XP Power Releases DC-DC Converters for Military and Avionic Applications
XP Power plc has announced the MTC – a series of 4 to 35W dc-dc converters designed as a standard product family exclusively for defense and avionics applications. The MTC is a non-custom converter based on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components and is available in 5, 15 and 35W ratings. The company claims that it offers substantial cost savings over traditional military power supplies and is available from stock to reduce system time-to-market.
The converter meets the MIL-STD 810F specification for temperature, shock, vibration, bump, altitude, salt fog and other key parameters associated with military applications. Suitable for systems with a nominal 28V input, it has a wide input range of 15.5 to 40V and can operate through transients of 10V for 10 seconds and up to 50V for one second, in accordance with MIL-STD 704B-F. Input immunity with the complementary filter module, designated MTF, meets MIL-STD 1275A/B and MIL-STD 704A. EMI performance meets MIL-STD 461E with the filter installed. Single output versions are available with output voltages of 3.3, 5, 12, 15 or 28V.
The MTC is fully-featured to minimize external circuitry. It includes an inhibit line, the ability to synchronize with an external frequency source, output voltage programmable by resistor or external voltage, thermal warning "battle mode" signal on the 35W units, over-voltage protection and over-current protection. The company claims that this comprehensive feature set, which minimize the total power system cost, is not found in other low power dc-dc converters. The power supply is housed in an extruded aluminium case with heat dissipating fins to remove heat by convection plus a base plate for effective heat conduction. The board-mount converter has mounting holes to enable it to be mechanically secured in order to improve thermal conduction and improve shock and vibration performance.
The MTC uses forward converter topology with synchronous rectification at the output stage to maximize efficiency. The nominal switching frequency of 450 kHz provides the optimum balance of efficiency, power density and EMC performance. The power conversion and control functions are on separate printed circuit boards to conserve board space and maximize power density. The ambient operating temperature range is -40 to +100°C at the baseplate with -55°C screened units available to order. A complementary EMI filter module, the MTF is rated at 50W and includes active surge and spike protection as well as high-performance EMI filtering. This enables the MTC converter to meet industry standards for EMI and Immunity.
Both the MTC and MTF are available now. The MTC is priced from $120 each for the 4W unit to $260each for the 35W version. MTFs are $170 each. All prices are based on 100+ quantities.
