Quadratic converters have the voltage conversion ratios of two cascaded converters, but with fewer switches. They are not widely used, however, because they are generally less efficient than other converter types, but they can be useful for certain applications. In this paper, the characteristics of quadratic converters are explained, several examples of where they can be used in industrial applications are given, and a new three-phase converter that has been derived from quadratic conversion principles is presented. The feasibility of the new converter is confirmed with results obtained from an experimental prototype.