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Energy transition: searching for skills

The presence of electronic and electromechanical components in machinery, and therefore in industrial processes, has been rising for some time now in manifold sectors and its growth goes on hand in hand with 4.0 systems. To comply with the trend, it is necessary to create a new generation of skilled professionals

Not only transports: the manufacturing industry in general is concerned by the increasingly massive presence of motors and drives that exploit electric energy instead of the more conventional hydraulic and pneumatic systems.
Besides, it is common opinion that the higher electrification of manufacturing activities or of the building sector might lead – as calculated by Bloomberg NEF in a recent report – to the 60% decrease of greenhouse-effect gases by the half of the century.
Certainly, as highlighted by Enel and Turin Polytechnics in a research presented last December, the secret resides in the will and capability of the various stakeholders of giving birth to an integrated strategy.
What, in other words, the energy provider and the University identify with the expression, the triangle of electricity, at whose vertices we can find renewables, electrification of final consumptions and efficiency of digitalized networks.
Expectations are high: the study estimates that within the next biennium the above-mentioned renewables can represent almost half of total provisioning sources (48%) while from now to 2050 the consumption electrification should reach percentages by 42, 41 and 53% respectively in the ambits of general industry, mobility and residential.
Irrespective of the future possible scenarios, the irremissible matter is that skills are needed to manage them.
And they are not the manifold innovative skills that have been a topical theme since the dawn of Industry 4.0.
The dear old electrotechnics is instead at stake, implemented and refined by a degree in electronic engineering that is in itself synonym of certain employment.
This is the belief – and we will see it hereunder – of the secretary of ANIE Automation and ANIE Energy Marco Vecchio, who however started from other reflections for his interview with Electric Motor Engineering.

Different requirements in the various sectors
«We monitor», Vecchio stated, «the electrification process in mechanics and mechatronics, that is to say how products of this kind converge then into chains like machine manufacturing.

Marco Vecchio, secretary of ANIE Automation and ANIE Energy

It is an indicator of the trends that enliven the transition from hydraulics to electrical-electromechanical.
From 2013 to 2019, the percentage of electromechanical and electronic components increased by 7% yearly versus the value of machines themselves, also due to the contribution of drives and motors.
For some applications, electromechanics assures more efficiency than hydraulics but this does not mean it is the absolute best option.
It depends on application sectors and fields. In the future, electro-hydraulics grants more energy efficiency and durability, as well as controllability inside a supply chain.
However, it is more correct to say that if in some cases electromechanics is winning, hydraulics and hydraulics-pneumatics is the winner elsewhere».
For instance, «where remarkable performances are imposed – I think of machinery and packaging with their requisites of motion control that mandatorily need a significant contribution by electronics» then «we can affirm the automation injection has quintupled in the around last ten years».
On the contrary, traditional mechanics is still the privileged choice for more basic operations and fields, such as woodworking and textile.
Concerning environmental impacts and consumptions, Marco opportunely preferred making some distinctions.
«There is efficiency enhancement, he pointed out, «and this implies a lower energy demand, although basically electric motors have some of the highest consumptions, no matter what their application field is, from white goods to automotive».

A matter of class
Their subdivision into categories by requirements, the assignment of a precise energy class also to drives and inverters, is one of the aspects at which associations like ANIE have worked in collaboration with institutions. This has resulted in a regulation on eco-drives that will come into force since next July (2021/341).
«In cascade», the number one of ANIE Automation and ANIE Energy added, «we expect regulations about pumps and other parts and on their efficiency, to be read according to a vision of systemic approach and not just for the single component».
Regarding renewables and the European New Green Deal, Vecchio is cautious: «What is contained in the national recovery and resiliency Plan about the green source theme is important.
Nevertheless, the problem is that to concretize the goal of the national Climate-energy Plan, the installation of renewables should increase by six times yearly from now onwards.
We unceasingly dialogue with institutions also in this field, in the attempt of overcoming the hindrances of the well-known NIMBY effect».
The shift to green in its turn needs competences. Therefore, developing them becomes fundamental for the Country system, as well as for the players engaged in various capacities in the energy sector.
An investigation about employment carried out in 2020 revealed that among the 121 students who in 2018 graduated in Electric Engineering at Milan Polytechnics the employment rate was by 96% one year after the degree; in 90% of cases within six months and prevailingly (70%) with permanent contracts.
Commenting the statistics, Vecchio had specified that «electrotechnics should be among the primary choices for a young graduate who approaches University», while «data coming from Italian Universities and associated companies highlight that finding human resources on the market with these skills is instead very difficult».
After some time, the opinion has not changed.
«We are dealing with an important energy and industrial evolution», Vecchio stated, «and we need professionals who can manage it. Digital is strategic and very topical; the so-called soft skills are essential, but if it is true that complexities rise, it is as true that we need people who can face all-round complexities and be problem solving. New professionalisms are precious, provided that we do not forget the tradition of electrotechnics, which has its own specialties, problems and peculiarities. To put it in a joke», he ended, «the knowledge of digital technologies is indispensable but also the acquaintance with a transformer».
(by Roberto Carminati)

Innovation in the rotor cooling: here is the new motor by Energica

Acronym of Energica Mavel co-engineering, the new EMCE motor will be exclusively used on the whole Energica range. The two protagonist companies are Energica Motor Company and Mavel, a research, development and production company specialized in the powertrain ambit that is headquartered at Point-saint-martin, in Valle D’Aosta (Italy).
The company collaborates with primary OEM on a world scale in the automotive industry, but with Energica it makes its début in the two-wheel sector, therefore it has helped Emilia player in improving the motor performances.
The new EMCE contains innovative geometries of rotors and stators that minimize energy losses and maximize performances. The uniformity of the delivered torque and the weight optimization improve the power density and the torque of the motor and permit the optimization of manufacturing processes. Moreover, an innovative patented rotor cooling can generate an internal airflow that touches magnets and cools them, permitting the motor to exploits its potentialities also at high speeds. Furthermore, some adaptive control algorithms assure the inverter can always make the system work in the most efficient possible way. Due to the new EMCE motor with power peak at 126 kW, with 8500 rpm and liquid cooling that grants the highest performances, Energica range is lightened by 10 kg, with relative autonomy rise that ranges from 5 to 10%.
«Innovation – declared Giampiero Testoni, CTO of Energica Motor Company Spa
is the main core of our technical department that, together with Mavel, has found the right collaboration to go even beyond the limits of the current technology, further improving an already highly performing product. The progress is what leads us to look further, to full advantage of our final customers. We are proud of setting a new important technological progress in the Electric Valley that, day by day, we are implementing with so much commitment and passion».
The witness by Davide Bettoni, CEO of Mavel, is as enthusiastic: «I believe in the collaboration between Energica and Mavel because they are two companies projected towards the future, with complementary technologies and converging visions. I am also proud that two realities like ours, which invest in people, contribute in supporting a future of modernity and development for our Country».

Stellantis stakes on Italy, next step the gigafactory in Termoli

On the occasion of the recent EV 2021 Day event, Stellantis has announced that in Termoli (Molise, Italy), it will be built the third gigafactory in Europe, after those in France and in Germany. It is at stake the conversion of FCA production plant in Molise, established in 1972 and specialized in the production of motors and transmissions. The mission of the factory, which employs 2500 workers and takes up an area of 1.2 million square metres, will be producing batteries.
The young Group’s investment will amount to over 30 billion Euros by 2025 in electrification and software. «The target of Stellantis – stated the CEO Carlos Tavares – is that electrified vehicles succeed in representing over 70% of sales in Europe and more than 40% of those in the United States within 2030. Besides, in the future of Stellantis there are four platforms for electric ones and also sound-state batteries. The requirements of batteries and components for EV by Stellantis will be satisfied by five gigafactories in all and the plant in Termoli represents a consistent choice in the context of the course of Stellantis, which is supporting the energy transition of all of its Italian industrial sites, with the aim of assuring their sustainability through the improvement of their performances and to make the Country play a strategic role among the primary domestic markets of the Group.

Green cars grow by 90%

The Focus of Anfia Study and Statistics Area on the market of alternative power supply cars in EU-Eft (International Association composed by Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland), highlighted a notable growth of alternative power supply vehicles in the first 2021-quarter.
Overall, 1,046,560 hybrid and electric cars were registered, representing over one third of the market (34%), volumes doubled compared to the same period of 2020, when they were 542,000, with the 17.7% share.
More than 3 millions were the new registrations in all, in line with the volumes of the first 2020-quarter (+0.5%).
Compared to one year ago, petrol cars diminished by 19.1% and diesel ones decreased by 23.4%. On the whole, instead, the cars with alternative power supply grew by 90%.
In detail, Phev scored the most significant growth (+154%), followed by standard hybrid (+90%) and by battery electric (+55%). Natural gas cars are the only vehicles with low emissions that decreased versus 2020 (-11.3%), but they constitute a very marginal part of the market (0.5% of the market.

United Kingdom: electric vehicles drive the recovery

The British automotive market has not completely overcome the repercussions of lockdown but in Spring the sales of BEV and plug-in reached record levels. Meanwhile, the growing diffusion of cheaper models leads the Government to review its dedicated incentive programme.

The data concerning the market trend last March, provided by Society of motor manufacturers and traders, SMMT, leave no doubts.
In the United Kingdom, the sales of full-electric and plug-in vehicles represent almost 14% of the total, while in the same period of last year they did not exceed 7.3%.
Reported also by sources such as The Guardian, SMMT has calculated that in such period Her Majesty’s subjects purchased about 22,000 units of battery-powered cars and other 17,000 hybrid models, in the course of a particularly critical year for industry and trade.
At the end of the first quarter, registrations were dropping by 37% versus the average of 450,000 regularly maintained in 2010 and 2019.
Although we have witnessed their upswing (+11%, worth 284,000 new registrations), the losses suffered since the first phases of Covid-19 diffusion were huge indeed, amounting to, in money terms, over 22 billion pounds.
The negative peak was reached in April 2020, when the total sector turnover dropped by even 97%.

Surpassing France

If we look at the e-mobility behaviour along the entire first 2021-quarter, further surprises emerge.
From January to March, about 31.800 BEV were delivered, 7.5% of overall sales: the double of what estimated just twelve months ago.
The exploit has allowed Great Britain, at least in the zero-impact mobility field, to surpass France, where, according to some independent analyses, the threshold of 30.500 units was not overcome.Germany is still distant, with its record share of about 65,000 electric cars marketed in the 90 opening days of the current year, but the step forward is undoubtedly significant and the trend is likely to consolidate.
This is mainly due to Boris Johnson’s decision of undertaking the decarbonization way.
In their turn instead, UK citizens, officially called to give up old diesel or petrol engines by 2030, pose at least some not negligible conditions.

We want columns

Our domestic general press as well has rightly highlighted a survey among consumers that SMMT has commissioned to the specialized company Savanta ComRes, regarding the reasons in favour or against the purchase of an electric vehicle.
It emerged that 37% of interviewees are ready to buy it within 2025, but also that other 44% would willingly delay the shift to 2035.
Finally, 24% would not change their conventional internal combustion engine with a zero emission one.
Undoubtedly, higher prices weigh (52%) but also the scarce presence of recharge stations on the territory (44%) that goes hand in hand with the fear of remaining on foot during longer journeys (38%).
Not fortuitously, the numerical increment of charging stations is one of the demands addressed to Downing Street by manufacturers and induced activities in recent times, estimating in 16.7 billion pounds (equal to over 18.5 billion Euros) the necessary investments for the creation of a really satisfactory network, spread in sufficiently capillary way.

Spending or not spending: this is the dilemma

A real enterprise, we daresay, considering that in the current year’s spring we could count fewer than 19.500 columns in operation whereas at least 1.7 million would be necessary by 2030 to hit the challenging target of 2.8 million five years later.
To achieve that, we should activate as many as 507 recharge places a day during next fifteen years.
Going back to the Society of motor manufacturers and traders, among the desiderata submitted to the premier there is also the restoration of the bonus for the purchase of those hybrid plug-in that on one hand assure undisputable environmental sustainability advantages and on the other hand grant more certainties in autonomy and mileage.
However, precisely in the incentive matter, Johnson’s executive seems to have triggered a partial reverse.
The essential idea is that nowadays the offer of models with retail cost under 35,000 pounds has widened by over 50% and therefore the concessions that previously concerned the tariff range between 35 and 50,000 can be eliminated.
Still in force instead – the provision is dated March 18th – the incentives in favour of those who intend to shift to hybrid or electric under 35,000 pounds, although decreased from 3,000 to 2,500 pounds.

It is a Country for start-ups

According to what reported by specialized British sites, the Government believes that the owners of sufficient resources for a high-end four wheels do not need a subsidy from taxpayers.
Beyond the respective price lists, it is sure that in the UK panorama the proposal of green vehicles is becoming richer, due also to the aggressive entry into the arena of some ambitious start-ups.
Among them, undoubtedly stands out the London Arrival, headed by the founder and CEO Denis Sverdlov, with a recent début at NASDAQ with an estimate worth 13.6 billion dollars, the highest than ever for a British debutant at the New York Stock Exchange.
1,800 employees spread in Great Britain, United States and Germany, next summer and winter it has planned the first road tests – and with passengers on board – of its electric buses and vans.
What more matters and more attracts investors is its business paradigm made up of highly scalable and flexible factories, close to potential customers; and of technologies and components fully in-house designed and manufactured.
A strategy that should aid it in decreasing manufacturing costs by 30%, and in approaching the market with an aggressive proposal.
Therefore, suiting a scenario where the competition in e-mobility is intensifying.
(by Giuseppe Fazio)

Marelli, a stronger and stronger presence in China

In the ambit of the new integrated footprint, Marelli has a significant presence in China, with 22 manufacturing sites and 8 Research and Development centres in 15 cities.
With over 6,000 workers, who represent 10% of Marelli manpower, and with a rising portfolio of customers due to the organic growth of the company and of its nine joint ventures in this Country, China constitutes for Marelli the most important market for the future development.
A key element that mirrors China’ priorities is Marelli’s share in the carbon neutrality through its technologies.
In this vision, the first element concerns electrification, key element of Marelli’s technological strategy, with combined competences concerning electric motors and thermal systems.
Concerning this, Marelli’s strategy is based on an integrated offer of complete solutions able to control and to optimize efficiently the whole energy flow in electric vehicles.
Among top products of the Business Unit Electric Powertrain there is e-Axle, which integrates inverter, electric motor and gearbox in a single key component.
Speaking of Marelli, anyway, it is worth mentioning its recent R&D novelty: a power electronics module dedicated to applications of electric and hybrid traction in motorsport ambit fully made with silicon carbide technology (SiC) and with a new direct cooling solution.
This forefront system will constitute the base element for even more efficient, compact and lighter inverters.

Is an electric air-taxi about to become reality?

It can reach speeds of 320 nodes (593 km/h) and fly up to 500 nautical miles (926 kilometres) with a single battery charge, plus 45 minutes of IFR reserve.
We are speaking of eFlyer 800, the fully electric aircraft by Bye Aerospace, which can host up to 7 passengers and two pilots.
The French Safran Group is collaborating in the development of the eFlyer 800, for both the propulsion system with its “ENGINeUS” motors and for the “GENeUSGRID” energy management system.
At present, we just know the electric craft will be equipped with two motors and it could be able to fly up to 35,000 feet, the equivalent of 10.6 kilometres.
It seems that Quantum Air is planning an air taxi service precisely with these aircrafts.
«The eFlyer 800 – explains George E. Bye, founder and Ceo of the company – is the first all-electric propulsion technology airplane that achieves twin-turboprop performance and safety with no CO2 and extremely low operating costs. This type of remarkable economy and performance is made possible by the electric propulsion system and advanced battery cell technology that results in significantly higher energy densities».

Boom of electric motors: the demand for minerals is rising

The last report “The role of critical minerals in clean energy transitions”, published by the International Energy Agency (IEA) has highlighted that the necessary energy transition will imply a further stress on material flows for many minerals.
Flows that never stop: the global mining of raw materials has increased by 3.4 times since 1970, rising from 27 to 92 billion tons yearly, with the addition of just 8.6 coming from recycling.
«Data – Fatih Birol, executive director of IEA, explained – show an incumbent gap between the world’s strengthened climatic ambitions and the availability of critical minerals that are essential to implement such ambitions. Challenges are not insurmountable but Governments must give clear indications about how they are transforming their commitments to climate into actions. If not faced, these potential vulnerabilities might make the global progress towards a green energy future slower and more expensive».
Currently, revenues from coal production are ten-time higher than those connected with the protagonist minerals of the energy transition: the real “oil” of the XXI century.
An onshore wind power plant needs nine-times more resources than an electric gas station of similar sizes, the expansion of electric networks requires a huge quantity of copper and aluminium whereas an electric car needs six times the mineral inputs of a conventional car.
The demands by the energy sector for the above-mentioned critical minerals might «increase by up to six times by 2040, depending on the rapidity of Governments’ actions to reduce emissions», and this massive increment in absolute terms will unavoidably influence the rate of the energy transition itself.

Milan Motor Show: the electric way was “born”

For those who are fond of the automotive world’s technology, it is significant the outstanding electric direction of the models presented downtown in Milan on the occasion of Milan Monza Open-Air Motor Show held last weekend, from 10th to 13th June.
The vehicles that underline the boost of the new electrification era include CUPRA Born, presented to the public just on the occasion of the event.
It is the first 100% electric model of the brand, able to guarantee up to 540 km of autonomy, with advanced technological equipment and extremely appealing design.
The 1.4 e-HYBRID 245 CV DSG motor has maximum autonomy of 55 km in purely electric modality and it allows reducing emissions to just 31-35 g/km.
You can choose among 150 HP (110 kW) and 204 HP (150 kW) electric motors that supply energy to rear wheels. If combined with a high-performance lithium-ion battery with a capacity up to 58 kWh, propulsors assure a high autonomy of about 420 km. Moreover, in the e-Boost1 version, CUPRA Born provides even higher performances: the maximum power reaches 231 HP (170 kW), whereas the battery with maximum capacity of 77 kW grants an approximate 540-km autonomy.
Worth highlighting recharge process and times: it is sufficient to connect the model with a 125-kW net for just 7 minutes to reach a sufficient charge to travel for 100 km.
Designed and developed in Barcelona, in Martorell headquarters, CUPRA Born will be produced in Zwickau factory (Germany), and it will be available starting from Autumn 2021.

New magnetic materials for electric motors’ high performances

On June 9th 2021, they talked about Magnetic Materials at the last Electric Motors Talks, the cycle of highly technical events organized by Coiltech and University of L’Aquila, a joint initiative to promote the exchange of expertise between specialists in Coil Winding and related fields.
The event was initially scheduled only in the morning that however, due to companies’ lively interest in reporting their innovations in this ambit, has enlarged the number of speakers, with the addition of an afternoon session, too: a clear limestone of the importance of this theme.
«The improvement of electric motors’ design, to satisfy the stricter and stricter requisites and standards to be reached, needs innovation of processes and of materials. On the other hand – explained Prof. Marco Villani, professor at University of L’Aquila and technical director of Electric Motor Engineering – the machine performance is the driver that guides design and all of its components, magnet materials included, the protagonists of the energy conversion, with spotlights cast precisely on the efficiency matter. High performance requisites of electric motors in the various applications, and especially in automotive, lead to the research of new magnetic materials and of high magnetic and mechanic properties».
The first speaker was Stefano Fortunati – RINA Consulting – Centro Sviluppo Materiali, who spoke of the Next Generation of Electrical Steel grades for Motor Applications, first dealing with the basic features and production quality, glancing at the market and at NGO global production and consumption trends.
The expert explained also Products Quality and its control, main leverages to regulate final magnetic quality. «Main fundamental metallurgical and physical items for the optimization of Magnetic properties of ES are electric resistivity, non-metallic inclusions, grain size distribution, strip thickness, surface layer and crystallographic texture».
The message is clear: motor manufacturers need new solutions and metallurgical solutions are mainly based on texture improvement to increase polarization, surface engineering to reduce core losses and tailored chemical composition and microstructure to achieve best compromise magnetic-mechanical.
Afterwards, the topics were new measurement methods and magnetic characterization about soft magnetic materials. Luca Ferraris, from the Group of Energy Department – Alessandria Campus – of Turin Polytechnics, brought his competence.
«About Soft Magnetic Composites, we can underline the availability of new technologies for the innovative designs in electrical machines and the advantages are improvements of efficiency and machine performance, new design solutions, losses reduction and machine volume reduction.
SMCs offer different advantages with respect to traditional laminated steel: ferromagnetic isotropic behaviour 3D, flexible design and assembly, low eddy currents and cost and weight reduction».
The professor also spoke of the innovative thermographic method and related benefits, such as non-destructive controls on samples or systems, helpful to tune accurate iron losses models and minimum error due to the internal thermal conductance.
The following presentation was delivered by the company Aperam, represented by Thierry Waeckerlé, who focused on Mechanical and magnetic capabilities and also facilitates the production process, especially speaking of advanced iron-cobalt laminations for improved BEV motors.
The highlighted conclusion refers to the AFK lamination solution, especially AFK502, that «increases power density and, in the same time, lowers the current, the energy required. AFK502 Fully-process, a development by Aperam, allows easy shaping, easy-stamping, ability to strictly keep the component shapes after subsequent annealing required to get very high magnetic performances. AFK laminations are industrially available and developments are ongoing to meet requirements of IPM motor for electric drive even better».
The morning of proceeding ended with JĂĽrgen Klinkhammer from Magnet-Physik, who explained the Quality Control of Permanent Magnets and of magnetic measuring technologies with inherent machines such as the electronic fluxmeter and measuring coil and the details of the measuring of the flux with a different coil. The speech involved also the demagnetization curves of permanent magnets.

NEXT APPOINTMENTS OF ELECTRIC MOTORS TALKS
Manufacturing of Electric Motors for the Automotive Industry: cores manufacturing 23/06/2021 10.30-12.00
Manufacturing of Electric Motors for the Automotive Industry: winding and pm 24/06/2021 10.30-12.00
Insulating Materials 07/07/2021 10.30-12.00

The afternoon session was opened by Koen Vervaeke – Magcam who talked about Fast advanced inspection of PM rotors using magnetic field camera scanners, due to his expertise as manufacturer of advanced magnetic field measurement and analysis solutions. The manager explained in detail the magcam technology, specifically the magnetic of the field camera chip, of PM rotor magnetic fields, of cogging torque analysis and of the runout compensation.
Simone Sgarzi, in representation of SPIN, participated again in the Electric Motors Talks, and this time he delivered the report “From theory to practice and vice versa: how Spin nails final performance prediction thanks to its Lab”.
«With the increasing demand for better efficiency and lower sizes for electrical power applications, especially for e-mobility, it has become very important to accurately calculate with accuracy magnetic performance and power losses.
In this presentation we’re going to take a look at the SpinLab and see what’s going on inside it: in this brief tour we’re going to show you some of our measurement instruments and benches, the most requested analyses from our customers and some of the ways we push the envelope towards innovation on this topic».
Moreover, the expert discussed about how taking into account that real material characteristics might drive changes in design, manufacturing processes and expected thermal and mechanical behaviour of your electrical applications.
At the end of the event, they spoke of Fitting B-H hysteresis data in time dependent and frequency domain FEM analyses with Gabriele Rosati from Comsol, who specifically focused on extracting complex effective permeability from magnetic hysteresis data.
«Given magnetic hysteresis dynamics under harmonic excitation, the aim is identifying the best value of complex relative magnetic permeability for describing such dynamics. In the frequency domain in relative permeability is composed by real part accounting mostly for magnetic saturation and imaginary part accounting mostly for cycle losses. Both real and imaginary part have to consider dependency on the magnetic field intensity».

(by Lara Morandotti)

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