Barcodes: you can’t escape them, and all along the supply chain from raw source to end-user purchase, we can’t function without them. They are pre-printed on neatly everything we buy or use, they can be added later as stick-on labels, or they can be printed on demand as needed for custom projects. Barcodes are now […]
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Power Electronics Top Talks in March 2019 on EDABoard.com
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 VFD to control 3-phase AC induction motor – I want to control the speed of a woodcutter that is equipped with […]
Filters, Part 2: SAW and BAW devices for RF
Part 1 of this FAQ looked at the basic available electronic filters – analog, switched capacitor, and digital – and briefly reviewed the attributes of each. As the frequencies to be filtered reach to 1 GHz and well beyond, while the selectively needed also became narrower, these filter approaches can no longer support many of […]
Filters, Part 1: Analog, switched, and digital filters
Filters are essential functions in most circuits and systems; as frequencies extend into the multi-GHz range, surface acoustic wave (SAW) and bulk acoustic wave (BAW) filters are needed to meet the design objectives. An engineer I worked with (and whose name I have forgotten) once remarked to about electronic filters (and he was serious): “like […]
Working with higher voltages, Part 1: Voltage boosters
Whether for efficiency or due to the device physics, many applications require voltages ranging in the tens, hundreds, or even thousands of volts; the circuits which produce these voltages start with basic charge pumps and extend to voltage multipliers with simple schematics but many subtleties. Lower-voltage circuitry is the trend, with ICs and designs operating […]
Analog Top Talks in January 2019 on EDABoard.com forums
Peer-to-peer, engineer-to-engineer questions and answers from the EDABoard.com engineering community around analog ICs and analog design. Click the “Read more” link and follow the entire conversation and maybe add your two cents by logging in to EDAboard.com. How to design a thermostat without microcontroller – I want to have an electronic thermostat when the temperature reaches to […]
Motor field-oriented control, Part 2: Implementation
Part 1 of this FAQ set the stage for a rudimentary understanding of FOC (field-oriented control) but did not delve into the math-heavy details. Part 2 now looks at some implementations, again without the underlying math. Q: If a designer wants to implement FOC, does he or she have to pull together all the hardware […]
Motor field-oriented control, Part 1: Principles
Field-oriented control, also known as vector control, is a calculation-intensive algorithm for motor control which is now practical due to advances in ICs; it offers improved efficiency along with superior control of torque and other performance parameters. Motor control—and doing so accurately and efficiently—is a topic of great interest. Field-oriented control (FOC), sometimes called vector […]
Synthesized tuning, Part 2: Advanced synthesizers and performance
Part 1 of this FAQ looked at the basic issues and topologies related to the challenge of frequency synthesis. Part 2 continues with advanced approaches and their attributes, as well as general concerns when choosing a synthesizer. Q: Are there other digitally-controlled synthesizer topologies? A: Yes. A widely used one is called the classical phase […]
Heat sinks, Part 1: Thermal principles
A heat sink is a non-electronic, passive mechanical component that has a vital role in the reliability and performance of ICs, PC boards, modules, chassis, and more. Heat sinks often don’t get much attention, at least not in the early stages of a design. This FAQ will look at the basic thermal principles of these […]