POL Converters Have Power Sequencing Capabilities January 2004 Issue Published Date: January 13, 2004
A new 15-member family of non-isolated point-of-load (POL) dc/dc converters are expected to find use in workstations, communications equipment, and other systems employing distributed power architectures. Key features of the PTH converter series include: wide output voltage adjustability, set via a single resistor; an on/off inhibit function; output over-current protection with auto recovery; and a unique power sequencing capability. The latter, called auto-track, enables multiple converters to track each other, or an external voltage, during power-up and power-down. This reportedly simplifies implementation of power provisions on pc boards, where devices such as DSPs and FPGAs often demand carefully controlled turn-on and turn-off of their various supply voltages. The series comes in through-hole and SMT versions and are com- patible with the Point-of-Load Alliance (POLA), a new form, fit and function standard for providing OEMs multiple sources of POL converters. The dc/dc converters are available with nine different current outputs from 6A to 30A and with nominal input voltages of 3.3V, 5V or 12V to suit various intermediate bus voltages. For the 3.3V input model, outputs can be set to any voltage from 0.8 to 2.5 Vdc; for the 5V input, 0.8 to 3.6 Vdc; and for the 12V input, 1.2 to 5.5 Vdc. The series ranges from the 0.87" x 0.5", 6A PTHxx050 family having conversion efficiencies as high as 95% to the 1.37" x 1.12", 30A PTHxx030 family. The devices carry international safety approvals and can operate over a -40°C to +85°C temperature range. Prices range from $9 to $24.86 each/10,000. ARTESYN TECHNOLOGIES INC., Eden Prairie, MN. (952) 392-6538.
