1805prodpicksfig184

EE – May 2018 Product Picks

500-MHz RF record and playback for GNSS

The RP-6500 records and plays back up to 500 MHz of RF spectrum—from 9 kHz to 6 GHz—making it suitable for multi-constellation GNSS applications. The system can also capture other signals such as those found in Wi-Fi, V2X, spectrum-sharing, and cellular applications. The robust system fits into a car trunk for driving/recording applications, and it syncs with both a GPS and the vendor’s DriveView software for synchronized location and video capture that is time-aligned with your data. The platform is preloaded with RF Studio record/playback software for capturing real-world RF spectrum, including GNSS, radio, video, and location data. A state-of-the-art workflow tool, the RP-6500 Series lets the user quickly set up recordings, add contextual data, visualize weak signals, and analyze collected RF environments to validate and fine-tune your designs and products. Averna

PXI optical-test modules

This new portfolio of PXI optical-test modules includes optical switches, optical-electrical converters, and variable optical attenuators. Engineers can combine the new PXI optical-test capability with a range of NI PXI instruments to drive mixed-signal test in various optical-test applications from design through production. The new optical modules integrate seamlessly with NI’s electrical signal generation and analysis modules and can be automated using similar programming APIs. As a result, engineers can simplify the design of optical test systems from wafer level up to pluggable modules and systems. Engineers can use optical PXI test modules either in standalone PXI systems in the design or characterization lab, or as part of a fully integrated Semiconductor Test System (STS) solution. Coherent Solutions

RF coaxial probes and probe positioner

Four coaxial RF probes and an RF PCB probe positioner are suitable for chip evaluation, signal-integrity measurement, substrate characterization, coplanar waveguide, gigabit SerDes, and test-fixture applications. The RF coaxial probes provide return loss better than 10 dB and a maximum operating frequency of 20 GHz. The probes have a 3.5-mm female interface and a pitch of 800 or 1,500 microns, and they can be cable-mounted. They feature gold-plated contacts and can be used by hand, with or without a probe positioner. Compliant coaxial signal-ground-signal (GSG) or ground-signal (GS) pogo pins allow for a range of probing angles. The new RF PCB probe positioner can hold coaxial probes, has articulated joints, and delivers multi-axis positioner control. This positioner also boasts a magnetic mounting plate with on-off positioner switch. These new products are suitable for use in microwave components, high-speed communications, and networking. Fairview Microwave Inc.

IoT starter kit

The LTE-M iteration of the vendor’s IoT starter kit, developed in collaboration with AT&T, brings together the elements required to develop and prototype secure, cost-effective, and reliable IoT devices that connect to AT&T’s 4G LTE-M network. The new two-board LTE-M solution comprises the STMicroelectronics STM32L475 IoT Discovery board and a cellular connectivity daughter card, which features a Wistron NeWeb Corp. M14A2A modem module configured for LTE-M operation. The card also includes an onboard temperature and humidity sensor, multiple interfaces with the host microcontroller, an SMA-connected external antenna, and a USB-connected AC/DC 5-V power supply.

The card stacks onto the IoT Discovery board via Arduino Shield connectors. A 3FF micro SIM connector accommodates the provided AT&T Starter SIM. Designing with cloud-based services is facilitated via AT&T’s M2X Data Services and Flow Designer. In addition, a free 90-day license and reduced-cost, 6-month license are available for Arm Keil MDK software development tools. Avnet

Solid-state plug-in power mini relay

This vendor’s new solid-state plug-in power mini relay (12 V at 100 A) offers a component for controlling and switching electric loads found in applications such as in passenger cars, commercial vehicles, off-roaders, or industrial equipment. The compact high-power solid-state plug-in relay features low control power and short response times and is silent and nonwearing in operation. A further advantage it offers over electromechanical relays is its long service life of several million switching cycles. Robust in construction, the plug-in relay meets the high electrical and mechanical demands of the automotive industry. With a nominal contact resistance of 290 µΩ, the relay features high current-carrying capacity with little heat buildup. The high-power plug-in power mini relay can replace cost-intensive screw-contact solutions in many applications. Its fields of application include on-board subsystems, electrically heated catalytic converters, fan motors, and vacuum pumps. The relay in power-mini format can be pulse-width modulated to reduce the load current or smoothly ramp high currents on and off. Flexible application is enabled by the possibility to switch loads in high-side or low-side mode. Eberspaecher Controls

Tantalum capacitors for noncritical medical devices

The new T4Z Medical Series HRC4000 medical-grade tantalum capacitors are designed to replace commercial capacitors in the filtering, hold-up, and charging circuits of noncritical medical devices that require high-reliability and strict change control. Appropriate devices include implantable non-life-sustaining devices such as heart monitors, neurostimulators, insulin pumps, and temporary cardiac monitors; external, life-sustaining devices such as automated external defibrillators and external heart pump controllers; and external non-life-sustaining devices including patient-monitoring and diagnostic equipment. The solid tantalum capacitors are based on a MIL-PRF-55365 product. The manufacturer says the capacitors offer low DC leakage values: 0.01 CV standard, with custom potential down to 0.005 CV—enabling longer lifetime performance and improved reliability compared with commercial tantalum capacitors. They are currently available in eight compact, lightweight case sizes ranging from 2.54 mm x 1.27 mm x 1.27 mm (L x W x H), ±0.38 mm, to 7.24 mm x 3.81 mm x 2.79 mm, ±0.38 mm. They feature solder-plated, solder-fused, gold-plated, or 100% tin terminations. They offer capacitance values extending from 0.1 μF to 330 μF, eight standard voltage ratings spanning 4 to 50 V, and rated operating temperatures extending from -55°C to +125°C. Custom DCL and ESR values are available upon request. The T4Z Medical Series utilizes the design for molded tantalum capacitors intended for use in high-reliability medical devices, which is conservative, robust, and strictly change-controlled to ensure continuity. They are manufactured using Weibull reliability grading, which subjects each batch to accelerated burn-in to provide a calculated failure rate; military-style screening and conformance testing, which ensures consistent, high-reliability part performance; and process control, which ensures a stable, normalized leakage distribution. In addition, each lot is subjected to sample function testing, which simulates the manufacturing environment to further ensure part performance. AVX

USB Type-C connectors

Designed for electronic devices susceptible to high-vibration and drop impacts, the top-mount CX90B1 Series USB connector offers enhanced mounting strength to the PCB for increased durability. With a depth of 8.15 mm, the miniature design creates additional PCB space for optimized antenna design and larger battery capacity. By comparison, conventional Type-C connectors are significantly longer, up to 9.4 mm, which consumes valuable PCB real estate, the company said. Supporting high-speed applications, the dual-row CX90B1 Series USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C compliant interface connector delivers up to 10 Gb/s. The SMT connector features a symmetrical mating design that allows for reversible plug insertion. To improve mounting accuracy, the CX90B1 Series has built-in guide posts that ensure precise connector positioning and orientation on the PCB. Accompanying the CX90B1 Series USB connector, the CX60 Series Type-C plug features a slim design and compact size with a length of 11.10 mm. The plug is designed to prevent short-circuit risk, as the housing separates the contact and the shell. A superior latch design produces a clear tactile click and high retention force ensuring reliability and ruggedness. The top-mount, dual row, 24-position CX90B1 Series USB 3.1 is rated at 5 A. Hirose

Remote spectral detector

The new CSS-45 packs the full power and capability of a spectroradiometer into a self-contained compact metal housing 1.75 inches in diameter by 2 inches high, according to the vendor. It covers a spectral range between 360 nm and 830 nm (extended visible spectral range according to CIE S023). An optical bandwidth correction function based on CIE 214 further improves the quality of the measured values. Manual and auto-gain settings enable a measurement range from 1 lx to 350,000 lx for illuminance and color measurements. Automatic dark-current suppression is accomplished by means of a built-in electronic shutter. Accurate illuminance measurements require a precise, cosine-corrected entrance optic. The spectral detector head attaches to a PC via a one-meter-long USB cable. The USB interface handles the power requirements. Supplied software controls all measurement, data readout, and collection. An SDK is available for self-programmers. The CSS-45 RS-485 interface permits fast communications with the device at longer distances for remote applications. Every CSS-45 comes calibrated and certified by the vendor’s calibration laboratory. Special applications include horticultural lighting, human-centric lighting, and phototherapy. Gigahertz-Optik GmbH

Frequency extender for 18 to 54 GHz

FET1854 extenders with frequency range from 18 to 54 GHz are an addition to the existing CobaltFx mmWave frequency extension system already used by many telecommunications and consumer electronics companies. With the new extenders, the CobaltFx system will allow engineers to build a scalable and affordable 5G testing solution. Anchored by a 2- or 4-port 9- or 20-GHz USB vector network analyzer, CobaltFx includes extenders in multiple frequency bands: 18 to 54 GHz, 50 to 75 GHz, 60 to 90 GHz, and 75 to 110 GHz. Frequency extension is a standard software feature. The VNAs include an RF measurement module and a software application that runs on a Windows PC, laptop, or tablet, connecting to the measurement hardware via USB interface. The user can take advantage of the latest OS, processing power, larger display, and reliable performance of an external PC, as well as lower total cost of ownership and simplified maintenance of the analyzer. The result is a faster, more effective test process that fits into the modern workspace in lab, production, field, and secure testing environments. Copper Mountain Technologies

Signal Splitter/Duplicators

The SP330 Series isolated signal splitter/duplicators are designed to accommodate a variety of applications. Similar to the recently introduced SP230 loop-powered 2-wire series, these 4-wire DC-powered models are also software-configurable for precise conditioning of current, voltage, or temperature input signals. The SP330 splitters provide two isolated outputs, proportional to a single input, with a choice of process-control signal formats (0 to 20 mA, 4 to 20 mA, 0 to 5 V, 0 to 10V, ±5 V, or ±10 V). A standard USB port connects the splitter to a PC or Android device with the vendor’s free software for easy selection and scaling of I/O ranges. Power sources from 6 to 32 V DC are supported and can connect at the terminals, to a power bus along the DIN rail, or at both locations for redundancy. The rugged design features removable terminal blocks to simplify wiring and a metal spring-loaded DIN rail clip for easy insertion or removal in panels. To ensure reliable performance, units are immune to electrical noise, protected from surges, and operate from -40 to 75°C. Each model accommodates a variety of signal types. The current units are widely adjustable to support ±20-mA or 0- to 20-mA DC inputs and 0- to 20-A AC signals with a toroid sensor. Voltage models convert unipolar or bipolar signals from ±1 V to ±150 V DC with multiple selectable ranges. Thermocouple units accept eight different sensor types (J, K, T, R, S, E, B, N), as well as ±100-mV inputs. All models support a choice of six output ranges including 0 or 4- to 20-mA current and unipolar or bipolar voltage ranges for 5-V and 10-V control signals. Hazardous location approvals are pending for UL Class 1 Div 2, ATEX Zone 2, and IECex standards. Prices start at $270. Acromag Inc.

Ultra compact objective assemblies

TECHSPEC Ultra Compact Objective Assemblies are this vendor’s smallest objectives and offer a short and compact form factor. The microscope objectives can be customized for different magnifications by adding various extension tubes. Numerical aperture (NA) and working distance may also be adjusted by changing the base optics in the objective. TECHSPEC Ultra Compact Objective Assemblies provide near diffraction limited resolution in a small, lightweight package. Although the objectives are designed to be finite-conjugate, they exhibit similar imaging performance to infinity-corrected objectives. They do not require a secondary tube lens to generate an image on the sensor. The objective assemblies are designed at 2x magnification and are configurable to achieve 4x, 5x, 10x, 15x, and 20x magnifications by adding longer extension tubes. The shortest objective length is 10.8 mm for 2x magnification, and the longest objective length is approximately 180 mm for 20x magnification. The assemblies are available in four models with 2x magnification, with focal lengths of 8 mm or 10 mm. The base optics use two different numerical apertures with working distances of 11.4 mm and 9.9 mm. Five different C-Mount extension tubes are offered for the 8-mm and 10-mm lenses, for a total of ten models, with magnifications of 2x, 4x, 5x, 10x, 15x, and 20x. Edmund Optics

Sponsored Recommendations

Comments

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Electronic Design, create an account today!