RS Components has expanded its electronics offer with the introduction of the new Hercules safety microcontroller platform from Texas Instruments. Designed to help developers obtain IEC 61508 SIL 3 and ISO 26262 ASIL-D system certification for safety-critical medical, industrial and transportation applications, the platform consists of three ARM Cortex-based microcontroller families that deliver scalable performance, connectivity, memory and safety features for applications that require a high level of reliability.

Hercules microcontrollers implement safety capabilities in hardware to detect random faults and protect against systematic faults, thus reducing software overheads. The dual ARM Cortex-R4F floating-point cores in lockstep provide the highest level of on line diagnostics with cycle-by-cycle error checking, while built-in self-test for the CPU and RAM enable periodic diagnostic routines for the detection of potential latent faults.

The CPU features error correction code (ECC) for Flash and RAM to monitor data for corruption without impacting performance. A memory protection unit on the CPU ensures that each bus master is allocated memory to prevent the transfer of corrupt data. Parity on peripheral RAMs, dual analogue-to-digital-converters (ADCs) and timers, as well as voltage and clock monitoring, provide additional diagnostic coverage.

Coupled with robust tools, software and safety documentation, this advanced on-chip functionality enables developers to differentiate their end products and speed time to market.

“The addition of the Hercules microcontrollers to the RS electronics line is a step forward in augmenting the choice of application-specific products to customers, and introduces a new range of safety-critical, high-reliability devices to our offering,” said Fred Knowles, Head of Product Management – Electronics at RS Components. “Our next-day despatch service guarantees fast delivery on parts, enabling engineers to start working quickly on their designs to meet increasingly tough deadlines in bringing products to market.”

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Mouser Electronics, Inc., today announced immediate availability of newest DC motor control solutions from Texas Instruments.

The TI DRV8843 is a dual H-bridge driver capable of driving two DC motors or one stepper motor. The output block of each driver consists of n-channel power MOSFETs configured as H-bridges that are able to supply up to 2.5A peak or 1.75A RMS output current. The DRV8843 is available in a thermally enhanced 28-pin HTSSOP package and is ideal for applications such as robotics, factory automation, and office machines.

The combination of Texas Instruments and National has created an exciting, flexible solution for the control of brushless DC motors. This “winning combo” provides programmable processing to support varying drive profiles and configurations with differences in range, acceleration, and torque. Both single- and three-phase motors can be controlled, as well as applications with and without sensors. Four components comprise the solution: the LM5101B MOSFET driver, the LM3S8971 Stellaris motor controller, the AMC1200 isolation amplifier, and the DRV8312 motor driver.

Design of a new motor control system can be a daunting task. Using many of the same products found in their winning combo solution, TI has created the DK-LM3S-DRV8312 Motor Control Kit to help engineers speed time to market. The kit is designed to spin 3-phase brushless DC motors showing the operational advantages of TI’s InstaSPIN BLDC control solution such as simplified tuning, immediate acceleration, and reliable low-speed operation. The brains of the kit are an LM3S818 MCU on a controlCARD module that is pre-programmed with all the necessary firmware. Also included is the Crosshairs embedded kernel and corresponding PC application interface that enables the engineer to control and monitor the entire system.

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Mouser Electronics, Inc. today announced that it is stocking the SimpleLink™ Wi-Fi CC3000 FRAM Evaluation Module Kit (EMK) (CC3000FRAMEMK) from Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI). The SimpleLink Wi-Fi CC3000 FRAM EMK is a full turn-key TI Wi-Fi evaluation and demonstration tool for TI’s MSP430™ FRAM microcontrollers (MCU) and SimpleLink Wi-Fi CC3000 solution, which allows developers to easily add Wi-Fi to low-cost embedded products. The SimpleLink Wi-Fi CC3000 FRAM EMK comes with all the necessary hardware and software to get started quickly, and it includes an LS Research TiWi-SL Module and EM board, along with an MSP430 FRAM Experimenter Board.

TI’s SimpleLink Wi-Fi CC3000 solution is a self-contained wireless offering that simplifies the process of implementing Internet connectivity on any microcontroller-based device. The SimpleLink Wi-Fi CC3000 minimizes host MCU software requirements, making it the ideal solution for embedded applications using any low-cost/low-power MCU. TI’s SimpleLink Wi-Fi CC3000 FRAM EMK allows users to take advantage of the latest-generation of MSP430 MCU devices with integrated FRAM.

With its broad product line and unsurpassed customer service, Mouser caters to design engineers and buyers by delivering “What’s Next” in advanced technologies. Mouser offers customers 19 global support locations and stocks the world’s widest selection of the latest semiconductors and electronic components for the newest design projects. Mouser Electronics’ website is updated daily and searches more than 8.7 million products to locate over 2.8 million orderable part numbers available for easy online purchase. Mouser.com also houses an industry-first interactive catalog, data sheets, supplier-specific reference designs, application notes, technical design information and engineering tools.

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element14, Premier Farnell’s global online eCommunity for electronic design engineers has announced availability of the DK-LM3S9D96 development kit, a low cost, high performance platform for developing systems around the advanced capabilities of the 32-bit Stellaris ARM Cortex-M3-based microcontroller.  The DK-LM3S9D96 development kit is provided by element14 in collaboration with Texas Instruments, a leading developer of analog, embedded processing and wireless technologies.

The DK-LM3S9D96 development kit, available via element14 at a promotional price while supplies last, is an out-of-the-box platform for building ARM-based embedded systems. The kit delivers a complete design solution including hardware, software, source code, drivers, application examples and evaluation version development tools and serves as a straightforward and easy way to evaluate and design around the LM3S9D96 Stellaris ARM® Cortex M3-based microcontroller.

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For development, the DK-LM3S9D96 board comes with features commonly used in networking, industrial controls and human machine interface designs. The board is CAN (Controller Area Network) enabled and also comes with an External Peripheral Interface (EPI) with Audio I2S (Integrated Interchip sound). For communications, the board supports USB, a host of serial IO and Ethernet features. The DK-LM3S9D96 development kit includes a 3.5” TFT LCD display along with the supporting graphics libraries and software. The DK-LM3S9D96 board features the 32-bit ARM Cortex-M3-based microcontroller to deliver flexibility for applications that require high-performance processing.

“This is an off the shelf solution that is low cost but with high performance,” said David Shen, Group Senior Vice President and Global Head of Technical Marketing at Premier Farnell. “We have partnered with Texas Instruments to launch a product that will enable our customers to produce world-class designs and bring them to market quicker and more efficiently. We are pleased to add this solution to our rapidly expanding portfolio of innovative development tools and kits. Design engineers may find this latest offering in the development platforms and kits section on the Knode within the element14 community that contains technical documents and tutorials for the Firestorm.”

“Making our tools available through Premier Farnell lets more engineers experience the benefits of designing with Texas Instruments’ Stellaris microcontrollers” said Miguel Morales, Director of Marketing, Stellaris Cortex™-M MCUs, Texas Instruments (TI). “As with all of our other development kits, the LM3S9D96 kit gives engineers all the necessary hardware and software they will need to jumpstart their designs in 10 minutes or less.”

Mouser Electronics, Inc., regarded as a top design engineering resource and global distributor for semiconductors and electronic components, announces today that it is an authorized global distributor for the complete portfolio of National products from Texas Instruments (TI).

Building upon record sales and an ongoing commitment to global expansion, the addition of National products from TI increases Mouser’s offering of analog products to its global customer base. These TI analog products enable engineers to create new designs that solve tough challenges, such as making electronics more energy efficient – consuming less power, extending battery life and generating less heat.

Mike Scott, Mouser Vice President of Semiconductors, went on to express, “The addition of the National portfolio to our Texas Instruments line allows Mouser to offer our customers one of the industry’s broadest in-stock selections. Designers have long-awaited the ability to procure National products from Mouser, and we are working diligently to ensure we have the components they need for their new designs.”

With its broad product line and unsurpassed customer service, Mouser caters to design engineers and buyers by delivering What’s Next in advanced technologies. Mouser offers customers 19 global support locations and the latest, most technologically advanced components for their newest design projects. Mouser Electronics’ website is updated daily and searches more than 8 million products to locate over 2 million orderable part numbers available for easy online purchase. Mouser.com also houses an industry-first interactive catalog, data sheets, supplier-specific reference designs, application notes, technical design information, and engineering tools.

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Mouser Electronics, Inc., regarded as a top design engineering resource and global distributor for semiconductors and electronic components, announces today that it is an authorized global distributor for the complete portfolio of National products from Texas Instruments (TI).

Building upon record sales and an ongoing commitment to global expansion, the addition of National products from TI increases Mouser’s offering of analog products to its global customer base. These TI analog products enable engineers to create new designs that solve tough challenges, such as making electronics more energy efficient – consuming less power, extending battery life and generating less heat.

Mike Scott, Mouser Vice President of Semiconductors, went on to express, “The addition of the National portfolio to our Texas Instruments line allows Mouser to offer our customers one of the industry’s broadest in-stock selections. Designers have long-awaited the ability to procure National products from Mouser, and we are working diligently to ensure we have the components they need for their new designs.”

With its broad product line and unsurpassed customer service, Mouser caters to design engineers and buyers by delivering What’s Next in advanced technologies. Mouser offers customers 19 global support locations and the latest, most technologically advanced components for their newest design projects. Mouser Electronics’ website is updated daily and searches more than 8 million products to locate over 2 million orderable part numbers available for easy online purchase. Mouser.com also houses an industry-first interactive catalog, data sheets, supplier-specific reference designs, application notes, technical design information, and engineering tools.

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Mouser Electronics, Inc., regarded as a top global engineering design resource for semiconductors and electronic components, today announced it is stocking new product from Texas Instruments | Microcontrollers.

The Texas Instruments MSP430BT5190 mixed-signal microcontroller features three 16-bit timers, a high performance 12-bit analog-to-digital (A/D) converter, up to four universal serial communication interfaces (USCI), hardware multiplier, DMA, real-time clock module with alarm capabilities, and up to 87 I/O pins. The TI MSP430BT5190 MCU is designed for commercial use with TI CC2560 based Bluetooth solutions in conjunction with MindTree’s Ethermind Bluetooth stack and Serial Port Profile (SPP). This MSP430BT5190+CC2560 Bluetooth platform is ideal for applications needing a wireless serial link for cable replacement, such as remote controls, thermostats, smart metering, blood glucose meters, pulse oximeters, and many others. The TI MSP430BT5190 is part of the MSP430 ultralow-power MCU family, which consists of several devices featuring different sets of peripherals targeted for various applications.

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Mouser Electronics, Inc., known for rapid introduction of the newest electronic components and technologies, today announced the presentation of the Best in Class award to those individuals representing our suppliers who performed at the highest level to support ongoing marketing programs and initiatives for 2010.

The awards ceremony was held on August 2, 2010 during the 15th Annual Mouser-Supplier Golf Tournament. Winners of the Best in Class award were selected by Mouser using five criteria: ­–Promoting the product line within Mouser, –Finding solutions to grow Mouser and supplier market share, –Strategic partnering with the Mouser team, –Working together to launch new products, and –Maximizing Mouser’s unique value proposition within their own businesses.
Winners of the Mouser Best in Class award:

Larry Buckley, National Distribution Manager, 3M Electronic Solutions
Canda Carr, General Manager Global Distribution, Tyco Electronics
Ryan Crouch, Corporate Sales Director, Freescale Semiconductor
Anna Greashaber, Marketing Communications Manager, Honeywell Sensing and Control
Scott Johnson, Corporate Account Manager, Texas Instruments
Dawn Manhart, Corporate Distribution Manager, Littelfuse
Steve Nye, Strategic Account Manager, Vishay
Sue Rios, Channel Sales Account Manager, Digi International
Steve Shoemaker, President, Advanced Web Offset
Doug Steele, Global Vice President of Catalog Distribution, Harwin
Cheryl Swaim, Account Executive, KEMET
Caroline Wells, Distribution Sales Representative, Omron Corporation

Glenn Smith, Mouser President and CEO, commented, “It’s a great pleasure to express our gratitude and publicly recognize the winners of the Mouser 2010 Best in Class award. These individuals were incredibly supportive and showed great creativity. Our record growth is due, in large part, to the unwavering commitment of suppliers who help us introduce the newest products and latest technologies. Our commitment to becoming the most preferred distributor of design engineers is strengthened with the help of business associates who champion our mutual goals. Congratulations to each of them on a job well done, and thank you to the companies they represent for sharing these winners with Mouser.”

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16-bit performance at 8-bit prices

Mouser Electronics, Inc., known for its rapid introduction of the newest products, today announced it is stocking the new Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) MSP430™ Value Line family of ultra-low cost 16-bit microcontrollers (MCUs).

The TI ultra-low power MSP430™ MCU Value Line offers superior 16-bit MCU performance and industry-leading ultra-low power consumption for cost sensitive applications that have traditionally depended on low-cost 8-bit microcontrollers. TI MSP430G2x01, MSP430G2x11, MSP430G2x21, and MSP430G2x31 Value Line MCUs ensure 8-bit developers no longer need to sacrifice performance, power efficiency, or scalability because of price. The TI MSP430 MCU Value Line series is an ideal fit for a broad range of cost-sensitive applications, including safety and security, low-cost touch pads, remote controls, and intelligent sensors. The TI MSP430G2x01, MSP430G2x21, and MSP430G2x31 include a built-in 16-bit timer and 10 I/O pins. The MSP430G2x11adds an on-chip comparator, while the MSP430G2x31 provides an on-chip 10-bit ADC and built-in communication capability using synchronous protocols.

The MSP-EXP430G2 LaunchPad experimenter board is a complete USB-based development and experimenter tool providing everything you need to launch your own MSP430 MCU Value Line applications.

Mike Scott, Mouser Vice President of Active Products, is confident about the TI Value Line’s ability to fill the cost and performance requirements of engineers’ prototyping with MCUs and give them an advantage over low-cost 8-bit MCUs. Scott says, “The Texas Instruments’ MSP430 MCU Value Line blurs the line between low price and high performance, yet remains compatible across the MSP430 platform.”

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Industry’s smallest and highest performance buck-boost converter

Mouser Electronics, Inc., known for its rapid introduction of the newest products, today announced it is stocking the Texas Instruments TPS63020 Power Management IC.

The Texas Instruments TPS63020 power management IC is the industry’s smallest and highest performance buck-boost converter with a 4-A switch and up to 96 percent efficiency. The TI TPS63020 power management IC helps extend battery life in smartphones, portable medical equipment, DLP® pico projectors, and other battery powered multimedia devices. The TI TPS63020 buck-boost converter operates with a wide input voltage range of 1.8V to 5.5V and can discharge lithium batteries down to 2.5V or lower while maintaining excellent light load efficiency.

Also available from Mouser is the TI TPS63020EVM-487 evaluation module which is a fully assembled and tested circuit for evaluating the TPS63020 buck-boost converter with 4A switch. The TPS63020EVM-487 operates from a 1.8V to 5.5V supply and provides a 3.3V output.

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