Feature: Industrial electronics
pressure measurement is essential for optimal HVAC system performance. Here, too, sensors play a major role,
improving the efficiency of these systems by monitoring their various parts and confirming their proper functioning. MEMS pressure sensors can measure
air flow and pressure throughout the system for effective air distribution, optimising a factory’s heating and cooling, as well as reducing energy consumption. The MEMS sensor measures absolute or differential pressure, for real-time analysis of the physical environment. This data is used to determine conditions and make decisions accordingly, for example by alerting operators when maintenance and filter replacement are required, helping to keep the machinery and factory running efficiently.
The benefits of custom design To enable the smart part of the system, the MEMS pressure sensor requires additional functionality so the data can be conditioned, processed and supplied to the user. This can be achieved with a mixed-signal ASIC that comprises signal conditioning, a microcontroller and programmable software, along with a wired or wireless communication system. The ASIC delivers optimised performance that may not necessarily or easily be achieved with off-the-shelf components. Te MEMS sensor can either be
integrated into the ASIC or be a separate die co-packaged with the ASIC in a System-in-Chip (SiP) configuration. In the case of pressure sensing and measurement, each sensor and ASIC can then be calibrated across variable pressures and temperatures to provide greater accuracy. Because ASICs are designed specifically
for their intended application, they will deliver an optimised performance to the manufacturer’s specific requirements. An experienced ASIC partner will be able to understand the system and identify where ASIC design can unlock improvements, to optimise the entire signal path, down to the finest detail.
Because ASICs are designed specifically for their intended application, they will deliver optimised
performance to the manufacturer’s specific
requirements
Robust and reliable Industrial pressure sensors tend to be located in challenging environments yet are expected to perform accurately for many years. When designing an ASIC, developers integrate as much of the circuitry as possible into a single package, to reduce component count and, in turn, increase robustness and reliability. Standard IC components will
inevitably become obsolete when either the component supplier develops a new and better part or sales volume or revenues drop below a certain level; i.e., when a part is seen as no longer financially viable. Even if a new part
is an upgrade to an existing version, most likely it will not be compatible with the existing system, burdening design engineers to continually redesign their systems to accommodate the new component. In contrast, ASICs are designed to
ensure that obsolescence never becomes an issue. Fabless ASIC suppliers, such as Swindon Silicon, design their ASICs with product longevity as part of the development planning process, and provide the assurances of lifetime support. If in the unlikely event a process becomes obsolete, ASIC suppliers will work closely with the customer to develop a non-obsolescence plan, if required. This may involve storing wafers in on-site dry nitrogen cupboards, or providing a die bank, where silicon is available for over 30 years. Hence, ASIC technology will ensure a pressure sensor continues to be supplied for the lifetime of a system, without costly redesigns or re-qualifications.
Keeping your IP safe Intellectual property (IP) protection is a key ASIC strength, and any reliable ASIC supplier will provide its customers with full ownership of the completed system design, to ensure their system IP is for their benefit alone. Choosing an ASIC partner that doesn’t sell standard parts will also alleviate the risk of IP potentially being used at a future date in an in-house standard product.
www.electronicsworld.co.uk December/January 2023 33
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