Components & Connectors

PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD controllers are low power for edge computing

Mon, Aug 12, 2019

Claimed to offer unparalleled performance-power benefits, the PCIe Gen4 NVMe solid state drive (SSD) controller is designed for edge computing and cloud data centre applications.

The SSD controllers are designed to meet the need for lower power and higher performance in next-generation data centres and edge devices as artificial intelligence (AI) and 5G gain momentum, explains Marvell Semiconductor. The SSD controller is claimed to be the industry’s lowest power PCIe Gen4 NVMe solid state drive (SSD) controller, leveraging the company’s system-on-chip (SoC) design expertise and storage IP distributed data.

Nigel Alvares, vice president of marketing for the flash business unit at Marvell Semiconductor, believes the PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD controllers are “demonstrating Marvell’s leadership in storage, delivering the industry’s first four-channel PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD controllers with the industry’s lowest power consumption that will help revolutionise SSD solutions for the data economy.”

The 88SS1321, 88SS1322 and 88SS1323 are believed to be the industry’s first PCIe Gen4 DRAM and DRAM-less SSD controllers to be fabricated on a 12nm process.  With support covering all existing and emerging m.2 (22110 to 2230), BGA, EDSFF and U.2 SSD form factors, the controller family is suitable for cloud data centre server compute storage, enterprise boot drives, PC client storage and gaming storage as well as emerging industrial and edge device applications.

The PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD controllers will enable next-generation 3D and QLC NAND devices that maximise cost efficiency and reduce total cost of ownership, adds Marvell.  The compact, DRAM-less controller architecture allows for a stand-alone SSD controller and NAND unit to be mounted side-by-side on a single-sided, compact m.2230 form factor SSD. The resulting space saving leaves more room to house battery packs compared with m.2280 SSDs and also provides better performance compared to PCIe Gen 3×4 SSDs and lower power consumption compared to eight NAND channel controller-based SSDs, says Marvell.

Marvell’s revolutionary SSD controllers are available for sampling today.

https://www.marvell.com

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Skyline RFID inlays and tags can be used on metal

Thu, Aug 08, 2019

Rain radio frequency identification (RFID) inlays can be used on metal surfaces for and have a reading range of 6m.

The Skyline Rain RFID inlays and tags have an optimised antenna and spacer-based design. A customised ultra high frequency (UHF) inlay is based on NXP’s UCODE 7xm IC with 448-bit EPC memory and extended user memory of 2kbits. The resulting transponder is then folded and applied around a synthetic spacer developed and provided by identytag of Bad Berleburg, Germany.

The advanced antenna design, the IC’s long read range and reliable operation in dense reader and noisy environments through high interference rejection, as well as  optimised spacer material result in an on-metal read range in a compact tag, with a die-cut size of 54 x 25 x 1.8mm.

The inlay is permanently attached to the spacer and a layer of strong and resilient RA-33 adhesive is applied. According to Smartrac, this provides “excellent adhesion” to a range of surfaces. As a finished tag, Skyline’s surface is printable with thermal transfer printers.

The RFID tag can be used for tracking metallic assets, items and components in industrial environments such as automotive, mechanical engineering and aviation. Smartrac’s Skyline inlays and tags comply with VDA recommendations for the automotive industry and supported by the leading automation companies globally.

Smartrac and identytag completed initial product volumes and will be ramping up production in the second half of the year 2019.

Smartrac provides both ready-made and customised products. It makes products smart and enables businesses to digitise, identify, authenticate, track and complement products. Products are used in a wide array of applications such as animal identification, automation, automotive, brand protection, customer experience, industry, library and media management, logistics, retail and supply chain management.

Based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Smartac has research and development centres, production and a sales network, complemented by the IoT platform, Smart Cosmos. Smartrac embeds intelligence into physical products for an ecosystem of connected things. The company has also received ARC Quality Certification from Auburn University’s RFID Lab for the design and manufacturing of its RFID inlays.

http://www.smartrac-group.com

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ANPC inverter design secures ‘sweet spot’ for PV

Mon, Jul 22, 2019

According to Infineon Technologies, the use of an advanced neutral-point-clamped (ANPC) inverter design supports an even loss distribution between semiconductor devices, compared with traditional three-level neutral-point-clamped topologies. The company has used the ANPC topology for its hybrid SiC and IGBT power module EasyPack 2B in the 1,200V family. It is claimed to optimise ‘sweet spot’ losses of Infineon’s CoolSiC MOSFET and TrenchStop IGBT4 chipsets respectively, with increased power density and a switching frequency of up to 48kHz. The inverters are suitable for the needs of new generation 1,500V photovoltaic and energy storage applications, adds Infineon.

The ANPC topology supports a system efficiency of more than 99 per cent. Implementing the hybrid Easy 2B power module in, for example, the DC/AC stage of a 1,500V solar string inverter allows for coils to be smaller than with devices with a lower switching frequency. This reduces the weight “significantly” compared with a corresponding inverter with purely silicon components, says the company. Additionally, the losses with silicon carbide are smaller than with silicon. For this reason, less heat must be dissipated so that the heat sink can also shrink. This results in smaller inverter housings and costs savings at system level. The design also reduces inverter design complexity, compared to five-level topologies.

The Easy 2B standard package for power modules is characterised by an industry-leading low stray inductance. The integrated body diode of the CoolSiC MOSFET chip ensures low-loss without the need for another SiC diode chip. There is also an NTC temperature sensor for monitoring and PressFit technology to reduce assembly time for mounting the device.

The hybrid EasyPack 2B can be ordered now.

http://www.infineon.com

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Connector eliminates wire harness to make room in automotives

Wed, Jul 10, 2019

Panasonic has created a connector that allows direct connection between an automotive flexible printed circuit (FPC) and the board. It eliminates the need for wire harnesses previously needed for connection, allowing the use of fewer components and fewer assembly person-hours for vehicles, as well as making room in the vehicle.

Production of the board to FPC connector (CF1) begins this month. Recent changes in legislation around automotive LED lighting in Europe and Japan have led to an increase in the use of daylight running lamps (DLRs) and improved designs for vehicle compartment instrument panels, for example, in vehicles. As a result, says Panasonic, demand for automotive FPCs is expected to grow, accompanied by greater use in cable connection applications such as battery management systems (BMS).

Although FPCs and boards are conventionally connected mainly by using relay harnesses or by soldering FPCs and boards, there are drawbacks such as the additional weight and poor assembly workability of wire harnesses.

Panasonic has designed the connector with a proprietary metal terminal connection structure, which allows direct connection between the FPC and the board. It eliminates the need for relay harnesses, allowing the use of fewer components and assembly person-hours.

The connector’s double-clip contact structure achieves excellent resistance to vibration, says Panaconic, making it compatible with automotive applications such as LED lights and BMS. The double-clip contact structure grips the plug, i.e., the metal terminal (FPC side), and the receptacle (board side). The connector can also be used for FPCs for connecting BMS battery packs and boards, as well as for LED lights that require resistance to vibration.

The connector’s inertial lock structure prevents incomplete engagement for high reliability.

The connector is rated for 2.0A per pin and 50V DC. It operates in an ambient temperature range of -40 to +125 degrees C.

Contact resistance is 20 mOhm maximum and insulation resistance is 100 MOhm and above.

https://www.panasonic-electric-works.com

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