A switching-mode power supply (SMPS) is an electronic power supply that incorporates a switching regulator to convert electrical power efficiently. Switching regulators are used as replacements for linear regulators when higher efficiency, smaller size or lighter weight are required. The main advantage of the switching power supply is greater efficiency than linear regulators. The downside of →
https://spectrum.ieee.org/geek-life/hands-on/with-the-dead-bug-method-hobbyists-can-break-through-the-highfrequency-barrier PCBs are essential in mass-produced products. They assure almost perfectly repeatable circuits. And PCBs with a good ground plane are essential for high-frequency circuits. But rapid prototyping with PCBs has drawbacks compared with the speed and ease of building a circuit on a breadboard. This article presents one practical alternative to PCB for high-frequency →
A time-domain reflectometer (TDR) is an electronic instrument that uses time-domain reflectometry to characterize and locate faults in metallic cables. I designed a TDR circuit many years ago for easy cable testing with oscilloscope: That circuit was also turned to an electronics kit that is sold by Far Circuits. When getting the original 74AC14 seemed →
https://krebsonsecurity.com/2018/10/supply-chain-security-is-the-whole-enchilada-but-whos-willing-to-pay-for-it/ You can have it fast, cheap, or secure — pick any two. It seems to be possible as long as “secure” isn’t one of your choices. “Our IT industry is inexorably international, and anyone involved in the process can subvert the security of the end product,” Schneier wrote. We don’t often hear about intentional →
The powerCON is an electrical connector manufactured by Neutrik for connecting mains power to equipment in a small space (smaller than IEC connector commonly used on PCs). Neutrik powerCON 20 A is a locking 3 conductor equipment AC connector with contacts for line, neutral and pre-mating ground contact. It is a rugged solution that has →
Oscilloscope and Arduino are tools for modern makers. Here are some videos and articles that combine together Arduino and oscilloscopes: Learn Oscilloscope Basics with an Arduino Uno | AddOhms #28 Using an Oscilloscope and an Arduino Improve your Arduino programming skills – The budget oscilloscope. For more details, read the following articles: Learn Six Oscilloscope →
https://archive.org/details/bstj-archives The scientific discoveries and technological innovations produced by Bell System research and engineering were critical not only to the evolution of global telecommunications but, more widely, they had a considerable impact on the technological base of the global economy. The invention of the transistor at Bell labs in 1947, and subsequent advances in related →
https://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/si-pi-masterclass/4461028/Make-simple-fixtures-from-SMA-connectors For testing SMD components you need some test fixture. A fixed-geometry fixture produces consistent and repeatable results. This article tells how you can easily make fixed-geometry fixtures out of PCB-mounted SMA connectors. You can build a fixture to measure bypass capacitors using SMA-female edge-mount connectors. The narrow-base connectors (5 mm grid) and are best →
https://www.edn.com/design/analog/4461000/A-technical-performance-based-view-of-opto-isolators-and-digital-isolators Galvanic isolators are devices that couple an electrical data or control signal across an insulation barrier without any flow of current through it, thereby enabling signals to be transferred while blocking noise. The insulation barrier also safeguards equipment and human operators from high voltages. The earliest isolators were optically coupled devices, also called opto-isolators →
https://predictabledesigns.com/how-to-develop-and-prototype-a-new-product/ Whether you’re an entrepreneur, startup, maker, inventor, or small business this guide will help you understand the new product development process. →