Electronics Manufacturing

A Rogowski coil produces a voltage related to the rate of change of enclosed current. Integration converts that signal to one proportional to current, but the method does not operate at DC.

Output impedance testing connects a J2111A current injector and probe to an LM117 output; small-signal load steps use an AWG and no injector bias current.

A 2-port shunt-through setup with the Bode 100 uses Gain/Phase mode, a 50 Ohm termination on Ch2, Thru calibration, and a logarithmic sweep to read impedance and estimate inductance.

PDN measurement commonly relies on a vector network analyzer. The source distinguishes 1-port measurement for higher impedance from 2-port shunt-through measurement for very low impedance, while noting that instrument cost can affect the approach.

An FRA is commonly used for transfer functions and power-supply control loops. A VNA provides port-based S-parameter, reflection, and calibrated impedance measurements for more complex RF and interconnect work.

A vector network analyzer can help characterize passive components, but measurement accuracy depends on the impedance range and method used. A grounded-end approach with port extension and an R + jX marker may have significant error outside a narrow range.

The Bosch GLM laser distance meter series has long been a staple on construction sites and in manufacturing workshops. Mastering these hidden features optimizes construction schedules and significantly reduces manual operational errors.

A 2-port probe can measure PCB power-rail impedance with minimal board changes. For the VDD_3V3_S0 example, ON-state impedance was checked against an approximately 8 mΩ target through 7 kHz.

The 2-port shunt-through technique is used for milliohm impedance measurements at very high frequencies. Ground loops from instrument grounds and test cabling can introduce major error; the Picotest J2102A is used as a ground-loop breaker for measurements down to 20 micro-ohms.

Power-hungry AI accelerators and other high-performance chips increase the relevance of power integrity testing. Key topics include voltage regulator modules, PDN impedance measurement, and reducing the effect of probe ground-loop resistance with a low-noise isolator.