PWM
Science & Engineering abbreviation · Electronics & Electrical
| Stands for | Pulse-width modulation |
|---|---|
| Categories | Science & Engineering |
PWM stands for Pulse-width modulation, an electronics & electrical abbreviation also used in technology.
Technique that controls the average power delivered to a load by switching it fully on and off rapidly and varying the fraction of time it is on, the duty cycle. PWM dims LEDs, controls motor speed, drives servos and is the basis of switching power supplies and class-D audio amplifiers.
Example: At 25% PWM duty cycle, the LED receives power only a quarter of the time and looks much dimmer.
Usage notes
Hobby servo motors read their position from a pulse of roughly 1 to 2 milliseconds repeated about 50 times per second. Because switching devices are either fully on or off, PWM wastes little energy as heat. Low PWM frequencies can produce visible flicker or audible whine.
Related abbreviations
More electronics & electrical abbreviations
- OLED – Organic light-emitting diode
- op-amp – Operational amplifier
- PCB – Printed circuit board
- PCBA – Printed circuit board assembly
- PLL – Phase-locked loop
- PTC – Positive temperature coefficient (thermistor)
- RCD – Residual-current device
- RFI – Radio-frequency interference
- RMS – Root mean square
- SCR – Silicon-controlled rectifier
- SMD – Surface-mount device
- SMPS – Switched-mode power supply