Isidor Buchmann is the founder and CEO of Cadex Electronics Inc. He also created www.BatteryUniversity.com.
Fascinated with electronics during his school years, Isidor built a broadcast radio that ran with no power — it required only an antenna and a ground wire (no battery needed). During his apprenticeship, he invented a fuel-powered engine based on continuous combustion. Felix Wankel, the inventor of the Wankel Rotary Engine, reviewed the drawings and theory of operation and replied that while the design was indeed unique and original, manufacturing would be too expensive for commercialization.
After graduation, Isidor left the farm in Switzerland where he grew up and immigrated to Canada to pursue a career in electronics. When the anticipated job opportunities did not materialize as expected, he pooled his savings and started his a company. In a small room at his house he worked on product developments long into the night while raising a large family.
Isidor envisioned the business model while working at General Electric. NiCd batteries caused many failures, and while repairing two-way radios he discovered a way to rejuvenate them. He developed a battery analyzer that featured the proprietary “recondition” program. To prevent a conflict of interest, Isidor quit his job at GE to devote his full time to the company. The early 1980s were challenging but with perseverance, Cadex eventually flourished.
Isidor knew early on that manufacturing battery analyzers to reverse “memory” had a limited market, and in 2000 Cadex he began researching battery rapid testing. The development secured several key patents and established a leading position for Cadex in the field of advanced battery analysis.
Realizing the growing importance of batteries and the need for practical hands-on battery knowledge, Isidor began writing articles that appeared in over 200 trade magazines. He earned a writer’s award and many articles were translated for global publication. As founder of Cadex, Isidor had the opportunity to present his papers at conferences around the world.
Isidor’s first book entitled Batteries in a Portable World: A Handbook on Rechargeable Batteries for Non-Engineers was published in 1997. He added new material and released the second edition in 2001. When associates asked him to update the information, Isidor obliged and the third edition was published in 2011.
Isidor wanted to share his battery knowledge and he condensed Batteries in a Portable World into short, easy-to-read essays for web use. Today, www.BatteryUniversity.com is an important teaching tool for engineers, academia, media and ordinary battery users. Available since January 2003 and continuously updated, the website addresses battery chemistries, discovers best choice of batteries for a given application, and suggests ways to make them last longer. Isidor is the father of five grown children and lives in the Vancouver suburb of Burnaby.
Isidor and his team at Cadex welcome your questions about batteries and suggestions for BatteryUniversity.com. We can be reached at answers@cadex.com.
