Littelfuse adds ESD suppression selection tool to its popular online iDesign Circuit protection selection platform

     Littelfuse, a global leader in circuit protection, today announced that it has expanded its range of circuit protection devices for Littelfuse iDesign online simulation and product selection tools. First launched in April 2014, this powerful web-based tool now includes ESD selection tools to help circuit designers select Littelfuse's growing array of TVS diodes (SPA Transient Suppression Diode arrays). These devices are designed to protect electronic devices from rapid transient voltages that are often destructive, such as lightning strikes and electrostatic discharge (ESD).

     The iDesign platform is the first of its kind for circuit protection devices and was developed in response to the requirements of Littelfuse customers. It provides a quick and intuitive way to find the best components for the relevant application, find part documentation and order part samples for prototyping, all from this convenient software package. It provides tools to guide users through the component selection process and quickly propose alternative solutions based on the input application parameters.

     Users of the ESD selection tool can enter parameters on the System Settings and Device Settings page, and then select and compare up to three devices on the Device selection page. The analysis page allows you to run simulations, compare the system ESD levels of the selected devices, and quickly identify which devices provide the most powerful performance for your application and the "best case" performance of each device.

     Chad Marak, Director of Semiconductor Business Development at Littelfuse, said: "Selecting the right ESD protection component and verifying its performance used to be a costly, time-consuming and often incomplete process because the protected device was not considered in conjunction with the protected device. With the new ESD tool, users do not need to search through data sheets for parameter information or incompatible simulation files, as they can access our TVS diode array product database, perform calculations and automatically simulate device performance. Essentially, it allows circuit designers to 'test run' the ESD performance of a device without having to build a test board."

     Jeff Dunnihoo, Pragma Design, said: "The Pesto™ ESD simulation model created for iDesign was derived from independent measurements of the ESD Industry Council's proven SEED(ESD Design for System Efficiency) method. These models are not extracted from Littelfuse design parameters, but are based on actual samples of Littelfuse devices measured by Barth Electronics, an industry leader in accurate ESD measurement. This turns tedious and costly up-front analysis into a simple and reusable tool that helps design, procure, and sustain engineering teams to make choices with confidence."

     Marak continues, "iDesign will prompt the user with system parameters and design goals to guide them through the SEED simulation process. The summary page reports user input against the overall system performance of the selected protected device, provides pricing and availability information, and enables users to download data sheets and order equipment samples. The Design Manager toolbar makes it easy to create, save, and reload selections, and can even be shared with other members of the design team."

     Circuit designers can access the platform by going to the iDesign login page to register and create a free online account. The flexible iDesign platform enables Littelfuse to incorporate additional circuit protection devices in the future, ensuring that users design with the latest technology.