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CONTENTS www.power-mag.com Issue 2 2023 Power Electronics Europe 3 Editor Achim Scharf Tel: +49 (0)892865 9794 Fax: +49 (0)892800 132 Email: PowerElectronicsEurope@t-online.de Production Editor Chris Davis Tel: +44 (0)1732 370340 Financial Manager Joanne Morgan Tel: +44 (0)1732 370340 Fax: +44 (0)1732 360034 Email: accounts@dfamedia.co.uk Reader/Circulation Enquiries Perception Tel: +44 (0) 1825 701520 Email: dfamedia@dmags.co.uk INTERNATIONAL SALES OFFICES Mainland Europe: Victoria Hufmann Norbert Hufmann Tel: +49 911 9397 643 Fax: +49 911 9397 6459 Email: pee@hufmann.info Eastern US Ian Atkinson Tel: +44 (0)1732 370340 Fax: +44 (0)1732 360034 Email: ian@dfamedia.co.uk Western US and Canada Ian Atkinson Tel: +44 (0)1732 370340 Fax: +44 (0)1732 360034 Email: ian@dfamedia.co.uk Japan: Yoshinori Ikeda, Pacific Business Inc Tel: 81-(0)3-3661-6138 Fax: 81-(0)3-3661-6139 Email: pbi2010@gol.com Taiwan Prisco Ind. Service Corp. Tel: 886 2 2322 5266 Fax: 886 2 2322 2205 Publisher & UK Sales Ian Atkinson Tel: +44 (0)1732 370340 Fax: +44 (0)1732 360034 Email: ian@dfamedia.co.uk www.power-mag.com Circulation and subscription: Power Electronics Europe is available for the following subscription charges. Power Electronics Europe: annual charge UK/NI £95, overseas $160, EUR 150. Contact: DFA Manufacturing Media, 192 The High Street, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1BE Great Britain. Tel: +44 (0)1732 370340. Fax: +44 (0)1732 360034. Refunds on cancelled subscriptions will only be provided at the Publisher’s discretion, unless specifically guaranteed within the terms of subscription offer. Editorial information should be sent to The Editor, Power Electronics Europe, PO Box 340131, 80098 Munich, Germany. The contents of Power Electronics Europe are subject to reproduction in information storage and retrieval systems. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without the express prior written consent of the publisher. Printed by: Warners. ISSN 1748-3530 PAGE 4 Market News PEE looks at the latest Market News and company developments PAGE 7 Industry News PAGE 10 PCIM Round-up PAGE 17 The Pressure is On John Govier, Sales Director of Inseto, summarises how far sintering has come and hints at what’s in store. PAGE 20 A high efficiency, 3 kW capable, 2-phase, 3-level Converter using paralleled eGaN® FETs Jianglin Zhu, Michael de Rooij, Efficient Power Conversion PAGE 24 Products PAGE 30 Web Locator Knightscope’s autonomous security robots patrol with superhuman acuity and detection prowess A fusion of innovative robotics, self-driving technology, vehicle electrification and artificial intelligence More details on page 14. FEATURE STORY To receive your own copy of Power Electronics Europe subscribe today at: www.power-mag.com
4 MARKET NEWS Issue 2 2023 Power Electronics Europe www.power-mag.com Two months before the start of the PCIM Europe, the exhibition area marks an historical peak with more than 30,000 m?. The companies represented there include industry leaders such as Fuji Electric Europe, Infineon, Mitsubishi Electric Europe, Semikron Danfoss, Wolfspeed, Nexperia, Rohm Semiconductor, Hitachi Europe and Texas Instruments Deutschland, 57% of which are international. An overview of all exhibiting companies can be found in the online exhibitor list. The parallel conference presents a top-class program of around 400 presentations. The topics range from silicon and wide bandgap power semiconductors to innovative packaging technologies, e-mobility and renewable energy technologies. For the first time, a poster session will also be held on the last day of the conference in the NCC Mitte entrance area to provide a platform for the many qualified submissions. The format is characterized by the exclusive 1:1 exchange between experts and the interested visitors. Focus topics of the exhibition create highlights The three Stages provide the exclusive knowledge platforms of the exhibition for different focus topics. As part of the E-Mobility & Energy Storage Zone, the same-named Stage offers specialist presentations for the application areas of electromobility and energy storage of power electronics. In addition, visitors can learn about the specific products and services offered by a total of 27 companies, including Hitachi Energy Switzerland, Semikron Danfoss and Littlefuse, in live presentations directly at their stands. On the Exhibitor Stage, interested parties can experience product innovations from exhibiting companies, such as Vincotech and Weidmüller Interface. The Industry Stage is the platform for presentations and panel discussions on current research and development topics. Highlights of the agenda include the panel discussions on “Wide Bandgap Design with GaN HEMT and Vertical GaN”, “SiC is Sold Out for 2023 - Can GaN Help Me?” as well as “Support for Grid Integration of E-Mobility Charging Infrastructure Using Energy Storage”. Another focus of this year’s event is on the partner country, the USA. This region has a promising future in the field of power supply for IT and data centers. At the U.S. Pavilion, interested visitors can directly exchange ideas with the companies represented from the focus country. Experts to present first-time publications The three special sessions at the conference will once again focus on particularly relevant industry topics: ”Solutions for Future Medium Voltage Grids“, ”Power Electronics for EMobility“ as well as ”Understanding Losses in WBG Power Devices“. In addition to the special sessions, three keynotes are highlights of the conference: How Life Cycle Analyses are Influencing Power Electronics Converter Design“, Franz Musil, Power Electronics Engineer at Fronius International On the Way to the DC Factory – The Open Industrial DC Grid for Sustainable Production Sites is Entering the Dissemination Phase”, Holger Borcherding, Scientific Director, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Ostwestfalen-Lippe HV Silicon and SiC Power Semiconductors; Key Components for Sustainable Energy Solutions”, Munaf Rahimo, President and Founder, MTAL Further information regarding the conference program can be found at pcimeurope.com/program. Hands-on seminars and tutorials On the days leading up to the conference, participants can enter into direct exchange with renowned experts in small groups and obtain first-hand, practice-oriented know-how. Special topics such as “Power Electronics in Electric Vehicles”, “Drives”, “WBG Devices” and “Reliability” will be presented in 11 half-day seminars and 6 full-day tutorials at the Arvena Park Hotel, Nuremberg on 7 and 8 May 2023. Digital addition complements the PCIM Europe 2023 The “PCIM Europe digital” optimally complements the PCIM Europe on-site in Nuremberg with a digital platform. Participants can catch up on missed lectures or watch them again until 30 June 2023. Contributions include Live streaming of the conference presentations from Stage Brussels 1 in Nuremberg. Presentations from the three stages at the exhibition will be recorded on-site and be available afterwards on-demand. The conference presentations are also available on-demand. Exhibitors are represented on the digital platform with their company and product profiles. Further information and tickets for the event can be found at pcim-europe.com. Record numbers set for the PCIM Europe 2023 This year’s PCIM Europe is recording record figures - both for the exhibition area and for the presentations at the conference. From 9 - 11 May 2023, the power electronics industry will be meeting in Nuremberg to exchange information on innovative products, the latest trends and current research results.
MARKET NEWS 5 The entire power electronics industry and the manufacturers of various components are aware of the importance of using eco-friendly and sustainable materials. This important topic will also play a special role at this year’s PCIM Europe from 9 – 11.5.2023 in Nuremberg, Germany. On the way to becoming climate-neutral, sustainability can succeed when the energy transformation and the associated decarbonization are completed. In this context, power electronics plays an important part as a key technology in various sectors, since, among other things, the electrification of many applications is seen as a precondition for a climate-neutral transformation of the energy system. All three keynotes at the PCIM Europe Conference will focus on power electronics innovations and trends in relation to sustainability. The keynote “How Life Cycle Analyses are Influencing Power Electronics Converter Design”, presented by Franz Musil, Power Electronics Engineer at Fronius International, looks at the holistic evaluation of the environmental impact on a converter system through the use of a life cycle analysis. The keynote will explain this concept in detail using two examples: a PV inverter and a weld machine. The knowledge gained on the environmental impact will be used for product development and will form new performance indicators in the evaluation of power electronic systems. Holger Borcherding, Scientific Director, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Ostwestfalen-Lippe will present the keynote talk entitled “On the Way to the DC Factory - The Open Industrial DC Grid for Sustainable Production Sites is Entering the Dissemination Phase” on the second day of the event. This session will focus on DC grids for industrial applications. DC grids promise higher energy efficiency, among other things due to the low losses during energy transfers as well as the elimination of AC/DC conversion that would otherwise be necessary. Correctly used DC grids in industrial plants can thus make a significant contribution to increasing energy efficiency and thus to sustainability in the future. On the third and last day of the conference, Munaf Rahimo, President and Founder of MTAL, will present the keynote talk on “HV Silicon and SiC Power Semiconductors - Key Components for Sustainable Energy Solutions”, focusing on highpower and high-voltage semiconductors and their major importance for industrial manufacturing and power grids. Unlike, for example, in electromobility where low-voltage semiconductors are used, power grids are expected to operate 24 hours a day for many years. “With the increasing use of renewable energy sources and the generally increased need for electrical energy, the semiconductor industry is challenged to provide devices that are suitable for these applications,” explains Drazen Dujic, Power Electronics Laboratory, EPFL. All sessions of the conference will cover sustainable topics in which power electronics plays a key role - from renewable power generation to energy storage solutions and related energy efficiency to power electronics in e-mobility. The detailed conference program can be found at pcim-europe.com/program. The exhibition also picks up on corresponding technologies and innovations. In addition to countless product innovations from the exhibiting companies in this field, the PCIM Europe also offers a focus on this topic with the E-Mobility & Energy Storage Zone. “E-mobility and energy storage represent essential components of a decarbonized and therefore a sustainable future,” summarizes Frank Osterwald, Gesellschaft für Energie und Klimaschutz Schleswig-Holstein. Electromobility is driving new developments in power electronics, but it also raises many questions that need to be answered by new technological developments. At the PCIM Europe, the work of science and industry to clarify these open questions will be shown. Further sustainability focus in power electronics VISIT US AT PCIM BOOTH #9-450 XFlux® Ultra POWDER CORES Same great DC Bias and high saturation found in XFlux while providing a 20% improvement in core loss. www.mag-inc.com Flux Density (Tesla) 0.01 0.1 1 100 10 10,000 1,000 Core Loss (mW/cm3) 10 kHz XFlux Ultra 25 kHz XFlux Ultra 10 kHz XFlux 25 kHz XFlux 50 kHz XFlux 50 kHz XFlux Ultra 26μ Core Loss Density
Issue 2 2023 Power Electronics Europe www.power-mag.com 6 MARKET NEWS Key Highlights Ansys joins leading organisations on the three-year, 72-million euro project to elevate the sustainability and resilience of the European energy chain via smart, efficient power electronics Ansys will demonstrate how digital twin technology used as part of multiphysics workflows can increase efficiency, lower development costs, and contribute to decarbonisation efforts London, UK, April 11, 2023 – Ansys (NASDAQ: ANSS) joined European research initiative PowerizeD, which focuses on boosting the intelligence of power electronics to make them more efficient. As part of the initiative, Ansys will demonstrate the power of digital twins through new workflows that can increase efficiency, reduce development costs, and contribute to decarbonisation efforts. The project, initiated and coordinated by long-time Ansys customer Infineon Technologies AG (Infineon), is expected to contribute to European decarbonisation and climate protection by improving the sustainability and resilience of the European energy chain. Reliability issues in power electronics can often be traced back to thermal stress, which can be predicted and then mitigated via new compact digital twin workflows. These workflows are based on Ansys® Twin Builder™ and Ansys® optiSLang™, relying on metamodels built with Ansys® Fluent®, Ansys® Mechanical™, Ansys® Sherlock™, and Ansys® Electronics Desktop™. Using this approach with PowerizeD, Ansys will demonstrate how development time and costs can be saved by eliminating unnecessary prototypes and testing, while extending the useful life cycle of power electronics devices. “We have to make highly efficient use of energy if we are to achieve net-zero climate protection goals. Digitalisation can help here as a highly decisive lever for more energy efficiency,” said Constanze Hufenbecher, chief digital transformation officer at Infineon. “We are pleased to combine our strengths with the strengths of so many excellent partners from research and business to jointly make the ambitious European research initiative PowerizeD a success.” “Power electronics is key to energy transformation and is used anywhere and everywhere that electricity is generated, transferred, and used efficiently,” said Dr. Rutger Wijburg, chief operations officer at Infineon. “The broad spectrum of power electronics applications makes it very important that we collaborate with partners across the boundaries of corporate entities and organisations to jointly advance Europe as an innovation engine.” The immediate PowerizeD project objectives include: Reduction of power loss in power conversion by 25 percent Extension of the service lives of devices and systems by 30 percent Reduction of chip size by at least 10 percent Shortening development times by a challenging 50 percent “Ansys already works closely with many companies involved in the European Research Initiative PowerizeD to help optimise product development and integrate simulation into digitalisation efforts,” said Shane Emswiler, senior vice president of products at Ansys. “We look forward to collaborating with the project’s research partners on an interdisciplinary approach to power electronics that will demonstrate the value of an integrated simulation workflow and our compact digital twin technology.” About PowerizeD The project has been accepted for funding within the Key Digital Technologies Joint Undertaking (KDT JU), a public-private partnership in collaboration with the Horizon Europe (HORIZON Framework Program and National Authorities under grant agreement number 101096387 Cofunded by European Union). Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or Horizon Europe. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Further information on the project and the project partners can be found at the following web site: www.powerized.eu Ansys Joins PowerizeD Research Initiative to Enable Sustainable and Resilient Energy Applications Ansys brings power of digital twins to European initiative that focuses on digitalisation of power electronics and decarbonisation
INDUSTRY NEWS 7 www.power-mag.com Issue 2 2023 Power Electronics Europe THIEF RIVER FALLS, Minnesota, USA - Digi-Key Electronics, which offers the world’s largest selection of electronic components and automation products in stock for immediate shipment, has released the first episode in Season 2 of its “Supply Chain Transformed” video series focused on advancements in IoT, connectivity, sensors and asset tracking within the supply chain. Sponsored by Nordic Semiconductor, the three-episode series will take a closer look at how the world is tackling new and ever-present challenges in global logistics and explore how technology is poised to provide visibility and insight into supply chain risks. Digi-Key introduced Season 2 of its Supply Chain Transformed video series with Nordic Semiconductor. “Recent years have shown how much risk truly exists between point A and B in the supply chain,” said Josh Mickolio, supplier business development manager for wireless and IoT at Digi-Key. “With so much continued focus on global logistics, it’s more important than ever for accessible, automated monitoring and tracking. At Digi-Key, we’re dedicated to ensuring that the most in-demand products are readily available to the engineers and designers that depend on them.” “Automation is key to being able to scale and optimize global supply chains,” said Magnus Pedersen, vice president of sales, EMEA at Nordic Semiconductor. “The more efficient we can make the supply chain, the better it is. Fewer parts will have to be in temporary storage and the delivery precision for customers increases. This should save time and money, all the way from wafer production until the end customer receives their end product.” The first of three videos in the series, “The Path to Recovery,” is now live on Digi-Key’s website, and delves into how supply chains have evolved since the events of 2020 and what suppliers are doing differently to ensure that the most in-demand products are readily available to engineers and designers that depend on them. The second video, entitled “The Beginning of the Supply Chain,” will look at how suppliers source raw materials and components that form the building blocks of today’s modern designs; and the third video, “Future-Proof Supply Chains,” will explore the steps needed to ensure future supply chains are ready to meet the unexpected surges in demand. Digi-Key Supply Chain Solutions & Services offer strategic procurement solutions to improve efficiency and avoid supply chain issues. To learn more about the video series and how Digi-Key is working to tackle global logistics challenges, visit the Digi-Key website. About Digi-Key Electronics Digi-Key Electronics, headquartered in Thief River Falls, Minn., USA, is recognized as both the leader and continuous innovator in the high service distribution of electronic components and automation products worldwide. As the original pioneer in this space, Digi-Key provides more than 13.4 million components from over 2,300 quality name-brand manufacturers with an industry-leading breadth and depth of product in stock and available for immediate shipment. Beyond the products that drive technology innovation, DigiKey also supports design engineers and procurement professionals with a wealth of digital solutions and tools to make their jobs more efficient. Additional information can be found at digikey.com and on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn. About Nordic Semiconductor Nordic Semiconductor is a Norwegian fabless semiconductor company specializing in wireless communication technology that powers the Internet of Things (IoT). Nordic was established in 1983 and has more than 1300 employees across the globe. Our award-winning Bluetooth Low Energy solutions pioneered ultra-low power wireless, making us the global market leader. Our technology range was later supplemented by ANT+, Thread and Zigbee, and in 2018 we launched our low power, compact LTE-M/NB-IoT cellular IoT solutions to extend the penetration of the IoT. The Nordic portfolio was further complemented by Wi-Fi technology in 2021. Digi-Key Launches Supply Chain Transformed Season 2 Video Series Second season explores building flexible, agile and resilient supply chains To receive your own copy of Power Electronics Europe subscribe today at: www.power-mag.com
Issue 2 2023 Power Electronics Europe www.power-mag.com 8 INDUSTRY NEWS EPC agreement expands Anglia GaN portfolio Addition of eGaN® technology strengthens distributors range of power technologies Wisbech, 20 March 2023 Anglia Components PLC has significantly expanded its portfolio of power solutions following the signing of a distribution agreement for the UK and Ireland with EPC (Efficient Power Conversion), a leading provider of gallium nitride (GaN)-based power management technology. Anglia offers its customers a full portfolio of the mainstream power technologies, including Silicon MOSFET and Silicon Carbide, and GaN, allowing them to select the solution that is most appropriate to their design from a size, efficiency, and cost perspective. The addition of EPC enhancement mode gallium nitride (eGaN) FETs and ICs strengthens Anglia's range particularly in the low voltage (sub-400V) end of the market. In many applications, EPC eGaN devices deliver lower system cost, higher performance and greater power density. John Bowman, Marketing Director of Anglia, explained, "Power is attracting considerable focus from our customers at the moment. Their concern is driven both by environmental and economic considerations. EPC impressed us as a company that is pro-active in its approach to the market, anticipating customers questions about adopting this technology and helping them on the design journey to a smaller, more efficient system design. Our FAE team is benefitting from this approach as they undergo comprehensive and in-depth training on the range." Stefan Werkstetter, vice president Sales EMEA at EPC added, "We believe in developing relationships with channel partners with strong local expertise and wide and deep customer relationships in their region. Anglia fits that mould perfectly, with an exceptional FAE team and great traction in the UK and Ireland market. Our eGaN technology is widely applicable in industrial applications, including DCDC converters, motor drive, medical, wireless power, server, 5G, solar, class-D audio and general comms infrastructure designs, all areas where Anglia is strong. We believe that they will be very successful in collaborating with customers to ensure that they achieve the potential that eGaN technology can offer." About EPC EPC is the leader in enhancement mode gallium nitride (eGaN®) based power management. eGaN FETs and integrated circuits provide performance many times greater than the best silicon power MOSFETs in applications such as DC-DC converters, remote sensing technology (lidar), motor drives for eMobility, robotics, and drones, and low-cost satellites. eGaN is a registered trademark of Efficient Power Conversion Corporation, Inc. About Anglia Anglia Components plc is the UK’s leading independent authorised distributor of semiconductors, optoelectronics, interconnect, passive and electromechanical components. A signatory of the ADS SC21 programme, the company holds AS9120, ISO9001 and ISO14001 accreditations. Technically adept, with an experienced team of staff, Anglia supports OEM and EMS companies in every sector of electronics manufacturing. Anglia's suppliers include many of the world's leading electronic component brands, complemented by many smaller companies with leadership in their chosen technologies. Anglia stocks over 2 billion components from over 1.3 million product lines in the UK. Components from every supplier are stocked in depth and breadth for same-day dispatch. Anglia aims to streamline logistics and reduce customers' transaction costs through services that include VMI, KAN-BAN, API, EDI, BoM management tools and customer-dedicated inventory, while an accurate, on-time delivery performance is a vital goal for the company. Technical support spans a sampling service that delivers over £150,000 worth of free components and evaluation tools each year and expert technical advice from well-trained product specialists and face-to-face guidance from field applications engineers. Both commercially and technically, management of industry legislation and component obsolescence are recognised as areas of vital importance to customers. Anglia is driven by an ethos of ever-improving customer understanding and, as a privately owned business, aims to provide a fast, consistent and highly responsive service. Further information can be found at www.anglia.com or www.epc-co.com From left to right: David Pearson, Technical Director, Anglia; Alex Lidow, CEO, Efficient Power Conversion; John Bowman, Marketing Director, Anglia.
9 www.power-mag.com Issue 2 2023 Power Electronics Europe INDUSTRY NEWS iC-Haus appoints Dr. Alexander Flocke as further managing director alongside Dr. Heiner Flocke. Long-standing technical managing director Manfred Herz takes over the department “Advanced Technology Development” for tomorrow’s chip innovations. Bodenheim, Germany, March, 2023: At the beginning of this year, iCHaus GmbH undergone some changes in its management to ensure the lived continuity and a sustained growth with new products and markets in the future. With the “iC” as a trademark, the medium-sized iC-Haus GmbH with its 370 employees and its vertical range of manufacture at the Bodenheim site near Mainz has won a leading position as a manufacturer of application and customer-specific integrated circuits and microsystems for industrial, automotive and medical technology, represented worldwide. As of January 01, 2023, long-standing technical managing director and co-partner Manfred Herz stands down as managing director. He takes over the Advanced Technology Development in close cooperation with the development department to provide creative solutions and circuit innovations for chip design. Representing Dr. Heiner Flocke as majority owner and managing director with his sole power of representation is Dr. Alexander Flocke, who has been appointed further managing director of iC-Haus GmbH as of January 01, 2023. Together with an authorized signatory, he has decision-making power and act as deputy of Dr. Heiner Flocke. Alexander Flocke holds a PhD in electrical engineering from RWTH Aachen University. He has been working at iC-Haus since 2008, first in Chip Development and now in Applications and Sales. Henrik Liungman joined iC-Haus in 2019 in Sales. Responsible for commercial aspects, he serves as authorized signatory. Restructuring of iC-Haus GmbH Management The two companies signed a definitive agreement under which Infineon will acquire GaN Systems for US$830 million. GaN Systems is based in Ottawa, Canada and specialises in the development of GaN-based solutions for power conversion. Infineon’s CEO, Jochen Hanebeck, said the acquisition will accelerate the company’s GaN roadmap and will strengthen the company’s position in the power systems market. “GaN technology is paving the way for more energy-efficient and CO2-saving solutions that support decarbonisation,” he said. “Adoption in applications like mobile charging, data centre power supplies, residential solar inverters, and onboard chargers for electric vehicles is at the tipping point, leading to a dynamic market growth”. Jim Witham, CEO of GaN Systems (pictured), said: “The GaN Systems team is excited about teaming up with Infineon to create highly differentiating customer offerings, based on bringing together complementary strengths. . . . we will optimally leverage the potential of GaN. GaN Systems’ foundry partnerships and Infineon’s in-house manufacturing capacity will enable maximum growth capability, said Witham. “I am very proud of what GaN Systems has accomplished so far and cannot wait to help write the next chapter together with Infineon,” he says. “As an integrated device manufacturer with a broad technology capability, Infineon enables us to unleash our full potential.” GaN offers customers value by higher power density, higher efficiency, and size reductions, especially at higher switching frequencies. These properties enable energy savings and smaller form factors. Market analysts expect GaN revenue for power applications to grow by 56% CAGR by 2027, to approximately US$2bn (source: Yole, Compound Semiconductor Market Monitor-Module I Q4 2022) for a wide range of applications. GaN is one of the key materials for power semiconductors, together with silicon and SiC (silicon carbide). Last year, Infineon invested more than €2bn in a front end fab in Kulim, Malaysia which will operate in addition to Infineon’s existing wide bandgap manufacturing capabilities in Villach, Austria. Infineon acquires GaN Systems for $380m Dr. Alexander Flocke Infineon’s CEO, Jochen Hanebeck
10 PCIM EXHIBITOR ROUND UP Issue 2 2023 Power Electronics Europe www.power-mag.com The 80V and 100V ASFETs for hotswap are in a compact LFPAK88 package measuring 8.0 x 8.0mm and have an enhanced safe operating area (SOA), says the company. The ASFETs are optimised for demanding hotswap and soft-start applications. They are qualified to 175°C for use in advanced telecomms and computing equipment. Until now, ASFETs for hotswap and computing applications were limited to much bigger D2PAK packages (16 x 10 mm). LFPAK88 packages are the ideal replacement for D2PAK, providing up to 60% space efficiency, says the company. The PSMN2R3-100SSE (100V, 2.3mΩ N-channel ASFET) delivers low RDS(on) to meet the requirements of demanding hotswap applications. There second release is the PSMN1R9-100SSE (80V, 1.9mΩ), an 80V ASFET which has been developed for 48V power rails in computing servers and other industrial applications where environmental conditions allow for MOSFETs with a lower BVDS rating. A third ASFET, the PSMN2R3-100SSE has an RDS(on) of only 2.3mΩ, representing at least a 40% reduction on currently available devices. This improves power density improvements by a factor of 58 and the LFPAK88 offers two times higher ID (max) current rating together with low thermal and electrical resistance. ASFETs with enhanced SOA have a strong linear mode performance to manage in-rush current effectively when capacitive loads are introduced to the live backplane. Low RDS(on) is also important to minimise I2R losses when the ASFET is fully turned on, adds Nexperia. This is the company’s third generation of enhanced SOA technology also achieves 10% SOA improvement compared to previous generations in D2PAK packages (33A vs 30A at 50V at 1ms). The ASFETs have characterised SOA at both 25°C and 125°C. Fully tested, hot SOA curves are provided in the datasheets so design engineers do not have to perform thermal de-rating calculations. This also significantly extends the useful hot SOA performance, says the company. Nexperia also offers a range of 25V, 30V, 80V and 100V ASFETs in a 5.0 x 6.0mm LFPAK56E package, optimised for lower power applications where a smaller PCB footprint is needed. Visit Nexperia at PCIM Europe: Hall 9-317 ASFETs for hotswap are packaged in copper clip LFPAK88 The two100V power stage ICs are the EPC23104, rated at 15A and the EPC23103, rated at 25A join the EPC23102 (100V, 35A) power stage IC. All three ICs can withstand a maximum voltage of 100V and integrate a complete GaN half-bridge power stage that includes symmetrical FETs in half bridge configuration, half bridge driver, level shifter, bootstrap charging, and input logic interface. They are supplied in a thermally enhanced QFN package measuring 3.5 x 5.0mm and which has exposed top for dual side cooling and wettable flanks. Footprint compatibility enables customers to upgrade a design for better performance or lower cost without modification to the board, says EPC, to adapt to changing load requirements. In DC/DC applications, the devices can operate with high efficiency at high switching frequencies (3MHz maximum) and offer higher performance and smaller solution size for 28 to 60V DC/DC in computing, industrial and USB PD 3.1 applications. In 32 to 48V BLDC motor drives for e-mobility, robotics, power tools and drones, the IC can operate with small deadtimes (21ns) and at 100kHz to increase the system efficiency due to less motor core losses and vibrations, and to reduce or eliminate the electrolytic capacitors. “The ePower family of products makes it easy for designers to take advantage of the significant performance improvements made possible with GaN technology,” says Alex Lidow, CEO and co-founder of EPC. “Integrated devices are easier to design, easier to layout, easier to assemble, save space on the PCB, and increase efficiency,” he adds. In addition, these devices can reduce the weight or increase precision in BLDC motor drives, higher efficiency 48V input DC/DC converters, higher fidelity Class-D audio systems, and other industrial and consumer applications, says Lidow. Two development boards, the EPC90151 and EPC90152, are half bridge demo boards featuring the EPC23103 and the EPC23104 ePower Stage ICs, respectively. The boards measure 50.8 x 50.8mm and contain all critical components for easy evaluation. The EPC23103 and EPC23104, together with the development boards (EPC90151 and EPC90152) are available for immediate delivery from Digi-Key. Visit EPC at PCIM Europe 2023 : Hall 9-318 ePower stage ICs integrate a half-bridge power stage
PCIM EXHIBITOR ROUND UP 11 www.power-mag.com Issue 2 2023 Power Electronics Europe The company has evolved its Nano Pulse Control, high speed pulse control technology to improve control pulse width from nine nanoseconds to what it claims is an industry best of two nanoseconds. This technology has been developed to meet the high speed switching characteristics of GaN devices. Many design engineers are investigating miniaturisation of the power supply circuit which requires a reduction in size of the peripheral components through high speed switching. Achieving this requires a control IC that can take advantage of the drive performance of high speed switching devices. The company introduced high speed control IC technology for GaN devices using proprietary analogue power supply technology Nano Pulse Control. It plans to ship samples of 100V one-channel DC/DC control ICs in the second half of 2023. Using these ICs in conjunction with Rohm’s EcoGaN devices is expected to result in significant energy savings and miniaturisation opening up design opportunities in a wide range of applications, including base stations, data centres, factory automation equipment and drones. Nano Pulse Control in the ICs combines analogue circuit design, processes and layout to reduce the minimum control pulse width of the control IC. The circuit configuration allows the IC to step down from 60V to 0.6V with a single power supply IC in 24V and 48V applications. Support for smaller drive peripheral components for high frequency switching of GaN devices decreases mounting area by approximately 86% over conventional solutions when paired with an EcoGaN power supply circuit, reports the company and using a single IC instead of the conventional two power supply ICs. Visit Rohm at PCIM Europe 2023 - Hall 9 - 310 High speed control IC technology is optimised for GaN devices The 1200V trench Field Stop VII (FS7) IGBTs will be primarily used in energy infrastructure applications like solar inverters, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), energy storage and EV charging power conversion. The IGBTs are used to boost input to high voltage (boost stage) as well as the inverter to provide an AC output in high switching frequency energy infrastructure applications. The low switching losses of FS7 devices enable higher switching frequencies that reduce the size of magnetic components, increasing power density and reducing system cost. For high power energy infrastructure applications, the positive temperature co-efficient of FS7 devices enables easy parallel operation, says onsemi. Efficiency is critical in high switching frequency energy infrastructure applications, explains Asif Jakwani, senior vice president and general manager of the advanced power division, at onsemi. The FS7 devices include high-speed (S-series) and medium-speed (Rseries) options. All include an optimised diode for low VF, tuned switching softness and can operate with junction temperatures up to 175°C. The S-series devices, which include the FGY75T120SWD, offer the best switching performance among currently available 1200V IGBTs in the market, says onsemi. Tested with currents up to seven times the rated value, the rugged IGBTs also offer best-in-class latch-up immunity, claims the company. The R-Series is optimised for medium speed switching applications, such as motor control and solid-state relay in which conduction losses are dominant occurs. The FGY100T120RWD, for example, shows a VCESAT as low as 1.45V at 100A, an improvement of 0.4V over previous generation devices. The FS7 devices are available in a range of package styles including TO247-3L, TO247-4L, Power TO247-3L and as bare die. Visit onsemi at PCIM Europe 2023: Hall 9-330 IGBT FS7 switches target energy infrastructure
Issue 2 2023 Power Electronics Europe www.power-mag.com 12 PCIM EXHIBITOR ROUND UP Vishay offers anti-surge thick film power resistor in 0805 case size The N-channel power MOSFETs are specifically designed for use in high performance switching power supplies in industrial applications and base stations. They are characterised by a maximum VDSS rating of 150V and current handling of 64A. The MOSFETs have low drain-source RDS (on) of just 9.0mΩ (max). This is over 40% less than is possible with the TPH1500CNH1 MOSFET, the previous generation device. For high performance power devices using synchronous rectification, reverse recovery performance is highly important, Toshiba advises. The TPH9R00CQ5 MOSFET includes a high speed body diode which reduces the reverse recovery charge (Qrr) by around 74% (to 34nC typical) when compared to an existing device such as the TPH9R00CQH. The reverse recovery time (trr) is just 40ns which is an improvement of over 40% compared with earlier devices, reports the company. Gate charge (Qg) is just 44nC, further contributing to reduced losses and increased power density. Unusually for a MOSFET, the channel temperature is 175°C (max) which, combined with the high speed diode will offer the designer increased thermal headroom. The MOSFET also reduces spike voltages created during switching, thereby improving EMI characteristics of designs and reducing the need for filtering. The TPH9R00CQ5 is housed in a surface-mount SOP Advance(N) package measuring just 4.9 x 6.1 x 1.0mm. Toshiba has also developed a G0 SPICE model for rapid verification of the circuit function. There are also G2 SPICE models for accurate MOSFETs reduce synchronous rectification losses reproduction of transient characteristics. In addition, there are reference designs, including a 1kW non isolated, buck-boost DC/DC converter, a three-phase multi-level MOSFET-based inverter and a 1kW full bridge DC/DC converter, all of which use the TPH9R00CQ5. The TPH9R00CQ5 MOSFET is shipping now. Visit Toshiba Electronics Europe at PCIM Europe 203 – Hall 9 - 503 Kyocera AVX has expanded its SCC series to include six automotivecertified supercapacitors. The cylindrical SCC automotive grade supercapacitors were tested against the requirements of AEC-Q200 std and operate in both mechanically and electrically challenging conditions, said the company, whether in electronic-mechanical locking (e-latch), emergency call systems (e-Call), electronic recording (e-video), regenerative braking, power, and emergency power systems. The automotive-grade supercapacitors have a very low ESR value, high capacitance and “excellent” pulse power handling characteristics. The capacitors meet UL 810A, RoHS and REACH requirements. They are available in 25F / 2.7V, 100F / 2.7V, 10F / 3V, 35F / 3V, 50F / 3 as well as 100F / 3V. To extend back-up times and battery life and to take advantage of instantaneous pulse power, the supercapacitors can be used alone or in conjunction with primary or secondary batteries. Visit Rutronik at PCIM Europe 2023 – Hall 6 - 322 Rutronik expands automotive portfolio with Kyocera AVX supercapacitors Vishay Intertechnology has enhanced the Vishay Draloric RCS0805 e3 antisurge thick film resistor in the 0805 case size with a higher power rating of 0.5 W. It can now be used in place of four standard parallel resistors in the 0805 case size or in place of two parallel devices in the larger 1206 case size or one resistor in the 1210 case size. Designers can save board space in automotive, industrial, telecommunications and medical applications while lowering component counts and reducing placement costs. For applications subject to high and repetitive surge pulses, the resistor also offers superior pulse load performance and ESD surge characteristics when compared to standard chip resistors, says the company. The AEC-Q200-qualified RCS0805 e3 features a resistance range from 1.0Ω to 10MΩ (and 0Ω jumper) with tolerances of ± 0.5%, ± 1% and ± 5%. TCR is ± 100ppm/K and ± 200ppm/K. The resistor offers an operating voltage of 150V and an operating temperature range of -55 to 155°C. They are RoHS-compliant and halogen-free, and therefore suitable for processing on automatic assembly systems as well as for wave, reflow, or vapor phase soldering per IEC 61760-1. Samples of the enhanced RCS0805 e3 are available now, with lead times of 12 weeks. Visit Vishay at PCIM Europe 2023 – Hall 9 – 210
13 www.power-mag.com Issue 2 2023 Power Electronics Europe PCIM EXHIBITOR ROUND UP Models in the regulated and isolated RPA40-FR series feature a 36 to 160V input range (200V/1 sec) which includes rail nominals of 72, 96 and 110V with surges and dips. Low noise, single and dual output models available are 5.0, 5.1, 12, 15, 24, ±12 and ±15V with the single outputs’ trimmable minimum ±10%. The 15 and 24V models are trimmable to 20/-10%). No minimum load is required. According to Recom, the DC/DC converters set a standard for power density and cost-effectiveness with 40W output in an industry-standard) board-mount through-pin package and a form factor of 50.8 x 25.4 x 10.2mm (2.0 x 1.0 x 0.4 inches. The efficiency of the RPA40-FR series peaks at 90%. This performance is coupled with a thermal design which allows operation with natural convection to high temperatures without derating up to 105°C ambient with reduced load and/or airflow. Safety features are over-temperature, input under-voltage, output over-current, and short circuit protection. A control pin is also provided to shut down the DC/DCs into a low dissipation state. The DC/DC converters are designed to multiple safety certifications, which include UL/EN/IEC 62368-1, EN 45545-2 and EN 50155, with a reinforced isolation rating of 3kVAC/1 min. The converters meer EMC specification EN 55032 class A without external components andclass B can be met with a simple external filter network. The DC/DC converters are reliable with a MTBF of 1.25MHrs at 25°C according to MIL-HDBK 217-F (GB). These characteristics make the rugged, encapsulated RPA40-FR DC/DC converters suitable for harsh rail environments as well as for general industrial use. The parts are covered by a three-year warranty. Samples and OEM pricing are available from all authorised distributors or directly from Recom. Visit Recom at PCIM Europe 2023: Hall 6-452 Board mount DC/DC converter series is for railway applications Name: Company Name: Address: Post Code: Tel: Total Number of Copies @ £ p+p Total £ Drives S & S Hyd H/B Pne H/B Ind Mot Comp H/B H/B Air QUANTITY QUANTITY Hydraulics & Pneumatics There are now 6 of these handy reference books from the publishers of the Drives & Controls and Hydraulics & Pneumatics magazines. Published in an easily readable style and designed to help answer basic questions and everyday problems without the need to refer to weighty textbooks. We believe you’ll find them invaluable items to have within arms reach. From the publishers of QUANTITY QUANTITY QUANTITY 2-5 copies £4.30, 6-20 copies £4.10, 20+ copies £3.75. QUANTITY PRACTICAL ENGINEER’S HANDBOOKS HYDRAULICS INDUSTRIAL MOTORS SERVOS AND STEPPERS PNEUMATICS COMPRESSED AIR INDUSTRIAL ELECTRIC DRIVES PLEASE ALLOW UPTO 28 DAYS FOR DELIVERY $&! -!.5&!#452).' -%$)! ,4$ 4HE (IGH 3TREET 4ONBRIDGE +ENT 4. "% Postage and Packaging: 1-3 copies: £2.99 4-6 copies: £4.99 7 or more copies: £6.99 If you would like to obtain additional copies of the handbooks, please email info@dfamedia.co.uk or call us on 01732 370340. Alternatively you can return the completed form below to: Engineers Handbook, DFA MANUFACTURING MEDIA LTD, 192 The High Street, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1BE #HEQUES SHOULD BE MADE PAYABLE TO $&! -ANUFACTURING -EDIA ,TD AND CROSSED ! # 0AYEE #OPIES OF THE HANDBOOKS ARE AVAILABLE AT a PER COPY $ISCOUNTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR MULTIPLE COPIES
14 POWER INNOVATION www.vicorpower.com Issue 2 2023 Power Electronics Europe www.power-mag.com Knightscope’s autonomous security robots patrol with superhuman acuity and detection prowess A fusion of innovative robotics, self-driving technology, vehicle electrification and artificial intelligence `The concept of automated policing began as a science-fiction concept years ago, but today it is real and impactful. The sophistication of robot-powered security is actually even more interesting if you spend a few minutes talking to Stacy Stephens, the co-founder and chief client officer of Knightscope, Inc. Launched in 2013, the Mountain View, CA, public safety technology services company was the first in the world to deploy mobile, fully autonomous security robots (ASRs) in public spaces such as malls, parking lots and neighborhood parks. The Knightscope vision was to find a more effective means of deterring crime while minimizing risk to law enforcement officers. Describing Knightscope as a leading public safety tech company, rather than a robotics organization, Stephens said their expertise includes a fusion of robotics, selfdriving technology, vehicle electrification and artificial intelligence. Combined, they yield an agile platform upon which numerous types of sensing capabilities and other technologies can be integrated to provide actionable intelligence. Next-generation of ASR surveillance capability Knightscope ASRs have a wide array of features and capabilities. These include a 360-degree 4K video system, two-way audio, license plate recognition, thermal imaging, people detection, facial recognition and signal detection for mobile devices. ASRs are equipped to scan for known threats, allowing companies to reduce workplace violence by providing facial recognition capabilities and parking lot security by using exception monitoring to ID the license plates of cars that don’t belong on site. With their audio feature, ASRs provide two-way communication, giving the robots broadcast capability that allows them to engage with the surrounding environment. This permits first responders to de-escalate hostile situations by putting a robot in place of a person. “The ASR’s ‘talk-down’ feature takes the danger off the human and puts it on the robot,” Stephens said. “Robots are a nondescript object that allow a conversation to take place without having a person in front of a hostile suspect that could unintentionally escalate the situation.” ASRs also can be used as a public address system in the event a building must be quickly evacuated. In addition to spotting bad actors, the ASR’s facial recognition feature is used by one casino to identify VIPs, who are now greeted before they even enter the building. As Stephens points out, ASRs take on boring, routine and monotonous activities that free up security personnel for more hands-on, strategic or customer servicerelated activities. And they reduce the likelihood of injury and death for both public safety professionals and perpetrators. “They also lower operating overhead,” Stephens said. “ASRs never get sick, and they don’t take vacations.” Infusing technology to drive ASR autonomy All of Knightscope’s mobile robots are completely autonomous, using a system of LIDAR, GPS, sonar, IMUs, 4K cameras and high-fidelity audio. Just as people have five senses, the robot has five sensor types to manage its surroundings. And in nearly every instance, the robot’s senses are more acute than a public safety officers. The first of these, situated on top of the robot, is the LIDAR. This includes a series of lasers with another set positioned at eye-level, along the robot’s waistline, on Knightscope’s mobile robots are completely autonomous, using a system of LIDAR, GPS, sonar, IMUs, 4K cameras and high-fidelity audio. The robot has five sensor types—similar to humans but with far greater acuity.
www.vicorpower.com POWER INNOVATION 15 www.power-mag.com Issue 2 2023 Power Electronics Europe the backside and two more along the skirt. In all, 21 lasers map the surrounding area every 25 milliseconds. That data is used to create a 3D map of the area around the robot out to a 100-meter radius, which enables the ASR to “see” its environment. Secondly, sonar sensors are located around the robot to provide proximity sensing that allows the robot to tell when something is physically close. This allows the ASR to take evasive action or communicate with an approaching person. GPS is included as a tertiary input for internal navigation and helps track the machine in the event that someone were to attempt to move or steal the robot. Odometry sensors calculate wheel rotation to indicate if the robot is moving or tracking left or right. And finally, an inertial measurement unit, or IMU, provides six-degrees-of-freedom spatial awareness to determine if the robot is upright or tilted, which could signal it has become stuck or immobilized. Together, the five sensor modalities paint an incredibly accurate picture of the robot’s geofenced environment and allow the ASR to successfully navigate complex environments while avoiding people, animals and objects. AI and edge computing process data at lightning speeds The ASR architecture is built so that the data is constantly streamed and recorded. That creates about 90 terabytes of data per robot per year, which no human could process. Data is stored for up to 30 days, which is the typical security industry standard for data retention. Data is stored both on the robot and in the cloud, depending on the situation. The difference between the two sets of data is associated with the threat level. If a threat is detected, the data is simultaneously sent to the cloud and triggers an alert. If the robot is just recording video as it patrols the park, then immediate access to the cloud is not necessary and the data is stored on a local hard drive. Artificial intelligence is used on the navigation stack and to analyze different parts of the video stream. For example, AI is used for people detection and to enable facial recognition systems to determine the similarity ratio of a detected face versus one in the user-generated database. That could be used, for example, to look for a lost child at a park or festival grounds. AI is also used for license plate recognition, especially because the 50 U.S. states have so many different kinds of plates, personalized and otherwise. Power efficiency is paramount to ASRs The intense level of computing, communications, and sensing places a tremendous burden on the ASRs’ power delivery networks (PDN). The PDN must be compact and have high efficiency. Because the ASRs have no airflow or venting, Knightscope went hunting for a pure conduction-cooled solution that could use the aluminum skin as a heat sink. The company adopted a Vicor DC-DC converter module (DCM3623) because its unique ChiP™ (Converter housed in Package) design was thermally adept and very small. The high DCM™ power density also helped with routing the wiring and cable assembly and increased battery efficiency, performance and runtime. As Stephens explained, “Unlike an electric car, the goal is not to maximize range. It’s more about maximizing robot run-time and minimizing the charge time, because it operates 24/7/365.” On the electrical side, the robot required isolation from all of the different power rails. Because there are so many sensors with different EMI signatures, the Vicor DCM helped minimize EMI and noise interference. Knightscope has a long roadmap of features and capabilities that can be added to the robots. In this case, Vicor DCMs provide a scalable platform and uniform height that obviates the need to change the heat sinking or mechanical components. “The more we’re able to reduce the burden on the battery, the longer run-time we will get,” Stephens said. “So, power’s always, always going to be a Knightscope ASR can patrol indoors and out with incredible dexterity because of the many highly-refined sensors. Together, the five sensor modalities paint an incredibly accurate picture of the robot’s geofenced environment and allow the ASR to successfully navigate complex environments while avoiding people, animals and objects.
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