The use of dedicated integrated chip monitoring can extend the service life of the system

The European Commission’s recent publication details the "European Green Agreement." The focus of the Green Agreement is to promote the efficient use of resources in many different areas to achieve a cleaner circular economy. The "acquisition-manufacture-use-discard" model has reached its limit. If we continue to develop in accordance with this model, then we will get closer and closer to the resource crisis.

The circular economy model is the way to go in the future to achieve more sustainable resource utilization through more sustainable production, consumption, and better waste management. We need to design products with a longer lifespan. If something goes wrong, we can repair or recycle the product in an environmentally friendly way. Responsibility for meeting this policy runs through all supply chains, including electronic product suppliers. This is where ASIC can really play a role.

What is the effect if there is an advance notice of product failure?

For many years, the electronics industry has been committed to moving towards a greener future. Regulations such as RoHS (restrictions on the use of certain hazardous ingredients in electrical and electronic equipment) and REACH (regulations on the registration, evaluation, licensing, and restriction of chemicals) have been widely implemented. More and more products with lower power consumption are being introduced to the market in response to the call for environmental protection. So what other links can help? If we consider repairing or upgrading the product instead of throwing it away in a landfill, what solutions can be developed to promote implementation?

We all know "If something is not broken, don't fix it", but we have also encountered this situation. The product may have shown signs of failure and we have ignored it. When the product eventually fails, the only option is to discard it and replace it with a new product. However, what if we receive a notice of a serious problem beforehand and can repair the product? We will save the cost of buying new products and have a positive impact on the environment.

Benefits of using ASIC for condition monitoring

How to add this status monitoring function to the system? If more components must be added to perform this function, wouldn't it cause additional environmental problems? The solution is simple, using a dedicated integrated chip (ASIC). Using ASIC solutions, all condition monitoring circuits can be placed on the same chip together with all the electronic devices required for the core functions of the product. The monitoring function can be built-in to report the system status to enhance user information and fault diagnosis.

In this way, your circuit board has fewer components, and has the function of monitoring and alerting any performance problems before they become serious faults. By integrating the functions of multiple components on a single chip, the overall cost of the bill of materials can also be reduced. Through integration, you can also better allocate the overall power consumption of the chip and incorporate it into the design, thus bringing a positive green effect.