PRODUCTS & SERVICES
CURTIS INSTRUMENTS
Masters of the (48V) Universe
LEVERAGING PROVEN EXPERTISE COULD BE THE BEST WAY OF ELECTRIFYING
OFF-ROAD MACHINERY
It’s looking more and more certain that the end
of the road is in sight for the venerable diesel
engine, which has been regarded as the reliable and
economical power source for a huge variety of industrial
vehicles and machinery for a long time.
Increasing global public concern over climate change
and air quality is one of the major reasons for the shift
to greener operations, but manufacturers are also
finding that it’s not easy to meet ever more stringent
emissions legislation.
The extra equipment required to reduce diesel
emissions such as fuel additive systems, exhaust
after-treatment systems and particulate filters all
come at a cost and require increased maintenance.
A further challenge is finding the additional space
required on the vehicle or machinery to accommodate
these physically larger compliant engines. The move
towards electric or hybrid power therefore makes
sense for OEMs from a financial, environmental and
engineering point of view, and the pace of change
has been much faster than many would have predicted.
Manufacturers of industrial, construction and
agricultural equipment – once seen as committed users
of diesel – are now increasingly looking at electrification
to bring their machinery in line with current and future
government policies, and to fulfil their corporate social
responsibilities by reducing the proven harmful effects
of emissions.
A fresh take
The introduction of low or ultra-low emission zones such
as London’s ULEZ or the banning of diesel vehicles in city
centers like Madrid, Paris and Brussels will not only affect
road users, but will also impact on diesel equipment
used on construction projects within such zones. Rising
daily charges for operating non-compliant equipment
will hit contractors’ pockets hard, driving further
demand for electric equivalents of today’s dieselpowered
machinery.
A reduction in noise pollution is a further case for
electrification. Residential areas, schools and hospitals
near construction sites often suffer long periods of
disruption and discomfort. Potential disputes with
contractors can be mitigated or avoided altogether.
Quieter machinery can also enable working hours to
be extended with no detrimental effects, getting the
job finished much more quickly.
130 iVTInternational.com September 2019
RIGHT: 48V systems can
compete with reliability
of diesel equivalents
FAR RIGHT: 48V NRMM
can cope with the
toughest environments
Sustainable working practices in the off-road sector
are therefore higher on the agenda than ever and will no
doubt play an important factor in tender processes in
future. Manufacturers of non-road mobile machinery
(NRMM) are now keen to offer customers a viable
alternative to diesel, which is much more feasible than
could have been imagined a decade or so ago.
The ability to provide practical, electric-powered
equivalents to today’s diesel-powered equipment has
been made possible by the availability of high
performance and cost effective electrification
components and systems primarily developed for other
markets. For instance, the demands of on-road
automotive EVs has led to huge improvements in
battery performance and has also resulted in the
development of high efficiency PMAC electric motors.
Further, the adoption of 48V as the nominal system
voltage in many cases has allowed the use of existing
reliable and affordable motor speed controllers
(inverters), which were initially developed for materials
handling vehicles such as forklift trucks. These have long
been dependent on electric power due to the need to
operate indoors.
Showcasing innovation
Bauma, the world’s leading construction trade fair
held every three years in Munich, Germany is seen as a
bellwether for industry developments and electrification
was a hot topic in 2019, with numerous launches of
electric or hybrid machines. In a post-show survey
of visitors, the organisers Messe München recorded
that 32% of survey respondents had researched the
development and use of electric drive systems for their
equipment and rated this as the most important issue
for their business going forward. This was the highest
figure, ranking well above autonomous vehicles,
the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence.
It therefore comes as no surprise that OEMs are vying
with each other to get new, electrified products into the
marketplace as a matter of urgency. However, their
experience and high level of skill in diesel power and
hydraulic systems does not necessarily equate to the
ability to fully understand the unique requirements of
pure electric or hybrid systems. This requires specialist
know-how to ensure effective and successful
implementation and operation. The time to acquire this
expertise would slow down the development process
and delay product launches.
Investing wisely
Equipment and vehicle manufacturers wanting to gain
a foothold in electrification can save time and avoid
pitfalls in the developmental stages. They can do this by
harnessing the experience of companies with a track
record of providing solutions for sectors where 48V
electric power is the long-established norm.
The forklift truck, mobile elevating working platform
and golf and turf care markets have been using this
technology for decades now. Many of the leading
suppliers of such vehicles and equipment have worked
/iVTInternational.com
