Category Archive: eDrive Trends

Testing for eMotors: A Case Study

High-speed rotating components in eMotors require accurate spin testing to ensure safety, reliability, and performance. At Test Devices by SCHENCK, we offer the most advanced balancing and spin testing services on the market. View the case studies below for a better look into how we serve clients in the electric mobility industry with our expert testing capabilities.

EV Case Study

A prominent automotive OEM client approached SCHENCK to test a new rotor design for an EV drive system. The team at Test Devices by SCHENCK designed and performed a spin test to evaluate the at-speed behavior of the rotor in its operating environment (including temperature).

The data collected in-situ during the spin test, as well as the pre- and post-test precision unbalance measurements revealed unexpected structural instability that would have otherwise compromised the quality and performance of the client’s end product.

The experts at SCHENCK and Test Devices worked with the client to thoroughly analyze the data and identify any potential root causes. Doing so allowed us to alleviate the issue and improve the overall rotor design.

E-Propulsion Case Study

A leading aero-propulsion OEM client has been working with Test Devices by SCHENCK to test a rotor for a new eVTOL propulsion system. We have spin tested several prototypes to identify the at-speed behaviors of each rotor under its operating conditions. 

During the spin testing process, we measure the change in the rotor outer diameter (OD), or inner diameter (ID) if accessible. Using this data, we can determine the average growth or create a growth map as a circumferential deformation profile (expansion measurement). The former helps us understand the bulk material behavior of the rotor, and the latter provides a visualization of the deformation shape at speed.

We measured the rotor deformation shape with SCHENCK’s Rotor Expansion Measurement System (REMS). Analyzing this data allowed us to identify undesirable inter-part interactions that required modification prior to finalizing the design for production release. By detecting design and manufacturing flaws at the prototype stage, we were able to help the customer avoid expensive and painful in-field issues.

Contact Test Devices for Spin Testing Services

Test Devices by SCHENCK has extensive experience performing various spin tests for electric vehicles, eVTOLs, ePropulsion, eDrive and eMobility applications. From our state-of-the-art facility in Hudson, Massachusetts, we offer industry-leading spin testing equipment and services for clients around the world.

Our expert team is dedicated to providing superior-quality products and services that meet or exceed customer requirements. We achieve this through ISO 9001 and AS9100 certification, process and product innovation, and continuous improvement of our quality management system.

For more information about our spin testing capabilities for eMotors, contact us or request a quote today.

What’s Happening With E-Mobility and E-Propulsion in 2021?

The effect of global warming is ever more visible today. Industries around the world are ramping up the urgency to deliver sustainable solutions. There is a strong focus in electrification of transportation, and the technological advancements in greener power generation methods and the distribution infrastructures.

Evidence of this global shift to sustainability can be seen in the ambitious goals made by leading manufacturers and governments globally. For example, General Motors recently vowed to end producing fossil fuel-dependent vehicles by 2035. Leading eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) companies are planning on launching air-taxi services as soon as 2023, and in 2020 the United Kingdom announced it would ban fossil fuel vehicles beginning in 2030.

What Key Insights Are We Seeing in E-Mobility and E-Propulsion?

Within the next decade, the widespread adoption of hydrogen fuel cell and battery-powered electric vehicles (EV) will likely occur. While automotive companies are at the forefront of electric vehicle adoption, aerospace companies are also developing proprietary technologies behind the scenes, and many of their smaller-scale prototypes are yielding promising results.

Leading automakers are currently producing more EV models than ever before, with approximately 400 new battery-powered vehicles expected to hit the market by 2025. At the same time, leading eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) companies are certifying new vehicles with the FAA/EASA in preparation for a commercial service rollout as early as 2023.

The incumbent aerospace OEMs are beginning to reveal their hybrid e-propulsion and long to mid-range electric passenger aircraft concepts, and are working towards 2030 release timeline. According to a recent MarketsandMarkets forecast, by 2023 the electric aircraft market is expected to reach $122 million, which represents a compound annual growth rate of 4%. Meanwhile, UBS predicts that the electric aviation market will reach $178 billion by 2040 after experiencing a robust growth period due to the expected release of the first hybrid electric 50-70 seat aircraft around 2028.

What Are the Benefits of E-Mobility and E-Propulsion?

While their prevalence is steadily decreasing, internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles are currently responsible for approximately 60% of the world’s air pollution. The potential environmental benefits from removing these vehicles from the road have already been demonstrated during the global COVID-19 lockdown when air pollution levels rapidly decreased.

To combat the global warming, electrifying the cars and airplanes are not enough. We must think of a way to make the whole energy supply chain green. Starting from how we generate fuel (or energy), transport and distribute it, and eventually how the byproduct of the fuel impacts the environment – the new greener supply chain must be a sustainable close-looped cycle.

Besides being the key element of the solution against the global warming, there are many benefits of the electrified mobilities. Electrification will directly contribute to cutting down the emission of toxic byproducts from burning the fossil fuels. Air pollution, such as soot and toxic gas in the exhaust, is an increasing health concern, especially in densely populated cities. Furthermore, extraction and production of fossil fuel generally damaging to the environment.

With the electrification of our vehicles, technology is constantly evolving. Governments around the world, including the US and EU, have issued statements that they believe electrification will bring greener technologies and innovations that will expand economic growth, creation of new types of jobs, and national security.

Contributing to the Sustainable Future

E-mobility and e-propulsion technology are becoming more visible in our everyday life and news. As the benefits of adopting these technologies become too significant to ignore, more companies are adapting their mobility solutions. In the past decade or so, we are seeing rapid increase in the number of innovations in the design of drive motors, power electronics, and transmission systems.

The new technologies emerging from the concerted electrification efforts inspire and enable new ideas and machine designs. As seen in the EVs, electric vehicles require much fewer moving parts and dramatically simplify the drivetrain design. The same benefit is anticipated for the electrified versions of aircrafts, ships, and other electrified machines.

Though simpler design borne many benefits, many fundamental challenges in high-performance rotating parts remains similar. Schenck and Test Devices serves the e-mobility and e-propulsion industries with new part manufacturing, spin testing, and rotor balancing services. These services support the development of sustainable technologies such as advanced propulsion system parts and new electric motors. As an AS9100 and ISO 9001 certified business, we have been committed to exceeding our customers’ expectations for over 40 years. To learn more about our capabilities for the e-mobility and e-propulsion industries, contact us today.

eDrive Trends and Growth Potential for 2019

In recent years, electric vehicles have made a big impact on the mainstream automotive market. Consumers in more and more parts of the country are switching to zero-emissions vehicles as the risks and results of unmitigated climate change become more pronounced. Therefore, many automotive manufacturers are beginning to design, build, and sell electric vehicles, contributing to rapid growth in the EV market.

Electric vehicles play a key role in shaping the economy of the transportation sector. As the demand for hybrid and electric vehicles continues to rise, consumers will eagerly fund through their purchases innovative new technologies that make these vehicles even cleaner and more cost effective to produce.

The future scenario becomes even more persuasive when one considers the international community’s role in supporting these efforts. Leaders in the EU, China, and Japan are taking steps to incentivize the production and sale of electric vehicles, and they’re also introducing increasingly stringent regulations against gasoline engines. All these trends stem from the rising anxiety in response to climate change, of which fossil fuel–burning vehicles are a major contributing factor.

Electric Vehicle Trends in 2019

Electric vehicle technology has improved by leaps and bounds in recent years. Advances in this field have allowed these vehicles to match or even exceed the strength and versatility of traditional gasoline-burning vehicles. Electric motors can now support medium- and heavy-duty vehicles like trucks and buses, and they offer a host of other benefits previously reserved to gasoline-burning vehicles. 

With year-to-year production increasing rapidly, manufacturers and consumers are starting to see the improvement in affordability of EV components and finished products. In fact, producing electric vehicles has become so affordable that many transit agencies are working toward a full conversion of their bus fleets to electric buses. 

Public perception surrounding electric vehicles has shifted, too. Companies like Tesla have turned this once-niche market into a luxury power brand, and other automakers are starting to catch up. Additionally, many states and municipalities are incentivizing businesses to install car charging stations (or installing these stations themselves), increasing electric vehicles’ range and improving their utility as a tool for commuting.

Future Forecasts by Industry Analysts

Because they rely on the growing ubiquity of recharge stations, electric vehicles would be nowhere without the utilities that provide them with electricity. Energy Innovation modeling predicts that electric vehicles will account for 60–75% of new light-duty vehicle sales by 2050, and this will represent 13–15% of national electricity demand at that time. 

A recent study by BCG details four factors that are expected to shape the transition to electric vehicles in the next decade:

• Technology
• Regulatory mandates
• Consumer adaptation
• Autonomous vehicles/ridesharing

The study’s authors predict that internal combustion engines will continue to dominate for the next few years, but the years between 2020 and 2025 will see an exponential increase in the market share of electric vehicles as OEMs adapt to increasingly stringent efficiency and emissions standards. While BCG predicts the majority of consumers to switch to hybrid vehicles, they also expect battery electric vehicles (BEVs) to gain market share over 2025–2030 as the total cost of ownership of these vehicles continues to fall.

Accenture has highlighted Europe, China, and the US as focal points for the coming mass-market adaptation of electric vehicles. Their electric vehicle market attractiveness index factors in political, economic, and technological information and advancements, highlighting these regions as having the strongest overlap between wealth, innovative potential, and regulations pushing consumers to adopt electric vehicles. 

Test Devices’ eDrive Capabilities

Test Devices is proud to contribute to the growth of electric vehicle manufacturing by offering a host of consulting, measurement, and equipment-based testing services to automotive manufacturers. We’ve led the field in providing realistic rotational testing systems and services for over four decades

Some of our offerings include:

• Test equipment
  • Rotor speed balancing 
  • Vertical spin test machines (to 160,000 RPM)
  • Coordinate measurement machine and dimensional inspection
• Technical consulting
  • Test design consulting
  • Rotor dynamics analysis
  • Design for balancing and balance budgeting
  • Workshops and training
  • Design and manufacturing or custom interface tooling for spin testing and balancing
• Spin test services
  • Overspeed testing
  • Burst testing
  • Heated testing
  • Cyclic testing
• Measurement systems
  • Rotor speed, vibration, and temperature
  • Rotor growth measurement
  • High-speed video
  • Crack detection

With an unparalleled reputation for safety and innovation, Test Devices is the ideal choice for any individual or business looking to evaluate the reliability of their equipment and vehicles. If you would like to learn more about Test Devices’ eDrive capabilities, contact us for further information today.

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