Nat Semi introduces high efficiency switched capacitor voltage converter Denham Steynor National Semiconductor has introduced a high-efficiency switched capacitor voltage which achieves 95 per cent efficiency at 50mA for portable PC and wireless power applications. The LM3351 is designed for fractional step-up (boost) 3:2 conversion or step-down (buck) 2:3 conversion mode. It converts supply voltages at a typical efficiency of ...

Thomas & Betts signs global distribution deal Mick Elliott Connector giant Thomas & Betts has signed a global distribution deal which encompasses US distributor Marshall Industries and its European affiliate SEI Group and Serial System in Singapore. The Thomas & Betts line is already held in the UK by Nortronic which is part of the SEI-Diploma company established last year. ...

NIC establishes its presence in the UK Mick Elliott NIC Components, the passive component manufacturer has established a sales and warehouse facility in the UK. Based in Buckingham it will be headed by Bob Gwyn, previously with Rohm, who becomes general manager. The warehouse will hold over ?5m of stock including resistors, capacitors, inductors, ferrites and circuit protection devices. NIC, ...

Russia blocks imports following EMC change Richard Wilson Russia has started blocking electronics imports because they have not been tested against its recently updated EMC regulations. A UK test house claims to have been approached by two firms that have had their products impounded in Russia because they have not been properly tested for compliance with Russian EMC regulations. “Customers ...

Force Technologies takes the high road David Manners Force Technologies, the memory and logic distributor, has set up a subsidiary company in Scotland. Called Force Technology Scotland, the Caledonian subsidiary is headed up by Gordon Boyle, supported by managing director Karen Salmon and sales manager Peter Vickers. The offices of the new company are in Edinburgh and the first year’s ...

Racal rail boost Richard Wilson Racal Telecom has achieved more than 13,000 connections since the launch of its cellular service last August. The service targets 14,500 users in the rail sector.

NEC and VideoLogic provide Sega engine Richard Ball Games console developer Sega has confirmed that NEC Electronics and VideoLogic are providing the 3D graphics engine for its next product. VideoLogic, based in Hertfordshire, has created a custom chip around its PowerVR architecture. Early parts, made by NEC, have already been supplied to Sega. “I believe Sega has been giving out ...

Capacitor costs hit by palladium prices Steve Bush The doubling of world palladium prices in the last year is affecting the cost of making multilayer ceramic capacitors. “Increases in palladium prices are most likely to affect the cost of producing the larger values of multilayer ceramic,” said Martin Baker from capacitor maker Murata. “Manufacturers can either put up prices or ...

Digital cellular arena grows 48% David Manners Production of digital cellular phones is expected to grow 48 per cent in Europe this year, representing almost 60 per cent of world production, says Texas Instruments (TI). This will drive 1998 European semiconductor market growth to between 12 and 14 per cent; more than double the growth for the world market. Europe’s ...

CDT to start licensing LEP Richard Ball Cambridge Display Technology (CDT) is to begin licensing its flexible light emitting polymer (LEP) display technology. “Now that the technology has been proven, it’s in our interest to very shortly start selling licences,” said Danny Chapchal, chief executive of CDT. Two deals are due to be announced in the next three months, Chapchal ...