DC/DC converter modules offer valuable space savings

All MD family parts are now available in production volumes to customers throughout Europe via local channel partners, or globally from Future Electronics.

The six watt MDWI06, eight watt MDWI08 and ten watt MDWI10 are available with 4:1 input voltage ranges of nine to 36V or 18 to 75V. The eight watt MDW08 and ten watt MDW10 give a choice of three 2:1 input voltage ranges of nine to 18V, 18 to 36V or 36 to 75V. All these series of converters are supplied in versions offering a fixed output voltage of 3.3, 5, 5.1, 12, 15, 24, ±12 or ±15V.

The MD converters' robust, encapsulated DIP16 package has an industry-standard footprint of 0.94x0.54", and is just 0.31" high. It weighs 6.1g. The high efficiency of the modules' power regulation technology and the outstanding thermal characteristics of the MINMAX package design mean that the converters can achieve very high power density while supporting operation at temperatures up to 90°C.

System design engineers can use an MD family DC/DC converter to cut both board footprint and weight typically by 50% when replacing a competing module that has an equivalent power rating.

Achun Tsai, Global Sales Manager of MINMAX, stated: “MINMAX expects that the space savings offered by its high power-density MD converter modules will generate huge interest from European designers who face board space constraints in application areas such as mobile telecoms infrastructure, industrial automation, transportation and embedded computing equipment. 

“The encapsulated package and excellent thermal performance also mean that designers can be confident about the long-term reliability of these products, even in the most demanding industrial applications.”

MINMAX has gone to great lengths to make the integration of the MD converters in end product designs as straightforward as possible. The shielded metal case with insulated baseplate provides excellent EMC performance. The MD products are certified for compliance with the EN 55032 EMI standard to Class A, and with the EN 61000-4-2/3/6/8 standard with no need for external components.

Class A compliance with EN 61000-4-4/5 and with EN 55022 Class B require only a small number of external components.

Isolation of 1.5kV protects sensitive circuitry from noise, and supports use in safety-critical applications.

The MD converter modules offer high efficiency and accurate regulation across the whole line, load and temperature range. Typical peak efficiency is 88% at the maximum load, and no-load power consumption is just 0.1W. Line regulation is rated at ±0.2%, and load regulation is rated at ±0.5%.

The converters have no minimum load requirement, and maintain stable regulation with no oscillation in no- and light-load conditions. Typical start-up time of 20ms helps designers to eliminate the risk of system timing failures.