Electronics News April 2012

news Australia’s Premier Electronics Magazine

www.electronicsnews.com.au INSIDE

APRIL 12

News 4

Revolutionary little computer How a small and cheap computer caught the attention of the world Technology 8

Ultra-fast wireless transmission CSIRO’s speed boost breakthrough for point-to-point wireless data transfer Feature 14

Contract design electronics What to look out for when using subcontractors to design a product, and the unexpected benefits Feature 18

Tracking remote assets Electronic tracking solutions add value beyond just dots on the map Design Corner 20

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Smart and strategic As the military becomes smarter, what is the role for Australia’s electronic industry?

Page 10

Design | Communications | Environmental | Industrial | Research | Medical | Consumer

Reducing MCU power use How to curb the energy greed of electronics and extend the running life of your devices Product Feature 26

Data centre cooling The solutions ensuring the cool, reliable and ecological running of server farms

NEWS

news

EDITOR’S MESSAGE

Innovation amidst consolidation

Published five times a year Reed Business Information Pty Ltd Tower 2, 475 Victoria Avenue Chatswood NSW 2067 Tel: (02) 9422 2999 Fax: (02) 9422 2977 www.electronicsnews.com.au PUBLISHER Michelle Graves Email: michelle.graves@reedbusiness.com.au EDITOR Kevin Gomez Tel: (02) 9422 2976 kevin.gomez@reedbusiness.com.au DEPUTY EDITOR Isaac Leung Tel: (02) 9422 2956 isaac.leung@reedbusiness.com.au

Kevin Gomez Editor

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• Green/Environment • CPUs/MCUs • Power Management • Component sourcing

The future of the electronics sector in Australia is a common topic of discussion when industry folk get together.

But the times are a-changin’ and it’s not just in Australia – if we look beyond our shores, we can see seismic shifts occurring in the industry.

Take the situation with fabs: between 2009 and 2011, makers closed no less than 49 semiconductor manufacturing plants.

Interestingly, there has been no slowdown in the number and complexity of electronics based consumer and industrial products coming to market. There seems to be an inverse relationship between the number of fabs and the complexity and popularity of technologies.

To top it off, there is now a total lack of insight into true production volumes.

A while back, TSMC and UMC withdrew from the Semiconductor International Capacity Statistics (SICAS) project which measures semiconductor wafer production capacity.

And now Intel and AMD have withdrawn from the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) organisation.

An industry commentator, who writes under the name of Bicycle Bill, calls this a “merry-go-round of insanity” as he tries to get his head around the issue.

Is the industry in such rapid decline that companies believe they have to hide valuable market information? There are the usual prognostications of doom, of course, but there are other factors in play.

Electronics has for long been considered a ‘young’ industry. Perhaps we need to change our perspective – the industry

has now matured and is more like the automobile industry. With maturity comes consolidation and lower, steady growth.

Closer to home, innovators continue to thrive in selected niche areas. In this issue, we put the focus on the defence industry. No longer entirely reliant on raw firepower, the tech-savvy military now incorporates advanced electronic systems, and Australian companies are deeply involved.

Another area the Electronics News team has been following for a while is medical electronics.

It’s not just the big names like ResMed and Cochlear – there is an entire designfocused ecosystem in Australia built around medical electronics.

Consider this: The local industry imports most of what it uses (98.8%), and exports most of what it produces (97.2%), mainly to the US, New Zealand, Europe, Japan and the UK. The continued success of this industry will be based on its ability to continue developing competitive products for advanced export markets.

The dark side of innovation is thievery.

So it was good to see Codan fight back against counterfeiters, using legal action and international lobbying. Codan is attempting to protect its intellectual property from Chinese electronics manufacturers who, it alleges, are producing counterfeit gold detector products, complete with the look and trademark.

It may well be a long and expensive battle, but one that must be fought. kevin.gomez@reedbusiness.com.au

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NEWS

IN BRIEF

CODAN ACQUIRES MINING COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY CODAN has acquired Perth-based mining communications solutions maker Minetec.

Codan says Minetec’s activities, which involves designing and manufacturing a range of electronic products and associated software, is closely to its own, which is developing and manufacturing electronic products and distributing them globally.

Minetec’s growth means it requires additional funding, improved processes and assistance to maintain its significant growth rate.

Minetec was established in 2000, employs approximately 50 staff. Its products leverage off a communications infrastructure to improve mine safety and productivity in underground mines. These products include asset tracking, collision avoidance systems and associated software.

While Minetec’s products are different from those offered by Codan’s Radio Communications division, they are based on similar engineering principles and are similar in catering for difficult operating environments.

While Minetec’s revenue is predominantly Australian-based, it is developing relationships with a number of large global miners, and Codan says it will develop the business internationally.

CORNING SHIPS FIRST PHOTOVOLTAIC GLASS SUBSTRATES CORNING has announced the successful commercialisation of its photovoltaic glass substrates after three years of development work.

Corning is now shipping out its first commercial order for its PV glass substrates. It has engineered a glass which enables higher efficiency and lighter weight thin-film photovoltaic modules.

According to Corning, it studied the current market challenges for costeffective photovoltaics and decided to create a glass solution which addresses energy conversion efficiency.

Corning’s glass technology is said to increase current thin-film module efficiency by 20 percent to 30 percent.

The glass has high transmission, allowing more sunlight into the semiconductor layer. Because the glass can withstand higher temperature deposition, more uniform semiconductor films may be applied, which increases overall conversion efficiency.

4 APRIL 2012 www.electronicsnews.com.au

SOFTWARE

Incubation program for integrated circuit start-ups CADENCE Design Systems has launched a business incubation program for Australian integrated circuit (IC) start-ups.

The program helps electronicsrelated start-ups by providing them with electronic design automation (EDA) solutions, including Cadence suites of analogue, custom, digital and PCB/package/board design software, as well as Internet training.

According to Cadence, many Australian design firms focus on mixed-signal design, and the IC program for start-ups aligns with Cadence technology strengths, while encouraging and supporting the expansion of the IC design and semiconductor industry in Australia.

The Cadence program is being used by Nitero, a fables semiconductor company working on 60GHz Wi-Fi solutions for portable platforms. According to Nitero, being part of the program allowed it to focus on designing the chip at a low

The program is intended to provide EDA solutions for electronic start-ups. burn rate.

The Cadence program is now available through NICTA. n

www.cadence.com www.nicta.com.au

PRODUCT

Popular little computer

Elpida Memory bankrupt

WHEN the Raspberry Pi launched in March, all 10,000 of its pre-order units sold out within minutes, and both Premier Farnell (element14) and RS Components were overwhelmed by the traffic.

The Raspberry Pi is a small computer from the UK-based Raspberry Pi Foundation, retailing for around US$35.

It runs Linux and Windows operating systems, and has an Ethernet port for network and internet connectivity. The unit comes as a circuit board, with the user providing mouse, keyboard and screen, although cases will be available in a few months.

Umasankar Pingali, regional director for business development at element14 Asia-Pacific , said the initial allocation was insufficient to

ELPIDA Memory has filed for bankruptcy, after failing to win a second bailout from the Japanese government.

Elpida was the last standing DRAM maker in Japan, after the sector was ravaged by competition from South Korea and Taiwan. The stronger yen, the reduced market for DRAM (tied to sales of personal computers, which have been plunging), and lower margins for its products meant Elpida could not compete effectively.

When it filed for bankruptcy, Elpida had liabilities of 448 billion yen. It has not been profitable for the past five years. In 2009, the Japanese government bailed it out for $140 billion yen, but declined to do so this time.

Elpida is one of the suppliers for Apple, providing memory for its iPhone and iPad devices. Its share of the Apple supply chain will most likely go to its Taiwanese competitors. n

satisfy the demand.

“Interest has continued to build up; over 30 discussion threads on the element14 Community were created in the first 24 hours, traffic to our sites have gone up by 30 times in the first days following the launch,” Pingali said.

The hardware itself is not the focus of the project, with the aim being to improve knowledge of programming by providing a platform which is easy to develop on.

“Education departments across the world can now afford to make programming a part of their curriculums,” Pingali said. “The thirst for knowledge and the quest to explore using Raspberry Pi is huge.” n www.raspberrypi.org www.element14.com australia.rs-online.com

NEWS

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BUSINESS

GlobalFoundries was formed when AMD divested its manufacturing operations in 2009.

GlobalFoundries achieves independence ON THE third anniversary of its founding, GlobalFoundries has achieved full independence, with Advanced Technology Investment by buying out AMD’s remaining shares.

The company is the world’s third largest independent semiconductor foundry, and was created when AMD divested its manufacturing operations on 2 March 2009. Advanced Technology Investment Company, the largest shareholder in the company, is now the sole owner.

One of GlobalFoundries’ founding goals was to become an independent foundry company.

The agreement to buy out the shares is part of an amendment to the commercial Wafer Supply Agreement (WSA) with AMD. AMD remains one of GlobalFoundries’ primary and strategic customers.

According to the foundry company, it is performing strongly in

the global semiconductor industry, on the back of AMD’s gains.

AMD’s 32nm processor shipments increased by more than 80 percent from the third quarter to the fourth quarter of 2011 and now represents a third of AMD’s overall processor mix. GlobalFoundries exited the year as the only foundry to have shipped in the hundreds of thousands of 32nm High K Metal Gate wafers.

In January 2012, the company announced plans for more than $3 billion in capital spending during the year to fund expansion of its facilities in Singapore, Germany and New York. That same month the company announced that its newest 300mm manufacturing facility, Fab 8 in New York, started running the first silicon as part of a new customer agreement to develop leading-edge chips for IBM. n www.globalfoundries.com

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ENVIRONMENT

Operations commence at Bridgewater concentrating photovoltaic solar station SILEX Systems says its subsidiary Solar Systems has started operation of the Bridgewater Concentrating Photovoltaic (CPV) solar power harvesting station.

The facility, located in Central Victoria, is the largest CPV solar power station in Australia. Eight dish systems have been successfully commissioned and are operational with the remaining eight dishes to be brought online progressively.

The 500 kilowatt grid-connected facility will be used to demonstrate

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and test Solar Systems’ proprietary ‘Dense Array’ CPV solar conversion system, which uses high efficiency triple junction solar cells capable of converting sunlight into electricity at around 40 percent efficiency.

Another advantage of the technology is the use of active cooling to maximise power output and ensure long life from the solar cells.

Solar Systems is also constructing a larger CPV Solar Power Station in Mildura, north-west Victoria. n

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solarsystems.com.au www.electronicsnews.com.au APRIL 2012 5

NEWS

IN BRIEF

CLIPSAL CONSOLIDATES SA MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS ELECTRONICS manufacturer Clipsal is closing its Strathalbyn factory, with operations expected to be complete by the end of the year.

Clipsal says the work previously done at Strathalbyn will be relocated to the Gepps Cross site, which was recently upgraded with $35 million worth of manufacturing capabilities.

The closure and relocation will see the termination of around 100 casual employees, while the permanent staff will have the option to be made redundant, or be moved to Gepps Cross.

The company said this consolidation will ensure the viability of its manufacturing operations.

AGREEMENT TO BOOST PHOTOVOLTAIC ADOPTION DUPONT and Suntech Power have signed a strategic agreement to increase the supply of photovoltaic materials and technologies.

The agreement focuses on technology advancements, supply chain optimisation, cost reduction, and supplies of the DuPont Solamet photovoltaic metallisation pastes and protective Tedlar polyvinyl fluoride film for Suntech’s solar cells.

According to Suntech, the agreement will allow them to create higher efficiency solar cells and further extend the life of solar modules. This will be critical to achieving affordable solar power and improve adoption.

6 APRIL 2012 www.electronicsnews.com.au

RESEARCH

Grant for green lighting THE VICTORIAN government has announced a $250,000 grant to Daintree Networks to develop a new lighting control system which promises to slash lighting energy use by up to 80 percent.

The ControlScope lighting control system is targeted at commercial buildings, and could significantly reduce electricity consumption and reduce business energy bills.

The system will be able to collect information on how energy is being saved. It includes an intelligent classification system to improve benchmarking of energy consumption by building types, geographies and industry sectors.

The grant, awarded under the state’s Energy Technology Innovation Strategy, will help Daintree Networks with its research

and development activities.

While the company already has lighting control systems that can save as much as 70 percent of lighting energy costs in commercial buildings, it is looking to push savings up another 10 percent by providing energy efficiency enhancements techniques to bolster existing lighting control. n www.daintree.net

BUSINESS

Codan fights Chinese counterfeits AUSTRALIAN electronics firm Codan has gone on the offensive against Chinese counterfeiters of its electronic gold detector devices.

According to Codan, it has launched a wave of legal action and international lobbying utilising high profile intermediaries, as well as other initiatives in an attempt to protect its intellectual property against Chinese electronics manufacturers who it alleges are producing counterfeit gold detector products.

One of Codan’s signature products is the Minelab gold detectors.

Codan’s Managing Director, Donald McGurk, said the Chinese

detectors were of “varying quality” but looked and felt like Minelab gold detectors and even illegally carry Codan’s Minelab trade mark.

“It is a problem we have been aware of for some time now,” McGurk said.

“In the past 12 months, these counterfeit products have been sold in increasing numbers across north eastern Africa, which has experienced a gold rush, with millions of gold prospectors now making a living prospecting for gold.”

This has impacted on Codan’s sales in the area. Codan is now looking to take back market share,

and is also investigating ways to distinguish its genuine products against the fakes.

“While we are very hopeful we will be able to take back market share, the question of Chinese counterfeits is a difficult area and it certainly had an impact on first half sales,” McGurk said.

Sales of gold detectors across other parts of the world had not yet been impacted by the counterfeit products. Demand for the company’s solutions remains strong as the high price of gold is sparking a gold rush in many local regions.n www.codan.com.au

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TECHNOLOGY

COMMUNICATIONS

Wireless transfer at 10Gb/s SCIENTISTS at the CSIRO have achieved a record 10 gigabits per second data rate over a point-topoint wireless connection.

The CSIRO team led by Dr Jay Guo achieved more than 6 gigabits per second transmission rate over the wireless connection in 2006, but have now utilised software-defined radio (SDR) techniques in the microwave bands to achieve the new speed record.

The wireless technology could be used to create high-speed links over large areas of terrain where it is not cost effective or difficult to lay optical fibre. It can also be used to create links for short term needs like emergencies.

The high speed connection is based on CSIRO patented technologies. It operates in a wide contiguous spectral band or across a number of discontinuous spectral bands (in order to avoid licensed bands), with extremely high spectral efficiency.

This efficiency and wide spectral band is used together with data compression techniques to deliver high client data rates. n csiro.au

Dr Jay Guo during a 2006 demonstration of a 6Gb/s link. Speeds have been boosted to 10Gb/s

ENVIRONMENTAL

COMMUNICATIONS

Neutrino-based communications A GROUP of scientists led by researchers from the University of Rochester and North Carolina State University have used neutrinos to send a message.

Neutrinos are nearly massless particles capable of travelling at almost the speed of light.

Theoretically, communications methods utilising these particles would be able to travel between any two points on Earth without utilising satellite or cables.

Neutrinos are capable of penetrating almost anything they encounter, unlike electromagnetic waves. They pass right through planets, and substances like water are also no obstacle. Because of their neutral electric charge and almost 8 APRIL 2012 www.electronicsnews.com.au

non-existent mass, neutrinos are not subject to magnetic attractions and are not significantly altered by gravity, so they are virtually free of impediments to their motion.

To prove their point, the scientists sent the message “Neutrino” through 240m of stone.

Given the nature of neutrinos, current technology requires a lot of equipment to enable communications. The test was performed at the Fermi National Accelerator Lab. The researchers utilised one of the world’s most powerful particle accelerators and a multi-ton detector called MINERvA, which is located 100m underground.

The scientists translated the word “neutrino” into binary code, and

Neutrino communications would be able to travel through entire planets. fired groups of neutrino to signify “1” and none to signify “0”.

For the “1” signals, large groups of neutrinos were needed because they are very hard to detect. The MINERvA can only detect around one in ten billion neutrinos. n

Large dye sensitised solar panels DYESOL has announced its subsidiary startup in the US is now assembling prototype Dye Sensitised Solar Cells (DSC) panels exceeding 120 by 60cm.

This represents the largest continuous substrate, single circuit series connected DSC device made to date.

According to Dyesol, the panel size was only limited by available prototyping equipment. The team utilised Transparent Conduction Oxide glass and overcame challenges associated with the assembly of the large DSC solar panels, which will be used for Building Integrated Photo Voltaic (BIPV) applications.

A 2012 report by NanoMarkets indicates the BIPV market for glass is expected to reach US$6.4bn in revenues in 2016. n www.dyesol.com

TECHNOLOGY

ENVIRONMENTAL

RESEARCH

Oxide electronics

New solar cell research A NEW generation of solar cells could emerge from a research agreement between the University of Queensland (UQ) and Korea.

Director of UQ’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), Professor Peter Gray, signed a memorandum of understanding with Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea.

The researchers will combine their expertise in porous semiconducting and bio-nanomaterials, as well as polymer patterning and other materials science in a bid to improve the efficiency of solar cells.

The University of Queensland has expertise in the fabrication of porous functionalised semiconducting nanostructures that will maximise quantum efficiency of dye sensitized or organic solar cells, while the Yonsei researchers have know-how in designing various types of solar

The collaboration will combine research specialties to make more efficient solar cells cell devices.

The fusion of materials development and device fabrication can help us to achieve a new solar cell technology or product with a low cost.

Beyond collaborating on research,

the agreement between AIBN and Yonsei will include joint conferences, student exchanges and plans for a joint lab in Korea. n www.aibn.uq.edu.au www.yonsei.ac.kr

RESEARCHERS from the North Carolina State University have developed the first p-n junction in oxide thin films, opening the door to oxide material-based electronics.

Oxide materials can handle higher voltages and temperatures compared to silicon. They are also transparent, and could be used to create transparent and more powerful electronic devices.

However, scientists had problems creating an efficient p-n junction in oxide materials. The p-n junction, where positively and negatively charged materials meet, is an important basis for functional electronics.

The problem was solved by using the same material for both p- and n-type conduction. The scientists used lasers to create positively charged nickel oxide (NiO) thin films, then converted the top layer of those films to n-type.

Using this method, the scientists found they could control the thickness of the n-layer. They were thus able to control the depth and characteristics of the p-n junction. n

www.electronicsnews.com.au APRIL 2012 9

FEATURE

DEFENCE

Australian defence industry fac Government defence projects are stalled, forcing the hi-tech industry that relies on them to adapt or perish, writes Electronics News staff

A

USTRALIA has never shirked its military responsibilities. In Gallipoli, Kokoda, Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan, diggers have stood shoulderto-shoulder with their allies, covering themselves in glory.

And today, while the potential enemy may have changed and the epicentre of future conflicts has relocated to the Asia Pacific region, that responsibility continues to form a central part of government policy.

Tomorrow’s battles will be very different from the past. Long gone are the days of a well-defined front line with thousands of infantry facing each other with small arms, backed by tanks, artillery and planes. Tomorrow’s war will likely be fought by technicians behind a computer screen, employing longrange missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, RF jamming and even cyber attacks on the enemy’s control systems and GPS infrastructure.

The winners will be those that have access to the latest technology.

But that technology doesn’t come cheap, and has a habit of rapidly becoming obsolete. And with many conflicting demands on the Federal Government’s purse, financing a credible defence force armed with hi-tech weaponry has never been more difficult.

“In total, Defence will reduce its call on the budget by $1.6 billion in 2010-11 and $2.7 billion over the next four years (2011-12 to 2014-15),” notes a May 2011 press release from Minister of Defence Stephen Smith.

In the euphemistic phrasing of politics a “reduced call” is a funding cut.

So what plan does Australia have to meet its obligations to defend our territory and provide a modern military deterrent to assist the country’s allies in an economic environment that demands cost savings to meet the government’s promise of a budgetary return to surplus? And what

10 APRIL 2012 www.electronicsnews.com.au

The ADF places an emphasis on advanced technology. (Courtesy RAN)

SHORTCUTS: n

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will that strategy mean to a hi-tech industry that has grown up alongside the Australian Defence Force (ADF)?

Focus on advanced technologies Few nations can afford to finance a fighting force capable of taking the battle directly to the enemy.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the world’s biggest military purchaser, the U.S., spends 4.8 percent of GDP on hardware, which equates to US$698 billion ($662 billion) or 43 percent of total global expenditure. China is a distant second, spending 2.1 percent of GDP

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Defence spending is under pressure as the Government cuts funding in pursuit of a budget surplus The 2009 Defence White Paper recommended an emphasis on advanced technology for the ADF Defence contractors are shedding jobs and diversifying because various projects are stalled Initiatives to harness the skills of defence workers may help the industry retain them

FEATURE

ces challenging future (US$119 billion, $113 billion).

Australia punches its weight, coming thirteenth on the list with military expenditure of 2 percent of GDP (US$24 billion, $22.8 billion) – just what you’d expect from the world’s thirteenth richest nation.

But US$24 billion doesn’t buy much capital equipment when an ANZAC class frigate costs $300 million, the fleet of Collins class subs require nearly $600 million a year to maintain and $6 billion is needed for 24 F/A-18Fs aircraft when training and support is included.

The government’s solution is to focus on a small, rapidly deployable and well-equipped force with access to accurate intelligence to provide advance warning of any threats. The theory is that such a force is cheaper to maintain, yet more effective, if things are managed competently.

“To develop and maintain a strategic capability advantage, Defence will need to be smarter, and more connected with the scientific and technological institutions of our allies and friends, particularly the United States,” recognised Joel Fitzgibbon, then Minister for Defence, in the most recent Defence White Paper, released in 2009.

To meet this requirement for a streamlined and nimble defence force, the white paper suggested that the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) should focus on areas such as: • The ability to collect, share, interpret and act upon information in a timely manner by designing, adapting and integrating diverse intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sensors; • Assuring that computer and information networks are robust and secure, and available when needed; • Protecting platforms and systems from physical and electronic attack, and maximising the advantage of own

BAE Systems Australia will manufacture titanium parts for the JSF vertical tail fin.

sensors and weapons; Developing innovative technologies to maximise the safety and performance of enhanced underwater warfare capabilities, with a focus on the submarine fleet; • Developing expertise in integrating diverse systems and capabilities, and developing command, control and communications mechanisms suited to our environment.

“A continued focus on the exploitation and application of new advanced technologies will be crucial in ensuring that the Australian Defence Force has access to highly advanced and networked capabilities and has a winning edge in terms of information superiority,” added Fitzgibbon in his statement.

•

Defence hotspot But what are the implications of this change of emphasis – from blunt instrument to surgical precision – for Australia’s indigenous defence industry? Will it be an opportunity to grow and develop the sector – and with it skills that would be useful for other industries – or will Australia be increasingly reliant on the U.S. to

provide the military goods while our own defence industry withers?

Where better to look for an answer than South Australia, a state that’s something of a hotspot for defence firms, being home to 25 percent of Australia’s defence industry. Defence SA, which is described as “Australia’s only state-based dedicated agency for all defence-related matters”, has secured defence contracts and lured prime contractors and small-tomedium enterprises (SME) to SA. Companies such as BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Babcock, Saab, Ultra Electronics, Daronmont, Legend, Codan and Thales are well established.

And the DSTO is well positioned to support many of the areas of leading-edge design for defence in SA. The organisation is the Australian Government’s lead agency “charged with applying science and technology to protect and defend Australia and its national interests”.

With this established base and some of the most capable scientists and engineers in the country working in the sector, you’d think that the defence industry would be a bright spot in an otherwise bleak picture

for manufacturing here.

It’s a view that’s reinforced by the South Australia Government’s various pronouncements. In January this year, for example, the politicians wasted little time in trumpeting BAE Systems Australia’s establishment of the country’s largest advanced aerospace components operation at Edinburgh Parks.

The operation will manufacture titanium parts for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) vertical tail fin. The government claims the work has been wrestled from the U.K. and is worth about $177 million.

“Defence will form the foundation of South Australia’s advanced manufacturing future and provide highlyskilled jobs,” said SA Premier Jay Weatherill in a statement. “These new capabilities open up a raft of opportunities in other aerospace, commercial and defence projects.”

It’s a nice project and something of which the state can be proud. But scratch beneath the veneer of politicians spin, and it seems for every Edinburgh Parks venture, there’s a struggling defence company.

Tough times ahead “The defence industry has had an extremely tough 18 months with many firms having to diversify or die, and many others shedding valuable skilled workforce to stay afloat,” Mark Ryan, General Manager of Legend Defence Industries told Electronics News in a sobering assessment. “The restriction on project commencements and cashflow for the Australian defence support industry has been extremely frustrating and debilitating.”

Ryan’s Hendon, SA-based company holds defence contracts for Collins Class submarine sensors and has a strong heritage in Australian defence manufacture, playing a major part in the supply of sonar equipment for the Navy. However, according to Ryan, servicing the power utility sector rather than the www.electronicsnews.com.au APRIL 2012 11

FEATURE

DEFENCE

defence industry drives Legend’s current growth.

“Legend has diversified to service other industry sectors,” explains Ryan. “For example, our electronics manufacturing facility, Hendon Semiconductors, holds significant contracts with Bosch and ResMed, and builds products such as power supplies for the rail industry and street lighting controllers.”

But while diversification is healthy for Legend and similar companies, it risks undermining the future capability of the defence industry. Ryan notes that in addition to diversifying, electronic manufacturers in SA that have traditionally supplied the defence industry have also been downsizing to stay afloat. He cites companies such as Codan dismantling its manufacturing site, Parketronics, and Hendon Semiconductors reducing its workforce while trying to maintain the skills required to support the defence industry if and when potential contracts gain approval.

“The defence industry in SA is a national capability asset – it needs protection,” says Ryan. “[But] indig-

The first AWD block arrives in Adelaide. The project is keeping some defence contractors busy. (Courtesy RAN)

Will things improve? enous manufacture is becoming less significant as [the Australian Defence Force] buys offshore.

“The main concern is that skilled workers won’t be available when projects and funding are released.

The Air Warfare Destroyer [AWD] program [for example] is already

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suffering from a lack of skilled tradespeople,” notes Ryan. “The Australian Submarine Corporation is [continuously] advertising for welders and plumbers and other SMEs can’t find professional engineers and sonar specialists.

“Without a stream of live defence

The good news is that there is a portfolio of defence projects awaiting approval. And current large-scale projects like the AWD – advanced, multipurpose warships currently under construction in NSW, Victoria and SA – are keeping contractors engaged in the program busy. It’s also possible that some work for

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projects flowing through, these professionals are moving to the mining and resource industries.”

So it seems the electronics manufacturing sector, along with other industrial sectors that support the defence industry, is being hit hard.

Competition from cheap overseas manufacturing has eroded the base of Australian companies capable of supplying the military. And the government’s obsession with recording a budgetary surplus next year, unrelenting pressure from a high Australian dollar and an economy where most of the investment is directed at digging ever larger holes in the ground seems unlikely to change the situation any time soon.

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12 APRIL 2012 www.electronicsnews.com.au

FEATURE

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According to Ryan, once the Federal and State Governments commence releasing defence projects to industry and cease delaying and underspending tactics, there will be relief and growth in the major capability that is the defence industry in Australia.

It’s a view mirrored by Chris Burns, CEO of the Defence Teaming Centre (DTC), an organisation that assists companies in winning and fulfilling defence projects and promotes collaboration in order to build SA’s defence capability, and attract and retain more work for local companies.

(DTC, along with other relevant associations such as Technology Industry Australia (TIA) and Innovate SA, is partially state government-funded. That funding has also been cut, making survival a struggle for the very organisations that are supposed to be encouraging and promoting the defence industry.)

“Let’s hope the message gets through to the nation’s leaders that the brakes need to be taken off the defence project approval and delivery process in order to retain industry capabilities,” noted Chris Burns, CEO of DTC in an article he wrote for the December issue of the organisation’s mouthpiece, SA Defence Business magazine.

“There’s significant growth in defence projects foreshadowed in the latter half of this decade. If we don’t want to see that work … go offshore, we need to sustain the industry now.”

While the defence industry is under pressure, it’s imperative that it collectively harnesses the creative powers of every worker to increase employee engagement, improve staff satisfaction and raise productivity. Initiatives such as that promoted by The Hargraves Institute – a Baulkham Hills, NSW-based

organisation founded in July 2006 to provide a community of major enterprises to share knowledge and experience in a non-competitive environment for the purpose of growth and development – in conjunction with Innovation and Business Skills Australia (IBSA) will help.

The Hargrave Institute’s Innovator Recognition Program (IRP) aims to “change industry culture to harness the innovative powers of every worker”. IRP has the potential to elevate Australian industry, in all sectors, to a new level of growth and performance and its implementation across the defence industry could be the catalyst that’s needed to foster cultural change and process re-engineering.

Without such initiatives the expertise that Australian defence companies have built up over decades will dissipate. And that will leave the country lacking the ability to manufacture military equipment locally, leaving it at the whim of overseas suppliers such as the U.S. and Europe. That’s not an enviable position for a country with a proud history of defence equipment innovation to find itself in. And it’s one that the country’s prime defence contractors, and the scores of SME which rely on them, refuse to contemplate.

“There’s no doubt that projects like the next generation submarine for Australia should be Australiandesigned and built here,” says Legend’s Mark Ryan. “And it should be mandated that large projects purchased from overseas should be built in Australia to protect our skills base and capability; it’s sound political and business logic.”

Sound logic indeed; all Ryan and the country’s defence equipment manufacturing base have to hope for is that someone in power is listening.

Otherwise, Australian electronics firms that service the defence sector are set to face an even tougher battle for future prosperity than they are already contending with. n

See for yourself www.scope-of-the-art.com

www.electronicsnews.com.au APRIL 2012 13

FEATURE

DESIGN

Crossing the development chas

A long product development road lies between the initial idea and final product, and design expertise to not only bring an idea to reality, but potentially make the product better than Isaac Leung writes

A

NY manufacturer or entrepreneur who has brought a product to market knows that just having a great idea is not enough.

Progressing a product from a simple idea to commercialisation is a long, uncertain road, and for those who do not have the engineering expertise, the path can be even more daunting.

Contract design firms can help smooth the road from concept to commercialisation, but as with any form of outsourcing, along with the opportunities come potential pitfalls.

Electronics News talked to three electronics design contract firms, Successful Endeavours, LX Design House and RTD Circuit Design, on how companies utilising their services can maximise their value for money, and perhaps revolutionise their product in the process.

What they do At the core of every product is a seed of an idea or need. But a special set of design and engineering skills are needed to nurture the seed and grow it into a real product.

Those skills are in short supply.

“A lot of clients have let their technical capability go,” says Ray Keefe, owner and managing director of Melbourne-based Successful Endeavours. “Many don’t even know how to put a product specification together anymore.”

Industry statistics are hard to come by, but according to the Andrew Pollock of the Surface Mount & Circuit Board Association (SMCBA), there are between 150 to 200 electronics design engineers in the Australian industry, with around 30 percent of them operating as small contract companies.

The rest of the country’s design engineers are employed by larger organisations like BAE, Cochlear, Black Magic Design and CSIRO. 14 APRIL 2012 www.electronicsnews.com.au

Electronics design contractors can help in the product development cycle.

Despite this good design base, the fact remains that a lot of development work has moved overseas. The migration of in-house engineering and product development expertise, especially from the small to medium enterprises (SME), has left gaps that electronic design contractors now attempt to fill.

The type of clients seeking contract design services can vary in size, capability and work requirements. Depending on how far along a they are in the product development process (for example, some have an idea of what the product needs to do; others may already have a schematic

or partly working product), clients may subcontract part or the whole of the design process, from product specification to engineering analysis, schematic design, PCB layout, prototyping, software development, and post production support and revision.

However, outsourcing, while common, is not the only way contractors get involved with projects.

According to Keefe, around a third of his company’s clients ask the contractor to augment the client’s existing design teams, to provide specialty skills. In the case of Successful Endeavours, that includes analogue design, low power design

and embedded software.

Simon Blyth, director of LX Design House, says his company adopts a similar approach for a number of its clients because some cannot completely outsource their projects. “With some projects, there’s so much internal knowledge that it’s hard to write a spec and outsource it,” Blyth explained. “We go on site to act as a resource to help them complete the project and provide a specialist skill set.”

Due to the diversity of the projects contract design firms have to deal with, it’s a constant challenge for companies like LX Design House

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sm

gn contractors have the expected. to find the right people.

“I don’t mean [just] good engineers,” Blyth told Electronics News.

“I mean engineers who are exceptionally passionate and exceptionally talented, at an elite level. As a design house, I don’t think we can afford to have mediocre engineers.

“In a design house, you are expected to go into any company, or industry or technology, and be able to perform at a very high level. You really do need high calibre engineers to make that work.”

The quote For many first-time clients, the quote is seen as a key part of the process, and some may pick and choose design contractors according to price.

Rob Leslie, manager of RTD Circuit Design, focuses on printed circuit board (PCB) layout services. His company also provides consulting on component selection and product manufacturability.

Leslie uses a spreadsheet to calculate the hours a project will take, which he then multiplies with the hourly rate. The spreadsheet takes into account the difficulty involved in laying out the PCB (for example, a long and skinny format is harder to work with than a square or circular board with the microcontroller in the middle), placement and layering specifications, as well as constraints on things like track impedances.

Successful Endeavours offers hourly rates as an option, but derives 80 percent of its business from a fixed price for fixed deliverables model. Larger projects are usually broken up into phases, with the client buying one phase at a time, with costs reviewed between phases.

According to Keefe, customers are fairly intolerant of price hikes, so contract design firms tend to be very assiduous when delivering quotes and estimates. That said, the price may be revised if during the course

of the project, previously unknown factors and issues arise.

Crystal clear Quote revisions and scope ‘creep’ are the stuff of project nightmares, and are usually symptoms of outsourced projects where the two parties have different notions of what the other wants. The solution is having clear communications from beginning to end. The responsibility for this lies with both parties.

Contractors utilise various processes from the get go to ensure they are ‘on the same page’ as their clients. LX Design House, for example, draws up a separate document called an acceptance test criteria, based on the specification of a proposed product. This document clearly explains how the resulting product will be tested to ensure the objectives have been met. It is critical for a client to read, understand and agree to this document, as it will largely determine the final performance and function of their product.

“I believe that specs are … only half of the equation,” Blyth explains.

“It’s only fair that once the client receives the product, if the product doesn’t meet the acceptance test criteria, then it’s something that we need to remedy.

“But if the product does meet the acceptance test criteria, and the client dreams up or realises there’s a new criteria that they want to add, that’s a change request,” he says.

“It’s a fair line in the sand where both parties can agree if something is a change, or a prior requirement.”

Successful Endeavours applies a similar approach, with the specificity of the design work clearly demarcated according to stages, starting with the general user requirements progressing to product requirements (specifications and features), and engineering requirements, which guide the design team to the specific

outcomes the product must deliver.

Any requests are documented and returned to the client for confirmation, and quotes are always accompanied with a clearly defined description of the work involved and the expected outcomes.

All three contract design firms contacted by Electronics News emphasised the importance of regular face-to-face meetings, telephone calls, emails and other forms of communication to ensure both sides were fully aware of the progress of the work.

It’s clear that contracting a design job is much more than just writing a specification document and letting the contractor get on with it. Both sides must be engaged throughout the process to ensure everyone understands what needs to be done.

Equally important is for clients and design contractors to break down the ‘silo’ mentality, especially when it comes to internal and proprietary product information. If the design contractor is reputable and has signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), its engineers should be allowed to access the product information that is critical to the success of the project.

“Even if you’re subcontracting work, you’re essentially still part of the same team trying to achieve the same objective,” Blyth says.

First to market The concept of working as a team can yield tangible benefits for clients from a business perspective.

Contractors may have methodologies in place to accelerate the product development process.

For example, RTD Circuit Design utilises a quick circuit milling machine to engage in a rapid prototyping process. This is especially useful if the customer stipulates the use of a pre-manufactured enclosure without providing schematics.

“Having an open mind to new ideas suggested by the contract design engineers could make the final product better”

“We make a dummy board with no tracks, just the profile and the critical mounting holes, solder some components on and make sure it fits on the box,” Leslie says.

LX Design House can also cater to clients who have a lower budget and prefer less documentation. After gaining an understanding of the client’s general needs, it create and delivers a quick prototype.

“They can play with it and see what they do and don’t like, then we do a new spin … and give them a quote for the changes,” Blythe said.

Getting the product into the customers’ hands during the development process is an effective way to short circuit potential issues.

Successful Endeavours takes the same approach to the software functionality of the product.

According to Keefe, with the proliferation of low-power, high throughput processing chips, software has become a very important part of product development, with many functionalities moving from being hardware-based to being embedded in software. There’s no longer a clear division between software and hardware development: embedded developers work on both.

Keefe says his firm creates and run a complete emulation of the system, utilising high-level language to build a ‘shell’ on which the firmware or embedded software can run. Clients can then run development versions of the on-chip software on their computers and test for funcwww.electronicsnews.com.au APRIL 2012 15

FEATURE

DESIGN

tionality. This can be a real life saver in some scenarios.

“One of our customers had nearly finished their circuit board design, so we were just developing software for them,” Keefe recalls.

“When their PCB was about to be finalised, they received news from the supplier of the main processor that the component was now on 52 weeks lead time.

“They had a final PCB, but had to change the chip,” says Keefe. “Our process allowed us to keep developing and testing the software while they picked a new processor.

“When they finally had a circuit board, we had fully working software ready to load onto their system.

That saved them quite a number of months in terms of time-to-market.”

approach of developing it as a platform that can be built upon in the future as opposed to just being a ‘one-hit’ wonder.”

Blyth emphasised the importance for design contractors to proactively invest in keeping up with changes.

This not only helps with value adding, but can be a serious advantage when pitching for projects.

“We buy development kits or new technologies when they come out, so our guys get to [understand] them,” Blyth explains. “[So] we can speak meaningfully about it and have some experience … to take on the first project [that uses the technology].”

Manufacture transition Design firms can leverage their experience in the market to improve the final product.

Trend savvy Because of the exposure that contract designers have to a wide variety of projects, they have a good idea about the latest technologies and capabilities on the market, and can bring a fresh perspective.

While many businesses will have a fairly detailed idea of how a project should pan out, having an open mind to new ideas suggested by the contract design engineers could make the final product better, or reduce the cost of development.

“Companies come to us without realising all of the options available.

They can get the most value out of us by allowing us to introduce some of these ideas into the product early [in the schedule],” Keefe says.

One way to reduce cost is to have a modern user interface.

Products that use a lot of buttons and indicator LEDs can be expensive to manufacture, with a bulky and complex final design. “We are moving clients towards LCD-based interfaces with soft menus, because it makes it easier to give the user more information about the selections. It’s also more flexible to upgrade in the future,” Keefe says.

16 APRIL 2012 www.electronicsnews.com.au

Keefe cited another example of a company he is working with who had a development roadmap for their product, and an idea of what it should be capable of doing in three years’ time. A month into the project, he had a conversation with the client on its final goal.

Keefe informed the client of the various factors which made development of their final product possible now, as opposed to three years later.

“We’ve changed direction, and in about four weeks’ time, they’re going to have the product that they thought they couldn’t have for another three years,” Keefe said.

“There’s a big advantage to being to market earlier with the product you really wanted rather than going through a series of stages.”

A well-differentiated product can result in tangible commercial value.

In 2011, Successful Endeavours won the Industrial Electronics category of Electronics News’ Future Awards for its work on the ABB CQ900R power systems controller.

The controller is commonly located on the top of poles in remote areas. Previous versions required

power technicians to drive up to the pole, deploy a ladder, climb up to the unit with a laptop, and plug it in to interrogate the controller.

Recognising the possibilities afforded by low-power wireless for the application, the design contractor suggested the feature to ABB. “They asked how much it cost, and when we told them, it became a ‘no-brainer’,” Keefe told Electronics News.

The wireless feature allowed technicians to interact with the units from their vehicles, and became a winning function. ABB was able to sell versions of the product with and without the wireless feature for increased market differentiation.

Contract designers are also privy to other trends that can help improve the design of products. For example, devices are increasingly being designed with self-test features which can reduce production line costs. Additionally, design contractors like LX Design House are seeing a shift from stand-alone devices to adaptable platforms.

“There is still a place for very specific product,” LX’s Blyth says.

“But for some projects we take the

Since any successful product development cycle culminates in the manufacture of the device, design contractors place a lot of focus on manufacturability. New technologies such as 3D visualisation and increased machine precision have made designer’s job easier.

For example, RTD Circuit Design’s Rob Leslie says if need be, components can be placed at odd angles, and pick and place on both sides of the board is fairly normal.

“Back in the old days, components had to be loaded in boards by hand, and designers were asked to put diodes facing the same way round so the operator could check easily to make sure they’re right,” Leslie says. “Those things don’t apply anymore with machine placement and machine inspection.”

Successful Endeavours employs a few basic and conservative design rules to ensure manufacturability.

“We tend to work with larger track-to-track clearances and groundplane-to-track clearances than average,” Keefe explains. “Unless the PCB design is really tight on space, its better to put more work into making sure it’s easy to make.”

Keefe will consult with specific firms about design rules to suit their production processes. This includes

FEATURE

considerations such as the smallest track size, clearances and SMD ‘neck-downs’, etc.

Once manufacturability has been covered, testing and certification needs to be agreed upon.

LX Design House’ Simon Blyth likens this process to insurance for the product.

“Everyone hates ‘homing pigeons’: you don’t want to get a product out there that’s going to come back,” Blyth says.

Testing is a three-stage process, starting with firmware, then standards and certifications, and finally environmental testing.

In the first stage, the system’s software is put through integration testing and automated test scripts to ensure proper functionality and useability. Exceptions may be included in the test procedure ensure proper error handling.

The hardware is then tested. If the device is destined for safety applications, the appropriate diligence studies must be performed. Similarly, the relevant industry standards must be tested for, as well as country-specific certifications.

The final stage, depending on the intended operating environment for the device, may involve tests for vibration, shock, thermal cycling, mean time between failure and UV exposure.

As product tests can be costly, testing usually takes place when the development process is at the material prototype stage, with few or no design changes remaining. Timing tests properly eliminates the need for re-testing.

questions,” Blyth explains. “We’ll help them figure out whether it’s a good thing to do for a project or not. [But] there are some [mission-critical] projects that you just can’t send offshore.”

At the end of the day, effective communication and accountability is the key to successful development, whether it’s done in-house, outsourced, or off-shored.

But choosing the right contract electronics

design engineer with the expertise and experience could be the difference between an ordinary product as originally specified, and a value-added, differentiated result which blows initial sales expectations out of the water. n www.successful.com.au www.lx-group.com.au www.satcam.com.au www.smcba.asn.au

Off-shoring With constant communication and expertise being such a critical part of product development, there’s a strong case for keeping the work with local contractors, even though design firms in regions like Asia may offer highly attractive pricing. Perhaps this is why there is a healthy amount of work for local electronics design firms.

Australian contract designers have done enough rescue work for “botched” jobs to know that problems like fraud, delays or non-functional final products can have costs in lost opportunities far outweighing the initial price advantage.

However, local design companies are by no means hostile to the notion of helping clients with off-shoring work. According to Blyth, the focus at LX Design House is to ensure the client gets the best outcome, and possible solutions include using an overseas design house.

“I would encourage someone who is looking to offshore to engage a local design house to help them manage the process or even ask the right www.electronicsnews.com.au APRIL 2012 17

FEATURE

SECURITY

Keeping an eye on remote asse Australian companies have assets everywhere, from the sea to the arid inland deserts.

How do they keep track of them? Isaac Leung reports

A

FTER the end of the Cold War, defence experts around the world became concerned with the issue of “loose nukes” – rogue elements procuring nuclear material from decaying ex-Soviet storage facilities and weaponising them.

Contributing to this problem of “known unknowns” was the lack of visibility and tracking of the nuclear assets.

While the security issues facing transport operators, governments, mining firms, utilities and trading companies are more at home in annual reports than thriller novels, asset tracking remains a very important part of operations, and there can be serious consequences for getting it wrong.

Tracking solutions providers like Pivotel, Fleet Logistics and MIKOH leverage technologies like Global Positioning Systems (GPS), General Packet Radio Services (GPRS) and radio-frequency identification (RFID) to track high-value, mobile and potentially dangerous assets such as vehicles, plant equipment, portable tanks, cargo containers, explosives and hazardous materials.

The different approaches each have their own markets, advantages and disadvantages, but all three companies Electronics News spoke to agree that the service they provide is much more than a dot on the map indicating the location of the asset – it’s about leveraging information in a meaningful and useful manner.

Information gathering Speaking purely from the asset’s point of view, there are two sides to a tracking solution: gathering information about the asset (with a key bit of information being the location), and relaying this information to the central servers for processing.

To do this, a piece of hardware is physically attached to the asset in question. For Fleet Logstics’ Ezy2c 18 APRIL 2012 www.electronicsnews.com.au

Asset tracking is about much more than dots on the map.

SHORTCUTS: •

and Pivotel’s TracerTrak systems, these take the form of self-contained devices housing a GPS receiver, microprocessor and communications. MIKOH utilises its proprietary tamper-evident passive RFID tag.

Ezy2c uses GPRS networks such as GSM or Telstra NextG to transmit the asset information, with the option to specify satellite communications as a fall-back measure.

On the other hand, TracerTrak utilises purely satellite-based

communications due to its ubiquity – an important factor since Pivotel caters to the cargo transport and mining industries, which operate in remote areas which might not have mobile network coverage.

The GPS receiver provides location-based data, from which information such as speed, latitude, and idling time can be derived.

However, the tracker itself may contain other sensors, or be connected to sensors on the asset,

•

•

•

GPS or RFID provides location information, connected sensors for more data and alerts RFID, GPRS or satellite-based communications links transmit the tracker information back to a central database Tamper evidence, toughness and battery life are key hardware considerations for trackers Two-way communications with trackers is the next signifcant technological advance

FEATURE

ets allowing it to report back on other data points. These may include temperature, plant/vehicle feature activation, doors opening/closing, fuel level, etc.

In MIKOH’s case, all the information about the asset is contained on the chip located in the passive tag.

An infrastructure of RFID readers is needed in order to read the tags which come into range.

The location of the asset may be approximated according to the known location of the RFID reader which last detected the tag. The average travelling speed of an asset on a fixed route (such as a train line or road) may also be calculated by spacing out readers along the route at known intervals, and finding the time it takes for the asset to travel from one reader to the next.

MIKOH’s patented specialty is the tamper-evident RFID tag. This is a sticker-like construction consisting of a sticky layer which attaches to the asset, a layer holding the printed aerial, another holding the chip, and a release layer.

Any attempt to peel the tag off the asset irreversibly breaks the chip. This effectively binds the tag to the asset it is attached to – if the tag is working, it is stuck on the asset it was originally intended for.

Of course, the more complex electronic trackers can also detect tampering attempts. For example, they can be programmed to report back to the server if any sensors are disconnected, if external power is removed, if the casing is moved or opened, or if there are attempts to disrupt the communications systems.

Set and forget As mobile devices, trackers have to contend with very harsh conditions.

Ingress protection is a given.

According to Fleet Logistics CEO Evan Penn, Ezy2c products are rated to 85 degrees Celsius to withstand desert conditions.

“Other Australian conditions that

our trackers endure are massive variations in power and electronic systems and installations, very rough roads and high levels of vibration, extreme humidity, electrical storms, intense UV radiation and changes in barometric pressure/altitude,” Penn told Electronics News.

There is also the other issue of operating power. While the passive RFID technology used by MIKOH does not require a power source on the asset itself (the readers provide power to tags which are within reading range), tracker technologies such as Ezy2c and TracerTrak need electricity to gather, process and transmit asset information.

In the case of plant equipment or vehicles, energy may be derived

“...compliance and legislation is going to drive a significant part of the growth of the (tracking) industry”

from the asset itself, but according to Pivotel’s head of product and marketing, Brian Heaven, most TracerTrak users prefer selfcontained solutions with integrated power supplies, usually single-use lithium batteries.

“Usually, in these remote areas, people want a set-and-forget solution,” Heaven explained. “They want to put it on there, and they want it to go for as long as it possible can on a single battery.”

With some single-charge TracerTrak devices designed to report on their location twice a day for up to seven years, it’s fair to say that they have some fairly heavy duty power saving capabilities.

“We use a bunch of sleep-based algorithms,” Heaven said, “The device spends a large proportion of

its time in sleep mode. It operates on a one-way satellite network, so the device uses very little power. It wakes up during scheduled intervals, collects its data, sends the message, and goes back to sleep.”

Dots on a map With the focus on operational longevity, and the cost of communications over satellite networks, Pivotel’s Heaven says there is a focus on making the transmitted payload as small as possible.

To do this, the TracerTrak device applies logic in determining what to report to the user.

And while asset security is a big aspect of tracking, the ability of such systems to gather other status information about the object being tracked can provide the operator with a fairly detailed picture of what is happening on the ground.

The information gathered from the asset, upon transmission to the server via GPRS or satellite communications links, is further processed and collated, then presented in a coherent fashion to the user.

The demand from asset tracking customers has naturally been to expand on reporting capabilities, allowing them, for example, to optimise their operations.

“At the end of the day, while people like to see a dot on the map, people who are buying these kinds of applications want to improve their security, business efficiency, asset productivity and worker safety,” Heaven explained.

“The intelligence in the webbased applications, such as exception reporting, which indicate when an asset is not being used efficiently or productively, or if a worker has not checked in; it’s those things that really make the solution worthwhile for customers.”

Furthermore, when used on vehicles, this tracking technology could work in conjunction with advanced information systems such as those

developed by NICTA’s Intelligent Fleet Logistics project, which combines research algorithms and constraint programming to optimise the routing of vehicles, decreasing cost, accelerating freight transport and increasing fuel efficiency.

Future direction With hardware and communications costs coming down, and increased regulations surrounding hazardous materials and remote worker safety, asset tracking solutions previously reserved for high-value items are trickling down to other applications.

A large area of opportunity identified by both Pivotel and Fleet Logistics is in phone-like devices held by remote workers, which include GPS tracking and regular check-in functions in addition to satellite or GPRS communications.

These devices ensure the continued safety of workers operating by themselves in remote areas.

Given the application, these tracking devices can be powered with a rechargeable lithium battery that is charged by the worker.

Within the asset tracking sphere, however, Pivotel is working on integrating two-way trackers. Currently, most trackers are programmed prior to field deployment, but with two-way communications, customers would be able to query the device remotely, prompt immediate status updates, and reconfigure its reporting behaviour.

“Giving customers the ability to not only get information from the assets, but deliver information and commands back to the assets, will help organisations ensure that they are complying with relevant legislations,” Heaven told Electronics News. “I think that compliance and legislation is going to drive a significant part of the growth of this industry moving forward.” n www.tracertrak.com.au ezy2c.com.au www.mikoh.com www.electronicsnews.com.au APRIL 2012 19

FEATURE

DESIGN CORNER

Limiting MCU power consumpt STMicroelectronics explains how to keep the power low when using its STM8TL53xx microcontrollers

F

OR an application powered by a battery, power consumption is very important.

Usually, the average consumption should be below a certain target value to ensure an optimum battery lifetime. An application can draw more power for short periods providing at other times it switches to low power operational modes to keep the average current consumption below the target value. But where is the power consumed and how can it be minimised?

STMicroelectronic’ STM8TL53xx microcontrollers (MCU) are digital logic devices fabricated using

complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology. In these types of devices, power consumption is a sum of static power (mainly caused by transistor polarization and leakage) plus dynamic power (which depends on the supply voltage and the clock frequency).

Dynamic power = C × V2 × f Where C is the CMOS load capacitance, V is the supply voltage and f is the clock frequency Static consumption is negligible compared to dynamic consumption when the clock is running.

However, in some low power modes, when no clock is running, static consumption is the main consumption source.

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MCU power management extends battery life

Total consumption (IDD) (static + dynamic consumption) is given from the equation: IDD = f × IDynamicRun[μA ⁄ (MHz)] + IStatic[μA] Where IDD is the supply current, IDynamicRun is the current consumption dependent on the processor frequency, IStatic is the current consumption independent of the processor frequency.

Consequently, power consumption of the MCU depends on: • The MCU chip size. This includes the technology used, the number of transistors and the analogue features/ peripherals embedded and used in the application; • The MCU supply voltage.

The amount of current used in CMOS logic is directly proportional to the square of the power supply voltage.

Thus, lowering the MCU supply voltage may reduce power consumption. This is less critical for STM8TL53xx devices than for other MCUs, as an internal voltage regulator is used. However, the MCU supply voltage could have an impact on the remaining components on

the board; The clock frequency.

Decreasing the clock frequency when fast processing is not required by the application may reduce power consumption; • The number of active peripherals or MCU features used (such as timers, communication peripherals, watchdogs etc.) The greater the number of active peripherals or features, the greater the amount of power consumed; • The operating mode. Power consumption depends on which mode a particular application is running (for example, central processing unit (CPU) on/off, oscillator on/off).

There are some things the design engineer can do to keep the power down while still meeting user expectations for the performance and speed of the product: • Switch off all unused peripherals and use the MCU’s peripheral clock gating (PCG) feature to disable the clock provided to the peripherals when not in use; • All unused pins must be •

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tion

Table 1: Low power mode summary for STM8TL53xx

•

connected to a defined logic level. One option is to configure them as output low level. Make sure there are no unused I/O pins configured as a floating input.

This needlessly leads to high consumption.

Use “Wait” mode if external wakeup capability is needed in low power mode and if

•

some peripherals have to remain active.

Use the appropriate supply voltage (VDD) value for the application. The higher the VDD value, the more power is consumed. Thanks to an internal regulator, which supplies internal structures of the MCU, there is no major difference in the

Dinkle Terminal Blocks

•

MCU consumption but, the difference could be visible at the application level, for example, due to the current flowing through the pull-up resistors out of the MCU. Use “Active-halt” and “Halt” modes as much as possible (see Table 1). To achieve this, shorten the time spent in “Run” mode, for example,

by using the highest clock speed in Run mode.

• When a low power mode cannot be used, use the minimum possible frequency for the application. Select the frequency value that meets requirements.

The selected clock type and speed is one of the major factors influencing power consumption of the MCU. Total consumption for the STM8TL53xx devices can be calculated using the following equation: IDD(STM8TL53xx) = f × 150[(μA) ⁄ MHz] + 215[μA] Slowing down the clock decreases the immediate consumption but is not always the best solution.

By reducing the clock frequency, processor performance is reduced and it takes longer to perform an action or computation.

Using the highest available clock speed to perform the required operation, and then putting the MCU into one of it low power modes for the non-active periods can often lower average power consumption.

Further information: STMicroelectronics’ Application note “Low power considerations for STM8TL53xx devices” provides more detail on low power consumption operation of the company’s MCUs. n www.st.com

Available from Hi-Q Electronics Limited

sales@hiq.co.nz NZ 0800 800 293

www.hiq.co.nz

UÊÊ >À}iÊÃÌ V ÊÀ> }i UÊÊ-VÀiÜ iÃÃÊvÀ ÊÓ°x{Ê Ê« ÌV UÊÊ* Õ}>L iÊΰxÊ ÊÌ Ê£ä°£ÈÊ Ê« ÌV UÊÊ >ÀÀ iÀÊ* ÊEÊV >Ãà à UÊÊ >}iÊV > «ÊEÊÜ ÀiÊ«À ÌiVÌ À www.electronicsnews.com.au APRIL 2012 21

FEATURE

DESIGN CORNER

Advancing the art of system de Next generation design flows for signal processing and communications systems, by Dr Arun Mulpur, Industry Manager – Communications, Electronics, Semiconductors at MathWorks

D

ESIGN-flow discontinuities are becoming increasingly disruptive and expensive in the development of complex signal processing and communications technologies. Shorter design cycles magnify the impact of these discontinuities. This article describes a few use cases– in algorithm design, system architecture, and hardware design–that illustrate significant recent advances in modelling, simulation, and code generation tools and methods.

For algorithm design, several hundred ready-to-use signal processing and communications System objects are now available in MATLAB and enable faster development of complex algorithms.

System architects can now model RF and baseband system components in a unified environment and perform true multifrequency simulations. In hardware design, several new developments, including workflow advisor, critical path highlighting, distributed pipelining, back annotation, and resource utilisation reports, provide a framework for faster design iterations.

Algorithm design for streaming systems Many engineers begin the development of signal processing and communications algorithms in MATLAB using floating-point arithmetic. These algorithm developers can take advantage of the powerful signal acquisition and analysis capabilities of MATLAB as well as builtin algorithm libraries of several toolboxes. In some organisations, however, these algorithms are then rewritten in C code to refine them for implementation, conversion to 22 APRIL 2012 www.electronicsnews.com.au

Figure 1: Block diagram representation of a typical communication system

Figure 2: Communication system modelled in MATLAB using Communications and Signal Processing System objects

fixed-point or integer arithmetic, or to integrate them with other design elements. This rewriting step is one example of a potentially costly and disruptive discontinuity in the design flow.

System objects–an important new addition to MATLAB– enable engineers to design signal processing system models for streaming applications directly in

MATLAB, and utilise hundreds of new library components for signal processing, image and video processing, and communications.

As an example, Figure 1 shows a block diagram representation of a basic communication system with transmitter, channel, and receiver components. To model and simulate such a system, some engineers write many thousand lines of C code,

and then look for ways to integrate the design with test equipment or analyse simulation results.

In contrast to the several thousand lines of C code that are typically written, the MATLAB code shown in Figure 2 uses several available System objects from Signal Processing Blockset and Communications Blockset.

For example, to model the transmitter, an engineer can instantiate and call the Reed-Solomon Encoder, Convolutional Encoder, Block Interleaver, Rectangular QAM Modulator, and Orthogonal SpaceTime Block Coder System objects from Communications Blockset in sequence, as shown in Figure 2. Unlike traditional functional programming styles, System objects in MATLAB are object-oriented implementations of algorithms; they implicitly handle indexing, buffering, and state management, which makes the code much simpler to write, debug, and maintain.

The code structure enables engineers to easily compare it with the original specification or block diagram. Algorithm designers can rapidly combine this code with their existing MATLAB code and test the algorithms with live data acquired from measurement instruments.

Algorithms coded using System objects facilitate code reuse in the system design process.

Floating or fixed-point MATLAB code can be included directly in a Simulink model as part of the system architecture, modelling, and design process. Engineers can also generate C code automatically from MATLAB code that uses System objects, and then use that C code for simulation or integration with other C/C++ design elements, after proper verification.

FEATURE

esign

Figure 4: Input (left) and output (right) power spectral density plots showing the results of low IF image rejection

Figure 3: ISM band low IF receiver with digital and RF subsystems in one unified model (above) and detail of the Hartley receiver RF subsystem modelled in SimRF (below)

RF and digital system architecture Static link budget calculations are a common first step in RF designs based on specifications for LTE, Bluetooth, ZigBee, Wi-Fi, or other technologies. These calculations provide a good starting point, but they do not account for input signal modulation, image effects, and other real-world phenomena. To effectively model and simulate the effects of RF impairments on communication systems, system architects currently juggle multiple disconnected tools that support either digital or analogue/RF designs, but not both.

SimRF is a new circuit envelope simulation tool that enables simulation of multifrequency dynamics in RF receivers and three-port components such as mixers. SimRF and Simulink together provide a common

environment for modelling and simulating RF and baseband subsystems in a unified design. Used in combination, these tools enable system architects to perform realistic simulations early in the development process and make informed trade-off decisions in designs that include digital and analogue/RF components.

Figure 3 shows the overall system model of an ISM band low IF receiver that includes both the digital signal processing components and the RF receiver subsystem. The details of the RF subsystem that implements a Hartley IF receiver are also shown.

Unlike traditional methods of IF receiver modelling that use cascades of two-port elements and singlefrequency approximations, the use of three-port elements simplifies the receiver model.

The model also utilises circuit

envelope simulation technology and supports multifrequency modelling.

System architects can also explore the feasibility and relative merits of alternate approaches for image rejection such as super heterodyne or direct conversion architectures in the unified environment. In addition to simulating the effects of RF impairments, system architects can use the same system models used for design to perform the verification tasks in simulation that would normally be done on the lab bench.

Hardware design After the algorithm design and system architecture are completed, the next step in many development cycles is FPGA implementation and verification of the digital portions.

Among the primary sources of inefficiency in FPGA prototyping and implementation are the timeconsuming design iterations that are required to find the proper balance of power consumption, performance, and area.

Figure 5 shows a symmetric FIR filter implemented in fixed-point arithmetic. To realise such a filter in hardware, engineers must carefully balance the throughput and latency, and monitor the amount of hardware resources used. Critical path highlighting is a new capability that provides actionable information on

potential bottlenecks in the system.

Using the post-synthesis information generated by the Xilinx ISE synthesis tool, Simulink HDL Coder annotates the critical path timing in the Simulink model.

Engineers can utilise this information together with pipelining techniques to partition their designs and the critical path latencies. Figure 6 shows the same filter design, with the critical paths automatically highlighted, along with estimated latency for each path segment.

As mentioned above, pipelining is one of the key techniques that engineers utilise to address critical path latencies. One of the wellknown challenges with pipelining is that parallel paths may have unmatched latencies, which can lead to unexpected or unwanted system behavior. Distributed pipelining–a technique employed often to address this problem–can now be automated.

By choosing this option, engineers can automatically retime the model and balance the latencies introduced by pipeline registers across relevant parallel paths.

In the past, these types of design iterations and trade-off evaluations have required a significant amount of time and effort. Figure 7 shows a new workflow advisor console that enables engineers to go through design iterations much more quickly www.electronicsnews.com.au APRIL 2012 23

FEATURE

DESIGN CORNER

Figure 7: Workflow advisor console for performing quick design iterations in Simulink HDL Coder Figure 5: A symmetric fixed-point FIR filter modelled in Simulink

Figure 6: Symmetric fixed-point FIR filter showing critical paths and estimated latencies 8) to monitor the type and number of critical hardware components being used and determine the best architectural choice for a given situation by quickly iterating through several viable design options.

Accelerating design across teams

Figure 8: Resource utilisation report indicating type, number, and details of resources used

and in an intuitive manner. This is especially helpful to those that are not experts in HDL programming, but need to take advantage of FPGA processing. In addition to 24 APRIL 2012 www.electronicsnews.com.au

using critical path highlighting and distributed pipelining, engineers can also examine an automatically generated resource utilisation report (like the one shown in Figure

Today’s engineering managers face the challenge of coordinating geographically dispersed teams that are working on different parts of an overall system using different disconnected tools. In many cases, system-level designs are best done in graphical environments, while some lower level details are best expressed as text in MATLAB or C. This paper presented some key new developments that improve efficiencies across various stages of the design flow.

For algorithm design, System objects are a key new development in modelling and simulating signal processing and communications systems. Several hundred ready-touse signal processing and communications System objects are now available in MATLAB. Further, System objects support fixed-point arithmetic, and they

can be integrated with Simulink or used in the automatic generation of C code.

SimRF–featuring circuit envelope simulation technology–is an important new tool for more efficient system architecture flows. It enables engineers to model RF and baseband system components in a unified environment and perform true multifrequency simulations.

To improve the design iteration cycle times for hardware design, there are several new developments, including workflow advisor, critical path highlighting, distributed pipelining, back annotation, and resource utilisation reports, provide a framework and critical information on system performance and resources consumed.

Whether the teams are small or large, geographically distributed around the world or located in the same office, engineering organisations that are struggling with discontinuities in their design workflow can apply the technologies as laid out in this article to streamline and accelerate the development of complex signal processing and communications systems. n www.mathworks.com.au

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PRODUCT FEATURE

ENCLOSURES

Keeping data centres cool What are some of the trends used by data centres to keep the temperature of their powerful systems under control? Isaac Leung writes

B

USINESSES are having to deal with increasing amounts of data, and technology manufacturers are catering for this need by building ever more powerful storage and processing hardware.

With much of this hardware concentrated in data centres, serious thought must be put into their enclosures and cooling.

According to Mario Baecker, data centre specialist and product manager from Rittal, climate control has always played a critical part within data centres.

“With equipment becoming more powerful, we see increasing heat loads in the racks,” Baecker told Electronics News. “About ten years ago the average W/Rack was around 500-1500W. Today we see an average of 3500-5000 W/Rack.”

Open approach The increasing heat loads means a focus on not just increasing airflows, but also intelligently managing the airflow within the enclosure to maximise efficiency.

This starts with the door, of which there are three main types: no doors, perforated or closed. Most data centres specify perforated doors, which allows air to flow in and out of the rack.

continues to be relevant for data centres with lower density. But with higher-end applications where more efficient cooling is critical, rack and row level cooling are now leading the way.

Isolation and separation

Climate control has always played a critical part within data centres.

Perforated doors are suited for computer room air conditioning (CRAC), with raised floor cooling as well as in-row cooling systems in a hot/cold aisle arrangement (where cold air is provided in front of the racks, and hot air sucked out from behind, cooled by the cooling unit, and fed back in via the front).

“In-row cooling is becoming more popular,” Baecker said. “Heat loads are managed closer to their source (directly next to the rack). [And] in-row cooling units usually require

Faraday offers a range of: RFI / EMI / EMC Power RF Filters EMC Antennas – Dipoles to Horns Amplifiers – RF & Microwave (DC – 4000W) and RF Modules Shielded Enclosure – Anechoic Chambers – Antenna Measurement Systems Absorber – EMC Test Boxes – MIL-STD Test Equipment RF Shielding – Magnetic Shielding – MRI Shielding

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less space compared to traditional CRAC setups.”

There is a definite trend toward bringing cooling closer to equipment hotspots, according to IMS Research.

In its study The World Market for Data Center Cooling – 2012 Edition, the research firm found revenues from rack-level cooling will grow at a rate of 12 percent from 2011 to 2016, which is twice as fast as traditional room cooling.

Of course, room cooling remains the largest part of the market, and

In closed rack designs, the racks are enclosed with solid doors in the front and the back. Cooling is handled completely within the rack, with careful attention to ensure the hot and cold airflows are separated.

Such an approach usually calls for in-rack air conditioning units, further increasing the concentration of cooling on the spots that most need it.

To ensure efficient and separated air flow, Rittal provides various enclosure accessories like hot/cold aisle containment, panels to blank off unused rack spaces, and gap filling foam strips to prevent the mixing of cold and hot air.

Such an approach is suited for medium-to-high rack heat load densities of 5 to 30 kW/Rack. One such example is the Weta Digital graphics rendering studio in New Zealand, which was responsible for the graphical renderings for the Lord of the Rings movies and Avatar.

Given the requirements, the data centre featured high density

PRODUCT FEATURE

computing, with up to three fullyloaded blade chassis per rack.

Weta chose a Rittal Liquid Cooling Package plus enclosed rack in order to handle heat loads above 20kW/Rack.

Weta also utilised indirect free cooling, where the ambient air from outside the data centre is used in the cooling process.

By using free cooling technology, data centres can save on energy costs, which can account for around 40 percent of a facility’s total cooling expenditure. Of course, this only works in cooler climates.

Containerised centres According to Baecker, another rising trend is standardised and pre-fabricated data centres. These containerised data centres are usually built in a factory, then shipped to the location for deployment.

By virtue of being placed in an outdoor environment, pre-fabricated data centres can tap directly into the ambient air.

Manufacturing a structure exclusively for use as a data centre means an efficient design for the function, as opposed to data centres within buildings, which may be subject to

Improved air/water heat exchangers RITTAL has improved its Comfort range of air/water heat exchangers with new and intelligent Eco-Mode controls to save energy.

The improvements apply to Comfort exchangers with cooling outputs of 500W to 5000W. The units can now turn the fan off or on as needed, depending on the temperature in the enclosure.

If the internal temperature falls 10°C below the set temperature, the fan switches off.

In the Eco-Mode, the control system will switch on the fans for 30 seconds every ten minutes to ensure air is properly circulated in the enclosure, allowing the temperature measurement system to properly gauge the effective internal temperature of the enclosure.

The new heat exchangers can be mounted to the enclosure in less than two minutes, and are held in place by snap-fitting them to premounted fixtures. Only two screws are needed to fasten the devices securely. Assembly is performed entirely from outside, without the fitter having to fasten the air/water heat exchanger from within.

structural limitations.

A containerised approach can also ensure uptime in the event of disasters, something Neville Digby, senior systems engineer at Orion New Zealand, only knows too well.

“With the transportable data centres container from Rittal, you can take all the equipment with you, and minimise the risk and exposure, and improve disaster recovery,” Digby said.

Orion’s data centres house the electronic equipment for the control and monitoring of its power networks, as well as its business

computer tools and data storage. One such data centre was housed in a building which was damaged during the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.

The company chose to transition to a containerised data centre, which was built in Rittal’s Germany factory in a few weeks, then shipped to New Zealand and deployed in just a week.

While acknowledging the turnaround time needed to replace the data centre, Digby says future deployment will at most take one day, and the move to a containerised model would prevent future stranding of its assets. n

Optimised air conditioning system STULZ’ CyberAir 3 data centre air conditioning system has an optimised air transmission path to increase cooling efficiency, reducing energy use by over 85 percent compared to traditional AC systems.

The system includes an electronically commutated (EC) fan with a 3D-formed fibreglass-reinforced plastic impeller. EC compressors are an option which can further reduce energy consumption. n

The system has efficiency built in, and an optimised air transmission path.

STULZ Australia 1300 138 818 au.stulz.com

The improved heat exchangers intelligently save energy.

Rittal has also improved the water connections: alongside the standard connections with flexible hose and plug-in joints and couplings, other types of joint are available such as internal threads, quick-release fasteners, direct hose ports or Ermeto quick-release systems. n Rittal 1800 350 665 www.rittal.com.au

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NEW PRODUCTS

SPOTLIGHT

Energy-friendly microcontroller

Flash for phones

ENERGY Micro, distributed by APEX Sales, has introduced 60 energy friendly ARM Cortex-M4F-based EFM32 Gecko devices.

The Gecko range now numbers over 240 pin- and code-compatible devices for low-energy embedded applications.

The new controllers incorporate highly technology to minimise energy consumption, including a flexible range of standby and sleep modes.

Equipped with up to 256K Flash memory and 32K RAM, the devices can achieve active mode current consumption of just 180μA/MHz. The deep sleep mode consumes just 400nA with RTC running, the shut-off mode requires only 20nA and wake-up time as short as 2μs.

The LESENSE function block low energy sensor interface enables monitoring of a mix of up to 16 capacitive, inductive or resistive sensors independently of the processor core. Basic functionality is maintained while the processor remains in sleep or shut-off mode.

STMicroelectronics says digital camera and camera phones could benefit from more powerful LED-based built-in flash units, after releasing the STCF04 integrated camera flash and torch controller.

The LED-based flash module is rated at over 40W. The new controller provides extra flash and torch brightness controls, with eight user-selectable levels for the flash and 12 for the torch, as well as a light-sensor input. It also features flash and torch safety timers, temperature sensing and shortcircuit protection.

The STCF04 is used in a unique configuration combining a supercapacitor, a discrete high-current MOSFET switch and high-power white LEDs, and is ideal for use in emergency high-intensity flashing lights as well as camera and camera phone applications.

APEX Sales 03 9981 5738 www.apexelex.com

EMC testing WESTEK Electronics has released the Teseq Coupling-Decoupling Network (CDN) for EMC testing.

The Teseq CDN 3043 series instruments are 3 phase coupling/ decoupling networks designed for

28 APRIL 2012 www.electronicsnews.com.au

use as an extension to the NSG 3040 multifunction generator series.

The units have dedicated DUT terminals allowing direct DUT connections without requiring specific adapter plugs.

Shielded high voltage safety plugs are available to connect the high voltage pulse output to the DUT. DUT power can be controlled manually from the front panel, or via software. The DUTs will switch off automatically in case of overload, with thermal sensors controlling a cooling fan with automatic switch-off occurring in case of overheating.

A rear-mounted phase rotation detector clearly indicates correct phase sequence. Options include EFT and burst, combined wave surge (CWS), and combined EFT and CWS. Westek Electronics 03 9369 8802 www.westek.com.au

STMicroelectronics 02 8338 1172 www.st.com

PCB analysis software updated MENTOR Graphics has released version 8.2 of its HyperLynx suite of analysis tools, with new functionality to optimise printed circuit board (PCB) designs.

The new features include 3D full-wave field solving, integrated thermal/power co-simulation and analysis capabilities. Specialised 3D modelling allows accurate signal integrity analysis, especially useful for today’s multi-GHz SERDES

channel interconnects.

HyperLynx Thermal analysis has been integrated with HyperLynx PI (power integrity) products to calculate the affects of heat generated by areas of high current density in complex power distribution networks (PDNs) on the PCB. Users will be able to reliably utilise high-speed IC and PCB technologies while developing more competitive products and hitting tight market windows.

HyperLynx 8.2 allows analysis to be performed with 3D full-wave models for structures such as vias, and with 2D/2.5D solutions for constructs such as traces.

Mentor Graphics 02 8667 1555 www.mentortech.com.au

Improved circuit simulation software NATIONAL Instruments has introduced the Multisim 12.0 circuit simulation environment with specialised editions for circuit design and electronics education.

The Professional Edition is based on industry-standard SPICE simulation and optimised for useability. It uses advanced simulation and analysis to reduce prototype iterations.

It is optimized for layout routing and rapid prototyping needs, making seamless integration possible with NI hardware.

Multisim 12.0 Education Edition offers an interactive circuits teaching environment for students and educators to seamlessly transition from theory to genuine experimentation.

Engineers can improve design performance by using simulation tools that include both customisable analyses developed in NI LabVIEW system design software and standard SPICE analyses and intuitive measurement instruments.

Multisim 12.0 is highly integrated with LabVIEW for closed-loop simulation of analogue and digital systems. Using this all-new design approach, engineers can validate field-programmable gate array (FPGA) digital control logic alongside analogue circuitry.

National Instruments 1800 300 800 ni.com/multisim

NEW PRODUCTS

Email your product news to editor@electronicsnews.com.au SPOTLIGHT

Next-gen Xeon-based telecom blade and servers KONTRON has released carrier-grade dual-socket bladed and server platforms which utilise the 8-core Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 family.

The new 32nm Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 family delivers the latest server-class technologies to the telecom equipment market segment.

It has lower latency and better power saving technologies built in compared to previous generation processors of the same class.

The new processors provide 80 lanes of PCIe I/O bandwidth, and each processor has four memory channels running at 1600MHz, which is a 60 percent improvement over previous generation Intel Xeon processor 5600 series.

Products based on the new generation processors also benefit from a larger inter-processor connection, reduced latency with 8GT/s QPI. The Kontron AdvancedTCA node blade AT8060 features a total of up to 16 processor cores or 32 threads, four memory channels per processor running at 1600 MHz, one AdvancedMC bay, and intelligent power management controls.

The blade is suited for high-compute and content-aware network applications implemented on Kontron 10G and 40G AdvancedTCA Open Modular Core Platforms.

The Kontron communications rack mount server CG2200 is NEBS-3 compliant, with a dual socket approach for the E5-2600 processors.

According to the manufacturer, the server combines high memory, flexible I/O and storage options, and dual redundant AC or DC power options into a compact 2U, 20-inch deep form factor.

Panel-mounted robot controller ABB is now offering a panel-mounted variant of its controller range for larger robots.

According to ABB, the unit is the only panel mounted robot controller (PMC) on the market enabling

compact and integrated solutions for large robots.

The PMC is the same as the standard IRC5 controller, but is stripped of its enclosure/cabinet for flexible mounting.

This means the user gets the TrueMove and QuickMove motion control features of the IRC5 system, but for larger robots.

The PMC consists of a drive module and a control module that can be separately mounted in a variety of configurations. Each module is made up of two layers. The first layer can be folded down for easy access to the second. Up to four drive modules can be connected to the same control module for multiple robot control.

The PMC controller is fully EMC certified, there are no issues with disturbances to surrounding equipment or EMC certification of the final enclosed solution.

ABB 03 8577 7144 www.abb.com

Kontron 02 9457 0047 www.kontron.com/CRMS

Fastest 160bit DAC TEXAS Instruments has introduced the industry’s fastest 16-bit digitalto-analogue converter (DAC), the DAC34SH84.

According to Texas Instruments, the unit clocks in at 1.5 GSPS and consumes just 362 mW per channel.

The DAC34SH84 is suited for engineers who wish to maximise speed in 3G, LTE, GSM and WiMAX wireless base stations and repeaters; microwave point-to-point radio; soft-

ware defined radio; and waveform generation systems.

The unit provides increased bandwidth with 750-MSPS-per-DAC input rate supporting up to 600-MHz complex bandwidth for fifth order linearisation of 120 MHz. To improve flexibility, the DAC also features 2x to 16x interpolation and two independent, 32-bit numerically controlled oscillators.

Texas Instruments 03 8540 5200 www.ti.com/mcu www.electronicsnews.com.au APRIL 2012 29

NEW PRODUCTS

Upgrades for power distribution units EATON has announced new functionalities for its intelligent enclosure power distribution units (ePDUs), including integration with Cisco’s EnergyWise power management technology.

Users can now define customised outlet groups, plan shutdowns using power scheduling, and mass configure and upgrade their units.

These new functionalities are available for the Managed, Advanced Monitored and Switched ePDUs via firmware updates.

Cisco EnergyWise technology allows companies in-depth management, switching and control of the power consumption of their infrastructure. The ePDUs now work as endpoints in the EnergyWise network, allowing Cisco’s management systems to query and collect information on power consumption right from the individual outlet level, and aggregate it for easy access.

Eaton’s ePDUs can measure consumption of Volts, Watts, Amperes and kilowatt-hours in individual servers with one per cent accuracy (over 2 amperes).

Safety barrier

Spectrum analyser

MORNSUN, distributed by DLPC in Australia, has released the TD100-EX-485, a RS485 input detection safety barrier for the 35mm DIN RAIL mount.

The detection side isolated safety barrier can supply isolated DC power from the transmitters in the security zone to the danger zone, and transform the RS-485 digital signal of the danger zone into isolated RS-485 or RS-232 with digital signal transmission to the security zone.

The product can also increase the anti-jamming capability of the industrial production process control system, to ensure system stability and reliability. The unit accepts 18 to 32V DC input.

The series has three-port isolation (input, output and power supply) with a high isolation voltage (2500VAC/60S) and a high reliability (MTBF>500,000 hours).

GW Instek has released the GSP-930, a stable 3GHz spectrum analyser, with large screen display, light weight and compact size.

The GSP-930 provides a high frequency-stability of 25ppb (0.025ppm) and a very low noise floor of -142dBm (when the preamplifier is on) as the high sensibility measurement base.

The spectrum analyser can capture and display transient, drifting and hopping signals in detail. The mixture of frequency domain information and time domain information facilitates the tracing of RF signal variations over time.

Other features include Spectrum Emission Mask (SEM), power measurements, AM/FM analysis and TOI/ CNR/CSO/CTB measurements.

The unit is equipped with various interfaces, including LXI, USB, RS-232 and GPIB (optional).

DLPC 07 3823 4844 www.dlpc.com.au

`TekMark Australia 02 9911 3888 www.tekmark.net.au

Eaton 02 9693 9366 www.eaton.com/intelligentpower

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6XEVFULSWLRQV 30 APRIL 2012 www.electronicsnews.com.au

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and to the protective conductor.

A temperature fuse monitors the surge protection circuit. When there is overloading due to surge currents, a red LED indicates that the protective function is impaired.

There are connection terminals with spring-cage direct plug technology for every two L, N and PE wires. This also enables installation as feed-through wiring.

Surge protector PHOENIX Contact’s BT-1S-230AC/O type 3 surge protector is suited for single-phase power circuits with 230V AC nominal voltage.

The protection modules are suited for installation sockets, dado trunking, under floor installations and connection spaces in end devices. The circuit limits transient surge voltages between active wires

Phoenix Contact 1300 786 411 www.phoenixcontact.com.au

GPS module FASTRAX, represented by Glyn High-Tech Distribution, has released the IT530 GPS module, said to increase battery life while improving time to first fix on satellites.

The Fastrax IT530 has a sensitivity of -148 dBm in acquisition,

-165 dBm in navigation and power consumption of just 35mW at 3.3V. The module measures 9.6 x 9.6 x 1.85mm and weighs 0.4g. A dual module reference design allows designers to use either the older IT430 or the IT530 module, saving the time and costs of PCB redesign.

The IT530 includes a new power-saving mode, which prolongs battery life by intelligently control-

ASD Technology is a premier supplier of quality RF/ Microwave, Millimeterwave, Fiber Optics and Satcom components and subassemblies. Our products include Amplifiers, Antennas, Attenuators, Adapters, Cable Assemblies, Circulators, Coaxial Connectors, Directional Couplers, Filters, Fiber Optic Links, Isolators, Limiters, Mixers, Noise Sources, Oscillators, Phase Shifters, Power Dividers Combiners, Splitters, Synthesizers, Switches, Terminations, Waveguide Components and more.

KOLOONA INDUSTRIES www.koloona.com.au Koloona Industries is a wholly owned Australian Company who have been Importing and Distributing Electrical & Electronic Components for 30 years.

Koloona specialise in High Quality Switching and Protection Components with many supportive products to complete the range. We pride ourselves on our ability to offer quick service and full technical and application support.

Glyn High-Tech Distribution 02 8850 0320 www.glyn.com.au

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ASD TECHNOLOGY www.asdtech.com.au

ling receiver power modes and maintaining location information.

To reduce time to first fix, the unit stores assisting ephemeris data for up to three days.

Depending on the environment and motion, the module adaptively adjusts its navigation activity to balance positioning accuracy, fix rate and power consumption.

As a counter-measure against interference from other board components, the module removes up to 12 CW (Carrier Wave) type EMI sources by using Active Interference Cancellation (AIC).

An extended input voltage range of +3.0 to 4.3V allows the Fastrax IT530 to support a direct connection to a lithium battery without an external power regulator.

http://au.element14.com FARADAY PTY. LTD. www.faradayshielding.biz Faraday Pty Ltd is a specialist electromagnetic shielding company, which provides design, installation, and testing of shielding systems for Industrial, Medical and Defence EMI requirements. Faraday represents pre-eminent international companies including ETS Lindgren (EMCO / RANTEC / Holaday), AR Worldwide (Amp Research / AR-modular rf), Solar Electronics and TESEO.

MORNSUN www.mornsun-power.com Australia & New Zealand Distributor DLPC Pty Ltd (07) 3823 4844 Email: keith@dlpc.com.au

Victorian Distributor Fairmont Marketing (03) 9878 3077 Email: nick@fairmontmarketing.com.au

New South Wales Distributor EMT Electronics (02) 9703 5425 Email: schubert.tan@emtelectronics.com.au

http://nz.element14.com element14 is a high-service distributor of technology products, services and solutions for electronic system design, maintenance and repair, supported by a global online engineering community to collaborate, research and keep projects on the fast track, right from the start.

LEMO www.lemo.com High quality circular connectors with the LEMO designed push pull mating.

Harsh environment connectors rated to IP68. Plastic connectors for the medical industry. Coaxial, triaxial, quadrax, multi contact and fibre optic connectors. LEMO is accredited with ISO9001:2000 and all connectors are RoHS compliant.

Soanar Plus www.soanarplus.com RS Components www.rsaustralia.com www.rsnewzealand.com Easy access to over 350,000 Electronic, Electrical and Industrial products from over 2,500 of the world's leading manufacturers. Online users have instant stock availability and access to over 100,000 free datasheets. Delivery is free for all orders over $125 in Australia and New Zealand.

Soanar Plus offers an on-line ordering service with more than 7,500 plus parts in stock and ready for next day delivery. Our site offers real-time pricing and availability, broken pack quantities, side by side comparison and datasheets. This website complements our FREE catalogue.

www.electronicsnews.com.au APRIL 2012 31

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