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May 6
- PCIM: 1,000V 125A MEMS relay proof-of-concept
➀ Menlo Microsystems demonstrates a 1,000V/125A MEMS relay module using arrays of MM9200 switches at PCIM 2025, scalable for power systems up to 10MW;
➁ The technology targets naval circuit breakers and applications in factory automation, data centers, EVs, and smart grids;
➂ Claims compact size (30x25x4mm per 10A relay) and efficiency advantages over traditional electromechanical/solid-state relays
- Redwire boosts PIL-BOX in-space drug development technology
➀ Redwire expands its in-space drug development program by launching a high-volume Industrial Crystallizer, capable of processing 200x larger samples than current levels;
➁ The company aims to produce gold nanospheres in space for the first time, which could enhance cancer detection, targeted drug delivery, and radiation therapy;
➂ The experiment, part of SpaceX's 32nd resupply mission to the ISS, seeks to validate crystallizer technology for commercializing space-based material fabrication.
- Infineon launches CoolSiC MOSFET 750 G2 technology
➀ Infineon launched its CoolSiC MOSFET 750 V G2 technology, enhancing system efficiency and power density for automotive and industrial power conversion applications;
➁ The MOSFETs feature RDS(on) values up to 60 mΩ, support top-side cooling for thermal performance, and reduce switching losses through optimized gate charge and design;
➂ Compliant with AEC Q101 and JEDEC standards, the technology targets applications like EV chargers, solar inverters, and solid-state relays, emphasizing reliability and design flexibility.
- Transistor Ignition
➀ Joseph Lucas (Electrical) showcased a transistor-based car ignition system at the 1961 Geneva Motor Show, replacing traditional coils/magnetos;
➁ The system used a flywheel as a generator to induce high voltage, initially targeting racing cars with potential for broader adoption;
➂ The article reflects on historical advancements in automotive electronics and semiconductor applications.
May 5
- China car industry goes off-shore
➀ Chinese car companies are expanding overseas production to bypass tariffs, with BYD building a $1 billion plant in Turkey for EU market access;
➁ Geely, SAIC, Chery Auto, and others are establishing factories in Thailand, Malaysia, Europe, and other regions to strengthen global presence;
➂ Dongfeng and FAW are negotiating production in Italy and Egypt, signaling aggressive global manufacturing strategies amid trade challenges.
- Digital Twin Centre Opens In Belfast
➀ The UK Digital Twin Centre launched in Belfast with support from Digital Catapult and Innovate UK to accelerate digital twin adoption in critical sectors;
➀ Industry partners demonstrated cross-sector solutions using immersive labs, highlighting applications in aerospace, maritime, and defense;
➁ The Centre offers an accelerator program for SMEs, providing funding, mentorship, and tools like IoT and simulation to fast-track real-world deployment.
- Ed The Manipulator
➀ Ed spreads false rumors to manipulate tech stock prices, including claims about Huawei's low-cost EUV machines, Intel 18A and TSMC A16 yields, and DeepSeek cloning OpenAI products;
➁ He circulates these rumors through brokers and analysts to trigger market volatility, allowing him to profit from stock movements;
➂ Ed considers expanding his manipulation tactics beyond the tech sector, such as spreading rumors about political figures to impact broader markets.
May 2
- Telonic offers Siglent’s enhanced precision digital multimeters
➀ Telonic introduces Siglent's SDM4000A series 5½/6½-digit DMMs in the UK, featuring 2.2M counts resolution and 50k readings/s sampling rate;
➁ Models support data logging up to 100 hours, multiple display modes (histogram/trend chart), and advanced math functions for precision analysis;
➂ Equipped with USB/LAN/GPIB interfaces, embedded web server, and compatibility with SCPI commands for remote control.
- The Customer
➀ Intel faces significant challenges, with CEO Pat Gelsinger's pledge to 'return to basics by listening to customers' being a key focus, despite the company's historical struggles in customer care;
➁ The article references Andy Grove's infamous 'Ship the shit' remark, highlighting Intel's past cultural issues in prioritizing product delivery over customer satisfaction;
➂ Anecdotes from other chip companies, including a CEO's symbolic 'customer dummy' initiative that was quickly abandoned, underscore systemic industry-wide neglect of customer-centric practices.
- Most Read – NXP Semiconductors, WLIEA, EU chip strategy
➀ The EU's 20% global chip market share target by 2030 is deemed unrealistic by auditors, urging a strategic reassessment;
➁ Huawei plans to sample its Ascend 910D AI processor in late May, targeting competition with NVIDIA's H100, with mass production on SMIC's 7nm process in 2026;
➂ NXP Semiconductors announces CEO transition from Kurt Sievers to Rafael Sotomayor in October 2025, following Sievers' 30-year tenure and strategic leadership.
- What caught your eye? (CSignum, AI servers, Power LEDs, Biomass)
➀ A startup introduces electromagnetic field signaling technology for underwater IoT monitoring;
➁ Huawei's AI server reportedly outperforms Nvidia's most powerful model, highlighting challenges to U.S. tech export restrictions;
➂ Cree launches single-die power LEDs with circular emitters for high-intensity lighting, and Airbus-developed Biomass satellite prepares to map Earth's forests in 3D.
- Bidding war for Shibaura
➀ MinebeaMitsumi raised its buyout offer for Shibaura Electronics to $38 per share, surpassing Taiwan's Yageo's $37 bid;
➁ MinebeaMitsumi's CEO emphasized the bid aligns with Japan's 'national interest' and criticized foreign acquisitions of Japanese companies;
➂ Shibaura holds a leading global thermistor market share, with Tokyo-based Advantage Partners offering buyout financing support.
- £6m EPSRC grant to develop 2D transistors
➀ Researchers from Queen Mary University, Nottingham, and Glasgow received £6M EPSRC funding to develop 2D materials and devices, with £2M contributed by 20+ industrial partners;
➁ The project aims to replace silicon with 2D materials, potentially reducing data center energy consumption by 90% and supporting Net Zero goals;
➂ Major semiconductor firms like TSMC, Intel, and Samsung have included 2D materials in their 2040 roadmaps, with the UK aiming to lead in ultra-low-energy 2D devices before 2040.
- VSORA raises $46m for inference IC
➀ VSORA secures $46 million from investors including Otium, Omnes Capital, and the European Innovation Council Fund to advance AI chip development;
➁ Funding will accelerate production of Jotunn8 (J8) inference chip, targeting silicon completion in 2025;
➂ Partnerships with semiconductor industry leaders ensure access to advanced technologies and manufacturing capabilities.
- Arms Race
➀ The U.S. and China accounted for nearly half of global military spending in 2024, with the U.S. spending $997 billion (37% of the total) and China $314 billion (12%), marking China's largest annual increase (7%) since 2015;
➁ China's spending surge aligns with its goal to modernize its military by 2035, including establishing aerospace and cyberspace forces, while Taiwan increased its budget by 1.8% to $16.5 billion for U.S. weapons and domestic systems;
➂ Other top spenders include Russia ($5.5 billion), Germany, India ($86.1 billion), Japan ($55.3 billion), and South Korea ($47.6 billion), reflecting global militarization trends.
May 1
- IEC 61051-2 certified surge protection
➀ Bourns' IsoMOV surge protectors combining MOV and GDT technologies received IEC 61051-2 certification, validating their hybrid design for enhanced reliability;
➁ The devices feature leakage current blocking via GDT, voltage ranges up to 555VAC/745VDC, and robust surge handling (up to 15kA pulses) with low capacitance;
➂ Certified for -40°C to +125°C operation, these components address premature MOV degradation while maintaining protection post-leakage increase.
- Picture Gallery: UCL Mullard Space Science Laboratory (MSSL) visit
➀ Space South Central invited newsletter readers to visit the Mullard Space Science Laboratory (MSSL) in Surrey;
➁ The author seized the opportunity to gain behind-the-scenes access to the renowned space research facility;
➂ The article highlights the experience and insights from exploring MSSL's operations and rural campus.
- Fable: The Genius
➀ The article presents a fable titled 'The Genius' with the moral 'Genius is always remembered';
➁ It reflects on the enduring impact of intellectual brilliance through allegorical storytelling;
➂ The narrative structure and recommended related fables suggest a focus on timeless lessons in creativity and legacy.
- Southampton Uni instals EBL machine
➀ University of Southampton installed JEOL JBX-8100 G3 EBL machine enabling sub-5nm structure processing in thick resist with vertical sidewalls;
➁ The 200kV system supports electron displacement and multi-domain applications (electronics/photonics/bio-nano), with a 300mm-wafer JEOL JBX-A9 tool to be added in late 2024;
➂ Funded by EPSRC, the facility integrates SEM and deep-UV lithography, using Genisys software for pattern optimization with ±9nm overlay accuracy.
- More capacitor help please
➀ The author seeks advice on replacing vintage 1985 Philips capacitors (X-capacitor and MKT type) in a motor controller board after previously replacing a faulty tantalum capacitor;
➁ Details include concerns about the polyester-paper X-capacitor's reliability and uncertainty about the MKT capacitor's specifications;
➂ Asks the community to determine if these aging components require replacement for safety and functionality.
April 30
- Codasip platform accelerates CHERI adoption
➀ Codasip launched Codasip Prime, a pre-silicon platform integrating CHERI technology to enhance memory safety and security in RISC-V-based systems;
➁ The platform includes FPGA hardware, a software development kit, and CHERI-specific IP to enable secure software development and compliance with regulations like the EU Cyber Resilience Act;
➂ CHERI addresses 87% of memory-related cyberattacks, offering cost-effective protection without requiring full software rewrites, with Codasip collaborating with the CHERI Alliance to standardize RISC-V extensions.
April 29
- Low-drop 2,000V rectifiers in TO247
➀ WeEn Semiconductors introduced two 2,000V rectifiers (90A and 60A) in TO247 packaging, designed for electric vehicle charging and industrial applications with low forward voltage drop and thermal resistance;
➁ The devices feature a maximum thermal resistance of 0.18°C/W and operate in temperatures from -55°C to +150°C, requiring heatsinking considerations due to cathode-tab connections;
➂ Targeted use cases include 1,500V bus systems, EV charging infrastructure, solar inverters, and energy storage systems, emphasizing durability against voltage spikes and stray inductance.
- Sievers to hand over to Sotomayor as NXP CEO
➀ NXP CEO Kurt Sievers will resign on October 28, succeeded by current President Rafael Sotomayor, who has 20 years of experience at NXP and previously held executive roles at Broadcom, Intel, and Motorola;
➁ Sievers, CEO since 2020, led strategic initiatives in automotive and IoT, including the acquisition of Marvell’s Wi-Fi business in 2019;
➂ NXP reported a 9% Q1 revenue decline to $2.84 billion, citing market uncertainty and tariff challenges while maintaining "cautious optimism."
- Biomass satellite mapping Earth’s forests in 3D with P-band SAR data
➀ The Biomass satellite, developed by Airbus Defence and Space for the European Space Agency, is the first to create 3D maps of Earth's forests using P-band SAR technology to measure carbon storage;
➀ It will operate at 666km altitude for five years, providing unprecedented data on forest biomass changes to support climate change policies;
➂ The UK Space Agency highlights its role in advancing carbon cycle understanding, with the mission supporting 250 jobs and involving over 50 companies globally.
- UK penny-pinching on space research
➀ In 1961, UK Labour MP Woodrow Wyatt criticized Britain's minimal investment in space research (1 penny per capita) compared to the US and Soviet Union, proposing a dedicated Minister of Space Research to coordinate efforts;
➀ The UK Postmaster General's failure to collaborate with industry led to duplicated studies by companies like English Electric and Hawker-Siddeley, wasting resources;
➂ Wyatt emphasized the economic potential of communication satellites and the urgent need for centralized leadership to advance the UK's space technology.
- Sponsored Content: Driving the Future: Evolution of Automotive Connectors
➀ Automotive connectors are evolving to meet demands for safety, environmental consciousness, and intelligence, requiring miniaturization, integration, high voltage resistance, and high-speed transmission;
➁ Greenconn, a leading manufacturer, develops compact and integrated connectors like the GGAC203 series and high-power/high-speed solutions for electric vehicles and autonomous driving;
➂ The shift toward customization and simulation-driven design enhances reliability while reducing development costs and failure risks in automotive applications.
April 28
- Click board includes 85V 10A stepper motor driver
➀ Mikroe introduces Power Step 2 Click, a smart 85V 10A stepper motor driver based on STMicroelectronics' powerSTEP01 controller;
➁ The board's continuous current handling is ~5A due to thermal limits but can be enhanced via heatsinks or the Cooler Click fan accessory;
➂ Features include 128 microstepping, advanced motion control commands, and applications in robotics/automation for precise positioning.
- Can The US Get Manufacturing Jobs Back?
➀ Surveys indicate Americans lack interest in returning to factory jobs, and higher wage demands could undermine U.S. company profitability;
➁ Decades of outsourcing to low-cost labor markets have shifted U.S. employment toward the service sector, which now accounts for over 70% of nonfarm jobs;
➂ U.S. manufacturing employment has declined from 30% in 1950 to 8% in 2024, driven by productivity gains and globalization, with China emerging as the global manufacturing hub.
- CHIIPS podcast interview with industry veteran Ash Madni
➀ The latest CHIIPS podcast episode interviews Ash Madni, offering industry insights and workplace diversity advice;
➁ Previous episodes featured Blueshift Memory CEO Helen Duncan and ANDtr's Valerie Lynch and Nicola Thorn;
➂ The series explores electronics industry trends, technology updates, and future forecasts
- More detective work on the 1985 cnc lathe
➀ The article details an investigation into the safety interlock system of a 1985 Denford Starturn CNC lathe, revealing factory wiring errors and voltage rating issues in components like relays and logic ICs;
➀ Unexpected discoveries include the availability of original 40-year-old connectors from RS Components and a reversed speed control potentiometer due to incorrect factory assembly;
➂ The machine's design evolution is analyzed, highlighting ad-hoc modifications (e.g., external stepper drivers) and safety concerns with mixed mains/logic voltage traces on the PCB.