Automotive Engineering - December 2023 - 8

TECHNOLOGY
REPORT
E-MOTORS
Schaeffler promotes manufacturing flexibility
Global auto supplier Schaeffler Group has a
message for the EV motor market: the company
is capable of building custom solutions
for many different EV drivelines and use cases.
And it is forthright in saying that not all mobility
applications need cutting-edge technology
to be effective.
While some e-motor manufacturers have
gone to market with a limited number of models
- usually employing similar architecture but
different levels of output - from which customers
can select, Schaeffler insists it will consider
building any motor spec brought to it.
Daniel Sayre, e-motor business unit director,
said the company is dedicated to adapting and
working with customers to develop the best
solutions for their vehicles.
Sayre said that the company's global footprint
helps it sustainably source materials and
consider carbon footprint when deciding
where to manufacture an item. " Depending on
the type of material in that program, we can
select the regions where we get them, to
where we process it, and then where we ship
from at the end, " he said. The company said its
number of potential customers continues to
grow. Sayre asserted that requests for proposals
to various parts of Schaeffler's business
- from e-motors to full mobility systems - already
number in the hundreds each year.
In a conference call for analysts and media
that focused on optimizing designs for range,
cost and sustainability, Jonathan Getz, group
leader for customer solutions and e-motor
research and development, said the company's
array of available technologies allows that.
" Optimization allows you to properly balance
emerging technologies and find the exact design
to match vehicle goals to advanced motor
SAE INTERNATIONAL
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Todd Zarfos
President
Carla Bailo
2024 President
Srinivasa (Sri) Srinath, Ph.D
2022 President
Susan Ying, Ph.D
Vice President - Aerospace
Daniel Nicholson
Vice President - Automotive
The rotor from an electrically excited synchronous
motor manufactured by Schaeffler.
technologies and increase sustainability without
sacrificing performance. "
He also said that the company's local vertical
integration presents a cost advantage in addition
to offering a single supplier for an entire
e-motor solution.
" We have an internal design toolkit that allows
for quick tradeoff optimization, " Getz said.
" We can tailor the design to minimize raw materials
like magnets, as well as carbon dioxide, all
while maintaining maximum performance. Then
we can take the design and run it through an
advanced software that can simulate thousands
of designs within minutes. This allows the customer
to have no waste in the design while being
tuned to the exact project specification. "
That equates to reduced risk, he said.
Design, manufacturing options
Schaeffler provided a brief overview of the
methods and technologies it can use in traction
motors. For example, Getz said the company
Audley Brown
Vice President -
Commercial Vehicle
Andrew Jeffers
Treasurer
David L. Schutt, Ph.D
Chief Executive Officer
Gregory L. Bradley, Esq.
Secretary
Judy Curran
Mary Lee Gambone
Michael Weinert
Joan Wills
SAE International Sections
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SAE Members in a given area. For more
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or contact SAE Member Relations Specialist
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SAE International
This chart shows how much efficiency is gained by Schaeffler's manufacturing processes.
8 December 2023
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together on their campus and develop
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more information, please visit students.
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AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
BOTH IMAGES: SCHAEFFLER
https://www.sae.org/participate/membership/sections https://www.sae.org/participate/membership/collegiate-chapters
Automotive Engineering - December 2023

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