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Drive Train Technology News

18 Apr 2023

CIMC Raffles to Build 2nd Offshore Wind Turbine Installation Vessel for Havfram Wind

Credit: Havfram Wind

Offshore wind installation firm Havfram Wind has ordered a second Wind Turbine Installation Vessel (WTIV).This is the first optional vessel ordered under the existing shipbuilding contract with China's CIMC Raffles.The vessel design will be similar to the first GustoMSC NG20000X Jack-Up vessel currently under construction. "The latest battery hybrid drive train technology is incorporated in the design to significantly reduce carbon emissions per installed megawatts (MW) of offshore wind capacity.

05 Sep 2018

The Switch Scores Its Largest Marine Contract to Date

(Photo: Yaskawa Environmental Energy / The Switch)

advanced drive train technology specialist Yaskawa Environmental Energy / The Switch said it has signed a contract to provide 16 DC-Hubs and 32 frequency converters for a innovative new shuttle tanker concept developed by Teekay and Wärtsilä.The four tankers will be built by Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea, with Yaskawa Environmental Energy / The Switch set to begin deliveries to Wärtsilä in September 2018.The agreement is the biggest marine contract for Finnish-headquartered Yaskawa Environmental Energy / The Switch since entering the segment in 2013.

03 Oct 2017

The Switch Partners with Shipbuilder CSIC

(Photo: The Switch)

Drive train technology specialist The Switch has become one of the first foreign companies to sign a partnership agreement with Chinese shipbuilding conglomerate China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC). On Monday, September 11, The Switch entered into a strategic partnership agreement with CSIC/711, which operates under the direct jurisdiction of CSIC as the sole R&D institute of marine diesel engines in China. A leading state-owned enterprise, CSIC is one of China’s largest shipbuilding and ship repair groups.

21 Jun 2017

Mythbusters Star Visits The Switch

Mythbusters co-star Jamie Hyneman recently visited The Switch’s factory in Finland (Photo: The Switch)

Jamie Hyneman, best known as a co-host on Mythbusters, was recently in Finland to receive an Honorary Doctorate from Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT). While in Lappeenranta, Hyneman also had an opportunity to visit several of the region’s top technology companies with origins at LUT, including electrical drive train technology specialist The Switch, who says it has an installed base of over 13 GW of megawatt-class permanent magnet machine and power converter packages within the wind, marine and special industrial sectors.

28 Mar 2017

The Switch Returns to Profitability

Image: The Switch

Advanced drive train technology specialist The Switch said it has seen a sharp jump in growth over last year, increasing its net sales from $43 million to more than $78 million, and returning to profitability after several years of losses. “The Switch financials finally started to improve briskly in the right direction,” said Dag Sandås, The Switch CFO. “We are no longer dependent on just one big client, but we have more clients in different parts of the world, from Asia to Europe.

10 Jan 2017

Interview: Mika Koli, The Switch

Mika Koli (Photo: The Switch)

The Switch is a 10 year old company working to advance the world with electrical drive train technology. It is still a relative new player in the global maritime sector with nearly four years of experience, but its first reference ships with The Switch technology onboard are starting to ply the world’s waterways – including one of MR’s “Great Ships of 2016,” Ternsund. Maritime Reporter & Engineering News met with Mika Koli, Business Development Manager, for his insights on The Switch and its future in maritime.

01 Nov 2016

The Switch Buys Wärtsilä Marine Drives Business

(Photo: The Switch)

Finland based drive train technology specialist The Switch said it has closed a deal on October 31 to purchase Wärtsilä’s Norway-based marine power drives product range for megawatt-class applications. Backed by Yaskawa, this acquisition aims to provide a platform for the operations to focus on developing its core competences together. “This business unit fits into our own long-term strategy to offer environmental energy solutions for marine,” said Jukka-Pekka Mäkinen, President and CEO of The Switch.

02 Jun 2015

The Rise of Permanent Magnet Motors and Generators

Mika Koli

Since the boom of the NdFeB magnets industry, the usage and potential applications for permanent magnet machines have grown exponentially to the detriment of traditional induction systems. In special applications like elevators, cranes, hybrid vehicles or renewable energy, permanent magnet machines have already become the preferred technology. In the marine sector, they are now starting to be the main competitor to mainstream solutions. The development of permanent magnet materials has progressed quickly during the past few decades.

30 Sep 2014

Permanent Magnet Technology for Maritime Propulsion

The Switch  Medium Speed PMG.

Multipurpose vessels, especially those that operate primarily at part loads, have been facing pressure when it comes to making money in today’s business environment. Returning to times of big profit margins will not happen soon without finding a radically different approach. Using permanent magnet technology for electric propulsion systems is a bold and proven way to save ship owners money due to lower fuel costs, less maintenance and fewer failures. As cost pressures mount and environmental regulations become more stringent, the need for a novel and smarter approach is ever more apparent.

20 May 2014

Norwegian Navy Embraces Electrification

GE’s Power Conversion business (NYSE: GE) has announced that it is working with Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Co., Ltd. (DSME) in South Korea to provide an electrical power and propulsion system for a Norwegian Defence Logistics Organization (NDLO) logistics and support vessel (LSV). GE’s equipment will be installed as a key part of the ship’s hybrid propulsion system, improving fuel efficiency and operating flexibility. In October 2012, GE’s Power Conversion business announced a similar project for the U.K.

30 Oct 2013

The Switch Introduces New Drive Train

The Switch marine drive train

The Switch, a Finnish manufacturer of permanent magnet motors, generators and converters, announced the launch of its next-generation drive trains for energy efficient power generation and propulsion of merchant vessels. Combining The Switch’s permanent magnet and frequency converter technology, this opens up all-new opportunities for hybrid propulsion systems in the shipping sector. Next generation electrical drive trains based on permanent magnet (PM) technology from The Switch, provide advanced control with a permanent magnet motor and a frequency converter as the major components.