RECOM News

RECOM has added to its range of low-cost, unregulated DC/DC converters with the RA3 series of 3W SMD parts, which are designed to provide the optimum voltages for semiconductor switch gate drivers. Variants are available with outputs of single 8V, 9V, or dual +7/−1V, +15/−3V, and +20/−5V. These values cover the requirements of IGBTs, silicon MOSFETs and the latest silicon carbide MOSFETs and GaN HEMT cells. The parts have 5.2 kV/1 minute functional isolation and hold UL/IEC/EN...

The consideration of the pace of development of roadmaps for electronics and electrical equipment will commonly converge around Moore’s Law and even microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). In the more pragmatic sense, it seems the conversation should be around how system components, particularly power solutions, are enabling systems to take advantage of the advances brought on by Moore’s-Law-like, generational improvement in compute transistor density.  This blog analyzes this p...

New developments in ‘3D power packaging’ are enabling further miniaturization of DC/DC converters along with higher power density. Performance is not compromised, however, with the latest products showing comprehensive control and protection features, some with isolation to the highest medical grade. DC/DC conversion DC/DC conversion in many modern products is all about power density, the amount of power that can be processed in a given space to achieve voltage level conversion an...

The RSH2 series from RECOM - a series of compact, high efficiency, 2W DC/DC converters in a surface-mount format with wide input ranges. RECOM has added to its DC/DC converter range the RSH2 series - a fully regulated, low noise, isolated 2W DC/DC converter in a surface mount package. Surface mount package The series features nominal inputs of 3.3V (2.8-5.5V), 5V/9V (4.5-13.2V), 12V (9-18V), and 24V (18-36V) The series features nominal inputs of 3.3V (2.8-5.5V), 5V/9V (4.5-13.2V), 12V (9-18...

RECOM is releasing two new 5W, board-mount AC/DC product ranges with a choice of industry-standard sizes and pin-outs, at competitive prices. The RAC05E-K series is compatible with existing 3W part footprints and the RAC05E-KT series is in the ‘EI30’ transformer-pack style. Both series achieve 5W in the same footprint as other 3W parts on the market. The input range for both is 90-264VAC (130-370VDC) and the outputs available are 4, 5, 12, 15, and 24V. Outputs are semi-regulated but...

Manufacturers of power supplies have recently started to offer interfaces for controlling and monitoring their power supplies. This article highlights the reasons for this and the prospects for circuit designers. RECOM thinks of applications that demand high power from the supply, but only for a comparably short duty cycle. Thus the average power required is significantly lower.  applications Such applications could be 3D printers, laser cutting, or a robotic arm that needs to be moved q...

RECOM now offers through-hole, 1/32nd brick-footprint, non-isolated DC/DCs-the RPMA-4.5 and RPMA-8.0, with 4.5 A and 8 A output ratings respectively. Each part has a wide 9-53 V input and trimmable, fully regulated output from 5-30 V (RPMA-4.5) or 3.3-16.5 V (RPMA-8.0).  The cost-effective parts feature very high efficiency, peaking at 98%, allowing fully-rated load operation to +60°C with convection cooling only and to +85°C with derating/airflow, depending on input/output conditi...

Effective maintenance of complex industrial processes is vital to keep productivity up and costs down. Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM) is an alternative to regular maintenance scheduling that uses data from sensors in the Industrial Internet of Things to detect performance deterioration trends before a failure occurs.  This article discusses the subject and suggests suitable power supply modules for the sensor nodes. little manual intervention The developed world is moving towards high...

Smaller and more efficient power converters have been the trend of the last decades. And it is expected to remain so in the future. This is achieved using new topologies, new materials, and new integration processes. New materials integration was the focus of the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Project as it funded the GaNonCMOS project. The project was aimed at the dense integration of GaN and Si at different levels (PCB, stack, and chip), developing new soft magnetic materials suitable fo...

RECOM has introduced two new cost-effective DC/DC products with outputs of 100W and 300W in a DOSA-compatible low-profile, through-hole eighth-brick format (58.4mm x 23mm). The RPA100E-W 100W part has a wide 4:1 input range of 16-72V for nominal 24V, 28V and 48V supplies, and fully regulated 5V and 12V trimmable outputs are available. Full power is available to 50°C ambient in natural convection and to +85°C with forced air. Isolation is 1.5kVDC/1 min, basic grade. Standby loss require...

One of the main challenges in designing a successful energy-harvesting system is simply getting started. In the beginning, there are often too many unknowns to contend with and it can be overwhelming. Which energy source to use – photovoltaic, thermoelectric generator, electric field, flow-based or vibrational? How big should the storage element be? Should users use a supercapacitor or a rechargeable battery? What about energy security - do users need a backup battery or will they scaveng...

RECOM has extended its range of DC/DC converters in a SOIC-16 package with new versions that offer even better value. The parts feature 5V (4.5-5.5V) inputs and a semi-regulated 5V output rated at either 0.5W (R05C05TE05S) or 1W (R05CTE05S). Line and load regulation figures are specified across the full temperature range, and there is no minimum load requirement, making the parts ideal for applications that have light-load operation modes. EMI levels EMI levels are also particularly low compa...

In the world of modern electronics, it is very easy to take DC/DC power supplies for granted as they are all around and in constant use. However, how well the power supply has been integrated into the design can be critical to both the overall performance and the functionality of the application. This article discusses the importance of DC/DC power supply filters, how they can be used, and when to use them. Filtering power signals is critical DC/DC power supply design can take many forms, ran...

Many engineers prefer to choose a power supply with ample “headroom” – In a worst-case scenario, if the application draws a power of say, 5W, then a 10W power supply will be selected. The rationale behind this is that a certain factor of safety is required for maximum reliability in addition to making sure that if extra features are added to the application circuit in the future, there will be enough spare power supply capacity to cope with any additional load. These are pow...

There are few industries where electronics power system reliability and maintenance-free functionality are as critical factors in design as they are in healthcare. Healthcare electronics is often considered the most safety- and reliability-oriented subsets of electronics and is driven by high design and production standards around the world. Safety Standards RACM1200-V meets low leakage current limits for BF-rated applications, as set by the IEC 60601-1 RECOM’s RACM1200-V units are des...

Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio Volta and André-Marie Ampère never imagined it, but currently, the highly technical world can no longer function without voltage and electricity. Pretty much everything would collapse without an electrical power supply. From simple consumer devices to LED lighting, computer networks, a medical device that helps people stay healthy, satellites, or the Hubble telescope that we use to explore distant worlds. And then there are the navis and the e...

5G base stations are set to grow exponentially in number along with associated energy consumption, so providing power efficiently is important. This article discusses the subject and suggests some power module solutions that offer high power density and reliable performance in the base station environment. Rollout of 5G Rollout of 5G is well underway, with coverage on track for one-third of the world’s population by 2025, according to the GSMA. Major cell phone manufacturers have launch...

Board-mount 5W AC/DC for harsh environments introduced by RECOM. The RAC05-K/PD3/H from RECOM is a board-mounted 5W Class II AC/DC converter series, intended for ‘fixed installations’ where higher levels of transients according to over-voltage category III are experienced, along with increased environmental pollution levels. The converters are available with 5V, 12V, or 15V single outputs and include enhanced clearances to meet OVCIII up to 5000m altitude. Nominal input ratings...

Ultra-violet (UV) radiation is an effective non-contact disinfection method, killing microbes, bacteria, and viruses, including COVID-19, on most surfaces, in water, and in the air. The short wavelength, high energy photons disrupt the RNA/DNA in the cellular structure of microbes and also create free radicals which damage the genomes of viruses, introducing defects that rapidly kill the pathogen.  It is this disrupting and oxidizing effect that makes UV disinfection so effective and usefu...

The buck converter has been in use for a century and is an indispensable part of the current electronic circuits. This article describes how a crude electromechanical component has evolved into a miniature assembly that can process hundreds of watts of power. buck converter The buck converter converts an input voltage to a lower output voltage. Its basic elements are shown in Figure 1. Initially, the switch SW1 is closed; that is, current flows into the coil L1. Since the coil is a differ...

RECOM has launched an eighth-brick DC/DC converter series with 9-60 VDC input and optional 12, 24, or 48 V outputs rated at 150 W. The RPA150E series has an industry-standard pin-out with outputs trimmable over a wide ±20% range to include 28 V for avionic systems and 57 V for PoE applications. The 6:1 input range covers nominal 12, 24, and 48 V system rails with sufficient margin to include 48 V battery charging voltage and 12 V battery cranking voltage dips. High efficiency of the RPA...

Every developer looks forward to the moment when he knows that his prototype is finally working, all key functions have been realized and the software is fully implemented except for the diagnostic functions. At the next meeting, he proudly announces that all that is needed at this stage is the EMC approval and a suitable power supply.  However, given the limited resources, designing a power supply in-house is not an option, as crucial deadlines would be missed. The team thus agrees to go...

RECOM is launching its 16:1 ultra-wide input high-isolation quarter-brick DC/DC converter, ideal for rail and harsh industrial applications. The input range of the RPA150Q series is 14.4 V to 170 V (200 V for 1 s), and fully regulated available outputs are 12, 24, or 54 VDC with wide +10/−20% trim range (+18/−20% for 24 V output).  Efficiency is high across the operating range, and with sufficient airflow, 150 W output is available from −40°C up to at least 65&de...

RECOM has added a 4A option to its RPX series of miniature buck converters. The RPX-4.0 is rated to 3.8 to 36V input and programmable 1 to 7V output at 4A. With a compact 5mm x 5.5mm footprint and low 4.1mm height in a thermally-enhanced QFN package, the buck module pushes the limit on power density. The product features on-off control, a power good signal, and soft start, and is fully protected including under-voltage, short-circuit, over-current, and over-temperature. Integrated shielded in...

The electronics industry is one of the fastest-growing industries of the last half-century, and the amount of information generated by this industry can be mind-numbing. If the user is an electronics design engineer who utilizes product datasheets and user guides, they will very well know the challenges of finding accurate and consistent information across different manufacturers, product categories, and even product lines. design cycle Product information sharing has been revolutionized with...

RECOM announces the launch of a range of regulated SIP8 DC/DC converters with high power density and industrial temperature range. RECOM, the industry pioneer in power conversion, has announced the launch of the RS3E family of DC/DC converters in an industry-standard SIP8 format and pin-out. The parts are rated at 3W with no derating to 70°C and feature 2:1 input ranges of 4.5-9V, 9-18V, 18-36V, and 36-72V. RS3E family features Fully regulated outputs available are 3.3V, 5V, 9V, 12V, 15V...

The operating environment for mains-powered electrical equipment is separated into four overvoltage category (OVC) areas according to their level of surge protection. This article describes how these four areas differ and how the AC/DC power supplies rated for the OVC II area might be used in the OVC III area in certain circumstances. International standards Most users of mains-powered equipment are confident that they can simply plug in their device to a convenient socket, and their device w...

The professional journal "Elektronik" has selected RECOM as the second winner with its R05CT05S in the category Products of the Year 2021. Once again, RECOM took part in the "Products of the Year" competition of the professional magazine - "Elektronik" in the Power category. With its high isolation class (5kVAC / 1minute) and excellent power density in a genuine SMT IC package, the 0.5 Watts DC/DC converter design demonstrates true magnitude, despite its tiny dimensions. IEC62368-1 and IEC6060...

The Austrian design-in distributor will present power supply manufacturer RECOM with the CODICO Quality Award on 29 April 2021. In addition to delivery reliability and logistics services, CODICO particularly emphasizes the manufacturer's ability to innovate. Cooperation with high-performance suppliers makes a significant contribution to the long-term success of the company. It is a basic prerequisite for CODICO's Design In concept. sample shipments and service RECOM, a power supply speci...

RECOM, the well-known manufacturer of AC/DC and DC/DC converters, has launched an AC/DC power supply with 1.2 kW power, the RACM1200-V. The AC/DC converter has all approvals for medical applications. RECOM developed the converter in Austria and manufactured it in Europe. The manufacturer is thus making its contribution to sustainability, as transport routes and supply chains are thus shortened. Applications in robots An example of the need for a power supply with more than 1kW are robots. The...