Aimtec Intros SIP8 DC-DC Converters Offering 8:1 Input Voltage Range

Aimtec has expanded its low-power modular power supply portfolio with the introduction of the AM1GU-LPZ and AM3GU-LPZ series. Sized specifically for applications facing strict board space constraints, these regulated SIP8 DC-DC converters bring an ultra-wide 8:1 input voltage capability to modern industrial, embedded, and IoT designs.

Traditional low-power converter modules typically operate within narrow, standard 2:1 or 4:1 input voltage ranges. This operational limitation frequently obligates system architects to qualify, stock, and manage multiple converter models to accommodate varying DC rail standards across different product SKUs.

Aimtec’s new SIP8-packaged AM1GU-LPZ and AM3GU-LPZ DC-DC converters

By stretching the input window to an 8:1 ratio, Aimtec aims to simplify component procurement, reduce bill-of-materials (BOM) complexity, and streamline distributed power architectures across fluctuating input scenarios.

Ultra-Wide Input Flexibility and Board Space Optimization

The standout feature of both the AM1GU-LPZ and AM3GU-LPZ series is their ability to support a continuous input voltage range extending from a low 4.5 VDC up to 36 VDC. This broad coverage means a single module can comfortably step down power from common 5 V, 12 V, and 24 V industrial buses, as well as handle the severe voltage drops and transient surges native to battery-powered portable equipment.

By managing wide input variations internally, these building blocks minimize the need for external pre-regulation circuitry or bulky input filter networks. This directly cuts down on passive component counts and helps hardware designers satisfy tight PCB real estate requirements.

Both series package this wide-input regulation into an industry-standard SIP8 plastic housing (UL94V-0 rated) measuring just 22.0 x 9.5 x 12.0 mm, making them highly attractive for dense embedded computing cards, sensor instrumentation, and miniature IoT endpoints. The company does not appear to have product pages for the two new series yet. But more information can be found in the data sheets for the AM1GU-LPZ and AM3GU-LPZ.

Scalable Power Architecture and Output Flexibility

Aimtec’s dual-series rollout gives hardware designers immediate scalability. The AM1GU-LPZ delivers up to 1 W of regulated output power, while the AM3GU-LPZ extends the identical architectural concept to 3 W within the exact same form factor.

Key spec ranges for the AM1GU-LPZ

This footprint and pinout compatibility offers a crucial engineering advantage: design teams can swap modules to scale power delivery upward or downward based on late-stage system load testing without triggering time-consuming and expensive board layout modifications.

The two series also provide extensive output flexibility to meet distinct logic and analog rail requirements. The 1 W AM1GU-LPZ family offers single-output configurations of 5, 9, 12, 15, and 24 VDC, alongside ±5, ±12, and ±15 VDC dual-output variations, operating at typical conversion efficiencies up to 74 percent.

Key spec ranges for the AM3GU-LPZ

For designs demanding more power, the 3 W AM3GU-LPZ serves up 5, 12, and 15 VDC single outputs and ±5, ±12, and ±15 VDC dual options, pushing typical conversion efficiencies up to 79 percent. Both families maintain tight line and load regulation to suppress downstream voltage fluctuations, limiting output ripple and noise to a typical 60 to 100 mV p-p measured at a 20 MHz bandwidth.

Industrial Protection and System Reliability

Low-power instrumentation and communications interfaces operating in harsh industrial environments require a high degree of robust electrical protection. Aimtec addresses this by equipping both series with a comprehensive safety suite, including continuous short-circuit protection with auto-recovery, overcurrent protection thresholds exceeding 110 percent of rated output, and integrated input undervoltage protection that typically triggers at 3.5 VDC to protect the converter from under-voltage stress.

Electrical isolation is similarly robust. The converters feature a tested I/O isolation rating of 3,000 VDC for a 60-second duration with a leakage current restricted under 1 mA. This high galvanic barrier effectively isolates sensitive downstream microcontrollers and logic components from disruptive electrical noise, ground loops, and common-mode transients active on the primary power bus.

Designed for long-term deployment, both the 1 W and 3 W lines boast an operating temperature range spanning -40°C to +85°C. Full-load performance is sustained up to 71°C before a linear derating curve takes effect.

Reliability figures exceed a mean time between failures (MTBF) of 1,000,000 hours under MIL-HDBK-217F conditions at 25°C ambient. Meanwhile, the 3 W AM3GU-LPZ carries official UL 62368-1 safety certification, helping original equipment manufacturers fast-track regulatory compliance for their complete end systems.

All images used courtesy of Aimtec.