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PowerLines by Linnea Brush
March 5, 2007
APEC: The Perfect Storm
Power Channels: Digital Power, Energy Efficiency, Power Components, Switch-Mode Power
Anyone looking for signs that the power supply industry is getting reinvigorated need look no further than this year’s Applied Power Electronics Conference, held this past week in Anaheim. Even when the economy turned bright for other industries, power supplies continued to face multiple challenges: manufacturing moving to China, downward pressure on pricing, the move from modules to discretes, and consolidation of the industry. Recent APECs reflected these challenges, and the mood was sometimes dismal.
From my perspective, that mood has been dispelled. Not only did this year’s APEC attendance eclipse all previous records (around 2,400 people, from what I heard), the participation was reflective of APEC’s mandate: to be an applied power electronics conference. The company/academic mix appeared much more in line with APEC’s industry focus. Not only that, the audience was truly participatory. From the Rap Sessions to the exhibitors, it was exciting to see the industry so engaged with its various constituents.
So, what is causing all this? What has changed? No single development has transformed the industry, but a number of factors have come together in a “perfect storm” that could be the wind change needed to propel the industry forward. These include regulatory, technical and application shifts.
APEC pushed the energy efficiency trend. The topic came up repeatedly in the plenary, technical sessions, special presentations, rap sessions, and in the new product introductions. It is unfortunate that government regulations have to be the primary driver for this, rather than commercial market demand, but there is no question that such mandates could be very good for power supply companies.
As pointed out in the marketing session, system efficiency is an area where power supplies can make a name for themselves. Nearly all companies highlighted the efficiency contribution of their products, including Maxim (high-brightness LED drivers); Cree (silicon carbide rectifiers in PFC boost converters); and Vishay (SKYFET™ MOSFET technology). Even PMBus™ worked in the efficiency angle with their Version 1.1 Spec, which “enables efficiency energy management and greater system intelligence for OEMs.”
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We would like to hear your comments on the topics discussed in this column. We welcome the opportunity to publish opposing opinions. Please email Jeff Shepard at jshepard@darnell.com.
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