FEATURE Drives, Controls & Motors
Novel ‘rack and pinion’ drives aim to support all-electric future
Swedish firm Cascade Drives has developed revolutionary electro-mechanical equipment to guide global industry towards all-electric systems and sustainable growth. CEO Kristian Floresjö explains how its solutions are being used to replace traditional hydraulic-based machinery, bringing a raft of benefits
C
ascade Drives was founded in 2014 by Swedish inventor Stig Lundbä ck. It has since built an extensive portfolio of patent-
protected, electromechanical solutions for linear motion and power trains. The rapidly-expanding business is currently targeting a €1.7bn global market, predominantly focusing on industrial, materials handling and steer-by-wire sectors. With novel technology inspired by the pumping principles of the human heart – the Dynamic Adaptive Piston Pump (DAPP) function – the firm has steadily developed its know- how through feasibility studies with Swedish Innovation Agencies, Vinnova and Energimyndigheten. Several financing rounds raised over €5m for the company, which further underpinned its innovations, before it went on to deliver seven pilot projects across multiple sectors, including a pioneering wave- energy technology.
Testing, testing
In 2021 Cascade Drives carried out factory acceptance testing of its ‘rack and pinion’ drives, capable of managing 30-tonne loads. Its technology was adopted in a range of applications, including water-jet cutting, high- pressure processing for the food and beverage industry, and hot isostatic pressing for 3D-printed metal parts.
22 September 2022 | Automation
The company’s unique electromechanical solution is used to generate highly- pressurised liquid and gas, which creates a powerful pumping mechanism. It offers several advantages over traditional hydraulic-based systems, including greater pressure stabilisation to boost efficiency, along with reduced maintenance and contamination risks posed by hydraulic fluid leaks. Crucially, it also offers major environmental benefits supporting the electric transition and slashing energy use to 60%.
Hot isostatic pressing applications A recent project involved supplying leading high-pressure tech developer Quintus Technologies with Cascade Drives’s rack and pinion-powered drive for Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) applications.
The technology is now being used to power a gas compressor drive, connected to a plunger and cylinder mechanism, capable of generating pressure of over 4,000 bar. It will form part of a range of new mechanical and digital solutions driving greater efficiency across Quintus’s HIP system. With the ability to rapidly accelerate and decelerate its systems, Cascade Drives can increase the average stroke speed, which reduces pressure spikes and enables faster pump cycles, which boosts productivity.
Elsewhere, the all-electric technology helps drive down total cost of ownership. Being non-pressurised, it can significantly reduce maintenance requirements and further lower the overall carbon footprint eliminating oil accumulators. The latest project also illustrates the
future potential of electro-mechanical machinery within the ‘high-pressure’ sector, with Quintus Technologies delivering more than 1900 systems over six decades to the energy, medical implant, aerospace, automotive and food processing industries.
Greener, cleaner and more sustainable
Cascade Drives’s technology offers compelling benefits including cost savings and operational efficiency. But of equal importance in the current net-zero era is the vital role these innovations can play to improve environmental standards and support the future energy transition. With greater demand than ever before, Cascade Drives has a clear mission to help industry move rapidly towards a greener, cleaner and more sustainable electric-based future.
CONTACT:
Cascade Drives
www.cascadedrives.com
automationmagazine.co.uk
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