Collaboration with universities and technology centers

The University of Navarra, through Tecnun, has initiated an agreement with Sapa, called the "High-Speed Gears Chair," to deepen the study of gears under high-speed conditions. This responds to the growing demand for the electrification of civilian and military vehicles, where transmission components now exceed 10,000 rpm, reaching approximately 20,000 rpm with electric motors. This increase in speed presents new challenges, such as lubrication issues, greater power losses, and increased vibrations and centrifugal forces. The agreement includes designing and constructing a test bench for these gears, modeling and simulating their operating conditions, and conducting experimental tests.

The collaboration proposal between SAPA and the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM) focuses on developing a 2-level, 200 kW bidirectional AC/DC converter for SAPA's e-axle project. This converter will use SiC MOSFET technology and operate at 50 KHz to drive a permanent magnet synchronous motor, also allowing for regenerative braking.

SAPA and Mondragón University are collaborating on the development of a production system based on variable demand, called "Demand Driven Adaptive Enterprise" (DDAE). This system is designed for the manufacturing of propulsion systems (e-axle) in electric commercial vehicles, specifically trucks and buses over 3 tons. One of the main challenges in the production of these vehicles is the uncertainty in demand and an unreliable supply chain due to the specialization of electronic components. The variability and unpredictability of demand, along with the globalization of supply, complicate the scenario. The implementation of a DDAE system implies an innovative change in SAPA's production and organization, encompassing the supply chain, logistics, manufacturing, and assembly, as well as a high level of plant digitalization.

The collaboration with the University of Jaén and Mechaup aims to design a test bench to test different configurations of dog clutches and control all the variables involved. This will develop the necessary knowledge to apply this technology optimally in our products. Unlike multi-plate clutches, where torque is transmitted through friction between the disc surfaces, in dog clutches, torque is transmitted through direct contact between the teeth once engaged. This allows for higher torque transmission in a smaller space. The main challenge of this type of clutch is the impact. This impact generates considerable stress on the teeth, and in some cases, the relative speed between shafts is so high that the teeth deform plastically because they cannot withstand these stresses.

SAPA Transmission has collaborated with the U.S. Army Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC) to develop next-generation transmission technology. This partnership has resulted in the creation of the ACT850 and ACT1000 transmission systems, which are designed for advanced combat vehicles. These transmissions are currently undergoing performance and reliability testing in various military vehicles, including the Bradley Fighting Vehicle and the M109A7 Self-Propelled Howitzer.