatibility with other Rensas MPUs/MCUs allows developers to seamlessly implement scalable designs. Real-time processing makes the RZ/T2L well-suited for AC servo drives, inverters, industrial robots, and collaborative robots.

Onboard peripheral functions include multi-protocol encoder interfaces for angle sensors, sigma-delta interfaces, and A/D converters. These are arranged on a dedicated low-latency peripheral port (LLPP) bus directly connected to the CPU to achieve fast and accurate real-time control capabilities.

The RZ/T2L microprocessor is available now and is supported by the Renesas Product Longevity Program for industrial equipment requiring long life cycles.

RZ/T2M product page

Renesas Electronics 

Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.

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Direct links to simulation models for 13 of Kyocera AVX’s embedded antennas are available in Ansys HFSS 3D electromagnetic simulation software. As part of Ansys 2023 R1, models include embedded FR4 and ceramic GNSS, ISM, BLE, Wi-Fi, LPWA, and 5G/LTE antennas widely employed in IoT, medical, and automotive applications.

When users click on the Kyocera AVX antenna components featured in Ansys 2023 R1 software, they will be transported to the Kyocera AVX website to download the simulation files. The 13 antenna models are also available on the Kyocera AVX website for Ansys HFSS versions 2019 R3 through 2022 R2.

Engineers use Ansys HFSS simulation software to design high-frequency, high-speed electronics optimized for use in communications systems, ADAS, satellites, and IoT devices. This latest release empowers users to run large jobs and overcome hardware capacity limitations with high-performance computing and cloud capabilities, as well as enhanced solver algorithms. It also integrates more AI and machine learning capabilities to further improve engineering efficiency and accelerate innovation.

For more information about Kyocera AVX embedded antennas, Ansys HFSS 3D EM simulation software, and Ansys 2023 R1 release highlights, click the embedded links.

Kyocera AVX

Ansys

Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.

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Synopsys.ai is a full AI-driven EDA software stack for the design, verification, testing, and manufacture of advanced digital and analog chips. Synopsys says engineers can now use AI at every stage of chip design by accessing the EDA tools in the cloud.

The Synopsis.ai EDA design suite provides:

• Digital design space optimization to achieve power, performance, and area (PPA) targets and boost productivity
• Analog design automation for rapid migration of analog designs across process nodes
• Verification coverage closure and regression analysis for faster functional testing closure, higher coverage, and predictive bug detection
• Automated test generation resulting in fewer optimized test patterns for silicon defect coverage and faster time to results
• Manufacturing tools to accelerate development of lithography models with high accuracy to achieve the highest yield

Synopsys.ai tools are now in use by 9 of the top 10 semiconductor companies, establishing Synopsys as an early leader in this space. Renesas Electronics, one of the companies with early access to the Synopsys.ai technology, has achieved a 10x improvement in reducing functional coverage holes and up to a 30% increase in IP verification productivity. With each design project, the suite’s AI engines continually train on unique data sets, allowing them to become more adept at optimizing results over time.

Learn more about Synopsys.ai EDA solutions from the blog found here or by clicking the link to the product page below.

Synopsys.ai product page 

Synopsys

Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.

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The capacitance comparator allows you to compare the capacitances of two capacitors and indicate the equality or inequality of these capacitances.

The monitoring of changes in capacitance of capacitors under the influence of external factors (e.g., capacitor sensors) can be used to indicate the distance to various objects, in contactless capacitive switches, capacitive liquid level indicators, security systems, etc.

Wow the engineering world with your unique design: Design Ideas Submission Guide

The device for comparing the capacitance of the reference capacitor C1 and the capacitor of the sensor Cx, Figure 1, contains a dynamic measuring RC bridge, to the diagonal of which the inputs of the comparator U1 LM324 are connected. The unbalance of the bridge is indicated by LED1 and LED2 indicators.

Figure 1 A capacitive comparator circuit with a dynamic measuring RC bridge that contains two RC circuits (R3, Cx and R5, C1).

The measuring RC bridge is made of two RC circuits: R3, Cx and R5, C1, where R3=R5, and Cx≈C1. Rectangular pulses from an external generator with a frequency of 10 kHz, a voltage of 10 V and with a fill factor D on the order of 99% are fed to the measuring RC bridge. Capacitors C1 and Cx are simultaneously charged exponentially. At the end of the input pulse, both capacitors are instantly discharged through diodes D1 and D2.

The inputs of the comparator U1 are connected to the diagonal of the measuring bridge. If Cx≠C1 the charge rates of the capacitors C1 and Cx are different, an unbalance voltage will be present in the diagonal of the bridge. The unbalance of the bridge will cause the state of the comparator U1 to switch.

In the case of Cx>C1, LED1 will light up; in the case of Cx<C1, LED2 will light up. The device reacts to the unbalance of the bridge when the sensor capacity changes by hundredths of a percent.

When correcting the values of resistors R2 and R7, you can turn on the LEDs of optocoupler controlling external devices.

Michael A. Shustov is a doctor of technical sciences, candidate of chemical sciences and the author of over 750 printed works in the field of electronics, chemistry, physics, geology, medicine, and history.

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The analysis of two-port networks is a topic well covered in literature. Such analyses start looking a little like alphabet soup when we speak, for example, of y-parameters, z-parameters, and h-parameters. Those three are summed up for the simplest cases as follows in Figure 1.

Figure 1 Two-port y-parameters (green), z-Parameters (yellow), and h-Parameters (blue).

For the y-parameters, each coefficient is an admittance. For the z-parameters, each coefficient is an impedance. For the h-parameters, we have an impedance for h11, an admittance for h22 and two dimensionless terms h12 and h21, from which a terminology mix leads to these being called hybrid parameters.

The governing algebra is shown for each case along with the corresponding matrix notation. In all cases, the coefficients are allowed to be complex numbers with real and imaginary parts.

It can sometimes be difficult to assess the y, z and h values in the real world, especially when we get to higher frequencies. An easily visualized example of that difficulty is z11 = V1 / I1 when I2 = zero, but actually making I2 be zero is not necessarily all that easy. How would you accomplish that if the two-port device under examination is a waveguide? Similarly, how would you examine h11 = V1 / I1 when V2 = zero? Do you know how to make a true short circuit across a microwave structure? I don’t.

A way out of this issue is to use s-parameters as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 The two-port s-parameter matrix (violet).

What actually appears at port 1 is the sum of voltages a1 and b1 while what appears at Port 2 is the sum of a2 and b2. What makes this useful is that the s-parameter numbers are defined for the network operating at a termination impedance, in many cases, at 50 Ω. All of the s-parameters are dimensionless coefficients which, as before, can be complex numbers. Those coefficients can also vary with frequency as well.

S-parameters are often called “scattering parameters” and their matrix is a “scattering matrix”. There is lots of literature about that, so I won’t try to go into that here. However, I once read a story, perhaps apocryphal, which I thought was pretty cool stuff.

If we have a two-port device of some kind in which every last little bit of structure complies perfectly with some characteristic impedance and we load port 2 of that structure with exactly that characteristic impedance, then all of the power and energy that enters port 1 will be delivered to the load on port 2 with none of that energy getting bounced back toward its source. For example, if the load impedance being fed by port 2 is exactly the characteristic impedance of the apparatus, the a2 value will  be zero.

However, if there is any structural anomaly along the way, maybe some small metal dimple or some teeny, little edge where maybe two sections of waveguide meet, some small portion of energy will be reflected back from whence it came. That reflection process arises from “scattering” of the signal when and where it meets that little anomaly. Hence the term “scattering parameters”.

True? False? I don’t know. Fun though.

John Dunn is an electronics consultant, and a graduate of The Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn (BSEE) and of New York University (MSEE).

Related Content

• Coaxial Z—breaking down the impedance of a coaxial transmission line
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• Characterize interconnects with S-parameters
• Using S-parameter data effectively

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KYOCERA AVX, a leading global manufacturer of advanced electronic components engineered to accelerate technological innovation and build a better future, announce that direct links to simulation models for its most popular embedded antennas are available in the latest release of the globally renowned Ansys HFSS 3D electromagnetic simulation software, Ansys 2023 R1.

Engineers use Ansys HFSS software to design high-frequency, high-speed electronics optimized for use in applications including communications systems, ADAS, satellites, and IoT devices. The latest release, Ansys 2023 R1, empowers users to run large jobs and overcome hardware capacity limitations with new high-performance computing and cloud capabilities, enhanced solver algorithms, and powerful graphical processing units. It also supports new collaborative, model-based systems engineering workflow capabilities and integrated more AI and machine learning capabilities to further improve engineering efficiency and accelerate innovation.

Ansys 2023 R1 features direct links to simulation models for 13 of the most popular KYOCERA AVX antennas, including embedded FR4 and ceramic GNSS, ISM, BLE, Wi-Fi, LPWA, 5G/LTE antennas widely employed in IoT, medical, and automotive applications. When users click on the 13 KYOCERA AVX antenna components featured in the Ansys 2023 R1 software, they will be transported to the KYOCERA AVX website to download the simulation files.

These 13 embedded antenna models are also available on the KYOCERA AVX website for Ansys HFSS versions 2019 R3 to 2022 R2. In addition, a complete range of KYOCERA AVX embedded antenna models designed for use with all of these versions will be available in Q2 2023.

“Many of our customers utilize Ansys HFSS software, and they used to have to contact us for compatible antenna simulation files. So, we’re very proud that our 13 most popular embedded antennas are featured in Ansys 2023 R1 and available for direct download on our website,” said Carmen Redondo, Director of Global Marketing Antennas, KYOCERA AVX. “We’re committed to providing our customers with a comprehensive suite of tools and resources engineered to make antenna integration as easy as possible and ensure optimal performance. So, we’re also proud to offer an increasing array of electromagnetic simulation model downloads compatible with Ansys versions 2023 R1 and 2019 R3 through 2022 R2 on our product pages.”

“We’re pleased to offer a selection of KYOCERA AVX’s embedded antennas in our new Ansys 2023 R1 software,” said Matt Commens, Senior Manager – Electronics Product Management, at Ansys. “The new products, technologies, and tools available in 2023 R1 enable engineering teams to simulate and rigorously examine products and systems under varying conditions, gain precise insights, and optimize designs at every stage of the product development process, regardless of application.”

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Back in September 2022, I told you about two microSD cards that weren’t as advertised, capacity-wise:

A bit more recently (at the beginning of this year, specifically), I unsuccessfully tried to get inside one of them:

And now…well, it’s happened again, this time with an SD card. Back at the end of December, I bought a “Used-Very Good” condition 128 GByte SDXC card from Amazon’s Warehouse section for $27.45, versus $32.83 (its current brand-new price on Amazon as I write this):

This was the second “Warehouse”-sourced acquisition of the same card (vendor, capacity and performance specs) that I’d made in ~1 month, following in the footsteps of a “Used-Like New” purchase (ironically for $0.10 less) in late November. And at the same earlier time, I’d also bought two brand-new cards “Black Friday”-priced at $27.63 each. At first, all four cards seemingly worked fine. The only discrepancy I’d noticed was that the “Used-Very Good” card came absent its packaging, instead housed solely within a clear plastic “baggie”, but it had been advertised as repackaged, so I didn’t think anything of it.

Prompted by the advertised-vs-true capacity discussion I had with reader “Ducksoup_SD” as a follow-up to that earlier mentioned January 2023 writeup, I gave in to curiosity and did full-reformats (versus default “quick” formats) on all four PNY SD cards (plus four used Sony ones I’d subsequently bought from B&H Photo Video for another project, details of which I’ll save for another time) to ensure that they actually delivered the promised storage capacity in full.

The late-December-acquired Amazon Warehouse-sourced PNY passed format but seemed to complete slower than its peers, which was strange. Its label also fell off when I pulled it out of the computer’s SD card slot: more strangeness. So, further feeding the curiosity beast, after clumsily gluing the label back on, I ran Blackmagic’s Disk Speed test (here’s a direct link to the utility on Apple’s App Store) on all four of them. Here’s what I got on the two new ones and the “Used-Like New” one:

And here are the results on the “Used-Very Good” one, which previously had seemingly reformatted more slowly than the others:

Notice the disparity? All four cards delivered comparable read speeds, but the fourth card’s write performance was ~25% lower than the others. As soon as I flipped it and one of the other cards over, I had my answer:

Again, see the difference? Before continuing, I’ll also share a photo of both cards’ front sides:

The under-delivering “Used-Very Good” one is on the left in both pictures; you’ll need to take my word that it originally looked identical to its full-performance peer to the right. The label degradation you see was solely the result of my earlier-mentioned re-glue clumsiness.

To explain what I think is going on, here’s some preparatory background. While the underwhelming write performance may be a minor annoyance when you’re formatting a memory card, it’s a huge issue when you’re trying to sustainably camera-capture “raw” or other high bitrate-formatted 4K or higher resolution video (which is precisely what I’d bought these cards for), for example. The correctly outfitted card on the right is a UHS-II model; its second row of signal contacts, in combination with the earlier SD-to UHS transition to low-voltage differential signaling, enables it to deliver highest-possible interface transfer speeds (currently, at least; there’s also a UFS-III spec but I haven’t seen any cards based on it yet). The other one has a more conventional single row of apportioned contacts. Compare the two and you’ll likely come up with at least two correct conclusions:

• UHS-II cards are intentionally designed to be backwards-compatible with UHS-I (and precursor) card readers, albeit running at lower transfer speeds in the process, and
• The card slot in the system I used for my benchmarking, an early 2015 13” MacBook Pro, is obviously UHS-II cognizant, otherwise the correctly implemented cards wouldn’t have performed better than their slower sibling did.

So, what happened here? I suppose this could have been a screwup on PNY’s part from the get-go, sticking the wrong label on the card way back at the factory. But more likely, I suspect (particularly given that the label on the misbehaving one fell off on me), is that this is the latest in a long line of storage scams that have victimized many folks. Back in January, for example, I told you about a ripoff from mid-last year involving Walmart (inadvertently, I assume) selling supposedly 30 TByte portable SSDs for $39. Well, subsequent to my January writeup’s publication, another scam got lots of coverage: fake 16 TByte SSDs on Amazon for $100.

My guess? Someone printed up a bunch of fake PNY labels, stuck them on unknown-source SD cards (correct-capacity ones, at least) and returned them to Amazon, keeping the legit ones they’d previously purchased. I got one of the fakes. Who knows, frankly, how many times this particular card has circulated through Amazon Warehouse’s buy-return-resell (lather, rinse and repeat) cycle, and how many of these fake cards ended up unknowingly (and permanently) in scammed buyers’ hands. To wit, I almost didn’t bother returning the card, out of concern that Amazon might just turn around and resell it even though I’d documented its definitive flaws in my return-request submission. Instead, I thought about instead keeping it to add to the teardown pile; in retrospect, had I done so, I might have also been able to discern info about its origination via a perusal of its S.M.A.R.T. data using a utility such as CrystalDiskInfo.

More generally, the specs associated with the microSD and SD cards, and therefore the markings on the labels of them, are IMHO frankly a mess. In addition to the aforementioned bus interface evolution and options (default SD, high speed SD, and UHS-I, UHS-II and UHS-III, along with SD Express in the future) there are four different capacity range classifications: SD (up to 2 GBytes), SDHC (2-32 GBytes), SDXC (32 GBytes-2 TBytes) and SDUC (2-128 TBytes). And there are currently three different sets of media speed classifications, all of which overlap each other:

• Original Speed Class (2, 4, 6 and 10)
• UHS (presumably “Ultra High Speed”) Speed Class (U1, U2 and U3, which are different than the previously discussed UHS-I, UHS-II and UHS-III interface speed options), and
• Video Speed Class (V30, V60 and V90)

See for yourself:

Further muddying the waters are various proprietary memory card implementations. Sandisk, for example, sells a single-row contacts family that looks like a UHS-1 form factor and therefore should max out at V30 transfer rate performance (in fairness, Sandisk does label them as such). But the company touts them as delivering up to 200 MByte/sec read and 140 MByte/sec write speeds. That’s because they optionally support a Sandisk-only DDR interface transfer mode which, to the best of my knowledge, is only comprehended by a few Sandisk-branded card readers; in industry-standard card slots they run at 104 MByte/sec max UHS-1 speeds.

And don’t get me started on all the other high-capacity and/or high-performance removable memory card form factors and spec options, industry standard and proprietary alike, that are now contending for consumers’ wallets, such as the Compact Flash Association’s CFast and CFexpress, the latter in both Type A and B variants…sigh. I could dive down into the next level of spec minutia, complete with more rants, but I think I’ll spare both you and my poor associate editor colleague the incremental wordcount and associated angst. Thoughts, supportive or not, on my situation, conclusion and overall industry observations? Sound off in the comments!

—Brian Dipert is the Editor-in-Chief of the Edge AI and Vision Alliance, and a Senior Analyst at BDTI and Editor-in-Chief of InsideDSP, the company’s online newsletter.

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The post Memory cards: Specifications and (more) deceptions appeared first on EDN.

NORD-NORDAC-ON-versions.jpg: One inverter, two versions: NORDAC ON for use with asynchronous motors (foreground) and NORDAC ON+ for combination with synchronous motors

Whether primary, secondary or end-of-line packaging: For all stages in the packaging process, NORD DRIVESYSTEMS implements economical, sustainable and tailor-made drive solutions that optimally meet the relevant application-specific requirements and, at the same time, can contribute to a considerable reduction of the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).

NORDAC ON/ON+: Decentralised frequency inverter with integrated Ethernet interface

The decentralised frequency inverter NORDAC ON/ON+ is characterised by an integrated Ethernet interface (Profinet, EtherNet/IP and EtherCAT can be set via parameters), full plug-in capability and a very compact design. The smart inverters are ideally suited for integration into packaging machinery, saving space as well the extensive motor cable wiring required for centralised frequency inverters.

There are two versions available: NORDAC ON has been designed for use with asynchronous motors whereas NORDAC ON+ is intended for the combination with high-efficiency IE5+ synchronous motors.

NORD-IE5plus-motor.jpg: Efficiency at a new level: NORD’s IE5+ motor generation Image

IE5+ motor generation: Efficiency at a new level

With the IE5+ synchronous motor, NORD is setting new energy efficiency standards. Thanks to permanent magnet synchronous motor technology (PMSM), it achieves an efficiency of up to 95 percent – and this is relatively constant over a wide speed and torque range. The IE5+ motor thus provides an optimal energy consumption performance in partial load and partial speed ranges and even tops the highest defined energy efficiency class IE5.

NORD-DuoDrive.jpg: By integrating the motor and gear unit into one housing, the DuoDrive is very lightweight and compact, coupled with very high power density Image

DuoDrive: Seamless integration of gear unit and motor

The patented DuoDrive is a revolutionary integrated gear unit/motor concept that covers power ranges of up to 3 kW. It combines the high-efficiency IE5+ motor and a single-stage helical gear unit in one housing. The constant motor torque over a wide speed range allows for consistent variant reduction and reduction of operating costs. Together with the simple plug-and-play commissioning, this results in a significant reduction in the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) in comparison with existing drive systems. The unventilated washdown design with smooth surfaces meets the most stringent hygiene requirements and ensures optimum cleaning.

NORD-surface-treatment-nsd-tupH.jpg: The nsd tupH surface treatment offered by NORD is an

2/4 outstanding corrosion protection for gear units, smooth surface motors, frequency inverters and motor starters in wash-down optimised cast aluminium housings Image

 nsd tupH surface treatment: An alternative to stainless steel

The nsd tupH surface treatment is available for NORDAC ON/ON+ as well as the IE5+ synchronous motor and the DuoDrive geared motor. Thanks to a special method, the surface is made corrosion-resistant and harder and makes aluminium behave like stainless steel with regard to corrosion protection. This is not a coating, but a surface treatment that creates a protective layer which is permanently bonded to the substrate material. So, nothing can detach or flake off. The drives are easy to clean and largely resistant to acids and alkalis.

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Greater yields, less routine work for the operators on the shop floor: WORKS Process Expert from ASMPT, the world’s first self-learning in line expert system for electronics production, reduces scrap and operator assists along the entire SMT line. The latest version of the process-optimizing software now also includes the placement process in addition to solder paste printing and even works with SPI and AOI systems from other manufacturers.

SMT lines learn and optimize themselves: Together with the DEK printing platform, the high-speed Process Lens SPI system and the SIPLACE placement machines from ASMPT, the WORKS Process Expert software forms a self-learning inline expert system that lets electronics manufacturers produce faster, more cost-effectively, and with significantly higher yield. While autonomous process control was previously limited to solder paste printing, the new version of WORKS Process Expert in combination with end-of-line AOI systems now also supports the optimization of the placement process by driving the operators to the tasks with the highest positive impact on the process. With its connection to SPI and AOI systems, it supports process and quality engineers in identifying the defect root-cause across the complete SMT line, thus ensuring its elimination and higher yield.

Following its Open Automation principle, the SMT specialist has also opened up the trend-setting software to third-party equipment, allowing WORKS Process Expert to process data from SPI and AOI systems made by other manufacturers. Seamless connectivity of the inspection solutions in the SMT line is ensured by the open IIoT and communication standard IPC-CFX.  The smart software thus becomes a powerful solution for higher yields and better quality while simultaneously reducing operator assists along the entire SMT line, making it a significant contributor to the realization of the integrated smart factory.

“Hardware and software for industrial inspection solutions are available from many manufacturers,” says Jérôme Rousval, Product Manager Process Solutions at ASMPT, “but hardly anyone has such a wealth of experience and comprehensive process knowledge as ASMPT. Since we cover the entire electronics manufacturing process chain with our hardware and software as well as with our automation solutions, we are also one step ahead when it comes to process automation. And this is especially beneficial for our customers’ employees.”

Online show: Facts on Open Automation

Providing the best possible support for operators with intelligent software and smart process optimization is also the subject of the next installment of the ‘Facts on Open Automation’ show on Wednesday April 26, 2023. “Where in the past several operators used to be responsible for a single SMT line, today often only one operator remains,” explains host Laszlo Sereny. “He or she must keep the entire line running, replace stencils in the solder paste printer according to customer specifications, and ensure timely material replenishments at the placement machines – all while keeping an eye on the key performance indicators at all times. Multitasking and process know-how are in demand, and emergency operations are not uncommon.” Sereny and his studio guests will discuss how software supports operators during assists based on their qualifications and the respective task priorities, and how autonomous process control solutions help with quality assurance. Axel Lindloff, Senior Process Specialist at Koh Young, will join them remotely.

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Frequent contributor, Peter Demchenko, recently published “A safe adjustable regulator” discussing the likelihood and consequences of rheostat-connected voltage trimmer failure in three-terminal adjustable regulator (LM317, LM350, NTE1929, etc.) circuits, and how to avoid them. Peter observes that trimmer pot wipers, being electromechanical moving parts, are far more likely to fail than solid state components. When wipers do fail, the most probable outcome is an open circuit. In the context of adjustment circuits typically found in regulator manufacturer datasheets (see Figure 1), this will cause regulator runaway and likely a fried load!

Wow the engineering world with your unique design: Design Ideas Submission Guide

Figure 1 The typical regulator datasheet adjustment circuit.

Peter’s solution incorporates a passive network comprising of several resistors and a range selection switch. It also includes software to facilitate calculation of the necessary component values, since the classic simple 3-terminal adjustment equation…

Vout = 1.25(R2 / R1 + 1)

…won’t work for his network.

While Peter’s solution is ingenious and effective, presented here is an alternative idea. It takes advantage of the fact (also shown in Figure 1) that pots connected as rheostats (e.g., R2) have a wasted terminal: the NC end of the resistance element. This orphan is adopted and given a friend (Q1) and a happy home in the failsafe circuit of Figure 2. Here’s how it works:

Figure 2 A simple failsafe circuit where the NC pin of the pot R2 (in Figure 1) is instead connected to Q1.

In normal operation, R2’s wiper will maintain a solid connection with the pot resistance element.  This will hold that node to a voltage very near that of the ADJ terminal, depriving Q1 of forward bias and holding it OFF. In this state, ordinary regulator operation is maintained, and the usual adjustment equation still applies.

But suppose, due to defect or wear-out, the pot wiper contact fails and the connection between resistance element and wiper terminal is lost as shown (X marks the spot!) in Figure 3.

Figure 3 Failure is an option!

Now, a connection will be established through R2 from Q1’s base to ground. Q1 will therefore turn ON, ADJ be pulled down to <1V, R1’s ~5mA bias necessary for correct regulator operation sunk, and Vout thereby clamped to a safe and sane ~2V.

Disaster averted. Not a bad insurance policy for the cost of one transistor.

The idea works similarly with negative regulators.

Figure 4 Failsafe circuits with a negative regulator need an NPN Q1.

 Or, if you prefer, the pot wiper can be grounded as shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5 Failsafe circuit with the pop wiper grounded.

Stephen Woodward’s relationship with EDN’s DI column goes back quite a ways. In all, a total of 64 submissions have been accepted since his first contribution was published in 1974.

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• Set DC input-stage gain/attenuation over a 96dB range with PWM
• Turn negative regulator “upside-down” to create bipolar supply from single source

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In yet another effort to make India an electronics manufacturing hub, the government has sanctioned a new greenfield for Electronics Manufacturing Cluster (EMC) at Dharwad in Karnataka. Rs 180-crore worth of electronics manufacturing cluster is expected to create over 18,000 jobs. New EMC has a strategic locational advantage and well connected with NH-48, Hubli Domestic Airport (33 Km), which will reduce the logistics/ transportation cost of the industry in the EMC.

According to the ministry of Electronics and IT, the project, which is being set up at Kotur-Balur Industrial Area in the Dharwad District of Karnataka under EMC 2.0 scheme, is expected to catalyse investments to the tune of over Rs 1,500 crore soon. Nine companies, including start-ups, have already committed to making investments of Rs 340 crore with an employment potential of 2,500 people.

The Centre has already approved a common facility centre (CFC) for the development of an advanced testing facility in Mysore, Karnataka that will meet the various testing requirement of the industry.

“Karnataka is emerging as a global electronics manufacturing hub for the world, just as it is already a telecom hub with Apple plants in Kolar (Wistron) and Devanahalli (Foxconn). These new investments are creating jobs and development. The Narendra Modi government is committed to build India as a manufacturing hub as part of its ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ policies,” said Union Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Electronics & IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar while announcing the approval of cluster in Bengaluru.

The Modified Electronics Manufacturing Cluster (EMC 2.0) scheme was introduced on 1st April 2020 with an objective to create world class infrastructure along with common testing facilities, including ready built factory sheds/plug and play infrastructure for attracting anchor unit along with their supply chain to set up their manufacturing/production facility in the country. Under the Scheme, three electronics manufacturing clusters over an area of 1,337 acres with the project cost of Rs 1,903 crore, including Central financial assistance of Rs 889 crore have been approved with a projected investment target of Rs 20,910 crore.

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