Research project EA 2.0 in Germany aims to further develop the electric drive to create sustainable and high-performance solutions for industry and the environment through more efficient manufacturing, reduced material and energy consumption as well as increased power density. Innovation in magnets and manufacturing process play key roles. Applications in hydrogen production and compression could be a beneficiary.
Newly independent motor giant Innomotics, spun off from the industrial motor and drive business of Siemens, is coordinating the consortium for the project “EA 2.0 – Integrated Product & Process Innovation for Electric Drives”. The project is hosted under the umbrella of the Werner-von-Siemens Centre for Industry & Science and, per its name, has now entered a second phase.
The initiative aims to develop disruptive approaches and explore the potential of digitalization in the manufacturing of electric machines. The focus lies on increasing power density and enhancing sustainability. The results are intended to make production processes more efficient and to further reduce material and energy consumption without compromising performance.
Phase one demonstrated how permanent magnets can be produced by extruding neodymium-iron-boron metal powder which could be used in electric drives. This potential will now be further explored. The goal is to create magnets that enable entirely new possibilities in the design of customized, energy efficient and high-dynamic electric motors.
“As an industrial company, we serve as the connecting element between the partners involved along the value chain,” stated Robert Schwengber-Walter, consortium spokesperson and project manager for digitalization and process management at Innomotics. “We are convinced that successful research will enable the integrated application of novel magnets and digital data structures in the shared product of the electric drive. This will create a solid foundation for long-term collaboration with our partners and unlock new potential for further optimization of our portfolio.”
Other project partners include the Fraunhofer Society, the Technical University of Berlin, Datalyze Solutions GmbH, INGWERK GmbH, and Siemens AG. The project is funded by the State of Berlin and co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). For more info, see www.innomotics.com.
As reported previously in Magnetics Magazine, in 2024 Siemens sold off its Innomotics business, a manufacturer of electric motors and large drives for industrial applications, for €3.5 billion. Headquartered in Nuremberg, the company employs around 15,000 people worldwide with annual revenue exceeding €3 billion. It has 17 production sites and a comprehensive sales and service network in 49 countries.
Hydrogen applications
With hydrogen production and compression seen as important growth markets for Innomotics, the project could help advance the technology in these areas, too. Electrification systems from the company, particularly rectifier products and e-house solutions, can support the scaling-up of high-power electrolyzer architectures in large-scale hydrogen plants.
Hydrogen distribution relies on compression needed to move, store and use hydrogen. The two primary compression methods available — dynamic (turbo) compressors and positive displacement (reciprocating) compressors – can both be powered either by its high-speed motors and drives, or alternatively by VSD-driven high torque motors. Its advanced, high-speed drive trains can support turbo compressors handling large volume flows while its high torque solutions are suited for reciprocating compressors needing large pressure ratios. For more information, see www.innomotics.com.
