Electronics Automation

TTI Europe has rewarded the best-in-class performance of five of its franchises at a ceremony to mark its annual European Awards.

TTI Europe has rewarded the best-in-class performance of five of its franchises at a ceremony to mark its annual European Awards for Supplier Excellence 2006. Murata, Kemet, Molex, Panasonic and Bourns were recognised for their outstanding contribution to the way TTI's business is run, which contribute to the high levels of service the distributor offers its customers. With these awards, performance is assessed by closely monitoring a range of criteria throughout the year.

For example, suppliers are scored on their sales results and their record for shipping on time.

However, the assessment also incorporates more subtle metrics.

Suppliers are scored on their ability to provide up-to-date inventory and cost information for use by TTI's business systems.

This was the second consecutive year in which Murata, Kemet, Molex and Bourns picked up the accolade, qualifying them for the additional distinction of a bronze level supplier award.

Silver, gold and platinum levels also exist to reward suppliers that have consistently made the cut over longer periods of time.

For Murata, Gary Atkins commented: 'TTI is currently Murata's fastest growing Distributor and part of this success is product focus, training and offering their customers special design solutions based on their applications'.

'Over the last year TTI have specialised in non commodity product design activity and specific product promotions'.

Graeme Dorkings, European Distribution Manager for Kemet added: 'It is important for Kemet to deliver the highest standards of quality and service'.

'This recognition of our strategy by a market leading distributor such as TTI is truly appreciated'.

Molex, too, was delighted to be nominated.

'Our close working relationship enables us to focus on new product introductions, demand creation and new market penetration', said Greg Faughnan, European Distribution Manager for Molex.

'We will continue to develop our partnership in order to provide innovative and best in class services to our mutual customers'.

Dietmar Schauer, VP Sales Europe at Bourns reckoned that a focus on quality, on time delivery and being competitive has helped Bourns to become an even better performing supplier.

He added: 'The TTI team has been very supportive resulting in an improve performance'.

Concluding for Panasonic Industrial Europe, European Sales Director Uwe Reinecke said: 'We are extremely proud to get this recognition from TTI - in only the first year of our partnership'.

EMC Technology has an entire new line of new surface mount alumina chip terminations made with the telecomms market in mind.

EMC Technology has an entire new line of new surface mount (SMT) alumina chip terminations made with the telecomms market in mind. These terminations can be used in applications from DC to 3 GHz and are ideal for Cellular, GSM, PCS, and UMTS applications. EMC's SMT alumina terminations have been designed using industry-standard footprints with the popular patented asymmetrical wrap.

This wrap uses additional ground plane area for heat transfer to a heatsink through solder vias.

SMT alumina terminations offer an alternative to aluminum nitride and beryllium oxide substrates for reduced power applications up to 25W.

Various SMT case sizes are available from as small as 3.04 x 1.52 to 9.53 x 9.53mm.

Custom designed sizes and tuned performance for narrowband frequencies are available on request.

The CAP-XX range of supercapacitors claims an industry-leading combination of energy storage capacity, current delivery capability and size.

Acte Components has launched its CAP-XX range of Supercapacitors on the UK market. Designed to provide power supply stability in products such as GSM/GPRS modems and other mobile devices, they offer an industry-leading combination of energy storage capacity, current delivery capability and size. CAP-XX supercapacitors have a very low equivalent series resistance (ESR), allowing them to deliver the high current pulses required when, for example: sending wireless telephony or PDA transmissions; or activating an LED-based flash in a camera application.

Their high energy capacity makes them equally applicable in situations which require longer-term battery backup, in case of battery failure or to provide the capability to 'hot-swap' battery packs.

Using a supercapacitor to provide pulse currents in portable applications allows designers to extend battery life, and relaxes design specifications for DC/DC conversion.

It also makes possible the use of cheaper alkaline batteries in many appliances, which would otherwise require lithium ion sources, due to high peak current requirements.

The CAP-XX devices are characterised for use down to -30C, and so are particularly useful in equipment which may encounter low temperatures: batteries typically struggle to deliver sufficient peak current under these conditions, due to elevated ESRs.

Available in capacitance values up to 2.8F, CAP-XX supercapacitors can provide short-circuit currents of up to 30A.

They are supplied in extremely low profile packages, some as little as 0.75mm in thickness.

This allows their use in ultracompact applications such as CompactFlash (CF) and PC cards.

Welwyn Components has developed a leading product for its specialist precision range of resistors with tolerances to 0.01%.

In response to increasing demands from design engineers for more precision and stability, Welwyn Components has developed a leading product for its specialist precision range of resistors with tolerances to 0.01%. Typical applications for the PCF Series include industrial precision test and measurement, military voltage regulation and medical monitoring equipment. These rely on resistors with higher than average precision tolerances and TCRs to maintain precision dividing and voltage regulation.

The PCF series are available in resistance values of 10ohm to 2Mohm in ultraprecision tolerances down to 0.01%.

TCRs are available to 5ppm/C and extended temperature range versions are available to +155C.

The chips provide overload voltage handling to 400V.

John Graham, Marketing and Sales Director for Welwyn Components said: 'Our new leader for this specialist precision range of products means we can offer our customers a superior solution with ultraprecision and environmental performance'.

Cap-XX has received an award from Frost and Sullivan for the research that led to a breakthrough nanotechnology process for producing thin and flat supercapacitors for portable devices.

Cap-XX has received Frost and Sullivan's 2005 Technology Innovation of the Year Award in nanotech-enabled energy devices (supercapacitors) for the company's research that led to a breakthrough nanotechnology process for producing thin and flat, or prismatic, Supercapacitors to meet the pulse-power requirements of portable devices. The award is presented to a company whose research is expected to bring significant contributions to the industry in terms of adoption, change, and competitive posture. The award also recognises the quality and depth of a company's research and development program, as well as its vision and risk-taking.

Supercapacitor technology can help bridge the gap between capacitors and batteries, delivering higher power bursts than batteries and storing more energy than capacitors.

Supercapacitors provide the high power bursts required, without draining the battery, when taking a digital photo or sending wireless cellphone transmissions, for example.

Frost and Sullivan recognises Cap-XX's research in developing supercapacitors compact enough for increasingly smaller consumer electronics.

'Cap-XX has applied nanotechnology solutions and processes in its designs to produce carbon electrodes smaller than a postage stamp, but with a surface area of hundreds of square meters', notes Frost and Sullivan Research Analyst Viswanathan Krishnan.

'The result is high energy and power densities in the smallest packages'.

The company leveraged expertise in carbon chemistry from its strategic partner CSIRO, Australia's largest research organisation, to help achieve this result.

Cylindrical-type supercapacitors have been around a while, but have traditionally been used for low power backup applications.

This type supercapacitor is larger and has very high equivalent series resistance (ESR), so is not suitable for small handheld applications.

The breakthrough Cap-XX has achieved is very high capacitance with very low ESR, providing the industry's highest energy and power densities in a thin, flat, prismatic package.

Cap-XX prismatic supercapacitors feature a small footprint of either 28 x 17 or 39 x 17mm, and a thin profile of 1 to 3mm.

They allow designers to produce thinner, longer-running devices with functions that were previously impossible, such as LED flash camera phones that produce clear pictures even in low light.

'Cap-XX's technology targets high growth applications such as smart phones, camera phones, GPRS/Edge/3G devices, PCMCIA and CompactFlash cards, ruggedised PDAs, digital still cameras, automated meter reading, MP3 players, wireless sensor networks, location tracking and medical devices', continued Krishnan.

The new RS Components-backed Project Laboratories at the University of Strathclyde were opened last week by Trevor Baylis, inventor of the clockwork radio.

The new RS Components-backed Project Laboratories at the University of Strathclyde were opened last week by Trevor Baylis, inventor of the clockwork radio. The undergraduate labs, based within the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering (EEE) marked the first phase of an agreement through which students will enjoy professional-standard equipment, project awards and student account services from the Corby-based electronics distributor. The laboratories have been equipped with products from the current RS catalogue including oscilloscopes, function generators, power supplies, solder stations, prototyping boards and racking and storage.

'I'm delighted to see that RS will be able to play such a positive role in encouraging the engineers of the future', commented Pauline Swarbrick, Regional Sales Manager for RS Components.

'The University of Strathclyde has a proud tradition in producing electronic and electrical engineering graduates and we will do all we can to support them in their quest for excellence'.

RS is providing a support account that will run for a minimum of three years to enable EEE undergraduate students to order professional-standard components and consumables for project use.

The account will give the students exactly the same fast delivery service, including full-support from RS' free technical help-line, as other RS customers' experience.

Professor Scott MacGregor, Head of the EEE Department, said: 'Our students are working towards jobs across industry - from renewable energy to aerospace'.

'The new agreement with RS means students will have access to cutting-edge equipment, and this will help us, the staff of the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, to provide them with the skills and experience that will benefit them in their careers'.

'RS believes that the development of tomorrow's engineers is essential to ensure a strong and healthy economy for the future', said Graham Johnson, Head of UK Marketing for RS.

'The University of Strathclyde is one of the most important Electronic and Electrical Engineering Institutions in the UK, and as such, RS is proud to be associated with the engineers that the University produces'.

RS is also sponsoring an annual project prize for undergraduates.

The winning student will get a GBP 500 voucher for products to be chosen from the current RS catalogue, with the second and third-placed students receiving GBP 200 and GBP 100 prize vouchers, respectively.

RS is committed to backing student initiatives whenever possible, including the recent Formula Student finals, where the company was heavily involved at all levels; from trade counters supporting local universities, to the company becoming a full partner in the scheme, with the responsibility of directing and implementing the future direction of the event.

Welwyn Components has expanded its current sense resistor offering with the launch of the ULR series, its lowest ohmic value resistor, to minimise power consumption.

In response to demand for more energy efficient products, TT Electronics Welwyn Components has expanded its current sense resistor offering with the launch of the ULR series, its lowest ohmic value resistor, to minimise power consumption. The ULR series has been designed for current sensing in power electronic systems and the resistors are available in 1 to 3W power ratings, with a wide ohmic range starting from as low as 500uohm. Products in the economical, low-inductance ULR series are surface mounted to maximise board space, making them well-suited to the industry trend for smaller products and are ideal for power supplies, DC/DC convertors and miniature electric motor control devices.

The series is RoHS compliant, has an ambient temperature range of -55 to +170C and the higher rated resistors feature a PCB clearance gap to maximise the thermal performance.

In addition, the series boasts a low temperature coefficient of 50ppm/C, essential for those involved in constructing devices and circuits for the detection of currents.

Current sensing products are among the fastest growing resistive products in the industry today.

Direct resistive sensing remains the lowest cost method of generating a voltage proportional to current flow and submilliohm products to reduce the associated power loss.

Thanks to the company's expertise in low volume manufacturing BCET is able to offer custom-designed transformers at prices competitive with standard products.

BC Electrical Techniques (BCET) has many years of experience in custom transformer design. This means using the latest technology and materials to offer the best possible product to meet the customers' specification at competitive prices. On many occasions BCET has encountered other transformer manufacturers quoting competitive prices, but the product has been too bulky and heavy for the customer's equipment.

This either detracts from the overall design of the final product or in some cases the product cannot be produced until the solution for the transformer is resolved.

This is where BCET has had considerable success.

BCET has used its design expertise in using aluminium foil and high temperature rated insulation to provide smaller and lighter transformers that meet customers' requirements, and also at competitive prices.

One such customer in the shore to marine power industry required a very light and compact transformer.

The solution was to design the product using aluminium foil, which made the transformer nearly half the weight of a conventional unit.

Also by substituting other components in the customer's design, in this case cooling fans, the size could also be reduced.

Although the design was made specifically for this customer, the unit was sold at a competitive price.

The competitive price is possible due to the base materials themselves being a relatively low cost.

Thanks to the company's expertise in low volume manufacturing BCET is able to offer custom designs at competitive prices compared with standard products.

Power resistors are housed in a TO-220 style package and feature low thermal impedance and high insulation resistance for demanding applications.

Providing design engineers with high-power low-inductance devices in transistor-style packages, TT Electronics IRC Advanced Film Division has extended its MHP Series power resistors with 20 and 35W devices. Designated the MHP-20 and MHP-35, the highly stable power resistors are housed in a TO-220 style package and feature low thermal impedance and high insulation resistance for demanding applications. According to Gary Bleasdell, Thick Film Business Unit Director for IRC's Advanced Film Division, the MHP Series 20W and 35W resistors feature a package size that is much smaller than comparable wirewound devices of similar wattage ratings.

'These resistors have an inherently lower inductance value than wirewound resistors, and because the MHP Series devices are designed for heatsink mounting, the equivalent wirewound resistors would need to be four to five times larger to achieve similar power ratings', said Bleasdell.

'The noninductive design, along with the high power levels and small package size, make the resistors ideal for applications involving high frequency and high speed pulse'.

Additional applications for the MHP Series resistors include load resistors, motor control and drive circuits, switch mode power supplies, automotive electronics, industrial power equipment, UPS Systems and industrial computers.

The MHP-20 resistors feature inductance values of less than 50nH, and are available in power ratings of 10 and 20W, with a resistance range from 0.01ohm to 51kohm (10W ranges from 220ohm to 51kohm; 20W ranges from 0.01 to 220ohm).

Both the 10 and 20W resistors feature a thermal resistance of 5.9C/W, standard tolerances of +/-1 and +/-5%, and TCRs from 100 to 250ppm/C.

The MHP-35 resistors feature inductance values of less than 50nH and are available in power ratings of 20 and 35W, with a resistance range from 0.01ohm to 51kohm (20W ranges from 220ohm to 51kohm; 35W ranges from 0.01 to 220ohm).

Thermal resistance for the resistors is 3.3C/W, with standard tolerances of +/-1 and +/-5%, and TCRs from 100 to 250ppm/C.

IRC will also produce devices outside these specifications to meet customer requirements.

Both the MHP-20 and MHP-35 power resistors are RoHS-compliant.

The NACZ series of surface mount electrolytic capacitors is now suitable for exposure to a maximum soldering temperature of +255C.

NIC Components has announced that its NACZ series of surface mount electrolytic capacitors is now suitable for exposure to a maximum soldering temperature of +255C. The new temperature rating makes these devices more compatible with the latest reflow profiles that have become necessary due to the implementation and requirement for use with RoHS compliant solders. The NACZ +255C versions have a part number suffix of M1F - known as the M1F standard.

The increased reflow temperature rating represents an interim step ahead of the announcement of NIC's +260C rated parts.

All characteristics and specifications of the established, legacy NACZ series remain the same for the M1F devices.

NIC Components has achieved the increased heat resistance required for exposure to +255C by implementing design changes to the construction of the NACZ liquid electrolyte capacitor series.

Available with voltage ratings of 6.3 to 50V DC, and capacitance values of 4.7 to 6800uF, NACZ M1F parts are suitable for use in a wide range of distributed power management applications including voltage and point of load regulators, and DC/DC convertors.

The higher solder temperature rating applies to 4, 5 and 6.3mm diameter case sizes; 8 and 10mm diameter parts are rated to +250C.

Devices from the range offer class-leading performance at a competitive price.

This includes low impedance and high ripple current values at high frequencies, low ESR, and an operating temperature range of -55 to +105C.

The cylindrical V-chip construction NACZ series is supplied in tape and reel packaging for automatic placement and reflow soldering.

Miniature surface-mount I-core power inductors are ideal for use in designs with restricted PCB space and height.

C and D Technologies has introduced a new family of miniature surface-mount I-core power inductors. Ideal for use in designs with restricted PCB space and height, the ultra-low-profile 8200 series is the smallest package size inductor introduced by C and D Technologies. Typical applications for the new 3.2 x 2.5 x 2.3mm (maximum) devices include low-power filtering in PCMIA and ExpressCard products.

They can also be used to provide EMI solutions in PCs, laptops, handheld devices and discrete DC/DC convertor designs.

Inductance values range from 1.0 to 470uH, and DC current ratings span 70mA to 2.0A.

Operating temperature range is -40 to +85C.

The 8200 series is fully RoHS compliant and may be exposed to peak reflow solder temperatures of 260C.

Based in Maisach-Gernlinden, Germany, TTI stocks Kemet's complete product line and supports customers across Europe.

Kemet has named TTI Europe as its European distributor of the Year for 2006. The 'Kemet Charged' award is based on TTI's performance against a number of key metrics that include: sales, new product development, inventory management, communication and relationships. Based in Maisach-Gernlinden, Germany, TTI stocks Kemet's complete product line and supports customers across Europe.

Commenting on the award, Geoff Breed, Supplier Marketing Director, TTI Europe said: 'TTI strives to establish and maintain strong relationships with its suppliers'.

'This important award from Kemet recognises that we are succeeding'.

'We look forward to continuing and further improving the way in which we work together in the future'.

Kemet's part in the strong business relationship between the two companies has also been highlighted with an award from TTI Europe for Supplier Excellence.

Kemet was recognised for its outstanding contribution to the way TTI's business is run, which contributes to the high levels of service the distributor is able to offer its customers.

This was the second consecutive year in which Kemet picked up the accolade, qualifying them for the additional distinction of a bronze level supplier award.

Graeme Dorkings, European Distribution Manager for Kemet commented: 'It is important for Kemet to deliver the highest standards of quality and service'.

'This recognition of our strategy by a market leading distributor such as TTI is truly appreciated'.