Montville, NJ (October 25, 2017) – Marotta Controls is pleased to announce that the U.S Patent and Trademark Office has awarded a utility patent to principal electronics engineer, Joseph Youssef, for his breakthrough technology in AC-DC Power Conversion. This revolutionary circuit solution, known as 1-STEP, converts AC input power to DC output power in a single, simplified conversion step. 1-STEP affords power systems designers the opportunity to reduce weight, cost and risk across a wide-range of commercial and military applications.
In recent years Marotta has become a leading supplier of military-grade power supplies and power conversion technologies, winning a number of strategic programs for some of the most technically challenging aerospace and weapons platforms today.
In reviewing 3-phase AC to DC conversion requirements for these programs, Marotta’s electronics engineering team concluded that conventional solutions did not meet customer expectations for high performance and high density with affordability.One of the most commonly used conversion methods, the Auto Transformer Rectifier Unit (ATRU), satisfies electrical requirements but is not optimal in terms of weight and cost. Where regulation and isolation are required, separate and complex active power factor corrected (APFC) circuits increase cost and complexity and reduce power density. An increase in 3-phase AC-DC conversion opportunities requiring lighter and more cost effective solutions inspired Joseph Youssef to take on the technical challenge himself.

Youssef, a 10-year Marotta veteran with a BS and MS in electrical engineering, built a small electronics lab at home to engineer a system to convert AC-DC power in one step. “I found it very surprising that there was only one available 3-phase AC-DC conversion option for what I believed would have been a relatively simple process,” Youssef stated. “I saw this as a great opportunity to develop an enabling technology to both eliminate dependency on a single method as well as a chance to enhance our power conversion capabilities with improved performance.” After one year of research, design and test, Youssef successfully created an innovative solution aptly named 1-STEP AC-DC Power Conversion. Joseph Youssef, 1-STEP AC-DC Power Conversion Inventor

1-STEP’s circuitry solution achieves 3-phase active power factor correction, electrical isolation and output regulation in an unprecedented single conversion step. The simplified topology of this circuitry solution reduces component count resulting in a lighter, more power efficient system.
“1-STEP’s significant technical advantages are three-fold,” says Steve Fox, chief technology officer of Marotta Controls. “This unique circuit solution is inherently smaller, lighter and less costly than existing Active Power Factor Rectifiers. 1-STEP is a fully-scalable technology that can be integrated into a broad range of applications in both military and commercial platforms.”
1-STEP has been successfully qualified for a major aerospace program and is currently in production.
Click here to learn more about 1-STEP AC-DC Power Conversion >>
About Marotta Controls
Founded in 1943, Marotta Controls is a fully integrated solutions provider which designs, develops, qualifies and manufactures innovative systems and sub-systems for the aerospace and defense sectors. Our portfolio includes pressure, power, motion, fluid, and electronic controls for weapon systems, shipboard and sub-sea applications, satellites, launch vehicles, and aircraft systems.  With over 200 patents, Marotta Controls continues to build on its legacy as a highly respected, family-owned small business based in the state of New Jersey.

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