December 12, 2023
Next year, Elite Electronic Engineering Inc. will be celebrating our 70th anniversary. Change and adaptation have been the driving forces that made Elite the laboratory that it is today. It is a time to look back to see what brought us to where we are today and to contemplate our future.
In 1954, a young electrical engineer by the name of James C. Klouda had a vision for the future of electronics and created Elite. Jim had been introduced to the new field of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) when his company charged him with solving EMC issues on aerospace electronics. An opportunity arose from changes at his company that resulted in Jim starting his own business and forming what was to become one of the world’s leading independent testing laboratories.
Change is an instrument for growth and progress. There has been a steady progression of changes in the electronic industry that has led us to where we are today. EMC and environmental stress testing started mainly with the advent of the Military Electronics. It became clear in short time that new electronic equipment used on and off the battlefield presented a wide variety of EMC problems that needed to be addressed if the US was to lead the world in technology advancement. The Television and Radio communication industries blossomed in the 1950’s and 60’s. It was not long until radio frequency interference (RFI) became a serious issue. In the 70’s and 80’s, computing devices hit the marketplace with an explosive force. The EMC problems that they created were monumental as well. Electronics have replaced many of the mechanical systems and led to advances in automobiles, trucks, farm equipment, construction equipment, aircraft and spacecraft. More recently, the Internet of Things (IoT), Wi-Fi, and cellular devices have become an integral part of our everyday life. Testing of these devices has been an important part of their adoption and success in the market. Each change and new technology presented unique challenges in the areas of EMC and environmental stress testing. Elite has risen to these challenges and has adapted to ensure that these electronics perform as expected and conform to the new test standards and regulations.
Today, we are faced with major changes in the automotive industry. As the industry moves to electric vehicle (EV) technology, Elite is changing and adapting to meet these challenges. Our expert team listens to our customers about their evolving needs and is eager to implement solutions to their toughest testing and validation requirements. We continue to invest in new equipment and expand our facilities to meet the needs of testing of EV electronics:
- More vibration and shock testing systems for EV motors, e-axles, and battery packs
- 4-wheel dynamometer for EMC testing of passenger and commercial vehicles
- Dedicated climatics testing chambers for battery packs
- High-power sources for high voltage EV component testing
- New facility expansion to strengthen our one-location advantage in 2024
Elite has always prided itself on being a leader in our field and always looking to the future. While we embrace changes in technology, our core values remain constant – our focus on collaborative customer service, training expert personnel, and delivering high-quality results that are trusted around the world.
Happy Holidays from the entire Elite team – and we look forward to serving you in 2024.