Solid State Power Control Demonstrator for Passenger Airliners

Traditional power control systems were electromechanical and solid state solutions promised significant weight and size reductions. The client came to us having supervised a previous prototype layout which had failed due to EMC problems within the PCB. We were engaged to produce a new circuit layout to the client’s specification paying particular attention to EMC radiation from the power circuits, and the susceptibility of the control signals.

Challenges included high voltage switching in close proximity to the small signal control circuitry. The solution had to meet sometimes conflicting requirements of safety, EMC and fast low loss switching.

The new circuit and layout worked as intended.

Achievement: Resolved a problem that enabled the client to demonstrate their first solid state power controller for passenger aircraft.