Technology group ABB has presented TDK in China with its “Innovation Improvement Award.” The company is recognizing the further development of varistor product design, which replaces silver with copper and tin with nickel in response to fluctuating raw material prices and rising cost pressures. 

The varistors are manufactured at the Zhuhai FTZ site in China and are used in ABB's surge protection devices, primarily in metering systems and in data and telecommunications technology. 

In response to rising cost pressures across the industry, TDK revised the product design of its varistors and the corresponding manufacturing processes last year. In doing so, the company replaced expensive materials such as silver and tin with more affordable alternatives like copper and nickel, while maintaining the same product performance. This allowed the company to offset rising material costs and create competitive products for ABB. 

Eric Ruan, Product Marketing Manager for Varistors at the Zhuhai FTZ site, emphasizes: “This award from ABB is a high recognition of our technological expertise in R&D as well as our capabilities in quality control. ABB thereby underscores the profound cooperation between both parties, working together to overcome challenges and create added value.” 

ABB (Asea Brown Boveri) is a leading technology company in the fields of electrification and automation, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. The group employs approximately 110,000 people worldwide. 

TDK Corporation (TSE:6762) presents the B25696H* series of MKP DC high-frequency (HF) film capacitors, a reliable, high-performance DC link capacitor platform for next-generation SiC-based power electronics. With capacitance values from 47 µF to 1280 µF and rated DC voltages from 900 V to 2000 V, the components provide ultra-low self-inductance and low ESR to meet the demands of modern high-switching-frequency topologies. Typical applications for the B25696H are energy storage systems (ESS), solid-state transformers (SST), renewable energy inverters, traction drives, and industrial motor drives. 

A key differentiator of the B25696H series is its unique internal busbar configuration, which ensures homogeneous current distribution between the capacitor windings. This design results in self-inductance values as low as 30 nH and ESR values down to 0.8 mΩ at 10 kHz, with excellent ESR stability up to 100 kHz. By minimizing parasitic inductance and resistive losses, the series reduces voltage spikes and electrical stress on SiC power devices, which enhances thermal margins and overall system reliability. 

The cylindrical capacitors feature metallized polypropylene (MKP) dielectric in an aluminum case with a resin top. They are available in two diameters (85 mm and 100 mm) with screw female (M6) terminals and a threaded mounting bolt (M12). The series operates within a temperature range of -40 °C to +85 °C (hotspot) and offers a lifetime expectancy of 100,000 hours at +75 °C hotspot temperature and respective rated voltage, extendable to up to 200,000 hours with voltage and temperature derating. High ripple current capability of up to 91 A (at +60 °C ambient temperature, 10 kHz) supports high-power-density converter designs. 

To support system-level optimization, TDK provides its free online CapThermal tool, allowing engineers to simulate thermal behavior and accurately estimate lifetime under application-specific conditions. This enables faster design cycles and more precise component selection for high-performance SiC-based power converters.

The Chinese automotive supplier Shinry Technologies has presented TDK with its “Excellent Quality Award.” This is in recognition of the high quality of TDK’s products, including capacitors and electroceramic products, as well as the long-standing, successful partnership with TDK. 

Shinry Technologies, headquartered in Shenzhen, specializes in the development and production of core components for electric and fuel cell vehicles. Its product portfolio includes on-board chargers (OBCs), DC/DC converters, and high-power charging systems, all of which are critical to electric mobility. 

For these products, Shinry Technologies primarily sources MLCCs, aluminum electrolytic capacitors, film capacitors, CeraLink capacitors, and NTCs from factories in China, Japan, and Austria. 

“To meet our quality commitment, we have implemented a strict quality management system that extends from raw material procurement through production processes to final inspections and customer service,” says Makoto Kondo, Senior Vice President and DGM of TDK Greater China Sales Division. He adds: “This award is a great encouragement for every team member. We will continue to adhere to the principle of ‘Quality First, Customer Foremost’, increase our investment in technology, and optimize our supply chain to continue providing our partners with high-quality and competitive products and services.”

• TDK presents DigiKey with the “Global Best Performance Award” 2025
• Award recognizes strong business performance and long-standing collaboration
• Signs of a recovery in the distribution business

TDK Corporation (TSE:6762) has honored the globally active high-service distributor DigiKey with this year’s “Global Best Performance Award,” thereby recognizing its outstanding business performance and the successful collaboration over the past year. DigiKey impressed in particular with its strong international orientation and its ability to reliably serve customers worldwide. Of particular importance was the fact that DigiKey is firmly established in the Chinese and U.S. markets. In addition, the company has the capability to supply developers, design houses, as well as medium-sized enterprises with small quantities, thereby enabling production ramp-ups.

“DigiKey is extremely honored to receive the 2025 Global Best Performance award from TDK,” said Jason Simoneau, Vice President, Passives and Multimarket Semiconductor at DigiKey. “Our long-standing partnership with TDK has provided customers around the globe with exceptional technologies to create innovative products that accelerate progress. We look forward to continued collaboration and growth centered on TDK’s comprehensive, innovation-driven portfolio of cutting-edge electronics.”

“I am very pleased with the outstanding performance of DigiKey as one of our long-standing partners with whom we collaborate strategically,” says Dietmar Jäger, General Manager Distribution & EMS Sales Division. “This shows that even in a challenging market environment, success is possible with a strong team,” adds Dietmar Jäger.

Electronics distribution is currently showing clear signs of a recovery. “The delivery of small quantities to small customers can be an early indicator of a broader market recovery,” says Dietmar Jäger. “We are well positioned with our products for the markets we serve through distribution, particularly AI applications in China and industrial applications in the U.S.” China remains the most important market, followed by the U.S. and Europe.

• Ultra-compact micro POL module FS3303 delivers 3 A in a 2.5 × 2.5 mm footprint with only 1.2 mm height, enabling high-density power for optical modules and AI edge systems
• High efficiency up to 95% with operation up to +90 °C (and +125 °C with derating), supporting low-voltage rails from 0.4 V to 3.3 V for ASICs, SoCs, DSPs, and AI chipsets
• Integrates controller, driver, MOSFETs, and inductor in TDK’s advanced 3D chip-embedded package, minimizing external components and maximizing board space savings

TDK Corporation (TSE: 6762) today announced the FS3303, the first member of a major expansion of its micro POL family of ultra‑compact, non‑isolated DC‑DC power modules for optical modules in AI edge systems and other space‑constrained designs. Despite its small footprint of just 2.5 x 2.5 mm and a height of only 1.2 mm, the FS3303 can deliver 3 A at ambient temperatures of up to +90 °C (up to +125 °C with derating) and boasts a peak efficiency of around 95%. The FS3303-0400-AL is in full production and is sampling at major distributors.

The FS3303 and the upcoming high‑performance point‑of‑load (POL) converter lineup spans 3 A to 80 A output across 0.3 V to 3.3 V rails. They enable next‑generation optical networking and AI accelerator platforms to push performance without sacrificing board space. An example is compact optical modules, which are scaling from 10 Gbit/s to 1.6 Tbit/s. The new portfolio delivers height profiles between 1.2 mm and 1.7 mm.

Engineered for low‑voltage rails, the FS3303 supports input voltages from 2.7 V to 6 V and output voltages from 0.4 V to 3.3 V. This makes it a versatile solution for ASICs, SoCs, DSPs, and emerging AI chipsets requiring tight regulation and high transient performance.

The FS3303 leverages TDK’s proprietary 3D chip‑embedded packaging technology, integrating the controller, driver, MOSFETs, and power inductor. This architecture minimizes external components and delivers a complete DC‑DC solution with exceptional area and height savings—ideal for next‑generation optical transceivers and edge AI modules.