Mobility in transitionFull speed ahead toward e-mobility

The core material of the energy transition: powercore® electrical steel

Electrical steel from thyssenkrupp Steel is used not only in wind turbines. It can be found throughout the entire energy value chain — from generation, transmission and distribution to consumption, for example in electric motors. As a core material for the mobility transition, it therefore makes a significant contribution to energy efficiency and resource conservation.

Non-grain-oriented powercore® traction is a high-purity, soft-magnetic material made from an iron-silicon alloy that guides and concentrates magnetic flux. The non-grain-oriented powercore® Traction grades for electric mobility meet the requirements of highly efficient, high-performance automotive drive systems. They are extremely thin and feature uniform mechanical properties, low remagnetization losses and high polarization.

Grain-oriented electrical steel from thyssenkrupp Electrical Steel’s powercore® brand is used in transformers and charging stations, enabling energy to be transmitted and supplied efficiently. More specifically, these are technologically advanced premium powercore® grades characterized by particularly low core losses, resulting in high levels of efficiency in power conversion. At no more than 0.23 millimeters thick, these ultra-thin electrical steel grades are used primarily in modern, highly efficient transformers.

Acoustic optimization for electric motors: bondal^®

To ensure that electric vehicles are not only environmentally friendly but also pleasant to drive, bondal® comes into play. The so-called sandwich material developed by thyssenkrupp Steel helps reduce noise in electric vehicles. Although electric motors are significantly quieter than conventional internal combustion engines, people often perceive the drive-related noise emitted by the inverter as particularly unpleasant.

The inverter, a key component of every electric drive system, converts the battery’s direct current into alternating current for the drive motor. Depending on the load, it generates high-frequency noise that radiates through the cover of the inverter housing. The result is an unpleasant sound and a significant comfort issue for which no fully satisfactory solution is currently available.

For acoustic optimization, bondal® uses a steel–polymer–steel composite. Once formed into a component, bondal® provides not only the material’s characteristic structure-borne sound damping, but also airborne sound insulation. Combined, these properties can reduce the perceived noise level to one quarter of its original level. Compared with solutions made entirely from sheet steel or aluminum, bondal® is also a highly attractive lightweight alternative and can be recycled without difficulty.

Essential as demand grows: efficient supply chains

As demand for electric vehicles increases, so does the need for lightweight solutions made from steel and aluminum - which, incidentally, also make vehicles with internal combustion engines more efficient and reduce their emissions by lowering their weight. Comprehensive services and an optimally managed, digitalized supply chain are critical to the success of the automotive sector - and therefore also to the mobility transition - by helping to prevent delays in vehicle production. As an innovative materials distributor, tk accelis is already positioning itself for this growing market.

The company has invested in a new location in Mexico to meet the future requirements of e-mobility. Demand for aluminum is rising steadily, as Mexico is one of the world’s largest production locations for passenger cars and trucks. Numerous major automotive manufacturers operate plants there. To keep their production running smoothly, tk accelis service centers supply materials in the precise processing quality required - and exactly when they are needed.

For the perfect torque: the rotor shaft

To get electric vehicles moving, the heart of every electric motor is essential: the rotor shaft. In electric motors, it performs a role comparable to that of the camshaft in a conventional internal combustion engine. The rotor shaft converts electrical energy into kinetic energy and transfers it to the transmission.

More than ten years ago, the thyssenkrupp Automotive Technology team began applying its drive-system know-how and many years of experience in camshaft production to rotor shafts for electric motors. The team developed this sustainable drive solution at a time when it was still unclear how the e-mobility market would evolve. Since then, the rotor shaft has been continuously refined, with its material composition, weight and cost significantly optimized in recent years.

From energy generation to drive components, thyssenkrupp offers a range of solutions for sustainable mobility that help set electric vehicles in motion across the entire supply chain. True to the motto: engineering. tomorrow. together.

thyssenkrupp sets e-mobility in motion

The foundation for the mobility transition begins outside the vehicle itself - with the production of slewing bearings by thyssenkrupp rothe erde. As demand for electric vehicles grows, so does the need for energy - ideally from renewable sources. Wind power is a key resource in Germany. Used as components in wind turbines around the world, slewing bearings from thyssenkrupp rothe erde help generate green electricity. Wherever movement and drive systems come together, these bearings transfer the wind’s energy to the wind turbine generators.

powercore® traction electrical steel from thyssenkrupp Steel helps convert kinetic energy into electrical energy efficiently. The quality requirements for both the material and the bearing components are extremely high, particularly in offshore installations, where wind turbines are exposed to extreme conditions.