News

APEC 2019 Focuses on the Needs of the Practical, Practicing Power Engineer

March 18, 2019 by Gary Elinoff

Learn what's in store and get the latest power engineering news from AAC reporting live from the conference.

The APEC 2019 conference begins today in Anaheim, California. Learn what's in store and keep up with the latest power engineering news from AAC's Kate Smith and Mark Hughes reporting from the conference throughout the week.

What is APEC?

APEC, the Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition, is the premier event in global power electronics, focusing on the practical and applied aspects of the power electronics business.  Sponsored by the IEEE and the Power Sources Manufacturers Association, this is not only a designer's conference, as it has points of interest for anyone involved in power electronics.

However, APEC is focused largely on the needs of the practicing power engineer. Specific components, processes and solutions are the show’s main focus. Even the RAP Sessions, the closest thing this show has to classic keynote addresses, are focused on solid technical discussion.

 

APEC 2019 Conference. Image courtesy APEC.

 

The possible exception at this year's conference is a focus on the slow but growing field of the electrification of the automobile, and how it has the potential to change what power engineers will be doing in the future.

With an extraordinarily number of offerings, even an attendee with relatively narrow interests within power engineering will have difficulty taking in all that is offered. All About Circuits is happy to give this brief overview of APEC 2019, with a focus on how the show aims to help engineers with challenges and opportunities in power applications.

Sessions and Events

APEC has organized all of the conferences sessions and events into the eight separate tracks, with a great deal of overlap between the tracks.

•  Exhibitor Seminars

Exhibitors describe how their products and services can help solve problems power engineers may be encountering. A listing of the seminars is found here.

•  General Conference Events

•  Industry Sessions

 The industry sessions cover issues of immediate and long-term interest to the practicing power electronic engineer.

•  Plenary Sessions

Important issues and challenges that are relevant to the entire power engineering community, with specific topics for each individual session.

•  Professional Education Seminars

Professional Education Seminars at APEC 2019 address the need for in-depth discussion of important and complex power electronics topics.

•  RAP Sessions

Industry experts offer analysis and observations; further information on speakers and topics found here.

•  Technical Dialogue Session

Engineering-level analysis of specific issues.

•  Technical Lecture Session

A more generalized analysis of specific topics.

 

In addition, APEC has a full slate of presentations from a wide variety of speakers, listed here.

There is also a robust Exhibits area with 300 exhibitors displaying their latest applications and innovations. Companies will bepresenting on topics in the following categories:

  • Assemblies
  • Integrated Circuits (ICs)
  • Magnetics
  • Passive Components
  • Power Converters
  • Semiconductors
  • Software and Services
  • Test and Measurement

Professional Education Seminars

The Professional Education Seminars, one of the eight tracks enumerated earlier, are central to the ethos of APEC. These seminars will focus on in-depth discussion of complex power electronics topics.

The seminars are organized into six separate tracks:

  • Components
  • Control
  • Design
  • High-Power Applications
  • Topology and Circuits
  • Wide Bandgap

Each seminar combines practical application with theory designed to further educate the working professional in power electronics or related fields. 

All About Circuits at APEC

Kate Smith and Mark Hughes are attending APEC 2019, with a full schedule of interviews with companies about new applications and trends in power engineering. Keep up to date with AAC News for the latest announcements and insights from APEC 2019.


Are you attending APEC 2019? What sessions look most interesting to you? What would you like to hear back from our reporters in the field? Let us know in the comments.

Featured image courtesy APEC.