Turbodyne Develops Electronic Modules with International Rectifier
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--December 21, 1998--Turbodyne Technologies Inc.
(Nasdaq:TRBD, Easdaq:TRBD) announced today that early production units of the new generation of
Turbodyne's Electronic Controller Modules "ECM" have successfully met and exceeded the original
design objectives for performance, cost effectiveness and reliability and are being shipped for pilot
installation of OEM applications in Europe and aftermarket applications in the United States and France.
The new generation "ECM" which are manufactured by Turbodyne at the Carpinteria, Ca. facility utilize
power semiconductor arrays based on a Turbodyne patent and have been jointly developed by
Turbodyne's electronics laboratory and international Rectifier Corporation, the oldest dedicated
semiconductor manufacturer and major supplier of semiconductors worldwide. International Rectifier
Corporation is the sole supplier of Power Mosfet Arrays to Turbodyne under the joint contract. Power
semiconductors or Mosfets are widely used throughout the electronics and computer industries for power
supply. This addition to Turbodyne's technology, protected by the new patent "Current-sensing Mosfets in
paralleled Mosfet Power Circuit," was invented and developed by Mr. David Willett while Turbodyne's Vice
President for Electronic Power Systems. Mr. Willett, who has been recently promoted to the position of
Senior Vice President and Chief Engineer, commented, "This new Turbodyne technology opens a
wide-ranging and significant window of opportunity for new applications and utilization of power
semiconductors by offering reduced size, complexity and cost as well as vastly improved reliability of
power semiconductor arrays particularly in the rugged automotive applications." Turbodyne and
International Rectifier Corporation are currently working on other applications of the new technology under
a joint development contract, and Turbodyne has agreed to the licensing of the technology for other
applications of power semiconductors. Turbodyne's "ECM" converts the low voltage direct current electric
power available in cars and trucks to high frequency three phase electricity at high efficiencies which
powers the brushless electric motors utilized by Turbodyne in high speed turbo-compressors incorporated
in the Turbopac(TM) and Dynacharger(TM) product lines. Although power semiconductors have
wide-ranging applications in computer and electronics industries, one significant new market is in the
automotive industry, where over one billion brush-type electric motors are used worldwide every year. The
power semiconductor eliminates the brushes in the electric motors and Turbodyne's new technology
enables instantaneous and continuous monitoring and control of the load and current in the electric
motors. The ability to competitively manufacture a reliable and cost effective electric motor which is also
lighter and significantly more efficient than a traditional brush-type motor with its limited life particularly in
the competitive electronics and automotive industries is an enabling development which Turbodyne
intends to capitalize on through cooperation with International Rectifier Corporation. Turbodyne's
worldwideweb address is: www.turbodyne.com Except for the historical information contained in this news
release, the matters discussed herein include forward-looking statements that involve risks and
uncertainties. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ from those indicted in
the forward-looking statements are the availability and acceptance of the Turbodyne products; the impact
of competitive products and pricing; the performance by the company under existing purchase contracts
and the ability to obtain new contracts, the ability of the company to contain expenses, conditions within
the global automotive market, general economic conditions and political changes both domestically and
overseas and other factors detailed from time to time in the company's SEC reports, including its 1997
Form 20-F. |
