Nuremberg, March 2017 - The next generation of power converter requires a higher integration of semiconductors in order to reduce costs, increase reliability and miniaturise product design. Siemens is further driving digitalisation by integrating new technologies and topologies in modular building blocks for innovative products in the power converter business.

"We are consequently driving our digitalisation strategy and investing in our existing motion control facility Erlangen to make it our center of power electronics activities", said Wolfgang Heuring, CEO of the motion control business unit at Siemens. "To ensure a collaborative environment for our experts we concentrate the required competencies within research, development, product design and production in one location."

Siemens will innovate and optimise power electronics systems along the entire value chain in order to best combine the physical world with the digital one in the areas of industry and energy. In terms of content, these efforts focus on three main areas. In functional integration by integration of components such as sensors, semiconductors and cooling systems, which used to be individual units, directly into products and add new functionalities to them. The second focus is on flexible, modular and scalable architectures as well as new semiconductor, setup and connection technologies. These technologies increase customer value, power and efficiency, reduce volume and also cut system costs. Thirdly, the goal is to redefine the development of power electronics systems and the way they are integrated in cloud environments.

"The vertical integration will optimise the link between the physical and the digital world allowing best and flexible product designs and better adaptation to customer needs", said Tim Davidowsky, CEO of the large drives business unit at Siemens.

Countless products and systems, from intelligent energy systems and CT scanners to converters and drives depend on power electronics. That's because power electronics are used wherever the form or frequency of electricity must be controlled or modified. Power electronics are becoming more and more important in our electrified world. Converters are the elements that link the digital and physical worlds and make it possible to selectively intervene in systems.