Four decades can seem like a long time for anything. But when it’s broken into chunks of time with milestone after incredible milestone, the sand seems to flow through the hourglass very quickly. At Midtronics, there’s never been a shortage of breakthroughs, each one contributing to what the company is today.
There are hurdles like becoming a global leader, establishing a headquarters that staffs hundreds of the hardest working people, and more. Midtronics founder and CEO, Steve McShane, takes us through seven of the most notable milestones in the company’s history.
Collaborating with Inventor Keith Champlin
The early years were a time of discovery and innovation like none other, and Steve sought a more accurate and safe method to check battery health. Load testing is a strain on the battery and causes excessive discharge, and a better solution was out there.
Steve recruited Keith Champlin from the University of Minnesota in 1985 to essentially be the R&D department for Midtronics. What he came up with began to revolutionize battery testing technology.
Steve says, “In stark contrast to the load tester, our first Midtronics product, aptly named the PowerSensor, utilized conductance technology developed by Dr. Keith Champlin. This technology formed the foundation of our early battery testing products, and Keith served as my design and engineering department during Midtronics’ initial stages.
“Conductance technology, a revolutionary concept at the time, allowed our product to measure the battery’s internal conductance by applying a small voltage signal across it. This was achieved using Kelvin connectors, employing dual leads for voltage and current detection, and then analyzing the resulting current signal. Our product was able to accurately calculate the battery’s power, which is directly correlated to its CCA at the time of testing. Keith had discovered that the output signal responded proportionally to the power within the battery and believed fervently that a product utilizing this technology could revolutionize battery testing. The beauty of our product lay in its simplicity, repeatability, non-discharging testing process, and provision of readings in the battery’s rated unit of measure.”
This development became pivotal for the following decades at Midtronics.
Inroads at Ford’s Essential Tool Program
Breaking into the automotive industry with a new product had proved to be a larger challenge than anticipated, but a persistent Steve McShane would eventually accomplish it.
After initially being rejected for Ford’s Rotunda catalog of essential tools, Steve worked with Ford’s engineer, Karl Keckan who was trying to solve persistent battery problems. Using feedback and data from Karl, the PowerSensor product was tweaked and improved.
Steve recalls, “Working with Ford, we were able to gradually adjust the algorithm to provide Ford with the best possible test results and create the product Ford would eventually place as an essential tool in all its American and Canadian dealers. Our Ford deployment in 1994 was the industry’s first essential battery testing tool.”
Releasing the MicroPro Tester
One of the industry’s biggest breakthroughs for battery testing came in 1996. The digital battery tester, the MicroPro was released, and it was the foundation for the ubiquitous Micro tester in the 1990s. It’s what gave Midtronics a leap forward and changed how batteries are tested.
“The Micro proved to be a game-changer, revolutionizing the battery tester industry in the 1990s and catapulting Midtronics to prominence. Its success was such that within a decade, we had secured essential tool contracts with nearly all major OEMs globally, delivering remarkable solutions that addressed each of their specific needs.”
Mastering EV and Hybrid Products
When Midtronics started, the idea of mainstream EVs and hybrids was on the same level as the Jetsons. However, decades later, Midtronics is a leader in battery health far beyond just 12-volt starting batteries, but high-voltage testing and diagnostic systems too.
“We also realized that advancing our position as a supplier to the EV makers created a fertile pathway to growth, as every EV or hybrid utilizes 12-volt batteries that are designed for a different duty than the cranking batteries in traditional vehicles. The introduction of the high volt battery systems in the early 2000s induced curiosity and expanded opportunities as we bought our first hybrid vehicle and started to learn about service needs.
“Our innovations are already used by 15 of the global EV and hybrid automotive OEMs who have purchased our module balancers, rescue chargers and pack dischargers for use in the service of these vehicles. Increasingly, these OEMs are turning to Midtronics to help mold the future of EVs and hybrid service including capacity state of health analysis and safety testing.”
Today, Midtronics in the lead in service equipment for xEV service, starting with the HYB tester, the GRX high voltage service products and then the xMB, xRC and xPD products for specific dealer service applications
Developing MDX-AI
Most recently, Midtronics has forged forward with battery testing and diagnostics with the latest technology – artificial intelligence and machine learning. MDX-AI is the foundation of the newest generation of equipment, using advancements that might’ve been only in the realm of science fiction when the company was founded.
Steve says of MDX-AI, “In 2023, we started to promote the culmination of our experience, expertise, and innovation, what we called our applied innovation, into the first products that use machine learning and artificial intelligence. MDX-AI was first presented with the announcement of our next-generation diagnostic tester we called the MVT. The use of this technology makes battery diagnostics faster, more decisive, and more accurate than existing tools today and uses the insight we have gained from over a hundred million tests stored on our web server.
“Harnessing almost four decades of experience, expertise, and innovation, MDX-AI solves previously unsolvable problems in battery management, supplying battery service providers with a new source of growth for their battery business. It also helps ensure customers are never stranded because of misdiagnosis of a defective battery. “
More Innovations to Come
These are just a handful of the most notable innovations and milestones to come from the leader in battery testing, diagnostics, and charging. And with an incredibly bright team backed with 40 years of experience, the future at Midtronics is extremely bright. Keep an eye out for more breakthroughs.
