Electrical Industry News for January 2024
90W versions of the popular and cost-efficient RACM 2”x4” AC/DC series are available with wide 85-264Vac input range and a selection of tightly regulated outputs including 12V, 15V, 24V, 36V and 48VDC. The series includes safety certifications to medical standard IEC/EN/ANSI/AAMI ES 60601-1 for 2MOPP ‘B’ and ‘BF’ applications as well as IEC/EN 62368-1, IEC/EN 60335-1 and IEC/EN 61558-1 for reinforced isolation in industrial, IT, test and measurement and house...
A new 300W-rated half-brick DC/DC converter, the REC300H-W, is now available with a wide 9V to 36VDC input and output options of 12V, 15V, 24V, and 48VDC isolated to 3kVDC/1 minute. Additionally released, the 150W-rated REC150H-UW has an ultra-wide input range of 9V to 75VDC with the same output voltage options, apart from 28V and 54VDC to suit avionic systems and PoE applications, isolated at 2.5kVDC/1 minute. EMC specifications REC300H-W and REC150H-UW products are regulated and protected a...
Home to major MedTech organizations, ambitious startups, the largest university medical center in the Netherlands, and a large number of knowledge institutions. Amsterdam is a pioneer in life sciences innovation. HLTH Inc., the company behind HLTH, has announced the launch of its inaugural event in Europe. HLTH Europe will take place from 18 - 20 June 2024 at RAI Amsterdam. addressing healthcare challenges "HLTH Europe will unite the European healthcare ecosystem to tackle healthcare&rs...
Over several decades, processors and complex ICs have followed Moore’s Law to increase transistor count. However, the associated voltage regulators have not reduced in the same proportion until recently. A new generation of devices that have adopted ‘3D packaging’ techniques is showing dramatic improvements in power density. Moore’s Law Moore’s Law, or more correctly his prediction, was that the number of transistors in a complex IC would approximately double eve...
Energy storage is "the capture of energy produced at one time for use at a later time to reduce imbalances between energy demand and energy production." This can apply across the full spectrum of timebase and energy density, which means energy can be stored for nanoseconds or years and in applications ranging from picowatts to gigawatts of power. The figures below compare utility-scale batteries to supplement solar photovoltaic (PV) energy capturing to the kind of board-level components that ac...
The UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) marking is a new UK product marking that is used for products being placed on the market in Great Britain (England, Wales, and Scotland). It applies to the same products that are currently CE-marked. UKCA mark The circumstances in which self-declaration of conformity for UKCA marking can be used are the same as for CE marking. Based on current UK rules, RECOM is eligible to self-declare for the UKCA Declaration of Conformity (DoC) and to attach the UKCA mark...
The year 1996 was a significant one in electric vehicle history. That was the year the General Motors EV1 hit the market. The EV1 was the first mass-produced and purpose-designed electric vehicle of the modern era from a major automaker and the first GM car designed from the ground up to be an electric vehicle. Those first EV1s used a lead-acid battery with a capacity of 16.5–18.7 kWh and an output voltage of 312V; Gen 2 vehicles used a nickel–metal hydride (NiMH) battery with 26.4...
To ensure the safety of patients and medical professionals, medical electrical equipment is strictly regulated by standards and requirements for product testing. As a primary power source for these electrical devices, medical power supplies, both AC/DC and DC/DC converters–must also comply with these standards so that the medical equipment functions within safety guidelines. This article looks at several of these standards and how to comply with them. IEC standards One of the standards...
Expanding RECOM's AC/DC range, the cost-effective RACM130E-K series in a 2”x4” footprint is available with 130W peak output power from a wide 85-264Vac input. Tightly regulated single outputs available are 12V, 15V, 24V, 36V and 48VDC. Safety certifications include 2MOPP/250Vac medical for ‘B’ or ‘BF’ applications to IEC/EN/ANSI/AAMI ES 60601-1, as well as IEC/EN 62368-1, IEC/EN 60335-1 and IEC/EN 61558-1 for industrial, test and measurement, IT and household...
Every engineer sets out to design for maximum performance of their system, power supply, or any other product they are working on. But what does designing for performance mean? In terms of power solutions, this may refer to the typical tradeoff of size, weight, and power (SWaP) factors, perhaps even including cost (SWaP-C) factors. Designing for energy performance (typically measured in terms of efficiency metrics) implies a focus on optimizing the performance of power supply energy consumption...
IEA Executive Director - Fatih Birol received the prestigious GLOBSEC European Award for his and the Agency’s work to support Europe this year during the global energy crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The European Award is presented each year by GLOBSEC, a global think-tank based in Bratislava, the Slovak capital, to honor unwavering dedication to strengthening Europe and promoting growth and progress. GLOBSEC said Dr. Birol had been chosen this year because fr...
As part of a global effort to reduce carbon footprint, automotive manufacturers are replacing gasoline with cleaner fuel-less alternatives. As a result, the electric vehicle (EV) transportation segment is experiencing rapid growth. As EVs operated purely on electric power continue to increase market share, the installed battery capacity per vehicle is also increasing. faster charging times Consumers are also demanding faster charging times for larger-capacity batteries. This demand is also sp...
Light rail transit (LRT) is a form of urban passenger rail transit that combines the features of a tram and rapid transit. While its rolling stock is more similar to a tram than a traditional railway, an LRT operates at a higher capacity and speed than a tram, and often on an exclusive right-of-way. light rail network In the United States of America (USA), light rail operates primarily along exclusive rights-of-way and uses either individual tramcars or multiple units coupled to for...
RECOM has extended its range of DC/DC converters with a 3W version of their isolated RSH series in a surface-mount format with wide input ranges. RSH3 DC/DC converter features The RECOM RSH3 DC/DC converter is an addition to the successful RSH2 series featuring fully regulated, low-noise, and isolated 3W outputs in a surface mount package. The series features nominal inputs of 12V (9–18V) and 24V (18–36V), which are useful for battery or bus-powered systems, while the outputs avai...
The replacement of the internal combustion engine (ICE) by the electric motor is touted as key in reducing pollution from automobiles, but the trend isn’t confined to the road: converting diesel locomotives to electric or hybrid operation is also attracting much attention as a means to combat global warming. maintenance, and reliability For locomotives, switching to electric power has multiple benefits, including a reduction in NOx emissions, noise levels, and fuel consumption, improved...
From driving LEDs to powering laptops and smart consumer devices, high-efficiency power supplies are a must to minimize power losses and optimize performance. Inefficient power supplies have higher internal power dissipation, which translates into heat. Removing unwanted heat from the unit translates into additional cost, bigger size, lower reliability, and a decrease in the overall performance of the electronic system. thermal management As systems get more powerful and compact, optimal ther...
Plug & Play designs save time and costs for system designers and are common in many application areas. But until now, these designs have been absent from the demanding railway market. RECOM simplifies railway power system design with a new DC/DC family that meets all standard railway requirements right out of the box. plug & play means in railway 'Plug & Play' is a term that is used in various fields to describe a product that meets all the requirements for operating an applic...
RECOM is excited to announce the release of a new range of DC/DC converters for E-mobility applications. RMOD500-W With the push for zero-emission transport, electric propulsion is the ideal solution for off-highway vehicles and they invariably require DC/DC converters to generate isolated auxiliary power rails from the traction battery. The compact and cost-effective RMOD500-W range introduced is perfect for the application as the products are IP67-rated, fully sealed against moisture and du...
RAI Amsterdam has obtained four number 1 positions in the MT500 research this year. In the category Media, the RAI tops the list, as well as in the sub-categories customer centricity, sustainability, and employership. In addition to the RAI, the publisher - SDU and Belgian DPG Media also received prizes in the same category. The Research The MT500 is an annual research report focusing on the reputation of Dutch companies The MT500 is an annual research report focusing on the reputation of Dut...
DC/DC converters are now common in automotive applications at a range of power levels. Parts must comply with AEC-Q standards for quality and stress tests and automotive customers may also require additional features such as ‘inspectable’ solder joints. This article discusses the issue and the solutions available. mobile data center It has been said that the modern car is a mobile data center, and EVs add in industrial-scale electrical power handling, battery charging, and mot...
From the wish to enhance the societal value of the RAI, and to diminish waste, RAI Amsterdam is actively working towards connecting societal needs to excesses at the RAI. Through this, the RAI is finding many possibilities to use excess products to aid society. From connecting leftover items after events to societal initiatives through a donation program, so they can use them in creating free meals for the Legerdesheils, to connecting unused facilities, knowledge and expertise in the network to...
The second edition of GreenTech Americas was a great success with 170 exhibitors from 15 countries and 3,736 professionals from 19 countries. Practices on sustainability, success stories, and technological tools were exchanged to increase the productivity of the industry at this international protected horticulture event on 27 – 29 April 2022, at the Querétaro Congress Center, in Mexico. The next edition of GreenTech Americas will be staged from 21 – 23 March 2023. Quotes fr...
Homecare medical devices have to potentially withstand more challenging and uncontrolled conditions than those used in the clinical environment. This article looks at the standard that applies to electrical equipment safety, its particular requirements, and the way they can be met with off-the-shelf products. impact on lifestyle Statistics say that users are all living longer (on average), with the best figure achieved by Japanese women at over 87 years, based on 2019 data. Ironically, th...
Despite the attractive incentives offered by governments around the world and the advantages of driving electric vehicles (EVs), the growth has been rather sluggish in the last few years. Plus, the COVID-19 pandemic has further aggravated the situation, pioneering to a higher-than-ever consumer demand for EVs without the stock to support it. While there are several causes contributing to this slump in supply, four major factors affecting the sale of EVs are high cost, range limitations, infrastr...
Visitors and exhibitors from more than 160 countries were present in the RAI last week during Intertraffic Amsterdam and Amsterdam Drone Week. For the first time since the coronavirus pandemic, all halls of the RAI were fully occupied. It is also the first time that these two events organized by RAI Amsterdam took place simultaneously in the RAI. Looking at the underlying themes and issues, there are major similarities between Intertraffic and Amsterdam Drone Week. Mobility, both in the air and...
Advanced packaging techniques have facilitated power conversion and power management solutions with the ability to take advantage of many state-of-the-art (SOTA) technologies and integrate them into highly dense, integrated components. Three-dimensional power packaging (3DPP) allows for the best of these technologies to contribute to size, weight, and power with cost (SWaP-C) optimization, while still taking advantage of the access to commercial, off-the-shelf (COTS) solutions. Getting the best...
A ‘hack’ is a clever or elegant solution that uses something for a purpose for which it was not originally intended, usually for fun, but also more seriously to offer a solution that otherwise would not have been possible, but how can they ‘hack’ something as basic as a DC/DC converter module? This article will use the example of an isolated gate driver power supply to show four possible DC/DC converter ‘hacks’ that could be used for many other applications....
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...
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...