Würth Elektronik Creates Magic With Power Module Designer

Power converters are used in industries such as renewable energy, electric vehicles, and consumer electronics. However, their design phase involves trading off numerous technical parameters while ensuring component availability, which takes considerable time. To remain competitive in the rapidly advancing electronics market, advanced technology must be utilized to automate and streamline the design and selection process.

Würth Elektronik has launched a tool to guide through the power converter design and component selection process. This article examines this process and explores how Würth Elektronik’s solution could streamline it.

 

Würth’s MagI³C Power Module Designer. Image used courtesy of Würth Elektronik

 

Power Electronics Engineering

DC-DC converters work to transform DC voltage levels, either higher or lower, to meet specific demands of downstream circuitry.

When designing DC/DC converters, designers must balance many crucial performance specifications. One such specification is converter efficiency, which measures the output-to-input power ratio. Voltage regulation measures output stability versus variations in load or input voltage. Similarly, ripple voltage and current quantify output waveform fluctuations. 

 

Buck converter. Image used courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

 

The design process of power converters involves careful consideration of these electrical parameters and, more importantly, meticulous selection of components and circuit topologies to meet specific application requirements. Engineers must analyze voltage and current ratings, efficiency, size constraints, and thermal management and perform iterative calculations and simulations to refine the design.

Ultimately, the challenging and time-consuming part is balancing trade-offs between efficiency, cost, and size while ensuring component availability. To keep up with the rapidly changing market trends, automation tools aid in streamlining this process, expediting design iterations, and reducing time to market.

 

Würth Introduces MagI³C for Power Module Design

Würth Elektronik recently addressed the challenge of power module design with the MagI³C Power Module Designer, a new feature in the REDEXPERT online simulation tool. This tool simplifies power module integration into applications, guiding developers through the selection and configuration process. The MagI³C Power Module Designer facilitates the rapid and seamless integration of a power module into an application without the need for specialized DC/DC converter expertise.

By entering application requirements such as input/output voltage and load current, users receive an initial proposal for a suitable MagI³C power module. They can then configure parameters such as output voltage, capacitor value, and switching frequency. The tool asks the user whether to incorporate galvanic isolation or not. The tool conducts simulations to analyze performance parameters like efficiency, input current consumption, and output-voltage ripple. The system then generates a design proposal in PDF format, accompanied by a list of necessary components called the bill of materials. Additionally, users can directly order samples of chosen Würth Elektronik components through the tool.

 

The starting screen of MagI³C Power Module. Image used courtesy of Würth Elektronik

 

The MagI³C Power Module Designer utilizes the Design Flow section, a fundamental component of each module datasheet. The tool offers various functionalities, including setting output voltage, selecting input and output capacitors, choosing feed-forward capacitors, adjusting switching frequency, and enabling soft start. At present, the tool cannot select or design an EMC filter for a MagI³C Power Module.

 

Streamlining Success of Power Module Design

Würth Elektronik's expansion of its REDEXPERT online simulation tool with the MagI³C Power Module Designer marks an advancement in power module design. By streamlining the integration process and providing a user-friendly interface for selecting and configuring power modules without the need for specialized technical skills, the tool helps engineers balance the tradeoffs of their power module design and ultimately reduces development time.