Keynote: Försvar, innovation och kylning

Behovet att snabbt kunna återuppbygga Sveriges militära förmåga har inom loppet av bara några få år hamnat långt fram — kanske längst fram — på vår industriella agenda. Det är inte bara en fråga om att utveckla disruptiv teknologi, eller ens om att snabbt få den operationell i meningsfulla volymer. Avgörande är förmågan att leverera reell militär nytta på stridsfältet inom den tidsrymd som vi har på oss, som kan vara så kort som bara några få år.

Program som CMIP — Försvarsmakten och Vinnovas civil-militära innovationsprogram — liksom utlysningarna 2024 i NATOs innovationsprogram DIANA uppmuntrar teknikföretag i den civila sektorn att söka samarbeten med militärteknikföretag och vice versa för att utnyttja civil-militära synergier och utveckla teknik för dual use, i förhoppningen att detta skall resultera i nya, snabbtillämpade tekniska paradigm liknande utnyttjandet av civil drönarteknologi i kriget i Ukraina. Men hur ser förutsättningarna ut för utveckling av innovativ elektronik för den militära miljön? Hur skiljer sig de tekniska förutsättningarna i de olika domänerna från den civila kontexten?

För att betrakta problemet från andra hållet — hur kan vi tänka utanför lådan? Hur kan vi tillämpa våra färdigheter och vår termiska verktygslåda på helt nya sätt som kan skapa disruptiva lösningar för våra styrkor? Och hur står det till med strategisk autonomi för thermal management-teknologi för militärteknologiska system i en Sverige-, EU- och NATO-kontext, där det inte är helt självklart att kunna utnyttja teknik med ursprung i Kina?

Keynote: The Critical Role of Thermal Management in Power Electronics Design

Thermal management is a critical aspect of power electronics design, yet it is often addressed too late in the development process. Delaying thermal solutions can result in increased costs and compromised performance. Conversely, efficient thermal management enables companies to develop more powerful, compact, cost-effective and competitive electronic products.

As modern power electronics become increasingly compact and powerful, they face significant thermal challenges. Effective cooling is essential, as overheating is responsible for 55% of all electronic failures, leading to substantial material, financial and reputational losses. Research indicates that reducing operating temperatures by just 10°C can double a component’s lifespan, emphasizing the critical need for efficient thermal solutions.

This Keynote highlights the importance of integrating thermal management early in the design process to achieve optimal system efficiency, reliability, and longevity. Key topics include the impact of thermal management on component lifespan and energy efficiency, along with strategies for managing thermal loads without excessive material or space requirements.

Through practical examples and best practices, the presentation provides valuable insights into avoiding common design pitfalls and ensuring that thermal management enhances device performance and reliability from the very beginning.

Keynote: 29 april, 10.30 – 11.00
Föreläsare: Kimmo Jokelainen, CTO, CooliBlade

Keynote: Elektronikkylning – Prioriterat område

Abstract publiceras inom kort!

Föreläsare: 
Catharina Sandberg, VD, LEAD
Peter Nilsson, VD, APR Technologies

Workshop: Innovative Thermal Materials, Local Development, Industry Trends, and Future Perspectives

Nolato is specializing in advanced thermal solutions, with a strong focus on product development localized in Sweden. This workshop will explore key industry trends, including material innovations, automation, and evolving market demands. You will get insights of the future of thermal management solutions driven by Swedish expertise and technological advancement.

Föreläsare: Jörgen Gustavsson, Ph.D. R&D Engineer, Nolato Silikonteknik AB

Workshop: Thermal Management Challenges and Systematic Innovation in Modern Smartphones

The relentless pursuit of performance and miniaturization in modern smartphones presents significant thermal management challenges. High-density components, such as processors (TDP 2-5W, heat flux ~5 W/cm²) and advanced camera modules (up to 3W, ~4 W/cm² heat flux), generate substantial heat within constrained volumes, leading to user discomfort, performance throttling, and potential component failure. Traditional solutions like graphene sheets and heat pipes are increasingly challenged by complex form factors (e.g., folding devices), ultra-fast charging requirements, and material limitations (glass, plastics). Therefore, cooling solutions must evolve to meet and anticipate the ever-increasing heat generation from electronic components.

While a wide range of thermal management tools exists – such as ultra-thin two-phase devices (vapor chamber spreaders (VCs), heat pipes (HPs)), thermoelectric coolers (TECs), etc. – the industry and market demand novel and effective thermal solutions to keep pace with advancements in smartphone technology. Human cognitive biases can hinder innovative ”out-of-thebox” thinking when facing complex technical problems; thermal engineers are not immune to this.

Examples of such biases include functional fixedness (limiting solutions to known uses of existing components), complexity bias (favoring unnecessarily complex solutions over simpler, more effective ones), and anchoring bias (over-relying on initial specifications). This workshop explores established instruments that support systematic, innovative, and creative problem-solving. Tools like the 9-window technique, the 40 inventive principles, and functional modeling help to clarify the core problem and trigger non-trivial, creative solutions.

As a practical demonstration, the online creative thinking platform PRIZ.Guru will be used to address the overheating problem of a modern smartphone under intense gaming conditions. This workshop empowers engineers to drive thermal innovation in the demanding technology market by combining systematic problem-solving with practical bias mitigation.

Föreläsare: Dzmitry Kushner, Senior Thermal Research Engineer

Workshop: Possibilities with laser welding

In this workshop we demonstrate the benefits of laser welding of coolers. How this technique opens up the boundaries of the format of a cooler and how it makes prototypes both easy and quick. Laser welding makes it possible to build coolers that were not possible before. Juha Haaslahti from Hollmén will also present a patented product they call CuWick and how it is revolutionary.

Föreläsare:
Juha Haaslahti, Hollmén & Co.
Anders Lönn, Promoco

Workshop: Simulation driven design for electronics, with AI-based optimization techniques

In today’s competitive landscape, companies are under immense pressure to bring innovative products to market faster than ever before. Simulation has proven to be a powerful tool to help achieve this goal, allowing engineers to validate design performance earlier in the development cycle and reduce costly physical prototyping.

However, the full potential of simulation is often untapped, as it is frequently confined to a small team of specialized experts within large organizations. This leaves many design engineers without access to these valuable simulation capabilities, hindering their ability to efficiently iterate on product designs.

Siemens’ integrated workflows, spanning from EDA (PCB Design) to CAD (MCAD Design), provide embedded simulation tools that empower all engineers to leverage the benefits of virtual testing and validation. By seamlessly integrating simulation into the design process, companies can accelerate their product development timelines and reduce the need for physical prototypes.

Furthermore, the incorporation of AI-based optimization techniques can take this process even further, automating design iterations and accelerating the path to optimal product performance.

Föreläsare:
Teemu Ruohola, Portfolio Development Executive, Siemens
Christoffer Johansson, Application Specialist, VOLUPE

Workshop: Sustainable alloys

Reduce your greenhouse gas emissions by using recycled aluminum alloys! Stena Aluminium produce aluminium alloys, such as the Rheo alloys specifically designed for rheocasting, without the addition of alloying elements. This will further contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and is designed to replace traditional foundry alloys.

Föreläsare:
Tony Lidberg, Stena Aluminium
Benjamin Brash, Stena Aluminium

Workshop: Lower temperature, higher performance with NEOcore technology

This workshop provides practical examples of how the new innovative cooling solutions and products work and how they have improved the efficiency and competitiveness of power electronics devices. For example companies have achieved an impressive 24-degree reduction in component temperature compared to traditional cooling solutions.

Föreläsare: Kimmo Jokelainen, CTO, CooliBlade

Workshop: Using AI to create realistic representations of sub-systems for use in wider thermal simulations