There is much going on in the world of hydraulic, pneumatic and electric motion systems, from technology introductions and industry advancements to new trends and industry leaders. Each week the Power & Motion team collects the latest industry news to help keep our readers up to date on what's happening in the fluid power and electric motion control sectors as well as the industries they serve.
STLE to Host Green Tribology Symposium
The Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE) is hosting the Virtual Symposium: Green Tribology July 24-25, 2024. Two half-day sessions will offer disscussions with leading bio, green and sustainability scientists geared toward advancing our understanding of green technologies in tribology.
With the increasing emphasis on sustainability around the world and move toward electrification in many markets, sectors like tribology will need to adapt to meet the lubrication needs of the new technologies coming into the market.
Current research as well as new technology strategies will be highlighted throughout the event. Topics and speakers for the Green Tribology event include:
- Low Carbon Fuels for ICEs and Hydrogren Cells: Henara Cost and Daniel de Mello, UFU (Brazil)
- Electric Vehicle Lubricants in Green Mobility: Hakin El Bahi, TOTAL Energies (France)
- Additive Manufacturing for Green Tribology: Bart Raeymaekers, Virginia Tech (USA)
- Water-Based Lubrication in Green Tribology: Nuria Espalargas, NTNU (Norway)
- Tribochemistry for Green Tribology: Maria Isabel De Barros, ECL (France)
- Biosystems in Green Tribology: Feng Zhou, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics (China)
- Hydrogen Tribology: Yoshinori Sawae, Kyushu University (Japan)
- Surfaces for Green Tribology: Mohamed El Mansori, Arts et Metiers ParisTech (France)
READ MORE: Sustainability Emerging as Key Trend for Tribology Industry
Proportion-Air Sponsored Student Projects Showcase Capstone Projects
Two teams of students sponsored by Proportion-Air at Purdue Polytechnic Institute in West Lafayette, IN, recently showcased their capstone projects alongside other students as part of the annual School of Engineering Technology Spring Tech Expo. The purpose was to demonstrate what they learned during their year-long project.
As part of its sponsorship of the student teams, Proportion-Air has offered support to the students including engineering expertise and a tour of its facility to see how the technologies being used by the students are manufactured.
Team 15 undertook a project to improve the design of a Burling Valve regulator to perform more effectively in superheated steam applications. As the students got into the project, they found instead of redesigning the entire valve it would be possible to just create a new seal and piston design to achieve their project's goals.
Team 16 completed work on an acoustic sensor solution to provide proportional control for cylinder position without using a rod. Per Proportion-Air, the team was able to achieve its project goals through various means including measuring the amplification of the sounds they were hearing.
Both teams were comprised of students with different areas of focus, which helped to bring together different thought processes on how to tackle their projects, and included those studying mechanical engineering, mechatronics engineering technology, electrical engineering, audio engineering and robotics engineering.
Motion Acquires Electrical and Automation Technology Company
Motion has signed an agreement to acquire Allied Circuits which designs, manufactures and services industrial control panels, electromechanical assemblies robotic automation and integrated solutions.
Allied Circuits serves various end markets including aerospace, automotive, fluid systems & plumbing, food & bevarge and more. This will help to further expand Motion's own market reach. The company will become part of the Motion Automation Intelligence (Motion Ai) business unit.
According to Motion, the acquisition of Allied Circuits will add more high skilled employees to its team as well as ATEX certification capabilities and over 20,000 sq. ft. of production space to serve customers in the region of Western and Upstate New York, including Ontario, Canada.
"Our customers are growing, and we’re committed to growing with them," said James Howe,
President of Motion. "By combining our engineering teams, we can leverage highly experienced
technical resources needed to design, program and support increasing automation needs within
the region. This strategic acquisition will create new opportunities for our customers, teammates
and supplier partners."
BorgWarner Brings Electric Torque Vectoring Technology to Market
Two vehicle OEMs are now using BorgWarner's electric Torque Vectoring and Disconnect (eTVD) system for their battery-electric vehicles. As part of the company's electric torque management system (eTMS), the eTVD is designed to intelligently control wheel torque to increase stability and dynamic performance as well as improve traction during launch and acceleration.
The eTVD replaces the differential typically used on vehicles and provides both torque vectoring and an on-demand disconnect function. These capabilities prevent unnecessary brake interventions, helping to reduce harshness and vibration, compared to brake-based systems the company explained in its press release announcing the system's market entrance.
High-level software and controls integrated into the eTVD system can be customized by vehicle OEMs to suit their specific application requirements.
"With the market transitioning to more software-defined modules and vehicles, it is critical to have sophisticated systems in place, like our eTVD, that can precisely and quickly calculate, predict and control vehicle behavior across a wide range of situations," said Volker Weng, Vice President of BorgWarner Inc. and President and General Manager, BorgWarner Drivetrain and Battery Systems.
Danfoss Hosts Panel Discussion on Decarbonization of Construction Industry
On May 8, Danfoss brought together leaders from the construction industry for a panel discussion on how current technologies could be used to reduce carbon emissions from machines utilized in this sector.
Panelists included leaders from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), Associated Builders and Contractors and the Washington D.C. Department of Energy and Environment. Danfoss North America president Rick Sporrer moderated the event and provided keynote remarks.
Danfoss has placed a strong focus on helping decarbonize various industries, including the construction sector where many of its hydraulic and electric technologies are used. In 2023, the company released a white paper outlining technology areas which could help decarbonize cities to achieve global emissions reduction goals; reducing emissions from construction equipment was a key part of this.
The May 8 event focused on currently available technologies which can reduce emissions from construction equipment while also improving machine efficiency and operating costs. Using readily available technologies, such as the Danfoss Dextreem system which reduces hydraulic system losses reducing fuel consumption and emissions, can aid with decarbonization in the immediate term — something that is necessary to meet the ambitious emissions reduction targets laid out in the Paris Agreement.
"With construction machinery worldwide emitting 400 metric tons of CO2 annually, decarbonizing heavy-duty construction machines is critical to curb global greenhouse gas emissions," said Sporrer. "We want to enable our customers to meet their decarbonization goals and we are investing in the technologies that are deployed in other markets."
