Power switches for safety systems that meet operating conditions in harsh industrial environments must not only be equipped with protection functions such as undervoltage, overvoltage, and overload, but also be capable of high-speed starting that minimizes power application delay time.

STMicroelectronics (ST) announced on the 5th that it has released the IPS1025HF high-speed start high-side power switch for use in safety systems that require minimizing power-on delay time.

The IPS1025HF supports turn-on and turn-off with a response time of less than 60µs, even with Vcc power-on and power-off, ensuring the specified Safety-Integrity Level (SIL) rating of the protection system. This small device supports a very wide input voltage range of 8.65V to 60V and can withstand up to 65V at the input pin, making it suitable for use in harsh industrial operating conditions. Applications include PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers), vending machines, factory automation I/O peripherals, and CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machines.

Like similar single-channel and dual-channel devices in ST’s intelligent power switch family, the IPS1025HF features two programmable current limit settings, allowing users to program a higher current limit value when activating the power switch. This provides greater flexibility for driven loads such as light bulbs, motors, and capacitive loads that require high initial peak currents.

The output stage is an N-channel power MOSFET with a typical Rds(on) of 12.5 mOhm at room temperature, ensuring high energy efficiency and low heat dissipation. This MOSFET is internally limited to a minimum output current of 2.5 A and features a single-pulse avalanche of up to 14 J to improve stability when handling inductive loads. An active clamp supporting fast self-erasing is also integrated.

This switch has protection functions for undervoltage, overvoltage, overload, short circuit, ground disconnection, and Vcc disconnection, and includes on-chip diagnostic functions that provide individual signals for output overload and junction overheating, as well as an additional thermal sensor that detects excessive case temperature. This device is designed to meet IEC 61000-4-5 specifications for ESD, high-speed transients, and surge immunity, as well as IEC 61000-4-2 ESD and IEC 61000-4-4.

For rapid evaluation, the X-NUCLEO-OUT15A1 expansion board, consisting of the IPS1025HF and related circuitry connectable to the STM32 Nucleo development board, is supported. The demo firmware pack STSW-OUT15F4 and the industrial automation system design GUI STSW-IFAPGUI are also provided, allowing users to realize a complete industrial automation environment on the desktop.

IPS1025HF is currently in production and is supplied in PowerSSO-24 and QFN48L packages.