Farnell Technology
Encyclopedia
Farnell Technology was once a trading name of Premier Farnell
, a distributor of electronic
components. It was a significant manufacturer of electronic laboratory
and bench equipment until Farnell divested itself of manufacturing in 1995.
Premier Farnell
Premier Farnell plc is a leading British distributor of electronic components supporting millions of engineers and purchasing professionals globally. Premier Farnell markets and distributes a comprehensive range of products and services throughout Europe, North America and Asia Pacific with...
, a distributor of electronic
Electronics
Electronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
components. It was a significant manufacturer of electronic laboratory
Laboratory
A laboratory is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. The title of laboratory is also used for certain other facilities where the processes or equipment used are similar to those in scientific laboratories...
and bench equipment until Farnell divested itself of manufacturing in 1995.
Constituent companies
The group of electronic manufacturing companies known as Farnell Technology included:- BBH Windings was primarily a manufacturer of wound components, transformerTransformerA transformer is a device that transfers electrical energy from one circuit to another through inductively coupled conductors—the transformer's coils. A varying current in the first or primary winding creates a varying magnetic flux in the transformer's core and thus a varying magnetic field...
s and inductorInductorAn inductor is a passive two-terminal electrical component used to store energy in a magnetic field. An inductor's ability to store magnetic energy is measured by its inductance, in units of henries...
s. - Farnell Instruments made a wide range of laboratory and industrial instrumentationElectronic test equipmentElectronic test equipment is used to create signals and capture responses from electronic Devices Under Test . In this way, the proper operation of the DUT can be proven or faults in the device can be traced and repaired...
including bench power power suppliesPower supplyA power supply is a device that supplies electrical energy to one or more electric loads. The term is most commonly applied to devices that convert one form of electrical energy to another, though it may also refer to devices that convert another form of energy to electrical energy...
, switch-mode power suppliesSwitched-mode power supplyA switched-mode power supply is an electronic power supply that incorporates a switching regulator in order to be highly efficient in the conversion of electrical power...
, signal generatorSignal generatorSignal generators, also known variously as function generators, RF and microwave signal generators, pitch generators, arbitrary waveform generators, digital pattern generators or frequency generators are electronic devices that generate repeating or non-repeating electronic signals...
s, digital voltmeters, oscilloscopeOscilloscopeAn oscilloscope is a type of electronic test instrument that allows observation of constantly varying signal voltages, usually as a two-dimensional graph of one or more electrical potential differences using the vertical or 'Y' axis, plotted as a function of time,...
s, trip amplifiers etc. - HiVolt made high voltage power suppliesPower supplyA power supply is a device that supplies electrical energy to one or more electric loads. The term is most commonly applied to devices that convert one form of electrical energy to another, though it may also refer to devices that convert another form of energy to electrical energy...
for the medical and allied industries. - Kelan Circuits manufactures printed circuit boardPrinted circuit boardA printed circuit board, or PCB, is used to mechanically support and electrically connect electronic components using conductive pathways, tracks or signal traces etched from copper sheets laminated onto a non-conductive substrate. It is also referred to as printed wiring board or etched wiring...
s. - Wayne Kerr Electronics manufactured LCR meters and Automated Test Equipment (ATE).