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Yaskawa Corporations said it will make a multimillion-euro investment to strenghten the R&D capabilities of The Switch and purchase new equipment at the company's factory in Lappeenranta, Finland.

PM motors represent a simple and reliable mechanical solution for achieving quieter vessels, argues Jussi Puranen of Finnish technology firm The Switch

Yaskawa-konserniin kuuluva The Switch laajentaa toimintaansa Lappeenrannassa. Jatkossa The Switch muodostaa konsernin sisällä kokonaan oman uusiutuvaan energian hyödyntämiseen ja ympäristötekniikkaan keskittyvän divisioonan.

A new Steerprop CRP ECO LM propulsor featuring permanent magnet (PM) technology from The Switch has been unveiled. Especially suited to harsh environment operation, the lightweight, compact unit offers vessel owners a combination of efficiency, power, easy installation and maintenance, as well as reduced lifetime costs.

The Switch, a specialist in advanced drive train technology, saw a sharp jump in growth last year. The company increased its net sales by 80 per cent from €40m to more than €72m. Moreover, profitability also returned after a few previous years of losses.

Finnish technology supplier The Switch is targeting 200 per cent growth in the marine segment over the next five years building on the success of recent orders, its acquisition of Wärtsilä Drives and the financial muscle of Japanese parent company Yaskawa Electric Corporation.

Leading European provider of advanced drive train technology The Switch is now enjoying an increasingly strong global position thanks to a strategic partnership with Japanese company Yaskawa and an ever-more innovative product portfolio. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to CEO Jukka-Pekka Makinen to learn more.

Advanced electrical drive trains enable vessels to take advantage of variable speed and full power.

The rise of permanent magnet motors and generators

Tugs and OSVs need to balance commercial viability with environmental standards. Mika Koli from Finnish technology company The Switch writes that permanent magnet technology is one tried-and-tested way to increase efficiency, decrease maintenance, and reduce emissions.

ACCORDING TO FINLAND-BASED propulsion specialist, The Switch, permanent magnet (PM) drive train technology for electric propulsion brings a powerful solution to the big diesel dilemma, which combines tougher environmental considerations with a long-term perspective of increasing fuel costs.

Coupling a permanent magnet shaft generator with a frequency converter can enable vessels to optimise their engine and propeller efficiencies