23 more 300mm fabs by 2019, says IC Insights

By 2019 there should be 110 volume production 300mm fabs in the world compared to 87 today, reports IC Insights. The number of 300mm fabs will likely peak between 115-120.image

By comparison, the greatest number of volume-production 200mm wafer fabs in operation was 210 (the number declined to 154 fabs at the end of 2014).

The list of companies with the most 300mm wafer capacity includes memory suppliers Samsung, Micron, SK Hynix, and Toshiba/SanDisk; Intel; and the two largest pure-play foundries TSMC and GlobalFoundries.

200mm fabs be used to fabricate a range of ICs including specialty memories, display drivers, microcontrollers, analogue products, and MEMS.

TSMC, TI, and UMC remain the three companies with the greatest amount of 200mm wafer fab capacity.

450mm is not now expected in production until 2020.

david manners

NASA to launch UHD TV channel

NASA to launch UHD TV channel

NASA to launch UHD TV channel

On Nov 1st, NASA is to launch an Ultra High Definition (UHD) or 4K TV channel in the US in partnership with Harmonic delivering 2,16g0p content at 60 frames per second.

The channel will show TV pictures taken from the international space station, pictures of launches, pictures from deep space probes and historical pictures.

The content will also be streamed on the internet though it will require a minimum connection speed of 13Mbps.

“Partnering with Harmonic gives NASA an outlet for its UHD content, which has four times the resolution of HD and is the next iteration of digital television,” says Robert Jacobs, deputy associate administrator for NASA’s Office of Communications.

NASA is talking to pay TV operators about carrying the NASA TV channel on satellite, cable and optical networks.

Read more NASA stories on Electronics Weekly »

david manners

NASA to launch UHD TV channel

NASA to launch UHD TV channel

NASA to launch UHD TV channel

On Nov 1st, NASA is to launch an Ultra High Definition (UHD) or 4K TV channel in the US in partnership with Harmonic delivering 2,16g0p content at 60 frames per second.

The channel will show TV pictures taken from the international space station, pictures of launches, pictures from deep space probes and historical pictures.

The content will also be streamed on the internet though it will require a minimum connection speed of 13Mbps.

“Partnering with Harmonic gives NASA an outlet for its UHD content, which has four times the resolution of HD and is the next iteration of digital television,” says Robert Jacobs, deputy associate administrator for NASA’s Office of Communications.

NASA is talking to pay TV operators about carrying the NASA TV channel on satellite, cable and optical networks.

Read more NASA stories on Electronics Weekly »

david manners

GCHQ says make passwords simpler

GCHQ

GCHQ

GCHQ, which knows a thing or two about passwords, has issued guidance on how to set passwords, saying that over-complex ones may not be particularly secure.

“Password guidance: simplifying your approach”, has been published by GCHQ. It recommends concocting a password from three random words or using a password manager.

“Complex passwords do not usually frustrate attackers, yet they make daily life much harder for users,” says Ciaran Martin, director general of cyber security for GCHQ.

The problem for users is simply remembering passwords, particularly if they are a complex mixture of letters figures and symbols. GCHQ’s advice is to aimed at making users’ lived simpler.

david manners

GCHQ says make passwords simpler

GCHQ

GCHQ

GCHQ, which knows a thing or two about passwords, has issued guidance on how to set passwords, saying that over-complex ones may not be particularly secure.

“Password guidance: simplifying your approach”, has been published by GCHQ. It recommends concocting a password from three random words or using a password manager.

“Complex passwords do not usually frustrate attackers, yet they make daily life much harder for users,” says Ciaran Martin, director general of cyber security for GCHQ.

The problem for users is simply remembering passwords, particularly if they are a complex mixture of letters figures and symbols. GCHQ’s advice is to aimed at making users’ lived simpler.

david manners

Car makers going big on 3D touch control, says UK sensor firm

Car manufacturers are adopting touch control technology in a big way. So much so that UK-based touch sensor firm Peratech has expanded resources in its North Yorkshire-based headquarters.

Car makers going big on 3D touch control, says Peratech

Car makers going big on 3D touch control, says Peratech

The company said it is seeing its QTC force touch sensors being integrated under in-car surfaces such as plastics, rubbers, wood, leather, metals and glass.

Neil Jarvie, Peratech sales v-p, says that the capability to incorporate pressure sensing that capacitive touch sensing does not provide is important for Tier 1 automotive companies.

The matrix sensors are designed to track multiple touches for position on X and Y axes and independent pressure sensing along the Z-axis.

According to Jarvie, this allows designers to reduce button count in the centre stack, steering wheel and other cockpit surfaces.

“Replace the top surface of buttons with a display, and you have a Human Machine Interface (HMI) that is reconfigurable on the fly,” added Jarvie.

“Because the sensors aren’t affected by the electromagnetic interference of a display, we can make a display panel showing switches, sliders and knobs that actually work.”

The firm’s sensors are tested for operation through cycles of -40 to +100 degrees C, which is the operational temperature range that the automotive industry requires.

“The requirement for a smart force touch display panel, first and foremost, is that is always works,” said Jarvie.

Richard Wilson

Car makers going big on 3D touch control, says UK sensor firm

Car manufacturers are adopting touch control technology in a big way. So much so that UK-based touch sensor firm Peratech has expanded resources in its North Yorkshire-based headquarters.

Car makers going big on 3D touch control, says Peratech

Car makers going big on 3D touch control, says Peratech

The company said it is seeing its QTC force touch sensors being integrated under in-car surfaces such as plastics, rubbers, wood, leather, metals and glass.

Neil Jarvie, Peratech sales v-p, says that the capability to incorporate pressure sensing that capacitive touch sensing does not provide is important for Tier 1 automotive companies.

The matrix sensors are designed to track multiple touches for position on X and Y axes and independent pressure sensing along the Z-axis.

According to Jarvie, this allows designers to reduce button count in the centre stack, steering wheel and other cockpit surfaces.

“Replace the top surface of buttons with a display, and you have a Human Machine Interface (HMI) that is reconfigurable on the fly,” added Jarvie.

“Because the sensors aren’t affected by the electromagnetic interference of a display, we can make a display panel showing switches, sliders and knobs that actually work.”

The firm’s sensors are tested for operation through cycles of -40 to +100 degrees C, which is the operational temperature range that the automotive industry requires.

“The requirement for a smart force touch display panel, first and foremost, is that is always works,” said Jarvie.

Richard Wilson

Car makers going big on 3D touch control, says UK sensor firm

Car manufacturers are adopting touch control technology in a big way. So much so that UK-based touch sensor firm Peratech has expanded resources in its North Yorkshire-based headquarters.

Car makers going big on 3D touch control, says Peratech

Car makers going big on 3D touch control, says Peratech

The company said it is seeing its QTC force touch sensors being integrated under in-car surfaces such as plastics, rubbers, wood, leather, metals and glass.

Neil Jarvie, Peratech sales v-p, says that the capability to incorporate pressure sensing that capacitive touch sensing does not provide is important for Tier 1 automotive companies.

The matrix sensors are designed to track multiple touches for position on X and Y axes and independent pressure sensing along the Z-axis.

According to Jarvie, this allows designers to reduce button count in the centre stack, steering wheel and other cockpit surfaces.

“Replace the top surface of buttons with a display, and you have a Human Machine Interface (HMI) that is reconfigurable on the fly,” added Jarvie.

“Because the sensors aren’t affected by the electromagnetic interference of a display, we can make a display panel showing switches, sliders and knobs that actually work.”

The firm’s sensors are tested for operation through cycles of -40 to +100 degrees C, which is the operational temperature range that the automotive industry requires.

“The requirement for a smart force touch display panel, first and foremost, is that is always works,” said Jarvie.

Richard Wilson

Free book on copper contacts

Copper in electrical contactsThe Copper Development Association has released a book on how electrical contacts work and the various materials involved, and it is free to download.

“The importance of electrical contacts has been underscored by some high-profile and costly system failures. One example is the F-16 fighter plane, where connector failure has been linked to the cause of engine failure and aircraft crashes. Fretting corrosion caused by vibration led to failure of the electrical connector (tin-plated pins plugged into gold-plated sockets) that supplied power to the main fuel shut-off valve,” said the association.

Called Copper in Electrical Contacts, the 40 page publication’s main chapters cover:

  • Contact interface: an introduction to essential concepts
  • Types of contacts and applications: arcing contacts (live make/break), non-arcing (demountable) contacts, fixed contacts and sliding contacts.
  • Materials for contacts and contact assemblies: descriptions of over 30 commonly-used copper alloys
  • Properties of contact materials – Physical and mechanical property tables for contacts and parts including springs

The editor of Copper in Electrical Contacts is David Chapman, former electrical programme manager for Copper Development Association, and author and chief editor of the LPQI Power Quality Application Guide.

Download Copper in Electrical Contacts here

steve bush

Free book on copper contacts

Copper in electrical contactsThe Copper Development Association has released a book on how electrical contacts work and the various materials involved, and it is free to download.

“The importance of electrical contacts has been underscored by some high-profile and costly system failures. One example is the F-16 fighter plane, where connector failure has been linked to the cause of engine failure and aircraft crashes. Fretting corrosion caused by vibration led to failure of the electrical connector (tin-plated pins plugged into gold-plated sockets) that supplied power to the main fuel shut-off valve,” said the association.

Called Copper in Electrical Contacts, the 40 page publication’s main chapters cover:

  • Contact interface: an introduction to essential concepts
  • Types of contacts and applications: arcing contacts (live make/break), non-arcing (demountable) contacts, fixed contacts and sliding contacts.
  • Materials for contacts and contact assemblies: descriptions of over 30 commonly-used copper alloys
  • Properties of contact materials – Physical and mechanical property tables for contacts and parts including springs

The editor of Copper in Electrical Contacts is David Chapman, former electrical programme manager for Copper Development Association, and author and chief editor of the LPQI Power Quality Application Guide.

Download Copper in Electrical Contacts here

steve bush