Imagine that your electric machine no longer meets your needs. Perhaps performance requirements changed, vibrations suddenly appeared during operation or another practical challenge emerged. Situations like these are where innovation often begins. For engineers, solving such problems is part of everyday work – but how they approach them can vary from company to company. At…
Category: Blogs
The most expensive moment on a ship is the first 10 microseconds after a fault
When we talk with shipowners about power systems, the conversation often starts around efficiency, fuel savings or emissions. These are certainly very important topics, but when you work closely with DC systems, you learn very quickly that the real cost of a power system isn’t decided during normal operation. It’s decided the moment something goes…
Marine customers get top-quality The Switch PM machines from Finland and China
Today, The Switch manufactures and tests high-quality marine PM machines in Nanjing, China, as well as in two locations in Finland. Our first PM marine machines were built and tested in Lappeenranta, Finland, where we established the processes that still form the foundation for our production today. Over the past five years, the number of…
Diesel-electric efficiency improvements with direct-drive propulsion system on M/S Nukumi
The M/S Nukumi, a diesel-electric bulk ship operating in the Gulf of St. Laurence and Great Lakes region since early 2022, was designed with many innovations to enhance safety, efficiency and performance while reducing the vessel’s overall environmental footprint. Making the ship’s onboard production and consumption of power extremely efficient was one essential design goal.…
Expanding uses of high-speed solid rotor technology
High-speed solid rotor technology has proven itself useful in nearly every high-speed application. High-speed solid rotors can be used in any application where the load can be connected directly to the electrical machine without a gearbox and the circumferential speed of the rotor is higher than 100 m/s. Developed to address the existing gap between…
Customer satisfaction is The Switch’s highest goal
When you buy highly technical products, you’re looking first for product performance and durability and then at considerations like cost, delivery times and location. But you know this isn’t all that’s needed for the ultimate success of your highly customized, time-consuming and expensive projects. Beyond the technical Other less-quantifiable factors count heavily toward a project’s…
STEESMAT: Pioneering power systems for the maritime green transition
Decarbonizing shipping is one of the greatest challenges facing the maritime industry today. While much of the debate has focused on alternative fuels, the truth is that the future fleet will also require far more efficient and flexible energy systems. This is precisely the focus of STEESMAT – a consortium of 13 European partners, including The Switch.
How to ensure successful PM shaft generator commissioning
Commissioning is the final handover of The Switch PM shaft generator to the system integrator at the shipyard. Multiple stakeholders and many participants are involved in these projects. Typically, they include: Although we at The Switch contribute only one component, how we do our part affects many others. Our focus from the beginning is to…
Part 2: What does it take to build a high-speed electric machine?
In Panu Hava’s previous blog, he discussed the latest technologies and trends in high-speed electric machines in today’s market. In this blog, I would like to describe how The Switch applies these innovations and organizes its processes to successfully build premium electric motors.
Part 1: What does it take to build a high-speed electric machine?
In June, I had the opportunity to visit two trade fairs related to rotating machines and explore the options that are offered today by the market. Read more for a review of the market.
Japan’s quiet marine revolution: A look at Japan’s coming contributions to global marine electrification
Europe often takes the spotlight for advancements in maritime industry electrification. Countries like Norway and Finland are already operating over a hundred electric vessels, driving the global shift toward sustainable shipping. Japan, on the other hand, has been comparatively quiet – with just around 10 electric vessels currently in operation. But behind the scenes, Japan…
More durable marine power systems with The Switch’s innovative liquid cooling system
The cooling system for a vessel’s electrical machines and drives is of paramount importance. Inadequately handled thermal stresses can cause an electrical system to age prematurely or even fail. A successful cooling system design must completely address all potential issues. Air-cooled systems are the cheapest and easiest to maintain. However, liquid-cooled systems come with so many…