June, 2026
This is a repeating eventJune 9, 2027 9:00 am
PCIM Europe
Event Details
PCIM Europe (PCIM Expo)
09. – 11. June 2026 | Nuremberg, Germany
Official Website: https://pcim.mesago.com/nuernberg/en.html
The strategic misjudgment at PCIM Europe is viewing it as a component catalog for power semiconductors. This fundamentally misreads its role as the critical arbitration point for the most profound trade-offs in modern electrical engineering: efficiency versus cost, power density versus thermal management, and silicon heritage versus wide-bandgap adoption. System architects and application engineers attend not to select a discrete MOSFET, but to architect complete power conversion stages where the semiconductor’s behavior under dynamic, real-world stresses dictates the performance, size, and reliability of the entire end-product, from an EV powertrain to a grid-tied inverter.
Strategic Snapshot
PCIM Europe is the world’s preeminent confluence for power electronics, functioning as the essential interface where semiconductor physics, application topology, and thermal/mechanical system integration are negotiated to push the boundaries of efficiency, power density, and cost in electrification across all sectors.
Why This Event Matters in Germany’s Exhibition Ecosystem
As the global apex event for power electronics, PCIM’s location in Germany—the heartland of automotive and industrial drive engineering—provides an unparalleled context of extreme application demands. It attracts a deeply technical audience of system designers and validation engineers who are tasked with making new semiconductor technologies work reliably in safety-critical, high-volume products. A component’s validation through the rigorous peer-reviewed conference and its subsequent scrutiny on the exhibition floor within this German engineering ecosystem serves as a powerful endorsement of its maturity and application-readiness for global high-stakes markets.
Who This Event Is For — and Who Should Skip It
Ideal for:
- Semiconductor manufacturers that provide not just datasheets, but comprehensive application notes, validated reference designs, and accurate SPICE/PLECS simulation models for their latest SiC/GaN devices.
- Suppliers of subsystem components (gate drivers, current sensors, DC-link capacitors) specifically engineered to unlock the full potential of advanced power semiconductors in high-frequency, high-dV/dt environments.
- Specialists in thermal interface materials, advanced cooling solutions, and packaging technologies that address the prime limiting factor of power density.
- Companies offering test and measurement solutions capable of characterizing switching losses, EMI, and ruggedness under conditions that mirror the harsh reality of application.
Not ideal for:
- Suppliers of generic passive components or connectors not specifically characterized for the high-frequency, high-current ripple, and thermal cycling demands of modern power electronics.
- Companies with a purely academic or research focus without a clear path to volume production, application support, and reliability data.
- Exhibitors unable to engage in detailed technical discussions about switching loops, parasitic inductance, short-circuit ruggedness, or long-term reliability under mission profiles.
- Brands that treat the event as a sales lead generator rather than a forum for deep technical credibility building with a concentrated, expert audience.
The 3–5 Day Moment vs. the 365-Day Reality
PCIM Europe provides a concentrated, high-signal environment for unveiling technological roadmaps and engaging in foundational technical dialogue. This annual convergence is vital for influencing design-in decisions for next-generation platforms.
The strategic rupture occurs in the “design-in and validation valley.” A new SiC MOSFET boasts impressive Rds(on) and switching speed, but the supplier fails to provide the intensive, hands-on support needed during the customer’s schematic and layout phase, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing, and failure mode analysis. For an automotive or industrial customer, the risk of adopting a new power device is monumental; a supplier’s absence during the multi-year, torturous journey from evaluation board to production-ready design reveals a lack of true partnership and system-level understanding.
Thus, the true value is not in the semiconductor’s performance on a test bench, but in the supplier’s proven ecosystem of support—models, tools, and engineers—that de-risks and accelerates its successful integration into the customer’s final product.
Strategic Next Step
Before exhibiting, conduct a rigorous audit of your technical support capabilities and readiness for long-term co-development cycles. For a framework on establishing this essential role as a de-risking partner in electrification, review the perspective in our analysis of trade fair visibility in Germany.
Explore the Ecosystem
A practical checklist to prepare for the depth of technical engagement and formal preparation expected by German engineering professionals
Contextualize PCIM Europe within the wider landscape of German electronics, automotive, and energy technology exhibitions
Strategic FAQs for Exhibitors
How does a semiconductor supplier effectively guide customers through the SiC/GaN vs. Silicon decision beyond efficiency claims?
By providing total system cost and performance analysis. Model the cascading benefits: higher frequency allows smaller magnetics and capacitors; lower losses reduce heatsink size and cost. Present clear trade-off curves for different power levels and switching frequencies. The narrative must shift from “our GaN is faster” to “our GaN enables a 30% smaller, 20% cheaper 3-kW power supply.”
What is the critical oversight when discussing “ruggedness” or “reliability” for automotive or industrial applications?
Failing to address long-term reliability under specific mission profiles (e.g., power cycling, temperature cycling) and providing the supporting data. Automotive qualification (AEC-Q101) is just the entry ticket. You need to demonstrate performance over the product’s lifetime under realistic stress conditions, not just single-pulse ratings. Provide failure rate models (FIT) and discuss your quality management and change control processes.
For a provider of supporting components (gate drivers, sensors), how do you demonstrate indispensable value?
Show how your component solves the specific challenges introduced by advanced semiconductors. Does your gate driver provide active Miller clamp to prevent shoot-through in half-bridges? Does your current sensor offer sufficient bandwidth and common-mode rejection for fast-switching SiC? Provide reference designs in partnership with leading semiconductor vendors, proving you are part of the optimized solution stack.
Why is providing accurate, application-level simulation models more important than ever at PCIM?
Because system design is increasingly virtual-first. Engineers rely on simulation to de-risk designs before prototyping. A SPICE model that doesn’t accurately reflect switching losses or parasitic behavior can lead to costly redesigns. Your commitment to providing high-fidelity, vendor-validated models for platforms like PLECS or Simulink is a direct indicator of your seriousness as a design partner.
How should a company address the growing system integration trend towards “power modules” versus discrete components?
Have a clear strategic narrative for both. For modules, emphasize reduced design complexity, optimized parasitics, and higher power density for volume applications. For discretes, highlight design flexibility, cost optimization for lower volumes, and easier thermal management. Understand and communicate the economic and technical breakpoints that guide the customer’s choice.
Organizer
