This Week in Power & Motion: Iveco Adopts Carbon-Neutral and Industry 4.0 Tech for New ePowertrain Facility

There is much going on in the world of fluid power and motion control, from technology introductions and industry advancements to new trends and industry leaders. Each week the Power & Motion team collects some of the latest industry news to help keep our readers up to date on what's happening in the industries in which they work.

Briggs & Stratton Debuts Expanded Battery Range, Forms New Industry Partnership

Briggs & Stratton is further expanding its range of Vanguard brand batteries with the introduction of its 3.5 kWh and 5 kWh Diecast Commercial Batteries. In July, the company launched the 7 kWh version of the Diecast Commercial Battery.

These batteries feature a diecast casing which provides rigidity to improve durability in off-road equipment applications. The casing also helps to reduce vibration and shock. A modular design enables this battery range to easily be integrated into a wide array of applications.

Use of advanced Lithium-Ion chemistry provides reliable performance and a 2,000 cycle lifespan stated Briggs & Stratton in the press release announcing the launch of its expanded line. All three Diecast Commercial Battery models come with a charger and battery management system to provide a total system solution to OEMs.

The company has also added a Lithium-Ion 1.5 kWh Swappable Battery Pack to its product line which enables users to quickly swap freshly charged batteries as needed. It can be used with other Vanguard brand batteries to aid higher power needs as well.

Briggs & Stratton's battery range now includes power options ranging from 1.5-10 kWh.

Briggs & Stratton now offers batteries with 1.5, 3.5, 3.8, 5, 7 and 10 kWh power ratings. The company has also established a Vanguard electrification business unit due to its continued development efforts in electric power solutions. This new business unit and the expanded battery line is being shown at Equip Expo, formerly known as GIE+EXPO, an event focused on the lawn and turf care segment — though its batteries can be used in a range of other off-highway equipment applications as well.

The company has also announced the formation of another industry partnership which helps expand use of its battery technologies. Its partnership with Hydraulic Controls Inc. will enable the development of customized solutions pairing batteries with hydraulic and pneumatic systems.

"Today’s hydraulic systems are becoming increasingly complex as customers look to integrate more and more electronics into their systems," said Rob Hulse, Executive Vice President at Hydraulic Controls, in Briggs & Stratton's press release announcing the partnership. "With Vanguard’s electrification expertise and powerful battery solutions, we’ll be able to offer our customers electric power solutions they can depend on."

igus Accepting Submissions for manus award

igus is now accepting submissions for its biannual manus award. The award is designed to honor creative, economical and sustainable applications of lead screws, linear actuators, an plain and linear bearings and slides in industrial applications the company explained in its press release announcing submissions were open for the 2023 award.

A jury of experts from science, industry and the media select the winners of four prizes — a gold, silver and bronze award as well as a green award for the most sustainable application. Winners also receive a prize of 5,000 euros and will receive their awards at Hannover Messe 2023.

"We are always surprised to learn about applications using our polymer technology across industries," said Tobias Vogel, Managing Director of Plain Bearings & Linear Technology at igus, in the company's press release. "To promote the development and feature innovative engineers, we are honoring the most innovative applications of polymer bearings and linear technology in industrial applications with the manus award 2023."

Applicants must submit their design with a brief description, photos and videos. A key condition is at least one prototype of the application must exist. Entries are due February 10, 2023.

Danfoss Editron Hybrid Drivetrain Powering Hamburg Ferries

Danfoss Power Solutions' Editron division was selected as the provider of a hybrid drivetrain for three passenger ferries in Hamburg, Germany. The city is part of the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance and aims to achieve a 55% reduction in emissions by 2030, with a minimum reduction of 95% by 2050. Hybridization of passenger ferries will help with these goals.

The ferries all feature serial hybrid propulsion systems from Danfoss Editron. Shore connection, battery storage and propulsion and AC network feeding power modules are among the components included in the systems. A compact DC link with patented selectivity for a high degree of safety is included as well to connect all of the components.

For propulsion an Editron synchronous reluctance assisted permanent magnet generator is paired with a Scania Diesel engine which can charge the vessels' batteries or be used for backup power. There are also two electric eVSP9 Voith Schneider Thrusters integrated to turn electric energy into high-efficiency thrust. Integration of hydrogen fuel cell technology will also be possible on the ferries.

This is another in a line of marine applications in which Danfoss has provided technology, demonstrating the breadth of its technology expertise and the range of applications moving to hybrid and electric solutions.

Danfoss Editron is supplying a hybrid-electric propulsion system and drivetrain for use in ferries to carry passengers in Hamburg, Germany.

Webtec Offers New Manufacturing Approach

Webtec has introduced a new manufacturing approach called Make it BLUE as a means of increasing customers' hydraulic machinery productivity. Make it BLUE is a four-step process:

Begin - Webtec shares best practices and industry knowledge through training and educational material.
Listen - The Webtec team speaks with the customer about the application and requirements, and provides an assessment on how to create an appropriate solution.
Upgrade - Based on the needs of the application, it is determined what changes may be necessary to a hydraulic machine and if that means creating a custom solution or customer branding a Webtec product.
Engineer - Webtec's R&D and manufacturing teams work to ensure the appropriate solution is developed and installed for the customer.

During each step the Webtec team works with customers to thoroughly understand their application requirements to ensure the right solution is developed. The purpose of this new approach is to help customers maximize the potential of their hydraulic machinery without the need for complex and costly consultancy the company said in a press release announcing the launch of Make it BLUE.

Iveco Group Inaugurates New ePowertrain Manufacturing Facility

Iveco Group's powertrain brand FPT Industrial has inaugurated its new manufacturing plant in Turin, Italy, which will be dedicated to production of electric powertrain solutions. These include electric axles and battery packs for use in heavy-duty vehicles such as the Nikola Tre battery-electric truck and Iveco bus models.

The company anticipates the new facility will employ around 200 people when at full capacity and produce more than 20,000 electric axles and 20,000 battery packs per year.

In addition to producing electrification solutions, the new 15,000 sq. m plant is the company's first totally carbon-neutral facility. It utilizes solar panels and other photovoltaic technology as well as wind power to generate its own energy. The company also purchases additional energy from renewable sources and carbon credits to further power the plant and offset carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions.

An internal 6,000 sq. m space is dedicated to housing 100 drought-resilient plants. The company said in its press release announcing the facility's inauguration these plants are expected to help absorb approximately 7 tons of CO₂ a year.

Iveco Group has also integrated several Industry 4.0 technologies into the new facility, including: