What if... we could invent a really innovative product?

An interview with the SCS expert team from E-T-A

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When you develop an innovative product group like the SCS, you face many obstacles and challenges. But it also is an exciting task that requires a lot of discussion with customers.

Our application engineer Johannes Dürgner, our strategic account manager Alexander Weisheit and product manager Dominik Neudert want to take you on a mental journey through the development process and explain their personal point of view of what is important when it comes to intelligent power distribution.

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Johannes, you were involved in the development process right from the start. How did the SCS concept change from the first idea to the final product?

Johannes Dürgner: The basic idea was to combine our core competences - protecting and switching - in one module. In the past, a lot of components and wiring was necessary to set up a power distribution system. We wanted to decrease the integration effort and increase the system transparency with an all-in-one module. We also wanted to use the trend of fully-electronic switching and develop a wear-free solution without electro-mechanical switching elements and fuses. This is how the idea of a simple, fully electronic power distribution unit with CAN connection was born.

Based on our customers’ requirements, we have gradually expanded the functionality of our SCS. By working closely with our users, we can develop products that create real added value. Therefore, we try to involve them well in our development process and really listen to them. As a result, the modules we offer today have a wide range of additional functions that facilitate integrating and operating the modules.

That sounds like a long way to go. What were the challenges, and did you ever doubt its feasibility?

Johannes Dürgner: Based on the respective key data, e.g. total current and current per channel, we had to design the modules as compact as possible to provide our customers the best possible advantage regarding the required installation space. For some modules, the use of plastic enclosures made things even more complicated. We were able to save even more weight with these enclosures, but dissipating the power loss posed a major challenge... but I never doubted that it was feasible. I was more concerned about whether we would be able to achieve the goals we had set ourselves so that our customers would have real added value and a really simple solution for fully electronic power distribution.

As we can see now, your concerns were unjustified. SCS - Smart Control Systems - have made it to the market. Dominik and Alexander, would you please explain to us: What exactly is so smart about SCS?

Dominik Neudert: With SCS, you can monitor your on-board electrical system much more easily and more extensively. As the modules are connected via CAN bus you can receive status messages during operation and control further modules. You can also measure e.g. the actual current or the current performance. We call this extended diagnosis functions.

Alexander Weisheit: Exactly. SCS modules detect many errors automatically, e.g. an overload or a cable break. This enables quick reaction to prevent damage to the vehicle or the loads and reduces downtimes.

Sounds exciting - what are the typical application areas for these modules?

Johannes Dürgner: Actually, almost all applications that need electrical energy. It doesn't matter whether it's an agricultural or construction machine, a truck, a small racing car, a wood chipper or a mining vehicle. Whenever flexibility, robustness, reliability or safety are required, our SCS modules are a good and suitable choice. There are virtually no limits to the application areas, which I find really impressive, and this makes the dialogue with our customers particularly interesting - because no two projects are the same.

Dominik, could you explain the difference between SCS modules and conventional solutions?

Dominik Neudert: The biggest difference is that we do not use classic relays and fuses for the SCS anymore. We use semi-conductor solutions instead, which are extremely space-saving, energy-saving and are wear-free. Furthermore, the SCS modules are connected to the on-board electrical system via CAN bus. This means a significantly smaller number of cables. Another feature is that the SCS module can be parametrised or configured according to the requirements.

That sounds like a highly flexible solution, right Alexander?

Alexander Weisheit: That is correct. It allows us, for example, to extend existing systems with new loads. In case of conventional solutions, this is anything but easy. But with our SCS modules, adjustments can be done quickly and economically. It is just as easy for us to test and implement ideas for improving the system.

Our SCS modules offer this kind of flexibility not only during operation, but right from the start. Unlike conventional power distribution systems, you can install our intelligent system in places in the vehicle where accessibility does not need to be guaranteed or where it could be exposed to water and dust. This saves valuable installation space in the driver's cabin or vehicle body, which can be used for other components.?

In addition to the flexible use, decentralised power distribution and plug-and-play solutions are also two terms often used in connection with SCS. Alexander, what does that mean?

Alexander Weisheit: To make it short: Both ensure that you have less effort and costs as you need far fewer cables with a decentralised power distribution, saving material and manufacturing costs during installation. For the operation, you only need the power supply and communication lines. So, you do not have to pull cables from your central electrical system to the point of consumption for each load. The SCS also provides protection for these loads, so you do not need to install further components for this.

And thanks to the plug-and-play approach, you can easily integrate the modules into your existing control architecture. You can save material costs, production time and storage space for your components with our SCS. All in all, this means that the total costs of ownership are reduced.

The SCS product group stands out from other power distribution systems especially due to its diagnostic capability. What does this mean in detail?

Alexander Weisheit: The diagnostic capability creates more system transparency, and you can react faster and better to errors. It works like this: Our SCS measures the currents of the individual loads, the actual total current consumption and the voltage applied. This data is sent via the CAN bus to the central control unit in the vehicle, the ECU. If the current of a load increases over its lifetime, a maintenance request can be triggered from a defined threshold.?

In addition, our SCS distinguishes between the three fault types: overcurrent, short circuit and cable break for each individual channel. The corresponding information is also sent to the ECU. This helps determine in advance whether a fault is caused by a short circuit, an overload or damage to the cable connection.

That sounds like a modern approach. Dominik, we have learned a lot about the features of the SCS modules. Can you briefly summarise the advantages for us again?

Dominik Neudert: Of course. Our SCS product group consists of highly efficient modules to realise modern wiring systems. Dry and protected installation space is becoming increasingly valuable, development cycles are becoming shorter and the number of loads is increasing. In order to keep pace with these developments, modern and flexible solutions such as our SCS modules are needed.

Thank you very much for this summary and the informative interview!

About our experts:

Johannes Dürgner Has accompanied the development process of the SCS product group from the very beginning as an application engineer. He supports customers in finding the right solution for their individual requirements.

Dominik Neudert As product manager, he not only knows SCS inside out, but also the market and the customers’ needs who use the intelligent power distribution systems in their vehicles.

Alexander Weisheit Is strategic account manager and therefore responsible for SCS product sales, a product group of intelligent power distribution systems. One of his main tasks is to exchange ideas with customers to determine their needs.

Find out more about SCS Smart Control Systems.