50 years in electronics: Hall of Fame - Power
TDK Lambda became part of TDK of Japan in 2005. The UK-based power supply manufacturer was established in 1959 as Coutant Electronics and remains the UK’s largest indigenous manufacturer of both standard and configurable AC-DC and DC-DC power supplies.
Ericsson Power Modules operates as a separate division of the Swedish telecommunications giant. It was one of the first companies to switch to lead-free design in its power modules. Its products include DC-DC converters, point of load voltage regulators and power management devices.
Vicor was founded in 1981 as a US-based manufacturer of power conversion components and systems. It developed its own proprietary power architecture which it also licenses to other companies. It introduced its first “brick” format DC-DC converter in 1982. More recently it has set up a division called Picor selling power ICs.
International Rectifier was founded in Los Angeles in August 1947 to manufacture Selenium rectifiers. It is notable for being one of the first companies to commercialise Germanium rectifiers in 1954. A key product was the hexagonal-celled power mosfet, called HEXFET, which was introduced in 1979.
Bristol-based Marine Current Turbines has been researching and installing tidal turbines since 1994. In May 2008 it installed SeaGen, a 1.2MW prototype which is still the world’s most powerful tidal turbine. Its twin 16m diameter rotors achieve almost 50% efficiency and can deliver 10MWh per tide. SeaGen will form the basis of MCTs commercial designs.