Switching on frequently 02/2022: Return to new normal

Summer – the long-awaited season – is here again! And we managed to open this season with our traditional Summer Party after the long COVID-19 era. It was great to see most of our team members together celebrating the official opening of our Large Drive Test Center (LDTC) in Lappeenranta and having a good party together.

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…

The Switch inks landmark deal with Vard Electro to equip five offshore vessels

The Switch, a leading provider of innovative power electronics for the marine industry, has signed a multimillion-euro contract with Ålesund-based Vard Electro that marks a significant step in the company’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge products for innovative system integrators. The Switch will supply its DC-Hub technology to multiple vessels on order at Vard Electro, a…

Choosing between tilting pad and active magnetic bearings for direct-drive compressors

Did you know active magnetic bearing (AMB) systems are more energy efficient and have lower lifetime costs than tilting pad bearing systems? We at The Switch regularly evaluate bearing systems when we supply high-speed electric machines. Our customers are looking for a bearing system that will provide the load capacity and stability their high-speed direct-drive…

Maritime green transition gathers speed in 2023

In July of this year, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) revised its strategy for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from international shipping . The IMO’s new ambitious target is to reach net-zero GHG emissions from international shipping by 2050. This is a big jump up from the initial target of a 50% GHG reduction by…

Switching on frequently 02/2023: Heat of summer

Heat of summer Although the heat of summer is just starting to arrive in Finland, most of us are looking forward to a break when we can spend time with our families and friends – and recharge our batteries. For us at The Switch, we will really need all the energy we can get for…

10 years in the shaft generator business – A short review

Looking at my email history, I see that the term “shaft generator” first appeared in my email conversations in May 2013. So, it has been exactly ten years to date from when we first started to think how we could utilize our permanent magnet technology originally developed for the wind industry in marine applications –…

Reliable power system with ultra-fast fault response time for DP vessels

Delivering a vessel with Dynamic Positioning (DP) classification can be challenging. And the higher the DP rating, the more difficult it can be. Luckily, there are experts delivering DP systems that can handle both the complex force calculations for the steering and the failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) for such a complex system. But…

Marine industry moves toward electrification in 2022

What does the future hold for electrification of the marine industry? A review of the past year’s trends shows a clear movement toward electrification. Green transition gathering speed The transition to using sustainable solutions in the marine market has clearly been on the industry agenda over the past year. And what’s more, our conversations with…