Dynex gears up for power electronics

Date
08/10/2012

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Opening of £1.8m R&D centre

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Ribbon cutting at the launch of the new Dynex Semiconductor Research & Development Centre - part of an £11.25 million investment in technologies and new jobs.

Lincoln, UK-based Dynex Semiconductor has launched a new research-and-development centre—part of an £11.25 million investment in technologies and new jobs. The designer and manufacturer of high-power bipolar semiconductors, IGBT modules, and electronic assemblies has opened its £1.8 million, energy-efficient R&D centre in a milestone for the company, and as part of a three-year programme creating up to 40 skilled engineering jobs and safeguarding a 315-strong city workforce. This project—developed by Dynex in partnership with Zhuzhou CSR Times Electric (the majority shareholder of its parent Dynex Power, Canada)—means the UK business is in a strong position to take advantage of opportunities in the power-electronics market. Dynex's President and CEO Dr Paul Taylor said "Our major investment programme started in May 2010, when we announced the start of the R&D project to expand that team, by forming a joint operation with CSR. At that time there were 12 R&D people at Lincoln. Since then we have expanded to employ 32. We are still recruiting, with the aim of having 50 engineers working in the new building." "The power semiconductor device is at the very heart of all modern power-electronic systems. Whether wind, solar, tidal, wave, coal, gas, or nuclear energy, we need safe, smart, and reliable interconnection to the electric grid and safe, smart, and reliable power transmission and power quality," he said. "Whether for driving motors and power equipment for cars, locomotives, metros, and manufacturing, for powering our communications, aircraft, keeping the lights on, or for keeping us warm in winter and cool in the summer, the power device is the workhorse that enables the control of electric energy to drive these sectors and more."   Dynex's R&D team is busy on a range of projects to create the power semiconductors needed to meet the demands of tomorrow's key energy, transport, and industrial sectors, serving a low carbon society. The R&D Centre has already produced trial samples for CSR Times Electric for its Chinese locomotive and metro applications. The same product is expected to later become a key component in power-conversion applications for electric grid use. Dynex's R&D teams work closely with university groups, such as Nottingham, Loughborough, and Warwick on advanced-research topics and knowledge-transfer projects. "We are now building relationships with the new Engineering School at the University of Lincoln and we have benefited for many years from educational links with Lincoln College," added Dr Taylor. Dynex Semiconductor CSR Times Electric

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