Cambridge, UK: The first product to arrive from ARM spin-out Amantys is the Amantys Power Drive, an advanced, high-isolation gate drive for medium- and high-voltage applications. Rated for 1500A, the 3300V IGBT module gate drive controls the rate of voltage and current change (dV/dt and dI/dt).
The drive is configurable to work with various power modules, including those from Dynex, Infineon, Mitsubishi, and Toshiba. Because today’s products are custom-engineered for each application, Amantys realizes that engineering resources often divert from product differentiation to perform repetitive engineering work. According to the company, its Power Drive promises greater design reuse, allowing those skilled resources to be redeployed on higher-level product innovation.
Isolation tested to 14kV dc, the Amantys Power Drive increases startup and recovery speed. It comes in a drop-in compact 190 by 140mm package outline. The drive will find homes in locomotive traction, medium-voltage motor drives, high-voltage dc infrastructure, and wind turbine inverters, amongst other applications.
Amantys’ vision is to integrate a power transistor, gate drive, and MCU to create what it calls an “Intelligent Power Switch,” ultimately improving efficiency and reliability. The technology is based on tight control at the system’s core, plus remote control and monitoring of the system from afar. Increases in system control, combined with the ability to observe and monitor performance via a standard digital interface, make it easier to respond to system and environmental demands. The company says it’s possible to reduce switching losses by up to 50%.
Amantys cites power-transmission systems as an area that could benefit from its intelligent switches. One key challenge facing HVDC is the need for increased reliability and robustness of the power connection due to regional and national grids being connected across geographies and borders.
Lead customers will receive Amantys Power Drive samples this year, with general availability in the first quarter of 2012. Production is slated to begin in the second quarter of next year. The company said it expects to announce further product releases in the first quarter of 2012.
Amantys
www.amantys.com