Electronic Products and Technology May 2012 by Annex Business Media

electronic products and technology -

electronic products and technology

MAY 2012

INSTRUMENTATION & TEST AN EP&T SPECIAL REPORT PAGE 8

INSTRUMENTATION & TEST

SHOW DETAILS PAGE 14

EMBEDDED SYSTEMS & ENGINEERING SOFTWARE Page 18 INTEGRATED ENGINEERING SOFTWARE

ELECTRONIC ENCLOSURES & THERMAL MANAGEMENT Page 22 OHMITE MANUFACTURING

NANOTECHNOLOGY Page 28

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The and INF-B temperature controllers, panel meters, and signal conditioners connect to an Ethernet network and can email or send text messages to your cell phone. You can monitor and control temperature or any process through a web browser over the Internet!

Universal Inputs

Les contrôleurs, les indicateurs à montage sur panneau et les conditionneurs de signaux de température et INF-B se connectent à un réseau Éthernet et peuvent envoyer des courriels ou des messages texte directement à votre cellulaire. Vous pouvez surveiller ou contrôler la température ou nʼimporte quel procédé par le biais dʼun navigateur Web directement par Internet!

Entrées universelles

Choix de sorties

� RTD

� Communication série RS-232/RS-485

� Thermocouple

Choice of Outputs � Ethernet TCP/IP

� RTD � Process Voltage

� Serial RS-232 / RS-485 � Autotune PID Control

� Process Current

� Form C SPDT Relays

� Strain

� Solid State Relays � 10 Vdc Pulse (for external SSR) � Analog Control or Retransmission

� Thermocouple

� Tension de procédé

� Courant de procédé � Contrainte/ deformation

� Éthernet TCP/IP

� Contrôle PID auto-adaptatif � Relais SPDT de forme C

� Relais transistorisés (SSR)

� Pulses de 10 Vcc (pour relais SSR) � Sortie analogique de contrôle ou de retransmission

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e d i t o r i a l electronic products andtechnology technology electronic products and Volume 34 Number 3

May 2012

Stephen Law Editor 416.510.5208 slaw@ept.ca

Sohail Kamal

West Coast Correspondent

Joanna Malivoire

Peter Loney

Account Manager Direct: 866.868.7089 jmalivoire@ept.ca

Publisher 416.510.5207 pdloney@ept.ca

Embedded systems sector is key to reindustrializing Canada Embedded systems stand to be one of the keys to reindustrializing Canada, according to a CATA study of those working in that field. Embedded systems are the tip of a larger phenomenon that is the introduction of information technology in all industries. More and more everyday objects are being embedded with processors and sensors, connected to distant servers, creating tomorrow’s Internet of things. Who is developing these embedded systems? The study finds that the Canadian industry is relatively young, but already very active. According to the Canadian Alliance for Advanced Technology (CATA) study, about 72,000 people work in the field of embedded systems in Canada (29,000 in the design and development companies, 43,000 in the user sector). The Other Computing is based on a survey conducted in the summer of 2011 among 716 CEOs and marketing officers. Leading the way in this sector, Canada will launch an international centre of excellence for electronic assembly research (MiQro Innovation Collaborative Centre). It will position the Canadian microelectronics technology on the world scene. CATA says this is once in a lifetime opportunity for the embedded systems industry in Canada. “Every manufacturing company must take advantage of the presence on Canada of a vibrant industry of embedded systems” says Sciencetech senior analyst Jean-Guy Rens. “Intelligence is becoming the top factor in consumer products choice. This is true not only in consumer electronics, but in all manufactured products, from automobiles to sport shoes.”

Today nobody would buy a car without a series of sensors embedded into the brakes and the airbags; and tomorrow everybody will require radar monitoring and Wi-Fi communications. For some time already, people have been used to buying footwear with an embedded system inside the sole in which can measure their performance and analyze their data in an iPhone or a computer. Today’s manufacturing companies must insert intelligence into objects and into the whole human-made environment (buildings, roads, bridges, canals, dams), or they will be out of business. We are witnessing a phenomenon similar to what happened in the telecommunications sector during the 1980s and 1990s when the network was digitized. We called this process “convergence between computing and telecommunications” as if the two domains were equals. We now know the result. Nortel did not succeed manufacturing computers. Nortel disappeared, while RIM is now manufacturing phones better and more versatile than anything ever dreamed by the boldest telecommunications people. CATA’s study found that all industries will have to go through the same transformations as the old telecommunications – that is to say, suffer the same shock. Sector after sector, the whole economy will be affected by a computing flood of which embedded systems are the concrete manifestation. Stephen Law, Editor slaw@ept.ca Follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/EPTmagazine

intelligent EMI/RFI protection for your application

CONEC Filter Connectors

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Art Director Group Administrator 416.510.5120 tlelyk@ept.ca

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Production Manager 416.510.6762 thanson@bizinfogroup.ca

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Subscription Inquiries 416.442.5600 ext 3552 blao@bizinfogroup.ca

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Executive Publisher

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Editorial Purpose: Electronic Products & Technology provides timely, comprehensive coverage of the latest worldwide developments and trends in electronic products, equipment and systems, and interprets their significance to manufacturers and end-users in the Canadian marketplace. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40069240 Canada Post: Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: EP&T Circulation Dept., 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9, Subscription Inquiries: 416.442.5600 x3552 • circulation@ept.ca EP&T (Electronic Products & Technology) assumes no responsibility for the validity of claims in items reported. © 2012 This publication or any part of it may not be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form whatsoever without the express written consent of the publisher. From time to time we make our subscription list available to companies and organizations whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you do not want your name to be made available, please contact EP&T with your subscription number. Printed in Canada We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities.

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electronic products and technology • may 2012

TTI acquires Sager Electronics

TTI Inc., Fort Worth TX, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, has entered into a purchase agreement to acquire Sager Electronics, a privately held electronic component distributor headquartered in Middleborough MA. Sager Electronics will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of TTI for the foreseeable future. Frank Flynn will remain as president of Sager and will lead the combined TTI and Sager post acquisition teams. In this position Flynn will report to TTI CEO Paul Andrews. Upon the close of the transaction current Sager CEO Raymond Norton will remain with the firm in an advisory capacity for a period of time. The acquisition is subject to the applicable waiting period and customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. The transaction is expected to close by April 2nd, 2012. “Sager Electronics has a long history of success achieved in large part through their commitment to quality, customer service and outstanding employees – the same values that have made TTI the world’s largest specialty electronic distributor,” says Paul Andrews, TTI’s founder and CEO. “Becoming a part of TTI and Berkshire Hathaway is a very exciting opportunity for our entire organization. It is our belief that the culture and environment at TTI best emulates our own values,” says Flynn. “TTI’s approach to business is very much aligned with ours ensuring Sager customers will continue to receive a consistent level of service. To be included among the quality leadership of TTI and Berkshire is an honor.”

Pulsonix establishes new sales channel in Canada Westdev Ltd., Tewkesbury UK, provider of EDA services to printed circuit board designers, has appointed SouthCom Technologies Inc., Mississauga ON, to service sales and support activities for the Pulsonix line of EDA software in Canada and northeast USA. “We anticipate accelerating the growth of our marketshare in North America that we have seen over the past few years,” says Bob Williams, marketing director at Westdev. Launched in 2001, Pulsonix EDA software has set the standard for high performance schematic design capture, simulation, pcb layout and autorouting. Developed by an in-house team, the fast growing software product line provides flexibility and compatibility, according to Jim Southward, president of SouthCom Technologies. “The announcement of this close sales partnership with a technology leader enables us to penetrate into untapped markets in Canada with maximum impact,” Southward explains. “We are excited to be associated with this strong technical product, which comes with a wide range of features, plus five-star technical support and after-sales support. Their dynamic approach to servicing customers is unheard of in the EDA business and brings a fresh modern approach to the business,” Southwards says.

Thermal Interface Schelgel Electronic Materials, a leader in EMI shielding gaskets, now offers a complete range of Thermal Interface Materials.

IRWIN Industrial is proud to be the exclusive Canadian representative of Schlegel electronic materials

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Connectors & Cables Mechanical Hardware Optoelectronics Power Products Printers & Labelling Protection, Suppression & Shielding Switches & Relays Thermal Management Wire Management

Murata NA to acquire RF Monolithics Passive electronic components supplier Murata Electronics North America Inc., Smyrna GA, and its parent company Murata Manufacturing Co. Ltd. have signed a definitive agreement to acquire RF Monolithics Inc., Dallas TX. RF Monolithics (RFM) is a provider of solutions-driven, technology-enabled wireless connectivity for a broad range of wireless applications-from individual standardized and custom components to modules for comprehensive industrial wireless sensor networks and machine-to-machine (M2M) technology. “RFM’s proven success in developing business in the healthcare, energy and industrial markets compliments Murata’s growth strategy,” says David Kirk, president and CEO of Murata Electronics North America. “Additionally, leveraging RFM’s expertise in design and development of production ready RF modules, SAW based & RFIC short-range radios, stand-alone radio systems and platforms for M2M applications will enable Murata to increase the value of the wireless module solutions delivered to Murata’s existing and future customers in the global marketplace.” The all cash transaction is targeted to close in the third calendar quarter of 2012.

Canadian tech startup companies now have a new avenue to commercialize innovations, scale their businesses faster and achieve market success with the introduction of Communitech’s HYPERDRIVE program that will provide capital of up to $700,000 for highpotential companies - with a $30 million program to draw on. Backed by key investment firms and angel funders, service providers, strategic partners and mentors, Communitech plans to put innovation into HYPERDRIVE. “We’re revving up the opportunity for tech startups to get traction in the industry sooner, with more support from investors,” said Iain Klugman, CEO of Communitech, the organization representing 800 tech companies in Waterloo Region. “HYPERDRIVE will speed time to market and help surface the next big tech stars in Canada and beyond.” Building on the success of funding incubators YCombinator in Silicon Valley, TechStars in Boulder, Boston, New York City and Seattle and 500 Startups in Silicon Valley, Communitech’s HYPERDRIVE is the next-generation of this type of program. HYPERDRIVE will provide expert mentoring, support from service providers such as legal and accounting firms, and seed funding -- advancing to angel investment and ultimately to “Series A” VC funders. Unlike other existing programs, HYPERDRIVE will take promising startups through their full early-stage development, with ongoing mentoring for two years per startup. Communitech has a 15-year history of fueling innovation through strategic programs, providing support to tech companies at all stages of their development, from startup through small-medium business, to multi-national enterprises. “Attention has been paid recently to an innovation gap in Canada which is essentially ‘failure to launch’ from the inception of a great tech idea to commercialization,” said Klugman. “This is a program designed to close that gap and see an increase in investment in Canada’s tech sector that will result in more jobs and increased growth.” HYPERDRIVE will operate from The Communitech Hub in Waterloo Region which is a 44,000 square foot facility dedicated to digital media innovation, leveraging locations in New York and Silicon Valley. Based on an application process, cohorts of 10 companies will be accepted up to three times annually.

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More than a year since launching and developing its electronic component price benchmarking service, Ottawa-based Lytica Inc. has enabled millions of dollars in savings for many of the world’s leading electronics companies, says Rob Griffin, VP sales & marketing, Lytica. Billing itself as ‘the world’s largest independent database of electronic component pricing’ www.freebenchmarking.com continues to deliver component cost analysis unavailable from any other source in the industry, Griffin adds. Once logged-in, clients enter in the prices and distributors of their components and are provided with a report detailing how competitive their pricing is compared to others in the industry, how much they should be paying and second sources for their parts. Freebenchmarking.com currently has between 50 to 100 clients, as well as data on nearly 5,000 suppliers and more than a million parts. The idea came from Lytica president Ken Bradley, who served as chief procurement officer at Nortel Networks from 1996 to 2002, where he was responsible for buying around $18-billion of materials each year. Since its launch, Griffin says the product has evolved to now include a new ‘Component Cost Estimator’ tool, which is currently in customer trials. Developed for hardware engineers, the tool will be the first commercially available cost estimator that provides real-time web based feedback on market price competitiveness and alternative sources. Griffin says customers can upload their costed BOM’s and receive instant feedback. The product will initially be available to existing Freebenchmarking subscription customers in the third-quarter of 2012, Griffin says. “Freebenchmarking has been adopted by a wide variety of electronics manufacturers in Canada. From leading OEM’s and contract manufacturers to distributors, as well as small to mid-sized manufacturers, the product is enabling actionable cost reduction for companies of all sizes in the Canadian market,” Griffin concludes. “We’ve created this web service to be the go-to industry reference for component price competitiveness and risk assessment. It arms our clients with the information they need to negotiate more competitive pricing and reduce supply chain risk,” Griffin enthuses. “We truly believe that we have a revolutionary product and that no one else can compete with what we are doing.”

Communitech launches $30-million program for high-potential tech startups

OpTIM™ provides thermal conductivity from 1.1 to 7 W/m°K with a high degree of conformability and can be supplied as cost-effective, high-precision custom die-cut parts.

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Web-based component benchmark service reduces OEM costs

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Calgary/Edmonton EPTECH draw winner selected The winner of a ballot draw during the Eptech table-top trade shows in Calgary and Edmonton this spring has been selected. The prize, a Playbook tablet computer by Research In Motion has been won by Ryan Wen, hardware manager, precision engineering with Hemisphere GPS in Calgary. Be sure to attend the next Eptech show coming to a city near you, register online at www.ept.ca/eptech/

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electronic products and technology • may 2012

Rugged power system delivers ingress protection Level V GT-41076-0609-2.5-IS-P2 family of inline encapsulated power supplies has IP64 ingress protection and is potted in a 75 x 35 x 24.6mm impactresistant polycarbonate case with thermal conduction cooling. Product provides double/reinforced insulation and delivers a tightly-regulated output voltage from 3.3V to 55.0V (in 0.1V increments) at up to 6W of continuous output power. Additional features include built-in overcurrent, short-circuit, and overvoltage protection. Product include a wall mount with field-configurable tabs, universal input (90264Vac), and pending Safety Agency Requirements for UL /cUL 60950/60601.1, TUV IEC/ EN60950/60601.1 and IEC/EN 60335-1. GLOBTEK http://ept.hotims.com/40520-50

Industrial grade PFC-input battery charger delivers 2kW/600Vdc BCP 2K-E/600 Series of rugged, industrial grade battery chargers with PFC-input provide 2kW continuous power for charging a 600V external battery bank. Units are available with input ranges of either 190V to 264Vac or 90V to 264Vac (47 to 63Hz). Several units may be parallel connected to achieve higher output power and reduce the time required to recharge the battery bank. The 600Vdc output is adjustable 520 to 630V by user accessible trimming potentiometers. Products have full ruggedizing and conformal coating for immunity to shock, vibration, humidity, moisture and airborne contaminants and meet EN/IEC61373 Cat 1 A&B shock and vibration standards. ABSOPULSE ELECTRONICS http://ept.hotims.com/40520-54

Tactile switches target automotive market Line of tactile switches for automotive markets provides 13 standard tact switches, includes several heights, various travel distances, through-hole and right angle mounted options. Three right angle type switches and two 5-directional models round out the wide offering for transportation markets. Product series provides standard and illuminated tact switches for sealed and high cycle lifetimes are available, including low profile and miniature switch series. MT series provides a 5-direction actuation in a 7 x 7mm footprint, with a 100,000 cycle lifetime. AMPT miniature switch series measures 2.9 x 3.9mm and comes in a washable side push sealed switch. T3 series is a low profile 0.35mm height from the pcb, 3.7 x 3.7mm with a 500,000 cycle lifetime. APEM http://ept.hotims.com/40520-51

Angled RJ industrial Ethernet connector saves space with flexibility Angled version of firm’s next generation RJ Industrial 10G Ethernet connector is rated IP 20 for the office IT environment. Device is ultraflexible, lockable, eight-wire RJ45 and requires no tools or expertise to assemble. The 45° cable outlet can be mounted in four different directions, allowing users to achieve the right cable outlet direction with the same item number every time. This safe, robust and industry-compliant device also has a compact, space-saving design, making it multi-port capable. Product provides an industrial strength actuator with locking lever protection, as well as optional color coding tabs for saving patch cable-ID and parameters. HARTING http://ept.hotims.com/40520-55

Ruggedized TPE jacket enables wide temperature range

200V Schottky rectifiers save space in SMT package

Cat 5e Industrial Ethernet cables join firm’s family of Xtra-Guard high-performance cables. Product enables Ethernet communications with the durability and temperature range to withstand demanding applications. Products come in a choice of unshielded, foil shield, or Supra-Shield foil/braid. Firm’s Supra-Shield uses a combination aluminum/ polyester/aluminum foil and tinned copper braid, improving EMI performance and flexibility. Cables are UV and fluid resistant, meet UL 1666 Riser and CSA FT-4 flame tests, and are suitable for use in NFPA 79 applications. ALPHA WIRE http://ept.hotims.com/40520-52

CMSH1-200HE (1A, 200V, SMA), CMSH3- 200MHV (3A, 200V, SMB), CMSH5-200HV (5A, 200V, SMC), and a bridge rectifier CBRHDSH1-200 (1A, 200V, HD DIP) are an extended range of 200 volt surface mount Schottky rectifiers. Devices are energy efficient as a result of low reverse leakage losses and very low forward voltage drops. Applications for this portfolio include power management, Power over Ethernet line rectification, dc-dc conversion, and Solid State Lighting (SSL). Additionally, the SMA, SMB, SMC and HD DIP surface mount packages feature small footprints and low profiles helping engineers solve the most space constrained designs. CENTRAL SEMICONDUCTOR http://ept.hotims.com/40520-56

Inline and batch defluxer is water based Eco-dFluxer SMT100 is a water-based inline and batch defluxer, making it environmentally friendly cleaner. An optimal combination of solvents and saponifiers lowers surface tension for penetration under low stand-offs and powerful cleaning action to remove all flux residues. Effective on a wide variety of solders and fluxes: lead, lead-free, aqueous, RMA, no-clean, and new halide-free fluxes, product provides high compatibility with common pcb metals & plastics. Product is highly filterable with long bath life and moderate pH avoids many disposal issues. TECHSPRAY http://ept.hotims.com/40520-53

SMD fuse is quick-acting in primary, secondary circuits Universal Modular Fuse (UMF 250) provides quick-acting characteristics according to IEC 60127-4 and complements firm’s UMT series, in providing overcurrent and short circuit protection for electronic systems in primary and secondary circuits. Current ratings up to 10A at 250Vac/125Vdc, device has a breaking capacity of up to 200A at rated voltage. Product provides maximum circuit protection while its extremely compact size saves pcb space over larger cartridge style fuses and facilitates assembly with pick and place mounting. SCHURTER http://ept.hotims.com/40520-57

Spend some quality face time with the new RotaryStrip 2400! The fully programmable RotaryStrip 2400 wire stripping machine with color touchscreen provides the highest precision and quality available on the market. Wire sizes from 36 - 10 AWG can be processed without requiring blade changes or any other mechanical adjustments. It can easily strip Teflon, Kapton and Fiberglass insulated wires with optional twisting of the inner strands. High reliability, flexibility, productivity and user-friendliness, make the RotaryStrip 2400 a wise investment for the future.

face time

Schleuniger, Inc. Manchester, NH | USA www.schleuniger-na.com/ept (603) 668-8117

Innovators in Wire Processing

To Be Precise.

Mild alkaline, aqueous cleaning chemistry aids heavy-duty jobs Metalnox M6310 mild alkaline, aqueous cleaning chemistry is specially designed for heavy-duty cleaning of dry lube, cutting, oils, waxes, grease, carbonized soils and shop dirt, while being multimetal safe. Product is easy to use and diluted further with water as required to remove the soils involved. Product contains no amines and is used extensively for brass screw machine parts. The aqueous chemistry contains corrosion inhibitors for aluminum, brass and other copper alloys. KYZEN http://ept.hotims.com/40520-58

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electronic products and technology • may 2012

Instrumentation & Test

Design, simulation and measurement automation: The missing link Modern measurement is today a far cry from its humble beginnings defined by such notable accomplishments as the cathode-ray-tube-based oscilloscope and a resistance-capacity audio oscillator built in a Palo Alto garage.

Since that time, measurement has evolved to more accurately address the needs of the electronics industry. In the 1960s/70s, for example, Agilent (then HP) took the first steps toward combining measurement connectivity and automation. The popularity of computer-aided engineering (CAE) in the 1980’s, utilizing early “personal computers,” furthered the evolution. By integrating CAE with measurement systems, designers were able to produce substantially more accurate device simulation models. This accuracy proved crucial to delivering the productivity gains required by industry. Today though, the increasingly complex nature of modern defense- and commercial communications-based designs is forcing a new evolution: The marrying of both electronic design automation (EDA) tools and processes with measurement for system level design and verification.

rely purely on hand-crafted mathematical models that attempt to capture real-world effects. Limited interconnection with measurement grade test systems reduces the effectiveness of improving the modeling accuracy and prevents design methodologies from unlocking truly high-fidelity predictive design. With a lack of common methods and test benches that span the many disparate tools and multi-discipline domains, there are simply too many places where design flaws can hide and performance issues can be masked. And, there is no way to truly validate and optimize design performance without expensive over design.

Connecting design with test Quickly and accurately turning an idea into a product in this environment now

By P.K. Lam, EEsof territory manager, Agilent Technologies Canada

requires a true closing of the gaps between design, validation and final manufacturing test. This can be accomplished by tightly integrating solutions for design automation with systems for performing highly accurate measurement and test. Doing so allows designers to virtualize measurement science early in the design phase to bring laboratory quality measurement to the design creation process, simultaneously analyze virtual models of a system with actual hardware measurements, and bring their design intellectual property (IP) into the hardware measurement space for more specialized and accurate hardware validation. The key advantage of this connec-

The impetus behind trend While the trend toward combining EDA and measurement is not new, it is one that has gained steam in recent years. The real question is why? The modern communications industry is highly dynamic, fast paced and extremely competitive. Existing communication protocols are continually evolving, and new standards are constantly under development. Products often hit the street before the standards are even officially ratified. Added to this is the sheer complexity of modern communications systems. The result is a whole slew of new challenges that designers must address and each has the potential to adversely affect their design productivity and overall time-to-market. Traditional design methodologies for communication system physical layer (PHY) development are now finding themselves hard pressed to address the mounting challenges. That’s because they typically follow a linear progression from “idea” through “validated design,” and involve limited interaction between the measurement and design automation worlds (See Figure 1). Models are constructed from mathematical first principles and utilized for predictive design with minimal validation of their accuracy or performance. Similarly, hardware is typically measured and validated only after systems achieve a given level of integration, often times masking the performance limitations of subsystems or components. Further complicating matters, today’s cluttered and compartmentalized design flows—caused by the use of many different point tools and design languages—prevent efficient design and test. Designers must employ complicated physical test benches for verification of final designs to uncover any critical design flaws masked by the clutter. Moreover, most of these point tools have poor to no interaction with the real world and

FIG. 1: On both the design and validation sides of a given flow, multi-discipline teams tend to work in relative isolation with limited interaction across modeling and signal domains. Analog/RF teams rarely interact with their baseband DSP or embedded systems counterparts during the design or hardware validation phases, leaving much uncertainty until final hardware integration and testing.

tion is self-evident. By bringing realworld measurement and test earlier in the design process, design flaws can be captured early and corrected in both a time- and cost-efficient manner. This reduces the overall cost of development and improves the cycle time for bringing verified correct designs to manufacturing faster. In addition, manufacturing test engineering time is reduced by utilizing design IP from research and development to generate and analyze the test vectors and waveforms used to test the final hardware and systems. The sooner a problem can be uncovered prior to manufacturing, the lower the cost to fix the problem. To better understand how connecting design IP with measurement can produce a result that saves significant cycle time, while potentially uncovering critical design flaws, consider the example of a bit-error-rate (BER) measurement in a typical RF transceiver (See Figure 2). All products used for this example are part of Agilent’s integrated design, simulation and test methodology. The customer hardware (shown in the red box) was completely modeled and validated as a virtual model using Agilent EDA tools. The “Test Bench” on the right, shown in the blue box, is provided by Agilent via reference/verification test benches for all of the key wireless standards in use today. The test bench provides all signal generation and signal analysis, along with measurement capability, needed to fully verify the user supplied hardware. It allows for full PHY-coded BER according the 3GPP release 10 PHY standard for LTE-Advanced. Using this integrated design, simulation and test methodology, designers can reduce their development cycles times, and create and demonstrate the highest performing designs. The result is increased design margins, more accurate simulations, improved cross-domain team collaboration and demonstrating design performance to customers earlier. Designers also gain more confidence earlier in a project’s schedule since problems can be found and fixed well ahead of the integration/test phase and because the methodology affords them the flexibility to quickly interpret and adapt to complex evolving requirements.

Device and system-level modeling: Where measurement

and EDA meet the road

FIG. 2: Using an integrated design, simulation and test methodology to evaluate BER in a typical RF transceiver enables designers to uncover design flaws earlier, while decreasing cycle time.

One of the key areas where measurement and EDA has long been successful in working together is device modeling. Because device models provide the founcontinued on page 16

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instrumentation & test

electronic products and technology • may 2012

Dual-channel waveform generators include large display, rich feature set

Fiber laser motion control enables combinations up to 4 axes

WaveStation series of function/arbitrary waveform generators are capable of generating signals up to 50MHz and provide a 3.5” color display, intuitive front panel, two output channels on all models and PC waveform editing software. Units are available with bandwidths of 10MHz, 25MHz and 50MHz; each with 125MS/s sampling rate, 14-bit resolution and 16-kpts memory per channel. Products provide basic functions, such as sine, square, ramp, pulse and noise, as well as more than 40 built-in arbitrary waveforms. The large display enables users to easily preview waveform shape along with various parameters, including frequency, amplitude, offset, and phase. LECROY

LMC1 laser marker motion package is fully integrated and enables any combination of linear or rotary motion control in up to 4 axes. Unit is suitable for cylinder banding and marking text and graphics on cylinders. Automated functions such as serialization, stepand-repeat, or laser marking around a cylinder can be easily programmed using the automation build function. Standard stage sizes for single linear or combined xyz axes range from 6 to 18 inches. MIYACHI UNITEK http://ept.hotims.com/40520-70

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Enterprise fiber tester speeds trace times OptiFiber Pro OTDR (optical time-domain reflectometer) is handheld and built from the ground up for enterprise fiber testing. Users reduce costs associated with premise fiber testing, while enhancing productivity and improving network reliability. Unit creates a new standard for usability with a smartphone interface that supports gesture-based commands and technology enhancements that simplify testing in datacenter environments. Tests connectors and patch cords are as short as 0.5 meters. FLUKE NETWORKS

Calibration executive software package supports user verification / calibration CalEasy v1.0 software package verifies and recalibrates firm’s PXI instruments. Product provides users the ability to verify and if needed, recalibrate instrumentation on-site, eliminating the need to return the instrumentation to firm or to use a third-party calibration service. Available as complete package, the product includes all of the traceability and documentation requirements for recalibration of firm’s instruments. GEOTEST – MARVIN TEST SYSTEMS http://ept.hotims.com/40520-71

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Miniature SMT test point delivers symmetrical flat-wire design Keystone Electronics miniature SMT Test Point provides symmetrical flat-wire design efficiently and safely tests printed circuit boards. The ‘Mini-pad’ version enables high-strength, test point-to-pcb bonding, with a minimal footprint. In addition to cost-saving, this low profile entry accepts a variety of gripping probes to replace wire-wrap posts and turret terminals. Unit is suitable for testing circuitry of high density pcb packages. Product is manufactured from Phosphor Bronze and Silver Plate, which can accommodate the use of both lead-free solder and traditional reflow processing. EMX ENTERPRISES http://ept.hotims.com/40520-67

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Test disconnect terminal blocks suit CT shorting applications ME series of test disconnect terminal blocks allow for easy and individually configurable current transformer (CT) test and measurement functions. Ground (PE) and feed-through devices all have the same pitch and profile and all are available with UT screw, ST spring-cage and Push-In connection technologies. Device provides screwfree disconnect lever that gives visual indication of the switch’s position. PHOENIX CONTACT http://ept.hotims.com/40520-68

Test solution creates headroom for next Gen display Thunderbolt high-speed, multi-protocol I/O technology provide headroom for next generation display and I/O requirements. Solution for support includes a 20GHz DSA70000 Series oscilloscope, 12.5 Gb/s BSAWhite Series BERTScope, and a DSA8300 Series Sampling oscilloscope. Product serves the comprehensive needs of Thunderbolt physical layer testing and spec conformance validation. TEKTRONIX http://ept.hotims.com/40520-69

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instrumentation & test

electronic products and technology • may 2012

3GHz spectrum analyzer delivers noise floor of -152dBm/Hz

Precision waveform analyzer accurately characterizes 10-Gb/s to 32-Gb/s designs

GW Instek GSP-830 3GHz spectrum analyzer provides high performance, uncompromised design and remote monitoring software. Unit provides an exceptional noise floor of -152dBm/Hz; combined with the optional GAP-802 preamplifier, the noise floor can reach a remarkable -172dBm/Hz. With a low noise floor, product is capable of finding limits; Trace Detection, combined with an easy-to-use interface. Using the Auto sequence mode, advanced users can define their own macros in 10 Sequence sets. TRADEPORT ELECTRONICS GROUP

86108B precision waveform analyzer provides residual jitter (below 50 femtoseconds), channel bandwidths to 50GHz and integrated clock recovery to 32Gb/s. The plug-in module is the latest addition to the firm’s 86100C/D DCA wide-bandwidth oscilloscope family. Unit’s measurement performance assists testing IEEE 802.3ba (40-Gb/100-Gb Ethernet), Optical Internetworking Forum CEI 3.0, INCITS T-11 32G Fibre Channel and high-speed proprietary systems. Product provides continuous datarate coverage from 50 Mb/s to 32 Gb/s, peaking control and adjustable loop bandwidths to 20MHz also allow the clock recovery circuit to provide a golden PLL response for accurate and compliant device characterization. AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES

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Compact thermal imager is lightweight OSXL-I series (FLIR I Series) compact, lightweight, point-and-shoot camera with an easy-to-use focus-free lens is CE compliant and stores up to 5000 jpg images with a convenient thumbnail image gallery. Device is easier, faster and safer to use than infrared thermometers and more accurate. The 71mm (2.8”) LCD color display makes it easy to read images and temperature data to help find wasteful energy loss, locate moisture damage, document repairs, detect energized equipment, minimize downtime and more. OMEGA

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Loop-powered indicator serves explosion proof apps MLX loop-powered incidator contains a 6 digit numerical display with a range of +/- 999999, a 6 digit alphanumeric display for engineering units and a 20 segment bar graph indicating 0 to 100% of full scale. Numerical and alphanumeric displays are configurable to show the desired number and engineering units. YOKOGAWA

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Smart PDU measures power of multiple ac devices at once SPDU-108L Smart PDU (Power Distribution Unit) comes with eight 15A sockets to permit connection of power input plugs of equipment that need to be monitored. Unit provides Web based user interface to control, monitor and measure power supplied to the equipment. Unit can measure up to 10 power parameters such as RMS voltage, RMS current, Real power, Apparent power, Reactive power, Energy, Energy cost, Power Factor, Phase Angle and Frequency. Device saves energy using the socket level comprehensive energy reports combined with its intelligent remote on/off switching feature. ECHOLA POWER SYSTEMS http://ept.hotims.com/40520-76

Pcb test, debug tool supports on-chip debug modes of popular cores

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CoreCommander activates the OCD (On-Chip Debug) modes of a range of popular cores to affect ‘kernel-centric’ testing. Product’s routines are suitable for diagnosing faults on ‘dead-kernel’ boards in either design debug or repair, since no on-board code is required to set memory reads and writes. Boundary-scan deficient parts can also be better utilized during production test, as product’s functions increase fault coverage. Since CoreCommander is Python-based it complements perfectly the JTAGLive Script product, allowing access to mixed-signal parts such as ADCs and DACs and also synchronised testing to full boundaryscan devices. JTAG TECHNOLOGIES http://ept.hotims.com/40520-77

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instrumentation & test

electronic products and technology • may 2012

RoHS Is your company ready yet? CE RoHS services permit a smoother EU market entry recast for electronic equipment

By Jason Han, Ph.D., executive director at SGS Consumer Testing Services

Directive 2011/65/EU, better known as RoHS 2 is a recast of legislation originally introduced in 2002. The scope is widened to include products previously excluded, such as medical devices and industrial equipment. In addition, manufacturers are now obliged to provide conformity risk assessments and test reports – or explain why they are lacking. For the first time, not only manufacturers, but also importers and distributors share a responsibility to ensure electrical and electronic equipment within the scope of RoHS comply with the hazardous substances limits and have a CE mark on their products. The original EU legislation “Restrictions of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronics Devices” (RoHS Directive 2002/95/EC) was replaced and superseded by 2011/65/EU published in July 2011 and commonly known as RoHS 2. RoHS seeks to limit the dangerous substances in circulation in electronics products, in particular toxins and heavy metals, which are subsequently released into the environment when such devices are recycled. Electronics are frequently recycled in third-world countries and their handling there is often very basic. The dangerous components that are released pose a real threat to vulnerable people doing the work and generate toxic effluent that pollutes the local air and rivers. RoHS defines the products it covers as ‘electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and the waste of such as WEEE. Since many manufacturers have adopted their own RoHS compliance marks, the RoHS 2 directive addresses this issue of non harmonized compliance marks and reduces confusion by mandating the use of the CE mark. Compliance with RoHS 2 is thus a requirement to obtain a CE mark. All products covered by RoHS that previously qualified for existing CE marks under the Low Voltage Directive or any other applicable CE directive must now also comply with RoHS as a prerequisite to placing a CE mark. If RoHS compliance is not assured, the application of the CE mark will violate EU law. Manufacturers must not only build compliant products, they are also required to draw up technical documentation and a formal declaration of conformity, in addition apply type, batch or serial numbers, conform to specific labeling requirements, withdraw any non-compliant products from the market and inform the competent authorities of all Member States where the product is in circulation. Unlike the original RoHS Directive from 2002, the new legislation is subject to the European common framework defined in Decision 768/2008/EC, which now holds importers and distributors severally responsible for ensuring compliance of products manufactured outside the EU. The substance limits are defined in Annex 2 to the RoHS 2 Directive and are unchanged from the original directive in 2002. The maximum concentrations of lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, total of polybrominated biphenyls, total of polbrominated diphenyl ethers (each 0.1%), cadmium (0.01%) are measured by the weight of any homogenous material used to make EEE unless specifically exempt as indicated in Annexes 3 and 4. The original 10 categories of product within the 2002 RoHS Directive scope, which defined various types of consumer electrical and electronic products, have a transition period that expires in January 2013. The new legislation phases out the exemptions of two of the original categories, mainly concerning medical devices and industrial equipment, and adds a new category that in principle addresses all EEE that require electricity to perform its intended function and are

not covered by the other 10 categories. The new categories entering RoHS 2 have deadlines ranging from July 2014 to July 2019 according to type. For example, the first deadline for the compliance of some medical devices and non-industrial monitoring and control equipment will take effect on July 22, 2014. With more than two years left before the deadline in 2014, players in these European E&E markets may be forgiven for thinking there is ample time to prepare, but complacency would be a very false course of inaction, because the process of compliance can take 18 months or more. Add to this the normal six-month shelf-life for electronics inventory and the deadline for medical devices looms much, much

larger. Some industry commentators state the window of opportunity to start the process for these products is already closing. Samplings of levels of preparedness for compliance with RoHS carried out in recent years indicate there is widespread confusion in the supply chains of products manufactured beyond EU borders, where out of date information often remains in use. It appears that manufacturers are not monitoring the development of the legislation closely enough and often fail to respond when the legislation is revised. One example of neglect is the continued use of forms and substance lists that were revised in 2007. Research undertaken by the European Commission in 2008 found that 44% of goods inspected were not

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compliant with RoHS and a study by the Swedish Chemical Agency in March 2011 found that 20% of imported goods would fail to comply with RoHS due to their lead content alone. This situation is a risky one, because the penalties for noncompliance are high and the prospect of massive recalls and refused importation for non-compliant goods would result in a financial disaster for those involved. All manufacturers of E&E, but also most importers, distributors and retailers need to be aware of the regulatory position of their entire product assortment. EU regulations are complex, to say the least, and some would say arcane. It is important to have staff well-versed in the regulations continued on page 16

instrumentation & test

electronic products and technology • may 2012

Ac electronic loads simulate conditions under high crest factor, varying power factors

High-voltage system optimized for semiconductor test

63800 series programmable ac electronic loads can simulate load conditions under high crest factor and varying power factors with real time compensation even when the voltage waveform is distorted. Unit delivers a voltage range of 50V to 350Vrms, and a current range up to 45Arms. Unit provides real world simulation capability and prevents overstressing resulting in reliable and unbiased test results. Product’s state of the art design uses DSP technology to simulate non-linear rectified loads with its unique RLC operation mode. CHROMA SYSTEMS SOLUTIONS

Model 2657A high power system SourceMeter instrument adds high voltage to firm’s 2600A System series of high-speed, precision source measurement units. Together, the units permit users to characterize a broad range of power semiconductor devices and materials. Product has a built-in 3000V, 180W source allowing it to source up to five times as much power to a device under test as the nearest competitive system. The built-in 6-1/2-digit measurement engine enables 1fA (femtoamp) current measurement resolution to support the low-leakage requirements of next-generation power semiconductor devices. KEITHLEY INSTRUMENTS

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Control management software selects exact level of functionality required MeasurLink 7 version suite of quality control management software combines real-time data acquisition, on-line SPC analysis, integrated networking and quality information sharing into an enterprise-wide solution. With four levels (Standard, Professional, Professional 3D and Process Analyzer), product enables users to tailor a Quality Management System to specific requirements. Standard Edition is designed for acquisition and analysis of data in realtime to enable checking of variable and attribute inspection data to help maximize production and minimize defects. MITUTOYO CANADA http://ept.hotims.com/40520-79

Basic to high-performance oscilloscopes from the T&M expert

Signal analyzers evaluate microwave, radar systems MS269xA series signal analyzers enhances its wideband FFT analysis with the MS269xA-077 Analysis Bandwidth Extension hardware, which provides increased analysis bandwidth of 62.5MHz and extends it up to 125MHz. The options provide instrument flexibility, as engineers can select analysis bandwidth to 31.25 MHz, 62.5 MHz, or 125 MHz, depending on their current test requirements. The high-end analysis bandwidth allows unit to conduct wideband FFT analysis at frequencies up to 26.5GHz. The options also improve the overall performance of the MS269xA series. A high performance ADC has been designed into the hardware options so the signal analyzers have improved display average noise level (DANL) of -147dBm/Hz. ANRITSU http://ept.hotims.com/40520-81

Fast and efficient, easy to use, precise. This is what characterizes our oscilloscopes. Our product range offers three performance classes with various bandwidths. Take a look.

Combined IMS ISIM handset tests meet Verizon LTE needs

¸RTO: high performance up to 4 GHz The R&S®RTO oscilloscopes detect and analyze faster than conventional scopes. The digital trigger system delivers exceptional accuracy, and the intelligent operating concept and touchscreen make the ¸RTO fun to use. ¸RTM: mid-range scopes with 500 MHz bandwidth The solid features and outstanding price/performance ratio of the ¸RTM make it the ideal solution for everyday measurements. HAMEG: basic oscilloscopes up to 350 MHz Our subsidiary HAMEG Instruments develops powerful products for small budgets, since 2009 including digital instruments.

SIMfony RS IMS test bench contains the IMS ISIM test cases for device interaction testing specified by Verizon Wireless. The IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) is used to enable SMS or voice services within the LTE network. The IP Multimedia Services Identity Module (ISIM) is an application running on a UICC smart card. It contains parameters for identifying and authenticating the user to the IMS. COMPRION GMBH

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Logic debug, protocol validation solution enables use of existing logic analyzers DDR3 probing solutions for logic debug and protocol validation using firm’s TLA7000 Series Logic Analyzers with support for DDR3-2133 MT/s and DDR3-2400 MT/s. High-speed interposer for DIMM form factor enables reuse of existing TLA7BBx modules to acquire Address, Control, Command and Data signals for all DDR3 speeds — ranging from DDR3800 MT/s to DDR3-2400 MT/s, as well as Low Voltage DDR3. Device uses firm’s high performance SiGe hybrid ASIC technology to provide true analog insight at every DDR3 I/O. Interposer is designed to maintain signal integrity on the target by providing reduced probe loading when compared to other commercially available interposer solutions. TEKTRONIX http://ept.hotims.com/40520-83

Rohde & Schwarz Canada Inc. Toll free: 1-877-438-2880 Email: info.rsc@rohde-schwarz.com http://ept.hotims.com/40520-9

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instrumentation & test

electronic products and technology • may 2012

Versatile infrared thermometers meet a wide range of industrial requirements

4 GHz oscilloscope boosts precision, acquisition rate in its class

Ircon Modline 7 Series of infrared thermometers is a rugged, IP65 (NEMA 4) sealed sensor system with the flexibility to meet nearly continuous temperature monitoring and control requirement. Used in a wide range of industrial applications, products boost versatility with extended temperature ranges (-40°F to 5432°F/3000°C), high-resolution optics and fast response times. Unit’s sensing head can operate as a stand-alone sensor, providing simultaneous analog and digital outputs of process temperatures. Motorized focus control and both through-the-lens and laser sighting are standard on all units. RAYTEK

RTO1044 high-performance 4GHz oscilloscope and RT-ZD40 differential probe (4.5 GHz bandwidth) are suitable for developing digital, analog and RF designs. Unit provides 20 Gsample/s sampling rate addresses a wide variety of applications and is suitable for analyzing fast signals and steep edges. Unit can handle different data interfaces up to a data rate of 1.6Gbps and can also be used to test fast clock signals up to a frequency of 800MHz. ROHDE & SCHWARZ

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Broadband source enables accurate field-based PMD analysis FTB-2200 Broadband Source 40G/100G-ready high-power PMD source module is used in conjunction with firm’s FTB-5500B generalized interferometric PMD analyzer. Product enables fast and accurate field-based PMD measurements. With increasing data speeds, measuring low values of polarization mode dispersion (PMD) is more crucial than ever. EXFO

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Wireless link remotely monitors, data logs with DMMs U1177A compact Bluetooth wireless adapter plugs into any of firm’s 11 handheld DMMs. Product includes two free mobile applications based on Google’s Android operating system, one for basic monitoring and another for data logging. The “mobile meter” application enables real-time interaction with connected DMMs on the screen of an Android-based smartphone or tablet. The ‘mobile logger’ application simplifies data logging and remote monitoring. AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES http://ept.hotims.com/40520-89

Spectrum analyzer with digital IF technology boosts performance DSA815 spectrum analyzer provides all-digital IF technology and covers a frequency range of 9kHz to 1.5GHz. Product comes in compact design and easy-to-use interface. with a typical displayed average noise level (DANL) of -135 dBm, offset phase noise of -80 dBc/Hz @10 kHz and a total amplitude uncertainty of <1.5 dB. Unit includes a wide range of standard functions including AM/FM demodulation and a preamplifier, plus a variety of optional enhancements such as an EMI filter and quasi-peak detector kit and a 1.5 GHz tracking generator. RIGOL TECHNOLOGIES http://ept.hotims.com/40520-86

Pocket-sized module delivers tools required for optical networks Network Master MT9090A µOTDR MU909014C/15C modules provide all the tools necessary for installing and maintaining high-speed, high-bandwidth optical networks, including PON-based FTTx networks providing up to a 1x64 split. With performance that rivals traditional OTDRs four times its size, product provides three wavelengths 1310 nm and 1550 nm for installation, and either 1625 nm or 1650 nm for maintenance and combine an OTDR, power meter, light source, loss test set, PON power meter, and connector inspection microscope in a single pocket-sized design, allowing field technicians to perform tests quickly, easily, and accurately. ANRITSU http://ept.hotims.com/40520-87

http://ept.hotims.com/40520-10

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instrumentation & test

electronic products and technology • may 2012

International microwave symposium showcased in Montreal IMS2012 returns to Canada

http://ims2012.mtt.org

If your world involves wireless communication, radar, RF technologies, high frequency semiconductors and electromagnetics – you simply should not miss the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society’s 2012 International Microwave Symposium (IMS2012) to be held June 17-22 at the Palais des Congrès de Montreal. Serving as the centerpiece of Microwave Week 2012, IMS2012 offers technical sessions, interactive forums, plenary and panel sessions, workshops, short courses,

industrial exhibits, application seminars, historical exhibits, and a wide array of other technical and social activities including a guest program. Co-located with IMS2012 are the RFIC symposium (www.rfic2012.org) and the ARFTG conference (www.arftg.org), which comprise the Microwave Week 2012 technical program. With more than 12,000 attendees and more than 800 industrial exhibits of the latest state-of-the-art microwave products, Microwave Week is the world’s largest gathering of Radio Frequency (RF)

and microwave professionals and the most important forum for the latest and most advanced research in the area. Not only is there a record-setting IMS Technical Program, but, this year represents the first time (since Ottawa in 1978) that the IMS has been held outside of the USA,” enthuses Jeffrey Pond, general chair of IMS2011. “Combine these facts with an IMS 60th anniversary celebration in the very cosmopolitan atmosphere of Montreal and you can be assured that not only do you need to be

Montréal

IMS2012

there, you will want to be there.” “The opportunity to meet in person and the value of having face-to-face discussions with experts from around the world in such a stimulating atmosphere really imparted a lesson concerning the intangible benefits of attending a conference,” Pond adds. “It stimulates the mind in a way that telecons, e-mail, video conferencing and the Internet cannot match. Attending IMS2012 provides a boost of professional growth and productivity to those attending.” The workshops and short courses provide a quick and effective path to proficiency in subspecialties that attendees may be seeking, Pond adds. “You will depart IMS2012 with invaluable personal contacts, knowledge, and inspiration. You really cannot miss it,” says Pond.

Online registration for IMS2012 is at http://bit.ly/imsregistration.

Microwaves Without Borders 17-22 June 2012

IMS Exhibition Many vendors will be exhibiting their latest product advancements for everyone involved in technologies associated with RF, microwave, millimeter wave and THz frequencies. The annual IMS Exhibition, held in conjunction with the IMS, RFIC, and ARFTG technical symposia, typically consists of 550 exhibitors representing state-of-the-art vendors of materials, devices, components and subsystems, as well as design and simulation software and test and measurement equipment. The IMS Exhibition also includes the Microwave Applications Seminars (MicroApps), which are a series of applications engineering technical seminars describing state-of-the-art products and processes of interest to the microwave community. The seminars are open to all who register for the Exhibition or the Technical Symposia.

Four 2012: New Reco rds! Pa

per S u Stud bmission ent P s Exhib a ition pers Bo Micro Apps oths Talks

Exhibition Show Floor Hours Tues., June 19 from 9am to 5pm Weds., June 20 from 9am to 6pm Thurs., June 21 from 9am to 3pm

Keynote Speakers

Photo Credits: Bateau-Mouche (cruises) at the Old Port of Montréal, © Normand Huberdeau / NH Photographes Grande Bibliothèque Building - Bibliothèque et archives nationales, © BAnQ, Bernard Fougères Montréal skyline from the Parc Jean-Drapeau, © Tourisme Montréal Elixir at Quartier des spectacles, © Quartier des spectacles Biosphère, Environment Museum, © Tourisme Montréal Montréal Tower / Olympic Park, © Tourisme Montréal

http://ims2012.mtt.org

Qualcomm President and Chief Operating Officer Steve Mollenkopf will be the plenary session speaker on Monday, June 18 at the conference. As a pioneer of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technology, Mollenkopf will address the design complexity and deployment challenges of 3G and 4G chipsets drives in his talk “3G/4G Chipsets and the Mobile Data Explosion.” Closing IMS2012 is Dr. Thomas H. Lee, Stanford University professor and director of the Microsystems Technology Office at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Dr. Lee will present his vision of the future of microwave and internet technology in his talk, “The Fourth Age of Wireless and the Internet of Everything.”

Technical papers Within a theme of ‘Microwaves without Borders,’ the IMS2012 conference has received a record number of technical paper submissions this year, with 1,225 papers submitted. The previous record of more than 1,000 papers was set ahead of the 2003 IMS conference in Philadelphia. IMSFlyer.indd 1

full online product listings at ept.hotims.com 3/22/12 1:13:30 PM

Generates complex conditions. And extreme conﬁdence.

The Agilent MXG X-Series signal generator lets you simulate complex signal technologies and extreme conditions with unmatched performance. Like the cost-effective EXG, it features industry-leading ACPR, EVM and output power. So you can be sure that the products you’re developing are perfectly ready for real-world performance. See how the innovations in the X-Series beneﬁt you. Watch the video at http://goo.gl/74MSw

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MXG X-Series Signal Generators Analog and vector; 9 kHz up to 6 GHz Lowest phase noise in the industry: -146 dBc @ 1 GHz 160 MHz bandwidth; ± 0.2 dB ﬂatness Real-time 4G, video, GNSS with Signal Studio software

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instrumentation & test

electronic products and technology • may 2012

Design, simulation and measurement automation continued from page 8

dation on which designs are built, their accuracy is paramount. But device models are only as good as the measured data used to extract them. Measurement is therefore, critical to gathering accurate and meaningful device data for modeling. Dedicated EDA software is used to control measurement of device data for modeling and to optimize the extraction of compact model device parameters based on a series of specific measurements. This technique extends beyond transistor level modeling to modeling in general. Behavioral models, such as S-parameters for high-frequency linear devices and

X-parameters* for nonlinear devices are examples. And today’s modeling systems are now producing higher level “black box” models that capture the complete nonlinear behavior of an entire subsystem. These “data-based” models can be used by high-level system simulators, such as Agilent’s SystemVue or Advanced Design System (ADS), for design and validation. SystemVue, for example, is a model-based graphical design automation tool that can be easily integrated with existing design and verification process flows and offers a rich feature set for automating

measurement and design (See Figure 3). By unifying baseband algorithm development (DSP) together with accurate RF/ analog design, it allows system architects to quickly identify and address architecture design challenges in modern communication systems.

The bottom line Finding ways to improve the methods today’s designers follow in order to bring a system more quickly and accurately from “idea” to “product” is a chief concern these days. Combining design, simulation and test provides an ideal answer to this dilemma. The result is not only a drastic improvement in design productivity, but faster time-to-market as well.

About the Author P.K. Lam manages the Agilent EEsof business in Eastern Canada, including the ADS, SystemVue, EMPro, Genesys, IC-CAP, and Golden Gate product lines. With almost 20 years of experience with HP/Agilent, he has managed the OSS business in Canada and sold test instruments to Canadian Communication Service Providers. REF: X-parameters is a trademark of Agilent Technologies. The X-parameter format and underlying equations are open and documented.

For more information on design, simulation and measurement automation from Agilent Technologies Canada, go to http://ept.hotims.com/40520-90

RoHS recast

EU market entry for electronic equipment

FIG. 3: The cornerstone to Agilent’s design-to-test capability, SystemVue provides modeling, analysis and measurement integration that touches on four key areas for effective and efficient communications PHY development, as shown here.

Innovation right from the start... DSO & MSO Oscilloscopes from HaMeg

and in handling the compliance procedure. Failing that, you should obtain the services of qualified consultants to guide you through all the intricacies of conformity and CE marking. Even more important is to start the process in good time – and for RoHS 2 that really means now. Typically a CE RoHS service should guide EEE manufacturers through all the requirements including compliance assessments in the technical documentation. Even if manufacturers are experienced in preparing the required documents and making assessments for the EU declaration of conformity, for example the safety or low voltage requirements, the assessments of chemical compliance to RoHS is a new challenge that some may feel uncomfortable with. CE RoHS services established by thirdparty certification institutions, such as SGS, provide the necessary testing and review for hazardous substances that is required by the RoHS 2 Directive 2011/65/ EC and they ensure manufacturers provide an adequate EU declaration of conformity and follow the CE labeling rules in accordance with the RoHS 2 Directive Articles 13, 14 & 15. Notified bodies based in the European Union are involved in the process to assure smooth market access. In essence, CE RoHS services permit a

continued from page 11

smoother EU market entry for EEE, because products are unlikely to be impounded by EU border controls when they have a CE conformity certified by an EU-based notified certification body. Third-party certification institutions have vast experience with RoHS and CE marking requirements and their experts cut the time needed to prepare the required documentation. All in all, the new legislation in place provides scope for risk for each element of the supply chain if not managed properly. Every chain link is obliged to assess and report all non-conformities, thereby dramatically reducing the amount of noncompliant equipment entering the EU. By having a visible indicator for the first time, it is theoretically possible to exclude products at a member state’s border. Thus, any economic operators who fail to comply with the requirements could be financially ruined. For more information on documentation, test reports review or any additional testing from SGS Consumer Testing Services, go to http://ept.hotims.com/40520-91

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electronic products and technology • may 2012

Embedded Systems & Engineering Software Servo drives support CANopen and EtherCAT

Library creation process supports engineers, pcb designers

Kollmorgen’s AKD servo drives support analog drive, indexing drive, CANopen drive and EtherCAT drive, which enables printing, packaging, converting, medical and other machine builders to benefit from more efficient bench testing and prototyping, while enabling them to smoothly transition from one bus type to another. A single AKD servo drive supports multiple motion buses that would otherwise require two different sets of hardware and firmware. With a simple parameter change and a power cycle, machine builders can quickly and easily change the AKD’s communication protocol between EtherCAT and CANopen. ELECTROMATE SALES

EDABuilder software application automates the creation of both schematic symbols and the corresponding pcb footprints / land patterns, reducing library creation to a fraction of the time. Product improves PDF extraction of vendor component data sheets. Data can be extracted from complex tables and diagrams, including BGA maps or SOIC diagrams. Content and data structures are extracted in minutes, versus days with a manual approach. Intelligent symbol partitioning allows a designer to use a higher level of abstraction to assign the symbol pins. Pin assignments can be made to pin interface groups in both automatic and interactive modes. EMA DESIGN AUTOMATION

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3U PXI Express embedded controller enhances processing power NI PXIe-8115 high-performance embedded controller includes the latest dual-core 2nd Generation Intel Core i5 processor, which helps reduce test times and is suitable for multicore applications. Device provides a rich set of peripheral I/O ports with six industry-leading USB 2.0 ports. These onboard peripheral ports minimize the need for external peripheral adapters and help engineers build cost-effective hybrid systems. Device provides In-ROM and hard drive diagnostics to determine the controller’s health and improve the serviceability while minimizing downtime. By combining the controller with NI LabVIEW system design software, engineers can gain efficiency in a variety of test, measurement and control applications. NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS

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Mixed-mode circuit simulation package converges reliability, speed Pulsonix Spice is a low cost, advanced mixed-mode circuit simulation package that boosts performance in terms of convergence reliability and speed. Product is fully integrated into the firm’s Schematics environment. Product is based on a substantially enhanced version of SPICE 3 and XSPICE, while the underlying algorithms have been reworked to provide new analysis modes to improve convergence and speed. SOUTHCOM TECHNOLOGIES http://ept.hotims.com/40520-95

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With factory trained and certified support, Avnet Memec specialists offer a level of technical depth unmatched in the industry. easy access to our suppliers industry experts, your projects move forward Avnet Memec focuses on aWith select group of leading to provide original equipment with greater velocity, driven by in-depth technical expertise. That translates into faster time to manufacturers (OEMs) a high level of technical expertise — enabling the swift and accurate ™ Avnet is ranked market for you, with greater ease and confidence. From Design to Delivery. design of leading-edge products. Best-in-Class* for online seminars, design and engineering services and knowledgeable application engineers – proof that we consistently deliver: With factory trained and certified support, Avnet Memec specialists offer a level of technical depth unmatched in the industry. With easy access to our industry experts, your projects move forward > Proactive engineering support with greater velocity, driven by in-depth technical expertise. That translates into faster time to > Factory certiﬁed FAEs ease and confidence. From Design to Delivery.™ Avnet is ranked market for you, with greater Best-in-Class* for online seminars, design and engineering services and knowledgeable ™ Accelerate Time to Market. application engineers – proof that we consistently deliver: Visit the Avnet Design Resource Center™ at: www.em.avnet.com/drc > Proactive engineering support > Factory certiﬁed FAEs

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embedded systems & engineering software

Simulation software enables smart scripting Version 9.1 upgrade API (Application Programming Interface) simulation software suite enables smart automation scripting, provides design engineers with an intuitive method of controlling the interface. This supplements the existing interactive, parametric and batch modes, providing users with direct access to the internal workings of each software program in the suite, enabling them to write new analysis applications specifically to meet their own needs and ability. Product seamlessly connects users applications to firm’s software programs without either application requiring prior knowledge of the inner workings of the other. Product provides a key building block for users to construct custom analysis tools. The functionality is easy to explain and the names are self-explanatory and consistent, in order to drive development. INTEGRATED ENGINEERING SOFTWARE http://ept.hotims.com/40520-96

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electronic products and technology • may 2012

Quebec Tech Report

Embedded systems: Canada’s lacking strategy By Jean-Guy Rens, senior VP / VP principal CATA - Montréal in cooperation with RIE

The embedded system industry employs around 72,000 people in Canada, a majority of which are industrial users and integrators (around 65%). The industry is still in an immature phase, mainly because its clients choose to massively produce inhouse instead of subcontracting embedded system development. This is one of the findings within a recent study conducted by the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATA). This means the Canadian embedded industry’s production processes follow the pattern of traditional craft. Each embedded system is completely “reinvented” from the design of the overall architecture to the most meticulous testing and final implementation into the client’s product. Only 35% of embedded systems firms in Canada reuse existing components and software in their current projects. This compares with a 57% world average. The great transformation underway in embedded systems aims at industrializing production methods. Wherever possible, the various parties are trying to create ready-made components in order to avoid ‘reinventing’ an entirely new embedded system for each project. On the hardware side, as we have mentioned, it is the role of computeron-modules. On the software side, the new industrialization process is based on the marketing of reusable semiconductor intellectual property (IP) blocks, also known as IP cores. Why are Canadian companies lagging to industrialize their development processes? Mainly because most embedded system engineers come from the microelectronics industry, not the software industry, and they tend to underestimate the programming aspects of their projects. To be fair, Canadian firms are not the only ones lacking experience in software intensive projects. As Elecia White – author of the book “Making Embedded Systems” – said in a recent interview: “As we put tiny computers into all sorts of systems (door locks, airplanes, pacemakers), how we implement the software is truly, terrifyingly important. Writing software for these things is more difficult than computer software because the systems have so few resources. Instead of building better

software, the trend has been to allow a cowboy mentality of just getting it done. We can do better than that. We must do better than that.” Canada needs a comprehensive embedded systems strategy following the broad lines of the German National Embedded Systems Roadmap, released in December 2009. German enterprises – developers and users – announced a massive investment in R&D over the next 10-years (20102220). The Federal Government and the Länders guaranteed the availability of qualified employees by the support of embedded systems institutes in a series of universities (Aachen, Ulm, etc.), the establishment of open industry standards for interoperability, and the reinforcement of cooperation between experts of embedded systems technologies and experts of the different application areas (health, mobility, energy, …) Up to now, Canada is short on a national strategy. However, it has shown a mixture of vision in its investments (using university research through Kingston-based CMC Microsystems) and an opportunistic attitude (creating Bromont-based C2MI3 to take advantage of the New York Tech Valley). These are promising initiatives, but there is no global vision or unifying theme to make the embedded systems industry evolve and maximize its full potential. References: 1 ‘The Other Computing’, Is Canada ready for the Internet of Things? CATAAlliance, March 2012. 2 See the interview of Elecia White by Gretchen Giles, “Why embedded systems are terrifyingly important”, O’Reilly Radar, November 16, 2011, 130 pages. 3 C2MI or MiQro Innovation Collaborative Centre is a laboratory created by IBM, Teledyne-DALSA and the University of Sherbrooke with the support of the governments. Quebec Tech Report provides news items relating from OEM production floors and designer’s desks, as well as emerging hardware & software products within the province of Quebec.

La version française de cet article est disponible au www.rie.ca.

Software automates calibration process, workloads 8.0 of its MET/CAL Plus Calibration Management Software automates the calibration process and manages calibration assets efficiently and consistently. Product adds many new enhancements, including an expanded Procedure Editor with a more flexible user interface, more powerful functions for editing, testing, and storing procedures, increased security allowing users to create procedures that cannot be edited or changed by others, and the ability to automate a wider variety of references including power sensors, RF power meters, and National Instruments PXI systems. The version supports compliance with calibration and quality standards including the ANSI/NCSL Z540.3, ISO 9000, ISO/IEC 17025, and NRC 10 CFR. FLUKE CALIBRATION http://ept.hotims.com/40520-97

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2-D post-print inspection software provides fiducial location Vision System Alignment and 2-D PostPrint Inspection, powered by Coherix, provides two basic functions: fiducial location (used to align the pcb to the stencil in X/Y/Theta) and post-print inspection (used to detect over and under print), utilizing a high-resolution 1024 x 768 pixel resolution camera system. The fiducial location function features state-of-the-art pattern recognition to locate fiducials on the pcb and stencil. Proprietary, multi-stage sub pixeling algorithms provide increased accuracy, and increased robustness is achieved with grayscale edge-based processing. MILARA http://ept.hotims.com/40520-98

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electronic products and technology • may 2012

Electronic Enclosures & Thermal Management

Design criteria for optimum cooling & shielding of enclosures By Elma Electronic

When packaging electronics, it is critical to consider how best to protect and enable them to function properly for their intended application in the end environment. Like most engineering problems, however, the details of meeting this straightforward objective create a wide range of challenges for the packaging engineer. In order to satisfy the demands of a given environment, an engineer must consider several factors such as mechanical constraints, cooling requirements, EMI/RFI restrictions, shock/vibration, power distribution, cable management, system monitoring, high availability (HA), reliability (MTBF), maintainability (MTTR), and a myriad of less obvious concerns. Addressing any one of these issues is a difficult design task, but it is the balancing of these requirements, while working to hit a specified cost target under time-to-market pressures, that illustrates the importance of experienced packaging design. This article will focus on two of the more difficult challenges: cooling and shielding, and illustrate the complexity of choices and design criteria associated with optimizing the design.

Why PACKAGE electronics?

the demand for proper cooling a top priority. Although new technologies such as liquid or vapor cooling have emerged, convection, or forced air still cool the vast majority of systems. Understanding a system’s total power dissipation and localized "hot spots" is critical in selecting and locating fans or blowers. Before the type of air mover can be chosen, the CFM or LFM required must be determined. The airflow needed is a function of the total heat to be dissipated and the allowable temperature rise and is governed by: Q = 1.76 W/∆TC

Q = 3.16 W/∆TF

Q = Airflow required in CFM W = Heat dissipated in Watts ∆TC = Temperature rise above inlet temperature in °C ∆TF = Temperature rise above inlet temperature in °F Note that this formula calculates the amount of volumetric airflow required under free air conditions without accounting for pressure loss.

Thermal Management:

Knowing the air volume required to cool the fans is the starting point, however, many design aspects still must be consider. They include: • Air velocity required (LFM) • Static pressure (inches of water) • Acoustic limits • Type of air mover (Tubeaxial vs Impeller) • Positive or negative pressure (intake vs. exhaust or a combination of both) • Power source (ac vs. dc) • Air filtration • Variable speed air movers • EMC The performance of fans or blowers is typically stated as a function of static pressure. (see typical fan curve) A good rule of thumb is to select a model that will perform at > 60% of its "free air" maximum based on estimated static pressure. To reduce pressure losses in a system, the designer needs to limit the number of bends in the airflow path and maximize the intake and exhaust openings. Use of a honeycomb filter for EMC allows > 90% airflow opening but is more expensive than simple perforations. Other factors in packaging design which may be necessary to protect the electronics in their intended environment are air filters and acoustic attenuation. To reduce noise, variable speed temperature regulated fans can be employed. To increase the maintainability of the system, tachometer output fans can be used to monitor potential conditions for fan failure.

Some dos and don'ts

The reality of higher density of electronic components and faster processor speeds means that more heat is being generated by smaller packages, making

• Avoid radical bends in air flow path • Objects in the air inlet area should be

located more than ½ the fan diameter • Air flow cutout on fan mounting plate should be larger than inlet diameter of fan • Minimize air leakage in fan mounting area • Minimize restrictions in airflow path & route cables/wires appropriately. • Employ air baffles and/or plenums to optimize air flow and eliminate hot spots A useful tool available to the designer is thermal simulation software. This software enables the designer to input all of the variables into a program to verify that the cooling for the system is adequate prior to fabrication. Better yet, if time and budget allow, building and testing a thermal "mock up" unit will give the best evidence that the goals have been achieved. Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC): Simply put, it is the packaging designer’s responsibility to ensure that the system does not interfere with and is not susceptible to electrical interference from other electronics equipment. The goal should be to enhance the shielding effectiveness (db) of the enclosure. Shielding effectiveness (db) is a measure of the degree of attenuation that an enclosure provides. In order to ensure equipment compatibility in the market, many agency and standards must be complied with such as FCC (class A, B), CISPR class B, CE, NEBS (L3) and MIL-STD-461, depending on the application environment. Design for EMC should focus on suppression, isolation and desensitization. To control electromagnetic interference (EMI) the shielding for EMC must address both immunity and emissions (conducted & radiated). A list of good design practices is given below.

EMC Design Guidelines

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• Select optimum metal thickness and specify a compatible conductive plating or surface finish • Integrate high performance EMI gaskets, EMI contact points, spring fingers, etc. on all seams to ensure a continuous ground (conductive) path • Design enclosure with overlapping seams and bends for the access covers and panels, etc. • Provide wave-guides for large openings like disk drives etc. • Use good wiring practices: minimizing the length of Ground wires, routing AC wires away from DC and provide adequate ground points • Use high performance line filters for suppression of conducted EMI • Use power supplies that meet or exceed FCC class B, CISPR class B etc • Use shielded cables and connectors for I/O cabling. This is critical in preventing antenna effect. Ferrite beads are proven in mitigating EMI • Incorporate EMC compliant components into system configuration like switches, LEDs, fuses, fans etc

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electronic enclosures & thermal management

electronic products and technology • may 2012

Heatsinks serve high power densities

Fan and filters enhance ventilation, save energy

R Series heatsink can eliminate the need for a screw hole by adding a cam-clip, as the rear side of unit is fully populated with extra fins that provide a larger cooling surface area and improve thermal performance and use less space. Compared to a conventional heatsink, additional fins have been extruded by removing the necessity for a 12mm access channel to the screw hole. The labor-saving attachment mechanism is capable of attaching either a TO-220 or a TO-247 component. OHMITE MANUFACTURING

TopTherm fan-and-filter units use diagonal technology improving air throughput and ventilation in enclosures and housings. Product’s simple, toolfree assembly also provides ease of maintenance and increased efficiency. Extensive tests have shown energy savings of 43%. Diagonal fan technology creates an intelligent synthesis of radial and axial ventilation, characterized by the fact that the air outlet direction is not, as previously, in the fan’s axial direction but instead diagonally to the outside. This provides an even distribution of air and avoids the formation of hot spots. RITTAL SYSTEMS

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Modeling solution bridges the gap between thermal experts and system architects

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AceThermalModeler (ATM) software solution generates compact thermal models for System on Chips (SoCs), 3D ICs, Systems in Package (SiPs) or complete boards. Compact thermal models enable early system floorplan exploration or partitioning, new system packaging and integration architectures and early exploration of power management policies to reduce temperature’s peaks, and manage temperature gradients across the system. Product bridges the gap between thermal experts and the system architecture teams to improve productivity. DOCEA POWER http://ept.hotims.com/40520-100

Enclosure rack delivers 2,000lb static load capacity Emcor G-Series enclosure line provides a 2,000-pound static load capacity and a wide range of available accessories and modular configuration options. Product’s fully welded frame utilizes 14- and 16-gauge steel and has been rigorously tested to be certified for loads of up to 2,000 pounds, creating a new option between the 800-pound-capacity Emcor ESQ product line and the 3,500-pound-capacity Emcor 10-Series product line. The G-Series is inspired by the narrow footprint of the ESQ and is available in both 19-inch and 24-inch panel widths. It also utilizes the most popular cabinet depths of the 10-Series, including 26.31, 31.56 and 36.87 inches. CRENLO http://ept.hotims.com/40520-104

Heaters customized to application requirements Intelligent ac fans deliver temperature-compensating technology

Firm’s silicone rubber and polyimide heaters are suitable for thermal applications requiring precision temperature uniformity, minimum weight and low leakage current. Heaters can be custom designed for thousands of applications and conform to a heated part. Using either wire wound or etch foil heater technologies, product’s can be designed with distributed wattage to provide uniform temperature distribution. DUREX INDUSTRIES

JDA series of ac fans optimizes temperature by intelligently sensing and regulating RPM (revolutions per minute). As power inputs fluctuate, the unit automatically compensates by decreasing or increasing the fan output (cubic feet per minute). The result is a significant reduction in power consumption, noise and overall cost. JARO THERMAL

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Feed-through terminal block isolates internal circuits from outside interference BlockMaster MPT Panel Feed-Through series terminal blocks completely separate the internal elements of a circuit from outside world noise interference. Field wiring is outside the enclosure and product circuits are inside a shielded cabinet or box. Products are available with ratings from 24A/450V to 150A/1000V in a series of 10 unique modules in pitches of 7.5 to 18.8mm. A variety of push-on tab, solder and screw terminations are also available. Standard color is gray with various other NEMA colors available on special order. BLOCKMASTER

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Enclosures are certified IECEX & ATEX for hazardous locations Hoffman brand Zonex hinge-cover and screw-cover enclosures are designed for use in applications where increased safety protection (Ex e), as defined by the ATEX Directive 94/9/EC, is acceptable to safely house electrical components in Zone 1 and Zone 2 rated areas. Units are not intended for use in explosionproof or flame-proof (Ex d) applications. The expansion of the Type 316 stainless steel ZONEX platform includes new inch-based offerings in an extended range of sizes, including hinge and screw cover versions. PENTAIR TECHNICAL

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electronic enclosures & thermal management

electronic products and technology • may 2012

Enclosure air conditioners reduce up to 70% in energy consumption Blue e generation of CSA certified energy saving cooling units provide a cooling output range of 500W to 4,000W (depending on the application) and can achieve as much as 70% energy savings. Units higher coefficient of performance (COP) is 42% higher (from 1.2 to 1.7) with 1,000W test equipment, for example. Fan uses EC (Electronic Commutation) technology, designed as external rotor motors. The traditional mechanical pole reversal is replaced by electronic commutation, which functions without wear, sparks or interference. The motors have a dynamically balanced rotor with multi-polar magnets. RITTAL SYSTEMS http://ept.hotims.com/40520-107

Custom gasket materials deliver weatherproof applications Weatherproof gasket materials protect from heat, dirt, dust, rain, ice and snow. Firm manufactures custom weatherproof gaskets that seal critical components in HVAC installations, LED outdoor lighting, automotive applications, electrical enclosures, door locks and entry pads, and solar junction boxes, inverters, and other “connect-to-grid” components. Gasket materials range from silicone, neoprene, urethane, or EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) to deliver the characteristics required for a specific application. FABRICO

Flexible electronic packaging enclosures ensures strength TitanEP enclosure for electronic packaging provides fully welded construction, delivers a certified static load rating of 5,400lbs and a certified dynamic load rating of 3,300lbs. Product’s scalable rack design supports accessories and options that can be configured for current design requirements and can adapt for future expansion. Product’s robust design is certified to MIL S-901D for shock and MIL S-810E for vibration with just a few standard accessories required. Product is available in heights from 12RU to 45RU, 24” and 29” rack widths and 25.5”, 30” and 36” rack depths. AMCO ENCLOSURE http://ept.hotims.com/40520-111

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Modular instrument cases can be customized

Cabinet line accommodates servers

Premier Series of instrument cases are modular and aesthetic and available in 19” and 9.5” rackmount or desktop options. Products come in various heights (1U-8U) and depths (300mm, 420mm, 540mm standard), while customized versions and colours are available. The lightweight aluminum cases provide stylish corners and trim bezels, while hide unsightly screw fastenings, concealed by specially designed and protective elements. Attractive, ergonomic handles are optional, as are various styles of flip-up feet. PIXUS TECHNOLOGIES

CTI Data Solutions Group ME line of server cabinets accommodate servers and the challenging conditions associated with them, from high-density population to extensive cable management, power and cooling requirements. With 100 percent usable RU space, units can act as a server or network enclosure in both high and low density applications. Several cabinet designs are available, including the standard NEMA rated solution and several wall mountable options. METHODE ELECTRONICS http://ept.hotims.com/40520-112

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Thin-film thermoelectrics boosts cooling performance Thin-film thermoelectric technology has achieved a 60.1C temperature difference between its cold and hot sides at an ambient temperature of 24.7C, bringing it on par with the performance of bulk thermoelectric technology. Unit’s ability to efficiently pump heat translates to improved cooling efficiency, lowers input power requirements and greater opportunities for solving thermal issues in electronics, photonics, automotive, avionics and high-speed PCR applications. NEXTREME THERMAL SOLUTIONS http://ept.hotims.com/40520-110

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Ohmite acquires Wakefield Solutions Resistor manufacturer Ohmite Manufacturing, Arlington Heights IL, has acquired Wakefield Solutions, Pelham NH, via Ohmite’s corporate parent, Heico Company LLC. Wakefield is a designer and manufacturer of thermal management solutions and aluminum extrusions for numerous industries. Ohmite specializes in manufacturing power resistors to the medical, military, transportation, avionics, and general industrial sectors. Wakefield has high penetration in similar markets, with its product lineup including extruded heat sinks, active cooling components, stamped and low power heat sinks and precision compression mounted clamp systems. Kevin Kreger, former VP operations at Ohmite, will assume the role of president of Wakefield, while Greg Pace, former VP of sales and marketing at Ohmite, will assume the duties of president at Ohmite. Both companies are a part of Heico’s Ancra Group of companies.

Kootronic HQ adds solar power Kooltronic Inc., Pennington NJ, manufacturer of air conditioners, heat exchangers, fans, blowers and custom cooling solutions, has significantly reduced its environmental footprint. The firm recently added a rooftop solar power installation, a wildlife habitat, use of ozone-friendly refrigerants and a stringent recycling program. The company has also converted its parking lot into a solar power generator, a real environmental ‘Green Lantern’. This recently upgraded system, a canopy of approximately 1,300 solar panels over the parking lot, accounts for 30% of the energy requirements needed by the facility.

Thermacore earns AS9100 Rev. C Cert Thermacore Inc. Lancaster PA, provider of advanced thermal solutions, has achieved AS9100:2009 Rev. C certification and was re-certified to ISO 9001:2008. Developed specifically for the aviation, space and defense industries, the AS9100 standard was established by the International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG) for the purpose of achieving significant industry improvements in quality, safety, and customer service, as well as reductions in cost throughout the value stream. “Achieving this certification is a true testament to our quality systems and our commitment to ensuring we meet and exceed our customers’ expectations for highly reliable thermal management products, services and material solutions,” says Jerome Toth, Thermacore president and CEO.

Heraeus launches website for its insulated aluminum materials system

First in AC Fans Smart Switched Power Distribution Unit

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The Thick Film Division of Heraeus Precious Metals, West Conshohocken PA, has created a new name, Celcion, for its Insulated Aluminum Materials System. The firm also rolled out a new Website (http://celcionled.com) to highlight its Thick Film Division that creates products for thermal management applications, including LED packaging, power modules, and electronic heating units. Celcion, a Thick Film Materials System designed to insulate aluminum substrates, takes the same fit and form as traditional MCPCBs, while providing thermal conductivity and high dielectric breakdown strength. It is a simplified additive process that is faster, easier to use, and requires less materials than MCPCBs. The system allows circuits to be built directly onto aluminum substrates, eliminating the need for thermal interface materials. This allows Celcion circuits to run 10C cooler than MCPCBs.

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electronic enclosures & thermal management

electronic products and technology • may 2012

Plastic electronic enclosures are waterproof

Heatsinks connect TO-264 devices

ML Series of waterproof plastic enclosures is suitable for electronics in outdoor applications. Products are molded in light gray UV-stabilized polycarbonate and provide a clear distortion-free polycarbonate cover option. Product’s cover has a standard recessed smooth finish that accommdates graphic overlays or membrane keypads. Units are available in two sizes: the ML-47F measuring 7.6” x 4.6” x 3.0” and ML-57F with 8.7” x 5.2” x 3.3” dimensions. Both sizes include molded on surface-mounting flanges, plastic mounting bosses, and brass inserts for cover on/off convenience. POLYCASE

27mm long MV/MA 101 and 301 heatsinks hold two TO-264 devices with a single spring clip, which eliminates the need for mounting holes and screws and provides the same amount of force after repeated use. The 38mm tall R2 Series comes in a TO-264 configuration with a cam-clip to secure a device without the need for mounting holes or screws. W Series has an integrated spring clip and secures the TO-264. OHMITE MANUFACTURING http://ept.hotims.com/40520-115

Thermal circuit breaker model suits industrial applications

http://ept.hotims.com/40520-113

Handle-panel sets come in VPX, cPCI, VME Handle/panels sets in various styles for embedded computer boards come in 3U, 6U, 9U and custom sizes. Product sets provide IEEE handles often used in CompactPCI, VME64x, and OpenVPX applications. Panels are 4HP for 0.8” boards, 5HP for 1.0” boards, and up to 12HP for power supply unit (PSU) veresonic-Schroff-EPTMay2012.pdf sions and special requirements. 6HP and 8HP are also common sizes. Panels have offset spacing options as required by some of the Eurocardbased specifications. Injector/ejector handles are ergonomically designed and rugged, with custom color options. PIXUS TECHNOLOGIES

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2EP Series of thermal circuit breaker is small in size and provides high-interrupt performance and high resistance to shock and vibration. The sub-miniature push-pull devices are adapted from a proven aerospace circuit breaker design to deliver high performance at a competitive price. Product’s push-pull design decreases the risk of accidental tripping. Temperature compensation allows it to maintain a constant calibration across temperature extremes. The thermal design allows a sufficient delay to minimize nuisance trips. The robust latching design offers high shock and vibration performance. SENSATA TECHNOLOGIES 8:15:32 AM http://ept.hotims.com/40520-116

http://ept.hotims.com/40520-114

Optimum cooling & shielding

of enclosures

continued from page 22

• Provide optimum aperture size (based on offending frequency and wavelength) for air intake and exit openings. Military applications will mandate the use of honeycomb EMC filters Because electromagnetic waves travel at the speed of light (3×108 m/s) wavelength is given by: Wavelength = (3×108 m/s)/f, where f is the frequency in MHz. As an example; for f = 1 GHz, the maximum aperture should not exceed 6 mm. The goal is to create ground continuity over the outer skin of the enclosure and to block given wavelengths from passing through any openings. As this list of guidelines suggests, to ensure compliance a wide range of issues must be considered. These include: material type and thickness, conductive plating, vent hole size, seam length, gasketing, power filtering, access panels and ac cable routing. The primary focus of the design should be to use conductive material, limit the number and size of openings and eliminating seams to the extent possible. Achieving these objectives, can be in conflict with cooling, maintainability and cost. The challenges for the electronic packaging engineer are varied. In an effort to maximize cooling he may jeopardize EMI integrity. The needs of maintainability may conflict with marketing's need for the unit to meet a specific size footprint. It is how the designer balances these tradeoffs and makes critical choices to optimize the final solution that separates an adequate design from a superior solution.

CMY

For more information on cooling and shielding of enclosures from Elma Electronic, go to http://ept.hotims.com/40520-117

Schroff offers the most comprehensive line of products from individual components, such as backplanes and front panels, to the complete systems packaging platforms - all from a single source. What we offer: Backplanes

Power supply units

Mechanics

System management

Cooling

Application specific solutions

1.800.56.SONIC (76642) www.e-sonic.com http://ept.hotims.com/40520-27

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electronic products and technology • may 2012

Nanotechnology New chip advances quantum optics research Collaborative research between the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) in Waterloo, ON and the University of Toronto (U of T) has unveiled a new technology that promises to enable practical, scalable quantum photonics, an important advance in quantum information research. The technology, a waveguide chip developed at U of T and tested at IQC — can perform several crucial functions that typically require the bulky and expensive equipment of a quantum optics lab. The chip enables a new method for creating a precious quantum resource, entangled pairs of photons of wavelengths useful for quantum information applications. Until now, this process typically required large optical tables, expensive lasers, crystals beam-splitters and plenty of space. The new chip can perform many of the same function of such labs, but

in a scalable semiconductor architecture — an essential advance in the quest for practical quantum information devices. Future quantum computers and other quantum devices will likely be hybrids of several technologies, including optical elements such as the waveguide. When shot with laser light, the gallium arsenide device churns out pairs of entangled photons at a high rate. The device generates a handful of entangled pairs for roughly every billion photons fired into it, which is an impressive ratio compared to other methods of creating entanglement with semiconductors. Such a chip could be integral to the development of scalable photonics-based quantum computers and other quantum technologies, says IQC postdoctoral fellow Rolf Horn, who tested the chip with former IQC professor Gregor Weihs.

NIST probes: The promise of nanomanufacturing using DNA origami In recent years, scientists have begun to harness DNA’s powerful molecular machinery to build artificial structures at the nanoscale using the natural ability of pairs of DNA molecules to assemble into complex structures. Such “DNA origami,” first developed at the California Institute of Technology, could provide a means of assembling complex nanostructures such as semiconductor devices, sensors and drug delivery systems, from the bottom up. While most researchers in the field are working to demonstrate what’s possible, scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Photo credit to: Ko/NIST Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg MD are seeking to determine what’s practical. According DNA origami: NIST researchers made three DNA origami templates designed to NIST researcher Alex Liddle, it’s a lot like so that quantum dots would arrange themselves: (a in the corners, b) diagonally (three dots), and (c in a line (four dots). The researchers found that putting the building with LEGOs—some patterns enable the quantum dots closer together caused them to interfere with one another, leading to blocks to fit together snugly and stick together higher error rates and lower bonding strength. strongly and some don’t. “If the technology is actually going to be useful, you have to figure out how well it works,” says Liddle. “We The NIST researchers measured how quickly nanoscale struchave determined what a number of the critical factors are for the tures can be assembled using this technique, how precise the specific case of assembling nanostructures using a DNA-origami assembly process is, how closely they can be spaced, and the template and have shown how proper design of the desired nanostrength of the bonds between the nanoparticles and the DNA structures is essential to achieving good yield, moving, we hope, origami template. the technology a step forward.” What they found is that a simple structure, four quantum dots In DNA origami, researchers lay down a long thread of DNA at the corners of a 70-nanometer by 100-nanometer origami and attach “staples” comprised of complementary strands that rectangle, takes up to 24 hours to self-assemble with an error bind to make the DNA fold up into various shapes, including rate of about 5 percent. rectangles, squares and triangles. The shapes serve as a template Other patterns that placed three and four dots in a line onto which nanoscale objects such as nanoparticles and quantum through the middle of the origami template were increasingly dots can be attached using strings of linker molecules. error prone. Sheathing the dots in biomaterials, a necessity for attaching them to the template, increases their effective diameter. A wider effective diameter (about 20 nanometers) limits how closely the dots can be positioned and also increases their tendency to interfere with one another during self-assembly, leading to higher error rates and lower bonding strength. This trend was especially pronounced for the four-dot patterns. “Overall, we think that this process is good for building structures for biological applications like sensors and drug delivery, but it might be a bit of a stretch when applied to semiconductor device manufacturing—the distances can’t be made small enough and the error rate is just too high,” says Liddle.

Terepac launches ultrathin TereTag Pioneers of tiny digital electronics Waterloo-based Terepac Corp. has launched the TereTag, which allows virtually any object to become part of the “Internet of Things” This tag, embedded unobtrusively in its host, provides a wide range of capabilities to identify, communicate and operate with more security and efficiency. “We can take electronics to places where they have never been imagined before,” Terepac CEO Ric Asselstine. “These products will be lighter, smaller, and less expensive and will have a smaller environmental footprint.” The tiny device, implanted in a company logo on a hat and a drink coaster, was demonstrated at a meeting of Terepac investors and employees. Simply tapping the TereTag with a cell phone results in sharing logo-related messages for its owner via Twitter, Facebook and Google. The user can access details about the product and share information with friends through social networks. “We’re consistently now being asked to create not only the tiny electronics for an object, but also to network it with other devices,” Asselstine enthuses. “This involves creation of related applications which allow the object to become the app platform itself, to mine, manage and visualize data created by the objects. Finally, it establishes social media connectivity, making it a onestop shop for giving voice to things.” Terepac has a patent-protected process that allows the company to miniaturize circuits to an unprecedented degree. The firm is also producing apps, networking capability and data collection related to use of its electronics, Asselstine says. Dr. Stuart Hart, Samuel C Johnson Chair in Sustainable Global Enterprise at Cornell University, described the extraordinary possibilities for TereTags in connection with a broad range of global issues. “You think about the combination of low cost, miniaturization, lower power, with low energy use and that allows you to do things to connect people, including those who have been left out and underserved, plus give easy voice to the environment,” says Asselstine. “To be able to monitor water, soil moisture, wildlife populations, you can imagine all kinds of ways that this technology enables Terepac to give voice to things that previously were voiceless, and enable us to much more effectively and sustainably manage them.” Joel Birnbaum, a former director of Hewlett-Packard’s research lab, described Terepac as a leader allowing a universe of inanimate objects to communicate. “Its principal advantages are small size, low cost, and less power consumption.”

Tech panel explores quantum communications Some of the most sophisticated communications technologies on earth will not be stuck on earth for much longer according to a panel of leading experts from around the world. The group gathered earlier this year in Vancouver to discuss the future of quantum communications during the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Ultra-secure quantum communications systems will soon likely go into orbit, according to a panel including IQC researchers Raymond Lafamme and Thomas Jennewein, who explored the topic during a major scientific conference in Vancouver. Laflamme and Jennewein were joined by Anton Zeilinger (University of Vienna) and Masahide Sasaki (National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Japan) at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). In their session, titled ‘Quantum Information Technologies: A New Era for Global Communication’, the researchers explored the various avenues each is investigating to carry out secure quantum communications in space via satellite. “If we can build these quantum cryptography systems and make them global, we can transfer information in such a way that, if there’s a hacker, we will know about it and protect against it,” says Laflamme. Holding a 3D model of a satellite that could create quantum communications links with ground stations on earth, Thomas Jennewein added, “quantum satellites are the last missing link for the vision of having global quantum networks.” Jennewein envisions satellites used for both practical communications purposes and for fundamental experiments to test the predictions of quantum mechanics. “We could compare our results to theory — for example, does quantum entanglement follow expected behaviour, or do we have something unknown going on,” Jennewein says. http://ept.hotims.com/40520-28

full online product listings at ept.hotims.com

products on review

electronic products and technology • may 2012

Programmable wire stripper machine handles insulated wires

850W, 80A quarter brick IBC delivers 98% peak efficiency

RotaryStrip 2400 Rotary Wire Stripper machine is a next generation, programmable single step, single conductor bench top unit that easily strips Teflon, Kapton and Fiberglass insulated wires with optional twisting of the inner strands. This fully programmable machine provides a color touchscreen and handles wire sizes from 36 - 10 AWG (0.013 - 6 mm²), which be processed without requiring blade changes or any other mechanical adjustments. SCHLEUNIGER

IB050Q096T80N1-00 quarter-brick intermediate bus converters (IBC) module provide up to 850W of output power. Available as a drop-in upgrade for industry standard 5:1 fixed ratio converters, unit operates from a 36V to 60V input voltage range, with 2,250Vdc isolation from input to output while achieving 98% peak efficiency. Rated at up to 80 Amps, 850W from 55 to 60Vin and 550W from 36Vin, the 2.30 x 1.45 x 0.42 inch quarter-brick module allows designers to conserve valuable board space and achieve full load operation at 50C with 400 LFM airflow. VICOR

http://ept.hotims.com/40520-59

http://ept.hotims.com/40520-62

Multipurpose UV laser processing system processes many materials

Durable Hall-Effect rotary position sensor comes with many options

ProtoLaser U3 is a versatile UV laser system for use in electronic R&D labs. Capable of processing a wide variety of material substrates, unit can handle cutting/ depaneling any material from flex to fired ceramics, to drilling, skiving, decaping, and direct surface metal etching of the artwork. Product is able to process applications for product development that were previously only possible with the help of large, and expensive industrial systems. LPKF LASER & ELECTRONICS

RTY Series Hall-Effect Rotary Position Sensors come with a variety of options (sensing range, pinout, voltage) and allow customization. The solid-state product provides non-contact operation and low torque actuation which reduces worn-out mechanisms and provides a minimum 12M cycle product life. Device’s IP67-sealed package has an integral connector. The integrated reverse polarity protection provides protection against installation errors. HONEYWELL SENSING AND CONTROLS http://ept.hotims.com/40520-63

http://ept.hotims.com/40520-60

Terminal blocks connect wires conveniently Industrial Ethernet WLAN module Industrial Ethernet WLAN Access Point/Bridge/Client wireless connectivity modem is IEEE 802.11a/b/g compatible in both the 2.4 GHz or 5.8 GHz bands and it can be used as an access point, bridge or client. Power can be supplied to the device using Power-overEthernet (PoE) or with the redundant power supply connections. Device can easily be integrated in the Turbo Roaming feature so that mobile clients can quickly switch between wireless cells without the risk of signal loss. Several zones are easily specified per radio cell (multi SSID) and different VLANs assigned. WEIDMULLER http://ept.hotims.com/40520-61

Line of high quality terminal blocks provide a convenient means of connecting individual electrical wires without having to splice or physically join wire ends. Devices are manufactured to rigorous quality control standards, are RoHS compliant and are available in both Barrier and Eurostyle types in a wide variety of styles. Products come with 2 through 24-pole options, plus single and dual row, as well as choice of a 3.5mm through 11mm pitch. NTE ELECTRONICS http://ept.hotims.com/40520-64

VFD module for your application in support of

CHARACTER DISPLAY CU20027-YX1A (116 x 37 mm)

DOT MATRIX DISPLAY

The 19th Annual

GU140X16G-7000 (116 x 37 mm)

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For more info visit: itron.tv/EPT0512

June 14, 2012

Display for Best Readability • • • • •

Easy to read vibrant emissive display Ideal for low ambient environment High contrast with color filter Large variety of font sizes Wide viewing angle

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Noritake Co., Inc. 2635 Clearbrook Drive Arlington Heights, IL 60005

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itron.tv/EPT0512 http://ept.hotims.com/40520-29

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