There will always be the need to get heat out of high power circuitry, but with a little extra design effort up front, we may be able to reduce overall power needs. Here are two techniques that can help do that. Turn Idle Circuits Off A circuit that is not always used can be turned off until needed. This is a technique widely used in battery powered electronics, but it can be … [Read more...]
Temperature and reliability in electronics systems – the missing link
To introduce the reliability requirements we face for the future, we focus on telecommunication as an example. Personal telecommunication is becoming increasingly integrated into our daily lives. However, we cannot take full advantage of the technology unless the telecommunication system is as dependable as a car. Just as turning the ignition key should produce the right engine … [Read more...]
Thermal management of highly integrated electronic packages in avionics applications
The packaging and thermal management of electronic equipment has become an important issue because of increased power levels and the simultaneous miniaturization of the devices. With the advent of denser device packaging and faster intrinsic speeds, cost, reliability and size have been improved, but, unfortunately, packaging and thermal management have not followed at the same … [Read more...]
Adjusting temperatures for high altitude
Many companies design products with electronics that must function reliably at high altitude, typically 1,500m (5,000 ft) or 3,000m (10,000 ft) above sea level. Estimating the increase in operating temperatures is necessary to design and qualify such products. There are a variety of corrections used to account for this effect, many of which sacrifice accuracy for simplicity. … [Read more...]
Design and reliability considerations in avionics electronics packaging
In the avionics industry, regulatory agencies and standards organizations, such as Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) [1], Aeronautical Radio, Inc. (ARINC) [2], and Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA) [3], have developed sets of test procedures that help design engineers test and verify their designs and prevent any safety-threatening failures. Too often, however, … [Read more...]
