Power solutions leader acquired.

TE Connectivity plc has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Astrodyne TDI, a leading provider of advanced power management and filter solutions for mission-critical industrial applications, from Tinicum L.P. This acquisition represents another deliberate step in TE's disciplined long-term strategy to build a differentiated portfolio of highly engineered technologies benefiting from secular growth trends.

Headquartered in Hackettstown, New Jersey, and with manufacturing operations in North America, China and Southeast Asia, Astrodyne TDI has a proven track record of solving complex power electronics challenges. The company is recognised for its deep engineering expertise and close collaboration with customers developing next-generation technologies across semiconductor manufacturing equipment, medical, and industrial applications.

“Automation, electrification, and digitalisation trends across industries drive the need for advanced power electronics in our customers’ applications. Astrodyne TDI’s expertise in custom-engineered power supplies and filter solutions complements our product portfolio, strengthens our ability to solve increasingly complex technical challenges and deepens our partnership with our customers in many fast-growing market segments,” said Carlo Ghirardo, SVP & GM of TE’s Industrial Automation and Electrification business unit. “We’re proud to partner with a company and team that is widely recognised for engineering excellence, product performance, reliability, and commitment to innovation. We look forward to welcoming the team to TE.”

“The agreement announced today with TE Connectivity represents an exciting opportunity and a bright future for our company, our customers and our team,” said Chris Viola, CEO of Astrodyne TDI. “Our legacy of exceptional engineering and highly reliable power electronics is a testament to our team and the great work we’ve done in our nearly 70 years in business. TE Connectivity’s global scale, manufacturing footprint, and R&D resources will enable us to accelerate product innovation and better support our customers' increasingly complex system architectures.”

“We are excited for Astrodyne TDI to join TE Connectivity, where the business will receive the support necessary to continue scaling its engineering and operational resources to better serve customers,” said Jeffrey Ernsting, Partner at Tinicum. “We will miss working with Astrodyne TDI’s incredibly capable and dedicated team, and we wish them all the best as they join TE Connectivity.”

The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions. Upon closing, Astrodyne TDI will continue to operate under its current leadership team and become part of TE’s Automation & Connected Living sector. Citi is serving as financial advisor and Davis Polk is serving as legal advisor to TE Connectivity on this transaction. William Blair & Company and Houlihan Lokey are serving as financial advisors and Goodwin is serving as legal advisor to Tinicum and Astrodyne TDI.

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@TEConnectivity @Astrodyne @ttiinc #PAuto #TandM #Connector

Online partial discharge monitoring innovation.

A new high-tech innovation has been introduced to the Turkish energy sector through the strategic partnership between MEGGER and Master Machinery. The initial implementations of Online Partial Discharge (PD) Monitoring systems, which are critically important for medium and high voltage assets such as power transformers, cable systems, and generators, have been successfully completed in Türkiye.

This advanced technology is a solution that only a limited number of companies worldwide are capable of implementing. It enables the early detection of insulation defects in high electric field environments, allowing maintenance processes to be managed more efficiently. Online PD monitoring has become one of the cornerstones of smart grid management, helping to prevent system failures and costly outages.

Master Machinery, which is leading this initiative, plays a key role with its strategic vision and extensive industry experience. The technical leadership of the innovation will be provided by Dr. Mihai Huzmezan, General Manager at Megger Power Diagnostix Systems GmbH, and Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Huzmezan, internationally recognised in the field of partial discharge monitoring technologies, will shape the innovation aspect of this collaboration with his deep technical expertise and field experience.

By combining MEGGER’s global expertise with Master Machinery’s local strength, this partnership introduces a new benchmark for Türkiye’s energy infrastructure that enables smarter, safer, and more resilient power grid operations.

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@MeggerUK #PAuto #TandM #Power #Türkiye

Energy management uses AI.

GridBeyond has announced the launch of its new API-based partner energy management platform to support businesses to monetise smaller-scale energy assets across demand response, energy and capacity markets.

Michael Kent, Head of EV Solutions at GridBeyond said: "GridBeyond's innovative API product opens up the flexibility and wholesale markets for customers without the need for hardware at their sites. This solution enables customers to access those services like demand response and ancillary services that were considered too complicated contributing to a more balanced grid while generating revenues".

The solution seamlessly integrates with existing control systems to deliver real-time visibility, control, and strategic optimisation. The API-first architecture, leveraging MQTT and REST protocols, ensures rapid and scalable integration across a range of asset types, from EV charge points and solar panels to on-site batteries and industrial equipment supporting businesses to maximise returns with strategic energy management.

With real-time visibility, intelligent forecasting, and automated decision-making, businesses can respond to market signals instantly, maximising revenue from grid services while improving energy resilience and reducing costs.

GridBeyond’s energy management and optimisation services turn flexibility into financial value by helping businesses participate in grid flexibility programs and traded energy markets. As global grids transition to higher shares of renewable energy, intelligent flexibility becomes a necessity.

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@GridBeyond_ #PAuto #Energy

Intelligent power management.

Delta has announced the launch of its new SMART PDU I-Type power management unit. This innovative 1U DC distribution unit delivers unparalleled flexibility and control for telecom network operators, tower companies, data center planners, and infrastructure engineers. With up to 21 intelligent, programmable breakers and remote management capabilities, the SMART PDU I-Type optimizes power distribution while significantly reducing operational costs. Its compact design maximizes valuable rack space, making it an ideal solution for modern, space-constrained telecom and data center environments.

Andreas Grewing, Vice President, Telecom Power Solutions at Delta Electronics EMEA region, stated, “Delta continuously leverages its core competencies in high-efficiency power electronics and system integration to develop smart, energy-saving solutions that enhance the power management of our customers’ telecom infrastructure and data centers. The SMART PDU I-Type achieves this by combining compact design with intelligent, programmable breakers and remote control capabilities. These superior features deliver substantial space and operational cost savings while also providing precise power monitoring for better energy efficiency.”

Unmatched Control and Efficiency.
The SMART PDU I-Type features up to 21 intelligent, programmable breakers that allow for granular control of power distribution. Each breaker can be customized to meet specific power demands for tenant devices within telecom power cabinets, ensuring optimal power management for critical equipment such as data servers. This capability is especially valuable for operators managing third-party devices, enabling them to streamline power distribution management and enhance operational efficiency.

Space-Saving and Scalable Design.
With its ultra-compact 1U form factor, the SMART PDU I-Type maximizes rack space utilization, freeing up valuable space for other critical equipment in telecom cabinets and data centers. Unlike traditional PDUs, it requires no additional installation components, making it an ideal choice for space-constrained environments. This innovative design not only simplifies installation but also supports the growing need for scalable power management solutions in rapidly expanding 5G and data infrastructure environments.

Enhanced Remote Monitoring and Management.
The SMART PDU I-Type offers advanced remote monitoring capabilities through Delta’s ORION or Smartpack Controller, enabling operators to control and program each breaker remotely. This functionality significantly reduces the need for on-site maintenance visits, lowering operational costs. Additionally, the unit provides real-time visibility into power consumption at the breaker level, allowing operators to track energy usage accurately and invoice tenants based on actual consumption, promoting transparency and cost efficiency.

With the rapid growth of 5G networks, data storage demands, and cloud services, the need for compact, efficient, and remotely manageable power distribution solutions is more critical than ever. The SMART PDU I-Type addresses these needs, offering a future-proof solution for telecom and data infrastructure operators.

@DeltaEMEA @mepaxIntPR #PAuto #Power

Reducing the power consumption of equipment.

Responding to climate change is an urgent issue, and lowering power consumption further is required in various applications.

Omron Electronic Components Europe has launched the G5Q-HR, the latest addition to the G5Q family of 10A PCB power relays. The new relays can achieve reduced power consumption and heat, and are 45 percent smaller than equivalent 16A relays. For applications which require high inrush current such as lighting controllers, smart plugs, home appliances and power supplies, this can contribute to downsized equipment design, while opening up new printed circuit board configurations.

First launched in 2001, the G5Q series has sold more than 500 million units worldwide. Considered one of the industry’s leading compact power relay products, the G5Q portfolio now boasts a wide range of variants covering many diverse applications, from home appliances to industrial motor loads. In response to customer demand for compact design and improved energy performance for 10A applications, Omron has now expanded its high inrush offering with the addition of the G5Q-HR, which is available in both single stable and latching variants.

As the only device in the G5Q portfolio that meets the TV-8 standard at 10A class, the G5Q-HR compliments the existing high inrush offering, while offering new possibilities for more powerful and compact end product applications. At 20.3 mm (L) x 10.3 mm (W) x 15.8 mm (H), it is Omron’s smallest TV-8 product.

The G5Q-HR is compatible with a wide range of capacitive loads as well as ramp loads of up to AC 120V, Inrush 117A. In accordance with its TV-8 certification, the G5Q-HR has been rigorously tested to last a minimum of 25,000 cycles, ensuring maximum longevity and reliability. The device also meets the UL Electronic Ballast Rating at 3A 277VAC and 5A 277VAC over 6,000 cycles, and meets IEC60669-1 at 3A 250VAC over 5,000 cycles. The G5Q-HR achieves a high inrush current resistance and supports multiple inrush loads. It is compliant with high input load standards exceeding 100A, such as lighting and power supplies.

The latching type (G5Q—U/K-HR) variant achieves extremely low power consumption by maintaining the contact “on” state with only one pulse of current. This reduces coil power consumption by approximately 99.9 percent compared to standard single-side stable relays. As well as reducing the power consumption of the relay itself, this can also help to reduce the amount of heat generated, contributing to greater efficiency and longevity of related components and systems.

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@OmronEurope @OmronComponents @napierPR  #PAuto #Climate

Inline peak power sensor.

The launch of Anritsu's new inline power sensor MA24103A has been announced. This is designed to measure accurate Peak and True-RMS average power measurements from 25 MHz to 1 GHz and 2 mW to 150 W power range.

Several applications demand accurate peak and average power measurements well below the frequency range of 1 GHz. Agencies in Public Safety, Avionics (air traffic control and repair stations), and Railroads, etc. must maintain critical communications between the control centers and the vehicles. The slightest error in making measurements or maintaining a communication network in these markets could risk public safety or even have fatal consequences.

The advantage with lower frequencies is that they can propagate a longer distance and maintain communication with fast-moving vehicles. Normally, at lower frequencies the power of the transmitting signal is in the range of watts, which makes the MA24103A more suited for these types of applications. This highly accurate, Inline Peak Power Sensor communicates with a PC via USB or with an Anritsu handheld instrument equipped with the high accuracy power meter option 19.

Some of the main markets that benefit from this low frequency Inline Power Sensor include: • Broadcast Network and Manufacturer: Lab performance accuracy and low insertion loss over a wide temperature range (0 ºC to 55 ºC), making it perfect for field applications. • Railroads: to evaluate various systems like Positive Train Control Systems, End of Train (EOT) signals, automated train control systems, and FM voice base stations. • Avionics: such as Airports for beacon testing, surveillance radar testing, localizer, and marker testing.

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@Anritsu @AnritsuEMEA @NapierPR #Power #PAuto

Productivity and safety at sugar plant.

Sucrivoire, an Ivory Coast sugar producer,  has a production capacity of more than 100,000 tons of sugar per annum, which is generated from 11,000 hectares of sugarcane. The company projects it will produce around 118,000 tons by 2020, with just-released annual results already showing an increase in production compared to previous year.

The company is now able to better supervise and control the power supply within its factory and optimize plant operations with ABB Ability™ based distribution automation technology. This is a flexible system that allows for quick and accurate measurements of key production parameters enabling higher productivity and improved plant safety.

Keeping the plant running and minimizing downtime is critical, especially in a seasonal business with production peaks. If there is a power disruption, it is critical for the operators to be able to detect, visualize, locate and restore power as fast as possible in order to ensure efficiency and productivity while securing safe operations.

“We are pleased that our ABB Ability enabled distribution automation system, which combines digital technologies, conventional devices and plug-in applications enable operators to monitor and quickly get a visual overview and a list of alarms and trends related to plant operations,” said Massimo Danieli, Head of ABB’s Grid Automation business, a part of the company’s Power Grids division. “This stronger, smarter and more automated grid enables them to prevent power disruptions or restore supply speedily in case of outages, thereby minimizing unnecessary downtime.“
The distribution automation system includes ABB’s remote terminal units that are connected to a set of displays. Furthermore the visualization provides a view of the breakers and disconnectors, with measurement values as well as alarm lists and trends.

In addition, the medium voltage air insulated switchgear has been replaced with ABB’s latest model with combined protection and control devices from its Relion® family of intelligent electronic devices (IEDs). Operator safety is enhanced with all medium voltage parts fully encapsulated in arc-proof cubicles.

Sugar has been successfully produced on the Ivory Coast for decades, and ABB’s distribution automation technology is helping to sweeten the success through enhanced digitalization.

@ABBPowerGrids #PAuto #Food #Côted'Ivoire @GROUPE_SIFCA

Power management technology site.

Mouser Electronics has launched its new Power Management Technology site, designed to give engineers easy-to-access information on the latest technical advances in power management technologies. As part of the company's growing selection of Applications & Technologies sites, the Power Management Technology site provides a wealth of resource material - including articles and videos on power management design - as well as the newest regulators, MOSFETs, passives, and related components available at Mouser. The new Power Management Technology site, available on Mouser.com, contains helpful information for engineers who are interested in expanding their knowledge about power management technologies. The Technology section is segmented into five categories: Overview provides a general explanation of power supplies and their main components. Voltage Regulators reviews the overall purpose of the components and further examines the types of voltage regulators. Switching Regulators looks at the importance of efficiency in using switching regulators in switched-mode power supplies (SMPS). MOSFETS and Discretes details the importance of external MOSFETs, gate drivers, and rectifiers in power supplies. Passive Components discusses the often overlooked but necessary capacitors, transformers, and other passives that complete power management systems. • The Featured Products section focuses on key products available from Mouser that engineers can incorporate into efficient power management designs. Products include Infineon OptiMOS 5 power MOSFETs, TDK/EPCOS B82805 Series push-pull transformers, and the Vishay VOL3120 IGBT and MOSFET driver. • The Articles section discusses topics such as power efficient design for wearable electronics, advantages of using a 1200V silicon carbide (SiC) Schottky diode, and capacitive power supplies. All articles offer an area to post comments and questions to facilitate further discussions on the topic. • Finally, the Technical Resources section lists videos, application notes, and white papers that discuss device selection and system considerations when designing power management systems. Subjects discussed include AC/DC and DC/DC conversion, certifications and standards, and selecting the right components for power management designs. @MouserElecEU #POwer #PAuto

Power management solution wins award!

Delta Electronics has just received a Red Dot Award: Product Design 2015 for Golden Eagle, a 600W 48VDC power supply for telecom applications. The elegant exterior of Golden Eagle contains best-in-class energy-efficient features setting a new benchmark for power management throughout the industry. As stated by the Jury, “This power supply unit captivates with its self-contained design. Its exceptionally small and flat form allows it to fit almost anywhere.

Developed in-house by Delta, thru its Telecom Power Solutions BU, the Golden Eagle power supply is intended for 4G LTE outdoor applications. Thanks to its innovative technology and natural cooling design, the unit achieves an energy conversion efficiency of 96%. This makes it possible for telecom service providers to lower their operational expenditures considerably. Due to its wide input voltage range and high IP65 protection rating, the device is suitable for safe outdoor use. The Golden Eagle is a radical departure from the conventional look of telecom power systems, with its compact and stylish form factor and built in full power functionality. This has led to its adoption by NTT DOCOMO, Japan's largest mobile service provider. The product has also been successfully selected by leading customers in USA for new small cell site deployment. The Golden Eagle has clearly been recognized as the preferred solution for mobile base station applications.

The Red Dot Award of Germany is an international award first established in 1954. Each year, a panel of judges made up of expert product designers evaluates products based on their design philosophy. They recognize innovative product designs with the world-famous "Red Dot" mark. A total of 4,928 products were entered by 1,994 competitors from 56 countries making the Red Dot Award of Germany the largest and most prestigious international product design competition in the world.

Simplifying power quality and maximising versatility!

The PowerLogic PM8000 series meter has been launched by Schneider Electric. It’s a highly accurate, extremely reliable power and energy meter combining accurate three phase energy and power measurements with data logging, power quality analysis and alarms.

Survey data suggests that power quality related financial losses add up to more than 150 billion annually across the EU. To combat this energy waste, the PM8000 series meters have been manufactured on the company’s patented ION technology platform, providing a compact and cost-effective solution for your energy infrastructure.

Native support for StruxureWare Power Monitoring Expert and PowerSCADA Expert software applications lets you realise the full potential of the PowerLogic PM8000 series through enhanced reporting and data visualisation tools. The PM8000 is ideal for low to high voltage applications and particularly in industrial and critical power facilities.

                                                                                                                      

Key features of the PM8000 include:

• ION technology – uses building block approach for extensive customisation to address advanced monitoring and control applications
• Disturbance direction detection – enabled by default to determine the location of a power system disturbance, which would appear on the meter’s event log
• Setpoint Learning - Detect disturbances or values that are outside of a defined acceptable range.
• Revenue grade metering with power quality features - The high level of accuracy, plus PQ functionality, makes this meter ideal as the main meter for smaller power monitoring systems, and widely used for critical circuits in larger systems 

“The PM8000 is the latest addition of game-changing energy management products to the PowerLogic range and typifies Schneider Electric’s focus on building innovative solutions to customer energy challenges. The PM8000 is the new power monitoring workhorse, making power quality easier to understand, unifying metering and logging of all utilities, and making data both fast to access and more actionable for organisations looking to maximise the value from their energy expenditure,” said Pat O’Neill, Business Development Power Monitoring Manager, Schneider Electric.

Network management

ABB has successfully deployed its Network Manager™ Market Management System (MMS) software to administer the Enhanced Day Ahead Commitment (EDAC) system at the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) in Ontario, Canada. The new system, which is an extension to an earlier version of the MMS solution for market and energy management, deployed by ABB more than 10 years ago, includes multi-interval optimization, an enhanced real-time market system and a dayahead commitment feature.

IESO Control Room!

Network ™ MMS is a complete management system for modern electricity markets. It provides the necessary flexibility, in terms of both function and scale, to adapt to changing electricity market requirements without extensive rework or costly system downtime. The various configurations of hardware and operating systems used ensures the lowest possible cost of ownership for end users.

“IESO has relied on the Network ManagerTM solution for a decade,” said Bill Limbrick, IESO CIO. “MMS-based EDAC enables market participants to plan better and operate more effectively, bringing substantial savings for operators and consumers. We are very pleased with the quality and timeliness of the system which enabled a smooth transition to production operation.” 

“This solution will help improve scheduling and optimize resource commitment,” said Jens Birgersson, head of the Network Management business, a part of ABB’s Power Systems division. “It is a great example of a well-thought-out market system that improves efficiency and makes the best use of available resources.”

As a system integrator and solution provider for electricity markets, Ventyx has completed nine MMS installations since 1998, and a 10th will go live in 2013. The systems manage markets in the United States, Canada, Europe, China and other parts of the world. The new system for IESO was developed at Ventyx’s center of excellence in Santa Clara, California. The MMS product is part of the company’s Network Manager suite.

High voltage controller & manager! (including video)

Linear Technology Corporation introduces the LTC4000, a high voltage controller and power manager that converts virtually any externally compensated DC/DC power supply into a full-featured battery charger. The LTC4000 is capable of driving typical DC/DC converter topologies, including buck, boost, buck-boost, SEPIC and flyback. The device offers precision input and charge current regulation and operates across a wide 3V to 60V input and output voltage range, compatible with a variety of different input voltage sources, battery stacks and chemistries. Typical applications include high power battery charger systems, high performance portable instruments, battery back-up systems, industrial battery-equipped devices and notebook/subnotebook computers.

The LTC4000 features an intelligent PowerPath™ topology that preferentially provides power to the system load when input power is limited. The LTC4000 controls external PFETs to provide low loss reverse current protection, efficient charging and discharging of the battery and instant-on operation to ensure that system power is available at plug-in even with a dead or deeply discharged battery External sense resistors and precision sensing enable accurate currents at high efficiency, allowing the LTC4000 to work with converters that span the power range from milliwatts to kilowatts.

The LTC4000’s full-featured controller charges a variety of battery chemistries including lithium-ion/polymer/phosphate, sealed lead acid (SLA), and nickel-based. The device also provides charge status indicators through its FLT and CHRG pins. Other features of the battery charger include: ±0.2% programmable float voltage, selectable timer or C/X current termination, temperature-qualified charging using an NTC thermistor, automatic recharge, C/10 trickle charge for deeply discharged cells and bad battery detection.

The LTC4000 is housed in a low profile (0.75mm) 28-pin 4mm x 5mm QFN package and a 28-lead SSOP package.

Below is a film of a pdf presentation providing further information on the product!