STMicroelectronics, the global semiconductor leader, has teamed up with Wurth Elektronik, a major transformer manufacturer, in order to bring enhancements to its online design environment for power supply applications. The former has enhanced its eDesignSuite by adding complementing components from Wurth Elektronik in order to aid the customers so that they can complete their projects quickly and cost-effectively. 

 

Interestingly, people usually carry out electronic product design online through manufacturer-published tools that are available free of cost. Moreover, these provide templates to jump-start circuit design, product selectors, simulators to evaluate performance and access to technical support and component purchasing. ST’s eDesignSuite can accelerate designs of many circuits and systems, such as Switched-Mode Power Supplies (SMPS), LED lighting, filters, motor drives, and so on. 

 

 

As STMicroelectronics has linked its eDesignSuite with the Wurth Elektroniks’s web-based Smart Transformer Selector, the power supply designers would now be able to automate selection of a suitable off-the-shelf transformer while still working in the design environment. Other online design tools generate the transformer specification and leave the choice to designers to figure out the best way, often by ordering a custom component. This adds cost and turnaround time for the project. 

 

“ST has a strong commitment to continuously improve the tools available to its customers to make their system design easier and faster. Our initiative with Wurth Elektronik now solves the final part of the power design process, enabling engineers to get a prototype up and running on the bench in a couple of days, instead of waiting several days or weeks to procure a custom transformer,” said Alessandro Cremonesi, Group Vice President, General Manager, Central Labs, STMicroelectronics. “This new feature introduced in eDesignSuite is setting the pace for online tools, by allowing users to co-design efficiently and cost-effectively the full bill of materials of the final product.”