PCIM 2024: Latest News Highlights

The PCIM power electronics exhibition in Nuremberg this week was a resounding success, with 637 exhibitors, 60% of which were international, showcasing their latest products and innovations to over 18,000 visitors. This marked a significant increase from the 16,500 attendees last year and the 12,000 in 2022, showing a strong recovery from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

During the event, there were 472 presentations on current research topics, attracting 952 conference participants from 38 countries. One of the key highlights of the show was the emergence of a new generation of Intelligent Power Modules utilizing gallium nitride (GaN) technology. Companies like Texas Instruments and Qorvo showcased their developments in GaN chips, aiming to deliver higher efficiency, smaller size, and lower cost power solutions to the market.

Sustainability was a major focus at the exhibition, with power supply developers emphasizing the importance of increasing the efficiency of their designs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Infineon Technologies, a key player in the industry, not only highlighted its efforts in this area but also revealed plans to provide detailed carbon footprint data for its devices, particularly those used in automotive applications.

The transition to solid-state circuit breakers, though slow, showed promising advancements at the show. Silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs, known for their ability to handle high currents, were a key technology in this space. Companies like Qorvo and Menlo Micro showcased their SiC-based devices, offering improved performance and efficiency for circuit breaker applications.

Other notable highlights from the exhibition included the latest research on 1200V GaN technology, Rohm's advancements in SiC technology, and WeEn Semiconductors' plans for a 1400V IGBT. Stay tuned for an exclusive CEO interview with Markus Mosen of WeEn, a spin-out of NXP, where he will discuss the company's strategies for SiC and silicon superjunction MOSFETs.

Looking ahead, the PCIM exhibition in 2025 is scheduled to take place a month earlier, from 6th to 8th May, once again in Nuremberg, Germany. With the momentum gained from this year's successful event, the industry is poised for further innovations and collaborations in the field of power electronics.