Being a technology journalist is just like being a journalist in any other space, in that we must constantly look for news to tell our audience. Sometimes that task is made easier when companies come together in press events, where they present their latest advances to the technology journalists. One of these events was recently held by Publitek in Munich, Germany. 

 

We were able to get some video interviews with some of the companies presenting at the event, and we also asked some questions about their views on the application spaces they are addressing. A common thread was the amount of disruptive change roiling the industry, and the need to use and/or leverage the latest core technologies in their solutions.

 

ON Semiconductor

In this video Joseph Notaro and Ali Husain from ON Semiconductor talk about issues facing the electronic components industry, from wide-bandgap semiconductors to advanced power system topologies, and how the company is addressing applications in the automotive and industrial electronics spaces.

 

 

ON Semiconductor is in the process of releasing their AQG324-Qualified VE-Trac Power Integrated Modules for Traction Inverters. Available in direct six-pack, dual half-bridge, and bare-die Silicon IGBT / Diode and SiC MOSFET / Diode configurations, the devices can handle battery voltages up to 800V+. 

 

Harwin 

In this video John Brunt from Harwin talks about their recently-introduced mixed-layout versions of their Gecko-SL series, complementing the data contacts with 2 or 4 power contacts in multiple power and data configurations. The respective power and data current ratings are 10A and 2.8A max per contact.
 

 

Available with cable-to-board, board-to-board and cable-to-cable options, the initial product launch includes pin-layouts of 1+8+1, or 2+8+2 contact configurations. For secure connections, stainless-steel jackscrews are available in both standard or reverse-fix versions, and lightweight metal hoods give additional cable protection and shielding.

 

Kemet 

In this video Wilmer Companioni from Kemet addresses some of the many challenges facing the passive components space, from the need to increase capabilities to keep up with wide-bandgap semiconductors, advanced circuit topologies, and the Cloud and 5G-based systems. Recently the company released the KC-LINK ceramic surface-mount capacitor family, with high ripple-current capabilities, useful for circuits with fast-switching wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors.
 

Using the company’s KONNEKT Transient Liquid-Phase Sintering process to create a leadless low-loss, low-inductance package, the devices are capable of handling extremely high ripple currents in the hundreds of kilohertz. KC-LINK capacitors are available in capacitance values from 4.7nF to 220nF and voltages from 500V to 1700V.

Keysight 
In this video, Jay Alexander of Keysight talks on topics from issues facing the design engineer today, to the ongoing legacy of the Hewlett-Packard origins of the company. Among the issues brought up is the need for the Test & Measurement industry to stay ahead of not only the hardware system designers, but the related software and RF aspects of the products they are creating. The company just released the PathWave Test 2020 software suite, which enables 5G, IoT, and automotive manufacturers to streamline test data processing and analysis.

 

The software provides data sharing and management between platform software tools including test automation, advanced measurement, signal creation and generation, in addition to data analytics. The integrated software platform allows application-tailored solutions to be developed and deployed to accelerate electronic test workflows and product development.

Looking forward
One of the things about having a dynamic industry with active competitors is that there are always new solutions to explore. Group presentations like the recent Publitek event in Munich are good ways for multiple companies to show their advances to the industry. They also support the ability for the trade press to keep up with the state of the art.