“Are internal combustion engines a thing of the past?”
David Suehs, Engineering Manager at ACS Inc., and Matt Thiel, Director of Facility Planning and Integration at ACS Inc., penned a featured article for Assembly Magazine entitled, “Evolution, Not Revolution: The dawn of the EV era is changing motor testing”. A MELTRIC Switch-Rated device can be seen featured on ACS Inc.’s custom test stand as this article’s representative headline image. This article goes into detail about the changes in technology around energy without emissions and three facts engineers should pay attention to as advances continue to be made.
The first fact Suehs and Theil reveal, is how test cells can be adapted from internal combustion engines (ICE) to electric motors without a complete overhaul and describe how some experts suggest that “repurposing existing testing space and equipment can cut the cost of switching to electric by as much as two-thirds.”
The second fact goes on to explain how “testing electrified systems is similar to testing ICEs, but not the same.” One key difference, Suehs and Theil state, is the priority of precision required by electric power trains as opposed to the less critical measurement demanded by an internal combustion test.
And the final fact Suehs and Theil share with their audience is the trade-off of the new concerns new systems bring. A crucial concern of evolving test cells for electric motor testing is the “new safety hazards created in the form of high voltage, high current and battery chemistry. High voltage is an invisible danger people used to working with ICEs are not conditioned to think about.”
The use of MELTRIC products in the evolution of motor testing discussed by Suehs and Theil is relevant to each point presented. When considering adapting existing test cells (the first fact mentioned) the use of MELTRIC Switch-Rated devices should be considered in the design stage. MELTRIC Switch-Rated devices are well-known for their cost cutting advantages from purchase and installation cost reduction to costs incurred from downtime caused by changeouts.
In the second disclosed fact from Suehs and Theil, they discuss the priority of precision – MELTRIC offers a wide range of ratings with the Switch-Rated Series allowing for precise power and amperage so users get exactly what they need when it comes to electricity for the application at hand.
Even better than cost and precision is that Switch-Rated devices were designed with the main purpose of safety for its operators. MELTRIC DS and DSN Series devices automatically reduce some of the major safety concerns raised in the final fact thanks to DECONTACTOR™ Technology and its dead-front design.
As electric power technology continues to advance “forward-thinking suppliers and OEMs are keeping informed of the technical nuances of this energy evolution. Futureproofing means planning for space and power, and being open to what comes next. Those who invest wisely in their ability to adapt will position themselves at the front of the pack.”
To read this article in its entirety and to learn more about the facts and examples provided, visit Assembly Magazine at: Evolution, Not Revolution
Suehs, D., and Theil, M. (2022, February). Evolution, Not Revolution: The dawn of the EV era is changing motor testing. Assembly Magazine.