Announced today, the new solutions may improve testing and measurement for applications requiring greater power capacity and efficiency.
In January, Tektronix acquired EA Elektro Automatik to fortify its stronghold in the electronics test and measurement market. Today, here at Electronica 2024, nearly a year later, the duo is making waves with two new power devices for the engineer’s benchtop: a high-performance current probe series and an advanced power supply solution.
All About Circuits spoke to Tektronix’s Daryl Ellis (general manager of mainstream and entry power portfolio) and EA Elektro-Automatik's James Hitchcock (VP and general manager) to learn about the new releases firsthand.
EA-PSB 20000 DC Power Supply
The EA-PSB 20000 Triple is a high-performance, bidirectional DC power supply designed to enhance testing efficiency and flexibility for advanced applications. It operates through three independent channels, each capable of delivering up to 10 kW in 3U models and up to 30 kW in 4U models. This provides 96.5% energy recovery in regenerative mode.
“Instead of buying three 1U power supplies with three different certifications and calibrations, you get a single high-quality, trusted power supply that can do the job of all three of those products,” Hitchcock said.
The EA-PSB 20000 offers three power classes in a single unit.
This power supply offers extensive voltage and current ranges, with each channel supporting voltages from 0 to 920 V and currents up to 340 A. The unit’s auto-ranging capability allows the supply to adapt automatically to varying voltage and current requirements while maintaining maximum output. Additionally, its galvanically isolated share-bus facilitates parallel operation across channels. Advanced communication options such as high-speed CAN FD, EtherCAT, and 1 Gbps Ethernet provide rapid data transfer and integration into diverse testing setups.
According to Tektronix, this design supports high-density testing with reduced equipment needs, which in turn cuts down on operational and HVAC costs. Its architecture also optimizes rack space by over 50% compared to single-output units, providing compact, parallel testing for systems like motors, inverters, and on-board automotive chargers.
TICP Series IsoVu Isolated Current Shunt Probes
Tektronix calls the TICP series IsoVu Isolated Current Shunt Probes a breakthrough in isolated current measurement.
“With TICP, we want to not only serve the demands of what we see today in the power space, but also start navigating toward the future of that space,” Ellis said.
Designed for high-bandwidth, low-noise applications across both high- and low-voltage environments, these probes implement a proprietary RF galvanic isolation.
TICP series IsoVu Isolated Current Shunt Probes.
This yields a common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR) of 140 dB at DC and up to 90 dB at 1 MHz, which Tektronix calls a significant improvement over traditional optically isolated probes. The architecture can also eliminate ground loops and reduce interference.
Features of the TICP series probes.
Available in 1-GHz, 500-MHz, and 250-MHz bandwidth models, the TICP probes feature rise times as fast as 350 picoseconds in the TICP100 model. When paired with precision shunts or current viewing resistors, these high-bandwidth capabilities support dynamic current measurements at up to hundreds of MHz. With low-noise characteristics of <4.7 nV/√Hz (translating to approximately 150 µV RMS at 1 GHz) and low input resistance (50 Ω), these probes are optimized for minimal signal degradation. The dynamic range also extends from ±0.5 V to ±50 V.
From Nanovolt- to Megawatt-Level Systems
According to Tektronix, the TICP IsoVu probes are currently available to order and will start shipping this month. The EA-PSB 20000 Triple power supplies are available for pre-order with shipping in the first quarter of 2025.
“With the integration of Tektronix and EA, we’re now offering a comprehensive solution that allows customers to scale from nanovolt, picoamp measurements all the way to megawatt-level systems,” Ellis said.
