3-year, $75.7M eRamp power electronics research project launches at Infineon
02 April 2014
The three-year research project “eRamp”, intended to strengthen and expand Germany and Europe as centers of expertise for the manufacture of power electronics, launched at Infineon Technologies in Dresden. Twenty-six research partners from six countries are participating. Infineon, a global market leader in power semiconductors, is leading the €55-million (US$75.7-million) project.
Power electronics—the electronic components and their power semiconductors—help keep the loss of electrical energy as low as possible and help minimize power consumption in a wide variety of applications, including hybrid and electric drive systems. eRamp research activities will focus on the rapid introduction of new production technologies and further exploration of chip packaging technologies for power semiconductors.
The German project partners will investigate and develop new methods for speeding up the start of the production run.
In order to investigate research results for practical viability exactly where the new production technologies will be implemented, the German research partners will use existing pilot lines and comprehensive production expertise at various German sites, including:
Dresden (Infineon: power semiconductors based on 300mm wafers);
Reutlingen (Bosch: power semiconductors, smart power and sensors based on 200mm wafers); and
Regensburg (Infineon: chip packaging technologies for power semiconductors).
Infineon, Osram and Siemens will work together closely to research and construct testing equipment and demonstrators for the evaluation of newly developed chip embedding technologies.
In Germany, the Technical University of Dresden and West Saxon University of Applied Sciences Zwickau are also participating in research. In addition to Bosch, Infineon, Osram and Siemens, German business is represented by the companies SYSTEMA Dresden, an IT specialist vendor for automation in the manufacturing industry, HSEB Dresden, provider of optical inspection, review and installation, and SGS INSTITUT FRESENIUS, a leading vendor of chemical and physical laboratory analysis.
The research partners in the eRamp project are (in alphabetical order): AMS AG (Unterpremstatten, Austria); CISC Semiconductor GmbH (Klagenfurt, Austria); HSEB Dresden GmbH (Dresden, Germany); Infineon Technologies (Germany: Dresden, Regensburg, Munich; Villach, Austria and Bucharest, Romania); JOANNEUM RESEARCH Forschungsgesellschaft GmbH (Graz, Austria); Lantiq (Villach, Austria); Materials Center Leoben Forschung GmbH (Leoben, Austria); NXP Semiconductors (Gratkorn, Austria and Eindhoven, Netherlands); Osram GmbH (Munich); Polymer Competence Center Leoben GmbH (Leoben, Austria); Robert Bosch GmbH (Stuttgart, Germany); SGS INSTITUT FRESENIUS (Taunusstein, Germany); Siemens AG (Berlin, Munich); SPTS Technologies Ltd (Newport, UK); Stichting IMEC Nederland (Eindhoven, Netherlands); SYSTEMA Systementwicklung Dipl.-Inf. Manfred Austen GmbH (Dresden); Slovak University of Technology (Bratislava, Slovakia); Technical University Vienna and University of Innsbruck (both in Austria); as well as Technical University Dresden and the West Saxon University of Applied Sciences, Zwickau (Germany).
The Project eRamp is co-funded by grants from ENIAC Joint Undertaking and from Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia und the UK.
This is one area where EU could soon lead.
It will be a boast for future electrified vehicles.
Berlin is becoming EU's silicon valley?
Posted by: HarveyD | 02 April 2014 at 12:12 PM
It is amazing how Europeans are trying to stay ahead of the competition from North America. As power electronics guy I can state that they are ahead of USA in Hybrid Buses and vehicle electrification in general. Nothing is ideal yet but those people understand where the future is. Our high level gentlemen in this industry feel comfortable and protected from competition. Open the borders and a whole American hybrid world will be wiped out by better European design
Posted by: CarCrazy | 02 April 2014 at 01:21 PM
"Open the borders and a whole American hybrid world will be wiped out by better European design"
Really? Open the borders? The US is by far the world's largest consumer of plug-in EVs. Here is the list of what was available in the US as of Dec 2013:
Chevrolet Spark EV
Chevrolet Volt
Fiat 500e
Ford C-Max Energi
Ford Focus Electric
Ford Fusion Energi
Honda Accord plug-in
Honda Fit EV
MHI iMiEV
Nissan Leaf
Smart EV
Tesla Model S
Toyota Prius Plug-in
Toyota RAV4EV
(you could add Cadillac ELR and Porche Panamera S E-Hybrid, just to be accurate, since both had a few deliveries in 2013)
The SmartEV is a total bust. So is the Fiat 500e. Tesla's power electronics package is US Made. All the Japan versions are Japan made. Ford's is Canadian made. MHI has already packaged an integrated motor/drive package with a SiC-based inverter, using SiC devices that they build.
The Euro EV world-beater versions are... what, exactly? Since Audi, Daimler, and BMW dominate the luxury segment in the US and the latter two manufacture cars here, what part of the borders needs to be opened?
I'm not questioning whether the Europeans can build extraordinary electronics. I just don't get your point. What has kept them from developing world-beating electrified cars up to now?
Posted by: Herman | 02 April 2014 at 02:33 PM
I counted at least three electric/FC bus companies in the U.S. who take on European and Chinese companies. It seems like we do a good job of designing and making electric and fuel cell buses. I don't see and impedance to those foreign companies selling in the U.S.
Posted by: SJC | 02 April 2014 at 03:42 PM
Guys, Don't argue over who's better. No matter who is innovating, enjoy the times; we've spent a hundred plus years under the domination of oil companies and lost millions of people in wars over fossil energy. With help from the sun, storage batteries and EVs, we have a chance to stop the corruption of the Planet and clean up the environment. Good for the Europeans, they get it and are working for the good of their people as many of us are.
Posted by: Lad | 02 April 2014 at 04:18 PM
It is not a matter of "who is better" the implication was that the U.S. is barring European companies from sending product to the U.S. this is NOT the case.
Posted by: SJC | 02 April 2014 at 05:11 PM
Didn't read that in it first time through.
Most World-wide auto makers are coordinated and scripted to a large extent by directives from The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers(AAM) which is their American Political Lobbying group. Most all automakers with the exception of Tesla and Nissan take suggested marching orders from this group...they are to auto makers what The American Petroleum Institute is to the oil companies. The AAM is the reason most member companies have decided to build PHEVs to this point and have not taken chances on BEVs.
As to trade restrictions against European car makers, I doubt that is the case because European majors are also members of The AAM with full member status.
Here is a link to the AAM:
http://www.autoalliance.org/members/overview
Posted by: Lad | 02 April 2014 at 11:19 PM
Don't worry. USA's politicians are easy to buy and local firms know the going price to get all the protection-regulations they want.
Posted by: HarveyD | 03 April 2014 at 09:23 AM