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PRODUCT SHOWCASE New dual-mode AC/DC power monitoring IC from Microchip Applications such as solar inverters, smart lighting and cloud servers often use AC as the main power source and DC as backup, or vice versa, to maintain safe operations. To provide customers with a simplified development path and ability to optimise their product performance, Microchip Technology Inc offers a flexible dualmode power monitoring IC (MCP39F511A) that measures both AC and DC modes with industry-leading accuracy of 0.1% error across a wide 4000:1 range. The MCP39F511A minimises parts cost and firmware development time by integrating two 24-bit delta-sigma ADCs, each offering 94.5dB of SINAD performance, with an on-chip EEPROM that logs critical events and a 16-bit calculation engine into a single IC. It provides standard power calculations that enable designers to easily add highly accurate power monitoring functions to end applications. Other advanced features include auto-save and auto-load of power quantities to and from the EEPROM at power loss or start as well as event monitoring of various power conditions. Contact: This ensures that Microchip Technology Inc measurement results Unit 32, 41 Rawson St Epping NSW 2121 are never lost if powTel: (02) 9868 6733 er is unexpectedly Website: www.microchip.com disrupted. Dial Down the Noise: Mouser’s online EMI white paper A new guide from Analog Devices and Coilcraft will help designers address electromagnetic interference (EMI) concerns in automotive and industrial applications. The new page hosts a variety of reference material and paired electronic components to aid designers in achieving lower EMI using a combination of Analog Devices’ Silent Switcher 2 LT8640S/LT8643S/LT8650S synchronous step-down regulators and Coilcraft’s power inductors. Featuring Analog Devices’ second-gen- eration Silent Switcher architecture designed to minimize EMI emissions, Analog Devices’ Silent Switcher 2 LT8640S, LT8643S, and LT8650S synchronous step-down regulators Just add water: medical diagnostic kit for remote communities A scientist at the Australian National University (ANU) is developing a new just-add-water diagnostic kit for use in remote communities to detect malaria and other diseases. Dr Lee Alissandratos from the ANU Research School of Chemistry said the diagnostic kit, which can be easily transported and stored at room temperature, would be ideal for non-specialists in remote and resource-limited communities. “Early detection of microorganisms that cause diseases, such as malaria, is critical in the global fight to control and eradicate some of the most devastating diseases,” said Dr Alissandratos, who is a CSIRO Synthetic Biology Future Science Fellow. Diagnostic tests used today to detect the malarial pathogen are expensive and only effective when carried out within well-equipped laboratories operated by highly skilled staff. “They are not avail- Contact: able to resource-limited Australian National University communities where they Tel: (02) 6125 5111 are urgently needed,” Dr Email: apostolos.alissandratos Alissandratos said. <at>anu.edu.au 96 Silicon Chip deliver high efficiency at high switching frequencies using a combination of bypass capacitors, a ground plane, copper pillars, and other components to optimize all the fast current loops. The 42V, 6A regulators offer a 2.5µA quiescent current and up to 96% efficiency at 1MHz, and provide fast, clean, and low-overshoot switching edges that enable high-efficiency operation and step-down ratios even at high switching frequencies. Download the white paper from: www. mouser.com/applications/limiting-emi/ Quick-Mount Convection Heatsink for TO-220, TO-257 and TO-264 packages Involve Audio has a new heatsink series that is said to drastically reduce both assembly times and manufacturing costs while providing an effective solution for high-powered devices. Designed for use with forced convection, assisted tunnel heat is concentrated within the heatsink to prevent leaks to other components within a device. This revolutionary mounting system provides even pressure distribution to ensure effective thermal coupling along devices. “It has reduced our assembly times from 30-40 minutes, down to 3-4” said Charles van Dongen, Involve Audio’s Chief Technical Officer. Currently, the heatsink series is only available for commercial use but they are currently in discussion with major Contact: distributors in Austral- Involve Audio, Australia ia and internationally, 2 Shearson Cresc, Mentone, Vic 3194 to have the product re- Tel: 0438 698 325 Website: www.involveaudio.com leased later this year. Australia’s electronics magazine siliconchip.com.au New WE1010 Temperature-Controlled Soldering Station Weller’s WE1010 Soldering Station has been available overseas for around six months now (120VAC power only) but the 230VAC-powered version is about to be released in Australia (available mid November). It has the now typical temperature-controlled soldering station configuration, with a base station incorporating the temperature readout and adjustment (and a few other features), a soldering pencil and a stand for the pencil. The tip heating power is 70W. A few seconds after switching the unit on, the temperature display appears and the iron starts heating up. While it only takes about 20 seconds or so to get up to operating temperature, which is quicker than many irons I have used, it is a little irksome that it doesn’t start heating until a few seconds after switch-on. I found the iron easy to use and had no trouble assembling a few PCBs which I was working on, including an Arduino shield that included some fairly large terminals. Large terminals and components connected to copper pours take a little bit longer to solder than the others but I didn’t find that there was any need to turn the temperature up. The supplied chisel tip is large enough to heat up two component leads at the same time, which occasionally comes in handy. The pencil is quite well-balanced and feels light in my hand and both the lead from GPO to the base (2.4m) and the base to the iron (1.6m) are quite long but not excessive. Having long leads suits the way that I work. The lead from the base to the iron is a flexible silicone material which doesn’t hinder movement at all, including tip rotation, unlike some plastic cords. The base has an on-off switch and three buttons (up, down and menu). Without reading the manual (which a previous reviewer had pilfered!), I had no trouble figuring out how to change the temperature and standby time. Standby mode is activated when you haven’t used the iron in a little while, with the tip dropping to 180°C, to increase its lifespan. siliconchip.com.au Review by Tim Blythman This is a good idea in a production environment but not necessary for me, since I turn the iron off when I’m not using it for a little while. Unfortunately, there is no way to disable standby mode and I found that it didn’t always power back up when I went to use it, so I had to train myself to press the menu button to wake it up before picking up the pencil each time. The WE1010 takes ET-series tips, which are readily available and relatively cheap. There are flat, conical, knife and screwdriver type tips available in this range. You can see the tips sold by Digi-Key for this iron at: http://siliconchip. com.au/link/aal5 The recommended retail price is $230+GST. The WE1010 offers a little more soldering power, Contact: more features and Apex Tool Group Australia Pty Ltd a better range of ac- 519 Nurigong Street, Albury NSW 2640 cessories than its Tel: (02) 6021 6666 Email: alburysales<at>apextoolgroup.com competitors. Australia’s electronics magazine October 2018  97