Farnell, an Avnet Company and global distributor of electronic components, products and solutions, is now stocking the full range of ams OSRAM’s OSLON® UV 3636 UV-C LEDs available for fast delivery. Design engineers can access a greater range of market leading UV-C LEDs solutions from ams OSRAM to support a range of purification and disinfection applications such as point-of-use water treatment, automotive interior disinfection, air purification, general disinfection of high touch surfaces, medical environments, home goods and other consumer applications. UV-C LEDs are proven to effectively inactive the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The OSLON® UV 3636 LED product range emits UV-C radiation and is available in three different power ratings of 4.7mW, 13.5mW, 42mW, enabling designers to select the LED best suited to their application. Each UV-C LED is compact, flexible and harnesses the cleaning properties of UV-C light allowing innovators to make the world cleaner, greener and healthier at the flick of switch. Featuring a robust design, the OSLON® UV-C LED family combines both low and mid-power with a reliable and efficient radiation output.

ams OSRAM’s OSLON® UV 3636 LED product range, now available for fast delivery from Farnell, includes: 
• The SU CULCN1.VC provides radiant flux typically of 13.5mW and a radiant efficiency of 2.4 percent. 
• The SU CULBN1.VC provides a typical radiant flux output of 4.7mW and radiant efficiency of 2.6 per cent. 
• The SU CULDN1.VC is the most powerful in the range providing radiant flux of typically 42 mW and radiant efficiency of 2.1 percent.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and SBC at Farnell said: “Farnell is pleased to offer our customers an extended range of the latest new-to-market UV-C LEDs from ams OSRAM for their designs. ams OSRAM has a long-established reputation for manufacturing innovative optical solutions, offering the highest standards in quality and reliability. Our customers rely on having access to high-quality UV-C components to keep pace with this fast-growing market. The range of optical solutions from ams OSRAM enables our customers to improve quality of life in terms of health, safety and convenience, while reducing impact on the environment.”

The ams OSRAM Group, including the listed companies ams AG as parent company and OSRAM Licht AG, is a global leader in optical solutions. With over 110 years of combined history, ams Osram’s core is defined by imagination, deep engineering expertise and the ability to provide global industrial capacity in sensor and light technologies. By adding intelligence to light, the company enables customers in the consumer, automotive, healthcare and industrial sectors to maintain competitive edge and drive innovation. ams OSRAM works to create technology for breakthrough applications, which is reflected in more than 15,000 granted and applied for patents.

Farnell offers an extensive range of products in its comprehensive semiconductor portfolio to support design engineers. Customers also have free access to online resources, datasheets, application notes, videos, webinars and 24/5 technical support.

Customers can now buy the full range of ams OSRAM’s OSLON® UV 3636 UV-C LEDs with fast delivery from Farnell in EMEA, element14 in APAC and Newark in North America.

Farnell, an Avnet Company and global distributor of electronic components, products and solutions, has strengthened its portfolio of Power Integrations products to include the InnoSwitch3 IC family, featuring PowiGaN technology. This new product offering increases the number of GaN-based solutions available from Farnell to support design engineers developing new products that require greater energy efficiency.

Power Integrations’ PowiGaN technology reduces switching losses, enabling chargers, adapters and open frame power supplies to be more efficient, smaller and lighter than conventional silicon alternatives. PowiGaN-based ICs achieve up to 95 percent efficiency across the full load range and up to 100 W in enclosed adapter implementations without requiring a heatsink. Common applications include:

• Auxiliary, standby and bias power supplies for appliances and white goods
• Computers and consumer products
• Utility meters
• Smart grid
• Industrial power supplies

The InnoSwitch3 product family features EcoSmart™ energy efficiency, ensuring devices can easily meet global energy efficiency regulations. All products in the portfolio incorporate multiple protection features including line overvoltage and undervoltage protection, output overvoltage and over-current limiting, and over-temperature shutdown. InnoSwitch3 products now available from Farnell include:

• The InnoSwitch3-EP family dramatically simplifies the design and manufacture of flyback power converters, particularly those requiring high efficiency and/or compact size. It combines primary and secondary controllers and safety-rated feedback into a single IC. Devices are available with standard and peak power delivery options, and commonly used auto-restart protection behaviours.

• The InnoSwitch3-Pro family enables the development of fully programmable, highly efficient power supplies in compact enclosures. The universal I²C interface aids dynamic control of output voltage and current, along with many configurable features. Telemetry provides reporting of programmed features and fault modes. InnoSwitch3-Pro ICs are ideal for AC-DC power supply applications where fine output voltage and current adjustment are necessary.

• The InnoSwitch3-CP family incorporates a high-voltage primary-side switch, primary and secondary controllers, and safety-rated feedback into a single IC. These devices offer a constant power profile and support the common combinations of latching and auto-restart behaviours required by applications such as quick charge and USB PD designs. The devices are available with and without cable-drop compensation.

InnoSwitch3 ICs, including EP, Pro and CP, are also available without PowiGaN technology, combining primary, secondary and feedback circuits in a single surface-mounted off-line flyback switcher IC.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and Single Board Computing, at Farnell said: “We are pleased to expand our range of innovative solutions from Power Integrations to include the InnoSwitch3, featuring PowiGaN technology. The company’s range of highly integrated chips have the potential to eliminate millions of electronic components from AC-DC power supplies, gate drivers and LED lights while improving the efficiency of end-products. InnoSwitch3 ICs enable our customers to design products that can achieve efficient transmission and consumption of power in applications ranging from milliwatts to megawatts.”

Power Integrations is a leading innovator in semiconductor technologies for high-voltage power conversion. The company’s integrated circuits enable compact, energy-efficient AC-DC power supplies for a vast range of electronic products including smartphones, appliances, smart home and business automation, smart utility meters, LED lighting and numerous industrial and Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Customers can also benefit from PI Expert™ Online, an automated power supply design software suite which supports both silicon MOSFET and PowiGaN-based devices. The web-based programme speeds up the design process by enabling the selection of the best components and generating the full schematic, magnetics and BOM from basic parametric inputs.

Farnell offers an extensive range of products in its comprehensive semiconductor portfolio to support design engineers. Customers also have free access to online resources, datasheets, application notes, videos, webinars and 24/5 technical support.

The portfolio of Power Integrations’ InnoSwitch3 products featuring PowiGaN technology is now available from Farnell in EMEA, element14 in APAC and Newark in North America.

InnoSwitch, PowiGaN, EcoSmart and PI Expert are trademarks or registered trademarks of Power Integrations.

Farnell, an Avnet Company and global distributor of electronic components, products and solutions, has signed a new global franchise agreement with Torex Semiconductor Ltd to expand its portfolio of high-performance analogue power management IC (PMIC) solutions. Farnell is now stocking Torex’s full range of high-performance analogue power management PMIC solutions which offer ultra-low power consumption and high reliability. These innovative devices have a proven track record in applications such as industrial, medical, entertainment and automotive products.

Key Torex products now in stock at Farnell include:

• XC9276 Series of 150mA step-down synchronous rectification DC/DC converters have an output voltage switchover function with an ultra-low power consumption circuit and PFM control. The XC9276 can help reduce power consumption for a complete system, extending product battery life, and have a space saving and low-profile PCB mounting area. Typical applications for the XC9276 include equipment which needs a high efficiency performance at a light load current and a long-time battery life such as smart meters, low power RF, sensor modules, wearable devices, energy harvesting devices, back-up power supply circuit, smart cards and devices with 1 Lithium cell.

• XC9281/82 Series are the world's smallest 600mA step-down DC/DC Converters which can operate from 2.5V~5.5V, supply loads up to 600mA and have an extremely fast load transient response performance. Two versions are now available with switching frequencies of 4.0MHz or 6.0MHz. Ultra-small packaging and smaller external components results in extremely low radiated noise and excellent EMI performance. Applications include mobile phones, wireless earphones and headsets, wearable devices, DSC / Camcorders, portable game consoles, smartcards, power supply for modules and various small power sources.

• XCL230/31 Series 3.0 to 36V input, 600mA compact step-down Micro DC/DC converters are a synchronous rectifier design and feature a built-in inductor simplifying PCB layout, reducing the risk of malfunction and EMI noise. The XCL231 Series automatically switches between PWM and PFM control to reduce losses by lowering the operating frequency during low loads to achieve high efficiency across the entire load range. Overcurrent protection and thermal shutdown functions are built to ensure safe use in the event of a short circuit. XCL230/31 Series may be used for electricity meters, gas detectors, sensors, industrial equipment and home appliances.

• XC6193/94 Push Button Load Switch with Storage Mode are intelligent load switches which can significantly reduce power consumption while devices are in standby status after shipment, in storage or when their power supplies are off, and can enable power supplies to be shut down in the event of system freezes. They can contribute to improved power saving for devices, extend operation times and be used as a main power switch in place of a mechanical switch. Common applications include wearable devices, smart card devices, wireless headphones and earphones, IoT devices, various applications that are equipped with an ON/OFF switch function, buttons or mechanical switches and devices with a waterproof function.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and Single Board Computing at Farnell said: “Design engineers want high performance solutions in compact packages that are easy to implement, and Torex Semiconductor leads the way with its range of ultra-low power semiconductors designed for demanding power management applications. We have invested significantly in our semiconductor range to ensure we can meet our customers’ diverse needs. Torex is a fantastic addition to our line card and it’s now easier than ever for our customers to access best in-class analogue power management IC solutions for their designs and serial production.

Established in 1995, Torex Semiconductor Ltd established a business supplying battery-powered ultra-compact and low-consumption power ICs for portable audio and wireless devices. Today they are a leading provider of ultra-low PMIC solutions for demanding power management applications, specialising in the design and manufacturer of high-performance analogue ICs in small, low profile packages. Their products include a highly efficient range of Micro DC/DC converters, high speed and low power LDO voltage Regulators, voltage supervisors and RESET IC, load switches, single cell battery chargers, power MOSFETs and diodes.

Torex has a longstanding relationship with Avnet, who is one of their largest distributors and can supply OEM/CEM production quantities of products. The agreement with Farnell adds widely accessible and simple sourcing of small quantities for new product development and prototyping supported by great customer service from Torex.

Gareth Henson, Managing Director of Torex Semiconductor Ltd said: We have a longstanding and very successful partnership with Avnet and this new relationship with Farnell will help us expand our reach into new markets, equipping more engineers with the critical products and components they need for their designs. We endeavour to continuously improve our market leading products and services while responding to market demands to ensure our customers are well-equipped and supported to drive innovation.”

Farnell offers an extensive range of products in its comprehensive semiconductor portfolio to support design engineers. Customers also have free access to online resources, datasheets, application notes, videos, webinars and 24/5 technical support.

Customers can now buy Torex Semiconductor PMIC products available with fast delivery from Farnell in EMEA, Newark in North America, and element14 in APAC.

Farnell, an Avnet Company and global distributor of electronic components, products and solutions, is now shipping SiGe rectifiers from Nexperia offering engineers cutting edge efficiency, thermal stability and space savings when designing new products. The SiGe rectifiers are available with 120 V, 150 V, and 200 V reverse voltages that combine the high efficiency of their Schottky Diode counterparts with the thermal stability of fast recovery diodes.

Targeting automotive, communications infrastructure and server markets, the 1-3 A SiGe rectifiers are of particular benefit in high ambient temperature applications such as LED lighting, engine control units or fuel injection systems. Design engineers using the new, extremely low leakage devices can now rely on an extended safe-operating area with no thermal runaway up to 175⁰C. At the same time, they can optimise their design for higher efficiency which is not feasible using fast recovery diodes commonly used in such high-temperature designs. By boosting a low forward voltage (Vf) and low Qrr, the SiGe rectifiers have an advantage of 10 to 20 per cent lower conduction losses.

Key features of Nexperia’s SiGe rectifiers include:

• Excellent efficiency
  • Reduced reverse current (IR) compared to Schottky Diodes and lower forward voltage (VF) compared to fast recovery rectifiers for low power losses
  • Fast and smooth switching, thermal stability up to 175 °C Tj, extremely low leakage current of < 1nA, low forward voltage and low Qrr
• Extended safe operating area
  • Safe operation at high temperatures
  • Stable operation at maximum reverse voltage
• Advanced clip bonded FlatPower (CFP) package
  • Housed in industry standard rugged CFP3 and CFP5 packages, the SiGe rectifier family offers reduced package resistance for better electrical performance
  • A solid copper clip for high thermal performance and power dissipation
  • Easy pin-to-pin replacement with Schottky Diodes and fast recovery rectifiers
  • Reduced package inductance for improved switching behaviour and less parasitic capacitance in the circuit

Designing in Nexperia’s innovative SiGe technology provides engineers with unprecedented options to develop state of the art power circuitry and build market-leading new products. SiGe complements Nexperia’s power diodes range, which includes more than 100 Schottky Diodes and fast recovery rectifiers in the CFP package. Farnell stocks 12 different products within the SiGe rectifier family from Nexperia. The AEC-Q101 compliant rectifiers are available with repetitive reverse voltage Vrrm Max of 120 V, 150 V and 200 V options and the forward current IF (AV) of 1, 2 or 3 A.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and Single Board Computing, at Farnell said. “Nexperia is an expert in the high-volume production of essential semiconductor products, and we are very pleased to expand our range of SiGe rectifiers now available from stock. Designers are under constant pressure to deliver more performance from less space with new applications requiring the highest system efficiency and greatest system miniaturisation. It is essential that we provide our customers with market-leading solutions that offer the best efficiency, ease of thermal design and a small form factor to support critical applications in the automotive, server and communications markets.”

Nexperia’s extensive portfolio includes diodes, bipolar transistors, ESD protection devices, MOSFETs and GaN FETs as well as analogue and logic ICs. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Nexperia annually ships more than 90 billion products which meet the stringent standards set by the automotive industry. These best-in-class quality products are recognised as benchmarks in efficiency, in process, size, power and performance, with industry-leading small packages that save valuable energy and space.

Farnell offers an extensive range of products in its comprehensive semiconductor portfolio to support design engineers. Customers also have free access to online resources, datasheets, application notes, videos, webinars and 24/5 technical support.

Nexperia’s SiGe rectifiers are now available from Farnell in EMEA, element14 in APAC and Newark in North America.

Farnell, an Avnet Company and global distributor of electronic components, products and solutions, has increased its market leading semiconductor portfolio following the acquisition of Dialog Semiconductor Plc (Dialog) by Renesas Electronics Corporation (Renesas). Renesas is a major supplier to Farnell and the integration of the Dialog product range will enable customers to access more advanced embedded solutions for Internet of Things (IoT), Industrial IoT (IIoT), infrastructure and automotive applications. The combined portfolio showcases Renesas and Dialog’s complementary products for embedded processing, analogue, power, and connectivity.

Farnell customers will have access to more than 35 Winning Combinations of compelling product packages featuring complementary products from Renesas and Dialog, which work together to deliver comprehensive solutions. The new Winning Combinations options focus on vertical markets including IoT, IIoT, infrastructure, automotive and other consumer segments. With these engineering-vetted designs, engineers can leverage an elevated platform for their design ideas, accelerating the product development cycle and lowering overall risk when bringing new designs to market.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and SBC at Farnell, says: “Farnell offer our congratulations to Renesas and Dialog following the completion of this acquisition which builds on Renesas’ long-term strategy to offer leading-edge, complete solution sets that deliver both value and innovation to customers. We are excited to be able to offer our customers more than 35 new Winning Combinations which include compelling product combinations for embedded computing, analogue, power and connectivity. These complimentary products are now available from a single manufacturer, offering our customers faster time to market with cutting edge technologies.”

About Renesas

Renesas delivers trusted embedded design innovation with complete semiconductor solutions that enable billions of connected, intelligent devices to enhance the way people work and live. As a global leader in microcontrollers, analogue, power, and SoC products, Renesas provides comprehensive solutions for a broad range of automotive, industrial, infrastructure, and IoT applications.

About Dialog

Dialog, a wholly owned subsidiary of Renesas Electronics Corporation, is a leading provider of standard and custom integrated circuits (ICs) that power the IoT and Industry 4.0 applications. Dialog’s proven expertise propels the next generation of today’s devices by providing battery management, Bluetooth low energy, Wi-Fi, Flash memory, and configurable mixed-signal ICs, improving power efficiency, reducing charge times, while increasing performance and productivity on the go.

Farnell offers an extensive range of products in its comprehensive semiconductor portfolio to support embedded design engineers. Customers also have free access to online resources, datasheets, application notes, videos, webinars and 24/5 technical support.

Customers can check out Renesas’ range of Winning Combinations now available from Farnell in EMEA, element14 in APAC and Newark in North America.

Farnell, an Avnet Company and global distributor of electronic components, products and solutions, is now shipping the game-changing development boards Arduino Nano RP2040 Connect and Raspberry Pi Pico from stock. The new-to-market Arduino Nano RP2040 Connect and Raspberry Pi Pico provide differentiated development platforms for the Raspberry Pi-designed RP2040 microcontroller, and are competitively priced to enable deployment in production systems.

Raspberry Pi Pico was the first development board built on the RP2040 microcontroller, designed in house at Raspberry Pi. The feature packed Arduino Nano RP2040 Connect is the first connected RP2040 board that enables designers to benefit from the popular Nano form factor. Engineers who are already comfortable working with Raspberry Pi and Arduino now have very flexible development boards that they can use to design and deploy new systems quickly and easily, providing faster time-to-market compared to alternative solutions.

The Arduino Nano RP2040 Connect and Raspberry Pi Pico are in stock and available for fast delivery from Farnell. Key product features include:

• The Arduino Nano RP2040 Connect is pin-compatible with the Nano form factor and features a powerful RP2040 microcontroller, with dual ARM Cortex-M0+ processors and 264kB of SRAM, allowing users to build exciting Internet of Things (IoT) and machine-learning projects. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity is offered via the U-blox NINA W102 Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radio module. It also includes 16MB of on-board QSPI Flash; a six-axis IMU (accelerometer and gyroscope); an RGB LED; 20 digital GPIO pins; eight analogue inputs; and full compatibility with Arduino Cloud. The Arduino Nano RP2040 Connect is suitable for a wide range of applications including edge computing, wearable devices, VR controllers, and can function as a voice assistant using the included omnidirectional microphone.

• Raspberry Pi Pico is a flexible, high performance and low-cost development platform that can be deployed directly into end products. It features 2MB of on-board QSPI Flash; 26 multifunction GPIO pins, of which three can be used in analogue inputs; and an onboard buck-boost regulator. User-friendly developer tools are available including simple drag and drop programming via micro-USB, 3-pin Serial Wire Debug (SWD) for interactive debugging, a comprehensive C SDK and a mature MicroPython port. With castellated pads, Raspberry Pi Pico is designed for integration into a range of professional microcontroller applications.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and SBC at Farnell, said: “RP2040, Raspberry Pi’s first in-house silicon, is an exceptional device that is proving to be incredibly popular with design engineers and makers through to some of the world’s leading electronics manufacturers. The Raspberry Pi and Arduino brands have become synonymous with ease of use and value for money. We are delighted to offer our customers a greater in-stock range of powerful and performant development boards and cutting-edge products to support their designs and projects.”

As a global distributor, Farnell provides customers with fast access to easy-to-use products for professional use with a broad range of core SBC platforms and toolkits from leading brands including Raspberry Pi, Arduino (Portenta H7), Intel (NUC range), Industrial Shields and more. Customers can also benefit from 24/5 technical support alongside free access to valuable online resources on the Farnell website, and engineering and maker community, element14.

Farnell is the longest standing Raspberry Pi partner and has sold more than 15 million units to date. Farnell stocks the complete range of Raspberry Pi single board computers including the recently launched Raspberry Pi Pico, enabling customers to build a wide range of devices for professional, commercial, education or home use. A diverse ecosystem of accessories is available including cases, power supplies, micro-HDMI cables and the Raspberry Pi High Resolution Camera

The Arduino Nano RP2040 Connect and Raspberry Pi Pico are now available for fast delivery from Farnell in EMEA, element14 in APAC and Newark in North America.

Farnell, an Avnet Company and global distributor of electronic components, products and solutions, has signed a new distribution agreement with Intelligent Group Solutions (IGS) to enhance its range of specialist LED lighting solutions. Farnell customers can now access the latest optoelectronic products and LED lighting components offering visible white and coloured light, infra-red and ultraviolet (UV) light from Intelligent LED Solutions (ILS), a division of IGS.

ILS is a leading manufacturer of LED modules which can be used as stand-alone products, or to enable engineers to quickly design-in the latest LED technology into end-products. The vast majority of LED modules feature an aluminium substrate for optimal thermal management and may be used in a wide variety of applications. The range of ILS products now available from Farnell include:

• OSLON® UV 3636 1 LEDiL Selector Board allows design engineers working with the OSLON® UV 3636 LED from OSRAM Opto Semiconductors to easily select associated products when developing lighting systems. This selector board has been designed to work with various silicone optics from LEDiL. It features push-in connectors for ease of use and has predrilled heatsink mounting holes. A compact and powerful light source, the OSLON® UV 3636 LED was designed for equipment illumination, UV-C air disinfection, UV-C surface disinfection, UV-C water disinfection as well as smoke, dust and particle sensing applications.

• PowerStar OSLON® Square contains one of the world’s most compact 2W high power LEDs with extremely low thermal resistance, high efficiency, reliability, and corrosion resistance. The latest generation of the PowerStar OSLON® Square has a 120-degree viewing angle, but it offers enhanced performance and an improved radiation pattern due to an increase in the size of the silicon lens. It is suitable for general lighting, spot lighting, task lighting, decorative lighting, retail and entertainment lighting applications.

• OSLON® Black 4 PowerStar IR is ideal for design engineers working with infrared light and offers all the advantages of the PowerStar range from ILS. Featuring four IR LEDs, the module is suitable for applications requiring high power IR illumination in a compact space, such as surveillance systems, infrared illumination for cameras, machine vision applications, night vision light and driver assistance systems. OSLON® Black Series LEDs from OSRAM Opto Semiconductors are today’s smallest infrared LEDs providing more than 1 watt of optical power.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and SBC at Farnell, said: “We are very pleased to announce our new partnership with IGS and the expansion of our portfolio to include the latest innovations in LED technology from ILS. ILS is quick to market with new LED solutions that integrate cutting-edge products from some of the world’s most trusted global manufacturers. The ILS product range can be easily incorporated into our customers’ products or be used to support design activity of the featured LED. Many ILS products feature Osram LEDs, which are already very popular with our existing customers. Farnell also stocks a wide range of associated products making it easy for customers to find all the components they need to complete their projects with ease.”

Richard Williams, Managing Director of IGS said: “It is fantastic to be working with Farnell. The portfolio we have added into their range is complementary to the products that Farnell offers in the photonics and optoelectronics arena. We look forward to adding many more lines over the coming months and years.”

ILS is one of four divisions of IGS, a specialist company focusing on providing unique solutions to customers requiring optoelectronic components, sub-assemblies and finished products. ILS was formed in response to demand from customers and suppliers requiring specialist products and services in the fast-growing LED sector.

Farnell offers an extensive range of products in its comprehensive semiconductor portfolio to support design engineers. Customers also have free access to online resources, datasheets, application notes, videos, webinars and 24/5 technical support.

The range of LED modules from ILS is now available from Farnell in EMEA and element14 in APAC.

Farnell, an Avnet Company and global distributor of electronic components, products and solutions, has signed a new franchise agreement with Epishine, an innovative Swedish manufacturer of printed organic solar cells and development kits. The new-to-market printed organic solar cells are optimised for harvesting energy from indoor, low energy lighting enabling organic solar power to be used everywhere. Design engineers can utilise this new and innovative technology with Epishine’s Light Energy Harvesting Evaluation Kit. Farnell is the first high service distributor to stock products from Epishine.

Epishine’s organic solar cells are small, thin, flexible, and printed on recyclable plastic. The cells can be easily integrated into any low power electronic equipment where they convert ambient indoor light into electricity. New product designers can replace batteries in wireless sensors and similar devices with the organic solar cells, reducing the environmental impact of battery waste and saving battery replacement costs.

The Light Energy Harvesting Evaluation Kit (EK01LEH3_6) demonstrates how Epishine’s Light Energy Harvesting (LEH) modules can power indoor wireless low-power devices that are usually powered by batteries. It combines a 6-cell 50x50mm LEH module with a supercapacitor which acts as an energy buffer and intelligent charging management system to support various output voltages and energy storage solutions. It can even use an external primary battery as a backup. The evaluation kit can deliver sufficient output current to power most low-power wireless devices such as BLE, Zigbee and LoRa. The ability to programme the evaluation kit provides added flexibility and showcases the unique product integration and design possibilities of Epishine’s LEH modules.

Key features include:

• Selectable output voltage ranging from 1.8V to 3.3V in 0.1V steps
• Up to 300mA output current
• Optimised for indoor use (-20°C to 40°C / 0-85%RH) with illumination intensities of 20 to 1000 lux
• A supercapacitor for energy storage which can be reconfigured to charge rechargeable battery

Epishine’s organic solar cells will be added to Farnell’s line card later this year.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and SBC at Farnell, said: “We are very pleased to have signed this agreement with such an exciting new and innovative supplier. Epishine offers our customers the opportunity to design new products using leading edge power devices.

This innovative technology will add real value to customers’ end products and improve the environmental credentials of end users. Farnell continues to add cutting-edge new suppliers, such as Epishine, so that our customers can benefit from the latest innovations in new technology.”

Niklas Forsgren, Product Integration Manager at Epishine, said: “Epishine sees great value in offering our evaluation kit within Farnell’s huge network, giving the market the possibility to evaluate this exciting technology. If you have not tested organic solar cells powering your devices you should go to the Farnell webpage and order your evaluation kit at once. The evaluation kit is easy to use so you can quickly connect your device and see if it can run on light only.”

Founded in 2016, Epishine is a Swedish technology company which manufactures flexible organic light modules and a development kit to help engineers design new products that are normally powered by batteries. The light modules can be used to partly or completely power wireless sensors and similar devices required in our increasingly connected world.

Farnell offers an extensive range of products in its comprehensive semiconductor portfolio to support design engineers. Customers also have free access to online resources, datasheets, application notes, videos, webinars and 24/5 technical support.

Epishine’s Light Energy Harvesting Evaluation Kit is now available for fast delivery from Farnell and Newark in North America.

Farnell, an Avnet Company and global distributor of electric components products and solutions, has expanded its portfolio of Nordic Semiconductor products to include the industry’s most compact power management solution, the nPM1100 Power Management IC (PMIC) and evaluation kit. Nordic’s first power management product is now available to buy at Farnell. Typical applications for the nPM1100 include wearable electronics, remote controls, personal medical devices and smart home sensors.

The Nordic Semiconductor nPM1100 can be used as a generic PMIC for any application using rechargeable Li-ion/Li-Po batteries. Its compact form factor, with PCB space requirements as low as 23 mm², makes it ideal for advanced wearables, connected medical devices and other space constrained applications. The nPM1100 requires no configuration software to operate as all settings are pin configurable.

Nordic Semiconductor is a fabless semiconductor company, innovator and market-leader specialising in wireless technology that powers the IoT. The nPM1100 marks Nordic’s commitment to establishing a line of PMIC products and offers Farnell customers even more ways to conserve energy in their applications. The device can charge small batteries while providing efficient power management in applications where physical space is a limited.

Nordic Semiconductor nPM1100 products now at Farnell include:

• nPM1100-CAAA, ultra-small form factor dedicated power management IC (PMIC) with a highly efficient dual-mode configurable buck regulator and integrated battery charger. It is designed as a complementary component to Nordic’s System-on-Chips (SoCs) to ensure reliable power delivery and stable operation, whilst maximising battery life through high efficiency and ultra-low quiescent currents. Other features include overvoltage protection, ultra-low current ship mode and -40°C to 85°C operating temperature range.

• nPM1100 Evaluation Kit requires no software to operate and is performance optimised for the PMIC with electrical connectors and physical interfaces for operation. It features switches for all selectable settings, buttons to enter and exit ship mode and connectors for batteries, USB and headers for all pins on the PMIC. Provides functional testing without the need for creating custom hardware. The kit may be used with other Nordic Development Kits such as the nRF5340-DK or to test the PMIC’s functionality with non-Nordic products. The kit also includes indicator LEDs for charge and error indication.

Nordic Semiconductor’s reputation is built on cutting-edge technology and development tools that shield designers from the complexity of RF design. Pioneers in ultra-low power wireless the company’s award-winning Bluetooth LE solutions have made it the market leader, and are complemented by ANT+, Bluetooth mesh, Thread, and Zigbee products. Nordic’s latest technology, NB-IoT and LTE-M leverages cellular infrastructure to extend the IoT.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and Single Board Computing, Farnell said: “Farnell partners with the world’s leading innovators in new product development and manufacturing to ensure cutting-edge power management technology is available to our global customer base, and we are pleased to expand our PMIC range with the latest products from Nordic Semiconductor. The new-to-market nPM1100 is an ideal solution to help our customers reduce energy consumption in their designs. The ability to charge small batteries and extend battery life while providing efficient power management within small, space constrained applications, such as wearables and connected medical devices, is now of critical importance.”

Farnell offers an extensive range of products in its comprehensive semiconductor portfolio to support design engineers. Customers also have free access to online resources, datasheets, application notes, videos, webinars and 24/5 technical support.

Customers can now buy the Nordic Semiconductor nPM1100 PMIC and evaluation kit on fast delivery from Farnell in EMEA, Newark in North America, and element14 in APAC.

Farnell, an Avnet Company and global distributor of electronic components, products and solutions, has today announced a new global distribution agreement with Connective Peripherals that will enhance its range of market-leading connectivity products for customers. Connective Peripherals products simplify system debug and maintenance of equipment featuring serial ports by providing simple and reliable USB connectivity.

The addition of Connective Peripherals expands Farnell’s existing portfolio of products for field and lab-based engineers in a wide variety of applications where it is necessary to connect to instruments or systems via serial ports to carry out field-based configuration, upgrades and maintenance. The product range enables modern PCs and laptops to use a USB Type C port to connect directly to legacy serial interfaces such as RS232/RS422/RS485, CANbus, SPI, I2C, or JTAG. All adaptors and cables feature built-in electronics, making it easy to connect to any equipment. The cables are also available with connectors, bare ends or single-pole female receptacles, enabling use with systems that offer D-type connectors, header connectors or which require wires to be soldered to the board.

The range of connectivity solutions from Connective Peripherals now in stock at Farnell includes:

• The ES-U-1001 family of full-speed USB to RS232 adaptors is ideal for a wide variety of equipment with serial management and debug ports. Powered from a USB port, the adaptors provide a single RS232 port on DB9 connector with easy plug and play installation. Data transfer rates are from 300 baud to 250 Kbaud at RS232 voltage levels with 512 byte receive and transmit buffers utilising buffer smoothing technology to allow for high data throughput.

• USB Type C High Speed MPSSE provides a fast, simple way to connect devices with 3.3 Volt digital interfaces to USB-C. It includes an MPSSE serial engine which enables it to emulate synchronous serial protocols such as SPI, I2C and JTAG. The end of the 0.5m cable has 10 single-pole female receptacles to provide access to the ADbus lines which are used for the SPI / I2C / JTAG signals, as well as GND and VCC.

• The USB2-F-7x01 Full Speed USB to 1-Port CANBus Adapter provides a simple method of adapting CANbus devices to USB. Each USB2-F-7x01 contains a small internal electronic circuit board mounted inside of a plastic case capable of withstanding industrial temperature ranges. Flexible mounting options and indicator LEDs to communicate functional status ensure its use in a range of applications, from a portable adapter to accompany a laptop through to permanent installations in industrial and commercial environments.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and Single Board Computing at Farnell said: “Connective Peripherals is an important addition to Farnell’s connectivity portfolio. Their broad range of simple to use adapter boards and cables is suitable for a range of industries and applications, delivering connectivity between USB and serial interfaces. Connective Peripherals’ specialist range of adapter boards can extend existing product lifetimes and speed up new designs, enabling our customers to bring new products to market much faster.”

Headquartered in Singapore, Connective Peripherals is a supplier of communications and instrumentation products, with expertise in serial connectivity solutions. The company’s products encompass adapter boards and cables delivering connectivity between USB and serial interfaces, plus award-winning USB based oscilloscopes, data loggers and logic analysers.

Farnell offers a full range of products to support electronic design and test and available for delivery from stock, with no minimum order value and an educational discount programme. Customers have free access to online resources, data sheets, applications notes, videos and webinars with excellent customer and technical support available 24/5 in local language.

Connective Peripherals products are now available for fast delivery from Farnell in EMEA, Newark in North America and element14 in APAC.

Farnell, an Avnet Company and global distributor of electronic components, products and solutions, has today announced the availability of the 2040 chip built on Raspberry Pi-designed silicon. This new chip, which is at the core of the $4 Raspberry Pi Pico delivers a combination of high performance, low cost, and ease of use.

The Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller offers high performance for integer workloads, a large on-chip memory, and a wide range of I/O options, making it a flexible solution for a wide range of microcontroller applications.

Professional design engineers who are already comfortable working with Raspberry Pi will easily adopt the Raspberry Pi Pico and appreciate its ease of use and affordability.

Key features include:

• Two ARM Cortex-M0+ cores clocked at 133 MHz
• 264 kB of on-chip SRAM
• 30 multifunction GPIO pins
• Dedicated hardware for commonly used peripherals alongside a programmable I/O subsystem for extended peripheral support
• Four-channel ADC with internal temperature sensor
• Built-in USB 1.1 with host and device support.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and SBC at Farnell, said: “We are delighted that Raspberry Pi has chosen to make this chip available as a standalone component. The Raspberry Pi Pico, which has the RP2040 at its core, has been hugely popular with customers and is showing potential to transform the microcontroller market in the same way that the original Raspberry Pi board did for single board computing. Customers can now use the Raspberry Pi Pico within their design phase and shift to the RP2040 in production, giving ultimate flexibility and opportunity for design engineers.”

Farnell is the longest standing Raspberry Pi partner and has sold more than 15 million units to date. Farnell stocks the complete range of Raspberry Pi single board computers including the recently launched Raspberry Pi Pico, enabling customers to build a wide range of devices for home, professional, education or commercial use. Customers can also benefit from 24/5 technical support alongside free access to valuable online resources on the Farnell website, and engineering and maker community, element14.

The Raspberry Pi 2040 is available from Farnell in EMEA, Newark in North America and element14 in Asia Pacific, from Tuesday, 1^st June.

Farnell, Avnet Company and global distributor of electronic components, products and solutions, has signed a global distribution agreement with InkSmith to enhance its educational product range and drive cross curriculum learning.

The Climate Action Kit’s project-based learning experiences are designed to teach students how to apply technology to solve real world problems through the lens of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). Every project provides a unique hands-on opportunity for cross-curricular learning, with students encouraged to work collaboratively in groups or independently, in the classroom or remotely. Early to senior level students will develop coding and design skills through a variety of experiential learning challenges to design and prototype solutions using the BBC micro:bit. 

Now Made in Canada, InkSmith’s Climate Action Kit helps students take on climate change issues through challenge based learning. The kit introduces students to a variety of climate issues pertaining to SDG15: Life on Land. The projects allows students to explore topics such as deforestation and fertilization run-offs while challenging them to design their own solutions, such as automated tree planters or automated watering systems for vertical or indoor farming. Each of the following curriculum-aligned projects promote critical thinking and problem-solving while learning about environmental issues associated with advanced agriculture, deforestation, carbon farming, insect farming, and plants and pollinators.

The Climate Action Kit, now available from Farnell, includes: 

• All motors, sensors and accessories required to tackle a number of different Climate Action projects
• Teaching resources and curriculum for five project-based lessons (Deforestation, Plants and Pollinators, Insect Farming, Carbon Farming and Advanced Agriculture) 
• COVID ready online curriculum course packs designed by InkSmith’s inhouse education experts to be compatible with remote, in-class, and hybrid learning environments.
• One Climate Action Breakout Board to connect a BBC micro:bit
• An accompanying Teacher’s Guide with easy to follow instructions 

The Climate Action Kit requires the use of a BBC micro:bit which is available separately.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and SBC at Farnell, says: “The Climate Action Kit is the ultimate tool for modern educators wanting to stimulate inquiry-based learning and inspire students to solve real world problems using technology. Technology is our greatest asset to ensure our young leaders of tomorrow have the skills and capability to overcome major global issues such as poverty, climate change and societal justice. Farnell’s market leading distribution network will dramatically expand the global reach of InkSmith's immersive, hands-on learning experiences and ensure educators can provide creative cross curriculum learning opportunities to students at every level.” 

Jeremy Hedges, CEO and Founder at InkSmith, says: “Our global distribution partnership with Farnell means that educators around the world will have access to our Climate Action Kit and the valuable digital, critical thinking and design thinking learning opportunities that it enables. It’s important to us that while we empower the next generation of makers, coders, and problem solvers that we do so as equitably as possible - regardless of socioeconomic and now geographic limitations. The UN Global Goals are a key driver behind why we do what we do, and this partnership helps further that mission”.

Farnell has worked with multiple educational organisations and governments to support strategic rollouts of STEM learning solutions into the classroom, and stocks a broad range of education devices that can be supplied in classes, schools and multiple-school quantities. Farnell can also offer support with provision and bundling of equipment for bespoke large-scale programmes similar to the Super:bit programme in Norway.

InkSmith’s Climate Action Kit is available from Farnell in EMEA and element14 in APAC.

Farnell, an Avnet Company and global distributor of electronic components, products and solutions, has enhanced its market-leading range of Single Board Computers (SBCs), accessories and electronics tool kits with a range of new additions from DFRobot that enable design engineers to easily develop high performance Internet of Things (IoT) applications.

DFRobot is a world-leading manufacturer of user-friendly robotics and open-source hardware that can form the building blocks for a wide variety of electronics projects, helping inventors to simplify the design process and accelerate time to market. DFRobot’s Gravity Series toolkit enables users to enhance Ardunio and micro: bit projects with a selection of powerful sensors. For more advanced designers, the broad range of LattePanda boards and accessories are ideal for edge computing, vending, digital advertising signage and industrial automation applications.

Farnell now stocks more than 140 products from DFRobot including:

• Gravity Series: a high quality open-source, modular, plug-and-play electronics toolkit which doesn’t require any soldering and is protected against incorrect connection. It features powerful expansion shields and more than 250 professional function modules which are compatible with Ardunio and micro:bit. Modules include the Ardunio moisture sensor, the Ardunio pH water quality sensor for industrial wastewater testing applications, and infrared human body sensors which can measure heart rate, UV, motion sensors and more. Detailed tutorials including wiring pictures, operation steps, sample codes and schematics are included.

• LattePanda: the high performance, low power, palm-sized SBC is now available with an expanded range of boards and accessories including touch displays, cables, cooling fans and cases, enabling users to maximise the potential of their projects. This powerful development board can accelerate the rate of production for designers and system integrators building IoT solutions. LattePanda boards come pre-installed with Windows 10 or can be run on Linux and include an integrated Ardunio compatible co-processor which can control and sense the physical world. An enterprise edition featuring Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB is available to support more complex projects.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and SBC at Farnell, said: “The increasing adoption of IoT technology and related devices is driving the use of SBCs in electronics design. These systems enable the easy integration of IoT components and are considered among the most crucial components of IoT hardware. DFRobot offers unrivalled compatibility and integration with many of the world’s leading SBCs . Professional engineers and makers who have grown up using these brands can now maximise the potential of their projects with DFRobot’s comprehensive range of toolkits, sensors, robotics platforms, modules and accessories. Farnell’s global availability and comprehensive support for the complete range of LattePanda boards gives our customers confidence when sourcing components for new product development.”

DFRobot was one of the early evangelists of the maker movement and among the first to embrace open-source hardware which can be easily integrated into a range of professional applications.

As a global distributor, Farnell can provide customers with fast access to easy-to-use products for project design with a range that compliments their core SBC platforms and toolkits for education and professional use. DFRobot customers can also benefit from 24/5 technical support alongside free access to valuable online resources on the Farnell website, and engineering and maker community, element14.

The DFRobot product range is available from Farnell in EMEA, Newark in North America and element14 in APAC.

Farnell, an Avnet Company and global distributor of electronic components, products and solutions, has signed an international distribution agreement with Micron Technology, a leading and trusted brand in the memory and storage solutions market. Adding Micron to Farnell’s line card of semiconductors strengthens its offerings and gives customers access to best-in-class memory devices to support disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence and 5G.

Micron devices are suitable for various markets, such as consumer, mobile communications, automotive, industrial design and data centres, as well as personal computing, networking and server applications. Farnell’s in-stock range of Micron’s innovative product solutions include:

• SLC NAND devices, such as the MT29F4G08ABAFAWP-IT:F, which offers the lowest cost-per-megabit of embedded code storage flash, reducing the overall bill-of-materials for applications such as interactive toys, books, games, web-enabled printers, computer peripherals and backward-compatible WiMAX boxes. Micron’s SLC NAND devices provide up to 100,000 P/E cycles for endurance and faster throughput than competing MLC and TLC NAND technologies. The devices are available in various package types and their densities range from 1Gb to 256Gb.

• Automotive-grade LPDDR4, which offers ultra-high speed, reliability and temperature support demanded by next-generation industrial, automotive and consumer applications. The MT53D512M32D2DS-053 AIT:D is a 16Gb mobile, low-power DDR4 SDRAM device with a high-speed CMOS that can be internally configured, making it ideal for extreme conditions.

• Serial NOR flash memory, such as the MT25QU128ABA1EW9-0SIT, provides a combination of features, including high-density fast data throughputs, secure data storage, architectural flexibility and long-term product support. The solution balances design requirements and cost.

• 2100AI PCIe NVMe NAND Flash SSD products which provides increased performance and reliability in extreme conditions, making it an ideal solution for industrial applications that require mass storage in a tiny footprint. The 2100AI SSDs, including the MTFDHBK128TDP-1AT12AIYY, use a single-chip controller with a PCIe Gen3 interface connecting up to four PCIe lanes to Micron’s 3D TLC NAND Flash. The SSD is designed to efficiently use the PCIe interface during READs and WRITEs while delivering bandwidth-focused, low latency performance. SSD technology enables enhanced boot and application load times and reduced power consumption.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and Single Board Computing at Farnell said: “Micron is one of the world’s most well-known semiconductor brands and is a true innovator in the design, development and production of memory and storage solutions. Within the last 12 months, we have been heavily investing in our semiconductor range of offerings to ensure we can meet our customers’ diverse needs. Micron is a fantastic addition to our line card. Now, it will be easier than ever for our customers to get high-performance memory components for their solutions.”

Micron is the fourth largest semiconductor manufacturer in the world, with a broad portfolio of high-performance memory and storage technologies, including DRAM, NAND, 3D XPoint™ memory, and NOR. Backed by more than 40 years of technology leadership, Micron’s innovations have been instrumental to the world’s most significant technology advancements.

Farnell offers an extensive range of products in its comprehensive semiconductor portfolio to support design engineers. Customers also have free access to online resources, datasheets, application notes, videos, webinars and 24/5 technical support.

Micron products are available now from Farnell in EMEA, Newark in North America and element14 in APAC.

Farnell, an Avnet Company and global distributor of electronic components, products and solutions, is now stocking a selection of complete AIY project kits and Coral USB accelerators from Google, allowing engineers, designers, and manufacturers to easily build on-device Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) inferencing into projects and products and take application ideas from prototype to development much faster. These new Google products simplify the development of intelligent devices that are capable of neural network inferencing.

The entry-level local AI project kits for voice and vision provide simple ways for designers to experiment with machine learning and enable developers to harness the power of AI and on-device inferencing to build intelligent solutions that can benefit a wide range of industries including the development of smart cities, manufacturing, automotive, healthcare and agriculture. Users can also easily bring high-speed ML inferencing to a range of existing systems using Coral’s USB accelerators.

Google’s AIY and Coral technology provides a complete platform of hardware components, software tools and pre-compiled models for building devices with local AI. The in-stock range now available from Farnell includes:

• Google AIY Voice Kit (G950-00865-01) allows users to experiment with machine learning and AI by building their own natural language processor and connecting it to the Google Assistant. This turns the kit into a voice assistant that responds to questions and commands. The kit can also be used to add speech recognition and AI processing to Raspberry Pi projects. Users can use sample code or Google Cloud Speech-to-Text service, which converts spoken commands into text to trigger actions in a program’s code. Key phrase detection can be used in projects that feature voice recognition to control robots, music, games and more.

• Google AIY Vision Kit (G950-00866-01) contains all the components and software required to experiment with image recognition using neural networks. Users can build their own intelligent camera that can see and recognize up to 1,000 common objects, detect faces, emotions and poses and carry out object segmentation using advance image detection modelling. The kit, powered by Raspberry Pi, can achieve computer vision without a cloud connection as real-time deep neural networks are run directly on the device.
• Coral USB Accelerator (G950-01456-01) is an easy to build and fast to deploy accessory bringing high-accuracy custom image classification to intelligent devices with AutoML Vision Edge. Users can connect a Google Edge TPU coprocessor to existing systems through a USB port to enable high-speed machine learning inferencing on a wide range of systems. The on-board Edge TPU is a small ASIC designed by Google that accelerates TensorFlow Lite models in a power efficient manner. It can perform 4 trillion operations per second (TOPS), using 0.5 watts for each TOPS, and can execute state-of-the-art mobile vision models at almost 400 frames per second. This on-device ML processing reduces latency, increases data privacy, and removes the need for a constant internet connection.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and SBC at Farnell, said: “Many of our customers have expressed interest in integrating AI into their projects but often don’t know where to begin. To address this knowledge gap, we have invested in a selected range of AIY project kits and Coral USB accelerators from Google to enable students, professional engineers, makers, and manufacturers to easily develop intelligent devices that can solve real-world problems using AI and ML. Our customers can now use Google’s advanced technology to add speech and image recognition to their projects, bringing creative on-device local AI application ideas from prototype to development much faster.”

Farnell stocks a broad range of Single Board Computers (SBC) and development boards for the Internet of Things (IoT) and is the longest standing licensee partner of the Raspberry Pi Foundation. Customers benefit from 24/5 technical support alongside free access to valuable online resources on the Farnell website, and engineering and maker community, element14.

Google AIY projects kits and Coral USB accelerators are now available from Farnell in EMEA, Newark in North America and element14 in APAC.

Farnell, an Avnet Company and global distributor of electronic components, products and solutions, has today announced the availability of the first product built on Raspberry Pi-designed silicon: Raspberry Pi Pico. This new product brings Raspberry Pi’s signature values of high performance, low cost, and ease of use to the microcontroller market, in a game-changing $4 development kit. Farnell customers will be able to purchase the Raspberry Pi Pico from the Farnell website from Monday 25 January.

Raspberry Pi Pico is built around the brand-new Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller, delivering a flexible, highly affordable development platform that can also be directly deployed into end products, reducing time-to-market. RP2040 offers high performance for integer workloads, a large on-chip memory, and a wide range of I/O options, making it a flexible solution for a wide range of microcontroller applications.

Professional design engineers who are already comfortable working with Raspberry Pi will easily adopt the Raspberry Pi Pico and appreciate its ease of use and affordability.

Key features include:

• Memory: 264kB of on-chip SRAM; 2MB of on-board QSPI Flash.
• Interfacing and mechanicals: 26 GPIO pins, of which 3 can be used as analogue inputs. 0.1” through-hole pads with castellated edges for SMT assembly.
• Power: On-board power supply to generate 3.3V for RP2040 and external circuitry. Wide input voltage range, from 1.8V to 5.5V, giving designers the flexibility to select their preferred power source.
• Developer tools: Simple drag and drop programming via micro-USB. 3-pin Serial Wire Debug (SWD) for interactive debugging. Comprehensive C SDK, mature MicroPython port, and extensive examples and documentation.

At the heart of the Raspberry Pi Pico is RP2040, a Raspberry Pi-designed microcontroller. It features two ARM Cortex-M0+ cores clocked at 133 MHz; 264 kB of on-chip SRAM; 30 multifunction GPIO pins; dedicated hardware for commonly used peripherals alongside a programmable I/O subsystem for extended peripheral support; a four-channel ADC with internal temperature sensor; and built-in USB 1.1 with host and device support.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and SBC at Farnell, said: “Since the launch of the first Raspberry Pi in 2012, this market-leading brand has become synonymous with ease of use and value for money. Raspberry Pi Pico is the newest and smallest addition to the Raspberry Pi family, bringing with it the potential to transform the microcontroller market in the same way that the original Raspberry Pi board did for single board computing. At just $4, Pico provides incredible flexibility and opportunity for design engineers. We are delighted to be at the beginning of another exciting journey with our partners at Raspberry Pi.”

James Adams, Chief Operating Officer, Raspberry Pi Trading, said: “This is the start of an exciting new era for Raspberry Pi. With Raspberry Pi Pico, and RP2040, we have been able to draw on insights drawn from a decade of using other vendors’ microcontrollers, and to create an innovative silicon platform for our customers. People have used Raspberry Pi to create a broader spread of projects and products than we could have imagined a decade ago; we’re sure the same will be true of Raspberry Pi Pico.”

Farnell is the largest manufacturer and distributor of the Raspberry Pi and has sold more than 15 million units to date. Farnell stocks the complete range of Raspberry Pi single board computers enabling customers to build a wide range of devices for home, professional, education or commercial use. Customers can also benefit from 24/5 technical support alongside free access to valuable online resources on the Farnell website, and engineering and maker community, element14.

The Raspberry Pi Pico is available for USD $4.00 from Farnell in EMEA, Newark in North America and element14 in Asia Pacific, from Monday, 25 January. To find out more about the Raspberry Pi Pico, visit https://www.element14.com/community/docs/DOC-96021/

Farnell, an Avnet Company and global distributor of electronic components, products and solutions, has signed a global franchise with XinaBox to broaden its market leading range of educational devices and kits. The XinaBox range provides a low-cost entry into the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and automation and helps educators combine Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) learning with the experience of physical computing for students from a young age. Although targeted at education, XinaBox also provides solutions to easily scale beta testing for prototyping new applications.

XinaBox is widely used in secondary schools and colleges across the world due to its ease of use, and suitability for first-time users right through to more advanced secondary students and makers. The XinaBox kits include a selection of xChips, designed to fast track a user’s understanding of the IoT. Specialist knowledge of soldering or hardware components is not required as xChips are simply clipped together without wires, soldering or breadboards, meaning experiments can be setup quickly.

The range of over 80 modular hardware xChips includes cores/CPUs, sensors, power, communication, output and storage. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and LoRaWAN cores have been designed to make it easy to connect projects to the IoT, and other components such as the BBC micro:bit and Raspberry Pi can be easily integrated to supercharge projects. xChips can operate with pre-compiled code or can be programmed from scratch using leading platforms such as MakeCode, Arduino and Python.

The range of XinaBox kits now available from Farnell include:

• XK01 STEM Starter Kit: Suitable for secondary school classrooms, the XK01 STEM Starter Kit enables students to build a simple project and connect to an IoT platform, using the quick start guide. The kit features a Wi-Fi Core, xChip (ESP8266) and includes sensors for temperature, humidity, and pressure, UV index, a mini-OLED display, a spacer chip and connectors. The starter kit can be used to collect and investigate the relationship between data sets such as temperature and atmospheric pressure, temperature and light, temperature and humidity, and visible light and ultraviolet light.
• XK05 micro:bit IoT Kit: An ideal entry-level product, the XK05 IoT kit for micro:bit is designed to introduce young people to IoT technology. The kit enables the analysis of large data sets in the classroom with no previous experience required. Users can learn how to connect the micro:bit to the cloud and build a smart IoT device with the coding extension, MakeCode.

Professional users and makers can also use XinaBox to progress their ideas to prototypes much faster, rapidly improving time to market whilst reducing cost of prototyping and facilitating scaled beta testing:

• XK12 IoT Starter Kit: Powered by Zerynth, the XK12 IoT Starter Kit combines modular electronics with an ecosystem of software tools in Python. The kit contains everything required to build a smart IoT edge device that collects environmental data. An actuator can also be attached to create automation projects such as automated electric gates, garage doors or fans.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and SBC at Farnell, said: “Easy to use tools are key to supporting teachers as they help students develop the computational thinking and complex problem-solving skills needed for a career in a digital economy. XinaBox provides schools and colleges with accessible tools to introduce STEM and IoT while providing inspiration for hands-on learning in the classroom, enabling students to learn about new technologies in a highly creative and collaborative way. For more advanced students, and even professional engineers, XinaBox provides new options to scale beta testing and reduce time to market through its simple, modular, non-solder structure.”

Farnell has worked with multiple educational organisations and governments to support strategic rollouts of STEM learning solutions into the classroom, and stocks a broad range of education devices that can be supplied in classes, schools and multiple-school quantities. Farnell can also offer support with provision and bundling of equipment for bespoke large-scale programmes similar to the Super:bit programme in Norway.

The complete XinaBox range is available from Farnell in EMEA, Newark in North America and element14 in APAC.

Farnell, an Avnet company and exclusive manufacturing partner of the Micro:bit Educational Foundation, is now shipping a new BBC micro:bit, designed to open up a new world of opportunities for the next generation of students. Extended capabilities include greater memory capacity, a faster processor and, for the first time, “out of the box” sound and touch capabilities. The updated pocket-sized computer also provides future potential for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) in the classroom, paving the way for children to experiment with some of the world’s most transformative technologies.

Farnell has manufactured and shipped more than five million devices since 2016, helping the Foundation reach an estimated 25 million children in more than 60 countries who have learnt digital creativity and computing skills. The micro:bit has been adopted by educational organisations around the world to support Science, Technology, Education and Mathematics (STEM) learning programmes.

The Foundation worked directly with teachers and the community of micro:bit fans to drive the selection of updates, ensuring the updated micro:bit meets current and future requirements. One of the most requested enhancements was the addition of a built-in speaker and microphone to allow children to be creative with sound and music. As part of the Micro:bit Educational Foundation’s commitment to keep the device as cost-effective and accessible as possible, the updated feature-rich micro:bit is available at the same price as the original version.

The updated micro:bit is packed with new technology and improved features, including:

• Computing power – The main Nordic nRF52833 microprocessor runs at 64MHz with 512kB of flash storage (double the storage in comparison to the original micro:bit), and an eightfold increase in RAM to 128kB. The micro:bit also includes a discrete regulator that can supply up to 200mA of current to external accessories.
• Audio components – A MEMS sensor microphone and 9mm magnetic loudspeaker are partnered with a dedicated recording LED to indicate when the microphone is on, allowing teachers to engage with students around privacy and the impact of listening devices.
• Programming – Official micro:bit editors support both versions of the micro:bit simultaneously with a single download using a new type of universal hex file. For ease of use, if they are using features that are on both versions of the micro:bit, users will not have to select a device.
• Touch capabilities – The device includes a touch sensitive logo enabling users to take on new exciting tasks or expand previous micro:bit projects.
• Ease of use: a built-in sleep/off mode that means the board can be powered-down with batteries connected.

The Micro:bit Educational Foundation provides a range of resources for educators on micro:bit.org, including micro:bit classroom. Micro:bit classroom makes it easy to save progress and start again at the same point in the next lesson, monitor student progress in the classroom and download code into word to provide evidence of student progress – all making programming lessons easier to manage and more productive.

Gareth Stockdale, CEO of the Micro:bit Educational Foundation, said: “The purpose of the micro:bit is to help children unlock their creative potential and learn how to shape the world around them. Learning coding and computational thinking can enhance their life chances in the 21st century. We have worked closely with our thriving community to make it even easier to get the most out of the device both inside and outside the classroom. Getting hands-on and experimenting with the micro:bit is critical to helping children better understand important technologies early in their development, and we aim to make this as fun, accessible and affordable as possible. Our partnership with Farnell has been key to the success of the project and we thank them for their continued support as we impact more young people around the world.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and SBC at Farnell said: “We are very proud of Farnell’s longstanding partnership with the Micro:bit Educational Foundation, which has made a significant difference to the education of children across the world. As the exclusive manufacturer of the micro:bit, Farnell has worked closely with the Micro:bit Educational Foundation throughout the design and development process and managed supply chain to ensure availability of the board. We also continue to work with major educational organisations to support the introduction of the micro:bit into the classroom through bespoke country-wide programmes. The updated micro:bit signifies a major step forward and enables students to gain insight into an even broader range of technologies to support them as they prepare for careers in the digital economy.”

Farnell has worked with multiple educational organisations and governments to support strategic rollouts of STEM learning solutions into the classroom, and stocks a broad range of education devices that can be supplied in class, school and multiple-school quantities. Farnell can also offer support with provision and bundling of equipment for bespoke large-scale programmes similar to the Super:bit programme in Norway.

Farnell also provides a range of resources to assist educators and parents supporting children with STEM. The element14 Community’s STEM Academy provides a wealth of content and support for those looking to get started with the micro:bit. This dedicated online hub is designed for people who want to explore learning concepts and classroom-based design projects within the electronics and digital space. The element14 Community’s ‘The Learning Circuit’ series features a number of instructional videos which take viewers through different ways to learn and explore with micro:bit. These short videos teach users how to apply micro:bit to their designs and offer instruction and advice on bringing projects to life.

The micro:bit and a wide range of accessories are available to order now from Farnell in EMEA and Newark in North America. Search “Farnell micro:bit” for more information.

Farnell, an Avnet Company and global distributor of electronic components, products and solutions, has today announced the availability of the new-to-market Raspberry Pi 400 desktop computer. Available in ready-to-use kit form, the competitively priced Raspberry Pi 400 is an ideal desktop computer for use in the home or education. Raspberry Pi 400 can also be purchased on its own for use in industrial and commercial applications including point-of-sale terminals and thin clients.

Raspberry Pi 400 kit integrates the keyboard and electronic components into a fully-enclosed compact unit, and offers a clock speed of 1.8GHz, 20% higher than Raspberry Pi. The kitted variants comprise a Raspberry Pi 400, pre-programmed SD card, power supply, mouse, Beginner’s Guide and micro HDMI cable; all that is required to start using Raspberry Pi 400 is a television monitor.

The Raspberry Pi 400 provides high performance and a rich feature, including:

• Processor: a 28nm Broadcom BCM2711 quad-core ARM Cortex-A72 64-bit processor clocked at 1.8GHz, offering industry-leading performance and power efficiency.
• Memory: 4GB LPDDR4-3200 RAM, and a micro SD card slot for operating system, application and data storage.
• Connectivity: dual-band 802.11ac wireless networking delivering real-world data rates of more than 100Mbps, Gigabit Ethernet, and Bluetooth 5.1. The two SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports can be used to connect a wide range of peripherals.
• Multimedia: two micro-HDMI ports, supporting up to 4Kp60.
• Interfacing: customers can easily integrate Raspberry Pi 400 into embedded designs using the horizontal 40-Pin GPIO header.

Raspberry Pi 400 is available in six keyboard languages for the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and North America.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and SBC at Farnell, said: “We are delighted to bring the innovative Raspberry Pi 400 to our customers. It provides all the functionality of a desktop computer in a small footprint, and at an affordable price point. While Raspberry Pi 4 broke barriers in its versatility for use as a desktop PC, Raspberry Pi 400 puts this computing power in an attractive and user-friendly package, making it an ideal desktop PC solution for everyone. This is a game-changing product and is a real contender in providing affordable desktop devices as well as fast-to-market embedded solutions.”

Farnell is the largest manufacturer and distributor of the Raspberry Pi and has sold more than 15 million units to date. Farnell stocks all versions of the Raspberry Pi single board computer enabling customers to build a wide range of devices for home, professional, education or commercial use. A diverse ecosystem of accessories is available including cases, power supplies, micro HDMI cables and the new-to-market Raspberry Pi High Resolution Camera. Customers can also benefit from 24/5 technical support alongside free access to valuable online resources on the Farnell website, and engineering and maker community, element14.

The Raspberry Pi 400 desktop computer is available for USD $100.00 from Farnell in EMEA and Newark in North America.

Farnell, an Avnet Company and global distributor of electronic components, products and solutions, has today announced a new global franchise with Industrial Shields. Industrial Shields is the leading developer and manufacturer of industrial automation devices (PLCs and Panel PCs) based on open source hardware from Raspberry Pi and Arduino. The use of open source hardware provides many benefits to design engineers, including the opportunity to bring industrial products to market at a lower cost and in less time than designing with proprietary processor boards.

The new partnership strengthens Farnell’s industrial automation and control portfolio by providing more options to customers developing monitoring, control or automation solutions based on single board computers (SBCs). The addition of this new range of PLCs, Panel PCs and the Open Mote B ultra-low-power communications board for the Internet of Things (IoT) will enable customers to revolutionise the way that control systems are designed. As a leading global manufacturer and supplier of SBCs, Farnell is championing the use of SBCs in industrial automation systems with customers and the element14 Community.

Automation continues to grow in all domestic and industrial sectors including home and factory automation, large buildings and smart cities. Industrial Shields’ feature rich, competitively priced products provide the high performance required for monitoring and control systems used in factories, production lines, machines, buildings and agriculture. The use of open source hardware removes any lock-in associated with proprietary PLCs, giving customers much more control and ownership of the design. Many designers are already familiar with the programming environment of Raspberry Pi and Arduino, which offers easy access to powerful tools and information about the design and operation of the products. Developers of industrial automation solutions also have the option to integrate a greater range of electronic components into their designs, reducing the cost of end products.

Farnell now stocks Industrial Shields’ full product range, including automation devices, including:

• The Touchberry Pi 10.1 Panel PC, based on the Raspberry Pi 4B, features a resistive multi-touch screen in two dimensions of a 10.1" aluminum case or a 7" plastic case. The Panel PC runs multiple operating systems including Raspbian, Linux or Android and can achieve a wide voltage range of 12 to 24Vdc and up to 12x GPIO. Ethernet and Wi-Fi connectivity are enabled via USB, I2C, SPI and UART. This product is ideal for applications which monitor and control production lines, machines or installations.

• The ARDBOX PLC product family is based on the Arduino Leonardo board and features 20 I/O ports which support digital and analog signals (with PWM output). An optional relay output is also available for AC control. Up to 127 modules can be connected via I2C, enabling up to 7100 I/Os. Other features include a real-time clock and µSD memory support. The ARDBOX PLC product family offers a broad range of communication options including USB, Full/Half Duplex RS485, RS232, I2C and Modbus, making it an ideal product for industrial control systems used in factories, manufacturing, and mining operations.

• The M-DUINO PLC family are Ethernet-enabled PLCs that can support any industrial control system requiring analog and digital I/Os. Relay outputs for AC control are also available. The M-DUINO family offers PLCs ranging from 17 I/Os in total to a 59 I/Os with up to 36 inputs or 31 outputs. Like the ARDBOX PLC family, the M-DUINO range can connect up to 127 modules via I2C, enabling a maximum of 7100 I/Os and feature a real-time clock and µSD memory support. Communication is offered by USB, Full/Half Duplex RS485, RS232, I2C and Modbus.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and SBC at Farnell said: “This new global franchise with Industrial Shields increases our range of PLCs and Panel PCs giving our customers greater choice of low cost and flexible devices to support their automation needs. The innovative use of open source hardware will create designs that speed time to market, reduce costs, and put the customer in control. This is a key addition to our automation range, bringing the benefits of industrial automation closer to our customers than ever before.”

Albert Prieto, CEO of Industrial Shields, commented: “The collaboration with Farnell gives us the opportunity to continue growing. Thanks to this agreement, we are consolidating our position as the leading manufacturer of open source-based systems for industrial automation, and strengthening our company's international presence. In addition, the fact that a prestigious group such as Farnell is committed to Industrial Shields products gives our customers the peace of mind of using safe, quality systems.”

Industrial Shields is pioneering the use of PLCs and Panel PCs to enable widespread adoption of industrial automation technology. The extensive product range is suitable for system integrators and engineering companies providing turnkey automation products through to universities, professional design engineers, hobbyists and makers seeking a low cost and flexible solution.

Farnell’s customers now have access to a greater range of market leading automation and control products with 24/5 technical support. This includes free online resources, data sheets, application notes, videos, and webinars on Farnell’s website.

The full Industrial Shields product range is available from Farnell in EMEA, Newark in North America and element14 in APAC.

Farnell, an Avnet Company and global distributor of electronic components, products and solutions, has today launched the new Compute Module 4 (CM4) from Raspberry Pi. The CM4 brings the power of the Raspberry Pi 4 to the compute module family and is accompanied by two accessories, the Compute Module 4 I/O (CM4IO) Board and the Compute Module 4 Antenna Kit.

CM4 is a faster and more powerful System on Module (SoM) than previous models, offering a greater range of connectivity and memory options for design engineers building embedded solutions. Key features include a small form-factor, greater power efficiency, PCle support and a variety of multimedia interfaces. The power and versatility of CM4 make it an ideal solution for Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT) and a wide range of home and industrial automation applications. Raspberry Pi products are increasingly being used in product design with an estimated 40-50 per cent of Raspberry Pi boards now being sold to industrial customers and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). As the highest volume manufacturing partner of Raspberry Pi, Farnell has heavily invested in stock to ensure availability for volume orders, meaning that design engineers can integrate CM4 and other Raspberry Pi Compute Modules into new products with confidence.

CM4 is based on the acclaimed Raspberry Pi Model 4B single-board computer, with an updated form factor accommodating new interfaces such as dual HDMI, PCIe and Gigabit Ethernet, in a reduced footprint. Access to the processor interfaces and GPIO pins is provided via dual 100 pin high density connectors. For maximum flexibility, CM4 is available with different eMMC flash and DRAM density options, and with optional dual-band wireless connectivity. A “lite” variant is available without the eMMC fitted, making it an ideal solution for cost-sensitive applications.

The CM4 is packed with performance and connectivity features including:

• Processor: a Broadcom BCM2711 quad-core ARM Cortex-A72 64-bit processor clocked at 1.5GHz, offering industry-leading performance and power efficiency.
• Memory: from 1GB to 8GB of LPDDR4-3200 SDRAM and up to 32GB of eMMC Flash memory depending on the model.
• Multimedia: hardware codec support for H.265 (up to 4kp60 decode) and H.264 (up to 1080p60 decode and 1080p30 encode).  
• Connectivity: optional fully certified radio module, supporting dual-band IEEE 802.11 b/g/n/ac wireless networking and Bluetooth 5.0. An on-board electronic switch selects between an external or PCB antenna.

The CM4IO Board has been designed to simplify the development of new products using the CM4. It is suitable for the evaluation and prototyping of new products, serving as a reference design to interface external devices to the CM4 and can also be embedded directly into end products. The CM4IO Board can be used with the complete range of CM4 modules and features:

• Gigabit Ethernet connectivity with PoE support (requires separate Raspberry Pi PoE HAT)
• Two full-size HDMI connectors
• Two USB 2 sockets, with a header for two more sockets
• A micro-USB socket for updating the CM4 and a micro SD Card socket for CM4Lite modules
• A PCIe Gen 2 x1 socket

Also available, for use with CM4 variants with an on-board wireless module, is the Compute Module Antenna Kit. The Kit includes an external antenna which has been pre-certified or use with the CM4, reducing additional compliance requirements when an external antenna is required within the design. It is supplied with a bulkhead fixture and a cable with a U.FL connector.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and SBC at Farnell said: “Ease of use is key to our customers: with its extensive documentation, mature software stack, and vast community the Raspberry Pi Compute Module series has always been a very popular product for embedded engineers. This new version of the Compute Module offers greater performance and connectivity as well as improved energy efficiency, and is simpler than ever to incorporate into products. With dual HDMI, PCI Express, a choice of RAM and eMMC memory options, and a dual-band option, design engineers can develop a broader range of applications, bringing their products to market faster than ever before.”

Eben Upton, Chief Executive at Raspberry Pi Trading, said: “Since 2014, the Compute Module line has become an increasingly important part of Raspberry Pi’s offering, allowing our customers to leverage the cost, performance and stability of the Raspberry Pi platform in their own products, with their own form factors. Farnell have been at the heart of the Compute Module program, investing to ensure our customers can access the inventory they need when they need it, and providing unparalleled support through the element14 Community. Compute Module 4 extends the range with the power of Raspberry Pi 4, adding RAM density variants, optional wireless connectivity and an even wider range of interfacing options. We’re excited to see what people build with CM4 platform.”

Farnell stocks a market-leading range of SBCs from over 100 supplier franchises and offers 24/5 technical support to ensure customers can take advantage of the latest technology innovations for experiments and embedded solutions. Farnell can also support customers as they take ideas from specification through to production with end-to-end product development solutions offered via the Avnet ecosystem.

The Raspberry Pi’s Compute Module 4 and accessories including the Compute Module 4 I/O Board and Compute Module 4 Antenna Kit are available from Farnell in EMEA and Newark in the North America.

Farnell, an Avnet Company and the exclusive manufacturing partner of the Micro:bit Educational Foundation, is celebrating the manufacture of 5 million BBC micro:bit devices since its launch in 2016. The micro:bit has been adopted by multiple educational organisations around the world to support STEM learning through formal programmes, helping the Foundation reach an estimated 25 million children in more than 60 countries who have learnt digital creativity and computing skills. The micro:bit has been adopted by educational organisations around the world to support Science, Technology, Education and Mathematics (STEM) learning programmes.

Today, the Micro:bit Educational Foundation, announced a new micro:bit offering greater memory capacity, a faster processor and, for the first time, “out of the box” sound and touch functionality. More information is available from micro:bit.org. The new micro:bit will be available to order from Farnell in November.

Farnell has worked with multiple educational organisations and governments to support strategic rollouts of STEM learning solutions into the classroom, and stocks a broad range of education devices that can be supplied in class, school and multiple-school quantities. Farnell can also offer support with provision and bundling of equipment for bespoke large-scale programmes similar to the Super:bit programme in Norway.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and SBC at Farnell said: “Farnell is proud to be the Micro:bit Educational Foundation’s exclusive manufacturer and we are delighted to join our partners in celebrating the manufacture of 5 million micro:bit and their announcement of an updated micro:bit today.”

Farnell also provides a range of resources to assist educators and parents supporting children with STEM. The element14 Community’s STEM Academy provides a wealth of content and support for those looking to get started with the micro:bit. This dedicated online hub is designed for people who want to explore learning concepts and classroom-based design projects within the electronics and digital space. The element14 Community’s ‘The Learning Circuit’ series features a number of instructional videos which take viewers through different ways to learn and explore with micro:bit. These short videos teach users how to apply micro:bit to their designs and offer instruction and advice on bringing projects to life. The Micro:bit Educational Foundation also offer a range of resources on micro:bit.org.

To find out more about the BBC micro:bit visit farnell.com/bbc-microbit or join the conversation on the element14 Community.

Farnell, today announced availability of Nexperia’s new to market, innovative Power Gallium Nitride (GaN) FET range. GaN FET products deliver improved density and efficient power usage in a small form factor, enabling the development of efficient systems at a lower cost, and providing the potential to transform power performance in electric vehicles, 5G communications, IoT and more. This innovative range provides real solutions to design engineers as increased legislation, and the growing need to reduce Co2 emissions, drive a shift to more efficient power conversion and increased electrification.

GaN technology overcomes many of the limitations of existing technologies, such as silicon based IGBTs and SiC, to deliver direct and indirect performance benefits to a whole range of power conversion applications. Within electric vehicles, GaN technology directly reduces power losses that can impact the range of a vehicle. More efficient power conversion also reduces the need for cooling systems to dissipate generated heat, reducing the vehicle’s weight and system complexity, in turn leading to a longer operating range or the same range with a smaller battery. Power GaN FETs are also well positioned for applications in data centers, telecom infrastructures, and industrial applications.

GaN FETs deliver superior performance in solutions such as hard switching for AC-DC Totem pole PFC applications, LLC phase shift full-bridge (resonant or fixed frequency) for soft-switching applications, All DC-AC inverter topologies and AC-AC matrix converters using bidirectional switches.

Key benefits include:

› Easy gate drive, low RDS(on), fast switching

› Excellent body diode (Low Vf), low Qrr

› High ruggedness

› Low dynamic RDS(on)

› Stable switching

› Rugged gate bounce immunity (Vth ~ 4 V)

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and SBC, Farnell said: “Nexperia is renowned for its extensive portfolio of innovative semiconductor products and we are pleased to further support our customers with the addition of the power GaN FETs to the Farnell range. GaN technology is at the cutting edge of efficient power design and these new products will be a key component to innovative IoT, automotive and communication designs of the future.”

To support customers seeking to adopt GaN FET technology, Farnell and the element14 community hosted a webinar with a Ilian Bonov, GaN International Product Marketing Engineer, from Nexperia, to provide a ‘deep dive’ into this new technology. “Designing High-Efficiency and Robust Industrial Power Supplies with Nexperia GaN FETs”. The webinar overviews the features of Nexperia cascode technology, benefits in hard and soft switching topologies and includes a 4kW Totem Pole PFC Case Study. To find out more about this webinar and watch on demand visit https://www.element14.com/community/events/5572/l/designing-high-efficiency-and-robust-industrial-power-supplies-with-nexperia-gan-fets

The Nexperia Gan FET range is available from Farnell in EMEA, Newark in North America and element14 in APAC.

Farnell, the Development Distributor, has enhanced its semiconductor portfolio with a new range of compact, highly energy efficient power, motion control, and sensor solutions by Monolithic Power Systems (MPS). Since the company was established in 1997, MPS has patented many ground-breaking technologies, including its most notable achievement of integrating an entire power system onto a single chip, which continues to drive their highly integrated systems today. Its mission is simple: to provide green, practical, and compact solutions that help to reduce total energy consumption.

MPS is the fastest growing power semiconductor company, specialising in the manufacture of small, energy efficient and easy-to-use power modules. The modules are commonly used in systems to support industrial applications, telecom infrastructures, cloud computing, automotive and consumer applications. Design engineers will benefit from MPS’ specialised single-package power modules which integrate a maximum number of components, including the inductor, to provide an entire power system in one device. Integrating all components into a single package accelerates the design process and provides greater flexibility for customers to focus on configuring a device’s attributes.

MPS power modules to be stocked by Farnell, include:

• The MPM3695-25 is an industry-leading scalable and fully integrated power module with a PMBus interface. It can deliver up to 250A peak and 200A of continuous current and a low voltage output down to 0.5V. Ideal for telecom and networking systems, it provides up to 60 percent higher power density compared to discrete point-of-load (POL) solutions and offers a core rail supply for many devices. With a small QFN-59 package and a wide input/output voltage range, the MPM3695-25 power module is also suitable for use in industrial equipment, serves and computing as well as FPGAs/ASIC artificial intelligence and data mining.

• The MPM3822C is an ultra-small and ultra-low noise step-down power module in a QFN-18 package with an integrated inductor, suitable for space-limited applications, storage and portable products. Providing up to 2A of continuous output current from a 2.75V to 6V input voltage range, the MPM3822C offers excellent load and line regulation with low EMI. Other key features include short-circuit protection, cycle-by-cycle over-current protection as well as Enable (EN) and Power Good (PG) for power sequencing.

• The MPM3811 is a monolithic, step-down, switch-mode converter with built-in, internal power MOSFETs and an inductor. The MPM3811 achieves 1A of continuous output current from a 2.3V to 5.5V input voltage with excellent load and line regulation. The MPM3811 is ideal for a wide range of applications, including high-performance DSPs, wireless power, portable and mobile devices, and other low-power systems.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and SBC for Farnell says: “MPS is a true innovator in the semiconductor market, and this new agreement allows us to deliver the highest quality power solutions to customers in industrial, telecom, cloud, automotive and consumer applications whilst further bolstering Farnell’s global power portfolio. This state-of-the-art range further demonstrates our continued commitment to provide our customers with the most innovative power solutions that can accelerate the design process and can help bring products to market faster. Many of our design-oriented customers enjoy having the flexibility to use high quality, integrated solutions when designing applications so they can focus on other critical hardware or software components.”

Farnell offers an extensive range of products in its comprehensive semiconductor portfolio to support design engineers. Customers also have free access to online resources, data sheets, application notes, videos and webinars on Farnell’s website and 24/5 technical support.

The MPS range of power semiconductor solutions are available for fast shipping from Farnell in EMEA, element14 in APAC and Newark in North America.

Newark, the Development Distributor, the exclusive manufacturer and distributor of the BBC micro:bit, is working to support product-led educational initiatives globally. Programs supported by Newark aim to create fun and interactive learning opportunities for students to develop an understanding of computing and electronics at a young age, and build a pathway to a range of engineering and technology-driven careers.

One of the latest programs to be supported by Newark is the series of how-to videos featuring micro:bit that are part of the element14 Community’s element14Presents: The Learning Circuit video series. In these instructional videos, host Karen Corbeill takes viewers through different ways to learn and explore with micro:bit. These short videos teach users how to apply micro:bit to their designs and offer instruction and advice on bringing projects to life.

“Getting started with electronics can be quite daunting,” said Karen Corbeill. “micro:bit is a great gateway tool with an amazing number of features for such a low price point. From being able to program using code blocks or simply clipping on accessories without having to solder or even just grabbing a piece of pre-programmed code, it is a wonderful way to get newbies hooked on electronics."

Newark also continues to work with governments, re-sellers and strategic partnerships to support product-led educational initiatives globally. The micro:bit has experienced significant success since its launch through a program led by the BBC in the UK in 2016. Since this date, over 2.5m micro:bit boards have been sold globally, supporting programs as far flung as Denmark, Canada and Singapore. Sales of this popular coding device almost doubled in the last 12 months, over the previous period, with more than half of sales supporting broad educational programs.

The latest program is currently being rolled out in Norway. Entitled “super:bit”, this project is a collaboration between the national science centers, the organization “Teach kids code” and national broadcaster NRK, in Norway. The national rollout provides a classroom kit of technology to each of the 2,400 secondary schools in Norway, over two years, starting in September 2019. The kits have an interactive smart city theme and pupils will learn how to use the micro:bit through applications such as planning traffic flow around green spaces by using sensors to control traffic lights. The kits, shipped by Farnell, include micro:bits, robots, and other electronic and non-electronic components.

“We are committed to supporting the education of future generations of engineers by making it easier to introduce children to the world of electronics,” said Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and Single Board Computers at Farnell and Newark. “Series such as The Learning Circuit enable users to better understand electronics with easy access to expertise and educational resources in the form of the videos. Newark, as the manufacturer and distributor of the micro:bit, and global electronics distributor, is uniquely able to support these programs.”

“Our mission to help children and teachers to take their first steps with technology and broaden participation with digital creativity continues to grow with multiple large scale programs in over 30 countries,” added Gareth Stockdale CEO, micro:bit Educational Foundation. We continue to work with Newark to ensure that the BBC micro:bit is available all around the world and that children are able to expand their computational thinking and create their best digital future.”

micro:bit products, accessories and a variety of free-to-download educational resources and lesson plans are available online from Newark in North America, Farnell in EMEA and element14 in APAC. To watch The Learning Circuit visit https://www.element14.com/community/community/element14-presents/thelearningcircuit

Farnell, the Development Distributor, announces the availability of the RA Family of 32-bit Arm® Cortex®-M based MCUs from Renesas Electronics Corporation. This major product introduction will offer design engineers the flexibility to leverage Renesas’ ready to use partner solutions and Arm ecosystem whilst developing their own hardware and software solutions.

The RA MCUs include the advanced high-quality feature set that customers have come to expect from Renesas, with a special focus on security, connectivity and low power. They enable customers to deliver advanced solutions for a wide range of Internet of Things (IoT) applications, including industrial automation, cloud computing and IoT, building automation, smart environment, energy and metering, and home appliances.

All RA MCUs have been designed with a common DNA, making them feature-, software- and pin-compatible for easy scalability and code reuse from one device to another. It is now easy to develop IoT edge and endpoint devices, using the new Flexible Software Package (FSP), fast-start software for security and connectivity, and development tools from Renesas and the Arm partner ecosystem.

The RA MCUs deliver key advantages for design engineers such as market-leading embedded security, superior CoreMark® performance, and ultra-low power operation. Arm PSA security certification provides customers with the confidence and assurance to quickly deploy secure IoT endpoint and edge devices, and smart factory equipment for Industry 4.0.

Products now available from Farnell include:

• The RA2 Series: This is the RA Family’s entry-level 32-bit MCU, offering excellent cost performance and ultra-low power consumption whilst delivering up to 48MHz of CPU performance. With cutting-edge peripherals such as capacitive touch, the RA2 is ideal for system control or user interface applications including healthcare devices, home appliances, office equipment and measuring equipment.

• The RA4 Series: Satisfying the need for reasonable low power and the demand for connectivity and performance, this series offers a wide set of peripherals, including USB, CAN, ADC, capacitive touch, a segment LCD controller, and additional security IP integration. Suitable for a broad range of applications including industrial equipment, home appliances, office equipment, healthcare products and meters.

• The RA6 Series: Offering the widest integration of communication interfaces as well as the best performance level - delivering up to 120MHz of CPU performance using an Arm Cortex-M4 core and a memory range from 512KB to 2MB Flash. This Series offers Ethernet, USB Full Speed and USB High Speed, QSPI, CAN, and TFT display driver integration. Its embedded Secure Crypto Engine is full of features that can be leveraged in higher-level solutions.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and SBC for Farnell says, “This is a significant new launch from Renesas, which provides our customers with greater options in the development of their IoT hardware and software, without compromising on key features such as security. This addition to our range means that customers can access our widest range of embedded solutions, whilst continuing to rely on Farnell for the latest in-stock products, alongside fast shipping and 24/5 technical support.”

The Renesas RA Family of 32-bit Arm® Cortex®-M based MCUs are in stock for same day dispatch from Farnell in EMEA, element14 in APAC, and Newark in North America.

Farnell, the Development Distributor, is the leading manufacturer and distributor of the Raspberry Pi single-board computer (SBC), which it has sold to electronic design engineers, educators, hobbyists and makers since its launch in 2012. Farnell’s sales alone, which are supported by its holistic offering including a diverse ecosystem of accessories and support through its element14 Community, have now reached the remarkable total of 15 million devices worldwide

Raspberry Pi’s most recent launch, the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B computer, has driven a significant increase in sales. This new board is the most powerful Raspberry Pi to date: three times faster than the previous model with a range of memory options and improved interfacing and connectivity to extend capabilities for all users. Raspberry Pi 4 can be used as a high-performance embedded platform, or as a full-featured desktop computer.

Farnell stocks all Raspberry Pi models, alongside its diverse ecosystem of accessories, which supports users as they build devices for home, education or commercial applications. Farnell has championed Raspberry Pi through its element14 Community, creating a forum for its 650,000 members to access informative and educational threads, be inspired by fellow members’ ideas, and get involved in Raspberry Pi-based design challenges.

Farnell also supports customers as they bring products to market with its maker-to-market service, programmes for startups, 24/7 technical support and an exclusive agreement with Raspberry Pi (Trading) for the customisation of Raspberry Pi products. Customers supported by Farnell include French startup Airnodes, who developed a smart mirror which can now be seen in hotels across France, and Futurehome, based in Norway who developed an app-based home automation system using a Raspberry Pi-based platform customised by Farnell.

Key facts about Farnell and Raspberry Pi:

• Farnell is the largest global manufacturer and distributor of Raspberry Pi and has sold 15 million Raspberry Pi boards sold to date.
• Insight from Farnell’s Raspberry Pi User survey shows just how varied the use of the SBC is; 33% of respondents use Raspberry Pi for personal projects, 33% for proof-of-concept and prototyping, and the final third of respondents use Raspberry Pi in informal or formal education. The combination of price, performance and ease of use make the Raspberry Pi the SBC of choice for many. Farnell’s research also highlighted the increasing use of Raspberry Pi products by professional engineers in IoT, industrial automation and control applications.
• Farnell’s parent company, Avnet, is using its experience and expertise to develop devices such as the Avnet Smartedge Industrial IoT Gateway, powered by Raspberry Pi, to help customers scale their prototypes and bring products to market.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and Single Board Computers for Farnell says: “Farnell is Raspberry Pi’s leading global distribution partner, selling 15 million devices since launch in 2012. This is a major milestone for Farnell as well as the Raspberry Pi Foundation and we are delighted to have shared the journey with them so far. The new Raspberry Pi 4 Model B Computer is a gamechanger, providing customers with a faster, more powerful and more feature-rich single board computer than ever before. The power of the Raspberry Pi 4, Farnell’s extensive distribution network, and the strength of Farnell’s parent company, Avnet, in developing devices such as the Avnet Smartedge Industrial IoT Gateway, powered by Raspberry Pi, can only pave the way for more great things from this little board.”

Eben Upton, CEO of Raspberry Pi (Trading), says: “We have been working with Farnell since 2012 to put Raspberry Pi products in the hands of hobbyists, educators and professional design engineers all over the world. In 2015, we announced an exclusive agreement to provide customized variants of our products to Farnell’s engineering customer base, and in June this year we launched Raspberry Pi 4 Model B together, bringing PC-equivalent performance to the sub-$50 price bracket. We are extremely excited that Farnell have crossed the 15-million-unit mark; we look forward to shipping many more units together, and continuing to change lives all over the world.”

Raspberry Pi computers and accessories are available from Farnell in EMEA, Newark in North America and element14 in APAC.

Farnell, the Development Distributor, the exclusive manufacturer and distributor of the BBC micro:bit, is working with governments, re-sellers and strategic partnerships to support product-led educational initiatives globally. Programmes supported by Farnell aim to create fun and interactive learning environments for students to develop an understanding of electronics at a young age, and build a pathway into a range of engineering and technology-driven careers.

The micro:bit has experienced significant success since its launch through a programme led by the BBC in the UK in 2016. Since this date, Farnell has shipped over 2.5m micro:bit boards globally, supporting programmes as far flung as Denmark, Canada and Singapore. Sales of this popular coding device almost doubled in the last 12 months, over the previous period, with more than half of sales supporting broad educational programmes.

The latest programme to be supported by Farnell is being rolled out in Norway. Entitled “super:bit”, this project is a collaboration between the national science centres, the organisation “Teach kids code” and national broadcaster NRK, in Norway. The national rollout provides a classroom kit of technology to each of the 2,400 secondary schools in Norway, over two years, starting in September 2019. The kits have an interactive smart city theme and pupils will learn how to use the micro:bit through applications such as planning traffic flow around green spaces by using sensors to control traffic lights. The kits, shipped by Farnell, include micro:bits, robots, and other electronic and non-electronic components.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and Single Board Computers at Farnell says, “We are committed to educating and inspiring future generations of engineers by making it easier to introduce children to the world of electronics in schools and code clubs. Programmes such as ‘super:bit’ in Norway enable teachers to teach basic electronics and computational thinking with easy access to products and educational resources. Farnell, as the exclusive manufacturer and distributor of the micro:bit, and global electronics distributor, is uniquely able to support programmes such as this.”

Gareth Stockdale CEO, Micro:bit Educational Foundation added, “Our mission to help children and teachers to take their first steps with technology and broaden participation with digital creativity continues to grow with large scale programmes in over 30 countries. We continue to work with Farnell to ensure that the BBC micro:bit is available all around the world and that these large projects are facilitated.”

To further support the rollout of micro:bit as a tool for STEM education in schools, Farnell is the sponsor for the very first annual gathering of the global micro:bit community of educators and partners on 4^th and 5^th October in Manchester. micro:bit Live 2019 aims to develop the micro:bit Educational Foundation's mission to inspire every child to create their best digital future and is an opportunity for all those involved in educational initiatives and partnerships, from government level to resellers and electronics engineers to share their experiences, tips and best practices to help achieve this mission.

micro:bit products, accessories and a range of free-to-download educational resources and lesson plans  are available online from Farnell in EMEA, Newark in North America and element14 in APAC.

Farnell, the Development Distributor, announces the availability of Infineon’s MERUS™ range of Class D audio amplifier solutions, which use pioneering multilevel switching technology to increase audio performance and reduce power loss during operation. Infineon’s enhanced design and production standards deliver extreme reliability and stability for the entire product lifetime. The new range offers improved power efficiency, decreased size, weight, electromagnetic interference and lower overall cost than traditional solutions on the market.

Electronics engineers can use MERUS™ Class D audio solutions in a range of applications such as battery-operated speakers, wireless and docking speakers, soundbars, multiroom systems and home theatre systems. The MERUS™ portfolio includes fully integrated monolithic audio amplifier ICs, multi-chip audio amplifier modules (MCMs), as well as discrete audio amplifier driver IC and power MOSFET solutions, scalable to meet the most stringent and demanding application needs.

The products now available from Farnell's global businesses include:

• The MA12040P (for 4-18V supply voltage range) and the MA12070P (for 4-26V supply voltage range), suitable for battery operated speakers, wireless and docking speakers, soundbars and multiroom/home theatre systems, both feature an embedded digital power management scheme with an algorithm that dynamically adjusts switching frequency and modulation to optimise power loss and EMI across the output power range. Integrated digital-to-analogue converters enable digital I2S audio stream input. The amplifiers support sample rates from 44.1 kHz to 192 kHz and offer protection against DC, short circuits, over-temperature and under-voltage situations. Flexible “power mode profiles” allow the user to utilise the multilevel switching technique for very low power loss or very high audio performance. Also available, for Analog input, are the complementary MA12040 and MA12070.
• The EVAL_AUDIO_MA12070P easy to use audio evaluation kit contains all the elements needed to evaluate the highly power-efficient MERUS™ digital input multilevel class D amplifier 2×80W (MA12070P). The IC is specifically targeted for high-performance filter-less and heatsink-free audio applications and suitable for applications such as voice controlled audio and professional audio where it is essential to maximize dynamic range and audio performance while minimizing power dissipation and power loss.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and Single Board Computing, at Farnell global businesses said, “Infineon is known for its pioneering solutions for audio application requirements delivered through patented architectures, proprietary algorithms, advanced manufacturing technologies, and extensive verification and testing. The MERUS™ amplifier solutions, now shipping from Premier Farnell, provide customers with an unprecedented sound experience, designed to maximise power efficiency while providing best-in-class audio performance in optimal-fit form factors suitable for design engineers developing products for both, home or professional use.”

“With recent technological innovations, such as multilevel class D amplifiers, which are designed specifically for superior audio quality and power efficient amplification of music signals, designers are enabled more than ever to create better products for their customers. We are delighted by Premier Farnell’s support in raising awareness and distribution of our future-proof MERUS™ audio-amplifier ICs,“ noted Jens Tybo Jensen, Head of Class D Audio, at Infineon Technologies.

Infineon’s MERUS™ range of Class D audio amplifier solutions are available from Farnell in EMEA, Newark in North America and element14 in APAC.

Farnell, the Development Distributor, has strengthened its product organisation with appointments into two key roles on its Leadership Team. Lee Turner has been appointed as Global Head of Semiconductors & Single Board Computers and Simon Meadmore appointed as Global Head of IP&E (Inter-connect, Passives and Electro-mechanical). Both Lee and Simon will report to Chris Breslin, President of Farnell’s global businesses. Farnell operates as Newark in North America and element14 in APAC.

Lee joined Farnell in 2016 as Global Head of Operations – Sales, Marketing & Technical. As Global Head of Semiconductors & SBC, Lee is responsible for ensuring that customers and manufacturers continue to view Farnell as their global distributor of choice and the provider of cutting edge Semiconductor and SBC technologies. Lee has 25 years’ experience in the electronics industry and has held prior leadership roles in supplier development, product marketing and sales.

Simon has been with Farnell for 15 years and moves to the role of Global Head of IP&E having previously led  Farnell’s Semiconductor & SBC product segment. In his new role, Simon is responsible for leading the global product and supplier strategy for this important category. Simon has extensive experience in supplier facing roles at Farnell and previously at Pace Micro Technology. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS).

Lee joined Farnell in 2016 and runs the Global Semiconductor and Single Board Computer product segment with responsibility for supplier and product strategy. Lee’s primary responsibility is ensuring that Farnell's global businesses continues to be viewed by customers and manufacturers as the distributor of choice and the provider of the most up-to-date and cutting edge Semiconductor and SBC technologies. As one of Farnell’s global leaders, Lee is also responsible for enabling suppliers and customers to access the endless benefits of working within the Avnet ecosystem. Lee was previously Head of Global Operations – Sales, Marketing & Technical for Farnell.

Before joining Farnell, Lee spent 21 years at Future Electronics, holding Director's posts in Supplier Development, Product Marketing and Sales.

Location: UK

Languages: English

To arrange an interview please contact our PR agency.

Premier Farnell, the Development Distributor, is now shipping a range of Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensors designed to meet the changing needs of design engineers and address demand for 3D information and extended range created by new use cases. Today’s ToF devices support applications such as gesture sensing, distance measurement, robotics, industrial automation and process control, enabling practical solutions such as monitoring the position of an object in production as it is transported through a plant on a conveyor belt.

Devices from leading suppliers, available for next day delivery from Premier Farnell, increase distance capabilities irrespective of colour and surface of the item tracked, maximise use potential within both indoor and outdoor environments and satisfy high-speed, small size and low power demands, driven by Industrial IoT application needs.

Time of Flight sensing products available from Premier Farnell include:

• New to Premier Farnell, the ISL29501 ToF IC from Renesas is designed for detecting objects at distances up to 2m providing a cost effective and efficient solution for distance measurement. The ISL29501 is an innovative time of flight signal processing IC that provides a complete object detection and distance measurement solution when combined with an external emitter (LED or laser) and photodiode. Its one-of-a-kind functionality, including ultra-small size, low power consumption and superior performance, makes it ideal for use with connected devices in Internet of Things (IoT) applications, as well as for consumer mobile devices, home automation and the emerging commercial drone market.

• The VL53L1X ToF Nucleo pack from ST Microelectronics is a complete evaluation kit allowing anyone to learn, evaluate and develop their application using the VL53L1X ToF, the latest product based on ST's patented FlightSense™ technology. The VL53L1X is the fastest miniature ToF sensor on the market with accuracy ranging up to 4m and fast-ranging frequency up to 50 Hz. This ground-breaking technology allows absolute long-distance to be measured independently of target reflectance as instead of estimating the distance by measuring the amount of light reflected back from an object the VL53L1X precisely measures the time the light takes to travel to the nearest object and reflect back to the sensor.

• The newly launched AFBR-S50MV85G evaluation kit, from Broadcom, comprises an NXP FRDM-KL46Z evaluation board and the AFBR-S50MV85G adapter board delivering out-of-the-box connectivity between the sensor and a microcontroller board without the need for soldering. Suitable for indoor and outdoor use and optimised for distances of up to 10m, this sensor has been developed with a special focus on industrial sensing and gesture sensing applications that require high speed, small size and very low power consumption, such as human machine interfaces, robotics, and augmented reality.

Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and SBC at Premier Farnell said: “Premier Farnell's strong supplier relationships with ST and Broadcom, and now including new addition Renesas, give access to the latest technologies in Time-of-Flight sensing options. For design engineers seeking the right devices for their application, our technical support team are available 24/5 to help identify the most suitable device for their application, no matter how complex the design or requirement of the application.”

View the full range of Time of Flight devices by visiting Farnell in EMEA, Newark in North America and element14 in APAC.

Premier Farnell, the Development Distributor, has further expanded its range of semiconductor products by adding the Osram Opto Semiconductor product portfolio to its global offering. The products which include, amongst others, LEDs, infrared emitters, photodiodes and optical sensors, provide experienced engineers with more products to compare and choose from when looking for high-performance solutions.

Osram Opto Semiconductors has more than 40 years’ experience developing cutting-edge products in the fields of illumination, visualisation and sensor technology. The Osram range extends Premier Farnell’s line card to provide customers with products to support applications in markets such as Automotive, Mobile, Smart Grid, Metering, Industrial, Office and Building Automation, Energy Management and Network Infrastructure.

Key products to be stocked include:

• The OSLON Black family of infrared LED: Now with dedicated automotive versions that include the 850nm version intended for exterior applications such as night vision, pedestrian protection, pre-field recognition and lane detection. The new 940nm version is targeted at interior automotive applications such as driver monitoring, seat occupancy detection and gesture recognition. With different wavelengths and lenses, these products cover a wide range of customer requirements, and can be operated at up to 5A in pulse mode.
• The SFH 2200 family of photodiodes: This new generation of devices is much smaller than predecessors. They feature a new package concept that allows them to be soldered without any damage for up to one year after initial contact with air, compared to only three days for typical standard products. The new package complies with the strict demands of the automotive industry and is approved up to an operating temperature of 125°C. The SFH 2200 devices meet the requirements for AEC-Q101-C qualification and are ideally suited for use in rain sensors.
• The TOPLED E1608 family of low-power LEDs: This family combines a smaller package with exceptional versatility to meet an extremely wide range of customer requirements. They are particularly suited to the automotive sector for applications such as displays, ambient lighting and backlighting of switches and instruments.
• SFH 4776 broadband infrared LEDs: These devices are suitable for use in new application sectors opened up by the adoption of near-infrared spectroscopy techniques for measuring parameters such as the water, fat, sugar and protein content of food and pharmaceutical products.
• The SYNIOS® P2720 platform: Consisting of 15 different LED products with different chip sizes, power ratings and colours which can be configured flexibly within a single footprint to suit different applications. The platforms’ ease of scalability and freedom of design are combined with high thermal reliability and high brightness, delivering new opportunities and cost advantages for automotive manufacturers and light designers.

“The addition of the Osram Opto Semiconductors’ range of products further increases the breadth of our semiconductor product offering.” says Lee Turner, Global Head of Semiconductors and Single Board Computing at Premier Farnell: “Osram is a key player in the opto-electronics semiconductor market and this new relationship provides Design Engineer customers with access to cutting-edge technology to build into their designs, helping them achieve a competitive edge on their competition.”

The Osram Opto Semiconductor products are now available from Farnell in EMEA, Newark in North America and element14 in APAC.