What’s New in Electronics Feb 2012

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February 2012

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on the cover 4 Wind energy forecast to be breezy and steady

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Unmasking microchip making for more markets

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13 short circuits 18 Cheaper solar cells on the horizon 25 Bringing embedded chips to smart devices 29 Ensuring redundancy in critical systems 34

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FEBRUARY 2012 - What's New in Electronics

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on the cover

Interfacing controllers in industrial applications Not all man/machine applications are the same. Not only do environmental considerations come into play but, not surprisingly, electrical interfacing is now a major consideration.

The selection of the appropriate electrical interface is just as important as the selection of the appropriate controller.

In most applications a standard voltage divider or 0.5 to 4.5 DC from a Hall sensor connected directly to an amplifier or PLC will work and provide consistent performance over long periods. Other applications can require a buffered analogue signal with protection for the controller or a digital interface like CANOpen or USB. Generally speaking, sophisticated digital diagnostic equipment is usually not available out in the bush so experience has shown that basic interfaces like voltage buffers or 4-20 mA are best where the controller is going to a remote location. Any design of analogue interfaces should include self-resetting fuses and other forms of protection for the controller. Switching the voltage or current signal can present erroneous signals to the amplifier or PLC; therefore, care must be taken in any design to prevent switching of the signal path. Other considerations of a completely analogue design include error detection where the voltage swing is limited to, for example, 10 to 90%. An error is assumed if the output drops below 10% or rises above 90% to indicate an open circuit and short circuit condition.

Digital interfaces offer other unique challenges. For simulator applications, USB and RS232 are more than adequate and relatively simple to employ.

Mobile equipment with CANOpen or J1939 interfaces for controllers is more complex so a clear understanding of the application and the desired results is paramount. Selection criteria can be for a controller with a built-in CANOpen or J1939 interface or for an analogue joystick and an inline or DIN rail-mounted analogue to CANOpen or J1939 converter. Both solutions offer ‘pros and

4 What's New in Electronics - FEBRUARY 2012

cons’ for installation and fault finding. Dust or water tight connectors, low EMC emissions and high IP ratings are important considerations for digital interface designs to be employed in any mobile equipment applications.

In all mobile equipment applications, safety for the operator and public is of the upmost importance. Any controller design for mobile equipment must include a person-present mechanism to prevent false or unintended signals from becoming a problem.

Other types of interfaces include simple comparator switching from an analogue signal, small signal PWM, large current PWM and retrofit designs for obsolete or expensive to replace controllers. Retrofit interfaces do provide an interesting challenge, particularly where no schematic is available for the existing machine.

Retrofit interfaces are an attractive alternative for capital equipment owners as the productive life of an existing machine can be extended for many years.

Control Devices Mark Dzidowski, Engineering Manager www.controldevices.net

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power generation

Wind energy forecast to be breezy and steady Jenny Bieksha, Bishop & Associates

The 2011 global market for wind energy gained momentum, after modest growth in 2010. By the numbers, it would appear that extensive growth occurred.

When compared with previous years, however, it is best to say that the global wind power market held steady.

New wind power capacity added during 2010 reached 39 GW, more than any other renewable technology and more than three times the 11.5 GW of wind added worldwide five years earlier.

At least 52 countries increased their total existing capacity and 83 countries now use wind power commercially.

Overall, slower market growth is attributed to several factors. Policy uncertainty in key wind countries, the continuing economic crisis that has reduced access to financing, and depressed electricity demand in many developed countries.

As a result, for the first time, the majority of new turbine capacity was added in developing countries and emerging markets rather than in wind’s traditional markets.

Expansion of wind power beyond “Both Australia and New Zealand are the traditional markets is a trend that the industry anticipates will continue expected to grow their wind power at to develop. a stronger pace in the coming years.”

Overall investment in wind power in 2010 was up by 31%, reaching $US96 billion, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

Analysts and manufacturers were encouraged by industry forecasts, as investment was likely to translate into actual projects in 2011 and 2012.

For the third year in a row, Asia was the world’s largest regional market for wind energy, with capacity additions amounting to more than 19 GW. In China, strong growth was driven by continued political and regulatory support and lower labour and manufacturing costs. The major developers of wind projects in China are state-owned enterprises.

In India, 17 companies now manufacture wind power equipment.

Other Asian countries with notable new capacity additions include Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

In the Pacific region, both Australia and New Zealand are expected to grow their wind power at a stronger pace in the coming years.

The EU installed nearly 9.9 GW in 2010. For the first year since 2007, wind power did not account for the largest share of new electric capacity additions and came in third behind natural gas and solar photovoltaic.

Emerging market EU countries helped to offset the decline in mature EU markets with significant growth in Bulgaria, Lithuania, Poland, and Romania. In addition, Cyprus installed its first wind turbines.

6 What's New in Electronics - FEBRUARY 2012

The US added just over 5 GW in 2010, compared with more than 10 GW in 2009.

It appears that 2011 will be a much better year when the figures are in. The US added 2151 MW of installed capacity in the first half of 2011 and started on another 7354 MW of wind power capacity.

An example of new project construction is in Texas. The Wind Energy Transmission Texas (WETT) consortium, made up of Brookfield Asset Management and Isolux Corsan Concesiones, has financing in place for a 610 km transmission line and five substations.

The line will connect projects in the west with more populous areas in the east of the state and will allow Texas to expand its transmission-ready wind capacity from 10 to 18 GW. The year 2010 saw the emergence of increasingly vertically integrated supply chains. In addition, the trend continued for manufacturing firms to move into project development.

Although manufacturing volumes remained constant, manufacturing capacity increased substantially during 2010.

Project developers were challenged by competitive natural gas prices, the ability to obtain project financing and access to transmission. Many industry leaders lowered sales forecasts during 2010.

There is a trend towards increasing the size of individual wind projects, both onshore and offshore, driven mainly by cost.

The use of small-scale turbines is increasing, driven by the need for electricity in rural areas, the development of lower-cost grid-connected inverters and government incentives. www.electronicsonline.net.au

power generation

There are 106 companies in 29 countries manufacturing wind turbines of 50 kW and smaller. An estimated 1.5 million people in China receive electricity through small-scale wind turbines.

The offshore wind industry continues to pick up speed, increasing to 3.1 GW at the end of 2010. Most of this capacity is in Europe and the rest is in China and Japan.

The European offshore market grew more than 50% during 2010. Europe now has over 40 operational offshore wind farms, with 16 more projects under construction.

The first major offshore wind farm outside Europe, China’s Donghai Bridge near Shanghai, began operation in July 2010 and China started construction of four projects off the coast of Jiangsu.

The US continues to move forward with developing offshore wind farms. In 2011, 10 offshore wind developers bid in the leasing process for federal waters off Massachusetts and 11 more for coastal areas off New Jersey.

Competition and innovation will drive down the cost of energy derived from wind. A new generation of wind turbines is on its way.

Some of these are already visible in the market and greater competition among wind turbine manufacturers has been pressing prices downward.

Innovation is apparent in several areas of the wind industry, including turbine blades, drive train, intelligent operation and the co-existence of wind farms and radar systems.

Compared with turbines found in aircraft, wind turbine blades are simple in their design. Except for active blade pitch, wind turbine blades are very passive in comparison to lifting surfaces in aircraft.

By enabling faster and more distributed aerodynamic load control, innovations in turbine blades will enable greater energy capture.

Another issue with wind turbine blades is that they are typically made in one piece.

Segmented blades will allow more efficient and flexible production, and easier transportation of the blades to the project site.

The drive train, traditionally consisting of the main shaft, gearbox, generator and power electronics, is the heart of the turbine. A large portion of operations and maintenance costs are the result of drive train component failures.

Several new turbines launched last year are expected to change this. The Siemens SWT-3.0-101 is a direct-drive/permanent magnet generator and is expected to greatly improve reliability due to considerably fewer parts and no gearbox to replace.

The Vestas V112-3.0 MW geared/permanent magnet generator features a swept

area 55% greater than other models, enabling it to extract more energy from low to medium wind sites.

Another opportunity for innovation in wind farms lies in their operation. The wind industry came of age during the 1990s, before fibre optics were common and before preventive maintenance tools and techniques were refined.

As a result, many wind turbines have outdated supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems.

However, wind power plant operations are becoming more sophisticated. ‘Smart wind’ is the addition of digital intelligence to the blades, power train and turbine control systems.

It will reduce the unit cost of power production by increased uptime, reduced operating costs and a reduction in the frequency of blades and major power train component failures.

These systems will enable operators to link cause and effect, providing the basis for ‘smarter’ operation.

Many turbines have sensors mounted in blades and on the nacelle, but everything measured - pressure, wind speed and direction - is after the fact. Laser sensors (known as LIDAR - light detection and ranging), developed for military aircraft, may change that. By measuring air velocity and direction, LIDAR enables the control system to make intelligent ‘feed-forward’ decisions, rather than act as the result of ‘feedback.’

These units are expected to become commercially viable within the next few years.

Many countries are actively studying how wind turbines and radar systems can coexist. An estimated 20 GW of wind power capacity is currently blocked worldwide by concerns “An estimated 1.5 million people about radar interference.

Operating wind turbines can be indis- in China receive electricity through tinguishable from aircraft on many radar systems and cause blackout zones in which small-scale wind turbines.” planes disappear from radar entirely.

One proposed solution is an adaptation to the Raytheon radar system, in use at 17 sites in Britain. Algorithms have been developed, which enable the system to discriminate between turbines and aircraft, allowing it to operate without confusion over the presence of wind farms.

Another radar system from Lockheed Martin is undergoing trials at an offshore wind farm in Denmark. This radar has the capability to differentiate air traffic from wind turbine blades.

Another solution uses military stealth technology. Vestas has tested a full-scale ‘stealth’ rotor blade on a wind turbine. This turbine uses radar-absorbing materials that are integrated into the manufacturing processes for components and can be designed to operate at aviation and maritime frequencies.

Interconnect opportunities are abundant in the wind industry.

Digitising SCADA systems, installing new sensors and upgrading radar systems will require new interconnects.

New wind farm development will require a wide variety of electronic connections, both inside the turbine and in overall site operations.

Many industry standard connectors cross market directly into renewable energy applications and there are significant opportunities to enhance existing designs to provide solutions for problem areas.

Wind energy is versatile and can serve rural areas and unserved areas in developing countries as well as large-scale applications and energy-intensive industries in industrialised regions.

In many respects, wind power is not the mature industry that people think it is. Innovations are being pursued in many areas.

Wind power manufacturing businesses continue to drive down costs through more efficient designs, economies of scale, automation, improved materials and sourcing and higher levels of quality throughout the supply chain. Today, the unknown is how large an effect this will ultimately have on the cost of wind energy for the future.

Robin Pearce, Bishop & Associates rpearce@bishopinc.com

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FEBRUARY 2012 - What's New in Electronics

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newproducts Signage motherboard iBase’s MI958 motherboard features the embedded A55E controller hub and is available with a G-series T56N or T40N processor, integrating 2x DDR3 DIMM slots for a memory size of up to 8 GB. The board uses the G-series processors’ built-in Radeon HD graphics by providing an array of video interfaces including VGA, DVI-D and 18-bit, single-channel LVDS. The T56N and T48N Radeon HD 6320/6310 graphics both allow high resolutions of up to 2560 x 1600.

The MI958 Mini-ITX motherboard features I/O connectors on the rear side including high-definition audio dual gigabit LAN, 4x USB, DVI-D, VGA and dual serial ports. Internal headers and connectors support 2x serial ports, 4x SATA III and another 4x USB and digital I/O. Backplane Systems Technology Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P039

Portfolio modelling Mathworks has announced a portfolio optimisation object in its Financial Toolbox for MATLAB, enabling portfolio managers and analysts to explore and construct portfolios.

Available with the 2011a release of the MATLAB product family, the optimisation object includes methods to incorporate turnover and transaction costs into portfolio analyses.

These capabilities support the practical needs of investment managers while facilitating use of technologically advanced portfolio optimisation and asset allocation algorithms.

In addition, Engle-Granger and Johansen cointegration tests and vector error correction (VEC) model conversion routines have been added to Economics Toolbox, giving economists, traders and risk analysts additional time-series modelling and testing capabilities.

Enhancements to other products for financial engineers include: data insert function in Database Toolbox, which speeds up writing to a financial database by an order of magnitude; large-scale quadratic programming algorithm in Optimisation Toolbox, which facilitates optimisation of larger portfolios.

Medical knowledge site Mouser Electronics has launched a second medical applications product knowledge centre training site, devoted to medical therapies.

The site includes block diagram navigation, part lists, resources, videos and featured products for the targeted therapies: hearing aids, infusion pumps and CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machines.

Suppliers such as Texas Instruments, Freescale Semiconductor, Omron, Maxim Integrated Products and Honeywell Sensing and Control provide the latest microprocessors, sensors, ADCs and power management devices.

The training site is one of more than 1500 sites in the company’s library.

Mouser Electronics Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P107

Right-angle micro circulars

MathWorks Australia Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/K777

Rackmount server The 4U rackmount server KISS 4U PCI760 MIL-STD is the latest addition to the KISS server family that is specifically designed for long-term operation in land- and naval-based defence applications.

The platform has been tested and certified according to the MIL-STD-810F and 461E specifications.

The device has operational readiness in extremely high and low temperatures (-5 and +60°C operating, -25 to +85°C non- operating). The device was tested for shock and vibration resistance, electro-magnetic compatibility and electro-magnetic radiation.

The KISS systems, designed for continuous operation, offer an MTBF of 50,000 hours (about 5.7 years non-stop operation), high availability and low maintenance. The fans used for the housing are field replaceable units and are integrated on the front panel for easy removal and replacement.

The lockable front cover offers IP20 protection. Optional IP52 protection against dust and damp penetration is also available.

The power supply not only fulfils the requirements of MIL-STD-810F and 461E specifications but, because of its integration in the housing, also saves space.

With its built-in Intel AMT 3.0 remote management engine, it offers enhanced security and remote manageability for the embedded computing market.

The server offers scalable processor performance ranging from 1.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo E4300 right up to the Intel Core 2 Quad processor Q9400 with 4x 2.66 GHz cores for high parallel data processing with up to 8 GB DDR2 dual channel RAM. For data storage, there is 64 GB SSD to host the operating system and the program data, as well as up to three 3.5″ SATA HDDs with 500 GB in the removable disk carrier DA135.

Omnetics Connector has added another tail termination to its micro circular product range.

Micro circulars have previously been available in four barrel sizes 5, 12, 16 and 27 positions, with the tail terminations being soldercup, prewired and straight thru-hole versions.

The company has now expanded two of these barrel sizes 5, 12, to include a right-angle version that includes the option to add stand-off to the product as well. The terminations have been designed to save space and weight, while increasing interconnect reliability with mil spec components and materials.

Kontron Australia Pty Ltd

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P109

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/L613

8 What's New in Electronics - FEBRUARY 2012

Clarke & Severn Electronics

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newproducts Power supply Emerson Network Power has released the NPT42-M triple-output open-frame AC-DC power supply that can deliver up to 45 W with convection cooling and up to 55 W with forced air cooling.

It can accommodate operating temperatures from -20 to +50°C at full power and as high as 80°C with de-rating. Carrying a comprehensive set of worldwide IT equipment (ITE) and non-patient contact and non-patient critical medical safety approvals, the NPT42-M is suitable for a wide range of light industrial, instrumentation and process systems, as well as low-power dental and laboratory equipment. With a 51 x 102 mm footprint, the supply has a height of 25 mm, making it suitable for 1U high portable and rack-mounting equipment.

The supply has a wide-range universal input capable of accommodating any AC voltage from 90 to 264, at any frequency from 47 to 440 Hz. It can also operate from any DC input in the range 127 to 300 V. It requires less than 74 W of input, and inrush current is less than 50 A peak at 230 VAC. The supply provides a triple output of +5, +12 and -12 V. The main +5 V output can deliver 5 A continuously, with standard convection cooling, and up to 8 A with forced air cooling. The auxiliary +12 and -12 V outputs can supply 2.5 and 0.5 A, increasing to 3 A and 0.7 A with forced air cooling.

All three outputs are tightly regulated. The 5 V output is maintained to within plus or minus 2% for all normal line and load conditions and has a maximum ripple of 50 mV peak-to-peak. Both 12 V outputs are regulated to within plus or minus 5%. The supply fully complies with the international EN 61000-3-2 standard for harmonic emissions. It features built-in EMI filters (CISPR 22 Class B) and meets rigorous international EMC standards, including FCC Class B, EN 55022 class B and VDE 0878PT3 Class B for conducted noise. Key safety design aspects include fuses in both the line and neutral connections and a safety-ground leakage current which does not exceed 275 µA. Safety approvals include TUV/UL/CSA 60950 and 60601-1, CB certificate, CE mark (LVD) and CQC mark.

Cord test adapters Fluke has released the DTX patch cord test adapter series, said to be the first adapters that can certify both shielded and unshielded category 5e, 6 and 6A cable assemblies to global ANSI/TIA 568-C and ISO 11801:2010 standards.

The adapters, which can provide results in 6 s, expand the company’s DTX CableAnalyser series and are designed to meet the needs of both cabling and patch cord manufacturers and enterprises.

Fluke Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/K508

Coaxial oscillator

Emerson Network Power Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P066

Coax connectors

Canare has announced a range of mini 75 Ω coax connectors designed to DIN 1.0/2.3 standard. The small size makes the connectors suitable for routers or switchers where space is at a premium and reliability is critical.

The design also features a ball lock mechanism to smooth connection with the receptacle and ensure the connector remains firmly locked in place.

Amber Technology Limited Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/L685

Diodes converter Linear Technology has introduced the LTC2997, a temperature-to-voltage converter with builtin series resistance cancellation for 2.5 to 5.5 V systems.

It is a simple temperature monitoring solution that measures a remote diode’s temperature with ±1°C accuracy or local temperature with ±1.5°C accuracy, and outputs a voltage proportional to absolute temperature. The device provides a precise, space-saving, micropower temperature monitoring solution.

Its simplicity, accuracy and micropower consumption caters to a wide variety of applications, including system thermal control, energy harvesting, desktop and notebook computers, network servers and environmental monitoring. Two current sense inputs can be configured to measure either local or remote temperature. A built-in algorithm cancels the errors due to sensor series resistance when measuring a diode or transistor voltages. A 1.8 voltage reference output is also available to share with an external ADC or for generating temperature threshold voltages to compare against the VPTAT output.

The converter is offered in commercial, industrial and motor vehicle versions, supporting operating temperature ranges from 0 to 70°C, -40 to 85°C and -40 to 125°C. element14 Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/L248

10 What's New in Electronics - FEBRUARY 2012

Crystek’s C CO55CXT-5800-5800 coaxial resonator oscillator family is a coaxial-based VCO with an internal frequency doubler.

The frequency doubling, 2X fundamental technology is claimed to have lower phase noise and much lower harmonics, while achieving lower current consumption.

The CVCO55CXT-5800-5800 operates at 5800 MHz with a tuning voltage range of 0.5 to 4.5 VDC. Coaxial features are a typical phase noise of -100 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz offset with good linearity. Output power is 0.0 dBm typ into a 50 Ω load with a supply of +8.0 VDC and a current consumption of 15 mA (max).

Pushing and pulling are both minimised to 1.5 MHz/V and 0.5 MHz. Second harmonic suppression is -30 dBc typical.

Wireless Components Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/L731

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newproducts Tablet PC The ViewPad 10pro has dual operating systems, allowing switching between Windows 7 and Android platforms at the click of a button and is powered by the Intel Oak Trail processor.

Featuring two models, the ViewPad 10pro incorporates Windows 7 Professional with Android for business or Windows 7 Home Premium and Android for pleasure.

Presenting a 10.1″ capacitive multi-touch screen, the ViewPad 10pro has LED backlighting with 1024 x 600 resolution. The Intel Atom Z670 1.5 GHz processor provides power for internet browsing and improved video playback, plus long battery life.

Dual operating systems allows the device to be used for work and play - simply touch an icon on the desktop to toggle between Windows and Android, without rebooting, to easily review business documents or enjoy the latest applications.

Equipped with Domain Join to connect to company networks easily and securely, it has fullsystem backup and restore, file encryption and Windows Mobility Center. A 1.3 MP front camera enables video calling.

The built-in G-sensor flips the screen horizontally or vertically, depending on how the device is held, and the ambient light sensor adjusts backlighting to provide the most comfortable viewing experience in different light conditions.

Supporting Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, the device meets web browsing, social networking and mobile office needs. Users can experience seamless emailing and high-definition video playback anytime, anywhere and make use of the optional dock which offers two USB ports, a microphone and a headphone jack.

Storage includes 2 GB system memory and up to 32 GB solid state drive and the 5000 mAh high capacity battery supplies up to eight hours of battery life.

Ethernet gateway The Raven XE is an intelligent 3G/NextG ethernet gateway/router providing high-speed connectivity in a compact robust design for enterprise applications.

Powered by ALEOS intelligence, it provides the connection necessary in remote locations as well as embedded security features, such as IPSec-compliant VPN and GRE tunnelling to ensure that data is secure from any unauthorised access.

It is suitable for commercial applications needing an affordable, reliable solution such as: retail/POS and ATMs; digital signage and CCTV; primary or temporary 3G broadband connectivity.

The router can be supplied with a range of high-gain antennas to complete the hardware package. Also available are 3G data SIMs with tailored M2M data plans designed to match the uses for the Raven.

M2M Connectivity Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P162

ViewSonic Australia Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P085

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FEBRUARY 2012 - What's New in Electronics

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newproducts Force sensor Dytran Instruments has introduced the model 1022V IEPE force sensor, designed to offer low-mass dynamic measurement capabilities within the company’s smallest and most lightweight package.

The sensor offers precision force measurement capabilities of up to 50 lbf, with a 100 mV/lbf sensitivity and an unloaded natural frequency of 50 kHz. It features built-in electronics, eliminating the need for an external charge amplifier and converter.

The design features a quartz sensing element, operating in compression mode and packaged in a lightweight titanium housing with an integral 1.524 m coaxial cable, terminating in a 10-32 coaxial connector.

A series of 10-32 tapped holes, at both the top and bottom of the sensor housing, are expressly designed to facilitate mounting of the sensor into threaded holes on the driving rods and test specimen. Accessories include the 6011A coaxial cable assembly and 4110C or 4115B current source.

Metromatics Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/J095

Ethernet router A 3G ethernet router has been added to the range of 2G and 3G modems and SMS alarm and control devices from ETM Pacific.

With HSDPA 3.6 Mbits DL and 384 Kbits UL and an operating temperature range of -20 - 60°C the ETM350C is suitable for remote industrial applications such as metering, data logging, backup communications, security and telemetry.

The router uses the Telstra/NextG approved Cinterion EU3-P wireless module with its tri-band UMTS/WCDMA 850/900/2100 MHz plus dual-band GSM/GPRS operating frequencies.

ETM Pacific Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/L368

Single board computer The IEI 3.5″ Wafer-PV-D4253/N4553/D5253 single board computer is an embedded device that features an Atom D525/D425/N455 processor. The power supply has 12 V only single voltage design for AT/ATX power.

The board supports 24-bit dual-channel LVDS resolution up to 1920 x 1080 and is equipped with I/O including 8x USB, 2x SATA 3 Gbps, 1x CF II, 4x COM and audio.

One Key Recovery allows the user to create rapid OS backup and recovery.

The series features a wide temperature range from -20 to 70°C with free air and -20 to 75°C with forced air (N455 processor only). The Intel Atom processor D425 and D525/N455 series integrates the graphics, display and DDR3 memory controller with a processor specifically designed for entry-level basic computing.

Ultrasmall SBC The MIO-2260 is designed with the Atom N455 single core processor and DDR3 memory support to create an all-in-one ultrasmall embedded single board computer measuring 100 x 72 mm (same dimension as a 2.5″ hard disk) making it easy to embed into spacelimited systems and suitable for power-saving environments.

It has interfaces for 4 x PCIe x1, 3 x USB 2.0, audio line-out, SMbus and LPC, as well as 5, 12 Vsb and power control signal.

It supports DC power hot-plug protection and is designed to safeguard from current fluctuations damaging the board when using DC power.

The board is mechanically designed with active components placed on the top side, and the onboard I/O and rear I/O placed on the bottom side to make it easier to design a more efficient thermal spread.

In addition, it has an optional heat spreader. Using this allows more compact and low-profile designs, as well as giving better thermal dissipation.

The device is directly supported by the company’s cloudbased service Emb’Store, which delivers on-demand services for embedded computing users.

A reference design guide and test evaluation board is available for users to simplify their designs.

Advantech Australia Pty Ltd

ICP Electronics Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/L968

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/L971

tel: 08 8240 2244

Standard and modified diecast aluminium, metal and plastic enclosures

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semiconductors

Unmasking microchip making for more markets Miniaturised devices like smart-phones have now reached the mass consumer m a r ke t , b u t w h e n f i r s t introduced, manufacturing costs for low volumes can keep innovative products from taking off.

EU-funded researchers have developed new technology for microchip manufacture that promises to cut costs and increase design flexibility.

By reducing costs for small-scale production and enabling further miniaturisation in microchips, the results are likely to open the door for new applications and markets.

The project’s technology will also help smaller EU microelectronics companies.

Semiconductor lithography is the process by which microchips are printed with the tiny channels and gates which are the heart of transistors that make up the modern integrated circuit. Using a technique called ‘maskless lithography’, researchers in the EU-funded maskless lithography for IC manufacturing (MAGIC) project are starting a new era in small scale IC production that will make the process faster, simpler and cheaper.

Current microchip manufacturing uses a mask-based optical lithography technique, essentially using a template to define the desired circuit pattern. It is a process that has long served the microchip industry well because it is very effective.

But masks are expensive; it can cost up to several hundred thousand euros to produce just one of them. A single chip requires several of these masks. The total mask cost is drastically rising as chip features become smaller and more sophisticated.

For this reason, MAGIC studied the potential for maskless technology to combat the rising costs of semiconductor masks.

Indeed, mask-based lithography becomes more and more complex with each new advance in lithographic technology.

For example, optical proximity correction is a technique that compensates for distortion effects often seen along the edges of circuit channels, while phase-shift masks

use interference produced by phase differences in light to improve the resolution of photolithography.

Both these techniques are needed to compensate for problems introduced by pushing lithographic techniques ever further. As lithography becomes more sophisticated, mask manufacture becomes more complex and expensive.

So masks now require higher performing, expensive materials and elaborate, time-consuming production processes.

“There is now a real need for maskless lithography, because the increased costs associated with mask manufacture play a huge role in the overall cost of ownership of this technique,” explains Laurent Pain, coordinator of the MAGIC project.

ML2 technology uses multi-beam principles. Essentially, a large electron beam is focused through an aperture. The aperture can split the beam into thousands, or even millions, of smaller beams. These beams pass through an active micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) element, called a blanker, which can control each beam individually.

Some beams are then deflected, or blanked, while those that are allowed to pass create the desired microchip circuit.

Large-scale industrial manufacturers, “Mask-based lithography like Intel and Samsung, focus on massive production of microprocessors or memory becomes more and more chips. For them, the impact of lithography complex with each new advance cost increase is less important because the in lithographic technology.” associated costs are spread across huge production runs involving millions of chips.

But companies developing application specific integrated circuits (ASIC) and small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) are struggling with the expense. It is a big problem for Europe because many of the continent’s technology companies are SMEs. It is a general problem for technology too, because the high cost of small-scale microchip manufacture can kill off innovation; new markets cannot take off if innovative devices are too expensive when manufactured in small numbers.

The concept of a maskless technique is already supported by some key complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) manufacturers around the world, like TSMC in Taiwan and STMicroelectronics in France.

Even Intel, in recent industry conferences, has highlighted the potential of this technology as a complementary solution to optical lithography. This means the technology has a promising future and makes it an even more attractive R&D path.

MAGIC sought to develop ML2 technologies to ‘alpha-stage’ prototypes for testing.

www.electronicsonline.net.au

FEBRUARY 2012 - What's New in Electronics

13

semiconductors

Two partners, the Netherlands-based MAPPER Lithography and Austria’s IMS Nanofabrication, have already made advances towards high-resolution integrated circuit design using maskless electron lithography, confirming the capability of this technology.

Half MAGIC’s work focused on further development of the tools created by MAPPER and IMS. This provided a wide range of technology, as MAPPER’s tool is based on low voltage electron beams while IMS developed a high voltage beam system.

The project delivered alpha-version pro“MAGIC developed a fast, robust and totypes meeting the semiconductor manucommercial data preparation platform, facturing requirements of 32 nm half-pitch technology. Half-pitch refers to the size of compatible with industry standards, lines and spaces that separate one element that can provide full support for a from another on the microchip.

“Over the three years of the project, both maskless production system.” platforms have pushed the maturity of their technologies from the proof-of-concept to the pre-alpha level,” notes Dr Pain, adding, “Today, both solutions have achieved significant progress, emphasising the credibility of maskless lithography.”

The second half of MAGIC’s work sought to develop the necessary infrastructure to use these tools in an industrial environment and this infrastructure work was split into three key areas: data treatment, electron beam proximity effects and industrial integration.

MAGIC developed a fast, robust and commercial data preparation platform, compatible with industry standards that can provide full support for a maskless production system.

The platform also compensates for ML2-related electron beam proximity effects. This was a vital development. Overall electron beam interaction

on the substrate, as well as potential heating effects, has to be compensated for to ensure the accurate patterning of the microcircuit.

The solutions developed within MAGIC eliminate this problem by applying the suitable corrections.

Finally, the project demonstrated, in realworld conditions, that ML2 can be integrated into manufacturing environments using the platforms developed by the partners.

“2010 was an important year for MAGIC,” said Pain. “This last year confirmed the full potential of massively-parallel electron beam lithography. For both developed technologies, operational machines were built that demonstrate all the key functional elements.”

The technique is promising but it has been a long time in development. IMS Nanofabrication first mooted the concept of maskless lithography in the 1980s, but required enabling technologies did not exist at the time.

More recent efforts to support introduction of maskless lithography began in 2005 with another EU-funded project called ‘radical innovation in maskless nanolithography’ and with the MEDEA+ projects.

Cordis Europe http://cordis.europa.eu/

newproducts Single board computer The PCM-3363 PCI-104 single board computer uses an Atom N455/D525 processor, supporting 1 GB of soldered DDRIII 800 MHz SDRAM. The thermal design power rating including processor and ICH8M chipset is 9 W for the N455 and 13 W for the D525.

The rugged board uses locked connectors (direction changeable) in all I/O interface to strengthen shock and vibration resistance.

The PCM-3363 adopts the IEC standard for electrostatic discharge protection for the COM port transceiver with 15 kV air gap protection/ 8 kV contact protection for RS232.

To overcome challenges from harsh environments, the machine is supplied with LiteiManager. There are two major functions: extreme cold start and voltage dip protection.

Normally, operating temperatures under -40°C can lead to systems failing to bootup properly, especially after lengthy storage.

Lite-iManager performs a special function to make sure all components reach working temperature to guarantee 100% bootup. It also ensures that abnormal transient power fluctuations won’t cause a system to freeze, making the device suitable for unmanned and outdoor applications which occasionally have unstable mains power.

The computer has CRT and LVDS dual display ports using an integrated graphics core with 224 MB shared memory. This feature makes it capable of handling complex and intense 2D/3D graphic processing.

The company provides an API suite called SUSI that supports GPIO, SMBus, watchdog timer, H/W monitor, brightness on/off, CPU speed and system throttling utilities. It makes it quicker and easier to integrate and configure hardware with software applications.

Advantech Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/L943

14 What's New in Electronics - FEBRUARY 2012

DC/DC converters

The SKA20 series of DC/DC converters from Mean Well provides a single regulated output from a small DIP package with standard pin assignment. Providing standard DC output voltages of 5, 12 and 15, with up to 89% efficiency, they can be operated under full load conditions from -40 to 75°C using free air convection. They are suitable for many applications including industrial control, telecoms and distributed power applications.

The series features: 2:1 wide DC input range; 1500 VDC I/O isolation; built-in remote ON/OFF control; built-in remote sense function; output trimming; CE/FCC approvals; short circuit, overload, input and output overvoltage protection; and a six sided shield metal case.

Soanar Limited Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P081

www.electronicsonline.net.au

newproducts High-quality encoder

The X1 XF-E is the latest addition to the VIP family of single channel H264 encoders that delivers the same encoding functionality as its big brother but does not include an intelligent video analytics capability.

This makes it suitable for upgrading analog systems or adding IP functionality to analog cameras in areas where great image quality yet no automated detection is needed.

Delivering two independent high-quality, real-time H264 video streams per channel, the encoder allows viewing and recording at two different quality levels. Its H264 main profile also delivers DVD image quality video (4CIF) at the same bandwidth as MPEG-4 half resolution video (2CIF).

Low latency implementation of main profile technology offers all the compression benefits for live video, without sacrificing image quality. Direct to iSCSI network recording and support for Video Recording Manager eliminates the need for network video recorders.

An SD card for local recording, together with the company’s automatic network replenishment support ensures that video is recorded even during network outages.

Fully ONVIF 1.02 conformant, the VIP-X1 XF-E can be integrated into existing systems.

Integrated Motion+ technology detects any attempts to tamper with the camera view. It also has a single audio and alarm input/output and is supplied with a wall mount.

Rackmount motherboard The IEI IMBA-C2060 is an ATX motherboard for rackmount systems based on the LGA 1155 Intel Xeon E3 and Core i3 processor. The motherboard’s capability is maximised with the dual-channel DDR3 1333 MHz which supports up to 32 GB. The board has gigabit ethernet and supports AMT 7.0 memory socket.

The I/O interface features a diverse range of expansion slots including VGA/DVI/HDMI dual Intel PCIe GbE, 2 x USB 3.0, 2 x SATA 6 Gbps and audio. As well as PCIe x16, dual PCIe mini card PCI/104, 8-bit digital I/O ( 4-bit input, 4-bit output) devices offering flexible expansion options. The board offers improved CPU and graphics performance with a high-speed graphic interface offering support for DX10.1 and OpenGL3.0, full MPEG2, VC1 and AVC decode and the one key recovery that allows the user to create rapid OS backup and recovery. This industrial motherboard is also equipped with up to 10 x USB 2.0 (2 x rear IO, 8 x pin header) and the Realtec ALC 888 HD audio codec (line-in, line-out, mic).

ICP Electronics Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P010

“Australia’s Best Value Digital Storage Oscilloscopes” RIGOL DS-1000E Series Up to 100MHz Bandwidth, 2 Channels 1GS/s Real-Time Sampling 1M Point Memory USB Device, USB Host & PictBridge Model DS-1052E 50MHz, 2Ch, 1GS/s Model DS-1102E 100MHz, 2Ch, 1GS/s

Lower 2012 Prices!

$329 ex GST $399 ex GST

GW GDS-3000 Series Up to 350MHz Bandwidth, 2 & 4 Channels Up to 5GS/s Real-Time Sample Rate VPO Display Technology Large 8” 800x600 High Resolution LCD Display Optional Power Analysis & Serial Bus Decode LAN/USB/VGA Outputs Model GDS-3152 150MHz, 2Ch, 2.5GS/s $1,852 ex GST Model GDS-3154 150MHz, 4Ch, 5GS/s $2,256 ex GST Model GDS-3252 250MHz, 2Ch, 2.5GS/s $2,256 ex GST Model GDS-3254 250MHz, 4Ch, 5GS/s $2,658 ex GST Model GDS-3352 350MHz, 2Ch, 5GS/s $3,987 ex GST Model GDS-3354 350MHz, 4Ch, 5GS/s $4,714 ex GST RIGOL DS-6000 Series Up to 1GHz Bandwidth, 2 & 4 Channels 5GS/s Real-Time Sample Rate Standard 140Mpts Record Length 120,000 Waveform Per second Update Rate 256 Level Intensity Graduated Display Optional Serial Bus Trigger & Decode Model DS-6062 600MHz, 2Ch, 5GS/s $5,699 ex GST Model DS-6064 600MHz, 4Ch, 5GS/s $7,099 ex GST Model DS-6102 1GHz, 2Ch, 5GS/s $7,600 ex GST Model DS-6104 1GHz, 4Ch, 5GS/s $9,399 ex GST

Sydney

Tel 02 9519 3933 Fax 02 9550 1378

Melbourne

Tel 03 9889 0427 Fax 03 9889 0715

email testinst@emona.com.au

Bosch Security Systems Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P288

www.electronicsonline.net.au

Brisbane

Tel 07 3275 2183 Fax 07 3275 2196

Adelaide

Tel 08 8363 5733 Fax 08 8363 5799

Perth

Tel 08 9361 4200 Fax 08 9361 4300

web www.emona.com.au

EMONA FEBRUARY 2012 - What's New in Electronics

15

newproducts Ballast control IC International Rectifier has introduced the IRS2526DS ‘Mini8’ compact fluorescent lamp ballast control IC that offers full programmability and a high degree of accuracy and control for all lamp types.

Available in an 8-pin SO-8 package, the IC reduces component count, simplifies circuit design and increases efficiency, in a compact footprint.

It features a 600 V half-bridge control circuit working at 50% duty-cycle and variable frequency for driving the resonant mode lamp output circuit. The high accuracy oscillator is controlled by a single analog-to-frequency input pin, used to set the different operating frequencies of the ballast. Complete fault protection circuitry is also included against such conditions as mains interrupt or brown-out, lamp non-strike, lamp filament failure and end-of-life.

The device also incorporates an internal frequency dither to reduce conducted EMI, ignition control to reduce inductor size and end-of-life detection.

The IC uses the technology also featured in the previously released IRS2580DS ‘Combo8’ that combines a full featured fluorescent ballast with power factor correction controller in a compact 8-pin package. It is suitable for applications that do not require PFC or use an external PFC controller.

Avnet Electronics Marketing Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P069

Railway converters RECOM has extended its PowerlinePLUS-family of DC/DC converters with the RPR-series, specifically tailored to railway applications. The compact devices work under extreme operating conditions without derating and are designed for input voltages of up to 160 DC. The new converters work with full power at operating temperatures of -45 to >+85°C without derating (Tx). The efficiency is >89%. They are robust and EN61373 tested for 10 G shock and vibration in all three axes. The series is power rated with 20, 30, 40 and 50 W and cover a wide input voltage range of 12 to 36, 25 to 75 and 40 to 160 DC. Single output voltages of 3.3, 5, 12, 15 and dual output voltages of ±12, ±15 and ±24 VDC are available.

The converters are available in three different case styles: the ‘ribbed case’ with integrated heat sink is suitable for PCB mounting with convection cooling; the ‘flat case’ version, useful in low profile applications with limited headroom; and the ‘base plate case’ version, where the converters are screw mounted to the frame for mechanical stability.

The RPR-converters are EN50155 and EN60950-1 compliant and have 1.6 kV/1 min. isolation as standard. They have integrated EMC filters to EN50121-3-2, so a complete power supply can be built using only a few external components.

Cutter Electronics Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P095

DAQ software development A DAQ Navi application configures PCI, USB and PCI-104 data acquisition devices and includes the software development kit, device driver and device test utility with user guide to replace the previous multiple drivers, device manager and SDK. The application allows users to configure and run basic parameters through Visual Studio.net or users can use Class Libraries to write their own device functions using C/C++, C#, VB.Net or Delphi, to provide a more robust method of controlling devices.

An improved device driver allows it to be installed on 32/64-bit Windows 7, XP and Vista to allow easy migration between systems.

The device test utility provides testing tools and parameter settings for analog input reading, waveform display and DO control. Information such as pin assignments, signal connections and specifications can be viewed from within the application as well.

Advantech Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/L655

16 What's New in Electronics - FEBRUARY 2012

Flat-bezel panel PC IEI’s AFL2-12A-D525 flat-bezel panel PC with Intel’s 2nd Gen Core i7/i5/i3 processors is characterised by its high performance and low power consumption.

It is an industrial panel that supports projected capacitive touch screen or five-wire resistive type touch screen. The panel has a 12.1″ 600 units 1024 x 768 flat-bezel LCD with LED backlight. It has an IP64-compliant front panel with built-in 2x 1.5 W speakers and microphone.

The D525 Atom dual core CPU can support applications with demanding graphics and 3D games. The PC has interfaces such as RS232 (DB-9 connector), RS232 (RJ45 connector), RS422/485, Gbit LAN, 4x USB 2.0, mini-USB 2.0 and VGA. For data storage there is a 2.5″ SATA drive bay, a SATA SSD slot as well as a CompactFlash II socket.

Networking capabilities are maximised with dual Gbe LAN for high-speed applications and EM or Mifare RFID reader.

Memory slots are 1x 204-pin DDR3 SO-DIMM slot (system max 4 GB). Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n 2T2R high-speed wireless is supported.

The projected capacitive screen supports multitouch and features good sunlight readability and a true flat panel surface with no bezel. The capacitive screen has a protective antiscratch glass surface so the device functions even if the screen is damaged or broken.

It can be used in almost all industrial and commercial application areas such as digital signage, retail, process control and visualisation, and customer infotainment.

ICP Electronics Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/M230

www.electronicsonline.net.au

newproducts Power supply/analyser

Shielded patch cables

The 118-ACX power source is suitable for AC test, frequency conversion, laboratory and bench-power applications.

Equipped with the UPC-1 programmable controller, it is an analyser as well.

It has: transient/waveform generator; UPC manager software suite; LabView and LabWindows drivers; 22 waveform library; 15 to 1,200 Hz full power operation; 5,000 Hz small signal bandwidth; precision voltage programming - 0.1 0% with CSC referenced to internal metering; precision true-RMS metering of volts, amps and power for displays and reporting; RS232 interface; one phase/two phase selectable output from front panel or bus command; and 99 steady-state programs with associated transients for static and dynamic test applications.

The Cabinet Line, CAT6A shielded ethernet patch cables are suitable for industrial and manufacturing environments or where electrical noise such as welders is present.

Purposely designed for industry, the cables feature overall screen with foil around each twisted pair and shielded plugs to help combat excessive electrical noise, often found in industrial environments.

Communication performance is also improved as the cables minimise data errors as well as the slow reaction times that are a by-product of the excessive electrical noise found inside control cabinets, variable speed drive cabinets or nearby welding bays. The cables are low smoke zero halogen, in accordance with IEC 60754-2, IEC 60332-1/UL 1581 FT2 and are available in various lengths from 0.5 to 25 m.

They are available in a range of colours; straight cables in grey, blue, black, yellow, green, red and magenta. The company has also released 90째 and 270째 angled cables, available in grey and suitable for tight bend radius in cabinets.

Scientific Devices Australia Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P106

Weidmuller Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P086

www.electronicsonline.net.au www.electronicsonline.net.au

FEBRUARY 2012 - What's New in Electronics

17

Tablet PC resolution set to improve

‘Shock’ energy produces power

© iStockphoto.com/alxpin

Two important large-area TFT LCD trends are on the horizon higher resolution tablet PC panels and the emergence of low-cost direct type LED-backlit panels.

The NPD DisplaySearch shipment forecast indicates that the average resolution of tablet PC displays will grow to more than 200 pixels per inch (ppi) in Q2’12. Q1’12 will be the first quarter that LED backlights (including edge and direct type) will account for more than half total LCD TV panel shipments.

In addition, low-cost direct type LED backlights will capture 5% of LCD TV panel shipments in Q3’12.

“The TFT LCD industry is undergoing some extraordinary changes in regards to high resolution and LED backlights for tablet PC panels. Rapid growth in multimedia usage of tablet PCs is driving panel makers to upgrade the resolution of tablet PC panels,” said David Hsieh, vice president, Greater China Market, NPD DisplaySearch.

“At the same time, the rapidly growing LCD TV market in emerging countries is encouraging panel makers to develop ‘fit spec’ products, such as low-cost direct type LED-backlit panels, which have a similar structure to traditional CCFL models, but consume less power,” he added.

“While there are many technical challenges in developing high-resolution tablet PC panels, highresolution and slim-type displays can help panel makers raise their ASPs. Alternately, low-cost direct type LED backlights can help panel makers reduce panel prices,” he said. The launch of higher resolution displays in tablets, such as 10.1″ 1920 x 1200 and 9.7″ 2048 x 1536, expected at the end of 2011, will drive average tablet PC resolution to more than 200 ppi in Q2’12. The average resolution of all large-area TFT LCDs will surpass 100 ppi in Q1’12 and 110 ppi in Q3’12. LED backlight penetration in LCD TV panel shipments reached 39% in Q3’11. Penetration is forecast to surpass 50% in Q2’12 and reach 53% in Q3’12. The main drivers for LED backlight penetration include lower power consumption, slimmer form factors and environmental friendliness (no mercury).

Many panel makers are developing low-cost direct type LED backlights, trading off panel thickness for cost, but still gaining the advantages of LEDs. Some panel makers are using direct type LED backlights in new sizes such as 39″ and 50″ in order to provide value models in developing markets.

Premier Farnell in London has launched the element14 knode, an online design platform exclusively focused on the needs of electronic design engineers. It provides one interface to a world of engineering design solutions and supports the design flow from concept to final production and it enables engineers to research, design, develop and prototype manufacture in a single environment.

Based on an engineer’s initial specification it automates the creation of explicit dependencies and interrelationships with other system level components to quickly build a custom design flow - whether it be development kits, design tools, operating systems and stacks, intellectual property or services such as PCB design and manufacture. These have all been integrated into one place: the element14 knode - KNOwledge for Design Engineers. The services offered include: search automation and configuration for project specific design flows; development platforms and kits; operating systems and stacks; development and CAD tools; PCB services and test solutions; an online ‘learning centre’. Roadmap features will follow in future releases. A video introduction to the element14 knode is available on the website: http://www.element14.com/ community/community/knode.

18 What's New in Electronics - FEBRUARY 2012

© iStockphoto.com/setixela

Interactive design hub

Imec and the Holst Centre say they have made a micromachined harvester for vibration energy with a record output of 489 µW. Measurements and simulation show that the harvester is also suitable for shockinduced energy harvesting in car tyres, where it could power built-in sensors. In a tyre, at 70 km/h, the new device can deliver a constant 42 µW, which is enough to power a simple wireless sensor node.

The harvester consists of a cantilever with a piezoelectric layer sandwiched between metallic electrodes, forming a capacitor. At the tip of the cantilever a mass is attached, which translates the macroscopic vibration into a vertical movement - putting strain on the piezoelectric layer and generating a voltage across the capacitor.

As piezoelectric material, aluminium nitride was chosen. The harvesters are packaged with a 6-in wafer scale vacuum packaging process.

The harvester has a record output of 489 µW when the vibrations closely match the MEMS’s resonance vibration, which in this case is 1011 Hz. Together with a motor vehicle partner, imec also validated the use of the harvester for use in car tyres.

These submit the harvester to regular shocks, depending on the vehicle’s speed and the characteristics and condition of the tyre. Each shock will displace the mass, after which it will start to ring down at its natural resonance frequency.

During the ring-down period, which depends on the quality factor Q of the harvester, part of the mechanical energy is harvested. It is shown that in this way, a constant power output 42 µW can be harvested at a speed of 70 km/h.

Micromachined vibration harvesters such as these are suitable devices for generating electricity from machines, engines and other industrial appliances which vibrate or undergo repetitive shocks. In these environments, they will power miniaturised autonomous sensor nodes, in situations where battery replacement is not sustainable or practical. www.electronicsonline.net.au

Engineering or science?

The most influential factor in choosing engineering as a career is “a talent for mathematics/science” according to a survey of over 300 engineers by Australia Wide Personnel, an Australian engineering and technical recruitment firm.

This was closely followed by “a longstanding personal interest in things technical eg, hobby electronics”.

Stephen Noble, managing director of the company, said, “From an employer perspective, engineering will continue to be a highly sought-after profession in Australia for the longer term. We need engineers; however, our universities are producing scientists.

“In 2010 our universities produced 61% more domestic graduate scientists than engineers; however, if you look on Seek today there are 10 times the number of engineering jobs listed across Australia compared with scientific roles. By and large, the engineering jobs are also better paid with far better career prospects.

“More students in the 12-15 age bracket who show an aptitude for maths and science need to be exposed to what engineers do unfortunately it’s one of those professions which goes under the radar to a fair degree and the general population does not have a great idea of what an engineer actually does and the variety of career streams available.

“Most students in this age bracket would have a fairly good understanding of what a doctor, an accountant, a scientist and a computer programmer does. Engineering hasn’t hit popular culture through the media, nor is it taught at school.

“Should we be opening up our minds to engineering being a mainstream elective which goes hand in hand with maths and science? Perhaps the subject could have a very practical focus with activities such as basic CAD drawing, working with hobby electronics kits, regular site visits to a variety of engineering offices,” he said.

North American PV market may double Caught between strong utility-scale project demand, declining solar incentives in distributed generation applications, module oversupply and significant policy uncertainty, the North American photovoltaic market is at a crossroads, according to the conclusions of the recently released NPD Solarbuzz North America PV Markets Quarterly report.

“PV is now positioned to take significant market share from other energy sources as it approaches grid parity in some regions.

Downstream companies are facing enormous challenges to adapt to rapidly changing channel structure and business models to participate in that opportunity,” said Craig Stevens, president of NPD Solarbuzz.

In Q4’11, the North America photovoltaic market was forecast to grow 33% Q/Q and 101% Y/Y. Q4’11 installations of more than 0.8 GW of PV capacity were expected, resulting in a total demand of over 2.2 GW in 2011.

The US was expected to account for 84% of North American demand in Q4’11; Canada, dominated by Ontario, had the remaining 16%. When viewed at a state or provincial level, California remained the largest single market in Q4’11, with 21% of market share. Ontario is forecast to become the second-largest region (16%), followed by New Jersey (11%). Demand in the US has spread to many states beyond California, but in Canada, Ontario is 99% of the national market, which creates significant policy risk.

The primary driver in Ontario has been the feed-in tariff, while American states have been driven by a combination of policies and regulations at both state and federal levels.

More recently, the US federal government played a critical role in the US solar market, providing investment tax credits, cash grants, depreciation bonuses and loan guarantees as vehicles to make PV more financially attractive. By the end of Q3’11, the federal government cumulatively awarded over $1.4 billion in cash grants for solar systems, which is equivalent to 800 MW of installed capacity.

The California Solar Initiative, the largest state-level incentive program in the US, has supported over 650 MW since its inception in 2007.

In Q3’11, the US PV market grew by 32% from Q2’11 and could reach 1.9 GW for the year, which would mean that the market has doubled in size for the second consecutive year.

The next four quarters carry more downstream uncertainty than normal. The SolarWorld Chinese anti-dumping petition has split the US PV industry, with clear evidence that some Chinese manufacturers and project developers have already started to delay shipments and installations.

Taken together with the expiration of the US federal cash grant, deferral of module supplies awaiting a price bottom will slow 2012 growth. The North American market, however, is still forecast to triple in size by 2015, with the ground-mount installations securing the largest market share of 42%.

Distribution agreement Mouser Electronics is stocking semiconductors from Panasonic.

The agreement between the two corporations will provide design engineers and buyers with access to Panasonic’s semiconductor technologies through Mouser’s distribution process. Panasonic offers a variety of semiconductors and LED emitters.

www.electronicsonline.net.au

FEBRUARY 2012 - What's New in Electronics

19

newproducts Workstation computer NextComputing has enhanced its Nucleus compact graphics workstation to allow professional users to work in an immersive 3D environment within their favourite graphical software.

By bundling the Nucleus with the NVIDIA 3D Vision Pro system, NVIDIA Quadro professional graphics from PNY Technologies and the Planar SA2311W 23″ 3D monitor, designers, digital artists, engineers and geospatial analysts now have a single, turnkey solution for working in stereoscopic 3D with a variety of applications.

NVIDIA 3D Vision Pro with Quadro graphics offers the highest quality and advanced stereoscopic 3D environment for professional users. The system combines a pair of active shutter glasses and RF emitter with a certified Quadro graphics card and a compatible 120 Hz display, in this case the Planar SA2311W, a full-HD (1920 x 1080) 23″ widescreen monitor.

When combined with NextComputing’s workstation, power users have a platform ready to run their preferred applications out of the box.

The workstation features: a compact and space-saving small form-factor, mini tower chassis; Intel Xeon and Core i7 processing; up to eight no-tools removable internal 2.5″ hard drives for up to 8 TB of high-speed RAID storage; the full range of ISV-certified NVIDIA Quadro professional graphics solutions, up to the ultrahigh-end Quadro 6000, with 6 GB GDDR5 memory.

Time/calendar devices

The Curtiss Wright XMC/PMC-552 is a power-efficient NAND flash solid state drive, suitable for rugged aerospace and defence applications and harsh environments where extreme temperature, shock or vibration make the use of mechanical hard disk drives impractical.

Available in an XMC or PMC form factor, the drive has independent SATA drives providing up to 256 GB of disk space. Available configurations come in 64, 128 or 256 GB.

The MCP795WXX/BXX RTCC range of stand-alone, real-time clock/ calendar devices from MIcrochip, has a 10 MHz SPI interface, non-volatile memory.

The devices reduce component counts in the smart energy (eg, thermostats, power meters and commercial refrigeration); home appliance (eg, coffee makers, stoves and microwave ovens); motor vehicle (eg, dashboard controls, car radios and GPS); consumer electronic (eg, office equipment and video systems); and communications markets (eg, radios, cordless phones and network systems).

The devices have millisecond alarms and a 10 MHz SPI interface that supports very fast data access, resulting in longer MCU sleep and power-down modes and less power draw from the battery.

Other low power features include two event-detect inputs that draw minimal current in the RTCC device but wake the MCU when events such as a switch press or system tampering have occurred.

The devices include three types of non-volatile memory-EEPROM, SRAM and a unique ID - which can be ordered blank or with a pre-programmed MAC address.

Along with the automatic battery switchover for backup power, a power-fail time stamp logs the time and duration of any power failure and, for accurate timekeeping over a broad temperature range, the devices feature a wide digital-trimming range that compensates for crystal frequency drift over temperature.

In designs where a second low-frequency crystal is used, a boot-clock option provides a 32 kHz clock at power-up.

Unitronix Pty Ltd

Microchip Technology Australia

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/L610

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P294

Metromatics Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P013

Solid state flash drive

Talk to the transformer company that speaks your language.

• Real technical engineering support • Custom Design to the major standards • Make direct replacements of standard parts • One local manufacturing facility • Two company owned China production facilities

And all available to you, so contact:

Designers & Manufacturers of Transformers and Wound Components

www.marque-magnetics.com Now in Australia: +614 1884 3687 call Mark Ph: +64 9 818 6760 F: +64 9 818 1442 E: info@marque-magnetics.com 11 Culperry Rd, Glendene, Auckland, New Zealand

20 What's New in Electronics - FEBRUARY 2012

www.electronicsonline.net.au

newproducts Network tester

Computer-onmodule Kontron has extended its COM Express basic ETXexpress-SC computer-on-module product family with three entry-level modules equipped with the cost-optimised Intel Celeron dual core processor and Intel HM65 platform controller hub.

The Celeron processor-based SKUs are entry-level additions to the company’s COM express computer-on-modules range, based on Intel’s monolithic microarchitecture.

With these latest versions, the ETXexpress-SC is now available in nine different performance versions with type 2 and type 6 pin-out ensuring developers get the exact performance they require.

The modules are suitable for applications that demand dual core processing and extended graphics capabilities, but do not require the extended features of the Intel Core i3/i5/i7 versions.

The energy-saving power-off state S5 Eco microampere mode minimises power consumption by a factor of 200 (minimum), compared with the regular S5 state.

Offering video capabilities with digital display interfaces for SDVO, DisplayPort and DVI/ HDMI plus one CRT and one dual-channel 18/24 bit LVDS output, the modules enable multi-display solutions with one platform supporting several displays. The modules are supported by the company’s COM Express Starterkit Type 6 and embedded application interface.

These help developers reduce the development time of new designs and upgrades.

The Anritsu MT9083B ACCESS Master has been added to the test and measurement rental fleet.

The instrument reduces testing times to install and maintain FTTx, CATV, LAN, Access and Metro networks. Testing PONs with both high resolution and high dynamic range is what sets the device apart.

It has been optimised for verifying single or closely spaced, cascaded PON splitters. Included analysis software identifies problem splices, connectors and macrobends.

Features include: rugged and portable sealed design for the most challenging environments; inservice testing without the need for external filters; ready for measurement about 15 s after power up; 6.5″ colour TFT-LCD display with simple menus; up to 8 h battery life plus quick recharge.

TechRentals Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P074

Kontron Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/L776

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FEBRUARY 2012 - What's New in Electronics

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newproducts Embedded system Backplane has released Avalue’s EPS-QM57 fanless Core i7 Celeron P4505 rugged embedded system with the QM57 chipset.

The device supports the Core i7-620LE 2.0 GHz with 4 MB cache CPU and Celeron P4505 1.86 GHz with 2 MB Cache CPU. Memory slots of 2x 204-pin SODIMMs support up to 8 GB DDR3 800/1066 SDRAM. The system has increased connectivity with Realtek HD 5.1-CH HD audio and dual gigabit ethernet, expansion interfaces include 2x PCI slots plus 2x mini PCIe sockets 1x CFast, 1x SATA, 8x COM, 6x USB, 1x LPT, 2x PCI, 1x sim card and 8-/16-bit DIO. The device has a wide operating temperature range of -10 to +55°C and a design to protect against vibration and shock. The system also includes a PCIe x16 riser card and table mount bracket for use in a wide variety of industrial applications.

Ethernet switches Weidmüller has released a range of unmanaged industrial ethernet switches and media converters specifically for harsh environments.

The ethernet range includes a choice of fast ethernet or gigabit unmanaged switches and 10/100 media converters.

All switches are housed in robust metal casings, which act as heatsinks, eliminating the need for fans and case venting.

This delivers IP40 protection and stops any foreign objects from penetrating the device.

To ensure the switches are always operational in harsh and extreme environments, they have been created to withstand an operating temperature up to 85°C as well as high vibration and good EMC protection.

The plug and play devices are all supplied with a universal low voltage of 18-72 VDC/13-50 VAC.

Backplane Systems Technology Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/M144

Module case The Verotec LBX case is suitable for mounting Eurocard-sized PCBs and modules in a desktop enclosure.

Fabricated in steel, it accepts 3U and 6U boards in 160 and 220 mm board depths and can accommodate standard front panels in 4, 6, 12 and 24 HP widths.

The primary benefit is that the same PCB or module can be mounted in a standard subrack for 19″ rackmounting or in the LBX for desktop applications, enabling systems to be configured to suit different applications.

The largest 24 HP version will accept a maximum of eight horizontally mounted boards. Connector carriers allow interconnection between boards by using DIN41612 connectors or a backplane.

Divider kits enable 3U and 6U boards to be mixed within the same enclosure. These also enable 160 and 220 mm boards to be mixed in different sections of the housing.

Front panels can be secured by using standard 2.5 mm screws or by reversing the LBX corner mouldings.

The gigabit range incorporates a choice of combination ports.

Users can choose between five or eight RJ45 ports or a gigabit switch with six RJ45 ports and two combination ports, totalling eight RJ45 outlets. If a single or multi-mode fibre port is required, users can insert up to two plug-in fibre outlets to convert two gigabit RJ45 ports into two fibre ports. The gigabit range has an operating temperature of -40 to 85°C. Other models available include the entry-level IES10 fast ethernet range, available in five or eight port switches with a single universal power supply. The IES20 fast ethernet range includes both copper and fibre ports and a dual universal power supply and has an operating temperature range of -40 to 85°C.

Lektronics Pty Ltd

Weidmuller Pty Ltd

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/L322

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P275

22 What's New in Electronics - FEBRUARY 2012

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newproducts ATX motherboard

Handheld thermometer Available to rent, the Hart 1523 NATA precision handheld thermometer accurately measures, graphs and records PRTs, thermocouples and thermistors, using a wide measurement range.

It performs laboratory measurements, field applications and data logging, documenting up to 25 readings, ready for easy retrieval.

It is virtually insensitive to environmental temperature, measures PRTs up to ¹ 0.011°C and has multiple probes to suit various tasks.

The IEI IMBA-Q670 ATX motherboard is suitable for industrial automation and supports 32 nm LGA115 Intel Core i7/i5 Quad Core and i3 Dual Core processors.

It features a robust, dual-channel DDR3 1333 MHz memory socket which supports up to 32 GB RAM, allowing data transfer at twice the rate of DDR2.

The One Key Recovery solution allows users to create rapid OS backup and recovery.

Its expansion slots include PCIe gigabit ethernet with AMT 7.0 supported. There are 2x USB 3.0, 10x USB 2.0 ports (2 on rear I/O panel and 8 by pinheader) as well as 2x SATA 6 GBps and 2x SATA 3 GBps ports, 1x PCIex16 slot plus 1x PCI x1 slot, 1x PCIex4 slot and 3x PCI slots.

The integrated HD audio features a Realtek ALC888 HD audio codec (line-in, line-out, mic). The front audio 2x 5-pin header is convenient for most places where audio is needed.

The motherboard graphics support DX10.1 and OpenGL3.0 full MPEG2 with VC1 and AVC Decode.

TechRentals Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P073

www.electronicsonline.net.au

ICP Electronics Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/M072

FEBRUARY 2012 - What's New in Electronics

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NEW White Papers

now available online!

Automated Test Outlook 2011: Key technologies and methodologies impacting the test and measurement industry This report details key trends, methodologies and technologies impacting test engineering organisations in every industry. The Automated Test Outlook combines input from academic and industry research, business intelligence and customer advisory boards. Read this white paper for more information.

Networking voice communication and control systems Facing the challenge of networking voice communications and control systems in a mission-critical environment requires careful planning, product selection and implementation.

This paper steps through a real-life case study which culminated in a hybrid voice communication and control system (VCCS).

Eight threats your antivirus won’t stop: why you need endpoint security News headlines are a constant reminder that malware attacks and data loss are on the rise. High-profile incidents that make big news might seem out of the ordinary yet businesses of every size face similar risks when using digital technology and the internet for legitimate purposes.

Top 5 reasons to replace your remote support tool Even if you have a remote support tool, the changing demands of employees and customers may necessitate a change. Now may be the time to re-evaluate your remote support to add new capabilities, increase efficiency and consolidate support tools.

For these and more White Paper downloads, visit www.sustainabilitymatters.net.au/white_papers

newproducts Gauss/Tesla meter TechRentals has introduced the FW Bell 5180 Gauss/Tesla meter into its test and measurement rental fleet.

The meter is a magnetic measuring device with digital signal processing that works in either sensitive laboratory environments or rugged industrial settings.

It has built-in software which eliminates complex calibration.

The meter has Gauss, Tesla, or ampere/ meter read units; detachable transverse probe and zero gauss chamber; corrected analog output (±3 V FS); and USB communication port.

TechRentals Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P295

Analog input module ICP DAS’s I-87H17W HART analog input module is an eight-channel device for connecting HART devices.

It unlocks the power of HART field devices by providing full read and write access to all information within the devices.

It eliminates the need for separate HART multiplexer data networks and analog inputs modules by integrating these two functions into one package.

It can be used in the PAC series from ICP DAS to measure 4 to 20 mA and acts as a HART master, allowing communication with HART field devices. The sampling rate of I-87H17W is changeable and supports DCON protocol.

Meanwhile, DAS also provides an API library for users to develop their own program by VC and VB plus C# or VB.Net environment.

ICP Electronics Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/L712

Line monitoring recorder The Electrocorder series, EC-6VA, is suitable for short- and long-term, three-phase power line monitoring.

It is powered by four, 9 V alkaline batteries and is available in IP65 housing suitable for outdoor use or as an IP43 version for indoor use. Each instrument has three Rogowski coils and four voltage leads. Storage capacity per phase is 32,000 samples (a maximum of 300 days recording).

There are four models available with maximum line current ranges of 300, 1000, 2000 and 3000 A. Maximum line voltage is 500 V. Sixteen samples per cycle are taken to provide a true picture of troughs and peaks occurring in periods of one cycle or longer.

Stored data is uploaded via a USB cable and, using the supplied Electrosoft program, can be displayed in tabular or graphical format.

Power Parameters Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P287

24 What's New in Electronics - FEBRUARY 2012

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sun power

© iStockphoto.com/Pedro Castellano

Cheaper solar cells on the horizon

Solar or photovoltaic cells represent one of the best possible technologies for providing an absolutely clean and virtually inexhaustible source of energy to power our civilization.

For this dream to be realised, however, solar cells need to be made from inexpensive elements using low-cost, less energy-intensive processing chemistry and they need to efficiently and cost-competitively convert sunlight into electricity.

A team of researchers with the US Department of Energy (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) has demonstrated two out of three of these requirements, with a promising start on the third.

Peidong Yang, a chemist with Berkeley Lab’s Materials Sciences Division, led the development of a solution-based technique for fabricating core/shell nanowire solar cells using the semiconductors cadmium sulfide for the core and copper sulfide for the shell.

These inexpensive and easy to make nanowire solar cells boasted open-circuit voltage and fill factor values superior to conventional planar solar cells.

Together, the open-circuit voltage and fill factor determine the maximum energy that a solar cell can produce. In addition, the new nanowires also demonstrated an energy conversion efficiency of 5.4%, which is comparable to planar solar cells.

“This is the first time a solution-based, cation-exchange chemistry technique has been used to produce high quality, singlecrystalline cadmium sulfide/copper sulfide core/shell nanowires,” said Yang.

“Our achievement, together with the increased light absorption we have previously demonstrated in nanowire arrays through light trapping, indicates that core/shell nanowires are truly promising for future solar cell technology.”

Yang, who holds a joint appointment with the University of California Berkeley, is the corresponding author of a paper reporting this research.

The paper is titled ‘Solution-processed core-shell nanowires for efficient photovoltaic cells.’ Co-authoring this paper with Yang were Jinyao Tang, Ziyang Huo, Sarah Brittman and Hanwei Gao. Typical solar cells today are made from ultra-pure single crystal silicon wafers that require about 100 micrometres in thickness of this very expensive material to absorb enough solar light.

Furthermore, the high level of crystal purification required makes the fabrication of even the simplest silicon-based planar solar cell a complex, energy-intensive and costly process.

A highly promising alternative would be “Solar cells made from nanowires semiconductor nanowires – one-dimensional strips of materials whose width measures offer a number of advantages over only one thousandth that of a human hair conventional planar solar cells.” but whose length may stretch up to the millimetre scale.

Solar cells made from nanowires offer a number of advantages over conventional planar solar cells, including better charge separation and collection capabilities, plus they can be made from Earth-abundant materials rather than highly processed silicon.

So far, however, the lower efficiencies of nanowire-based solar cells have outweighed their benefits.

“Nanowire solar cells in the past have demonstrated fill factors and open-circuit voltages far inferior to those of their planar counterparts,” said Yang.

“Possible reasons for this poor performance include surface recombination and poor control over the quality of the p-n junctions when high-temperature doping processes are used.”

At the heart of all solar cells are two separate layers of material, one with an abundance of electrons that function as a negative pole, and one with an abundance of electron holes (positively charged energy spaces) that function as a positive pole.

When photons from the sun are absorbed, their energy is used to create electron-hole pairs, which are then separated at the p-n junction - the interface between the two layers - and collected as electricity.

About a year ago, working with silicon, Yang and members of his research group developed a relatively inexpensive way to replace the planar p-n junctions of conventional solar cells with a radial p-n junc-

www.electronicsonline.net.au

FEBRUARY 2012 - What's New in Electronics

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sun power

tion, in which a layer of n-type silicon formed a shell around a p-type silicon nanowire core.

This geometry effectively turned each individual nanowire into a photovoltaic cell and greatly improved the light-trapping capabilities of silicon-based photovoltaic thin films.

Now they have applied this strategy to the fabrication of core/shell nanowires using cadmium sulfide and copper sulfide, but this time using solution chemistry.

These core/shell nanowires were prepared “All we really need are beakers using a solution-based cation (negative ion) exchange reaction that was originally developed and flasks for this solutionby chemist Paul Alivisatos and his research based process.” group to make quantum dots and nanorods.

Alivisatos is now the director of Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley’s Larry and Diane Bock Professor of Nanotechnology.

“The initial cadmium sulfide nanowires were synthesised by physical vapour transport using a vapour-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanism rather than wet chemistry, which gave us better quality material and greater physical length, but certainly they can also be made using solution process” said Yang.

“The as-grown single-crystalline cadmium sulfide nanowires have diameters of between 100 and 400 nm and lengths up to 50 mm.”

The cadmium sulfide nanowires were then dipped into a solution of copper chloride at a temperature of 50°C and kept there for five to 10 seconds. The cation exchange reaction converted the surface layer of the cadmium sulfide into a copper sulfide shell.

“The solution-based cation exchange reaction provides us with an easy, low-cost method to prepare high-quality heteroepitaxial nanomaterials,” said Yang.

“Furthermore, it circumvents the difficulties of high-temperature doping and deposition for typical vapour phase production methods, which suggests much lower fabrication costs and better reproducibility.

“All we really need are beakers and flasks for this solution-based process. There’s none of the high fabrication costs associated with gas-phase epitaxial chemical vapour deposition and molecular beam epitaxy, the techniques most used today to fabricate semiconductor nanowires,” said Yang.

Yang and his colleagues believe they can improve the energy conversion efficiency of their solar cell nanowires by increasing the copper sulfide shell material. For their technology to be commercially viable, they need to reach an energy conversion efficiency of at least 10%.

Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory http://www.lbl.gov/

newproducts Embedded PC

Wireless security

The embedded Box-PC Microspace MPC-pONE is an application-ready platform for cost-sensitive applications that demand a robust design and high availability.

The compact, fanless BoxPC is based on the long-life Intel Atom Z5xx processors and the Intel USW15W controller hub. With the completely sealed aluminium housing, operation can be carried out maintenance-free for more than 11 years in 24/7 operation.

The computer is scalable from the Intel Atom Z510 processor with 1.1 GHz up to the Z530 with 1.6 GHz and provides up to 2 GB system memory. It has a small footprint of 122 x 99 mm.

The optional mounting kit enables top-hat rail mounting.

It offers all the standard PC interfaces; video signals with a resolution of up to 1920 x 1080 are transmitted via the integrated DVI connector. For data transfer, a gigabit ethernet (RJ45) is available. External peripherals can be connected via the two USB 2.0 ports on the front and back. A TPM takes care of data security.

The housing also has enough space to integrate an optional 500 GB 2.5″ hard disk or 40 GB SSD for maintenance-free designs. Alternatively, the system can be booted via the integrated MicroSD slot, so system designs without moving parts can be created that are shock- and vibration-proof.

Fluke has released threat signature updates for its AirMagnet Enterprise 9.0 wireless intrusion detection and prevention system (WIDS/WIPS).

The updates protect against wireless threats and vulnerabilities, including Karmetasploit and Apple’s new AirDrop feature.

By using its dynamic threat update, AirMagnet offers what is believed to be the only wireless LAN (WLAN) security system that can generate signature updates for immediate protection and automatically push them to users without requiring scheduled downtime or additional IT resources.

The following signature updates have been released: AirDrop - Apple’s Mac OS X Lion includes the AirDrop feature that lets multiple users share files wirelessly, which can be a violation of company security policies, creating security risks that could result in protected data being easily transferred to unknown machines outside the enterprise network, potentially leaving the network vulnerable to other active attacks; Karmetasploit is a man in the middle style attack that tricks a client into associating with a device masquerading as an access point running KARMA. This lets a hacker do any number of the following: gain access to the client machine, capture passwords, harvest data and conduct a wide variety of application exploits; a DHCP starvation attack run from a wireless client can cause other clients to connect to a malicious network. Wireless guest networks and unencrypted commercial hotspots are especially vulnerable to this attack, which can lead to lost productivity.

Kontron Australia Pty Ltd

Fluke Australia Pty Ltd

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P293

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P291

26 What's New in Electronics - FEBRUARY 2012

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newproducts Upgraded board

Futek Advanced Sensor Technology has introduced its upgraded CSG110 strain gauge signal amplifier.

It is now CE approved, making it compliant with all medical, industrial and consumer applications. The output noise has been reduced significantly by 90% - 10 times less than that of the previous CSG110.

The company has installed a safeguard into the device protecting it from short-circuiting and DIP switches have replaced the soldering of the internal components making the device free of any lead-based materials and therefore RoHS compliant.

This 1 or 10 KHz amplifier has the option of being modified to support 25 KHz.

The SOM-4463 B1, an upgraded board, has more features including support of up to 4 GB DDR3 memory, compatibility with 24-bit LVDS, an additional IDE channel through PCIex1 and an ALC892 enhanced audio chip.

The board is powered by an Intel Atom N455/D525 processor that enhances performance and total power consumption, which is around 11 W for single-core and 13 W for dual-core.

The latest ALC888 chip has been included that supports the latest Dolby True HD and DTS HD standards as well as upgrading audio quality. The device supports component wide temperature and future end-of-life concerns have been considered to ensure its sustainability.

The board supports both 18- and 24-bit LVDS. IDE support for a total of two interfaces is especially important for migration from 852GM and 855GME. Users who wish to have more than one IDE channel for a CF card and HDD have their needs met.

The device supports the company’s software API, SUSI (secure and unified smart interface), a user-friendly, intelligent and integrated interface which speeds up development and enhances security.

Metromatics Pty Ltd

Advantech Australia Pty Ltd

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P076

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P155

Strain gauge amplifier

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FEBRUARY 2012 - What's New in Electronics

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newproducts Expanded colour binning Vishay has expanded the colour binning and ordering options for its VLMW41XX series of sapphire-based, cool white SMD LEDs in the PLCC-2 package.

The devices are available in 14 different colour bins with narrow chromaticity coordinate groups, according to CIE1931.

Users can order LEDs comprising four adjacent colour bins.

By offering more narrow colour bins and allowing users to order four adjacent colour groups, the series enables designers to eliminate colour differences in applications including backlighting in motor vehicle dashboards and switches; indicators and backlighting in telecommunications systems, audio and video equipment, white goods and office equipment; and flat backlighting for LCDs, switches and symbols in general use.

Built on InGaN technology, the devices offer a ±60° angle of half-intensity, a high luminous intensity ranging from 180 to 450 mcd and a typical colour temperature of 5500 K, cool white.

The devices are qualified according to AEC-Q101 for motor vehicle applications.

Braemac Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/L360

Power analyser The Fluke 434/PWR power quality analyser is a three-phase troubleshooting tool that measures: voltage, current, frequency, power, energy consumption, cos ϕ or power factor, unbalance and harmonics and inter-harmonics.

It can be used for energy consumption studies and electrical load analysis, and to perform power quality logging and analysis surveys in buildings, equipment and machines.

It captures events like dips and swells, interruptions and rapid voltage changes based on ½ cycle RMS values. Two groups of four channels simultaneously measure voltage and current on all three phases and neutral. It meets 600 V CAT IV, 1000 V CAT III safety standards.

A full-colour display uses industry-standard, user-selectable colour coding to correlate measurements with actual wiring. It logs incoming data with an AutoTrend function that highlights changes of data over time. The data can then be analysed with the included software.

A logging function provides user-configurable long-term recording. It gives MIN, MAX and AVG readings of up to 100 parameters on all four phases. Averaging time can be selected down to 0.5 seconds (or 1 minute for one day’s recording, 10 minutes for one week, 30 minutes for one month or more).

Fluke Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/L135

28 What's New in Electronics - FEBRUARY 2012

Ethernet extenders B&B Electronics has expanded its industrial-grade Elinx ethernet extenders with models featuring power over ethernet plus (PoE+) and network management capabilities, plus one unmanaged extender with extra-long range.

Using existing copper wire infrastructure (Cat5 cable or two straight wires from the phone line) to avoid the cost of fibre or new construction, the company’s extenders allow system integrators, engineers and IT groups to deploy remote security cameras, IP phones and other ethernet devices beyond ethernet’s 100 m limit, up to 1900.

A new unmanaged long-range ethernet extender without PoE+ can reach up to 6250 m.

In addition to distance limitations, the PoE+ models also overcome the challenge of powering remote devices that are placed nowhere near a power source by providing power directly from the extended ethernet port.

The managed models monitor remote communications via web browser and SNMP, preventing unneeded monitoring visits to remote locations.

The extenders are designed for rugged applications such as industrial and building automation, SCADA, traffic control, point-of-sale, CCTV to IP, surveillance/security and warehousing.

Micromax Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P099

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© iStockphoto.com/nullplus

© iStockphoto.com/Ulrich Knaupe

embedded systems

Bringing embedded chips to smart devices Microchips are found in every modern electronic device from mobile phones to kitchen appliances. But as users demand more processing power on an ever smaller scale, bulky chips mounted on printed circuit boards are running out of room.

Embedded chips offer a solution, and EUfunded researchers are helping to bring them to full-scale commercial production with a range of manufacturers.

Embedding components into the circuit board makes them more robust and allows more functionality to be built into the same space, leading to smarter phones, cars and other consumer devices.

Take apart a computer, a mobile phone or a television and the first thing you will probably notice are the microchips, mounted inside plastic casings with metallic feet protruding from the sides. Surfacemounted chip packages, as the beetle-like components are known, have long been the backbone of the semiconductor industry.

But they may not be for much longer.

A fast-emerging technique in which the chips are embedded inside the printed circuit board (PCB) rather than mounted on top of it, offers many advantages - and not just in terms of size. Embedded chips are already in commercial production on a small scale and they are likely to be used much more widely in the future.

Research into embedded chips began more than a decade ago but has advanced in leaps and bounds in recent years, thanks particularly to EU-funded research projects.

‘Hiding Dies’, an initiative funded under the EU’s Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), carried out the fundamental research and development needed to produce prototype embedded chips as thin as 50 µm, roughly the same width as a human hair.

‘High density integration by embedding chips for reduced size modules and electronic systems’(HERMES), a follow-up project to Hiding Dies, has now built on that research, improving the design of embedded chips and moving them towards large-scale industrial production.

“Embedded chips have many benefits compared to surface-mount devices. The main one is obviously size - embedded chips have a smaller footprint and are also much thinner,” said Johannes Stahr, who coordinated the HERMES project.

“In addition, on such an embedded PCB, you can also assemble on top - that means a second level of components on top in a reduced space, something you simply can’t do with a moulded chip package, for example.”

By moving the components to the inner layers, additional space is created on the outer layers so more active and passive components, such as transistors and capacitors, can be placed on the same footprint.

This also opens the door to 3D systems-in-package in which chips and other components can be stacked on top of each other to deliver increased functionality in less space.

Because all the components can be placed so close together, short interconnects between them reduce signal distortion and improve thermal performance. It also ensures that the modules are considerably more robust and reliable because there is no soldering or bonding involved.

Because the components are located between the PCB conductor layers and not “Research into embedded chips on top of the PCB, contacts can be made from either side, allowing increased design began more than a decade ago but flexibility for different applications. has advanced in leaps and bounds “Hiding Dies focused on a so-called in recent years, thanks particularly to ‘face-up’ process for embedding in which the chip is glued to a core material and then EU-funded research projects.” a special material - a resin coated copper foil - is laminated onto the assembled core.

“However, this results in a relatively difficult lamination process because the resin has to be softened and the lamination has to be carried out all together so as not to break the chips,” explains Stahr, who is also group technology manager at AT&S, Europe’s largest PCB manufacturer, in Austria.

This process works in the lab but may not be the optimum solution for manufacturing chips on an industrial scale. In HERMES, the researchers adopted a different approach.

“We focused on a ‘face-down’ process: we print a dielectric onto a copper foil and then assemble the components face down into the adhesive,” said Stahr.

The advantage is that the process can better handle embedding components of different sizes anywhere from 1 x 0.5 mm for passive components to 8 x 8 mm for silicon dies and external components can then be assembled on the top side of the PCB to create very high density modules.

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FEBRUARY 2012 - What's New in Electronics

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embedded systems

Because the component is visible to the assembly-machine camera, unlike in the face-up process, it can assemble the components with more accuracy. This is crucial for large-scale production where the slightest defect can cost millions of euros to correct.

The HERMES team was recognised at the ICP APEX Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 2010 when their project was given a ‘Best International Conference Paper’ award for a paper focusing on the technical options for chip embedding and reliability.

Using techniques developed in the project, the HERMES team has built hundreds “We have not set up a prototype of embedded-chip demonstrators for three production line, but rather a full- end-user partners.

“We have not set up a prototype producscale industrial production line tion line, but rather a full-scale industrial for real volume production.” production line for real volume production,” said Stahr.

For project partner Bosch, the supplier of motor vehicle components, the team is producing a complete motor control unit for the motherboard of diesel cars and trucks, containing an 8 x 8 mm embedded processor along with memory and other passive components.

Though a car, given its overall size, may not seem to face the same space constraints and hence demand for miniaturisation as a mobile phone, there are very good reasons why Bosch and other motor vehicle companies are interested in the technology.

“They have a limited space for the motherboard. With this module, they can keep the same simple motherboard but have a more complex motor control unit for better performance,” said Stahr.

Because embedded chips are more robust, there is less risk of faults developing due to the extreme conditions encountered in a moving vehicle, from large temperature fluctuations to intense vibrations.

“AT&S made a comparison between embedded components and SMD components and we saw excellent reliability from embedded components. In drop tests, our component withstood 15,000 drops before the testers had to stop - they simply couldn’t break it,” said Stahr.

For project partner, Infineon, the team is producing functional demonstrators of power modules that could be placed into a range of consumer products from air-conditioning units to washing machines.

These power MOSFETs have better current flow and thermal conductivity compared with SMD components due to having contacts on both sides and shorter interconnects using copper-filled microvia.

For Thales, the team is working on highly complex modules for secure communications, embedding almost 400 components, including five chips, into a 10-layer construction on a single PCB. “There is an enormous range of applications in many sectors for this technology and we are now on the frontline of producing embedded chips on a commercial, industrial scale,” said Stahr. The HERMES project received research funding under the EU’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

ATXS Austria www.ats.net/en/

newproducts Chassis monitoring The chassis monitoring board CMB (chassis monitoring board) is a unified solution for VPX and VME systems to streamline system monitoring and management of rugged applications.

It centralises out-of-band monitoring and management of installed boards and relevant system parameters such as temperature, airflow and power supply in COTS systems with high demands on reliability, availability and ruggedness.

Instead of relying solely on chipset and firmware implemented management features, the device uses additional monitoring hardware that helps to optimise system availability, since a reset or system crash does not influence the monitoring and management.

Additionally, the board is designed for multi-board and multi-vendor environments, as it is based on common interface technology such as I²C and GPIOs to provide out-of-band chassis management and monitoring functionality.

Its high MTBF, according to the MIL-HDBK217F-2 standard, means it is suitable for a wide range of environments from ground benign conditions (603,005 h at 25°C) to demanding air rotary wing applications (20,485 h at 55°C).

Its compact footprint and low power requirements (<1 W) simplify system development for space-restricted applications. System designers can use the chassis monitoring board to monitor and control up to eight power modules, eight temperature sensors and eight fans in addition to out-of-band monitoring and management of up to eight installed VME or VPX boards.

Beyond monitoring, the board can remotely power up/down and reset boards, fans and power supplies. This enables additional functionality such as variable computing capacity to allow minimal power consumption while the system operates in surveillance mode.

Kontron Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/L775

30 What's New in Electronics - FEBRUARY 2012

Thermal VGA cameras Axis Communications has launched an improved range of thermal network cameras, Axis Q1922 and Axis Q1922-E. The VGA resolution and the large variety of lenses ensure better image quality and an extended detection range.

The greater resolution enables integration of third-party applications such as trip-wire and motion detection.

Q1922 is designed for indoor surveillance, while Q1922-E is an IP66-rated device. The four lens alternatives range from 300 m up to 1800 m. In addition, the cameras support key IP-surveillance features such as H.264 and motion JPEG, two-way audio, local storage and PoE. Pacific Communications Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P138

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newproducts Ethernet security The CAT6A connectors from Phoenix Contact with integrated Quickon and Piercecon quick connection systems provide data transfer rates of 10 Gbps, in conformance with the ethernet CAT6A standard.

They ensure fast and reliable connections locally and fulfil high technical requirements.

The new coding of the M12 connectors with Piercecon connection prevents incorrect insertion into existing M12 solutions.

For the QUICKON quick connection system, the connector profile remains the same as for the commercially available RJ45 connectors. These freely configurable connectors can be connected without special tools.

The CAT6A range includes M12 and RJ45 connectors for the cable and device ends that are available with IP20 protection for office applications and a high IP6X degree of protection for industrial environments. The preassembled cables are available in different versions.

Well Connected

Phoenix Contact Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P297

Gecko microcontrollers Energy Micro has introduced a further 100 EFM32 Gecko microcontrollers.

Pin and code compatible with the existing Gecko and Tiny Gecko products, the ARM Cortex-M3 based Leopard Gecko and Giant Gecko microcontrollers bring memory configurations up to 1 MB, have more package choice and additional energy saving and have connectivity and display driving options.

The Leopard Gecko product family is comprised of 60 MCUs, providing 32 kB RAM as standard and Flash of either 64, 128 or 256 kB. At the top of the Energy Micro portfolio, the 40 MCU Giant Gecko family provides Flash configurations of either 512 or 1024 with 128 kB of RAM. An extended range of package options comprises the QFN64, QFP100, BGA112 and the new QFP64 and BGA120 packages.

The latest low power Geckos also take CPU operating speeds up to 48 MHz. A feature introduced by the Leopard Gecko and Giant Gecko product families is a 400 nA backup power mode, enabling the RTC to keep running and providing 512 back-up register bytes. To help further reduce external component counts, the latest MCUs also integrate three on-chip op amps.

The latest MCUs have the added option of a 320 x 240 dot direct drive TFT controller capable of driving display updates without CPU intervention.

A USB 2.0 full speed connectivity option introduced on Leopard and Giant supports host and OTG protocols and up to 14 x 2 kB buffered end points, while a built-in 3.3 V regulator also allows users to run the MCU from USB link power. Additional communication options include five standard USART/UART serial interfaces and the company’s low energy UART, drawing only 150 nA at 9600 baud.

Apex Electronics Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P286

www.electronicsonline.net.au

Wide range of Cable Assemblies including: • FFCs and FPCs • Custom-Made such as Moulded RS232 Data Communications • Automotives • Waterproof & RF Cable Assemblies • Locally made Cable Assemblies for prototyping 3 Small Volumes 3 Quick Turnaround • UL Approved and RoHS Compliant Cable Assemblies Semiconductor IC’s Resistors Capacitors Potentiometers Crystals

Oscillators Filters LED’s & LCD’s Relays Sensors

Switches Connectors Fasteners Enclosures GPS Modules

Ampec Technologies Pty Ltd Sydney: Web: E-mail:

(02) 8741-5000 www.ampec.com.au sales@ampec.com.au

newproducts USB DAQ modules Adlink has released its USB-1900 series and USB-2401 USB DAQ modules.

Equipped with built-in signal conditioning, the USB-powered plug-and-play USB DAQ modules deliver easy connection and accurate results for both portable measurement and machine automation applications.

With built-in signal conditioning, the modules enable direct measurement of the most frequently applied signal sources.

All the modules feature USB power and removable screw-down terminals, for simplified device connectivity and a multifunctional stand for fast and easy desktop, rail, or wall mounting. Additionally, a lockable USB cable secures connectivity.

The modules also provide device ID setting by a rotary control for identification of the active module in multiple-connection configurations.

The USB DAQ collection offers the USB-1900 series, consisting of USB-1901 and USB-1902 models of 16-bit 250 kS/s DAQ modules. Also in the series is the USB-1903, with additional builtin precision current-to-voltage resistors allowing direct measurement of current signals from 0 to 20 mA. Rounding out the USB DAQ category is the USB-2401, a 24-bit, four-channel simultaneoussampling universal module supporting sampling rates up to 1.6 kS/s and a more flexible signal conditioning circuit such as voltage, current, strain, load cell, thermocouple and RTD measurement.

Micromax Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/L778

Mobile router The Westermo MR-270 mobile broadband router eliminates the need for site visits and provides a network infrastructure.

Allowing industrial remote access using the internet provides users with access to SCADA systems, HMI and PLCs. The network minimises down-time and dual SIMs ensure high availability. Fail-over technologies ensure high availability, as the device can be easily integrated with external ADSL devices, Falcon and DR-260, allowing wired and wireless access.

The router, with its built-in serial port, offers a simple modem replacement with the benefit of not having to reprogram or change any other component. The software provides methods to engineers to easily analyse the data-flow.

Madison Technologies Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/L365

Embedded computing GE Intelligent Platforms has announced two rugged single board computers based on second-generation Intel Core i7 Sandy Bridge processors.

The XCR14 6U CompactPCI and XVR14 6U VME platforms join the SBC324 3U VPX and SBC624 6U VPX single board computers.

Both the XCR14 and XVR 14 provide a choice of either dual- or quad-core secondgeneration Intel Core i7 processors operating at up to 2.5 GHz, offering a range of four performance/watt options, and up to 16 GB of soldered DDR3 SDRAM with ECC. This, together with inbuilt graphics and AVX (advanced vector extensions), makes them suitable for industry and telecommunications and especially for defence and aerospace Both computers benefit from the company’s ecosystem of CompactPCI and VME hardware and software.

In addition to a range of onboard I/O features including four gigabit ethernet ports, five USB 2.0 ports, two DVI ports, VGA, audio and two COM ports, they also offer two onboard mezzanine expansion sites (both PCI-X PMC/PCI Express XMC) capable for enhanced system flexibility. SATA ports are also supported.

Metromatics Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/K340

Faraday offers a range of: RFI / EMI / EMC Power RF Filters EMC Antennas – Dipoles to Horns Amplifiers – RF & Microwave (DC – 4000W) and RF Modules Shielded Enclosure – Anechoic Chambers – Antenna Measurement Systems Absorber – EMC Test Boxes – MIL-STD Test Equipment RF Shielding – Magnetic Shielding – MRI Shielding

(03) 9729 5000

sales@faradayshielding.biz

32 What's New in Electronics - FEBRUARY 2012

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newproducts LED drivers

Power supply

austriamicrosystems has released the latest additions to its LED TV driver and support IC portfolio.

The ICs include three LED drivers and an LED power supply IC. The AS3822 and AS3823 are six- and eight-channel LED driver ICs and are fully compatible with the 16- and 12-channel AS3820 and AS3821 LED drivers. This compatibility enables manufacturers to use the same hardware design and software for the whole range of LED edge-lit TVs. All driver ICs in this series employ enhanced digital power feedback control to achieve the lowest possible energy consumption.

Smart dimming functionality further reduces power consumption.

The AS3810 16-channel LED driver with internal FETs is the 3rd generation of driver IC for direct-lit TVs. It features all the functionality needed to optimise power consumption in large direct-lit TVs. Multiple ICs are easily combined to deliver dozens of dynamically dimmed backlighting segments, if required.

All the drivers match with the AS1390 combination boost controller/buck converter, which is optimised for the power needs of LED TV backlights. It supplies the LED backlight with a high-power, constant-frequency boost controller optimised for up to 90 V/3 A, combined with a 5 V/100 mA step-down converter to supply a microcontroller or other devices.

In addition to offering special features for 3D, the AS1390 supports the needs of low energy consumption for LED TVs, with over 95% power efficiency.

Power consumption is further reduced by smart light sensors from TAOS that were recently added to the company’s range.

The SR500i is a 500 W power supply that includes SNMP, Modbus or ASCII remote device management.

An automated battery presence test is performed every 60 min and the battery condition test function can be automatically or manually initiated at any stage.

All the company’s units are supplied with multiple alarm warnings monitoring battery temperature, voltage, mains power failure and low battery.

Arrow Electronics Australia Pty Ltd

4Cabling Pty Ltd

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/P075

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/K517

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Innovative Energies Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/M198

Cable management 4Cabling has released a family of cable management products to tidy and eliminate cable clutter.

The range includes the cable box, cable clip and cable drop.

The cable box is designed to eliminate clutter and to protect outlets and is suitable for keeping power boards and sockets safe and dust free. It can be used on desks, under desks and under TVs. It is suitable for a six- or eight-way power board.

Also available is a mini version of the cable box, for four-way power boards.

The cable clip is designed to keep cords of all shapes and sizes neat and tidy. These multipurpose cable clips are suitable for shortening and storing cables. They are supplied in a fourpack, which contains two orange and two grey.

The cable drop is designed to hold onto wires so the cable stays put and doesn’t slip when plugging and unplugging devices.

The self-adhesive back allows them to be stuck virtually anywhere. The clips are made from high-quality silicone so they are flexible to accommodate cables.

FEBRUARY 2012 - What's New in Electronics

33

Ensuring redundancy in critical systems

© iStockphoto.com/Dmitry Kalinovsky

power supplies

Probably no other issue generates more discussion or confusion in the electrical market than how to correctly implement a redundant power supply system.

Yet, redundancy is paramount when extreme reliability is required in power supply systems, as is the case in the DC supply to a DCS or PLC control system.

Redundancy is simply the duplication of critical components to ensure the continued supply of power in the event of a fault in any environment or application, regardless of whether it is an industrial plant, mining site or hospital.

To ensure the continued flow of power, dual redundancy is often implemented. This allows for a single component to fail. In critical applications such as safety shut down systems, triple redundancy is often used.

In this case, the probability of two concur“Contrary to popular thought, a rent failures occurring is so low that it would be almost inconceivable to have a total failure. simple parallel connection of the According to electrical connectivity supoutputs of two power supplies plier, Weidmüller, the design of a dual does not result in redundancy.” redundant power supply system should ensure that the failure of one power supply does not interfere with the operation of the other supply. Only when this is accomplished is redundancy attained.

Contrary to popular thought, a simple parallel connection of the outputs of two power supplies does not result in redundancy. A power failure does not always ‘fail to open circuit’ and therefore, the failure of one power supply can place an additional load on the output of the second system, causing it to overload and shut down. Each system needs to be isolated to ensure redundancy.

Diodes, sometimes called auctioneering diodes, incorporated in the design, will fully isolate each system and guarantee redundancy. Externally connected, full current-rated power diodes will establish a one-way current path from the output of both power supplies.

Fitted in series with the positive output of each supply, the diodes prevent the backfeed of current to the failed power supply and hence, the possibility of overloading the second system.

By using external diodes with two identical power systems, redundancy is achieved regardless of the type of power supplies selected.

If diodes are not fitted a further problem can occur. If one power supply fails, the second supply will almost certainly maintain power to the indicating light LED on the failed supply and any output failure alarms.

The operator will falsely believe that both supply systems are still operational.

To ensure redundancy when incorporating diodes into power systems, users should check that the mean time between failure (MTBF) of the diode module is equal to or greater than the power supplies, otherwise the system MTBF will be compromised.

According to David Head, the company’s principal engineering consultant, it is also good practice to adjust the output voltage of each power supply so that they are as close as possible. As a rule, the diodes or diode modules should be continually rated to the full current of the power supply.

Said Head: “Guaranteed redundancy and peace of mind can be achieved with the use of diodes, regardless of which manufacturers electrical components are being used.

Without diodes there is simply no guarantee of redundancy.”

Weidmuller Pty Ltd

How a diode module can be incorporated into the design of a power supply system to achieve redundancy.

34 What's New in Electronics - FEBRUARY 2012

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