Briefing 2023

The initial situation

Virtually every hardware device available in our daily life has become battery powered or is on the rise to become battery powered. This vast increase in energy use and availability requires smart regulation and supervision of batteries built into common products in order to sustain efficient power usage not only on an industrial level but also on a personal appliance level. Under this premise we want you to develop new answers to the questions of battery and energy management for DC products for a sustainable ecological future.

At Infineon and Würth, this future is already becoming reality. Our solutions and design resources for a battery management system, help you to overcome your design challenges and support your success in developing more efficient, longer-lasting and more reliable battery-powered applications. Bridging the gap between the real and digital world, our technologies are developed to make life easier, safer, greener and more efficient. Our intuitive solutions are at the very core of this mission. Reflecting our belief that the essential value of those technologies lies in making our lives more convenient through seamless, natural interactions between people and devices, our aim is to leave you free to focus on what really matters in life.

Challenge flow

From all applications during the registration phase, the best (max. 10) will be selected and supported with hardware plus expert know-how of Infineon and Würth Electronics experts. Latter is available via email, forum discussions and during workshops.

As a result of the challenge a functional prototype is highly desirable and appreciated. However, foundational work is equally valued. Depending on the result the project could be continued as a Master Thesis, PhD topic or even a new internal project. Infineon and Würth are committed to provide development kits and platform access to support the go-to-market of very promising projects. Innovative startups will also have the chance to initiate a partnership.

What is battery energy storage system?

Batteries are widely used as energy storage systems in different applications. Such an energy storage system is built by integrating

  1. Battery: It is a series and parallel configuration of cells, stores the electrical energy derived from AC or DC Source

  2. Battery Management System: Protects the battery from damage, predicts battery life, and maximizes the run-time per discharge cycle and the number of life cycles attainable for the battery

  3. Converter or Inverter: Converts the battery energy in to a regulated or acceptable DC or AC Voltage

Task and technical scope

Technical Scope: Design of a 48V battery pack for an uninterruptible power supply using 4 cells instead of 14-cells.

 

Each cell shall be equipped with a bidirectional DC-DC Converter which must be capable of the modes listed below:

  1. Charge Mode:   Charges the battery in CV/CC mode with 2.4 to 5V. While charging converters shall interact with each other to balance the voltage across the cell equal to same voltage level.

  2. Discharge Mode: Converter discharges battery with 12V, 5A across the battery pack terminals. While discharging the converters shall modulate their output power to discharge all batteries equally.

Tasks: Following tasks expected to be fulfilled during the implementation of the project:

  1. Architecture of the System (Topology, Firmware, Communication)

  2. Circuit simulation

  3. Schematic design

  4. PCB design

  5. Firmware implementation

  6. Testing

  7. Documentation

In the case that a team does not have the possibility to design PCBs, Infineon will provide Development-kits and functional modules (e.g. Halfbridges, 3-Level Converter, Zero-Voltage switching switched capacitor Converter, Microcontroller-Boards) to realize and optimize the

Intended solution allowing to focus on the Software-aspects.

Note: It is mandatory to realize the system by using devices from Infineon semiconductors and Würth Elektronik.

Timeline

  • 09.03.2023 - Industry meets Makers Kickoff + Briefing deep dive

  • 23.03.2023 – Final admission/application for the briefing (send in your onepager idea until then)

  • 24.03.2023 – Sending you the requested hardware to receive within 14 days

  • 14.04.2023 – Present your concept and Q&A

  • 12.05.2023 – Q&A

  • 26.06.2023 – Futuretech Bootcamp – this occurs at various “Hubs” throughout Austria

  • 29.06.2023 – Best of IMM – present your final project

Milestones

Project application 23/03/2023

Q&A Session

Concept presentation 14/04/2023

Q&A Session

Final project presentation with award ceremony 29.06.2023

Application

Please apply to be part of the Infineon * Würth Industry meets Makers track, as hardware and technical support is exclusive. Your application should consist of your name, contact data, your skill track record (like your GitHub repository), and an overview of your concept (one A4 page). If you don't have an idea yet, you can still decide at the start of Industry meets Makers what to do exactly. However great and realistic concepts in advance will be preferred.

Support & hardware

Engineers from Infineon and Würth Elektronik will support you with their expertise during the development process, answer your questions in individually arranged meetings and provide the following hardware components for your prototype design.

Goals and perspectives

As a result of the challenge a functional prototype is highly desirable and appreciated. However, foundational work is equally valued. Depending on the result the project could be continued as a Master Thesis, PhD topic or even a new internal or cooperative project. Infineon und Würth Elektronik are committed to provide expertise and hardware to support the go-to-market of very promising projects. Innovative startups will also have the chance to initiate a partnership.

Kick-off video

Contact

  • The main contact persons on the part of Infineon are Andreas Mühlberger, Markus Johannes Kleinfercher, Susheel Budha, Ronald Stärz and Julian Engel.

  • The main contact persons on the part of Würth Elektronik are Sven Birghan, Isaac Aboelsaad, Hans-Peter Kaiser and Dominik Zeller.

  • Pease send your questions and application to industrymeetsmakers@infineon.com and register for participation via the IMM website.

About us

Infineon Austria

Infineon Technologies plays a key role in shaping a better future with microelectronics that link the real and the digital world.

Our semiconductors aim at sustainability and decarbonization and enable efficient energy management, smart mobility, as well as secure, seamless communications in an increasingly connected world.

With 4,517 employees from around 70 countries, including 1,960 in research and development, in the financial year 2020 the company achieved a turnover of € 3.1 billion. An R&D expense rate of €498 million makes Infineon Austria one of the strongest industrial research companies in Austria.

More details about Infineon Austria

Würth Elektronik

The Würth Elektronik Group of Companies, founded in Niedernhall, Baden-Württemberg, employs around 8,000 people worldwide and in 2021 generated sales of €1.09 Billion.

The Würth Elektronik Group activities span the globe with three business units in international markets and with 23 production sites worldwide. This makes Würth Elektronik one of the most successful companies within the Würth Group.

Würth Elektronik eiSos GmbH & Co. KG is part of the Würth Group and a manufacturer of electronic and electromechanical components. The product range includes EMC components, inductors, transformers, capacitors, LEDs, sensors, connectors, switches, push-buttons, connection technology and much more.

More details about Würth Elektronik