A 25 year journey of excellence ELECTRIFICATION OF EVERYTHING AUTONOMOUS MACHINES ENERGY MANAGEMENT SMART EVERYTHING 31 May 2023 FEATURING: • Telecommunications, Wireless, IoT, RF & Microwave • Optoelectronics, Photonics, Displays & Lighting
• 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, 31 May 2023 www.dataweek.co.za 1 TELECOMMUNICATIONS, WIRELESS, IoT, RF & MICROWAVE FEATURE 31 May 2023 Vol. 46 No. 4 News................................................................................. 3 Systems, components, design..........................8 General ............................................................................26 Hot chips......................................................................31 Open [re]sources .......................................................32 QuickFind index ....................................................IBC contents on the cover features regulars Telecommunications, wireless, IoT, RF & microwave ...................................................................18 A look at new components and systems available for IoT, communications and positioning, and an overview of various power devices. Optoelectronics, photonics, displays & lighting................................................................24 We delve into microLEDs, see how UV-C LEDs can help cleanse surfaces, and take a look at the current state of quantum computing. A 25 year journey of excellence ELECTRIFICATION OF EVERYTHING AUTONOMOUS MACHINES ENERGY MANAGEMENT SMART EVERYTHING 31 May 2023 FEATURING: • Telecommunications, Wireless, IoT, RF & Microwave • Optoelectronics, Photonics, Displays & Lighting In their continuous drive to be there when it matters, Altron Arrow celebrates their last 25 years as a key electronics enabler, providing smart thinking, impactful innovations, and working partnerships to their customers and suppliers. In this issue, they look forward to technology trends and practical innovation for a better world with a particular view of the four megatrends: • Electrification of everything. • Smart everything. • Energy management. • Autonomous machines. Here’s to the next 25 years. For more information contact Altron Arrow, +27 11 923 9600, [email protected], www.altronarrow.com
Dataweek, 31 May 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 4 31 MAY 2023 From the editor’s desk Subscribe online: www.technews.co.za Peter Last month I had the opportunity to go away for a long weekend into the Gwahumbe Valley in Kwazulu-Natal. By midday on Friday, the car had been packed and we set off. With prior knowledge of where we were going, I had packed accordingly: an axe, a gas lighter, and a portable power supply unit was tucked away in the boot of the car. I knew what to expect. After an hour of driving, we passed a signpost that read ‘Cell phone comms ends here,’ and we hit a rough 4x4 dirt track for another 30 minutes down into a valley that only has one way in and one way out. Surrounded by cliffs that were becoming higher and steeper as we slowly drove on, I marvelled once again at the small screen on the dashboard showing not only my exact position on the track, but also where I needed to be headed. The marvellous part was that even though we had absolutely no cell phone reception for either calls or data, the GNSS unit still worked flawlessly, receiving the signal from its multiple satellites orbiting us. You may wonder why this system intrigued me. After all, consumer GPS receivers have been around for the better part of 20+ years. Well, to be driving in an area with steep canyon walls would have rendered a typical GPS receiver useless fifteen years ago. The dreaded ‘signal lost’ message would have been displayed and nothing else on the unit would have worked after that. Roll on 15 years and we now have GNSS chipsets embedded in navigational systems that can receive signals from multiple constellations, and they work like a dream. The GNSS unit I was using was a Quectel L76 receiver talking via UART to an ESP32 microcontroller which was connected to a 5-inch touchscreen display (I know these details as I had designed, built and programmed the system myself during a rare day of downtime). The L76 being used has 99 acquisition channels and can track 33 concurrent channels, supporting four different constellations. Even in the dense valley we found ourselves in, I was still locked onto and receiving the signal from a minimum of eight satellites, more than enough to calculate an accurate position. This would not have been possible years ago when these extra constellations did not exist. The circular indicator on the previously recorded track was rock steady and after 30 minutes of bumping around, we reached the destination in the valley. The small camp’s lighting is entirely powered by 12 V. Hence, the addition of the portable power supply in the boot. With everything else running on gas, we enjoyed a peaceful sojourn, recharging our ‘biological batteries’. Wireless communication systems are a wonderful modern invention, but the fact is they do not reach everywhere yet. Satellite signals do, however, and I, for one, am excited at the prospect of future phones being able to receive a satellite signal for communication. Marvelling at the simple things
Dataweek, 31 May 2023 www.dataweek.co.za 3 NEWS ELECTRONICS NEWS DIGEST EVENTS Continued on page 4 Electronics Financial • It was reported that the South African manufacturing industry experienced a 5,2% downturn in production in February 2023, when compared to the same period in 2022. Of the contributing factors to this decrease, the rampant loadshedding that the country has been experiencing unsurprisingly tops the list. • IT industry leaders have expressed concern about the recent collapse in the value of the Rand. In the second week in May, the Rand fell to a low of under R19,47 against the US dollar (a level that has not been seen since 2020), following the explosive accusation that South Africa supplied weapons and ammunition to Russia in its fight against Ukraine. This exchange rate will have a knock-on effect for all IT and manufacturing as there is very little buffer in the supply chain to absorb this shock. • Globally, the revenue decline of the top ten IC design companies increased to almost 10% in Q4 2022, with the decline expected to continue into Q1 2023. • TrendForce has reported that adverse factors such as weak overall consumption, restrictions from China, and the slowdown of corporate IT spending have contributed towards the decrease in revenue of the world’s top ten IC design houses, leading to a QoQ decline of 9,2%, or approximately $34 billion. • Since March, silicon producers have been actively trying to increase shipments in order to alleviate inventory pressure. Meanwhile, production capacity of silicon continues to expand while silicon wafer makers struggle to absorb excess inventory. This has led to a gradual and persistent decline in silicon prices. TrendForce has predicted that silicon prices will continue to fall in May, and have reported that the standard DRAM and NAND Flash prices are expected to fall further in 2Q 2023 by around 13% due to high inventory levels. • The company has also reported that the mass production of new server platforms is imminent. However, recent market reports have indicated a PMIC compatibility issue for server DDR5 RDIMMs; DRAM suppliers and PMIC vendors are working to address the problem. This is likely to lead to two effects. Firstly, DRAM suppliers will temporarily procure more PMICs from Monolithic Power Systems which supplies PMICs without issue. Second, supply will inevitably be affected in the short term as current DDR5 server DRAM production still uses older processes. • Meanwhile, the rapid popularity of conversational AIs like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard has driven up demand for AI server shipments. This has led to an increase in demand for high-capacity RDIMMs in early Q2 2023, and moving production talks towards high-bandwidth memory. • The average selling price of battery-grade lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide saw a MoM decline in April. However, lithium salt prices have begun to show signs of stabilisation and rebounded in late April. Additionally, prices of lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6) – a key raw material used in electrolytes – have recently started to rise again; prices of anode materials, iron phosphate, and lithium battery copper foil have almost bottomed out, and China’s EV battery industry chain is gradually stabilising. Companies • Ams OSRAM has released its first quarter results and sees continued subdued demand trends in the second quarter. The company’s Q1 2023 revenues totalled €927 million, a decrease of 26% YoY. The company has an expected second quarter revenue of €800 million to €900 million. • Gravitricity, the energy storage company which is developing below ground gravity energy storage systems, is set to enter the US market as the Biden administration has made $450 million available for clean energy projects. These projects are directed at the site of current or former coal mines as part of an effort to combat climate change. • Microchip Technology has recently announced plans to invest $880 million to expand its silicon carbide (SiC) and silicon production capacity at its Colarado Springs manufacturing facility over the next several years. This is in response to the surge in automotive/E-mobility, grid infrastructure, green energy, and aerospace and defence applications. SECUREX 2023 6-8 June 2023 Gallagher Convention Centre, Johannesburg Africa’s ultimate security expo is celebrating its third decade of bringing together suppliers and manufacturers of security technology and services. Securex will provide local and international suppliers and manufacturers with an excellent platform from which to engage with the local security industry. Register at https://securex.co.za/ SEMI 3D & Systems Summit 26-28 June 2023 Dresden, Germany With the focus on ‘Smarter systems through heterogeneous integration’, the SEMI 3D & Systems Summit will gather industry experts and visionaries for insights into the latest integration innovations for semiconductor applications enabling the future of intelligent systems. Register at http://bitly.ws/EpKH Africa Rail 2023 27-28 June 2023 Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg Africa Rail is the largest and most established rail event in Africa and the meeting place for all customers looking to do business in the rail, freight and transport space. With over 100 industry leading speakers, Africa Rail is a catalyst for the growth and development of the entire African railway industry. Register at https://www.terrapinn.com/ exhibition/africa-rail/index.stm Kwazulu-Natal Industrial Technology Exhibition 2023 18-20 July 2023 Durban Exhibition Centre KITE connects buyers and sellers of manufacturing equipment, products, services and software to advance the industry and its business. Complete with seminars and conferences, group workshops, and a skills development zone, this year’s exhibition promises to enhance the business of both exhibitors and visitors. Register at http://kznindustrial.co.za/ Digest
Dataweek, 31 May 2023 www.dataweek.co.za 4 NEWS ELECTRONICS NEWS DIGEST Continued from page 3 • As part of the authoring team, Samtec engineers Istvan Novak and Gustavo Blando have been announced as winners of the DesignCon 2023 Best Paper Award. The paper titled ‘Connection artifacts in PDN Measurements’ analyses via and trace coupling effects using hybrid and full-wave solvers. In the project detailed in the paper, more sophisticated DUT boards were also used to analyse the parasitic probe-via coupling in two-port shunt-through transfer impedance PDN measurements. Robert Branson, signal integrity engineer at Samtec, the lead author on ‘Cascaded vs End-to-End Multi-Pin Interconnect Simulation Models’ was also honoured as a finalist for his paper. • Yamaha Motor Company has announced its establishment of a new company in Singapore aimed at expanding its robotics business. The new company, named Yamaha Robotics Solutions, will specialise in the surface mounted and industrial robot fields. • Avnet Abacus has announced it is adding, with immediate effect, the ERNI range of products from TE Connectivity. The ERNI Group, which was acquired by TE in 2021, has built up a large portfolio of high-speed and fine-pitch connectors for factory automation, automotive, medical and other industrial applications, which include robust devices suitable for deployment in harsh environments. • SK hynix had planned to transition its Wuxi fab’s mainstream process from 1Y nm to 1Z nm, decreasing the output of legacy processes. However, due to limitations imposed by the US ban which came into effect in October 2022, the company instead opted to increase the share of its 21 nm production lines, focusing on DDR3 and DDR4 4Gb products. SK hynix’s long-term strategy involves shifting its capacity expansion back to South Korea, while the Wuxi fab caters to domestic demand in China and the legacy-process consumer DRAM market. • In a bizarre news story, Eskom has won its high court case against a private company Rural Maintenance, preventing them from continuing to supply the rural town of Frankfort with solar-generated power to ‘void’ the implementation of loadshedding. The company has been supplying power to the Mafube Municipality in the local town of Frankfort in the Free State, effectively allowing them to reduce the severity of loadshedding imposed by Eskom. “Rural now has no alternative but to switch off portions of the sunfarm during the day as from Friday, 21 April 2023, allowing readily available capacity to go to waste,” the company said . Technologies • According to IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, the number of smart homes in Europe and North America reached 120,5 million in 2022. The North American market grew by 12% during this period. The most popular smart home products include thermostats, light bulbs, security cameras, door locks, smart plugs, and speakers. • NeoCortec, manufacturer of ultra-low-power bi-directional wireless mesh network modules, has extended its NeoGateway software with a new network management tool. The network Rudy Van Parijs, president of Avnet Abacus, was recently presented with the award at an event in Harrisburg (PA), US, by Jennifer Diener, senior vice president and general manager of TE Connectivity’s channel business unit. The award presented to Avnet Abacus acknowledges the hard work and commitment that the team has shown to TE throughout the EMEA region. Through this strategic partnership, Avnet Abacus can provide customers with access to the latest connectivity and sensor solutions from TE. Customers benefit from a broad array of key industry sectors, along with supply chain and logistics support. “This honour underlines the dedication of all our staff across the EMEA region,” said Avnet Abacus’ Rudy Van Parijs. “It is a testament to what our partnership with TE is achieving, and shows customers that Avnet is a reliable and trusted source for its products.” For more information contact Avnet Abacus, [email protected], www.avnet.com/wps/portal/abacus Avnet Abacus wins top distributor award Avnet Abacus, a regional business unit of Avnet, has been recognised by TE Connectivity as its best performing distributor for the second year running. management tool automatically monitors the health of the deployed NeoMesh wireless sensor networks. It regularly checks parameters such as network integrity, routing paths, battery level, and node temperature. If pre-set limits are exceeded, the monitoring tool will automatically trigger an alarm, allowing the problem to be checked and corrected. • Microchip has demonstrated its new e-Fuse designed for battery electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles. Enabled by silicon carbide (SiC) technology, the e-Fuse is available in six variants for battery systems from 400 to 800 V and up to 30 A. The e-Fuse demonstrator is capable of detecting and interrupting fault currents in microseconds, up to 500 times faster than traditional mechanical approaches. The fast response time substantially reduces peak shortcircuit currents from tens of kilo-amps to hundreds of amps, which can prevent a fault event from resulting in a hard failure. • Power Integrations has introduced the SCALE-iFlex LT NTC family of IGBT/SiC module gate drivers. The new gate drivers target the popular new dual, 100 x 140 mm style of IGBT modules, such as the Mitsubishi LV100 and the Infineon XHP 2, and silicon carbide (SiC) variants thereof, up to 2300 V blocking voltage. The SCALE-iFlex LT NTC drivers provide Negative Temperature Coefficient (NTC) data – an isolated temperature measurement of the power module – which enables accurate thermal management of converter systems. This is particularly important for systems with multiple modules arrayed in parallel, ensuring proper current sharing and dramatically enhancing overall system reliability.
Dataweek, 31 May 2023 www.dataweek.co.za 5 NEWS with Greg Barron, Actum Group director Clearing the Static STMicroelectronics has reported its first quarter financial results, ending 1 April 2023. The company reported net revenues of $4,25 billion, a gross margin of 49,7%, an operating margin of 28,3%, and net income of $1,04 billion. ST’s cash flow was $206 million after net capital expenditure payments of $1,09 billion. Jean-Marc Chery, STMicroelectronics president and CEO, commented: • “Q1 net revenues of $4,25 billion came in better than expected in Automotive and Industrial, partially offset by lower revenues in Personal Electronics.” • “Q1 gross margin of 49,7% was 170 basis points above the mid-point of our business outlook range mainly due to product mix in a ST’s first quarter financial results Silicon Labs has released financial results for the first quarter, which ended 1 April 2023. Revenue met the mid-point of the guidance range at $247 million, up 6% year-on-year, driven in part by strength across the company’s Bluetooth portfolio. “The Silicon Labs team executed well in the first quarter, furthering our leadership position within IoT through deep customer and industry relationships,” said Matt Johnson, president and chief executive officer at Silicon Labs. “With a challenging macro backdrop, we are focused on driving operational efficiencies, supporting new customer ramps, and investing in the people and products that will allow us to outperform the market and capture the exciting growth potential ahead.” The company’s reported first quarter financial highlights: • Revenue was $247 million, up 6% year-on-year. • Industrial & Commercial revenue for the quarter was $151 million. • Home & Life revenue for the quarter was $96 million. • Gross margin was 62,3%. The company also made a few announcements, starting with the general availability for its flagship FG25 sub-GHz SoC. The FG25 is ideal for longrange, low-power communications, capable of Silicon Labs reports first quarter 2023 results TDK recently recognised its best distribution partners in Europe, for the 10th time, with the European Distribution Award 2023. The gold award in the International Distributor category went to Avnet Abacus. In the e-Catalogue Distributor category, Mouser Electronics was honoured. Best Local Distributor went to the German company Beckmann Elektronik. In the International Volume Distributor category, silver went to Arrow and bronze to TTI. In the e-Catalogue Distributors category, TME Electronic received silver and Digi-Key Electronics bronze. “We look back on a strong sales year in 2022,” says Dietmar Jaeger, head of TDK’s global TDK honours best distributors Specialised industries require precise conductivity specifications on containers, component holders, and pallet conductivity, to prevent the destruction of electronic components by electrostatic discharge (ESD). Electronic components should be transported and stored in containers, or on pallets of electrically conductive plastic, so that they are protected against electrostatic discharge. ESD containers and pallets are made of a specific plastic and carbon compound to protect against the undesirable effects of electrostatic discharge. They also protect the contents from mechanical damage, dirt or moisture. The conductive materials provide a barrier which these fields cannot penetrate, and prevent the build-up of electrostatic charge. There are a number of ESD container solutions, beginning with CORTRONIC boxes. These boxes feature an impervious static dissipative skin and conductive core, and the shielding material is suitable for use in ESD protected areas. Products made of CORTRONIC include component boxes, PCB transit boxes, IC tube boxes, in-plant handlers for PCBs, and custom applications. CORTRONIC storage boxes are ideal for safe transportation of ESD-sensitive components, such as PCBs. A soft, dissipative foam lining provides safe padding and removes static. These coated boxes are made of cardboard dipped in carbon, and come flat-packed to enable assembly on site. The static dissipative skin and buried conductive core ensure electronic components are shielded from electrostatic discharges throughout transportation. Also available are ESD protective bags that are made from polyethylene low-charge material. These bags are ideal for nonsensitive ESD items, while static shielding bags are designed for ESD safe packaging of PCBs and ICs. They protect their contents against ESD and electrostatic fields. Injection moulded ESD units are sturdy plastic containers that protect its contents during transportation against mechanical damage, contamination, and the effects of moisture. Other forms of ESD containers include carry handle ESD cases, pallets, tray containers and partition panelled containers. All these storage solutions should be used within the minimum guidelines of an Electrostatic Protection Area, that includes wrist straps, ESD mats and ESD flooring. 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. ESD safe containers – protection against electrical discharge price environment that remained favourable.” • “On a year-on-year basis, Q1 net revenues increased 19,8%, operating margin increased to 28,3% from 24,7%, and net income increased 39,8% to $1,04 billion.” • “Our second quarter business outlook, at the mid-point, is for net revenues of $4,28 billion, increasing year-on-year by 11,5%, and increasing sequentially by 0,8%; gross margin is expected to be about 49,0%.” • “We will now drive the company based on a plan for FY23 revenues in the range of $17,0 billion to $17,8 billion.” For more information visit www.st.com distributor division. “With about 50% of our distributor partner evaluation related to business development and operational success, this year’s results have been very good.” According to Jaeger, the main sales drivers were business with products for e-mobility and charging infrastructure in the automotive sector, and with components for regenerative energy production in the industrial electronics sector. For more information contact Avnet Abacus, [email protected], www.avnet.com/wps/portal/abacus broadcasting more than 1 km with minimal data loss in dense, urban environments. With Wi-SUN certification, the FG25 also supports high data bandwidth of up to 3,6 Megabits per second, which is critical for enabling the large networks needed by smart cities where the nodes can number in the thousands. Also announced was the new integrated circuit family designed for the smallest form factor IoT devices: the xG27 family of Bluetooth SoCs. The xG27 family offers IoT device designers the energy efficiency, high performance, security, and wireless connectivity ideal for tiny, battery-optimised devices. Thirdly, the company announced the availability of its Pro Kit for Amazon Sidewalk, which has been developed to simplify the development process, reduce costs, and accelerate time to revenue for Amazon Sidewalk devices. As one of Amazon Sidewalk’s only three qualified hardware partners for developing Amazon Sidewalk devices, the Pro Kit provides all the necessary tools for developing high-volume, scalable IoT applications. It is also designed to support the development of wireless IoT-based devices on Bluetooth and sub-GHz wireless protocols for Amazon Sidewalk. For more information visit www.silabs.com
Dataweek, 31 May 2023 www.dataweek.co.za 6 NEWS RS South Africa is sponsoring the project with much-needed tools and components, in a bid to support the next generation of engineers and technologists in South Africa. The Touch Hand project is a pioneering initiative that aims to develop an innovative assistive technology device for people with disabilities. The project team from UKZN and NMU will be participating in the Cybathlon event in 2024, a global competition for people with disabilities, in which teams showcase their assistive technologies. RS South Africa’s sponsorship of the team forms part of the company’s ESG action plan to champion education and innovation by building skills and fostering innovative solutions that improve lives. “We are delighted to support the Touch Hand project team,” said Brian Andrew, managing director of RS South Africa. “We believe that Support for the Touch Hand project team ZTE Corporation recently participated in the annual FTTH Conference in Madrid, Spain. Hans Neff, senior director of the ZTE CTO Group, shared the latest technologies, perspectives, and experiences of the green FTTH network initiative under the theme of ‘Building green FTTH networks for sustainable development’. Neff emphasised that building sustainable green FTTH networks is a key direction for network development that benefits the whole society, saying that the ‘green’ requirements should be integrated into the full lifecycle of FTTH networks. ZTE advocates the green development concept and has taken the lead in exploring a series of environmental protection measures covering various fields such as product architecture, device packaging materials, key components, and O&M, to promote the sustainable development of the industry. The company follows the green design concept of smooth evolution, high integration, miniaturisation, and easy deployment in its product architecture. As an example, ZTE’s Any-PON multi-mode solution can meet the requirements of diverse scenarios through flexible configuration, and effectively reduce the number and types of cards. Energy consumption is a major part of the operating costs for network operators. To achieve sustainable development and enhance competitiveness, operators need to build energy-efficient networks. Being committed to the green development concept, ZTE cooperates with industry partners to create green solutions for enterprise operation, supply chain, digital infrastructure, and industry empowerment. For more information visit www.zte.com.cn/global Committed to building sustainable FTTH networks Altron Arrow celebrated its 25th birthday in style in May with a luxurious event at its offices in Jet Park, Johannesburg. The event saw current and former employees, customers and suppliers all reflecting on the growth and successes the company has achieved. Renato Martins; Altron Arrow’s Managing Director, Jörg Strughold; president of Arrow Electronics Global components EMEA, and Werner Kapp; Altron’s CEO, took the guests through the history and achievements made during the past 25 years. “In our continuous drive to be there when it matters, we celebrate our last 25 years as a key electronics enabler – providing smart Altron Arrow celebrates 25 years thinking, impactful innovations, and working partnerships to our amazing customers and suppliers,” said Managing Director, Renato Martins. The celebratory theme of the event was ‘Megatrends’, and the company expressed how much they are looking forward to technology trends and practical innovation for a better world. “The partnership between Arrow and Altron has been a remarkable journey over these 25 years,” said Jörg Strughold. He reminisced about various highlights, such as moving into their offices in 1998, the number of franchises added throughout the years, and the expansion of their business into Enterprise Computing Solution, all while growing their business, solving customer and supplier challenges, and guiding innovation forward. Werner Kapp from Altron continued by saying that as they celebrate their 25th birthday,they also look to the future with excitement and optimism. “We know that the world is changing rapidly, and we are committed to staying at the forefront of these changes.” For more information contact Altron Arrow, +27 11 923 9600, [email protected], www.altronarrow.com RS South Africa has announced its support for the Touch Hand project team, a collaboration between the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and Nelson Mandela University (NMU). engineering and technology can make a positive impact on the world, and we are committed to supporting young engineers and technologists in South Africa to achieve their full potential.” In addition to providing much-needed tools and components, RS South Africa will also be contributing its Super Skills masterclass workshops for the teams to equip young engineers with the in-demand skills they need to succeed in the workplace, including communication skills, goal setting, presentation skills, how to deal with conflict, and time management. For more information contact RS Components, +27 11 691 9300, [email protected], www.rs-online.co.za
Hiconnex is now an official distribution partner for Peters Indu-Produkt GmbH. Hiconnex has always been committed to providing its clients with innovative and reliable solutions for their interconnect needs. The partnership between the two companies allows Hiconnex to expand its product range by offering the full suite of Peters Indu-Produkt’s connector solutions to its customers. Peters Indu-Produkt GmbH has established itself as a trusted supplier of connectors for various applications. Hiconnex is confident that this partnership will enhance the company’s ability to provide its customers with the best solutions for their applications. Says Hiconnex: “We are thrilled to be working with Peters Indu-Produkt GmbH and look forward to a fruitful collaboration.” For more information contact Hiconnex, +27 12 661 6779, [email protected], www.hiconnex.co.za Hiconnex an official distribution partner for Peters Indu-Produkt Semiconductors in Q1 2023 grew by 22,9% to €4,08 billion, IP&E by a much more moderate 0,9% to €1.82 billion. Q1 in total grew by 15,2% to €5.9 billion. Hermann Reiter, chairman of DMASS: “After Q4 of 2022 it was hard to imagine that our market would grow again, both year on year and sequentially, specifically since the slowdown in orders was visible for a few months now. The surprising revenue growth in Q1 cannot hide the reality of rather full inventories in the channel. At the same time, we share the general optimism in the European industry that the slowdown will be short. As our core business segments aren’t PCs and smart phones, but thriving segment like automotive and industrial, we are confident that after the inventory digest, demand will grow again dynamically.” Semiconductors With a total of €4,08 billion, DMASS delivered the highest ever reported semiconductor revenues. The growth occurred across all countries and regions, although in varying pace. Of the major countries, Germany recorded the highest increase. Product-wise, micros, programmable logic, and other logic (ASICs, ASSPs) showed the highest growth, followed by analogue products. Interconnect, passive and electromechanical components The IP&E segment showed a surprising sequential uptick of 15% versus Q4 2022, but a tiny growth of 0,9% to €1,82 billion versus Q1 2022. Growth distribution across countries was totally different from semiconductors (which is mainly due to a different membership structure in IP&E). While passives decreased by 2,3% (special passive components saw an increase), connectors and electromechanical components, and power supplies remained positive. For more information visit www.dmass.com European components distribution grows amid improvements in availability By DMASS Europe e.V. NEWS Topping last year’s record numbers, European components distribution ended the first quarter of 2023 with surprisingly strong sales numbers for both Semiconductors and IP&E (Interconnect, Passive and Electromechanical) components.
Dataweek, 31 May 2023 www.dataweek.co.za 8 REGULAR SYSTEMS, COMPONENTS, DESIGN The MAAL-011155 is an easy to use, wideband ultra-low phase noise distributed amplifier from Macom in a lead-free 4 mm 16-lead PQFN package. It operates in the range from 6 to 12 GHz. The amplifier provides -167 dBc/Hz phase noise at 10 kHz offset, and 15,6 dB of linear gain. It exhibits a noise figure of 5 dB at 6 GHz. The input and output are fully matched to 50 Ω, with a typical return loss of 16 dB. The RF output port is DC blocked, and amplifier control is available via a control circuit. The product is fabricated using a low phase noise HBT process for enhanced reliability. The MAAL-011155 can be used as a lownoise amplifier stage for signal generation applications. This device is ideally suited for test and measurement, EW, ECM, and radar applications where ultra-low phase noise and drive power is required. For more information contact RFiber Solutions, +27 12 667 5212, [email protected], www.rfibersolutions.com Ultra-low phase noise amplifier The Archer .8 connectors have all the attributes necessary for modern industrial equipment. The phosphor bronze contacts can carry a current of 0,5 A each, and mated connections support High-pin count, low-profile interconnect series The Safe T100 is designed to work hand in hand with HMS Networks’ Anybus CompactCom. While Anybus CompactCom handles the standard non-safe communication with the EtherCAT network, the Safe T100 handles the safe communication, in this case over FSoE. Thanks to the full implementation of the safe protocol and application layer in Ixxat Safe T100, device manufacturers get a fast track to add functional safety capabilities to their equipment. A typical application for Ixxat Safe T100 is a safe emergency stop function for automation Functional safety over EtherCAT equipment such as drives, robots or process controllers. The Ixxat Safe T100 solution is pre-certified by TÜV Rheinland, and its conformity to the FSoE standard ETG 5100 V1.2.0 has been confirmed in the ETG test lab. This enables users to benefit from significantly reduced development time, cost, and risk when designing and manufacturing safe devices and systems. For more information contact Eagle Africa Technology, +27 21 423 4943, [email protected], www.eagle.co.za data rates up to 24 Gb/s or 12 GHz. Available in 30, 40, 60, 80, 100 and 120 pin count versions, these connectors satisfy a broad range of design requirements. Polarisation helps with orientation and alignment, and prevents mis-mating, while shrouded housings protect contacts from accidental damage. To facilitate automated assembly processes, the connectors are supplied in tape and reel packaging, with locating pegs fitted. “Archer .8 brings a whole new dimension to our industrial connector offering. These components combine the large pin counts and attractive price points that our industrial clients expect, as well as featuring the high levels of build quality that Harwin has always been well known for,” says Ryan Smart, NPI product manager at Harwin. Operating within a wide temperature range between -40 to 125°C, this newly extended 0,8 mm range of connectors are compact and reliable. Applications of this interconnect series includes factory automation and environmental monitoring equipment, smart meters, point-of-sales units, servers/data centre hardware and battery management systems in electric vehicles. For more information contact Avnet Abacus, [email protected], www.avnet.com/wps/portal/abacus HMS Networks’ Ixxat Safe T100 is an all-in-one safety solution which allows device manufacturers and machine builders to implement configurable, safe inputs and outputs in applications up to SIL 3 and PLe Cat.4. Harwin has expanded its product offering for industrial markets by announcing the Archer .8 series. With a 5 mm stack height, these dual-row 0,8 mm-pitch board-to-board connectors are intended for use where there is very limited available space and cost is an equally important factor.
JOHANNESBURG +27 (0) 11 923 9600 | DURBAN +27 (0) 31 279 1660 | CAPE TOWN +27 (0) 21 555 1884 ENTERPRISE COMPUTING & CYBER SECURITY SOLUTIONS ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS SEMICONDUCTORS FREQUENCY PASSIVES CONNECTORS & ELECTRO-MECHANICAL WIRELESS & MODULES LIGHTING & OPTICS POWER SUPPLIES DISPLAYS BATTERIES & SOLAR
Dataweek, 31 May 2023 www.dataweek.co.za 10 REGULAR SYSTEMS, COMPONENTS, DESIGN The revolution for a carbon-neutral era goes beyond an environmental commitment. With premiums on energy-saving solutions that reduce emissions, markets and individual companies are shifting their industrial and energy infrastructures to produce unique and environmentally conscious products. Across various power categories such as photovoltaic and wind power generation, energy storage, battery management systems, and power supplies, high-power solutions are vital for creating safe and green systems. MPS has introduced a series of dedicated controllers for high-power applications, as well as power ICs with high-voltage capacitive isolation technology. These MPS controllers provide the industry with efficient, simple, and reliable choices that can reduce the carbon footprint. Energy efficient products The MP18831 is an isolated half-bridge gate driver with up to 4 A of peak current capacity on the sink. Using MPS’s proprietary, high-voltage capacitive isolation technology, the MP18831 can withstand voltage of up to 5 kV RMS, and a common-mode transient immunity (CMTI) rated above 100 kV/µs. The gate driver drives several types of power switching devices with a short propagation delay and low pulse-width distortion. With package options including the wide body SOIC-16, narrow body SOIC-16, and LGA-13, the MP18831 can be integrated into many different systems. Isolated power solutions promote carbon neutrality The MPQ27800 is a four-channel digital isolator with an integrated isolated power supply. The device can provide a transmission rate up to 150 Mbps, and an isolated power supply of 5 V/200 mA. In place of a traditional optocoupler isolator, the signal transmission direction has a variety of options to improve performance. Like the MP18831, the MPQ27800 uses high-voltage capacitive isolation technology, which can withstand an isolation voltage of 5 kV RMS. For certain isolated communication applications, a separate power supply must be utilised to supply power to the interface. In this scenario an isolated power supply module like the MID1W0505A can be considered. This is a semi-regulated, 3 kV DC isolation voltage power module that is available in an SOICW-16 package. The device supports a 4,5 to 5,5 V input voltage range, 1 W of output power, and excellent linear load regulation. Functional blocks such as power switch tubes, transformers, and feedback circuits are integrated in the package. The high-power PSU typically consists of a two-stage circuit: a power factor correction (PFC) solution for AC/DC power conversion and an LLC converter for DC/DC power conversion. Because controllers are the main components of the power conversion circuit, MPS introduced the MPF32010, a PFC totem pole digital controller for AC/DC power conversion. The MPF32010 can be fully configured through NXP’s i.MX 93 family of applications processors is the first in the next generation i.MX 9 applications processors series. The i.MX 93 system-on-chip (SoC) architecture integrates one or two Arm Cortex-A55 cores, one Arm Cortex-M33 core, and an Arm Ethos-U65 Neural Processing Unit (NPU). These processing units were chosen for their superior power efficiency Giving you the smart edge and performance capabilities compared to their previous generation counterparts. The Cortex-M33 provides added security with Arm’s TrustZone technology. In addition to these components, a big part of the reason i.MX 93 family achieves high power efficiency and performance is NXP’s innovative energy flex architecture. the VB Pro 4.0 tool to customise the digital control loops and set protection limits and alarm functions. In addition, these devices can also be controlled and configured through the integrated RS-485 bus. MPS offers a reference design for a power conversion module incorporating these latest products such as an isolated gate driver (the MP18831), a PFC + LLC combo controller (the MPF32010), and the MCS1802, an isolated current sensor. This collaborative design achieves a power density of 2,14 W/cm3, with an overall conversion efficiency of up to 96%. For more information contact NuVision Electronics, +27 11 608 0144, [email protected], www.nuvisionelec.com The i.MX 93 SoC also integrates NXP’s EdgeLock secure enclave – a self-managing, state-of-the-art security solution. This enhanced-security sub-system provides robust and autonomous management of critical security functions, such as root of trust (RoT), run-time attestation (RTT), trust provisioning (TP), secure boot, key management, and cryptographic services, while at the same time simplifying the path to industry-standard security certifications. NXP’s highly integrated PCA9451A power management integrated circuit (PMIC) and the IW612 Wi-Fi module are bundled together with the i.MX 93 family development kit. They are designed to deliver the highest performance from the i.MX 93 processor family, and were defined, co-developed, and co-validated with the processor to enable a more efficient design process. A complete Linux environment is provided to ease the applications development process. A fully operational toolchain, kernel and board specific modules are ready to use together for i.MX 93 development. For more information contact RS Components, +27 11 691 9300, [email protected], www.rs-online.co.za
Dataweek, 31 May 2023 www.dataweek.co.za 11 REGULAR SYSTEMS, COMPONENTS, DESIGN In Altron Arrow’s continuous drive to be there when it matters, it celebrates its last 25 years as a key electronics enabler – providing smart thinking, impactful innovations, and working partnerships to its amazing customers and suppliers. The company has looked ahead to technology trends and practical innovation, towards a better world with a particular view of the following four megatrends. Electrification of everything Range anxiety is no longer the only powerrelated concern when it comes to electric vehicle (EV) design and adoption. Autonomous or not, cars are getting smarter. Like any computer, modern EVs keep overall power consumption in mind, even as charging technology evolves to be faster, smarter, and more ubiquitous. The average driver of an EV expects to be able to travel further without a charge, whether it’s within an urban area or on a longer inter-city trip on rural roads and highways. Charging needs to be easier and faster – finding a charging station should be no different from finding a fuel station to quickly top up the vehicle with enough power to get them to where they need to go. In the meantime, EVs are getting smarter, as advanced driver-assistance system functionality and infotainment features are added, all of which consume power. Today’s EVs ultimately require smarter onboard–charging capabilities, easily accessible charging infrastructure, and designs with reliable electronics that consume less power while lasting as long as the car is on the road. Given how much investment that charging infrastructure takes in terms of time and money, it also needs to anticipate future requirements and customer experience expectations. It must be rugged, compact, connected, and flexible enough to connect with any vehicle and withstand any weather conditions around the world, no matter how hot, cold, dusty, or wet. Even as vehicles become greener by getting increasingly electrified, they continue to get smarter. Adding intelligence to cars will help them interact better with charging stations, but the additional infotainment features and sensors that support autonomy also draw power. Even as EVs employ more wireless networking to support autonomy and infotainment features, the charging scenarios are becoming more diverse and smarter. The vehicles of tomorrow 25 years of excellence through innovation must be considered while balancing the concerns of all stakeholders in the ecosystem. Standards and regulatory frameworks must continue to evolve to meet the concerns of those who want to adopt EVs for either personal or business use, and smarter charging technologies, with proven reliability and efficiency will win the day. Autonomous machines The rise of autonomous machines is changing the way industries work. There is a renewed interest in using intelligent robots, automation, and predictive analytics driven by artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and edge computing (EC). Manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and retail are some of the industries becoming increasingly robotised. Industry 4.0, the power of AI, ML, and high-speed networks are enabling a new wave of intelligent, cooperative robots. Furthermore, the use of immersive technologies such as augmented and virtual reality, paired with digital twins, allows for Figure 2. Autonomous machines. Figure 3. IoT the enabler for intelligent building. Figure 1. Electrification of everything. monitoring, controlling, and interacting with robots in real time, without physically being in the same location. Additionally, some organisations are using AI to help workers and technicians work hand-in-hand with their robotic counterparts, creating new ways of collaboration and improving safety. For example, at several logistic and fulfilment centres, Amazon asks some of its operators to wear special vests that continuously send signals. Since Amazon centres are heavily robotised, people walking around could be at risk. The vests signal the proximity of humans, to tell nearby robots to immediately stop. Smart everything Pop culture has often dazzled audiences with dreams of virtual assistants that can manipulate a building on demand. See Iron Man’s J.A.R.V.I.S., or the home of The Jetsons, where many of these technologies aim to be far-fetched fantasies of tomorrow. But in the last few decades, technological advancements in sensors, AI, IoT have enabled the fantasy of intelligent buildings to approach reality. Today, intelligent buildings worldwide utilise advanced smart-building technology to increase efficiency, bolster human productivity, provide stateof-the-art safety, and reduce maintenance costs. The IoT is built into modern smart buildings. IoT is currently used for the following: to monitor the efficiency of complex building infrastructure systems, optimise the energy consumption of its lighting systems based on occupancy, optimise elevator activity on a need-basis, control green-energy systems, and much more. In the United Arab Emirates, the Bee’ah headquarters, which opened for occupancy in May 2022, is said to be testing the first-of-itskind AI-based smart concierge. This system can help employees and visitors book appointments navigate the building, hail rides, and more – eerily similar to the capabilities of a J.A.R.V.I.S. system. IoT smart building solutions are the way of the future for energy and human efficiency. And undoubtedly, the IoT isn’t far from further enabling more innovative technologies that have yet to be realised. Energy management What challenges are homes facing regarding energy efficiency? Where is energy typically wasted in a home? And how will power devices help? With global energy markets across the world in upheaval, alternative energy has suddenly been thrust into the spotlight. With global geopolitical situations destabilising the fossil fuel market for many countries, energy companies and consumers alike are looking for solutions to solve challenges around sustainability, pricing, and supply. One of the challenges of alternative energy is that the amount of energy produced is not as instantaneous and powerful as traditional energy sources. To put it succinctly, the quality of power is not always steady. However, advancements in the semiconductor industry are enabling a new generation of alternative energy sources and production capabilities that are opening the door to these alternative energy solutions. With global dynamics constantly shifting, and a new era of electric vehicles swiftly arriving, opportunities for new alternative energy sources remain boundless. With advancements in semiconductors and the proliferation of wide band-gap materials, the electronics industry will continue to evolve to meet these coming challenges. Many of these megatrends are driven by solutions addressing some of the key challenges mankind is pressured to solve. Altron Arrow is privileged to work in an industry that can contribute with technology solutions and services where it matters. For more information contact Altron Arrow, +27 11 923 9600, [email protected], www.altronarrow.com
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