With the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) just weeks away, Schaeffler gave members of the media a look at the technologies it will showcase at the show, as it looks to become a motion technology company. CES, which will take place Jan. 9-12, will give Schaeffler the opportunity to showcase the direction of the company for the future as well as debut new products for EVs.

Marc McGrath, regional CEO, Americas, Schaeffler Group USA, said Schaeffler’s foundational business is bearings and components, but it offers so much more as it looks to be a solution provider for all types of mobility. McGrath used the following words to describe Schaeffler’s vision for the future as a motion technology company: sustain, energize, drive, generate, transmit and guide.

McGrath said in the Americas, Schaeffler is already working on projects that will help meet these goals. Jeff Hemphill, chief technical officer, Americas, provided more details on some of the technologies that will be on display at CES that will follow these guidelines during the media preview.

• When looking at “driving motion,” Schaeffler will feature its electric beam e-axle for pickup trucks at CES. Hemphill said development for this product was led by the U.S. R&D team and utilizes Schaeffler’s sheet metal stamping for the housing of the axle, which saved 50kg (about 110 pounds) of mass compared to a conventional axle. He added that Schaeffler also makes any sub-assembly of an electric e-axle down to its individual bearing.
• Schaeffler will demonstrate how it’s “energizing motion” through its expertise in high-technology coatings and complex assemblies. Hemphill said this has led the company to produce solid-state battery cells, which Schaeffler thinks will be the next generation of batteries. More immediately, he said the company has produced a battery tank for hybrid or electric vehicles for energy storage.
• To highlight the “generate motion” principle, Schaeffler will display its front-wheel and rear-wheel steering systems. This includes steer-by-wire systems, Hemphill said. Bringing different engineers together from its bearing to motors to embedded software divisions has allowed Schaeffler to create solutions and products for electromechanical actuation in-house. This includes strain-wave gearboxes, which provide a power-dense solution in a compact package. Hemphill also highlighted the company’s line of industrial actuators, which will be displayed at CES.

“The innovative strength of Schaeffler comes from not divesting of anything over the years,” Hemphill said. “At Schaeffler, we have a big group of engineers that understand production and processes and we can mix those and become a powerful innovator of motion technology.”

McGrath added that CES marks the start of Schaeffler’s 2024 Road Show, where it will travel across the country and interact with end users to increase its brand recognition.

“While Schaeffler is a household name in Europe and known in our given industries, it’s not known in various households. As we move forward, we think it’s important that every university and top talent knows Schaeffler. We need good people to move forward. We want to strengthen our brand in the region to show we’re pioneering and focused on new industries.”

He added: “Solid state batteries, hydrogen, electric drives– that’s the avenue we’re pursuing to be a leading innovation company.”