Unless your background is in ac power, it’s possible you haven’t run into the term triplen harmonic. Triplen harmonics have to do with the third harmonic. Even-numbered harmonics do not normally exist in power systems due to symmetry between the positive and negative halves of the ac cycle. It is the odd-numbered harmonics that engineers […]
FAQ
Simple double-duty: How to get one wire to do more, Part 1: The rationale
Using one wire in two very different roles is widely done, requiring some simple circuity and basic components. It makes a lot of sense to use an individual single copper cable and its connection between two points to do more than it initially intended, especially if that additional function is aligned with the primary function […]
Flexible connectivity lets IoT flourish
Designers have choices when it comes to creating new IoT designs, and connectivity choices will depend on the constraints of the design.
Quantifying and measuring non-electrical phenomena: Vibration
Vibration is an important design consideration in many electronic applications such as industrial, automotive, aerospace and marine systems, and consumer white goods and disc drives. Even electronic devices designed for use in relatively vibration-free environments can be subjected to potentially damaging vibration during shipment. The concepts related to vibration also find utility in computer graphics, […]
Quantifying and measuring non-electrical phenomena: Humidity
Humidity is the concentration of water vapor in the air. Too much or too little humidity can be detrimental to the functioning of electronic devices. This FAQ begins by looking at some basic concepts related to humidity and the impact that humidity can have on electronics. It then looks at the importance of using humidity […]
Quantifying and measuring non-electrical phenomena: Heat
Heat involves the transfer of energy to or from a thermodynamic system. ‘Heat flow’, although commonly used, is a redundant term since heat is defined as the flow (or transfer) of thermal energy. Thermal energy is the kinetic energy of molecules and atoms. A Joule (J) is the International System (SI) unit of heat, work, […]
Quantifying and measuring non-electrical phenomena – Light
Light has varying definitions; it’s usually limited to the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, but sometimes it’s defined to include the near-infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) portions. For example, LidAR (light detection and ranging) uses various portions of UV, visible, or near IR spectrum to image objects. And ‘light’ has a different definition if […]
What are some common EMI/EMC tests?
An EMC test is known as Electromagnetic compatibility, a certification for electronic devices to maintain their limitation of electromagnetic waves. As discussed in the previous article, there are two types of EMC tests: emission (EMI) and immunity (EMS). EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) tests measure the magnetic waves emitted by the device, and EMS (Electromagnetic Susceptibility) tests […]
The basics: What is EMC?
EMC stands for Electromagnetic compatibility, which means that a device is compatible with (i.e., no interference is caused by) its electromagnetic (EM) environment. It does not emit levels of EM energy that generate electromagnetic interference (EMI) in other devices in the vicinity. Electromagnetic interference (EMI) is the interference caused by one electrical or electronic device […]
Unipolar vs. Bipolar drive for stepper motors, Part 2: Tradeoffs
Stepper motors can be configured for unipolar or bipolar drive; each approach has different performance attributes and tradeoffs. The previous part of this article presented the basics of different coil windings and connections for unipolar and bipolar stepper-motor configurations. As in most engineering situations, the next questions are: what is the impact of these differences? […]