APEC Product Roundup: BOM and Space Savers

APEC is a leading conference for power electronics that showcases the latest innovations in power products. The overriding themes at this year’s show are system cost reduction through integration and lower bill of materials (BOM); faster time to market and simplifying design. Power electronics manufacturers also are keenly focused on delivering higher efficiency and cutting power supply size, particularly for space-constrained applications.

Here’s a sampling of the new product launches rolled out at this year’s conference in San Antonio, Texas. Devices range from controllers and power management ICs to DC/DC converters and programmable power supplies. Several passive components also were introduced including NTC thermistors and common mode chokes for power applications.

Cost and Space Savers

ON Semiconductor introduced two new QR PSR PWM controllers for LED lighting with power factor control (PFC) function. The dimmable NCL30386 and the non-dimmable NCL30388 provide two options for designers of LED lighting used in office and industrial building applications. Both devices are high power factor (PF), single stage, constant current (CC) and constant voltage (CV) primary side regulated (PSR) pulse width modulation (PWM) controllers for flyback, buck-boost or sepic power topologies. They operate in quasi-resonant (QR) mode, which delivers efficiency levels that exceed power standards such as the EU’s Ecodesign, ENERGY STAR and the NEMA SSL regulations, according to the company.

Other features include a wide range operation, low standby power and fast startup. Other functionality include an integrated digital PFC algorithm that enables a PF of greater than 0.95 and total harmonic distortion (THD) of less than 10 percent across a universal input voltage range, integrated safety features and the ability to detect short circuits in the output, winding and diode.

Both devices don’t require many external components to complete the design, which reduces time to market, bill of materials (BOM), and space, said the company. The NCL30386 and the NCL30388 will be in full production in the first quarter of 2018.

For internet of things (IoT) applications, Silicon Labs delivers highly integrated, high efficiency power over Ethernet ICs. These can be used in IP cameras, wireless access points, IP phones and smart lighting.

The two new Power over Ethernet (PoE) Powered Device (PD) families – the Si3406x and Si3404 - integrate all of the required high-voltage discrete components on a single PD chip. The PD ICs support IEEE 802.3 at PoE+ power capabilities, power conversion options exceeding 90 percent efficiency, sleep/wake/LED support modes and high EMI immunity. “These capabilities help developers reduce system cost and time to market for high-power, high-efficiency PoE PD applications,” said the company.

The Si3406x ICs integrate all power management and control functions required for a PoE+ PD application, while the “optimized architecture minimizes PCB footprint and external BOM cost by enabling the use of lower cost external components while maintaining high performance,” said Silicon Labs.

Silicon Labs offers PoE PD reference designs to make it easier for developers to deploy power supply subsystems. Samples and production quantities of the Si3406x ICs are available now in low-profile, 5 mm x 5 mm QFN packages, and the Si3404 device is available now in a low-profile, 4 mm x 4 mm QFN package.

Pricing starts at $1.34 for the Si3406x in 10,000-unit quantities and the Si3404 is priced at $1.02 in 10,000-unit quantities. Pricing for evaluation kits start at $79.

Higher Efficiency, Smaller Solutions

Texas Instruments (TI) expanded its gallium nitride (GaN) power portfolio with two new high-speed GaN field-effect transistor (FET) drivers that enable more efficient, higher-performing designs in speed-critical applications such as light detection and ranging (LIDAR) and 5G radio-frequency (RF) envelope tracking. TI claims the LMG1020 and LMG1210 “can deliver switching frequencies of 50 MHz while improving efficiency and enabling five times smaller solution sizes previously not possible with silicon MOSFETs.”

The LMG1020 60-MHz low-side GaN driver, housed in a wafer-level chip-scale (WCSP) package that measures 0.8 mm x 1.2 mm, features a minimum pulse width of 1 ns and enables high-accuracy lasers in industrial LIDAR applications.

The LMG1210 is a 50-MHz half-bridge driver designed for GaN FETs up to 200 V. The adjustable dead time control feature is said to improve efficiency by as much as 5 percent in high-speed DC/DC converters, motor drives, Class-D audio amplifiers as well as other power-conversion applications. In addition, by integrating the dead time control, the device enables a reduced component count and higher efficiency, which can reduce power supply size by as much as 80 percent, according to TI.

TI offers the LMG1020EVM-006 and LMG1210EVM-012 evaluation modules and SPICE models, along with two reference designs - the Nanosecond Laser Driver Reference Design for LIDAR and the Multi-megahertz GaN Power Stage Reference Design for High-Speed DC/DC Converters.

Prototype samples of the LMG1020 and LMG1210 are now available in the TI store and through the company's authorized distribution network. The LMG1020 comes in a WCSP package and is priced at $1.79 in 1,000-unit quantities, while the LMG1210 comes in a quad flat no-lead (QFN) package and is priced at $2.19 in 1,000-unit quantities.

TI also rolled out several power management ICs that help deliver higher efficiency, shrink power supply and charger sizes for personal electronics devices and handheld industrial equipment. TI said the 1-MHz active clamp flyback chipset and “industry-first” 6-A three-level buck battery charger cuts power supply size and charge time in half.

The new chipset combines the UCC28780 active clamp flyback controller and the UCC24612 synchronous rectifier controller, which helps reduce the size of power supplies in AC/DC adapters and USB Power Delivery chargers. The new bq25910 6-A three-level buck battery charger enables up to a 60 percent smaller solution footprint in smartphones, tablets and electronic point-of-sale devices, said the company.

All of these new devices are available. Pricing, package and evaluation module availability is listed below.

	UCC28780	UCC24612	UCC28056	bq25910
Price for 1,000-unit quantities	US$0.60	US$0.40	US$0.37	US$2.10
Package type	Small outline integrated circuit (SOIC) and quad flat no-lead (QFN)	Small outline transistor (SOT)-23	SOT-23	Wafer chip-scale package (WCSP)
Evaluation module (EVM)	UCC28780EVM-002	UCC24612-1EVM	UCC28056EVM-296	bq25910EVM-854

ROHM touts that its new DC/DC converter with integrated MOSFET achieves the industry’s lowest current consumption, making it well suited for battery-driven devices in applications such as IoT, wearables, and portable equipment.

The ultra-low current consumption BD70522GUL converter is designed to deliver 10-year operation on a single coin battery. Nano Energy technology “has allowed ROHM to deliver an unprecedented current consumption of just 180 nA (nano→10-9). This makes it possible to increase battery drive time by 1.4x over conventional products when operating without a load (standby), contributing to longer battery life in electronic devices powered by coin-type batteries (i.e. CR2025),” said the company. The device also delivers power conversion efficiency greater than 90% over a wide range from light to maximum loads (10uA to 500mA).

The BD70522GUL and evaluation board (BD70522GUL-EVK-101) are available for purchase through online distributors. The BD70522GUL is priced at $1.07 each in quantities of 1,000. The evaluation board is priced at $43.75.

Helix Semiconductors, a fabless power semiconductor company, announced mass production of its MxC200, a configurable high-efficiency 15-W DC-DC power IC. Previously known as the HS200, the MxC200 converts voltage input ranges from 12 V to 48 V to selectable lower voltages. Thanks to the company’s MuxCapacitor technology the MxC200 can achieve higher efficiency – greater than 97 percent peak efficiency and greater than 90 percent efficiency at full load. Target applications include a wide variety of products such as wireless access points, security cameras, IoT gateways, and VoIP phones, as well as 24-V to 48-V intermediate bus converter applications, 48-V input telecom and other PoE applications, and products with 24-V inputs, such as HVAC systems and industrial controllers.

Vishay Intertechnology showcased a broad range of semiconductors including power ICs, diodes and MOSFETs. Vishay Siliconix displayed several power ICs, including the new SiC43x family of 8-A, 12-A, and 24-A microBUCK synchronous buck regulators in a thermally enhanced 4 mm x 4 mm MLP44-24L package. Vishay said it delivers a 50 percent improvement in power density over typical buck regulators with output currents over 20 A by co-packaging high performance n-channel trench MOSFETS with a controller that only consumes 50 µA in idle mode. This is said to enable peak efficiencies of up to 97% and light load efficiencies of more than 80%.

Vishay Siliconix also showcased its power MOSFETs, including TrenchFET and E Series families that are available in a variety of advanced packages, touting high efficiency and increased power density.

Also on display were Vishay Semiconductor diodes that feature low forward voltage drop and high current ratings in low profile packages. These include TMBS rectifiers with current ratings of 2 A in the miniature MicroSMP (DO-219AD), and devices with current ratings up to 3 A in the SMF (DO-219AB). For increased power density, FRED Pt ultrafast rectifiers offer forward current to 15 A in the SlimDPAK (TO-252AE). Other products on display include a unidirectional 1500 W TransZorb transient voltage suppressor (TVS) in a SMPC package with a low 1.1-mm profile.

Simplifying Design

STMicroelectronics’ introduced its new ACEPACK (Adaptable Compact Easier PACKage) modules that provide highly integrated power conversion for 3 kW to 30 kW applications including industrial motor drives, air conditioners, solar generators, welders, battery chargers, UPS controllers, and electric vehicles. The company said the new “ACEPACK technology combines high power density with reliability in an economical plastic package.” Features include “optional solder-free press-fit connections, which simplify assembly as an alternative to conventional soldered pins, and metal screw clamps that enable fast and reliable mounting.”

Inside the modules are ST’s third-generation field-stop trench IGBTs. Available in two configurations, designers have a choice of six-pack modules that contain six IGBTs with freewheel diodes as a three-phase inverter, or power integrated modules (PIM) that provide a complete driver power stage. The PIMs are converter-inverter-brake (CIB) devices that integrate a three-phase rectifier, a three-phase inverter, and a braking chopper for handling energy returned from the load. Both types also contain an NTC thermistor for temperature sensing and control.

A variety of PIM/CIB and six-pack devices are available in ACEPACK 1 or larger ACEPACK 2 sizes, featuring either 650-V or 1200-V IGBTs and current ratings from 15 A to 75 A. All modules are specified up to 175°C maximum operating temperature. Call ST for pricing and sample requests.

Renesas Electronics demonstrated several high-performance intelligent power solutions at the conference. These include a USB power delivery (PD), brushless DC (BLDC) motor drive, and digital multiphase power control for applications ranging from battery-powered consumer electronics to power tool equipment and the IoT cloud Infrastructure.

The company showcased a combo USB PD 3.0 controller and USB Type-C bidirectional buck-boost voltage regulator solution that offers built-in authentication, configurable firmware, 5-V to 20-V output, and supports source, sink, and cable. Also on display were integrated motor drive solutions featuring a single RAJ30600 system in a package that combines an RL78 MCU, analog front end, and customized firmware.

Intelligent power control was highlighted by the company’s digital multiphase controllers and smart power stage solutions that are designed to provide ultra-fast transient response and support the current load requirements to power IoT infrastructure systems.

TDK-Lambda showcased a range of power supplies for industrial, medical, test and measurement, broadcast, communication and renewable energy applications. These include the company’s AC-DC power supply, modular power supply and programmable power supply products.

The CUS150M series are medical and ITE-certified 2-inch x 4-inch power supplies that provide optimum performance in ambient temperatures up to 85°C and operating efficiencies up to 91 percent. The CUS30M and CUS60M series is rated at 30-W and 60-W output power and certified to medical and ITE standards for Class I and II operation. Housed in an industry standard 2-inch x 3-inch footprint, target applications include medical, home healthcare, test and measurement, broadcast, industrial controls and household appliances.

Other devices on display include the XMS500 series configurable medical power supply product; the RWS100B and RWS1500B series that targets medical, cosmetic laser treatment and analysis equipment requiring less than 300 µA earth leakage current; the QM5 modular power supplies rated at 700 W to 1200 W and feature BF ready isolation and low acoustic noise, and the Genesys 1U 5kW DC programmable power supply series with advanced features and functions in high power density (up to 5200W) and light weight (< 16.5lbs) with built-in LAN, USB and RS-232/RS-485 interfaces.

Passives for Power

In the passives space, TT Electronics introduced a new series of common mode chokes for electronic power steering noise suppression and Ametherm launched a new family of inrush current limiting NTC thermistors.

With AECQ-200 certification, the TT Electronics HA19 series is comprised of three parts with standard inductance values, ranging from 11 µH to 75 µH, and current handling from 26.5 A to 44 A (and higher over-current withstanding) in a rugged construction. The operating temperature range is -40 to 125°C. The HA19 common mode chokes are lead-free and comply with EU Directive 2011/65/EU (RoHS2) requirements.

Ametherm’s new series of inrush current limiting NTC thermistors are designed to withstand high input energy of 1200 J and steady-state currents from 50.0 A to 80.0 A at 680 V. Offered in DIN-rail-mountable packages for easier installation, the MM35-DIN series devices are optimized for power distribution in high-power industrial and green energy applications including variable-frequency motor drives, transformers, wind turbines, large inverters, and single- and three-phase motors.

Key features include resistance at 25 °C from 0.2 Ω to 1.5 Ω, maximum power of 38.4 W, and thermal time constants of less than 300 s. The devices feature diameters of 68.0 mm with thickness of 8.5 mm and 9.5 mm. “The space- and cost-saving thermistors provide simple one-component alternatives to using power resistors with relays or MOSFETs, greatly simplifying designs,” said the company.

The MM35-DIN series thermistors are available direct or through Digi-Key and Mouser. Samples and production quantities are available now, with factory lead times of six weeks. Pricing starts at $47.90 each for U.S. delivery.

Vishay Intertechnology highlighted several lines of capacitors, resistors and inductors at this year’s show. These include water-cooled induction heating capacitors, aluminum capacitors, VY1*C ceramic safety capacitors, and ENYCAP hybrid energy storage capacitors, metallized polypropylene capacitors, and vPolyTan polymer SMD chip capacitors. Resistors include voltage chips and dividers, SMT chip resistors, thin-film resistors, MELF resistors, wirewound safety fusible resistors, current sense resistors, NTC thermistor dies and PTCEL inrush current limiters.

Featured products includes Vishay Dale's low-profile, high-current inductors, the automotive grade IHLP series devices with operating temperatures up to +180 °C in nine footprint and 18 height options; the IHLE series inductors with integrated e-field shields for EMI reduction, and Vishay Custom Magnetics’ hybrid planar transformers with high power density and a low package height of only 16.5 mm, and miniature planar gate drive transformers for buses up to 1200 V.