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VMAX, a leading Chinese manufacturer of power electronics and motor drives for new energy vehicles, has selected the new CoolSiC™ hybrid discrete with TRENCHSTOP™ 5 Fast-Switching IGBT and CoolSiC Schottky Diode from Infineon Technologies AG for its next generation 6.6 kW OBC/DCDC on-board chargers.
Infineon’s components come in a D²PAK package and combine ultra-fast TRENCHSTOP 5 IGBTs with half-rated free-wheeling SiC Schottky barrier diodes to achieve a perfect cost-performance ratio for both hard and soft switching topologies. With their superior performance, optimized power density and leading quality, the power devices are ideally suited for VMAX’s on-board chargers.
“We are proud to choose Infineon’s CoolSiC Hybrid device in our next-generation OBC, achieving higher reliability, stability, improved performance, and power density. This deepens our already strong partnership with Infineon and drives technological application innovation through close collaboration, working together to promote the thriving development of new energy vehicles,” said Jinzhu Xu, PL Director& Chief Engineer, R&D Department at VMAX.
“We are excited to strengthen our partnership with VMAX with our highly efficient hybrid products,” said Robert Hermann, Vice President for Automotive High Voltage Chips and Discretes at Infineon. “Together, we will continue to drive e-mobility advancements, providing efficient solutions that meet the requirements of the industry in terms of performance, quality and system cost.”
With its fast, hard switching TRENCHSTOP 5 650 V IGBT co-packed with zero reverse recovery CoolSiC Schottky diode, the hybrid discrete benefits from very low switching losses at switching speeds above 50 kHz. This makes the device an excellent option for high-power electric vehicle charging systems.
In addition, the robust 5 th generation CoolSiC Schottky diode offers increased robustness against surge currents, maximizing reliability. Furthermore, the diffusion soldering of the SiC diode has improved the thermal resistance (R th) to the package for small chip sizes, resulting in increased power switching capability.
With these features, it enables optimum system reliability and longevity, meeting the stringent requirements of the automotive industry. To further maximize compatibility with existing designs, the product also features a pin-to-pin compatible design based on the widely used D²PAK package.
Original – Infineon Technologies
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onsemi announced its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2023 results with the following highlights:
- Fourth quarter revenue of $2,018.1 million
- Fourth quarter GAAP and non-GAAP gross margin of 46.7%
- GAAP operating margin and non-GAAP operating margin of 30.3% and 31.6%, respectively
- GAAP diluted earnings per share and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $1.28 and $1.25, respectively
- Full year 2023 record automotive revenue of $4.3 billion increased 29% year-over-year
- Full year 2023 share repurchases of $564 million, representing 140% of free cash flow
“Our momentum continued this past year as we achieved record automotive revenue and 4x year-over-year growth in silicon carbide revenue. We continue to transform the business by building resilience into our model, enabling us to navigate uncertain market conditions and deliver more predictable and sustainable results,” said Hassane El-Khoury, president and chief executive officer of onsemi.
“Our consistent performance has validated our long-term strategy. Looking ahead, we are driving innovation beyond silicon and silicon carbide with our upcoming analog and mixed signal platform to further our leadership in intelligent power and sensing solutions.”
Original – onsemi
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Mitsubishi Electric Corporation announced its consolidated financial results for the first 9 months and third quarter, ended December 31, 2023, of the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2024 (fiscal 2024).
Consolidated First 9 Months Results (April 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023)
Revenue: 3,782.4 billion yen (6% increase year-on-year) Operating profit: 222.3 billion yen (36% increase year-on-year) Profit before income taxes: Net profit attributable to 249.0 billion yen (32% increase year-on-year) Mitsubishi Electric Corp. stockholders: 186.0 billion yen (34% increase year-on-year) The economy in the first 9 months of fiscal 2024, from April through December 2023, continued to see moderate recovery in Japan, however, recovery in consumer spending and capital expenditures came to a standstill recently. In the U.S., the economy continued to see recovery primarily in consumer spending despite monetary tightening and other factors. In China, the economy showed weakness in recovery due to sluggish export as well as slower domestic demand resulting from the real estate recession and other factors. In Europe, there were slowdowns in the corporate and household sectors due primarily to monetary tightening.
Revenue
Revenue increased by 217.1 billion yen year-on-year to 3,782.4 billion yen due primarily to the weaker yen and price hike. The Life segment saw an increase in the building systems business in Asia (excluding China), Japan and Europe, and the air conditioning systems & home products business also increased primarily in the first half of fiscal 2024 due to robust demand for air conditioners.
The Industry & Mobility segment saw a decrease in the factory automation systems business due mainly to a decline in demand for digital equipment and for products in the decarbonization area such as lithium-ion batteries, while the automotive equipment business saw increases primarily in electric vehicle-related equipment and electrical components.
In the Infrastructure segment, the public utility systems business saw increases in the transportation systems and public utility businesses worldwide. The energy systems business saw increases in the power distribution business worldwide and the power generation business outside Japan, and the defense & space systems business also increased due to large-scale projects for the defense systems and space systems businesses.
The Semiconductor & Device segment increased due to robust demand for power modules. The Business Platform segment saw increases in the system integrations and IT infrastructure service businesses.
Operating profit
Operating profit increased by 59.1 billion yen year-on-year to 222.3 billion yen due to increases in the Life, Industry & Mobility, Infrastructure and Business Platform segments, despite a decrease in the Semiconductor & Device segment. Operating profit ratio improved by 1.3 points year-on-year to 5.9% due mainly to an improvement in cost ratio.
The cost ratio improved by 1.9 points year-on-year due primarily to the weaker yen and price hike. Selling, general and administrative expenses increased by 66.4 billion yen year-on-year, and the selling, general and administrative expenses to revenue ratio deteriorated by 0.4 points year-on-year. Other profit (loss) decreased by 6.1 billion yen year-on-year, and other profit (loss) to revenue ratio deteriorated by 0.2 points year-on-year.
Profit before income taxes
Profit before income taxes increased by 59.9 billion yen year-on-year to 249.0 billion yen due primarily to an increase in operating profit. The profit before income taxes to revenue ratio was 6.6%.
Net profit attributable to Mitsubishi Electric Corporation stockholders
Net profit attributable to Mitsubishi Electric Corporation stockholders increased by 46.7 billion yen year-onyear to 186.0 billion yen due mainly to an increase in profit before income taxes. The net profit attributable to Mitsubishi Electric Corporation stockholders to revenue ratio was 4.9%.
Consolidated Financial Results by Business Segment (First 9 Months, Fiscal 2024)
Infrastructure
Revenue: 659.7 billion yen (7% increase year-on-year; recorded 614.6 billion yen) Operating profit: 2.1 billion yen (14.4 billion yen improvement year-on-year; recorded a loss of 12.2 billion yen) The market for the public utility systems business continued to see recovery in the global demand for the transportation systems area and robust investment in the public utility area worldwide. In this environment, orders won by the business increased year-on-year due primarily to increases in the transportation systems business worldwide and the public utility business outside Japan. Revenue also increased year-on-year due primarily to the weaker yen and increases in transportation systems and public utility businesses worldwide.
The market for the energy systems business continued to see capital expenditures of power companies in Japan and robust demand mainly for power supply stabilization worldwide in the expansion of renewable energy. In this environment, orders won by the business increased year-on-year due primarily to increases in the power generation business in Japan and the power distribution business worldwide. Revenue also increased year-on-year due primarily to the weaker yen and increases in the power distribution business worldwide and the power generation business outside Japan.
The defense & space systems business saw an increase in orders year-on-year due to an increase in large-scale projects for the defense systems business. Revenue also increased year-on-year due to an increase in largescale projects for the defense systems and space systems businesses.
As a result, revenue for this segment increased by 7% year-on-year to 659.7 billion yen. Operating profit improved by 14.4 billion yen year-on-year to 2.1 billion yen due primarily to a shift in project portfolios and the deterioration in profitability in the defense & space systems business in the previous fiscal year.
Industry & Mobility
- Revenue: 1,272.8 billion yen (5% increase year-on-year; recorded 1,212.2 billion yen)
- Operating profit: 94.7 billion yen (16.3 billion yen increase year-on-year; recorded 78.4 billion yen)
The market for the factory automation systems business saw a decrease in global demand for digital equipment such as semiconductors as well as for the decarbonization area such as lithium-ion batteries. In this environment, the business saw decreases in both orders and revenue year-on-year.
The market for the automotive equipment business saw a year-on-year increase in sales of new cars due mainly to an improvement in the supply of some semiconductor parts, and robust demand primarily for electric vehicle-related equipment in line with the expansion of the market centering on electric vehicles. In this environment, the business saw increases in both orders and revenue year-on-year due primarily to increases in electric vehicle-related equipment such as motors and inverters, electrical components and advanced driver assistance system (ADAS)-related products in addition to the weaker yen and price hike.
As a result, revenue for this segment increased by 5% year-on-year to 1,272.8 billion yen. Operating profit increased by 16.3 billion yen year-on-year to 94.7 billion yen due primarily to the weaker yen and price hike, despite a shift in product mix, increased costs and other factors.
Life
Revenue: 1,519.4 billion yen (6% increase year-on-year; recorded 1,430.6 billion yen) Operating profit: 104.4 billion yen (33.6 billion yen increase year-on-year; recorded 70.7 billion yen) The market for the building systems business continued to see recovery in the global demand. In this environment, the business saw increases in both orders and revenue year-on-year due primarily to the weaker yen and increases in Asia (excluding China), Japan and Europe.
The market for the air conditioning systems & home products business saw robust global demand for air conditioners due to decarbonization trends worldwide mainly in the first half of fiscal 2024. In this environment, the business saw an increase in revenue year-on-year due mainly to the weaker yen and price hike in addition to an increase in air conditioners in Europe and Asia.
As a result, revenue for this segment increased by 6% year-on-year to 1,519.4 billion yen. Operating profit increased by 33.6 billion yen year-on-year to 104.4 billion yen due primarily to the weaker yen, price hike and an improvement of logistics costs.
Business Platform
Revenue: 96.3 billion yen (5% increase year-on-year; recorded 91.4 billion yen) Operating profit: 5.4 billion yen (0.1 billion yen increase year-on-year; recorded 5.2 billion yen) The market for the information systems & network service business saw robust demand due to updates to legacy systems and digital transformation-related efforts. In this environment, the business saw an increase in orders due to increases in the system integrations and IT infrastructure service businesses. Revenue also increased by 5% year-on-year to 96.3 billion yen.
Operating profit increased by 0.1 billion yen year-on-year to 5.4 billion yen due mainly to an increase in revenue.
Semiconductor & Devices
- Revenue: 214.3 billion yen (3% increase year-on-year; recorded 208.8 billion yen)
- Operating profit: 24.6 billion yen (1.0 billion yen decrease year-on-year; recorded 25.7 billion yen)
The market for the semiconductor & device business saw robust demand for power modules used in railway & power transmission applications. In this environment, the business saw an increase in orders year-on-year due mainly to an increase in power modules used in railway & power transmission applications. Revenue for this segment also increased by 3% year-on-year to 214.3 billion yen due mainly to the weaker yen and an increase in power modules used in industrial and railway & power transmission applications.
Operating profit decreased by 1.0 billion yen year-on-year to 24.6 billion yen due mainly to increased costs.
Others
Revenue: 615.6 billion yen (1% increase year-on-year; recorded 609.4 billion yen) Operating profit: 21.9 billion yen (1.5 billion yen decrease year-on-year; recorded 23.4 billion yen) Revenue increased by 1% year-on-year to 615.6 billion yen due primarily to increases in materials procurement and software. Operating profit decreased by 1.5 billion yen year-on-year to 21.9 billion yen due mainly to a shift in project portfolios.
Consolidated Third-quarter Results (October 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023)
Revenue: 1,243.9 billion yen (1% increase year-on-year) Operating profit: 86.4 billion yen (5% increase year-on-year) Profit before income taxes: Net profit attributable to 89.2 billion yen (4% increase year-on-year) Mitsubishi Electric Corp. stockholders: 65.8 billion yen (2% increase year-on-year) Revenue
Revenue increased by 18.2 billion yen year-on-year to 1,243.9 billion yen due primarily to the weaker yen and price hike. In the Infrastructure segment, the public utility systems business saw an increase in the public utility business worldwide. The energy systems business saw increases in the power distribution business worldwide and the power generation business outside Japan, and the defense & space systems business also increased due to large-scale projects for the defense systems business.
The Industry & Mobility segment saw a decrease in the factory automation systems business due mainly to a decline in demand for digital equipment and for products in the decarbonization area such as lithium-ion batteries, while the automotive equipment business increased due to robust demand primarily for electric vehicle-related equipment and electrical components. The Business Platform segment saw increases in the system integration and IT infrastructure service businesses.
The Semiconductor & Device segment remained substantially unchanged year-on-year. The Life segment saw an increase in the building systems business in Japan, Asia (excluding China) and North America, while the air conditioning systems & home products business decreased due to a decline in demand for air conditioners.
Operating profit
Operating profit increased by 3.7 billion yen year-on-year to 86.4 billion yen due to increases in the Industry & Mobility, Infrastructure and Business Platform segments despite decreases in the Life and Semiconductor & Device segments. Operating profit ratio improved by 0.3 points year-on-year to 7.0% due mainly to an improvement in cost ratio.
The cost ratio improved by 1.4 points year-on-year due primarily to the weaker yen and price hike. Selling,
general and administrative expenses increased by 17.4 billion yen year-on-year, and the selling, general and administrative expenses to revenue ratio deteriorated by 1.1 points year-on-year. Other profit (loss) decreased by 2.2 billion yen year-on-year, and other profit (loss) to revenue ratio remained substantially unchanged year-on-year.
Profit before income taxes
Profit before income taxes increased by 3.2 billion yen year-on-year to 89.2 billion yen due primarily to an increase in operating profit. The profit before income taxes to revenue ratio was 7.2%.
Net profit attributable to Mitsubishi Electric Corporation stockholders
Net profit attributable to Mitsubishi Electric Corporation stockholders increased by 1.3 billion yen year-onyear to 65.8 billion yen due mainly to an increase in profit before income taxes. The net profit attributable to Mitsubishi Electric Corporation stockholders to revenue ratio was 5.3%.
Consolidated Financial Results by Business Segment (Third Quarter, Fiscal 2024)
Infrastructure
Revenue: 233.5 billion yen (10% increase year-on-year; recorded 212.6 billion yen) Operating profit: 11.0 billion yen (7.9 billion yen increase year-on-year; recorded 3.1 billion yen) The market for the public utility systems business continued to see recovery in the global demand for the transportation systems area and robust investment in the public utility area worldwide. In this environment, orders won by the business increased year-on-year due primarily to increases in the transportation systems business worldwide and the public utility business outside Japan. Revenue also increased year-on-year due primarily to the weaker yen and an increase in the public utility business worldwide.
The market for the energy systems business continued to see capital expenditures of power companies in Japan and robust demand primarily for power supply stabilization worldwide in the expansion of renewable energy. In this environment, orders won by the business decreased year-on-year due primarily to a decrease in the power generation business outside Japan, while revenue increased year-on-year due primarily to the weaker yen and increases in the power distribution business worldwide and the power generation business outside Japan.
The defense & space systems business saw increases in both orders and revenue year-on-year due to an increase in large-scale projects for the defense systems business. As a result, revenue for this segment increased by 10% year-on-year to 233.5 billion yen. Operating profit increased by 7.9 billion yen year-on-year to 11.0 billion yen due primarily to a shift in project portfolios and an increase in revenue.
Industry & Mobility
Revenue: 429.0 billion yen (3% increase year-on-year; recorded 417.2 billion yen) Operating profit: 44.8 billion yen (10.4 billion yen increase year-on-year; recorded 34.4 billion yen) The market for the factory automation systems business saw a decrease in global demand for digital equipment such as semiconductors as well as for the decarbonization area such as lithium-ion batteries. In this environment, the business saw decreases in both orders and revenue year-on-year.
The market for the automotive equipment business saw a year-on-year increase in sales of new cars due mainly to an improvement in the supply of semiconductor parts, and robust demand primarily for electric vehicle-related equipment in line with the expansion of the market centering on electric vehicles. In this environment, the business saw increases in both orders and revenue year-on-year due primarily to increases in electric vehicle-related equipment such as motors and inverters, electrical components and ADAS-related products in addition to the weaker yen and price hike.
As a result, revenue for this segment increased by 3% year-on-year to 429.0 billion yen. Operating profit in the factory automation systems business decreased due mainly to a decrease in revenue, while operating profit in the automotive equipment business improved due primarily to an increase in revenue and the price hike. As a result, operating profit for this segment increased by 10.4 billion yen yearon-year to 44.8 billion yen.
Life
Revenue: 472.2 billion yen (4% decrease year-on-year; recorded 490.4 billion yen) Operating profit: 25.8 billion yen (10.8 billion yen decrease year-on-year; recorded 36.6 billion yen) The market for the building systems business continued to see recovery in the global demand. In this environment, the business saw increases in both orders and revenue year-on-year due primarily to the weaker yen and increases in Japan, Asia (excluding China) and North America.
The market for the air conditioning systems & home products business saw a decrease in demand for air conditioners mainly in Europe and North America due primarily to stagnation in capital expenditures and housing starts. In this environment, the business saw a decrease in revenue year-on-year due mainly to a decrease in air conditioners in North America and Europe.
As a result, revenue for this segment decreased by 4% year-on-year to 472.2 billion yen. Operating profit decreased by 10.8 billion yen year-on-year to 25.8 billion yen due primarily to a decrease in revenue.
Business Platform
Revenue: 30.5 billion yen (5% increase year-on-year; recorded 29.0 billion yen) Operating profit: 1.5 billion yen (Substantially unchanged year-on-year; recorded 1.4 billion yen) The market for the information systems & network service business saw robust demand due to updates to legacy systems and digital transformation-related efforts. In this environment, the business saw a decrease in orders year-on-year due mainly to a decrease in the system integrations business, while revenue increased by 5% year-on-year to 30.5 billion yen due to increases in the system integrations and IT infrastructure service businesses.
Operating profit remained substantially unchanged year-on-year to 1.5 billion yen due mainly to a shift in project portfolios.
Semiconductor & Devices
- Revenue: 69.8 billion yen (1% decrease year-on-year; recorded 70.5 billion yen)
- Operating profit: 8.2 billion yen (2.6 billion yen decrease year-on-year; recorded 10.9 billion yen)
The market for the semiconductor & device business saw an increase in demand for power modules used in railway & power transmission applications, while demand for power modules used in consumer applications decreased. In this environment, the business saw a decrease in orders year-on-year due mainly to a decrease in power modules used in industrial and consumer applications, and revenue for this segment also decreased by 1% year-on-year to 69.8 billion yen.
Operating profit decreased by 2.6 billion yen year-on-year to 8.2 billion yen due mainly to a decrease in revenue and increased costs.
Others
Revenue: 207.0 billion yen (1% decrease year-on-year; recorded 209.7 billion yen) Operating profit: 8.3 billion yen (Substantially unchanged year-on-year; recorded 8.3 billion yen) Revenue decreased by 1% year-on-year to 207.0 billion yen due primarily to a decrease in logistics. Operating profit remained substantially unchanged year-on-year to 8.3 billion yen due mainly to a shift in project portfolios.
Financial Standing
An analysis on the status of assets, liabilities and equity on a consolidated basis
Total assets as of the end of this fiscal quarter increased by 212.6 billion yen compared to the end of the previous fiscal year to 5,795.2 billion yen. The change in balance of total assets was mainly attributable to increases in inventories by 129.1 billion yen and other financial assets by 101.3 billion yen.
Inventories increased due primarily to the weaker yen and a change in demand for the Industry & Mobility and Life segments as well as progress in job orders under pertinent contracts.
Total liabilities increased by 42.2 billion yen compared to the end of the previous fiscal year to 2,261.5 billion yen due primarily to an increase in bonds, borrowings and lease liabilities by 163.3 billion yen, despite a decrease in trade payables by 84.6 billion yen. Bonds and borrowings increased by 168.1 billion yen compared to the end of the previous fiscal year to 420.3 billion yen, with the ratio of bonds and borrowings to total assets recording 7.3%, representing a 2.8 point increase compared to the end of the previous fiscal year.
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation stockholders’ equity increased by 165.5 billion yen compared to the end of the previous fiscal year to 3,404.5 billion yen due mainly to net profit attributable to Mitsubishi Electric Corporation stockholders of 186.0 billion yen and an increase in accumulated other comprehensive income of 103.8 billion yen, mainly reflecting the weaker yen and rise in stock prices, despite a decrease due primarily to a dividend payment of 96.9 billion yen. The stockholders’ equity ratio was 58.7%, representing a 0.7 point increase compared to the end of the previous fiscal year.
An analysis on the status of cash flow on a consolidated basis
Cash flows from operating activities for the first 9 months of fiscal 2024 were 198.9 billion yen (cash in), while cash flows from investing activities were 199.0 billion yen (cash out). As a result, free cash flow was 0.0 billion yen. Cash flows from financing activities were 22.0 billion yen (cash out), and cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period decreased by 0.2 billion yen compared to the end of the previous fiscal year to 645.6 billion yen.
Net cash provided by operating activities increased by 230.6 billion yen year-on-year due primarily to an increase in profit and a decrease in payment for inventories.
Net cash used in investing activities increased by 73.1 billion yen year-on-year due mainly to increases in purchase of investment securities and others and purchase of property, plant and equipment despite an increase in proceeds from sale of investment securities and others.
Net cash used in financing activities increased by 22.8 billion yen year-on-year due primarily to an increase in purchase of treasury stock and a decrease in proceeds of short-term borrowings, despite an increase in the proceeds of bonds and long-term borrowings.
Forecast for Fiscal 2024
The consolidated earnings forecast for fiscal 2024, ending March 31, 2024, is unchanged from the announcement on April 28, 2023 as stated below.
Current consolidated forecast for fiscal 2024
Revenue: 5,200.0 billion yen (4% increase year-on-year) Operating profit: 330.0 billion yen (26% increase year-on-year) Profit before income taxes: Net profit attributable to Mitsubishi Electric Corp. 355.0 billion yen (22% increase year-on-year) stockholders: 260.0 billion yen (22% increase year-on-year) Exchange rates for this forecast in the fourth quarter are 145 yen to the U.S. dollar (5 yen weaker than the previous forecast), 155 yen to the euro (5 yen weaker than the previous forecast) and 20.0 yen to the Chinese yuan (unchanged from the previous forecast).
Original – Mitsubishi Electric
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Bourns, Inc. announced it has signed Fruition as the company’s new full line distributor in China. Fruition is known for having a wide variety of components experience and Bourns selected the company for its reputation for excellent technical and customer support.
“Because of the increase in product demand for designs in China, we sought to expand our strategic sales channel. Fruition gives Bourns the product line expertise to support our growing customer base in the region. I am confident in the Fruition team’s technical knowledge and commitment to superior customer service will help us meet our sales goals in China,” said James Harrington and Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales at Bourns.
“On behalf of the Fruition organization, it is a privilege to represent Bourns’ broad line of advanced electronic components in China. Bourns’ innovative technologies are ideal for the vehicle, industrial and consumer markets we serve. Further cementing our strong customer relationships, we look forward to giving them local support for the Bourns solutions they need for their next-generation application designs,” said Ethan Tang, Fruition CEO.
Original – Bourns
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The National Science Foundation has given a $300,000 grant to Xiaoqing Song, an assistant professor in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department, to support his research project focused on advancing high density and high-operation-temperature traction inverters. Song’s project explores the integration of gallium oxide packaged power modules to enhance the power density and temperature range of electric vehicles.
Collaborating with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the project sets out to innovate power module packaging, establish reliable strategies for gallium oxide power devices and demonstrate the capabilities of a high density, high temperature traction inverter.
“By eliminating technical barriers for gallium oxide device integration, this project will foster the development of next-generation, high density and high-operation-temperature power converters,” Song said.
The traction inverter, responsible for converting stored direct current (DC) power into alternating current (AC) power to drive electric motors, stands to benefit significantly from gallium oxide technology. Song said, “Gallium oxide can make the traction inverter smaller, lighter, more efficient and capable of operating across a wider range of temperatures.
“Gallium oxide has a larger band gap energy compared to conventional silicon and wide band gap semiconductors. It enables high breakdown electrical strength, low intrinsic carrier concentration and correspondingly high operation temperatures,” Song said.
One challenge addressed in the project is the low thermal conductivity of gallium oxide, which hinders efficient heat removal. Song outlines the plan to develop advanced power module packaging techniques that enable low thermal resistance, low parasitic inductances and high-temperature operation capability.
“National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has significant experience in power module simulation, fabrication and characterization, as well as world-class experimental and lab capabilities for evaluating and designing efficient and reliable power electronics systems. The PI will collaborate with them to design and develop a gallium oxide-based high density and operation-temperature traction inverter for automotive applications. This project will help establish a long-term partnership with NREL that can catalyze further research and development of ultra-wide bandgap power semiconductor devices,” Song said.
Song shared that the collaboration with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory aims to design and develop a gallium oxide-based high density and high-operation-temperature traction inverter for automotive applications, fostering a long-term partnership that can drive further research in ultra-wide bandgap power semiconductor devices.
“Other applications include power grids, data centers, renewable energy, space and defense, etc.,” Song added.
The success of the project, he believes, will provide valuable insights into gallium oxide device modeling, packaging, gate driving, protection and application in power converters. These advancements are expected to catalyze progress in transport electrification and the deployment of gallium oxide technology in challenging environments.
“The research achievements and experiences gained in the fellowship will sustain and promote the PI’s future multi-disciplinary research activities in semiconductor devices, multiphysics analysis, power module packaging and high performance power electronics. Other broader impacts also include the education and development of the next generation workforce in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), the encouragement of more women and underrepresented minorities in electrical engineering, especially in the area of wide and ultra-wide bandgap semiconductor devices, power module packaging and power electronics with hands-on lab experiences,” Song said.
Original – University of Arkansas
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DENSO announced global financial results for its third quarter, ending December 31, 2023, for its 2024 fiscal year, ending March 31, 2024:
- Consolidated revenue totaled 5,354.9 billion yen (US$37.8 billion), a 15.5 percent increase from the previous year.
- Consolidated operating profit totaled 238.6 billion yen (US$1.7billion), a 11.0 percent decrease from the previous year.
- Consolidated profit attributable to owners of the parent company totaled 175.6 billion yen(US$1.2billion), a 11.2 percent decrease from the previous year
“Revenue in the third quarter increased compared to the previous year due to the strong vehicle sales mainly in Japan and North America, foreign exchange gains and expansion of products for electrification, safety and peace of mind areas. Operating profit in the third quarter decreased compared to the previous year due to the continuing rise in the cost of materials, especially electronic components, and the adding provision for quality, though production volume, foreign exchange gains and improvement.” said Yasushi Matsui, CFO, Vice President and member of the Board of Directors of DENSO CORPORATION.
“In this fiscal year, we forecast 7,120.0 billion yen (US$50.2 billion) in revenue and 495.0 billion yen (US$3.5 billion) in operating profit. Forecast of revenue will be based on actuals of foreign exchange gains in the third quarter and forecast in the fourth quarter. Forecast of operating profit will be based on the adding provision for quality.”
In Japan, revenue increased to 3,148.3 billion yen (US$22.2 billion), up 17.0% from the previous year, and operating profit was 22.4 billion yen (US$157.6 million), down 84.8% from the previous year.In North America, revenue increased to 1,286.0 billion yen (US$9.1 billion), up 18.8% from the previous year, and operating profit was 27.5 billion yen (US$194.0 million) (Operating loss of 15.0 billion yen in the same quarter of the previous year).
In Europe, revenue increased to 570.4 billion yen (US$4.0 billion), up 16.2% from the previous year, and operating profit was 22.4 billion yen (US$157.9 million), up 145.6% from the previous year.
In Asia, revenue increased to 1,521.2 billion yen (US$10.7 billion), up 3.5% from the previous year and operating profit was 149.4 billion yen (US$1,053.6 million), up 31.6% from the previous year.
In other areas, revenue increased to 81.9 billion yen (US$0.6 billion), up 6.6% from the previous year, and operating profit was 15.1 billion yen (US$106.3 million), down 2.3% from the previous year.Forecast for Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2024
Full-Year Forecast Changes from Previous Forecast Revenue 7,120.0 billion yen
[US$50.2 billion]+120.0 billion yen
(+1.7 percent)Operating profit 495.0 billion yen
[US$3.5 billion]-135.0 billion yen
(-21.4 percent)Profit before profit taxes 548.0 billion yen
[US$3.9 billion]-136.0 billion yen
(-19.9 percent)Profit attributable to owners of the parent company 380.0 billion yen
[US$2.7 billion]-90.0 billion yen
(-19.1 percent)ROE 8.1% -1.6% Original – DENSO
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Infineon Technologies AG announced that Infineon and Honda Motor Co., Ltd. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to build a strategic collaboration. Honda selects Infineon as semiconductor partner to align future product and technology roadmaps.
The two companies also agreed to continue discussions on supply stability, as well as to encourage transferring mutual knowledge and collaborate on projects aimed at accelerating the time to market of technologies.
“Infineon’s system understanding, our broad product portfolio and outstanding quality have made us an appreciated partner to Japan’s automotive industry,” said Peter Schiefer, President of the Automotive Division at Infineon. “We are honored to be the semiconductor partner for a strategic collaboration with Honda. Intensifying a long-standing partnership even further is always a confirmation of the added value created and at the same time an expression of the trust in contributing to future successes.”
Infineon will support Honda with technologies to enable competitive and advanced vehicles. The technical support will focus on the area of power semiconductors, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), and E/E architectures, where both parties will collaborate on new architecture concepts.
Original – Infineon Technologies
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The true beauty of a car isn’t in the way that it looks, but in the way it makes you feel. With the growing demand for smarter vehicles, in-vehicle systems are evolving to provide more seamless experiences. More and more vehicles are incorporating in-vehicle infotainment systems to provide drivers and passengers a combination of entertainment and information to enhance their experiences.
The infotainment system enables radio, navigation, multimedia and Internet-based applications to be centrally controlled. Furthermore, a range of vehicle status messages can be displayed through the infotainment system.
The most popular communication mechanism in modern vehicles is the Controller Area Network (CAN) bus. CAN and other network protocol support: In order to facilitate interaction between microcontrollers and gadgets, the electrical hardware elements of infotainment systems are coupled via standardised communication protocols like CAN. It is a bi-directional serial communication bus that allows Infotainment system to communicate with ECU, without using any complex wiring. One of the wires is called the CAN_Low (CAN_L) and the other, CAN_High (CAN_H), with a data transfer rate of 1Mbit/s.
ESD protection can be achieved by placing Transient Voltage Suppression (TVS) diodes on a data line to protect the interface during the fast rise time transient events like ESD in less than a nanosecond. The Diotec NUP2105L-AQ protection diode is designed to protect high speed data lines from ESD.
Ultra−low capacitance 30pf and high level of ESD protection up to 30KV, 350 W Peak Power Dissipation per Line (8/20 sec Waveform) and very low reverse leakage current <100nA. This device provides bidirectional protection for each data line with a single compact SOT−23 package, it is available in AEC−Q101 Qualified and PPAP Capable.
Original – Diotec Semiconductor
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Wolfspeed, Inc. announced its results for the second quarter of fiscal 2024.
Quarterly Financial Highlights (Continuing operations only. All comparisons are to the second quarter of fiscal 2023):
- Consolidated revenue of $208.4 million, compared to $173.8 million
◦ Mohawk Valley Fab contributed $12 million in revenue, a 3x increase from the prior quarter - Power device design-ins of $2.1 billion
- Quarterly record design-wins of $2.9 billion – over 75% related to automotive applications
- GAAP gross margin of 13.3%, compared to 32.6%
- Non-GAAP gross margin of 16.4%, compared to 35.8%
◦ GAAP and non-GAAP gross margins for the second quarter of fiscal 2024 include the impact of $35.6 million of underutilization costs, representing approximately 1,700 basis points of gross margin - Completed sale of our RF Business to MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc. (MACOM) for $75 million in cash and 711,528 shares of MACOM common stock (the RF Business Divestiture)
“We’re proud of our results this quarter, which reflect robust execution of our strategy and fortify our vision for the future of Wolfspeed and silicon carbide,” said Wolfspeed CEO, Gregg Lowe. “We have made considerable progress at our Mohawk Valley facility, tripling revenue sequentially. Our successful scale-up of 200mm wafer production and continued qualification of high-quality EV products on 200mm substrates are critical steps in meeting the continued customer demand. This is demonstrated by a record $2.9 billion of design-wins, predominantly in the EV sector across multiple OEMs.”
Lowe continued, “Our steadfast commitment to our long-term goals is bolstered by the conversion of our design-ins into significant design-wins. This solidifies our confidence in the electrification trend, which increasingly depends on the widespread adoption of silicon carbide technology. We are pioneers in this transformative era, steering towards a more electrified and efficient future.”
Business Outlook:
For its third quarter of fiscal 2024, Wolfspeed targets revenue from continuing operations in a range of $185 million to $215 million. GAAP net loss from continuing operations is targeted at $134 million to $155 million, or $1.07 to $1.23 per diluted share. Non-GAAP net loss from continuing operations is targeted to be in a range of $71 million to $87 million, or $0.57 to $0.69 per diluted share.
Targeted non GAAP net loss from continuing operations excludes $63 million to $68 million of estimated expenses, net of tax, primarily related to stock-based compensation expense, amortization of discount and debt issuance costs, net of capitalized interest, project, transformation and transaction costs and loss on Wafer Supply Agreement. The GAAP and non-GAAP targets from continuing operations do not include any estimated change in the fair value of the shares of MACOM common stock that we acquired in connection with the RF Business Divestiture.
Original – Wolfspeed
- Consolidated revenue of $208.4 million, compared to $173.8 million
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Siltronic AG has achieved its annual targets for 2023 according to preliminary, unaudited figures. The company achieved preliminary sales of EUR 1,514 million, a decrease of approximately 16 percent compared to the record sales of EUR 1,805 million in 2022. The target for the year was a decline in sales of 15 to 17 percent.
The main reason for the year-on-year decline was significantly weaker demand from the semiconductor industry due to increased inventories in the value chain. Since Siltronic nevertheless succeeded to keep sales prices stable, a preliminary EBITDA of EUR 434 million was achieved in 2023, resulting in a continued solid EBITDA margin of 29 percent. This was also within the expected target range of 28 to 30 percent.
The EBITDA for the record year 2022 amounted to EUR 672 million, though it should be noted that this included a one-off compensation payment of EUR 50 million as a result of the failed tender offer by GlobalWafers. The adjusted comparative figure for the EBITDA margin in 2022 was therefore 34.4 percent.
“We achieved our 2023 targets in a challenging environment. In particular, the EBITDA margin of 29 percent is very solid given the sharp decline in sales. The year 2023 was also marked by the construction of our new 300 mm fab in Singapore, which is on schedule to start operations at the beginning of 2024. The new state-of-the-art fab will contribute to Siltronic’s significant profitable growth in the medium and long term,” commented Dr. Michael Heckmeier, CEO of Siltronic AG.
Compared to the previous year, cost of sales decreased at a slower rate than sales due to a reduction in fixed costs, higher depreciation and inflationary cost increases, particularly for raw materials, supplies and labor.
Preliminary earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) were also significantly lower than in the previous year at EUR 231 million (2022: EUR 496 million, adjusted: EUR 446 million). Accordingly, the preliminary EBIT margin was 15 percent compared to an adjusted 24.7 percent in 2022.
Solid financial situation despite record investments
In the reporting year, Siltronic made record investments in property, plant and equipment and intangible assets of preliminary EUR 1,316 million (2022: EUR 1,074 million). This was mainly due to the new 300 mm wafer fab in Singapore and the expansion of the crystal pulling hall in Freiberg.
Considering the high future investments mentioned above, the preliminary net cash flow of EUR -664 million in 2023 is in line with expectations (2022: EUR -395 million). The high cash payments for capex and the dividend payment of EUR 90 million resulted in net financial debt of EUR 356 million by December 31, 2023 (2022: net financial assets of EUR 374 million).
Business development in Q4 2023
As announced, preliminary sales of EUR 357 million in Q4 2023 were slightly above the level of Q3 2023 (EUR 349 million). As expected, at a preliminary EUR 91 million, the EBITDA for Q4 2023 did not reach the level of the previous quarter (EUR 99 million), mainly due to a lower foreign exchange result, which is included in the balance of other operating income and expenses.
The preliminary quarterly EBIT amounted to EUR 37 million (Q3 2023: EUR 46 million). The EBIT margin reached 10 percent (Q3 2023: 13.3 percent). Despite increased investments, the preliminary net cash flow for Q4 2023 improved significantly to EUR -32 million (Q3 2023: EUR -215 million). This was mainly due to investment grants received in Q4 2023 and positive working capital effects.
Upcoming events
The audited financial results and the Annual Report 2023 will be published on March 12, 2024. On this day, the Management Board of Siltronic AG will hold a conference call with analysts and investors (in English only) at 10:00 am (CET). This call will be streamed over the Internet. The audio webcast will be available live and on demand on Siltronic’s website.
- March 12, 2024 Publication of the Annual Report 2023
- May 2, 2024 Quarterly Statement Q1 2024
- May 13, 2024 Annual General Meeting
- July 25, 2024 Half Year Report 2024
- October 24, 2024 Quarterly Statement Q3 2024
Original – Siltronic
