E-Bikes, Ergonomic ESD and Trouble-Free Toyotas at EMV 2010

As we browsed the booths of the 111 exhibitors along with 3,400 other visitors at the EMV 2010 show held last week in Dusseldorf, Germany, these are some of the products, technologies and tidbits that caught our attention:Dynamometer for E-Bikes
We haven’t seen many people cruising the streets of American cities on electronic bicycles, but the market for E-Bikes in Europe has changed drastically with the implementation in 2009 of the new standard, EN 15194:2009 for EPACS (electrically power-assisted cycles), according to Maturo GmbH. Maturo was exhibiting its new dynamometer for E-Bikes, which allows the testing and inspection of bicycles with electromotive drive support in respect to electromagnetic compatibility. Pre-compliance test sets
Costing less than a day in an EMC test lab, we were impressed by Langer EMV-Technik GmbH’s pre-compliance measurement equipment – all packed into tidy suitcases – which could prove to be a time-saving and cost-effective measure for manufacturers who want to give their products a test run before shipping them off for EMC testing. An ESD simulator for the ergonomically inclined
Haefely Technology showed off the most ergonomic 30kV ESD gun we’ve seen on the market without an external base control unit that can be battery or mains operated. This trouble-free device could make the traditionally chunky simulators a thing of the past.Market trends
A key trend in recent years, we learned, has been the migration in EMS production from Western Europe to Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), resulting in the CEE accounting for just under 55% of European EMS revenues in 2008. As end demand recovers, so will the share the CEE accounts of the EMS market, although the previous double-digit annual growth will reduce to a more pedestrian pace of 5-6% from 2010 to 2013. We were also surprised to find that a high percentage – seeming to average between 50% and 80% – of export business for EMC suppliers is outside of Europe.Mercedes Benz: The auto EMC test specialists!
You might not expect to see Mercedes Benz at an EMC show, but we were particularly impressed with this booth, which was showcasing MBtech EMC GmbH. The automotive engineering and consulting company’s EMC test centers offer its services to all manufacturers and suppliers, including Daimler, Porsche, BMW, Ford, Peugeot, Renault, Toyota, Volvo and VW.Interference Technology on display
The ITEM Publications booth might not have been as grand as Mercedes Benz’s, but we were surprised to find ourselves under the spotlight, thanks to our newest venture, the 2010 Interference Technology Europe EMC Guide. With no European media dedicated solely to EMC, we’re looking forward to opening up the European markets to engineers, suppliers and buyers. Toyota tidbit from the taxi driver
In a nice sendoff to an exciting show, our taxi driver driving to the airport in a Prius told us that there have been no reports of unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles in Europe. If true, could this point to a U.S. supplier/component issue?