Drives & Motors Features

Multi-speed EV transmission is put through its paces

Throughout May, transmission engineering and control specialist, Vocis made available to interested parties an electric demonstrator vehicle fitted with the latest iteration of its novel, multi-speed, seamless-shift transmission.

Shell stages another future vision of sustainable mobility

The Shell Eco-marathon is a global competition that challenges students to design, build and drive the most energy-efficient car. maxon motor uk has been working with the University of Oxford on this year’s entry. Les Hunt reports.

Ford Fiesta-based research car demonstrates in-wheel motors

The Ford Motor Company and automotive components specialist, Schaeffler have unveiled a Ford Fiesta-based 'eWheelDrive' car, a driveable research vehicle that could lead to improvements in urban mobility and parking by making possible smaller, more agile cars.

On-line tool helps you select MEPS compliant motors

ABB has launched an online tool called ‘Optimizer’ that makes it easier than ever to select motors to meet different minimum energy performance standards (MEPS).

More Drives & Motors Features Features

Where we start determines where we are heading(04/04/2013)

Where does 2012 leave the European variable speed drives (VSD) market? Steve Brambley, deputy director of Gambica and convener of the organisation’s VSD group, looks at the last five years and gazes into his crystal ball to determine what the next five years may hold for the sector.
Satellite positioning using miniature dc motors(04/04/2013)

Scottish based business Clyde Space, is exploring new and exciting opportunities using Nano-satellites controlled by brushless dc motors. The company's UKube-1 is the UK’s first CubeSat mission and Scotland’s first satellite. It was launched via a Russian Soyuz-2 rocket last month from the Baikonur Cosmodrone in Kazakhstan.
Reliance’s ‘Cool Muscle’ delivers accurate tidal simulation(26/03/2013)

In January 2013, a paper was published by two petroleum engineers from Curtin University (Australia) and Imperial College London (UK) which investigated how the action of tides can affect oil and water saturations in the capillary transition zone.
Precision control for slow motion applications(11/02/2013)

As the market demands more and more precision in terms of position and speed control, some traditional electrical control, actuation and sensing methods are being discarded and new techniques are emerging. Mark Howard highlights some of the problems with traditional approaches and describes a new technique that will help you overcome these problems.
Saving energy with PM synchronous motors(04/01/2013)

A direct product comparison test was recently conducted to see how a Bauer Gear Motor IE4 rated, super premium efficiency permanent magnetic (PM) synchronous motor performed against a standard asynchronous motor. The test was carried out on a Huber disc thickener, at a waste water treatment plant in Germany, in partnership with inverter drive specialist Danfoss.