PES Spin-Off Companies
Aims
Besides industry funded research and independent strategic projects in research areas with special scientific challenges and high future application potential, the third and most comprehensive way of technology transfer is the founding of spin-off companies; since 2008 four spin-offs were emerging from PES: Celeroton (2008, ultra-high speed drives), Enertronics (2010, high bandwidth wireless measurement technology), Gecko Simulations (2012, multi-disciplinary modelling and simulation) and No-Touch Robotics (2021, handling of objects entirely without mechanical contact based on ultrasonic acoustic levitation forces).
No‐Touch Robotics develops damage and contamination free robotic grippers and micromanipulation systems for handling fragile components and fluids. The underlying technology is based on research results obtained at the Power Electronic Systems Laboratory and uses ultrasonic acoustic levitation forces that enable the handling of objects entirely without mechanical contact. The system facilitates the precise contactless manipulation in six degrees of freedom by altering the acoustic field. The same gripper can be used for a variety of different object shapes, which greatly reduces setup- and tool changing times while reducing equipment cost. This enables entirely new frontiers in micro-assembly, semiconductor handling, and laboratory automation.
external page www.notouchrobotics.com
Emerging applications in renewable energy generation, medical surgical instruments and micro-machining spindles demand innovative, ultra-high-speed, compact electrical motor drives. Celeroton develops and produces such motors and electronics and sells them to the respective end system manufacturers. The innovation lies in the interdisciplinary design, including mechanics, electromagnetics, electronics and software, which allows for highest rotational speeds – up to 1 million revolutions per minute (rpm). The knowledge is based on research at the Power Electronics System Laboratory at ETH Zurich.
external page www.celeroton.com
Enertronics GmbH is a consulting company for power electronics system engineering and prototyping. We support companies - in all sectors and regions - in research and development of power electronic systems to improve their technologies and products. Our know-how and close collaboration with industries and research institutes allow us to quickly conceive custom challenges and to offer sustainable and competitive solutions.
We offer consulting, engineering and prototyping of power electronic systems with power/voltage ratings from several watts/volts up to tens of kilowatts/kilovolts. Your benefits are:
- a running prototype fulfilling the defined specification (customer-specific optimizations: power density, efficiency, EMI-distortions, …)
- the corresponding software/firmware (C, VHDL) of the digitally controlled hardware (DSP, FPGA)
- a technical documentation of:
- design procedure with electrical, mechanical and thermal dimensioning
- hardware schematics and layouts
- implemented software / firmware
- experimental results
- 1-2 days of laboratory tutorial and handover of the built prototype
external page www.enertronics.ch
Multi-disciplinary modeling and simulation of power electronics systems is the key for achieving highest efficiency, power density, and reliability while minimizing development and manufacturing costs. Single-discipline analysis and software (e.g. circuit, thermal, CFD, electromagnetic) as employed in the design process today is certainly not sufficient to ensure a continuously improving system performance and a leading position in a highly competitive research and industry environment.
external page Gecko-Simulations is providing an easy-to-use modular software platform for comprehensive Virtual Prototyping of power electronic systems. Main packages are:
- external page GeckoCIRCUITS: Fast and stable power electronics circuit simulator with optional Simulink-interface, published as open-source software
- GeckoEMC: Fast parasitics extraction based on PEEC method
- GeckoHEAT: Stationary or transient 3D thermal simulations and thermal model extraction
- external page GeckoMAGNETICS: Fast, accurate and user-friendly modelling and design of inductive power component