RPX-Q

Podcast Transcript

Jeff: Welcome to RECOM's Powerful Podcast, where we discuss new topics and products. I'm Jeff Deutschman, your product moderator. From a quarter watt up to 1,000 watts, whether the power is required for an industrial setting, a new IoT gadget, or a high-end medical-grade device, RECOM has you covered.
In this episode, we're going to discuss a new DC/DC converter, the RPX-Q series. Peter, what separates these from our other RPX parts?

Peter: Hey Jeff, great question. The parts with the Q suffix are actually automotive-grade power supplies, while the others are industrial-grade.

Jeff: Wow, this is a first for RECOM, right?

Peter: Yeah, that's right. Our first automotive-grade part is finally here.

Jeff: Very nice. So, what makes the automotive grade?

Peter: Right, so these are AEC-Q100 qualified up to Grade 1.

Jeff: Okay, can you expand on that for those of us who aren't familiar with AEC-Q?

Peter: Yeah, of course. So, AEC stands for Automotive Electronics Council, and was established to create quality standards for automobile electronics. They are in charge of defining the different requirements, such as AEC-Q100.

Jeff: Okay, I see. And what is Q100 Grade 1?

Peter: So, AEC-Q100 is the qualification test for ICs. Our power supplies are most similar to an IC, so this was the most applicable. The grade has to do with the ambient temperature So, Grade 1 covers ambient temperature range of -40°C up to 125°C.

Jeff: Does Grade 1 also cover some of the other grades as well?

Peter: Yeah, so it also covers the temp requirements for Grades 2 and 3, which are a little less severe. However, it does not cover Grade 0, which has the highest temperature requirements of them all.

Jeff: Okay, what else is tested besides the ambient temperature?

Peter: A whole lot. They put this through accelerated environment tests, accelerated lifetime simulation tests, and closely inspect the construction and the design of the part. Basically, these are extremely stringent reliability tests that allow zero failures.

Jeff: Wow, definitely impressive. So, let's get into the actual RECOM parts now. There are a couple of new part numbers coming up, right?

Peter: Correct. There is the RPX-0.5Q and the RPX-1.5Q, with the 0.5 being 0.5A on the output and the 1.5 being 1.5A.

Jeff: That makes sense. What kind of voltages are we offering?

Peter: Each part has a wide 4-36V input. There is a single adjustable output, which has the range of 0.8V, up to 30V or 34V, depending on the series.

Jeff: Very nice. How large or small are these new converters?

Peter: These ones are pretty small. They come in a 3 x 5mm QFN package, and the height is only about 1.6mm. The converters are also equipped with wettable flanks, and that really helps with inspecting the solder connections on these really small components.

Jeff: Excellent. So, the same size as the other RPX converters. To wrap things up, would you like to talk about the protections and some of the other functions?

Peter: Of course. These are designed with short-circuit, over-current, over-temperature, and under-voltage lockout protections. It's also equipped with on-off control, power good, soft start, and sync functions, which can adjust the switching frequency if customers need that. All this is with the hopes of making it easier for engineers to implement our technology.

Jeff: That's a lot. Peter, as always, thank you very much. Well, that wraps up another episode of RECOM's Powerful Podcast. Be sure to listen next time when we delve into the pros of another RECOM topic. As always, please contact your regional sales manager for any samples or pricing information. Our application engineers are always happy to assist you with any technical questions or requests. You can email them at techsupportamericas@recom-power.com. Until then, have a great day and always remember, RECOM powers your products!