We’ve been overwhelmed by the demand for our guitar-specific transformers under our brand Pacific Audio Magnetics. We’re thrilled that so many of you have experienced the incredible sound quality that our transformers deliver and we’ve received nothing but positive feedback from all of you.

However, we understand that the price point of our California-built products has been a barrier for some, and we hear you. We want to make sure that everyone has the chance to experience the difference our transformers can make to your sound no matter what your budget is.

That’s why we’re excited to announce the launch of a new product line: The RED series. On paper, the RED Series products are nearly identical to our renowned Vintage Replica line. The only difference is that they are assembled at our facility in Asia and will be offered at a more affordable price point. Additionally, the Red Series products will feature beautiful red powder-coated end bells for an easy way to visually identify the differences between our two main product lines. Aside from these minor changes, these products are built with the exact materials and to the same specifications as the Vintage Replica series using the same methods, practices, and QA standards as the products built in California. To make sure they passed the tone test, we put them in the hands of some of the most respected amplifier manufacturers in the world to test, provide feedback and give their blessing before we release them to you. 

Our new RED series lineup will launch with some of our current best sellers: Tweed Deluxe, Deluxe Reverb, Princeton Reverb, Tweed Bassman, and Trainwreck. Starting today, you can go on our website and explore the RED series and sign up for a product alert so you can be notified as soon as they are available. We are confident that you’ll love the new lineup and can’t wait to hear what you think.

Whether you’re a tone-seeking amp builder that prefers American-made products or a hobbyist on a budget, we have a product that will bring out the best in your amp.

Off-grid applications refer to systems that are not connected to the main power grid, and instead rely on alternative sources of energy such as solar panels, wind turbines, or generators. Off-grid systems are becoming increasingly popular, with thousands of people around the world choosing to go off-grid for a variety of reasons. In this email, we’ll explore the benefits and challenges of off-grid applications, and how our inverter transformers are helping to power these systems.

Benefits of Off-Grid Applications

One of the main benefits of off-grid applications is that they allow individuals and communities to become more self-sufficient. By generating their own power, they can reduce their reliance on traditional energy sources, and potentially save money on energy bills. Off-grid systems also provide a level of resilience and independence, as they are not subject to power outages or disruptions to the main grid.

Off-grid applications are particularly popular in remote or rural areas where connecting to the main grid may not be feasible or cost-effective. They are also used in disaster relief efforts, where power outages or infrastructure damage can leave communities without access to electricity.

Challenges of Off-Grid Applications

While there are many benefits to off-grid applications, there are also some challenges to consider. One of the biggest challenges is the initial cost of setting up an off-grid system. Solar panels, wind turbines, and other alternative energy sources can be expensive, and the cost of batteries and inverters to store and convert energy can add up quickly.

Off-grid systems also require careful planning and maintenance to ensure they are working effectively. Battery life, for example, can be affected by weather conditions and usage patterns, and regular checks and replacements may be necessary.

How Our Inverter Transformers are Helping to Power Off-Grid Applications

Our inverter transformers are an essential component of off-grid systems, as they are responsible for converting DC power from batteries or alternative energy sources into AC power for use in homes or businesses. Our transformers are designed to withstand the harsh environments and extreme conditions that off-grid systems may face, and are built for durability and reliability.

Our custom transformers are used in a wide variety of off-grid applications, from powering homes and cabins in remote areas to providing electricity for disaster relief efforts. We work closely with our customers to understand their unique needs and design transformers that are optimized for their specific systems.

Going off-grid can be a challenging but rewarding experience, and our inverter transformers are helping to make it possible for people around the world to generate their own power and become more self-sufficient. If you’re considering building a product for an off-grid application, contact us to learn more about how our custom transformers can help power your system.

Last November, Amazon studios released a documentary chronicling the remarkable true story of Opportunity, the Mars rover launched in July of 2003 that Pacific Transformer has a small hand in building. 

Just two years prior to the development of the famous rover, another Mars mission had just concluded in an embarrassing double failure of the Mars Polar Lander and Mars Climate Orbiter. A new Mars mission seemed unlikely. However, as luck would have it, a rover proposal from geologist Steve Squyres, over a decade earlier made it into the hands of a small group of engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. The team realized that the proposal could couple to an existing landing system which made another Mars mission financially viable. The approved proposal included a pair of twin rovers, Spirit and Opportunity with a collective mission to search for signs of water during its planned life of 90 days each. 

The team at NASA, as dictated by the alignment of the planets, had only 26 months to design, build and test the pair. This is where Pacific Transformer enters the story. Our team was tasked with designing and developing DC-to-DC converter parts for the pair of rovers. These parts were vital to power systems within the rovers. 

In the summer of 2003, the pair of rovers were launched three weeks apart. The journey to Mars took 6.5 months and unlike the failed Polar Lander, both Spirit and Opportunity made it safely and with all systems intact—a huge relief to NASA. With only 90 days planned for the life of the rovers, the team at JPL got to work right away working 24-hour shifts of planned scientific exploration. During the first 90 days, both rovers executed their missions flawlessly and were considered a complete success. However, with no signs of distress, NASA made a decision to continue the mission so long as the rovers were operational and productive. 

An incredible eight years later, both rovers were still actively exploring until a planned winter communication hiatus came. When it was time to re-establish communication with Spirit, the rover did not respond, ending its incredible journey. However, Opportunity continued. Fast forward years later to June of 2018, when a multi-month planetary dust storm hit the remaining rover, and like its twin, Opportunity was never able to re-establish communication. On February 13th, 2019, NASA officials declared the mission complete with more than 15 years of unplanned exploration—one of the most successful missions in NASA’s history.  

During their time on Mars, the two rovers made incredible discoveries that confirmed that there was once water on the red planet but also that the composition of the surface could have supported life at one point. If you would like to read more about their amazing discoveries, you can visit the program’s website: https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/mission/science/results/

We are proud to have been a part of such a historic mission and encourage you to check out the Goodnight Oppy documentary on Amazon Prime.

It’s a bold claim, “we make the world’s finest power transformers.” We believe this to be true but how does one actually define it? Our definition is the sum of four different categories:

Reliability

While many competitors have adequate failure rates, in crucial applications, even an excellent failure rate isn’t an option. This is where Pacific Transformers earned its reputation. Over the years, our team developed a mature Quality Management System which has been examined and approved by various government & regulatory agencies and manufacturer-hired inspectors. As a result, our transformers have been integrated into US Military weapons systems, powering life-dependent medical devices, and roaming space in various satellites and NASA endeavors. And this sort of scrutiny isn’t just for mission-critical applications either. We go the extra mile and include 100% electrical testing & 100% final inspection, standard on every order.

Speed

One area we have worked hard to set a new benchmark in the industry is in turnaround times throughout all customer touchpoints. That means custom designs and quotes in under 48 hours, prototypes in days and full production runs in no more than two weeks. 

Flexibility

Our definition of flexibility comes in many different forms:

1. Design: The line we are famous for is, “it isn’t impossible unless we told you it was.” So often our engineers have come up with solutions where others have said it couldn’t be done. Our engineers have developed solutions for seemingly impossible restraints.
2. Just-in-Time Solutions: Does your organization use a JIT production model? No problem—we can manufacture, stock, and deliver products at any interval needed. 
3. Manufacturing Facilities: Having multiple facilities strategically located throughout the globe affords us tremendous flexibility in speed, cost, and international risk mitigation. For instance, we can design and prototype products in California for rapid turnaround times and produce your production run in China. Should an issue arise such as a dock strike or natural disaster, we can manufacture your job in a different location for the same cost and deliver on time without you knowing the wiser (and yes, it has happened before). 

 

Affordability

We have always strived to provide our customers with reliable products, delivered on time for a cost that rivals offshore production. How do we do it? As mentioned above, we can leverage a combination of our facilities in the US, Mexico, China, and Thailand, our extensive engineering experience, and our vast buying power. 

At the end of the day, when you add it all up, we think you’d be hard-pressed to find a better-built transformer but…we may be a bit biased.

FARMINGTON, Conn. October 13, 2022—Pacific Transformer has received a 2022 Supplier Award from Otis (NYSE: OTIS), the world’s leading company for elevator and escalator manufacturing, installation and service.

The award was presented Oct. 13 during Otis’ first-ever global Supplier Conference, a virtual event to convene Otis supplier partners from around the world to share key priorities, business developments, and product updates. Pacific Transformer won the award in Global Supplier Collaboration & Partnership category based on its exceptional performance and commitment to delivering world-class products and services.

As part of the global event, Otis awarded 11 Supplier Awards in categories including safety, logistics, mechanical, electrical, subcontracting, innovation and collaboration to recognize suppliers who share Otis’ commitment to delivering outstanding products and services that delight customers.

“At Otis, we give people freedom to connect and thrive in a taller, faster, smarter world. Alongside our 68,000 colleagues are a network of suppliers that join us in this goal,” said Todd Glance, Otis Executive Vice President of Operations. “We are thrilled to host this conference so we may continue to encourage and drive innovation among our partners, enhance best-in-class product and service delivery and share updates on our new supplier programs so we can all work better together.”

“We are thrilled to have been recognized by Otis —a global brand synonymous with excellence in manufacturing, reliability, and safety. Our team has always aimed to go a step beyond and partner with our customers to engineer solutions that can enhance their product and/or bottom line,” said Justin Richardson, Pacific Transformer’s Chief Financial Officer. “This award is a testament to our tremendous staff at Pacific Transformer who continuously strive to be industry leaders in all aspects of the customer experience from intake to delivery.”

As an Otis supplier, Pacific Transformer is committed and holds our company accountable to ensuring the integrity of the business relationship in alignment with the Otis Absolutes of Safety, Ethics and Quality. To learn more about becoming an Otis supplier, visit https://www.otis.com/en/us/our-company/suppliers

About Otis
Otis is the world’s leading elevator and escalator manufacturing, installation and service company. We move 2 billion people a day and maintain more than 2.1 million customer units worldwide, the industry’s largest Service portfolio. Headquartered in Connecticut, USA, Otis is 68,000 people strong, including 41,000 field professionals, all committed to meeting the diverse needs of our customers and passengers in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. To learn more, visit www.otis.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @OtisElevatorCo.

Press contact: Ed Jacovino, edward.jacovino@otis.com, +1 860-348-6644.

In recent years there has been a sizable shift toward the use of green energy with many governments around the world mandating the increased production of renewable energy to fight climate change. Solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, and tidal energy have been expanding exponentially and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Even though the topic has come to the forefront recently, it has been a significant part of our business for nearly four decades. During that time, we have been fortunate enough to be involved in innovative projects that have advanced green technology from R&D projects to mass production.

A solar power system is a critical component of any sustainable energy strategy. The system converts sunlight into electrical energy that can be used to power homes and businesses. The key components of a solar power system include inverters and solar panels. Inverters convert the DC current produced by solar panels into AC current that can be used by appliances and electronic devices. In any solar installation, you have two options: micro-inverters and central inverters—both of which convert direct current (DC) into alternating current (AC). Micro-inverters are installed behind each solar panel, while a central inverter is installed at the array’s power center. Our team helped develop the first solar micro-inverters using small ferrite transformers and high-frequency inductors. Micro-inverters offer more flexibility, as each panel can be individually optimized. This can result in higher energy output, as panels can be adjusted to account for shading and other factors.

Wind turbines are a vital part of the effort to generate renewable energy. By harnessing the power of the wind, they provide a clean and sustainable source of electricity. However, turbines only operate at peak efficiency when all of their components are working properly. Transformers are one of the most critical components of a turbine, as they control the flow of electricity between the turbine and the grid. In order to function properly, transformers must be able to withstand extreme weather conditions and vibrations. As a result, they are typically housed in rugged, weatherproof enclosures, and must be robust—something we are highly experienced with as our products are regularly flown to space where they need to withstand the punishment of a rocket launch then perform in an incredibly inhospitable environment.

In the automotive industry, we have designed and built high-current transformers and inductors on fuel cell applications. Fuel cell vehicles are powered by electric motors, which are themselves powered by transformers and inductors. The transformers transform the chemical energy generated by the fuel stack, electrolyzer and hydrogen into electrical energy, while the inductors convert the electrical energy into mechanical energy.

Much like the fuel cell vehicles, the transformers in battery electric vehicles are also critical as they are responsible for converting the high-voltage direct current (DC) from the battery into the low-voltage alternating current (AC) that is used to power the electric motor. The DC voltage from a car battery can be as high as 1000 volts, whereas the AC voltage from a transformer is typically only around 115 volts. This means that transformers must be designed to handle large amounts of power without overheating or becoming damaged. Additionally, an electric vehicle also needs to be able to charge by way of a standard AC outlet which again, needs another transformer to convert the electricity to DC so the batteries can store it. Our work on EVs is extensive with all major manufacturers as customers—a few which consider us key design partners.

On the EV changing side, a recent study showed there were over 21,000 public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in the United States. California alone had over 8,000 stations, while Texas had just over 3,000. The majority of these stations were Level 2 chargers, which can charge an EV in 3-8 hours. There are also a growing number of Level 3 chargers, which can charge an EV in 30-60 minutes. Tesla has the largest network of fast-charging stations, with over 1,600 Superchargers across the country which are all equipped with components manufactured by Pacific Transformer.

As the world continues its push towards more green energy, one of our goals for the next decade is to continue to lead the charge by assisting companies in pioneering innovative renewable solutions and supplying them with reliable world-class components that we have become well-known for.

Many of our posts talk about high-profile projects that fly in space, power iconic recording equipment, or are the lifeblood of critical medical applications. These highly specialized high-profile products usually need a custom-designed solution to which our engineers answer the call. However, a good portion of what we produce resides in everyday items that need a reliable, high-quality transformer without major constraints that may not need a custom design.

With over 40 million parts shipped over the 40+ years we have been in business, we have designed thousands of common parts which we have made available in our online parts catalog for customers who know exactly what they need. From various inductors, and low-profile transformers to PCB-mounted international transformers, our catalog has over 1000 pre-designed parts that can be produced in any quantity needed at any of our four manufacturing facilities around the world with the same quality control standards and manufacturing procedures that our custom, high-profile parts are produced with.

However, there are some scenarios where a catalog part can be more costly than custom. For instance, if you were to purchase an off-the-shelf toroid because it best suits your space and power requirements, the nature of manufacturing a toroid makes it far more expensive than a traditional transformer. That said, with advanced materials, we have been able to generate equivalent power densities that allow us to design an optimally sized traditional transformer with significant savings.

Sometimes one of our catalog parts will perfectly suit your needs and other times, a custom part is the only solution. Either way, our engineers are here to support you and your project and are happy to recommend the most effective solution for your exact application.

We have had the tremendous opportunity to manufacture magnetics for some truly revolutionary projects/products. Our work on drones, satellites, the Mars Rover, EVs, and medical implants are some of the highlights that come to mind. This year, we were able to add another equally exciting project to the list — the James Webb Space Telescope.

The James Webb Space Telescope’s revolutionary technology will study every phase of cosmic history—from within our solar system to the most distant observable galaxies in the early universe. Webb’s infrared telescope will explore a wide range of science questions to help us understand the origins of the universe and our place in it.

Webb will also be a powerful tool for studying the nearby universe. Scientists will use Webb to study planets and other bodies in our solar system to determine their origin and evolution and compare them with exoplanets, planets that orbit other stars.

Webb is NASA’s largest and most powerful space science telescope ever constructed. Webb’s enormous size and frigid operating temperature present extraordinary engineering challenges. After launching from French Guiana, the observatory traveled to an orbit about one million miles away from Earth and underwent six months of commissioning in space—unfolding its mirrors, sunshield, and other smaller systems; cooling down; aligning; and calibrating.

This month, the very first images from the telescope were captured and it did not disappoint.

This is just the beginning of what we hope is a long, fruitful mission and we are thrilled to have a small part in it.