Virtually all digital, analog and mixed-signal ICs are now done in CMOS due to the technology’s extremely low power consumption, small size and immunity to noise. Low power consumption arises from the use of a two-transistor configuration resulting in zero power consumption except during brief transitions. Interestingly, the bulk of CMOS power dissipation arises because […]
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First go for accuracy, then precision
Displayed precision from an instrument reading or calculation can easily mislead someone into thinking that the result has more accuracy than it actually has. A few weeks ago, I received a blast email from a research firm touting their latest market-prediction report. The pitch proclaimed, “the global electric motor market size was $96,967.9 million in […]
How can smart sensors help solve the supply chain problem?
According to a recent article/analysis from Deloitte, (Smart sensors and supply chain innovation), “Companies should consider investing in smart sensors to increase value capture through their supply chains after carefully prioritizing their business objectives and defining their use cases.” Several recent developments lead them to this recommendation. The capabilities of today’s smart sensors are a […]
5G altimeter interference: aviation versus telecoms
The auctioning of the C-band for 5G use has raised concerns in North America that signals could interfere with aircraft altimeter operations. 5GTW asked a filter engineer and a test expert if there’s a problem and how to fix it.
What are the varieties of electromechanical on/off switches?
Despite wide use of “soft” on/off switching, the traditional electromechanical switch is still often required or preferred and is available in countless versions. Let’s look at some available switch styles. 1) The knife switch It doesn’t get simpler than the knife switch. The first and simplest switch is the knife switch (Figure 1). This style […]
Measuring resonance with a scope and signal generator
One of the first things EE students learn in their ac circuits course is resonance. Electrical resonance, to quickly review, arises in an electric circuit at a frequency called the resonances frequency when the impedances or admittances of circuit elements cancel each other. In some circuits, resonance happens when the impedance between the input and […]
What are the parameters of electromechanical of/off switches?
Despite wide use of “soft” on/off switching, the traditional electromechanical switch is still often required or preferred and is available in countless versions. As with all components, there are some top-tier parameters as well as many secondary ones, and some of those secondary ones may be very important in a specific application. As expected, the […]
What are the symbols for electromechanical on/off switches?
Despite wide use of “soft” on/off switching, the traditional electromechanical switch is still often required or preferred and is available in countless versions. Switches are represented by their schematic diagram symbols, which correspond to the number and arrangement of their contacts. Schematic symbols tell part of the story In an electromechanical hardwired on/off switch, the […]
What are voltage rail splitters and virtual grounds for batteries and PFCs?
Rail splitters are usually associated with battery-powered devices, but that’s not always the case. There are several definitions of a “rail splitter,” sometimes referred to as a “virtual ground” or “pseudo ground.” The most common meaning is creating a new “0V” reference point, usually the mid-point Vin/2 of a single supply voltage such as a […]
What is the role of electromechanical on/off switches?
Despite wide use of “soft” on/off switching, the traditional electromechanical switch is still often required or preferred and is available in countless versions. Switches are an integral, very necessary part of most electronic products. They have two broad roles: As power switches which, as their name indicates, cut the flow of power from the source, […]