Toyota and Lexus have launched one of the year’s biggest recalls, affecting over a million vehicles from 2023–2026 due to a parking assist camera issue.
Continue readingToyota recalls over 1 million vehicles for camera problems
Nissan introduces world’s first valve seat using cold spray technology in new e-POWER dedicated engine
Nissan, Japan, has adopted valve seats manufactured using cold spray technology, marking a world-first application in automotive engines.
Continue readingOerlikon invests in Switzerland: Launches Campus Reichhold innovation and production hub
Oerlikon, Switzerland, celebrated the groundbreaking of its new global innovation and production center for thermal spray systems and coating cervices at Campus Reichhold in Aargau, Switzerland.
Continue readingiST launches Global Smart Reliability Center to accelerate front-end validation for AI and EV applications
Integrated Service Technology Inc., Taiwan, a leading provider of electronic product verification and analysis services, launched its Global Smart Reliability Center, developed in response to the growing demand for early-stage reliability testing in AI, high-performance computing, and electric vehicle applications.
Continue readingGKN Hoeganaes to support First Phosphate in LFP cathode active material development
GKN Hoeganaes, a division of GKN Powder Metallurgy, England, and one of the largest iron powder producers globally, announced a strategic collaboration with First Phosphate, Canada, marking a significant step toward establishing a North American supply chain for lithium iron phosphate batteries, a critical component for the electric vehicle and energy storage industries.
Continue readingMaterials Analysis Technology releases a MOU with SGS
Materials Analysis Technology Inc., Taiwan, and Swiss SGS Taiwan Ltd. signed a memorandum of understanding with the goal of providing comprehensive ISO 26262 functional safety product certification services, AEC-Q automotive electronic component reliability verification services, and soft error rate assessment and analysis in the automotive semiconductor and electronic component industries in Taiwan.
Continue readingSwRI evaluates reliability of pressure relief valves for liquid natural gas tanks in train derailment scenarios
Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, has helped determine the viability of pressure relief valves for liquid natural gas tanks in the event of a train derailment for the Federal Rail Administration.
Continue readingNikon’s large-envelope X-ray CT system installed in Hyundai Motor North America’s new Safety Test and Investigation Laboratory
Nikon Metrology, Inc., Japan, and Hyundai Motor North America, Fountain Valley, Calif., announced that Hyundai has purchased and installed Nikon’s X-ray computed tomography system in its newly opened $51.4 million Safety Test and Investigation Laboratory in Superior Township, Mich.
Continue readingORNL researchers enhance reliability of electric vehicle charging
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.
Continue readingValeo and Teledyne FLIR announce agreement and first contract for thermal imaging for automotive safety systems
Valeo, France, key technology partner of mobility actors around the globe, and Teledyne FLIR, Wilsonville, OR, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, have started a strategic collaboration to bring thermal imaging technology to the automotive industry to enhance the safety of road users.
Continue readingZEISS to embark on cooperation with BORG Automotive
ZEISS, Germany, is entering into a cooperation with BORG Automotive, one of Europe’s leading independent remanufacturers of automotive parts.
Continue readingAmkor advanced packaging enables the car of the future
Amkor Technology, Inc., Tempe, Ariz., a leading provider of semiconductor packaging and test services and the #1 automotive OSAT, is innovating advanced packaging to enable the car of the future.
Continue readingOnsemi opens state-of-the-art systems application lab for electric vehicles in Europe
Onsemi, Scottsdale, Ariz., opened an application test lab in Piestany, Slovakia, focused on the advancement of system solutions for battery/plug-in hybrid/electric vehicles and energy infrastructure power conversion systems.
Continue readingWeebit Nano’s ReRAM IP Achieves high temperature qualification in SkyWater Technology’s S130 Process
Weebit Nano Limited, Israel, a leading developer of advanced memory technologies for the global semiconductor industry, and SkyWater Technology, Bloomington, Minn., the trusted technology realization partner, announced that Weebit’s Resistive Random-Access Memory IP module has been fully qualified in SkyWater’s 130nm CMOS process at temperatures of up to 125 degrees Celsius – the temperature specified for Grade-1 automotive applications.
Continue readingMaterials scientist wins award for improving the reliability of electrical contacts in cars
Materials scientist Frank Mücklich, Professor of Functional Materials at Saarland University, Germany, has developed a laser surface texturing procedure that makes the surfaces of electrical contacts more stable and more efficient.
Continue readingUnited Safety launches new lithium-ion battery failure detection sensor
United Safety & Survivability Corporation, Exton, Pa., a global leader in advanced safety solutions, launched its latest innovation, a groundbreaking lithium-ion battery failure detection sensor that could help prevent electric vehicle fires before they happen and sets a new standard in safety for electric vehicles across industries.
Continue readingChrome plating will be banned in all new cars starting 2024
Chrome plating is set to be banned over health-related issues, with one of them being the risk of lung cancer.
Continue readingWisconsin oven ships pin conveyor oven to automotive manufacturer
Wisconsin Oven Corp., East Troy, has shipped one electrically heated conveyor oven to an automotive manufacturer, which will be used for tempering automotive parts. The conveyor oven features a chain style conveyor system with vertical pins, ensuring the uniform transfer of parts through the heating and cooldown zones of the oven. The maximum temperature rating of the conveyor oven is 260° C, with interior chamber dimensions of 3’6” W x 20’10” L x 9” H.
The conveyor oven also features a top-down bottom-up airflow configuration designed with a 55,000 CFM @ 50 HP blower, ensuring optimal temperature uniformity of ±2.5° C at 163°C, documented with a temperature uniformity test. The oven is equipped with a continuous chain conveyor with vertical pins, programmable temperature controller, and recorder with Ethernet capabilities.
The unique features of this tempering oven include the ability to automatically scan the parts while being loaded onto the conveyor and validate that the correct part is being loaded, providing a pass/fail regarding heating time and temperature. The conveyor oven also includes an ambient cooldown zone and supervised installation with start-up and training.
Mike Grande, vice president of sales,said that, “Our continuous designs provide customers with innovative solutions to meet their load and process requirements. This conveyor oven was designed with high-velocity impingement air nozzles for rapid, uniform heating and optimal part results.” The equipment was fully factory tested and adjusted prior to shipment from the facility, ensuring it met all Wisconsin Oven quality standards. The equipment comes with a 2-year warranty, providing peace of mind for the automotive manufacturer.
Neutrons aid in discovery of strengthening behavior in alloys
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) researchers used neutron diffraction to identify a mechanism in a 3D-printed alloy—coined “load shuffling”—that could enable the design of better-performing lightweight materials for vehicles.
Continue readingVeeco acquires Epiluvac AB to accelerate penetration into high growth silicon carbide epitaxy equipment market
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.
For more information:
Epiluvac AB
Veeco