1. Meet your Directors
   
2. Executive Committee Update
   
3. APEC Update
   
4. Welcome to PSMA
   
5. About Our Members
   
6. PSMA Planning Meeting
   
7. EnerHarv 2026
   
8. WiPDA 2026
   
9. 3D-PEIM 2026
   
10. Author Explains And Demonstrates Methods For Achieving Successful Power Supply Simulations In SPICE
    
11. IFEC 2026
    
12. Firmware Reliability
    
13. A Student's Perspective of APEC
    
14. How To Avoid Mistakes Attending APEC
    
15. How To Be a Mentor at APEC
    
16. Events of Interest - Mark Your Calendar

If you or anyone in your company is interested in getting on the distribution list for future issues of PSMA UPDATE, please send e-mail to: power@psma.com. Be sure to include your name and the name of your company.

Previous issues of update: Q4_2025 | Q1_2026 | Q2_2026

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PSMA UPDATE is published and distributed via e-mail quarterly by the Power Sources Manufacturers Association. Send editorial information and comments to:

Permission to reprint information and articles as published is granted: a courtesy line is appreciated.

Membership in PSMA is open to any organization or corporation involved in the power sources and supplies industry. For membership information, visit our website or contact us by fax, telephone or email.

If you or anyone in your company is interested in getting on the distribution list for future issues of PSMA UPDATE, please send e-mail to: power@psma.com. Be sure to include your name and the name of your company.

 

our members of the Board of Directors are elected at the PSMA Annual Meeting held every year, usually held during the APEC conference. Each Director serves a three-year term and is eligible to be reelected for one additional term. In this issue we would like to introduce you to Ada Cheng and Brian Zahnstecher.

Ada Cheng is a Technical Marketing Consultant with AdaClock since 2008. In addition, she partnered with Anagenesis, to research and publish the "Power Supply in a Package (PSiP) and Power Supply on a Chip (PwrSoC) technical market reports. She has been involved with the PSMA since 2002 and joined the PSMA Board of Directors in 2019 and in 2023. In 2026, she became the vice president of PSMA. Currently she is an active member of the Marketing, Energy Management, Industry-Education, and Reliability committees.

One of her biggest contributions was challenging the PSMA committees to support APEC in some tangible way such as creating and running industry sessions, producing professional education seminars, suggesting key speakers for plenary, etc. As a result, the amount of industry participation in APEC has grown, and the conference has flourished while many other technical conferences have not. Lately she is leading the mentorship program at APEC, championing the Global Energy Efficiency Award, and co-chairing the industry-education committee.

Furthermore, Ada was an invited member of the APEC conference committee from 2003 to 2015 primarily as the OEM Initiative Chair which developed the Industry Sessions.

Previously Ada was a corporate marketing manager at International Rectifier (now Infineon), a market analyst at Gartner Dataquest for analog ICs, and held various electrical engineering roles at Motorola Semiconductor Products Sector (now NXP Semiconductors and ON Semiconductors). Ada received her MBA from Arizona State University and her BSEE from Carnegie Mellon. 

Brian Zahnstecher is a Sr. Member of IEEE, Chief Power Architect for Nyobolt, and quarterly Power Rocks! columnist.  He is Chair (Emeritus) of IEEE SFBAC Power Electronics Society (PELS), IEEE PELS Regional (R1-3) Chair, PELS Sustainability "GREENS" Ad-hoc Committee Chair, Board Member of the Power Sources Manufacturers Association (PSMA) Board of Directors / Advisory Council, Co-chair of PSMA Energy Harvesting Committee, and Co-founder & Co-chair of the EnerHarv workshop.  He is Co-chair of the IEEE International Network Generations Roadmap (INGR) Energy Efficiency WG.  He previously was Principal for his PowerRox consultancy and held positions in power electronics with Claros, Emerson, Cisco, and Hewlett-Packard in his 20+ years in the industry and holds Master and Bachelor degrees from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Artificial Intelligence Meets Power Electronics: Why the Industry Needs to Lead the Next Wave

rtificial intelligence is transforming nearly every technology sector—but while AI often dominates headlines for its software capabilities, its future depends just as much on advances in power electronics.

Recognizing this opportunity, Power Sources Manufacturers Association (PSMA) has launched an AI Committee dedicated to exploring how artificial intelligence can accelerate innovation throughout the power electronics ecosystem while highlighting the industry's essential role in enabling the AI revolution itself

AI: More Than Just Another Design Tool

For years, engineers have relied on increasingly sophisticated simulation and design software. AI represents the next evolution, with the potential to dramatically shorten development cycles and discover solutions that traditional approaches may never identify.

Among the committee's initial focus areas are AI-assisted design and simulation. Machine learning is beginning to automate magnetic component design, accelerate finite element and SPICE simulations, optimize converter topologies, and enable digital twins for power modules. These capabilities promise to reduce engineering effort while allowing designers to explore far larger design spaces than previously practical. Furthermore, engineers can quickly explore and evaluate various design scenarios without the hassle of building a prototype. For example, digital twins allow evaluations that are too difficult, expensive or unsafe to conduct such as in high pressure undersea or high radiation space applications.

Rather than replacing engineers, AI is poised to become a powerful engineering assistant—handling repetitive optimization tasks while allowing designers to focus on innovation and system-level challenges.

Accelerating Materials Discovery

Power electronics performance is increasingly constrained by advances in materials. Whether developing improved magnetic core materials, next-generation dielectric materials for capacitors, or higher-performance thermal interface materials, discovering new material systems has traditionally required lengthy experimental cycles.

Artificial intelligence offers a new path forward.

By analyzing vast experimental datasets and identifying promising material combinations, AI can significantly accelerate research into core materials, capacitors, thermal management, and manufacturing processes. AI-guided synthesis and characterization could reduce years of experimentation into months, speeding innovation across the industry. 

Smarter Manufacturing

The factory floor is another area where AI is expected to have immediate impact.

Machine learning techniques can improve yield prediction, identify manufacturing anomalies before they become costly failures, optimize electroplating processes, and enable adaptive process control that continuously improves production quality. These applications build upon the industry's existing investments in automation while making manufacturing systems increasingly intelligent and self-optimizing. 

For manufacturers operating in highly competitive markets, even small improvements in yield or process stability can translate into significant financial benefits. While the potential for AI is good, it can still misinform or produce negative outcomes, so the industry still needs active steps to overcome these challenges.

AI Is Also a Fast-Growing Driver for Power Electronics

Perhaps the most compelling aspect of the committee's vision is that AI is not only a tool for improving power electronics—it is also becoming one of the industry's largest growth drivers.

The explosive expansion of AI infrastructure is creating unprecedented demand for efficient power delivery. High-performance AI accelerators require sophisticated voltage regulation with cutting-edge transient performance, higher power densities, advanced packaging technologies, and increasingly intelligent power management.

The committee identifies predictive converter control (with load forecasting), intelligent energy management, and power optimization for data centers and EV charging as key application areas. At the same time, understanding AI accelerator power demands and their implications for intermediate voltage regulation (IVR), point-of-load (PoL) converters, and packaging density positions power electronics at the center of AI hardware development.

In many ways, AI's future computing capability depends directly on advances in power electronics.

Expanding the Industry Ecosystem

AI also presents an opportunity to broaden collaboration across industries.

PSMA envisions engaging electronic design automation (EDA) companies developing AI-powered engineering tools, semiconductor manufacturers applying AI to process control, hyperscale cloud providers building massive AI computing clusters, and AI chip developers whose products depend on increasingly advanced power delivery solutions.

Bringing these communities together could foster new partnerships while expanding the influence of the power electronics industry in emerging technology sectors.

Building Knowledge and Best Practices

Beyond technology development, education will be central to the committee's mission.

Plans include webinars, tutorials, workshops at conferences such as APEC and PCIM, curated technical resources, and industry guidance on AI model validation, benchmarking methodologies, and data-sharing frameworks. As AI adoption accelerates, establishing common best practices will help ensure that machine learning becomes a reliable engineering tool rather than simply another technology trend. 

The committee is also considering longer-term initiatives such as an industry white paper on AI applications in power electronics, member surveys to benchmark AI adoption, dedicated conference sessions, online resource hubs, and speaker series featuring researchers from academia, national laboratories, and industry. 

Looking Ahead

The AI committee's immediate priorities include recruiting participants, finalizing its mission, and refining technical focus areas. Join the committee's regular monthly meetings to shape the direction by emailing power@psma.com.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming both a transformative engineering capability and one of the strongest drivers of demand for advanced power electronics. It has its challenges to overcome. Organizations that understand both sides of this relationship—using AI to develop better power systems while supplying the technology that powers AI itself—will be well positioned to lead the next generation of innovation.

For the power electronics community, the message is clear: AI is no longer simply another technology. It is becoming a defining force shaping the future of the industry.

e sure to mark your calendars to come to APEC 2027, March 7-11 at the Ernet N. Morial Convention Center, in New Orleans, LA. As the Creole expression says, let's "let the good times roll." For power electronics design engineers, APEC 2027 is not just a good time but a great time to learn about the amazing advances in power electronics technology. Advances in power electronics continue to enable growth in industries ranging from electro-mobility to AI. APEC's technical and industry sessions, in-depth professional education seminars and exposition combine to provide the tools engineers need to excel in this dynamic technical environment. More than ever, APEC is the conference you should attend.

The Conference Committee is now hard at work reviewing and selecting the submissions for Technical Sessions, Industry Sessions and Professional Education Seminars. The final program will be completed and all authors notified in early October.

Registration will open October 9th. The fee for full conference registration (still one of lowest of all IEEE conferences) includes free access to the Sunday and Monday Professional Education Seminars as well as a free ticket to the Wednesday evening Social Event. Remember, you need to register to get access to the discounted hotel reservations. These special hotel blocks will sell out early in the next year.

Dhaval Dalal, 2027 General Chair said, "APEC 2027 will bring together global innovators, researchers, and industry leaders to shape the future of power electronics. I invite you to be part of this transformative experience."

The APEC 2027 exhibition hall is sold out – nearly 300 exhibitors and several companies on the wait list – reflecting the value that manufacturers in the industry place on our event. The exhibition begins on Monday evening with a hosted reception on the trade show floor. The exhibits are also open on Tuesday and Wednesday and offer a hosted lunch service to all attendees.

If you haven't already made plans to attend, don't wait any longer. Be sure you have it in your 2027 budget to attend this exceptional event – truly The Premier Event in Applied Power Electronics™

Provided by Greg Evans, APEC 2027 Publicity Co-Chair

American Fairfield Inc.
Alisher Orazgaliyev
Assistant Sales Manager
161 Madison Ave, 5SW
New York, NY 10016
Telephone: +1 917 227 6177
E-mail: alisher_o@fairfieldcorp.com
Website: fairfieldcorp.com

American Fairfield Inc. is a New York-based supplier of engineered materials for thermal management and semiconductor packaging, including thermal interface materials, gap fillers, thermally and electrically conductive adhesives, underfills, molding compounds, and potting/encapsulation compounds. The company supports engineers and manufacturers across power electronics, automotive/EV, aerospace and defense, LED, RF/telecom, and industrial electronics with material selection, process design, and technical support.

With cutting-edge solutions and a commitment to innovation, American Fairfield supports industries that demand reliability, efficiency, and precision.

CBMM Technology Suisse S.A.
Maíra de Paula Nunes
Market Development Engineer
Chemin du Champ des Filles 36A
Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva, 1228 Switzerland
Telephone: +55-119-8497-6706
E-mail: maira.nunes@cbmm.com
Website: cbmm.com/en

CBMM is the world leader in production and commercialization of Niobium products , with a production capacity of 150,000 tonnes of Niobium products annually to meet the growing demand of its customers in over 50 countries.

With headquarters in Brazil and regional offices in China, The Netherlands, Singapore, Switzerland and the United States, the company supplies products and technology to the infrastructure, mobility, aerospace, health and energy sectors.

They operate an extensive global network of strategically located warehouses to ensure seamless delivery of their Niobium products. CBMM markets its products directly, through its international offices, and in partnership with distributors in key markets.

Vittorio Ferrari
Professor
University of Brescia, Italy
Via Branze 38
Brescia, BS Italy
Telephone: +39 030 3715444
E-mail: vittorio.ferrari@unibs.it
Website: www.tsinghua.edu.cn/en/

Vittorio Ferrari is a professor of Electronics at the University of Brescia, Italy, where he is active in scientific research and application-oriented industrial projects on sensors, microsystems, and electronics for measuring instrumentation. His research interests are in piezoelectric transducers, acoustic-wave and resonant sensors, energy harvesting for sensors and microsystems, electromechanical and piezoelectric MEMS, and sensor electronics.

He holds a MSc-equivalent in Physics and a PhD in Electronic Instrumentation. In 1994, he was at HP Labs, Palo Alto, CA, USA. In 2013, he collaborated with CERN, Switzerland, on electronics for particle detectors. In 2017, he was a visiting professor at the Institut Polytechnique de Grenoble, France. He is IEEE senior member, is affiliated with Italian National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN) and National Research Council (CNR). Since 1990, he has been involved in national, EU and international academic research projects and training networks and in industrial collaborations, often with coordination roles. He has been project evaluator for national and international organizations, member of the scientific advisory board for one Austrian research institute, member of the program committee and chair in international conferences. He serves in the editorial boards of Sensors, Micro, and Frontiers of Micro- and Nanoelectromechanical Systems. He is author of more than 250 publications, books, chapters, keynote/invited talks, editor of journal special issues, and co-inventor in 6 patents.

CalRamic Offers Expertise In High Voltage Ceramic Capacitors

ased in Reno, Nevada, CalRamic Technologies has been a trusted U.S.-based manufacturer of high-voltage ceramic capacitors, delivering precision-engineered solutions for demanding applications. Every product is 100% manufactured in our Reno facility.

CalRamic manufactures a broad range of high-voltage components in configurations from 50 VDC to over 100 kVDC with a strong focus on single layer capacitors rated at 3 kVDC and above. Our Lean Manufacturing principles help us provide shorter lead times, rapid prototype turnaround, and multiple design options tailored to each customer's specific application.

High voltage is a specialty field that involves far more than simply scaling up lower-voltage components. It introduces unique challenges, including electric-field stress, partial discharge, insulation degradation, and specialized failure mechanisms that are not encountered to the same degree at lower voltages.

Decades of experience and a dedicated focus on high-voltage technology have enabled CalRamic to develop capabilities that few companies possess. This expertise allows us to design, develop, and manufacture high-voltage components with a deep understanding of the unique challenges and reliability requirements of the field.

We offer a variety of ceramic dielectric materials and configurations, allowing our engineering and manufacturing teams to develop solutions optimized for demanding electrical, environmental, and performance requirements. From standard components to highly customized designs, our goal is to deliver reliable, application-specific performance.

Our high-performance capacitors are designed to support a wide range of applications, including geothermal, commercial and industrial systems, medical equipment, commercial aerospace, ground-based military systems, military aerospace, and high-reliability space and satellite applications.

The growing demand for high-voltage pulse capacitors is being driven by advances in medical technology, defense, and other high-power applications. In particular, emerging anti-drone (UAV) technologies are creating increased demand for high-voltage capacitors used in high-power microwave (HPM) systems and other directed-energy (DEW) technologies. CalRamic will work closely with customers to understand their unique electrical, mechanical, and environmental requirements, providing capacitor solutions engineered to support application performance, reliability, and mission success.

Quality is at the core of everything we do. Our quality management system conforms to—and exceeds—the requirements of ISO 9001. Through rigorous manufacturing controls, carefully selected materials, precision processes, and performance-focused design practices, we produce high-voltage capacitors built to meet the needs of demanding applications.

We believe our success begins with our people. CalRamic leadership fosters a culture that encourages personal growth, professional development, and individual success while promoting a Team philosophy. This has enabled us to build up a highly trained production crew with high tenure.

Isanne Vetter and Andrew Schweber - Key Members of Our Sales Team.

A significant part of our value proposition is our unwavering commitment to customer service. CalRamic answers the phone when customers call and provides prompt, responsive support throughout the quoting and order process. Quotes for catalog parts are typically provided the same day or by the following day. We bring that same level of responsiveness to custom parts, with prompt communication and real-time customer interaction to keep projects moving forward.

Our commitment extends to delivery. With typical lead times of 8 to 12 weeks, we offer excellent delivery performance while maintaining a laser-like focus on on-time delivery. Customers can count on CalRamic to communicate clearly, respond quickly, and deliver when we say we will.

We want our customers to have the knowledge and resources they need to succeed. Our website features a comprehensive High-Voltage Capacitor educational library, including application notes and product training modules designed to help customers better understand the technical principles and applications of high-voltage capacitors.

As of March 2026, CalRamic is excited to have become part of the Heico/Exxelia family. Exxelia is a trusted leader in providing high-reliability passive components, and this strategic partnership creates a strong synergy between our organizations.

Together, we can better serve our customers by expanding our capabilities beyond high-voltage solutions and providing a comprehensive range of passive component needs. We look forward to leveraging the strengths of both companies to deliver greater value, reliability, and service to our clients.

We look forward to working with our customers with our combined decades of experience, advanced manufacturing practices, rigorous quality controls, and a collaborative approach to help solve challenging high-voltage applications.
We are fully committed to your application's success.

CalRamic manufactures a comprehensive range of high-voltage capacitors to meet the most demanding application requirements.

MAIKE Magnetics: Custom-engineered magnetic component solutions for power electronics

s modern power electronics pursue higher frequency operation and greater power density, magnetic components frequently pose key engineering trade- offs between size, thermal performance, loss and manufacturability. MAIKE Magnetics was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Mianyang, China's national science- technology city. With more than 20 years of specialized experience, MAIKE is a dedicated developer and manufacturer of custom magnetic components for power electronics. The company differentiates itself by combining in- house magnetic design expertise, power- supply engineering capability, and full- scale manufacturing capacity to deliver application- specific magnetics rather than only standard off- the- shelf components.

MAIKE's broad product portfolio includes Planar transformers and Inductors, Integrated magnetics, conventional high- frequency transformers, power transformers, common- mode and differential- mode inductors, PFC chokes, and current transformers. Recently,MAIKE has been actively investing in R&D and production of high- frequency isolation transformers for solid- state transformer (SST) applications. These components serve demanding markets such as photovoltaic inverters, wind- power systems, energy- storage equipment, EV charging infrastructure, industrial controls, 5G communication hardware and server power supplies.

MAIKE Magnetics holds ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications, alongside the UL- recognized Class 155(F) Electrical Insulation System per ANSI/CAN/UL 1446 for U.S. and Canadian markets. The 155 °C- rated system ensures reliable thermal performance for custom transformers and inductors in high- temperature industrial, renewable- energy and EV- charging applications. Products also comply with RoHS, TUV, VDE, CE and EMC international standards.

Beyond component supply, MAIKE operates a collaborative engineering model. Internal magnetic- design and senior power- supply engineers work side- by- side with customer teams for co- development and power- supply debugging. MAIKE delivers complete end- to- end turn- key support ranging from initial concept, custom magnetic design, simulation verification, prototype validation through to full- scale mass production.

Through its group- affiliated sister company Star Fortune Electronics, MAIKE expands its offering to export- grade power modules, leveraging proven technical expertise accumulated from domestic high- reliability mission- critical projects. MAIKE provides complimentary design proposals for custom magnetics requirements and supports partners across every stage of product development. MAIKE balances compact form factor, low parasitic loss, high efficiency and cost- effective manufacturability for each custom project.

MAIKE Magnetics is pleased to be a member of PSMA. The company values industry collaboration and knowledge- sharing across the power- electronics community to advance magnetic- component technology. We welcome PSMA members and power
electronics engineers worldwide to discuss new and challenging magnetic- component requirements.

MORE THAN MAGNETIC COMPONENTS

ADD VALUE TO YOUR POWER ELECTRONICS

For more information about MAIKE Magnetics, please visit our website at https://www.maikecn.com.

HEIONTEC turns ambient heat into power for ultra-low-power electronics

A new thermo-electrochemical cell concept addresses one of distributed electronics' most persistent system-level problems: how to supply tiny amounts of power for years without wiring or repeated battery service.

ndustrial sites, buildings and infrastructure are gaining ever more wireless sensors and connected devices. Yet every new measurement point also creates a power-supply problem. Cabling limits placement and adds installation cost; primary batteries move the burden into maintenance, replacement logistics and waste. In many ultra-low-power applications, the battery itself is inexpensive, while the service visit required to replace it is not.

HEIONIT GmbH, operating under the HEIONTEC brand, is developing thermo-electrochemical generator cells – TEC-G cells – for this gap. Founded in Germany in 2022, the deep-tech company is working toward application-specific cells that convert ambient and low-grade heat directly into electrical energy. Unlike a conventional thermoelectric generator, the concept does not depend on maintaining a permanent temperature difference between a hot and a cold side.

A TEC-G cell contains two electrodes and a proprietary active material. When an electrical load closes the circuit, electrochemical processes drive electrons through the external load and the cell cools. During regeneration, the cell absorbs heat from its surroundings and moves back toward its initial state. It is therefore a thermally driven cyclic source rather than a conventional battery whose active material is progressively consumed.

For power-electronics engineers, the relevant design object is the complete energy-harvesting chain: TEC-G cell, power-management IC, buffer element and load. Many sensor nodes spend most of their time asleep and need a short burst of energy only for measurement and wireless transmission. A buffer capacitor or other storage element can decouple that pulse demand from the cell's lower average output, while the PMIC manages voltage conversion, cold start and the cell's discharge and regeneration phases.

"Our aim is not to replace every battery. We want to eliminate the battery where the electronics need very little power but servicing that battery is disproportionately expensive." – Andreas Heine, Founder and CEO of HEIONTEC

Current development is focused on the micro-watt to low-milliwatt domain. In laboratory configurations, HEIONTEC has demonstrated an output of approximately one microwatt per gram of active material, together with higher short-duration output depending on cell design and operating conditions. The primary engineering work now concerns material-specific power, internal resistance, cycle stability, regeneration behavior, lifetime and repeatable manufacturing.

The first target applications are wireless sensors and other ultra-low-power electronics in industrial monitoring, building automation, infrastructure and environmental sensing. The strongest use cases combine a very low average load with high maintenance cost, difficult access or a requirement for long unattended operation. HEIONTEC is not positioning TEC-G as a general replacement for high-power batteries; the value lies in matching cell, electronics and duty cycle to a specific application.

The product strategy reflects that application-driven approach. HEIONTEC is focusing on pouch cells, whose flexible geometry and scalable material volume allow the cell design to be matched to the energy requirements and available installation space of a specific device. The company follows a fabless model and works with specialist partners for material synthesis and cell production. In July 2026, HEIONTEC announced a strategic technology partnership with Celtrix GmbH, a Fraunhofer spin-off, to manufacture initial pouch-cell prototypes and prepare the transition toward pilot and scalable production.

The technology is moving from laboratory validation toward externally tested prototypes and OEM pilot projects. HEIONTEC collaborates with universities, research institutions and industrial partners in Germany and the United States. Its development roadmap deliberately treats independent performance and lifetime validation as a central milestone, alongside the scale-up of the active material and cell-manufacturing process.

Membership in PSMA is particularly valuable because commercial success will be decided at the interface of electrochemistry, power management and system design. HEIONTEC is interested in exchange with energy-harvesting IC developers, sensor and electronics OEMs, test laboratories and manufacturing specialists. Common measurement methods and realistic duty-cycle profiles will be essential for comparing solutions and translating cell data into dependable system performance.

HEIONTEC welcomes discussions with PSMA members developing ultra-low-power electronics or looking for battery-reducing power architectures in demanding applications. More information is available at www.heiontec.com/en.

ll members of PSMA companies are invited to attend the 2026 PSMA Planning Meeting and to offer their inputs and suggestions for the projects and activities the Association should focus on in the coming year. The meeting will take place on Sunday, October 4, at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside in New Orleans, LA.

The Board of Directors relies on the inputs generated at the Annual Planning Meetings to identify, consider, and select programs for the coming year that provide benefits to the PSMA membership. For example, initiatives generated at recent Planning Meetings have resulted in the student mentoring program at APEC and the formation of the AI Committee.

This year's meeting will begin with a brief review of the year-to-date accomplishments and a summary of ongoing activities by Renee Yawger, Chair of the PSMA. This will be followed by an update of the six-quarter financial forecast from Treasurer Tim McDonald.

Most of the meeting will feature reports from the active PSMA committees and an open forum to introduce and discuss ideas for special projects, initiatives, and priorities for the coming months. All members of PSMA Companies are encouraged to provide input. If you cannot attend the meeting in person, email suggestions to power@psma.com and they will be considered and included in the discussions. In the coming months, the PSMA Executive Committee will summarize the results of the meeting and prioritize which projects and initiatives should be included in the focus for the next year.

The APEC 2027 Conference Committee will meet in the morning prior to the PSMA Planning Meeting, to discuss plans for APEC 2027 and the program including technical sessions, professional education seminars, rap sessions, and industry presentations for the conference in March 2027. There will also be a tour of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on Saturday, October 3rd.

If you plan to attend the 2026 PSMA Planning Meeting, please email the Association Office at power@psma.com. We look forward to seeing many of you at this important meeting.

he PSMA international biennial workshop EnerHarv 2026 was held in at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), Madrid, Spain from May 27–29. It brought together 75 global experts in energy harvesting (EH) and the greater Power IoT ecosystem to showcase innovative IoT solutions, share best practices, and foster collaboration across industry and academia.
www.enerharv.com

Event Overview
EnerHarv 2026, the fourth International Energy Harvesting Workshop, served as a community hub for experts and users of EH technologies. The workshop targeted challenges and opportunities in powering wireless IoT devices, particularly the need to reduce battery dependence and improve system-level efficiency.

The program emphasized interactive participation, demonstrations, and collaborative discussions to advance knowledge and innovation in the field.

Key Drivers and Objectives
EnerHarv was originally created by the PSMA Energy Harvesting Committee (EHC) based on a need to create a community of collaborating stakeholders from academia and industry to create self -powered wireless sensors for IoT applications.

The workshop focused on several driving themes:

• The global number of IoT sensors, which is projected to double by 2033, highlighting the urgency for self-powered solutions.
  
• Minimizing battery replacements through wireless power and EH strategies.
  
• Enhancing understanding of system-level optimization among component designers.
  
• Identifying available ambient energy sources for practical deployments.
  
• Promoting the EH and Power IoT ecosystems, providing roadmaps for development, and accelerating adoption of EH technologies.
  
• Understanding the role of enabling hardware and software technologies, particularly the increasing potential role of AI.

Program and Activities
EnerHarv 2026 offered a comprehensive and interactive program:

• Keynote presentations from leading academics and industry leaders, outlining cutting-edge EH solutions and applications. 
  
• A dissemination workshop of EU project LoLiPoP-IoT (www.lolipop-iot.eu) based on eight application use cases (asset tracking, condition monitoring, building energy efficiency and comfort, etc.). In these we showed >300% battery life extension due to EH, in four cases demonstrating full power autonomy.
  
• Demonstrations of materials, devices, and systems highlighting successful EH products already in use.
  
• Hands-on sessions and tools for visualization and simulation of EH performance.
  
• Networking opportunities with developers, users, and integrators to discuss demos and potential collaborations. 
  
• Interactive discussions to identify technology trends, opportunities, bottlenecks & best practices. 
  

The daily keynotes were from Teresa Riesgo (Ministry of Science, Innovation & Universities, Spain), Day 1 - Sustainable Systems; Michele Magno (ETH Zurich), Day 2 - AI in the IoT; Joshua Wright (jmachina.io), Day 3 – deploying IoT to market.

Outcomes and Insights
The event successfully highlighted trends in EH IoT solutions, including:

• Strategies for self-powered wireless devices and reducing overall power consumption.
  
• Case studies demonstrating commercially viable EH products.
  
• Development of a collaborative roadmap to guide innovation and ecosystem growth.
  
• Fostering partnerships between researchers, industrial developers, and potential users for accelerated technology adoption.
  

Host and Participation
EnerHarv 2026 was hosted by Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) and supported by Mid Sweden University (MIUN). Participation was open to academics, industry developers, and IoT system integrators, with a focus on promoting knowledge exchange and collaborative problem-solving in EH technologies.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsors as follows for their valuable contributions in making this yet another successful EnerHarv.

Commercial:- Rohde & Schwarz (Platinum sponsor), Swiss Airtainer, TST- Celestica, CNET, Wurth Elektronik, Dracula Technologies.
Technical:- IEEE EPS, IEEE PELS
EU project:- LoLiPoP-IoT, ECS4DRES, H-HOPE, UBIGIoT
Media:- Bodos Power Systems, How2Power.

We would also like to thank our fellow-co chairs Gabriel Mujica (UPM), Airan Frances (UPM) and Sebastian Bader (MIUN) and the fantastic EnerHarv 2026 committee of >30 academic and industry experts who made it all possible.

In conclusion, EnerHarv 2026 effectively shows how we can disruptively bridge the gap between research and practice, emphasizing innovation, collaborative solutions, and creating actionable insights for the future of energy harvesting in IoT systems.

Mike Hayes & Brian Zahnstecher
PSMA Energy Harvesting Committee
20th August 2026

Registration Is Open for the 13th Annual IEEE Workshop on Wide Bandgap Power Devices and Applications

he Thirteenth IEEE Workshop on Wide Bandgap Power Devices and Applications (WiPDA 2026) is quickly approaching. From October 26-28, 2026, the wide bandgap power electronics community will gather in Burlington, Vermont, for three days of technical exchange, collaboration, and discussion focused on the technologies shaping the future of power conversion.

Sponsored by IEEE, PSMA, IEEE-PELS, and IEEE-EDS, WiPDA brings together device scientists, circuit designers, systems engineers, researchers, manufacturers, and application experts from across the power electronics ecosystem. With the Call for Papers and Tutorials now behind us, attention turns to the workshop itself and to the opportunity to connect in person with the people advancing wide bandgap technology from research through real-world deployment.

From Device Innovation to System-Level Impact

Wide bandgap technologies continue to advance rapidly as designers seek higher efficiency, greater power density, improved thermal performance, and new levels of system capability. Gallium nitride (GaN), silicon carbide (SiC), and emerging ultra-wide bandgap materials are creating new opportunities across electric mobility, renewable energy, AI infrastructure, aerospace, industrial systems, grid modernization, and other demanding power applications.

WiPDA provides a unique forum for examining these developments across the entire technology chain. Discussions extend beyond individual semiconductor devices to address packaging, reliability, converter architectures, manufacturing, system integration, applications, and the practical challenges of bringing new technologies into widespread use.

What to Expect at WiPDA 2026

This year's workshop will offer multiple opportunities to learn, exchange ideas, and engage directly with experts across industry and academia. This year's program will include:

• Technical Sessions highlight advances in devices, packaging, reliability, converter topologies, and application-driven system design.
  
  
• Tutorials provide deeper exploration of both foundational WBG concepts and emerging technologies and trends.
  
  
• Keynote Presentations featuring perspectives from recognized leaders in industry, academia, and research.
  
  
• Panel Discussions bring together technical and industry experts to examine emerging trends, market adoption, supply-chain considerations, standards, and the future direction of WBG technologies.
  
  
• Poster Sessions and an Industry Exposition offer opportunities to see new research and technologies while connecting directly with researchers, engineers, suppliers, and other members of the WBG community.
  
  
• PSMA Student Mentorship Program provides one-on-one connections between students and experienced professionals designed to support career development, networking, and deeper engagement with the WiPDA community.
  

Connect Across the WBG Ecosystem

One of WiPDA's greatest strengths is the breadth of the community it brings together. Device researchers can hear directly from system designers working to deploy new technologies. Engineers can exchange ideas with experts in materials, fabrication, packaging, and reliability. Companies can engage with researchers exploring the next generation of power devices and applications.

These connections are increasingly important as wide bandgap technologies move into a broader range of commercial applications. Technical performance remains essential, but successful adoption also depends on manufacturability, reliability, packaging, cost, standards, supply chains, and system-level value. WiPDA creates an environment where these different perspectives can come together.

Supporting the Next Generation Through Mentorship

The PSMA Student Mentorship Program returns for WiPDA 2026, offering another opportunity for students and experienced members of the power electronics community to connect.

The program pairs student mentees one-on-one with professionals from industry or academia whose expertise aligns with their technical interests and career goals. The program is designed to help students make the most of their WiPDA experience while gaining career perspective, expanding their professional networks, and connecting with subject-matter experts. For mentors, it provides an opportunity to share experience and give back to the power electronics community by helping develop its next generation of engineers.

Students interested in participating as mentees and professionals interested in volunteering as mentors are encouraged to sign up for WiPDA 2026. Visit the PSMA Student Mentorship Program page on the WiPDA website for details and registration details: https://wipda.org/psma/

Make Plans for Burlington

WiPDA 2026 will be held October 26–28 at the Hotel Champlain in Burlington, Vermont. Bringing the workshop to New England also places WiPDA in one of the country's most active technology and microelectronics regions while giving attendees an opportunity to experience Burlington and the Lake Champlain area.

Whether you are developing the next generation of GaN, SiC, or ultra-wide bandgap devices; designing high-performance power converters; solving packaging and reliability challenges; or evaluating where WBG technology can deliver its next major system-level advantage, WiPDA 2026 offers an opportunity to learn, connect, and help shape what comes next

Register for WiPDA 2026

Registration is open, and now is the time to make plans to join the wide bandgap power electronics community in Burlington this October. Visit the WiPDA website at https://wipda.org/psma/ for registration, program updates, travel information, and the latest workshop details.

Organizations interested in increasing their visibility within the wide bandgap power electronics community are invited to explore sponsorship and exhibition opportunities at WiPDA 2026. For sponsorship information, contact Douglas Merrill (Douglas.Merrill@uvm.edu)

Join us in Burlington and be part of the conversations helping move wide bandgap power electronics from innovation to impact.

D-PEIM 2026, the premier international symposium dedicated to 3D power electronics packaging and heterogeneous integration, brings together researchers, manufacturers, and industry leaders to discuss emerging technologies and manufacturing approaches shaping the future of advanced power packaging.
We are excited to announce that registration for the 3D-PEIM symposium is now open!

Event Dates: November 16-19, 2026
Location: Tempe, Arizona

3D-PEIM will explore cutting-edge topic in power electronics and packaging through 1) 4 expert-led tutorials and a special panel session, 2) 6 plenary speakers, 3) 7 technical focus areas, 4) 14 keynote and invited speakers, 5) poster session and 6) Macro Technology Works facility tour.

See the complete program: https://www.3d-peim.org/program/
Register now early-bird pricing: https://www.3d-peim.org/registration/

More details can be found at https://www.3d-peim.org/.

We look forward to welcoming attendees to Arizona State University for 3D-PEIM 2026.

uthor Christophe Basso has designed converter control ICs for ON Semiconductor in Toulouse, France and has written related books reviewed in How2Power Today.[1] His books characteristically mix analytic derivations of circuit equations with a large amount of simulation. This book is almost entirely simulation-oriented, providing the reader with ready-made simulation templates in the form of circuit diagrams that execute on a free and popular version of SPICE issued years ago by Linear Technology.

Basso approaches simulation logically, by beginning with simple versions of circuits, to verify that simulation is convergent and free of errors at a basic level, then expands the simple model to be more comprehensive. Accordingly, the book begins with five pages—one per page—of simple op-amp models, beginning with a simple "generic model" with input shunt R and C and voltage clamping. The output has a dependent voltage source followed by an RC integrator. He then leads the reader through simulation testing of its static and dynamic behaviors. He adds additional circuit elements to the output, to make it more like a UC384x PWM controller.

Next, a two-winding transformer with magnetizing inductance referred to the primary side and with primary and secondary leakage inductances has a Norton equivalent circuit (shunt current source with equivalent magnetizing-inductance resistance) on the primary side and a Thevenin circuit (voltage source in series with resistance) on the secondary side. The dependent voltage source gain is the turns ratio. It is applied in the role of a current transformer, then expanded with an additional secondary winding followed by a transformer with a center-tapped primary winding.

The author has power circuits as the underlying theme running through these simulations, demonstrating how LT SPICE can be applied to their simulation. This is not a trivial feat because SPICE simulators historically showed convergence problems on circuits that are partially digital, partially analog.

Digital waveforms, being square-waves and having zero transition times, constitute mathematical discontinuities. In Fourier-series math, the Dirichlet conditions (found in most books on differential equations) show that at the point of discontinuity the Fourier series converges to the average between the two levels. In math, "analytic" means continuous functions with infinite resolution, and the convergence of the Dirichlet conditions is analytic.

However, simulators run on the computer mathematics of numerical analysis and are themselves inherently digital—that is, discontinuous and iterative in discrete steps of the circuit waveform variables. When a waveform discontinuity occurs, in some cases, the simulator, which solves the entire circuit as a giant matrix equation, can fail to converge to a solution with fixed numerical values. While seeking to home in on the final value, it might oscillate between two discrete values, never able to decide which one to resolve to.

To dive directly into this complication, the next pages of the book simulate an SR latch and D flip-flop. The D flop is built from the SR latch. Then that most basic of ADCs—the comparator, with analog input and digital output—is followed by a dead-time enhancement. This is followed by a "small-pulse generator," a couple of NAND gates connected to provide a "differentiated" pulse of gate-delay width. This path of circuit simulation ends with a "digital delay," a one switching cycle delay of a function, or in the z-domain, a z–1 function.
The next couple of templates are of optocouplers followed by the TL431 IC. (I also have given a large amount of explanation of this IC in my power-converters book and articles.) Here is yet another simulation of a part that I have found among manufacturers is not the same, not in its dynamics. The Bode plots differ among manufacturers. Basso has worked for ON Semi in the past, which was previously split off from Motorola. I suspect that his template follows the Motorola IC in its frequency response.

The next templates are of a VCO, a voltage-mode controller and a current-mode controller. In voltage-mode control, the controlled variable, which is the converter output voltage, is fed back to control the forward-path variable, the duty-ratio δ of the power-transfer circuit in the central subsystem of the converter. The circuit is designed to operate around a point of some fixed duty-ratio D and vary around it by some differential amount d so that δ = D + d. The feedback configuration is that of a single loop and has in it the transfer-circuit inductor and output capacitor. They form an LC resonance within the feedback loop. This leads to a nontrivial feedback-control design problem.

Current-mode control is popular in design because it causes the switching power-transfer circuit inductor to effectively be in series with a current source and hence the inductor is removed from forming a resonance with the output capacitor. Nonetheless, it is even more complicated to analyze than voltage-mode control because it has an inner peak (or valley) control loop and an outer voltage-control loop.

The hint of a smile formed on my face as I read Basso's line about current-mode control: "… slope compensation is necessary to calm down subharmonic poles located at Fs /2, but it is a well-understood process these days." The statement is true; slope compensation is required for that purpose, but I would say that current-mode control from a modeling standpoint is only relatively well-understood in that a fourth-generation truly-unified model of it only emerged in the late 2010s (see my series on the topic[2]).

That model followed the previous so-called "unified" model of Tan and Middlebrook of the 1990s which followed the second-generation model in the late 1980s by Ray Ridley. Before that, the original Middlebrook model of the 1970s was quasistatic only and could not model the subharmonic oscillation that can occur at the Nyquist frequency fs /2.

The model often used, as promulgated by Ray Ridley in his courses, goes about as deep into this topical abyss as most power-electronics engineers desire to descend and is quite adequate under those conditions. Yet it is not in itself a refined model in that it has theoretical errors, nor is the one by Tan and Middlebrook which is better than Ridley's model in some ways (its sampled loop has a transfer function over the Nyquist interval; Ridley's does not) and is worse in others (in how the transfer function is configured and the PWM is modeled).

Moving along into what is a more pleasant though also complicated topic nowadays, Basso gives a template for a quasi-resonant power-transfer circuit controller and for a resonant "asymmetrical half-bridge" controller. The name refers to the switch sequencing of the bridge and its use with a flyback power-transfer circuit.

The next six pages of the book cover similar LLC-related control circuits for various transfer circuits. Different labels are placed on them than what I use, so beware that there is not a standardized vocabulary for some of power electronics. The variations in circuits include differing ways to sequence the power switches.

After this, the topic turns to the beloved UC384X family of PWM controllers, with a page of explanation of the preceding variables to finalize this section of the book. Its organization is optimal for the kind of book this is. Each template has its own page and somehow conveniently fits it.

The topic now turns to control, and Basso categorizes control schemes by how many poles they have at the origin. In control language, for n poles this constitutes a type n control scheme. Basso follows this standard labeling. Types 1 through 3 compensators each have a page, then types 1 and 2 with a voltage-controlled current source, or operational transconductance amplifier (OTA), which Basso notes is a nifty IC circuit.

The next five pages are these control schemes with a TL431 followed by a couple of PID schemes. These proportional, integral, differential (PID) schemes are commonly found in motor-drives because of the inherent electromechanical resonance of motors, a resonance between the winding inductance on the electrical aside with the electrically-referred inertia from the mechanical side as a capacitance.

Having such an LC resonance within a feedback loop is not to be taken lightly and the topology for a PID compensator involves parallel paths for the P, I, and D with outputs summed as the PID output. This kind of circuit can actually have more zeros than poles, unlike the condition placed on passive (and most active) circuits.

The book then moves along to digital compensators, suitable for μC-controlled converters. Basso shows in the next few pages how to quickly go from familiar s-domain circuit concepts of continuous control to the z-domain block diagrams of digital compensation. With this the first part of the book ends with subcircuit simulation, and turns to working with converter simulation in LTspice: importing models of subcircuits, simulating voltage- and current-mode buck (common-passive PWM-switch) power-transfer circuits, and using the frequency-response analyzer (FRA) instrument built into LTspice.

A page contrasts the ease of use of SIMPLIS with LTspice for frequency-response simulation. The next few pages illustrate the FRA use with buck converters with different control schemes, including constant on-time, and descriptions of their waveforms.

The simulations begin looking like whole converters, with a UC3845 control IC in a couple of the templates. Variations on buck or forward and boost transfer circuits appear with various control schemes. Monte Carlo analysis has a couple of pages. A PFC circuit with an onsemi controller has its page.

Because the LTspice simulator, typical of simulators, solves the circuit with total-variable (large-signal) equations, both the static and incremental results are simulated in a combined way. Several pages describe this and other PFC-related topics, then go to three-phase rectifiers for PFCs.

Multiple pages (97 to 115) then pertain to the common-inductor PWM-switch configuration of power-transfer circuits, as buck-boost and flyback, with variations on each to be modeled. Ćuk-class circuits (SEPIC, zeta) appear followed again by LLC circuits, including a bike charger. (Basso bikes in the Pyrenees of southern France, where he lives.) The book ends with a description of some of Basso's other books, references to papers and articles, and a page of Internet links.

About The Author

Dennis Feucht has been involved in power electronics for 40 years, designing motor-drives and power converters. He has an instrument background from Tektronix, where he designed test and measurement equipment and did research in Tek Labs. He has lately been working on projects in theoretical magnetics and power converter research.

To read Dennis' reviews of other texts on power supply design, magnetics design and related topics, see How2Power's Power Electronics Book Reviews.

This article originally appeared in the June 2026 issue of the How2Power Today newsletter, which is available online at https://www.how2power.com/newsletters

he 2026 International Future Energy Challenge (IFEC) finals brought some of the world's most promising power electronics undergraduate students to Leuven, Belgium, where they competed to demonstrate an affordable bidirectional onboard charger for electric vehicles. Hosted by KU Leuven and EnergyVille, the event gathered seven finalist teams representing Europe, Asia, and North America to showcase months of design, construction, testing, and problem-solving.

As a representative of PSMA and a member of the judging panel, I had the opportunity to participate in the final day of the event, including the student presentations, jury deliberations, and award ceremony. While I was not present during the full week of testing activities, the final presentations provided an excellent overview of the technical approaches, challenges, and lessons learned throughout the competition.

This year's challenge was particularly ambitious. Teams were tasked with designing a 1 kW bidirectional onboard charger capable of meeting demanding efficiency, cost, and performance objectives while addressing the practical realities of electric vehicle charging systems.

Observations

One of the most striking observations was the willingness of several teams to pursue highly innovative solutions rather than choosing conservative designs. In particular, two teams implemented single-stage converter architectures incorporating bidirectional GaN-based switching structures. These approaches offered the potential for reduced component count, improved power density, and higher efficiency, but also significantly increased design complexity and technical risk.

As is often the case in engineering competitions, innovation came hand in hand with challenges. During the final testing period, several teams experienced major hardware failures that prevented them from fully demonstrating their systems. According to reports from the testing sessions, some prototypes suffered catastrophic failures, highlighting both the difficulty of the challenge and the demanding operating conditions under which these converters were evaluated. While disappointing for the teams involved, such experiences are also an important part of engineering education. The lessons learned from a failed prototype frequently become the foundation for future success.

Awards

What made this year's competition particularly noteworthy was that only one team was ultimately able to demonstrate a fully functional onboard charger that successfully met the competition requirements. That team, Reutlingen University from Germany, delivered a solution that combined technical excellence with low cost, earning both the overall first-place award and the Best Performance Award. Warsaw University of Technology secured second place and received the Innovative Solution Award, while Hochschule Kaiserslautern earned third place. Additional awards recognized the University of Belgrade for Outstanding Technical Report and the University of Connecticut for Excellent Teamwork. For more pictures and details on the results, see: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/power-electronics-kuleuven_ifec-2026-finals-what-a-week-after-activity-7485677666981990402-YKdc?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAHxBXwBvELfJ9P000nue0BP76KJ1TFuwAs.

The Grand Prize and Best Performance Award winning team from Reutlingen University, Germany.

Event Details

The student presentations were held in a KU Leuven lecture hall located in the historic city center of Leuven. On what turned out to be one of the warmer days of the Belgian summer, the lack of air conditioning certainly added an extra layer of endurance to an already intense day of technical discussions and evaluations. Nevertheless, the quality of the presentations remained high, and the students demonstrated impressive professionalism while explaining both their successes and their setbacks.

Following the presentations, the jury convened to review the results and determine the final rankings. These discussions highlighted an important aspect of engineering competitions: success is measured not only by whether a prototype works on the final day, but also by the soundness of the engineering process, the quality of the technical analysis, the creativity of the solution, and the team's ability to communicate its work effectively.

The event concluded with the award ceremony at De Hoorn, a landmark venue in Leuven that provided an excellent setting to celebrate the achievements of all participating teams. The ceremony offered an opportunity for students, faculty members, judges, sponsors, and organizers to reflect on the accomplishments of the week and recognize the tremendous effort invested by every team.

All finalist student teams and participants at KU Leuven, Belgium.

PSMA Sponsorship

From a PSMA perspective, competitions such as IFEC play a critical role in developing the next generation of power electronics engineers. They expose students to challenges that closely resemble real-world product development, where ambitious goals, tight schedules, BoM reduction, unexpected failures, and difficult design tradeoffs are part of everyday engineering practice. Just as importantly, they create opportunities for interaction between industry and academia, helping students gain visibility and experience while allowing companies and organizations to engage with emerging talent.

Congratulations to all seven finalist teams, the organizers from KU Leuven and EnergyVille, and the many volunteers, sponsors, and judges who contributed to the success of IFEC 2026. Special thanks to Prof. Wilmar Martinez and his team for their leadership, dedication, and hospitality. The competition once again demonstrated that the future of power electronics is in capable hands, driven by talented students who are willing to push the boundaries of innovation, learn from setbacks, and continue advancing the state of the art.

Jaume Roig introducing the PSMA to the International Future Energy Challenge (IFEC) final participants.

Provided by Jaume Roig (onsemi), PSMA BoD Member and Competition Juror

n 2019 PSMA Reliability Committee completed the first PSMA Power Supply Software/Firmware Reliability Report (https://psma.com/publications#item-5815). All regular and associate PSMA members are entitled to a copy of the report. Affiliate members can acquire this report at a significant discount at $290, while non-PSMA members pay the full $2,490 price. Consider joining PSMA as regular member dues are $1425 which easily covers the price of the report.

However, it needs an update to reflect the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in the design, verification, and operation of digitally controlled power supplies. Although AI can improve reliability, it also introduces new reliability considerations such as AI hallucinations, model drift, overfitting, and other AI/ML reliability risks. Therefore, the update can address ways to handle AI reliability considerations including human review, validation, and safe fallback.

Since the original report's publication, AI-assisted tooling has become directly relevant to several of the problem areas the report already documents — including system identification, code review, anomaly detection, and test generation. AI/ML functions in the power supply itself, such as adaptive control or predictive monitoring, would also be relevant. A proposed special project would extend the existing report rather than replace it, preserving its value as the industry reference on software/firmware reliability while bringing it up to date.

PSMA Committees

Consequently, the PSMA Reliability Committee and the PSMA Artificial Intelligence (AI) Committee can jointly assist in shaping the proposed update and approving the work. The joint effort would combine reliability and AI/ML expertise. This is one example where PSMA can lead the industry in growing and expanding digitally controlled power supplies. Contact the PSMA office at power@psma.com to join the committee discussions.

Scope

The original report was over 162 pages and had nine sections:

1. Reliability Challenges
   
2. Best Practices
   
3. Design Process Improvement
   
4. Functional and Other Specifications
   
5. Program Management Process
   
6. Test and Qualification Plans
   
7. Key Metrics
   
8. Proposed Industry Metrics
   
9. Glossary
   

Each section requires additions to extend the content to adequately address AI/ML. The update could add AI/ML subsections to each existing section as well as add any necessary subsections.

Importance

The original project began due to field failures which demonstrated the gaps between the digitally controlled power supply manufacturer/vendor and the resulting customer deployed boards. Another key motivation was to address pain points of hardware vs. software contributors as well as help hardware & software engineering teams work together so the report content provided a lot of "program management" and team dynamic guidance with best practices.  In other words, hardware engineers get a little better acquainted with software engineers and vice versa.

Call for Action/Participation

Consequently, PSMA is calling for the participation of digitally controlled power supply firmware/software, hardware, reliability, test, and AI/ML experts.

Authored by the PSMA AI Committee and the PSMA Reliability Committee

hiyu Warnakulasooriya is a PhD student in the Power Electronics Laboratory at Nagoya University, Japan. His research focuses on advanced power module packaging, including EMI reduction and integrated current sensing for high-power-density power converters. In this article he summarizes his experience at APEC 2026 in San Antonio.

Attending APEC 2026 was an outstanding experience and exceeded my expectations. The conference began with the Professional Education Seminars on Sunday and Monday, delivered by some of the leading experts in power electronics. Throughout the week, the technical sessions covered a wide range of topics from emerging semiconductor technologies to new converter topologies and packaging techniques. The industrial sessions were equally informative, and helped students such as myself understand several concepts from the perspective of industry. The exhibition was equally impressive, featuring latest products and innovations from industry and academia. Beyond the technical program, APEC also provided many opportunities to interact with researchers, engineers and industry professionals from around the world.

Thiyu presenting his paper.

For first time APEC student attendees, my biggest recommendation is to download the APEC conference app before you arrive. It makes planning your schedule much easier, especially since some of you will likely be moving between multiple technical, industry and poster sessions throughout the day. The app provides access to presentation slides and posters, making it convenient to review material and take notes. I also encourage taking full advantage of the networking events and exhibition to interact with researchers, industry professionals, and other students from around the world. My first APEC (San Antonio 2026) was an incredibly rewarding experience, and I was honoured to be awarded an "Outstanding Presentation Award" for my work on current sensing in power modules, as a first-time attendee. I look forward to returning next year in New Orleans, and I hope to meet many more students and professionals there!

Thiyu accepting his Outstanding Presentation Award with from left to right: Olivier Trescases (APEC 2026 Awards Chair), Dhaval Dalal (APEC 2026 Program Chair), Thiyu Warnakulasooriya (APEC 2026 award recipient), Jin Wang (APEC 2026 General Chair)

I had the privilege of participating in the PSMA Mentorship Program with Bob White as my mentor. With more than 40 years of industry experience as an IEEE Life fellow, Bob brought an incredible depth of knowledge and perspective to our discussions. Before APEC, I hoped to obtain advice on choosing between an academic and industrial career and on how I could grow as a power electronics engineer. Our conversations went far and beyond my expectations. Bob shared valuable insights from his own career, discussed the advantages and challenges or different career paths, and offered practical advice on how I could make meaningful contributions to the power electronics community through research, conferences, and professional societies. He also introduced me to several industry professionals, helping me establish connections that have already proven valuable for my research.

For future mentees, I strongly encourage you to make the most of this opportunity. Reach out to your mentor before APEC and arrange an online meeting before the conference to discuss the topics you would like guidance on. This will help you establish clear goals beforehand, allowing you to make the most of your face-to-face time at APEC. Finally, do not hesitate to ask your mentor to introduce you to other researchers and industry professionals they know. One introduction can often lead to many more opportunities. The PSMA Mentorship Program is more than a single meeting; it is an excellent opportunity to build lasting professional relationships and become part of the broader power electronics community.

PSMA Note: As a result, Thiyu nominated his mentor, Bob White, for recognition. Thank you, Bob, for your mentorship! For more details and results of PSMA Mentorship Program at APEC 2026, see: https://www.psma.com/HTML/newsletter/page12.html.

ongratulations! You have chosen to avoid common mistakes that are very easy to prevent with some planning. Some mistakes will cost money, time, and opportunities. Some of these mistakes are specific to PSMA members while others are simply common mistakes.

Failing to renew PSMA membership before APEC

PSMA membership offers registration discounts to all member employees. An added benefit is various job postings from renewed members are shared with students (and mentors) in the mentorship room.

Attendees

Withdrawing after the no registration refund date (February 11, 2027) without specifying a substitute.

Specify a substitute to go in your place (page 8, section 3.3) to registration@apec-conf.org without incurring additional expense. This is a great way to introduce a colleague or friend to APEC rather than letting your registration go to waste. If your company has cut travel funding, consider inviting a customer to attend in your place (assuming they have access to travel funds or is local to the venue).

Missing the early sign up (January 31, 2027) for mentoring a student

Signing up by the early sign-up deadline allows for better matching characteristics and special requests for a first-time attendee or a student researching GaN devices. Be sure to add any significant characteristics a student may want such language proficiency for students who may be uncomfortable with career discussion in English which may be a second or third language. Mentoring a student not only gives the next generation of engineers a head start but can also boost your career especially in climbing the technical ladder, giving you early input on the issues of young professionals, and a possible intern or job hire. This is less than a two month commitment with up to three meetings with a student mentee (possibly before APEC, during APEC and after APEC).

Not wearing your PSMA ribbon on your APEC badge

This ribbon identifies you as a PSMA member. Look for others with the PSMA ribbon to find how they are involved with the PSMA. Furthermore, you can reach out to non-members to recruit them for PSMA's many activities, programs and committees.

Forgetting to download the APEC app before arriving in New Orleans

Be sure to download the APEC app before the conference when WiFi is easily accessible and quick. The app contains the most up to date information on the events schedule, speakers and topics in case things have changed. Furthermore, the app will have access to the papers or presentations if your registration allows for it. Consequently it can take some time to download so much content.

Arriving too late to attend the pre-APEC workshops

Both the Power Magnetics @ High Frequency and the PSMA Capacitor workshops are highly focused workshops that provide practical knowledge and expertise from leading experts. These workshops can fill up quickly so consider registering early to save your spot and for an early registration discount in addition to the PSMA member registration discount.

Attend in person PSMA Committee meetings.

A great opportunity to meet like-minded people to work together for the greater good of our industry. Typically, committee meetings are held online, so this is the time to have a face to go with the name. Take the time to give input for the APEC 2028 Industry Sessions in Phoenix, AZ. If there are no interesting projects or events, consider proposing a special project during the meeting. Furthermore, committees can propose topics for PSMA to be the voice of the industry. This is a much bigger voice than your company alone. For example, the PSMA Energy Management committee gave feedback on proposed regulation to the US Department of Energy.

Missing the PSMA Annual Meeting

There are so many positive things that the PSMA is working on which can help you or your company if you were aware of them. Each committee has different outputs and goals to share. When put together, the overall perspective shows how the power electronics industry is evolving. Perhaps you will discover some things that you or a colleague could use to further your career.

Missing the exhibition

Besides seeing all the latest power electronics developments that are commercially available, you get food, the QR codes to scan for Passport to Prizes game in the APEC app, exhibitor seminars, prize raffle, and more. Be sure to visit the PSMA Booth at 6pm on Monday evening for the Global Energy Efficiency Award presentation to the winner. Furthermore, the exhibition is a great way to meet new suppliers or potential partners such as startups who may have interesting products or technology.

Failing to get your headshot updated when your image has changed significantly

PSMA offers free professional headshots at APEC (up to $350 value). A good headshot is important for recognition and making a positive impression on your bio page at upcoming conferences and workshops, social media, resumes or CVs, etc. The actual headshot will be emailed after APEC to reduce your travel load. Spots are limited so sign up quickly to save your spot!

Late international travel documents

One of the biggest reasons for last minute withdrawals is not getting travel documents on time. Check here is a US Visa is required: https://embassies.net/united-states-visa-exemption#google_vignette. Complete the DS-160 form https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/ and schedule the visa interview early as processing times vary. Some people have reported a 5-month delay!

Not planning (Winging it)

Plan ahead! APEC is IEEE's fourth largest conference so there is a lot of events and content packed into each day, so it is easy to overlook something. Some events require early registration even if they are free to attend such as the young professionals event or a local tour. For example, the pre-APEC workshops can run out of space for last minute attendees, so it helps to register early.

Hanging out with familiar faces only

\Resist the temptation to sit only with people you already know; meet someone new. Of course, you want to catch up with people you already know especially if you only get to meet at APEC but keep growing your network of people and experts. Consider asking a friend or colleague to introduce you to someone new or interesting if you are shy or introverted.

Exhibitors

In addition to all the mistakes attendees make, exhibitors have additional mistakes.

Make sure all employees attending APEC register at the PSMA member rate. Even better, register early for a double discount. The discounts may be enough to encourage other employees such as those in supplier management/purchasing, marketing/sales, manufacturing, etc. to attend. Since the company is paying anyway, many employees may not realize that your company is a PSMA member.

Hoping that key customers will randomly stop by your booth

The probability that key customers will visit your booth is low as many of them are already booked before the APEC exhibition starts by others. Invite specific key customers (especially speakers) to meet in advance to significantly increase your odds. To meet potential and current global customers in a few days with one trip is one way to justify the cost of the booth.

Failing to sign up for the PSMA Passport to Prizes game

Drive more attendees to your booth. A well-designed booth should keep the attention of those you want to stay. This is a free benefit for PSMA members.

Missing the student job fair

This is an opportunity to hire global talent especially for those positions which are difficult to explain or attract well. Note most students were only taught design or research, but few understand that many roles have research aspects within them but not in the job title such as failure analysis, reliability, testing (verification and validation), etc. Also consider this opportunity to plant the seeds for various career paths students may not typically consider. Create connections with the next generation of engineers early to grow the relationship.

Not signing up for the next APEC exhibition during the current APEC

There may be a significant financial discount to early commitments (page 13-14, section 7.7) and being able to save a good booth spot in a better location than by waiting. The process is short too.

Missing the deadline to sign up for an exhibitor presentation

Exhibitor presentations enable exhibitors to market or present whatever topic(s) of their choice. Due to time and space constraints, these are limited so you need to respond quickly.

Missing the social event

You are invited to network, party, or just eat with the whole power electronics community (partners, suppliers, customers, etc.)! Unfortunately, exhibitor registration does not include tickets to the social event so plan to add the social event ticket to your registration. Depending on the popularity of the social event, extra tickets can sell out fast so get yours early.

Speakers

In addition to all the mistakes attendees make, speakers have the following specific mistakes:

Not preparing an advocate for your presentation

Speakers may bring one guest (such as spouse or colleague or boss) into their talk (page 7, section 2.2). Perhaps your guest can get the Q&A session going by asking a planted question. Hopefully having a known guest attend your presentation will reduce your stress level to present your key points well.

Missing the early registration deadline for discounted registration

One of the perks of speaking is a reduced registration rate by registering early. In addition, you can post on social media about your speaking opportunity, so attendees know to look for you and your presentation. Finally early registration guarantees you a spot in APEC's social event as sometimes the popularity of the social event means that others will not be able to attend.

Forgetting to wear your speaker ribbon on your badge

This ribbon identifies you as a speaker. Naturally inquiring minds will want to know what you will present. Grab a speaker ribbon near registration when you get your badge right away, so you do not forget.

Missing your speakers breakfast

Making sure your session chair knows how to pronounce your name and affiliation to introduce you. Let your session chair know if you prefer to use the podium microphone or if you prefer to wear a lapel microphone so they can prepare you ahead of time. Meet the other speakers of your session beforehand. You can naturally grow your network by meeting other speakers with similar interests and exchanging contact information to stay in touch.

Double check that the system equipment displays your presentation the way you intended

Sometimes the graphics colors/patterns or animations look different when projected in a convention center setting than on your computer screen. Better to do this when the speaker ready room is less crowded like when another session is already in progress.

Leaving immediately after speaking

If possible, stay for the entire session or until the session break so the audience can approach you for questions that are difficult to bring up publicly or that there was not enough time to ask or to share input without embarrassing you. If you cannot stay long, let your session chair know to announce to the audience that you will leave early so people can reach out to you earlier. Sometimes you will get feedback or input on your topic.

Making presentation changes too close to your presentation time

While you can make changes to your presentation, it is better to do it earlier (at least the day before) as the updates take time to propagate through the system. Otherwise, you may end up presenting an earlier version of your presentation.

This article is based on the APEC policies and procedures revision 7.5 November 12, 2025 found here: https://apec-conf.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/APEC_Policies_And_Procedures_Rev_7.5b-2025.11.12.pdf

What is a mentee?

A self-motivated individual who grows professionally and /or personally through a mentoring relationship with a more experienced person (the mentor). Every mentee is unique and has different goals, strengths and weaknesses. The purpose of a given mentoring interaction may also change based on the context of the mentoring engagement. For example, if this is the first time you are attending the Applied Power Electronics Conference (APEC) or the Workshop on Wide Bandgap Power Devices and Applications (WiPDA), your goals could include requesting your mentor provide tips on how to resolve scheduling conflicts, explain best practices and common mistakes for conference attendees, or highlight events or programs you may want to consider.

Mentees direct the mentorship discussion about their individual needs which means that mentees need to share their own needs, goals, strengths and weaknesses with their mentors proactively. Your resume or CV is one starting point, but it doesn't address your questions, aspirations (especially long term), passions, strengths and weaknesses. Consequently, when you sign up for the PSMA Mentoring Program, you can specify a desired mentor trait/experience for your mentorship depending on your needs. For example, language proficiency to talk about your needs in your native language. Other requested traits can be mentors from academia or industry or both; mentors from startups, research institutions, large multinational company, early career professional, etc. By default, in the PSMA Mentoring Program, mentees are matched with mentors based on similar technical interest.

Mentees who take the time to drive their mentorship will naturally benefit more. Therefore, before you sign-up, consider what goals you have for the Mentoring Program, and what mentor traits might be helpful.

PSMA Mentorship Program

PSMA Mentorship Program offers two types of mentorship:

Basic (or mini) Mentorship: A simplified option designed to give a taste of mentorship as many students do not understand what a mentorship entails and the benefits. Also good for students who do not have much time/effort to invest.

Immersive Mentorship: A more traditional mentorship compressed into a short timeframe (less than 2 months). Very good for motivated students who are willing to invest effort.

This recognizes that not all mentees are the same. Each mentee has different needs and situations which may constrain their time/effort/receptiveness. However, in each type of mentorship, the student takes the initiative to drive the mentorship. Consequently, the more effort the mentee invests, the more the mentee benefits.

Basic (or mini) Mentorship

Mentees who are not ready for a deep mentorship experience can sign up for a "basic" or mini-mentorship:

1. Schedule and attend a meeting with mentor at APEC or WiPDA
2. Decide on two questions or topics to discuss with mentor
3. Bring printed resume (or CV) or professional social media profile such as LinkedIn
4. Fill out a short survey and get a goodie

This "basic" mentorship will give students a taste of mentorship with minimal preparation. However, their mentor may provide less guidance since they have less time to prepare.

Note: Students can add additional meeting(s) with their mentor before APEC (or WiPDA) or before the program ends or choose to do additional activities found in the mentorship workbook guide especially as students discover the benefits or as their situation changes. This means that students are not "locked" into only the basic mentorship, but they may struggle to win cash prizes as they typically earn fewer points.

Immersive Mentorship

For mentees who want the full mentorship experience compressed into an almost two-month timeframe. It includes all the activities of a basic mentorship, but with more mentor meetings and event-related activities. The key to a great mentorship experience is exploring your options and where you see yourself to guide your mentoring discussions.

Mentorship Workbook Guide

Every mentee will receive an Excel workbook guide full of suggested activities specific to APEC or WiPDA to augment the mentorship and to fulfill six main objectives:

1. Take advantage of APEC/WiPDA
2. Explore career options & directions
3. Promote self & network (socially)
4. Meet subject matter experts
5. Learn about sponsors (PSMA & IEEE)
6. Have fun along the way.

This guide assigns point values to each activity. The mentee who accumulates the most points by the end of the program wins a cash prize. Mentees who reach a minimum threshold will be recognized as a Rising Star. This points-based system is to encourage students to try more activities that they may otherwise be uncomfortable with on their own.

The guide is divided into three sections:

1. Pre-Event – prepare for the event & initial mentor meeting
2. During Event – participate in the event, implement suggestions, & meet mentor in person
3. Post-Event – follow up with mentor on how the event went with improvement tips

Each mentee is encouraged to meet with their mentor three times: once virtually beforehand, once in person during APEC (or WiPDA), and once virtually (or by email) afterwards.

Pre-Event Worksheet in Mentorship Guide

Consequently, the mentorship program encourages mentees to complete a "worksheet" which has around seven topics to discuss and for your mentor to get to know you better quickly before you meet your mentor virtually. In addition, you can share your resume (or CV), or social media profile. Naturally you can bring up your own topics and questions, as the "worksheet" is a starting point.

Determine what goals you wish to accomplish and make plans to accomplish them.

In addition, the worksheet assists you in preparing for your event whether you are attending WiPDA or APEC. As a minimum, the worksheet encourages you to plan your schedule as some activities such as tours, networking events, etc. require early registration. Since APEC is the fourth largest IEEE conference, it has many activities and presentations scheduled in parallel, so it is vital to plan your schedule in advance to make the most of your time.

Post-Event Worksheet in Mentorship Guide

The program encourages mentees to follow up with their mentor by looking back on how they did at the event and address any new questions or concerns. Consequently, there are four topics or questions to think about in preparation for meeting with your mentor virtually (or by email) after the event. Remember, you can bring up your own topics and questions as the "worksheet" is another starting point.

Common questions and topics to cover with mentor

Ask questions about information you need. Know why you need it and how you will use it.

Here are some examples of common questions, especially if you are unsure how to start. Remember to reserve time to ask your own questions beyond these examples.

"What is the best career advice you ever received?"
This is a simple question to start a discussion. Listen carefully and be ready to follow-up on the response.

"What is your favorite thing about your career?"
A good question for a mentor who has a career that you think might interest you. Is the answer what you expect?

"What skills did you need for your career that you did not learn in college?"
A nice question if you think your career will match your mentor. However, if not, share with your mentor what career aspirations you have and ask, "What skills do you think will be attractive to future employers and that I'm unlikely to learn typically in college?

"Should I investigate a double major or a minor in <something else>?"
Typically, a good question for undergraduate students. Possibly a good follow-up question too about skills you don't normally learn in college.

"Is a master's degree adequate or do I need to go for a PhD?"
Great question – but the answer is only useful if you have shared with the mentor what job role and career you desire.

Common Topics

These are some examples to inspire you. However, your priorities may encourage you to focus on different topics.

• Career goals (short and long term)
• Key problems or barriers in your research area
• Career in academia versus industry
• Transition from student to early career professional (academic or industry)
• Networking tips
• Work-life balance

Career Options

Many mentees are not aware of the many types of career opportunities available when they have only studied circuit design. Consequently, PSMA created this generic careers presentation to give a sense of what is available: https://www.psma.com/sites/default/files/uploads/tech-forums-education/resources/1367/Career%20Options%202025%20Final.pdf

Finally, the PSMA also offers advice on your educational journey here: https://www.psma.com/HTML/newsletter/Q4_2025/page10.html

What are the expectations?

Trust, respect and courtesy

Both the mentor and mentee need to build trust by agreeing not to share the personal details of the mentorship discussions with others without permission.

Respect each other's time by preparing for each discussion. Share details like a resume or CV, professional social media profile such as LinkedIn, or the "worksheet" in the mentorship workbook guide beforehand. To help your mentor prepare, share any questions, topics for discussion, etc. beforehand.

Life sometimes has a way of disrupting good intentions, such as an illness or cancelled flight. Let each other know of any changes to agreements such as meeting time, place, etc. in advance if possible. Naturally if forced to miss, make appropriate apologies and discuss ways to remedy the situation such as an online discussion for a missed in-person meeting.

Your mentor may not have all the answers as not everyone can know everything. However, they can demonstrate the power of networking by introducing you to someone else who may know about your topic of interest. Feel free to ask for an introduction or ask for recommended subject matter experts if they do not take the initiative to suggest someone else.

Follow up with your mentor to let them know if the advice, guidance or suggestions they gave helped or not. Perhaps you misunderstood the intent, or the situation required a different approach. You tend to learn more from your mistakes than from the things that went well. Perhaps your mentor may learn from your experience as well. Your feedback on your mentorship discussions is one way for mentees to give back to their mentors rather just take input from them to create a two-way relationship.

Express gratitude. This demonstrates good character. Furthermore, your appreciation shows that you value your mentor, their advice, their efforts and their time. By demonstrating your gratitude, you can encourage your mentor to keep on mentoring you even if the mentorship program has ended.

Previous Results

Finally, here is a link to the mentorship results from WiPDA 2025:
https://www.psma.com/HTML/newsletter/Q4_2025/page8.html

The mentorship results from APEC 2026 are here:
https://www.psma.com/HTML/newsletter/Q2_2026/page12.html

The PSMA wishes all mentees well on their mentorship and their event (APEC / WiPDA) experience!

Ada Cheng
Stephanie Watts Butler

If you or anyone in your company is interested in getting on the distribution list for future issues of PSMA UPDATE, please send e-mail to: power@psma.com. Be sure to include your name and the name of your company.