Load switches are used to enable/disable power to selected ICs or circuit subsections. Although they don’t get much attention, they are useful for both saving power as well as management of multiple power rails. This FAQ will discuss their function, basic design, advanced IC implementations, and additional benefits of IC load switches. Q: What is […]
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Controllers for micromirror imaging deliver micron-to-sub-millimeter accuracy for 3D printers and portable 3D scanners
Texas Instruments today announced new DLP Pico controllers that deliver advanced light control capabilities in smaller form factors for mass-market 3D scanners and 3D printers. DLPC347x controllers offer the micron-to-sub-millimeter resolution typically found in high-performance, industrial-grade applications in a smaller form factor for desktop 3D printers and portable 3D scanners. Developers can pair the new […]
High-voltage amplifiers optimized for error-sensitive apps
Texas Instruments (TI) today introduced three new amplifiers with a unique combination of high speed and high precision, allowing designers to create more accurate circuits for error-sensitive applications. The new devices support more precise measurement and faster processing of a wide variety of input signals in test and measurement, medical, and data-acquisition systems. To learn […]
Wide-VIN synchronous DC/DC buck regulators come in ultra-small QFN packaging
Texas Instruments today introduced two wide-VIN synchronous SIMPLE SWITCHER DC/DC buck regulators in ultra-small HotRod quad flat no-lead (QFN) packaging. The highly integrated 3-A LMR33630 and 2-A LMR33620 step-down voltage converters feature the industry’s best full load efficiency – 92 percent – for rugged and reliable industrial power supplies with switching frequencies up to 2.1 MHz. Used in conjunction with TI’s […]
Teardown: Inside the Neurometrix Quell TENS device
A TENS device for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation wraps around the upper calf much like a wristwatch wraps around the wrist. Here are some of its operational secrets. A medical device called a Quell performs what’s called transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on the lower leg. This technique is said to relieve diabetic pain. None of […]
Power Electronics Top Talks in April on EDABoard.com forums
Peer-to-peer, engineer-to-engineer questions and answers from the EDABoard.com engineering community around power electronics. Click the “Read more” link and follow the entire conversation and maybe add your two cents by logging in to EDAboard.com Designing 600 watts synchronous buck – I want to design the synchronous buck with LTC3858-1 with the below specifications Vin=13 volts to […]
Reducing ringing or reflections by controlling impedance lines
What is a controlled impedance line? For one thing, the term has to do with Printed Circuit Board (PCB) traces and layouts, which get more complex with higher frequency signals. Generally, you need not worry much about controlling impedance in traces unless you are working with signals at or above 50 MHz. However, most of […]
Why isolated digital inputs are replacing optocouplers in up to 300V systems
by Anant Kamath, Texas Instruments Isolation is a means of preventing DC and unwanted AC currents between two parts of a system while allowing signal and power transfer between those two parts. Isolated voltage detection is used in many industrial applications, including protection relays, power station automation, high-voltage battery management, telecom power supplies, home automation, […]
Modern factories: Electromagnetic noise is replacing audible noise
by Rudy Ramos, Mouser Electronics In the past, factories were noisy places; in fact, noise-induced hearing loss was one of the most common occupational ailments in the USA. As the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) – sometimes termed Factory 4.0 – led to more electronics in factories, electromagnetic noise replaced audible noise. As the need for process […]
Smallest 36-V, 1-A DC/DC step-down power modules
Texas Instruments introduced two new 4-V to 36-V step-down power modules that measure just 3.0 mm by 3.8 mm and require only two external components for operation. The 0.5-A LMZM23600 and 1-A LMZM23601 DC/DC step-down converters achieve up to 92 percent efficiency, which minimizes energy loss, and feature tiny MicroSiP packaging that shrinks board space by up to […]