Markets

EPCOS markets a wide range of power factor correction (PFC) products, including capacitors, thyristor modules, power factor controllers, capacitor contactors and chokes. We also develop and manufacture customer-specific PFC solutions that enable industrial systems operators to lower power consumption and significantly reduce their costs. PFC products stabilize power grids and make the power supply more reliable.

Power capacitors from EPCOS are used in high-voltage DC transmission systems, for example. This technology enables power to be transmitted across long distances – from offshore wind farms to the coast, for instance – in a way that is economical, kind to the environment and minimizes losses. Our aluminum electrolytic capacitors are fitted in inverters and converters in solar power plants and wind turbines, for example, to enable generated power to be fed into the power grid.

The traction systems for electric trains place the highest demands on electronics. Our power capacitors are key components in high-speed trains, for example, to reliably harness high levels of power, ensure uninterrupted operation and guarantee uncompromising safety. EPCOS also supplies a broad portfolio of products for rail electronics applications, including ceramic varistors that protect electronic systems against destruction through overvoltage.

To save energy, the manufacturers are increasingly switching to variable-speed drives. The frequency converters required by these installations are fitted with aluminum electrolytic capacitors from EPCOS – vital components for storing electrical energy and smoothing voltage.

Another trend in this and other industries served by EPCOS is toward more compact electronic components, such as our power capacitor chips. Thanks to this technology, both the volume and weight of the capacitors can be reduced by 30 percent in comparison with conventional solutions. Power capacitor chips are also easier to assemble, which lowers costs for our customers too. EPCOS is thus setting new standards in advanced frequency converter technology, which is now being used in more and more machine tools, conveyor systems, pumps, cranes and a host of other industrial electronics applications worldwide.

In industrial systems, power electronics are one of the biggest sources of interference, which limits electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) between different systems and devices. If this interference is not suppressed, critical systems can fail completely. EMC protection resolves this problem, however. EPCOS boasts one of the world's broadest spectrums of EMC components. It also provides consulting and testing services during development, takes care of interference suppression in products and performs conformance audits. Its suitably accredited EMC laboratory in Regensburg, Germany, also performs on-site EMC measurements for customers.

Ever more electronic components are needed in today's lighting systems. One of the reasons is that energy-saving lamps are increasingly replacing conventional bulbs. They can help cut energy consumption by about 80 percent, while significantly extending life expectancy of the lamps. Some 20 different products from EPCOS, including film capacitors, chokes, transformers and thermistors can be fitted in electronic lamp ballasts. In collaboration with leading semiconductor manufacturers, we have developed a series of reference designs for these ballasts. Reference designs – extensively pretested templates for the electronic circuits in new products – give our customers two compelling benefits. One is the reduction in their own development expenditures. The other is that new products can be brought to market faster. EPCOS is continually expanding its reference design activities.

Aluminum electrolytic capacitors cover a broad range of capacitances, voltages and designs. These reliable, high-performance components are increasingly being deployed in advanced medical systems such as magnetic resonance imaging systems. EPCOS also develops and manufactures pressure sensors for use in medical equipment to measure blood pressure or support respiratory functions, for example. In addition, we provide sensors to measure body temperature – such as in high-precision, disposable thermometers that give fast response time. EPCOS' ferrites for the high-voltage transformers in x-ray machines are similarly vital to medical technology.