THE PERFECT STORM Shortages of Components Have Raised Questions As to How the Supply Chain Operates

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1328 April June 2021 2016

ROVERSCOMMUNICATIONSSPACE EXCEED ELECTRONICS EXPECTATIONS TEST • SAFETY• • SYSTEMSREDEFINING & SECURITY DESIGN HARDWARE •• LIGHTING ENCLOSURESIN REAL TIME • • BOARDCATCHING • EMC TECHNOLOGY SHIELDINGUP WITH CLOCKS

THE REAL DEAL? Are augmented and virtual reality ﬁ nally set to become the next big computing platforms? THE PERFECT STORM Shortages of components have raised questions as to how the supply chain operates

New Electronics’ weekly eZine features the latest blogs, news, articles and more. To register for your copy, go to www.newelectronics.co.uk CONTENTS VOL 54 NO 6

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10 22 25

COVER IMAGE: Corona Borealis/stock.adobe.com

COMMENT 5 COVER STORY 10 LIGHTING 20 A shortage of The perfect storm Throwing a light on Bluetooth semiconductors is seeing Shortages of semiconductors, along with other According to the Bluetooth SIG connected a number of governments components, have raised questions as to how lighting solutions are growing rapidly. consider building cutting the supply chain operates. By Neil Tyler Neil Tyler finds out more edge fabs INTERVIEW 14 SYSTEMS DESIGN 22 NEWS Building resilience Simplifying IoT applications Cadence unveils next- James Woodhead talks to New Electronics Chipset specific IPDs are intended to simplify generation Palladium Z2 about the need to build greater business the development of next gen wireless IoT and Protium X2 systems 6 resilience through supply chain rationalisation applications, as New Electronics discovers

Siemens looks to accelerate ENGINEERING ‘GREEN’ 16 COMMUNICATIONS TEST 25 design-to-manufacturing Heading full throttle to Increasing data throughput handoff for printed circuit net zero carbon With the upcoming 802.11be WLAN standard boards 7 Every component counts in the UK Rail nearly complete, Werner Dürport and Systems’ programme to deliver net zero Lisa Ward look at how it will impact test Arm introduces the Armv9 carbon, as Leigh Chapman explains & measurement requirements architecture to improve security and deliver AI 8 BOARD DESIGN 18 Easy as PI MISSION STATEMENT How is the Sony Corporation’s electronics ‘New Electronics keeps designers and manufacturing arm, UK Tec, using the managers abreast of the latest developments Raspberry Pi to unlock Industry 4.0? in the world’s fastest moving industry’ By Ankur Tomar

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A supply chain in ﬂ ux A SHORTAGE OF SEMICONDUCTORS IS SEEING A GROWING NUMBER OF GOVERNMENTS LOOK AT CONSTRUCTING THEIR OWN CUTTING-EDGE FABS

he COVID-19 crisis, a re at a Renesas facility and the pro-longed and exceptional winter weather in Texas have all combined to cause a chip shortage undermining the automotive and electronics industries and, in turn, have highlighted just how dependent the world is on supplies from Taiwan and South Korea. TGovernments are said to be weighing up the possibilities of subsidising the construction of new semiconductor factories in response with the US, the EU, India and Japan looking at the possibility of developing cutting-edge ‘fabs’. With more than two- thirds of advanced computing chips now manufactured in Taiwan there is seen to be a need for factories outside of Asia and Intel, Samsung and TSMC have already drawn up plans to build factories in the US. In the case of Intel, it is also talking about building a new factory in Europe. However, is any of this likely? It would be “economically unrealistic” for the US and Europe to build local foundry capacity for local demand, according to TSMC’s chairman Mark Liu, who has suggested that any new capacity would likely end up being ‘non- “Europe pro table’, and that there’s already enough capacity in the system to meet the rising dropped out of demand for AI and 5G chips. He suggests that the pandemic and growing trade tensions this race a long between the US and China are both abnormal factors which have affected the supply time ago and no chain – left alone, things will return to normal. While that might be true in Japan, Canon, Tokyo Electron and Screen Semiconductor longer has the Electron have joined a government funded programme to develop advanced 2nm chips, necessary local while India is looking to build on its strengths as a design centre for global chip rms know-how.” and lure factories with new subsidies. Helmut Gassel, It does appear that every country wants to build its own fab in what could be seen Inﬁ neon as a return to the 1970s, before the US and Europe outsourced chip manufacturing to the Far East. In Europe there are clashes between the EU and national governments over the need for advanced computer chip factories - a policy that’s being promoted by the EU’s internal market chief Thierry Breton. In opposition, Helmut Gassel, head of strategy at German chipmaker In neon has warned that, “Europe dropped out of this race a long time ago and no longer has the necessary local know-how,” to deliver. So, if we are to see a new tranche of factories appearing are we then going to see nations developing their own semiconductor industries? If they do and a chip ‘arms race’ develops might we simply end up with too much chip making capacity and in the process waste limited resources and vast amounts of tax payers’ money?

Neil Tyler, Editor ([email protected])

www.newelectronics.co.uk 13 April 2021 5 NEWS EDA

Cadence unveils Editor Neil Tyler [email protected] new ‘Dynamic Duo’ CADENCE UNVEILS NEXT-GENERATION PALLADIUM Contributing Chris Edwards, John Walko Editors [email protected] Z2 AND PROTIUM X2 SYSTEMS. NEIL TYLER REPORTS

Art Editor Chris Charles Cadence Design Systems UltraScale+ VU19P FPGAs migration and testing from [email protected] has announced the Palladium in these systems provide emulation to prototyping. Z2 Enterprise Emulation customers with 2X capacity “Pre-silicon veri cation of Illustrator Phil Holmes and Protium X2 Enterprise and 1.5X performance advanced SoC design requires Sales Manager James Creber Prototyping systems that are improvements over their a solution with multi-billion- [email protected] intended to handle increasing predecessors, allowing design gate capacity that offers both Publisher Peter Ring system design complexity and engineers to run more validation highest performance and [email protected] time-to-market pressures. cycles on bigger chips in less rapid predictable debug,” Managing Jon Benson Both have been designed time. Both systems offer said Paul Cunningham, senior Director [email protected] to enable high throughput pre- breakthrough modular compile vice president and general silicon hardware debug and technology capable of compiling manager of the System & Production Nicki McKenna Manager [email protected] pre-silicon software validation 10 billion gates in under 10 Veri cation Group at Cadence. for the industry’s largest multi- hours on the Palladium Z2 “Our new ‘dynamic duo’ meets New Electronics editorial advisory panel billion-gate system-on-chip (SoC) system and in under 24 hours these requirements with two Trevor Cross, chief technology ofﬁ cer, Teledyne e2v designs. on the Protium X2 system. tightly integrated systems, Pete Leonard, electronics design manager, Renishaw Pete Lomas, director of engineering, Norcott Technologies Dubbed the Cadence The Palladium Z2 and Palladium Z2 emulation Neil Riddiford, principal electronics engineer, Cambridge “dynamic duo” for its tight Protium X2 have been developed optimised for rapid predictable Consultants integration with uni ed to address the challenges faced hardware debug and Protium Adam Taylor, embedded systems consultant compiler and interfaces, the by those designing for the most X2 prototyping optimised for ISSN 0047-9624 Online ISSN 2049-2316 next-generation emulation advanced applications and highest performance multi- processors and Xilinx are able to offer rapid design billion-gate software validation.” Annual subscription (22 issues): UK £108. Overseas; £163. Airmail; £199. New Electronics, incorporating Electronic Equipment News and Electronics News, is published twice monthly by MA Business, Hawley Mill, Hawley Road, Dartford, DA2 7TJ. SEGGER’s emFile to Labcenter introduces T: 01322 221144 E: [email protected] cover PSoC 6 Proteus v8.12 Moving on? If you change jobs or your company moves, please contact Cypress, a subsidiary of In neon, has extended Labcenter Electronics, an EDA specialist, has [email protected] to continue receiving its licensing for SEGGER’s emFile embedded le announced Proteus v8.12, the latest release your free copy of New Electronics system to its latest hardware platform PSoC 6. of its ﬂ agship Proteus Design Suite software. The PSoC 6 provides a secure solution for This release sees the completion of support IoT development while supporting multiple for differential pair routing with pass-through security environments without external storage. components. The Systems-on-a-Chip (SoC) provides integrated Proteus now enables fast and accurate Part of hardware and software security features for development of high-speed differential pair IoT systems that require protection from cyber signals with automatic skew correction, target threats and hacking. length matching and dedicated reporting www.markallengroup.com SEGGER’s emFile licensing has also been features. Version 8.12 also sees the start of

© 2021. All rights reserved. No part of New Electronics may extended to include important modules for the formal support for multi-board design, where a be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means, development of security-sensitive applications. single schematic encompasses the design logic electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or While the FAT le system including Long- for multiple PCBs. any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Publisher.The views expressed do not File-Name (LFN) support and the SDCard driver “Proteus v8.12 is another important release in necessarily represent those of the editor of New Electronics. was already part of the license agreement, it our PCB Design technology roadmap,” said Iain Advertisements in the journal do not imply endorsement of the products or services advertised. now includes the following modules: journaling Cliffe, Executive Director at Labcenter Electronics. Please read our privacy policy, by visiting (component that makes the le system layer fail- Proteus also includes support for multiple http://privacypolicy.markallengroup.com. This will explain safe); encryption (of entire media or individual rigid boards per project, each of which can how we process, use & safeguard your data les); device drivers for NOR and NAND ash have different layer stack-ups and design rules. Printed by Pensord. memory (fail-safe in case of unexpected reset, Documentation outputs, such as the Bill of wear leveling, bad block management); and Materials, and production outputs, such as device drivers for IDE and CompactFlash (access Gerber X2, are all board-aware. The design to data on IDE hard disks and CompactFlash explorer module enables global overview and memory cards possible). easy navigation.

6 13 April 2021 www.newelectronics.co.uk NEWS PCB DESIGN

Siemens introduces PCBﬂ ow Intel launches SIEMENS UNVEILS A SECURE, CLOUD-BASED SOLUTION FOR ACCELERATING DESIGN- 10nm Xeon Ice TO-MANUFACTURING HANDOFF FOR PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS. NEIL TYLER REPORTS Lake processors Siemens has introduced PCB ow, a cloud- Intel has announced the launch of its based software solution which looks to bridge 10nm Ice Lake Xeon processors with the gap between the electronics design and over 200,000 already in the hands of manufacturing ecosystems. PCB ow extends customers, according to the company. Siemens’ Xcelerator portfolio with a secure With up to 40 ‘Sunny Cove’ cores per environment for printed circuit board (PCB) processor, built-in acceleration and new design teams to interact with a variety of instructions, the Ice Lake-SP platform manufacturers, performing a range of design- is said to be able to offer a signi cant for-manufacturing (DFM) analyses in the context performance boost for AI, HPC, networking of each manufacturers’ process capabilities and cloud workloads. and so speeding up the design-to-production In addition to increasing the core count handoff. manufacturer collaboration with a closed-loop from 28 to 40 over the previous-generation Powered by the Valor NPI software engine, feedback mechanism that drives continuous Cascade Lake devices, Ice Lake is able which can perform over 1000 DFM checks, improvement,” said Dan Hoz, general manager, to provide eight channels of DDR4-3200 PCB ow enables PCB design teams to rapidly Valor Division, Siemens Digital Industries memory per socket and up to 64 lanes of identify manufacturability violations. These Software. “Because customer designs are in PCIe Gen4 per socket, compared to six violations are then sorted and prioritised sync with the fab’s capabilities, respins can channels of DDR4-2933 and up to 48 lanes according to level of severity, guiding users be reduced, time-to-market can be shortened, of PCI Gen3 per socket for the previous through images and locations on the design for board quality can be optimised, and yield can generation. easy identi cation and immediate correction. be enhanced.” As a result of these enhancements, PCB ow is Siemens’ rst step toward PCB As a software as a service (SaaS) along with AVX-512 for compute assembly online solutions which are able to technology, PCB ow also incorporates the acceleration and DL Boost for AI automate the design-to-manufacturing handoff security standards of Siemens’ software, acceleration, Ice Lake is able to deliver, process. Siemens is the rst company to reducing risk and protecting intellectual property according to Intel, an average 46 percent offer a marketplace featuring online, fully (IP) with no additional IT investment. performance improvement for datacentre automated DFM analysis technology, which PCB ow works with the Mendix low-code workloads and 53 higher average HPC can help optimise designs, reduce front-end application development platform providing the performance, generation-over-generation. engineering cycles, and streamline designer and ability to build multi-experience apps and share Security has also been boosted by manufacturer communication. data from any location, on any device, on any Intel Software Guard Extensions and Total “PCB ow is the ultimate product-design tool, cloud or platform, helping users to bene t from Memory Encryption. because it supports comprehensive designer/ the advantages associated with digitalisation.

DC/DC controllers with integrated EMI fi lter Texas Instruments (TI) has introduced a buck controllers also feature frequency family of synchronous DC/DC buck controllers synchronization to an external clock, helping that enable engineers to shrink the size engineers mitigate undesired beat frequencies of the power-supply solution and lower its in applications sensitive to EMI. electromagnetic interference (EMI). Maintaining low EMI in the power supply Featuring an integrated active EMI fi lter and achieving a small solution size are usually (AEF) and dual-random spread-spectrum at odds in switching power-supply designs. (DRSS) technology, the LM25149-Q1 and The LM25149-Q1 and LM25149 buck LM25149 enable engineers to cut the area controllers, however, allow engineers to meet the integrated AEF reduces their size, volume of the external EMI fi lter in half, lower the challenging EMI standards and shrink solution and cost, enabling engineers to achieve the conducted EMI of the power design by as size by reducing the area and volume of the smallest possible low-EMI power design. much as 55 dBµV across multiple frequency passive EMI fi lter. The LM25149-Q1 and LM25149 bands, or achieve a combination of reduced Compared to many other solutions currently controllers further increase power density fi lter size and low EMI. on the market, TI is claiming that engineers by enabling interleaved dual-phase operation By integrating the AEF in these devices TI can now achieve maximum savings of nearly and by integrating the bootstrap diode, loop has made it possible for engineers to meet 50% in area and over 75% in volume of the compensation and output-voltage feedback EMI standards while increasing their design’s front-end EMI fi lter at 440 kHz. By lessening components, which in turn reduces design power density. To further reduce EMI, both the fi ltering burden on the passive elements, complexity and cost.

www.newelectronics.co.uk 13 April 2021 7 NEWS V9 ARCHITECTURE

ARM UNVEILS V9 ARCHITECTURE ARM INTRODUCES THE ARMV9 ARCHITECTURE IN RESPONSE TO GROWING DEMAND FOR IMPROVED SECURITY AND THE INCREASED DEPLOYMENT OF AI. NEIL TYLER REPORTS

In what is the rst new architecture SVE2 enhances the processing from general-purpose computing in over a decade Arm has ability of 5G systems, virtual towards ubiquitous specialised introduced Armv9. and augmented reality, and ML processing, annual double-digit “As we look toward a future that workloads running locally on CPU performance gains will not be will be de ned by AI, we must lay a CPUs, such as image processing enough. foundation of leading-edge compute and smart home applications. Along with enhancing that will be ready to address the Over the next few years, Arm will specialised processing, Arm’s unique challenges to come,” said further extend the AI capabilities Total Compute design methodology Simon Segars, chief executive With the range of AI workloads of its technology with substantial will accelerate overall compute of cer, Arm. “Armv9 will be at the demanding more diverse and enhancements in matrix performance through focused forefront of the next 300 billion Arm- specialised solutions Arm has multiplication within the CPU, in system-level hardware and software based chips driven by the demand developed a new version of its addition to on-going AI innovations optimisations and increases in use- for pervasive specialised, secure Scalable Vector Extension (SVE) in its Mali GPUs and Ethos NPUs. case performance. and powerful processing built on technology, developed with Fujitsu. According to Arm, the Armv9 In addition, Arm is developing the economics, design freedom SVE2 for Armv9 enables generation can expect to see CPU several technologies to increase and accessibility of general-purpose enhanced machine learning (ML) performance increases of more than frequency, bandwidth, and cache compute.” and digital signal processing (DSP) 30% over the next two generations size, and reduce memory latency The new capabilities in Armv9 capabilities across a wider range of of mobile and infrastructure CPUs. to maximize the performance of are intended to help accelerate applications. However, as the industry moves Armv9-based CPUs. the move from general-purpose to more specialised compute across applications such as AI, the Internet of Things (IoT) and 5G. Embedded Vision FPGA for To address the issue of data security, the Armv9 introduces automotive applications the Arm Con dential Compute Lattice Semiconductor has expanded class-leading dedicated high- Architecture (CCA) which shields its Crosslink-NX family with new performance MIPI interfaces, low portions of code and data from FPGAs speci ed for automotive power consumption, and high access or modi cation while in- applications such as ADAS and IVI reliability, these new CrossLink-NX use, even from privileged software, systems. The CrossLink-NX FPGAs FPGAs provide a platform for 3 ms and total device con guration by performing computation provide a combination of best-in- automotive embedded vision in less than 15 ms. in a hardware-based secure class low power, small form factor, systems.” CrossLink-NX FPGAs are up environment. high-performance I/O, and reliability The CrossLink-NX FPGAs have to 10 times smaller than similar The CCA introduces the concept to embedded vision applications for achieved AEC-Q100 quali cation competing FPGAs, making them of dynamically created Realms, advanced automobiles. up to Grade 2 and a Soft Error Rate suitable for space-constrained useable by all applications, in These FPGAs are currently the (SER) up to 100 times lower than automotive systems that need the a region that is separate from only ones in their class to support similar competing FPGAs. smallest ICs possible. both the secure and non-secure embedded MIPI D-PHY interfaces Built on the Lattice Nexus FPGA To facilitate the design of worlds. For example, in business with speeds up to 10 Gbps. platform, they can deliver up to 75 FPGA-based systems, CrossLink-NX applications, Realms can protect “The number of integrated percent lower power consumption automotive FPGAs support the commercially sensitive data and sensors and displays is increasing in comparison to similar competing latest versions of the Lattice Radiant code from the rest of the system which presents a challenge to FPGAs which in turn provides extra (version 2.2.1) and Lattice Propel while it is in-use, at rest, and in automotive system designers thermal headroom for ADAS and (version 1.1) software tools to transit. In a recent Pulse survey of that need to quickly and reliably IVI applications running at higher simplify and accelerate embedded enterprise executives, more than process image data to deliver temperatures. vision system design. They are also 90% of the respondents believe real-time performance to enable These FPGAs are intended supported by the Lattice mVision that if Con dential Computing a compelling - and safety-focused for embedded vision applications and sensAI solution stacks so were available, the cost of security - user experience,” explained Jay and support for multiple fast I/Os, designers can leverage the stacks’ could come down enabling Aggarwal, Director of Silicon Product including MIPI, PCIe (5 Gbps Gen 2), modular hardware platforms, them to dramatically increase Marketing, Lattice. “With support for and DDR3 memory and they also reference designs, neural network IP their investment in engineering automotive operating temperatures, enable ultra-fast I/O con guration in cores, and custom design services. innovation.

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The specialist in power conversion and displays The perfect STORM Shortages of semiconductors, along with other components, have raised questions as to how the supply chain operates. By Neil Tyler

OVID-19 and the on-going global health crisis have brought many C challenges to businesses and forced them to adopt new business practices and operations. The pandemic has impacted every business sector, some more extensively than others, and brought to the fore questions about resilience. A pivotal area has been that around the effective management of supply chains with many companies now looking at how their supply chains function. Turning to speci c sectors such as automotive, the past few months have brought into question how the supply chain functions and whether what we As a result, there was a term, semiconductor production in have needs to be radically reformed. signi cant shift among manufacturers Asia is calibrated to meet the needs of “The onset of COVID-19 affected us to support the consumer market but European customers. all in many ways but it had a signi cant then, “the demand started to come Governments in the United States, effect on the automotive industry with back to the automotive market towards the European Union, Japan and India the expectation that the demand for the end of 2020,” added Wallace. are all said to be contemplating cars would fall signi cantly,” said Ian “Manufacturers and their fabrication spending billions of dollars on new Wallace, Senior Director, EMEA Business facilities have and are continuing chip fabrication plants. This is a Development, Digi-Key Electronics. to make capacity adjustments, but move that is not only intended to “Automotive manufacturers responded it takes time to readjust in order “Manufacturers and address possible shortages of key by cancelling orders for components to accommodate the automotive their fabrication components but also to address more from the beginning of Q2 2020. industry’s increasing requirements.” facilities have and strategic issues - with more than However, while people had a much In response, a growing list of are continuing to two-thirds of advanced computing lower demand for cars, at this time, the governments around the world are make capacity chips manufactured in Taiwan there demand for other products remained said to be looking at the possibility adjustments, but are worries that future tensions with robust re ecting how our lifestyles had of subsidising the construction of it takes time to China could have serious implications changed in response to the crisis. If you new semiconductor factories as readjust in order for manufacturers in the West with look at products in the consumer market continuing chip shortages affect the to accommodate supplies curtailed or even cut-off. such as tablets, laptops, smartphones, auto and electronics industries. In fact, the automotive It’s interesting to note that a top US gaming consoles, televisions and increased shortages over the coming industry’s increasing military commander recently warned wearable electronic devices etc., year are likely and this has raised requirements.” lawmakers in Congress that a Chinese demand for them boomed.” questions as to whether, in the longer Ian Wallace takeover of Taiwan was the military’s

10 13 April 2021 www.newelectronics.co.uk Corona Borealis/stock.adobe.com operated, butitneedn’t andshouldn’t.” probably gobacktohowit’s always it’llOnce thingsgetbacktonormal needs tooperatedifferently. we’ve seen.” with thelevel ofmarketdisruption stable andpredictable, butnotsogood –that’schain works ne whenit’s time arecentraltotheway thesupply different outcomethistime? thing foryears, sowhy didwe expecta hasbeendoingthesame The industry the way inwhichthemarketoperates. about marketconditionsbutrather supply chain, however, itisnotsomuch supply chain. in Japanhave allputastrain onthe Texas, andthe re atRenesas’facility is tight.COVID-19, thebadweather in thesituation ofsemiconductors terms atthemomentandin really bigstory intoa “The supplychainhasturned Development atONSemiconductor, www. Already Digi-Key isseeingincreased memory. hasashort “The industry Notaro arguesthatthesupplychain “Lean manufacturingandjust-in- “When youlookattheautomotive Automotive Strategy and Business andBusiness Automotive Strategy new electronics.co.uk 13April 2021 Joseph Notaro, VPofWW According to According to the Paci the c. concern in in concern foremost foremost and urgency.” contributing totheincreaseddemand vehicles by isalso carmanufacturers andprioritisationofelectric importance up forlongperiodsoftime.The beingbooked semiconductors certain extending andproductioncapacityof consequence we areseeingleadtimes demand, accordingtoWallace. “As a in staggering numbers – literally trillions –literally trillions in staggeringnumbers digits, andthesedevices areproduced growth forMLCCsisoftenindouble- Theannual market infrastructure. laptops, and5Gtelecommunications such aselectricvehicles, smartphones, are containedinvarioustechnologies, (MLCCs)which ceramic capacitors ismultilayer are seeingshortages Marketing, MouserElectronics. Maggs, PresidentofEMEA Vice felt inotherareas, accordingtoGraham in thepast.” than thebangingof sts ontablesas can we togethertosolvethis’, work with electri cation. There’s more‘how chain, whichwillonlygetmorecomplex complexity associatedwiththesupply ismoreaware ofthe the industry attitude today andIbelieve that longer term,” Notarosuggested. overchain withbindingorders the reliability andstabilityinthesupply really stop.Ithinkwe needtoseemore should and thecancellationoforders change. Riskhastobesharedbetter notice, re-book atshort andthathasto commitments goingforward, tendingto traditionally madenorealvolume Q3 thisyear. in theFar East, wontbeappearinguntil especially light ofamorerapidrecovery Supply constraints are also being Supply constraintsarealsobeing adifferent “There iscertainly has “The automotiveindustry “Another componentwherewe the pandemichitnew orders, inthe According toNotaro, however, while a car can be while acarcanbe cancelled orders in 2020 as in2020as cancelled orders so while the industry so whiletheindustry manufactured in hours manufactured inhours semiconductors, it takes monthsto build and deliver build anddeliver James Woodhead that extramile.” willingness togo service anda pricing, customer elements ofgood top oftheusual and proactivity on signififl cant exibility are lookingfor “Customers Joseph Notaro seen.” disruption we’ve the levelofmarket not sogoodwith predictable, but when it’s stableand works –that’s fi ne the supplychain central totheway just-in-time are manufacturing and “Lean COVER

from capacitors thatwillhave from capacitors extended lead times. withincreasesinpricesand sectors inabroadrangeof manufacturers to Maggs, feedingthroughto pressure andthatis, according semiconductors, isthereforeunder caused by theneedtoself-isolate. tocopewithstaffshortages struggle are alsoconstrainedasmanufacturers According toMaggs, productionlevels be maintainedforsocialdistancing.” a timewhenstaggeredshiftsmust are rapidlyexpandingproductionat impact ofthepandemic, MLCCmakers industries reboundfromtheinitial can uctuate dramatically. Again, as of theirusethatdemandforMLCCs of units, year,” every Maggsexplained. yet safestway possible.” of themarketinmostproductive managing theneedsandrequirements with theCOVID-19 situation, andwe’re things aremoving intherightdirection time,“It isanuncertain butwe believe passive components,” addedWallace. we arekeeping aclosewatch onother lead times, includingMOSFETs, and crucial; impersonal communications communications impersonal crucial; supply chain.Goodcommunication is to mimicsuchanapproachinour exible and agile, sowe reallyneed want tobe Customers distributors Woodhead. willingness togothatextramile,” said anda good pricing, customerservice on topoftheusualelements signi cant exibility and proactivity capacity. toincreaseexisting manufacturers time, andittakes alongtimefor spaceof boom inarelativelyshort Division, themarketcanchangeor Woodhead, ManagerofProjects solutions, andaccordingtoJames optoelectronic, display andlaser Pacer isaspecialistsupplier of Streamlining supply chains COMPONENT SHORTAGES “There will be other products apart “There willbeotherproductsapart The supplyofMLCCs, like “Such istheubiquitousnature “Flexibility, therefore, iscritical. arelookingfor “Customers 11 COVER COMPONENT SHORTAGES

and sudden unexpected decisions can damage relationships and discourage customers from trusting their suppliers.” As a consequence companies are looking to rationalise their suppliers. “To ensure future supply chains are ef cient, we will probably need to follow were the model of the automotive industry, worse for which is regularly cited as the gold some companies standard along with health, defence than others. and aviation,” Woodhead suggested. “For Mouser speci cally, “The automotive industry pioneered forward planning was critical to the requirement for very agile supply minimising the shipment delays to chains which can work off ‘just in our customers, as we set up a new time’ deliveries, making everything as logistics system that avoided any ef cient as possible, while not handling Wallace. “For Digi-Key, and other global transfer across EU–UK borders. Since stock for longer than is necessary. distributors like ourselves, we don’t Brexit, we have shipped products And I believe that it’s here that digital ship from the UK to the EU or vice directly from the US to EU countries transformation and arti cial intelligence versa. We have a central warehouse or directly from the US to the UK - will come to the fore with computer location in Northwest Minnesota, so made possible because of our central modelled assembly and robotics.” the challenges have been limited for distribution facility in Texas. However, despite such an us on this subject. Having said that, we “In the past, all EU shipments approach reaping many bene ts, the have seen extended delivery times to (including those UK-bound) would recent component shortages have customers in Northern Ireland, due to land in Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport exposed challenges within this type of delays related to Brexit, which we are “We still and then be transported to their nal automotive supply chain model, which working hard to normalise.” experienced some destinations. Post-Brexit, UK shipments Notaro highlighted earlier, with many car From a distributor perspective, it has delays due to go directly to London’s Stansted plants across the world either having to never been more important to invest in the backlog of Airport, bypassing the need to cross EU close or severely curtail production. and maintain strong inventory to help shipments being borders. Consequently, shipments to “The lack of any buffers has been the industry overcome any sudden processed by customers in the EU were not affected, highlighted as a weakness so caution market turbulence, argued Maggs. UK customs, but and our shipments to UK customers is required but there are elements “Forward planning, ordering many we were able were expedited faster by avoiding EU– of this approach that we will want, or months in advance of expected to minimise the UK borders.” need, to emulate. Furthermore, it can demand, and holding large inventory disruption with According to Maggs while Brexit be argued that these initiatives are still all provide a crucial means of staying careful planning.” presented signi cant problems for really for the big players. For some, this ahead of lead-time extensions and Graham Maggs some, delays were much reduced. may be the only way to compete. product availability issues. It is only “We still experienced some delays “Going forward, technology will by constantly tracking the market, due to the backlog of shipments being undoubtedly have a signi cant role to anticipating future bottlenecks, processed by UK customs, but we were play in the supply chain in general, and and acting before they occur that able to minimise the disruption with its rationalisation in particular.” distributors can ensure product careful planning.” continuity and maintain speed of There is certainly more to be done The ‘cloud’ of Brexit supply,” he explained. and whether we will see new factories For UK companies the global shortage This sort of foresight has proved opening nearer to end markets is still of components has combined with vital in minimising problems which has up for debate as is the discussion having to adjust to new trading been exacerbated by Brexit. around cost, technical expertise, value, relationships brought about by the “Throughout January, many and building business resilience. What UK’s formal withdrawal from the EU in companies shipping into or out of the past few months have shown, January this year. the UK saw delays to their shipments however, is that there is a question “I think Brexit has had an effect due to the new customs processes around the management of the supply on many companies in our industry, implemented from Brexit. We know that chain and whether the ideas of the with new rules and regulations to signi cant shipment delays occurred past few years remain as true today as understand and adjust to,” said throughout January, but disruptions they were then.

12 13 April 2021 www.newelectronics.co.uk Pre-Provisioned Security Solutions Within Reach Trust Platform for the CryptoAuthentication™ Family

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BUILDING RESILIENCE James Woodhead talks to New Electronics about the need to build greater business resilience through supply chain rationalisation

ovid-19 and the associated global health crisis have “For example, you may have 20 different plastic injection mould undoubtedly brought significant challenges to a plethora of suppliers where five may be enough; otherwise, you risk spreading your businesses across the world. The pandemic has impacted volume thinly across too many suppliers instead of consolidating across every business sector, some more extensively than others, fewer companies which would result in a better price. It’s all about Cwhether positively or negatively, but a key output has been the scrutiny balance. of companies’ long-term resilience. “Another way to rationalise is to become involved in strategic “A pivotal area has been the streamlining of supply chains with partnerships, jointly developing a component for example and receiving many looking to rationalise their supplier lists, focusing primarily on it exclusively for a number of years for an agreed price before it goes relationships that truly add value rather than simply being part of a tick on the general market. This, however, would generally only happen with box exercise,” explains James Woodhead, Manager of Projects Division very large companies.” at Pacer, an international specialist supplier of optoelectronic, display Going forward, technology will undoubtedly have a significant role to and laser solutions. play in the supply chain in general, and its rationalisation in particular, “We truly understand the importance of added value in the supply Woodhead suggests. chain. Fundamentally, it’s about all the elements and challenges that “To ensure future supply chains are efficient, we will probably need are placed on us by our customers. They are looking for significant to follow the model of the automotive industry, which is regularly cited flexibility and proactivity on top of the usual elements of good pricing, as the gold standard along with health, defence and aviation. customer service and a willingness to go that extra mile.” “The automotive industry pioneered the requirement for very agile Flexibility is critical to Pacer, according to Woodhead. supply chains which can work off ‘just in time’ deliveries, making “Customers want us to be flexible and agile, so we really need to everything as efficient as possible, while not handling stock for longer mimic such an approach in our supply chain. Good communication than is necessary. “This is where digital transformation and artificial is also important. Some large corporate suppliers, however, don’t intelligence come to the fore with computer modelled assembly and always appear to share this approach; impersonal communications and robotics. However, despite such an approach reaping many benefits, sudden price increases can damage the relationship and discourage the recent component shortages have exposed challenges within this customers from trusting their suppliers.” type of automotive supply chain model with many car plants across the For Woodhead it’s important to work with companies where, “We’re world having to close. The lack of any buffers has been highlighted not ninety percent of their business, but at the same time are not a tiny as a weakness so caution is required but there are elements of this fraction of it. It’s about finding someone who can dedicate the time and approach that we will want, or need, to emulate. Furthermore, it can be effort to our projects and cares enough to go that extra mile.” argued that these initiatives are still really for the big players. For some, With rationalisation continuously looming, however, he admits that this may be the only way to compete.” there is a need to look at what triggers it. Unsurprisingly, the main catalyst is cost, and there are many reasons for that cost. Successful supply chains “It could be that the supplier is strategically moving away from a Successful supply chains, of whatever size, will be the ones that product or service, so they then pass on higher costs because they embrace an agile approach, ensuring that they invest in technology don’t really want that business. It could be that suppliers aren’t that guarantees they stay competitive and are being duly considered, investing in a specific technology; their resources therefore become Woodhead argues. obsolete, and the company is unable to produce elements as efficiently “Is there, however, a rationalisation equation that looks at the as everybody else.” correct number of suppliers, with the appropriate performance, The process of removing “dead wood” may also result in suppliers price, reliability and sourcing? There are companies that will monitor not investing in their processes, making their score cards poor, which their supply chain extremely closely with regular benchmarking, in turn reflects on their vendor rating and ultimately disqualifies them. detailed vendor ratings based on multiple KPIs along with ensuring Another significant factor would be the rationalisation of the number of environmental and corporate responsibilities are being upheld. similar suppliers. “The correct number of suppliers really depends on the project size.

14 13 April 2021 www.newelectronics.co.uk “It’s important to avoid technology for technology’s sake from the supply chain perspective.

For a big project, we may use a couple of suppliers of the same part/ “At Pacer, we are keeping a close eye on technology and what’s material in order to limit risk. The medical and defence suppliers tend adopted in the marketplace, such as Amazon-style purchasing, or to stick to consistent, reliable, smaller supply chains if possible and huge warehouses selling high end products. Elsewhere, we are can find it extremely challenging and costly if they were to change supporting vendor managed inventory (VMI), where the supply chain those suppliers’ mid-project. They have very strict approval lists and if builds for, and delivers to, customers – but retains ownership of the a supplier is designed in, but then changed, there are knock-on effects, goods. The customer only pays for inventory as they draw it down and in extreme cases they would have to go through a complete FDA out of their warehouse to be used on the line - a prime example resubmission for their product.” of supply chain flexibility. The question is whether elements of Supply chain rationalisation is happening, but it is still a balancing commoditisation could go too far one way.” act. If you go too far one way, you can rationalise to the point where Building greater business resilience through supply chain the quality or value piece is then being questioned or becomes a deal rationalisation is not just for now but for the future. breaker, according to Woodhead. This is a great reminder that you “Undoubtedly, there will be issues and challenges to overcome,” need that chain – a list of suppliers, however big or small, depending concludes Woodhead, “and Covid-19 will remain a challenge for on your size, that deliver that quality and added value piece. the months ahead and there are likely to be other challenges in the “It’s important to avoid technology for technology’s sake from future that will impact our industry. We need to stay one step ahead the supply chain perspective. A platform needs to add value and you and ensure we’re ready for those changes. must always be asking that question as to whether it does or not. The “At Pacer we believe that we are in a good position and can adoption of new technologies is certainly something that we are actively offer an important balance between cost, technical expertise and working on to future-proof our own business. At the heart of everything value, embracing rationalisation in the supply chain, while building we do is the value-add piece and aligning more closely with Solid State business resilience. No doubt there is still more to do but we are Supplies will give us a much broader offering. The technology goal posts confident that we, as well as companies like us, will not simply are changing in the industry, but we will evolve with them. survive, but thrive.”

www.newelectronics.co.uk 13 April 2021 15 Engineering Green: Heading full throttle to net zero carbon Every component counts in the UK Rail Systems’ programme to deliver net zero carbon, as Leigh Chapman explains

et zero carbon nationwide by lone transport mode adept at moving the vast majority of vehicles currently 2050 is the initiative set in both people and bulky goods using a in service likely have a performance N motion by the UK government. zero-carbon solution. Yet, embracing life well past the 2040 timeline for Another is the 2040 milestone set by the goal of carbon reduction is merely removing diesel-only trains and maybe the nation’s rail transportation authority the rst step to making it a reality. even past the net zero carbon mandate which aims to assure carbon success Real-world strategies vary depending slated for 2050. It is a competitive through the interim goal of eliminating on the type of vehicle, routing, transition as well, as each ROSCO is all diesel-only trains a full decade geographic conditions, and availability working to lead the market and offer ahead of the nation’s carbon mandate. of technology and infrastructure. zero carbon solutions that make them Designers and manufacturers are Engineering challenges include an obvious choice for rail vehicles. embracing a balance of electri cation, managing the weight and footprint of battery, and hydrogen technology to added systems and the understanding Solving the ‘how’ achieve this large-scale and ground- that railway computing continues to The Rail Industry Decarbonisation breaking target. Options include evolve to meet passenger expectations Taskforce points out that traction is investing in new rail vehicles or for convenience and service. These the single most signi cant source of upgrading the thousands currently factors are operational, commercial, carbon and the likeliest reason for on the tracks, offering hybrid, and technological – and require industry change, particularly by the energy-ef cient performance - no immediate strategic action on the part 2040 target date for no more diesel- small feat and every asset must be of rail industry groups, manufacturers, only vehicles. Along with electri cation, maximised as the industry works to technology providers, and the rolling the technologies poised to make the solve the logistical, mechanical, and stock lessors (ROSCOs), which own most impact as mature, carbon-free technological challenges of rede ning most of the locomotives and coaches Below: alternatives are hydrogen and battery railway transport as green and that are hired out to freight and ‘Connectorising’ power. carbon-free. From lighter and more passenger operators. systems is critical Instead of full retirement of diesel functional systems to more powerful It is a complex landscape where when it comes vehicles, these coaches are being connectors, every component plays complete removal of diesel trains is to upgrades, TT retro tted with new battery systems. In a role in managing the vehicle weight unfeasible from a cost and performance Electronics’ Pola this scenario, rail cars shift to battery and system footprint so integral to perspective. Many ROSCOS have Power connector has propulsion when they enter more decarbonisation success. already replaced the oldest trains a hyperbolic bayonet populated areas, reducing pollution in service…further, converting or re- system making it and noise in towns and cities and Rail decarbonisation engineering rail vehicles must consider easy to connect then shifting back to diesel during According to the Rail Delivery Group, the economic concerns that naturally systems together open countryside transit. Given the the UK rail industry contributes ~2 follow. Ultimately, decisions on the complexity of factors involved in per cent of total transport emissions purchase and/or choosing a single source of power, and less than 1 per cent of total UK refurbishment this type of hybridisation is growing annual greenhouse gas emissions. of rolling stock industry-wide. At the same time, the industry is also must happen Consider that electri cation includes uniquely suited to drive change, as the soon, even as geographic concerns as well as the

16 13 April 2021 www.newelectronics.co.uk SECTOR FOCUS GREEN RAIL

specific contact arrangements or space envelope for the application at hand. This is in direct contrast to rectangular connectors, which allow only various inserts to be selected by manufacturers, a simple albeit less flexible means of customisation. As older vehicles are retrofitted with new equipment, harsh environment Author details: circular connectors function as building Leigh Chapman blocks that address performance and is a Business limitations of space. Whist the high-end Development technology may lie in the equipment Manager with TT being added, quite often, the only Electronics interaction the maintenance crew has with the equipment, is the connector complexities of on-vehicle technologies. rolling stock. itself. This makes the connector design Overhead lines and their accompanying Successful hydrogen trials and selection a key component of the infrastructures are costly and may not are underway, with at least one equipment itself. be justified on a limited use route. manufacturer in the UK fitting interior Remote or valley areas may offer few tanks. Feedback is positive, but Meeting the moment opportunities to add electrification tank size is prohibitive and likely In its Final Report to the Minister for technology, steering designers toward to drive a blended hydrogen and Rail, the Rail Industry Decarbonisation a strategy that adds battery power to battery propulsion strategy. Design Taskforce points to the need for their diesel capabilities in a hybrid or collaboration is crucial to this initiative credible technical options. The group’s bi-mode approach. Because batteries and will incorporate considerations of approach is grounded in the ideal are not necessarily where they need vehicle, technology, and infrastructure. that carbon reduction is, at its core, to be technologically, other scenarios waste reduction. Given that any form of are likely to leverage a combined Big goal, big changes waste has an associated cost, carbon battery and hydrogen solution. It is a locomotive-sized jigsaw puzzle to reduction is just good business. Yet Hydrogen infrastructure needs must be convert old railway vehicles, commonly no single solution is likely to fit all developed in sync – likely years away designed to perform for decades, from railway demands, and manufacturers from operation at the scale required diesel to electric with the addition and industry groups must collaborate – leading to greater consideration of of battery systems. And even as we to solve the challenge across the electric and battery systems. decarbonise, designers must also needs of all stakeholders. Every piece As any and all of these solutions are keep overall modernisation in mind, of the puzzle plays a part, down to being considered (and demonstrated), planning for on-board applications the lightweight, customisable circular many train cars have a small number that are increasingly dependent on connectors that enable mission critical of positions where technologies can non-stop data as well as high power. performance of electrified, battery, and be added. Designed and standards- Yes, hybridisation will reduce carbon hydrogen systems. certified to operate for decades, some output, but rail vehicles still must We are in the midst of a green of these rail cars are challenged to maintain commitments to physical industrial revolution, with a scope and accept a retrofit that includes an space and technology required for the impact that harkens back to the Uk’s extensive battery system. Hydrogen sophisticated on-board applications role in the original Industrial Revolution. tanks present a similar dilemma, that keep passengers safe and And we are the first major economy even though some other areas of happy. Harsh environment circular to tackle decarbonisation in such an Europe are deploying them with a bit connectors are vital in this puzzle, all-encompassing initiative, part of the of success. In countries with more playing a crucial role in reducing vehicle nation’s published Industrial Strategy modern rail systems, rolling stock can weight, minimising system footprint, and recommended by the Committee of be larger – the gauge of the train and and increasing design flexibility with Climate change, the UK’s independent tracks are bigger and allow space for their inherent modularity. Circular climate advisory board. Whether the tank installation on the vehicle roofs. connectors can be customised and industry needs to decarbonise is no Not so simple in the UK’s Victorian rail are manufactured to exact customer longer in question, and we are down to network, with small tunnels and smaller needs, purpose-built to offer the solving the ‘how’ of it.

www.newelectronics.co.uk 13 April 2021 17 EASY AS PI How Sony’s UK Tec is using the Raspberry Pi to unlock Industry 4.0. By Ankur Tomar

ony Corporation’s electronics This page and manufacturing arm, based in opposite: UK TEC S Wales, is pioneering the use of has deployed the Raspberry Pi single board computer the Raspberry Pi (SBC) to bring its Industry 4.0 vision to across a range of life. UK TEC’s Professional Solutions industrial devices where it was first launched, and is now cost-effective, a small form factor, low Manufacturing (PSM) department has and projects commonly used in both commercial power, portable computer solution adopted the Raspberry Pi as part of its manufacturing and the industrial which is easy to install. It has so wider initiatives to embrace Artificial sector supported as it is by a strong many things going for it. We chose the Intelligence (AI), enhance product quality supply chain and robust compliance. Raspberry Pi because of its reliability, and create a more efficient workforce, A compact single board computer quality, price, ease of use and support. with the aim of raising productivity by the Raspberry Pi can operate on very Our aim is to capture the real world between 20 and 30 per cent. low power due to its ARM and RISC in our manufacturing facility by using As Sony’s only manufacturing site architecture, generating much less cost-effective computing.” in Europe, UK TEC uses cutting edge heat than a desktop computer and manufacturing techniques to generate eliminating the need for a heat sink or Getting started advanced broadcast equipment fan on its microprocessor. Simplicity, In the early stages of deployment, and professional audio and video flexibility, and reliability are ensured UK TEC gathered critical data on solutions. The cameras and systems by the Raspberry Pi’s Linux operating environmental conditions such as manufactured at the site are used system. humidity, temperature and lighting using worldwide in the production of major According to Kevin Edwards, the Pi Sense HAT. The Sense HAT has live sports events, news and current General Manager at UK TEC, “The an 8×8 RGB LED matrix, a five-button affairs programmes, TV dramas and Raspberry Pi is an extraordinary joystick and includes such sensors as blockbuster films. Today, UK TEC has piece of technology – flexible, very a gyroscope, an accelerometer and a around 150 Raspberry Pi devices magnetometer which allows a Raspberry installed across its manufacturing Pi to ‘sense’ the world around it. Data facility to monitor its industrial gathered was used to debug UK TEC’s automation and control systems big data storage and standardise the ensuring high performance across factory to enhance production. its manufacturing operations and According to Edwards, “The most end-products through the monitoring valuable information we have is of smart robotics and automation monitoring our processes directly to capturing big data and analysing and we can now measure data using processes. sensors that are directly connected to control systems of equipment. We Why Raspberry Pi? are able to use the Raspberry Pi to The Raspberry Pi has been adopted capture videos and to drive displays far beyond the educational sector, that give information back.”

18 13 April 2021 www.newelectronics.co.uk BOARD DESIGN CASE STUDY

investigating, and the first stage is to be able to capture the physical world. The Raspberry Pi does a wonderful job of that.”

Touchscreen for Raspberry Pi UK TEC also uses Touchscreen for Raspberry Pi to display communications throughout its warehouse. They were chosen for their reliability, cost-effectiveness, connectivity and small form factor, as well as their low heat and low power characteristics. These features made it possible to insert the small a difference when you look at them on computers inside the manufacturing the network,” explained Edwards. equipment, with close proximity to In the future, UK TEC is looking the product eliminating the need for to expand its use of the Raspberry any infrastructure to process signals Pi into a range of industrial devices across a long distance. and projects. For example, the site is “I could not imagine putting 150 currently evaluating the technology in Imaging enabled by AI PCs around our factory, it would have mobile devices that could be used to A key focus for UK TEC was to cost us a fortune. It also wouldn’t scan barcodes in warehouses, and improve manufacturing efficiency have been practical to have had lots Author details: to improve connectivity of automated through the use of image processing of desktop computers in cabinets Ankur Tomar is a guided vehicles (AGVs). technology. The company is using the next to the equipment. The Raspberry Technical Marketing “The Raspberry Pi is marketable Raspberry Pi to carry out non-intrusive Pi is a far more viable option and Manager, Farnell because it delivers technology that image processing and data capture it enables us to embrace edge is easy to access, use and develop. using AI technology that monitors computing by embedding these little That’s hugely powerful. Just as product variation and quality on the units directly inside our equipment communities have been able to factory floor. and machinery. The technology is pick up the Pi and use it in different To ensure UK TEC adheres to almost invisible,” Edwards added. types of projects, technical experts lean manufacturing processes and in manufacturing have the same eliminates waste as efficiently as Looking to the future capability to use the technology to possible, the Raspberry Pi is partnered UK TEC believes the recently launched develop new applications that improve with the Raspberry Pi High Quality Compute Module 4 (CM4) is another efficiency and performance,” said Camera to review processes, such as Raspberry Pi solution that will support Edwards. “The beauty of the Pi is the mounting of parts on individual adherence to lean manufacturing that it offers such a highly scalable boards, to ensure consistency. A processes and improving productivity foundation to build products on.” major benefit of this camera is that it while keeping costs down. The CM4 Today, an estimated 40 to 50 can capture the whole manufacturing family delivers a variety of mix-and- per cent of Raspberry Pi boards are environment in a single shot rather match functionality and power with being used by the industrial sector. than having to rely on traditional 2Gb, 4Gb and 8Gb SD-RAMs, on- Widespread adoption is supported sensors for monitoring robotics board flash, and the ability to boot by Raspberry Pi’s reputation for and capturing data on position, from the cloud, offering reliability and innovation and performance, temperature and movements. security. alongside guaranteed longevity with “The Raspberry Pi offers us a “When adding computers to an “The Raspberry every generation is guaranteed to be very low-cost method of capturing industrial site, security can be a Pi offers us a very in production for at least five years. scenes of our operation. As we move problem, however it can be easily low-cost method of The Raspberry Pi’s strong more into AI and the analytical world, resolved with the Raspberry Pi. The capturing scenes of compatibility with desktop and server this vision can be used to achieve a CM4 fits nicely as a low-cost, small our operation” development environments has the measurement capability that has never form factor alternative to the Pi4 Kevin Edwards, potential to place the board at heart been possible before,” said Edwards. and, of course, the applications run General Manager of many new manufacturing solutions “That is the exciting part we are perfectly well on both so you can’t tell at UKTEC in the future.

www.newelectronics.co.uk 13 April 2021 19 Throwing a light on BLUETOOTH According to the Bluetooth SIG connected lighting solutions – both commercial and residential - are growing rapidly. Neil Tyler investigates

OVID-19 and the resulting Primarily focused on supporting pandemic has effectively building automation, control, and C shifted growth in Bluetooth operational ef ciency these device annual device shipments out by one networks have remained largely year, according to a new report from resilient during the pandemic and the the Bluetooth Special Interest Group market has seen a proliferation of (SIG) but, despite that, the group LEDs, greater energy ef ciency and “Fast forward to today and those is predicting that annual Bluetooth faster deployment capabilities that numbers have ipped,” he said. enabled device shipments will have combined to deliver a higher “Today’s shipments are now primarily increase from four billion last year to quality occupant experience. driven by non-PC/phone devices such more than six billion by 2025. These solutions are helping to drive as wearable devices, tags, beacons, Though few markets were the demand for commercial connected location services, sensors and untouched by the COVID-19 lighting solutions, which is expected connected lighting products. pandemic, some Bluetooth markets to be worth in excess of $19 billion “There is an incredible diversity in have certainly found opportunities to by 2029. Commercial connected terms of the solutions and products grow. lighting, along with smart home using Bluetooth and we have seen Healthcare environments relying solutions, are now the fastest growing four waves in terms of the solutions on Bluetooth medical devices and Bluetooth solution area with a 34 per that are using this technology. These solutions to minimise exposure and cent compound annual growth rate include: audio; data transfer e.g. in improve patient care increased over predicted over the next ve years. terms of wearables and health and last year, while the global transition According to Chuck Sabin, Senior wellness solutions; location services, to work from home drove growth in Director, Market Development at such as asset tracking where location Bluetooth PC accessories, with 153 Bluetooth SIG, “There are real awareness is critical and, in terms million PC accessories shipped in opportunities and momentum when it of device networks, control and 2020, exceeding last year’s forecast comes to connected lighting and the automation type solutions which are by 10 per cent. Bluetooth SIG is playing an important using Bluetooth technology. With the support of a member part in the roll-out of this technology. “While audio streaming is by far the community of more than 36,000 Our commercial and technical efforts largest solution segment it’s that nal companies, Bluetooth technology is are having a real impact in terms of its group – device networks and within helping to drive wireless innovation commercial success. that connected lighting - where we are and using data from ABI Research, “Annual shipments continue to see the fastest growth in the lead up the 2021 Bluetooth Market Update grow rapidly, despite the dip we saw in to 2025.” highlighted a number of key trends in 2020,” Sabin added. solution areas that are being enabled According to Sabin what’s Connected lighting by Bluetooth technology. interesting about these latest gures At the heart of these device network One of these was Bluetooth is that back in 2016 two thirds of solutions is Bluetooth Mesh which enabled device networks which shipments concerned devices like PCs, looks to maximise the value of includes commercial connected smartphones and tablets – essentially operating tens, even hundreds, of lighting, which was found to be gaining platform devices for connecting devices alongside one another. considerable mainstream traction. devices. “Critically, Bluetooth Mesh was

20 13 April 2021 www.newelectronics.co.uk SECTOR FOCUS LIGHTING

and a distributed architecture Sabin home automation devices. highlights the role of the Bluetooth “This is a big trend and a real SIG in developing and promoting opportunity for companies developing standards. connected lighting solutions,” said “This is the third area and it’s Sabin. critical. Connected lighting is not Turning to the commercial space going to be driven by proprietary there too the SIG expects aggressive solutions – it requires standards rates of growth. and standardisation to ensure that “In the commercial sector different devices and solutions are the focus tends to be on data able to work together and that we see driven insights which are now an cross-vendor interoperability. essential element when it comes “The Bluetooth SIG has a long to deployments. The proliferation history in terms of promoting of LEDS and energy savings have standards providing support and been the major drivers in commercial implementation in the market.” lighting,” Sabin explained, “but now In terms of device qualification people want to get more. They want Sabin said that connected lighting to improve the occupant experience, and mesh network solutions account deliver remote control and improve for 90 per cent of newly qualified efficiency.” originally designed as a commercial devices. As a consequence, according to grade solution,” explained Sabin, “We found that in the first 30 Sabin, the commercial sector is being “so while it can be scaled for home months of Bluetooth Mesh availability driven by the need for more data deployment it was designed primarily there was a doubling in products every and combined with its support for for commercial implementation and six months, and we are continuing connected solutions Bluetooth is well deployments. to see an aggressive pace in terms positioned to deliver on both. “It operates where mandatory of developments. Today there are “The desire for data is playing

zhu difeng/stock.adobe.com layered security is required. It’s one over a 1000 qualified mesh products out in the shipments of hardware thing to deploy a light build in your available and the majority are focused for commercial lighting,” Sabin said. home, but another when you are on connected lighting products.” “Today we are seeing switches, looking to deploy a sophisticated This is a trend that is being seen occupancy sensors and luminaires network for control, monitoring and in terms of both the residential and constituting the majority of hardware access in a commercial environment. commercial markets. shipments. Looking to the future, There you need the assurance that “If we look at the residential however, by around 2029 research all the devices in that network and market growth is being driven by the suggests that more than 25 per cent ecosystem have security in mind. fact that people are spending more of lighting hardware shipments will “In turn, Bluetooth Mesh has been time at home, due to the pandemic. be made up of multi-feature sensors designed as a distributed architecture As a result of the shift from work that are capable of supporting that is able to maximise scalability, to working from home, people more intelligent building automation reduce the cost of implementation and have become more focused on the solutions beyond lighting control.” eliminate points of failure by operating home. They are suddenly spending As this intelligent building market without the need for gateways. It’s a more time there and are looking at and the demand for digital solutions truly standalone network.” additional convenience. That has grows so the need for more data in According to Sabin Bluetooth Mesh accelerated the use and acceptance order to deliver more insights, greater was designed with light and sensing of voice control and home hubs, customisation and controllability will in mind and comes with extensive which have created new opportunities be made possible via the lighting specifications for connected lighting. for smart lighting,” Sabin argued. grid/network itself. “Many see connected lighting as According to figures from the “It’s a natural grid for providing the test case for deploying complex Bluetooth SIG, by 2025 650 million data, “ said Sabin, “and it, together mesh network implementations,” he home automation devices will be with the benefits derived from the suggested, “and we are seeing more shipped each year and smart lighting use of these new multi-sensors, will companies moving to using Bluetooth solutions will be leading that growth help to stimulate additional growth Mesh technology.” with residential smart lighting and access to even more data driven Beyond the importance of security representing 20 per cent of total solutions.”

www.newelectronics.co.uk 13 April 2021 21 IPDs help to simplify IoT applications or the next generation of low-cost, Chipset specific Integrated Passive Devices (IPDs) are intended to battery operated, wireless IoT F products, the design goal is to simplify the development of next gen wireless IoT applications, provide exceptional RF signal range as New Electronics discovers and stability, while also reducing power consumption, in a miniaturised package. The reference design serves as products. Without this option, OEM’s As a result, leading RF chipset proof of the platform concept and is would have to design the entire and component manufacturers are usually targeted for specific uses. The capacitor/inductor scheme and mount increasingly looking to fine-tune and goal is to fast track products to market, many separate components onto the improve their products to do just that. thereby reducing risk in the OEM’s printed circuit board. According to Semtech, LoRa and integration project. “OEMs now have the option to LoRaWAN are already the “de facto utilise the integrated solution as technologies for Internet of Things (IoT) The starting point opposed to the Inductor and Capacitor networks worldwide” and will provide “The starting point is the chipset, discrete solution. Using an Integrated design with long-range connectivity for a but the chipset requires specific RF Passive Device or “IPD” supplied by variety of IoT applications including next circuitry to connect to the antenna,” Johanson for example, makes the final generation “smart” everything such as explains Manuel Carmona of PCB size both smaller and simpler,” cities, homes, buildings, agriculture, Johanson Technology, a specialist in says Carmona. “Also, any changes in metering, supply chain and logistics, high frequency ceramic components the geometry of the layout can affect and many others. including chip antennas, integrated the output performance, battery life and However, to accomplish this PCB filters/baluns, High Q capacitors and signal range.” effective-area reduction task, chipset EMI chip filters. In this case, the RF circuitry required manufacturers, like Semtech, have to For the LoRa platform, specifically, is used to convert the signal from create reference designs – technical the ability to integrate all the RF differential to single-ended in a specific blueprints of a system – that third components into a much smaller, low impedance ratio using an impedance parties can then adapt and modify profile package would only increase matching network and a balun. Most as required for their own products’ the attractiveness of the chipset for chipsets require this type of conversion applications. miniaturised, battery powered IoT due to the differential, two pin input/

22 13 April 2021 www.newelectronics.co.uk SYSTEMS DESIGN IPDS

EIA 0805 (2.0mm x 1.25mm) SMT “So, each integrated package is component. thoroughly 100% RF tested to ensure The Impedance-Matched-Balun- all the components are working Filter is designed to operate within the properly and are integrated together.” license-free 868 MHz RF band used According to Carmona, Johanson in Europe and the 915 MHz band Technology’s background in material for Australia and the Americas. The development has been the key to product is able to pair seamlessly with being able to create the entire circuit Semtech’s LoRa and LoRa Smart Home in such a small package. RF transceivers SX1261, SX1262, and The product utilises a novel LLCC68. proprietary ceramic material in “The IPD is a plug-and-play solution an LTCC (low temperature co-fired for OEMs utilising the Semtech LoRa ceramic) manufacturing process chipsets,” explains Carmona. “By designed to improve performance to working with leading manufacturers, High-Q levels. we are able to complete all the R&D The process to manufacture IPDs is and ensure it is optimised for a similar to the technology already used specific chip. Not only will it work, but to create multi-layer SMD component it will comply with any FCC and ETSI parts, such as capacitors and regulatory emissions requirements.” inductors. However, low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) manufacturing output configuration to connect with the Increased reliability allows the circuits to be embedded in single-ended antenna. IPDs deliver another significant benefit: as many as 40 separate layers in a “For many chipsets, the output increased reliability. By creating a literal three-dimensional package that is still straight out of the chipset is usually not circuit within a small LTCC package, very low profile. matched to 50 ohms, which requires variability and potential points-of- “We are a materials company first one to have an impedance matching failure are all but eliminated when and foremost,” says Carmona. “We network that must be designed in order compared to mounting many discrete are constantly developing new ceramic to avoid loss of power signal, reduced components. materials that will better integrate photon_photo/stock.adobe.com battery life, and decreased signal “A lot of the variability of “solo” circuits, reduce power consumption, range,” explains Carmona. surface-mounted components is due and eliminate power loss.” To meet the requirements, Johanson to the individual variance of each Because IPDs require much less Technology has collaborated with component. When you multiply that board space, IoT devices with RF Semtech in the development of an IPD by 10 to 20 components, you just circuitry can be designed in much that is able to serve as an Impedance- need one weak link in the RF chain for smaller form-factors. Matched-Balun-Filter. the entire front-end to fail,” explains Below: Top view “With PCB real estate at a prime, Manufactured using Low Carmona. of a Johanson the size and placement of the passive Temperature Cofired Ceramic “We have to guarantee that the Technology chipset components are critical because as (LTCC) technology that allows the performance of this much smaller specific IPD everything gets smaller it becomes passive components to be layered solution is equal or better increasingly difficult to place more “3-dimensionally,” these IPDs are able than their larger discrete components on the board,” explains to deliver the same functionality as solution,” he adds. Carmona. “Therefore, design 10-40 individual RF components. engineers are looking to component With this approach, the entire manufacturers to deliver miniaturised front-end between the chipset and solutions that occupy next to no real the antenna is manufactured in a board space.” single, ultra-low profile package that Beyond size, a smaller PCB can is less than 40% the total size of the also impact the aesthetics of a same circuit comprised of discrete product, allowing for slim, low profiles. components. The elimination of components on a With this device, which combines 10:1 or greater basis also reduces an impedance matching network, the overall weight of devices, even if balun, and a filter, the entire front-end that savings is measured in tenths of RF circuitry is reduced to a single grams.

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www.binder-connector.co.uk COMMUNICATIONS TEST 802.11BE WLAN spainter_vfx/stock.adobe.com Increasing data throughput he standardisation of the current With the upcoming 802.11be WLAN standard nearly complete, WLAN generation 802.11ax, also T known as Wi-Fi 6 or High Ef ciency Werner Dürport and Lisa Ward look at how it will impact test (HE), is nearly nished. The main goal of & measurement requirements 802.11ax is (more) ef cient utilisation of the spectrum, especially in scenarios with high user density. was released for voting members of Author details: gaming, remote work and cloud The market penetration of 11ax the task group. This is a preliminary Werner Dürport, computing devices is still relatively low, but draft with a number of open questions Product Manager work is already underway on the next and Version 1.0, with answers to and Lisa Ward, Key parameters generation 802.11be, also known as these questions, is expected to be Technology Manager 802.11be devices will be able to Wi-Fi 7 or Extremely High Throughput ready in May of this year. The stable at Rohde & Schwarz operate in the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and (EHT). While the main aim of 802.11ax draft version 2.0 is planned for March 6 GHz bands and must be able to is better servicing of users in multi-user 2022. Here we refer to the draft interoperate in these bands with other operation, 802.11be again focuses on version 0.1. devices that conform to the physical increasing data throughput. Although 802.11 draft versions are layer speci cations of previous Despite the different focuses of only available to voting members of the standards. In fact there are many 802.11ax and 802.11be, the physical task group, the 802.11be speci cation similarities between 802.11ax and layer (PHY) will inherit many aspects framework document (SFD) is freely 802.11be. of 802.11ax, such as OFDMA and available. It contains the features and 802.11be de nes two PPDU MU-MIMO. However, a boost is in the requirements that have been agreed by formats for transmitting data: a trigger works for the key parameters that the members of the task group. based (TB) PPDU and a MU PPDU. The determine throughput. For instance, TB PPDU serves the same purpose as higher order modulation schemes Goals and features of 802.11be in 802.11ax, i.e. for a transmission will be supported (up to 4096QAM), The main goal of 802.11be is to that is a response to a triggering frame the number of spatial streams will be increase throughput in the unlicensed from an AP. The MU PPDU is used for increased (up to 16) and the channel bands from 1 GHz to 7.125 GHz. transmissions to a single user or to bandwidth will be enlarged (up to 320 Speci c goals are stated in the project multiple users. This is different from MHz). Additional improvements will approval request: 11ax, which has a separate PPDU also be introduced in 802.11be. The ● Provision of at least one operating format for transmissions to a single OFDMA tone plan will be modi ed to mode that enables throughput user. The MU PPDU has two modes: improve frequency availability, and greater than 30 Gbit/s measured at OFDMA and non-OFDMA. grouping of multiple subcarrier packets the MAC access point (SAP) The preamble of 802.11be PPDUs (resource units) will be possible for ● Backward compatibility and is very similar to the preambles of devices that need high throughput. coexistence with older 802.11 previous PHYs. It contains legacy The data preamble will have a new devices operating in the 2.4 GHz, 5 elds (L-STF, L-LTF, L-SIG and RL-SIG) eld to improve compatibility between GHz and 6 GHz bands to ensure coexistence and backward different WLAN versions and simplify ● De nition of at least one operating compatibility, as well as elds speci c data handling in future versions. mode with better worst-case latency to 802.11be such as U-SIG, EHT-SIG, and jitter than 802.11ax EHT-STF and EHT-LTF. Status and documents ● Attaining higher throughput with The new U-SIG eld will also be Back in January a draft version 0.3 of lower latency for use cases such as present in all future 802.11 versions. the 802.11be standard amendment video, virtual and augmented reality, It contains version-dependent and

www.newelectronics.co.uk 13 April 2021 25 COMMUNICATIONS TEST 802.11BE WLAN

version-independent bits such as the tone plan of 802.11ax, but with some PRODUCTS PHY version. Including the PHY version differences. The subcarrier spacing, As with previous standards in the in the version-independent bits enables 78.125 kHz, is the same in both 802.11 family, R&S is able to provide 802.11be devices and future devices standards, as are the 20 MHz and 40 T&M equipment suitable for all to easily determine the packet type. MHz tone plans. The 80 MHz tone plan, product groups In earlier generations, increasingly however, differs from the tone complicated automatic recognition plan for 802.11ax. If the 80 MHz markers were developed to distinguish segment is punctured or is used between packet versions, such as with an OFDMA transmission, the 802.11ac versus 802.11ax. tones are shifted. In addition to the PHY version, This small change eliminates other version-independent information potential problems with the includes: 802.11ax tone plan: ● Downlink/uplink flag ● ETSI regulatory changes ● BSS colour to frequency mask ● Bandwidth requirements: For 802.11, R&S CMW270 ● TXOP (duration of channel use by the ETSI recently introduced stricter Suitable for the non-cellular expert device) mask requirements for uplink and the CMW270 is designed for testing downlink that allow a maximum level Wi-Fi access points (AP) and stations Multiple resource units of only –20 dBr at a distance of 1 (STA) in signalling and non-signalling In 802.11ax, only one frequency packet MHz from the edge of a 20 MHz mode. It is a suitable for testing (resource unit, RU) in the service channel. Simulations have shown integrated wireless communications bandwidth can be assigned to each that it may be necessary to leave solutions as used in laptops, netbooks, device. 802.11be will enable multiple an RU 242 unused to meet the new game consoles, data cards, wireless resource units (MRU) to be assigned. An mask requirements. headsets and other products of the advantage of MRUs is more flexibility for ● Some of the RU 26 blocks in the IoT market. Within the R&S CMW500 efficient spectrum use. However, MRU 802.11ax tone plan are close to DC - Production Test product family, the assignment must be signalled to the carriers or a band edge. In practice, CMW270 provides network emulation station, which increases the overhead, however, these RU 26 blocks often (signalling mode) for WLAN and and a large number of possible RU remain unused because it is easier Bluetooth as well as generator and combinations leads to higher complexity for an OFDMA scheduler to ignore analyser functionality for standards in the access points and stations. them. such as WLAN, Bluetooth, GNSS and 802.11be therefore limits this number. ● For the 80 MHz and 160 MHz EHT broadcast technologies. Large RUs with 242 or more carriers non-OFDMA transmissions, the tone (RU 242, RU 484, RU 996) can only plan is the same as the HE be combined with other large RUs, and tone plan. However, the pilot small RUs with fewer than 242 carriers locations are changed to match (RU 26, RU 52 and RU 106) can only the pilot locations of the EHT be combined with other small RUs. OFDMA 80 MHz transmission. In addition to this restriction of RU combinations, 802.11be only supports a Summary subset of the possible combinations of Although WLAN devices small RU sets. conforming to the 802.11ax The 802.11be standard prescribes standard are only now becoming support for broad MRU combinations, available, the draft v1.0 of the next R&S FSVA3000 depending on the transmission generation standard 802.11be is Intended for Wi-Fi 6E spectrum and bandwidth capability of the device, expected to be ready in May 2021. signal analysis in R&D, the FSVA3000 because they are important for In contrast to 802.11ax, which supports 400 MHz analysis bandwidth. coexistence with other technologies and targeted improving efficiency, 802.11be With an analysis bandwidth of 1 GHz, flexible and efficient use of frequency again aims for higher data rates. For phase noise of –127 dBc/Hz and a high resources. this, it uses larger bandwidths, higher dynamic range – the FSVA3000 signal order modulation schemes, future- and spectrum analyser is intended for Tone plan (subcarrier plan) oriented signalling and more flexible demanding measurement applications The 802.11be tone plan is based on the handling of frequency pack ets. such as 5G NR.

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