Its good to see increased & more aggressive adoption of Capacitors in Hybrids,but is it possible for Capacitor manufacturers to reduce size of the Devices themselves(because the lighter they are the more fuel-efficent the car will be??)
I personally know a lot of Battery manufacturers are experimenting with different metals to see which works best(durability and efficency point of view).If we can get super lightweight,Cheap and long-lasting Batteries for Hybrids,Hybrids will see an increase in sales like theres no tommorow.
And Californians won't be upset about paying $10/Gallon at the pump either...
http://www.noonproposition10.org/
Its a stupid idea(raising Gasoline taxes to pay for public transportation and paying Bloated Union salaries,but if alternatives to Gas driven automobiles exist,a lot of Californians might go with it)...
Will Mr. Demcko respond? I find Paumanok's questions interesting even though it is a bit technical. The last bit about whether or not America can innovate its way out of a recession is quite important. The challenge is that as America is innovating so are other parts of the world. Will we all innovate ourselves into first place? I don't think this is going to happen in all countries and for all economy sectors. I would like to know, though, if the hybrid capacitor innovations Mr. Demcko identified are all American or if other companies based elsewhere are similarly involved. The consumer may not care about where the product was developed, though. If it works well and is better and cheaper than the alternative, I don't care who designed or produced it.
Paumanok knows his onions. He also knows a thing or two about innovation as a catalyst for growth too. Ron, can you help educate the rest of us on the questions Paumanok raised? What are the major differences between all these applications as the industry tries to find new ways to upgrade products for use in hybrid vehicles? The reason hybrid auto emerged was due to the need to reduce carbon footprint and the entire bill of materials that goes into a vehicle therefore has to contribute to the attainment of that goal, including capacitors made by your company.
If there are costs savings from making biodegradable dielectric components as Paumanok says the industry should be exploring it. The company that finds a way to do this benefits from lower costs, which can be passed onto customers and used as leverage for securing supply contracts, and also gets to boast it is contributing to "Saving the Earth." Are these types of components heading to market anytime soon? If not, what kind of research is being done and how soon will we see this type of products that can go into a landfill without negatively impacting its environment?
Hey Ron; I was showing some of our friends in Greenville this new dielectric material I came across at the TED Conference. What do you think the value of a trully biodegradable dielectric material is? One that when put in a landfill would actually benefit the environment and help things grow. What I trully had to grasp was that the production process to make the dielectric is about 50% of the current cost of goods sold for OPP or large Can PET capacitors; and what really got me going was that it was moldable into abstract shapes (like the Greatbatch wet tantalums). Anyway, if there's a scientist in the USA that can understand something like this its you. P.S I was at a meeting in DC a few months back and the current powers that be were trying to evoke innovation as the way out of economic woe and a second dip. He said- "Can American Innovate its way out of this." I liked that.
There are several major manufacturers in the capacitor market, including companies like AVX, Kyocera, Kemet and Vishay. Over the last 10 or more years smaller manufacturers have emerged in Asia that have taken market share in the lower end of the sector forcing companies like AVX and Vishay to target higher-end and cutting-edge products. This is where they are making a difference and hence their focus on technology differentiation in consumer segments like automotive and wireless communications. As Ron Demcko points out, companies that are able to offer technologically advanced products will get the opportunity to have their components designed into hybrid cars, high-end vehicles and military equipment.
Automotive companies are notoriously tough on their suppliers--usually for good reason, when driver safety is involved. Can you give our colleagues some pointers on how to get the attention of an automotive supplier if you are not already in the door?
EBN Dialogue enables and encourages you to participate in live chats with notable leaders and luminaries. Not only editors and journalists, but the entire EBN community is able to comment and ask questions. Listed below are upcoming and archived chats.
Archived Dialogues
Thailand Stages a Comeback Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Euro-Crisis: What It Means for High-Tech Firms Join EBN Editor in Chief Bolaji Ojo and Contributing Editor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday, July 12, at 10:00 a.m. EDT for a Live Chat on high-tech and Europe's economic difficulties.
Microsoft Surface: Potential Winners & Losers What are the implications for the electronics industry supply chain of Microsoft Corp.'s decision to launch its own tablet PC? Join industry veteran and EE Times' systems and OEM expert Rick Merritt on Tuesday, July 3, at 12:00 pm EDT for a Live Chat on this subject.
Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Peter Drucker famously said "Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window." Yet in the razor's-edge world of electronics—with a lean supply chain and just-in-time demands—the need to know the future is vital.
While no one really can accurately predict the future, we can take guidance from another Drucker saying which is the best way to predict the future is to create it.
You've heard the saying "the No. 1 supply chain risk is your people." That hasn't always been the case. But today's complex global supply chain requires a new type of multitalented employee. It's one who understands, finance, marketing, economics, is savvy with technology, graceful with relationships and can think analytically.
Where are these people? Are universities properly preparing the next generation supply chain professionals? How do train your existing workforce for these new, demanding positions?
Brian Fuller, editor-in-chief of EBN, will lead a 60-minute Avnet Velocity panel discussion that will ask and answer these and other questions swirling around today's supply-chain talent challenges.
To save this item to your list of favorite EBN content so you can find it later in your Profile page, click the "Save It" button next to the item.
If you found this interesting or useful, please use the links to the services below to share it with other readers. You will need a free account with each service to share an item via that service.
Tweet This
