KOMP-ACT : electric actuation technologies for a sustainable electric manufacturing industry
According to the United Nations, global emissions of carbon dioxide have increased by almost 50% since 1990; and with our current socio-economic climate causing record high energy and commodity costs, multinationals and local SMEs worldwide are now pressurd to reduce their manufacturing costs and environmental impact to ensure a sustainable growth.
In this challenging context, KOMP-ACT aims to drive the transition to a sustainable electric manufacturing industry. The Swiss high-tech company helps machine owners and suppliers replace pneumatic motion devices (such as grippers and actuators) with an electric solution in a quick and cost-effective way.
Established in 2018, KOMP-ACT (short for “Composite Actuators”) was founded by two aerospace engineers and a University Professor with backgrounds in actuators.
Initially specialized in the development of rotary motors and actuators using composite materials destined for the electric aircraft market, KOMP-ACT’s mission shifted towards broader industrial applications after a Swiss-based manufacturer challenged the founders to develop a solution to replace pneumatic actuators with a solution that offers greater energy and maintenance cost savings as well as limit micro- stops (i.e. “jams”).
In undertaking this challenge, the biggest obstacles that the company faced were:
•Achieving similar force density of pneumatics using alternative technologies.
•Determining the TCO (Total Cost of Ownerships) related to operating pneumatics
•Educating machine builders and end users on the direct and indirect costs related to operating pneumatics (part durability, replacement frequency, cost of labor, cost of downtime)
•Providing a cost-competitive alternative to pneumatics.
The result? KOMP-ACT introduced an electric actuation system combining a high level of productivity and reliability from electric linear motors with the compactness, easiness of integration and
cost-effectiveness of standard pneumatic actuators.
In fact, KOMP-ACT electric actuators can produce twice the cycling rate, while generating over 10 times less CO2 emissions compared to pneumatics, representing up to %90 savings in energy cost per actuator (52-10€ versus 2500-500€) over the same lifecycle.
The company estimates that replacing all pneumatics currently in use with its electric motion technologies would reduce CO2 emissions in the industrial automation sector up to 49 million tons/year.
Later this year, KOMP-ACT will be launching its GREEN and GREEN PLUS product lines to better address the cost and performance needs of the market. Its GREEN product line will offer KOMP-ACT›s electric technology, while matching pneumatic force, cycle rate and cost, while its GREEN PLUS line will offer higher cycling rates for applications with higher performance requirements.
KOMP-ACT products are currently being implemented by manufacturers in Italy, UK, Germany and Switzerland, on fully electric machines destined for the packaging industry.
For more information:
www.komp-act.com
