Custom components design
Using unique-on-the-market proprietary tools for design and simulation, design time is reduced to the minimum and the approval rate of the first sampling defined by design is around 99%.
Our technical primacy:
Resonant topologies in power supplies
Resonant topologies: LLC vs. LCC
Safety pre-compliance
The late determination of the safety requirements is a frequent cause of non-compliance of electronics designs.
These cases require a new revision of the design that involves the transformer, the PCB and the EMC tests, causing additional costs and significant delays.
Additionally, increased distances on a transformer usually cause the worsening of some parameters and/or the need for a larger transformer.
It should be noted that entries such as “designed to comply with EN61558” (or similar), sometimes found on transformers datasheets, are only valuable to a certain extent.
The safety requirements, in fact, do not only depend on V(input) and V(output), but also on specific RMS and repetitive peak voltages that arise across the windings and across the interposed insulation.
They also depend on other elements such as the insulation materials, characteristics, switching frequency and power.
Our participation to the normative work of CT96, Technical Committee for the EN 61558 standard for transformers, allows us to provide a top-level support.
We offer a service for the definition of Creepage, Clearance, DTI and Dielectric strength according to EN61558-1, EN61558-2-1, EN61558-2-4, EN61558-2-6, EN61558-2-16 (transformers) and EN61347-1, EN61347-2-13 (lighting).
The third edition of the EN 61558 introduces an additional classification according to the overvoltage category (OVC-I…IV).
Our service considers the requirements for the OVC of your equipment.
Last but not least, considering that the standards of many other products refer to the EN 61558, the relevance of our safety pre-compliance service extends to a wide range of applications.
EMC pre-compliance
The EMI issues that most often lead to the revision of the SMPS layout and filters are the non-compliances about conducted disturbances through power cables and about the input current harmonic distortion (THD).
We have an internal laboratory where our customers can carry out a preliminary analysis keeping times and costs down, which are often significant for this kind of survey.
Our pre-compliance test service may include the analysis and possible reporting in relation to:
– Conducted disturbances
– Localization of radiant disturbance sources through near field probes up to 2GHz
– Harmonic content (up to 50th harmonic)
– Total Harmonic Distortion (THD)
– Power factor
The tests can be made in the presence of the designer, so to test in real time the improvement attempts on filters or other components.
However, it is advisable that the tests are performed independently by our technicians because times can be long and sometimes the development of custom filter inductors is required.
Other tests
We can also carry out the following tests:
– Verification of temperatures with IR thermal camera and/or thermocouples
– High precision efficiency measurement
– High precision stand-by/no-load consumption test
– Verification of the response to power-on, to mains transient and hold-up time test
– Verification of load transient response
– Inrush current with programmable phase angle
– Dielectric strength (≤10KVac)
– Insulation resistance (≤5GΩ)
– Tests and/or thermal cycles in heat-cold-damp climatic chamber (-70°…+200°C).
Rapid prototyping
The prototypes are produced both in our Italian plant and in the Asian plants, considerably reducing times.
We can create in-house special plastic parts with the aid of a high resolution 3D printer.
This greatly anticipates the tests and allows an optimal development of the mold.
Resin encapsulation service
The implementation of a line for encapsulating electronic circuits is an investment that is not always justified for the manufacturers of electronic equipment.
This operation can involve high risks (especially if done with the most widespread mid/low-range equipment) and requires technical experience, as well as the managment of health, ecological aspects, etc.
Our thirty-year experience makes us able to supply this service for third parties, with low costs (thanks to the high level of automation) and high quality, guaranteed by an ongoing monitoring of the resin mixture and of the process.
Conclusions
Carrying out part of the design process and tests at the supplier of inductive components may appear unusual.
On the contrary, the sharing of skills and investments in studies, R&D, software, instrumentation etc. along the supply chain leads to exceptionally concrete results.
For this reason, for many years now, we are guided in our investment policy by a synergistic vision, by a teamwork of which everybody takes advantage of.