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Welding with transistors! EPC eGaN FETs — Parallax Forums

Welding with transistors! EPC eGaN FETs

Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
edited 2013-10-19 12:56 in General Discussion
Switching dozens of amps at a few nano-seconds. New Enhanced Gallium Nitride FETs from EPC.

http://epc-co.com/epc/Products/eGaNFETs.aspx

Check out this amazing video, welding with transistors:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GNrxOcolNQ

I have to get me some of these:)

Comments

  • Mark_TMark_T Posts: 1,981
    edited 2013-10-18 09:23
    Awesome devices, looked at the EPC2015, note the pad layout to reduce source inductance which would otherwise dominate
    switching time... The gate drive requirements are going to be interesting (significant leakage). They bring the substrate out
    as a pin since its a lateral flow device (3 milliohms!!). Look to be nice devices for direct 5V logic use due to the lower input
    capacitances than silicon devices of low Rds(on) - they would PWM at 50kHz without needing more than a microcontroller
    pin to drive the gate I think. Bootstrapped hi-side switch will be interesting due to the large gate leakage

    [BTW you can get a nice arc out of a solar panel if its 30V or more, PV panels are intrinsically current sources
    and hold an arc nicely]
  • User NameUser Name Posts: 1,451
    edited 2013-10-19 09:46
    When I saw Heater's opening lines I nearly had a seizure. For one terrible moment I thought I'd been going down the wrong track with fourth generation silicon IGBTs. Then when I realized we were talking about tens of volts, all was well. When they get GaN transistors with breakdown voltages in excess of 1 KV, and able to conduct 150 A, I'll be there!
  • Peter KG6LSEPeter KG6LSE Posts: 1,383
    edited 2013-10-19 11:33
    Yea ..... give me fast rise times and 1.5 kV rating with lets say 100 amps cont .......... Ill be buyng a few for a sweet switch mode tesla coil .
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2013-10-19 12:36
    REAL men need not gas, arcs, electricity nor transistors for welding.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2013-10-19 12:56
    Erco,

    That's cool but real real men do their welding with explosives: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtRroe_Qpuo
    Can't find a video of welding boiler tubes with explosives as they do.

    Peter,
    ...fast rise times and 1.5 kV rating with lets say 100 amps cont
    You guys don't ask much.

    Is there any advantage to these little welding transistors then? D class audio power amps maybe?
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