Maxwell Technologies

Maxwell Technologies

Type	Corporation
Industry	Energy storage
Founded	1965
Headquarters	3888 Calle Fortunada, San Diego, CA 92123, United States
Key people	Franz Fink, Interim President and CEO
Products	Ultracapacitors High-voltage capacitors Backup power systems Microelectronics Power modules Memory modules Single-board computers
Number of employees	407
Slogan	More Power. More Energy. More Ideas.
Website	www.maxwell.com

Maxwell Technologies is an American developer and manufacturer headquartered in San Diego, California. The company focuses on developing and manufacturing energy storage and power delivery solution-related products for automotive, heavy transportation, renewable energy, backup power, wireless communications and industrial and consumer electronics applications as well as for radiation-hardened microelectronic components and systems for satellites and spacecraft.^[1]

History

The company was founded in 1965 as Maxwell Laboratories Inc. by Raymond C. O'Rourke, Alan Kolb, Bruce Hayworth,and Terrence C. Gooding in San Diego, California. Maxwell Laboratories was originally a government contractor, providing advanced physics, pulsed power, space effects analysis and other research and development services to the U.S. military and other government agencies. The company began converting its focus to commercial applications for its technologies and products in the early 1990s, and now generates all of its revenue from commercial sources.^[2] In 1996, Maxwell Laboratories, Inc. changed its name to Maxwell Technologies, Inc.^[3] The company's strategy is to commercialize ultracapacitors, high voltage capacitors and microelectronic components and systems in selected markets.

2000-2012

Maxwell Energy Products, a division that included the Maxwell High Voltage Capacitor product line, was acquired in March 2000 by General Atomics, eventually merging into General Atomics Electronic Systems, Inc. in 2003.^[4][5]

In 2007, Maxwell Technologies won $3 million contract from Astrium Satellites to supply computers for European Space Agency’s ‘Gaia’ Astronomy mission. Maxwell supplied seven Maxwell SCS750 SBCs to process images and data gathered by the two-ton satellite’s camera, which will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the duration of the five-year mission named ‘Gaia’.^[6] The satellite was launched on December 19, 2013.^[7]

2013

In November 2013, Maxwell Technologies opens manufacturing facility in Peoria, Arizona.^[8]

In December 2013, Maxwell Technologies signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with SK Innovation to develop the next generation energy storage solution with Maxwell’s ultracapacitors and SK’s lithium-ion batteries.^[9]

Main Products

Maxwell Ultracapacitors

Ultracapacitors

Ultracapacitors, formerly known as Maxwell's BOOSTCAP's supercapacitors, store and discharge energy very quickly and are being used in thousands of different applications and considered in a host of future applications (i.e. hybrid buses, semi-trucks, hybrid and electric cars, electric trains, aircraft, grid energy storage, backup power systems). Ultracapacitors complement a primary energy source like a fuel cell or battery, which cannot repeatedly provide quick burst of power.^[10]

List of Maxwell Technologies' ultracapacitors products:

• HC Series
• D Cell Series
• K2 Series
• 16 Volt Small Modules
• 16 Volt Large Modules
• 48 Volt Modules
• 56 Volt Modules
• 75 Volt Modules
• 125 Volt Transportation Modules
• 160 Volt Modules
• Engine Start Module

High Voltage

CONDIS® high-voltage capacitors are used for electric utility infrastructure, such as in switchgear for voltage distribution uniformity and increase the breaking power, in capacitor voltage transformers (CVTs) for precise voltage measurement and in laboratory applications. Maxwell Technologies develops, designs and testing high-voltage capacitor products at the products development and production center in Rossens, Switzerland.^[11]

List of Maxwell Technologies' High Voltage Capacitor products:

• MV Capacitors & Dividers
• Grading Capacitors
• Coupling Capacitors
• GIS Capacitors
• Capacitive Voltage Dividers
• Specialty Capacitors

Microelectronics

Microelectronics provides space and military applications high reliability in radiation-intense environments.

• The RAD-PAK® products incorporated radiation shielding in a microcircuit package and are being used by over 100 space programs.^[12]
• The Latchup Protection Technology™ product provides protection for Integrated Circuit (IC) from the effects of a single even latchup by the following methods: limits SEL current, prevents burnout and/or catastrophic failure, protects inputs/outputs that can be damaged during an SEL, provides automatic shutdown of the IC power supply, and provides automatic power supply "re-application" after shutdown.^[13]

List of Maxwell Technologies' Microelectronic products:

• Single Board Computer
• Amplifiers
• Comparators
• A to D Converters
• D to A Converters
• Memories
• Switches & Multiplexers
• Nuclear Event Detectors
• Interface Logic

Facilities and Employees

Maxwell Technologies is headquartered in San Diego, CA and principal operations are currently located in both San Diego, CA and Peoria, AZ. The company also has European bases of operations in Rossens, Switzerland and München, Germany and Asia base of operation in Shanghai, China and Seoul, Korea.

At present, the company employs approximately 400 people worldwide.

Awards

• 2012: New Energy Pioneer (Bloomberg New Energy Finance)
• 2012: R&D 100 Award (R&D Magazine)

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Maxwell Technologies.

• Maxwell Technologies' Website

References