Reliable relay solutions for e-mobility

Fujitsu Components is no stranger in the automotive community. As marketing manager of this industry, Ben Schulte explains that Fujitsu relays can be found in almost every car brand one can think of. “Our relays have been around for over a century, so you could say that we were there right from the start of the modern car industry. During this time, we’ve seen a steep increase in the use of reliable high-end relays in vehicles, especially for 12Vdc circuits followed by 24 and now 48Vdc. Some of relays have been around for over 20 years and – albeit only for service purposes – are still in production today. Now, with e-driving being on the rise, we see a high demand for similar quality components, but then for higher voltages – for instance 1000 Vdc for battery charging systems.”

New technological challenges

Schulte adds that because of Fujitsu rich experience and intricate global presence, he thinks they are perfectly equipped to address the challenges that come with these modern demands. What does this mean in practice? Schulte offers several compelling examples. “When switching direct currents, arcing can be a serious issue. Some manufacturers use inert gasses to counter the effects. We, however, have developed a solution that, in part, thanks to its large gap design and external magnets, doesn’t require gas, thus eliminating the chance of housing leakage and increasing reliability. The still compact design is more cost-effective and sustainable and is polarity independent. On top of this, we use a multi-contact configuration to allow for higher currents on PCB relays. Another example? Since technical requirements exceed operational performance, but also include manufacturability, we offer relay solutions especially for through-hole reflow processes. This way we also support modern PCB production methods.”

A committed solution partner

Besides technology, Schulte thinks that also the ‘softer skills’ of Fujitsu as a partner are unique to the market. Custom designs, made possible by local engineering teams everywhere and long serviceability are just a few of the qualities that customers have come to rely on and appreciate over the years. Some examples of really hearing their needs? Schulte: “In Asian e-driving noise is a serious thing to consider. Especially in high-end electrical vehicles silence is golden and this includes the sound produces by relay switching. Here two relay varieties now exist: a relatively silent and a very silent one. Both have the same footprint, so they are freely interchangeable. Or on the topic of serviceability: I’ve worked here for over 20 years. Various relays that we sold back then are still in production today. Why this is important? Because driving the future successfully also means knowing where you came from.”