1. APEC Marks its 40th Anniversary in Atlanta, March 16-20, 2025
   
2. Meet Your Directors
   
3. Welcome to PSMA
   
4. PSMA 40th Anniversary
   
5. About Our Members
   
6. PSMA Planning Meeting in Atlanta, GA
   
7. The 11th IEEE Workshop on Wide Bandgap Power Devices and Applications
   
8. PSMA Magnetics Committee and PELS TC2 High Frequency Magnetics Workshop
   
9. IWIPP 2025 at the University of Alabama
   
10. EnerHarv 2024 Recap
    
11. Student Mentoring at APEC 2025
    
12. Suggestions for APEC Mentors
    
13. New Power Technologies for Industry Innovation
    
14. Events of Interest - Mark Your Calendar

If you or anyone in your company is interested in getting on the distribution list for future issues of PSMA UPDATE, please send e-mail to: power@psma.com. Be sure to include your name and the name of your company.

Previous issues of update: Q4_2023 | Q1_2024 | Q2_2024

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PSMA UPDATE is published and distributed via e-mail quarterly by the Power Sources Manufacturers Association. Send editorial information and comments to:

Permission to reprint information and articles as published is granted: a courtesy line is appreciated.

Membership in PSMA is open to any organization or corporation involved in the power sources and supplies industry. For membership information, visit our website or contact us by fax, telephone or email.

If you or anyone in your company is interested in getting on the distribution list for future issues of PSMA UPDATE, please send e-mail to: power@psma.com. Be sure to include your name and the name of your company.

 

e sure to mark your calendars to come to APEC 2025, March 16-20 at the Georgia World Congress Center. This is a special year. We'll be marking our 40th anniversary.

The Conference Committee is hard at work building next year's world-class program. With all submission portals closed, the committees are now hard at work reviewing and selecting the submissions for Technical Sessions, Industry Sessions and Professional Education Seminars. The final program will be completed and all authors notified in early October.

Registration will open October 25th and the fee for full conference registration (still one of lowest of all IEEE conferences) includes free access to the Sunday and Monday Professional Education Seminars as well as a free ticket to the Wednesday evening Social Event. Discounted early bird registration closes on January 13th. Remember, you need to register to get access to the discounted hotel reservations. These special hotel blocks will sell out well early in the next year.

The APEC 2025 exhibition hall is sold out – 272 exhibitors and 130 companies on the wait list – reflecting the value that manufacturers in the industry place on our event. The exhibition begins on Monday evening with a hosted reception on the trade show floor. (Monday is St. Patty's Day, so I expect there will a lot of green worn that evening.) The exhibits are also open on Tuesday and Wednesday and offer a hosted lunch service to all attendees. This year, for the first time, exhibits only registration will come with a modest registration fee.

If you haven't already made plans to attend, don't wait any longer. Be sure you have it in your 2025 budget to attend this exceptional event – truly The Premier Event in Applied Power Electronics™

Provided by Greg Evans, APEC 2025 Publicity Co-Chair

our members of the Board of Directors are elected at the PSMA Annual Meeting held every year during the APEC conference. Each Director serves a three year term and is eligible to be reelected for one additional term.

In this issue we would like to introduce you to Mr. David Chen.

As an energy efficiency advocate from the power semiconductor industry, David loves the interplay between technologies and regulations to better the world. Contributing actively as an industry stakeholder in workgroups, David collaborates with standards bodies on energy efficiency, safety, and compliance, providing technical guidance on standards and regulations from the California Energy Commission, U.S. Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency (ENERGY STAR®), European Commission (energy label and ecodesign), and China Quality Certification Center.

For five years, David has served as co-chair for the Power Sources Manufacturers Association (PSMA) Energy Management Committee and provides support for the PSMA Safety and Compliance Committee. In 2024, he also began his term as Vice President for the PSMA. He is a member of the International Energy Agency 4E Electronic Devices and Networks Annex and Power Electronic Conversion and Technology Annex, the IEC TC47/SC47E committee for semiconductor devices and TC59/MT9 committee for standby power measurement, and JEDEC's JC-70 Wide Bandgap Power Electronic Conversion Semiconductors Committee.

With thirty years of experience in power system design and applications, David has held senior management positions at both publicly traded and privately held companies, including Volterra (acquired by Maxim), Akros Silicon, and Jade Sky Technologies, an LED driver start-up which he co-founded. David received both his B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering and M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from MIT and is the author of two patents.

Bultitude Consulting LLC
Nicola Gallazzi
508 Foxcroft Road
Greenville, SC 29615
Telephone: 864-553-0636
E-mail: johnbultitude101@outlook.com
Website: www.linkedin.com/in/john-bultitude-5a5b0a20/

John Bultitude is a long time member and contributor to PSMA, establishing Bultitude Consulting LLC after a successful career at KEMET/YAEGO. John became a member of the PSMA Board of Directors in 2023 and continues in that role following his retirement from KEMET/YAEGO.
 
John spent the last sixteen years at KEMET, starting as Senior Director, Specialty Cerman Capacitors before becoming Vice President Technical Fellow, Ceramic Technology. At KEMET, John received over 28 patents related to his work.
 
As a member of PSMA, John has been a co-chair of the PSMA Packaging and Manufacturing Committee and has played a key role in organizing and running the 3D-PEIM Symposium.

Fluxline Ltd.
Hugh McCafferty
20 Glencar Park
Letterkenny, Donegal F92PF6Y
Ireland
Telephone: 003-5386-385-0948
E-mail: info@fluxline.net
Website: www.fluxline.net

Fluxline Ltd. partners with power converter design teams in the design and development of optimum magnetic components. With a legacy of excellence spanning many years, Fluxline has earned a reputation for an unwavering commitment to achieving design goals and an ability to overcome the most challenging design obstacles.

Fluxline brings decades of experience extensive capabilities and innovation to the market and has competencies in Power Conversion, EMI, and Signals/Networks.

PSMA President Renee Yawger Shares Her Thoughts on the Coming 40th Anniversary of PSMA

Preparing for PSMA's 40TH Anniversary

n 2025, the Power Sources Manufacturers Association (PSMA) will celebrate its 40th anniversary. As we commemorate four decades of achievement, we pause to recognize the initiatives that have established PSMA as a cornerstone of our industry.

A Legacy of Leadership

One of PSMA's early milestones was the creation of the "Handbook of Standardized Terminology for the Power Sources Industry," a critical resource for professionals. PSMA also co-sponsored the Power Electronics Conference (PEC) in 1989, reinforcing its mission to provide a comprehensive industry forum. By 1990, PSMA had partnered with IEEE PELS and IAS to become a sponsor of APEC, cementing its leadership in the power electronics community.

Educational Initiatives and Collaboration

PSMA's dedication to education and professional development is evident through its sponsorship of numerous workshops and conferences. These events, such as the Applied Power Electronics Conference (APEC) and the International Workshop on Integrated Power Packaging (IWIPP), provide unique opportunities for attendees to network with peers, share the latest research, exchange ideas, and collaborate on solutions to common challenges ensuring continuous innovation within the industry.

Mentoring the Next Generation

Recognizing the importance of nurturing future professionals, PSMA has launched a pilot mentorship program that pairs industry veterans with emerging talent, providing career guidance, technical training, and opportunities to participate in PSMA-sponsored events. By fostering knowledge transfer and professional growth, PSMA is preparing the next generation of leaders who will drive the industry forward.

Charting the Future with the Power Technology Roadmap

The PSMA Power Technology Roadmap is a strategic document that offers a comprehensive view of the current and future landscape of the power sources industry. Developed through collaboration among industry experts, researchers, and academics, the roadmap analyzes trends, identifies challenges, and forecasts technological advancements. This resource helps companies align their strategies with anticipated developments and make informed decisions about research and development investments. The next edition of the roadmap will be published at APEC 2025.

Looking Ahead

As PSMA celebrates 40 years of innovation, it reaffirms its commitment to advancing the power sources industry. With ongoing initiatives like the Energy Efficiency Award, educational workshops, mentorship programs, and the Power Technology Roadmap, PSMA is poised to lead the industry into the future. By encouraging professionals to join its committees and contribute to key initiatives, PSMA ensures that its members are well-equipped to meet future challenges and opportunities.

As we honor PSMA's past, we also embrace the future with a renewed commitment to excellence, collaboration, and success. Here's to another four decades of innovation and industry leadership.

To help with the 40th anniversary celebration planning, please reach out to power@psma.com

 
uture Technology Worldwide, LLC – (FTW) is a Manufacturers' Representative whose executive, Fred Weber, possesses over 30 years of technical sales, account management, and business development experience. FTW has created a well-balanced portfolio of CUTTING EDGE POWER PRODUCTS AND SERVICES suppliers for its customers. We maintain for its principals the highest level of sales representation for business, market development, and growth in the Great Lakes Territory. FTW offers a high level of practical experience, technical know-how, and a solid reputation for opening doors, and building relationships with engineering, purchasing, and management.

Before diving into greater detail about FTW, I wanted to thank you for taking the time to get to know FTW better, and also to say a word about PSMA. I have been a part of PSMA for about a decade now having served as committee chair on several committees, as well as gone through the Executive staff rotation culminating in the position of Chair. I can honestly say that you truly get out what you put in. Several of our larger manufactures have embraced what PSMA offers and have thrived due to their efforts. I would encourage everyone that is a PSMA member to get involved in the committees, and make the most of their membership. The payback in visibility, and perception will manifest positive results.

Fred Weber, the Owner and President of FTW has an electrical engineering degree, and actively works to both improve his technical knowledge and place himself in, positions to be aware of technology trends and advancements. Fred is very active in PSMA (Power Sources Manufacturers Association). He was the chair of PSMA from 2022 to 2024, and an active part of the Transportation & Capacitor committees.

FTW's portfolio is separated into three primary groups, Components, Products, and Services. All of the principals have a fundamental technical edge over their competition within their industry. Their broad spectrum of capabilities allows FTW to work in virtually every market. By offering services in addition to hardware, FTW is able to provide customers' often needed capabilities to complete their projects.

FTW Component Principals are as follows:

Qorvo – is changing the way energy is processed through breakthrough Silicon Carbide (SiC) technology. They offer THE LOWEST RdsOn values on the market. Qorvo power semiconductor products deliver industry-best efficiency, greater power density, and higher reliability than comparable silicon superjunction and SiC MOSFET devices. Available in industry standard packaging, this SiC product family includes FETs specified at 650V, 750V & 1200V with RDS(on) ranging from 7mΩ to 410mΩ, to normally-on JFET devices and JBS diodes, both rated at 650V-1700V. Check out the new Gen 4 SiC FET products that deliver an entirely new level of performance, efficiency, reliability and overall cost effectiveness.

CapXon - is a global leader in Electrolytic Capacitors and is IATF 16949 Certified. They offer aluminum electrolytic, conductive polymer and hybrid electrolytic capacitors as well as etched and formed aluminum foil. The full Hybrid Polymer library of products and various series of electrolytic caps are AEC-Q200 approved with high temperature ratings of up to 150°C & high vibration capabilities of up to 30G. Product range starts at 4mm diameter cans in SMD up to large screw capacitors with 650V values. The 40 years of experience in electrolytic capacitors, patented technologies, and a monthly overall production capacity of one billion pieces gives our customers the needed technology and stable product supply for all of their needs. Whether it is an off the shelf capacitor from their 100 catalog series components, or as customized solution, which is tailored to your application, CapXon has the electrolytic capacitor solution for you.

Polycharge America - Manufactures capacitors using Polycharge NanoLam Technology which are hitting the market in force. Polycharge NanoLam capacitors, especially for DC link applications, are about 30% - 50% the size of polypropylene film caps, can handle environments up to 140C, can handle similar ripple currents, and can maintain capacitance at high frequencies.

Faratronic - is a leading film capacitor manufacturer, and can produce most all kinds of film capacitors, including PCB film, DC-Link, IGBT snubber, AC motor and AC filter capacitors. Faratronic has a very strong Research Department with a 10,000 square meter center. The testing center, one of the largest in the world, is ISO17025 certified. Faratronic is very flexible and can also produce customized film capacitors according to a customer's request.

Ideal Power – manufactures B-TRAN Technology, creating a Bidirectional switch that allows a user to reduce the number of switching components by a factor of 4 when compared to a circuit using an IGBT with diode topology. Ideal Power is able to achieve this amazing feat by using a patented architecture, and fabricating on both sides of the wafer. Losses are lower (by a factor of 5), component count is lower, therefore costs are lower.

Richardson Electronics (RELL) – RELL is a power electronic product and component distributor, offering numerous brands including their own National Electronics brand. Other products offered are: power discretes and modules (SCRs, Diodes, IGBTs, IGBT Power Stacks, Si and SiC devices, GaN power transistors), a full array of capacitors (electrolytic, film, ceramic, etc.), ultra capacitors (aka supercapacitor or electric double layer capacitor), vacuum contactors, resistors, and thermal management products (heat sinks, fans, cooling plates, etc.).

FTW Product Principals are:

Fedco Batteries – the nation's largest value added battery distributor serving the information technology industry. Fedco also is the leading expert in the design, engineering, and manufacturing of custom, high quality battery packs. Those packs are coupled with AC/DC power adapters or chargers and electronics, to provide a total power solution.

Evytra - has a patented technology to print copper directly on glass. This allows capacitive touch switches, LEDs and electronics to be soldered directly on the glass. This offers a higher precision in touch sensitivity, greater vividness in graphics and a slimmer design. They are leaders in the industry in glass technology and use whatever glass is best suited for an application. Evytra also has the electronics expertise to incorporate not only the switch and LED controls, but also any necessary communication format. They target: Industry Automation, Building Automation, Medical, Caravan & Yachting, and Wellness & Leisure.

Vexos – see below offers PCBs, and Heat Sinks

FTW Service Principals are:

Typhoon - is a Hardware In Line (HIL) system that is designed to support vehicular Inverter, Charger, & Converter development projects. This simulation software is an industry leader with, Ultra High Fidelity, Faster Speed, and is More Versatile - it will work with competitive products. Finally, it is probably more commercially competitive than any other product on the market today.

Vexos - is an award-winning mid-sized global Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) and Custom Material Solutions (CMS) company. Vexos provides complete end-to-end supply chain management solutions in electronic and mechanical products for their OEM partners. Services extend over the entire product life cycle, from Value Engineering Services (DFx) for product development to Rapid Prototyping and New Product Introduction (NPI) through to sustained production with a strong focus and commitment to customer service satisfaction. Vexos offers local services with global capabilities, with manufacturing facilities in the US, Canada, China, and Vietnam. They efficiently compete in today's marketplace and enables customers to focus on their core business, reduce cost, time-to-market, and gain a competitive advantage.

• Products - Printed Circuit Board Assemblies (PCBAs)/Box Builds
• Quality Certifications - ISO 9001:2015/ISO 13485:2016/ISO 14001:2015/IATF 16949:2016/ISO 45001:2018/ITAR & FDA
• Core Competencies - 25+ years of experience/full service provide specializing in high mix, low to mid volume programs/value engineering services/supply chain services
• Markets - Automotive/Medical/Industrial/Communications/Aerospace & Defense/Energy & Utilities/Internet Of Things

• Products - Bare PCBs (rigid, flexible, rigid flex, & t-clad)/heat sinks/sheet metal/plastics/silicone/membranes/cable assemblies
• Core Competencies - Network of suppliers utilized to increase the buying power of our OEM partners for customer components

Made-Right Precision Manufacturing – offers fast, competitive and highly precise CNC work. The experienced, highly trained and talented machinists are the corner stone to their success. Utilization of the latest technology is key to producing parts right the first time.

FUTURE TECHNOLOGY WORLDWIDE is the product of its principals, and the sales acumen and technical experience of its executive. The portfolio is designed and focused, with Cutting Edge Power Products and Services, to develop synergy and opportunities for the entire Line Card. By working to completely understand the needs of our customers and potential customers, FTW recommends the products or services that provide the best possible solution for any given application. This leads to satisfied customers receiving beneficial solutions for their development in a concise and direct manner. We look forward to hearing from you with your thoughts, or questions.

Thank you for taking the time to review everything that I have to offer. It has been my pleasure to contribute to PSMA and develop my business over the years.

ll members of PSMA companies are invited to attend the 2024 PSMA Planning Meeting and to offer their inputs and suggestions for the projects and activities the Association should focus on in the coming year. The meeting will take place on Saturday September 28, at the Omni Hotel at Centennial Park in Atlanta, GA.

Georgia World Congress Center

The Board of Directors relies on the inputs generated at the Annual Planning Meetings to identify, consider, and select programs for the coming year that benefits the PSMA membership. For example, initiatives generated at recent Planning Meetings have resulted in the student mentoring program at APEC and workshops such as EnerHarv.

This year's meeting will begin with a brief review of the year-to-date accomplishments and a summary of ongoing activities by Trifon Liakopolous, Chairman of the PSMA. This will be followed by an update of the six-quarter financial forecast from Treasurer Tim McDonald.

Most of the meeting will feature reports from the active PSMA committees and an open forum to introduce and discuss ideas for special projects, initiatives, and priorities for the coming months. All members of PSMA Companies are encouraged to provide input. If you cannot attend the meeting in person, email suggestions to power@psma.com and they will be considered and included in the discussions. In the coming months, the PSMA Executive Committee will summarize the results of the meeting and prioritize which projects and initiatives should be included in the focus for the next year.

The APEC 2025 Conference Committee will meet in the morning prior to the PSMA Planning Meeting, to discuss plans for APEC 2025 and the program including technical sessions, professional education seminars, rap sessions, and industry presentations for the conference in March 2025. Since PSMA is a co-sponsor of APEC all members are invited to participate and contribute in this important activity. There will also be a tour of the Convention Center prior to the APEC Conference Committee Meeting.

If you plan to attend the 2024 PSMA Planning Meeting, please email the Association Office at power@psma.com. We look forward to seeing many of you at these important meetings.

he Eleventh IEEE Workshop on Wide Bandgap Power Devices and Applications (WiPDA 2024) is a premier technical conference focusing on the latest developments in wide bandgap (WBG), and Ultra-wide bandgap semiconductor technology. Hosted annually, WiPDA brings together experts from industry and academia to explore advancements, share insights, and discuss the future of WBG power devices and applications. WiPDA helps to bridge the gap between academia and industry, fostering collaboration, innovation, and advancements in the field of power electronics.

The workshop will take place from November 4th to 6th, 2024 at the Marriott at the University of Dayton in Dayton, OH.

Join us for an incredible lineup of expert-led tutorials covering the latest advancements in wide bandgap device technolgy and applications.

WiPDA is brought to you by the IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS), the Power Supply Manufacturer's Association (PSMA), and the IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS) and will feature a wide range of technical sessions, keynote speeches, tutorials, and poster presentations. The technical sessions will cover various topics, including the latest developments in wide bandgap materials, device structures, packaging, and thermal management.

Conference Highlights

• Keynote Speakers: Delivered by leading experts in the field of wide bandgap power devices, providing valuable insights into the latest advancements and future trends
• Tutorial Sessions: One day training opportunities on a wide range of topics with invited world-renowned experts from devices to applications.
• Technical Sessions: Engage with experts in the field through a series of technical sessions covering a wide range of topics related to WBG power devices and applications.
• Poster Sessions: Explore cutting-edge research and network with researchers and industry professionals during the poster sessions.
• Exhibitor Showcase: Discover the latest products and technologies in the exhibitor showcase, featuring leading companies in the power electronics industry.
• Networking Opportunities: Connect with peers, researchers, and industry leaders during networking breaks and social events.
• Women in Engineering Event: The IEEE PELS Women in Engineering (WiE) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity (DEI) Committee is hosting a WiE Breakfast Event on November 5th and offering a travel reimbursement program.
• Social Event: Join us for an evening at the Heritage Center of Manufacturing & Entrepreneurship. Explore the many exhibits that focus on the rich technology of Dayton.

Sponsorship Opportunities

WiPDA offers various sponsorship levels to suit your organization's needs. From exclusive sponsorships to branding opportunities, showcase your company's commitment to advancing power electronics technology. For more information contact renee.yawger@epc-co.com

The organizing committee is excited to provide our sponsors and valued audience members with an opportunity to learn from leading experts, network with peers, and stay up-to-date with the latest developments in wide bandgap power devices and their applications.

We look forward to seeing everyone in Dayton!

Please subscribe to our mailing list to stay informed of the latest news and receive deadline reminders for WiPDA 2024. Also, join the conversation with the WiPDA group on LinkedIn.

Provided by Renee Yawger WiPDA 2024 Publicity Chair

Power Magnetics @ High Frequency
Saturday March 15 2025
Prior to APEC 2025
Georgia World Congress Center
Atlanta, GA 30313

he PSMA Magnetics Committee and IEEE PELS is currently planning to conduct the tenth Power Magnetics at High Frequency Workshop on Saturday, March 15, 2025, which is the day before and at the same venue as APEC 2025 in Atlanta, GA. The 2025 workshop builds on the ongoing dialogue of the workshop series over the past nine workshops.

The purpose and focus of the workshop are to show the latest improvements in magnetic materials, coil (winding) design, construction, fabrication, evaluation, characterization techniques, modeling, and simulation tools. This is to target the advancements considered necessary by the participants for power magnetics to meet the technical expectations and requirements of new market applications for higher operating frequencies and emerging topologies that are driven by continuous advances in circuits topologies and semi-conductor devices.

The target audiences for the 2025 Power Magnetics @ High Frequency workshop include the designers of power magnetic components for use in electronic power converters responsible to implement the most technologically advanced power magnetic components that are necessary to achieve higher power densities, specific physical aspect ratios such as low profile, higher power efficiencies and improved thermal performance. The target audience also includes people involved in the supply chain for the power magnetics industry ranging from manufacturers of magnetic materials and magnetic structures, fabricators of magnetic components, providers of modelling and simulation software as well as manufacturers of test and measurement equipment.

The theme of the 2025 Power Magnetics @ High Frequency workshop will be integrated magnetics, defined as magnetic structures that perform two or more functions. The workshop will address various aspects of integration for both lateral and vertical power delivery. The planned topics include various levels of integration ranging from magnetic components co-packaged with silicon in Power System in Package (PSiP) devices, magnetics embedded in substrates, fabricating magnetics as part of the semiconductor wafer process and traditional core structures used in unique ways. The workshop will also cover integration of magnetic functions for new circuit topologies including coupled inductors, LLC, TLVR and VIRT.

The morning and afternoon sessions will open with keynote presentations that provide an overview of the advancements over the past ten years relative to new structures, new materials, and improved modelling techniques to validate designs for more complex technical specifications. Technical specifications for integrated magnetics include electrical, multiple functionalities, packaging, and thermal requirements.

In addition to the brief Q&A period after each individual lecture presentation there will be a panel of the presenters at the end of the session who will address topics requiring more detail as deemed by the workshop attendees.

During lunch, breakfast, and the networking hour at the end of the workshop there will be an interactive session of tabletop technology demonstrations, each addressing specific technical disciplines and capabilities consistent with the workshop agenda. Each technology demonstration station will include a ten-minute presentation at fifteen-minute intervals. Interaction between the attendees and the presenters is highly encouraged during this part of the agenda.

If anyone would like to participate as a presenter for the technical demonstration session, please contact the organizing committee through PSMA via e-mail to power@psma.com with a description of your proposed technical topic. The workshop is limited to ten technology demonstration stations.

There are opportunities for organizations to support the workshop as partners. Please contact the organizing committee through PSMA via e-mail at power@psma.com to obtain more details on partner opportunities.

More details about the agenda for the workshop as well as registration for the workshop will become available on the PSMA website (www.psma.com/technical-forums/magnetics/workshop) over the coming months.

April 8-10, 2025

he next offering of the International Workshop on Integrated Power Packaging (IWIPP) will be held April 8-10, 2025, on the beautiful campus of the University of Alabama. The workshop is being chaired by Andy Lemmon in collaboration with Technical Chairmen Nick Baker and Arthur Boutry. The 2025 workshop will return to a full in-person format after the previous hybrid-format offering in 2022 and the all-virtual corridor event, which was held in 2021.

The International Workshop on Integrated Power Packaging (IWIPP) is a biennial, multi-disciplinary event focused on the intersection of technology areas that support the development of high-performance packaging for power electronics. The workshop is sponsored by the Power Sources Manufacturers Association (PSMA) along with the IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS), the IEEE Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation Society (DEIS), and the IEEE Electronic Packaging Society (EPS).

IWIPP 2025 will include a set of keynote addresses from leading experts in the field, a broad range of technical sessions, as well as a complement of technical tutorial sessions, all of which are included in the registration fee. Topics that will be addressed as part of the technical program for IWIPP 2025 include magnetic and dielectric materials; power semiconductor devices and modules; integration of sensors; design of gate/base drivers, reliability and manufacturability considerations; electro-magnetic interference mitigation; and many more.

Additional information regarding the workshop can be found at the following website: https://iwipp.org/

Sponsored by:
IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS)
IEEE Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation Society (DEIS)
IEEE Electronics Packaging Society (EPS)
Power Sources Manufacturers Association (PSMA)

he biennial Power Sources Manufacturers Association (PSMA) international workshop EnerHarv returned from USA (2022) to Europe for 2024 following its inauguration in Ireland in 2018. It was hosted by the University of Perugia (UNIPG) Italy from 26-28 June, organized by PSMA and a committee of >30 experts from both academia and industry.

It is based on a vision of the PSMA Energy Harvesting Committee (EHC) to 'create a focal point for a community for experts and users of energy harvesting (EH) technologies to share knowledge, best practices, roadmaps, experiences and provide opportunities for collaboration in order to increase the uptake of EH and related technologies, particularly for low power Internet of Things (IoT) applications.' EnerHarv is special and unique in that, whilst most of our community have some expertise in power management and/or IoT wireless sensor network (WSN) edge device applications, it goes further and brings together a broad range of stakeholders from both academia and industry in order to address our vision. To this end, it is neither a traditional academic nor industry-/trade-show-centric workshop, rather it leverages the best features of both event types and creates an experience whereby we can all co-exist, learn, network and most importantly collaborate.

EnerHarv enjoyed a very strong patronage and technical program via commercial sponsors VITALITY, CONNECT, e-peas, Wurth Elektronik, Boston Scientific and Eagleprojects and technical sponsors LoLiPoP IoT, UBIGIoT, ASSIST, IEEE PELS, IEEE EPS, EHN, SFU & China Power Supply Society (CPSS) as its Technical Sponsors. (Details on our committee, program and sponsors can be found on our website - www.EnerHarv.com). This also enabled us to offer very reasonable registration rates (PSMA is a not-for-profit entity). In our opinion and that of many of the participants, it has become the 'must attend' event for the 'Power IoT' ecosystem, including researchers, industry, developers, integrators and end users. It was timed to align with the annual UNIPG summer school (https://www.nipslab.org/nips-summer-school-2024/). Each day we had a mix of technical sessions, demos, posters, panel sessions and of course, lots of networking. It enjoyed a record attendance of 85 participants with 38 presentations, 26 posters and 19 demos. As experienced by participants, networking and fostering collaboration is a huge element of EnerHarv – it is a single track event designed to create fully-immersive and interactive experience. For example on Day 3, just before lunch, we noted >80% of the audience were still in attendance.

In our opening we paid tribute to our dear friend Joe Horzepa, former Executive Director of PSMA, who passed away peacefully on 25th May 2024 and dedicated EnerHarv 2024 in his memory and commemoration. His vision and steady leadership guided PSMA for 30 years. He had a remarkable talent for recruiting and inspiring volunteers from both academia and industry to dedicate their time and energy to fulfilling PSMA's mission to "improve the knowledge of technological and other developments related to power sources." Under his leadership, the association not only solidified its sponsorship of the APEC Conference but also expanded to support other workshops and symposia such as PwrSoC, 3D PEIM, IWIPP, WiPDA and our very own EnerHarv. He played a major role in helping us create and nurture the PSMA EHC and his signing of the 2024 EnerHarv contract was his last official act.

Joe also fostered relationships with IEEE, CPSS, and IPC. His legacy includes the influential PSMA Magnetics workshop, the Power Technology Roadmap, and sponsored APEC Industry Sessions. Joe's personal touch and genuine interest in the lives of his colleagues will be deeply missed.

We opened daily with keynotes.

• On Day 1 Prof. Luca Gammaitoni (UNIPG, Italy), gave us an overview of the €120 M, Italian-government-sponsored VITALITY project involving nine universities. 'Innovative devices for industrial apps' is one of the main themes within the VITALITY portfolio with power sourcing of wireless sensors being one of the research challenges.
• On Day 2 Dr. Daniela Iacopino (Tyndall, Ireland) provided a fascinating and timely insight into the importance of sustainability considerations for energy-harvesting-related materials as part of our 'systems integration and life cycle analysis' daily theme. Daniela gave some nice examples of technology development from SFI CONNECT (commercial sponsor) & other EU-affiliated projects in areas such as sensors, supercaps (a.k.a. – ultracaps) and antennae made from sustainable materials such as crustaceans (chitosan) and wood (cork).
• On Day 3 Bruno Damien (e-peas, Belgium) teed up our 'real world application' daily theme with a presentation showing how self-powered (indoor PV), remotely-programmable ESLs (electronic shelf labels) have become a high-impact application area, leveraging e-peas' power management ICs (PMICs) and indoor solar EH.

In our Transducer session we had speakers from Universities of Glasgow, Utah & Exeter illustrating a wide variety of transducer types (RF, electrochemical and vibrational) for a diverse range of applications (wearables, ocular implants, and railway track monitoring) outlining the technology types, trade offs and system integration challenges.

The Energy Storage session comprised speakers from TDK (rechargeable, solid-state, surface-mount batteries), Nanoramic/FastCap (ultra-wide temperature and low-leakage supercaps) and Edinburgh Napier University (capacitors for flexible and wearable applications).

System integration was covered extensively, focusing on sustainable materials, packaging/ integration and power management in Day 2 and real applications in Day 3.

The Sustainable Materials session had speakers from POLITO & ENEA covering the selection and use of materials for EH and storage devices, including the consideration of materials from renewable sources. On behalf of Erika Goyarvary from CSEM, Daniela Iacopino gave a high-level overview of the recently-published Green ECS (Electronics Components and Systems) white paper, which has a well-defined methodology and process for doing more holistic LCAs (Life Cycle Analysis).

The Materials Packaging/Integration session illustrated the wide range of materials and device considerations needed for components such as anodes for post li-ion batteries (RSE), thermoelectric generators (Univ. of Freiburg) & Perovskite PVs (Tor Vergata Univ. of Rome) for flexible and indoor applications.

In the Power Management session we had academic and industry inputs from Univ. of Catania and e-peas regarding on-chip switched-cap converters and micro-power design optimization, respectively. Sandwiched between these was a fascinating presentation form Newcastle University on intermittent computing and cutting-edge energy and time management, illustrating the need for more software expertise in our ecosystem.

Day 3 was jam-packed with real-life scenarios, in some cases focusing on specific applications (grid condition monitoring – Fraunhofer, smart cities – EagleProjects), in other cases related to technology platforms and tools that enable us to develop self-powered sensors. This included tiny machine learning sensors (ETH Zurich), EH testbeds (Tyndall), plant-microbial cell harvesting (Univ. of Trento) and SMEs that gave us insight into real-life operating scenarios and opportunities (INNOITALY).

Panel sessions were convened each afternoon, typically comprising a series of brief presentations by experts from academia and industry. The Sustainable Materials panel session comprised presentations from Univ. of Trento, RISE, ENEA & Dracula Tech covering fuel cells, transducers and sensors considering materials processes and applications. The Ecosystems panel session was more of an info-sharing and awareness exercise, highlighting the need for collaborative ecosystems to be created and nourished so the benefits can be reaped. Examples and activities from ADI, Tor Vegata University of Rome, Universities of Genoa, Utah and Limerick, EHN and PSMA itself were cited. On the final day, we wrapped up with a Future Direction panel session with an inspiring presentation from SME WisePower on how to progress from R&D to industrial design, an insight from Univ. of Genoa into a promising new technology for self-powering sensors for wind/wave applications and finally some key learnings and methodologies from Univ. of Galway on how to develop system-optimized EH components.

In the Demo Session we saw quite a variety of functional demonstrations of EH (and related) technologies. As something the PSMA EHC has felt very strongly about for many years of putting together numerous events, the lectures and discussions are far more fruitful and impactful when complemented by REAL demos people can touch and see work before their eyes. Such demos covered the use of transducers, energy storage, PMICs (along with the develop environments to immediately utilize), and sensor telemetry data from various WSN implementations. Supporting aspects of the ecosystem, such as an EH testbed, were demonstrated along with some real-world (shipping and proof-of-concept) consumer products and applications. It was great to see strong industry representation of existing and emerging platforms here from Wurth Elektronik, INNOITALY, Ambient Photonics, e-peas, Dracula Technologies & TDK with researchers from Tyndall & TU Delft showing the power of collaboration via their component and testbed demos.

26 posters were on display from academic institutes, research centres and industry partners from Europe and US, primarily based on transducers, discrete and silicon power management and energy storage solutions, with supporting tools and infrastructure (e.g. testbeds) and numerous examples of deployment in real-life applications. Each poster owner was given an opportunity to do an introductory elevator pitch and it proved to be a great mechanism to stimulate dialogue and discussion between attendees on future, potential collaborations. PV and vibrational EH were particularly well represented. The strength and depth of our committee and sponsors was on display at this session with several posters from EU projects VITALITY, UBIGIoT & LoliPoP IoT, Irish SFI research centre CONNECT and CPSS. Too numerous to all detail here, please check out our website for the full listing.

Our daily sessions were opened in Italian style with a warm 'benvenuti' ('welcome') followed by a reveille of 'andiamo' ('let's go')! It was not all business as deep, technical discussions of the day turned into pleasurable, social events in the evening. All participants experienced 'la dolce vita' at EnerHarv, after all when in Rome… (or thereabouts). The first night was capped by a formal dinner in the heart of the beautiful, ancient city of Perugia with spectacular views from the hillside. On the second night the participants took a field trip to the nearby famous, beautifully preserved and serene town of Assisi, home of Saints Francis and Claire. After a walk around and stunning sunset photo ops, the wonderful food and drink at our social event was supplemented by an infusion of some soft jazz (a taster of the forthcoming jazz festival) and some sleight-of-hand of the nicest kind from Mago Silvani, a UNIPG researcher whose not-so-secret talents we harvested for the night!

Organiser and sponsor PSMA was represented by its EHC Co-chairs (& EnerHarv Co-founders) Mike Hayes (Tyndall) & Brian Zahnstecher (PowerRox) as well as Lisa Horzepa supporting from the PSMA Office. We also leveraged heavily from Technical Co-chair Francesco Cottone (UNIPG) and his wonderful support team and General Chair Roberto La Rosa (STMicro). They ran a flawless operation exposing us to the best of Italian scenery, food, culture and of course, hospitality. Perugia is famous for its annual jazz festival that took place a couple weeks after EnerHarv and several participants stayed on to enjoy it.

Proceedings are already available on the EnerHarv website to registered attendees and will become publicly available in the first half of 2025. To get a taste for what you missed, the proceedings of EnerHarv 2018 and 2022 are available on the website (www.EnerHarv.com) – there was no EnerHarv in 2020 due to COVID. EnerHarv 2026 is likely to return to North America and we also hope to have an EnerHarv in Asia at some stage in the not-too-distant future as we look to perpetually expand our Power IoT ecosystem.

Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to thank our EnerHarv Workshop Committee (EWC), Organizer and financial sponsor PSMA, our Commercial & Technical Sponsors as well as our Media Sponsors Bodo's Power Systems and How2Power.

Many seeds were sown for future collaborations and we look forward to 'harvesting' these at future EnerHarv workshops!

Mike Hayes, General Co-Chair, EnerHarv 2024

Brian Zahnstecher, Technical Co-Chair, EnerHarv 2024

SMA created a mentorship program for APEC 2023. For APEC 2024, IEEE IAS & IEEE PELS joined in partnership to support and expand the mentorship program. Consequently, 26 students signed up for the mentorship program, and 21 unique mentors were matched to these student mentees (some mentors had more than one mentee).

The mentorship program has six major objectives:

1. Take advantage of APEC
2. Explore career options & directions
3. Promote self & network (socially)
4. Meet subject matter experts
5. Introduce activities & events for PSMA, IAS & PELS
6. Have fun along the way

Each mentee receives a mentorship workbook with three separate phases:Pre-APEC, APEC, and Post-APEC each containing multiple suggested activities.

To encourage mentees to try activities and attend events that they normally may be reluctant to try, they received points. The students had to take the initiative to accumulate the most points. Congratulations to the winners for APEC 2024:

• 1st Place (Apple iPad): Yijie Qian, Southeast University, China
• 2nd Place (Apple AirPod): Harish Karenddi, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, India
• 3rd Place (Noise Cancelling Headphones): Shubhangi Gurudiwan, Utah State University, USA

Additionally, some mentees nominated their mentors for recognition:

• Alfonso Martinez-OpenMagnetics
• Andres Arias – Premier Magnetics
• Cian O'Mathuna/Michael Hayes – Tyndall National Institute
• David Chen – Power Integrations

Thanks to these outstanding mentors and all other who volunteered to guide our next generation of engineers!

PSMA is actively working to improve the mentorship program for APEC 2025. First, we have updated the mentorship workbook by adding a "purpose" column, aiming to better motivate students by helping them understand the benefits of each activity. Second, we are simplifying the prizes to facilitate international distribution. Third, we will actively recruit more international mentors, especially from Asia, to better match the student distribution and address social and cultural aspects in mentoring. This is just a summary of our mentorship efforts. Consider joining the PSMA Industry-Education Committee to help shape the mentorship program going forward.

Interested in becoming a mentor for APEC 2025? Contact mentors@psma.com.

s much as possible, resist the urge to contact the mentee first. They need to prepare to have a good discussion with their mentors using a "worksheet" (in the Pre-APEC Phase of the mentorship workbook). This completed worksheet will not only save time during discussions, but make the mentee more receptive to your advice. When they ask to meet with you, encourage them to send their completed worksheet beforehand if they haven't already. Thank them for taking the initiative to reach out and for preparing for the mentorship discussion.

Pre-APEC Phase

Objective: Prepare APEC schedule and objectives together as there are many simultaneous events.

Encourage student mentees to embrace the 6 major objectives of the mentorship program:

1. Take advantage of APEC
2. Explore career options & directions
3. Promote self & network (socially)
4. Meet subject matter experts
5. Introduce activities & events for PSMA, IAS & PELS
6. Have fun along the way.

Objective 1: Take advantage of APEC

The student may think they are only coming to present their paper and leave. Remind them that APEC is the Premier power electronics conference internationally They should take full advantage of the opportunities to meet future colleagues, employers, suppliers, and customers, as they have already paid the full registration fee and can receive up to $1000 in travel reimbursement.

Consider attending your mentee's presentation as your schedule allows. This enables you to provide input or feedback on their research.

Lastly encourage the mentee to be specific about scheduling activities to avoid conflicts and resolve priorities. Preparation is key as there are many parallel sessions and presentations of interest. Help them choose activities wisely to get the most out of the experience. Presentation slides are usually available in the APEC app for the industry and technical sessions, which can help with scheduling conflicts.

Objective 2: Explore career options & directions

Many students may not know about other engineering aspects or research options beyond design. For example, if they enjoy troubleshooting, they might be interested in field applications engineering (FAEs), failure analysis, or manufacturing. They could also use investigative skills in test (verification & validation) engineering or quality assurance. Moreover, engineering can be a stepping stone to other professions and careers.

Objective 3: Promote self & network (socially)

Networking is crucial at this stage of their lives. Remind them that "it is not just what you know, but also who you know" and explain why.

Objective 4: Meet subject matter experts

Use your network to introduce them to key experts of interest. Encourage them to prepare interview questions and to reach out early before schedules fill up.

Objective 5: Introduce activities & events for PSMA, IEEE IAS, & IEEE PELS

PSMA: an industry association which focuses on making reliable electrical power supplies & power electronics commercially available in quantity.

IEEE: professional organization that focuses on electrical and electronics engineers.

• Industry Applications Society (IAS): branch of IEEE focused on the needs of the industrial or commercial sector.
• Power Electronics Society (PELS): branch of IEEE that facilitates and guides the development and innovation in power electronics technology.

Other tips

Some students may be traveling for the first time, especially internationally. They may need travel advice and tips to stay safe, avoid unnecessary fees, and adjust to circumstances, and time zone differences, etc.

APEC Phase

If the mentee did not reach out before APEC, many of the suggestions in the Pre-APEC section still apply.

Sign in at mentorship room (if available). Meet other mentors and share ideas.

Wear a mentor ribbon (if available) to connect with other mentors.

Consider taking selfies with others to encourage participation in those workbook activities.

Follow up with mentees on how things are going and help them adjust their schedules accordingly. Find out what they have learned so far and continue to encourage their initiative and progress.

Encourage mentees to connect with other mentees, as they may be future colleagues. For example, they could eat together, take the class photo, or attend sessions together.

Give feedback on their presentation if you were able to attend or do so after APEC if time is constrained.

Post APEC Phase

Take the initiative to provide feedback to the APEC mentorship program to help improve it.

Find out the mentee's most important take away from the experience and their biggest disappointment. Discuss what they can do to continue gaining positive experiences and how to prevent similar disappointments. Use the opportunity to learn how to be a better mentor.

Encourage mentees who take the initiative to reach out to mentor others. Suggest they reach out to colleagues and alumni to interview and explore their career options.

Do you have suggestions for mentors that should be in this article? Feel free to share at mentors@psma.com.

Most Importantly: Thank You for being a Mentor! Thanks again for giving our next generation of engineers a head start.

Figure 01: Example of industrial power supply, which could benefit from new technologies to double the output power from 100W to 200W matching the 3F (Source: PRBX)

ndustrial modernization is not just a buzz phrase, and with the implementation of new technologies required by Industry 4.0, many companies are migrating from traditional process control and infrastructures to networked types, including more communication, and with better utilization of energy must consider either upgrading existing equipment or buying brand new. When considering the installed base, taking into account the cost of a new installation and downtime, then upgrading and refurbishing is often considered an attractive solution. However, adding new functionality into existing packaging and enclosures can be very challenging. In a single article it is almost impossible to cover the wide variety of business cases when upgrading industrial equipment, but it is interesting to consider a dilemma faced by system architects: to get more power into a form, fit & function (3F) package, or to add more functionality to it while maintaining full compatibility with the installed equipment (Figure 01). So, what are the latest innovative power solutions that make this possible?

The benefits of the Wide Band Gap technology?

For decades, improvements in energy efficiency levels of power supplies have been made possible by technological evolutions. Moving from linear to switching technology was probably the major one, followed by several more minor leapfrogs until digital power came to market followed by the Wide Band Gap (WBG) semiconductors (Gallium Nitride (GaN) and Silicon Carbide (SiC). Despite it having been on the market for several years, with the emerging WBG technology and the possibilities offered by those components, digital control becomes an absolute must and a major building block for power designers when developing new products, especially when addressing 3F as associated with industrial modernization. Component wise, WBG transistors are without doubt the ones that will prevail in the coming years.

What is interesting with WBG semiconductors is that we see a similar situation to when the first power MOSFETs were launched. Some immediately considered the benefits of WBG, and that despite early products not being very user friendly due to them being based on a depletion mode that requires very specific drivers, it didn't take too long for power semiconductors manufacturers to provide 'easy-to-use' versions and solutions.

It is now couple of years since manufacturers began promoting the benefits of that technology, but if the Go-To-Market is ready, in industrial applications the Go-To-Application for mass users still requires a certain amount of time. We are all familiar with the 'camel-back' curve reflecting new technology adoption and crossing the chasm (Figure 02). Experienced power designers have crossed that technological chasm many times, with the latest one being the migration from analog control to digital and adopting WBG followed the same pattern, but first driven by consumers' applications e.g., USB chargers and the automotive industry implementing WBG in powertrains where on-board and out-board chargers boosted adoption in those segments.

Figure 02: the 'camel-back' curve reflecting new technology adoption and crossing the chasm (Source: PRBX / Geoffrey A. Moore)

WBG technology offers the benefit to increase switching frequency with high efficiency making it possible to reduce the size of the power supply and to pack more power into a similar packaging, but by itself this is not enough to meet 3F requirements. For sure, the evolution of semiconductors is very important but, in the quest to increase power density, to reduce power losses and to offer space for more functionality, power designers must consider the transformer aspect and how to make them smaller and better integrated.

Figure 03: High power density PSU benefiting from planar magnetics, WBG and digital control.

In that respect power designers have explored the potential of advanced planar transformers with interleaved multi-core technology. Not all power supplies require megahertz switching but considering the potential of WBG semiconductors and the gain in power density, power designers will have to consider new types of transformers and new winding techniques. This points to a situation where more research is required rather than ready for mass production, but the situation is being helped by ferrite manufacturers developing new materials and also by Artificial Intelligence software shortening time to design and test new transformer types (e.g., Frenetic, Simba).

One specific example of that is the research we conducted at PRBX, combining digital control, WBG-GaN, and multicore transformers with advanced wiring and auto-tuned performance within the wide operational range that we see in some industrial applications that require extremely wide input voltage ranges, as well as outputs subject to repetitive peak loads. Final products are actually at the design stage although preliminary results we achieved are very encouraging and would not have been possible without the combination of digital control, WBG technology and advanced magnetics (Figure 03).

At this point we can joyfully ponder the level of integration and how much could be gained by combining the three aforementioned technologies: digital-control, WBG and integrated transformers. To illustrate that, the EPC9159 module demonstrated by Efficient Power Conversion (EPC), using the 40V GaN EPC2067, is very interesting and the combination of the three technologies has made it possible to shrink a power converter to an unprecedented size of 22.9 x 17.5 mm, reaching a power density of 5kW/inch cube in a small matchbox format (Figure 04).

Figure 04: EPC power converter

From research to applications

Reaping the benefits of the three aforementioned technologies, as long as five years ago USB Charger manufacturers were the early adopters, developing and commercializing high-power density power supplies, which many of us are probably already using when charging our phones or laptops. In the curve of market adoption, the industrial segment is more conservative and is taking a longer time to evaluate new technologies, to verify performance levels and reliability in operating conditions (which are clearly more demanding than a USB charger), verifying robustness, securing supply chains and long-term sustainability.

It's not possible to cover all examples but it is interesting to mention the modernization of a microelectronics factory that uses many power supplies to power sensors, transmission systems and alarms. Originally powered by a 50W single output in a conventional open frame format, the modernized architecture required a very compact power solution three time smaller than the conventional products, to fit into a smaller packaging, originally hosting a 25W power supply. For simplification, the Upgrade Manager in charge of the project required the 50W power solution to fully comply with the 3F of their referenced solution, no compromise possible and mandatory to be qualified.

Based on the laws of physics, the only way to reach such power density was to increase the switching frequency, to integrate magnetics and to use an optimized power topology (Figure 05), all of those and reducing the power consumption of the overall system.

Figure 05: Example of size reduction, in a 50W power supply, offered by the new power technologies combining WBG, Digital Control and Integrated magnetics developed by COSEL.

Conclusion:

The given example is one of many but as in the consumer and automotive segments, the implementation of the three combined technologies: Digital Control, WBG and integrated magnetics will become preponderant when developing power solutions for industrial applications. It's a very exciting time for power designers to participate in industrial modernization, and to implement technologies contributing to reduce energy consumption.

About The Author
Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for Powerbox, Patrick Le Fèvre is an experienced, senior marketer and degree-qualified engineer with a 40-year track record of success in power electronics. He has pioneered the marketing of new technologies such as digital power and technical initiatives to reduce energy consumption. Le Fèvre has written and presented numerous white papers and articles at the world's leading international power electronics conferences. These have been published over 450 times in media throughout the world. He is also involved in several environmental forums, sharing his expertise and knowledge of clean energy.

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