Warner Electric, a leading brand of Altra Industrial Motion Corp., has developed a new electromagnetic brake that greatly reduces power consumption during operation. The SSPB pulse brake is highly efficient and well suited to electric vehicle applications – increasing range while controlling soft stops proficiently.Power saving is an important consideration in most applications, but none more so than the electric vehicle market. OEMs are battling to maximise the effective range of electric vehicles to gain an operational and market advantage. Increasing efficiency and reducing visits to the charge point are of paramount importance. The longer the range, the more productive, practical and cost-effective the vehicle becomes. With finite battery power to work with, focus is now turning to reducing the power consumption of auxiliary vehicle systems to further improve vehicle range.
Warner Electric has leveraged its extensive experience as a global electromagnetic brake OEM to deliver an efficient braking solution to meet these requirements. The SSPB is designed to preserve battery life via its reduced power consumption. This Bi-stable brake relies on pulses of current to operate the brake, offering a distinct advantage over other devices.
Usually, electromagnetic brakes require a constant power supply to be held open, therefore the brake is consuming energy whenever it isn’t controlling a stop. The SSPB brake reduces this energy consumption by relying on a single, short pulse of current to open or close, eliminating the need for a constant power supply. One pulse will be sent to close the brake and come to a stop, another to open them and start moving.
As a result of this efficiency, the vehicle’s finite amount of stored energy can be used for other functions. This can serve to greatly increase range, improving the viability of electric vehicles in many new industries or environments. The power saving features benefit both pure electric vehicles and hybrid-electric systems.
The SSPB brake is specifically designed to operate as a turnkey solution. An embedded controller is included as standard, with Warner Electric focusing on providing ease of use during installation and operation. Warner Electric works directly with OEM manufacturers to optimise devices to fit existing or new vehicle platforms, ensuring the SSPB can be retrofitted or included as part of new vehicle designs.
Improving the green credentials of electric vehicle is not merely confined to selecting a more sustainable power source. By reducing the power consumption of the braking system by specifying the SSPB brake, OEMs can now maximise range while still specifying this highly reliable solution from a trusted source.
