Truck & Off-Highway Engineering - August 2021 - 4

TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS
ELECTROHYDRAULICS
Terzo strives to electrify fluid power
The intricacies of a traditional hydraulic system are typically
where technical issues arise, according to Mike Terzo, CEO of
Terzo Power Systems. Simplifying the inherent complexity of
fluid power is what his California-based company has worked
to address over the past seven years, developing and now
commercializing its Hydrapulse electrohydraulic technology.
" Our system effectively digitizes the control of hydraulics,
which makes the complex hydraulic system of pressure control
valves, directional control valves, pump compensation controls,
flow dividers, coolers, etc. a thing of the past, " Terzo told Truck &
Off-Highway Engineering. By combining these discrete components
into one " system, " Terzo claims to have made electrification
In the laser powder bed fusion process, a laser beam solidifies metal
powder layer by layer to form components.
a more " plug-and-play " approach for engineers and designers.
" They don't need to understand the differences between a
pressure compensating pump and a load-sense pump or an
open center system and a closed center system to get an extremely
compact, lightweight, and energy-efficient hydraulic
system, " said the CEO who essentially serves as the company's
CTO as well. " They simply tell us what the work function
is (hydraulic cylinder or hydraulic motor) and we can provide
the correct size Hydrapulse. They then can easily control the
flow rate, pressure and logic all digitally now. That is one of
the true advantages of electrification. "
Scalable architecture
Terzo Power Systems used a mini excavator to demonstrate
its electrohydraulic technology to OEMs. The system is scalable
for larger machines across the mobile industry, Terzo
said. " We developed a flexible voltage and power architecture
that allows us to adapt to the numerous variations seen in the
off-highway vehicle market, " he said.
Since every vehicle platform is different in terms of duty
Highly complex parts can be produced quickly using 3D printing.
such as pistons and charge air coolers for the Porsche 911
GT2 RS. " This was one of the milestones that also led to our
decision to establish our own 3D printing center with our
own printers, " Geyer said.
The project proved expected advantages of the 3D printing
process - namely the elimination of expensive production
tools and the ability to create structures otherwise too complex
to produce. " Computer-aided topology optimization,
which is modeled on natural structures, adds material only at
stress points, " Geyer said. " This is how it adapts the structure
precisely to the load. "
Commercial vehicles also can benefit from the new center.
" Certainly with respect to the heat exchanger, we're currently
intensively working on various projects in the field of thermal
management. And of course, commercial vehicles in conjunction
with alternative drives are a focal area, " Geyer said.
Ryan Gehm
4 August 2021
cycles, individual work function, power levels, control requirements
and weight restrictions, Terzo engineers decided to
Terzo Power Systems used a mini excavator to demonstrate the benefits
of its Hydrapulse electrohydraulic technology to OEMs.
TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING
FROM TOP: MAHLE; MAHLE; TERZO POWER SYSTEMS
Truck & Off-Highway Engineering - August 2021

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