Electronica Shines Light on the All Electric Society

­How was your electronica? More than 3,600 exhibitors and 70,000+ visitors converged in Munich for the 40th anniversary of this flagship event for design engineering. And as per usual, there was big doings at Trade Fair Center Messe München.

The event organizers urged engineers, PR reps, and all manner of guests to help “shape a sustainable, liveable future in the spirit of the All Electric Society,” something we’re barreling inexorably towards.

While COVID-19 smacked the auto industry with a sledgehammer, EVs sales defied expectations and, in the latter half of 2020, surged upwards. European EVs more than doubled year-over-year, China went up 12%, and even in the U.S., they shot up by 4% (despite the overall auto market shrinking by 15%).

So that All Electric Society is off to a blistering start, with the global net-zero emissions goals over the few decades looking eminently attainable.

And while we’re on that topic, December’s issue fittingly deals with the Automotive and Transportation category. Our friends over at Optimas Solutions explore the idea of reducing of vehicle weight to enhance mileage.

Optimas is plugging away at this aspect, “leveraging innovative technology, superior engineering practices, and a fresh perspective on weight reduction from a component standpoint to assist manufacturers in meeting these standards,” focusing specifically on fasteners.

By dealing with that aspect early on, say authors Mike Eusanio and Bob Mangapora, “you unlock the potential for transformative innovations.”

Of course, electronica was and is more than just electric vehicles, with 3,600 companies and industry luminaries showing off the latest technologies and developments – friends of ours like AEM, which touted their circuit protection, semiconductors, and HF to millimeter wave components, Firecomms, which showed off industrial grade plastic optical fiber transceivers (amongst other items), Dean Technology, whose 125V to 40KV high voltage power supplies made a big splash, and Alpha & Omega Semiconductor, which proudly displayed their high-efficiency power management solutions.

At the back of the book, I delve into liquid hydrogen and its potential to transform commercial aviation, perhaps the final fossil fuel holdout. And we also discuss hydrogen’s capabilities as an energy carrier in a recent PSDcast.

Enjoy the December issue!

Best Regards,

Jason Lomberg

North American Editor, PSD