New ideas and innovative technologies are needed to overcome challenges like Industry 4.0, resource conservation or electromobility. Small and dynamic companies play an important role in this respect. In this edition of the Quintessence, we introduce five startups of digital motor control that contribute to this world in an exciting way with their innovative ideas.
Light as a feather and elegant around town
One of the startups of digital motor control, Ridetronic, has developed an e-bike. This one weighs just 13 kg, with a replaceable battery and drive located in the wheel hubs. Despite the compact replaceable battery, ranges of 60 km can be reached at the highest level of assistance. The extremely slimline battery pack is integrated into the front wheel hub, with the battery casing simultaneously acting as a hub. The system is powered by a 250-watt rear-wheel hub motor. Most of all the app-based smart drive control allows all relevant data. Such as battery level, GPS positions, remaining range and speed, to be retrieved via smartphone and any desired riding modes to be set.
With a virtual gearbox
The Intelligent Stator Cage Drive (ISCAD) from Volabo is the first 48-volt high-performance drive for electric vehicles, which is 25 per cent more efficient than conventional electric motors on the market. Drive technology combines electric motor, power electronics and software in a highly integrated system. This system operates with minimum complexity and a new performance level. The drive requires no rare earth magnets in production and is safe to touch at all times thanks to the low-voltage technology. A special thing about this technology is that aluminium bars are used instead of copper windings in the stator. These bars can all be controlled individually via software, creating a virtual gearbox that allows the motor to be adapted continually to the load profile. Eventually thus ensuring better utilisation of the available battery capacity.
Listening to your motor
The contactless, non-invasive technology from OneWatt monitors motor health by using the integrated EARS (Embedded Acoustic Recognition Sensor) to listen to motor noises. Motor noises are analysed by means of frequency analysis and machine learning. This allows damage to be detected before it actually occurs. The sensors simply have to be placed in the vicinity of the motor. Meaning that installation can be performed without adversely impacting production. Not only can the system tell when an error will occur, rather also which error and where. Most motors can be retrofitted with the solution, regardless of the model, size, age, brand or manufacturer.
An authentic riding experience
The drive unit developed by Fazua for bicycles weighs just 3.3 kg. Special is the slender design which combines the motor, replaceable battery and electronics in one unit. It’s integrated practically invisibly in the down tube. The special feature of the drive is that the motor and bottom bracket are separated completely from each other above a speed of 25 km/h. Thanks to this decoupling, riders can reach peak speeds using only their own muscle power. Without any noticeable resistance of the motor. The low resistance of the system means that the bike finds favour especially among cyclists with sporting ambitions owing to its authentic riding experience.
Converter for DC networks
Querom Elektronik develops and produces DC-DC converters for a variety of future growth markets. All of these converters are in a power range of up to several kilowatts. They form the interface between high-voltage and low-voltage networks. And they are used, for example, in areas such as electromobility, energy storage systems, renewable energies, commercial vehicles and DC industrial facilities. Thanks to intelligent software algorithms, together with a flexibly controllable hardware platform, the status of the high- and low-voltage wiring systems can be diagnosed comprehensively using a Querom DC converter.