The push for electrification and advanced energy systems spans from electric vehicles (EVs) to military applications. Modern electronics manufacturers are at the heart of this revolution, building the sophisticated circuits and power electronics that drive these new energy technologies. In fact, innovations from the EV industry are now cross-pollinating with defense energy projects – the U.S. Department of Defense is leveraging General Motors’ Ultium EV battery platform to create tactical microgrids and energy storage units for deployed military operations (gmdefensellc.com). This convergence underscores how critical electronics manufacturing is in powering the next generation of energy systems across sectors.
High-Power Electronics for EVs: Electric vehicles are essentially computers on wheels with massive energy demands. Each EV contains numerous electronic control units and power conversion systems – from battery management systems (BMS) to motor inverters and on-board chargers. Manufacturing these requires handling high voltages and currents with absolute reliability. For example, an EV’s inverter may use silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs switching hundreds of amps to drive motors efficiently. Electronics manufacturers must assemble these power devices on heavy copper PCBs or metal substrates that can dissipate heat and handle stress. Precision soldering and thermal management are vital to ensure these high-power boards perform safely over vibration and temperature extremes in a car.
Industry Trend: EV electronics content is growing rapidly. As internal combustion engines give way to battery packs, the value share of electronics in vehicles is surging. By some estimates, electronics and electrical systems can account for 35-40% of an EV’s cost, compared to ~20% in conventional cars. This includes not just propulsion controls but advanced driver assistance sensors, connectivity modules, etc. The upshot: automakers rely heavily on EMS partners to produce these complex electronic assemblies under automotive quality standards (like IATF 16949).
Manufacturers like IPS Assembly bring capabilities such as conformal coating (to protect boards from humidity), automated optical inspection for fine-pitch components, and stringent testing to meet automotive requirements. They also implement Design for Manufacturability (DFM) early, collaborating with EV startups to optimize PCB layouts for high current (wider traces, sufficient spacing) and ease of assembly, which accelerates the prototype-to-production transition.
Defense Energy Systems Go Electric: In parallel, defense systems are becoming more electrified and energy-dense. Examples abound:
- Military vehicles: The Army is prototyping hybrid and fully electric tactical vehicles, which need robust power electronics similar to EVs. High-reliability BMS boards and inverters are required to manage multi-megawatt propulsion systems under battlefield conditions. EMS providers experienced in automotive-grade builds are adapting those techniques (e.g. shock-resistant assembly, redundancy) for military vehicle electronics.
- Directed Energy Weapons: High-power lasers and microwave systems demand rapid discharge of enormous electrical energy. This involves specialized capacitor banks and power conditioning circuits that must be manufactured to aerospace standards. Solder joints must endure extreme pulsed currents without failing. IPC Class 3 assembly (the highest quality level) is typically mandated for these mission-critical boards.
- Military Microgrids & Batteries: The DoD is actively developing deployable energy storage (like the STEEP program) to power bases and radar systems off-grid (gmdefensellc.com). These systems incorporate commercial lithium-ion battery tech (often straight from EV platforms) but ruggedized with mil-spec electronics. Electronics manufacturers are tasked with integrating battery modules with control circuits, safety interlocks, and communications in hardened enclosures. All components must be traceable and often ITAR-compliant. For instance, GM Defense’s prototype uses an Ultium battery pack controlled by electronics to provide uninterruptible power for command centers and radars. Building such units requires blending automotive battery management electronics with military-grade packaging and testing (e.g. MIL-STD-810 environmental tests).
Wide Bandgap Semiconductors Boost Performance: One common thread in next-gen energy systems is the adoption of wide bandgap semiconductors (like SiC and GaN) in power electronics. These devices switch faster and handle higher voltages than traditional silicon, enabling more compact and efficient converters for both EVs and defense. For instance, SiC MOSFETs in EV motor drives reduce losses, extending vehicle range. In defense, GaN-based RF and power devices allow smaller radar and communications systems with high power output (electropages.com). Electronics manufacturers must adapt to mounting and soldering these sometimes sensitive devices (often in new package types) and manage their heat dissipation. The payoff is significant: WBG semiconductors let designers create lighter, smaller power units – a critical advantage in EV range and in deployable military gear where every pound and cubic inch counts.
Manufacturing with these advanced components often involves tighter process controls. For example, soldering GaN transistors might require carefully profiled reflow ovens to avoid thermal stress. Quality assurance might include x-ray inspection to ensure void-free solder joints under power transistors, as voids could cause hot spots. EMS partners experienced with WBG tech work closely with component suppliers’ guidelines to ensure reliability. The result is electronics that can pump out kilowatts of power reliably – whether accelerating a car or powering a laser – while being smaller and more efficient than ever before.
Ruggedization and Reliability: Both EV and defense applications demand electronics that just don’t fail under harsh conditions:
- Thermal extremes: An EV powertrain ECU might face under-hood temperatures from sub-freezing to 125°C. A military device might go from desert heat to alpine cold. Electronics manufacturers choose high-temperature components (125°C capacitors, automotive-grade ICs) and often derate them to 50% of max stress for mission-critical projects (medium.commedium.com). They also use conformal coatings and potting to protect against moisture and dust.
- Shock and vibration: Off-road military trucks and even sports EVs subject PCBs to constant vibration and occasional shock. To prevent solder joint cracks, manufacturers may use strain relief on connectors, underfill on BGA chips, and sturdier board materials. IPC-610 Class 3 workmanship ensures solder fillets and component mounting can take a beating without intermittent connections.
- Long life cycles: Defense electronics often must last decades. EMS providers thus implement component traceability and obsolescence management. They might stockpile or source long-lifecycle components and use durable assembly methods (such as staking large components) to ensure the product can be serviced years down the line. In EVs, while product cycles are shorter, consumers expect vehicles to last 10+ years, so reliability is key to avoid warranty claims.
Cross-Industry Innovation: Interestingly, the intense requirements in defense and automotive are benefiting other sectors like energy and industrial controls. For example, the high-power electronics perfected for EVs are being applied to renewable energy systems (solar inverters, wind turbine converters) to improve efficiency. And the rugged design practices from defense electronics translate to more robust industrial power controllers for factories or grid storage. Electronics manufacturers that serve automotive and defense clients bring this cross-domain expertise to every project. They can advise an energy startup on how to design a solar inverter’s PCB to meet UL and thermal standards, or help an industrial OEM select mil-grade connectors for a power control box that ensures zero downtime.
The Role of U.S. EMS Partners: OEMs developing cutting-edge energy solutions (whether a new EV startup or a defense contractor) increasingly seek collaborative EMS partners who offer more than assembly – they provide engineering support and fast-turn prototyping. A U.S.-based EMS can be invaluable here. For example:
- A fast-scaling EV charger company can work side by side with a local EMS on pilot builds, quickly iterate the design, and then scale to volume on automated lines in weeks, not months – crucial in the race to deploy charging infrastructure.
- A defense electronics project can leverage an ITAR-registered U.S. EMS like IPS Assembly to ensure compliance, secure handling of data, and the ability to meet stringent MIL specs. The EMS can do small prototype runs for testing (e.g. boards for a new directed energy system) and then ramp to production while maintaining full component traceability and quality reports for the Pentagon.
Such partnerships de-risk the path from concept to deployed system. The OEM’s design expertise combines with the EMS’s manufacturing know-how to create energy electronics that are innovative, reliable, and delivered on schedule. When an EMS has experience across EV and defense domains, they can anticipate challenges – from managing battery cell suppliers to complying with MIL-STD testing – and proactively address them.
Driving the Future of Energy: In summary, electronics manufacturers are the unsung heroes enabling the future of energy:
- They build the high-performance battery controls and power converters that make EVs viable and efficient.
- They deliver the rugged, fail-safe electronics that allow defense systems to employ new energy sources and high-power technologies confidently in the field.
- They incorporate new semiconductor technologies and design practices that elevate performance while maintaining reliability.
- They ensure quality through standards and testing so that whether it’s an electric car or a critical military power unit, the electronics will perform when it matters most.
The next generation of energy systems – from a Tesla in your driveway to a tactical energy node at a forward operating base – owes its existence to advanced electronics and the companies who manufacture them with precision. By choosing EMS partners with the right experience (automotive, mil-aero) and capabilities (fast prototyping, Class 3 quality, compliance), OEMs in these sectors are powering up for success. IPS Assembly, for instance, leverages its U.S.-based manufacturing and deep DFM expertise to help such customers accelerate their innovations, whether it’s building a better battery management board or assembling a mission-critical microgrid controller. As energy technology evolves, having the right electronics manufacturing partner will be a decisive factor in who leads the charge – both literally and figuratively.
LinkedIn Article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/from-evs-defense-how-electronics-manufacturers-powering-next-ilwec/
