Pickering Electronics plan to release exciting new Reed Relay, the Series 120, at Semicon West 2017, on booth 5162.

The Pickering Series 120 is a range of Single Pole (1 Form A) reed relays that will require a board area of only 4mm x 4mm, making it the highest packing density currently available, taking up the smallest board area ever.

Two switch types are available, a general purpose sputtered ruthenium switch rated for up to 20 Watts, 1 Amp and a low level sputtered ruthenium switch rated at 10 Watts, 0.5 Amps.

These are the same reed switches as used in many other long established Pickering Electronics ranges but are orientated vertically within the package, allowing this very high density.

The small size of the package does not allow an internal diode. Back EMF suppression diodes are included in many relay drivers but if they are not, and depending on your drive methods, these may have to be provided externally.

The relays feature an internal mu-metal magnetic screen. Mu-metal has the advantage of a high permeability and low magnetic remanence and eliminates problems that would otherwise occur due to magnetic interaction. Relays of this small size without magnetic screening would be totally unsuitable for applications where dense packing is required.

The image to the right has a total of 528 Series 120 relays on Pickering Interfaces’ ultra-high-density module, illustrating the packing density of these extremely small Reed Relays.

The device has pins on a 2mm square pitch. There are suitable connectors available from some manufacturers, both SMD and Through Hole, that will allow these relays to be stacked in either a row or in a matrix on a 4mm pitch.

To learn more about this industry changing Reed Relay visit Pickering Electronics in booth 5162 at Semicon West 2017 this July.

You can view the original article here.

TRIBUTES have been paid to the founder of an electronics firm, who employed hundreds of people and was still involved with the company weeks before he died.

John Moore 84, of Frinton, launched Pickering Electronics in 1968 to manufacture high quality components.

He grew up in Halifax, West Yorkshire, and always had a strong passion and drive to succeed. After two years’ national service in the RAF he had several electrical engineering jobs at companies including Marconi Instruments, De Havilland Aircraft and Knowles Electronics. Mr Moore had fond memories of his time at Knowles. After landing a new job at Astralux Dynamics in Brightlingsea, he moved to Great Bentley. That job did not work out so he started his own company and Pickering Electronics was launched.

Its UK factories in Clacton employ about 160 people, with two more factories in the Czech Republic and offices in countries throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australasia.

Mr Moore was incredibly proud of Pickering and all its employees, and was still involved in the company until the last few weeks of his life. He died last month after a short illness.

Company director Graham Dale said: “Pickering has been based in Clacton for around 45 years. In that time, John has seen many hundreds of employees pass through our doors, some staying with the company for 20, 30, or even 40 years. John always had a high regard for our staff, considering them to be our most valuable asset. In turn, he was held in high regard by so many and will be greatly missed.”

Pickering’s 49 year history will continue to be overseen by Mr Moore’s son Keith. He said: “My father built Pickering from nothing to employing over 300 people worldwide exporting 90 per cent overseas. I have every intention to continue this growth while keeping Pickering’s original values and employee-orientated behaviour”.

He leaves behind wife Rosemary, son Keith and five grandchildren, two of whom work at Pickering. His funeral takes place at Weeley Crematorium on 8th June at 12.30pm. Mourners are being urged to wear bright clothing in celebration of his life and achievements.

You can view the original article here.

Clacton-on-Sea, England. Pickering Electronics announced it will be showcasing its latest high-voltage reed relays at the Teradyne Users Group vendor fair on May 2, 2017, in San Francisco.

Pickering Electronics said it has expanded its high-voltage single-in-line (SIL/SIP) reed relay range to include three new series that all offer higher packing density: the Series 67 and 68 dry reed-relay range for up to 10 kV and the Series 119 micro-SIL range for up to 3 kV.

The company calls the Series 119 the industry’s smallest high-voltage SIL/SIP reed relay for up to 3 kV stand-off: the 1 Form A, 2 Form A, and 1 Form B versions are available with either 3-, 5-, or 12-V operating coils. The 1 Form A, 1-kV version has four pins on 0.15-inch (3.8-mm) pitch, the same as the long-established Series 109P. These can be stacked side-by-side for maximum packing density (all Pickering SIL/SIP relays have full magnetic screening allowing side by side operation).

This Series 119 relay is intended for voltages considerably higher than standard small SIL/SIP relays, suitable for cable and backplane testers and mixed-signal ATE. Pickering also offers other SIL/SIP high-voltage dry reed relays with the Series 104 for use up to 3-kV stand-off, 25-W switching.

The Series 67 and 68 reed-relay range are available for up to 10-kV stand-off, 7.5-kV switching, with an option of either PCB or flying-lead switch connections. Similar in specification to the long-established Series 60/65, these new relays are manufactured in a SIL/SIP format using former-less coils, which dispense with the more usual coil-supporting bobbin, allowing a smaller package than similar rated devices.

The unusual package design does present some interesting packing possibilities for high density applications such as multiplexers and matrices in instrumentation and test systems. 5-, 12-, and 24-V coils are available as standard, and other voltages can be supplied to special order, as can variations in the lead length of the Series 68 range. The relays are suitable for high-voltage transformer and cable test and some electro-medical applications such as defibrillators.

The long-established Series 60, 62, 63, and 65 are suitable for up to 15-kV stand-off, 12.5-kV switching at 50 W maximum. The Series 62 and 63 also come with push-on connections on the top face. Like the Series 67 and 68, these larger parts all feature robust tungsten plated contacts to ensure a long and reliable life.

You can view the original article here.

Pickering Electronics will be showcasing its latest high density range, including the addition of two pole reed relays to their established Series 115, at Semicon Korea on 8 – 10, February 2017 on stand 2811.

The newly released Series 115, 2 Form A relays can switch up to 15 Watts, 1 Amp and require a board area of only 0.15 x 0.4 inches (4mm x 10mm), an increase of only 50% over the single pole version. These relays are the ideal choice for high density two pole matrices and multiplexers.

Two switch types are available. Both types have sputtered ruthenium contacts for long life and high reliability. Switch type number 1 is better suited for general purpose applications. It has a layer of copper beneath the ruthenium to help dissipate the heat from the contact area. This gives an improved current inrush handling ability. Switch type number 2 should be chosen for low level or ‘cold’ switching applications.

You can view the original article here.

Pickering Electronics, a leading provider of Reed Relays, will be showcasing its latest high density range at the International Test Conference on booth 216, 15 – 17 November 2016.

The Pickering Series 115, Series 116 and Series 117 are three ranges of small Single Pole (1 Form A) reed relays ideal for the construction of high density matrices or multiplexers. These three ranges have identical pin configurations allowing a common PCB for all types but allowing the designer a range of switch ratings according to which part is fitted. The reed switches are vertical within the package which permits a common footprint with a board area of only 3.8mm x 6.6mm. Only the profile height changes with the increasing power or current ratings.

The Series 117 has a height of 9.5mm and is rated at 0.5 Amps switching at 5 Watts. The Series 116 has a height of 12.5mm and is rated at 0.5 Amps switching at 10 Watts. The Series 115 has a height of 15.5mm and is rated up to an impressive 1.0 Amp switching at 20 Watts. Double pole (2 Form A) versions are also available in the Series 116 and 117.

One benefit of the very small size of these relays is that it often makes it possible to increase the functionality of existing designs without increasing the size of the printed circuit boards.

All feature instrumentation grade reed switches with sputtered ruthenium contacts, making them an ideal choice for low level or ‘cold’ switching applications.

They have the option of an internal diode across the coil connections for Back EMF suppression and feature Pickering unique SoftCenter® construction as well as an internal mu-metal magnetic screen. Mu-metal has the advantage of a high permeability and low magnetic remanence and eliminates problems that would otherwise occur due to magnetic interaction. Relays of this size without magnetic screening would be totally unsuitable for applications where dense packing is required.

To learn more visit Pickering on booth 216 at ITC this November, or contact Pickering today to request your free sample board of Pickering ultra-high density Reed Relays visit the website.

If used correctly, a reed relay is a superbly reliable device. The switch contacts are hermetically sealed, so they don’t suffer from oxidization or contamination in the same way as an open electromechanical relay. In reality, relays are often considered slightly mundane and little thought is given to them, which sometimes leaves them vulnerable. This guide will help you to maximize the reliability of your design.

Contact Abuse

High-current or high-power inrushes are the most damaging and most frequent cause of contact damage. Reed relays have specified maximum current, voltage, and power ratings. The power figure is simply the product of the voltage across the open contacts before closure and the instantaneous current they first make.

We at Pickering have lost count of the number of times that we’ve heard something like, “I was only switching 5 V at 50 mA onto this CMOS logic board,” when the user has completely disregarded the current inrush into the liberal sprinkling of decoupling capacitors and several microfarads of reservoir capacitance on that board.

Don’t rely solely on electronic current limiting of power supplies to protect relay contacts. Electronic current limiting takes a finite time to react, and decoupling capacitors are often on the output of a power supply. There’s nothing better than resistive current limiting.

As well as inrushes due to charging capacitive loads, discharging capacitors can be an even greater issue, since the current is often only limited by the resistance of the reed switch and PC tracks. Even capacitors charged to quite low voltages can cause current inrushes of tens of amps. And, although they may be for microseconds only, such capacitors can cause damage to small reed switches.

As voltages increase for some applications, inrushes can become an even greater issue; for example, when discharging cables after high-voltage proof testing. The energy stored in a capacitance is equal to ½ CV² joules, so it will increase with the square of voltage. Increasing from 10 to 1000 V will boost the stored energy by 10,000 times.

If you’ve ever had a relay contact stick closed, only to free up with a slight tap, or had a longer than expected release time, then more than likely it’s caused by a micro-weld due to a current inrush.

“Hot” vs. “Cold” Switching

Reed relays generally have a higher carry-current rating than their “hot” switching-current rating. Contact damage usually occurs during “hot” switching due to the resulting arc across the contacts as they open or close. A severe current overload will quickly melt the contact area, causing the two surfaces to fuse together, creating a hard weld as soon as the contact closes.

Less severe current inrushes will cause a milder weld or gradually build up a “pip” on one contact and erode a “crater” on the other, according to the direction of current flow. These can eventually lock together. Arcs can occur when contacts open, particularly when the load is inductive. Back EMFs from inductive loads should always be limited, usually with a simple diode in the case of dc loads, or by a snubber or varistor for ac loads.

One way to reduce or remove these issues is to “cold” switch. This is a common technique in test instrumentation, where the current or voltage stimulus isn’t applied to the switch until after the relay has been operated and contact bounce finished. In the same way, the stimulus is removed before the contact is opened. Therefore, no arcing or switched current inrushes will occur, and the relay will achieve maximum life, often into billions of operations.

When calculating the delay time between switching on the relay coil and applying the current to the switch, it’s important to consider the effects of high ambient temperature if it appears likely to occur. The maximum operate time and bounce figures given on datasheets are at a 25°C ambient level. At higher temperatures, the resistance of the coil winding will increase at a rate of 0.4%/°C, this being the coefficient of resistance of the copper coil wire. Correspondingly, both the coil current and level of the magnetic field generated to operate the reed switch will fall. This lower drive level will increase the operate time slightly.

The timing figures on datasheets are normally quite conservative, so this is unlikely to be an issue up to the normal ambient specification of 85°C. However, if there’s any additional self-heating within the relay due to a high carry current and switch resistance (I²R W), it will be necessary to consider this and allow a little more time before turning on the current through the switch.

You can view the original article here.

Pickering Electronics, a leading provider of Reed Relays, will be showcasing its latest high density range at electronica on 8 – 11, November 2016 in booth B1.550.

The Pickering Series 115, Series 116 and Series 117 are three ranges of small Single Pole (1 Form A) reed relays ideal for the construction of high density matrices or multiplexers. These three ranges have identical pin configurations allowing a common PCB for all types but allowing the designer a range of switch ratings according to which part is fitted. The reed switches are vertical within the package which permits a common footprint with a board area of only 3.8mm x 6.6mm. Only the profile height changes with the increasing power or current ratings.

The Series 117 has a height of 9.5mm and is rated at 0.5 Amps switching at 5 Watts. The Series 116 has a height of 12.5mm and is rated at 0.5 Amps switching at 10 Watts. The Series 115 has a height of 15.5mm and is rated up to an impressive 1.0 Amp switching at 20 Watts. Double pole (2 Form A) versions are also available in the Series 116 and 117.

One benefit of the very small size of these relays is that it often makes it possible to increase the functionality of existing designs without increasing the size of the printed circuit boards.

All feature instrumentation grade reed switches with sputtered ruthenium contacts, making them an ideal choice for low level or ‘cold’ switching applications.

They have the option of an internal diode across the coil connections for Back EMF suppression and feature Pickering unique SoftCenter® construction as well as an internal mu-metal magnetic screen. Mu-metal has the advantage of a high permeability and low magnetic remanence and eliminates problems that would otherwise occur due to magnetic interaction. Relays of this size without magnetic screening would be totally unsuitable for applications where dense packing is required.

To learn more visit Pickering on booth B1.550 at Electronica this November, or contact Pickering today to request your free sample board of Pickering ultra-high density Reed Relays

You can view the original article here.

Pickering Electronics’ newly released Series 67 and 68 reed-relay range are available for up to 10-kV stand-off, 7.5-kV switching, with an option of either PCB or flying-lead switch connections. Similar in specification to the long established Pickering Series 60/65, these new relays are manufactured in a single-in-line (SIL) format using former-less coils, which dispense with the more usual coil supporting bobbin, allowing a smaller package than similar rated devices.

The unusual package design does present some interesting packing possibilities for high-density applications such as multiplexers and matrices in instrumentation and test systems. See the nearby image of Pickering Series 67 relays mounted on a 3U PXI 12-way high-voltage multiplexer module that illustrates these possibilities.

Available as standard are 5-, 12-, and 24-V coils, and other voltages can be supplied to special order, as can variations in the lead length of the Series 68 range. The relays are suitable for high-voltage transformer and cable test and some electro-medical applications such as defibrillators.

Pickering Electronics is a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of high-quality reed relays for ATE, low thermal EMF, RF switching, and other specialist applications, available in surface mount, single-in-line (SIL), dual-in-line (DIL), and many other popular package styles.

Learn more about Pickering Electronics and its reed-relay ranges at SEMICON West in July 12-14 in San Francisco.

Thr original article can be seen here.