NI buys German power semiconductor test business
NI (National Instruments) has acquired SET GmbH in Wangen, Germany for its aerospace and defence test system development and power semiconductor reliability test expertise.
The deal aims to reduce time to market for critical, highly differentiated solutions and accelerate semiconductor-to-transportation supply-chain convergence with power electronic materials such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitrite (GaN).
NI first announced a strategic minority investment in SET in 2020 to help aerospace and defense companies reduce development costs and integration challenges. The collaboration enhanced a system-on-demand and model-based test approach delivered to shorten time-to-market schedules, reduce program risk, integrate labs, and optimize data and assets.
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These collaborative efforts will continue with a focus on sustainable commercial aviation, space launch vehicles, and urban air mobility applications.
Going forward, the acquisition will expand NI’s opportunity in power semiconductor reliability systems for automotive, a high growth area of investment for NI which is fighting off a hostile takeover bid from Emerson.
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SET has been innovating on new capabilities in the emerging automotive supply chain area of power semiconductors since before NI’s initial partnership in 2020, working in cross-industry and academic forums on reliability test techniques.
“The ability to adequately specify and predict how these new technologies behave inside new Electric Vehicles is critical for performance and safety,” said Ritu Favre, EVP and GM of NI Business Units. “SET is a clear innovator in this area as well as an established provider in Avionics testing. NI is a global leader in automated test and measurement systems. By combining capabilities, NI and SET can offer more differentiated solutions to customers and grow together by leveraging NI’s global scale.”
“By offering new and dynamic test procedures, SET ensures the qualification of cutting-edge Silicon-Carbide (SiC) power semiconductors for the automotive industry with high precision and reliability,” said said Frank Heidemann, the founder of SET.
NI funded this transaction through cash on hand and approximately 100 employees are joining NI.
www.smart-e-tech.de; www.ni.com
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