New application fields of power electronics together with an increasing awareness of safety aspects lead to higher demands on a safe behaviour of power electronics. Most solutions today solve the safety issue with a combination of ´unsafe´ power electronics and a safe control and monitoring. However, more critical applications like aircraft, X-by-wire functions or single wheel drives in automotive will necessitate also a power electronics actuator with either a continued function or at least a safe condition under failure.

This workshop will address the many aspects of this topic - from the component and the machine to the control and the complete system. On the one hand investigations of the failure modes of power devices will show the importance of measures for safe handling of a converter failure. The analysis of the behaviour of the mechanical actuator with a power electronics fault will give an impression of the mechanical consequences of an electrical fault. As an important part of the workshop, reports from specific application fields will illustrate the different requirements. Time is also reserved to discuss new aspects and necessary fields for improved safety in power electronics.

One aim of the workshop is to foster the understanding between the designers of power electronic devices and circuits, and the engineers responsible for system safety.

The workshop is chaired by Prof. M. Bakran (University of Bayreuth) and J. Koszescha (ECPE).

All presentations and discussions will be in English.