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Melexis, a global microelectronics engineering company, announced the launch of the MLX91218 Low Magnetic Field (LF) chip. The chip, the latest version of Melexis' IMC-Hall current sensor chip, is designed for low-current (less than 100A) applications, enabling smart energy monitoring in areas such as residential and small industrial power distribution units, microgrids and electric vehicle (EV) charging lines. The chip's non-intrusive technology makes it ideal for clamp-on measurement applications.

In industrial and residential environments, energy monitoring is critical to improving the efficiency of electronic circuits. Devices such as power supplies and advanced metering infrastructures (AMIs) capture data that can help revolutionise the way energy is used to effectively reduce waste, while supporting smart management of the grid, including the implementation of strategies such as peak shaving (i.e., reducing electricity use during peak hours).

The MLX91218-LF is a sensor chip designed for a wide range of solutions for smart power distribution units, power consumption units, and power monitors in industrial and residential environments, as well as support for power-related areas such as uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) and electric vehicle charging cables. In these applications, monitoring currents up to 100A in an intelligent and non-intrusive manner is critical to ensure reliable system operation. With a 400kHz bandwidth and 2μs response time, the chip provides fast detection of small current variations, combined with low thermal drift over a wide temperature range, high linearity (±0.5 per cent of full scale) and low noise to ensure accurate measurements in a wide range of operating environments.

To simplify integration, the device offers optional analogue outputs, supporting proportional or fixed (Vref) output modes, and can be powered from either a 3.3V or 5V supply, providing a high degree of flexibility. The device uses IMC Hall? technology, which supports vertical stacking of current conductors, PCBs and sense chips, helping to reduce physical design considerations compared to core-based technologies. Additionally, its magnetically focused point design benefits embedded applications with a surface mount package that not only simplifies integration of the sensor chip into larger PCBs, but also improves assembly efficiency and reduces costs.

The MLX91218-LF integrates internal and external dual-threshold overcurrent detection (OCD), a feature that plays a key role in creating smart features such as electronic fuses. Electronic fuses are an important component in smart residential and industrial power distribution systems to further enhance the intelligence of the system.OCD events are indicated by a low-level active open-drain output with a threshold that can be flexibly adjusted within or outside the sense range of the chip's outputs as required.

In typical current sensing applications, the sensor chip can be used in conjunction with a simple U-shaped shield for measuring current on busbars or PCBs. For clamp-on current measurement solutions, the shield assembly can be clamped directly onto the current conductor for non-intrusive measurement. For specific applications, such as those with low electromagnetic interference (EMI), the shield can be omitted, further reducing integration considerations and overall footprint.

Bruno Boury, Director of Product Lines at Melexis, said, ‘To improve grid efficiency and sustainability, intelligent technologies need to be introduced at a finer level. This need is fuelling the development of smart power devices in the home and industry that not only reduce energy consumption, but also help users engage in grid management strategies such as peak shaving and load shifting. The newly launched MLX91218-LF, based on Melexis' 20 years of proven IMC technology, is designed for critical low-current applications and offers the advantages of easy integration, high accuracy, cost-effectiveness and reliability.’

About Melexis Corporation

Melexis is committed to designing, developing and delivering cutting-edge sensing and drive solutions that put people and the planet first. Our mission is to help engineers turn their ideas into real-world applications and co-create a safe, comfortable and sustainable future, where visions become realities within reach.

Focusing on the automotive market, we provide microelectronic solutions for a wide range of applications in technologies such as powertrain, thermal management, lighting, e-brake, e-steering and battery. At the same time, we are leading the way in innovation by actively exploring emerging markets such as sustainable world, alternative mobility, robotics and digital health.