Supply Efficiency Support 29 March 2023 FEATURING: • Electronics Manufacturing Services & Equipment • Enclosures, Racks, Cabinets & Panel Products • Embedded Computing, AI & ML The ultimate choice for a fast moving generation!
Dataweek, 29 March 2023 www.dataweek.co.za 1 TELECOMMUNICATIONS, WIRELESS, IoT, RF & MICROWAVE FEATURE 29 March 2023 Vol. 46 No. 2 News................................................................................. 3 Systems, components, design..........................8 General ............................................................................28 Hot chips......................................................................31 Open [re]sources .......................................................32 QuickFind index ....................................................IBC contents on the cover features regulars Electronics manufacturing services & equipment.........................................................................14 Various equipment used in electronic circuit manufacturing, and how to prolong the life of solder tips. Enclosures, racks, cabinets & panel products................................................................21 The latest enclosures, panel connectors and products available. Embedded computing, AI & ML...............................23 An introduction to convolutional neural networks, a brief introduction to firmware containers, and various computing solutions available for AI. Supply Efficiency Support 29 March 2023 FEATURING: • Electronics Manufacturing Services & Equipment • Enclosures, Racks, Cabinets & Panel Products • Embedded Computing, AI & ML The ultimate choice for a fast moving generation! Based on the three pillars of supply, efficiency and support, MyKay Tronics provides a complete turnkey solution to the South African electronics manufacturing market. With knowledgeable support, MyKay is able to supply all your needs when it comes to electronics manufacturing and assembly, and is the ultimate choice for a fast-moving generation. For more information contact MyKay Tronics, +27 11 869 0049, [email protected], www.mykaytronics.co.za
Dataweek, 29 March 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 2 29 MARCH 2023 From the editor’s desk Subscribe online: www.technews.co.za Peter As someone involved in both electronic engineering and information technology, I can only marvel at the level that ChatGPT-3.5 operated at. Its human-like responses to most questions or tasks put to it were astounding and downright scary at the same time. Not scary because it produced results and texts that were correct – after all, a Google search also produces correct results. It was scary in the way that it conversed. Scary in the same way as if you asked a child a complicated question and they produced a flawless reply using adult vernacular. Most people would not believe it. Well, that is how I am feeling at the moment with the newly announced and now released into the wild GPT-4. This new AI model is going to blow the ‘old’ version out of the water. With around 100 trillion parameters compared to ChatGPT’s paltry 175 billion, the new engine will be roughly hundreds of times more powerful. In fact, at 100 million parameters, the AI is now reaching the neural connections and processing capability of the human brain! GPT-4 has also been trained on much more information than its predecessor. This means that it will be able to make more ‘connections’ between the bits of data that it has access to, and this will ultimately be seen as answers that have been better researched and results that are more well-rounded. Not only will it be able to respond to text-based queries like ChatGPT could, the new engine is also capable of producing images based on a description, websites based on a drawing or idea, video based on a storyline. The capabilities are mind-boggling. It is a well-known story that a few months back ChatGPT managed to pass Google’s coding interview for a level 3 software engineer. So, imagine what GPT-4 can accomplish. Well, OpenAI has said that GPT-4 can place in the top 10% of test-takers for the Bar Exam, the standard certification test for lawyers. It is now capable of both accepting and producing texts up to 25 000 words long (ChatGPT’s limit was 3000 words). This ability allows it to search and analyse longer texts. GPT-4 is also quite at home solving complicated mathematical problems: it seems to be quite comfortable with questions dealing with calculus, linear algebra and statistics. The dawn of the age of AI Developers will have access to the GPT-4 engine through an API and I am sure that it will not be long before we see applications developed which use it. Duolingo, the language learning app, has already incorporated GPT-4 to be able to provide an AI conversation partner to practice with. The technology has not come cheap though. Microsoft has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on the hardware needed to allow the training of the GPT-4 model. Tens of thousands of Nvidia’s A100 graphics cards, the workhorse for training various AI models, have been used, with experts predicting that around 30 000 cards will be used for the current architecture build. This will be a pretty payday for Nvidia, with AI becoming one of the company’s biggest income generators. For me, this will be the most significant technological breakthrough in modern times, which I believe is sure to usher in a new industrial revolution. Skynet from Terminator, anyone?
Dataweek, 29 March 2023 www.dataweek.co.za 3 NEWS ELECTRONICS NEWS DIGEST EVENTS Continued on page 4 Financial Total revenue of the top ten foundries fell by 4,7% for Q4 2022 and will continue to slide further for Q1 2023. Although electronic brands began adjusting their inventories in Q2 2022, foundries were unable to respond rapidly to this development due to them residing in the upper portion of the supply chain, and the fact that revising procurement quantities of long-term foundry contracts takes a considerable amount of time. The downward corrections made to its capacity utilisation rates did not become noticeable until Q4 2022, where the total revenue registered a QoQ decline after 13 consecutive months of growth. The YoY growth rate of global server shipments for 2023 has been lowered to 1,3% (14,43 million units) as Dell, HPE, and Inspur continue to revise their projections. This is due to the four major North American cloud service providers (CSPs) having made cuts to their server procurement quantities for this year because of high inflation. The revisions highlight that demand for end products has become much weaker than expected. The global DRAM revenue has fallen by 32,5% QoQ to $12,281 billion for Q4 2022. The main cause of the steep revenue drop in Q4 2022 was the plummeting overall average selling price. DRAM suppliers experienced a rapid accumulation of inventory in Q3 2022 due to a freeze in buyers’ demand. Subsequently, suppliers were much more energetic in price negotiations for Q4 2022 contracts as they were struggling for market share. Among the major categories of DRAM products, server DRAM suffered the sharpest price drop in Q4 2022. Contract prices of DDR4 and DDR5 server DRAM products registered QoQ drops of 23 to 28% and 30 to 35% respectively. The top three DRAM suppliers Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron all posted a significant QoQ drop in revenue for Q4 2022. Samsung was the most aggressive in the price competition during the quarter, so it was able to raise shipments despite the general demand slump. Samsung’s DRAM revenue came to US$5,54 billion with a QoQ decline of 25,1%. Even with this result, Samsung had the smallest revenue drop among the top three and SK Hynix posted a QoQ drop of 35,2%. Shipments of AI servers is set to climb at a CAGR of 10,8% from 2022 to 2026. According to the latest survey of the server market by TrendForce, many cloud service providers (CSPs) have begun large-scale investments in the equipment that supports AI technologies. This development is in response to the emergence of new applications such as self-driving cars, artificial intelligence of things (AIoT), and edge computing. Four major North American CSPs (Google, AWS, Meta, and Microsoft) together Electronics News Digest held the largest share of the annual total AI server demand in 2022, accounting for 66,2% of the annual global procurement quantity. Companies Vicor corporation has announced a global distribution agreement with Avnet. The agreement expands access to Vicor’s power modules through Avnet’s design and supply chain, enabling global customers to achieve innovation with higher system performance and greater scalability. This global franchise agreement is effective immediately and customers across EMEA will have access to the Vicor product portfolio via Avnet Abacus. Indium Corporation has announced that its engineers have achieved 100% SMTA certification and a historic high score on the certified surface mount technology process engineer certification. The company now has 36 SMTA certified employees. Its technical engineer, Carson Burt, achieved an impressive score of 98%, the highest in SMTA history. NeoCortec, manufacturer of ultra-low-power bi-directional wireless mesh network modules, has signed a new distribution agreement with service-oriented distributor, Endrich Bauelemente Vetriebs GmbH. The new agreement enables Endrich to promote NeoCortec’s NeoMesh wireless mesh network modules worldwide, together with NeoCortec’s protocol stack, to its broad customer base. TDK Corporation was recently named a Clarivate Top 100 Global Innovator 2023 for its innovation and leadership in digital transformation (DX) and energy transformation (EX) for the smart society. TDK is proud to have now spent nine years on this prestigious list. NGK, Energous and e-peas have collaborated to spread the use of wireless power transmission (WPT) systems. NGK will support the development of edge device manufacturers who work on WPT systems by developing the providing IoT devices that combine NGK’s lithium-ion rechargeable battery ‘EnerCera’ with the technology of Energous and e-peas. South Africa’s finance minister announced several measures aimed at addressing the energy crisis in the 2023 National Budget Speech. Predicting whether these measures will be enough, however, is a difficult task given the complex problem at hand. Besides the R254 billion earmarked to contribute towards Eskom’s debt, investing in renewable energy, upgrading old infrastructure, promoting energy efficiency, and increasing private sector participation will all play a significant role in alleviating the energy shortage currently faced. productronica China 13-15 April 2023 Shanghai New International Expo Centre, China This exhibition, originally scheduled to be in March and postponed to 13 April, covers electronics manufacturing, SMT, automation, wire harness manufacturing, printed electronics, and adhesives. It is supported by forums, conferences, presentations of application examples, and panel discussions. Register at www.productronica-china.com/en/ Hannover Messe 17-21 April 2023 Hannover, Germany With its focus on digitalisation and sustainability, the show aims to stimulate innovative approaches to production while dealing with climate protection. This year the exhibition follows the key topics of AI and machine learning, carbon-neutral production, energy management, hydrogen and fuel cells, and Industry 4.0. Register at https://www.hannovermesse.de/en The Future Energy Show Africa 2023 25-26 April 2023 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 SMTconnect 2023 9-11 May 2023 Nuremburg event grounds, Germany SMTconnect is a trade fair for electronic production in Europe that brings people and technologies together from the areas of development, production, services, and the applications of microelectronic assemblies and systems, in an inspiring work atmosphere. This exhibition is a significant industry event regarding innovations in the production of electronics, substrates and systems to do with mounting and connection technologies. PCIM, the exhibition for power electronics, intelligent motion, renewable energy and energy management, will take place at the same venue during the same time, and entry is free for SMTconnect attendees. Register at https://smt.mesago.com/events/en.html
Dataweek, 29 March 2023 www.dataweek.co.za 4 NEWS ELECTRONICS NEWS DIGEST In related news, repairs to Kusile’s flue duct is estimated to take 10 months once the required permission has been granted by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment to bypass emission criteria. This will bring three units back online which are currently not operational and have added two stages to the continuous nationwide rotational power cuts being experienced. The plan entails the erection of temporary flues for the unit. Permission to bypass the emissions criteria was submitted on 2 March 2023 [Ed: almost five months after the collapse of the flue duct]. The US’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has received authorisation from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to restart its nuclear reactor. The NIST Centre for Neutron Research reactor has been shut down since 3 February 2021, when a single fuel element overheated and was damaged after not being securely latched into place. The NIST reactor is used only for research purposes and operates at lower power, temperature and pressure conditions than a utility reactor used in electricity generation. Technologies It has been predicted by TrendForce that the market for SiC (silicon carbide) and GaN (gallium nitride) will surpass $2,2 billion in 2023. This is largely due to the growing demand related to electric vehicles and renewable energy, and reflects a YoY growth of 41,4%. As a semiconductor material, SiC is suitable for applications that require high voltages and high current levels, and currently account for about 80% of the total power devices market value. Therefore, the adoption of SiC power devices will further improve the efficiency of electric vehicles and renewable energy systems. History has been made in battery technology with a joint venture between the JAC Group and Volkswagen producing the first electric vehicle powered by a sodium-ion battery. The passenger vehicle is fitted with a 25 kWh Na-ion battery that allows for up to 250 km on a full charge. While sodium-ion batteries have a lower energy density than lithium-ion batteries, they have other advantages, such as better low-temperature performance and charging speed, a longer lifespan, and can be recharged more times without degradation. They are also less prone to overheating, making them a safer option for large-scale energy storage. An ambitious collaborative project to power subsea equipment with wave power and subsea energy storage has taken to the seas in the north of Scotland. The £2 million demonstrator project, called Renewables for Subsea Power (RSP), has connected the Blue X wave energy converter – built by Edinburgh company Mocean Energy – with a Halo underwater battery developed by Aberdeen intelligent energy management specialists Verlume. The two technologies have been deployed in the seas off Orkney and have now begun a minimum four-month test programme where they will provide low-carbon power and communication to infrastructure, including Baker Hughes’ subsea controls equipment and a resident underwater autonomous vehicle provided by Transmark Subsea. The project aims to show how green technologies can be The market for third-generation semiconductors encompasses products based on silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN), and, in particular, SiC products account for about 80% of the total market value. The adoption of SiC power devices will further improve the efficiency of electric vehicles and renewable energy systems. According to TrendForce’s latest survey of the market for third-generation semiconductors, chipmakers onsemi and Infineon have each formed collaborative relationships with carmakers and developers of energy solutions. TrendForce projects that the value of the global market for SiC power devices will reach $2,28 billion in 2023, reflecting a YoY growth of 41,4%. The two largest application segments within the market for SiC power devices are electric vehicles and renewable energy. The value of the market for SiC power devices used in electric vehicles came to $1,09 billion in 2022, comprising around 67,4% of the value of the entire market for SiC power devices in the same year. As for SiC power devices related to renewable energy applications, their market value came to $210 million in 2022, accounting for around 13,1% of the total. Market for power devices set to exceed $2,2 billion in 2023 onsemi and Volkswagen have entered into a strategic agreement under which the former will provide the latter with its EliteSiC 1200V power modules for the main traction inverter. Kia has also adopted the EliteSiC series for its latest electric compact crossover SUV named EV6 GT. Wolfspeed, which is another leading specialist in third-generation semiconductors, has further strengthened its partnership with the major carmaker Mercedes-Benz. Both parties have signed an agreement under which Wolfspeed will supply SiC power devices used in the electric vehicles developed by Mercedes-Benz. In the area of renewable energy, onsemi has begun collaborating with Ampt in the provisioning of power semiconductor devices for solar photovoltaic and energy storage systems. Specifically, Ampt will be adopting onsemi’s SiC MOSFET for its DC string optimisers. Likewise, Taiwan-based Delta Electronics has adopted Infineon’s CoolSiC for its bi-directional inverters that can serve as a hybrid three-in-one system for the integration of solar photovoltaics, energy storage, and charging of electric vehicles. US-based hydrogen platform developer Bloom Energy has also selected offerings under the CoolSiC series to further improve the efficiency of its fuel cell system and electrolyser. Currently, semiconductor companies around the world are highly attentive to the size transition of SiC substrates. With Wolfspeed being the first to activate production capacity for 8-inch SiC substrates, other suppliers will follow suit and pursue collaborations with the parties in both the upstream and downstream markets. Hence, TrendForce forecasts that the value of the global market for SiC power devices will climb to around $5,33 billion in 2026. Electric vehicles and renewable energy will remain the two largest application segments at that time. The value of the market for SiC power devices used in electric vehicles is forecasted to rise to $3,98 billion in 2026, with the CAGR for the 2023 to 2026 period coming to around 38%. As for SiC power devices used in renewable energy systems, its market value is forecasted to increase at a CAGR of about 19% for the 2023 to 2026 period, to reach $410 million. For more information visit https://insider.trendforce.com combined to provide reliable low-carbon power and communications to subsea equipment, offering a cost-effective alternative to umbilical cables, which are carbon intensive, with long lead times to procure and install. Samtec has successfully demonstrated a new cable backplane system that achieved 56 Gbps PAM4, while subject to dynamic cable flexing. The demonstration took place at DesignCon 2023 where visitors could actively bend Samtec’s twinax cable by playing a back-and-forth arcade game while measurements were being taken. The test system consisted of Alphawave Semi’s long reach SERDES generating 56 Gbps PAM4 PRBS31 data at the transmitter. These signals travel to a Samtec Bulls Eye test cable system, through low-loss coax to a NovaRay cable system, and then to an ExaMAX cable backplane connector system using 4 metres of 30-gauge twinax cable, which is where the flexing took place. Orolia, an electronics and defence company, has announced that Skydel, its flagship GNSS simulation engine software, can generate more than 500 signals from a single platform. By leveraging its software-defined architecture, Skydel’s potential can be massively scaled upwards when employing a robust set of hardware components. GNSS users, experts, and manufacturers, and those looking for an LEO-capable simulation system, can greatly benefit from this unmatched number of signals. Skydel contains a feature set that includes multi-constellation/multi-frequency signal generation, remote control from user-defined scripts, and integrated interference generation. Continued from page 3
Dataweek, 29 March 2023 www.dataweek.co.za 5 NEWS An electrostatic discharge (ESD) is the sudden transfer of static charge between bodies at different charge potentials caused by near contact. ESD can potentially damage or destroy electronic systems. Static energy can be found all around us and even the smallest discharge can cause irreversible damage. With advancements in semiconductors, electronic parts are become smaller and faster, and this translates into becoming more sensitive to ESD. ESD training is key to electrostatic discharge control. An effective, systematic, and sustainable ESD training programme for all personnel is key and essential to successful electronic manufacturing. Top strategies ESD training • Effective training programmes involve all employees who work within the EPA Train all employees who work with ESDsusceptible items in the Electrostatic Protected Area (EPA), and ensure they know how to test their grounding equipment, upon entry and whilst working. • Comprehensive and consistent training Training must include ESD prevention procedures and should explain the physics as well as the benefits of the programme. Each employee must have a firm grasp of the fundamentals of ESD, and the complete organisation’s ESD Control Programme Plan. • Variety of training methods and techniques Collaborative training is a good way to convey the importance of an ESD Control Programme. Informative instructors, training videos and interactive workshops are effective ways to ensure personnel actively take part in the training to ultimately understand why it is important. • Test, certify, and re-educate Testing and certification ensures that employees gain a firm grasp of ESD Control procedures and motivates them to adhere to the set standards. ESD training in the workplace with Greg Barron, Actum Group director Clearing the Static For more information contact Actum on +27 11 608 3001 or email [email protected]. Actum is a specialised importer and distributor of industrial and electronic products in Southern Africa. In recognition of the need to identify, understand, and address sustainability challenges faced by the electronics manufacturing industry, IPC has announced the Sustainability for Electronics Leadership Council. Tasked with identifying the most pressing sustainability topics for the industry and building a strategic plan to address these topics, the Leadership Council will be active in an industry-wide assessment to enable the creation of the plan. Representatives from the following companies were named to the Leadership Council: • AT&S. • Altium. • BAE Systems. • Flex. • Intel. • Jabil. • NGC. • Siemens. • TTM Technologies. • Zollner. Comprising industry sustainability experts with cross-industry representation, from printed circuit board design and manufacturing IPC Sustainability for Electronics Leadership Council OMRON’s broad portfolio of industrial automation technologies is supported by a network of carefully chosen channel partners. OMRON Solution Partners act as preferred integrators, following OMRON standards in terms of quality of service and company ethics. With the rapid growth in automation technologies, manufacturers and business partners strive to deliver open and secure Industry 4.0 solutions that support flexible manufacturing and deliver a competitive advantage. The combined strength of this relationship solves customer challenges today while enabling more efficient, fully integrated systems that will successfully weather future demands. In collaboration with OMRON, Strategic Partners use OMRON products and technology to accelerate the innovation of industrial automation solutions. These companies provide global solutions, from initial design and consultation, through system development, to installation, commissioning, and after-sales support. They use innovative technologies such as mobile and collaborative robots, automation, OMRON announces partnership with LAMBDA Automation vision, traceability, industrial communications, artificial intelligence, and advanced sensors. OMRON recently announced LAMBDA Automation as a solutions partner. LAMBDA, based in Pretoria, is an automation company that delivers high-quality solutions to its evergrowing list. The company prides itself on fast turnaround times, and places tremendous importance on the ability to supply clients with custom-made solutions. LAMBDA specialises in programming, robotics, panel wiring, and services the automotive, food and beverage, brewery, and dairy sectors. “LAMBDA is a solutions provider to the industry,” states Francois Scheepers, a founding partner at LAMBDA Automation. “We are not a project house; we offer tailor-made solutions to our clients as we know from experience that automation is not one size fits all”. LAMBDA also offers training solutions to technical staff. For more information contact Omron Electronics, +27 11 579 2600, [email protected], www.industrial.omron.co.za companies, electronics manufacturing services, and original equipment manufacturers from a variety of product sectors, the Leadership Council plans to meet every two weeks to develop strategy and roadmap recommendations to address the industry’s sustainability challenges. IPC’s lead sustainability strategist Dr. Kelly Scanlon said, “We hear from the industry that there needs to be a balance between current and evolving regulatory requirements with practical and realistic solutions – for example, specific education, advocacy, and standards – that harmonise the industry’s ability to achieve their sustainability goals.” John W. Mitchell, IPC president and CEO, and current chair of the Leadership Council stated, “We look forward to working with the subject matter experts on the Leadership Council. They represent the industry at large, their companies, their value chain segments, and their customers and suppliers. Their expertise in sustainability, and electronics manufacturing empowers them to not just think about sustainability for electronics, but to take actions that make a real difference.” For more information visit www.ipc.org
Dataweek, 29 March 2023 www.dataweek.co.za 6 NEWS iCorp Technologies has announced it is proud to be the exclusive partner of AiT Semiconductor Incorporated in the southern African region. iCorp announces partnership with AiT The demand for EV power electronics will increase dramatically in the next ten years, primarily driven by rapid growth in the BEV car market. IDTechEx predicts a 15% CAGR globally over the next decade. Currently, the weighted-average battery capacity of BEV cars is increasing in all regions, piling pressure on battery supply chains, and creating uncertainty. The result is that drive cycle efficiency must come to the forefront of powertrain design, meaning the time has come for high-voltage wide bandgap (WBG) power electronics. While Silicon IGBTs have dominated the medium-to-high power device range for 20 years, including in EV power electronics, they are now giving way to a new generation of WBG materials: SiC and GaN. This will fundamentally impact the design of new power devices, including the package materials, as high voltage and high power-density modules operating at higher temperatures becomes the trend. The two drivers often cited to move from 350 ~ 400 V to 800 V and beyond are higher power levels of DC fast charging (DCFC), for example, 350 kW, and drive cycle efficiency gains. DCFC compatibility today is a relatively weak driver due to low availability versus AC chargers and the high costs associated with 800 V infrastructure. In addition, higher levels of DCFC does not necessarily drive a transition to 800 V, although it is more optimal. Tesla is a good example, having deployed 250 kW superchargers without moving beyond its 350 V platform. The efficiency argument for 800 V is the stronger one. This allows joule losses to be reduced and high-voltage cabling to be downsized. Combined with SiC MOSFETs, it typically leads to 5-10% efficiency gains, which can potentially downsize the expensive battery, save costs, or improve the vehicle’s range, creating a competitive advantage. Hyundai is currently demonstrating the success of 800 V platforms. Sales of the company’s models using the 800 V E-GMP platform more than doubled in South Korea to around 70 000 units/year, driven by the popularity of the IONIQ 5 and Kia EV6. This takes the 800 V car market out of the luxury segment and predominantly into mainstream car segments for the first time. To support the rapid growth, Hyundai diversified its SiC supply partnerships, and signed new deals with Onsemi and STMicroelectronics in 2022 to add to existing relationships with Infineon and Vitesco. For more information www.idtechex.com 800 V electric vehicles use SiC power electronics Paratus South Africa has announced that construction of its latest multi-million-Rand teleport in Doornkloof, Pretoria, has begun and is due for completion in August 2023. The new teleport marks another significant milestone in the company’s investment in its own infrastructure that will deliver reliable and quality satellite connectivity to South African businesses and consumers, even when power outages occur. Managing director of Paratus South Africa, Kallie Carlsen, explains: “This project is important to our country as well as our group. Built to conform to international standards, it will be the group’s largest satellite infrastructure project to date and is capable of hosting other providers’ and customers’ equipment, such as antennas and satellite hubs. The development of the teleport aligns closely with the group’s overall vision to transform Africa through exceptional infrastructure and service.” The teleport’s key features: • Dual redundant systems on all network infrastructure, from generators and backhaul to hosted environments, to deliver a quality and reliable service. New satellite teleport facility for South Africa Syntech Distribution, one of South Africa’s technology distribution companies, is recalling a limited batch of its GIZZU 300 Wh and 500 Wh Portable Power Stations after receiving reports of a small number of devices overheating while charging, thereby posing a potential fire risk. The reports were received over the last few days. In line with its stringent quality control processes and standards, Syntech immediately contacted its global manufacturing partner, who initiated an investigation, which confirmed a temporary battery manufacturing flaw may have affected a small number of units from one Voluntary recall of portable power stations • The Paratus backbone network allows connectivity to and from multiple countries, via terrestrial and subsea fibre routes. • Dual redundant fibre routes to two independent data centres in South Africa. • Dual power feeds, including dual UPS and multiple generators for power redundancy. • End-to-end management by Paratus South Africa. Satellite is the key primary infrastructure and connectivity for many businesses in South Africa that rely on crucial transactional data to remain on. This project will realise this requirement. For more information visit https://paratus.africa particular batch of these models, produced between 1 November and 31 December 2022. Consumers who have purchased GPS300 and GPS500 GIZZU Portable Power Stations should visit https://www.syntech.co.za/gizzupower-station-query-tool and enter their serial number to determine if their unit is affected. If it is, the site will provide guidance on how to proceed safely, and how to obtain a replacement unit or a refund. For more information visit https://www.syntech.co.za AiT Semiconductor is a fabless IC design company devoted to the design and marketing of analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits. It provides cost-effective and high-performing ICs for power management applications to market segments like consumer, medical, industrial, lighting, communication, IoT, home appliance, and automotive. The partnership will allow iCorp to strengthen its offering with the range of products and services AiT has to offer. For more information contact iCorp Technologies, +27 11 781 2029, [email protected], www.icorptechnologies.co.za
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Dataweek, 29 March 2023 www.dataweek.co.za 8 REGULAR SYSTEMS, COMPONENTS, DESIGN All materials are comprised of atoms, each of which has a positive nucleus with electrons surrounding it. When two different materials are brought together in close physical contact such as rubbing, one of the materials may attract electrons more than the other, so some electrons are pulled from one material to the other. When the materials are separated, one of them has gained some more electrons (negatively charged) while the other has lost some (positively charged), depending on the working function of each material. Such a phenomenon is often known as the triboelectric effect, where the prefix ‘tribo’ means friction. Since the triboelectric phenomenon exists widely in our daily lives, electrostatic sensors can be used to detect or sense a diverse range of human activities, mechanical systems, or industrial processes. Qvar stands for electric charge (Q) variation (var). It is an electrical potential sensing channel able to measure the quasi-electrostatic potential changes, enabling applications such as: • Contact and no-contact human motion detection. • Human motion gait analysis. • Human presence detection. • A user interface (UI). • Water detection. An electrostatic charge is expected on a material whenever it comes into contact with another material, or a solid or liquid surface. The level of charge is usually unpredictable, but it can be detected by means of an electrode and an electronic signal conditioning circuit. A signal is derived from the electronic circuit due to the fluctuations in the electric field resulting from the passage of the charged particles. When a sensor works by electrostatic induction, the sensing principle may be explained in terms of an equivalent capacitive sensor. This is because the charged object can be modelled as a plate of a capacitor while the electrode itself is modelled as the other plate. The movement of the charged object, with reference to the electrode, changes the distance between the two plates and hence the value of the capacitance. Similarly, the quantity of charge on the object, and hence the voltage across the plates, may change with time . It is well known that electrode features such as size, shape and material are important factors that may produce different Qvar channel results. For instance, there exists a linear relationship between sensitivity and the electrode area. The sensitivity of the sensor is asymptotically increased with the area of the electrode. A typical Qvar electrode is shown in figure 1, which uses Q+ and GND pins to detect a charge variation, and enables the How does a Qvar sensor work? Embedded are features such as always-on anti-aliasing filtering, a finite state machine (FSM) and machine learning core (MLC) with adaptive self-configuration (ASC), and an analog hub/Qvar sensing channel. The FSM and MLC with ASC provide always-on, edge processing capabilities, while the analog hub/Qvar sensing channel defines a new degree of system optimisation. Besides the I2C and SPI digital output interfaces, the LIS2DUXS12 MIPI I3C slave interface and embedded 128-level FIFO buffer complete a set of features that make this accelerometer a standout component in terms of the bill of materials, processing, or power consumption. The LIS2DUXS12 has user-selectable full scales of ±2g, ±4g, ±8g, or ±16g and is capable of measuring accelerations with output data rates from 1,6 to 800 Hz. It has a dedicated internal engine to process motion and acceleration detection including free-fall, wake-up, single/double/ triple-tap recognition, activity/inactivity, and 6D/4D orientation. The component is guaranteed to work over an operating temperature range of -40 to 85°C. The device is ideal for motion/touch or tilt detection applications such as an advanced pedometer, step detector and counter. For more information contact Renaldo Fibiger, Altron Arrow, +27 11 923 9749, [email protected], www.altronarrow.com Smart three-axis linear accelerometer Figure 1. Qvar electrode. INT2 interrupt to rise when Qvar detects the presence of the human body in contact with the electrode. It is printed on a flex board with the contact surfaces (in copper) exposed. In this way, to detect a touch gesture, it can be put in the area of the device that should be touched by the user. The goal of the design is to let the user touch both the Q+ and GND area at the same time. For this reason, many different designs are possible. The exposed copper areas at the tip of the board are the actual electrodes. When both electrodes are touched, the sensor measures a high charge variation, and the output signal is almost saturated. This saturated signal is comparable to the press of a button. For more information visit www.st.com The LIS2DUXS12 from STMicroelectronics is a smart, digital, three-axis linear accelerometer whose MEMS and ASIC have been expressly designed to combine the lowest current consumption possible. Qvar is an electrostatic sensor from STMicroelectronics that can be used for human presence and motion detection, touch detection, and user interface (UI) applications.
Quectel Wireless Solutions has announced the launch of its latest-generation 5G New Radio (NR) module series, the RG650E and RG650V, both of which follow the 3GPP Release 17 standard. These industrial-grade 5G modules deliver enhanced performance in data rates, capacity, power saving, and latency, with ultra-reliability. This increase in performance is to better address the growing 5G fixed wireless access (FWA), enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), and industrial automation markets. Based on the latest Snapdragon X75 and X72 5G Modem-RF Systems from Qualcomm Technologies, the RG650E and RG650V series can work on both 5G non-standalone (NSA) and standalone (SA) modes. The RG650E supports a maximum bandwidth of 300 MHz in the sub-6 GHz spectrum while the RG650V supports up to 200 MHz bandwidth. The modules are backward compatible with global LTE and WCDMA networks. Integrated with a Quad-Core A55 processor, the RG650E and RG650V support 5G NR downlink carrier aggregation. Quectel also provides an RG650x-based System-on-Chip (SoC) solution with the latest Wi-Fi 7 technology, which significantly increases transfer speeds, reduces latency, and boosts overall network capacity for customer applications. For more information contact Quectel Wireless Solutions, +27 82 653 7458, [email protected], www.quectel.com New generation of 5G modules STMicroelectronics’ ST87M01 ultra-compact and low-power modules combine highly reliable and robust NB-IoT data communication with accurate and resilient GNSS geo-location capability for IoT devices and assets. The fully programmable, certified LTE Cat NB2 NB-IoT industrial modules cover worldwide cellular frequency bands and integrate advanced security features. As one of the first IoT cellular products worldwide offered in accordance with the latest 3GPP Release 15, the ST87M01 provides extended multi-regional LTE coverage. The integrated native GNSS receiver with multi-constellation access ensures enhanced and accurate localisation along with optimised power savings features. The complete module has a small 10,6 x 12,8 mm LGA footprint, making it ideal for applications where a small form factor is required. Qualified over the industrial temperature range of -40 to 85°C and with ultra-low power consumption of less than 2µA in low-power mode, the ST87M01 targets wide-ranging IoT applications that require ultra-reliable Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) connectivity. The module is capable of transmitting with an output power up to 23 dBm. The module presents a full-programmable IoT platform but can also be combined with a separate host controller for more advanced use cases. A variety of protocol stacks is available to handle popular IoT applications, including IPv6, TCP/UDP, CoAP/LWM2M, MQTT, HTTP/HTTPS and TLS/DTLS. The ST87M01 is designed to support both standardised 3GPP AT commands, along with ST-enhanced AT commands. Typical applications for the ST87M01 include smart metering, smart grid, smart building, smart city and smart infrastructure applications, as well as industrial condition monitoring and factory automation, smart agriculture and environmental monitoring. With its embedded GNSS geo-location capability, it is also well-suited to tracking applications. For more information contact Renaldo Fibiger, Altron Arrow, +27 11 923 9749, [email protected], www.altronarrow.com Ultra-compact, low-power, NB-IoT module with GNSS capability SYSTEMS, COMPONENTS, DESIGN
Dataweek, 29 March 2023 www.dataweek.co.za 10 REGULAR SYSTEMS, COMPONENTS, DESIGN STMicroelectronics has achieved USB-IF (Implementers Forum) certification of two ICs for use in source (adaptor) and sink (device) sides of a USB Power Delivery (PD) extended power range (EPR) product. The new ICs extend the range of a universal charger to 140 W. Now, a single AC to DC adaptor can charge equipment such as computers, smart-home actuators, power tools, and e-bikes, together with traditional applications including smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches. “ST is now able to deliver USB-IF-certified reference designs and chips to meet customers’ demands for a high-power, industry-standard universal charger/adaptor,” said Matteo Lo Presti, executive vice president analog subgroup, analog, MEMS and sensors group, STMicroelectronics. “By moving quickly to support USB PD EPR and achieve certification, we are accelerating the replacement of custom power plugs and DC barrels in numerous applications with a USB-C connector. This allows charging with a universal AC or DC adaptor, reducing cost and environmental impact.” Complete USB PD EPR solution delivers up to 140 W Cornell Dubilier’s new MLPS Flatpack series allows designers to create higher-performance end products optimised for an operating temperature up to 105°C. MLPS Flatpack is a low-profile aluminium electrolytic capacitor which has been tested and rated for 10 000 hours of operation at this elevated temperature. The series offers high capacitance density in a flat configuration, with voltage ratings up to 450 V DC, and a full operating temperature range of -55 to 105°C. It has a high vibration resistance up to 20 g, and the fully welded seal prevents ‘dry-out’, a common problem with conventional electrolytic capacitors. This rugged construction provides excellent life and reliability for robust applications in commercial and military-grade power supplies. For more information contact Future Electronics, +27 21 421 8292, [email protected], www.futureelectronics.com Rugged capacitor for robust military-grade PSUs This SoC is specifically designed to control ZVS non-complementary active clamp flyback converters to create high power density chargers and adaptors with a USB-PD interface and a second developer-defined output. The device includes an active clamp flyback controller and its HV start-up on the primary side. On the secondary side is a microcontroller and all the peripherals required to control the conversion and the USB-PD communication. The two sides are connected through an embedded galvanically-isolated dual communication channel. By using a new non-complementary control technique, and specifically designed power modes, the device allows both high efficiency and low no-load power consumption. The SoC is delivered with a pre-loaded firmware, which handles both the power conversion and the communication protocols for USB-PD, including optional PPS and electronically marked cable management. The output power and available PDOs on the USB-PD port can be changed according to a power sharing pin input to allow power sharing with a second output. A built-in dedicated memory stores a factory-default device configuration. The designer can change this configuration or adapt this memory area to fit the final product specifications. For more information contact EBV Electrolink, +27 21 402 1940, [email protected], www.ebv.com Fully integrated controller for multiport smart chargers ST’s application (sink) side reference design is based on an STM32, an STUSB1602 analog front-end IC, high-voltage protection devices, and a dedicated software stack. The design supports protocol fine tuning and addresses a large range of applications. The adaptor (source) side design delivers up to 140 W (28 V @ 5 A) output from an ST-ONEHP digital controller specifically designed for USB PD 3.1 EPR chargers. The controller integrates an Arm Cortex M0+ core, an offline programmable controller with synchronous rectification, and a USB PD PHY in a single package. It pairs with ST’s MasterGaN power stage to create the world’s highest power density chargers for any battery-powered device, appliance or smart mobility application, exceeding 25 W/in3, while achieving 94% peak efficiency. For more information contact Avnet Silica, [email protected], www.avnet-silica.com The ST-ONEMP is a digital controller embedding an ARM Cortex M0+ core, an offline programmable controller with synchronous rectification, and USB PD PHY in a single package.
Dataweek, 29 March 2023 www.dataweek.co.za 11 REGULAR SYSTEMS, COMPONENTS, DESIGN Exxelia’s MML ultra-high density film capacitors are a game changer for the power electronics field. With an energy density of 400 J/dm3, they offer a significant reduction in size and weight compared to traditional polypropylene or polyester capacitors. These MML capacitors also have an increased operating temperature range of up to 140°C, and protection against transient voltages. Besides offering large flexibility in design with its low profile, real-world tests have shown a 50% reduction in size when compared to designs using Ultra-high density film capacitors The DW3300Q from Qorvo is a fully integrated single-chip ultra-wideband (UWB) low-power and low-cost transceiver IC. The device is Surface mount UWB RF transceiver Quectel Wireless Solutions has announced the launch of its 5G RedCap (Reduced Capability, also known as NR-Light) modules, the Rx255C series. Based on a Snapdragon X35 5G Modem-RF System from Qualcomm, the new modules feature superior wireless performance and low latency communication with 5G, while providing significant optimisation in size, energy savings, and cost-effectiveness. This Snapdragon X35 and Rx255C series is the ideal option to help drive the reach of 5G technology into a variety of mobile broadband scenarios. Meeting the 3GPP Release 17 standards, the Rx255C series supports 5G standalone (SA) mode and a maximum bandwidth of 20 MHz on the sub-6 GHz frequency band. Targeting all markets worldwide, the 5G RedCap modules are backward compatible with LTE networks. They provide a theoretical peak downlink data rate of around 220 Mbps and uplink data rate of around 100 Mbps, sufficient to meet the demand for data speeds in IoT applications such as robotics, DTU, drones, smart ports, smart grid, AR/VR wearables, educational laptops as well as other entry level mobile broadband devices. For more information contact Quectel Wireless Solutions, +27 82 653 7458, [email protected], www.quectel.com Module series helps expand the reach of 5G STMicroelectronics has released the STM32U599 and STM32U5A9 microcontrollers which extend the STM32 ultra-low-power portfolio. These microcontrollers offer enhanced performance and advanced graphics capability. The STM32U599 and STM32U5A9 are the first STM32 MCUs to embed ST’s advanced NeoChrom graphic processing unit (GPU). This 2.5D graphic accelerator helps developers easily enhance the following features in their GUI: • Simple & advanced drawing. • 2D text copy. • Alpha blending. • Colour format conversion. • Scaling, rotation. • Perspective correct texture mapping (mapping a 2D texture into a 3D surface). • Image format compression. Offloading these computations to the Microcontroller offers enhanced graphics capabilities NeoChrom GPU increases the number of frames per second, making it possible for developers to run complex MPU-like GUIs on MCUs. For more information contact Renaldo Fibiger, Altron Arrow, +27 11 923 9600, [email protected], www.altronarrow.com compliant with IEEE Std 802.15.4 and IEEE Std 802.15.4z (BPRF mode) for automotive applications. It can be used in single-sided and double-sided two-way ranging (SS-TWR and DS-TWR), time difference of arrival (TDoA), and phase difference of arrival (PDoA) systems to locate assets to an accuracy of 10 cm. The IC supports secure time-of-flight using STS and supports channels 5 and 9 (6489,6 and 7987,2 MHz). Data transfer rates of 850 kbps and 6,8 Mbps are supported over the SPI digital interface. The IC has a package size of only 5,16 x 5,16 x 0,92 mm. With a supply voltage range of 2,4 to 3,6 V DC, it is ideally suited for automotive location applications. For more information contact Andrew Hutton, RF Design, +27 21 555 8400, [email protected], www.rfdesign.co.za other film technologies. When compared to MLCCs, MML capacitors have shown a reduction in mass of between 70 and 90%, with no capacitor derating with voltage applied, and a low drift of less than 5% across the full temperature range of -55 to 140°C. Applications that previously required a cluster of stacked MLCCs can now benefit from using a single MML, with the added reliability that film dielectric offers. Exxelia’s MML capacitors are suitable for applications including power supplies, DC links, AC-DC-AC power converters, charge/discharge or power generation functions of commercial and military aircraft, satellite platforms, launchers, defibrillators, or any other power application that requires a confined space. For more information contact Actum Group, +27 11 608 3001, [email protected], www.actum.co.za
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