Power Electronics as a Key Enabler for Energy Efficiency and Integrated System Innovation — Highlights from CIPS 2026

Dr. F. Patrick McCluskey is a full Professor and Interim Chair of the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Maryland, College Park. He has over 30 years of research experience in the areas of thermal management, reliability, and packaging of electronic systems for use in harsh environments.  Dr. McCluskey has co-authored three books, 5 US Patents, and approximately 200 peer-reviewed technical articles with over 5000 citations. He is a member of the board of governors of the IEEE Electronic Packaging Society, a fellow of IMAPS, winner of the 2025 IMAPS Outstanding Educator award, and a member of ASME, MRS, and ASEE.

Johann W. Kolar received his M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees (summa cum laude – promotio sub auspiciis praesidentis rei publicae) from the University of Technology Vienna, Austria. After spending 15 years as an international consultant and independent researcher, he was appointed Associate Professor and Head of the Power Electronic Systems Laboratory at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich in 2001 and was promoted to Full Professor in 2004. Over the course of his career, he has proposed numerous novel converter concepts, including the Vienna Rectifier, spearheaded the development of x-million-rpm motors, and pioneered fully automated, multi-objective power electronics design procedures. He has personally supervised more than 90 Ph.D. students to completion, has extensively published in IEEE Transactions, is named as inventor on numerous granted patents, and has received several prestigious awards, including the 2016 IEEE William E. Newell Power Electronics Award, the 2025 IEEE Medal in Power Engineering, and two ETH Zurich Golden Owl Awards for excellence in teaching. As Professor Emeritus (since August 2024), he actively continues to pursue research in ultra-compact and highly efficient wide-bandgap (WBG) converter systems, AI and machine learning applications in power electronics, solid-state transformers, and the life cycle analysis of power electronic converter systems. He is an International Member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering (NAE), a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), and an IEEE Life Fellow.

The main business areas are thermal systems as well as products and solutions for electronic manufacturing. The main focus is on vacuum soldering systems and systems for sintering semiconductor chips. The product range extends from small batch systems to fully automated production systems. Budatec systems are used worldwide for the production of electronic and power electronic components, by automotive industry suppliers, in the manufacturing of lasers and in medical technology. In numerous research facilities, budatec systems are the basis for the implementation of new technologies. 

The copper-based interconnect materials designed by CuNex follow a low cost, low pressure and rapid sintering approach ensuring improved reliability and performance.

Compared with silver sintering, the total cost of ownership can be reduced by more than 70% with the copper pastes and preforms. The product development and volume manufacturing are supported by SCHLENK with a history of 150 years in copper-based performance materials.

Since its establishment, the DOWA Group has evolved its operations in a number of directions in step with the changing times, to the extent of forging a unique recycling-oriented business structure.

The spectrum ranges from basic materials, semiconductor devices and process technologies, power electronic modules and components to complete power electronic and energy systems. Main target applications of the IISB are semiconductor manufacturing, electromobility, aerospace as well as sustainable energy supply. With its solutions, the institute has been setting benchmarks in energy efficiency and performance, even for extreme operating conditions. The integration of intelligent data-based functionalities also continuously opens up new application scenarios. Fraunhofer IISB supports its customers and partners worldwide in transferring scientific results into commercial products. Its activities are organized in two business areas: Semiconductor Technology and Power Electronic Systems. A total of around 400 employees works at the headquarters in Erlangen, Bavaria, at the Fraunhofer Technology Center High Performance Materials THM in Freiberg, Saxony and at the E|Road Center in Hallstadt.

Our development work is derived from the needs of the nine market-oriented business divisions – supplemented by strategic preliminary research at the highest scientific level.

It is our goal to develop complete system solutions and services, but also to solve specific challenges within the processes of our partners from industry and science. Our expertise in characterizing materials, components and systems along their life cycle provides us with a unique data pool to carry out new developments more efficiently and faster.

With state-of-the-art equipment on more than 40,000 m² of floor space, competent staff and result-oriented research management, we offer a contact point for companies and research partners to tap the unique properties of ceramic materials for new and improved applications.

The institute focuses on understanding the intricate relationships between production processes, operating conditions, and the resulting microstructural, material, and functional properties. 

Using advanced techniques such as non-destructive analysis, high-resolution electron microscopy, mechanical material characterization, and numerical simulation, Fraunhofer IMWS leads the way in failure diagnostics, process qualification, and degradation analysis. These efforts aim to enhance the reliability, quality, and efficiency of electronic systems throughout their entire lifecycle. 

In addition to power electronics, Fraunhofer IMWS supports industries such as automotive electronics and communication technologies, delivering fast, data-driven solutions. The institute’s state-of-the-art infrastructure and decades of expertise in material and failure diagnostics are complemented by micromechanical testing and simulation capabilities, enabling precise solutions to even the most complex challenges. 

What sets Fraunhofer IMWS apart is its customer-centric approach, flexibility, and speed in addressing industry needs. By accelerating innovation and reducing costs, the institute helps its partners improve product reliability and bring solutions to market faster. 

Visit our booth to learn how Fraunhofer IMWS can help you tackle the reliability challenges of power electronics and beyond!

The operating company develops sophisticated material solutions for the automotive industry, power electronics, and advanced packaging in development centers and production facilities in Asia, the USA, and Europe. As a solution provider, Heraeus Electronics offers its customers a broad product portfolio - from materials and material systems to components and services. 

Products include solders and fluxes; brazes; thermal interface materials; sputtering targets; indium, gallium, germanium, and tin metals and inorganic compounds; and NanoFoil®. Founded in 1934, the company has global technical support and factories located in China, Germany, India, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the U.S.

Nano-Join, based in Berlin, has many years of experience in developing advanced sintering materials for die-attach and module-attach applications. The company specializes in pressureless and pressure-assisted silver sintering as well as copper-silver sintering pastes designed for high-performance electronic packaging.

Nano-Join’s materials enable reliable, highly conductive, and thermally stable interconnections, supporting the growing demands of modern power electronics and semiconductor applications. Through continuous innovation and application-focused development, Nano-Join delivers solutions that enhance performance, reliability, and manufacturing efficiency.

Combination of Nano-Joins experience in sintering materials and Inventec ISO 9001 & 14001 production sites in France, Switzerland, USA, Mexico, Malaysia and China will guarantee a smooth and cost-effective supply chain across the globe.

With a broad product portfolio, high consulting competence, top service and personal commitment, we support customers as an innovation partner in developing new technologies and technically optimising existing solutions.

As a family business, PACK stands for quality - Made in Germany. With sales offices around the world, we are also present everywhere internationally.

As a development partner for our customers, we offer the best service - for example, many developers use our online sample service at
https://www.packlitzwire.de/ immediate-delivery/ to request directly available samples.

Pack is also a valued partner for series production. Modern production and the trusting co-operation with our suppliers enable a high delivery capacity, even for large uantities. Digitalised handling processes accompany the processing of orders. Of course, we offer barcode-supported integration of your article and project data into the ordering process.

Ever since the establishment of PFARR Stanztechnik in 1982, we have been committed to a high level of reliable quality coupled to flexibility and maximum reliability. This corporate commitment is the basis for our excellent reputation in so many countries.

Our production range covers precision metal preforms, strips and foils for diverse industrial applications; whereby solder and braze for the electronics, microelectronic and automotive sectors represent our core business.

PFARR Industrie Vorrichtungsbau e.K. (www.pfarr-piv.de) provides top-quality tooling, enabling us to meet and exceed specific customer needs with maximum flexibility and efficiency: this member of the Pfarr family of companies designs and builds for us punching and bending tools in every conceivable design and dimension.

Maximum vertical integration coupled with specific technical expertise and many years of experience form the basis of top-quality products: “Made in Germany” at the right price. The total satisfaction of our business partners, whether suppliers or customers; that is the goal continuously motivating the employees of PFARR Stanztechnik.

All our systems are specifically tailored to the requirements and products of our customers.

Well-known technology companies from the automotive industry and its suppliers, the semiconductor industry, the electronics industry and the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, among others, have been trusting in our reliable systems – made in Germany – for decades.

With our application and R&D services we support our customers from the very beginning of packaging development to series production. Starting with equipment demonstrations, soldering and sintering trials, PINK provides feasibility sudies of new packaging concepts incl. package assembly.

The company’s leading-edge products and solutions empower industrial, regulatory and government customers to attain technological and digital sovereignty. The privately owned, Munich based company can act independently, long-term and sustainably.

The core business encompasses a broad portfolio: test and measurement equipment for a wide range of markets such as wireless and automotive as well as solutions for critical infrastructures, aviation and defense, network security and cybersecurity, and broadcast. The future technologies in which Rohde & Schwarz is involved include millimeterwave technology (mmWave), non-terrestrial networks (NTN), the next generation of wireless communications standards (6G), artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced semiconductor and quantum technology.

Siemens' software and the comprehensive digital twin enable companies to optimize their design, engineering and manufacturing processes to turn today's ideas into the sustainable products of the future. From chips to entire systems, from product to process, across all industries. Siemens Digital Industries Software – Accelerating transformation.

Siemens Digital Industries (DI) empowers companies of all sizes within the process and discrete manufacturing industries to accelerate their digital and sustainability transformation across the entire value chain. Siemens’ cutting-edge automation and software portfolio revolutionizes the design, realization and optimization of products and production. And with Siemens Xcelerator – the open digital business platform – this process is made even easier, faster, and scalable. Together with our partners and ecosystem, Siemens Digital Industries enables customers to become a sustainable Digital Enterprise. Siemens Digital Industries has a workforce of around 70,000 people worldwide. 

At our headquarters in Wertheim, we have been developing and producing soldering systems and heat transfer machines which are used worldwide in the electronics industry for over 35 years.

With branches in China and Mexico, SMT Wertheim has become global. The company holds several patents and has developed numerous innovative processes that are now part of the technological standard.

SMT Thermal Discoveries is not only a solid, family owned and medium-sized company with over 150 employees, but also an internationally oriented world market leader in the field of plant engineering for SMT technology. Since 2024, SMT Thermal Discoveries has also been serving the needs of the semiconductor sector.

We develop solution-oriented systems that meet the demands of modern applications in industry, research, and technology.

Our comprehensive portfolio of components, devices, and systems, combined with close collaboration with leading technology partners, ensures tailor-made, efficient, and high-performance solutions for every application. Our team of product and application experts supports customers from concept development through implementation to commissioning. With the expertise to execute complex projects reliably and precisely, we are backed by a highly capable service department.

With regional offices in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic, we provide direct consultation and on-site technical support.
As a long-standing partner of Teledyne LeCroy, we specialize in high-quality oscilloscopes and precise measurement solutions.

In this way, we combine personalized service with the highest technical expertise – delivering optimal results and reliable, future-proof solutions.

This includes the design, modelling and simulation as well as testing of novel components, frequency converters and drives as a whole. We will present the High Power Electronics-Laboratory (HiPE-LAB), which enables the testing of individual components or entire systems under realistic climatic and electrical conditions. Temperatures between -40 °C and +120 °C in combination with relative humidity from 10% to 95% and up to 10 MVA power-in-the-loop can be reached. By individual test profiles nearly all climatic zones on earth can be simulated. Additionally, we will show the latest version of the "M-Shunt", a low-inductance current sensor that is particularly well suited for circuits containing fast-switching wide band-gap semiconductors.

Our expertise is built on in-depth know-how in analytics, AVT of functional surfaces and innovative surface modification, combined with long-standing partnerships with more than 3,000 companies worldwide. As an internationally leading provider, we not only offer thorough root cause analyses for validation and field failures, but also implement effective measures to sustainably prevent future damage – with or without cleaning. 

Objectives of the Power Engineering Society in the VDE (ETG) are the interdisciplinary and international cooperation of industry, science, energy suppliers and energy users. The ETG sees itself as representation of interests of electrical power engineering.