NI acquires SET GmbH to accelerate power semiconductor and aerospace/defense test system development
NI has announced the acquisition of SET GmbH (“SET”), long-standing experts in aerospace and defence test system development and recent innovators in power semiconductor reliability test. Together, the companies will reduce time to market for critical, highly differentiated solutions and accelerate semiconductor-to-transportation supply-chain convergence with power electronic materials such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitrite (GaN).
NI first announced a strategic minority investment in SET in 2020 to help aerospace and defence companies solve soaring development costs and integration challenges. The collaboration enhanced a system-on-demand and model-based test approach delivered to shorten time-to-market schedules, reduce program risk, integrate labs, and optimise data and assets. This offered mutual customers more time spent ensuring the quality and safety of future products and less on building test systems. These collaborative efforts will continue with a focus on sustainable commercial aviation, space launch vehicles, and urban air mobility applications.
Going forward, the acquisition will expand NI’s opportunity in power semiconductor reliability systems for automotive, a high growth area of investment. SET has been innovating on new capabilities in the emerging automotive supply chain area of power semiconductors since before NI’s initial partnership in 2020. SET’s participation in cross-industry and academic forums on reliability test techniques has made significant contributions to the understanding of electric vehicle applications for power semiconductors.
The automotive supply chain is going through a transformation where both OEMs and semiconductor players are rapidly innovating on new technologies. The ability to adequately specify and predict how these new technologies behave inside new Electric Vehicles is critical for performance and safety,” said Ritu Favre, EVP and GM of NI Business Units. “SET is a clear innovator in this area as well as an established provider in Avionics testing. NI is a global leader in automated test and measurement systems. By combining capabilities, NI and SET can offer more differentiated solutions to customers and grow together by leveraging NI’s global scale.”
“We leverage extensive expertise to develop ground breaking solutions for power semiconductor testing,” said Frank Heidemann, the founder of SET. “By offering new and dynamic test procedures, SET ensures the qualification of cutting-edge Silicon-Carbide (SiC) power semiconductors for the automotive industry with high precision and reliability. With our innovative approach, SET is leading the charge in solving the industry’s most pressing qualification challenges.” NI funded this transaction through cash on hand. SET is headquartered in Wangen, Germany with approximately 100 employees joining NI.
About SET GmbH
SET is committed to making our customers successful by integrating cutting edge technology with tried and true best practices for test. The technology company is revolutionizing the way the aviation industry develops and tests controls products and unlocking new potential in semiconductor reliability testing. SET is specialised in Hardware-in-the-loop (HiL), functional and power semiconductor test systems, and in the development of electronics for the aviation industry. Since its foundation in 2001, SET has been growing continuously and today employs approximately 100 people. www.smart-e-tech.d
About NI
At NI, we bring together the people, ideas and technology so forward thinkers and creative problem solvers can take on humanity’s biggest challenges. From design and validation to manufacturing production, we provide software-connected systems leveraging data through all aspects of the development lifecycle, enabling engineers and enterprises to Engineer Ambitiously™ every day.
