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Swept elbow backshells: Cable termination

TE Connectivity has introduced its new swept elbow backshells for electrical and fiber cables in a wide range of military and aerospace applications. They can provide strain relief and cable support to help reduce bending or overflexing, while also offering up to 20 percent weight savings. The backshells are designed to allow for uncoupling during repairs, which helps reduce damage to the boot, resulting in a simple and fast termination option. They are available in a band strap (BT) termination style, with more options to follow.
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Top 5 reasons for solder joint failure

Solder joint reliability is often a pain point in the design of an electronic system. According to Tyler Ferris at ANSYS, a wide variety of factors affect solder joint reliability, and any one of them can drastically reduce joint lifetime. Properly identifying and mitigating potential causes of solder joint failure during the design and manufacturing process can prevent costly and difficult-to-solve problems later in a product lifecycle.
Read this informative ANSYS blog.

New electronic coil AC/DC contactors from NOARK Electric

The new Ex9C F-type IEC contactors from NOARK Electric provide increased protection and stable performance on any AC or DC system. Featuring an electronic coil, the Ex9C F-Type Contactor compensates for changes in voltage fluctuations, which eliminates noisy, contact-damaging chatter conditions. With a more efficient design, this contactor offers valuable integral surge protection and less energy is required to operate the coil, which translates to lower operational costs. Three frame sizes with rated current up to 100 A. Coil control voltage 24~60 VAC/DC, 48~130 VAC/DC and 100~250 VAC/DC.
Find your circuit breaker solution at NOARK.

Isolating and dissipating the impact of lightning strikes on composite wings

Aircraft with an aluminum fuselage and wings can readily conduct the charge from a lightning strike, allowing the current to move along the skin and pass back into the atmosphere. But composites are significantly less conductive than aluminum. Composite wings need isolating and dissipating tubes to slowly dispel the static charge from a lightning strike, thereby preventing arcing in the system.
Read this informative Parker blog.

Tiny Osram LED enables ultra-slim headlight designs

Smaller and brighter light sources are leading to more compact and versatile headlamps, and headlight designs can often be key product differentiators these days -- particularly in the premium segment. The powerful Osram Oslon Boost HM LED enables ultra-slim designs full of possibilities in next-gen vehicles.
Read the full article.

Thermoelectric coolers for smart DLP headlights

Digital light processing (DLP) technology is now used in many smart automotive headlight systems to cast sharper and brighter light in front of a vehicle. These automotive headlight systems operate in temperature environments that can reach 110 C. However, the maximum operating temperature of a DLP is only 70 C. The HiTemp ET Series of thermoelectric coolers from Laird can lower the control temperature by as much as 40 C below ambient, protecting sensitive DLP electronics and ensuring optimum performance. The HiTemp ET can also protect components in optical transceiver, LIDAR, and CMOS applications.
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Fully redundant mobile angle sensors

The just-released compact RSA3200 Series of Hall effect angle sensors from Novotechnik features auto-diagnostics, fully redundant versions, and ultra-EMC tolerance for use in harsh environments and high-reliability applications. The measurement angle is factory programmable for range maximum between 60 to 360 deg. An optional linkage lever that attaches to a shaft provides additional mounting options. Applications include: boom angle measurement, swash plate angle on hydraulic pumps for off-highway vehicles, rotational position of a valve, and trim senders for marine outboard powertrains.
Learn more about angle sensors from Novotechnik.

Cool Tools: Digital high-res PCB microscope

The Saelig SAE106S Digital Microscope is a versatile tool designed specifically for PCB inspection, but it is also useful in many other fields such as mechanical part examination. This unit can be used as a standalone inspection device for circuit board examination using its built-in 4.3-in. LCD screen, or it can be connected to a PC. Illumination is enhanced by an eight-LED adjustable ring light and two repositionable, dimmable side lights. This microscope offers 10X to 220X magnification for discovering the smallest blemish or trace problem. Resultant images and videos can be stored on an SD card or transferred to a Windows PC. Under 200 bucks. Wish I had this as a kid.
Learn more.

igus unveils first plastic-steel hybrid energy chain

igus has developed the first plastic-steel hybrid energy chains for safe and compact vertical guidance of cables and hoses. The new energy supply system, called the YE.42, is 50 percent lighter than conventional steel chains due to the high-performance polymers manufactured by igus. The hybrid chains also provide 50 percent more unsupported length than plastic energy chains and have higher rigidity. The chains are easy to assemble and maintain due to their modular design, and operators can rely on work platforms or vertical lifts for a safe, lightweight, cost-effective, and quickly replaceable system.
Learn more.

Cool Tools: Measure up to 99 dimensions in seconds

The IM-7500 Image Dimension Measurement System is Keyence's latest addition to its Instant Measurement System series. This next-generation optical comparator includes an automatic measurement function that enables all settings to be completed with one click, the ability to record all measurement results and create reports automatically, and an intuitive interface that involves simply placing the part on the measurement stage and pressing the "Measure" button. Significantly, no measurement expertise is needed to operate the IM-7500, with measurement points automatically identified, consistent values delivered through automatic focal adjustment, and different parts identified and measured without having to change profiles.
Learn more.

Simplified Doppler radar sensor module

Fujitsu Components America has introduced a 3-channel, 24-GHz Doppler radar sensor with a wide speed-detection range and high interference tolerance. The module and evaluation kit can facilitate the rapid development of various non-contact movement-sensing products -- even without high-frequency RF electronics expertise. Target applications include human vital sign and fall monitoring, structural and mechanical movement detection, machine maintenance, and more for healthcare and industrial markets.
Learn more.

Selectable voltage power supply for static eliminators

EXAIR's new Gen4 Two-Outlet Selectable Voltage Power Supply allows you to choose input voltages of 115 or 230 VAC. Two 5-kV stainless steel output connectors can energize two static eliminators. Applications using up to two Gen4 Super Ion Air Knives, Ion Air Guns, Ion Air Cannons, Ionizing Bars, or any other EXAIR Gen4 static eliminator product can be connected to one power supply. Like all EXAIR Gen4 products, these two-outlet power supplies are UL component recognized, CE and RoHS compliant.
Learn more.

$100 LiDAR sensor delivers small size, big safety

Velodyne has just released Velabit, the company's smallest 3D LiDAR sensor. The sensor delivers the same technology and performance found on Velodyne's full suite of state-of-the-art sensors and can be embedded almost anywhere within vehicles, robots, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), infrastructure, and more. It has been engineered to be an optimal automotive-grade LiDAR solution for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicles. Highly configurable for customer application, this mid-range sensor can be combined with other Velodyne LiDAR sensors, such as the Velarray, for high-speed operation, or it can function as a standalone LiDAR solution in low-speed applications. Range is up to 100 m.
Learn more.

Application Note: Quadcopter propeller torque/thrust testing

The quadcopter's four propellers are designed to work in conjunction with each other to ensure that there are no torque imbalances that could send the vehicle spinning out of control. But just how would a professional developer or hobbyist perform accurate propeller torque and thrust testing? Advanced sensor expert FUTEK has the answer.
Read the full article.

What are form-in-place gaskets, what are their benefits and limits?

A form-in-place EMI gasket, also known as an FIP EMI gasket, is a robotically dispensed electromag-netic interference (EMI) shielding solution that is ideal for modern densely populated electronics packaging. It is meant to reduce "noise" between cavities on a printed circuit board (PCB) or in an electronics enclosure. Learn the tech's top benefits and limitations in this informative Parker blog.
Read the full article.

Study shows industry-standard fast-charging cycles can ruin an electric car's batteries

An electric car battery before and after industry-standard fast charging. [Ozkan Lab/UCR]

 

 

Commercial fast-charging stations subject electric car batteries to high temperatures and high resistance that can cause them to crack, leak, and lose their storage capacity, conclude engineers at the University of California, Riverside in a new study published in Energy Storage. To remedy this, the researchers have developed a method for charging at lower temperatures with less risk of catastrophic damage and loss of storage capacity.

Mihri Ozkan, a professor of electrical and computer engineering, and Cengiz Ozkan, a professor of mechanical engineering in the Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering, led a group that charged one set of discharged Panasonic NCR 18650B cylindrical lithium-ion batteries, found in Tesla cars, using the same industry fast-charging method as fast chargers found along freeways.

They also charged a set using a new fast-charging algorithm based on the battery's internal resistance, which interferes with the flow of electrons. The internal resistance of a battery fluctuates according to temperature, charge state, battery age, and other factors. High internal resistance can cause problems during charging.

The UC Riverside Battery Team's charging method is an adaptive system that learns from the battery by checking the battery's internal resistance during charging. It rests when internal resistance kicks in to eliminate loss of charge capacity.

For the first 13 charging cycles, the battery storage capacities for both charging techniques remained similar. After that, however, the industry fast-charging technique caused capacity to fade much faster -- after 40 charging cycles the batteries kept only 60 percent of their storage capacity. Batteries charged using the internal resistance charging method retained more than 80 percent capacity after the 40th cycle.

At 80 percent capacity, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries have reached the end of their use life for most purposes. Batteries charged using the industry fast-charging method reached this point after 25 charging cycles, while internal resistance method batteries were good for 36 cycles.

Difference in charge capacity from industry vs. internal resistance charged electric vehicle batteries. [Sebastian et. al.]

 

 

"Industrial fast charging affects the lifespan of lithium-ion batteries adversely because of the increase in the internal resistance of the batteries, which in turn results in heat generation," doctoral student and co-author Tanner Zerrin said.

Worse, after 60 charging cycles, the battery cases cracked, exposing the electrodes and electrolyte to air and increasing the risk of fire or explosion. High temperatures of 60 C/140 F accelerated both the damage and risk.

"Capacity loss, internal chemical and mechanical damage, and the high heat for each battery are major safety concerns, especially considering there are 7,104 lithium-ion batteries in a Tesla Model S and 4,416 in a Tesla Model 3," Mihri Ozkan said.

An electric vehicle battery with chemical damage after industry-standard fast charging. [Ozkan Lab/UCR]

 

 

Internal resistance charging resulted in much lower temperatures and no damage.

"Our alternative adaptive fast-charging algorithm reduced capacity fade and eliminated fractures and changes in composition in the commercial battery cells," Cengiz Ozkan said.

"The proposed adaptive fast charging provides a novel perspective for the design of fast-charging technology for electric vehicles with better safety performance and longer battery lifespan," said Bo Dong, a doctoral student and paper co-author.

The researchers have applied for a patent on the adaptive internal resistance fast-charging algorithm that could be licensed by battery and car manufacturers. In the meantime, the UCR Battery Team recommends minimizing the use of commercial fast chargers, recharging before the battery is completely drained, and preventing overcharging.

Source: University of California, Riverside

Published March 2020

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