28 February 2023 FEATURING: • Telecommunications, Wireless, IoT, RF & Microwave • Power & Energy • Test & Measurement, Analysis, Calibration & Compliance • Industrial Electronics, Automation, Computing & Networking • Spotlight: Training, Education & Certification
• AOI; X-ray • Component counters • Component storage • Conveyors • Device programming • Dot dispensing and conformal coating • ESD consumables • In-circuit testers • Jet printers • Low pressure injection moulding • PCB washing machines • Pick-and-place machines • Reflow ovens; vapour phase ovens • Rework and soldering stations • Selective wave soldering; wave soldering • Solder wire and solder paste • SPI • Stencil printers +27 11 869 0049 | [email protected] | www.mykaytronics.co.za The ultimate choice for a fast moving generation! MyKay Tronics We efficiently supply and support a total turnkey solution to the South African electronics market Supply Efficiency Support
Dataweek, 28 February 2023 www.dataweek.co.za 1 TELECOMMUNICATIONS, WIRELESS, IoT, RF & MICROWAVE FEATURE 28 February 2023 Vol. 46 No. 1 News................................................................................. 3 Systems, components, design.......................... 8 General ............................................................................ 30 Hot chips......................................................................31 Open [re]sources ....................................................... 32 QuickFind index .................................................... IBC contents on the cover features regulars Telecommunications, wireless, IoT, RF µwave...........................................................................13 The year of IoT, choosing the correct antenna, and new radio devices and components available. Power & energy.....................................................................19 A guide to battery fast-charging, commissioning a solar installation for maximum performance, power supplies, and chargers. Industrial electronics, automation, computing & networking................................................25 Designing a safety solution for a machine, and newmodules for reliable networking and computing. Test &measurement, analysis, calibration & compliance..................................................27 Using the correct instrument for easing maintenance, and the pitfalls of measuring over-the-air uplink interference. Spotlight: Training, education & certification........29 How AI is set to revolutionise education. 28 February 2023 FEATURING: • Telecommunications, Wireless, IoT, RF & Microwave • Power & Energy • Test & Measurement, Analysis, Calibration & Compliance • Industrial Electronics, Automation, Computing & Networking • Spotlight: Training, Education & Certification With 5G and AI arriving to enable massive new IoT opportunities, companies recognise the need to automate and simplify IoT device design, management and operations. Quectel explains why 2023 is the year of making it easy in IoT, as connectivity, modules, antennas come together with ODM, certification, testing, and cloud. For more information contact Quectel Wireless Solutions, +27 82 653 7458, [email protected], www.quectel.com
Dataweek, 28 February 2023 www.dataweek.co.za 2 NEWS Disclaimer While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements, inserts and company contact details are printed as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material. Published by: Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd Wild Fig Business Park, Block B, Unit 21, 1494 Cranberry Street, Honeydew Tel: +27 11 543 5800 [email protected] Gauteng Tracy Wolter, Tel: +27 11 543 5800, [email protected] KwaZulu-Natal Jane van der Spuy, Tel: +27 83 234 5412, [email protected] Western Cape Contact Durban or Jhb numbers for details Advertising: Print and Online Sales Manager: Malckey Tehini [email protected] Editor: Peter Howells, B.Tech (Electronic Engineering), [email protected] Subscription services For address changes, subscriptions, renewal status or missing issues call +27 11 543 5800 or [email protected] or WRITE TO: Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd, Box 385, Pinegowrie 2123 Subscribe online: www.technews.co.za All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, adapted, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Technews Publishing (PTY) Ltd. Reg No. 2005/034598/07 ISSN 0256-8934 VOLUME 46 NO 1 28 FEBRUARY 2023 From the editor’s desk Subscribe online: www.technews.co.za Peter During the recent holiday season, I was having a discussion regarding AI, and the conversation eventually found its way to the pros and cons of this relatively new technology. As with all new tech that is not very well understood, I find that people are either completely for it or totally against it, with very few sitting on the fence. In this case the person I was having the discussion with was vehemently opposed to the technology and even stated that they would never use it. I then asked whether they ever went onto Google to search for something, and the answer was a resounding “of course I do!”. I changed the subject then and there, remembering the old adage, “Never argue with a fool, because people tend to forget who’s who in the conversation”. AI has already filtered into everyday life for most people. Every time you open a web browser on your computer and type something into the Google or Microsoft (Bing) search engines, an AI is being accessed to provide results that are mostly accurate and relevant to the search query. These results would not be possible without the aid of a machine learning algorithm continuously running through the enormous amount of data contained on the world wide web. In 2022, the total amount of information contained on the internet was estimated to be around 94 zettabytes (ZB) with it predicted to rise to approximately 180 ZB by 2025 because of the influx of IoT devices. (Note: 1 ZB is equal to 1 billion terabytes!) Microsoft has also recently announced that the much talked about ChatGPT platform has been merged into the new Bing.com search application. This is a game-changer for online searches, one that I believe will be even more influential than when Google search first appeared. ChatGPT is a conversational AI based on a Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) model. This neural network machine learning model is trained to use internet data to generate text-based answers. The model has an impressive language IQ score of 147, which basically means that its conversational and comprehension skills are top-notch. (Don’t expect much on the EQ front though. It is an AI, after all.) Although this is not the first AI to be available for use on the internet, the reason it has become a sensation in some circles, and simultaneously ruffled many feathers, is that it is so easy to use to produce seemingly non-plagiarised work. The article on page 29 of this issue bears this out. The dawn of a new era in education ChatGPT is currently the buzzword in most conversations on education. Having a vested interest in STEM education at both high school and tertiary institutions, particularly engineering and technology, I can state with 100% certainty that many teachers are worried that scholars will be using this platform to produce work. Furthermore, work generated by the AI does not provide any learning on the topic that is being written about. Of course, work produced can be put through another online check to determine the likelihood of it being written by an AI but this is another step and remains to be seen whether it will be done. AI is here and, like other technology sectors, is set to transform the educational sector. What we need to learn is how to use it, not to produce work, but rather to aid us in producing work. Using it for fact checking, to improve writing skills, to summarise work to aid learning – those are AI abilities that our students need to embrace. Preventing the use of AI in education is a pointless exercise. Rather it needs to be embraced and the system needs to be updated to use AI. After all, it is these same students who one day will be co-existing and working together with artificial intelligences.
Dataweek, 28 February 2023 www.dataweek.co.za 3 NEWS ELECTRONICS NEWS DIGEST EVENTS • The Semiconductor Industry Association recently announced a 9,2% downturn in the worldwide chip sales year-to-year for 2022. The WSTS forecast projects a decrease in annual global sales of 4,1% in 2023. • STMicroelectronics released healthy financials for the Q4 and 2022 trading period. ST reported a fourth quarter net revenue of $4,42 billion, a gross margin of 47,5%, operating margin of 29,1%, and net income of $1,25 billion. The FY 2022 net revenues amounted to $16,13 billion with an operating margin of 27,5% and a net income of $3,96 billion. • Silicon Labs has doubled its revenue in the last two years to more than $1 billion. SiLabs reported that revenue exceeded the top end of the guidance range at $257 million, up 23% YoY. The company saw revenue growth across both its Industrial & Commercial and Home & Life product groups. • One of the contributing factors to Silicon Labs’ strong growth is due to the release of Matter 1.0, the application layer protocol developed to address device interoperability within the smart home. Silicon Labs, being the leading code contributor to Matter, claims 86% of Matter-over-Thread’s industry certifications. • Mycronic has released its year-end report which showed healthy growth on its order book. Its order intake increased 51% YoY after a huge 105% increase in Q4 period. During the same quarter, net sales increased 16%, which saw the net sales for the year increase by 10%. Its CEO, Anders Lindqvist, stated that the end of year was characterised by a record order intake. This provides a solid base for the company’s work going forward. • The projected YoY growth rate of global server shipments for 2023 has been lowered to 1,87% due to North American cloud service providers (CSPs) cutting demand, Electronics reports TrendForce. The four CSPs have all reduced server demand, led by Meta and followed by Microsoft, Google, and AWS. Regarding the server DRAM market, prices there are estimated to drop by around 20 to 25% QoQ for Q1 2023, as CSPs’ downward corrections exacerbate the oversupply situation. • TrendForce has forecast that the value of the 5G market will reach $37 billion in 2026 as applications related to the Metaverse push the demand. The promotion of 5G private networks by enterprises and the upgrading of equipment purposed for small cells and 5G fixed wireless access will be the main driver for this surge. This will push the CAGR for the global 5G market for the 2023 to 2026 period to 11,0%. • Foundry revenue is forecasted to drop by 4% YoY for 2023 due to slow inventory consumption and falling wafer input from customers. TrendForce’s recent analysis of the foundry market reveals that demand continues to slide for all types of mature and advanced nodes. The major IC design houses have cut wafer input for 1Q23 and will likely scale back further for 2Q23. Currently, foundries are expected to maintain a lower-than-ideal level of capacity utilisation rate in the first two quarters of this year. • A recent report by TrendForce has stated that global car sales are set to rebound in 2023. The projection is that sales will rise by 3,8% YoY to 84,1 million vehicle units. This is on the back of car sales remaining almost stagnant for the past two years at 81 million units. • The company also reported that multi-layer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) suppliers will focus research and development and capacity expansion on automotive offerings to increase demand during 2023. This market is set to expand by a CAGR of 5% for the forecast period 2023 to 2028. Women in Energy Conference 2023 8 March Cape Town International Convention Centre, Cape Town The 9th edition of theWomen in Energy conference will concentrate on developing and creating opportunities for women in the African Energy sector. It has been designed to aid the increase in leadership and development of women. This platformwill provide the ability for women to network, share knowledge, discuss achievements, and encourage the advancement of women across the energy industry. Register at https://10times.com/ women-in-energy-conference-cape-town EmbeddedWorld 2023 14-16 March Nuremberg, Germany EmbeddedWorld Exhibition & Conference is a global platform for the embedded community, and this year’s theme is ‘embedded, responsible, sustainable’. EmbeddedWorld is a place to meet for the entire embedded community, including leading experts, key players and industry associations. It offers an insight into the world of embedded systems, from components and modules to operating systems, hardware and software design, M2M communication, services and various issues relating to complex system design. Register for EmbeddedWorld at https://embedded-world.de/en/ APEC 2023 19-23 March Orlando, Florida, USA APEC is the leading conference in North America for power electronics professionals. With a focus on practical and applied aspects of the power electronics business, APEC is not just a designer’s conference. Hosting professional seminars, plenary, technical and industry sessions, exhibitor seminars, and the exposition, it caters to all professionals in the engineering field. The three-day expo features hundreds of companies serving the power electronics industry, with top manufacturers and service providers on hand to field questions on the latest in technology and solutions. Register for APEC 2023 at https://apec-conf.org/ The Future Energy Show Africa 2023 25-26 April Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg This free-to-attend exhibition will feature hundreds of exhibitors over several product categories including PV modules and components, energy storage and inverters, EPC consultants, turnkey suppliers, generation equipment and critical power, and smart solutions and technology. Register at http://bitly.ws/AdK9 Digest Continued on page 4
Dataweek, 28 February 2023 www.dataweek.co.za 4 NEWS ELECTRONICS NEWS DIGEST The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) has announced that global semiconductor industry sales were $45,5 billion during the month of November 2022, a decrease of 2,9% compared to October 2022 and 9,2% less than the November 2021 total of $50,0 billion. Monthly sales are compiled by theWorld Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) organisation and represent a three-month moving average. “Global semiconductor sales decreased in November, largely due to market cyclicality and macroeconomic headwinds,” said John Neuffer, SIA president and CEO. “Sales into the Americas were up compared to November 2021, while sales into China decreased sharply on a year-to-year basis.” Regionally, year-to-year sales increased in November in the Americas (5,2%), Europe (4,5%), and Japan (1,2%), but decreased in Asia Pacific/All Other (-13,9%) and China (-21,2%). Month-to-month sales were down across all regions. TheWSTS industry forecast projects a decrease in annual global sales of 4,1% in 2023 where global sales are expected to reach $556,5 billion. For more information visit www.semiconductors.org Worldwide chip sales down 9,2% Information from Semiconductor Industry Association. We regret that in the 2023 print issue of EMP Handbook, an error was made when stating the contact person for RS Components. The contact Correction: EMP2023 Companies • AVEVA, a global producer of industrial software, has announced the completion of its acquisition by Schneider Electric. AVEVA, with an estimated value of more than £10 billion, drives efficiency for over 20 000 customers worldwide. Its software offering includes a Digital Twin for the whole asset lifecycle from engineering through to operations and maintenance across a diverse range of industries. • Bosch has issued a press release stating that they have agreed to acquire shares in Husqvarna AB, subject to approval, and that its shareholding would then amount to roughly 12%. This purchase would make Bosch one of the larger shareholders in the Husqvarna Group. The companies have collaborated closely during the development of the Power for All Alliance which is supporting Husqvarna’s electrification process. • Henric Andersson will leave his role as board member of Husqvarna AB and CEO of Husqvarna Group, effective immediately. He will, however, remain employed by the group until 31 March. The group has initiated a process to identify a successor, but in the interim, Pavel Hajman will continue as CEO until a suitable candidate assumes the position. • Teraco Data Environments, Africa’s largest data centre company, has raised R11,8 billion in funds to assist with its expansion plans and person for RS Components should have read Mellisa Govender. Our sincerest apology for the mistake and any inconvenience caused. power systems upgrade. Just under half of the loan will be used as growth capital, going towards the company’s solar capacity and new data centres. The rest will be used to refinance its current facilities in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. This will set them on track to generate half of the power from clean energy sources by 2027. • Tshiamo Maluleka-Disemelo has been appointed as new CEO of Icasa. This is to fill the position that was vacated by Willington Ngwepe who left the communications regulator in 2022 for a senior position at the MTN Group. Prior to her appointment, Maluleka-Disemelo was chief audit executive at Icasa, a position she held since 2020. • Ford has announced its return to Formula 1 racing after being absent for more than two decades. The automaker and Red Bull Powertrains are entering into a long-term strategic partnership for the development of the next-generation hybrid power unit to be used from the 2026 season onwards. Ford will provide expertise in areas including battery cell and electric motor technology, and power unit control software and analytics. • NGK Insulators and Ricoh Company have announced a joint venture in the electric power space. Together they have started operations at NR-Power Lab which will provide services to promote the widespread adoption of renewable energy, which is essential for the companies to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality. • In the State-of-the-Nation address, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced tax incentives for solar panel installations. This is in light of increased measures to ease SA’s energy crisis. Once businesses ease the load on Eskom, the rise in productivity levels will more than compensate the Treasury for the tax breaks announced. Technologies • Berg Insight has reported that the number of connected charging points for electric vehicles in Europe and North America are to reach 18 million by 2026. The number of connected EV charging points in these regions reached an estimated 3,3 million in 2021. Europe represents the largest share at 2,6 million, corresponding to a penetration rate of 57%. In North America, about 0,7 million of the total number were connected, giving a penetration rate of 52%. These numbers are expected to grow at a CAGR of 40%. • In another press release, Berg Insight has reported that the number of patients worldwide that are remotely monitored reached 56,8 million in 2021. This number includes all patients enrolled in mHealth care programmes in which connected medical devices are used as part of the care regimen. Connected medical devices used for personal health tracking have been excluded from the statistics. This number is expected to grow at a CAGR of 14,2% to reach 126,1 million remotely monitored health devices by 2027. Continued from page 3
Dataweek, 28 February 2023 www.dataweek.co.za 5 NEWS Avnet Abacus has won a distribution award from Bourns for maintaining the highest growth across Bourns’ distribution network in the EMEA region. The award was presented to Avnet Abacus at a recent event to recognise its sales and business growth over the past 18 months. Adam Chidley, senior marketing manager, was awarded MVP for his long-term relationship and commitment to Bourns, built over many years of hard work and dedication to driving an excellent team of supplier development managers. Serving a broad range of markets including automotive, industrial, consumer, communications, and non-critical life support medical, Bourns is a leading maker of position and speed sensors, circuit protection solutions, Avnet Abacus wins distribution award from Bourns A new solar panel plant in Cape Town hopes to make a difference in providing both employment and affordable solar panels to low-income households across southern Africa. Ener-G-Africa launched its new facility in the suburb of Ndabeni, Cape Town, as the first small power panel plant certified by TUV Rheinland, an inspection authority with German accreditation. The small solar panels will be used with its biomass stoves, which are available both locally and overseas. New solar panel plant to provide power to the community AREI, the Association of Representatives for the Electronics Industry, is a body representing the interests of the industry in South Africa. The prime objective of the association is to contribute to the creation of an environment which encourages dynamic growth of the electronic manufacturing industry at both component and at system level. The association has now announced the members of its committee to serve for the 2023 term. The committee is elected annually at an Figure 1. AREI committee members from left to right: GyulaWendler, Conrad Coetzee, Deon Schoombee, Rudi Koekemoer, Dirk Venter, Erich Nast (Chairman), Jenny Gooding, Erna Kruger. AREI announces committee for 2023 Ionisation equipment is an essential component of an electrostatic protected area (EPA). Most ESD workstations will have some isolated conductors (for example, PCB components not in contact with the ESD work surface) that cannot be removed or replaced. These should be controlled using ionisation. Ionisers ensure that static charges are eliminated by neutralising static charge generated during the manufacturing process, or during transport to final test and assembly. This ensures that no electrostatic discharges (ESD) can occur. Ionisation equipment produces charged ions and these ions are attracted to charges of opposite polarity and combine. A surface is neutralised of static charges when the positive & negative ions combine with each other and leave the surface free of charge, reducing the potential to cause ESD damage. There is a wide variety of static control products available including ionisation bars, or handheld, benchtop, and overhead units. Each is specific to a purpose and area size. with Greg Barron, Actum Group director Clearing the Static For more information contact Actum Group, +27 11 608 3001, [email protected], www.actum.co.za Ionisation equipment magnetic components, microelectronic modules, panel controls and resistive products. “Bourns has been a long-term supplier and partner of Avnet Abacus and brings a worldrenowned surety for innovative and high-quality passive components,” said Hagen Goetze, senior director marketing at Avnet Abacus. “This award is a recognition of our efforts across these challenging times in the market. Over the past couple of years, Avnet has worked hard to cement its position as one of the leading distribution sales arms for Bourns on a global and European basis.” For more information contact Avnet Abacus, [email protected], www.avnet.com/wps/portal/abacus Most solar panel manufacturers produce large panels aimed at business and residential installations, or targeting commercial utility-scale projects. Manufacturers of small solar panels produced for the African market usually deliver cheap product with poor quality control. Ener-G-Africa plans to change this with its new high-quality small solar panels. “South Africa is the most technologically capable country on the continent, with really valuable skills,” says Andre Moolman, CEO of AGM, and this newly elected committee then elects the Chairperson for the following year. The elected committee members for 2023 are GyulaWendler, Conrad Coetzee, Deon Schoombee, Rudi Koekemoer, Dirk Venter, Erich Nast (Chairman), Jenny Gooding, and Erna Kruger. For more information contact AREI, +27 82 899 4143, [email protected], www.arei.co.za Ener-G-Africa. “Cape Town also has access to the port, which is logistically advantageous for importing non-locally manufactured products and also exporting our finished products.” With the initial outlook for the Ndabeni manufacturing facility being very positive, management has plans to triple capacity within the next 18 months. For more information visit https://ener-g-africa.com/
European components distribution finished 2022 with record results. According to DMASS Ltd., a surprisingly strong semiconductor sales and normalising sales in interconnect, passive and electromechanical (IP&E) components amounted to reported revenues of €5,03 billion in Q4, 27,8% above last year’s Q4. Semiconductors finished with sales of €3,62 billion, and IP&E ended at €1,41 billion or 7,9% above Q4 last year. In total, companies represented in DMASS reported consolidated components revenues of €19,5 billion for 2022, an increase of 32,6% over 2021. Hermann Reiter, chairman of DMASS, said, “While we are certainly happy about record numbers, we more importantly feel a general relief that availability is improving – although not for all products – and customers will see their demands being met now to a large extent. Q4 numbers were an all-time record for semiconductor distribution, a stark contrast to what can be seen in the overall market at the moment. While in 2021 volume and sales growth were nearly balanced, last year also saw a mix of price increases and exchange rate effects. In total, the share of distribution in the components market has gone up significantly, considering that the total components market in Europe grew at a much slower pace.” The growth in semiconductors in Q4 amounted to 37,7%. At a country/regional level, the numbers varied significantly, from -97% in Russia to 53% in Switzerland. Major regions grew as follows: Germany by 49,6% to €1,06 billion; Italy by 34,7% to €316 million; France by 41,9% to €243 million; UK by 30,4% to €227 million; Eastern Europe by 39,9% to €659 million and Nordic by 46,4% to €311 million. Significantly above average results were recorded in Switzerland, Austria, Iberia and Turkey. At product level, by far the biggest growth occurred in programmable logic, other logic (ASSPs) and MOS micro, while analog products hit the average. All other areas showed signs of normalisation (discrete, power, memories and sensors) or outright disappointment (opto-electronics). IP&E components again grew at a slower pace in Q4/22. Sales ended at €1,41 billion or 7,9% plus compared to Q4 one year ago. At country level, growth rates varied significantly: Germany grew by 8% to €352 million; Eastern Europe by 10,4% to €191 million; the UK by 15,9% to €142 million, Italy by only 1,6% to €137 million; France by 9,9% to €125 million and Nordic by 12,6% to €130 million. Product-wise, electromechanical products grew by 8,7%, passives by 5%, and power supplies by 22%. For more information visit https://dmass.com European components distribution reports record 2022 NEWS www.dataweek.co.za
Dataweek, 28 February 2023 www.dataweek.co.za 7 NEWS The Pretoria-based electronics company Etion Create, recently made part of South Africa’s Reunert Limited group, has just revealed its new brand identity at the IDEX 2023 exhibition in the United Arab Emirates. Etion Create is now a division within the large South African industrial company’s Reunert Applied Electronics division. “It was felt that the name Etion Create is well-known and firmly established in the Middle East, an important market for our defence solutions,” said Tobie van Loggerenberg, executive manager business development. “At the same time, a new identity, coupled with a fresh look and feel, including the addition of the acronym EC, aligns the business perfectly with Reunert to take us to a new level of service to our customers.” Van Loggerenberg went on to explain that Etion Create operates in a range of business sectors, notably renewable energy, mining (where it focuses on health and safety solutions), and defence and rail systems. In the energy sector, Etion Create relies on its embedded commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) products. Some of its process control systems are utilised in renewable energy grid solutions, such as offshore wind farms in Europe and the UK, to control the conversion of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) safely and faultlessly. The company prides itself on the reliability of its products in this important value chain. With workplace safety being a primary concern in the South African and global mining industry, Etion Create has developed highly innovative solutions for clients. These include collision avoidance, enterprise software, and wireless through the earth detonation systems. The latter is often referred to as electronic initiation using through-the-earth communication. Much of this technology is based on Etion Create’s proven engineering, technical concept design and manufacturing capabilities. “The products we conceptualise, design, and manufacture are owned by the client, be it in Australia, Canada, Africa, or any other mining country,”Van Loggerenberg stressed. “We are proud, though, that technology solutions from our engineers and R&D laboratories are utilised successfully around the world.” A key sector in which Etion Create has been active for decades is the defence industry. For this reason, it participated at the major global defence exhibition, IDEX 2023 in Abu Dhabi in its new guise. New identity for original design manufacturer revealed at IDEX 2023 Africa’s most prestigious awards event is set to celebrate the top 100 African businesses. Taking place from 9 to 10 November 2023 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, the anticipated event TOP 100 AFRICA aims to celebrate and award African business leaders who positively influence communities through job creation, and CSR/CSI development programmes, whilst improving trade within the African economy. The business expo will take place over the two days and will see businesses across Africa showcasing their innovative products and services. The awards gala dinner will be held on the evening of 10 November, as the official award ceremony that will honour the TOP 100 AFRICA businesses. Tendai Rukwava, representative of TOP 100 AFRICA and the CEO of TR Brand Communications and Events, highlighted the importance of this event emphasising that TOP 100 AFRICA is not merely an awards event, but is also representing a gold mine, that is Africa. “Africa, without doubt, has innovative and brilliant business leaders, with businesses that are changing the world. Through TOP 100 AFRICA, we want to celebrate these businesses and the impact that they have in our continent and beyond,” said Rukwava. For more information visit https://top100africa.com TOP 100 AFRICA event “The Middle East remains a key market for us as South Africa’s leading original design manufacturer (ODM), hence the display of our innovative CheetahNAV military vehicle navigation system designed, developed and owned by Etion Create in South Africa,”Van Loggerenberg stated. “To date, we have concluded several contracts for the CheetahNAV in this region.” Several major international vehicle manufacturers are already using the system in its MRAP (mine-resistant armoured protected) and other vehicles. The CheetahNAV was designed for harsh environments and extreme battlefield conditions. Using an inertial measurement unit (IMU) comprising several aids, including an advanced algorithm, the CheetahNAV provides vehicle crews with outstanding situational awareness. The system provides dead-reckoning horizontal position accuracy of 0,2% of distance travelled, equivalent to only 200 metres over 100 kilometres – even in a situation where the vehicle crew is denied satellite navigation. The tactical grade IMU ensures that the system is also immune to enemy jamming. Data is displayed on a sunlight-readable touchscreen-enabled moving map display unit in 16:9 TFT format, with a 1920 x 1080 resolution. According to Van Loggerenberg, the system is offered with a multi-language option for the export market. The company is also open to technology transfer to enable indigenous manufacturing. For more information contact Etion Create, +27 12 678 9740, [email protected], www.etioncreate.co.za
Dataweek, 28 February 2023 www.dataweek.co.za 8 REGULAR SYSTEMS, COMPONENTS, DESIGN Honeywell’s Transportation Attitude Reference System (TARS-IMU) is a packaged sensor array designed to report vehicle angular rate, acceleration, and attitude data for demanding applications in industries such as heavy-duty, Six-axis IMU for rugged vehicle applications The W204 Series have excellent RF performance, up to a frequency of: • 40 GHz with SMA connectors. • 50 GHz with 2,92 mm connectors. • 67 GHz with 2,4 mm connectors. With a characteristic impedance of 50 ±1 Ω, these assemblies have an amplitude stability < ±0,05 dB and a phase stability of < 5° at a frequency of 50 GHz. Attenuation is measured at 2,92 dB/m at 40 GHz. Also available is the WT110 Series which are phase and amplitude stable cable assemblies up to 110 GHz. These high-precision assemblies have excellent insertion loss and high phase/amplitude stability in relation to temperature. Typical applications include telecommunication boards, board-to-board systems, environmental test chambers, antenna arrays, and test bench systems. For more information contact RFiber Solutions, +27 12 667 5212, [email protected], www.rfibersolutions.com Phase-stable cable assemblies off-highway transportation. The TARS-IMU enables autonomous vehicle characteristics and enhances efficiency and productivity by reporting key data required to automate and monitor movements of vehicle systems and components. The sensor fusion algorithm may be customised for specific vehicle applications via on-board firmware, allowing movement data to be filtered for extraneous environment and vehicle movements. With two sensor models for different power levels, the TARS-IMU accommodates both 5 V and 9 V to 36 V vehicle power systems. Communication is transmitted using industry-standard CAN J1939 connectivity. As a standard, the TARS-IMU is calibrated on aerospace-grade rate tables at the factory to provide enhanced calibration consistency between units. The TARS-IMU may be customised using the TARS Configurator Tool (TCT) software to change selected parameters such as broadcast rate, orientation, and filter settings. The tool creates a unique personality file which is then uploaded to the TARS-IMU for implementation. For more information contact RS Components, +27 11 691 9300, [email protected], www.rs-online.co.za Figure 1. W204 cable assembly. Figure 2. WT110 cable assembly. Withwave’s W2 Series are a complete line of high-performance flexible microwave frequency cable assemblies. The W204 assemblies have a low-density PTFE structure to help achieve velocity propagation of 76%. They also exhibit excellent phase and amplitude stability performance throughout the frequency range.
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Dataweek, 28 February 2023 www.dataweek.co.za 10 REGULAR SYSTEMS, COMPONENTS, DESIGN Quadrature hybrids: splitting RF signal with 90⁰ phase shifts Quadrature hybrids have inherent -90° phase shifts for each leg traversed by a signal, whether used as a power splitter or as a combiner. An ideal quadrature hybrid will split the power of the RF input signal equally, applying half to each of two output ports, and delivering exactly zero power to the fourth, isolated port. Figure 1 shows a pair of amplifier devices nested between an input quadrature hybrid splitter and an output quadrature hybrid combiner. This entire circuit from RF In to RF Out is referred to as a balanced amplifier, or a quad-combined pair. A practical introduction to RF/microwave balanced amplifiers A balanced amplifier is the proper term for a pair of devices operated in quadrature phase and combined to amplify a signal. Quadrature simply means that signals incident upon the devices are 90° out-of-phase with one another. The term‘quadrature-combined pair’ (often shortened to ‘quad-combined pair’) is just as common as ‘balanced amplifier’, which is an equivalent term. Figure 1. Generic block diagram of a balanced amplifier showing total signal phase shifts. Looking at the quadrature hybrid schematic, each of the horizontal and vertical lengths between ports is referred to as a leg. Moving counter-clockwise, the signal shifts -90° for each leg traversed to arrive at a given port. Therefore, the lower output signal is shifted -90° (one leg counter-clockwise from the input port), and the upper output signal is shifted -180° (two legs counter-clockwise). Therefore, in the ideal, theoretical case, the signal incident on each amplifier is equal in magnitude and 90° out-of-phase with its counterpart. Notice what happens at the isolated port: The counter-clockwise-travelling signal experiences a phase shift of -270°, or three legs to get there, whereas the clockwise-travelling signal needs only a single -90° leg. The two signals are exactly 180° out-of-phase, and perfectly cancel, such that no power is dissipated in the 50 Ω termination resistor at the isolated port. Recombining balanced RF output signals To recombine two amplifier devices operated 90° out-of-phase, the process that was performed when splitting the signal by orienting the hybrid in the opposite direction is essentially inverted. To show this, the associated phase shifts can be examined. The lower device operates at -90°, the inversion of the phase shift from the input signal, and its output takes the long way back to the combined port, travelling another two legs counter-clockwise (-180°) for a total phase shift of -270°. The output signal of the upper device, already operating at -180° of phase shift, takes the short way home, just a single -90° leg, also becoming incident on the combined port at -270°. The two signals combine perfectly in phase, and the quad-combined pair operates at double the power output and double the IP3 (+3 dB) of either amplifier on its own. Once again, the signals incident at the isolated port are exactly 180° out-of-phase and perfectly cancel, so no power is dissipated in the 50 Ω termination resistor. Low-power balanced amplifier application and the input port advantage One common application for the balanced amplifier is in the low noise amplifier (LNA) of a receiver front end. In addition to high linearity/OIP3 requirements, designers are intent on squeezing every tenth of a dB of noise figure out of the LNA. The trade-off for the desired combination of linearity and noise figure performance, however, is degradation of the input return loss and VSWR of the device. It is not uncommon to find broadband, sub -1 dB noise figure, > 40 dBm OIP3 LNA MMICs with input VSWRs in the neighbourhood of 2:1. This problem becomes even more significant when LNAs are designed with discrete devices such as GaN MESFETs, for which the input impedance is inordinately low. Utilising a quad-combined pair of low-noise, high-IP3 amplifiers is a common technique for improving VSWR in LNA designs. The assumption, however, is that the amplifiers are ideal, lossless quads, perfectly matched to 50 Ω and identical in insertion phase. These conditions are impossible and some signal reflection between stages is expected. Starting at the bottom, the -90° input of the lower device bounces straight back to the RF input. The reflected signal traverses one leg in the clockwise direction and therefore experiences another -90° of phase shift for a total of -180° at the RF input port. Likewise, the upper device reflects its input signal back to the RF input with an additional -180° of phase shift, for a total phase angle of -360°. The two reflected wavefronts are 180° out-of-phase at the RF input and cancel, effectively eliminating the effects of impedance mismatch at the amplifier inputs. The reflected signals are fully in-phase and combine at the isolated port, but the combined power is dissipated in the 50 Ω termination resistor with no effect upstream. This means that the balanced amplifier not only doubles the total power output and IP3 of either amplifier alone, but also buffers the rest of the circuit from reflective elements commonly seen in discrete amplifiers with low noise and high IP3 performance. There are many other practical considerations such as whether the insertion loss of the hybrid is low enough to have only a modest impact on noise figure and whether the mismatch loss of running a 50 Ω hybrid into a poorly matched device is worth the input VSWR stabilisation. Overall, however, the high-linearity, low-noise, quad-combined pair is a proven technique for designing high-performance LNAs that have been widely used by circuit designers for decades. Buffering output mismatch and load impedance variations The emphasis up to this point has been on the -90° phase shifts that occur in the hybrid, enabling phase cancellation or in-phase combination, and the benefits these attributes offer for LNA design. But beyond the improvements in noise figure, IP3, and output power, quad-combined-pairs are remarkably effective at improving system performance anywhere a system connects to an imperfect load.
REGULAR SYSTEMS, COMPONENTS, DESIGN Find out how easy it is to create a development environment to take your idea from concept to prototype. Curiosity Nano Development Platform For more information please contact Andrew Athanasiou on [email protected] The customisable Curiosity Nano Development Platform includes cost-effective Curiosity Nano boards and the versatile Curiosity Nano Base for Click boards™ to provide you with an excellent starting point for creating innovative designs. Note: The Microchip name and logo, Microchip logo and MPLAB are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective companies. Figure 2. General block diagram of balanced amplifier showing signal phase shifts for a reflected signal from the RF output. Figure 2 shows the phase shifts that a wavefront fully reflected from the output would experience, assuming an initial phase shift at the RF input port of 0°. Initially, the reflected signal traverses the quad and is incident upon the amplifier outputs at -90° for the through path (upper device) and -180° for the coupled path (lower device). The upper phase shifts correspond to the upper device and the lower phase shifts correspond to the lower device in the figure. Once the respective reflected signals hit the associated amplifier, they will reflect once again towards the output. The signals reflected off the internal devices are exactly 180° out-of-phase at the RF output port, the upper device’s reflection at 180° and the lower device’s reflection at 360°. This cancelling of the reflected signals is very similar to the input VSWR effect discussed previously. Finally, the signal first reflected off the load, and then the internal devices, combines in-phase at the termination resistor. In essence, the RF output port of the quad-combined amplifier exhibits an excellent output VSWR because, looking back into the RF output from the load, there is theoretically no power reflected off the devices (VSWR = 1:1). Practically it is known that this is not possible for many reasons, but the effect of quadrature combining is pronounced, and the output VSWR of a quad-combined pair can be improved over that of a single device and stabilised against load impedance variations. Summary Because balanced amplifiers can be complex to analyse mathematically, this application note focused on providing a conceptual overview to make the basic theory of the operation accessible. The advantages of configuring a pair of amplifiers in quadrature and recombining them are many. This article discussed only the theoretically ideal case, and while practical considerations may often limit the performance of this quadrature-combined configuration, it is still a valuable tool. Mini-Circuits’ wide selection of LTCC and MMIC 90° hybrids are popular for balanced amplifier configurations. A series of dual-matched MMIC amplifiers for both 50 and 75 Ω impedance environments, which combine two matched amplifier dies in a single, tiny QFN package, are also available. Combined with the aforementioned quads, these devices are a great solution to save space and simplify board layouts for balanced amplifier implementations. For more information contact Conical Technologies, +27 66 231 1900, [email protected], www.conical.co.za
Dataweek, 28 February 2023 www.dataweek.co.za 12 REGULAR SYSTEMS, COMPONENTS, DESIGN Danisense has announced the release of its latest current transducer mainly aimed at automotive (EV) test benches and battery testing and evaluation systems. Featuring a very large aperture of 41,2 mm, the DN1000ID current transducer enables power cables with large power connectors to be easily fitted to EV test benches, allowing for quick changeovers. The large aperture is an important advantage as test bench operators often face the issue that the power connectors fitted to the power cables are bigger than the diameter of the cable, making it difficult to fit them in the aperture of the current transducer. This often results in additional work when testing the system. Loic Moreau, sales and marketing director, Danisense says, “Our new DN1000ID device now CT for battery testing and evaluation systems offers the best compromise between the 1000A nominal current and aperture size by keeping the best measuring performances in accuracy and phase shift.” Like all Danisense products, the DN1000ID current transducers benefit from the high-stability closed loop fluxgate technology. The CT features a linearity of 1 ppm, 5 ppm offset, and a compact aluminium housing. Besides use in automotive test benches, other target applications include power measurement and power analysis, MPS for particles accelerators, gradient amplifiers for MRI devices, precision drives, and for current calibration purposes. For more information www.danisense.com Renesas has released a multi-rail, ISO 26262-compliant regulator IC which is qualified to AEC-Q100 for automotive applications. The RAA271082 combines three synchronous buck regulators with one low-dropout linear regulator. This versatile power IC comprises a primary high-voltage buck regulator, two secondary low-voltage buck regulators, with an LDO regulator. It offers four overvoltage and undervoltage monitors using I2C communications. All regulators offer internal compensation. Onboard is a dedicated reset output/fault indicator and a general-purpose I/O pin. Designed using an ASIL-D ISO 26262 process, the RAA271082 is intended to meet ASIL-B device metrics. It includes a second bandgap reference for the OV/UV monitors, built-in self-test on power-up, and continuous CRC error checking on internal registers and communication. With few external components required, the RAA271082 provides a high-density power solution. All device options are internally configured needing no extra components for selection. For more information contact Avnet Silica, [email protected], www.avnet-silica.com Automotive DC-DC converter with multiple outputs The new series aluminium capacitors from Vishay boast a 54% higher ripple current than previous generation capacitors, yet are available in a smaller case size. These automotive-grade capacitors offer ultra-low impedance and a higher capacitance for a given case size and voltage rating. New aluminium capacitors with 54% higher ripple current The capacitors offer a very long useful lifespan of 4000 to 10 000 hours at 105°C, ensuring high stability and reliability. They exhibit low ESR in smaller case sizes than the 170 RVZ series. This new series offers excellent ripple current capability. Typical applications for this series include power supplies (SMPS, DC/DC converters) for general industrial, audio-video, automotive, and telecommunications. They are also suited to smoothing, filtering and buffering applications. For more information contact EBV Electrolink, +27 21 402 1940, [email protected], www.ebv.com
Dataweek, 28 February 2023 www.dataweek.co.za 13 TELECOMMUNICATIONS, WIRELESS. IoT, RF & MICROWAVE FEATURE Internet of Things (IoT) is revolutionising how we live and how businesses operate. IoT technology improves efficiency, provides new and faster insights and enables companies to make better-informed decisions. IoT ecosystems are the vehicles that make the ‘things’ of IoT – the sensors or devices – smart by providing connectivity with other ‘things’. Without connectivity, IoT is composed only of the ‘things’ and the innovation, and so the efficiency and improvements IoT delivers cannot be realised. Now, as IoT connectivity matures to support the era of massive IoT, there’s a need for connectivity procurement and for management to be simplified and streamlined, and to offer greater flexibility. After several false starts, 2023 increasingly looks like the year in which IoT connectivity will be made easy, and that will be of enormous benefit to IoT organisations of all types, writes James Schlebusch, the national sales manager at Quectel Wireless Solutions South Africa. The benefits of connecting a device are well understood in terms of how it accelerates decision-making, reduces the total cost of ownership, and enables a closed loop of innovation to make better products in the future. However, IoT organisations have been hampered by the need to design connectivity into their devices, decide which type of connectivity to select, and then make deals with connectivity providers – typically telecoms carriers – to support their devices in various locations. This has required complex contracts, confusing billing, and fragmented approaches to international or global coverage. The data processing side is arguably further advanced than connectivity but still requires simplification. A big driver for the demand of IoT has been the need for better integration in sectors that depend on sensor-based measurements and monitoring systems. Adding to this is the convergence of technology such 2023 is the year of making it easy in IoT as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and connectivity, which are driving growth and interest across all areas. Data may be the byproduct of an IoT ecosystem, but it’s also what enables IoT to deliver value. Data on its own can be a burden and a cost because of the storage and computing power it consumes. Analytics therefore is the way to make sense of the vast amounts of data that IoT produces, converting the raw data into vital, actionable insights which is key for customers to develop market leading products. The application of AI and ML helps achieve predictive analytics and other outcomes which make data valuable. Often, these can be fed back into IoT, creating a circle of continuous improvement. What is clear is that data analytics and connectivity must continue to become simpler and clearer to provide IoT organisations with an accurate picture of its costs per device and the likely sources of profit. 5G and AI are the innovations that turn connectivity and data infrastructure into revenue-generating capabilities, rather than cost centres. The statistics setting out that billions of devices will be connected and how businesses are using IoT to transform agriculture, optimise fleet management, improve warehouse management and a host of other industry applications, have all been seen and heard. Everything from connected cows and soil sensors in agriculture to critical applications in healthcare or uninterrupted cold chain logistics have been witnessed. IoT technology has risen to the challenge of these use cases, and this has opened the doors, enabling a smarter world. The combination of low latency, high bandwidth, and secure connectivity offered by cellular connectivity in the form of LTE and 5G, and advances in edge computing, data analytics, ML and AI, mean IoT is now about far more than a sensor that pings some data to a central location. Device data is continuous, highly granular, and it can be always available. 5G technology standards for broadband cellular networks can support high data transfer rates with ultra-low latency. 5G will enable wireless carriers to compete with traditional cable and ISPs, providing equivalent connectivity performance with the convenience of traversing countries and regions. AI is also specifically relevant to IoT. The data produced by AI algorithms is incredibly valuable to a wide array of business cases and functions. The goal is to create more efficient IoT operations, improve human-machine interactions and enhance data management and analytics. AI can improve businesses and their services by creating more value out of IoT-generated data. Despite this, an agriculture business is still focused on crop yields and factories are focused on optimising production, so they do not have the time, resources or interest in becoming connectivity or AI experts themselves. They don’t want to build all the skills needed to design and develop IoT devices, procure connectivity, specify cloud capacity or master data science platforms. Instead, they want to buy these services and systems in the knowledge that they are optimised for its use case, competitive on cost and easy to scale up or down as demand dictates. Being able to get to market quickly with certified solutions is the icing on the cake. Customers designing IoT products have long been interested in consolidating the number of vendors that are involved in its deployments. Dealing with many vendors for components, devices, antennas, connectivity and software – and ensuring each can integrate with adjacent functions – effectively takes time, costs money and comes with a significant administration burden. Quectel’s Connectivity-as-a-Service has been established to support customers to access Continued on page 14 FEATURE ARTICLE
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