Power Analyzer by Keysight

Power integrity analysis at design time.

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Power Integrity

The Role of a Decoupling, Inductance, and Resistance in a PDN

The Role of a Decoupling, Inductors, and Resistance in a PDN What is the role of a RF decoupling capacitor? Do I need a decoupling circuit for my PCB? Some designers might overlook the role of a decoupling, inductance, and resistance when designing their power distribution network. Read Article

What Size Decoupling Capacitor Should You Use For Digital ICs?

Decoupling Capacitor Calculations: What Size Should You Use For Digital ICs? Are these decoupling capacitors sized properly? Something that comes up repeatedly in PCB design guidelines, including high-speed digital design "gurus", is the need to find the proper decoupling capacitor size. This is sometimes addressed without a full understanding of what these caps are supposed to do in a PDN or their role in ensuring power integrity. I've also seen many application notes that default to the decades-old guideline of placing Read Article

Embedded System Power Supply Guidelines for Power Integrity

Embedded System Power Supply Guidelines for Power Integrity Embedded systems design and development is a broad area of electronics, spanning from developing code for an Arduino to designing custom computing systems with huge I/O count. On the more advanced end, where we see complex embedded systems for imaging, radar, modular computing, and edge computing, power regulator module design is a major determinant of system performance as it must ensure power integrity and signal integrity. These systems are Read Article

Datasheet Reliability with Ben Jordan

Datasheet Reliability with Ben Jordan In this OnTrack episode Judy Warner and Ben Jordan discuss about Datasheet Reliability. Can you trust them? And what does “Gilded” mean? This & more about verifying app notes. Watch the full episode. Read Article

Power Integrity Analysis for Your Power Delivery Network

Power Integrity Analysis for Your Power Delivery Network Designing PCBs to have stable power output is as much an art as it is a science. Power integrity analysis and simulation is all about verifying a design will deliver the required power, but also that the delivered power will be stable. This idea that a power supply might not deliver stable power is not necessarily related to the power supply, it's related to the design of the PDN on the PCB. The structure of a PCB, the elements used to store and Read Article

Bolt: Part Venture Capitalist, Part Engineering Team and Pure Awesome

Bolt: Part Venture Capitalist, Part Engineering Team and Pure Awesome How can an engineering team & venture capitalist like Bolt can help startups get off the ground, and get product to market? Watch and learn in this episode with Tyler Mincey VP of Engineering at Bolt. Read Article

22:01 Introduction To PDN Analyzer Webinar Power Delivery Network (PDN) Design Issues Low supply voltage at load components A low supply voltage at your loads Watch Video

Coupled Versus Uncoupled Inductors: Which is Right for Your Switching Power Supply?

Coupled Versus Uncoupled Inductors Procurement: Which is Right for Your Switching Power Supply? I recently took a deep dive into the various types of topologies surrounding switching power supplies. This article examined the benefits and downfalls of some of the most common topologies and aimed to assist you in the process of choosing how to power your design. The SEPIC topology is a very common switching mode power supply that can operate as both a Buck and a Boost converter. In other words, the SEPIC can act as a step-down (Buck converter Read Article

Smart Self-Check Process to Optimize Power-Up for Embedded Systems

Smart Self-Check Process to Optimize Power-Up for Embedded Systems I’ve been obsessed with morning routines ever since I started sending my son to kindergarten in the morning. From making breakfast to ensuring that his schoolbag is properly packed, I rarely mess up, except for a rare occasion where I forgot to place his water bottle in his bag. Despite the rarity of that occurrence, my son wasn’t impressed with my forgetfulness even though I promised it wouldn’t happen again. Now, when checking through his Read Article

Managing Your Audio Power Supply Designs: Tips for Circuit Design

Managing Your Audio Power Supply Designs: Tips for Circuit Design As I get older, I suspect I’m gradually getting deafer. My hearing was pretty sharp during my teenage years but these days, I miss out on conversations and need to frequently ask people to repeat themselves. Perhaps my hearing ability is deteriorating due to age; however, when I hear static noise creeping out of an amplifier, I know to trust my ears. In electronics, the power supply of audio circuits can mean the difference between perfect audio Read Article

Introduction To PDN Analyzer Webinar Recap May 10, 2018

Introduction To PDN Analyzer Webinar Recap May 10, 2018 If you joined us for the May 10th, 2018, PDN Analyzer^™ webinar then the following will be a recap, if not here’s what you missed. You can also view the presentation slides and recording. Key Takeaways about PDN Power Delivery Network () Design Issues Low supply voltage at load components. A low supply voltage at your loads can cause issues like processors outputting faulty logic. These things happen when there is an unexpected voltage drop Read Article

DC Power Supply Protection from Unexpected Damage and Inconvenience

DC Power Supply Protection from Unexpected Damage and Inconvenience When it comes to parenting, I might not be the best role model. This isn’t because I don’t take good care of my only son; it’s because I’m the stereotypical overprotective dad. I fuss over tiny bruises and rush for a digital thermometer at the slightest hint of a fever. Unable to stop worrying about how my son will adapt and get along with other preschoolers, I even become an occasional nuisance at his nursery. Over time, I’m starting to realize Read Article

Tips for Minimizing Power Consumption in Your Embedded System

Power Consumption Tips: What are Ways to Reduce Power Consumption in an Embedded System? For years, I always forgot to turn off the lights and fans at my house. Despite initially denying that constantly using these appliances significantly increased my electricity usage, I eventually broke my bad habit and began turning off every little switch. After all, being more prudent about my electricity usage reduces my monthly bills and promotes a greener earth. Unfortunately, minimizing system power consumption in an embedded system Read Article

Why Startup Transition is a Concern for Embedded Systems

Why Startup Transition is a Concern for Embedded Systems Do you have a morning ritual? I can barely function without mine. My brain has a hard time operating without a big breakfast, some piping hot coffee, and five minutes browsing through my inbox even when there are zero unread emails. Having a morning ritual for your embedded system is helpful too. While you don’t need to serve any coffee to your PCB’s microcontroller, you do need to ensure that it efficiently handles the transitional state during Read Article

How an Electrolytic Capacitor PDN Issue Almost Brought Down a Building

How an Electrolytic Capacitor PDN Issue Almost Brought Down a Building I recently came across an interesting story that involves the tale of a boiler system that failed to start under the close supervision of a TDK-Lambda rep, only to be solved by none other than the building maintenance technician. The story starts by the shutdown of an aging boiler in the dead of winter a British winter that required replacement of the seven-year-old radiators. After the repair and replacements took place, the boiler was switched Read Article

Voltage Regulators and How to Plan Your Power Budget with PDN Analysis

Voltage Regulators and How to Plan Your Power Budget with PDN Analysis and Examples With my first buck regulator design, I had been given a power budget for the circuit block and I had to take into consideration what it was supplying and what topology I’d use. I considered efficiency to remove heat from the enclosure and I wanted to avoid using a heat sink. I also wanted a robust engine, a regulator to keep on working when the CPU, memory, and other utility circuits were exercising their might. I decided on the buck regulator Read Article

High Currents and High Temperature: PCB Design Tips for Heat Management

High Currents and High Temperature: PCB Design Tips for Heat Management I remember the first (and hopefully the only) time one of my circuits caught on fire. It started with the resistors and quickly spread to a nearby decoupling capacitor. Thankfully, the destruction was minor and most of the components were salvageable. Why did this happen you ask? No, this was not due to a short circuit. Very simply, I did not take into account the high current PCB layout. As electronics continue to be miniaturized, the thermal Read Article