Top 10 Power Electronics Events. Part 1

During the past 10+ years, I visited a huge number of power electronics events. Some of them were local, some of the national scale, but most of the events were international. In most of these power electronics events, I took part as an exhibitor or co-exhibitor. In some events, I took part as a speaker as well. You could see it further in this article.

On top of that, I visited many power electronics events as a regular visitor. I did it as a marketer, I did it as a business development manager, I did it as a sales manager, and finally, I did it as power electronics and power semiconductors market representative.

When it comes to b2b power electronics marketing, various events, trade fairs, and shows, conferences, forums, seminars are one of the best marketing tools in this business. Here in 2-3 days, you can learn as much as you wouldn’t do in a year sitting in the office. Here you can promote your business as much as it is possible for your target audience. Of course, for the exhibitors, it comes at a price. But still, this is one of the most effective marketing channels available in b2b. Marketing event effectiveness is another topic, so I will leave it till then.

Starting today and closing in the next weeks, I will share with you the information about the top 10 power electronics events that are really worth visiting and taking part in as an exhibitor/speaker. This list is not just some random selection. All these shows and conferences are chosen from over 50 various events I visited, some of them many times. 

PCIM Europe/Asia

PCIM Europe is the leading exhibition and conference, the international platform showcasing current products, topics, and trends in power electronics and applications. The name of the show stands for Power Conversion and Intelligent Motion (PCIM). This is where experts from industry and academia meet, where new trends and developments are presented to the public for the very first time. In this way, the event mirrors the entire value chain – from components, drives control, and packaging to the final intelligent system.

Usually the show takes place in May for three days in Nuremberg, Germany. This is definitely the number one show in power electronics.

Over 500 companies from around the world participate here annually attracting over 10 000 visitors from the following industries:

• Automation
• Rail and Traction
• Lighting
• Computing Electronics
• Consumer Electronics
• E-mobility
• Automotive
• Industrial Electronics
• Electrical Engineering
• Aerospace
• Medical Electronics
• Motor Control Drives
• Solar Energy
• Power Supply
• Communications
• Wind Energy

The participants and visitors represent the leading power electronics companies, which literally build our future. There is a large conference and poster presentation section, where you can learn about the latest power electronics research and development results.

PCIM Europe is the best show for those who work in the field of power electronics. I participate in this power electronics event since 2010 responsible for the marketing and sales part of the show – from the stand design to negotiations with partners, customers, and visitors. PCIM Europe provides many opportunities for promotion and marketing your company brand – forums, live talks, panel discussions, etc. As a marketing and sales professional, I had a chance to take part in some of the mentioned events.

Unfortunately, this year COVID-19 situation had a negative impact on the live show, and first, it was postponed until the end of July, and then completely canceled. So the next live show will take place as usual in early May 2021.

However, Mesago, the organizer of PCIM Europe, were very creative to suggest the digital alternative, which will take place on July 7-8, 2020. The event will be organized with the help of the Talque platform. This is a really Intelligent decision, and I truly hope that this kind of event will be as successful as the live one. There is only one month left to find out.

In addition to PCIM Europe, there is a PCIM Asia event, which is annual as well and usually takes place in June in Shanghai. This year the show was moved to November.

This is a smaller version of PCIM Europe with fewer participants and visitors. Nevertheless, PCIM Asia is a very important power electronics event for the Asian market.

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Electronica

Electronica is the world’s leading trade fair and conference for electronics including power electronics. It is held in Munich, Germany every 2 years in November for 4 days. From components to systems, applications, and services: the range of exhibits at electronica covers technologies, products, and solutions from the entire electronics industry. The fair focuses on industry trends and, in doing so, helps participants stay oriented in the global world of the electronics industry.

Electronica’s extensive program of supporting events includes sixteen theme-oriented forums. They allow participants to exchange ideas and information about the latest developments with experts. There are also four conferences with prominent speakers that give visitors a chance to get in-depth knowledge in the sectors for Automotive, Embedded, Medical Electronics and Wireless.

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You will need at least 2 full days to cover the whole show with its numerous halls and expos. The events gather over 3 000 exhibitors and 80 000 visitors. The scale of this event is unbelievable. 

If you ever plan to visit it, you will not regret it. This is where the electronics market meets the customers, this is where great ideas meet the incredible solutions.

Besides the show in Germany Messe München organizes the same shows in the growing markets and hosts Electronica China in Shanghai and Electronica India in Bengaluru.

The power of 3 makes Electronica indeed the number one event in electronics. 

APEC

APEC stands for Applied Power Electronics Conference and focuses on the practical and applied aspects of the power electronics business. This is not just a designer’s conference.

APEC is now considered to be the leading conference for practicing power electronics professionals. The APEC program addresses a broad range of topics in the use, design, manufacture, and marketing of all kinds of power electronics equipment. The combination of high-quality professional education seminars, a full program of papers, and an overflowing exhibit hall consistently provide an invaluable education each year.

This North American power electronics event takes place every year in various cities across the United States of America. This show can be compared with PCIM Europe only for the American and nearby markets. This is the most important power electronics event for the United States. Unlike PCIM Europe where exhibition and conference share their importance equally, here at APEC the bigger part of the event is the conference. The organizers pay a lot of attention to academia. However, at the exhibition part of the show, you will find all the leading companies in the field of power electronics, which usually are present at almost every prominent power electronics event.

APEC has something of interest for anyone involved in power electronics

• Equipment OEMs that use power supplies and dc-dc converters in their equipment
• Designers of power supplies, dc-dc converters, motor drives, uninterruptable power supplies, inverters, and any other power electronic circuits, equipment and systems
• Manufacturers and suppliers of components and assemblies used in power electronics
• Manufacturing, quality and test engineers involved with power electronics equipment
• Marketing, sales, and anyone involved in the business of power electronics
• Compliance engineers testing and qualifying power electronics equipment or equipment that uses power electronics

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Back in 2017 together with my colleagues, I had a chance to participate in APEC, which took place in Tampa, Florida that year. We were presenting the paper about the 250kA pulse power stack within the poster session.

APEC left a very confident impression as a real knowledge event. And to tell the truth it is difficult for me to say, which one is the best in terms of the innovations in power electronics among the mentioned 3 groups of events. Definitely, APEC might be considered as the top one. And if you plan to enter the USA market, you need to visit APEC first, because here you can gain the required knowledge necessary to successfully work in North America.

EPE

The EPE ECCE Europe conference is the largest in its field, attracting experts from numerous different countries every year to join in the discussions. To exchange and meet fellow professionals and academics, the EPE ECCE Europe conference brings together researchers, engineers, etc. working at the forefront of power electronics technologies. For this type of event, where the future role of power electronics in this ecological revolution will be explored, the EPE ECCE Europe conference is one of the privileged places.

Power electronics is at the heart of the energy transition constituting critical elements for ecology transition which will help to drive our world towards a new economic and social model, a model of sustainable development that renews our ways of consuming, producing, working, and living together to meet the major environmental challenges. Advanced power electronics, with considerations to energy savings, reduced footprint, and smart digitalization, will provide a greater boost to renewable energy penetration, to sustainable mobility as well as to energy-efficient buildings.

On top of the tutorials, lecture and dialogue sessions and technical visits, the organizing committees propose several discussion sessions within the industrial forum as well as special sessions of power electronics related trends.

EPE covers the following topics

• Devices, Components, Packaging and Systems Integration
• Power Converters Topologies and Design
• Measurement, Supervision, and Control for Power Converters
• Electrical Machines and Drive Systems
• Renewable Energy Power Systems
• Grids, Smart Grids, AC & DC
• Power Supplies
• Electric Vehicle Propulsion Systems and their Energy Storage
• Industry Specific Energy Conversion and Conditioning Technologies (ECCT)
• Data Analysis, Artificial Intelligence, and Communication Issues

The event is hosted by the EPE Association (European Power Electronics and Drives Association), an international non-profit association under Belgian law, located in Brussels, Belgium. The goals of the Association are to promote and coordinate the exchange and the publication of technical, scientific, and economic information in the field of Power Electronics and Drives. The first formation meeting of the European Power Electronics and Drives Association took place in Brussels on 16 November 1983.

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EPE conference is where all the best power electronics minds gather to exchange their work, ideas, and future projects. Here at tutorials, presentations, poster sessions, the future of power electronics is being discussed. The participants set directions for the future of the industry. EPE takes place in various countries across the EU. 

Together with my colleague, I’ve been taking part in EPE since 2013. We presented various projects – power semiconductor stacks, proton irradiation technology, and its usage to produce fast IGBTs, sintering technology, and its application in the production of high power fast thyristors, etc.  If you are looking for some interesting projects in power electronics or just want to be on the wave of the industrial society, this is the best show in Europe to take part in.

During the next weeks I will publish the remaining power electronics events that I consider as top 10 of all.