Insight
Vicor Europe's Quarterly Newsletter
Issue 4, Winter 2005/6
Vicor is now shipping RoHS compliant products
Customers using Vicor products can decide for themselves the date that they wish to transition to RoHS compliant manufacturing processes. Whilst the European Community has established a date of 1st July 2006 for full RoHS compliance, some customers may wish to transition immediately whilst others in market areas such as Defence and Telecoms, which are generally excluded, may wish to delay transition.
For our first generation VI-200 and VI-J modules Vicor has introduced new VE- part numbers that allow customers to specify RoHS compliant product. For our 2nd Generation products, specifying a -G suffix (for long pins) or an -F suffix (for short pins) will in future indicate RoHS compliance. All compliant products will be clearly marked as such on product labels.
Most of the Vicor product range is now available in a RoHS compliant form. For further details of our RoHS strategy including a product roadmap please visit the RoHS area of our website.
Regional Sales Managers Hannes Schachenmeyer, Geoff Hamilton, Salah Ben Doua and Felice Caccavale
See if you can unravel the mixed up letters. Click here
A new lower-cost 2nd Gen option for dc-dc modules and VIPAC arrays
Vicor customers will be pleased to know that there is now a new, lower cost option for the high performance line of 2nd Generation dc-dc converter modules and VIPAC Arrays – E-Grade versions.
With the addition of the E-grade, Vicor can now offer four different environmental grades of the 2nd Gen product family: E-grade products have an operating temperature range down to –10°C; C-grade operate down to –25 °C; T and H-grades at –40 °C; and M-grades at –55 °C. Additionally H and M-grade products undergo extensive environmental screening prior to shipment.
These dc-dc converter modules use advanced power processing, control, and packaging technologies to provide high power density, flexibility and reliability, along with cost effectiveness achieved through high volume manufacturing.
E-grade modules and power systems are priced approximately 15% below C-grade versions, allowing more power designers to reap the benefits of designing with high performance, high density dc-dc converters. These products are available in four different input ranges (24, 48, 300 and 375 V), seven different output voltages (2-48 V, with a 54 V available for 375 Vin), and three package sizes (quarter, half, and full brick). Different baseplate and pin options are also available. Efficiency ranges from 80-90 % depending on output voltage, operating temperature range is -10 to 100 ºC and storage temperature range is -20 to 125 ºC.
top »Improving output ripple
Vicor's DC-DC converter incorporates an output filter that provides ripple/noise levels suitable for most customers. However, in some situations there are much higher requirements for low output noise and quiet supply voltages. These can be achieved by using some additional components such as extra capacitors, LC groups (PI filter) or more complex filters including common mode chokes.
Vicor provides a wide range of passive components and active solutions to help our customers to meet their sophisticated design requirements. A good measurement technique is required to get repeatability and to ensure that other stray elements do not effect your measurement. Therefore, you will also find probe sockets (Johnson Jacks) as part of our list of available accessories, in the Vicor Product catalogue.
The socket ground terminal should be connected closely to the converter output. This minimizes the transformation of common-mode into differential-mode noise by unbalanced probe impedances. Unbalanced impedance results in distorted and misleading scope plots. Module shields are also available to reduce radiated CM noise, which has similar effects on the measurement. Please keep in mind that ripple/noise measurements are taken at a limited bandwidth of 20 MHz.
For convenience, we provide trimming calculators for fixed and for variable output trimming on our web page. Please see both links below.
Comparison of ripple levels of a V48C5C100 dc-dc converter @10A load current with and without µRAM output filter.
The proper way to get good ripple measurement results.
Vicor's active output filter solutions provide excellent performance
levels down to 3 mVpp. In addition, our µRAM and QPO output filters significantly
improve transient response. Applications
engineering will be available to assist our customers with their output
noise problems at any time.
Speedometer for buses and subway
Vicor modules (VI-J00 products) are used to redesign speedometers for urban transport such as buses and subway trains. Using the 'T' input voltage range, Vicor modules are very well suited to the transportation field. 'T' input voltages range from 66 to 160 Vdc and fit with 72 Vdc; 96 Vdc, and 110 Vdc, with the same part numbers.
Vicor modules were suitable for this project because of the wide input voltage range: 66-160 Vdc. The low storage and operating temperatures were also of benefit to the client; the baseplate can be put onto a cold surface to make the design easier. Also, because the modules are fully encapsulated, they withstand high shock and vibration environments
New tram-trains using tyres
This new rubber-tyred vehicle system takes bus and tramway and combines the advantages of the two systems: better stability, a smoother ride for travellers, only one central rail, more flexibility and, with a diesel engine, it can be used on every road.
Vicor modules (VI-J00 products) are used in this modern system of transportation. With a wide input voltage range of 18 - 36 Vdc, a high reliability (MTBF), low size and weight, and ease of use, the Vicor modules provided the ideal solution.
If you have used Vicor modules in a novel application, we'd love to hear from you! The most original entry each quarter will receive a prize: you can choose from a multimeter or a USB stick.
top »New technical glossary
A fully comprehensive and user-friendly A-Z listing of terms and definitions. From 'AC-DC' to 'Zero-Current-Switching', this new glossary lists the most common, and not so common, terms used in power supply design and engineering. Each entry gives a detailed definition of the term and, where relevant, links to appropriate sections of the Vicor website.
Free Call Back facility
Would you like someone to call you back at your convenience about your enquiry? Whether you want to obtain a quote, place an order or ask a technical question, just click the phone symbol on the website, fill in a couple of details and someone will call you back immediately.
top »
Geoff Hamilton: Vicor UK
Geoff, 41, joined Vicor in November 2000. He was previously Sales Manager for a manufacturer of DC-DC converters used in the automotive and marine industries. He was there for three years and managed European distribution. At Vicor he is Regional Sales Manager for UK and is also responsible for Ireland, Norway and Sweden.
Geoff is married with two young daughters and lives in Poole on the South Coast. In his spare time Geoff enjoys golf and sailing.
Salah Ben Doua: Vicor France
Salah, 42, has a PhD in Power Electronics Engineering, and worked initially as a project manager for a custom power supply company. After several years he moved to another power supply company as technical support engineer.
Salah joined Vicor in 1998 as applications engineer for Southern Europe and has been involved in custom designs of a large variety of modular power supply systems. He has written application manuals and seminars. Salah is now the regional sales manager for France and the Benelux region.
Salah lives in Paris with his wife and two young children.
Felice Caccavale: Vicor Italy
Felice, 47, has a degree in telecommunications and has worked for over 25 years in some of the most important telecoms manufacturing companies in Italy, mostly as Area Sales Manager for the export market. He was also responsible for tenders and contracts for the supply of telecommunication equipment to public and private providers.
Joining Vicor Italy in 1998 as Regional Sales Manager, Felice looks after business in Italy, as well as being responsible for the territories of Iberia, Turkey, Greece and Middle East.
Felice lives with his wife and two daughters in Milan. He is involved in several local societies and in his free time enjoys listening to music
Hannes Schachenmayr: Vicor Germany
Born in 1957, Hannes studied electronics with a focus on telecommunications. He worked in R&D for seven years at Ascom (now Delta Energy Systems) a measurement equipment, welding machines and power supplies company. He then moved to project management of full custom power supplies for high volume OEM accounts and from there into sales with a customer power supply manufacturer.
Hannes has been with Vicor since 1994 and is responsible for Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, all Eastern European countries and Russia. He is married with two children; a son 21 and a daughter 17. His wife is a professional flamenco dancer and Hannes enjoys skiing and snowboarding in winter, and sailing in summer, as well as flamenco and blues guitar. He also enjoys mountain biking in the Black Forest, close to where he lives.
top »Unravel the mixed up letters to get the answer to the clues.The first 25 correct entrants won a super, battery free, torch.
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