Nissan, Japan, has adopted valve seats manufactured using cold spray technology, marking a world-first application in automotive engines.
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Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tenn., are developing algorithms and multilayered communication and control systems that make electric vehicle chargers operate more reliably, even if there is a voltage drop or disturbance in the electric grid.
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TSMC, Robert Bosch GmbH, Infineon Technologies AG, and NXP Semiconductors N.V. announced a plan to jointly invest in European Semiconductor Manufacturing Company GmbH, in Dresden, Germany to construct a fab there and provide advanced semiconductor manufacturing services.
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Florida International University, Miami, Fla., introduced its new Cold Spray and Rapid Deposition Laboratory, a facility that will advance techniques in the repair, design and durability of high-performance materials. The lab is supported by a five-year, $22.9 million grant from the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory.
The lab will advance additive manufacturing techniques such as cold spray, a technique where particles are blasted onto a material surface at low temperatures. The techniques are highly relevant to 3D printing, the rapid repair of machinery, and the coating of materials to make them stronger. The research stands to benefit the manufacturing of next-generation vehicles and munitions while also boosting workforce development and activity across the economy.
“FIU’s commitment to innovation and impact is on full display today as we celebrate the opening of this lab,” said Kenneth A. Jessell, president of FIU. “We show the world today that we are a leader for Army Research Lab Cold Spray Technology and an influential partner, together with our congressional delegation, in building up Miami’s tech, innovation and manufacturing ecosystem.”
The lab will be led by Distinguished University Professor Arvind Agarwal, chair of FIU’s department of mechanical and materials engineering at the College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) and a renowned expert on advanced additive manufacturing techniques.
“From developing antibacterial coatings for biomedical use to assisting in environmental corrosion prevention in coastal communities, these technologies promise to deliver solutions to a myriad of real-world problems, while helping to train the next generation of researchers, technologists and STEM professionals in the fields of robotics, advanced manufacturing, aerospace technologies and machine learning,” Agarwal said.
The opening of the lab positions FIU as a key provider of research and talent for the Department of Defense and industry partners, particularly due to the increase demand for electronics and the expansion of both the aerospace and defense industries.
Image – Cold spay lab. Courtesy of: FIU.
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Florida International University
YouTube Video – First large scale cold spray facility in a Florida university
Oerlikon Balzers, Switzerland, a world-leading technology brand of Oerlikon for thin-film coatings, has won the Magna Supplier Innovation Award 2022 in the “Transmission Solutions” category with its Smart Coatings.
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Veeco Instruments Inc., Plainview, NY, acquired Epiluvac AB, Sweden, a privately held manufacturer of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) epitaxy systems that enable advanced silicon carbide (SiC) applications in the electric vehicle market. Epiluvac’s technology platform combined with Veeco’s global go-to-market capabilities create a significant long-term growth driver for Veeco.
The desire for clean, efficient, and reduced fossil-fuel energy is driving tremendous growth in the electric vehicle market. Applications such as on-board charging, fast charging and powertrain inverters are ideally suited for SiC power devices. The SiC device market is forecasted to grow approximately 30% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2023 through 2027 according to Yole Group. Accordingly, the SiC epitaxy equipment market is expected to grow approximately 15% CAGR over the same time period according to Yole Group and internal Veeco estimates.
“The Epiluvac team has developed a superior platform and process know-how aligned with markets that are a great strategic fit for Veeco,” said Bill Miller, Veeco’s Chief Executive Officer. “Their well-designed CVD platform achieves high productivity, is easy to maintain and has superior process control capability that make it uniquely qualified to produce devices that enable lighter, smaller and more efficient power conversion systems. We see this acquisition as a great complement to our metal organic chemical vapor deposition epitaxy product line. This acquisition accelerates our penetration into the emerging, high-growth SiC equipment market by reducing our time to market.”
“We are excited to join Veeco, a recognized leader in semiconductor and compound semiconductor capital equipment,” commented Per-Anders Eriksson, Epiluvac’s chief executive officer. “Our complementary technology platforms, along with Veeco’s extensive worldwide sales, service and manufacturing capabilities, will position us well to help our customers enable accelerated SiC adoption. The decades of research and development the Epiluvac team has invested in this demanding epitaxial process will be a great asset to Veeco’s already impressive process capabilities.”
Epiluvac is an early-stage revenue company with 11 employees. The purchase price for the transaction, all payable in cash, is $30 million paid at the time of closing with a potential additional $35 million in performance based earn-outs. The impact to Veeco’s financial results are not expected to be material in 2023 and volume revenue is expected to begin in 2024.
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Epiluvac AB
Veeco
