ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE COVER STORY
FROM ANALOGUE CONTROL CIRCUITS TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
EBV is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2019. Since 1969, the company has been enabling medium-sized companies, in particular, to benefit from cutting-edge semiconductor technologies. With comprehensive knowledge of applications and markets, the semiconductor distributor is actively shaping our society’s future together with its customers
T
he 1960s were an exciting time for technicians and engineers: having only just been developed, the first integrated circuits opened up entirely new possibilities for drive technology as well. The first brushless DC motor was shown off at the start of the decade. Later on, in 1968, Danfoss presented
the first off-the-shelf frequency inverter, which enabled the rotational speed of electric motors to be variably controlled. At the time, developers and designers in the industry were not yet fully up to speed with the new technology, and required assistance with its integration. 31-year-old Erich Fischer, then head of sales at Motorola in Wiesbaden, saw just how much potential there was to be exploited: in 1969, he founded EBV Elektronik GmbH as a distribution arm for Motorola’s semiconductor devices. Right from the outset, he set his sights on assisting customers directly: back then, EBV was the only distributor able to explain to customers what semiconductors, integrated circuits and transistors were, and how they could be applied.
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AS A DRIVING FORCE This strategy was only effective because EBV consistently combined distribution with a true penchant for all things technical. This is still true today: there’s a good reason why “passion for technology” is the motto for EBV’s 50th anniversary. After all, the company’s transformation from a small distributor with five employees to one of the most successful companies in this sector worldwide was always driven by technology. This is also exemplified by the drive technology that was “catered to” with corresponding semiconductor devices during the formative years of EBV.
10 JULY/AUGUST 2019 | ELECTRONICS Now – 50 years later – drive
suppliers as Hewlett-Packard, Siliconix (since acquired by Vishay), and later also Japanese manufacturers to its
present, power semiconductors
technology has developed into one of the most significant fields of application for which EBV supplies solutions. Yet in 1969, drive technology was still cutting its teeth; power semiconductors took the form of thyristors, while ICs were realised with transistor-transistor logic (TTL). The first IGBT variants later came onto the market, followed by MOSFETs. EBV has always adapted its portfolio of solutions to meet requirements; after all, EBV needs boundary pushers to match their drive for innovation. This was also the reason why EBV added such suppliers as Hewlett-Packard, Siliconix (since acquired by Vishay), and later also Japanese manufacturers to its line card at an early stage. At present, power semiconductors with a gallium-nitride basis are proof that the development of semiconductor technology is far from over.
activity into specific segments back in 2009. These ‘vertical segments’ provide targeted support to customers in
selected growth markets. 240 Technical Sales Specialists are well versed in the latest product developments, thus opening up new fields of application, while 120 Application Specialists place their comprehensive knowledge of applications and design at the disposal of their customers. In conjunction with a variety of services related to production and logistics, for example, this mainly enables EBV to promote a strong
network of medium-sized companies in Europe. Today, EBV features five market segments. These are automotive/
“New technologies will
BRINGING INNOVATIONS TO APPLICATIONS However, innovative technology alone is not enough; these innovations also need to reach customers, which is why EBV enriched its technological approach with application driven expertise. Since the mid- 1980s, specialist application engineers have been advising customers on the right choice of technologies for their respective applications. Nowadays, EBV’s Field Application Engineers (FAEs) can discuss almost any application on site with customers, and also cater to these with suitable system solutions from the company’s comprehensive product range. With a view to offering the best possible advice at all times, with regard to applications and technical innovations alike, EBV started to split its fields of
However, innovative technology
DIGITALISATION OPENS UP NEW OPPORTUNITIES
customers, which is why EBV enriched its
Drive technology can be viewed as an embodiment of current developments in all technological fields and market segments: what started in 1969 with analogue control circuits is increasingly defined by digitalisation. That began a good 20 years ago with the digitalisation of control circuits. Nowadays, it also covers the integration of drive solutions into Industry 4.0 or the Internet of Things. Drive systems and machines alike are being interconnected; they communicate with each other and with superordinate systems.
At the same time, these drive systems are becoming a source of data, supplying
/ ELECTRONICS
continue to be the driving force behind innovative applications in the future as well...EBV is laying the foundations that will enable it to shape the future together with its customers ”
devices, city infrastructure and, finally, industrial. The latter is also where drive technology can be foundechnology can be found – even if EBV solutions for medical technology, or the automotive segment, are
medical technology, or the automotive segment, are also contained in this portfolio.
his portfolio.
Europe. Today, EBV features five market segments. These are automotive/ aerospace, light, home and
building, healthcare and personal devices, city infrastructure and, finally, industrial. The
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