Abstract
Relays and contactors are literally all around us. Few know
that these workhorse switches have a secret … namely, that
few designers, technicians and engineers truly understand the
destructive contact current arcing that occurs inside these
devices. They are aware of the results of this arcing, however,
and endeavor to address the problems with a wide variety of
means. True understanding of the contact current arcing, can
lead to better solutions. This presentation discusses the arc
itself, and why it is so destructive … and also why the
hundreds of devices, components, as well as ever larger,
heavier and more expensive contactors have only limited
efficacy in containing the arcing problem.

Speaker’s Biography
Reinhold Henke is a seasoned, German‐trained
Electrical/Electronics Engineer backed by over 30 years of
professional product design, development and management
expertise. He is currently Chief Technical Officer for Arc
Suppression Technologies, a venture he co‐founded to
commercialize the ultimate solution to contact arcing. In
addition, Reinhold is a topnotch engineering consultant,
offering ad hoc engineering design and development services
to medical device companies.
Reinhold's professional experience spans three multi‐national
corporations as well as several start‐up companies. His
accomplished career covers product design and development
of high‐tech collateral for the industrial, commercial,
consumer, medical and military industries. He is inventor/coinventor
of over 55 US and international patents. Several of
his patents represent true "world's first" breakthroughs, and
have generated revenue streams exceeding a billion dollars
for his patent assignees.