NXP and five major partners (E.G.O. Elektro-Gerätebau GmbH, Huber+Suhner, ITW, Rogers Corporation and Whirlpool Corporation) have formed the RF Energy Alliance to spearhead the ecosystem for emerging RF Energy applications. Together, the companies cover the entire value chain from component to a commercial application of solid state cooking and share the vision of a fast-growing, innovative marketplace built around this sustainable heating and power source.
Key to the alliance will be identifying synergies between existing applications and developing roadmaps for all critical components of the RF energy delivery chain. This will involve creating component specifications per application and catering for equipment approval procedures.
Standardizing RF energy technology will reduce complexity (making it much easier to use), quicker to develop products, and lower costs. This is crucial in turning the current market of low volume, specialized applications into one of many mainstream applications.
The key benefits of solid-state RF energy include:
- Outstanding control of all RF parameters
- Easy application feedback
- Excellent reliability
- Excellent scalability
- Design freedom regarding geometry and system integration
To begin with, the Alliance aims to increase involvement of RF energy in solid-state cooking, both for consumer and professional use. However the technology has reached a tipping point where broad adoption can be realized in a variety of applications including industrial lighting and heating / drying, automotive ignition and medical devices for ablation, hyperthermia treatment and imaging.
