The development of more energy efficient components and systems is increasing as sustainability becomes a greater focus for many OEMs and their component suppliers, including those in the fluid power and electric motion control space.
By improving the efficiency of an excavator’s hydraulic pump, for example, less energy is drawn from the engine which reduces the amount of fuel used and emissions produced. This benefits both operational costs for the machine owner and the environment.
Power & Motion spoke with Lucas Knapp, Vice President of Product & Marketing at HARTING — a developer of electronic connectors and components — and Dr. Andreas Schumacher, Senior Director, Head of Sustainability and Product Compliance at Danfoss Power Solutions, about the efficient technologies their companies are developing and how they can help achieve sustainability goals.
Knapp said the tolerances and material selection are paramount to a more sustainable design for HARTING’s electronic products. “For us, the materials that are used to transmit electricity from one thing to another are the most critical in the design,” he said. “We [put] a lot of energy and research into the right material selection and manufacturing processes to have that [product] be the most effective in its application and its use.”
He offered the example of a connector the company developed for a high-power application in which the contact design had a 35% reduction in resistance. “[This means] the amount of power you’re getting out of this connected system is significantly more efficient; it provided real dollar savings and helped our customers meet real goals they were looking to achieve,” said Knapp.
Both Knapp and Schumacher said the final system design is just as important when looking to improve efficiency and sustainability as that of individual components.
Schumacher said the system is important when looking to achieve large efficiency gains because many components on an individual basis are as optimized as they can be. Many hydraulic and electronic components have existed for years and are optimized to a point where it is likely only small efficiency gains can be achieved.
“If you want to really achieve [high levels of efficiency], then the system is the lever [to do so] because the individual components do not leave enough room [for high efficiency gains],” he said.
Watch this interview with Knapp and Schumacher to learn more about how the products their companies are developing can aid with emissions reductions and other sustainability initiatives.
READ MORE: How is Sustainability Impacting the Fluid Power Industry?
