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Reassert project for the repair and overhaul of electric motors

The researchers of the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation, IPA, are working side by side with industrial partners to pursue various concepts for the repair, overhaul, and reuse of electric motors, as well as new projects for the circular economy. It is the Reassert project and, more in detail, researchers are collaborating with Schaeffler, the leader company of the consortium, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Bright Testing GmbH, iFAKT GmbH, and Riebesam GmbH & Co. KG to develop innovative methods for the overhauling of electric motors and their reuse in vehicles.
“The innovative strategies of value maintenance offer a significant potential for the reduction of emissions in terms of sustainability. We want to create a closed-circuit system where precious resources are reused to eliminate the dependence on the imports of raw materials and to minimize the mining of raw materials “, affirmed Julian GroĂźe Erdmann, a scientist at Fraunhofer Institute.

The scientist added: “With these strategies, fewer raw materials, such as rare earth, copper, and others, are necessary, perhaps just for spare parts. Project partners define the reuse as the reuse of the whole motor for which all components are dismounted, cleaned, reconditioned, and reassembled. For the recycling of raw materials, we provide for the motor dismounting and for selecting single materials before grinding. Project partners use reference motors in the sector of cars to analyze and select what strategies of value maintenance should be used in a determinate application.
The knowledge collected in the project will be used for the design of new electric motors. The target is developing a motor prototype for the circular economy that can be easily dismounted and on which the four mentioned strategies of value conservation can be applied effortlessly.

An electric vehicle helipad is coming to downtown Manhattan

The major of New York Eric Adams, the president and managing director of the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) Andrew Kimball have recently taken the first steps to implement a hub unique of its kind for sustainable transports and deliveries. It is a helipad in New York, precisely downtown Manhattan (DMH).

This opens the possibility of electric taxis for the transport of passengers from the airport to downtown and of electric drones also for home deliveries. It seems that in less than two years, through drones, it will be possible to decrease the urban traffic and to halve travel times, with the target of reducing the atmospheric pollution. Just think that it would take only 7 minutes to reach Manhattan downtown from the JFK airport in New York. This direction is pursued by United States startups such as Joby Aviation and Volocopter that have started tests for flying taxis for passengers’ transport.

Sicilian students transform a car into electric

The first electric car, fully implemented by students and professors of the Technological Institute Verona Trento of the city was presented by Messina Commune. An old Renault 5 was taken from an abandoned and vandalized wreck and became an electrical jewel thanks to the use of recycled material. The old internal combustion engine was replaced by a DC electric motor directly coupled with the car’s original transmission, maintaining the kinematics. Renewable photovoltaic and wind power sources, as well as innovative batteries, are used: a sophisticated storage system with lithium anode and lithium iron phosphate cathode (LiFePO4), supplied by CNR ITAE to be tested on the vehicle in urban driving regime.

The initiative is framed in the ambit of MEME project – Electric Mobility for Ecosustainable Messina. “Innovation and environment protection. This is represented by this vehicle implemented for the first time in Italy by a scholastic citizen reality. We wish that this initiative may be the first of a long series of projects aimed at promoting an ecologic culture in cities”, declared the major Federico Basile.

“A project that has allowed joining professors’ experience with students’ creativity and enthusiasm, demonstrating how the collaboration among different generations can lead to surprising results. The electric car manufactured represents a concrete solution to decrease the environmental impact and the dependence on fossil fuels, and proves how the school can be a place of education and of innovation for a more sustainable future, besides concretizing in life experiences to be followed for future generations”, the comment by Superintendent Vadalà.

How contrasting shaft current problems

The big player ABB is casting its spotlights on what are shaft currents and how to protect AC motor. Over time, continual arcing within an electric motor will cause damage to the surface of the bearing raceway resulting in vibration and heat, loud operating noises, and eventually motor failure.
Fortunately, there are several practical and easy ways to mitigate shaft current issues. Using proper VFD cables and bearing protection will help protect the life of your motor and driven equipment.
Brush protection rings and insulated bearings are just a few ways to mitigate shaft currents that can harm the motor and equipment. Including these preventive measures will ensure peace of mind and increase the reliability of your inverter duty motor performance.

Hexagon, virtual prototyping to speed up design

The strategic partnership between the Manufacturing Intelligence division of Hexagon and JSOL Corporation aims at speeding up the virtual prototyping process for the powertrain group of electric vehicles.
“As the move towards electrification accelerates, new challenges need to be addressed to improve vehicle performance characteristics, from the component to system level. For example, improvements to noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) performance now require simulation solutions to provide answers at much higher frequency ranges. Our partnership with JSOL solidifies our commitment to serve our existing and new customers in this rapidly evolving market”, are the words by Mahesh Kailasam, general manager of design and engineering at Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division.

“The electrification acceleration in various sectors, like the one of aerospace transports and of automotive, needs the use of simulation technologies to foresee with precision factors such as noise and vibrations, efficiency, duration and thermal management. This solution should be able to capture multi-physical effects in terms of component, subsystem and system.

Another challenge it is possible to win through the simulation is the creation of very light, efficient and innovative electromagnetic thrusters. “Hexagon and JSOL supply engineers with digital platforms and virtual environments that facilitate the development of sophisticated technologies of electric propulsion”, companies add in a press release.

Customized robotics for the assembly operations of electric motors

Among the many successful projects recently installed by SIR Robotics, company that stands out in industrial automation, we can mention those related to the assembly of electric motors for e-mobility, compressors and heating convectors, welding of components for logistics warehouses and components for solid-liquid separation systems.
Besides, the company’s activities include the assembly of the powertrain group components, electric motor assembly, gearmotor assembly, assembly of electromechanical cooling groups, assembly of components for the mechanical industry and assembly of components for the electromechanical industry. Through the in-house Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, the idea for the electric motor assembly system turns into design and becomes project, scheme, layout, code. Everything is only and exclusively studied for the specific customer, shaped according to its requirements, rationalized and engineered, starting from a white sheet.

Renewal of CSA accreditation for MGM Motori Elettrici

MGM Motori Elettrici laboratory in Serravalle Pistoiese factory has recently obtained the renewal of the accreditation by CSA for both safety-related tests and concerning inverter duty motors and energy efficiency (CSA C390). Although the range of already certified motors, in over 25 years of collaboration with CSA, is very broad, it is often necessary to certify new products according to the customization demanded by customers, or to update certifications after upgrades introduced on existing products.
The approval of MGM Motori Elettrici laboratory allows certifying new motors in shorter times, helping our customers, with a competent technical support, to release on the market reliable products in conformity with the regulations in force.
In addition to the safety aspect, in USA and Canada some regulations regarding motors’ energy efficiency are in force. For the conformity with such regulations, our motors are labelled on the plate with the marking cCSAus “Energy Efficiency” and “Certification Compliance number” released by the US Department of Energy (the CC number released to MGM Motori Elettrici is CC 051A).

Artificial intelligence for the creation of electric motors

An engineer from DNCL Technologies publicly talks about this hot topic, presenting the last novelties by the Indian company. DNCL Technologies provides Embedded Product Design and development company, DNCL offers Engineering Product Design Services and Industrial Design, Custom Electronics Product Design, IoT product Development PCB Design, Software Design included firmware and software programming services and RTOS services. «We started using an Artificial intelligence design service, and we are thrilled about the potential impacts of AI’s fusion with electric motors. We know that electric motors are a crucial part of many industrial and commercial applications and their efficient operation is essential to maintaining productivity and reducing costs. By implementing anomaly detection, condition monitoring, and predictive maintenance strategies, businesses can ensure that their motors remain in optimal condition, reducing the risk of downtime and costly repairs and extending the lifespan of their equipment».
About anomaly detection, «AI is our motor whisperer, picking up on those subtle cues we may miss. Abnormal vibrations, temperature spikes, unusual power consumption—all signs of underlying problems that left unchecked, could lead to severe damage or motor failure. Condition Monitoring is the round-the-clock guardian, keeping a watchful eye on key performance indicators like temperature, vibration, and power consumption. Machine learning models can detect those slight shifts in motor behaviour, hinting at potential issues».
Predictive Maintenance takes condition monitoring up a notch. By using advanced analytics and machine learning algorithms, AI can predict when maintenance will be needed. Imagine sensors installed in the motor system, collecting data on parameters such as vibration, temperature, current, pressure, and magnetic fields. This data is then processed and analysed to identify anomalies or patterns that could flag potential issues. Finally, by comparing historical motor performance data with real-time sensor readings, predictive maintenance systems can detect anomalies and predict when critical components may fail.

Vatican chooses the electric mobility

Volkswagen is the partner chosen to support the Vatican City State in its transition towards the sustainable mobility: the manufacturer will deliver slightly less than 40 full electric vehicles of Volkswagen ID. family, which range from ID.31 to ID.4 and ID.5. Mobility is at the core of a specific programme called “Ecologic conversion 2030”, which aims at reducing the CO2 footprint of the State’s vehicle fleet. To reach this target, the existing vehicles must be gradually replaced by electric ones, to make the whole fleet neutral from the point of view of CO2 emissions by 2030.
Through Volkswagen Financial Services, the automotive brand will supply the Vatican City State with a fleet of cars from the beginning of 2024. In successive phases, a growing number of zero-emission vehicles will be delivered also by Volkswagen Group brands, until the complete replacement of the whole fleet by 2030.
“The fleet electrification is becoming more and more important on a global scale. In future perspective, offering the drive of our ID. also to Vatican’s employees is a great achievement and honour for Volkswagen and highlights the attractiveness of full electric ID. models” stated Imelda Labbé during the delivery of vehicles in Vatican.

British researchers develop a super-light electric motor 3D-printed

The researchers of the University of Sheffield, in collaboration with a team of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, have developed the prototype of a new lighter and more efficient electric motor printed in 3D, using affordable metal PBF 3D printing technology. It might be a development able to pave the way to future electric motors to increase their power using less material.
The prototype uses a higher-percentage silicon electrical steel that reduces energy losses and it consists of a stator, a circular-shaped object with prongs that wires can be wrapped around to create a magnetic field.
The biggest design difference between the prototype and traditional stators can be seen in the prongs themselves, as they feature an intricate design of thin geometric lines meant to reduce energy loss.
«When you have 30% lower mass, you would expect that your torque would also be lower, but that wasn’t the case. So, this shows that you know you’re actually going to net torque density improvement in this machine and if we can further improve this, (making a more efficient 3D printed electric motor) would be a game changer» said one of the researchers.
Il team added: «This project has shown the large potential that additive manufacturing has for electrical machines, with lightweight, efficient structures that have never before been possible using any other manufacturing technique. It was a pleasure to work with the team at Wempec to turn this idea into a reality».

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