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Learning Magnetics Just Became Fun with Dual Buck Kit

March 03, 2019 by Paul Shepard

The TI-PMLK Buck Edition kit from Würth Elektronik is composed of a power board allowing experimental testing of power inductors, using two step-down switching regulators, one based on hysteretic and the other using peak current mode control operation.

There are two independent sections on the Buck board featuring six types of inductors that can be individually selected, tested and analyzed. The choice of inductor is critical for the operation and performance of the switching power supply. The study of inductor properties such as the type of core, material & size will help you in identifying the right solution for your application and projects.

The kit is accompanied by an online experiment book with structured labs allowing the user to investigate the board, by autonomously performing six detailed experiments for steady state, transient and dynamic conditions commonly seen in real-world applications.

Kit Features:

  • 2 distinct Buck circuits with different operating conditions
  • 6 different inductors that can be individually selected to compare the effect of diverse inductor core material, inductance value and size
  • Adjustable operating conditions: switching frequency, by-passable EMI filter, inductor ambient temperature
  • Interactive digital book with 6 step-by-step experiments
  • Input and output over-voltage, over-current and polarity reversal protection by e-fuse to protect the board
  • Resistors underneath the board to overheat the inductor to study the impact of temperature rise
  • Temperature sensor glued on the inductor to monitor the inductor temperature without any additional equipment
  • Low noise test points for clean observation of the main voltage and current waveforms
  • Current sense transformers and integrated current shunt for easy current measurements using standard voltage probes
  • Multiple test points (42) for measurement
  • Minimum lab equipment required:
    • DC power supply 0-35 V / 4 A
    • DC electronic load 20 V / 10 A with dynamic current mode capability
    • 250 MHz 4-channels Digital Oscilloscope
    • Digital multimeters

The TI-PMLK Buck Würth Elektronik Edition was developed in collaboration with Texas Instruments and with Dr. Nicola Femia, a renowned industry power expert and faculty at the University of Salerno, Italy.

The kit is associated with the Texas Instruments Power Management Lab Kit (TI-PMLK) series, which is a collection of power management labs and coursework, intended to educate students and engineers on electronic theory and common topologies used for power supply design.