High-side digital output switch addresses today's industrial automation system needs

Maxim Integrated Products is addressing the need for higher throughput, smaller footprint, and lower power in industrial automation with its new MAX14900E digital output switch. This eight-channel integrated circuit (IC) provides up to 70x faster speed, uses over 20% less power, and occupies 40% less space than existing solutions—all factors required in today’s faster, more localized, smaller end products. It is controlled by an eight-bit parallel interface, or via a standard Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) which is also used for configuration and monitoring. Multiple devices can be daisy-chained to support additional I/O points via the single SPI interface, requiring only three isolators for all channels to provide further savings in cost, board space, and power. The serial mode includes cyclic redundancy checking (CRC) for assured data integrity, as well as global and per-channel diagnostics for remote system monitoring. Maxim offers both a complete reference design (MAXREFDES63#) as well as an evaluation (EV) kit with special prototyping features. The credit-card-sized reference design integrates the MAX14900E, a microcontroller, isolated I/O port, power supplies, UART, and USB port to simplify incorporating the device into the final OEM product design, as well as provide a means for quick evaluation. The MAX14900E is specified over the -40C to +125C range Key Advantages 1 - Low power; high voltage: The eight digital channels require just 3mA (maximum) of supply current; operates from a wide supply range of 10V to 36V and thus compatible with the 24V rail of many factory systems. 2 - High speed and drive: With an input-to-output propagation delay of 0.3usec (typical) / 0.8usec (maximum), it can support fast switching rates of up to 100 kHz in push pull configuration. On-resistance, a critical factor in static power dissipation is just 85mohm (typical) and 165mohm (maximum). It can drive current loads up to 850mA; outputs can be used in parallel to achieve even higher drive-current rating. 3 - High integration and space savings: Housed in a tiny, 48-pin 7mm x 7mm QFN package; uses significantly less board space. 4 - Data integrity: Offers per-channel and global diagnostics/monitoring via its SPI port, while users can access the I/O via an eight-bit parallel port. The serial link includes CRC error detection for enhanced data-link integrity. “Our proprietary, high-voltage processes and design expertise allowed us to develop this switch,” said Tony Partow, executive business manager, Maxim Integrated. “The processor interface offers critical features for users, such as per-channel and global diagnostics, as well as CRC for data integrity.” Susie Inouye, research director, Databeans, added: “This product is an excellent fit for programmable logic controllers, building HVAC systems, and high-speed industrial applications. It packs leading-edge performance into a tiny package, while also saving energy and ensuring data integrity.”