Ruggedized versions of the DCM family of DC-DC converters offer improved versatility, thermal performance and power system economy
Andover, MA – October 14, 2014 – Vicor Corporation today announced the introduction of new, rugged, chassis-mountable versions of its DCM™ family of isolated, regulated DC-DC converters. These new converters provide all of the advantages of Vicor’s present DCM technology – the industry’s highest power density and best-in-class thermal and electrical performance – in a rugged new package (VIA packaging technology) that offers enhanced versatility in converter mounting and cooling. These “DCMs in a VIA package” are ideally suited for use in a broad range of industrial, process control, automotive, heavy equipment, communications and defense/aerospace applications.
The DCM family’s industry-leading thermal and electrical performance is made possible by Vicor’s efficient, soft-switching ZVS conversion technology and Vicor’s thermally-adept Converter housed in Package™ (ChiP) packaging technology. Enclosing a ChiP converter in a rugged VIA package creates a mechanically robust product; simplifies mounting to a chassis or other external heat sinking device; and provides for improved thermal performance in a variety of applications.
Initially available DCM converters feature efficiencies up to 93% and include nominal 300 VDC input models (180 or 200 to 420 Vin range) at output voltages of 12, 24, and 48 V and at power levels up to 600 W, and nominal 28 VDC input models (16 to 50 Vin range) at output voltages of 12 and 24 V and at power levels up to 320 W (with other output voltages available soon). The new DCMs feature enhanced functional integration by incorporating EMI filtering, transient protection, inrush current limiting, and a secondary-referenced control interface for trim, enable and remote-sensing. Configurations are available for both on-board mounting and for chassis mounting.
Chassis mounting can offer system cost and performance advantages: moving the DC-DC conversion function off the board can reduce board size and cost, or it can free up valuable board real estate for other uses, and taking advantage of an existing chassis for heat removal can eliminate the need for, and cost of external heat sinks, while also providing improved thermal performance. The DCM in a VIA package offers power systems designers a ruggedized modular DC-DC converter solution with much higher power density than competitive products and with all of the advantages of Vicor’s robust, efficient and time-proven DC-DC power conversion and packaging technologies.
Power Component Design Methodology
Vicor’s Power Component Design Methodology enables power system designers to reap all of the benefits of modular power component design – predictable component and system functionality and reliability, fast design cycles, and easy system configurability, re-configurability and scaling – while achieving system operating efficiency, power density and economy that rival the best alternative solutions. Utilizing Vicor’s online tools, power system designers select from an extensive portfolio of proven Vicor power components to architect, optimize and simulate their complete power system, all the way from their input sources to their points of load. This innovative approach to power system design delivers fast time-to-market and state-of-the-art performance while minimizing the possibility of last minute surprises and delays that so often occur with conventional or custom design methodologies.
