FEATURE DRIVES, CONTROLS & MOTORS
As STOBER congratulates Design Solutions on its 50th Anniversary, this is an opportunity to look back at its influence in the motion control and power transmissions sectors, and what the company is doing today
pole position: From
Variable Speed driVeS to an electric racing car
Electric-powered racing car designed and built in collaboration between Rennschmiede Pforzheim and STOBER
control for machine tools.
Back to the future…
F
At the time Design Solutions was launched into the design engineering market, significant things were happening in motor racing. Unrestricted sponsorship had arrived and Lotus was experimenting with a gas turbine powered car with four-wheel drive. Also, 50 years ago, Britain’s Jackie Stewart won the drivers championship for the second time.
ounded in 1934, STOBER’s first major development took place in 1943: the invention and launch of the variable speed
drive, which was to revolutionise production operations. This innovative adjustable speed gear unit proved itself in the machine tool sector and, with the increasing importance on electric speed adjustment, paved the way for further development by the company. By 1949, the STOBER variable speed drive
had achieved production maturity and the market embraced these modern drives, which enabled engineers to set the speed and then vary it using a friction gear. As these developments quickly gained pace,
the industry welcomed the foundation of STOBER’s electronics and software technology during the 1980s and 90s. This was closely followed by its range of planetary gears and the first STOBER drive controller. It also became the first company in the world to directly pair dynamic servomotors with high-precision planetary gearing, which gave customers reduced weight, space-saving and cost benefits. Today, STOBER leads the way with a diverse
and proven product range that includes the slim and compact multi-axis SI6 drive controllers, the LeanMotor, which bridges the gap between synchronous and asynchronous motors very cost-effectively, and the new SensorShift digital shift
58 DESIGN SOLUTIONS JULY/AUGUST 2021 Since then, engine technology has come on
in leaps and bounds, and this year STOBER is working on the design of a new racing car with the students of Rennschmiede Pforzheim, an initiative of Hochschule Pforzheim college in the company’s hometown. Having sponsored the college team for a number of years, 2021 is particularly special as the car is electric powered, with students developing the concepts and working in close co-operation with STOBER’s experts to build a competitive vehicle. As well as bringing extensive engineering
expertise and the highest quality drive components to the project, various STOBER development departments worked alongside students to modify the motors and drive controllers as necessary. To help make things happen, STOBER has
supplied gear units, motors, drive controllers and specialist knowhow to help power the new car, which will race in the 2021 Formula Student Electric (FSE) motor racing design challenge, a
competition where experts judge the teams in terms of concept, planning and on the car itself. Stephan Scholze, head of the management
centre for electronics at STOBER, explains: “In order to build a competitive car, maximum speeds of approximately 10,000rpm were needed, as well as motor ratings of 20 kilowatts. To achieve this, STOBER developed two high-speed synchronous servo motors for the rear axle.” The company has also adapted the number
of pole pairs to the required speed, and the final specification also included two compact planetary gear units with an i=7 gear ratio, and two powerful SI6 series drive controllers. “We needed to design mobile controllers
that were smaller in size so that they would fit in the streamlined body, with control of these components being overseen by students, which was no mean feat,” commented Scholze. High-efficiency cooling for the geared motors
is important to avoid overheating. To do this, the students developed a solution adapted to the car that cools the motors and drive controllers in a water circuit. Metal foams in the cooling plates dissipate the heat even more efficiently. Extensive tests were performed in STOBER’s
factory test bay, where vehicle acceleration, and the track and movement profile on the Hockenheimring racing circuit, could be analysed. It is paramount that the motors and gear units
for this task are optimally co-ordinated to each other so, together with STOBER, Rennschmiede also developed its own high-voltage battery with a nominal voltage of almost 520 volts. STOBER is in no doubt that its drive for
innovation and new motion control technologies will help it grow further over decades to come, and it looks forward to even greater collaboration with partners and customers.
STOBER Drives
www.stober.co.uk
STOBER’s 2021 range portfolio
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