Friday, September 28, 2012

Announcement: Texas Instruments Power & Interface Content Update

The Altium Content Team is pleased to announce new updates to the Altium Vault and Content Store. This release includes new families in Texas Instruments Power Management and Interface.

The team has released 1790 new board-level components expanding on the TI Power Management collection with the addition of Battery Management, Standard Voltage Regulators, Step-Down Regulators & LDO Controllers.

• Texas Instruments Power Management Battery Management

• Texas Instruments Power Management Standard Voltage Regulator

• Texas Instruments Power Management Step-Down Regulator

• Texas Instruments Power Management LDO Controller

TI Interface also gets new additions as part of this release with 735 new devices across the following families:

• Texas Instruments Interface Display

• Texas Instruments Interface Optical Module IC

• Texas Instruments Interface Isolator

• Texas Instruments Interface Serializer Deserializer

• Texas Instruments Interface LVDS M-LVDS ECL CML

• Texas Instruments Interface ESD EMI Protection

These components can be found in the Unified Components section of the Content Store. You can also use these components directly from within Altium Designer via the Vault Explorer - where you will also find supplier links and pricing information. For integrated libraries, look for the ‘Download Library’ button on the Content Store pages.

 

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Press Release: Molex Track-it Traceability Pad for Product Identification in Fully-Automated, High-Volume PCB Assembly Lines

Molex Track-it Traceability Pad for Product Identification in Fully-Automated, High-Volume PCB Assembly Lines

Cost-effective alternative to the current manual label and barcode systems, track-it™ requires minimal investment and can be easily read by most commercially available optical scanners

 

LISLE, IL – September 25, 2012 Molex Incorporated presents the track-it™ traceability pad – a printed circuit board (PCB) miniature identifier that provides unambiguous product traceability within the production process of work-in-progress in any high-volume electronic PCB assembly operation.  The track-it system is ideal in any SMT PCB assembly where space is limited and traceability is required, including high temperature ceramic PCB assemblies.  Well suited for use in the medical industry, where stringent traceability requirements apply, other typical applications range from high-value consumer electronics, such as digital cameras, notebook PCs, MP3 players, mobile phones and portable gaming devices, to in-car entertainment and navigation systems.

 

“The track-it traceability pad is a very cost-effective alternative to the current manual label and barcode systems generally used in high-volume electronic PCB assembly to track work in progress,” says Michael Power, product group manager, Molex.  “These devices require minimal investment from the customer since no laser investment is needed as the code is already written.  Additionally, the pads use minimal PCB real-estate for use in the smallest of applications.  This is especially interesting in today’s environment of continuous miniaturization and ever increasing complexity and board density.”

 

Measuring only 1.80mm (0.071") x 2.80mm (0.110"), the track-it device is a miniature metal pad, laser-etched with a unique 2D Data Matrix symbol that can be easily read by most commercially available optical scanners.  These devices are available packaged on tape and reel for automated pick-and-place assembly on standard chip shooters in high-speed SMT lines.  For customers running multiple lines, with different manufacturing locations and/or using multiple contract manufacturers, track-it provides the added peace of mind that no number can ever be repeated thus ensuring 100 percent traceability of the board content and manufacturing line or location.

 

During the assembly process, the Molex track-it pad is placed alongside other components onto the application PCB and solder reflowed.  Each PCB thereby gains a unique identification, allowing the traceability data of all other components contained on the populated PCB to be logged against a unique traceability code number.  The PCB identifier can then be incorporated into the identification of the final assembled device.

 

“As the track-it pad is metal and temperature resistant it can be placed on the board prior to reflow thus avoiding the additional high costs associated with Teflon labels,” adds Power.  “The track-it system is available for both standard reflow and high temperature reflow associated with ceramic boards.”

 

For more information, please visit www.molex.com/link/trackit.htmlTo receive information on other Molex products and industry solutions, please sign up for our

e-nouncement newsletter.

 

Design Secret 51

Design Secret 51 to the Content Store in Altium Live. In this video, Dirk Glaser (Applications Engineer from Germany) shows us how to use Special Strings to standardize component assembly information.

Here's the link: http://altiumvideos.live.altium.com/#Detail/1218/True

Watch and enjoy!

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Announcement: Analog Devices & Texas Instruments Content Update

The Altium Content Team is pleased to announce new updates to the Altium Vault and Content Store, including new components for Analog Devices DACs and Texas Instruments Power.

The team has released 1227 new board-level components to launch the TI Power Management collection with PWM Controllers being the first family out the door.

Texas Instruments Power Management PWM Controller

Also this week we have released Analog Devices’ Digital-to-Analog Converters. 2231 DACs join the A/D Converters released in late June. All ADI’s Precision & General purpose data converters are now available for your in-design needs.

Analog Devices Digital-to-Analog Converters

A total of 3458 components have been released this week across these 2 families. These components can be found in the Unified Components section of the Content Store. You can also use these components directly from within Altium Designer via the Vault Explorer - where you will also find supplier links and pricing information. For integrated libraries, look for the ‘Download Library’ button on the Content Store pages.

 

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Analog Devices & Texas Instruments Content Update

The Altium Content Team is pleased to announce new updates to the Altium Vault and Content Store, including new components for Analog Devices DACs and Texas Instruments Power.

The team has released 1227 new board-level components to launch the TI Power Management collection with PWM Controllers being the first family out the door.

Texas Instruments Power Management PWM Controller

Also this week we have released Analog Devices’ Digital-to-Analog Converters. 2231 DACs join the A/D Converters released in late June. All ADI’s Precision & General purpose data converters are now available for your in-design needs.

Analog Devices Digital-to-Analog Converters

A total of 3458 components have been released this week across these 2 families. These components can be found in the Unified Components section of the Content Store. You can also use these components directly from within Altium Designer via the Vault Explorer - where you will also find supplier links and pricing information. For integrated libraries, look for the ‘Download Library’ button on the Content Store pages.