Innovation is critical in today’s engineering world and it demands technical knowledge and the highest level of creativity. Seeing compact articles that solve design problems or display innovative ways to accomplish design tasks can help to fuel your electronics creativity.
You can find many very circuit ideas at ePanorama.net circuits page.
In addition to this links to interesting electronics design related articles worth to check out can be posted to the comments section.
1,779 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
Regulate a 0 to 500V, 10-mA power supply in a different way
https://www.edn.com/design/power-management/4403836/Regulate-a-0-to-500V–10-mA-power-supply-in-a-different-way-?utm_source=Aspencore&utm_medium=EDN&utm_campaign=social
Tomi Engdahl says:
How to Make an NFC-Equipped PCB Business Card
https://blog.hackster.io/how-to-make-an-nfc-equipped-pcb-business-card-5e05f99bb225
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ceska verze
Single transistor switching supply without optocoupler
http://danyk.cz/iz_odv_en.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
The evolution of ultrasonic technology for smarter flow measurement
https://www.edn.com/design/analog/4461515/The-evolution-of-ultrasonic-technology-for-smarter-flow-measurement?utm_source=Aspencore&utm_medium=EDN&utm_campaign=social
Tomi Engdahl says:
Solid State Precharge
https://www.hackster.io/CharlieO/solid-state-precharge-26b86e
Solid State Precharge CoolMOS solution for automotive HV battery.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intelligent AC Solid State Switch
https://www.hackster.io/182654/intelligent-ac-solid-state-switch-64f028
Bipolar solid state power relay, capable of commutation without arcing and/or overcurrent events.
Tomi Engdahl says:
RF power amplifier safety
https://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/living-analog/4461494/RF-power-amplifier-safety-?utm_source=Aspencore&utm_medium=EDN&utm_campaign=social
Tomi Engdahl says:
Eat your vegetables: Why you should always follow switch-mode power layout guidelines
https://www.edn.com/design/power-management/4461566/Eat-your-vegetables–Why-you-should-always-follow-switch-mode-power-layout-guidelines?utm_source=Aspencore&utm_medium=EDN&utm_campaign=social
Tomi Engdahl says:
DesignCon 2019: PAM4 makes everything harder
https://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/rowe-s-and-columns/4461560/DesignCon-2019–PAM4-makes-everything-harder?utm_source=Aspencore&utm_medium=EDN&utm_campaign=social
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://blog.hackster.io/four-independent-usb-to-serial-i2c-gpio-converters-on-a-single-pcb-c5ab41085e99
Tomi Engdahl says:
Test Nixie Tube Driver PCBs on a Bed of Nails
https://blog.hackster.io/test-nixie-tube-driver-pcbs-on-a-bed-of-nails-c4721f9164f1
Tomi Engdahl says:
Types of Low Pass Filters – RL and RC Passive Filters – Examples
https://www.electricaltechnology.org/2019/01/passive-low-pass-filter-types.html#
Tomi Engdahl says:
How to Find the Value of Burnt Resistor ( By Four Handy Methods )
https://www.electricaltechnology.org/2013/06/how-to-find-value-of-burnt-resistor-by.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
How Do You Choose The Right Type Of NTC Thermistor To Limit Inrush Current For Capacitive Applications?
https://www.powerelectronics.com/community/how-do-you-choose-right-type-ntc-thermistor-limit-inrush-current-capacitive-applications?PK=UM_Classics02119&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=23180&utm_medium=email&elq2=dd664b9cab794f259bf3912cc3525956
Matt Cuhadar from the Ametherm team answers a reader question about choosing the right type of NTC Thermistor to limit inrush current for capacitive applications.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Added Hysteresis Enhances DC-DC Converter Performance
https://www.electronicdesign.com/analog/added-hysteresis-enhances-dc-dc-converter-performance?NL=ED-003&Issue=ED-003_20190208_ED-003_654&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_1_b&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=23216&utm_medium=email&elq2=ec24ffe446c344beb93c07bbd2a79a16
With an appropriately sized added resistor, you can add adjustable hysteresis to a dc-dc converter’s enable signal.
Tomi Engdahl says:
What’s the Difference? Ask an Op Amp
https://hackaday.com/2018/11/13/whats-the-difference-ask-an-op-amp/
Tomi Engdahl says:
High Voltage Measurement is Shockingly Safe
https://hackaday.com/2018/11/17/high-voltage-measurement-is-shockingly-safe/
With the right equipment and training, it’s possible to safely work on energized power lines in the 500 kV range with bare hands. Most of us, though, don’t have the right equipment or training, and should take great care when working with any appreciable amount of voltage. If you want to safely measure even the voltages of the wiring in your house there’s still substantial danger, and you’ll want to take some precautions like using isolated amplifiers.
Performing safer AC line voltage measurements using isolated amplifiers
https://ripitapart.com/2018/11/13/performing-safer-ac-line-voltage-measurements-using-isolated-amplifiers/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Synthesize variable in-circuit Rs, Ls, and Cs
https://www.edn.com/design/integrated-circuit-design/4461568/Synthesize-variable-in-circuit-Rs–Ls–and-Cs-?utm_source=Aspencore&utm_medium=EDN&utm_campaign=social
Tomi Engdahl says:
RS-485 Full Duplex Over Two Wires Reference Design
http://www.ti.com/tool/TIDA-00862?HQS=sys-ind-ba-elevators19-asset-rd-ElectronicDesign-wwe&DCM=yes&elqTrackId=505c53dcbbbd4f43814517ab0ca164a9&elq=a4aa113751f14895ac4c6c7f4df07df2&elqaid=23372&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=20129&dclid=CJiYpsCs2eACFVBNGAodE6EHPg
The design enables full duplex RS-485 communications over a single pair of conductors rather than four by utilizing bus contention. By adding small-valued serial resistors to the bus lines to limit currents, a tri-stated differential bus is allowed and the SN65HVD96 SymPol transciver can be used to detect a state of bus contention. Simple digital logic and analog filtering techniques enable both transceivers to drive and receive from eachother simultaneously without the need for 2 additional bus wires.
Full duplex differential signaling
Up to 1Mbps data rate
Requires only two bus wires
Physical level implementation
Power line communication using RS-485 simulation reference design
http://www.ti.com/tool/TIDA-010035?HQS=sys-ind-ba-elevators19-asset-rd-ElectronicDesign-wwe&DCM=yes&elqTrackId=e04c7806c4dd4893af1e5206dda9d304&elq=a4aa113751f14895ac4c6c7f4df07df2&elqaid=23372&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=20129&dclid=CNKdtL-s2eACFUQcGAodGJYFPw
Tomi Engdahl says:
Isolation is good when it’s digital: Protect your people and devices
https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1334308
The programmable logic controller (PLC)[1] is considered the main control center for manufacturing machines, even in Industry 4.0 and other “smart factory” initiatives. It is the central processor for all real-time decisions for the manufacturing process.
Sensors provide input to the PLC about their status so that it can automatically make decisions about the manufacturing process. The PLC is also the interface to a particular machine in real time to allow the human aspect of machine operation to be more automated and secure.
Industry 4.0 and the future of PLCs
Although Industry 4.0 is starting to attract a lot of attention in the market, there are many concerns and risks associated with adopting this “smart factory” initiative based on new and emerging technologies.
While Industry 4.0 and the internet of things are commonly used terms, there are still many people that do not understand the distinction between the two. A survey about the industrial internet of things (IIoT) and Industry 4.0 familiarity, conducted by Control Engineering, showed that 67 percent of respondents have little to no familiarity with Industry 4.0 principles, and 41 percent have little or no familiarity with the internet of things.[2] Today, only one-third of all plant floor equipment has a network interface.
Most PLCs work at 24 V,[4] which is considered the global voltage standard and digital language for industrial applications. In those environments, power fluctuations are frequent and can cause unexpected malfunctions and damage to electronics.
Securing the machines and their electronic components with galvanic isolators is critical to protect essential equipment and ensure continuous operation.
Advantages of digital isolators
Until recently, most PLC circuit boards featured optoisolators or optocouplers.[5] They are inexpensive, easy to install and widely available in the market.
Optocouplers, however, have several fundamental limitations, including poor noise immunity, long delays and low energy efficiency, because they need high current to ensure functionality. Additionally, an optocoupler’s reliability suffers from age, temperature and bias voltage.
CMOS-based digital isolation is immune to the output variations that plague LED-based optocouplers. Digital isolators provide more than 10 times the reliability rate of optocouplers, enabling system builders to offer more extended functionality to their PLCs and longer product warranties.
Silicon Labs’ basic isolators are available in one- to six-channel bi- and unidirectional configurations, fitting smaller board designs and reducing board production costs. What’s more, Silicon Labs has a family of isolators specifically for PLC applications that provide additional integration. The Si838x family features advanced 24V inputs in either sourcing or sinking configurations. This family integrates 8 channels into one package in order to optimize space and costs.
Tomi Engdahl says:
First Carbon-Nanotube Mixed-Signal ICs
https://spectrum.ieee.org/nanoclast/semiconductors/design/first-carbon-nanotube-analog-and-mixedsignal-ics
Tomi Engdahl says:
Power Supply Characteristics FAQs
https://www.powerelectronics.com/power-electronics-systems/power-supply-characteristics-faqs?PK=UM_Classics03119&elqTrackId=c5006c1926f8420e989a56d05eb848e9&elq=d501b95cfbd2409cb2bdc27482a2b79b&elqaid=23836&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=20568&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=23836&utm_medium=email&elq2=d501b95cfbd2409cb2bdc27482a2b79b
Tomi Engdahl says:
Design Inset-Fed Microstrip Patch Antennas
https://www.mwrf.com/components/design-inset-fed-microstrip-patch-antennas?PK=UM_Classics03119elqTrackId=544cbf10878b49568c8d2278a6be34e0&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=23838&utm_medium=email&elq2=750e0cea27964c32aaed65640a3a83e7
This design approach helps analyzer microstrip inset-fed patch antennas and helps to locate the exact inset length for 50-? input impedance.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.edn.com/design/pc-board
Tomi Engdahl says:
What’s effective return loss, anyway? (Part 1)
https://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/eye-on-standards/4461625/What-s-effective-return-loss–anyway—Part-1-
What’s effective return loss, anyway? (Part 2)
https://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/eye-on-standards/4461626/What-s-effective-return-loss–anyway—Part-2-
Tomi Engdahl says:
Eat your vegetables: Why you should always follow switch-mode power layout guidelines
https://www.edn.com/design/power-management/4461566/Eat-your-vegetables–Why-you-should-always-follow-switch-mode-power-layout-guidelines
Open any switching power-supply datasheet or design handbook and the message is the same: follow these layout guidelines, OR ELSE.
Even if the schematic has all the proper connections and the bill of materials (BOM) has components rated for the application, many power-supply designs are doomed to fail due to poor layout. When troubleshooting a design that ‘should work,’ most problems can be traced back to the layout guidelines found in these handbooks and datasheets.
It’s one thing to know the recommendations; it’s another thing entirely to follow them. Unlike parents, who sometimes struggle to demonstrate the immediate benefits of eating vegetables to their kids, engineers can immediately demonstrate the consequences of poor power-supply layout to their bosses.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2019/03/12/do-you-know-where-your-drone-is-headed-hjwydk-article-explores-limits-of-mems-sensors/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Smart Electronic Design with Low IQ
https://www.electronicdesign.com/power/smart-electronic-design-low-iq?NL=ED-003&Issue=ED-003_20190313_ED-003_232&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_1_b&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=23999&utm_medium=email&elq2=35d63314c99a4963ac608bf1e5e328de
Sponsored by Texas Instruments: As the Internet of Things matures, quiescent current becomes an ever-more important specification when making design decisions. Here’s what you need to know.
As it turns out, low IQ is a good thing. A least when you’re designing electronic equipment for low power consumption.
A device’s quiescent current, or IQ, is an important parameter to understand for battery-powered, energy-efficient designs. This article defines IQ and explains how it affects the design of switch-mode power supplies and the equipment they serve.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IC Test: Doing It At The Right Place At The Right Time
https://semiengineering.com/ic-test-doing-it-at-the-right-place-at-the-right-time/
Understand the different DFT technologies to know when to insert them into a design.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.edn.com/design/analog
Tomi Engdahl says:
Design PCBs for EMI, part 1: How signals move
https://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/the-emc-blog/4461633/Design-PCBs-for-EMI–part-1–How-signals-move
There are many factors that contribute to poor EMI designs. These include:
Mixing noisy circuits, such as power and motor conversion with digital and sensitive analog circuits.
Locating clock drivers too close to board edges or near sensitive circuits.
Poor trace routing which leads to cross-talk.
Running clock (or high speed) traces over gaps/slots in the return plane.
And above all, incorrect layer stack-ups.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Unique compensation technique tames high-bandwidth voltage-feedback op amps
https://www.edn.com/design/analog/4461648/Unique-compensation-technique-tames-high-bandwidth-voltage-feedback-op-amps-
The compensation technique simply consists of adding two compensation elements, CS and CF, to the standard inverting op-amp configuration (Figure 1). Previous discussions of this circuit focused on using CF to compensate for a parasitic CS. The following analysis shows you how to set both CS and CF to get a well‑controlled, closed-loop, second-order lowpass frequency response at any signal gain for even the most decompensated op amp.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Slew rate and rise time: Not quite the same
https://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/fun-with-fundamentals/4461628/Slew-rate-and-rise-time–Not-quite-the-same
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Comprehensive Approach To System-Level ESD
How to prevent costly damage in complex designs.
https://semiengineering.com/a-comprehensive-approach-to-system-level-esd/
To protect against ESD in complex, high-speed technologies requiring careful signal path design, simulation has become essential in electronics system development. A holistic methodology effectively and efficiently locates and mitigates ESD risks well before hardware prototypes are available, saving teams time, effort and money. This approach can lead to more reliable and efficient systems in crucial applications such as automotive, avionics, 5G and, yes, in-flight entertainment systems. Learn more about the challenges and solutions for addressing system-level ESD in this white paper.
https://www.ansys.com/resource-library/application-brief/system-level-esd?utm_source=semiengineering&utm_medium=enewsletter&utm_campaign=19-sem&utm_content=2091&utm_term=system_level_ESD
Tomi Engdahl says:
Leakage Current in a Medical Power Supply System: Demonstrating the Advantage of Theoretical Modeling
https://www.electronicdesign.com/white-paper/leakage-current-medical-power-supply-system-demonstrating-advantage-theoretical-modeling?code=PhasiumPowerER3-03152019&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=23959&utm_medium=email&elq2=ee1feda2e0f64de3ad39a45becaa24e1
Designers rarely analyze the cumulative effect of capacitor tolerance on the total leakage current; errors of capacitors are verified by testing. Modelling helps reduce production costs and improve quality while ensuring leakage current requirements are met in medical applications.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Via-In-Pad Guidelines for PCBs
https://www.electronicdesign.com/analog/pad-guidelines-pcbs?NL=ED-003&Issue=ED-003_20190315_ED-003_717&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_1_b&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=24078&utm_medium=email&elq2=e93eba11a2a74ee9b96ce84c7634292b
Though generally frowned upon, here’s a quick rundown on why “via in pad” may be an option to consider in certain designs, and how to place them properly.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Set Your Standards Higher For Resistors
https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1334430
Resistors are arguably one of the most fundamental electronic components and are key for every single electronic circuit in existence. Some Resistors are found as old-fashioned wire-wound parts soldered onto PCBs by hand, while others are integrated into ICs directly in the form of polysilicon traces.
In this article, we will look at the importance of Resistors in modern electronic design and how the latest Panasonic range of Resistors can help engineers reduce the cost of their products while making them more efficient.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Flex PCB design information
https://hackaday.io/project/164461-flex-pcb-design-information
Some books and articles to show good flex PCB design practices.
Tomi Engdahl says:
What’s effective return loss, anyway? (Part 2)
https://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/eye-on-standards/4461626/What-s-effective-return-loss–anyway—Part-2-?utm_source=Aspencore&utm_medium=EDN&utm_campaign=social
Tomi Engdahl says:
Unique compensation technique tames high-bandwidth voltage-feedback op amps
https://www.edn.com/design/analog/4461648/Unique-compensation-technique-tames-high-bandwidth-voltage-feedback-op-amps-?utm_source=Aspencore&utm_medium=EDN&utm_campaign=social
Tomi Engdahl says:
High Inrush Current in Capacitor Switching and Ways to Prevent It.
https://www.electricaltechnology.org/2015/03/high-inrush-current-in-capacitor-switching-and-ways-to-prevent-it.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Slew rate and rise time: Not quite the same
https://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/fun-with-fundamentals/4461628/Slew-rate-and-rise-time–Not-quite-the-same?utm_source=Aspencore&utm_medium=EDN&utm_campaign=social
Tomi Engdahl says:
Test power supplies for efficiency to comply with regulatory standards
https://www.edn.com/design/test-and-measurement/4461616/Test-power-supplies-for-efficiency-to-comply-with-regulatory-standards?utm_source=Aspencore&utm_medium=EDN&utm_campaign=social
Tomi Engdahl says:
How to Test & Fix the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Defects?
https://www.electricaltechnology.org/2015/04/how-to-test-fix-the-printed-circuit-board-pcb-defects.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Accurate and precise automotive extreme temperature testing
https://www.edn.com/design/automotive/4461688/Accurate-and-precise-automotive-extreme-temperature-testing-?utm_source=Aspencore&utm_medium=EDN&utm_campaign=social
Tomi Engdahl says:
Georgia Tech Designs Low-Power Circuit to Guard Against Side-Channel Sniffing Attacks
https://blog.hackster.io/georgia-tech-designs-low-power-circuit-to-guard-against-side-sniffing-attacks-b877554ccd02
According to the researchers, the circuit isn’t 100% effective at guarding against attacks, but it would take hackers 3,579 times as long to breach the platform over a standard circuit
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Very Noisy Signal: Intel Circuit Squashes Side-Channel Sniffing
https://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/telecom/security/a-very-noisy-signal-intel-circuit-squashes-sidechannel-sniffing
Tomi Engdahl says:
Dual-Mode Chokes Teach Old Inverters New Tricks
https://www.electronicdesign.com/power/dual-mode-chokes-teach-old-inverters-new-tricks?NL=ED-003&Issue=ED-003_20190401_ED-003_438&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_1_b&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=24510&utm_medium=email&elq2=b143e7b8817f4d4d94da3e5cc9b419a4
Innovative hybrid filters built with the latest magnetic materials enable lightweight, miniaturized inverters to satisfy the latest green-energy and mobility applications.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Signal integrity versus data rate and cable length for RS-485 transceivers
https://www.electronicdesign.com/analog/signal-integrity-versus-data-rate-and-cable-length-rs-485-transceivers?utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=24428&utm_medium=email&elq2=a2aaaa63696a4e419088a1041d83e2c6
This document contains lab data for THVD1450 and THVD1429 RS-485 transceivers operating over a range of different cable lengths and data rates.
http://www.ti.com/lit/an/slla431/slla431.pdf
Tomi Engdahl says:
http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/9303-digi-key-tyokalu-laskee-komponenttien-kestavyyden
On-Line BOM MTBF Prediction
https://www.digikey.com/en/resources/design-tools/bqr-on-line-application