5 – 8 December 2022, Main Days: 6 – 7 December, Estrel Hotel Berlin, Germany

Sustainability and supply chains – new values for the future

Automotive mobility is undergoing a process of deep change. Old values are fading; new ones are coming into focus. In future, potential EV buyers may well be more interested in the eco-balance than the range. People want to use their vehicles with a clear conscience. So for manufacturers, committing to sustainability – and perhaps even assuming eco-social responsibility – will be a must. Obviously, that responsibility will extend down into supply chains, where globalized and heavily monopolized procurement processes will be up for scrutiny. When an acute shortage of semiconductors puts the brakes on automobile production, as happened recently, action must be taken. Becoming independent of fluctuating prices and raw material shortages is another important task.

CTI SYMPOSIUM Berlin – a holistic take on electric mobility

In addition to technical innovations, the topic field ‘Market, Strategy and Supply Chain’ is sure to spark plenty of discussion this year. While the current shift in values is certainly challenging, it is also driving progress. For companies, intelligent commitment pays off in the form of a competitive advantage. We will be examining this trend in a dedicated session, as well as in numerous other contributions. As a special highlight, the panel discussion on ‘The interaction between drivetrain technology and social responsibility in the supply chain’ promises to yield interesting insights.

Eco balance (Life Cycle Assessment) – a clear framework for ambitious goals

Often, automobile CO2 emissions are evaluated only in the form of ‘well-to-wheel’ assessments. As Volker Ludwig (Magna Powertrain, Germany) will point out, this overlooks key areas such as production and recycling. Hence, Magna is striving for a comprehensive ecological balance (Life Cycle Assessment) that includes all emissions from ‘cradle-to-grave’.

Another issue that will increasingly confront the automotive industry is Social Due Diligence. This means assessing suppliers and sub-suppliers to ensure that human rights are complied with along the supply chain. Using various Magna transmissions and drive solutions as examples, Volker Ludwig will show what measures Magna is currently taking to tackle both issues. Summing up, he says: “Our goal is to bring to market a socially responsible product that ultimately, has a zero carbon footprint.”

Using examples of a holistic vehicle view today and in 2030, the speaker will illustrate how this Life Cycle Analysis is applied. It will be interesting to learn how Magna continuously integrates Life Cycle Assessment and Due Diligence into its development and procurement processes. Finally, Volker Ludwig will show in detail options for minimizing CO2 emissions over a vehicle’s life cycle, taking various hybrid drives and transmissions as his examples. He will explain the central role played by the material supply chain, where the use of secondary aluminium and steel, as well as renewable energies in production, represent significant levers. The goal: to create a consistent eco-social approach for all future Magna drive products and all applications, from ICE-only through HEV and PHEV to BEV and FCEV.

Higher power density for more sustainability

Production volumes in the field of mobility will experience huge growth year by year. Valuable raw materials such as copper, magnets or electrical steel will become expensive and rare. At present, supply chain disruption and extreme uncertainty in the energy market are exacerbating the situation. Against this backdrop, Mathias Deiml (AVL Software and Functions GmbH, Germany) sees risks for the growth of e-mobility, and pleads for long-term sustainability in e-drive production. AVL proposes increasing the power density of electric motors, saying this would help to improve sustainability in terms of both cost and material availability. Matthias Deiml will also consider other factors that affect sustainability, such as traction voltage or engine type.

The new, second generation of AVL high-speed motors delivers an outstanding power density of >12kw/kg without the need for costly magnets or electrical sheets. AVL uses the motors in an electric drive unit (EDU) that is optimized at system level for power density and efficiency. Mathias Deiml will present concept details, and also results from bench and in-vehicle testing. Each of the main components – e-motor, inverter and transmission – contributes to improving efficiency: the inverter uses fast-switching SiC components, while injection lubrication and FEM-optimized gear meshing support high efficiency in the transmission. The EDU technologies are scalable and can be used in vehicle classes ranging from premium to sub-compact. At vehicle level, the speaker will also present the torque vectoring feature, as well as results from simulation and real vehicle testing of the high-speed EDU.

Watch out – the invaders from consumer electronics are coming!

Dr Yu Yang (Yole Développement, France) will be bringing a concise market analysis to Berlin. The influx of new, high-investment players throughout the BEV supply chain is in full swing. Most of them share a common background: consumer electronics. The latest examples include Xiaomi, Sony, Foxconn and Luxshare, and nobody would be surprised if another big name announced it was entering the EV industry soon. In addition to well-known brands, consumer electronics suppliers such as Huawei, Media and others are also gaining ground. New competition is expected primarily in the fields of smart cockpits, autonomous driving, and powertrains. One reason for this trend is the value shift within EVs towards electronics, software and services. The new players have experience in all these fields, albeit in a different context.

In a detailed examination of leading electronics OEMs and suppliers, Dr Yu Yang will show how contract manufacturing and in-house manufacturing exist side-by-side. Integrated e-axles, in combination with other high-voltage systems and controllers, attract most investment. Typically, the supply chain for consumer electronics follows a strategy of rapid growth in which economies of scale outweigh margins. The new players also have better access to semiconductors – another important success factor in powertrain electrification. According to Dr Yu Yang, a combination of highly standardized, sealed chassis and contract manufacturing will become more popular in the age of EVs.

As the examples show, important new players have evolved within just a few years. Hence, existing players must recognize the challenges and prepare for them on different levels. Dr Yu Yang’s talk will provide important information to inform and help shape their strategies.

Optimizing costs as energy prices rise: a charging infrastructure puzzle for e-buses

Municipalities and citizens are agreed that diesel-powered buses should vanish from cities as soon as possible. Until then, the challenge facing fleet operators is how best to electrify their operations incrementally. One key factor involves growing and running the charging infrastructure. In his talk, Benjamin Daniel Blat Belmonte (Technical University Darmstadt, Germany) will use the example of a public transport company to turn the spotlight on another topical aspect: the rising energy prices that drive up operating costs by making fuel and electricity more expensive.

Planning the charging infrastructure of a partially electrified bus fleet can be seen as an optimization problem that aims to minimize costs and emissions. As Benjamin Daniel Blat Belmonte will show, an existing optimization framework for the charging infrastructure of line transport systems, developed at the Institute for Mechatronic Systems (IMS), was used to analyze the effects of fluctuating energy prices. This framework is based on multiple periods, and performs fleet management tasks implicitly for fleet operators who assign vehicles to predefined trips on each representative day, based on their consumption profile. The problem is formulated in Pyomo as a Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) task. The use of Pyomo makes it easy to adapt to applications, and to input boundary data in a flexible way.

In-depot charging point candidates are particularly relevant for optimization results, although on-route points also signify. As Benjamin Daniel Blat Belmonte will explain, multiple optimizations are calculated, based on a common reference scenario and differing energy costs. This procedure offers fleet operators strategic options for charging infrastructures and cost optimization when energy supply chains are in turmoil.

CTI SYMPOSIUM Berlin – an event with a lasting effect

Sustainability and supply chains are just two of the important topics on the agenda at CTI Symposium Berlin. Both terms describe current topics, and also apply to the symposium itself. With an extensive programme of twelve technical sessions, multiple highlights in the plenum and top-notch speakers and guests, high yields for participants are assured. Backed by a flawless supply chain, the exhibitors at our CTI SYMPOSIUM EXPO are well prepared for visitors. And at the CTI SYMPOSIUM TEST DRIVE, a whole fleet of test vehicles awaits you.

Welcome to Berlin!

Progress through diversity – new developments in e-drives

The pace of e-drive technical development has accelerated dramatically. Innovative solutions are as diverse as the applications they were designed for. In addition to efficiency and costs, OEMs are increasingly factoring sustainability and supply chains into their decisions. This applies to everything from small city cars to off-road SUVs and high-performance sports cars.

CTI Symposia accompany advanced technologies…

…from research to successful products. Once again, experts from universities, suppliers and OEMs will meet up at CTI Symposium Berlin to exchange their views on the latest trends and the next generation of e-drives. The topics they discuss in Berlin could well feature in tomorrow’s electric vehicles very soon.

Modular EDU family: six members – one mission

The task was not an easy one, as Dr Hakan Sandquist (InfiMotion Technology Europe AB, Sweden) will explain. An OEM asked his team to develop an independent EDU family with maximum application modularity – and no limits in terms of performance differentiation.

A multitude of customer requirements applied to a wide range of vehicle applications. This included hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles, as well as 400V and 800V systems. The objectives were clear: to reduce complexity, costs, weight, packaging and time-to-market. Efficiency and performance, including torque and trailer load, also had to be ensured – all with a consistent focus on consumer requirements.

The mission was accomplished in close cooperation with the Geely Powertrain Research Institute. The result is an EDU family with six variants: four 400V versions (HEV, PHEV, BEV front / rear axle) and two 800V versions (BEV front / rear axle). All variants share the same oil-cooled permanent magnet electric motor unit, with stack length altered to increase power. Dr Sandquist will also cover the new, efficient oil cooling system with variable flow, the modular aluminium die-cast housing, and the differentiated inverter design (with IGBT or SiC technology). The open architecture software, developed in-house, is sure to be of particular interest.

With an EDU efficiency target of 95% (WLTC) for the 800V EDU derivative, the bar for efficiency was particularly high. The first-generation EDU family will enter production at the end of 2022; the second generation will follow as early as 2025.

Secondary e-drives for the magic ten percent

The thrust when overtaking, the off-road grip of your AWD, the torque vectoring that defuses tricky situations: secondary electric drives may only boost the main drive temporarily. But when they do, they play a crucial role.

“In practice, secondary drives are active on average for ten percent of driving times at most,” says Daniel Lindvai-Soos (Magna Powertrain, Austria). Hence, we should evaluate the properties of various e-motor types differently in secondary and primary drives. Currently, the two most important secondary drive approaches involve either asynchronous (ASM) or permanent synchronous motors (PSM) that can be switched on or off as required, via a decoupling unit. Magna has compared and evaluated both variants in a detailed study. In his talk, Daniel Lindvai-Soos will cover all relevant criteria such as reaction times, drag loss, performance characteristics, weight and packaging, as well as costs at material and system level.

Which solution is preferable depends on the overall system view and the use cases concerned. Sports cars and SUVs, for example, usually have very different requirements. After cost, peak performance is also an important criterion; continuous power is less important, as this is provided by the primary drive. Daniel Lindvai-Soos will also examine the risks and opportunities that affect the availability and cost of the raw materials used for windings, housings, magnets etc. He will close with a detailed outlook on which next-generation drive solution is preferable for specific applications from an overall system perspective.

Heading for the future – innovative 800V technology

Lukasz Roslaniec (hofer powertrain, Germany) will present no fewer than four forward-looking technology components in Berlin, all in a single product. In the first development step, innovative 800V 3-level inverter technology boosts efficiency and enables the use of gallium nitride (GaN) solutions for 800V applications too. GaN semiconductors play a key role in increasing the efficiency, range and lifecycle of electrified vehicles. The 800V GaN 3-L inverter technology can be easily combined with both high-speed asynchronous motors, and with permanent magnet synchronous motors.

The next development boost comes from hofer powertrain’s recently patented Form Litz Winding technology. This delivers a copper filling density of up to 65% for high continuous power at maximum rpm and high motor efficiency. Special insulation ensures long motor life, despite the fast switching operations of the converter. The 3-in-1 concept can be optionally supplemented with an HV boost system. This uses motor inductance to enable compatibility with 400V charging stations in a cost- and space effective way (= 4-in-1 system). The result: a future with dramatically faster charging – and no range anxiety.

The technologies have already been verified using prototypes. Lukasz Roslaniec will go into the development methodology, and will describe technical details of the overall system for a specific automotive application.

Two innovative e-motor solutions: from strategic vision to implementation

When configuring next-generation electric motors, the first aim is to meet high technical requirements at minimal cost. But for long-term business success, it’s equally important to see the bigger picture too. By opting not to use rare earths, companies can take responsibility for people and the environment while also avoiding cost and availability issues in their supply chain.

As Holger Oechslen (MAHLE International GmbH, Germany) will explain in Berlin, MAHLE has combined technical skills and strategic visions to address these challenges with innovative e-motor solutions. The speaker will begin by presenting the MAHLE Contactless Transmitter (MET). This electric motor has no permanent magnets and transmits energy inductively, without mechanical contact or wear, between stator and rotor. This core technology is being used for the first time in the automotive industry. It is maintenance-free throughout its service life, and is compatible with oil – two key prerequisites for future applications. The motor is over 95% efficient in the drive system’s most common driving conditions.

MAHLE has achieved another technological leap with the Superior Continuous Torque (SCT) e-motor, a development recently presented at IAA TRANSPORTATION in Hanover. This ‘compact endurance athlete’ can deliver an impressive 90% of maximum performance continuously. Classic application examples include driving an e-truck over mountain passes, or repeated sprints in a sports car. The key to this enormous resilience is an innovative integrated oil cooling system. Using driving cycle simulations and prototype tests, Holger Oechslen will explain in detail the influence this has on various applications.

A high power density event: CTI SYMPOSIUM Berlin

With top-notch speakers and a wealth of cutting-edge topics, this year’s CTI SYMPOSIUM in Berlin will once again be a highly informative event and an exciting forum. Top up your information tanks in the plenum and in the twelve sessions. Explore product innovations at the CTI SYMPOSIUM EXPO. And find out for yourself how longitudinal and lateral acceleration feels – at the CTI SYMPOSIUM TEST DRIVE.

Welcome to Berlin!

Filling up at tomorrow’s service station

The driver’s having coffee, but what about the car? Electricity, hydrogen, e-fuel … which will it be? To hit ambitious decarbonisation targets quickly, we need to pursue different fuel options and use them in parallel. Then depending on the application, each option can play to its strengths – and offset the weaknesses of the alternatives.

Hydrogen has many fans – including at CTI Symposium Berlin
Battery electric drives are seen as today’s favourite, and the long-term winner in automotive mobility. But for many experts, hydrogen technology has huge potential too – for instance in fuel cell drives for heavy-duty applications and buses, or as a basis for e-fuel synthesis. At CTI SYMPOSIUM GERMANY 2022, this topic will have its own dedicated session and will also be discussed in the plenum. Among others, Michael Lohscheller (Nikola Corporation, USA) will be presenting his theses in a talk entitled ‘Hydrogen is the Future’.

Battery or fuel cell? Both, preferably!
Many customers shy away from battery-powered EVs because of charging times and the fear that ranges will not match their current diesel vehicles. In this scenario, a hybrid vehicle with fully charged batteries and a full tank of hydrogen would be an attractive solution.

Dr Stefan Caba (EDAG Engineering, Germany) will be presenting a tailor-made hybrid storage system for this new vehicle category. The system has a modular build that comprises hydrogen tanks, and batteries with similar geometries. Customers can combine up to ten modules for an optimal mix of both energy sources. This means they can use the battery flexibly for daily trips, but also refuel quickly with H2 on longer hauls. The system fits into a scalable battery vehicle platform that offers a general safety zone in the former battery housing. Special safety devices ensure module integrity in the event of an impact, while a protective wall of expandable graphite acts as a fire shield. An algorithm for cost-effective usage of both energy sources has been defined and tested. As Stefan Caba will explain, the results demonstrate high potential ranges for configurations with larger numbers of hydrogen tanks, and indicate fundamental opportunities for the use of hybrid fuel cell vehicles.

City bus climate tests – how BEV and FCEV compare
Cold weather makes electric vehicles less efficient. Taking a 12-metre city bus as her example, Michele Bilancia (Punch Hydrocells, Italy) will examine this phenomenon in depth and compare how BEV and FCEV perform. In low temperatures, a city bus needs large amounts of heat to warm the passenger compartment quickly and keep the temperature constant during normal operation.  BEVs have to use valuable battery charge for this, thereby reducing vehicle range, while cold weather also impairs the performance of the high-voltage battery. By contrast, FCEVs are less sensitive to falling outside temperatures.

As Michele Bilancia will show, the BEV – FCEV comparison documents the differences in range and powertrain performance at low temperatures, and also shows how this parameter affects the usability of both drive solutions in a 12-metre city bus. Various aspects of the vehicle’s overall thermal architecture are also important. For both BEV and FCEV, Michele Bilancia will compare multiple cooling circuit layouts to show their impact on vehicle performance and efficiency. In the quest for high efficiency during winter operation, these tests provide crucial insights.

Solid oxide electrolysis (SOEC) tops the efficiency charts for hydrogen and e-fuels
Efficiency gains of up to 90 percent in green hydrogen production definitely sound promising – and as Josef Macherhammer (AVL List GmbH, Austria) will explain, solid oxide electrolysis (SOEC) can deliver. The process works with high temperatures, and is particularly efficient in scenarios where heat or steam are available as input. Coupling e-fuel production with this form of electrolysis is also beneficial: using waste heat from the synthesis process can boost production efficiency by 30 to 40 percent.

Based on ongoing development programmes, the speaker will examine two specific SOEC applications in detail. The first is a 1MW SOEC container plant for hydrogen production; the second is an e-fuel demonstration plant based on SOEC Fischer-Tropsch technology, with a diesel equivalent capacity of 120,000 litres p.a. Both projects show how green fuels can be produced sustainably and competitively in future. And as Jürgen Rechberger points out, we need them. “AVL is convinced that the fastest route to decarbonisation is a technology-open portfolio approach. This calls for hydrogen and e-fuels for different applications.” Battery-electric drives will definitely succeed ICEs and should be used wherever possible. However, green fuels can complement them in two ways: by helping to electrify heavy-duty applications (truck, rail, shipping), and by closing gaps in renewable electricity supplies.

Sky to Tank – is it necessary, reasonable and feasible?
Wherever possible, electricity from wind or solar sources should go straight into EV batteries; this is the most direct route to decarbonisation. But since both these sources are prone to fluctuation, we need additional storage technologies in order to better match supply and demand.

Dr Martin Härtl (Technical University of Munich, Germany) will focus on e-fuels as a viable solution to this challenge. E-fuels have similar advantages to fossil fuels (e.g. high energy density, safe and easy handling), but their low energy efficiency and high cost are often criticised. The speaker will differentiate between the respective opportunities and obstacles for various e-fuels in a business context, and will systematically compare their technical properties. He will discuss hydrogen, methane and methanol as promising platforms – either for direct use, or as a basis for downstream production in fields like specialty chemicals – along with various other oxygenates and hydrocarbons for replacing fossil hydrocarbons. For example, oxygenates with a C1 structure deliver soot-free combustion and are available with either high ease of ignition (for CI engines) or extreme knock resistance (for SI engines). According to findings from engine tests with functional e-fuels conducted at the Technical University of Munich, engines can achieve high thermodynamic efficiency while avoiding critical pollutant emissions such as particles and nitrogen oxides. Dr Martin Härtl will be bringing the latest research findings with him to Berlin.

CTI Symposium Berlin – discover new developments in theory and practice
Once again, this year’s CTI SYMPOSIUM GERMANY promises to be a fascinating event and a key forum for manufacturers and suppliers. As the year draws to a close, why not top up your inspiration tank with a mix of exciting information and lively discussion? In twelve sessions and in the plenum, the agenda has a clear focus: tomorrow’s automotive mobility. Participants can also dive deep into tech specs at the CTI SYMPOSIUM EXPO – and experience new solutions hands-on at our TEST DRIVE.

Welcome to Berlin!

teamtechnik GENERATES RECORD ORDER INTAKE

teamtechnik wins major e-Mobility-related orders from international automotive OEMs in May, following large projects for their Medtech and New Energy Divisions in April. teamtechnik Group has taken orders worth over 100 million Euros since the beginning of the year, a record in the company’s 46-year history.

teamtechnik specializes in automation and develops and builds bespoke solutions for the New Energy, Medtech and e-Mobility sectors. It won major orders in all three areas in the first five months of 2022, resulting in record order intake. For example, teamtechnik will supply more than 20 ECA stringer systems, which use the very latest technology, for Europe’s largest solar module factory. This is the largest order in solar technology ever received by teamtechnik.

Hekuma, which has been part of teamtechnik Group since July 2021, has been awarded a contract for fully automatic production lines to produce laboratory consumables. teamtechnik has also won another well-known Medtech customer for a newly developed high-performance system to assemble glass syringes.

An American, German and Chinese automotive OEM have all separately ordered EOL test benches for hybrid and e-drives from teamtechnik, the automation specialist, which has been part of the Dürr Group since February 2021. In addition, an American OEM has asked teamtechnik to supply a testing system for power control units.

teamtechnik Group’s position as technological leader and its international presence were the factors that led both new and existing customers to place these orders.

“The strength of our three-pillar business model, combined with our world-wide presence, has been proven once again. I’m pleased to say that the orders have come from three different industries on three continents.”, said CEO Stefan Rosskopf.