Schaeffler to introduce new electric drive family at Bauma

According to the company press release, the ‘heavy-duty e-motors’ have been specially developed for the requirements of electric construction machinery. Their design is intended to achieve “especially high” torques, a power-to-weight ratio (peak) of around five to seven kW/kg and peak efficiencies of over 97 per cent in a speed range of 3000 to 8000 rpm. The high efficiency (and consequently low losses) should maximise the operating time between charging breaks.

The modular motor series consists of three variants with maximum outputs of 125, 299 and 315 kW. The diameter of the drive units is the same at around 239 millimetres (laminated core diameter) or 280 millimetres (including screw connection); the three variants differ in the active length of the rotor and stator. The housing length is 151, 206 or 216 millimetres. “The individual stator laminations and the A- and B-side bearing end shields of the motors are identical in each case and therefore facilitate especially cost-efficient manufacturing,” says Schaeffler.

The stator windings are designed as flat-wire wave windings (Continuo’s hairpin technology, also known as wave winding). As a specialist in ball bearings, Schaeffler also emphasises the bearing support of the rotor shaft: “Ceramic balls reduce bearing friction and prevent damaging passage of current.”