This Week in Power & Motion: Ansys Adds More Computing Power to Simulation Software

There is much going on in the world of hydraulics, pneumatics and electronics motion systems, 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 fluid power and motion control sectors as well as the industries they serve.

NFPA Launching New Technology Task Forces

The National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) is forming new task forces focused on how the trends of connectivity and autonomous functionality will impact the fluid power industry. Similar to the Electrification Task Force formed in 2022, industry members can take part to share their insights on these trends and how the fluid power industry can play a role in them.

NFPA plans to form task forces focused on mobile and industrial task forces to ensure all areas of the hydraulics and pneumatics sector are taken into consideration. The association is currently looking for members with technical knowledge to join the task forces and provide their input on what customers will need and how fluid power technologies can be utilized to enable better connectivity and automation.

Those interested in joining or nominating someone to join can contact Eric Lanke, President and CEO of NFPA.

igus Joins MassRobotics Network

igus has joined the MassRobotics Associated Network as part of its efforts to ease accessibility to robotic solutions. MassRobotics is a non-profit focused on supporting the growing robotics industry by providing necessary resources to startups and others developing new solutions.

The non-profit partners with industry members to help bring expertise, products and more to the robotics industry. As a member of the Associated Network, igus will have the chance to show its products at MassRobotics' annual RoboSource event as well as better network with others in this growing industry.

"Being part of the MassRobotics Associated Network is a step forward in our mission to facilitate affordable, cutting-edge automation solutions to SMEs worldwide," stated Jan Hennecke, Low-Cost Automation Product Manager at igus, in the company's press release announcing the new partnership. "We are thrilled to work with more robotics startups and receive recognition in the community."

As a part of the MassRobotics Associated Network, igus will be able to bring its robotics solutions and expertise to this growing industry.

John Deere Expanding Battery Manufacturing Capacity

Deere & Co. plans to construct a 115,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Kernersville, NC, to increase production capacity for Kreisel electric products. The company acquired majority ownership of Kreisel, a developer of battery and charging technology, in 2022.

John Deere has utilized Kreisel technology in its electric machines, such as the 145 X-Tier, its first fully electric compact excavator which was unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2023.

At the new facility, Deere plans to manufacture Kreisel battery and charging technology. The increased production capacity will benefit the off-highway equipment market in North America which is seeing a growing adoption rate of electrification solutions.

To help make production of batteries more sustainable, the company said the new manufacturing facility will have a non-fossil-fuel-consuming design and prioritize use of sustainable energy features such as the HVAC systems, inclusion of an energy recovery system and more.

Latest Ansys Release Includes New Features for Hydraulics, Electronics and More

Ansys' newest simulation software release, 2023 R2, includes enhanced capabilities to meet design needs for evolving designs, including those for hydraulic systems and electric vehicles. The new release combines advanced simulation numerics and faster simulation with high-performance computing (HPC) via GPUs and cloud capabilities to improve overall simulation work.

Features of the new release include the ability to determine the electrothermal workflow of power electronics in electric vehicles. Acoustical simulations can be done as will with the software, an important aspect as the lack of an engine in full-electric vehicles means noises from other components may be more audible if appropriate design steps are not taken.

Large simulation jobs can more easily be run using Ansys 2023 R2 as well because of the inclusion of HPC and GPUs. The Fluids product line, for instance, can be run on GPUs which the company said helps to reduce development time for hydraulic components and systems, among others.

Ansys 2023 R2 simulation software includes a range of new features, including the ability to assess a full electric vehicle power electronics electrothermal workflow (pictured).

SANY Unveils Enhanced Dump Truck Designs

The SANY Engineering Vehicle Business Division of SANY Group, which focuses on production of new energy vehicles, has introduced a range of dump truck models with intelligent features, increased efficiency and other enhanced features.

Key aspects of the vehicles include use of hybrid drive technology and composite materials to help improve the performance of the dump trucks while also reducing their carbon footprint, a continually growing trend in the mobile equipment industry, as it is in many others.

SANY stated in its press release announcing the unveiling of the vehicles it is seeing increased demand for vehicles powered by diesel alternatives in the municipal sanitation and construction industries. Therefore, it is investing heavily in the development of full-electric, hybrid, and hydrogen vehicles as well as those powered by more traditional fuels.

The newly unveiled vehicles include:

The Heavy-Duty 432 Dump Truck with a strengthened chassis bearing capacity compared to its predecessor, and heightened ability to operate in extreme working conditions.
The Hybrid 321 Dump Truck featuring a hybrid drive system that offers benefits for mining and quarry applications.
The Composite 416 Dump Truck with a composite body that is well-suited for use in urban environments. The composite body helps reduce weight, leading to lower energy consumption and operating costs.
The Hybrid 423 Dump Truck which is designed for use in mountainous regions, mining areas, and urban construction waste terrain.
The Medium-Sized Pure Electric 207 Dump Truck, optimized for use in urban environments.