DC/DC switching regulator shipments in the Americas exceeded $350 million in 2004, according to a market study by Venture Development Corporation (VDC) . Industrial control and instrumentation account for more than 9% of the total. DC/DC POLs are the fastest-growing product category, driven by the increased use of distributed power and intermediate bus architectures, VDC says.
According to Peter Walsh, senior analyst at VDC, “DC/DC manufacturers are addressing the need for higher efficiency by raising the switching frequency, powering only to meet the load requirements, and integrating the FETs more closely.”
IC switching regulators major applications in Americas, % of dollars, based on $350.8 million total in 2004:
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Computer and office automation: 30.2%
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Consumer electronics: 28.2%
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Telecom/datacom: 22.6%
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Industrial control: 5.0%
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Auto electronics: 4.6%
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Instrumentation: 4.3%
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Merchant power supply: 4.2%
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MIL/aerospace: 0.8%
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General automation: 0.1%
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Other: 0.2%
—Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering, [email protected]
