Second source ADCs with DSP for Naval Sonobuoys
Unlike traditional ADC production, where each SKU’s specifications are set in silicon, Silanna’s ResolutionEngine™ platform enables these to be defined post fabrication from just four (10-, 12-, 14-, and 16-bit) Plural ADC base designs.
This allows far larger production runs to be undertaken without the associated economic risks that would be faced by legacy data converter companies. And in turn this lowers the unit cost, enables greater volumes to be stored, shortens lead times, and completely removes the need to ever end of life an SKU used by a customer.
These benefits can be passed onto the customer and Silanna is working with a range of companies, offering them guaranteed supply chain stability and lower costs without compromising on performance.
The company has also been able to develop greater levels of integrated functionality for its ADCs, for example adding MIL-TEMP variants, and integrating a DSP, meaning FPGAs are no longer needed to manage the output, further simplifying system design.
Sonobuoys
The benefits of this technique have recently been gained by a US-based sonobuoy (sonar-equipped buoy) manufacturer, which develops NATO-standard devices for defense departments of allied governments around the world.
Sonobuoys are particularly used for submarine detection and tracking, as well as naval security operations and underwater acoustic research. These small (c.13 x 90 cm) systems contain an underwater hydrophone for detecting the characteristic audio patterns of a submarine (think The Hunt for Red October); and a transmitter with 99 discrete VHF/UHF channels across the 136-174 MHz and 225-400 MHz ranges. In NATO compliant sonobuoys, these frequencies are standardized so aircraft can reliably command, monitor, and receive acoustic data from deployed buoys.
The ADC is obviously vital to these functions, but the nature of the industry (and its consolidation) meant few choices were available, with prices remaining high. And, with comparatively small orders, organizations have little (or no) negotiating strength.
And while consolidation may be a natural consequence of manufacturing large numbers of products in low quantities, the effect of this is price increases, with the sonobuoy manufacturer’s legacy ADCs increasing in price roughly every six months.
Second Sourcing with Silanna
Silanna’s range of 10- to 16-bit ADCs are available in a wide range of sample speeds, and with industry leading performance. What’s more is that many of these have been designed to be pin-for-pin compatible drop-in replacements for a large number of components from ADI and TI.
As such, Silanna was able to offer [the SDXXX] a [X-bit, XXX Msps] direct replacement in a 3.4 x 3.4 mm [X-pin] package that gave not just the performance but essentially supply chains security and long-term price-lock guarantees.
Equally vital, Silanna’s entire ADC range is available with an option for an integrated DSP to undertake functions such as direct down-conversion, decimation, and IQ calibration without the need for/cost of an additional FPGA or ASIC.
Find out more
If you’d like to find out more on how Silanna’s Plural ADC platform can help you reduce your dependency on a single supplier and take back control of your supply chain, please tell us about your challenges here.