Yole Announces New IGBT CoST Tool For IGBT Manufacturing Cost Analysis
Yole Développement released its IGBT CoST, a tool for IGBT manufacturing cost analysis. This tool is well suited for strategic marketing executives, process managers and R&D engineers analyzing the economic feasibility of different IGBT manufacturing approaches.
According to the company, IGBT is the key transistor technology for the applications requiring high frequency switching at 900V and over voltage breakdown. In these fields, numerous growing applications are exhibiting a tremendous CAGR such as Hybrid/Electric Automotive, Rail transportation, industrial motor drives, smart power transmission, UPS, induction cookers, wind turbines and part of the PV inverter industry.
"In 2010, the market for IGBT power module should raise $1,600 million including market segments with more than 60% CAGR over 2007 – 2012 time frame. 1.2kV–1.4kV remains the most demand segment but 1.7, 3.3 and 6.5kV look very promising in the transportation and energy sectors" said Dr Philippe Roussel, Project Manager at Yole Développement.
According to Yole, with IGBT devices providing mission critical functionality in more applications, the need for comprehensive cost simulation is paramount. Due to their specific manufacturing process (thin wafer, back-face laser annealing) the cost of IGBT devices can be difficult to estimate. Components such as PT, NPT, trench-IGBT or Bi-Mode IGT involve very different process steps. This is why a specific and very flexible tool is required for their cost estimation. Yole Développement, described as a leader in the analysis of MEMS applications and markets, and System Plus Consulting, described as a leader in cost analysis of electronic products have joined forces to provide this IGBT Cost Simulation Tool (CoST).
