ETAL UK is part of Kamic Group’s Magnetic Division and will be joined at the event by other members, including AGW Electronics, Avon Magnetics, Talema, SIGA Electronics and GST. With expertise spanning numerous sectors and applications, over 1,100 employees, manufacturing operations in four countries and customers located across the world, the group is a global force in the magnetics and components market.

“As a business we have continued to grow over the past 12 months, adding new expertise to an already impressive portfolio of market-leading products.  We have six world-class manufacturing sites that all offer different capabilities, and I am excited to meet customers old and new at EDS 2025 and showcase the breadth of solutions we can offer them,” said Stefan Ruuth, Sales Manager BA at ETAL Group.

Exhibiting on stand D4, visitors will have the opportunity to explore some of the group’s portfolio of customisable magnetic components and transformers, which are tailored for multiple industries, including aerospace, automotive, defence, transport, telecommunications and medical technology.

www.etalgroup.com/

“The importance of leading-edge power products cannot be overstated, and Nexperia provides some of the best – whether they are targeted for automotive, industrial or portable or even wearable applications. We share their goal of ensuring developers can access the exact components they need, when they need them. With comprehensive Nexperia inventory available across the Americas, EMEA and APAC, we are ready to support engineers worldwide,” said  Jose Lok, Global Product Category Director, Passives and Semiconductors at Farnell.

Nexperia is known for the quality and reliability of its products, ranging from discrete components, power, to logic ICs. To sustain its portfolion, the company continues to invest in its manufacturing, which includes $200m for SiC and GaN technology at its facility Hamburg, Germany. The investment is now yielding results, with a rapidly growing portfolio that includes power MOSFETs, wide bandgap semiconductors, IGBTs, as well as analogue and power management ICs.

These manufacturing advancements and new product introductions highlight Nexperia’s commitment to advancing production capabilities and meeting future demands, and Farnell’s expansion of Nexperia power products in stock reflects the desire to meet demand.

Included in the new series available from Farnell are:

• Power MOSFETs – Automotive-qualified power MOSFETs, small signal MOSFETs, and application specific MOSFETs from 20V to 100V. These devices provide excellent switching performance and robustness in copper-clip packages (LFPAK, CCPAK) and micro lead package (MLPAK) variants.
• 650V IGBT discretes in H-series (high speed) and M-series (motor drive) options deliver ruggedness, high reliability and enhanced inverter power density for medium and high voltage industrial applications.
• SiC diodes offer temperature-independent capacitive turn-off and zero recovery switching behaviour, combined with an outstanding figure-of-merit (Qc x VF).
• SiC MOSFETs with excellent RDSon temperature stability, fast switching speed, and high short-circuit ruggedness for high-power and high-voltage industrial applications.
• Low voltage e-mode GaN FETs, 650 V e-mode GaN FETs, 40 V bi-directional GaN FETs and 650 V cascode GaN FETs designed for enhanced power density through reduced conduction and switching losses in low- or high-power conversion applications
• Power rectifiers that deliver power density while minimising reverse recovery time and loss

The new range of power products from Nexperia is now available and shipping from Farnell in EMEA, Newark in North America and element14 in APAC.

While the UK may not yet be a match for Ireland on the international stage, the UK medical devices sector supports a thriving manufacturing base, with over 3,000 companies operating in the space. The UK is particularly strong in the manufacture of orthopaedic, imaging, diagnostics and cardiovascular devices.

Key to success in the manufacture of plastic medical devices are injection moulding machines. However, not all machines are created equal, and the wrong choice can prove costly. It is imperative that medtech manufacturers therefore ensure that any potential supplier fully understands their process and the priorities for their business.

Manufacturers should also discuss with suppliers not just the initial purchase price of a machine, but also its total cost of ownership (TCO). Investing in equipment that uses less energy, creates less waste, reduces contamination and consistently delivers a quality product for your customers will deliver savings across the board.

With 40 years’ experience in delivering all-electric injection moulding machines into the sector – and as the clear market leader in Ireland – FANUC has a strong understanding of the challenges faced by manufacturers of medical devices. Here, we examine how the right injection moulding machine can help firms to meet the sector’s rigorous standards without breaking the bank…

Priority 1: Hygiene

One of the key priorities for medtech manufacturers is adherence to cleanroom standards. An area which can be overlooked in this regard is the risk associated with hydraulic injection moulding machines. Whenever a mould change takes place, there is a chance of contamination occurring, meaning the environment has to be thoroughly cleaned. But even after this, particulates can escape from hydraulic machines, for example through seals.

This is not the case with all-electric versions, such as the FANUC ROBOSHOT. Manufacturers must therefore discuss contamination risks with any potential supplier to make sure they are not just purchasing the right machine for their process, but also for their environment.

Priority 2: Stability

Another priority for manufacturers is stability – in order for a process to be validated and certified, it needs to be consistently stable. Being able to maintain key parameters with repeatable precision gives confidence to a medical device manufacturer that their parts are being produced to a high standard in a consistent manner.

This is also relevant when moving moulds from one machine to another. Ideally, a mould would be left in the machine to reduce the risk of destabilising any of the key parameters required for validation. But in a busy production facility with multiple machines running, this is not always possible.

The ROBOSHOT uses the latest electric servo technology with up-to-date machine calibration. This means that when moving moulds – whether across a factory floor or from country to country – the process will remain consistent. Make sure to ask any potential supplier how their machine will ensure process – and product – consistency.

Priority 3: Energy efficiency

The medical devices sector in the UK is dominated by large multinational companies and as such, it can be difficult for firms to break into their supply chains. One factor in this is stringent carbon targets which must be met not just by the multinationals themselves, but by every company they deal with throughout their supply chain. Selecting an injection moulding machine that meets the highest sustainability ratings will not only result in lower energy bills but may also increase the likelihood of securing contracts.

All-electric injection moulding machines use up to 70 per cent less energy than their traditional hydraulic counterparts, largely due to the higher base load (energy consumed when the machine is idling, such as during cooling phases). Generally, hydraulic machines waste electricity through the transfer of energy and movement of oil. In cases where non-servomotor technology is used, energy wastage is much higher due to the constant running of the pump motor. This is not the case for all-electric machines. In addition, the simplified mechanical complexity of all-electric moulding machines makes for fewer process steps and less energy loss.

FANUC’s ROBOSHOT goes even further than this, consuming 10-15 per cent less energy than other all-electric machines. For any manufacturer of medical devices looking to cut their energy costs, improve their sustainability credentials, or break into the supply chain of a multinational, the importance of energy performance should not be overlooked.

The approval, received April 3,2025, gives SGS the green light to undertake the testing and certification of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines under the ENERGY STAR label.

Achieving ENERGY STAR certification allows brands and manufacturers to demonstrate that a device uses less energy in ready to scan mode as well as via an automated power down to an energy saving low power state. Once certified, the blue ENERGY STAR label makes it easy for consumers and businesses to identify and purchase energy-efficient products that offer savings on energy bills without sacrificing performance.

Ana Ruas, Certification Manager, Connectivity & Products, SGS said: “This accreditation puts us in a great position to support the growing number of medical device manufacturers and retailers working hard to develop and bring energy efficient equipment to market. Congratulations to our team for this achievement which will help boost sustainability and innovation across this industry.”

Since 1992, ENERGY STAR and its partners have helped American families and businesses:

• Save 5 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity
• Avoid more than USD 500 billion in energy costs
• Achieve 4 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions reductions

SGS medical device services

SGS is recognised as a Nationally Recognised Testing Laboratory (NRTL) by OSHA and accredited by Standards Council of Canada to offer product safety certification for medical devices. Its global network of experts offer comprehensive support for regulations like the Medical Device Regulation (MDR 2017/745) to ensure compliance with diverse international standards. Learn more about medical devices certification with SGS

Etoy, Switzerland, 29th April 2025 – Parker Hannifin, the global leader in motion and control technologies, will present the latest episode of its tech talk series, ‘Expert Insights’, on 15th May 2025.

Moderated by international keynote speaker Mark Jeffries, the discussion will explore the evolving landscape of biopharma processing and the transformative impact of innovative technologies in the biopharmaceutical sector.

Two of Parker’s experienced bioscience experts, Angela Mattes, Market Development Manager for Biopharma, and Graeme Proctor, Single-Use Technology Product Manager for Parker Bioscience, will discuss how adopting the latest single-use bioprocessing technology can help the entire biopharmaceutical process, from upstream to final fill, benefit from the flexibility and efficiency that it provides.

In this 30-minute episode, viewers will gain valuable insights on the following topics:

·       How Single-Use Technologies Enable Speed, Safety and Sterility.
Learn how single-use systems help accelerate timelines and reduce contamination risk – especially in critical steps like final fill, where closed designs help maintain sterility.

·       Tailoring Bioprocessing for Different Applications and Requirements.
Discover how different types of treatments or process applications vary – and how flexible, custom single-use systems adapt to both scale-up and scale-out needs.

·       Meeting Evolving Regulatory Standards.
Explore how new standards and recent regulatory updates are reshaping expectations for robust material selection, system sterility, and contamination control in GMP manufacturing.

·       Driving Future-Readiness Through Automation.
Find out how automation and integrity testing, such as PUPSIT, is becoming all-important for compliance, reliability, and quality assurance.

This talk is essential for those involved in advancing biopharmaceutical production. It will be broadcast online at 15:00 CEST (09:00 EDT) on Thursday, 15th May 2025. To sign up and learn how the biopharmaceutical industry is evolving to meet the challenges of today and how Parker is enabling industry solutions that lead to a better tomorrow, interested parties can register at: Expert Insights: Bringing Biopharma Processing to Life

To view previous episodes in Parker’s ‘Expert Insights’ series, please visit: https://discover.parker.com/ExpertInsights_WatchEpisodesReplay

If you’re searching for a high efficiency 550W fanless power supply that’s compact, rugged, and ready for real-world deployment, the Cincon LFM550S and LFM550M series are top contenders. These AC-DC power supplies are designed to perform in both industrial and medical environments—where reliability, silence, and thermal performance are non-negotiable.

Key Benefits at a Glance:

• Delivers 550W of power in a 1-inch low-profile design
• Fanless & semi-potted for silent, maintenance-free operation
• Baseplate cooling for better heat dissipation in tight spaces
• Intelligent protections: Over Temp, Over Voltage, Over Current, Short Circuit
• Flexible outputs from 12V to 54V for various system needs
• Operates at up to 5000m altitude and -40°C to +90°C case temperature

What devices use a 550W fanless power supply?

These power supplies are ideal for telecom systems, industrial PCs, drones, medical scanners, ventilators, dental chairs, and more—anywhere space is tight, and reliability is critical.

 Are Cincon LFM550 power supplies certified?

Yes. They come with certifications including:

• IEC/EN/UL 62368-1 (for industrial)
• IEC/EN/UL 60601-1 (for medical)
• CISPR/FCC Class B EMI compliance

Is it safe to use without a fan?

Absolutely. Thanks to baseplate conduction cooling and high efficiency (up to 94%), these units run cool even without airflow—reducing noise and increasing lifespan.

Real-World Applications

LFM550S – Industrial Focus

• Telecom infrastructure
• Remote kiosks & IoT hubs
• Robotics & drones
• Battery storage systems
• Marine & substation gear

LFM550M – Medical Focus

• Surgical lighting
• Dental chairs
• Medical monitors
• CT scanners & portable X-ray machines
• Medical lasers and ventilators

These are especially suited for portable or space-limited devices where traditional power supplies won’t fit.

Why Fanless Power Supplies Matter

Traditional fan-based power units:

• Create noise
• Require maintenance
• Are more prone to failure due to moving parts

Cincon’s fanless design means:

• Longer lifespan
• Lower system noise
• Zero fan maintenance
• More flexible installation (no airflow required)

Future-Proof Your Power

As industries shift toward more efficient, compact systems, the demand for fanless, high-power-density AC-DC solutions is only growing. The Cincon LFM550 series isn’t just a solution for today—it’s a platform for tomorrow’s innovations.

Key Features Recap:

Conclusion: Ready to Upgrade Your Power Supply?

The Cincon LFM550S and LFM550M fanless power supplies are engineered for reliability, flexibility, and efficiency—without compromise. Whether you’re powering advanced medical equipment or remote industrial systems, these compact, rugged units are built to deliver.

Want to learn more or request a sample?
Contact us today to explore how the Cincon LFM550 series can power your next project.

Although it is less in the public eye, the establishment of efficient production and logistics is very important in vaccine production. Very large production capacities had to be set up in a very short period of time to be able to quickly produce large volumes of vaccine against a globally circulating virus. This meant that automation was essential.

One stage of the process involves the use of a robot to place vials filled with vaccine, also known as injectable ampoules, from a conveyor belt into drawers and to remove them again later. Goldfuß engineering GmbH developed the overall concept, which consists of several trolleys with drawers, robot cells, and conveyor systems. SIMON IBV GmbH was responsible for the development of the optical 3D system, which enables the robot to grasp the vials independently and without damage. The MVTec HALCON machine vision software is used for this purpose.

The trolleys, which hold around 10,000 vials, serve as a buffer and transfer system between filling, quality control, and packaging. Goldfuß engineering GmbH, based in Balingen, Baden-Württemberg, specializes in the development and production of robotic loading systems for packaging machines and custom solutions for laboratory automation. Siegfried Hameln, a global contract and development manufacturer of active pharmaceutical ingredients and finished products, commissioned the company to develop an automated process for buffering vials.

The company Siegfried Hameln, in turn, was commissioned by the vaccine developer to produce the active ingredient. SIMON IBV GmbH was brought on board to provide the vision component of the robot cell. Based in Bayreuth in northern Bavaria, the company has cross-industry expertise in 2D and 3D optical testing and measuring systems.

Robot loads and unloads trolleys with vaccine

Goldfuß engineering developed a new robot cell for the step of loading and unloading the trolleys. Stephan Trunk from Goldfuß engineering explains: “This kind of automation solution has never been available on the market before. In comparable applications, the vials are manually loaded into trays or boxes after filling, manually stacked on pallets or in Kanban trolleys, and subsequently depalletized again. This means that several employees are usually tied up with non-value-added activities. The new, automated process speeds things up, in part because employees can focus on more demanding tasks.”

The trolleys used feature nine drawers, with each drawer capable of holding 24 rows of 46 vials each. In total, one trolley can therefore hold almost 10,000 vials. By buffering such a large quantity, it is possible to flexibly control the capacity utilization of the packaging system. The trolleys offer the additional advantage that random samples can be easily removed from them and fed back into the packaging process after quality assurance approval. Since the trolleys are mobile, they can be parked in cooling chambers so that the cold chain is not interrupted.

During implementation, one particular challenge involved the deviations and different positions in which the trolleys are positioned, for instance, while the robots still have to work autonomously. Employees manually position the trolleys on the system, which means that the exact position always varies. In addition, the weight of the trolleys and therefore the position of the drawers is constantly changing during loading and unloading. In order to maintain the required positional accuracy so that the vials are always grasped correctly, it is necessary to constantly recalculate the exact position for each row.

In an almost fully automated production process, this task can only be accomplished by a 3D vision system based on machine vision. Other technologies would not have been able to meet the requirements. The use of sensors requires several scanning positions, which would extend the robot cycle considerably, making it impossible to achieve the desired number of cycles. The use of a 2D camera on the gripper would also be problematic because in addition to the extra weight, it would also be necessary to lay sensitive cables in such a way that they can withstand the robot’s movements over the long term.

“The 3D cameras with a working distance of approximately 120 cm to the top drawer and 180 cm to the bottom drawer are extremely precise and still offer the robot a sufficient working range for collision-free handling. In combination with powerful machine vision software, however, it has been possible to meet all the requirements for this application,” explains Daniel Simon, authorized representative and responsible for technical sales at SIMON IBV.

3D vision system facilitates a fully automated process

In addition to the robot, the hardware components of the robot cell include high-resolution 3D cameras using the stereometric method with pattern projection and industrial computer technology with fast processors for PC-based evaluation. MVTec HALCON was selected for the machine vision system. HALCON is the comprehensive standard machine vision software. On the one hand, the software offers a wide range of powerful machine vision methods. On the other hand, because the software is hardware-independent, it can be used flexibly with different cameras, for example. SIMAVIS from SIMON IBV is utilized as the user interface for visualization and for the simple operation of the system.

Here is how the process works: First, an employee pushes a trolley with the vials into one of two possible positions. A 3D camera within the robot cell pinpoints the trolley and checks the status of the drawers, i.e. whether they are open or closed. The programmable logic controller (PLC) contains information on whether the trolley currently being processed is to be loaded or unloaded, which drawer is to be opened, and how many vials are already there and where.

To begin with, the 3D camera always takes a picture of the drawer to be opened. The MVTec HALCON machine vision software uses this image to create a coordinate system and shares it with the robot. This enables the robot to open the drawer. In the next step, the 3D camera takes a picture of the contents of the drawer. This is used to determine how many vials are stored there and where exactly they are located. In addition to the number, the system also checks for errors, such as whether individual ampoules are upright or have tipped over and therefore cannot be picked up by the robot. The robot’s gripper is equipped to handle 46 vials at a time. Once a drawer has been completely unloaded, the 3D camera determines the position of the drawer handle so that the robot can close it again. This process is then repeated with the remaining eight drawers until the trolley has been completely unloaded.

Machine vision software handles different tasks

Implementing this type of solution, in which the robot is largely autonomous, presents a number of challenges. Stephan Trunk from Goldfuß engineering describes it this way: “The development of the robot cell took place under tremendous time pressure. The demand for the vaccine had to be met as quickly as possible, which also served as an intrinsic motivation for our employees.”

The main challenge was to achieve high precision. The position of the vials must be detected with an accuracy of 0.1 millimeters. And with a working area of 800 x 600 mm and a depth of 600 mm, this is no easy task. The extremely valuable contents of the vials make this requirement even more critical. The vials must not be damaged under any circumstances. However, loading and unloading must be done quickly, in part to facilitate the rapid vaccine delivery. “The vision system also faced two special challenges. On the one hand, it was necessary to work with different materials.

The glass of the vials and the metal, such as that of the trolleys, have transparent or reflective surfaces and are therefore difficult to detect. On the other hand, the system will only work if the robots can operate autonomously in three-dimensional space. To do this, however, the machine vision software must also include powerful 3D vision technologies. There are not many machine vision software products that achieve the necessary performance and robustness in this regard,” says Daniel Simon. The companies decided to go with the MVTec HALCON machine vision software. “Based on our many years of experience with HALCON, we knew that the software has an extensive library with many extremely powerful methods,” explains Daniel Simon.

Various machine vision technologies are used in the robot cell that was developed. One of the technological requirements in the system is the so-called hand-eye calibration. This technology is essential for any application in which cameras work in conjunction with robots. During this process, the robot’s coordinate system and the camera’s coordinate system are synchronized. This makes it possible to match the movements of the robot to the images from the camera with the utmost precision. HALCON’s hand-eye calibration delivers extremely high accuracy in determining the relative position between the camera and the robot. This makes it possible to determine the exact positions and orientations of the vials in relation to the robot.

This calibration is the basis for all further machine vision applications with HALCON that are necessary for this application. At the same time, the system additionally utilizes the stereo vision 3D vision technology, which is also included in HALCON. This technology is designed for 3D reconstruction and is particularly useful for large or medium-sized structured objects. In addition, this technology facilitates quality control or position detection of three-dimensional objects. The technology also calculates 3D coordinates on object surfaces. This can be done with one or with multiple cameras. Stereo vision is particularly well suited for the precise measurement of elevations. One feature within the technology is multigrid stereo, an advanced method of interpolating the 3D data in homogeneous parts of the image. This method yields greater accuracy for small objects.

New robot cell in operation since July 2021

“We have managed to develop a completely new robot cell and get it up and running with process stability in just six months. We are proud to have contributed to accelerating the production of a vaccine against a dangerous virus,” says Stephan Trunk of Goldfuß engineering. The system was put into operation in July 2021. The strict requirements—in terms of speed and precision, for example—were also met. “This project illustrates all of the potential and possibilities offered by machine vision. Thanks to the successful implementation, we are very motivated to automate other challenging tasks. There are a number of promising projects already underway with Goldfuß engineering,” says Daniel Simon.

The deal, reported to be the largest in AIS’s history, will give the global engineering solutions business a strong foothold in the medical equipment logistics market as well as boosting its client base across all manufacturing sectors including energy, aerospace, pharmaceutical and automotive.

Flegg Projects is one of the UK’s leading service providers of logistics and engineering services, with a renowned market reputation for moving individual items of specialist equipment to entire factory relocations and systems installations.

The business operates from two sites in Aylesbury, a 45,000-square-foot Head Office and Medical Division and a 25,000-square-foot depot warehouse and yard and employs 55 people. It runs over 40 commercial vehicles and vans as well as a wholly owned fleet of specialist lifting equipment.

Flegg Projects’ customers include industry-leading companies across a range of sectors including healthcare, manufacturing and logistics. The business has experienced robust revenue growth since 2020 and is currently on track to generate revenue of £9.3m this fiscal year.

Matt Ainscough, CEO of AIS Group, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Flegg Projects to the AIS Group. Fleggs, like AIS, is a business whose focus is on quality, service and safety through continued investment in the best possible people and equipment.

“Demand for its services is increasing year-on-year and the company has identified a robust pipeline of opportunities, including significant potential projects with multinational firms and global conglomerates.

“Flegg’s specialised Medical division is unique in the UK and dovetails perfectly with AIS’s existing capabilities. Their transportation fleet, warehousing and OEM support functions immediately boost our market position and will propel the overall Group offer moving forwards.

“With this acquisition, alongside our existing companies, our machinery installation and removal capabilities are market leading in the UK and push us towards being one of the largest in Europe. We will continue to grow and will make further acquisitions where we can see true added value.”

“I’ve known Matt for years and have touched on acquisition a couple of times in the past and I now feel that this is the right time to come together and join the ever-growing business and team at AIS,” said Jayson Flegg, Managing Director at Flegg Projects.

By becoming part of the AIS family, we not only future proof the business but it gives us the knowledge and resources to grow it to the next level. Having recently celebrated 50 years in business I feel very excited to share our experience with AIS and bring our companies to a plateau that many will have to strive to attain.”

AIS is an international group of companies specialising in supporting industrial operators worldwide. AIS Vanguard, AIS Eurelo, AIS Wind Energy and VIG Industrial Relocation are dedicated to lifting, removing, relocating, installing and decommissioning industrial equipment and machinery as well as offering CDM and Project Management.

The company operates from 15 sites across the UK and Europe and, with the acquisition of Flegg Projects, now employs over 300 people.

Over the past five years, the company has established itself as a trusted partner for industries ranging from automotive and medical to energy and communications. Selectronic has quickly become a key player in the EMS industry, thanks to its reputation for quality and exceptional customer service.

Founded with a vision to offer end-to-end manufacturing solutions, Selectronic Assembly provides services from design and engineering to mass production and supply chain management. The company’s state-of-the-art facility, advanced manufacturing processes, and ISO 9001:2015 certification have enabled them to deliver high-quality and reliable PCBA manufacturing solutions tailored to the specific needs of their diverse clientele.

“We are incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished in the last five years,” said Francisco Guerrero, CEO of Selectronic Assembly. “Our success is a direct result of the dedication of our talented team and the trust our clients place in us. As we celebrate our anniversary, we look forward to continuing to build strong relationships and deliver innovative solutions that meet the high demands of our customers.”

With a focus on utilising cutting-edge technology and a highly skilled workforce, Selectronic Assembly has continuously elevated its capabilities to meet the needs of its customers. The company’s focus on quality, efficiency and customer satisfaction has positioned it as a reliable partner for high-reliability electronics manufacturing

For more information about Selectronic Assembly, visit www.selectronicassembly.com/en.

Since its inception in 1964, CEI has been a premier source of electronic excellence, serving the military, industrial, medical and commercial markets. CEI’s track record of outstanding workmanship and quality has made the company name synonymous with dependability, reliability and high-performance.

The company was founded in Unadilla, NY, utilising mica technologies before relocating to Oneonta in 1965. The facility has since seen three additions to the complex and is now about 27,000 square feet. To this day, CEI has a continued mission to custom design, manufacture and support a wide variety of specialised, reliable, high-quality capacitors and electronic assemblies for the range of markets it serves. “CEI has manufactured mica paper capacitors since it was founded 60 years ago and continues to be an industry leader,” says Mike Schulte, Sales Manager at CEI. “Our future looks strong as we continue to expand in other areas. We’ve gotten involved in battery, LED technologies and various other R&D projects as part of our growth.”

Throughout the last 60 years, CEI has employed professionals in several disciplines – many of which still contribute their expertise to the company and its products today. Jonathan Dokuchitz, whose parents Peter and Joan Dokuchitz, founded CEI, joined the company in 2007 and now sits on the Board of Directors as the Vice Chairman. “We all feel like this is a big family, which I think is the wonderful thing about a small company. You get to really know each other and grow together,” he shares. “No matter where we go, my siblings and I will always have CEI as a part of our family. When I think about the future, I’m excited because here we are 60 years later, and we are still discovering new applications and new products for the younger generation.”

Michael Pentaris joined CEI in 2003 as Vice President and was promoted to CEO and President in 2004. Since then, he has been a major contributor to the company’s success and the significance of its products in various industries. In 2005, Pentaris started a new product development program that resulted in Ioxus, an ultra-capacitor manufacturer. Pentaris served as dual CEO for both companies until late 2010.

“Michael got us involved in new areas with our cell production for our super-capacitors,” shares Dokuchitz. “There was also a big push for renewable energy, and Michael identified this as an opportunity for CEI to develop lithium-ion cells. This has resulted in a partnership with a fellow NY company, Briteshot, which uses mobile batteries to run the camera dollies and light systems for television production.”

CEI has also been involved in many major military programs including Patriot Missile Systems (1970’s-present), AMRAAM Missile (1980’s-present) and multiple fighter jet radar systems. “We collaborate with the Department of Defence in their efforts to lighten the packs of their personnel in the field,” says Dokuchitz. “Coming up with batteries that are flexible, lightweight and have different applications has been important for us as a company.”

Another long time CEI employee, Dick Young, began his career with the company in 1969 and has been building his legacy for over 55 years. Young reflected on the early days at CEI and those who helped him get to where he is now. “I had an outstanding mentor when I first started, George Peck. He was an exceptional teacher and helped me learn more about moulding than you could ever imagine, to this day I am still so grateful for his guidance,” he shares. “I have taken what I learned from him and continue to share it with my colleagues.”

Legacy staff member Mike Rundle was one of the people Young had mentored and has now been at CEI for 45 years. He started in 1979 as a custodian and was then brought up to the assembly line where he was put on infill and then eventually was taught molding, which is what he does now. “CEI has been good to me,” says Rundle. “They saw something in me when I first started and helped me grow to where I am now. CEI stands by its employees. I have enjoyed the experience, and I recommend it to anyone willing to invest the time and effort to learn.”

Schulte has also been a vital part of CEI for over 39 years, joining the company in 1985 as a member of the sales team. Throughout his tenure, he has cultivated strong relationships with customers, many of whom he continues to work with today. “What matters most to me is that people take pride in their work, and I truly respect the people who work here,” says Schulte. “If I’m to leave a legacy, I hope people remember me as a good friend, person and employee.”

Custom Electronics, Inc. is proud to celebrate its 60th anniversary and highlight a few of its hard-working, legacy staff members and significant products that have helped the company reach various milestones over the years.

Located in Hall C4 179, Murata’s stand is set to include zones dedicated to each of its portfolio areas from mobility to wellness, environment and communication. Additionally, visitors can expect to discover novel R&D developments in Murata’s innovation area.

Driving its Mobility Zone will be the early demonstration of Murata’s new automotive-specific micro-electromechanical system (MEMS), an innovative combined gyro sensor and accelerometer device, expanding the existing SCH1000 range. Visitors can also expect to experience demonstrations of radar modules for automatic door and in-cabin sensing applications, as well as an innovative BLE audio demo.

During the show Murata will unveil the 3rd generation HCR crystal series, an all-new cutting-edge timing device featuring exceptional accuracy and reliability, enhancing the design and deployment of next-generation In-Vehicle Networks (IVN), wireless communication, and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) functions.

In its Product Zone, Murata will demonstrate the new PQC600 AC-DC power supplies, as well as a selection of switches such as the Ultra-Wideband PE423211 UltraCMOSO SPDT RF Switch and the Multimode Front-end Module PE562212; both from pSemi, a Murata company.

In the Communication Zone, visitors could expect to experience Murata’s Matter Smart Home and a range of connectivity solutions by a walk-through tech equipped living room. In the Innovation zone the brand new Zencross-Alliance, an all-in-one cellular IoT platform combining market leading services, will be launched. In the Wellness Zone, Murata will showcase solutions for syringes, insulin pumps and introduce SESAS, a pliable circuit solution and NeuroStone, a freeform interconnection ceramic device. The Environment Zone will display interesting new developments in battery tracking, CO2, soil sensors and recycling systems.

Visit Murata in Hall C4 179 during Electronica to experience the latest developments in innovative and sustainable solutions.

The Challenge of Data Transmission in Operating Room Situations

In operating theatres, there is a demanding environment that places high demands on data transmission. The connectors must not only transmit the data at high speed, but also be immune to interference and electromagnetic interference. In this context, high-speed fiber optic connections play a crucial role.

Challenges for Fiber Optic Data Transmission Connectors

• Miniaturization and Space Limitations: In surgical robotic systems, the available space is limited.Connectors need to be compact to fit into tight spaces without restricting the robot’s freedom of movement.
• Robustness and resistance: The connectors must be able to withstand the physical stresses that may occur during surgery, such as vibration or accidental shocks.
• Cleaning and sterilization: Surgical instruments must be able to be sterilized.Connectors must be designed to survive this process without sacrificing performance.
• Data integrity: In high-precision operations, there must be no data loss. The interfaces must ensure data integrity and ensure uninterrupted communication.
• EMC and Immunity: Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is crucial to avoid interference from nearby electronic devices.Connectors must have immunity to interference while enabling high data rates.

As a leading manufacturer of connectors for medical applications, ODU’s connectors meet the demanding requirements of the MDR and IEC 60601-1 standard.

ODU’s high-speed fiber optic connectors are perfectly suited for use in surgical robotic systems.They are compact, rugged, easy to sterilise, and offer outstanding data transmission performance, even in EMC-intensive environments. For example, with the help of Expanded Beam Performance technology, the highest data rates can be achieved with extremely low attenuation values.

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