Case Study: DuPont® ceramic circuit materials add power and performance to engine control modules (ECM)
DuPont materials demonstrate the ability of ceramic materials to handle high power dissipation and perform in high-temperature environments with cycling between temperature extremes.
Application Description
Marine engine control modules (ECM) that handle the advanced electronics required by Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI), made by Delco Electronics with DuPont thick film conductor and dielectric materials.
Materials Selected and Why
Delco designed its ECM using thick-film hybrid circuit technology because of the proven ability of ceramic materials to handle high power dissipation and perform in high-temperature environments with cycling between temperature extremes.
DuPont's thick-film materials, including a 3:1 Ag/Pd conductor and compatible dielectric, allowed Delco to design the ECM to meet specific needs. Because multilayer thick-film designs reduce package size, the ECM could be more easily mounted directly on the engine. Delco used the DuPont materials to design the ECMs with added protection from corrosion and vibration, heat resistance, and shielding from electro-magnetic interference.
