(Source: Zhangtong News Agency)
Recently, the 25th China International Optoelectronic Exposition was held at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center. Over 3,700 optoelectronic companies from around the globe gathered to comprehensively showcase cutting-edge technologies, innovative achievements, and new applications and trends in the optoelectronic industry and its downstream application fields.
Among them, a semiconductor company's independently developed new technology products caught the attention of leading peers both domestically and internationally, as well as personnel from major universities. It also attracted interest from investors in emerging markets such as drone pods and mechanical LiDAR. This company is Chuanzhou Semiconductor Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
The scene at the 25th Optoelectronic Exposition
Chuanzhou Technology was registered and established in Shanghai in 2018, and its headquarters is currently located in Zhangjiang., It is a high-tech enterprise focused on the research and development of optoelectronic chips and system solutions, and is also one of the few companies in China specializing in high-end optoelectronic encoder chips. In 2023, Chuanzhou Technology established a subsidiary in Suzhou.
Recently, Chuanzhou Technology announced that its independently developed high-performance optoelectronic encoder chip, the TVOET3911N, has been successfully mass-produced and is being delivered in batches to leading servo manufacturers. This product breaks the monopoly held by the United States and Germany in the field of high-end encoder chips. It is set to be used in scenarios demanding extremely high precision and stability, such as industrial servos, and holds broad application prospects in fields like high-precision industrial machinery (gratings), robotics, and industrial automation.
Since its establishment six years ago, Chuanzhou Technology has been recognized as a national high-tech enterprise and a specialized, refined, and innovative SME in Shanghai. Since 2021, it has secured three rounds of financing, with investment institutions including Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation Group, Haiwang Capital, and Waniu Capital, among others. What are the technical advantages of Chuanzhou Technology, and what can it bring to the development of the industry? Let's take a closer look.
Breaking the Western Technological Monopoly
Mass Production of High-End Encoder Chips "Launched"
As a high-tech innovative enterprise, Chuanzhou Technology holds leading advantages in various technical aspects such as optical design, optoelectronic chip design, wafer processing technology development, packaging processes, and testing. Its products are primarily applied in fields like industrial intelligent manufacturing, smart vehicles, consumer electronics, and healthcare.
It is noteworthy that Chuanzhou Technology's independently developed optical encoder chip has become a standout "business card" for the company. The optical encoder chip provides precise position, speed, and angle information, aiding control systems in achieving accurate motion and automation control. This, in turn, enhances production efficiency, product quality, and system reliability. The chip is widely used in industries such as industrial manufacturing and automotive. As a "high-value" component of encoders, high-end optical encoder chips have long been monopolized by foreign companies, with a domestic production rate of less than 5%. There is a significant reliance on imported chips, and there is an urgent need for domestic companies to achieve domestic substitution through technological innovation.
Optical encoder
In this "chip war" without gunpowder, to break the Western technological monopoly, the Chuanzhou Technology team has been deeply engaged in the optoelectronics field, focusing on the application and innovation of optoelectronic technology. Through in-depth optoelectronic application modeling and mechanism research, detector structure design and simulation testing, and optimization of electrical signal processing capabilities, the team has successfully overcome a series of technical challenges, achieving technological breakthroughs in various units. They have independently developed a new high-performance transmissive optical encoder chip, TVOET3911N, and successfully mass-produced it.
It is reported that the TVOET3911N is equipped with advanced optical encoder chip technology, achieving efficient and high-fidelity conversion from optical signals to voltage signals through a precise photodiode array and a low-noise transimpedance amplifier. Its core advantage is its ability to maintain excellent signal quality and stability even under relaxed alignment tolerances, providing unprecedented precise control for motor feedback systems. This encoder chip supports high-resolution sine and cosine signal outputs of up to 2048 counts per revolution (CPR) and supports a 26-bit ultra-high precision encoder design, making it the highest precision transmissive optical encoder in the country.
At the same time, the TVOET3911N features a low-power design, supporting a wide voltage range of 4.1V to 5.5V, which effectively extends the device's lifespan and reduces energy consumption. Its operating temperature range covers from -40°C to 125°C, allowing it to maintain stable performance even in extreme environments, providing strong assurance for applications in harsh working conditions.
"The successful delivery of the TVOET3911N project marks a significant breakthrough in the field of optical encoder technology, injecting new momentum into the development of global industrial automation and precision control sectors."The CEO of Chuanzhou Technology stated, "We look forward to working hand in hand with our customers and partners to jointly promote continuous innovation and progress in this field."
As of now, the company has applied for 60 invention patents, with 16 patents granted and 44 patents pending. The company has been recognized as one of the "Top 50 Startups with the Greatest Investment Potential in Shanghai for 2023."
As of nowMultiple products have become the first of their kind in the country.
Photonics makes life better.
ChuanZhou Technology focuses on optical encoders as its core, extending to related chips and services, with the ambition to become a platform-based company. Besides transmissive optical encoder chips, the company has successfully developed and delivered samples of the first reflective optical encoder chip in the country, and the first fully integrated inductive encoder chip in the country is also set to be "launched."
The upstream of the encoder industry chain mainly consists of manufacturing sectors such as electronic components and mechanical parts, while the downstream is primarily applied in heavy industries like steel, ports, and lifting, as well as high-end manufacturing fields such as robotics, automotive, and aerospace. ChuanZhou Technology is currently extending towards the backend to enhance technical barriers and continuously improve R&D and mass production efficiency. The company has invested 20 million yuan to build its own packaging production line to solve the challenges of encoder chip packaging. Leveraging its full-stack self-developed encoder technology, it is continuously expanding into high-barrier, high-margin markets. Meanwhile, ChuanZhou Technology is also innovating new business models to create layered and graded product delivery solutions.
Currently, the humanoid robot market is on the verge of a boom, and high-performance encoders, as a key component of their servo systems, are also expected to see a significant increase in market demand. According to data from Bezels Consulting, the global encoder market sales reached 27.2 billion yuan in 2023, with the Chinese encoder market accounting for 4.1 billion yuan. By 2029, the global encoder market size is projected to reach 41 billion yuan.
With the continuous emergence and application of new technologies such as industrial automation, smart manufacturing, the Internet of Things, and cloud computing, the encoder industry will further integrate with these technologies to form new applications and business models. The encoder industry will continue to develop towards high precision, high stability, and intelligence. Domestic companies, represented by ChuanZhou Technology, are actively positioning themselves to expand internationally, eagerly preparing to take domestic chips abroad.
ChuanZhou Technology's CEO stated, "As the technological advantages of well-known foreign manufacturers decline and their cost disadvantages become more apparent, domestic companies will have the opportunity to replace them and grow." ChuanZhou Technology is fully accelerating its technological innovation and market expansion efforts, currently assembling a full-chain self-research and design team. The company is expanding new product lines in multiple dimensions to achieve comprehensive coverage of high-performance optical and inductive supporting chip products. It plans to establish a fully domestic supply chain and is building its own smart manufacturing pilot production line to actively respond to the demands of emerging markets, allowing Chinese "intelligent manufacturing" to go global and reach the world.
With innovation shaping quality and quality building the brand, we are committed to becoming the preferred partner for global photonics customers. Through disruptive innovation, we aim to lead industry development, create an outstanding brand, and cultivate ambitious employees worldwide into business partners, working together to create a bright future. ChuanZhou Technology is driven by this corporate vision and continues to forge ahead!
