Conference Program

At COP26, 15 countries announced their ambition for 100% of new medium- and heavy-duty vehicle sales to be zero emissions by 2040, with a 30% interim target by 2030. This session will discuss the implications of this target for the off-road sector, building on the potential for zero-emission technology transfer across on-road and off-road vehicle segments.

To deliver on its commitment to the Paris Agreement, Volvo Group’s running fleet needs to be 100% fossil free by 2050. Given the average 10-year lifecycle for its products, to meet this commitment, Volvo Group aims for all its new vehicles to be fossil-free enabled from 2040. Join this presentation to discover the latest developments in Volvo Group’s vehicles on the road to this goal.

Starting with the definition of the specific market of the railcar mover industry, the presentation will define the different driving technologies across the globe. It will then present the well-established diesel heritage and actual dominance. The presentation will then cover the first electric, battery-powered railcar movers of the early 1990s, uncovering the initial technological challenges and solutions. There will be a focus on the evolution of the electric battery-powered railcar movers in recent decades in terms of technical development and performance improvement. At the end, the actual state of the art of these machines is presented, with examples of real life applications of railway logistic fully accomplished and performed with these new electric railcar movers.

Equipment electrification, digitization and automation trends have pushed the need for strategic synergies in the off-highway industry between OEMs, suppliers and service providers, leading to increasing Industry Convergence. Post pandemic rebound is expected to accelerate ecosystem collaboration. In the next 2 to 4 years, Off-Highway OEMs are expected to expand their research in alternative powertrain technologies, where electrification is a key theme. Fuel cell electric vehicle research is also expected to expand. New participants will be entering the market in the electrification and digital technology space. In this presentation, Pietro Boggia will disclose the latest Frost & Sullivan Growth Outlook for the Off-Highway Industry, with a focus on electrification trends, autonomous technologies, and industry convergence.

To overcome the challenges of tight emissions regulation, extensive work is underway to improve off-road machinery. Most of the work concentrates on electrification, as conventional working hydraulic systems suffer from high metering losses that lead to overall system efficiency about of 21%. Utilizing a more-electric architecture brings high energy savings and works with a power-on-demand approach. However, this comes with high investments costs. Is it possible with current technologies and what would be an acceptable payback time? Affordable and energy-efficient off-road machinery: is it utopia or reality? Results of the implementation of completed and ongoing projects will be demonstrated.

The presentation will discuss the impact of electrification on component and system development in off-highway markets, and the challenges and requirements of emerging e-drive and e-motion technologies (system optimization, energy management, electric motors and power electronics). It will include a case study of the system and component development of a two-speed transmission for heavy-duty machines (eSP502).

This presentation will review options for decarbonization in the off-highway sector, considering the potential role of hydrogen internal combustion engines alongside technologies such as fuel cell and battery-electric powertrains. The latest developments in hydrogen combustion engine technology will be examined, and results from hydrogen engine test work carried out at the University of Brighton in collaboration with Ricardo will be presented.

The off-highway equipment market is at a pivotal moment. Electrification, automation and connectivity are redefining how machines are designed, built, purchased and used. The machines of today will look very different from the machines of 2030 or 2040. What are the key technologies? Who are the key OEMs and suppliers? What will the machines of the future look like and how can we as an industry prepare?

John Deere has taken part in the electrification of agricultural machines by presenting a variety of publicly funded projects. Project GridCON2, together with its corresponding project Feldschwarm, set the basis for a grid-connected agricultural swarm. In GridCON2, the development of a power distribution vehicle concept to supply a 1MW all-electric agricultural swarm is presented. This up-scaled cable-based energy transmission vehicle has an integrated cable management system and a novel cooling method for its 3km of cable. Orthocyclic winding and spacer rods are combined to allow balanced, fan-generated, forced air cooling. Test bench measurements are performed to develop the vehicle.

In an engineering environment, the use of integrated data seems to be the solution for guiding design decisions for systems and components. In conjunction with a virtual simulation and validation environment this can speed up the development cycle, or not?

The telescopic handler is one of the most interesting vehicles to be considered in the electrification process due to its size and duty cycle; at the same time, it is becoming a very attractive vehicle due to the wide range of applications from agriculture to construction equipment. Using the Carraro electrification process, the e-power team developed two different solutions suitable for hybrid and full-electric architectures on the same 6-ton telescopic handler platform. The presentation will describe how the process led to the final architecture and components design, showing the differences in terms of vehicle performance, functionalities and cost.

The development of electrified off-highway machinery for different climatic conditions creates significant challenges in the field of thermal management. Extensive testing to ensure proper operation often leads to escalating development costs and long test periods. Furthermore, climatic chambers often are limited in the testing of dynamic use profiles. Electrification creates new challenges due to increased system complexity and temperature-sensitive components. Our joint approach enables us to model electrical and thermal aspects by combining incremental development steps, thermal management simulation and selective testing. This allows us to improve even complex systems and leads to well-designed solutions with optimized development efforts.

With increasing requirements for zero emissions and CO2 reduction and in light of the current energy crisis, electrification has become one of the main development fields for all major OEMs. The off-highway market is highly diversified with many different requirements when compared to other market segments such as marine, factory automation or passenger car. The Rexroth electrification portfolio for off-highway machines has been developed based on the market's specific requirements and previous experience. The presentation will explain the key design principles and application-related performances of Rexroth’s eLION portfolio. Furthermore, it will show how a specific design has been developed to optimize the solutions for different vehicle functions such as drivetrain, implementation and accessories, in order to achieve maximum efficiency, noise reduction and power density. A practical use case will show the vehicle-specific implementation and performance of Rexroth’s scalable eLION solutions in a real, electrified, off-highway vehicle.

Energy efficiency and savings are important design aspects for the development of non-road mobile machinery. For several years now, various studies have been addressing the question of how hydraulic systems can be supplemented or replaced by suitable electronic components. Often, an incremental approach is followed, which proceeds via the use of diesel-electric drive systems, to hybrid and all-electric drive systems. The replacement of hydraulic systems or actuators with electric components is also being investigated. It turns out that a multitude of questions must be considered in the realization of such a system. In the process, design contradictions arise that can only be quantitatively evaluated by taking a deeper look. This presentation will deal with one element of these complex questions: the question of which design aspects have to be considered in the electrification of non-road mobile machinery. For this purpose, a concrete vehicle in its typical application will be looked at. The presentation will take a closer look at the transition from a diesel-powered system to a fully electric system and also consider the intermediate steps of diesel-electric and diesel-hybrid. In addition to energy and power considerations, which always play a role in a design, special aspects of power electronics, drive and control technology will also be considered.

Electronics, the main components and the system software play a key role in electrified power trains of heavy machinery. At least as important in modern machines are data flow, remote data analytics, optimizations and updates. An intelligent power distribution unit optimizes and updates the current flow to components that need it at the moment. It also protects the system components in high voltage environment. Integration with the main components in the system, such as hydraulics, thermal management, battery and gearbox must be seamless. As the amount of electronics and software is increasing, the benefits they offer for OEMs and end customers grow significantly as well.

The presentation deals with the electrification of a 6-ton wheel loader with the goal of finding the most fuel-efficient powertrain configuration for a given mission profile. To optimize the vehicle fuel consumption, a system simulation approach is used based on fast and modular modeling of the powertrain components. The controller that splits the energy between the internal combustion engine and the battery is crucial for such a powertrain, and the proposed system simulation approach means it can be automatically generated for given configurations.

In modern development processes, you can find more and more use of modeling to reduce time and mitigate risks. Modeling is particularly important when it comes to electric vehicles, where precise prediction of range or operation hours defines the success or failure of a project. This presentation will show how BSPL has been using modeling in its development process, how it is building models of thermal management systems, and using simulation and co-simulation to adjust parameters and operation, and how customers could use those models in complete systems development, speeding up vehicle development.

The demand for electrified commercial vehicles and mobile machinery is gaining momentum due to several factors, including stricter emission regulation as well as climate awareness. However, one of the biggest challenges is maintaining optimal thermal comfort inside the cabin without excessively reducing the driving range or operating times. A thermal management strategy based on model predictive control can help improve the energy efficiency of electric vehicles. Further improvement can be achieved by implementing an innovative heat pump system that uses ambient heat and waste heat of the components. Solutions for these challenges are presented in three use cases.

From recent discussions and publications, it is clear that stricter emission restrictions for off-road and agricultural applications are expected in the future. Therefore, in addition to significant ongoing efforts for electrification of on-road applications, there is an increasing focus on electrifying off-road powertrains. E-motors developed for on-road applications often already fulfill the needs of agricultural applications. Advanced cooled e-motors can satisfy this demand. Furthermore, charging is a key challenge for e-mobility applications. There is a need for interconnected and seamlessly integrated solutions. AVL has elaborated a comprehensive overview of the complexity of charging features as well as hurdles faced during development.

Improving the efficiency of hydraulic architectures is key to the electrification of off-highway vehicles. Hydraulic systems offer robustness and power density at low cost but have primarily been developed for ICEs. Straightforward conversion to an electric power source leads to inefficient energy utilization. Improving system efficiency is essential to overcoming the challenge of achieving a full day’s battery-powered operation. At Orion Research, we have undertaken the complete instrumentation of a 5-tonne excavator to characterize and evaluate system losses. In combination with simulation, this has enabled us to develop novel solutions and effective implementation of a semi-distributed electrohydraulic architecture.

The electrification of mobile machinery has taken off fast. As a result, manufacturers are experimenting with electrified working hydraulics. The disappointment is great when noisy hydraulics drain valuable battery capacity too quickly. A solution is Bucher Hydraulics' electro-hydraulic pump which determines the optimal pump speed and allows the continued use of the existing working hydraulics. Therefore, it is ideally suited for taking the first steps in the electrification of mobile machinery.

With the growing electrification of working machinery, the electric replacement of high torque low speed diesel engines is required. Based on the physical laws applying to axial flux machines they are an ideal solution for this application. The presentation will give an overview of the developments and technologies of axial flux motors in general. Explaining the pros and cons of different topologies and also comparing them to the established radial flux motor technology. This will be followed by a review of a new large diameter machine developed capable of more than 1000 Nm of continuous torque a with diameter of 55 cm and length of 16 cm.

Power distribution units (PDU) are at the heart of the high voltage vehicle electrical architecture: they connect the critical elements of the system (such as battery pack, inverters, on-board charger, auxiliaries, etc.), switch the power, ensure the integrity of the vehicle electrical network and perform critical measurements. BPW Bergische Achsen and Wurth Elektronik ICS will together present the challenges of designing those power distribution units on a vehicle and component level. They will provide guidance regarding the design of such components and discuss together what could be the future of those critical items.

Low-voltage electric drivetrains for industrial vehicles were initially used for indoor vehicles and are now increasingly finding their way into outdoor vehicles. This change comes with new requirements for ruggedness, performance and reliability and the need for application-specific solutions. By moving the design interface of the motor controller from the outside connections to the electrical interface of the power section, a platform solution is designed for use in combination with existing or optimized controller systems. The presentation explains the technology behind this concept and how customized solutions can quickly and cost-efficiently be developed using this high-performance, high-quality technology.

As the world looks to reduce carbon emissions, it is imperative that equipment in the off-highway sector can continue to operate at peak performance levels under demanding conditions. Inevitably, various forms of electrification are required to meet emission regulations, but alternatives including biofuels, gas engines and hybrids will all play a vital role during this transition period. The efficiency of connections and power transfer to accessories also have a significant impact on emissions and operator throughput. This presentation explores the challenges and solutions for technicians and field engineers in the maintenance and diagnosis of rapidly changing powertrain and associated systems.

Heavy-duty vehicles and trucks often utilize multiple electric motors. This architecture makes power and efficiency tests particularly challenging. It also has an impact on measurement technology, which becomes particularly clear when analyzing the electrical power in performant heavy-duty powertrains. The electrical power measurement is the starting point for all further analyses; for example, the recording of efficiency or the energy consumption measurements during test cycles. Power measurements must be carried out with a high-voltage-safe e-mobility measurement system and a high sampling rate; electrical power values must be calculated in real time.

When developing a new zero-emission machine offer, multiple solutions are possible. Poclain's electromobility team, with its market experience and expertise in the field of power transmission for mobile equipment, offers you a multi-criteria assessment of the solutions implemented on its development platforms. During the conference, two electro-hydraulic solutions using different architectures will be detailed: one using a single electric motor for the propel function and the auxiliary functions, the other using two electric motors, the first one for the propel with a close loop fix displacement pump, the second one for auxiliary functions with open loop pumps. Both architectures will be detailed and evaluated.

More complex systems as well as the electrification of loads currently play a decisive role in the development of onboard electrical systems of industrial vehicles. To gain maximum reliability of system components, machine learning, system identification and pattern recognition methods can be applied to detect fault events in load circuits and gradual malfunction of components. Based on decentralized intelligent power distribution units with comprehensive diagnostic capabilities, customized solutions of refined and decentralized condition monitoring, as well as predictive maintenance and load management concepts, can be realized.

The pace of electrification has increased dramatically. Almost every sector is pressured with tremendous emission reduction goals, up to complete elimination in inner-city applications. Vehicle builders face many challenges in this transition, including the choice of the right electric drivetrain. This presentation will introduce the Engiro experience of setting up electric drivetrains for traction and auxiliary drives in the power range from 10 to 400kW and 48 to 800V. Real-world examples will point out the importance of a system approach by showing possible hurdles that integrators might encounter.

Traction motors are three-phase AC machines controlled via power electronics. The differences and similarities in the construction and control of the three main traction motors – induction machine, interior permanent magnet and synchronous reluctance – are explored in this presentation. The field-oriented control of these types of motors is outlined, and it is shown that the motors are interchangeable when it comes to control. Simulation and model-based design techniques to create and test the embedded control of the complete traction motor drive are presented. The three main traction motors are compared, with some surprising results regarding efficiency and total costs.

ABSTRACT Settima and SPIN combine hydraulic, electric, electronic and mechanical expertise in the design and manufacturing of “matching-technologies” for industrial EV and HEV manufacturers. We will present a flexible approach in the design and development of the most suitable motor technology to be employed within electro-hydraulic systems. Diversified motor technologies also support the supply chain stability, including not strategic materials with uncompromised high efficiency levels. This approach allows the best “matching” to customers’ platforms complying with environmental regulations, supply chain stability, economic and technical objectives. Alternative technologies, silent operation, environmental and financial sustainability are pillars of our flexible approach.

Hybrid powertrain technology is an evolving concept in the heavy-duty construction equipment industry to reduce fuel consumption rates and CO2 emissions from internal combustion engines. As such, machines are going through major design changes to fit hybrid drive technology. However, such changes can have adverse effects on the driver safety, comfort, and the ride & handling performance of the machine if key design factors are not considered at the initial stages of the development. This presentation will look at a concept for a hybrid drive for construction machinery that is coupled to a simple ‘semi-trailing arm’ high performing suspension system. This concept could offer a modular solution to OEMs that are considering hybridisation while the suspension design can provide ‘best in class performance’ and alleviate some of the transitional design challenges.

During this presentation James will provide an overview of how electrification of off highway projects is being approached by Williams Advanced Engineering; sharing some case studies which will showcase unique vehicle characteristics and the infrastructure needs for off grid / remote environments. He will also cover adaptation of new technologies and the interaction with Green Hydrogen.

The efficiency of electrified construction machinery is crucial; however, it is also important that the product development and validation process has the smallest negative impact on the environment. Digital engineering is vital in delivering hybrid and 100% electric off-highway machinery right-first-time. Avoiding extensive prototype testing and product iterations is not only cost-effective but also environmentally friendly. System simulations and digital twins are indispensable in turning the requirements into product performance predictions and analytics. They enable machine architecture selection, component sizing and V&V. Real-time driver-in-the-loop testing facilitates machine assessment without a prototype being available, and paves the way for virtual sign-off.

Inverter based on silicium carbid (SiC) semiconductors seem to be the mainstream for efficient electric drivetrains when it comes to the automotive car industry. However, there are hurdles to introduce this technology in the working machine sector. ABB’s new innovative 3-Level topology inverter allows an even smoother and more energy efficient operation of any type of electric motors which reduces cost of ownership (Best Efficiency Control). The presentation will give an overview on challenges and solutions to improve the drivetrain efficiency for working machines followed by efficiency comparison on real life duty cycles.

Advanced assistive features and the increasing automation of production machines are about to change work profiles and operator requirements and challenge operators’ skills. Intuitive, competence-aware interfaces open a way to a more adaptive and easy-to-use operation environment that facilitates the accessibility of digital services and automated machine functions. The presentation discusses specific points in the product development of HMI, including where and how the consideration of competencies could be turned into beneficial concepts of human-machine interaction.

When vehicle control functionality expands with tools and features to improve productivity and safety, the HMI user experience is key to realizing its benefits. Various subsystems may come with different designs and even dedicated HMI devices, something that typically leads to a higher cognitive load on the operator and the risk that perceived features are not leveraged in full. This presentation explores the integration of visual applications of various subsystems in a single multifunctional terminal, and an HMI system concept with multiple terminals where content can be moved dynamically between physical screens to achieve an ideal layout for the current operational mode.

How do you prevent operator fatigue? How do you maximize the output from each operator, shift after shift, day after day? How do you find the sweet spot of comfort and ergonomics in an ever-changing environment of culture, age groups and talent? John Deere offers three ergonomic solutions for its motor grader cab. Fifteen years ago, it only offered one, but research showed that to meet operator needs all around the world, one answer is not enough. The basic requirement of hitting the 95th percentile with one ergonomic solution is no longer viable.

An ever-growing amount of available information, arising from the ever-growing possibilities that come from technological progress, can result in two potential consequences for a machine operator: drowning in an overflow of information or great support for a smooth, successful and efficient operation. As the mobile machine benefits from more and more new technologies such as AI, and concepts such as automation, the operator-machine interface has to evolve accordingly. How will OMI solutions look tomorrow and how might they look like in 2030 – and after? And, just as important: how can off-highway OEMs integrate new OMI technologies with adequate R&D efforts?

Making something 'nice', 'beautiful' and - at its best – 'cool' is the image of the job description of an industrial designer. Meanwhile, the engineer is trying to make it functional! There is a good potential for a clash of cultures. Michael Mursch will show how to create shapes for technical products in a smooth process, where the result is more than just fullfilling the basic needs. When an emotional bond to the customer can be added - even with a connector, a motor or a vehicle - the benefit will be there. That’s the real task for the industrial designer.

Remote control (RCT) manufacturers are constantly innovating within the fields of ergonomics, operator safety and security. Both the machine and the RCT rely on features that can establish and identify a safe working area. With operator experience at the core of this initiative, this demand focuses on products that are designed for efficiency, comfort and postural fatigue reduction, and overall safety. One solution is the development of a one-hand-operated remote control device that uses ultra-wideband radio technology, enabling highly accurate distance measurement and allowing the operator to control the machine remotely. Utilizing a very low energy level for short-range and high-bandwidth communications, it ensures fast and stable transmission of data. In addition, the RCT requires security encryption to protect from hacking, and other features that allow the radio remote to deny or enable access to operator cards.

New technology and the demand for unique designs in heavy vehicles calls for new solutions in work lighting regarding functionality, design and safety. Modern technology gives endless possibilities for special design solutions for OEMs. New intelligent lighting solutions like Tyri’s INTELLilight also give a totally new way of solving common problems related to work lights on heavy vehicles. A system where you can change color temperature, dim the lights and free group/regroup – just one button away. The lighting solution of tomorrow is already here.

What do the WEcabin displays from Würth Elektronik ICS and the ambulances from BAUS AT have in common? Both have to be reliable and ready to function in challenging situations. In Würth Elektronik's real-time dialog between customer and supplier, it presented technical features and criteria which convinced its customer, BAUS AT, to nominate Würth Elektronik for delivering their HMI solutions for life-saving ambulances. Using the joint project as a best practice example, Würth Elektronik shows how HMIs can be integrated into the electrical architecture and what opportunities the specific application software opens up for BAUS AT and other industrial vehicle manufacturers.

The presentation will give an overview of an innovative design method where engineering and style go hand in hand to achieve the perfect integration between the operator, the cab and the vehicle. In this approach, the cabin becomes the nucleus of the machine, the control room designed around the worker to increase productivity. The result is a next-generation vehicle, technologically innovative and functional with guaranteed and efficient industrialization that brings conspicuous savings in time, money and resources.

The presentation will introduce the 09 keypad, showing its unique use in the field of heavy-duty and special vehicles and trucks due to its intuitive operation via the intelligent lighting features and user guidance. This provides real added value to users for the use and operation of all kinds of vehicles or systems.

Digital video cameras with low latencies are suitable as a technical alternative to conventional rear-view mirrors in vehicles. There are advantages compared with classic mirrors, especially in the case of large vehicles with difficult optical viewing angles. An important requirement in this environment is to ensure a continuous and low-latency video stream that is rendered on the display (see ISO 16505). Based on the presentation of a concrete case study, the lecture explains which important system components must be covered: configuration of the camera (e.g. ISO17215), GStreamer pipelines in embedded Linux, hardware-supported decoding and software implementation with C++ Qt.

HMI is key in the perception of machine behavior and operator experience. With the new Sense+ multifunctional, ergonomic joystick, mobile machines remain easily controllable despite the rising number of machine functions and attachment tools. The integrated haptic vibration feedback element enables an intuitive interaction between the driver and the machine in combination with operator assistance and automation functions. As a basis for automation, hydraulic power brakes are changing from pure mechanical actuation to electrohydraulics. The new Gemini modular dual-circuit power brake platform allows an easy and step-by-step transition to brake by wire.

This presentation aims to provide insight into technologies that are changing the HMI solutions of off-highway and industrial vehicles. We will explore technology that impacts hardware design, OEMs, and operators. From embedded hardware combined with intelligent software that reduces time to market while enabling scalability to the integration of collaborative technology improving safety and productivity, industrial vehicle HMI continues to define the digital transformation of the industry.

Head-up displays show critical information in front of the drivers/operators and allow them to focus on the road and operation. There are different display technologies for head-up displays, such as projected HUD, TOLED, miniLED and electroluminescent displays. Each technology has its advantages and disadvantages. This presentation will compare four head-up display solutions in the following areas: construction, display installation and integration, lamination readiness, focal point, transmission, operating temperature, resistance to shock and vibration, resistance to humidity and solar load, optical uniformity, maturity, color, product lifetime and production life.

Less volume more space - a seemingly impossible conundrum that is at the center of Heavy Machinery cabin design today, and further complexified by the new needs of electric machinery. To tackle this problem, OEMs must balance functional, comfort, and safety requirements when reinventing their cabins, working across physics and scales to provide as much space and comfort to the operator, in as small and cost effective a cabin as possible. We will demonstrate how this challenge can be approached with simulation solutions, focusing specifically on Roll Over Protection and HVAC design using structural and CFD simulation.

Several megatrends influence global farming and other cabin market segments. In general, future driving experience should be an environmentally friendly, less employee dependent experience. Heavy machine driving experience as we know it now, will be heavily rethought in the coming decades. The presentation will describe how megatrends, such as green deal, remote control and autonomous driving, will be affecting on cabin design. How are such trends considered in the design process?

Industrial design is often misunderstood solely as an add-on for better looks. But properly integrated in your particular product development process, it can help thrive your business in many ways. Finding the right approach for your project is essential to gain the maximum benefit from the investment in design. This presentation will show you not only the boosters professional design will bring to your project, but also different ways of how to match the right design approach to your specific needs for building better cabs.

Driving assistance in vehicles has already begun to assert itself in cars. But how do you build driving assistance functions? We at EYYES are specialists in the development and implementation of driving assistance systems in the field of commercial vehicles, construction machinery and trams based on deep learning. We build front collision assistants, reversing assistants and also blind spot assistants. Our technology has been tested by the ADAC and provides the lowest possible error rate for the user of the system. Using our software framework and pre-trained neural networks we will show in the presentation how every developer or product owner can easily and quickly develop his own driving assistance functions and integrate them into products.