SKF has announced that a single bus using the new SKF bus door actuator, a BeyondZero portfolio product, saves 1,9 tons of carbon dioxide per year when compared to a bus using pressurised air. This figure is valid for one city bus, diesel hybrid with six doors (one actuator per door).
“The actuator requires 80 to 90% less energy than a pneumatic system does and because of this, the compressor system size can be reduced to require smaller engines,” says Richard Klausen, general manager of SKF actuation systems. “These two benefits produce almost a 3% improvement in the fuel economy. There are a few examples available of electromechanical solutions being used for bus doors, but, as far as we know, this is the first one that lives up to all the specifications.”
SKF partnered with a customer in the automotive market to develop an alternative to pneumatic door-opening systems that would be more reliable and require less energy. The resulting solution is an actuator which integrates electrical and mechanical elements to control the door’s speed and position.
SKF bus door actuators increase bus availability because they are driven by electric motors and do not require air pressure like pneumatic systems. Additionally, due to their controlled motion, there is significantly less wear of mechanical parts; installation is a simple drop-in replacement. The robust construction, and integrated electronics and software, deliver repeatable function regardless of temperature, load or wear variations.
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