Enpirion partners with Future Electronics to offer world’s lowest-cost power-SoC DC-DC converters

CANADA & USA: Enpirion, the leader of integrated power IC solutions, and Future Electronics, a global leading distributor of electronic components announced the availability of products based on the world’s first wafer level magnetics (WLM) technology.

In partnering with Future Electronics, Enpirion has made available these devices worldwide, which are the lowest cost PowerSoC DC-DC converters in the world enabled by bringing the economics of silicon wafers in place of traditional discrete bulk magnetics.

The newly released EL700 family is a low power fully-integrated PowerSoC family based on electroplated wafer level magnetics. The EL700 family delivers low cost, low power point-of-load DC-DC conversion at a record-breaking 18 MHz switching frequency for ultra-low ripple. Compared to an LDO, the EL711 and EL712 improve power conversion efficiency up to 40 points, with efficiency of up to 90 percent. The 1A and 1.5A switch-mode DC-DC converters support an input voltage range of 2.65V to 5.5V and are true Enpirion PowerSoCs:

In a form factor of only 42mm², they monolithically integrate MOSFET switches, controller circuits, compensation, and a tiny silicon inductor. With an ultra-fast transient response, the EL711 meets the demand of high performance digital ASICs, DSPs, and FPGA cores found in a broad range of applications.”

“Besides enjoying the fastest time to market, customers benefit from a combination of low cost and highest density not possible with any other alternative integrated power management solution,” says Mark Cieri, VP of Sales and Corporate Marketing at Enpirion.

“We are happy to partner with Enpirion to offer the EL700 family to the market,” say Dan Casey, executive VP at Future Electronics. “Future prides itself of offering its customer a complete breadth of electronics components while focused on enabling fastest time to market solutions such as Enpirion’s PowerSoC DC-DC converter solutions.”

The EL711 PowerSoC comes in a 3 x 4.5 x 0.9 mm DFN package. It is pin-compatible to the 1.5A switch-mode DC-DC converter EL712. Both devices can be used as an economical replacement of low drop-out regulators.

The EL711 and EL712 are available exclusively from Future Electronics. The EL711 is priced at $0.57 in volumes of 1k units. The EL712 will be available in Q1-13. Future Electronics also offers evaluation boards for Enpirion products.

LightPath in supply contract with leading digital camera manufacturer

USA: LightPath Technologies Inc., manufacturer and integrator of precision molded glass aspheric optics, Black Diamond infrared aspheres, GRADIUM glass products and high performance fiber-optic beam delivery systems, announced that it has entered into a supply agreement with a leading global manufacturer of high-end, digital video recording and playback equipment with an initial stocking order of approximately $1.1 million.

Under the terms of this agreement, LightPath will begin deliveries of lenses to this new customer beginning in the first calendar quarter of 2013.

"The investments we made in designing optics for the digital imaging and projection market have resulted in an outstanding product line that is now being adopted by top players in this market," said Jim Gaynor, CEO of LightPath Technologies.

"Digital imaging applications with capabilities that enable digital resolution in excess of 4X HD quality are just now beginning to proliferate through the video production market, and our products and technology are well-positioned to participate in this area of rapid growth. These high tech optics are a critical element in high performance camera and digital projection systems and our ability to win new business like this validates the price, performance and quality of our optics in a competitive and highly technical marketplace.

"Expanding into new areas is one key element of our growth plan and shows the continued progress we've made in our strategy to become a leading global supplier of molded glass optics and assemblies that serve a diverse group of end-markets and applications. Our goal is to lead both the technology and price-to-performance curves, and I believe this is a good indication of our successful penetration of a market that is expected to grow to $770 million by 2018."

Global market for medical device electrodes to reach $1.43 billion

USA: The US represents the largest regional market worldwide for both medical device electrodes and digital radiography while Europe represents the single largest EEG/EMG/brain function monitoring equipment market. However, these medical technologies are gaining traction quickly in the emerging markets of China, India and Latin America.

The global market for Medical Device Electrodes is projected to reach $1.43 billion by the year 2018. Medical electrodes are mass products with limited scope for differentiation and represent a small business for a medical device manufacturing company. The global market for electrodes for medical devices is highly mature, price-sensitive as well as competitive.

Disposable electrodes have been gaining immense popularity at the expense of reusable electrodes as they reduce initial costs, eliminate cross contamination between patients and reduce the lengthy sterilization process. Over the years, the medical electrodes market has been witnessing several technological advances, primarily aimed at enhancing patient comfort, maintaining skin integrity, and improving electrode-tissue interface for improved recording and stimulation.

Major players profiled in the report include 3M Co., Ambu A/S, CONMED Corp., Covidien, C.R Bard Inc., Katecho Inc., Prosurg Inc., Utah Medical Products Inc., and ZOLL Medical, among others.

Toshiba debuts new line of SDIP6 photocouplers

USA: Toshiba America Electronic Components Inc., (TAEC), a committed leader that collaborates with technology companies to create breakthrough designs, has announced the addition of the TLP700A and TLP705A to its family of photocouplers.

The new photocouplers from Toshiba are housed in small packages (SDIP6) – half the size of conventional 8 pin DIP packages, and consist of a GaAIAs infrared light-emitting diode (LED) optically coupled to an integrated high-gain, high-speed photodetector IC chip.

Toshiba's TLP700A can directly drive a middle-capacity IGBT or power MOSFET. With a guaranteed transmission delay skew, ideal for designing dead time for inverters, this product achieves a shorter transmission delay time - approximately one half that of the existing model. With improved peak output current and operating ambient temperature, the TLP700A is suitable for use in high temperature environments.

In addition, it complies with the reinforced insulation class of the international safety standards. The TLP700A can be used in a wide range of products, including industrial devices, digital home appliances, measurement devices, and control devices. Its small packaging can contribute to a smaller footprint and cost reduction.

The TLP705A can directly drive a small-capacity IGBT and power MOSFET. Using a new LED with excellent longevity, the TLP705A has better output current, variation in transmission delay time, and transmission delay skew characteristics than those of the existing model.
Toshiba's new IC complies with the reinforced insulation class of the international safety standards, and can be used in a wide range of products - including industrial devices, digital home appliances, measurement and control devices.

Vincotech power modules feature split output

GERMANY: Customers want smaller, even more affordable devices, compelling manufacturers to conserve installation space and cut costs. To do both, engineers have to come up with new designs that combine technologies in unprecedented ways.

The trend toward IGBTs and MOSFETs with higher switching frequencies is also picking up momentum, particularly for solar inverters and other applications where high efficiency is a must. This places even greater demands on drivers and power supply modules.

In many applications, IGBTs and MOSFETs are driven by unipolar gate voltage, which presents considerable challenges when it comes to parasitic turn-on. The MOSFETs’ body diode is not powerful enough for many applications, which impedes reactive power. In this document, Vincotech looks at the benefits of its standard modules featuring H-bridges with split outputs, neutral point clamped (NPC) inverters, and MNPC (mixed voltage NPC) topologies.

What sets these modules apart is that their phase output is split, which deactivates the MOSFETs’ body diode and makes it easier to power the semiconductors.

Mouser delivers TE Connectivity’s Power4Net hybrid connectors

TAIWAN: Mouser Electronics Inc. is stocking new hybrid connectors from TE Connectivity (TE).

TE’s Power4Net hybrid connectors are designed to be an integral part of the customer application most suitable in the automation & Control space and in machine automation applications that require a higher performance data connection and power of up to 10A in harsh and challenging conditions and environments.

The Power4Net connector portfolio provides highly reliable connection technology supporting the demanding durability and quality requirements of real-time Ethernet applications in industrial automation.

The standard Power4Net connectors offer eight power and four signal contacts, combining high speed Ethernet connectivity with high power contacts, which allows devices to be powered and communicate with a one-connector system. Combining the power supply and signal into one single connector helps provide customers with greater flexibility in machine architecture.

STM32 F3 mixed-signal MCUs now at Mouser

TAIWAN: Mouser Electronics Inc. is now stocking STMicroelectronics’ STM32 F3 Series of MCUs that combines the 32-bit ARM Cortex-M4 core with a DSP, FPU instructions, and advanced analog peripherals.

The STM32 F3 series innovates in embedded DSC design by combining a Cortex-M4 core with fast 12-bit 5 MSPS and precise 16-bit sigma-delta ADCs, programmable gain amplifiers (4 gains, 1% accuracy), fast 50 ns comparators and versatile time control units running at 144 MHz, giving optimum integration.

The devices are optimized for efficient handling and processing of mixed signals in circuits such as 3-phase motor controllers, biometrics and industrial sensor outputs or audio filters, allowing designers to tackle mixed-signal control applications. These devices help simplify design, cut power consumption and reduce PCB size in consumer, medical, portable fitness, system monitoring and metering applications.

STM32 F3 Series Mixed-Signal MPUs are pin compatible with the STM32 F1 series, and the new STM32 F3 series enlarges the STM32’s Cortex-M4 portfolio to now offer both entry-level cost with the F3 series and highest performance with the F4 series.

The STM F3 Series includes devices with 64 to 256 Kbytes of on-chip Flash memory, up to 48 Kbytes of SRAM and is available in WLCSP66 (less than 4.3 x 4.3 mm), LQPF48, LQFP64, LQFP100 and UFBGA100 packages.