Marsh Electronics, Inc.

Networks packaged in one of the industry’s smallest PCB footprints per lead count…

LAS VEGAS, NV (May 12, 2009) - Providing design engineers with a significant amount of PC board space savings, TT electronics BI Technologies has developed a new series of thin film resistor networks. Designated the SFN Series, the networks are housed in surface mount SON (Small Outline, No Lead) packages, and are available in custom, isolated, bussed and voltage divider circuit configurations.

 ”These SFN Series networks feature one of the smallest PC board footprints per lead count in the industry. Compared to traditional 3-lead SOT23 and 8-lead SOIC packages, the networks offer a 40% and 46% size reduction, respectively,” said Mike Torres, BI Technologies’ fixed film product manager. “With the small package size and variety of configurations, the networks are ideal for a myriad of applications, including electronic measurement equipment, semiconductor processing equipment, ultrasound equipment, and flight control systems.”

The thin film resistor networks are also specified for precision analog circuits such as instrumentation amplifiers, precision voltage dividers, measurement bridges, low noise circuitry, ladder networks and converter applications.

The SFN Series SON package style is offered in a 6-pad, 2mm square outline with a pad pitch of 0.65mm, as well as an 8-pad, 4mm square outline with a pad pitch of 0.8mm. Custom circuits are available in either package style, while voltage divider circuits are offered in the 6-pad SON package. Isolated and bussed circuit configurations are offered in the 8-pad SON package.

Standard SFN Series networks are available with two, four or 7 resistors. Nominal resistance ranges from 10ohm to 100Kohm, with absolute tolerance to +/-0.25% and ratio tolerance to +/-0.05%. TCRs are to +/-25ppm/°C and TCR tracking is to +/-5ppm/°C. BI Technologies will also produce devices outside these specifications to meet specific customer requirements.

High-current, low-loss power inductor operates at frequencies to 1MHz…

LAS VEGAS, NV (May 12, 2009) — Providing design engineers with a robust, cost-effective through-hole device that requires minimal board space, TT electronics BI Technologies has extended its family of high-current, low-loss power inductors.  The new HM58 Series inductor features a heavy-gauge coil wire and exhibits a saturation current rating up to 60A at frequencies to 1MHz, making it ideal for motherboard and computer power applications.

 ”We’ve seen an increased demand for an inductor that delivers high-performance operating specifications but requires minimal PC board space,” said Donna Schaefer, application engineering manager for BI Technologies.  “With its through-hole configuration and three open sides, the inductor requires a footprint of only 11mm x 11.5mm. As such, we are seeing the inductor used in a number of voltage regulator applications where board space is constrained.

 The RoHS-compliant HM58 Series high current cube inductor features inductance values from 0.36mH to 1.30mH, depending on device. DCR ratings are from 0.65mohm to 1.05mohm, with tolerances to +/-5%.  Operating temperature range is from -40°C to +125°C. The inductor is available in standard tray packaging. BI Technologies will also produce devices outside these specifications to meet customer requirements.

Are you tired of having to consult multiple sources when checking the efficiency compliance of your EPS designs? If so, check out PI’s new External Power Supply Efficiency Compliance Calculator. Simply enter your data into the calculator and see if it complies with current world-wide energy efficiency regulations.

Arcolectric’s 8200 & 8300 Miniature Push Button switch ranges now
have higher current ratings. Both ranges have been re-assessed for
ENEC approval to 12(12)A 250Vac at 105°C for 10,000 operations.
The extensive 8300 range is available with either illuminated or nonilluminated
buttons, in single or double pole with momentary or latching
switch action. There are options for various switching functions, terminal
styles - including push on, solder and PCB terminals, along with options
for actuators, body finish, colors and legend printing.
The 8200 range is sub panel mount with a choice of actuator types and
terminal styles and orientation, these include push-on, solder and PCB
terminals.
Both ranges have UL & CSA approval, as well as ENEC approval to the
new higher current rating.
This higher inductive rating further extends the applications for these two
families of switches into motor switching applications where the initial
switching current can be far higher than a resistive load.

Pulse power requirements usually stem from power electronics turning on or off, or from electric motor start / stop.  The pulses are generally much longer in duration than the usual high voltage pulses and as a result, a robust resistive element technology, little or no calibration trimming, and larger resistive element mass are desirable. 

For axial leaded resistors the best choices would be the RC series of Carbon Composition resistors, the RSF/RSMF series of metal oxide resistors, and the RSPF / RSPL series of flameproof power resistors.  Carbon Comps are well known for their outstanding pulse handling capability and extremely low inductance.  The disadvantage of comps is their limited resistance tolerance, poor environmental performance and cost.  Metal Oxides provide the lowest cost solution and are the most readily available.  The RSPF / RSPL series has a more robust resistive element designed for higher power surges than metal oxides.  The RSPF/RSPL series is flameproof, while metal oxides are only flame retardant.

 Wirewound resistors such as Stackpole’s WW and CB series provide an even greater level of pulse power performance.  Because the mass of the wire used for these is significantly more than either of the film elements above, wirewounds will typically provide 5X to 10X the pulse handling of the equivalent size film resistor.  In addition, wirewounds have a great deal of flexibility in their design and construction, allowing Stackpole to create a specific resistor with the exact characteristics desired for a particular customer or application.  From a pricing standpoint, the wirewound resistor will be a bit more expensive than the equivalent film resistor, so there is a price to be paid for the superior electrical performance.  The inherent inductance of a wirewound, even those that are non-inductively wound, mean that wirewounds are not a good choice for high speed switching power supplies.

 For SMD resistors the RPC is the surge withstanding thick film chip series designed for high pulse power applications.  The use of the entire width of the ceramic for the resistive element coupled with no laser calibration allows the RPC to offer pulse handling that is from 2X to more than 10X higher than a standard thick film chip.  Coupled with the relatively low price of the RPC compared to other surge resistor solutions make it the most popular choice for many types of applications where the device will only see a pulse infrequently or at low duty cycle.  The smaller mass of the RPC resistive element prevents its use for extremely high pulse power handling or for applications with high pulse repetition rates.  For those applications the SM series of surface mount wirewound resistors is ideal.  Like the wirewounds discussed previously, the SM product has enough elemental mass to take significantly higher pulsed power and provides the ability to run at higher temperatures.  When talking about pulse applications with high repetition rates / duty cycles, this higher temperature capability is critical in maintaining the integrity of the resistor and minimizing the resistance shift due to overload.  The SM series also offers the same design and construction flexibility to enable Stackpole to design custom solutions to fit a particular application or customer requirement.  In many cases, a custom wirewound can replace solutions using several other resistor types to reduce board space usage and cost

High Voltage Pulses

High voltage pulses are typically very short in duration.  Many times the need for a high pulse voltage resistor is driven by an industry standard requirement for ESD, power line cross, or lightning withstanding.  For these requirements, the resistive element needs to be as long as possible.  Lengthening the resistive element lowers the effective voltage stress per unit length.  This concept is the basis for Stackpole’s film-type high voltage pulse solutions.

 For axial leaded resistors, the ASR / SPR series is a power film type resistor designed specifically for high voltage pulse applications.  For high voltage pulses and even repetitive pulse conditions, the ASR / SPR will outperform most other technologies.  The SPR provides a UL qualified product with values from 1 Mohm to 12 Mohm.  For even higher repetitive rate pulses, a product with a higher working voltage such as the MG series is required.  The MG series is a metal glaze resistive element with the capability to handle up to 4KV continuously.

For surface mount solutions, Stackpole offers two different products.  The RVC series is a lower cost solution for medium voltage applications while the HVC series offers the highest working voltage capability per chip size in the industry.  The RVC a screen printed serpentine resistor element that offers voltage ratings of 2 to 3 times better than the equivalent standard thick film chips.  The HVC uses a proprietary deposition method for the resistive element, which allows for finer lines, more uniform resistive traces, and the highest voltage ratings with the highest resistance values.  The HVC is capable of tolerances down to 0.5% and 25 ppm, which is the type of precision rarely seen using thick film technology.  The price for the HVC is significantly higher than the RVC.

Marsh Electronics will once again be exhibiting at the Wire Processing Expo May 20th and 21st.  The show will be held at the Midwest Center in downtown Milwaukee.  Stop by and visit Marsh in booth number 1603. 

The National Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo features new products and services for electronic cable assemblies, cord sets, wiring harnesses and other products within the wire processing industry.

You will be given the opportunity to meet over 100 world-class suppliers and service companies in the wire and cable processingindustry; discover the secrets to solving your wire processing problems.

Littlefuse has been an established circuit protection supplier to the photovoltaic (PV) industry for many years, well before the current “green” movement.  PV designers have confidently used the KLKD 600V DC midget fuse in applications such as combiner boxes and DC-to-AC inverters.  With many designers may not know is the breadth of products that Littlefuse has to offer.  These products are specifically designed to increase safety to personnel and improve energy production uptime for the PV industry.  These products are UL Listed or Recognized.

http://www.littelfuse.com/data/en/Product_Literature/SolarProductLineup.pdf

A new style of pushbutton which emits an eye-catching halo-effect glow is now available from EAO, the experts for Human Machine Interfaces. The Series 84 ‘halo illumination’ pushbuttons offer a fresh design for industrial applications. Their high-visibility glow creates a more effective interface that attracts attention to a primary function – for example, an on/off switch.  These halo type switches are offered in three differing styles – either halo diffused lenses, units with halo illuminated switch bezels, or an animated illuminated bezel version which allows for chasing LED sequences, multi-color illumination, partial bezel illumination, and more.   For all versions, light is emitted around the edges of the lens by a 3mm high-intensity LED.   Halo diffused lenses are supplied with a pad printed silver gray lacquer. This lacquer ultimately provides a barrier to illumination, except for the exposed outer transparent rim of the lens.  On the contrary, with the halo illuminated bezel style, a raised metal lens can prohibit visible illumination, while the translucent outer bezel still provides an attractive glow.  The animated version is somewhat a combination of both as it allows for a metal or plastic lens to be used with the halo style bezel, but with a convenient PCB mountable switch element.   Lenses and LED’s for all versions are available in a variety of colors which include red, yellow, green, white, and blue.   Mixing and matching of lens colors and LED options are encouraged to provide custom appearances.  The durability of the switch series makes these units ideal for a variety of industrial applications - especially those in poorly-lit areas, such as ticket issuing machines or stop-request buttons in public transportation vehicles. Additionally, being oil/watertight and meeting the IP67 standard, this product is equally suitable for many types of equipment that can require frequent wash downs – possibly medical or even marine type applications. EAO’s Series 84 is a modular pushbutton system of lenses, switch/indicator housings and switching elements designed for a standard 22.5mm cut out. A short-travel switching system with two independent contact points ensure pleasing tactile operation and reliable switching - even with extremely light loads. The switch range has a maximum rating of 42VAC/DC, 100mA.

MarVac Products include:

• Wire Processing
 ◦ Cutting/Stripping/Marking of 6AWG-32AWG Wire Including Multi-Conductor
 Crimping – 6AWG-32AWG
 ◦ Flat Cable to 64 conductor
 ◦ Wire Twisting – 14AWG-32AWG
 ◦ Wire types include: Teflon, Silicone, Hypalon, PVC, Automotive/Marine

• Cutting Tubing/Sleeving - PVC – Marsh can cut to length and process.
 ◦ Heat Shrink
 ◦ Fiberglass
 ◦ Teflon
 ◦ Corrugated Loom

• Harness Capabilities
 ◦ Single Lead 
 ◦ Multi-Conductor
 ◦ Light Mechanical Assembly
 ◦ Twisted Pairs
 ◦ Kitting/Bagging
 ◦ Indicator Light Assembly
 ◦ Lighted Switches/Lamps
 ◦ Ribbon Cable
 ◦ Modular – Phone, Cat5, Serial
 ◦ Terminal Blocks
 ◦ Special Packaging

• RoHS Soldering
 ◦ Lead to Component
 ◦ Component
 ◦ Board Soldering (Through-Hole)
 ◦ ESD Safe (which is more of a process or protocol so static electricity isn’t
 transferred)
 ◦ Lead Tinning

MarVac equipment helps customers save the cost of tooling:

• KoMax Gamma 333 – fully automated machine that cuts wire to length, strips and
terminates the ends, monitors quality of the print on both ends and batches as
needed. The Kingsley Hotstamp Wire Marker can be added to the KoMax Gamma
333 to mark wires with identification numbers.
• Amp K Press and corresponding applicators.
• Cirrus tester – Allows continuity testing on wires.
• Panduit Pat/M – Automated Cable Tie Machine
• Schleuniger 9500
• Schleuniger & Tyco Strip/Crimp Presses

Our Valued Added division, known as MarVac, can provide product modification and
assembly services to further reduce your supplier base, simplify your production
requirements, and enable seamless delivery of product on time.
Marsh MarVac offers comprehensive value added services that can give your business a
competitive edge. We specialize in providing solutions based upon the production
requirements of our customers. These solutions will satisfy your needs and add value to
your business. With Marsh MarVac, you don’t have to adapt to a pre-existing format; we
adapt the program to suit you.

MarVac’s focus is on five areas:
• Light cable assembly
• Component preparation/assembly
• Mechanical sub-assembly
• Kitting/Bagging
• Bill of Materials (BOM) kits

MarVac is unique:
• The service fills a niche by addressing the unique needs of customers requiring
component assembly, wire harness or wire preparation, light mechanical
subassembly, or kitting of small to medium volume.
• In keeping with the Marsh reputation, solutions are speedy and tailor-made to
customer requirements.
• Solutions are complete. “MarVac customers receive a product, tested to meet their
needs and ready to install rather than having to do their own assembly and
modification.”
• MarVac reduces an entire Bill of Materials (BOM) to one part number. Customers
save on labor, purchasing costs, and are free to focus on their products.
• With stock-and-release, MarVac helps keep customers’ inventory and soft costs in
check with: increased inventory turns, reduced “inventory warehouse” space
requirements, reduce packaging waste, reduced number of parts to be purchased
and inventoried by customer Marsh will stock customers’ completed products and
provide them “Just in Time” or on an on-demand basis. Marsh is also well-positioned
to handle any spikes in demand.
• Customers have instant access to industry experts. WHMA/IPC A 620 Certification
provides peace-of-mind in that Marsh fully understands and adheres to
industry-consensus standards. Also, MarVac is a UL Recognized Supplier.