Posted to News on 21st Dec 2006, 20:06
Motor Competence Centre to explore energy efficiency
Danfoss is setting up a centre for state-of-the-art knowledge about advanced motor technologies, with the intention of making compressors for refrigerators and large cooling systems more efficient and energy-saving.
The new unit, called the Danfoss Motor Competence Centre, to be located in Flensburg, Germany, will gather knowledge and expertise relating to the development and production of motors from throughout the Danfoss Group.
Ole Bachmann, director of the Danfoss Motor Competence Centre, says: "We wish to develop a new generation of world-class, energy-saving motor technologies and processes. The centre will create technologies which, in terms of quality, cost and size, are world-class – for us and for our customers."
The Danfoss Motor Competence Centre will be staffed by up to 15-20 people. This means that the competence centre must recruit an additional eight to ten new employees – typically engineers – from outside Danfoss. The competence centre will advise Danfoss' Divisions on motor technology, the development of new generations of motors and the maintenance of existing technologies.
Danfoss is particularly aiming at PM (permanent magnet) motors technology that, compared with the mature technology induction motors, is highly efficient and therefore more energy-saving. In recent years, PM technology has become more profitable following a considerable drop in the price of magnets. PM motors are increasingly being used in the automotive industry, among others, for the control of window winding mechanisms, ventilation fans and automatic seat positioning.
Ole Bachmann comments; "PM motors are also becoming the preferred technology within speed-controlled compressors. With the Danfoss Motor Competence Centre, Danfoss can become a leader in this field."
The Danfoss Motor Competence Centre, which will not have anything to do with the daily production of motors in Danfoss, will be in charge of providing advice, testing and designing of new motor technologies, as well as the manufacture of prototypes.
Both small and large motors are presently a part of a wide range of Danfoss products and systems, and not only in refrigerator compressors. Danfoss produces or purchases around 14 million motors every year.
