Magnetic amplifier binary-to-analog conversion

The problem of digital to analog conversion occurs frequently in systems using digital computers. Where power gain is needed, where a high degree of accuracy must be maintained, and where speed of response is not a limiting factor, magnetic amplifiers have special utility in decoding of digital information. Based on the saturable reactor with multiple control windings proportioned in a binary scale, a magnetic amplifier circuit has been devised to convert a 10-digit parallel binary-coded input to an analog voltage ranging from 0 to 102.3 volts average with an accuracy of better than one part in a thousand. With the 10-digit input, three saturable reactors are used for the basic conversion to analog and a subsequent stage of self-balancing magnetic amplifier provides additional gain to drive a servomagnetic amplifier. In the over-all conversion circuit, the inherent feedback, signal mixing, and power gain capabilities of magnetic amplifiers appear to result in a simpler and more reliable circuit than could be achieved with other techniques.1 This paper discusses the application of magnetic amplifiers in a digital to analog conversion.