Power Electronics

Power electronics are at the heart of modern vehicles, especially with the rise of electric and hybrid drives. Components such as inverters, converters and controllers for electric motors are critical for controlling the flow of energy between the power source and the powertrain. These parts play an important role in improving energy efficiency, controlling regenerative braking and ensuring a smooth transition between different driving modes. Power electronics can also be found in navigation devices, seat heaters and microswitches.

Quality assurance for these components is a major metrology challenge. For example, the plastic of microswitches is highly structured and contains numerous small elements. A complete inspection of these parts is only possible using non-destructive computed tomography. For other parts, the shapes are so complex that many features can no longer be inspected using conventional metrology. Mounting surfaces also often need to be measured to ensure accurate alignment and assembly.