Other news of interest


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Power Measurement Market Forecast to Reach Over $4 Billion in Revenue
2013-6-8

June 5, 2013 - Strong growth is predicted for the power measurement hardware market, with global revenues amounting to more than $4.2 billion cumulatively over the next five years, according to a new report entitled “The World Market for Power Measurement Trends” from IMS Research, now part of IHS Inc.

Driving strong revenue growth for the global power measurement market are the following factors: increased electricity use, energy-efficiency initiatives, government mandates, more knowledge among building professionals on the benefits of submetering and the increased adoption of system-level control schemes—including building automation and energy-management systems. Submeters accounted for 65 percent of global metering revenues in 2012 and are forecast to grow faster than meters with power quality.

“Installing submeters allows building owners to allocate costs and understand energy consumption at a department, floor, or even a machine level,” said Nicole Tuggle, smart utilities infrastructure analyst at IHS. “This holds business units accountable for the energy they consume. As energy users become more aware of their usage and how it relates to the costs they incur, there is more motivation to take responsibility for their actions and reduce energy consumption. Additionally, more detailed metering can highlight problem areas in buildings, thus presenting opportunities for cost savings,”

Almost half of global revenue in 2012 for submeters came from manufacturing and industrial applications. However, these sectors in the long term will account for a smaller share of global revenue as faster growth is predicted for numerous commercial applications. For instance, the transportation and infrastructure sector is projected to have the fastest revenue growth for submeters globally, doubling from $40 million in 2012 to more than $80 million by 2017. This is largely being driven by growth in the transportation system in China, where 82 new airports are planned to be built and more than 100 are planned to be expanded under the country’s 12th Five-Year Plan.

Because of strong economic growth and the many energy-efficiency and energy-consumption initiatives in place as a result of the 12th Five-Year Plan, Asia is forecast to have the fastest revenue growth for power measurement equipment during the next five years. However, the Americas region still remains the largest market in revenue terms, accounting for roughly 40 percent of the global power measurement equipment market in 2012. Historically, the Americas region has been the largest market for high-cost power quality meters.

“Many national directives and initiatives promoting energy efficiency and reducing energy consumption are driving the market for power measurement equipment,” Tuggle said. “Strong growth is predicted in the next several years for this market, and revenue is expected to reach roughly $1 billion annually in 2017.”

“The World Market for Power Measurement Trends – 2013” is a part of IMS Research’s comprehensive smart grid portfolio. The portfolio includes dedicated studies on utility metering, grid sensors, and distribution automation, which the firm has been studying for more than 15 years. The report includes tables on submeters, meters with power quality, networking equipment, industry applications, form factor, and market share, along with in-depth analysis and explanation. 

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PSMA Preserves Knowledge and Fosters Research in Power Magnetics
2013-6-8

 

The Power Sources Manufacturers Association (PSMA) is a not-for-profit, industry organization whose membership includes representatives of power supply and component manufacturers as well as universities, consultants, and other types of companies with interests in the power electronics field. The PSMA's stated purpose is "to enhance the stature and reputation of its members and their products, improve their knowledge of technological and other developments related to power sources, and educate the entire electronics industry, plus academia, as well as government and industry agencies as to the importance of, and relevant applications for, all types of power sources and conversion devices."

In pursuit of these goals, the association has organized a number of working committees that address technical issues of concern to PSMA members in areas such as lead-free regulatory compliance, energy efficiency, semiconductor technology, packaging and other topics. This article will focus on the work being done by the PSMA's Magnetics Committee, including its work in reprinting classic texts, organization of special sessions at industry conferences, sponsoring of power magnetics research, and collaboration with other groups.

After reading about the Magnetics Committee's efforts, some engineers may wish to get involved with its activities. While PSMA membership is encouraged, it is not required to participate in the technical committee work or to attend the monthly call-in meetings. So if this overview of the Magnetics Committee's projects sparks your interest, don't hesitate to contact the PSMA to obtain further information and to learn how you can play a part.

History of the Committee

The Magnetics Committee has been active for several years. Initially, it focused on providing a check list for designers of power supplies who must specify magnetic components when dealing with their magnetics suppliers.
Many of the classic magnetics textbooks that were used in the U.S. went out of print. The PSMA Magnetics Committee identified some of the leading texts and was able to acquire the rights to reprint selected ones. As a result the PSMA has been able to make these classic texts available to designers and students around the world. PSMA prints these and offers them at a minimal price as a service to the industry.

Among the classis books being reprinted by the PSMA Magnetics Committee are these titles:

  • Transformers for Electronic Circuits; Grossner, Nathan R.
  • Applications of Magnetism; Watson, J.Kenneth
  • Modern Dc-to-Dc Switchmode Power Converter Circuits; Severns, Rudolf P. and Bloom, Gordon
  • Soft Ferrites-Properties and Applications, 2nd edition; Snelling, Eric C.
  • Electronic Transformers and Circuits; Lee, Reuben; Wilson, Leo; Carter, Charles E.

These books are available through the PSMA or How2Power's bookstore.
Meanwhile, the committee continues its effort to identify other classic books on magnetics design and applications that could be reprinted as a benefit to the power sources industry. If anyone has a favorite classic book that is out of print that he or she thinks should be made available, please let us know. The subject does not have to be magnetics.

Recently, the committee has identified some applied research projects to sponsor. Depending on the results, this research could provide useful tools for designers concerned with incorporating magnetic components in the design and development of new power products. More details on this sponsored research is given below.

Industry Sessions

The PSMA Magnetics Committee sponsors an Industry Session at APEC every other year, alternating with the PSMA Capacitor Committee. At APEC 2012, Steve Carlsen and Matt Wilkowski chaired an industry session titled, "Trends for AC Power Loss of High Frequency Power Magnetics." Within that session, the following presentations were given:

  • "Ferrite Watt Loss Testing: Common Manufacturing Practices," by Zack Cataldi, Magnetics, Pittsburgh, PA.
  • "Measurement and Modeling of Core Loss in Powder Core Materials," by Chris Oliver, Micrometals, Anaheim, CA.
  • "A Series of New High Frequency Core Loss Measurement Methods," by Mingkai Mu, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University--Center for Power Electronics Systems, Blacksburg, VA.
  • "Overview of Core Loss Prediction and Measurement Techniques for Non-Sinusoidal Waveforms," by Charlie Sullivan, Dartmouth University, Hanover, NH.
  • "Core Loss Modeling of Inductive Components Employed in Power Electronic Systems," by Jonas Muehlethaler, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
  • "Coupled Electromagnetic and Thermal Analysis of Ferrite Core Electronic Planar Transformer," by Mark Christini, Ansys, Cannonsburg, PA.
  • "Development of Low AC Power Loss Multi Layer Inductor (Today and Future)" by Kiyohisa Yamauchi, FDK, Shizuoka, Japan.
  • "Expert Design and Empirical Test Strategies for Practical Transformer Development," Victor Quinn, RAF Tabtronics, Geneseo, NY.

 

The PSMA Magnetics Committee is now planning the next magnetics-focused industry session for the upcoming APEC 2014, which is to be held March 16 to 20, 2014 in Fort Worth, TX. So far, the following topics have been proposed.

  • "Transformers, chip scale to utility scale." In this presentation, the unique challenges of transformer design for different size and purpose could be compared and contrasted.
  • "Are Magnetics Catching Up with SiC & GaN?" with topics like:
    • Higher temperature
    • Higher frequency switching, up to 20 MHz
    • Higher voltages

 

Planning is in the early stages, so suggestions for topics from readers are welcome. We want very much to identify topics that are important to the power electronics community.

Special Projects

The PSMA encourages its technical committees to sponsor special projects that will benefit its members. Although some of these projects fall outside the scope of the Magnetics Committee, you may find them interesting nonetheless. Noteworthy is a special project sponsored by the PSMA Packaging Committee on PSoC, Power Supply on Chip. Another major project is the Energy Efficiency Database, sponsored by the PSMA Energy Efficiency Committee. Yet another major project is the Power Technology Roadmap, sponsored by the PSMA Roadmap Committee. They published an update this year.

Of course, there are special projects specific to the PSMA's Magnetics Committee such as the reprinting of classic books mentioned above. Another one began in 2010, when the PSMA Magnetics Committee sponsored the first of several projects on magnetic core loss at Dartmouth under the direction of Dr. Charles Sullivan.

Core-Loss Projects at Dartmouth

The PSMA core-loss studies have their roots in my frustration with the traditional core-loss estimations. Magnetic parameters for core-loss calculations are not familiar to many electrical designers. There is more standardization now on SI units, but many data sheets and application notes use other units, with strange conversion factors. Is it MKS, cgs, rationalized MKS, Gaussian or SI? The conversion factor for oersteds to A/M is 103/4π, once you have figured out what is an oersted (named for Hans Christian Ørsted) and what's an ampere-turn per meter.

There is no need for all this confusion, as everything can be expressed in volts, seconds and amperes. The likelihood of making errors when converting back and forth using unfamiliar units is significant. It can be daunting even to try.
Manufacturer's core loss data is notoriously inaccurate. It is not unusual to see ruler straight lines for functions that have significant curvature, with very large errors at the ends. This is sometimes justified because the lotto-lot variation is significant. The geometry of a core is a significant factor, so data taken on a "standard core" may not relate well to a large EE core.

When specifying a specific magnetic component, there is no need to use dimensional factors, any more than one would buy a resistor using the resistivity and the dimensions of its core. If core loss data is taken for a specific component, all of the dimensional parameters and their effects can be factored in. Given volts and seconds for the excitation, the loss can be read directly in watts. The data should be taken close to the intended operating point of the component.

Most core-loss data is taken with sine-wave excitation. This was fine when most transformers were for line frequency or audio, but now power converters use high-frequency, low-duty-ratio rectangular-wave excitation. Conversion formulas for low-duty-ratio excitation are notoriously complex, hard to use, and inaccurate. We can do better, and taking data with rectangular-wave excitation is a good start.

There are no good SPICE models for simulating core loss. While this topic is not part of any of the present coreloss studies, it is hoped that the knowledge from these studies will lead to an improved SPICE model. A modest start has begun.

Pilot Project

The Pilot Project was approved by the PSMA and a purchase order was issued to Dartmouth in the spring of 2009. Data was taken on one ferrite core and one powdered-metal core to explore a new proposed method of quantifying core loss using square-wave excitation. The composite-waveform hypothesis was partly validated, and shown to be an improvement over other approximations, both for accuracy and for ease of use.

An unexpected discovery of the Pilot Project was that the core loss per cycle is increased with increased off-time between the excitation pulses.

Phase II Project

The Phase II Project was approved by the PSMA and a purchase order was issued to Dartmouth in the spring of 2010. The Phase II project had two principle objectives:

  • To test the composite-waveform hypothesis on a variety of cores of different materials, with emphasis on ensuring that the off-time loss phenomenon was not just a test-rig or test-procedure artifact.
  • To test a core that had been drilled through with sense windings installed, to see if flux migration may contribute to the off-time loss phenomenon.

A byproduct of the Phase II project is a new SPICE model for core loss.

Phase III Project

The Phase III project has not yet been completed. Its purpose is to test core losses at low duty ratio and with a new winding configuration.

However, analysis of preliminary data suggests an improved Stienmetz-like equation. Another test showed that if a single core is replaced with a string of smaller cores with the same total volume, the core losses are reduced at higher frequency. This was one test on one specimen, so, while tantalizing, the conclusions are decidedly preliminary.

The core-loss studies performed at Dartmouth will be the subject of a future article in this column.

Phase IV Core-Loss Project

The core-loss studies to date at Dartmouth were greatly facilitated because the university had test equipment left over from previous work that could be adapted easily for our projects. However, continued work requires test waveforms and analysis at much higher frequencies and higher power.

It was originally thought that continuing the work would require an investment in advanced test equipment, an endeavor that likely would be beyond the means of the PSMA.

More recently, we realized that testing at higher power with fast, low-duty-ratio pulses was routine in the semiconductor industry. Therefore, we have begun talks with several manufacturers of GaN and SiC semiconductors, as advancing the science of high-frequency magnetics is of mutual interest.

Planning for the Phase IV research is just beginning, so anyone who has suggestions or would like to participate is welcome to join. In addition, any company who would like to show their support for this project is encouraged to become a member of the PSMA.

Coordination with Other Organizations

The PSMA cooperates with a number of other organizations. For example, the APEC conferences are sponsored by PSMA, PELS, IEEE and IAS. Another case of collaboration, PSMA recently held a joint workshop with EPRI, "Are You Smart Enough for the Smart Grid?"

There is also some coordination of efforts with respect to the development of core-loss standards. The PSMA Magnetics Committee is working with PELS and the TTA to keep them abreast of developments in our core-loss research. We attended the PELS Electronic Transformers Technical Thrust Committee meetings in New Orleans in November 2012 and at APEC 2013 in Long Beach. While the PSMA does not participate in standards writing directly, we do provide technical input.

About The Author

 

Edward Herbert is a member of the PSMA's Board of Directors, co-chairman of the PSMA's Magnetics Committee and co-chairman of the PSMA's Energy Efficiency Committee. Over the years, Ed has held a variety of positions in industry, working as a design engineer, a project engineer, an engineering supervisor, and as an engineering manager. Since 1985, he has been independent, promoting patented technology for license.

Ed has been issued 54 patents with several more pending. Of interest to this forum, Ed is the inventor of the matrix transformer, a novel arrangement of the windings and cores that is particularly useful for high-frequency transformers, especially for high-current, low-voltage applications. The matrix transformer patents have all expired. However, the latest generation of this technology concentrates on minimizing parasitic impedance and its effects, as those can lead to increased losses in other components, resulting in a poor overall design.

Ed holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in electrical engineering from Yale University.

Editor's Note: This article was first published in the April 2013 issue of How2Power Today (www.how2power.com/newsletters).

 

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The Smart Grid Workshop: Are You Smart Enough for the Smart Grid?
2013-6-8

Commentary from a Participant

On March 16th, 2013, PSMA (Power Sources Manufacturers Association) and EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute) organized a Smart Grid workshop titled "Are You Smart Enough for the Smart Grid?"

 

The subject of the Smart Grid has in the news for last few years and there are many ongoing discussions about what it entails, its inevitability, its usefulness and benefits to users. Many experts agree that the overall development could be a boon to the US economy as many local jobs would be created and the smart grid cannot be outsourced. As a result, the Smart Grid is a hot topic and many conferences have been organized in its name. Why then was there a need for another Smart Grid workshop and moreover, what was PSMA's interest in this endeavor when its core membership and constituency consists mainly of companies in the electronic power conversion business? The unique and differentiating aspect of this workshop was that PSMA with the assistance from EPRI wanted to explore the smart grid and consider whether this emerging new electric power infrastructure−the smart grid phenomenon−will anyway be beneficial and impact the power conversion industry.

The mission of the workshop was not only to define and describe the emerging smart grid infrastructure, but to identify opportunities for the electronic power sources and conversion industry. From that perspective, this was one of its kind workshop and brought together two different constituencies or industries for a single unified mission. EPRI representing the power utility industry provided expertise in the issues of grid development and PSMA representing the power sources industry provided expertise in power conversion and control. EPRI and invited individuals from some independent organizations contributed the bulk of the presentations in defining and describing the evolving aspects and issues in the smart grid. PSMA presenters identified and described some of the latest power supply/electronics technology developments and their possible applications to enhance the evolution and robustness of the grid.

The workshop explored and examined various issues related to the development of the smart grid. The smart grid is a continuing evolution of a complex power grid infrastructure from the century-old original grid whose primary mission was to transmit and distribute electrical power from a generating site to users in a reliable and cost-effective manner. The EPRI experts mentioned that the evolving 21st century electric power infrastructure−the smart grid−will be very different. It will be evolutionary and dynamic at the same time; it will integrate various electric power generating systems, its flexibility will ensure proper supply availability by anticipating demand patterns. It will be proactive rather than reactive to the predictable and unpredictable power/energy demands to accommodate variable demand patterns during hot and cold days, during uneven weather patterns of calm and storm. Most important, the grid will include communications and interactions with its users via the Internet, accommodating their power/energy requests and requirements on a timely and cost-effective manner. For example, power generated from renewable energy resources such as solar and wind are an increasing supply factor in the power generating mix. These sources may be good for the environment but are unreliable in their generating capacity. For solar energy, the sun always does not shine and for wind energy, the wind is variable and sometimes does not blow. So during such variations and outages, back-up generation or some form of energy storage will be required. During hot days, when electrical power is used excessively the utility would communicate with the users and lower demand by switching off some non-critical or rarely used systems. While such communications is a blessing to create a smooth-functioning grid it will also increase potential for cyber attacks or hacking and a fool-proof system will be required. The grid needs to remain immune from cyber attacks or if an attack cannot be avoided, then it needs to be contained and highly localized. This is a serious and ongoing issue.

After exploring the grid, the workshop content moved to the core workshop focus of the role of power electronics in the evolution of the grid. Some aspects of the power electronics are already a part of the grid infrastructure. Solar and wind power inverters are already deployed in the renewable energy generation. UPSs are used for the backup systems, especially in data center and telecommunications applications. High efficiency power supplies along with sophisticated power management schemes have been developed for various applications from the tiny cell phones to the high-end servers. However, the presenters mentioned that though such products and technologies have been developed, their application in the context of the smart grid was not clear. These power conversion devices which use the grid for the input power and power electronics for their overall functionality are not generally viewed as a part of the total integrated smart grid infrastructure.

So the workshop participants suggested a comprehensive review in how to integrate power supplies/electronics and their control into the overall grid ecosystem. For this to occur, a unified system to integrate the various buses and protocols related to power supplies and grid will have to be standardized. This could allow effective communications between various devices to make the interface with the smart grid highly intelligent and efficient. It was recommended, that an ad-hoc committee be organized with representatives from EPRI, some key utilities and PSMA member companies. This group would specifically address some of these opaque issues to make the smart grid smarter and more robust.

A report of this workshop will be released in June. For further information visit: www.psma.com.

This workshop was organized by PSMA's Energy Efficiency Committee co-chair Ed Herbert, who deserves special thanks for the workshop.

 

Provided by Mohan Mankikar,
President, Micro-Tech Consultants

  

 

 
The views expressed in this article are solely of Mohan Mankikar. They do not represent the views of PSMA. Mohan Mankikar has been a part of the power supply industry for over twenty five years. An active member of the PSMA since its founding, he had been a board member of the PSMA and currently serves on the Advisory Council.

 

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Are You Smart Enough for the Smart Grid?
2013-6-8

Workshop Overview

On March 16, 2013, The PSMA and the EPRI, held a jointly sponsored, and very informative, one day workshop in the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Long Beach California, in conjunction with the 2013 APEC conference held in the same location.

 

The Workshop featured 12 Expert Speakers focused on the theme "Are YOU smart enough for the Smart Grid?". Attending the workshop were 40 power electronic industry experts, managers and decision makers interested in learning of the challenges faced by their industry in addressing the Smart Grid. The Keynote Speaker was Clark Gellings, Lifetime Fellow of the EPRI. Clark led the workshop with an introduction to the Grid as it is today, covering History, and challenges that face the grid. Topics that came after covered the Management of the Grid, Drivers of Change to the Grid, What is the Smart grid, Evolving Loads on the grid, Communications for the grid, Cyber security issues for the grid, Grid Stability issues, Energy Storage status and research, Autonomous Response, Changes to the end-user equipments, and ways to optimize system performance. Invited Speakers for the workshop included:

Dr. Khaled Abdul-Rahman of California ISO
Don Von Dollen of EPRI
Dennis Symanski of EPRI
Dr. Jian Sun of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Harley Garrett of SCI Systems
Jonathon Pollett of Red Tiger Security
Dr. Greg Smedley of One Cycle Control
Dr. Satish Rajagopalan of EPRI
Ed Herbert of PSMA
Dr. Conor Quinn of Emerson Network Power
Dr. Keyue Smedley of University of California - Irvine

The full day of presentations and panel discussions provided a comprehensive view from the experts in attendance of the existing grid, the future Smart Grid, and the challenges facing the Power electronics Industry. High points in the day came as revelations to many who were not familiar with Cyber Security concerns, Energy Renewable source issues and the lack of solutions today. A summary of the key information and future challenges discussed during the very full day was presented by the Keynote Speaker Clark Gellings.

The Steering Committee for the workshop, led by Ed Herbert, worked for several months in formulating, the theme, appropriate topics, and identifying expert speakers who were willing to participate. All the speakers generously took time from their busy schedules to prepare and participate in this event.

The workshop, including full presentations, Panel discussions and, for the first time speaker narrative, will be available in a report to be issued by PSMA and EPRI. The report will be available to attendees, members of PSMA and EPRI and will be available in print or soft copy version.

 

Provided by Doug McIlvoy,
Power Electronic Strategies,
Workshop Moderator

 

  

 

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External Power Adapter Market Developments - 2013 and Beyond
2013-6-8

 

External power adapters and chargers are used in a wide variety of products such as mobile phones, notebook PCs and tablets. The market for external power adapters remained relatively robust in comparison to other segments of the global power supply market in 2012, growing by 1.8 percent. Growth in many applications was much lower than this but a small number of applications accelerated demand, despite tough market conditions. IMS Research, now part of IHS, has identified five of the key market developments for 2013 and beyond:

 

  1. The world market for external power adapters and chargers is forecast to grow by 12% in 2013 after a weaker 2012.
     
  2. This growth is driven by mainly by strong demand for chargers for smartphones which have higher power consumption and thus require a higher power, more expensive charger. Strong demand for applications such as tablet PCs and LED lighting is also projected to drive revenue growth.
     
  3. Over the next five years the market will grow by a projected $2 billion. This will in part be due to the growth of emerging applications such as LED lighting and wireless power & charging.
     
  4. Long term growth in the total power adapter and charger market is predicated to slow. It is forecast that the introduction of the wired Universal Charging Solution (UCS) into the mobile phone market will have a severe impact on the overall power adapter and charger market.
     
  5. The market will continue to be dominated by Asia in revenue terms. In addition, eight of the ten largest suppliers are based in the Asia region.

The long term outlook for the external power adapter market is still largely uncertain. Potentially, the market could grow much faster if the wider economic environment improves or if the UCS for mobile phones isn't as widely adopted. Although there are uncertainties in the market, there are promising opportunities available for manufacturers who target emerging applications.

Provided by Jonathon Eykyn,
Research Analyst,
Power Management & Conversion,
IMS Research (an IHS company)

 

  

 

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Smart Grid Sensor Market Set to Double in Size by 2014
2013-6-5

May 30, 2013 - The market for smart grid sensors in North America is expected to grow dramatically during the next two years, according to a new study published by IMS Research, now part of IHS Inc.

The report, entitled “The North American Market for Smart Grid Sensors – 2013,” shows a major change is occurring in the feeder line sensing market in North America, with emerging technologies being offered from a series of new entrants to the market.

By 2014, IHS predicts that the smart grid sensors market will more than double in size from estimated 2012 levels, with annual revenue topping $100 million for the first time in 2015.

“The market for feeder line sensors is undergoing radical change now,” said Michael Markides, associate director of the Smart Utility Infrastructure Group at IHS. “Older devices are being replaced by next-generation technologies that are offered by new market entrants. There are numerous takeaways from this, including the continued growth in distribution-level electronic devices, the continued push toward decentralizing grid intelligence and automation, as well as showing the evolving habits and behaviors of utilities in North America as they adopt new technology from a set of new vendors.”

Currently, market growth for smart grid sensors is coming from the replacement of older-style fault circuit indicators (FCIs). These older devices have been sold for decades to utility companies, which have been installing them on vulnerable overhead lines. But new technology, which is rapidly meeting the existing price point of the older technology, is swiftly gaining market share.

“This year is a transitional time for the feeder line sensor market,” Markides observed. “New suppliers are taking share away from traditional sensor suppliers, through product offerings which are future-proofed, easily upgradeable, and more dependable and accurate at detecting faults on overhead lines than legacy FCIs.”

While the short-term forecast shows dramatic growth for the new generation of smart grid sensors, long-term market growth is expected to be buoyed by the implementation of Volt/VAR Optimization (VVO) schemes across North America. Utilities are currently implementing varying levels of VVO in North America, even though significant market growth of VVO equipment (including sensors) is not expected until 2015.

“The emergence of better fault-detection technology, the unbundling of ‘siloed’ utility organizations and budgets, and the expected surge in VVO installations are all converging together to create a significantly strong market forecast over the next five years for smart grid sensors,” Markides commented. “By 2018, IHS expects smart grid sensors to have grown to well over $200 million in revenue annually.”

“The North American Market for Smart Grid Sensors – 2013” is a continuing part of IMS Research’s comprehensive smart grid portfolio. The portfolio includes dedicated studies on utility metering, grid sensors, and distribution automation, which the firm has been studying for more than 15 years. The report includes tables on product types, communications, applications and market share, along with in-depth analysis and explanation.

For more information, please visit www.imsresearch.com.

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Optimize Prime: The Market for Volt/VAR Optimization Set to Transform
2013-6-5

May 23, 2013 - Global shipments of volt/VAR Optimization (VVO) control electronics used in smart electricity grids are forecast to double during the next five years, according to a new report entitled, “The North American Market for Smart Grid Volt/VAR Optimization – 2013,” from IMS Research, now part of IHS.

Despite a slowdown in some areas of smart grid spending after the boom years of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), strong growth in VVO is anticipated in the coming years, propelling shipments and revenue alike. From barely over 50,000 units in 2013, VVO control shipments are expected to climb to well over 100,000 units by 2018.

“Following the years of government-funded smart grid projects during the ARRA period, utility companies now are beginning to look at new ways to leverage their Advanced Meter Infrastructure (AMI) data and to defer the expense of major new-generation and infrastructure projects. For these firms, VVO is emerging as a strong choice,” said Jacob Pereira, utilities infrastructure analyst for IHS.

A number of challenges still need to be addressed, however, before VVO becomes a truly common practice among utilities.

“Verification of positive results is often difficult for utility companies to obtain,” Pereira added. “The degree of accuracy at the end of the line can be less than ideal for this application, and utility companies in many regulatory environments are hesitant to institute efficiency schemes because it reduces their revenues. Nonetheless, the increasing prevalence of high-accuracy line sensors and regulations that encourage efficiency are gradually combatting these objections.”

Even more exciting is the potential for dedicated VVO software. In fact, annual revenues from the sale of software exclusively used in VVO schemes will more than quadruple by 2018 from current levels, IHS predicts. As a result, this is one area where major smart grid companies are paying very close attention.

Such attention already has been made evident in recent years via the acquisition of various grid software and analytics companies made by some of the major players in the field, along with the development and release of internally generated software by others.

As efficiency regulations become increasingly demanding and technologies continue to improve, the VVO market is expected to become one of the new rising stars of the burgeoning smart grid. To this end, utilities, regulators and suppliers will all be watching the field closely in the coming years.

“The North American Market for Smart Grid Volt/VAR Optimization – 2013” report is a continuing part of IMS Research’s comprehensive smart grid portfolio, which includes dedicated studies on utility metering, grid sensors and distribution automation, which the firm has been studying for more than 15 years. The report includes tables on product types, communications, applications and market share, along with in-depth analyses and explanations.

For more information, please visit www.imsresearch.com.

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ON Semiconductor Awarded Title III Government Funding for Development of Advanced Next-Generation Star Tracker Image Sensor
2013-6-5
Working in cooperation with SRI International and Ball Aerospace, the companies will develop a monolithic CMOS image sensor meeting the STELLAR specification

May. 22, 2013 - ON Semiconductor, driving innovation in energy efficiency, has collaborated with SRI International and Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. to secure funding for the Defense Production Act Title III, Advanced Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) Focal Plane Arrays (FPA) for Visible Sensors for Star Trackers (VSST) Project. The goal of the project is to increase the availability of domestically produced visible imagers, manufactured using advanced CMOS technology, that are designed to enable flexible visible imaging systems for use on-board satellite systems for Department of Defense and other U.S. Government needs.

To meet the goals of the Staring Technology for Enhanced Linear Line-of-sight Angular Recognition (STELLAR) program, the companies will work together to define the specifications and develop an advanced 2D visible image sensor. Each member of the STELLAR team brings unique and complementary capabilities to the project team. ON Semiconductor brings its on-shore and highly modular 180-nanometer CMOS process technology along with its extensive experience designing high performance CMOS image sensors using both rolling and global shutter technology. Ball Aerospace brings deep understanding of star tracker systems and will drive the specification of the CMOS focal plane array as well as the end-system qualification aspects of the devices. SRI International brings extensive experience in designing focal plane arrays for space applications, along with a highly advanced backside illumination (BSI) processing capability based on its ultra-thin silicon on insulator (UTSOI) technology.

The ONC18 CMOS process manufactured at ON Semiconductor's on-shore 8-in wafer fabrication facility in Gresham, Oregon, is an ideal platform for developing low power and highly integrated digital and mixed-signal application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) devices. The STELLAR program will further expand the ONC18 process to include pinned photodiode and transfer gate devices. Combined with ON Semiconductor's long term commitment to maintain and support process technologies, this capability enabling development of advanced CMOS image sensors will extend supply availability.

"The addition of an image sensor module to our ONC18 platform reinforces our commitment to the space-level DoD business and the overall image sensor market," stated Vince Hopkin, vice president, Mil/Aero, Digital, Foundry, IPD and Image Sensor products division at ON Semiconductor. "The ONC18 image sensor process capability will enable a second source capability for the markets we serve including machine-vision, high-speed and biometrics."

For more information, visit www.onsemi.com.

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ON Semiconductor Awarded Title III Government Funding for Development of Advanced Next-Generation Star Tracker Image Sensor
2013-5-22
Working in cooperation with SRI International and Ball Aerospace, the companies will develop a monolithic CMOS image sensor meeting the STELLAR specification

May. 22, 2013 - ON Semiconductor, driving innovation in energy efficiency, has collaborated with SRI International and Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. to secure funding for the Defense Production Act Title III, Advanced Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) Focal Plane Arrays (FPA) for Visible Sensors for Star Trackers (VSST) Project. The goal of the project is to increase the availability of domestically produced visible imagers, manufactured using advanced CMOS technology, that are designed to enable flexible visible imaging systems for use on-board satellite systems for Department of Defense and other U.S. Government needs.

To meet the goals of the Staring Technology for Enhanced Linear Line-of-sight Angular Recognition (STELLAR) program, the companies will work together to define the specifications and develop an advanced 2D visible image sensor. Each member of the STELLAR team brings unique and complementary capabilities to the project team. ON Semiconductor brings its on-shore and highly modular 180-nanometer CMOS process technology along with its extensive experience designing high performance CMOS image sensors using both rolling and global shutter technology. Ball Aerospace brings deep understanding of star tracker systems and will drive the specification of the CMOS focal plane array as well as the end-system qualification aspects of the devices. SRI International brings extensive experience in designing focal plane arrays for space applications, along with a highly advanced backside illumination (BSI) processing capability based on its ultra-thin silicon on insulator (UTSOI) technology.

The ONC18 CMOS process manufactured at ON Semiconductor's on-shore 8-in wafer fabrication facility in Gresham, Oregon, is an ideal platform for developing low power and highly integrated digital and mixed-signal application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) devices. The STELLAR program will further expand the ONC18 process to include pinned photodiode and transfer gate devices. Combined with ON Semiconductor's long term commitment to maintain and support process technologies, this capability enabling development of advanced CMOS image sensors will extend supply availability.

"The addition of an image sensor module to our ONC18 platform reinforces our commitment to the space-level DoD business and the overall image sensor market," stated Vince Hopkin, vice president, Mil/Aero, Digital, Foundry, IPD and Image Sensor products division at ON Semiconductor. "The ONC18 image sensor process capability will enable a second source capability for the markets we serve including machine-vision, high-speed and biometrics."

A pioneer in backside illumination, SRI has developed patented methods of processing silicon wafers to provide an unobstructed path for light to reach the pixels in its image sensors. SRI innovations in BSI date back to the 1970's, when the group was part of the RCA David Sarnoff Research Center. SRI's imagers are also widely used in precision scientific instrumentation, space missions, semiconductor inspection, military night vision systems, airborne reconnaissance, security and surveillance, and other areas where high speed, high sensitivity, and high resolution are critical to mission success.

For more information, visit www.onsemi.com.

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Preparing Information and Communication Technologies Systems For an Extreme Event
2013-5-5
Intelec Workshop

July 16 and 17, 2013—Hyatt Regency, New Brunswick, NJ

 

Our communications networks and power grid are critical infrastructures for our nation’s security. As such, highly available communications have become a fundamental requirement during and after extreme events.

Recent severe weather events and other natural disasters have shown that in their aftermath one of the main causes of communications outages originates within the infrastructure, particularly in the power supply.  Experiences in these past events demonstrate the value of preparedness investments and sound planning over service restoration and repair costs.  It has been stated that for every dollar spent in preparedness, at least nine dollars are saved in recovery costs.

The purpose of this workshop is to provide a forum where solutions to achieve a highly available power system for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Systems during and after these events can be discussed, evaluated, and implemented. 

The intended audience includes, but is not limited to, ICT systems and power systems manufacturers, operators, and installers, the academic community, consultants in the ICT industry, regulators, and emergency responders.

For an expanded description of the Workshop go to http://www.intelec2013workshop.org.

For more information and/or questions, email:  pels-staff@ieee.org.

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TI Wireless Connectivity Guide
2013-4-30

Whatever type of wireless connectivity you need for your next application, TI can help you find the right one. TI supports more than a dozen wireless technologies for mesh and IP networks, personal area networks, locationing, proprietary RF sub-1 GHz, proprietary RF 2.4 GHz and RFID.

Download TI™s Wireless Connectivity Guide to view featured product overviews and selection tables for the industry’s broadest portfolio of wireless connectivity devices:

  • RF ICs and proprietary protocols for the Sub-1 and 2.4 GHz frequency bands
  • ANT™
  • Bluetooth®
  • Bluetooth low energy
  • RFID/NFC
  • PurePath™ Wireless audio
  • ZigBee®/IEEE 802.15.4
  • ZigBee RF4CE
  • 6LoWPAN
  • Wi-Fi®
  • GPS
     
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Ericsson Commemorates Thirty Years of DC/DC Power Technology Leadership
2013-4-30

 

 
 
 
  • 30 years of technology innovation in saving energy at the board level
  • Ericsson first to introduce digital power management and control in board-mounted power solutions
  • Trends include move from analog to digitally controlled converters and growing use of dynamic energy management to deliver significant power savings

 

This month Ericsson commemorates thirty years of being at the forefront of developing DC/DC power technology: from the development of its first on-board DC/DC modules to the FRIDA II platform based BMR456 and BMR 457 Advanced Bus Converters that are ideal for implementing the Dynamic Bus Voltage technology in advanced power systems architectures. It was in late April 1983 that Ericsson launched the world's first high-frequency switching DC/DC power modules, called the PKA family. Designed to power ‘distributed power architecture’ systems, the PKA family was five times smaller and offered 20 times higher reliability compared to competitive devices, with an MTBF of two million hours.

While the formal establishment of the Ericsson Power Modules operation was in 1981, the Power Division within Ericsson was actually started in 1977 beginning with research into high-frequency switching DC/DC converters and the establishment in Sweden of the company’s first advanced design facility for miniaturized DC/DC converters.

Innovation over Three Decades
Many award-winning introductions from Ericsson have followed the launch of the PKA family in 1983, including the PKC series introduced in 1987, which was the first high-density low-profile DC/DC power module that was only one-half the size of conventional products and offered up to three regulated outputs. This was also the age of the space-saving half-brick design, followed by the quarter brick and the eighth brick – units offering smaller and more compact possibilities in design. In the 1990s, the first miniaturized DC/DC converters became available, the PKF MacroDens family, and by the mid-1990s, the industry saw the first DC/DC converters offering more than 90 percent efficiency. And in 2001, the company was first into the market with lead-free products such as the PKD series of DC/DC converters. These products introduced new and advanced assembly technologies such as lead-frame welding.

Emergence of the Intermediate Bus Architecture
Early in the decade, 2003 saw the introduction of the Ericsson PKM-C series, responding to new high-current demand in seen in distributed power architectures, still the pervasive architecture in the industry at the time. The PKM-C series used an enhanced footprint called ‘The Double-P’ to decrease power losses and improve thermal behavior.

One of the most significant trends in the industry over the past three decades has been the gradual move from the distributed power architecture to the ‘intermediate bus architecture’ (IBA). Introduced in 2000 within the telecoms and datacoms industry, the IBA board-level power architecture uses master intermediate bus converters (IBCs) to convert a traditional 48V(DC) distribution-level power line used in telecoms to typically a static 12V(DC). This first down-conversion 12V level feeds a number of DC/DC point-of-load (POL) regulators, which supply the final load voltages at logic supply levels of 5V and below.

Analog to Digital
The past few years have seen the beginning of the transition from analog to digital control of power converters. In 2005, a standard was born providing a method to communicate with converters over a digital communications bus: the PMBus (Power Management Bus) standard was based upon the SMBus (System Management Bus). Following this was the introduction of very high-efficiency and high-power-density IBCs, including the first fully digitally controlled and programmable quarter-brick BMR453 series in 2008; in addition to a wide range of POL regulators for use in IBA power systems, such as the BMR450 and BMR451 20/40A digitally controlled regulators.

Dynamic Bus Voltage
The latest power-system-level evolution has been the increasing use of the ‘dynamic bus voltage’ technique, which provides the possibility to dynamically adjust the power envelope to meet load conditions. It achieves this by adjusting the intermediate bus voltage via the use of advanced digital power control and optimized hardware combined with an energy-optimizer series of algorithms. This can lead to reductions in both energy consumption and power dissipation, which in turn contributes to a reduction in the amount of required cooling. The introduction in 2012 of Ericsson’s FRIDA II platform BMR456 and BMR457 have delivered advanced board-power-consumption monitoring and control technologies to power system architects enabling significant energy savings between 3 and 10 percent at board level.

History
“Ericsson has played a substantial role in a DC/DC power market that has seen considerable innovation over the past thirty years,” said Patrick Le Fèvre, Marketing and Communication Director, Ericsson Power Modules. “The company has consistently delivered leading-edge products including high-efficiency and digitally controlled advanced bus converters and point-of-load regulators to help its customers in datacoms and other industries to make significant energy savings.”

For more information, visit www.ericsson.com.

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Why Should Your Company Be A Member Of PSMA?
2012-12-21
 
The PSMA is a not-for-profit organization incorporated in the state of California whose purpose is to enhance the stature and reputation of its members and their products, to improve their knowledge of technological and other developments related to power sources, and to educate the entire electronics industry, plus academia, as well as government and industry agencies as to the importance of, and relevant applications for, all types of power sources and conversion devices.

 

By joining with other leaders in the Industry, you and your company will have a greater voice and influence on the directions of the Power Sources Industry.  Some specific benefits of membership include:

  • Networking: the opportunity to meet and interact with counterparts in other companies on an ongoing basis
  • Involvement: the opportunity to be involved with the planning and managing of APEC—the Applied Power Electronics Conference-- sessions that focus on the specific interest of members
  • Participation: the opportunity to participate in committees, workgroups and studies to derive a better understanding of market trends, industry  trends and better operational procedures  to improve performance
  • Discounts: individuals from PSMA member companies receive discounts on registration fees for attending APEC
  • Industry Trends: Increase awareness and  knowledge of trends and factors that can  impact your career and provide valuable inputs for product planning
  • Company Profile: All member company profiles are listed on the PSMA Web Site together with a hyperlink directly to the company Web Site
  • PSMA Publications: Regular and Associate member companies receive a copy of all new PSMA publications and reports with discounts for additional copies. Affiliate member companies can purchase PSMA publications at a discount.
  • Benchmarking: the opportunity to participate in benchmarking studies with other companies in your industry
  • PSMA Newsletter: Receive “Update” the quarterly newsletter of the PSMA, with informative articles on activities in the industry and a calendar of upcoming industry events
  • Spotlight Banner: Your company’s products can be featured as a banner on the PSMA Home   Page

PSMA membership dues are modest in comparison to the benefits offered. Is your company a member of PSMA? If not, why not? You can find the membership application on the PSMA web site athttp://www.psma.com/webforms/psma-membership-application.

We look forward to receiving your application in the near future so you can take advantage of the registration discount at APEC. The 2013 Power Technology Roadmap will be available in mid March and all Regular and Associate members of PSMA will receive a free copy of the report as a benefit of membership. Those members are also eligible to attend the PSMA/EPRI Smart Grid Workshop the Saturday before APEC 2013. Affiliate members will receive discounts on the Roadmap and Workshop reports.

 

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Solar Energy Stock Index: Q1 2013
2011-12-21

Lincoln International’s™ Renewable Energy Group is pleased to present the latest Q1 2013 Solar Energy Stock Index Report, which tracks relevant solar company metrics in this growing industry.



The Solar Energy Stock Index Report, published by their Renewable Energy team each quarter, provides you with information on the following:

 

  • Quarterly performance of the Solar Energy Stock Index versus the S&P Index
  • Relative market valuations of each Solar Energy Category
  • Current financial data for each company in the index
solar_energy_stockindex_q12013.pdf
(75k pdf)		  

This data is included with the permission of Lincoln International. For more information, you may contact John McManus (jmcman@optonline.net) or the Association Office.

 

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Lincoln International's Solar Energy DealReader: Q1 2013
2011-12-21

Lincoln International is pleased to present you with the latest DealReader from our global Renewable Energy Industry group. This will provide you with:

 

  • Q1 deal volume comparison by total transactions, deal type, geography, and size
  • Recent Solar Energy transaction announcements
  • An Analysis of Global Solar Energy Trends
solar_energy_dealreader_q12013.pdf
(306k pdf)		  

This data is included with the permission of Lincoln International. For more information, you may contact John McManus (jmcman@optonline.net) or the Association Office.

 

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EMS Stock Index: Q1 2013
2011-12-21

 

Lincoln International™ is pleased to present you with the Q1 2013 EMS Stock Index from our global Electronics industry group. This report will provide you with:

 

  • Quarterly performance of the EMS Stock Index versus the S&P Index
  • Relative market valuations of each EMS Tier
  • Current financial data for each company in the index
ems_stockindex_q12013.pdf
(61k pdf)		  

This data is included with the permission of Lincoln International. For more information, you may contact John McManus (jmcman@optonline.net) or the Association Office.

 

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Lincoln International's EMS DealReader: Q1 2013
2011-12-21

 

Lincoln International™  is pleased to present you with the latest EMS DealReader from our Global Electronics Industry Group. This will provide you with:

 

  • Q1 2013 deal volume comparison by total transactions, deal type, geography and size 
  • Recent EMS transaction announcements
  • Terms & Turns: Revisiting the Cash Cycle
ems_dealreader_q12013.pdf
(384k pdf)		  

This data is included with the permission of Lincoln International. For more information, you may contact John McManus (jmcman@optonline.net) or the Association Office.

 

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PSMA Announces Advanced Nanotechnology E-Learning Tutorial
2011-10-27

October 26, 2011 - Power Sources Manufacturers Association announces to the power sources industry the availability of an advanced e-learning tutorial that covers the latest advances in the science, research and applications of nanotechnology. The target audiences for the tutorial are technical and marketing people involved in the power sources industry who wish to increase their understanding of nanotechnology leading to a better appreciation of the technology and possible applications for their company.

The advanced e-learning tutorial, entitled PSMA Nano 200, is offered for free through the PSMA website to any PSMA member company employee. PSMA Nano 200 includes a review of nanotechnology basic concepts introduced in the recently updated PSMA Nano 100 together with a succinct presentation of the chemistry, material sciences and quantum physics needed to better understand nanotechnology. PSMA Nano 200 also explores recent nanotechnology research and provides a cross section of companies offering nanotechnology products. Additionally, the tutorial highlights safety, ethical and societal issues and concerns associated with nanoscale. Individuals who successfully complete the tutorial will receive a “Certificate of Completion” for three Continuing Education Credits (CEU’s).

Gerald Castellucci, Program Manager, Technology Innovation Program, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) commented, “PSMA is to be congratulated for its foresight in keeping its members abreast of a disruptive technology that will impact its member companies and permit them to be competitive in a world market.”

Anthony F. Laviano, Ph.D., founder of NANOWorld® and Executive Vice President of Northrop Rice Advanced Institute of Technology (NRAIT) provided the content for this advanced tutorial while J. Michael Rice, President of Aerolearn , an e-learning provider, provided the application program. According to Dr. Laviano, “It was an exciting challenge that the PSMA Executive Committee thrust on us to develop an online advanced tutorial encompassing all the pertinent nanotechnology issues. The tutorial had to alert, inform and educate its members to design and integrated nanoscale technology into their products. PSMA required in-depth content while stimulating enthusiasm for application and I believe we met the challenge.”
 

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Get More From Your PSMA Membership – Join A Committee
2011-8-29

 

PSMA membership provides many benefits for you and your company. It gives you personally the opportunity to meet, network and interact with your counterparts in other companies on an ongoing basis. It also provides an opportunity to be involved with the planning and managing of APEC, as well as giving you and your colleagues a discount on registration fees for attending APEC.

 

Your company gets a listing on the PSMA web site with a hyperlink directly to your company web site. In addition, your company has an invitation to provide a Spotlight Banner to showcase its latest product on the PSMA Home Page

Your company also receives free or discounted copies of PSMA publications and reports,

An important membership benefit is the opportunity to join and participate in one or more of the PSMA Technical Committees. Participating in one or more committees is the best way to increase the benefits from your company and your personal PSMA membership. People involved in PSMA Technical Committees all agree that their investment returns multiple benefits that surpass the time spent participating – both for their company and for their own careers. Just ask someone who is a committee member. The committee provides the opportunity to network with knowledgeable people who are influencing the power sources industry.

You are encouraged to join a committee and get involved in their activities. Most committees meet about once a month for about one hour by teleconference. You are welcome to attend a committee meeting before making a decision to join the group. If you are interested in attending one of the meetings, please contact the Association Office for call-in information.

      

This is an open invitation to participate in or join any committee. Bring your experience, interest and enthusiasm. Currently PSMA has the following committees:

  • Alternative Energy
  • Capacitors
  • Energy Efficiency
  • Energy Harvesting
  • Industry-Education
  • Magnetics
  • Membership
  • Marketing
  • Nanotechnology
  • Power Electronics Packaging
  •  Semiconductors
  • Technology Roadmap

Your participation will contribute added value to the subject and enhance your own knowledge.

It’s a great way to network with your colleagues.

For more information describing the committees and the dates for the next meetings, please view the PSMA web site or contact the PSMA office at power@psma.com.

 

 

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About Our Members
2011-8-29

 

 
ACP Technologies (ACPTek) provides consulting services in power electronics design, marketing and training. We are based in Bangalore, India, and deliver solutions to clients across the world. Since 2008, along with our sister company, Innovatech, we have completed a number of challenging and innovative projects for our customers. We build customer loyalty through consistent and transparent communications, timely delivery of milestones and clear and complete documentation.
 


Multi-channel Synchronous Buck for powering FPGA		  
4-channel Voltage Regulator using PowerPSoC

We provide customized power electronics solutions in 3 major areas:

  • Design and development of power electronics systems and subsystems These include reference designs for dc-dc converters (PoE, multi-channel bucks, digitally controlled multi-channel converters, etc.), PFC converters, drivers and battery chargers. In addition, we have provided system power solutions embedded in our customers' end products for healthcare, computing, consumer and industrial applications at power levels ranging from 2 W to 2 kW. As an additional service, we provide mentoring and design guidance to companies and complement their internal resources.
     
  • Technical and strategic marketing in power electronics We take on assignments like competitive product teardowns (ranging from consumer appliances to high-end digital power supplies used in servers), technology collateral creation (for example, ON Semi's PFC handbook and IGBT handbook), market studies (publication of the very first report on India's Power Electronics Market - IPEMR 2010) and strategic India market promotion for leading edge providers of power electronics solutions (currently for Payton Planar Magnetics).
     

  • 300 W PFC Reference Design

    Training and mentoring services in power electronics (both customer-site and hosted by us)Our structured, hands-on power electronics training covers a wide range of topics while providing enough depth in the core areas such as magnetics, topologies and control. This is supplemented by lab sessions where trainees are challenged to interpret and analyze the waveforms and data, based on the technical material they have learnt in the lecture sessions. This training has been delivered to 100+ trainees in various organizations in India and is consistently rated Excellent by the attendees. ACPTek also delivered a Professional Education Seminar on "Systematic Design for High Efficiency" at APEC 2010.

For further information or project consulting queries, please contact dhaval@acptek.com

Provided by Dhaval Dalal, Managing Director, ACP Technologies


 
GAÏA Converter was created in the early 90's. Since that time the company has provided one of the most comprehensive range of modular power components on the market place. GAÏA Converter has also brought on to the market its well-known concept of Modular Power Architecture to allow simple design of complex power supplies.

 

With more than 3,500 standard power component references serving the Hi-Rel industrial, transportation, aerospace and military markets, GAÏA Converter is recognized as one of the world leader for "power module" solutions. Strongly focused on power modules, GAÏA Converter can concentrate all its effort to propose innovative solutions and a complete comprehensive suite in this field.

More products are completed every year by our engineering team to cope with new technologies and market trends. GAÏA Converter dedicates significant R&D investment on a continuous basis in order to maintain a state of the art product range.

The GAÏA engineering team not only design product with a competitive advantage but is also devoted to solving the customers' power problems.

Gaia 200WThe company's advanced design and development capabilities include:

  • Circuit behaviour simulation
  • Thermal management
  • Advanced packaging techniques
  • Proprietary magnetic and ASIC design
  • Environmental test
  • Reliability evaluation

The skill and innovation spirit of the GAÏA Converter design team is supported by computer aided engineering, for electrical simulation,mechanical design, thermal analysis and optimization, reliability predication, circuit board layout up to manufacturing instruction. 
This CAE system is used extensively to ensure design performance and integrity from prototyping to mass production.

With a presence in 25 countries around the world through subsidiaries and local distributors, GAÏA Converter is a global company. On each continent (America, Europe, Asia) GAÏA Converter ensures a strong presence with Commercial & Technical Support Centers for its distributor network and customers.

GAÏA Converter's manufacturing philosophy is based on fully automated lines with no manual operation. These automated lines include the latest fast SMD pick and place machine, automatic pin insertion tool and automatic potting machine. The extensive use of statistical methods guaranties high quality products.

Provided by Michel Grenon, General Manager, GAÏA Converter

 

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Meet Your Directors
2011-8-29

 

Four members of the PSMA Board of Directors are elected at the Annual Meeting held every year during the APEC conference. Each Director serves a three year term and is eligible to be reelected for one additional term. We would like you to meet two of the Directors elected at the Annual Meeting on March 18, 2013.

Dusty Becker has been involved in the design and development of DC Rectifiers, DC-DC Converters, and DC Power Systems for both indoor and outdoor applications since joining Emerson in 1968. Dusty has held the positions of Engineer, Design Engineer, Staff Engineer, R&D Manager, Director of Engineering, VP of Operations, VP of Systems Engineering, VP of Product Development, and currently VP of Technology.

His current focus is new technology directions in the areas of Power and Outside Plant, including high power delivery systems as well as 380Vdc distribution.

Dusty holds three patents and has two patents pending. He is the author of over 30 technical papers and magazine articles on the subject of DC power conversion and distribution.

Dusty is a past Co- Chair for the Intelec Technical Committee and is currently a member of the Intelec IEC.

Dusty is past Chairman of the PSMA (Power Sources Manufacturing Association) Board of Directors and is Co-Chair of the PSMA Energy Efficiency Committee.

Dusty also sits on the NEMA Energy Storage Technical Committee as well as the recently formed IEC TAG for IEC Smart Grid Standardization.

Dusty is a member of the Green Grid technical committee - Power Sub-working Group.

Dusty is also a member of the E-merge alliance, Data & TelecomTechnical Standards Committee.

Provided by Dusty Becker, Vice President of Technology, Emerson Network Power - Energy Systems

 


Brian C. Narveson received his BSEE from Iowa State University in 1972. He is currently the President of Narveson's Innovative Consulting, which focuses on coaching Innovation in Engineering and Technical Marketing. Brian has been focused on the power industry for over 20 years. He joined Power Trends in 1992 shortly after it was founded as the Vice President of Engineering. His team developed the products which helped grow the company from less than $1M in sales in 1992 to over $60M in 1999 when it was purchased by Texas Instruments. After the acquisition he became the Marketing and Applications Manager for TI's Power Module business. From this role he advanced to Worldwide Power Marketing Development Manager at TI (2002-2007). From 2007 until he retired from TI in 2011 he was the Midwest Analog Applications Manager for Texas Instruments.

 

Brian has been co-chairman of the PSMA Packaging Committee for 6 years, which sponsored and facilitated the PSMA "PSiP2PwrSoC" Special Project. He has chaired multiple APEC Industry Sessions. In addition Brian serves on the PSMA Technology Roadmap sub-committee focused on DC-DC Converters. He has been involved with PSMA since 2001 when he became the company representative for TI. 

Brian has attended every APEC since 1994 except one. He has presented 3 technical sessions and co-authored or presented 4 industry sessions. This year he and Ernie Parker are co-chairing the industry session "3D Packaging for Power Electronics" where they have recruited 7 speakers from Industry and Academia. 

Brian has published over 25 power electronics articles in the US, Asia and Europe. Most were technical, but he also wrote about industry issues such as POLA vs. DOSA.

Provided by Brian Narveson, President, Narveson's Innovative Consulting

 

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Power Electronics Timeline DRAFT
2011-6-29

The Power Sources Manufacturers Association has drafted a power electronics timeline and a "corporate" genealogy chart for the industry to review. As we get inputs, we will be updating these files on a periodic basis. Consequently these files are subject to change until we hear from all affected parties or until enough time has transpired at which time the files will be finalized.

If you have any inputs to share, please contact ada@adaclock.com or the PSMA office.
 
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PSMA Presentation
2008-4-3

The PSMA Marketing Committee has prepared this presentation describing PSMA. You can use this presentation to inform your colleagues about the benefits of PSMA membership. You can also show this presentation at meetings you are attending on behalf of PSMA.

 
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Handbook of Standardized Terminology now available on "Members Only"
2008-1-5

The Handbook of Standardized Terminology For The Power Sources Industry-Third Edition - has been made available as a download on the Members Only area of the PSMA website. Revised and expanded, this unique publication includes definitions for more than 1200 terms related to power electronics which were especially selected for the power electronics professional. The Third Edition also contains illustrations and four new appendices, including a listing of EMI specifications, excerpts from international standards of units and symbols, along with guides for authors of technical papers. Many new magnetic terms are described in this new 126-page third edition that are of particular interest to the practicing designer and marketer of power supplies and related products. Valuable information regarding worldwide power sources, standards agencies, and military specifications has been retained, updated and expanded from the previous edition. Titles of the appendices are: Testing and Standards Agencies; Designer's Reference; World Voltages and Frequencies; Military Specifications; EMI Specifications; Writing Technical Papers for Archival Publications; Units, Symbols and Style Guide; A Brief Writing Guide. These added resources provide concise, easy-to-use references for engineeers involved in technical writing and presentations. If your company is a member of PSMA, you may register for the "Members Only" area using your email address. The registration form requires you to enter your company PSMA member number. You may contact the Association Office if you do not know the member number.

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Getting More From Your PSMA Membership
2005-9-28
A letter to the Membership from Chuck Mullett, PSMA Chairman March 18, 2003

In a recent monthly teleconference of our Membership Committee we had a lively discussion about how we are serving our membership, what projects we are doing, and how we might communicate better with you, our member companies. Realizing that communication is always a key ingredient, I volunteered to write to you and give you a personal snapshot of what’s going on.

Mission: To integrate the resources of the power sources industry to more effectively and profitably serve the needs of the power sources users, providers and PSMA members.

As it is with many trade organizations, membership can be a spectator sport. The organization appreciates your support in the form of dues, because there’s always overhead that must be paid. But, what good is an organization that simply collects dues, pays the phone bills and mailing costs, and tries to survive until the next wave of dues submittals? Clearly, this would be a waste of time. In organizations like PSMA, the worth of the group is directly and totally a result of the efforts of its members. This is not a new concept. Service organizations around the world have always operated in just this way. Think about Rotary International, comprised of business leaders who volunteer their time in an environment of fellowship to help each other succeed in their businesses and help students with scholarships, etc. They take on meaningful projects in their communities, help their communities, and have fun doing it. It is possible to maintain membership in Rotary by simply paying dues and attending meetings. But---it is clear that those who get the most out of their membership are the ones who get involved in the projects. They get to know the other members, gaining friendships and insight into their own businesses. In addition, and perhaps most importantly, they have a lot of fun. When people ask us about PSMA, we usually recite a couple of sentences about the organization, its membership and mission, and then we’re bragging joyfully about the projects recently completed and the ones in process. For me, personally, the projects are exciting, as they give me valuable insight It has become a tradition over the past few years to make use of the Saturday preceding APEC (usually in late February or early March) to hold a major workshop, taking advantage of the presence of the leaders of the power electronics industry. Two years ago Lou Pechi culminated the work of his Low Voltage Workshop team in an all-day meeting that resulted in the book that’s probably on you bookshelf. Leaders from several end users and power supply manufacturing companies spent countless hours preparing papers and presentations, and then more volunteers transcribed the workshop and edited the final report. If you’re involved in the move toward lower voltage power delivery, I hope you’ve had a chance to use it. Last year that pre-APEC Saturday was spent in PSMA’s Integration Workshop, organized by Arnold Alderman. We hope this project saved many of our member companies tens of thousands of dollars trying to figure out how to advance their power supply technology by the use of semi-custom or fully-custom ICs. The question, “Should I go into the silicon design business, joint venture with a semiconductor manufacturer or simply wait for the next wave of ICs” can be difficult to answer. Your Association decided that tackling this question rigorously and publishing the answers would be of considerable value to the membership. We enlisted the help of our colleagues in Ireland, PEI Technologies, after a bidding process involving several candidate organizations. Both volumes of this report have been sent to PSMA Regular and Associate member companies as a benefit of membership. This study cost under $35,000, because of the hundreds of volunteer hours spent by several PSMA members. Prior to this, we had spent well over a year and around $40,000 on the Status of Power Electronics Packaging (StatPEP) project, also using the crew in Ireland to analyze ten dc-dc converters and ten 500-watt ac-dc power supplies. They dissected these units after a battery of electrical measurements, took countless photos and x-rays, and reported the findings in the now-famous “StatPEP Report” that we hope is in your possession and has been of benefit to your company. Again, hundreds of hours were spent by PSMA volunteers overseeing the PEI work, writing papers, presenting them at the workshop and also presenting a half-day summary seminar at APEC 2000. We have now held the fourth Power Technology Roadmap Workshop, which took place on the Saturday preceding APEC 2003 in February. Don Staffiere started this triennial study in 1994 and faithfully repeated it in 1997 and 2000. It involves heavy effort of over 20 volunteers, not only from PSMA but also from other companies. The final product will be a comprehensive publication containing trending of all aspects of power electronics technology---design, manufacturing, components technology, marketing, sales and in-depth information from the users about their needs over the next five years. This exercise will be done without any outside contracts, except the printing of the reports. So---what else has PSMA done for me? Well, let me introduce you to the PSMA Web site! It’s hard to believe, but it consistently receives over 16,000 hits per month! If you supplied the requested information, there’s a link to your Web site, and your company name scrolls by continuously on the home page. Please, if you haven’t done so, drop by and give your mouse a little exercise---you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Be sure to look at the quarterly newsletter, UPDATE. The current edition goes on for 18 pages; including many APEC 2003 pictures and scenes of your PSMA team at work (Joe Horzepa has one of those wonderful digital cameras with the cheap film!) What MORE can PSMA do for me? Plenty! We’re strong, eager and capable. Over half of the sales revenue of the power supply manufacturers in the US is represented in PSMA’s membership. Membership from the components community is also very strong, and so is our membership from academia and leading consultants. As one of the three sponsors of APEC, we share in the financial outcome of the conference, and it’s been very positive over the past few years. Our financial net worth is over $70,000. As a non-profit organization, we simply return our revenues from APEC, member dues and publication sales, to our membership as efficiently and effectively as we can. In addition to the present system of value exchange here’s how you can “milk” much more out of your membership. I thought I would make a list, but as the thoughts rolled around in my head, I realized they all comprised a single theme. It’s extremely simple. “Get involved.” I can tell you, and so can my colleagues, that the benefits from being truly active in an organization like PSMA far outstrip all of the many publications that attempt to summarize its activities. There’s much more in store for you than simply hearing what goes on in our committee meetings, workshops and research projects. What happens in these activities is (and I’ll be the first to admit it doesn’t happen all the time) almost magical. After many years of sticking my neck out and getting involved in these activities I’ve come to some revelations. As I wrote in my paper for APEC 2000 about “Defining your own excellence,” these volunteer organizations have an unusually high population density of effective people. It’s partly because the volunteer aspect acts as an input filter---everyone had to exercise some initiative to be there in the first place. 1. They had to “show up” (it’s been written that this is 80% of success). 2. They had to say, “I’ll do that,” when the discussion rolled around to figuring out how to organize the project. 3. They had to deliver. The level of performance is extremely high, because the people are “turned on” about what they’re doing. Some valuable friendships are formed while working together on these projects. As many of them involve research about power supply technology, components, reliability, marketing and sales, this work may uncover valuable information that you might otherwise not find. More important than the content of the work, in my opinion, is the interaction with exciting colleagues who are really enjoying their careers. I can’t tell you how many times my life has been enriched by these experiences. One of the reasons I’m taking the time to write this is to share this with you. I hope you’ll accept my invitation to get involved yourself. I hope, even more, that you will pick one or two of your co-workers to get involved with us. Please pick up your phone and call me at my office in California, 805 933-4607, or drop an email to me at chuck.mullett@onsemi.com. We can chat further about how your membership in PSMA can become much more valuable to you and your company. Sincerely, Chuck Mullett Chairman, PSMA

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An Engineer's Guide to using Google by Chuck Mullett
2005-8-23

Years ago we had to surround ourselves with printed reference material to provide the data on components used in our designs and applications papers to help in their use. Many of these were free, but some others cost over $100 each and became obsolete almost as fast as we obtained them. Today, the picture has changed dramatically. Most of this information is available at no cost through the Internet; the amount of information is so huge that the new challenge is sorting it out. When the semiconductor committee of PSMA began to study the problem of helping engineers find the information needed, the change in the way we do our jobs became blatantly obvious. Even this task has been made easier, because of help from the Internet.

Here is our conclusion: Google is perhaps the most advanced search engine in the world at this time. Surprisingly, it’s not just for lay people who are looking for new recipes or ways to remodel their bedrooms. Its capability to provide us with the sophisticated technical help we need is astounding. It has the capacity to improve its performance, on its own, as it is used. Our job in helping our members and others in the industry has been reduced from one of searching, rating and cataloging materials to one of simply providing a few hints about using Google. We suggest you try it for yourself, get familiar with its capability, and use it the next time you need information. Here are some examples for you to try:

1. Go to Google.com and type in power factor correction. Our result was that 2,190,000 references were retrieved in 0.23 seconds. Now, type in “power factor correction” and see the difference. We got 155,000 references in about the same amount of time. What is even more amazing is that the references were valid! Even in the first case---we looked through the first 120 on the list, and didn’t find even one irrelevant citing.

2. Try “mag amp” and retrieve 8,870 references. All were valid until we got down to the 29th one on the list, which referred to a slow-release garden fertilizer. 28 out of 29 is a validity score of 96.6%---not bad for software!!!

In Example 1 we saw the difference of enclosing the phrase in quotation marks. Doing so causes the search engine to look for precisely that phrase. Without this, the search engine will find hits on each of the words individually, inviting irrelevant references.

To the right of the search window on the home page you will find “Advanced Search.” Clicking on it will produce a page full of easy-to-use tricks to improve the search, including “Advanced Search Tips” on the top line of the page. This gives even more useful information to produce more effective results. Google is so easy that if you’ll spend only 5 minutes with it, you’ll be producing better results than you can find in a world-class library, without leaving your desk. Try it first, then try other search engines. We did this, and found a plethora of irrelevant “hits.” We invite your comments.

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Power Supplies - Make vs Buy
2003-1-24

A discussion of criteria to consider when deciding whether you should make or buy power supplies when creating equipment.


Power Supplies - Make vs Buy
 

 

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Technical Writing Guides
2003-1-24

The following documents are provided to assist you in your technical writing. Please note that if you would like a hard copy of the Units, Symbols & Styles Guide in a handy one-page format, you may purchase copies in the Publications Section.

Units, Symbols and Style Guide

A Brief Writing Guide

Site Design: David Fogle Design

Contact us:   Tel: (973) 543-9660   Fax: (973) 543-6207   power@psma.com
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