8A Brushed DC Motor Driver with Adjustable Constant Current, Direction Control, Brake Control, Speed Control

This is a very powerful brushed DC motor drive system in a small package with a few key features like adjustable constant current control, direction control, brake controls, Alert output, PWM for speed control etc. The project was built using a TB67H303HG chip which is a full-bridge driver IC for DC motor adopting MOS at output transistors. High-power and high-efficient drive are possible by adopting DMOS output driver with low-ON resistance and PWM drive. Refer to the datasheet of TB67H303HG for more information.

8A Brushed DC Motor Driver with Adjustable Constant Current, Direction Control, Brake Control, Speed Control – [Link]

B&K Precision adds to its 2560B series of oscilloscopes

B&K Precision, a designer and manufacturer of test and measurement instruments has announced the 2560B series of performance oscilloscopes.

This series improves on the previous 2560 series and introduces new features not typically found in other oscilloscopes in this class, the company claims. Most noticeably, the increased maximum bandwidth to 350MHz and the large 10.1-inch touchscreen display with intuitive touchscreen gestures.

Features of the improved 2560B series include a power analysis tool that can evaluate 11 different switching power supply parameters such as power quality, inrush current and output ripple. In addition, these oscilloscopes can produce bode plots for evaluating the gain and phase of a system.

Start testing and debugging with the built-in 50 MHz arbitrary waveform generator and serial decoding for I2C, SPI, UART, CAN and LIN protocols enabled right out of the box.

The MSO models include a 16-channel digital logic probe for mixed-signal acquisition. The 2560B series provides a convenient built-in web server that can be accessed through any web browser on the same network.

The server allows users to control all the instrument’s functions, install firmware updates and save waveform data, setups and screenshots. DSO models can be upgraded to an MSO any time after purchase.

For more specific applications, additional options are available for serial triggering and decoding FlexRay, I2S, CAN FD, MIL-STD-1553B, SENT and Manchester protocols.

more information: https://www.digikey.gr/catalog/en/partgroup/2560-series/75472

Diodes Incorporated AP3304 Multi-Mode PWM Controller

Diodes Incorporated AP3304 Multi-Mode PWM Controller is optimized for high-performance, low standby power, and cost-effective offline flyback converters. This PWM controller features peak-current control, multi-mode control with CCM+QR, a low start-up current of 1μA, and a soft start during the start-up process. The AP3304 PWM controller at light load operates in burst mode with a 23kHz switching frequency to minimize standby power consumption and avoid audible noise. When the load increases, the AP3304 PWM controller will enter QR mode with frequency fold-back to improve system efficiency and EMI performance. The AP3304 multi-mode PWM controller offers a built-in frequency dithering function to reduce EMI emission. Typical applications include switching AC-DC adapter charger, ATX/BTX auxiliary power, Set-Top Box (STB) power supply, and open frame switching power supply.

Features

  • Very low start-up current
  • Multi-mode control with CCM+QR
  • Soft start during the start-up process
  • Frequency fold back for high average efficiency
  • Constant Over Current Protection (OCP)
  • Secondary winding short protection with FOCP
  • Built-in frequency dithering function to reduce EMI emission
  • Useful pin fault protection:
    • SENSE pin floating
    • FB/Opto-coupler open/short
  • Comprehensive system protection feature:
    • VCC Over Voltage Protection (VOVP)
    • Over Load Protection (OLP)
  • Brown Out Protection (BNO)
  • Secondary Side OVP (SOVP) and UVP (SUVP)
  • Mini size package of SOT26 (Type A1)
  • Lead-free and fully RoHS compliant
  • Halogen and antimony free – “Green” device

Application Circuit

more information: https://www.diodes.com/assets/Datasheets/AP3304.pdf

Vishay launches modular panel potentiometer to provide industry-high rotational torque of 8 Ncm

Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. today announced a new modular panel potentiometer that delivers industry-high rotational torque of 8 Ncm — 200 % higher than the closest competing device — for off-road, aeronautics, and industrial applications. Featuring up to seven modules, the Vishay Sfernice P11H is offered in a compact 12.5 mm size with a 6.35 mm shaft diameter.

The high rotational torque of the device released today allows for stability under harsh environmental conditions like temperature changes and high humidity, while permitting the potentiometer to maintain its setting / shaft positioning when exposed to high vibration and shock. The device provides smooth rotational torque over its entire 50,000 cycle lifespan, with a variation of < 20 %.

The P11H will serve as a voltage divider or rheostat for light, radio volume, and air conditioning control in tractors and construction equipment, in addition to industrial tool setting and electric welding, motor speed, and low power control. The device’s cermet element provides better stability than carbon elements for these applications, while its 1,500 VRMS dielectric strength offers greater reliability and robustness.

Operating over a temperature range of -55 °C to +125 °C, the P11H provides standard resistance values of 1 kΩ, 4.7 kΩ, 10 kΩ, 47 kW, and 100 kΩ, with a contact resistance variation of 2 % or 3 Ω, and low TCR of  ± 150 ppm/°C. RoHS-compliant and tested in accordance with CECC 41000 or IEC 60393-1, the potentiometer is available with custom shafts, leads, connectors, and other value-added options.

Samples and production quantities of the P11H are available now, with lead times of 16 weeks. For more information, please visit https://www.vishay.com/product?docid=51087.

Exxelia revolutionary MML ultra-high energy density Film Capacitors save both space and weight

Exxelia, a leading manufacturer of ruggedized passive components and sub-systems dedicated to demanding markets, today introduced Miniature Micro-Layer™ (MML™) capacitors, a breakthrough technology that allows tremendous size and weight reduction thanks to an unrivaled energy density.

MML™ is a revolutionary new technology that provides the highest capacitance per volume in film capacitors available on the market.

Why is it a game changer? Because an unparalleled energy density of 400 J/dm3 allows for a tremendous reduction in size and weight compared to traditional Polypropylene or Polyester dielectrics, together with an increased operating temperature up to 140°C and transient voltage protection.

Besides, MML™ capacitors offer a large flexibility in design, easily allowing low profile configurations.

Features & Benefits

  • Miniaturization of the function : Up to 50% size reduction vs other film technologies ; matching footprint with stacked MLCC
  • Lightweight : 50% lighter vs other film technologies ; 80 to 90% lighter than ceramic
  • No capacitance derating in voltage, stable in temperature (<5% drift through the temperature range)
  • Capacitance from 1μF to 1000μF
  • Voltages from 50V to 1000V
  • Operating Temperature -55°C to +140°C
  • Highly customizable

Several studies have been conducted on actual cases of controls and DC-Links functions for aircraft applications. All have shown about 50% reduction in size and weight compared to other film technologies.

The comparative picture with MLCC is even more flattering, as it demonstrates between 70% to 90% reduction in weight, while showing no capacitance derating with voltage applied and a low drift < 5% through the temperature range. Applications using clusters of stacked MLCCs can now be replaced by a single MML™ unit of similar size, with all of the increased reliability that film dielectric offers.

With such outstanding properties, Exxelia new MML™ capacitors are perfectly suitable for power supplies, DC-links, AC/DC/AC power converters, charge/discharge or power generation functions of commercial/military aircraft, satellite platforms and payloads, launchers, defibrillators, downhole tools and any applications of confined electronics.
Samples are readily available on request.

Disinfecting with ultraviolet light

Würth Elektronik offers UV LEDs with emission wavelength of 275nm. This wavelength kills germs, by destroying the RNA structure of Viruses and Bacteria. Therefore, those type of LEDs are suitable for disinfection in areas where chemical components are not suitable to use. This can be devices for germicide cleaning of different surfaces, or also for air and water disinfection. Because of its compact size, lower driving voltage, short switching time and robustness, they are the preferred choice to the standard UV-C tubes. Würth Elektronik eiSos offers with the UV-C-LEDs one more technical solution for the growing needs of disinfection systems.

“Our LEDs are built to maximize the efficiency output. We can achieve this by better light extraction, due to highly transparent quartz glass. In addition, low thermal resistance ceramic substrate to reduce heating effects in the chip and increase lifetime. Finally, we use gold plating, for better soldering and contact surfaces” says Zhelio Andreev, Product Developer at Würth Elektronik eiSos. “The application areas have bright portfolio, from the medical hygiene, and water and air purification, up to food and surface sterilization. We are looking forward to help our customers in their projects, and offer our technical service and support.”

In addition to innovative disinfection solutions, maintaining a clean and healthy living environment remains paramount. Home cleaning services play a crucial role in ensuring that spaces are not only aesthetically pleasing but also free from harmful pathogens.

Recognizing that every home and business is unique, providers of home cleaning perth services tailor their offerings to meet the specific needs and preferences of each client. This personalized approach guarantees that every corner of your home is addressed with meticulous attention, promoting a safer and more comfortable living space.

Furthermore, these services integrate advanced cleaning technologies and eco-friendly practices to deliver exceptional results. Just as Würth Elektronik’s UV LEDs bring efficiency and precision to disinfection processes, professional home cleaning services employ state-of-the-art equipment and techniques to achieve unparalleled cleanliness.

Whether it’s routine maintenance or deep cleaning, the commitment to quality and customer satisfaction ensures that your home remains a sanctuary of hygiene and order. This dedication to tailored, high-standard cleaning underscores the importance of a clean environment in enhancing overall well-being and peace of mind.

As a benefit for the developer, Würth Elektronik eiSos offers the Ray files for all UV-C products. With their help, optical simulations can be done easier, and shorten the development time for the application.

Further information is available in the Application Note ANO008. It describes the basics of UV-C disinfection and the application of UV-C LEDs. In addition, it gives useful tips for working with UV-C light.

Bidirectional Speed Control for DC Motors

This is a very simple bidirectional speed control of a small DC brushed motor. The project is built using power OPAMP TCA0372 which can drive a load up to 1A. Connecting a small DC motor and trimmer pot will control the motor forward/reverse operation along with speed control. A Trimmer potentiometer is provided to set the speed and direction of the motor. The motor is stopped when the potentiometer is in the center, turn the pot clockwise to run the motor in the forwarding direction, turning the pot counterclockwise will run the motor in the reverse direction. Operating power supply 12V DC.

Bidirectional Speed Control for DC Motors – [Link]

$15 Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W is 5x faster than the original Pi Zero

Raspberry Pi founder Eben Upton has announced a $15 Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W board sequel to the $5 Pi Zero board introduced way back in 2015.

Unlike the Raspberry Pi Zero, the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W comes with a much faster Raspberry Pi RP3A0 system-in-package designed with a 64-bit quad-core Cortex A53-based Broadcom BCM2710A1 processor clocked at 1GHz, overclockable to 1.2 GHz, and with 512MB SDRAM (meaning it is even five times as fast as the original Raspberry Pi Zero with one-core and 32-bits). I think this is the biggest improvement made in the board, though there are other enhancements like better wireless RF compliance and upgraded CSI-2 camera connection. The Pi Zero 2 W however, has the same board size, port layout, and mounting points as the Pi Zero, meaning it should still fit all existing cases and accessories made for the Pi zero.

The diminutive Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W also features 2.4 GHz 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2 LE with PCB antenna, 2x micro USB connections for power and OTG data, 1x mini HDMI port with support for up to 1080 resolution at 30 frames/second, 1x micro SD card slot, and a HAT-compatible 40-pin connector.

Does the board require additional cooling?

Despite the fact that the board has a really small size (65mm x 30mm) and can be overclocked to 1.2 GHz, the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W does not have a problem staying cool. The board performs well without a heatsink except if you are using it possibly for full loads for an extended time, or a higher room temperature of about 35°C and above.

Application and Uses Cases

The Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W will be suitable for different use cases because of the available connectors, smaller memory capacity, and power. It will be of great value if you’re working on some specific tasks or even headless projects, but not as a desktop machine. These include a number of smart home applications and IoT projects such as security cameras and Bluetooth speakers.

Production and Availability

The company hopes to get out about 200,000 boards before the end of the year and an additional 250,000 by June next year. I’m sure the board will be a hit with the maker crowd because of the dramatically boosted power and the more flexible wireless options. The board is already available and sold for $15 on retailers like Adafruit and MicroCenter, but you might have to wait a little more for shipping to start.

Other useful details on the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W may be found on the product page.

Compact Raspberry Pi 3 Mini Features High Computing Capabilities

Raspberry Pi 3 Mini

Raspberry Pi SBCs are among the most popular development boards on the market today. Raspberry Pi is available in a variety of flavors, including the Raspberry Pi 2, 3, and 4, as well as the Raspberry Pi Zero boards. Initially, the Raspberry Pi 3 Board was housed in the TPCast-VR, a wireless Adapter for HTC Vive and Oculus Rift VR headsets. However, it paved its way into other applications, like FPV drones.

The new “Raspberry Pi 3 Mini” is not officially a Raspberry Pi board. Instead, it’s a customized Raspberry Pi variant with a small footprint akin to the Raspberry Pi Zero and computing capabilities comparable to the Raspberry Pi 3B. For video streaming applications, the Raspberry Pi 3 Mini seems to be the perfect option.

Raspberry Pi 3 Mini Back

The TPCast board is only 2×2 inches (5 x 5cm) in size and does not have the architecture of a standard Raspberry Pi board. The BCM2837 is the Broadcom chip used in the Raspberry Pi 3, and later models of the Raspberry Pi 2. The chip features a quad-core Arm Cortex-A53 processor, which operates at speeds up to 1.2GHz with Videocore IV GPU. Hence, this makes the device about 50% faster than the Raspberry Pi 2.

The board comes with a microSD card slot for memory storage and 1GB RAM of system memory. Moreover, a smaller 28-pin variant replaces the standard 40-pin GPIO header. This is a little bigger than the 26-pin version that came with the first Raspberry Pi.

Pinout Diagram of Raspberry Pi 3 Mini

Pinout of Raspberry Pi 3 Mini

Tom’s Hardware post has brought to our attention that, for power, there is no micro USB port; instead, the GPIO provides 5V and GND. As a result, the VR headset to which it is connected must include voltage regulation. There are no USB ports, HDMI connectors, or wireless interfaces, however, there is a four-pin AV port for composite video and stereo audio. Additionally, the hardware also comes with a CSI connector for Raspberry Pi cameras, and two USB 2.0 interfaces through a J12 header. Users have been utilizing this board with OpenHD open-source platform as a more powerful alternative to Raspberry Pi Zero since the FPV community discovered it.

As first spotted by CNX Software, the Raspberry Pi 3 Mini is available on FatBoyFPV at $24.99. For more information visit the product page. Images and technical specifications have also been taken from the product page.

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