# Ep. 45 | The "Ideal Switch"? GE's Spinoff, Menlo Micro, Looks to Disrupt the Power Industry

- Show: [Moore's Lobby](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby)
- Published: 2022-05-10
- Length: 56m
- Episode: 5
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2022-05-10-ep-45-the-ideal-switch-ges-spinoff-menlo-micro-looks-to-disrupt-the-power-indust
- Listen: https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/podcast/ep-45-the-ideal-switch-ges-spinoff-menlo-micro-looks-to-disrupt-the-power-industry

## Summary

Chris Keimel, CTO and co-founder of Menlo Micro, explains the development of the 'Ideal Switch,' a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) relay that originated from a decade-long research effort at GE Global Research Center. He details the material science innovations, such as specialized alloys and glass substrates, that allowed the team to overcome early failures where relays were 'blowing up' under power loads. Keimel describes the decision to spin out from GE in 2016 to commercialize the technology, focusing on scaling production and achieving the 'rule of 99' for efficiency in both RF and power applications.

## Chapters

- [0:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2022-05-10-ep-45-the-ideal-switch-ges-spinoff-menlo-micro-looks-to-disrupt-the-power-indust#t=1) Introduction and Career Origins
- [6:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2022-05-10-ep-45-the-ideal-switch-ges-spinoff-menlo-micro-looks-to-disrupt-the-power-indust#t=398) MEMS Technology and Material Science
- [9:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2022-05-10-ep-45-the-ideal-switch-ges-spinoff-menlo-micro-looks-to-disrupt-the-power-indust#t=580) Early GE Research and Failure Analysis
- [25:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2022-05-10-ep-45-the-ideal-switch-ges-spinoff-menlo-micro-looks-to-disrupt-the-power-indust#t=1530) Scaling Voltage and the 'Orchestra' of Design
- [33:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2022-05-10-ep-45-the-ideal-switch-ges-spinoff-menlo-micro-looks-to-disrupt-the-power-indust#t=2010) Spinout from GE and Building Menlo Micro
- [39:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2022-05-10-ep-45-the-ideal-switch-ges-spinoff-menlo-micro-looks-to-disrupt-the-power-indust#t=2359) Commercialization, Efficiency, and Future Vision

## Topics

- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)
- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Menlo Micro (company)
- General Electric (company)
- Corning (company)
- MEMS (product)
- Ideal Switch (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Gnomic Gazumping Gobemouche](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2012-05-07-gnomic-gazumping-gobemouche) (The Amp Hour)
- [Electronica 24: Mo Mirvakili's Journey from Bathroom Lab to Breakthrough Technology](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-01-20-electronica-24-mo-mirvakilis-journey-from-bathroom-lab-to-breakthrough-technolog) (EMS@C-LEVEL)
- [Ep 313: Capacitor Plague, Wireless Power, and Tiny Everything](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-03-21-ep-313-capacitor-plague-wireless-power-and-tiny-everything-b56cece1) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [Ep 313: Capacitor Plague, Wireless Power, and Tiny Everything](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-03-21-ep-313-capacitor-plague-wireless-power-and-tiny-everything) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [Not Reely An Issue](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-11-13-not-reely-an-issue) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

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